A Deep Background Interview at the Lovecraft Ezine Podcast

Yesterday, Mike Davis — the brains and brawn behind the Lovecraft Ezine Podcast conducted a super-fun Deep Background interview with me for his Patreon subscribers (you can get a free sample at the Patreon site here). If you're into cosmic horror, or scary stuff in general, please consider subscribing. There are tons of benefits at every level, and Mike — along with the rest of the Ezine crew — are sharp as hell, nicer than almost any extra-dimensional entities I've ever met, and always downright fun.

Author Updates Interview

On April 4, a new bookshop, called Eden's Ember, is set to open in nearby Eden, North Carolina. Along with several other authors, I'll be there for the grand opening event, with plenty of books to sell and sign (see "The Creeps Are Back, Eden's Ember, and More," Friday, March 13, 2026). To promote local authors, writer and podcaster Eugene Smith has launched a new podcast called Author Updates, and yesterday, he was kind enough to interview me about my books, stories, and writing in general. It was a very enjoyable conversation, so give it a look. It runs about 25 minutes.

Eden's Ember Bookshop is located at 729 South Van Buren Rd., Eden, NC 27288, in the basement of the Kings Mill Coffee building. The grand opening event is from 12 p.m.–4:00 p.m. (I'll be signing between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.).

OUR SHADOWED PAST III on Terror at Collinwood

A couple of weeks back, Bob Issel and I appeared on Penny Dreadful's Terror at Collinwood podcast to talk about his latest Dark Shadows volume, Our Shadowed Past III, which he and I spent several weeks producing, back in August and September (see "Our Shadowed Past III Is in the Works," September 16, 2025). Penny Dreadful—a.k.a. Danielle Gelehrter—has been running this Dark Shadows–themed show for I don't know many years now, and I've had the honor of appearing on it numerous times. This time around, Bob and I get into the nuts and bolts about how Our Shadowed Past III was conceived, developed, and produced, and how so many Dark Shadows fans contributed meaningful essays, stories, artwork, and photographs to bring Bob's most ambitious publishing project to life.

 

The book itself is 256 big-ass pages in full, bloody color, with hundreds of photographs of countless events and fan gatherings, with an entire section devoted to those at Seaview Terrace in Newport, Rhode Island, which served as Collinwood in the original Dark Shadows TV series (1966–1971).

 

We had a great time on the podcast, and our thanks to Penny Dreadful for seeing fit to inflict Bob and me upon an unsuspecting world.

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Our Shadowed Past III on Terror at Collinwood!

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Moose Is Home, Terror at Collinwood, and Other Fun Horrors

Mr. Moose was able to come home yesterday, though he still requires blood sugar monitoring and a battery of medications. He's eating normally and seems much more comfortable now. We're hoping he's going to do well for the duration, as we're feeling quite done with the trauma of having to take him to veterinarians both in and out of town. It's bad enough that it's so hard on him, but the financial burden is astronomical. He is family, though, and we're doing what we've gotta do under these circumstances.

 

It's a busy day all around for me. A little earlier, friend Bob Issel and I participated in a chat with Danielle Gelehrter (a.k.a. Penny Dreadful) for her Terror at Collinwood podcast. This one was about the release of Our Shadowed Past III, the massive;Dark Shadows book that Bob and I recently produced (see "Our Shadowed Past III Is in the House," November 4, 2025). It was a great conversation that ran about an hour, and it should appear online within a week. If you're at all a fan of Dark Shadows, this podcast is for you. Of course, I'll post an alert when the episode is live.

I've got another podcast at 7:00 p.m. EST this evening, this one with the Lovecraft eZine group. It's to be a discussion of Roman Polanski's classic film, The Ninth Gate. It's a favorite horror flick of mine, and Brugger and I watched it for the umpteenth time just before Halloween. I believe the movie discussion is for eZine editor Mike Davis's Patreons only, and if you're not currently subscribing to his podcasts, you really otter.

This afternoon, I'm hard at work on Freezer Burns, the newest collaboration between Elizabeth Massie and me. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we're hoping to have it finished up in the very near future.

Old Dude at Bryan Nowak's "All Things Writing"

If you're very, very brave, you can watch and listen to Bryan Nowak's ALL THINGS WRITING podcast featuring a weird old dude. It's about The House at Black Tooth Pond, Blue Devil Island, H.P. Lovecraft, monsters...all kinds of scary stuff. Go ahead...prove your mettle!

Old Dude at Bryan Nowak's ALL THINGS WRITING Podcast

If you have a strong constitution, check out the latest episode of Bryan Nowak's All Things Writing podcast, where he interviews some wacky, ramblin' old dude.

Hospital of Haunts Authors on NBC's House of Mystery Radio Show

I, and a few other authors in the new anthology, Hospital of Haunts, from Watertower Hill Publishing, recently appeared on the House of Mystery Radio Show on NBC. (Apparently, I am known as Mr. Grainey here; maybe because that's how I look early in the morning.)

My segment is here:

https://shows.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio/episodes/stephen-mark-grainey-hospital-of-haunts

Maria Lanza here:
https://shows.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio/episodes/marie-lanza-hospital-of-haunts

Rebecca Cuthbert here:
https://shows.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio/episodes/rebecca-cuthbert-hospital-of-haunts

Note: The frequency and length of the commercials on this show are INSANE. Sorry about that; I had no idea. It wasn't like that last time I was on the show, a couple of years ago.

The Weird Library: Listen in the Dark — "Maybe the Stars" by Samantha Henderson

Artist/musician/producer Bridgette Brenmark is now the official Librarian at The Weird Library: Listen in the Dark, originally created by Mike Davis of the Lovecraft eZine. The newest installment is "Maybe the Stars," a short story by Samantha Henderson, narrated by Sheryl Hartman. It's an atmospheric, eerie tale, and you may check it out right here: "Maybe the Stars" by Samantha Henderson at The Weird Library: Listen in the Dark

Happy, Horrific Valentine’s Day and Damned Rodan’s Madre de Dios Spiked Salsa

While St. Valentine's Day might be a real "thing" in certain religious circles, neither Ms. B. nor I see it as much more than a typical "Hallmark Holiday." Still, we love having a handy excuse to get a little fancy, go out for dinner, and drink wine, that kind of thing. So, every year, Brugger gives me one of her beautiful hand-made Valentine's Day cards, we get a little fancy, go out for dinner, and drink wine, that kind of thing. Last night, we treated ourselves to Rania's uptown, which is our go-to restaurant in Martinsville when we're looking for something that resembles upscale. Their food is usually excellent, and it definitely hit the spot last night. A bottle of Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon (2018 vintage), which was decent; Veal Scallopini for me; and Baked Ziti with Meatballs for Ms. B. The place does have a lovely atmosphere as well.

This weekend, friends Joe and Suzy are hosting a gathering where folks bring their own homemade salsa, so I spent a portion of the afternoon conjuring up Damned Rodan's Madre de Dios Spiked Salsa, which gets its heat from a combination of cayenne, jalapeno, habanero, and ghost pepper in the ingredients. I'd post the recipe if I had one, but for this, I just gathered all the stuff that one puts into fresh salsa (Campari tomatoes, onion, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, lemon pepper, and the various peppers; chopped everything up; and threw it together in what looked like reasonable proportions. I hit the mix with our immersion blender and... voilà! Damned Rodan's Madre de Dios Spiked Salsa. The heat is not trivial, but the stuff is fookin delicious. Needless to say, I'll probably never be able to duplicate it precisely.

Spent a portion of the afternoon on the Lovecraft eZine Podcast with host Mike Davis and author Jeff Thomas, which was a blast. I hope to be meeting them both face-to-face for the first time in August at Necronomicon in Providence, RI. And I managed a fair amount of forward progress on my current novel, The House at Black Tooth Pond.

Till whenever...

L: Brugger's homemade 2024 Valentine's Day card for the Old Dude; R: Damned Rodan's homemade
Madre de Dios Spiked Salsa

DEATHREALM: SPIRITS at Lovecraft eZine!

Lovecraft eZine proprietor Mike Davis was kind enough to have me, authors Tony Tremblay and David Niall Wilson, and Shortwave Publishing's Alan Lastufka — on his weekly podcast to talk about Deathrealm: Spirits and the work within. It was a fun hour and a half, full of cosmic horror, harrowing adventure, and daredevil stunts. Plus, a nice bunch of memories of the legendary Brian Lumley, who passed away last month. Tune in!

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Watch the Lovecraft eZine Podcast featuring
Deathrealm: Spirits, Brian Lumley, and More!

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The Weird Library: Listen in the Dark — "Black Shuck Tavern"

"Black Shuck Tavern," by author Emma Gibbon kicks off the debut episode of The Weird Library: Listen in the Dark, Lovecraft eZine editor Mike Davis's new podcast. The story is narrated by Bridgette Brenmark, who also created the art and soundtrack for the show.

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Listen to “Black Shuck Tavern” at
The Weird Library: Listen in the Dark

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In Which We Talk Godzilla Minus One on the Lovecraft eZine Podcast

I dropped in on this past week's Lovecraft eZine podcast, hosted by Mike Davis, to talk about Godzilla Minus One and other fun, scary things.

My in-depth review of the latest Godzilla outing can be found here: The Blog Where Horror Dwells: Godzilla... Minus One.

The Brig Podcast, Featuring Kasey Lansdale and Deathrealm: Spirits

The newest edition of Steve Van Samson’s The Brig podcast features Kasey Lansdale talking about her many creative endeavors, including her new short story, “The Disappeared,” which I published in Deathrealm: Spirits from Shortwave Publishing. Check it out here:

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The Brig: Try Everything and Power Through (with Kasey Lansdale)

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Another Fun Visit with Penny Dreadful

Author/Editor Katherine Kerestman and I dropped in on Penny Dreadful’s Terror at Collinwood podcast the other day, and the episode has now been posted for your frightful pleasure. We talk about Dark Shadows, of course; the upcoming The Weird Cat anthology, edited by Katherine and S.T. Joshi, which features short fiction by both Katherine, me, and a ton of noteworthy authors; Deathrealm: Spirits, my new anthology, due in October; plus all kinds of other fun stuff. Mind you don't get seduced!

 

No... wait... go right ahead. Get seduced. Try it, you'll like it.

 

PS: Frazier likes Dark Shadows and makes a guest appearance.

Lovecraft eZine Podcast with Malcolm Devlin & Stephen Mark Rainey

Mike Davis, the proprietor of Lovecraft eZine, was kind enough to feature author Malcolm Devlin and me on the eZine’s regular Sunday night podcast. Malcolm spoke at length about his new book, And Then I Woke Up (Tor, 2022) and I had a few words (or more than a few, I reckon) about Fugue Devil: Resurgence (Black Raven Books, 2022).

If you dare, you can watch the whole business here: Lovecraft eZine Podcast featuring Malcolm Devlin & Stephen Mark Rainey.

Penny Dreadful's “Terror at Collinwood: The Leviathans“ with Rick Lai & Stephen Mark Rainey

The exquisite Penny Dreadful talks to author Rick Lai and me about Dark Shadows on her “Terror at Collinwood” podcast. This episode: “The Leviathans”!

“The deeply fascinating but oft-maligned Leviathans arc is the focus of this episode. Acclaimed authors Stephen Mark Rainey and Rick Lai visit the podcast to discuss and analyze this Dark Shadows storyline, while also looking at its inspirations. Other topics include Mark’s official work on the Dark Shadows Big Finish audio plays and the Dark Shadows novel Dreams of the Dark, and Rick’s intriguing essay on the Leviathans as well as some of his fictional tales that incorporate nods to Dark Shadows.”

Check it out here: Penny Dreadful’s “Terror at Collinwood: The Leviathans”

Old Dude at the NBC HOUSE OF MYSTERY Radio Show!

“At an early age, I discovered the only thing more exhilarating than being scared was scaring other people.”

Last week, NBC's House of Mystery host Alan Warren and I had a fun time talking about Dark Shadows, Ameri-Scares, Fugue Devil: Resurgence... and all kinds of other scary things. You can listen to the podcast here.

The HoM episode will air next week on 106.5 FM Los Angeles, 102.3 FM San Bernadino, 1050 AM Palm Springs at 9 p.m. Pacific Time or online at KCAA Live Stream. Listen to the House of Mystery Radio Show interviews at any time here:

House of Mystery Radio Show Interview

Talking Dark Shadows on the Lovecraft eZine Patreon Podcast

Lovecraft eZine proprietor Mike Davis asked me the other day if I’d like to join him and author/Dark Shadows expert Rick Lai on the eZine’s regular Patreon podcast to talk about...you guessed it...Dark Shadows. You don’t think for a minute I would say no, do you?

It’s tonight at 9:00 p.m. EDT. To access the Patreon podcasts, you need to join up to support the eZine. It starts at only $5 per month, so you’ll probably not go broke getting the goods. Anyway, come round tonight to join the fun. It’s Dark Shadows, fer cryin outloud.

Geocache Adventures Podcast

A while back, the proprietor of geocacheadventures.org, Ms. Amie Tilk, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in appearing on the Geocache Adventures Podcast to talk about geocaching and my first Ameri-Scares novel, West Virginia: Lair of the Mothman. Well, what do you think? Geocaching, the Mothman, yakking with another avid geocacher... well, yeah. I jumped on that.

So, if you can stand the exuberant goings-on, hop on over and give it a listen.

Stephen Mark Rainey on the Geocaching Adventures Podcast

Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!Now You Just Listen Here...

'Tis done — Ms. Massie and I appeared this evening on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, courtesy of hosts Tamara Thorne, Alistair Cross, and regular guest interviewer QL Pearce. A fun (for us, at least!) half-hour show, primarily about the Ameri-Scares Series for Young Readers. Fifteen minutes before the show began, I sent the manuscript of my latest — Ohio: Fear the Grassman! — to Crossroad Press. I'm not sure of a release date as yet, but so far, the Ameri-Scares books I've completed so far have been released fairly quickly after I've turned them in. Will keep you posted, of course.

Listen to the episode here — Elizabeth Massie & Stephen Mark Rainey on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! — and then run for your lives. Or sit back and have a relaxing drink. Whatever floats the boat, and all that.