Catharsis, horror, and stiff drinks – an illuminating chat with horror author Vaugh A. Jackson

Send us Fan MailWhat is it about darkness that intrigues us, even beckons us? Join us as we speculate on the darkness, delve into the darkness, and laugh in the face of fear. Today’s drinking game: drink whenever we say “horror!”Sponsors…Hincy’s books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-R.-Hincy/author/B07ZYB5FHZJackon’s books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Vaughn-A.-Jackson/author/B08YX14HK1Firmoo eyeglassesLink: https://bit.ly/3WamPD450% off code: JMS50EditGPThttps://editgpt.app/?via=wdw Temu$200 Coupon Bundle now by clicking https://temu.to/k/u2y3au9elpd! Directly get $200 in Temu app here: https://app.temu.com/m/mzm6fkunfyl Exclusive deals: https://temu.to/k/u22hl6b2wym New user discounts: https://temu.to/k/u2y3au9elpd Bios: William R. Hincy: “Some people run from their demons; others sit down and have cocktails with theirs.” William R. Hincy is a man who does and writes about the latter. Having become a writer after deciding it was the only sensible thing for a problem drinker to do, Hincy aspires to use literature to connect society on an emotional level through characters who no longer create messes but have instead become the mess. Between rounds, Hincy has won 3 American Fiction Awards, an International Book Award, and his personal anthology of short fiction WITHOUT EXPIRATION was named one of the Best Books of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews. He now lives outside Los Angeles with his wife and kids, having found solace in the notion that the only things sacred are self and whiskey-winged interludes.Hincy’s website: https://williamrhincy.com/Vaughn A. Jackson is an author, editor, and sometimes poet of dark speculative fiction. His work generally falls into one of categories: Creatures, Kaiju, or Cosmic Horror. This often blends elements of fantasy, science fiction, and horror into one unholy abomination. His published novels include the Kaiju thriller Up from the Deep, and the cosmic horror novel Touched by Shadows. His Civil War-era vampire novel, Southern Cross, is coming Spring 2025. Vaughn is also the co-editor of the diverse cosmic horror anthology Beyond the Bounds of Infinity. His poetry can be found in Giant Robot Poems: On Mecha-Human Culture, Science, and War. Vaughn is an Affiliate Member of the Horror Writers’ Association, and secretary of its Maryland Chapter. He can usually be found cracking jokes and trying to make H.P. Lovecraft roll over in his grave.Vaughn A. Jackson’s website: https://www.madnessandmonsters.com/ Chapters:00:00:00 Start00:05:02 The author journey00:10:45 Where does the urge to write come from 00:14:43 Writing horror00:24:13 How do you find the light00:29:22 Killing off characters00:37:59 Writing jump scares00:40:02 AI and writing00:49:01 Shots - rapid fire questions00:54:17 Author reading - Up From the Deep00:58:35 Last Call01:00:16 Extra ShotBrought to you by Whiskey-Winged LitFiction for the modern reader. Life is the accumulation of scars—tell the stories! Here we go!Thanks for tuning in! If you’d like to support the show, please consider joining us on Substack or picking up a book (or two). Links below!For exclusive perks and free fiction, join the crew on Substack. All of these WDW episodes are there, as well as host William R. Hincy's bonkers, rock-n-roll satire, PIRATES OF APPALACHIA: https://wrhincy.substack.com/ Pick up a book here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-R.-Hincy/author/B07ZYB5FHZFinally, shoot your feedback, suggestions, and guest requests to [email protected] less