Southern Gothic Horror, Haunted Orphanages, and the Rougarou with Blaine Daigle | Ep 24

🕯️ Episode Description: In this episode of The Night Crew Podcast, Brad Ricks sits down with horror author Blaine Daigle, a Louisiana-born writer whose work blends Southern Gothic dread, folk horror, and deeply human fear. The conversation centers on Blaine’s latest novel, Porcelain Lullaby, a chilling story of two estranged brothers, a haunted past, and an abandoned orphanage hiding the truth beneath its porcelain surface. Blaine talks about growing up surrounded by Louisiana folklore, haunted plantations, bayous, and the legend of the Rougarou, and how that cultural atmosphere shaped his love of horror. He breaks down his writing process, the myth of rigid word-count rules, and why finishing a book matters more than writing it “perfectly.” The discussion dives deep into themes of grief, mental health versus the supernatural, sibling bonds, and the fear of losing control. Blaine explains how Porcelain Lullaby became a culmination of everything he’s written so far, blending classic horror imagery—creepy dolls, orphanages, cracked facades—with modern emotional weight. Brad and Blaine also talk shop: balancing teaching with writing, handling negative reviews, why horror authors shouldn’t fear tropes, the importance of editors, and why monsters like werewolves and vampires endure as metaphors for identity, repression, and transformation. If you love Southern Gothic horror, folk horror, psychological dread, or thoughtful conversations about the craft of writing scary stories, this episode is for you. 🎧 Press play… and don’t trust anything that looks too perfect on the surface. 🔗 Guest Links: Website: https://www.blainedaigle.com/ Socials: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086562623387 https://www.instagram.com/blainedaigleauthor/     🔍 SEO Keywords: Blaine Daigle, Porcelain Lullaby, Southern Gothic horror, folk horror podcast, Rougarou folklore, Louisiana horror, haunted orphanage horror, psychological horror novels, horror author interview, Night Crew Podcast, Brad Ricks, writing horror fiction, indie horror authors, doll horror, supernatural vs mental health horror, grief in horror fiction, horror writing advice 🔥 Hashtags: #NightCrewPodcast #BlaineDaigle #PorcelainLullaby #SouthernGothic #FolkHorror #HorrorPodcast #IndieHorror #Rougarou #HauntedOrphanage #PsychologicalHorror #HorrorAuthors #WritingHorror #MonsterLore #LouisianaHorror