Happy New Year! For our first episode of 2026, we're finishing up our Best of 2025 wrap-up with a discussion on the best horror movies of the past year. We're joined by Matt Donato, one of the finest horror critics on the web, and while we touch on a lot of the expected hits, you'll also hear about some horror films that deserve more attention. It's a great chat!

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Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

It's our final show of 2025, and we're using it to look back on the best horror books we read this year. Joining us this week we've got Mother Horror herself, Sadie Hartmann! We talk with Sadie about her latest book, Feral and Hysterical, and we dig into the best horror books of the year. You'll get a lot of cool book recommendations in this episode!

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- Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: scaresthatshapeduspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

It's Christmas time! C. Robert Cargill returns! Based on a brief conversation we had back during Fantastic Fest, Cargill was kind enough to stop by for the second time this year to talk Black Phone 2 spoilers and to unpack a fascinating take he has on 1980's Christmas Evil! It's killer Santa time on The Scares That Shaped Us!

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- Black Phone 2 is available now!

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- Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: scaresthatshapeduspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

It's Clay McLeod Chapman time once again! Our friend of the show returns for his fourth (!!!) visit to talk about his new book Shiny Happy People, everything he's got coming up in 2026, and of course, we dig deep into 1978's amazing Invasion of the Body Snatchers!

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- Shiny Happy People is available now wherever books are sold!

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- Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: scaresthatshapeduspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

It's our first two-story episode! Peter Hall and Paul Gandersman, writers and directors behind the new horror film Man Finds Tape, join the show this week. We talk about making a fake documentary horror film, Texas inspirations, playing with found footage, and much more. Plus, we dig into Rob Reiner's Stand By Me and James Cameron's Aliens!

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- Man Finds Tape is in select theaters and on VOD December 5!

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- Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: scaresthatshapeduspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

Chris Panatier, author of The Redemption of Morgan Bright, joins the show this week to talk about his new book, Shitshow, and we dig into the festive madness that is Gremlins, as well as the stealth masterpiece that is Gremlins 2: The New Batch. We also talk about Dublin Dr. Pepper, because Central Texas boys know.

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- Pick up Shitshow from Sobelo Books!

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- Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: scaresthatshapeduspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

Jess Hagemann, who wrote one of the best horror novels of the year with Mother-Eating: A Documentary, joins the show this week to talk about her book and the historical deep dive that inspired it. Then we dig deep into the surreal, often disturbing short films of the great Jan Svankmajer!

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- Pick up Mother-Eating from Ghoulish Books!

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- Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: scaresthatshapeduspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

Bram Stoker-winning writer and editor Jonathan Maberry joins the show this week! We talk about his NecroTek and Joe Ledger series, blending genres, editing Weird Tales, and more as we dive into a discussion of Richard Matheson's post-apocalyptic classic I Am Legend.

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- Visit Jonathan's website for updates on everything he's doing.

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- Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: scaresthatshapeduspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted by Matthew Jackson

Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson

Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson

Music by Dmytro Kuvalin