Garth Marenghi, a Sunday Times best-selling horror writer, joins Ed Gamble and James Acaster in the Nightmare Restaurant. They discuss short stories and novellas, dream restaurants, the importance of water consumption, knowing who prepares food, and the character of Randy Mann. They also touch on horror genre adaptations and their preferred drinks and desserts.
Gart Marenghi draws inspiration from his own experiences in the horror industry, highlighting the importance of respecting animals and selecting specific cuts when consuming them.
Gart Marenghi expresses his preference for alone or small company dining, emphasizing his aversion to certain foods like water and sweet desserts.
Gart Marenghi shares his skepticism towards AI and its potential impact on storytelling, emphasizing the need for human storytellers even in the face of advancing technology.
Deep dives
Gart Marenghi's love for horror writing and his new book Incarcerat
Gart Marenghi, a renowned horror writer, discusses his love for the horror genre and his latest book Incarcerat, a collection of three mini novels. He draws inspiration from his own experience in the horror industry and his interactions with difficult readers and editors. Gart shares his unique writing process, which involves dreaming and waking to turn those dreams into nightmare-infused stories. He also hints at the possibility of future collaboration with a TV series creator.
Gart Marenghi's dream restaurant and his unique dining preferences
Gart Marenghi expresses his desire for a comfortable seat, a well-stocked bar, and a kitchen at his dream restaurant. He mentions his preference for alone or small company dining, specifically mentioning his wife Pam and his personal slaughterer. Gart emphasizes the importance of respecting the animals he consumes, wanting to witness their last moments and select the specific cuts he wants. He discusses his aversion to certain foods like water, broccoli, and sweet desserts, opting for more savory dishes like kedgeree and Haddock.
Gart Marenghi's thoughts on AI and the state of horror genre
Gart Marenghi shares his skepticism towards AI, expressing his belief that he would prevail in a battle against technology. He highlights his concerns about plot copyright theft and the rise of AI in storytelling. Gart also discusses the state of the horror genre, expressing disappointment with modern TV horror and recalling his own contributions to the genre with his acclaimed TV show Darkplace. He talks about the importance of storytelling and the need for human storytellers even in the face of advancing technology.
The Cursed Typewriter in Terror Time
In 'Terror Time', the main character, Nick Dean, falls into lust with his cursed typewriter, demonstrating one of Meringi's famous horror concepts. Meringi emphasizes that his books do not have hidden meanings and are about the story itself, not symbolic representations. However, there are little nods, like characters named Rick Douglas, that create a sense of connection throughout his works.
Creating the Toducken
Meringi mentions his dream menu in the podcast, specifically requesting a toducken, a beast consisting of a turkey, a chicken, and a duck fused together. Meringi reveals that toduckens were actually bred in a laboratory in the late 1980s, and they are still bred by a slaughter on his local farm. He explains that it takes time to dispatch a toducken and describes its appearance, including multiple heads, wings, and legs. He warns that it may not look appetizing, but tastes delicious.
Dreamweaver, doomsage and Sunday Times best-selling horror writer Garth Marenghi joins us in the Nightmare Restaurant this week. Listen to this episode now, before it’s too late…
Garth Marenghi’s new book ‘Incarcerat’ is out now in hardback and audiobook, published by Coronet. Buy it here.
Garth’s previous book ‘Terrortome’ in now available in a limited pleather-bound edition. Buy it here.