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Talking Horror

Talking Horror

By: Rachel Redd
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Welcome to Talking Horror Podcast, where we dive into the stories that haunt us.

Hosted by Rachel Redd, this show features conversations with horror and thriller authors about their books, their writing process, and what draws them into the shadows. From psychological dread to supernatural terror, we explore the dark stories readers can’t get enough of and why they are so important to fiction.

Each week Rachel talks with today’s most exciting horror and thriller authors about the stories that linger long after the lights go out.

2026 Rachel Redd
Episodes
  • Saratoga Schaeffer on TradWife, Rejection & Why Social Media Is the Real Monster

    Saratoga Schaeffer on TradWife, Rejection & Why Social Media Is the Real Monster
    Apr 14 2026

    Saratoga Schaeffer (USA Today bestselling author of Serial Killer Support Group and TradWife) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore why horror is the freest genre for the darkest truths, from the body horror of pregnancy to the real monster already on your phone screen.

    In this episode, Saratoga and Rachel dive into:

    • Seven unpublished books and a decade of rejection before getting the "yes"
    • Why social media — not a demon in the well — is the true villain in TradWife
    • The ethics of true crime fandom and why victims shouldn't be footnotes to their own stories
    • How sobriety, poetry, and a childhood love of murderous nutcrackers shaped a horror career
    • What queer and non-binary identity brings to horror's most essential questions of power and self
    • A sneak peek at the upcoming A Thousand Monstrous Forms and The Last Time We Drowned

    Whether you're a horror skeptic who loved The Hunger Games, an aspiring author surviving the rejection marathon, or a reader hungry for stories that challenge identity and power, this one is for you.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 — Why readers shouldn't eat while reading Saratoga's books

    00:19 — Introducing Saratoga Schaeffer

    01:31 — Horror, genre-blending, and the freedom of the "Dark Side"

    03:26 — Breaking the stigma: Horror is for everyone

    04:35 — Saratoga's origin story: From murderous nutcrackers to middle-grade horror

    08:20 — Poetry, recovery, and inheriting an art form

    11:23 — Writing as a safe space for identity and self-confidence

    14:16 — Reaching back: Writing the books you needed in the past

    17:57 — The "Unicorn" myth: Surviving a decade of rejection

    19:41 — Behind the scenes of Serial Killer Support Group: Revisions and character deaths

    22:55 — Knowing when to bend: Boundaries in the publishing industry

    46:30 — TradWife: Social horror, body horror, and the monster on your screen

    1:04:15 — Sneak peek at A Thousand Monstrous Forms

    1:11:05 — Closing thoughts and cover reveal dates

    Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

    If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!
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    1 hr and 12 mins
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