Scotty talks to author Robert P. Ottone about growing up on Long Island, his decision to leave his job as a copywriter and become a teacher while also pursuing a career as a writer, and the pushback he received writing horror while working toward an MFA in Children's Literature. Robert also discusses the importance of writing as an outlet for grief, his early forays into publishing, and major influences from the brilliant John Langan to Nickelodeon's "Are You Afraid of the Dark?"

Robert and Scotty also talk about how fears around both pregnancy and parenthood informed his acclaimed novel "The Vile Thing We Created" (2023, Hydra Publications), and Robert explains how a teenage in-joke between friends inspired his blood-spattered recent book "Curse of the Cob Man" (2023, Weird House Press).

WARNING: This episode contains a few spoilers for both "The Vile Thing We Created" and Paul Tremblay's "The Cabin at the End of the Woods." Listener discretion advised.

You can find "The Vile Thing We Created" at: https://hydrapublications.com/the-vile-thing-we-created/

You can find "Curse of the Cob Man" at: https://weirdhousepress.com/products/curse-of-the-cob-man-by-robert-ottone

You can read Robert's short story "Falling Asleep in the Rain" in "The Half That You See" (Dark Ink): https://www.amazon.com/Half-That-You-See-ebook/dp/B08FH8S1QQ/

You can hear Scotty's story about his haunted house at "The Weirdest Thing Afterschool Special Halloweek Spooktacular!": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-weirdest-thing/id1534847356?i=1000539987047

Be sure to tune in to Daniel Braum's YouTube series "Night Time Logic." The series focuses on the strange, weird, and wonderful side of dark fiction through readings and discussions with diverse authors from around the world. You can tune in on Daniel's You Tube Channel, which is his name DanielBraum or @danielbraum7838. The next episode will feature author Paul Tremblay, and will be live on May 28th at 7 p.m., EST: https://www.facebook.com/events/797113355174358

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