Meghan: Hi Reaper. Thank you for joining us today. What is one word you would use to define yourself?
Trapped.
Meghan: Do you see yourself as the “good guy” or the “bad guy”?
I was the bad guy. Right now, I really don’t know.
Meghan: What does the plot require you to be? How does this requirement limit you?
Indecisive. It doesn’t leave much room for my own character growth, but I guess I’m supposed to be that way.
Meghan: What is your quest?
All I want out of life – er, the afterlife – is a do-over. I know I can do better.
Meghan: What do you hope to accomplish, find, or become during the course of your book/series?
I need answers. I need to find a way to escape this corporate hell.
Meghan: What do you like about the other main characters? What do you least like about the other main characters?
Reaper #2007 is okay, I guess. I think he really wants to help. The Big Boss can crumble to dust for all I care.
Meghan: When was the last time you lied What made you do it?
I lie every day to try and keep my skull attached to my spine.
Meghan: Who have you betrayed lately? What happened?
I’ve betrayed tons of people who had full lives ahead of them. The only thing is, they don’t know I betrayed them.
Meghan: Would you say that you are an optimist or a pessimist?
Realist, I guess. Life sucks and then you die, and sometimes even then fate isn’t done with you yet.
Meghan: What is your superpower?
My Reaper Magic is pretty fun to play around with. I can’t manipulate anyone’s freewill, of course, but I have been known to cause a few creative… accidents here and there.
Meghan: What is your biggest secret?
I remember. Not everything, but it’s coming back slowly, and I can’t let them know.
Meghan: Do you live in the right world? How necessary are you to your world?
I’m in the right world in the sense that I did something to deserve to be here. I wouldn’t say I’m a necessary part of the team, though. I’m just another faceless Reaper in a crowd of thousands.
Meghan: What is your role in this setting? Are you okay with this role or would you like it to change?
Look, I get that death is inevitable and without us, people couldn’t die, but I really want to quit this lousy job.
Meghan: Did you turn out the way you expected?
No, and I hope I can still change that.
Meghan: What, if anything, would you change about your life?
That one moment that sealed my fate as a Reaper.
Meghan: How do you feel about your author?
If I were real, she’d be next.
Meghan: If the two of you got together for coffee, what would you want to say to them?
I’ve got something extra special cooked up for you. Consider it payback for all the torture you put me through. I hate this job, but I’m making an exception for you since you’re the one who put me here in the first place.
Boo-graphy: Sarah McKnight has been writing stories since she could pick up a pencil, and it often got her in trouble during math class. After a brief stint teaching English to unruly middle schoolers in Japan, she decided she wasn’t going to put off her dream of becoming a writer any longer and set to work. With several novels in the making, she hopes to tackle issues such as anxiety, depression, and letting go of the past – with a little humor sprinkled in, too. A St Louis native, she currently lives in Pennsylvania with her wonderful husband and three cats. You can find her on Twitter and on her website.
The Reaper Chronicles 1: The Reaper’s Quota Meet Grim Reaper #2497. Behind on his work, he must complete his quota of thirty Random Deaths or face termination in the worst way. Faced with an insurmountable task and very little time to complete it, Reaper #2497 struggles to hang on to the one thing he’s not supposed to have – his humanity.
Meghan: Hey, Sarah! Welcome to Meghan’s HAUNTED House of Books. Thanks for joining us today. What is your favorite part of Halloween?
Sarah: I think the shorter answer is what isn’t my favorite part of Halloween! I love seeing all the fun and unique costumes (and occasionally dressing up myself), the crisp fall air, and of course the endless supply of horror movies.
Meghan: Do you get scared easily?
Sarah: It really depends. Paranormal things don’t scare me so much because I’ve always had a huge interest in them. It’s the things that could cause direct harm to me, like real people, that really scare me.
Meghan: What is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen and why?
Sarah: This is a really hard one! Off the top of my head, I think I would have to say Stephen King’s Apt Pupil. There is a particular scene in both the movie and the book involving a cat that disturbed me so much I will never, ever look at either of them again.
Meghan: Which horror movie murder did you find the most disturbing?
Sarah: Probably the murders that take place in Funny Games, which is incidentally probably my favorite movie of all time.
Meghan: Is there a horror movie you refused to watch because the commercials scared you too much?
Sarah: That’s never happened to me!
Meghan: If you got trapped in one scary movie, which would you choose?
Sarah: I would have to say The Haunting, that terrible 90’s movie based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. It was the first horror movie I ever saw, and I always wanted to explore that gigantic house.
Meghan: If you were stuck as the protagonist in any horror movie, which would you choose?
Sarah: Anything paranormal! Probably Stephen King’s IT. I want to be in the Losers Club.
Meghan: What is your all-time favorite scary monster or creature of the night?
Meghan: What is your favorite Halloween tradition?
Sarah: Scary movies in the dark. I will never get tired of it.
Meghan: What is your favorite horror or Halloween-themed song?
Sarah: Oogie Boogie’s Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Not to brag, but I can really belt that one out!
Meghan: Which horror novel unsettled you the most?
Sarah: We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I think the reason it’s so scary is because it’s an extremely realistic situation that could happen to anyone.
Meghan: What is the creepiest thing that’s ever happened while you were alone?
Sarah: My friends and I had been messing around with a Ouija board (I know, I know…) I went back to my apartment and none of my roommates were home. While I was in my room, I heard something fall and break in the kitchen. I went to investigate, but nothing was out of place, and I was still there alone.
Meghan: Which unsolved mystery fascinates you the most?
Sarah: So many! I think if I had to pick just one, I’d want to know what happened aboard the Mary Celeste.
Meghan: What is the spookiest ghost story that you have ever heard?
Sarah: The classic Lady in White. Can you imagine picking someone up off the side of the road, driving her all the way home, only for her to disappear and discover she was dead the whole time?
Meghan: In a zombie apocalypse, what is your weapon of choice?
Sarah: Probably a hammer. Easy to carry and good for bashing brains!
Meghan: Let’s have some fun… Would you rather get bitten by a vampire or a werewolf?
Sarah: Vampire, please! Can you imagine having to manage all that fur? Yikes!
Meghan: Would you rather fight a zombie apocalypse or an alien invasion?
Sarah: Aliens. Maybe they’re friendly after all?
Meghan: Would you rather drink zombie juice or eat dead bodies from the graveyard?
Sarah: What exactly is “zombie juice”? Is it like Bug Juice? I’m probably going with that just to be safe.
Meghan: Would you rather stay at the Poltergeist house or the Amityville house for a week?
Sarah: The Poltergeist house. Show me all the paranormal activity!
Meghan: Would you rather chew on a bitter melon with chilies or maggot-infested cheese?
Sarah: Bitter melon with chilies please. I don’t even want the mental image of the other thing.
Meghan: Would you rather drink from a witch’s cauldron or lick cotton candy made of spider webs?
Sarah: Depends, what is the witch cooking up? A potion? A delicious soup? I’ll take the mystery cauldron!
Boo-graphy: Sarah McKnight has been writing stories since she could pick up a pencil, and it often got her in trouble during math class. After a brief stint teaching English to unruly middle schoolers in Japan, she decided she wasn’t going to put off her dream of becoming a writer any longer and set to work. With several novels in the making, she hopes to tackle issues such as anxiety, depression, and letting go of the past – with a little humor sprinkled in, too. A St Louis native, she currently lives in Pennsylvania with her wonderful husband and three cats. You can find her on Twitter and on her website.
The Reaper Chronicles 1: The Reaper’s Quota Meet Grim Reaper #2497. Behind on his work, he must complete his quota of thirty Random Deaths or face termination in the worst way. Faced with an insurmountable task and very little time to complete it, Reaper #2497 struggles to hang on to the one thing he’s not supposed to have – his humanity.
Meghan: Hey, Marc! Welcome BACK to Meghan’s HAUNTED House of Books. It is ALWAYS a pleasure to have you join in our festivities. Let’s jump right in – Do you get scared easily?
SC: Yes, but only if I’m thinking of the future of our current civilization.
Meghan: What is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen and why?
SC: Two come to mind. The Descent is the first and only movie I ever watched in a theater alone. That mixed with the claustrophobia of being underground made it one of the scariest. The second is The Exorcist. I was young and Regan’s eyes haunted me for a long time after my first viewing. More than the movie itself, it was her eyes.
Meghan: Which horror movie murder did you find the most disturbing?
SC: The Strangers. I can’t remember an exact kill from it, but the premise of the murders disturbed me. “Because you were home.” Nothing else. Not revenge. Not an obsessive love interest. Just because you’re here. To think that murder could be completely random disturbs me.
Meghan: Is there a horror movie you refused to watch because the commercials scared you too much?
SC: No. But when I was a kid, the commercials for Cronenberg’s The Fly gave me nightmares. “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” My mom had me draw a picture of a scary image from the commercial and then we tore it up and burned it. The ritual helped. However, when I got older, I really enjoyed the remake.
Meghan: If you got trapped in one scary movie, which would you choose?
Meghan: What is your favorite Halloween tradition?
SC: It used to be going to haunted house attractions. I would try to go to as many as possible throughout October. Now, I enjoy sitting in my driveway and passing out candy.
Meghan: What is your favorite horror or Halloween-themed song?
SC: Uh, man, this is difficult. “Halloween” by the Misfits is great. “Hellraiser” by Motorhead also gets me in the mood. I think “Hellraiser” was originally on the March or Die album, but I heard it on the soundtrack for Hellraiser III and I’ve associated it with horror movies ever since.
Meghan: Which horror novel unsettled you the most?
SC: We Need to Talk About Kevin. The concept of being a parent was psychologically horrifying to me as a younger man.
Meghan: Which unsolved mystery fascinates you the most?
Meghan: In a zombie apocalypse, what is your weapon of choice?
SC: Rifle, pistol, and shotgun. That should cover all the bases.
Meghan: Okay, let’s have some fun… Would you rather get bitten by a vampire or a werewolf?
SC: Vampire
Meghan: Would you rather fight a zombie apocalypse or an alien invasion?
SC: Probably easier to survive a zombie apocalypse, but I’m so damn curious about aliens, I’ll go with the ETs.
Meghan: Would you rather drink zombie juice or eat dead bodies from the graveyard?
SC: I just vomited in my mouth
Meghan: Would you rather stay at the Poltergeist house or the Amityville house for a week?
SC: Amityville
Meghan: Would you rather chew on a bitter melon with chilies or maggot-infested cheese?
SC: Bitter watermelon chilies
Meghan: Would you rather drink from a witch’s cauldron or lick cotton candy made of spider webs?
SC: I’m slightly arachnophobic so abracadabra give me that witch’s brew.
Boo-graphy: SC Mendes is the co-host of Horror Business – a podcast dedicated to helping authors make a career of their writing. He produces the Don’t Fall Asleep Podcast with Spencer Dillehay and is also the co-owner of Blood Bound Books – an independent publisher whose mission is spreading hope through dark fiction. Mendes has been publishing dark fiction under various names since 2009. The Order of Eternal Sleep, his sequel to The City, released in January 2022, and he is hard at work on the series finale. SC attempts to keep up with readers on Facebook, his website, and welcomes fan/hate mail in his mailbox.
There is a civilization buried deep beneath our own. A place spoken of only in whispers. If you are desperate enough, you will find it. But remember, all knowledge comes at a price.
The bodies were discovered six months after Max Elliot turned in his badge. All that remained of the victims were piles of flayed skin and organs. The bones of each body had been stolen. This torturous method of execution had only been seen once before, and that case remained unsolved. Confident of a connection between the grizzly murders, the police turn to the one man they believe can help. With the allure of closure to his own personal tragedy, Max Elliot agrees to reinstatement for one last case. But the clues lead the unstable detective down a path he never could have imagined. A mysterious drug, a world beneath our own, sex and violence on an unprecedented level, and creatures as ancient as sin itself.
Three years after Max Elliot goes missing, an anonymous tip brings Detectives McCloud and O’Neil to a residential arson on the outskirts of Chinatown.
The majority of the house survived, but the six bodies inside were reduced to gnarled heaps of blackened limbs.
A hidden door to the basement reveals a strange ritual space. Sealing the room, is the image of a serpent and obelisk, reminiscent of Ming’s scarred palm. On the black altar, they find an unidentifiable language and symbols that lead to more questions. Dark magick. Suppressed news reports. Dirty cops.
Besides the nightmares inspired by the crime, something else from the hidden basement is following them. Infecting them. Providing a glimpse to the mental anguish coming to consume us all.
Meanwhile, a secret order is poised to complete their greatest ritual yet. The Rites of Eternal Sleep will usher in the long night. And when the Black Sun rises, the surface will never be the same.
Under the influence of dark forces, McCloud will need all the help he can get to unravel the many veils of The Order before time runs out.
Horror fulfills an important part of human culture. Ancient societies were full of examples: The Chaos Monster in Mesopotamia, the Greek’s Minotaur and Gorgon, the tale of Beowulf, the Gumiho from Korea, and many others.
Confronting fearful mythic figures have been used to inspire, explain the unknowable, and to entertain. But they do more than that. Many times, a monster is pitiable, getting us to confront societal prejudices and unfair practices. For example, while Frankenstein’s monster is depicted differently in book and film, both are victims and cause us to question what is just and fair. So too with many of the figures of horror fiction and film.
While some contend that horror is inherently conservative, as the goal is to return to how things used to be, many times the reader or viewer of horror is actually asked to question the norms of society. When done well, horror can enlighten.
Ultimately, we need horror. Stephen King perhaps said it best: “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”
(This piece originally appeared in the author’s newsletter, The Haunted House of Herold. If interested in subscribing, contact the author at email@robertheroldauthor.com)
Boo-graphy: The supernatural has always had the allure of a forbidden fruit, ever since my mother refused to allow me, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved in. (Well, not literally!)
While other kids my age wanted to grow up to be doctors, firefighters, spacemen, and the like, I wanted to be a werewolf.
I have pursued my interests over the years (including playing the sax and flute, and teaching middle school history for 36 years), but supernatural writing always called to me. You could say that I was haunted. Ultimately, I hope my books give you the creeps, and I mean that in the best way possible!
The Eidola Project – The Eidola Project is a 19th century team of ghost hunters who become ensnared in a deadly investigation of a haunted house. They are a psychology professor, his assistant, an African-American physicist, a young sideshow medium, and a traumatized Civil War veteran, each possessing unique strengths and weaknesses. Will any of them survive?
Moonlight Becomes You – The Eidola Project travels to Petersburg, Virginia, to investigate a series of murders in the Black community—rumored to be caused by a werewolf. Once there, danger comes from all quarters. Not only do they face threats from the supernatural, the KKK objects to the team’s activities, and the group is falling apart. Can they overcome their human frailties to defeat the evil that surrounds them?
Totem of Terror – The Eidola Project, a team of 19th Century ghost hunters, have been tasked with trying to stop a deadly shapeshifting demon attacking the native people of La Push, on the Washington Coast. The team brings their own demons with them, in the form of drug addiction, a werewolf’s curse, and being in mourning from the death of a loved one. Can they rise to this new challenge, or will they face the same grisly end as the shapeshifter’s other victims?
Witch Ever Way You Go When an ill-fated graduate student and his girlfriend are lured into a terrifying world of witchcraft and murder, they become targets for human sacrifice. Is there a chance they can escape a bloodthirsty coven of witches and certain death until the curse is lifted? A spellbinding story of modern horror.
Meghan: Hi Robert. Welcome back to Meghan’s HAUNTED House of Books. What is your favorite part of Halloween?
Robert: Where do I start! I love the energy associated with the holiday. For a while, even those who say they don’t like scary books and films, get filled with the spirit. (Pun intended!) One of my favorite parts of Halloween is the great yard displays. My wife and I discovered an amazing display last year. It’s on 17th Ave NE, one half block north of NE 125th, for all you Seattle area folks!!
Meghan: Do you get scared easily?
Robert: Hmmm… Not really, but I do get a tingly feeling on the back of my neck as the hairs stand up.
Meghan: What is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen and why?
Robert: Black Sunday (aka The Mask of Satan). This 1960 Mario Bava movie about witchcraft featured Barbara Steele as a witch who was put to death in a gruesome way. A spiked mask was hammered onto her head in the prologue. At this point, as a ten-year-old, I turned off the TV and hid under the covers of my bed! I revisited the film as an adult, and it holds up well. For you readers who like classic horror flicks, check this out!
For modern chills, I recommend The Witch (a masterpiece of folk horror), the original Exorcist, and Alien for tension and scares.
Meghan: Which horror movie murder did you find the most disturbing?
Robert: Janet Leigh’s death in Psycho. We are all vulnerable in the shower! Her character just decided to return the money she stole, making her that much more sympathetic. Hitchcock did a masterful job!
Meghan: Is there a horror movie you refused to watch because the commercials scared you too much?
Robert: Nope. In fact, a pet peeve of mine is movie trailers that reveal too much and thereby ruin the film. Far too common nowadays. Trailers should convey the premise and tone of the film, enticing the viewer, not reveal 95% of the plot.
Meghan: If you got trapped in one scary movie, which would you choose? The Exorcist, Ellen Burstyn was hot!
Meghan: If you were stuck as the protagonist in any horror movie, which would you choose?
Meghan: What is your all-time favorite scary monster or creature of the night?
Robert: Hands down, or paws down, it would be the Wolfman. As a child I wanted nothing more than to be the Wolfman. Fresh snow provided me the opportunity to walk out onto neighbor’s lawns halfway and make paw prints with my fingers as far as I could stretch. I would retrace the paw and boot prints, then fetch the neighbor kids and point out that someone turned into a werewolf on their front lawn! (They were skeptical.)
Meghan: What is your favorite Halloween tradition?
Robert: Checking out Halloween displays in the area.
Meghan: What is your favorite horror or Halloween-themed song?
Robert: There so many! I guess my favorite would be “The Monster Mash.” On my Facebook page is a film clip of me singing (apologies to Bobby “Boris” Pickett) my rendition when performing with a local band, The Rainy City Riff Raff. Here’s the link, if you dare (sorry the video quality is poor).
Meghan: Which horror novel unsettled you the most?
Robert: My first reading of The Shining. I was alone in my apartment at the time, it was evening, and just as I was reading the scene about room 217 (Kubrick changed it to 237 for the movie), a thunder and lightning storm occurred. Then the power went out!
Meghan: What is the creepiest thing that’s ever happened while you were alone?
Robert: See previous answer. ☺
Meghan: Which unsolved mystery fascinates you the most?
Robert: Loch Ness Monster. It would be pretty nifty to have the Nessie in there paddling about!
Meghan: What is the spookiest ghost story that you have ever heard?
Robert: A movie theater in Seattle, The Harvard Exit, is now the Mexican Consulate. In its movie house days, there were a number of ghostly events. I spoke to the staff and they mentioned several spooky encounters. One was the sound of women talking, but when staff person entered the room, no one was there. She also reported that a radio would turn on inexplicably. A manager reportedly came to work one day before anyone else. When she entered the lobby, the fire was lit, lights were on, and chairs were circled around the fire. The place used to be women’s club. I attended many films there over the years, and the spookiest thing I ever saw was a rat running across the stage!
Meghan: In a zombie apocalypse, what is your weapon of choice?
Robert: A pen. As we all know, the pen is mightier than the sword. In this case, I would write myself a survival scenario!
Meghan: Let’s have some fun! Would you rather get bitten by a vampire or a werewolf?
Robert: A werewolf. Not only have I wanted to be one since I was a boy, but you would get to live normally for most of each month.
Meghan: Would you rather fight a zombie apocalypse or an alien invasion?
Robert: An alien invasion has more opportunities for interesting technology and perhaps alien sympathizers. You can’t reason with a zombie!
Meghan: Would you rather drink zombie juice or eat dead bodies from the graveyard?
Robert: How old are the bodies? Can they be served up with gravy? Hollandaise sauce? Bearnaise?
Meghan: Would you rather stay at the Poltergeist house or the Amityville house for a week?
Robert: The Poltergeist house. It has a swimming pool!
Meghan: Would you rather chew on a bitter melon with chilies or maggot-infested cheese?
Robert: Cheese. I like cheese. (Maggots would provide extra protein!)
Meghan: Would you rather drink from a witch’s cauldron or lick cotton candy made of spider webs?
Robert: A witch’s caldron. It might be tasty, having subtle flavors that can only come from fillet of a fenny snake, along with eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog, adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting, lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing!
Boo-graphy: The supernatural has always had the allure of a forbidden fruit, ever since my mother refused to allow me, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved in. (Well, not literally!)
While other kids my age wanted to grow up to be doctors, firefighters, spacemen, and the like, I wanted to be a werewolf.
I have pursued my interests over the years (including playing the sax and flute, and teaching middle school history for 36 years), but supernatural writing always called to me. You could say that I was haunted. Ultimately, I hope my books give you the creeps, and I mean that in the best way possible!
The Eidola Project – The Eidola Project is a 19th century team of ghost hunters who become ensnared in a deadly investigation of a haunted house. They are a psychology professor, his assistant, an African-American physicist, a young sideshow medium, and a traumatized Civil War veteran, each possessing unique strengths and weaknesses. Will any of them survive?
Moonlight Becomes You – The Eidola Project travels to Petersburg, Virginia, to investigate a series of murders in the Black community—rumored to be caused by a werewolf. Once there, danger comes from all quarters. Not only do they face threats from the supernatural, the KKK objects to the team’s activities, and the group is falling apart. Can they overcome their human frailties to defeat the evil that surrounds them?
Totem of Terror – The Eidola Project, a team of 19th Century ghost hunters, have been tasked with trying to stop a deadly shapeshifting demon attacking the native people of La Push, on the Washington Coast. The team brings their own demons with them, in the form of drug addiction, a werewolf’s curse, and being in mourning from the death of a loved one. Can they rise to this new challenge, or will they face the same grisly end as the shapeshifter’s other victims?
Witch Ever Way You Go When an ill-fated graduate student and his girlfriend are lured into a terrifying world of witchcraft and murder, they become targets for human sacrifice. Is there a chance they can escape a bloodthirsty coven of witches and certain death until the curse is lifted? A spellbinding story of modern horror.
Meghan's House of Books 