Talking Headlights, John Denver, and Horror with CJ Leede

I have been the luckiest horror fan in existence because I have had the chance to watch CJ Leede's career start from before her debut Maeve Fly. From those first few pages, I knew I had a new favorite author with a unique voice and POV in the horror genre. This is our third conversation, so there is more nuance to the topics we get the chance to discuss. This book is an absolute sucker punch of mystery, tragedy, and the cracks in the mirror of the human psyche. Be sure to check out Selena's review here to get more in-depth thoughts on how the book succeeds at drawing you in like a wolf in headlights. We dive into road trips, nature, wolves, and so much more in this interview. Music has been an important part of CJ's fiction thus far in her career, and we take some time to dive into that. We also discuss how her books always teach me something new and why that sticks with readers long after the book ends. My audio was a bit spotty, so apologies for that, but CJ is crystal clear, and that's what matters. In Headlights, Special Agent Daniel Stansfield is ready for a change. Burnt out and defeated by the job, it's his last day with the FBI. But before he can turn in his badge, he's summoned back to Denver, the city he ran from four years ago, with a chilling message: it's happening again. C.J. Leede is a Los Angeles-based horror writer whose debut novel, Maeve Fly, received the Golden Poppy Octavia E. Butler Award and a Splatterpunk Award, and was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. Her works, including Maeve Fly and American Rapture, are noted for their brutal and gory elements, while also exploring themes such as conservative religious extremism, the psychological effects of strict upbringings, and societal decay.