S1:E40 – Manifesting Personal Horrors on the Page - Consultation with Todd Keisling

May 27, 2025

Todd Keisling, a horror author renowned for his thought-provoking works like Scanlines and Devil's Creek, dives deep into the art of crafting personal horrors in storytelling. He discusses the nuances of character evolution and the importance of motivations in relatable characters. The conversation also highlights how to create compelling antagonists and the therapeutic aspects of writing to confront personal fears. Additionally, Keisling shares insights on overcoming creative blocks and the balance of mood and spontaneity in writing.

01:40:55

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ANECDOTE

Writing as Therapeutic Processing

Todd Keisling describes writing as a therapeutic process that channels personal trauma and fears into horror stories.
His novella Scanlines helped him process past trauma, demonstrating writing's cathartic power.

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ADVICE

Embody NPCs Fully

To create compelling NPCs, deeply understand their motivations and worldview, not just their goals.
Embody characters fully to portray them authentically and dynamically in RPGs.

insights

INSIGHT

Unknowability Heightens Cosmic Horror

Cosmic horror entities should remain unknowable and inscrutable, revealing only their impact on victims.
This preserves their maddening mystery and heightens horror through limited human perspective.

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Exploring Tabletop RPGs vs. Video Games

05:30 • 4min

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The Journey of Literary Discovery and Influence

09:07 • 2min

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The Art of Character Evolution

11:10 • 29min

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Crafting Compelling Antagonists in RPGs

40:13 • 31min

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Navigating the Writing Process

01:11:23 • 22min

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Overcoming Creative Blocks: The Art of Taking Breaks

01:33:36 • 4min

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Creative Writing Techniques and Upcoming Works

01:37:23 • 4min

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Midnight in the Southland

None

Todd Keisling

Midnight in the Southland is a horror short story written by Todd Keisling set in the American South, exploring themes of isolation, nostalgia, and the supernatural. It uses the backdrop of a late-night radio show, creating a blend of eerie atmosphere and regional folklore. The story weaves elements of dread and Southern Gothic to create a distinctive narrative. It focuses on a character grappling with loneliness and the unsettling feeling of being caught between worlds. It received positive reviews for its atmospheric setting and exploration of personal struggles.

Devil's Creek

Todd Keisling

Devil's Creek is a horror novel that delves into themes of fanaticism, faith, and the corrupting influence of the unknown. Set in a small, isolated town, the story explores the impact of a malevolent entity on its inhabitants. As the town's dark secrets are revealed, the characters face moral dilemmas and terrifying supernatural forces. Devil's Creek combines elements of folk horror and cosmic horror to create a chilling and atmospheric narrative. Its vivid characters and eerie setting contribute to a gripping exploration of human nature in the face of overwhelming evil.

The Analog

and Other Stories

Michael Gray Bond

The Analog and Other Stories is a collection of short stories. The Analog is a best analog horror story. Todd Keisling said, 'It is, you know, analog, it's not digital, you're looking at media, it's how the media has to figure into it some way, but old media, VHS cassettes, low resolution, in terms of like, there's an element of nostalgia to it, because of that reliance on old media. '

Afterbirth

A horror story

Todd Keisling

Afterbirth is a horror story that delves into themes of necromancy, morality, and the consequences of desperate actions. The story follows a woman who turns to dark magic to grow a child, calling down an evil entity to inhabit the biological waste. Set through the eyes of the entity, the narrative blends grotesque imagery with commentary on ethical issues. The story challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths and the nature of good and evil.

aparent

the first part of a trilogy

Todd Keisling

Aparent is a horror novel is the first part of a trilogy. It introduces creatures called the yawning. They are basically seven to eight foot tall, gaunt creatures that can swallow a man whole by unhinging its jaw. They are quite literally a manifestation of mediocrity in this universe mediocrity is a substance and you know we produce it inherently.

the sundowners dance

A horror novel

Todd Keisling

Sundowners Dance is a horror novel. It features an elderly widower who moves into a retirement community and discovers his new neighbors are worshiping a meteorite. Todd Keisling's work often deals with themes of cosmic horror, and the story explores the unsettling events that unfold within the seemingly peaceful community. Keisling creates suspenseful narrative examining the vulnerabilities of aging and the hidden dangers that lurk beneath the surface of everyday life. The novel blends elements of dread and suspense to create a distinctive narrative.

#435

• Mentioned in 39 episodes

Scanlines is a novella written by Todd Keisling, published in 2020. It deals with themes of grief, trauma, and the supernatural. Set in the backdrop of VHS tapes and analog media, the story follows a character processing past trauma through the lens of found footage. The novella received positive reviews for its atmospheric horror and exploration of personal struggles. It is known for its blend of psychological and supernatural elements.

#488

• Mentioned in 36 episodes

The novel follows an unnamed protagonist struggling with insomnia and a meaningless corporate job. He finds relief by attending cancer support groups, but his life changes when he meets Tyler Durden, a mysterious and charismatic figure. Together, they establish an underground fight club, which evolves into 'Project Mayhem', a cult-like organization aimed at dismantling modern society through chaos and public unrest. The book explores themes of toxic masculinity, consumerism, and the search for meaning in a postmodern world.

Episode Notes

In this episode, the Reanimators have some cross-contamination with Beth of the David Behaviour book review podcast to branch outside of the RPG space to interview horror author Todd Keisling to see if there are any lessons we can learn from novel writing that could be applied for writing or running horror TTRPG scenarios. We cover a range of topics, including creating characters, motivations, and traits, creating monsters and original cosmic horrors, manifesting personal fears as threats or themes in stories, and some key elements of writing for different vibes, including folk, analog, and surreal horror.

You can find Todd's website here: https://www.toddkeisling.com/ As well as a reading of one of his short stories Midnight in the Southland on Pseudopod here: https://pseudopod.org/2023/10/20/pseudopod-887-midnight-in-the-southland/ Also check out David Behaviour for horror book reviews and discussions: https://david-behaviour.pinecast.co/

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

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