We’re heading into largely uncharted horror waters this week with our guest Nat Cassidy. Nat’s debut horror novel, Mary: An Awakening of Terror dares to confront one of the last true taboos of horror fiction. No, it’s not cannibalism, or necrophilia, or the bowel movements of Tucker Carlson … no… it’s the menopause. That’s right. Female physiology. The horror, the terror, think of the children!!!Nat and I talk about why horror shies away from the topic of middle age and menopause, and why he was inspired to tell this story when he was just thirteen years old. We talk about Stephen King and Carrie and their lasting influence. And we look back at the worse year of Nat’s life, and how it helped fuel the writing of Mary.We also promise (and fail) to talk about Bruce Springsteen, our shared north star. Watch this space for more on that in the future.Enjoy!Mary: An Awakening of Terror is published on July 19thth by Tor NightfireOther books discussed in this episode include:We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families (1998), by Philip GourevitchCarrie (1974), by Stephen KingParasite (1980), by Ramsey CampbellSupport Talking Scared on PatreonCome talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the show