In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with Nat Cassidy, USA Today bestselling author of Mary, When the Wolf Comes Home, and the brand-new short story collection I Know a Place, Rest Stop, and Other Dark Detours. Nat dives deep into how his background as a New York playwright and theater actor ultimately shaped his approach to pacing, dialogue, and creating deep, immersive tension on the page.

We discuss his childhood memories of browsing graphic VHS covers at Blockbuster, the intentional choices behind writing a premenopausal female protagonist in Mary, and what it was like to receive a dream-come-true foreword from Stephen King. Whether you're a fan of slow-burn body horror, action-packed thrillers, or a theater kid who loves a dark twist, this conversation is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Podcasting Interventions & Questioning Authors

00:38 – Introducing Nat Cassidy & The Messiness of Being Alive

03:14 – Childhood Monsoons, Macabre Textbooks, and a Mother’s Horror Legacy

07:18 – The Magic of 80s Video Stores & Unexpected Scares in Kids' Movies

16:02 – Discovering Shakespeare's Macbeth & The Hyperactive Child Actor 1

9:49 – Writing Stephen King Knockoffs Set in Maine

22:39 – How Playwriting Teaches Authors to Capture and Keep an Audience 2

8:37 – Designing Tension in a Sunken Submarine with a Low Budget

35:09 – Writing Mary: Tackling Invisibility and Hormonal Thresholds

42:31 – Sensitivity Readers, Toxic Patriarchy, and the NIH Reading List

53:54 – When the Wolf Comes Home: Moving from Slow-Burn to Terminator 2 Action

1:00:08 – Receiving the Ultimate Blessing: The Stephen King Foreword 1:11:36 – I Know a Place: Public Restrooms, Squids, and Live Violin Performances

1:19:18 – The Album Experience: Why You Must Read Short Stories in Order

1:21:20 – The Ultimate Literary Bromance: Appreciating Clay McLeod Chapman

1:26:36 – Why Horror People are the Best and Most Welcoming People in Fiction

Grab a copy of "I Know a Place": https://amzn.to/43VW6ih

Connect with Nat Cassidy:

Website: https://www.natcassidy.com/

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

Twitter/X: https://x.com/natcassidy

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!