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The Scares That Shaped Us

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Rating
★★★★★
4.9
from
13 reviews
This podcast has
64 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
Yes
Date created
2024/08/28
Latest episode
2026/02/04
Average duration
62 min.
Release period
9 days

Description

A podcast about horror writers and the stories that made them. Join host Matthew Jackson as he talks to some of the biggest names in horror about the scary stories that built their imaginations, from movies to books and everything in between.

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Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from The Scares That Shaped Us podcast


Episode 64: Return to Oz with Alex Woodroe
2026/02/04
This week, we're joined by Alex Woodroe, author and editor-in-chief of Tenebrous Press! We chat about her new book, The Night Ship, how she views "New Weird Horror" at this stage in her career, and much more. And of course, we dive into the dark fantastic of Return to Oz! - Check out the Tenebrous Press website! - Head to Alex's website for updates on everything she's got going on! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 63: The Omen with John Adams and Toby Poser
2026/01/21
We're back! For our first regular episode of 2026, we're talking to two of my favorite horror filmmakers, John Adams and Toby Poser of Adams Family Films! We dig into the making of their new film Mother of Flies, discuss the process of writing and directing as a family, and much more, and then we dive deep into 1976's The Omen and its sequels! - Mother of Flies hits Shudder January 23! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 62: The Best Horror Movies of 2025 with Matt Donato
2026/01/07
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! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Check out Matt's Linktree for info on everything he does! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 61: The Best Horror Books of 2025 with Sadie Hartmann
2025/12/31
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! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Check out Sadie's socials for everything she has going on! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 60: Christmas Evil with C. Robert Cargill
2025/12/24
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! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Black Phone 2 is available now! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 59: Invasion Of the Body Snatchers (1978) with Clay McLeod Chapman
2025/12/10
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! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Shiny Happy People is available now wherever books are sold! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 58: Stand by Me and Aliens with Peter Hall and Paul Gandersman
2025/12/03
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! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Man Finds Tape is in select theaters and on VOD December 5! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 57: Gremlins with Chris Panatier
2025/11/26
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. - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Pick up Shitshow from Sobelo Books! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 56: The Films of Jan Svankmajer with Jess Hagemann
2025/11/19
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! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Pick up Mother-Eating from Ghoulish Books! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 55: I Am Legend with Jonathan Maberry
2025/11/12
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. - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Visit Jonathan's website for updates on everything he's doing. - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 54: "Dread" with Nathan Ballingrud
2025/11/05
Nathan Ballingrud, author of North American Lake Monsters and The Lunar Gothic Trilogy, joins the show this week! We talk about Nathan's latest book, Cathedral of the Drowned, the importance of taking notes in his writing process, taking inspiration from classic pulp artists, and much more while we dive into one of Clive Barker's best short stories, "Dread." - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness. - Cathedral of the Drowned is available now! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 53: Monsters (1988) with Trevor Henderson
2025/10/29
Trevor Henderson, legendary internet monster-maker and creator of the Scarewaves series, joins the show for our Halloween episode! We talk about Trevor's many creature designs, writing for a middle grade audience, and much more while digging into the classic syndicated TV series Monsters! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness, including a new essay on John Carpenter's Halloween every day this month! - Check out Trevor's Linktree to find him all over the web! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 52: "The Tell-Tale Heart" with Ally Malinenko
2025/10/22
Ally Malinenko, author of middle-grade horror novels like Ghost Girl and This Appearing House, joins the show this week! We talk about her new novel Broken Dolls, writing for young readers, approaching horror as children, and of course, Edgar Allan Poe's legendary short story, "The Tell-Tale Heart"! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness, including a new essay on John Carpenter's Halloween every day this month! - Broken Dolls is available now! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 51: Let's Scare Jessica to Death with Bob Pastorella
2025/10/15
This Is Horror co-host Bob Pastorella joins the show this week to talk about his new vampire novel The Small Hours! We talk Texas horror, Dracula, merging the crime and horror genres, and much more as we dive into Bob's work and its connection to a 1970s vampire classic, Let's Scare Jessica to Death! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness, including a new essay on John Carpenter's Halloween every day this month! - The Small Hours is available now from Ghoulish Books! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin
Episode 50: The Stand (Chapter 38) with C. Robert Cargill
2025/10/08
C. Robert Cargill, screenwriter behind movies like Sinister and The Black Phone and author of books like Sea of Rust and Day Zero, joins the show this week! We talk about his new movie Black Phone 2, his collaboration with Scott Derrickson, and much more. Then, we dive into a very particular portion of Stephen King's The Stand, and how it shaped Cargill as a writer! - Sign up for our newsletter for even more horror goodness, including a new essay on John Carpenter's Halloween every day this month! - Black Phone 2 is in theaters October 17! - Follow the show on BlueSky and Facebook! - Want to ask Matthew a question? Offer a recommendation? Something else? Email us: [email protected] Hosted by Matthew Jackson Produced by Matthew and Lyndsay Jackson Logo and Web Design by Lyndsay Jackson Music by Dmytro Kuvalin

Podcast reviews

Read The Scares That Shaped Us podcast reviews


4.9 out of 5
13 reviews
★★★★★
LJS in the ATX 2026/01/18
Witty & Fun!
This is a really fun show with great guests, a charming host, and insightful perspectives. i love all the book and movie recommendations and can’t wa...
★★★★★
Ritter Fan 2025/04/03
Love This
Great show. Great concept. Great host. Great guests.
★★★★☆
c.rib 2025/08/21
Good show, lots of filler
Good show, great guests, great concept, great topics. Be prepared: they never start discussing the actual topic until 25-30 minutes into the show on a...
★★★★★
Bpoff3 2024/09/04
Great listen
It’s always fun to listen to creators and experts nerd out on what they are passionate about. Even though I wasn’t familiar with some of the books, a...
★★★★★
FasserCO 2024/08/29
Review
VERY professional and entertaining. I’ll follow and await the “horrific” ins-and-outs of my fave… “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”! Thanks!
check all reviews on apple podcasts

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