In this special episode of The Writer’s Chair, host Daniel Willcocks sits down with internationally acclaimed horror author Craig Davidson, best known under his dark fiction pseudonym Nick Cutter. Craig is the author of The Troop, The Deep, The Handyman Method, and now The Queen — his latest terrifying tale of teenage friendships, grief, and grotesque creatures.

Together, Daniel and Craig dive into:

• Craig’s journey from literary fiction to horror heavyweight
• The deep influence of Stephen King on his work (and whether they’ve ever met)
• Why The Queen is one of his most personal novels yet
• The evolution of horror: from slashers to psychological depth
• Gross-out scenes, sensory horror, and writing from lived emotion

This conversation is a beautiful blend of nostalgia, insight, and raw honesty from one of modern horror’s most respected voices.

• How Craig (aka Cutter) channels both emotional truth and body horror into his fiction
• The challenges of writing teen characters in a modern world as a Gen-X author
• Why “elevated horror” isn’t a genre — and why it doesn’t need to be
• The five most disgusting sensory experiences Craig’s ever had (you’ll squirm)
• His top horror reads of the last few years

• The Queen by Nick Cutter (Gallery/Arcadia, 2024)
• The Troop, The Deep, Little Heaven, The Handyman Method
• Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Robert McCammon, Clive Barker
• Dead Space 2, Hellraiser, Cujo, Skeleton Crew
• Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
• The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
• Devil by Name by Keith Rosson
• Maeve Fly by CJ Leede

• 🌐 Craig’s official website:
• 👉 www.craigdavidson.net
• 👑 The Queen fan site:
• (Accessible via Craig’s main site)
• 📖 Buy The Queen:
• 👉 Gallery (North America)
• 👉 Arcadia/Pushkin Press (UK – imprint TBC)
• 💀 Join the Devil’s Rock writing community:
• 👉 devilsrockbooks.com/podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with the horror lovers in your life. Each episode of The Writer’s Chair brings you deeper into the minds of today’s most exciting authors — from indie newcomers to genre icons.

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Welcome, wordsmiths and story seekers! In this very first episode of The Writer’s Chair, author and podcast host Daniel Willcocks invites you to pull up a seat for an honest, no-fluff introduction to this brand new show for writers of all stripes—especially those who like their fiction a little on the darker side.

Daniel shares:

• Why he’s launching this podcast now (after months of planning),
• What to expect from upcoming episodes,
• His journey from stage-play adaptations to publishing 70+ books,
• Lessons from running (and restarting) multiple writing podcasts over the last decade,
• And his personal mission to create the biggest online community for dark fiction authors.

This is a candid, unscripted look into the heart of a writer who’s spent 10+ years in the indie trenches—and is ready to bring you along for the ride.

• What The Writer’s Chair is all about (and who it’s for)
• Daniel’s experience across horror, ghostwriting, coaching and podcasting
• Why perfection kills momentum—and how to start before you’re “ready”
• How connecting with other authors can make writing less lonely
• An invite to join the new Devil’s Rock community for dark fiction writers

• 💀 Join the Devil’s Rock community (free):
• 👉 devilsrockbooks.com/podcast
• 🖤 Follow Daniel on Instagram:
• 👉 @wilcoxauthor
• 📚 Learn more about Daniel’s books & publishing projects:
• 👉 danielwillcocks.com

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow writer. New interviews and solo episodes are dropping soon, featuring dark fiction authors, publishing insights, and hard-won lessons from the writing life.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.