Episode 10: Folklore and Fascinations with Dark Fiction Author Kev Harrison

Hey Morbid Moths! I am delighted to share this week's interview with the wonderful Kev Harrison, Dark Fiction author, English teacher, and Podcast Host!

In this episode of "Moths to the Flame," we chat about his journey as a writer and how he got started in the horror genre. Kev shares his experiences drawing inspiration from local folklore and traveling to haunted places to research his stories. He also talks about his approach to balancing horror and relatability in his writing. Kev recommends some of his favorite horror books, and shares exciting news about his current releases and upcoming work! I had a BLAST with Kev on the pod for this interview and can promise this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Kev Harrison:
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BOOKS
Signed Books

Transcript

Moths to the Flame (00:00.395)
Hello, hello everyone. Welcome back to Moss to the Flame. I am so excited to have Kev Harrison and his gorgeous accent here with us today. He is a writer of dark fiction and an English language teacher from the UK, living and working in Lisbon, Portugal, where he resides with his partner in crime. Is it Anna or Anna? Anna, yeah. Anna and their two cat overlords.

Kev Harrison (00:10.434)
Hehehehe

Kev Harrison (00:24.181)
Yeah

Moths to the Flame (00:28.191)
He's previously lived in various cities in the United Kingdom, as well as Turkey and Poland. His subterranean horror novel, Novella, Below, is out now from Brigid's Gate Press, while his debut novella, The Balance, is also available through Lycan Valley Press. His short fiction collection, Paths Best Left Untrodden, is available through Northern Republic. His debut novel, Shadow of the Hidden, arrives in March 2024 through Brigid's Gate Press.

Kev Harrison (00:28.245)
I'm out.

Moths to the Flame (00:56.359)
and short fiction, he's also had released and published in variety of magazines, podcasts, anthology, and he's a staff writer for This Is Horror. So, holy shit, you are busy. Yeah, yeah, you are busy, that is exciting. So just start off with kind of telling us about your journey as a writer and how you got started in the horror genre in general.

Kev Harrison (01:07.554)
Busy. Busy few years. Yeah.

Kev Harrison (01:20.718)
Sure, yeah. Well, it's kind of a bit of a circle actually, because I started writing when I was a small kid, writing sort of outlandish stories about what was happening to me, my friends, my cats, that kind of stuff. And then I went on a camping trip when I was about 10 years old, like the last thing in primary school or middle school, whatever it was. And basically we all went in the day with my classmates to this city museum. And it was a place where there'd been like a Roman settlement, because you know.

Moths to the Flame (01:22.575)
kind of a bit of a circle actually, because I started writing when I was a small kid, you know, writing sort of outlandish stories about what was happening to me, my friends, my cats, that kind of stuff. Yeah. And then I went on a camping trip when I was about 10 years old, like the last thing in primary school or middle school, whatever it was. And basically we all went in the day with my classmates to this city museum. And it was a place where there'd been like a Roman settlement, you know.

Kev Harrison (01:50.034)
England's really old, obviously. And everyone had bought these little Roman coins. And so they did like a talent show in the evening. And some people did like singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, like rap, whatever. I decided to tell a ghost story about ghosts being trapped in those coins. And the result was that I didn't win sadly, but I won like a different prize, which was that none of my classmates could sleep.

Moths to the Flame (01:51.347)
Oh, gorgeous, yes. And everyone I bought these little Roman coins, and so they did like a talent show in the evening. And some people did like singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, like rap, whatever. I decided to tell a ghost story. Oh, yes. Of ghosts being trapped in those coins. And the result was that. I didn't win, sadly. But I won like a different prize, which was that none of my classmates could sleep.

Kev Harrison (02:16.19)
and they kept the teachers up all night by crying and refused to have lights off and this kind of stuff and I was like, this is wonderful.

Moths to the Flame (02:16.375)
and they kept the teachers up all night by crying and refusing to have a light off and this kind of stuff. And I was like, this is wonderful. Yes, you got the satisfaction out of scaring everyone. I love that. Exactly, exactly. Oh, that's so fun. That is so fun. Awesome. I'm not going to throw up again. Oh yeah, so then you had the idea, obviously you were in the spooky environment with camping. That always leads to what's in the woods. Yeah, so do you draw on your experiences?

Kev Harrison (02:25.426)
Exactly, exactly. Yes, that's where it all began really.

Kev Harrison (02:36.098)
Absolutely. Yeah, yeah, totally.

Moths to the Flame (02:42.795)
to generate the ideas for your stories or do they come from dreams or where do the ideas for all of the work that you're doing come from? That's a really good question. So I do like to draw on experiences. Like for example, there's a short story in my collection called

Kev Harrison (02:50.606)
That's a really good question. So I do like to draw on experiences. Like for example, there's a short story in my collection and past best left untruth and called, what is it called? My God, this is bad form. I can't remember the title, Jesus. Oh no, it's called, exactly. It's called reasons for my abscondance. And it's basically about someone who likes, it's set in the past. It's like a Gothic kind of setting and it's in a big old house.

Moths to the Flame (03:03.399)
I can't remember the title. That's how it goes. You're on the spotlight. Exactly. It's called Reasons for My Obscon-vince. And it's basically about someone who, like, it's set in the past. It's like a gothic kind of setting. Yes. My favorite. And it's in a big old house where I used to have a girlfriend who lived there, basically, like, with her family when I was growing up. And I actually saw a ghost in her bedroom one day. Oh my god. Tell us about that. What was the ghost like?

Kev Harrison (03:19.414)
where I used to have a girlfriend who lived there basically, like with her family when I was growing up. And I actually saw a ghost in her bedroom one day. And yeah, so she was from the, well, one of her parents anyway, was Sri Lankan, right? So from like a little island near India and her dad was British. One weekend, her parents are away.

Moths to the Flame (03:31.715)
Yeah, so she was from the, well, one of her parents was Sri Lankan, right, so from like Lill Island, near India, and her dad was British. Okay. One weekend, her parents are away. Obviously what happens, she says, come stay over. I mean, clearly. Duh. I'm telling you right now, fine. And then the following morning, we were like, just chilling in the house, you know, I was in her room, she'd gone to make.

Kev Harrison (03:48.062)
obviously what happens she says come stay over I mean clearly I'm going there for that fine um and then uh the following morning we were like uh just chilling in the house you know I was in her room she'd gone to make tea for us British right tea um

Moths to the Flame (04:00.795)
Tea for us British, right? Uh-huh, I love that. Hey, I drink tea because of you all. I finally learned how to drink it the right way too, so yes. That's wonderful. Yes. I have to add, so I'm like lying on this bed in her room. And I look in the mirror because I had this feeling there's like someone watching me. And as I looked in the mirror, I see this old white lady. Now, her mom was very dark. So I was like, there are no old white ladies in that room. That is not it, yeah. So I looked over to where she was, like on the other side of the room.

Kev Harrison (04:08.194)
Wonderful, wonderful. And so I'm like lying on this bed in her room. And I look in the mirror because I had this feeling there's like someone watching me. And as I looked in the mirror, I see this old white lady. Now her mom was very dark. So I was like, there are no old white ladies here. That is very strange. So I looked over to where she was, like on the other side of the room, but I couldn't see anything there. So I was kind of a bit weirded out, like what's going on here.

Moths to the Flame (04:30.811)
I couldn't see anything there so I was kind of worried. I was worried about what's going on here. And I looked back in the mirror, she's still there. Looks over there, she's not there. Back to the mirror, a third time, she just goes like, like she's gonna speak to me, shove it in her mouth. And at that point I went from being a big down to like shitting myself. And like ran down the stairs at like 100 miles an hour. And then when I got to the kitchen, my girlfriend goes, oh, did you see that woman in my room? And I was like.

Kev Harrison (04:35.322)
And then I look back in the mirror, she's still there, looks over there, she's not there. Back to the mirror. The third time, she just goes like, like she's going to speak to me, shove it in her mouth. And at that point I went from being a bit weirded out to like shitting myself and like ran down the stairs at like a hundred miles an hour. And then when I got to the kitchen, my girlfriend goes, Oh, did you see that woman in my room? And I was like, what? And she hadn't told me. Yeah.

Moths to the Flame (05:01.635)
Thanks for the warning girlfriend! Exactly! And she's like, oh she's fine, she doesn't do anything, she's fine. Jesus. A woman in the mirror, like oh it's fine, she just lives in my mirror, no big deal, watching me as I'm... No! So did she know the history of the... she just was totally cool with her being a woman there and no big thing? She didn't know the history. The house, like there's a thing actually in architecture which apparently like...

Kev Harrison (05:03.518)
Right? Exactly. And she's like, oh, she's fine. She doesn't do anything. She's fine. Jesus.

Kev Harrison (05:12.862)
Right? Yes! What the hell?

Kev Harrison (05:21.782)
She didn't know the history. The house, like there's a thing actually in architecture which apparently like channel spirits which is when you have like three doors in a row, right? Unbroken. And this house had that. And it turned out there'd been a bunch of other supernatural activity happening in the house. Like over the previous few years, like they had a piano that wasn't a player piano but just played itself anyway in the middle of the night and this kind of thing. They had like one time they had actually like swirling black smoke outside the door.

Moths to the Flame (05:28.975)
channel spirits, which is when you have like three doors in a row, right? Unbroken. And this house had that. And it turned out there'd been a bunch of other supernatural activity happening in the house like over the previous few years, like they had a piano that wasn't a player piano, but just played itself anyway. In the middle of the night and this kind of thing. They had like one time they had actually like swirling black smoke outside the door of like the nursery school that her mother used to run in one of the bigger rooms. Just like.

Kev Harrison (05:50.194)
of like the nursery school that her mother used to run in one of the bigger rooms. Just like...

Moths to the Flame (05:57.151)
And none of it felt like nefarious. They totally felt safe there and fine. Well, that stuff did feel nefarious, like the swirling smoke. Yeah. And then someone tried to bless the house. And after they blessed it, it kind of toned down. Good. To just being like the piano and the apparently fine old woman in the mirror. Yes, yes. I totally get that because we had an instance. So I'm sure you listen to the pod so you know, I have a little ghostie that lives up here with us.

Kev Harrison (06:01.418)
Well, that stuff did feel nefarious, like the swirling smoke. And they actually had someone come in and bless the house. And after they blessed it, it kind of toned down quite a bit to just being like the piano and the apparently fine old woman in the mirror.

Kev Harrison (06:20.522)
Yeah, yep.

Moths to the Flame (06:23.075)
And did you hear the episode where Ghostie rang in on a phone and it was none of our phones, which was crazy but my son Started saying and you know how creepy children can be anyway. How old is this one? Five So prime creepy age, okay And he started saying mommy there's something black dripping from the ceiling and I was like, oh hell no

Kev Harrison (06:28.692)
Oh my god.

Kev Harrison (06:36.322)
How old is your son? Yeah, yeah.

Kev Harrison (06:47.886)
Fucking hell.

Moths to the Flame (06:50.123)
No, no, no. So then I'm like, we've got to do something. Something is dark here. I'm like, I have done this before. I was like, right horror, I want like, no. So yeah, no, that freaked me out, but it's always like, you can tell the difference between the nefarious and when it's like, oh, it's just a ghosty, it's fine. I think the black dripping stuff was separate. So always inspiring our stories for sure.

Kev Harrison (06:54.858)
I've seen Poltergeist, I know where this ends.

Kev Harrison (07:16.526)
Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. I think it's a great way to go.

Moths to the Flame (07:17.411)
Definitely and especially over in oh in England and all of the rich history That's one of the places in the world that I haven't visited yet that I'm like Dying to go to Okay

Kev Harrison (07:27.03)
You definitely should. Yeah, I mean, I'm only here, I'm in England for the summer basically this year, because I work in a university in the summertime. And it's been great just like seeing all the old graveyards and stuff, because we got all that in Portugal, but it's just kind of different, like the vibe is kind of different. It's a lot brighter, you don't got the sort of gloomy graveyard vibe.

Moths to the Flame (07:46.483)
Yes, yes, no, I'm envious of that. I mean, our history of America is not, I mean, we're still a baby country. Where are you in the US anyway? I'm in Tennessee. Okay. Yeah, so it's... You've got some pretty interesting checkered history there. Oh, checkered would be the appropriate term to use, absolutely. And Tennessee was one of the kind of borderline states with...

Kev Harrison (07:53.642)
Whereabouts are you in the US anyway? Okay, so you've got some pretty interesting checkered history there, right?

Kev Harrison (08:03.892)
Yeah.

Moths to the Flame (08:09.279)
the Civil War that we had where I mean it was split families would be half of the family would be Union side half of the family would be Confederate side so there's a lot of bad juju and a lot of like spooky and I'm right in the Appalachian Mountains so a lot of like bulk horror and rural things which yes and you're really into the folk stuff right? Yes!

Kev Harrison (08:10.605)
Yes.

Kev Harrison (08:18.797)
Wow.

Yeah, for sure.

Kev Harrison (08:25.651)
Oh my god.

and like cryptids and all that stuff. Oh my God, I love it. Yeah. I mean, it's like my absolute vibe. Like my first novella was the balance and that I actually wrote when I was, well actually after I lived in Poland but it was very much inspired by living in Poland because there they have this figure which everyone knows about called Baba Jaga.

Moths to the Flame (08:37.511)
So my first novella was The Balance and that I actually wrote when I was, well actually after I lived in Poland, but it was very much inspired by living in Poland because there they have this figure which everyone knows about called Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga, yes! But what people don't know is that like in all the Slavic folklore for kids, it's actually quite broad, like the sort of scope of what Baba Yaga is. In some cases she's seen as like just pure evil, some cases she's seen as like protecting mankind, some cases.

Kev Harrison (08:51.01)
But what people don't know is that like in all the Slavic sort of folklore for kids, it's actually quite broad, like the sort of scope of what Baba Yaga is. In some cases, she's seen as like just pure evil. Some cases she's seen as like protecting mankind. Some cases she's like literally this like keeper of the law and the balance between humanity and nature. And that was the version of her that I kind of like fixed on and thought, oh, this is really interesting. So it kind of ends up being like sort of folk horror mixed with eco horror.

Moths to the Flame (09:07.279)
she's like literally this like keeper of the law and the balance between humanity and nature. And that was the version of her that I kind of like fixed on and thought, oh, this is really interesting. Yeah. It kind of ends up being like sort of folk horror mixed with eco horror because it's kind of like people attacking like the natural order of things and then nature going like, uh-uh, no, don't fuck with me. I will fuck with you. Yes. Okay, and so the balance too, that novella.

Kev Harrison (09:20.122)
because it's kind of like people attacking like the natural order of things and then nature going like No, no, don't fuck with me because I will fuck with you twice as hard

Moths to the Flame (09:33.243)
Am I correct in saying that that's going to be a part of a four novella series coming out? Is that correct? Basically, there's gonna be five in fact. Five? Because Mike and Valley who took the balance were really happy with it and I was really happy with them as well. Because they put out audiobooks for all their releases which is like a big appeal for me because obviously if you're doing that independently it's expensive. Yes, yes. And so after about a year...

Kev Harrison (09:39.842)
Basically, there's going to be five in fact, because like, um, like a valley who took the balance were really happy with it. And I was really happy with them as well. Um, and cause they put out audio books for all their releases, which is like a big appeal for me, because obviously if you're doing that independently, it's expensive. Um, and so after about a year of that being out, they contacted me and said, like, Hey, do you have any other sort of folkloric horror stuff going? And I said, well, I've got a couple of ideas, but I haven't written them yet. And then they said, well, how about we give you.

Moths to the Flame (09:59.351)
that being out, they contacted me and said like, hey, do you have any other sort of folkloric horror stuff going? And I said, well, I've got a couple of ideas, but I haven't written them yet. And then they said, well, how about the Cupid News contract and you write four books in like two and a half years. And I said, Whoa, that's quite fast. Yeah. Four books in three years. Okay, that we can maybe we can manage that. Awesome. I've written like one and a half of them. The first one I submitted to them for some consideration of

Kev Harrison (10:09.486)
contract and you write four books in like two and a half years. And I said, Whoa, there, that's quite fast. And they said, what about four books in three years? And I said, okay, that we can maybe we can manage that. So I've written like one and a half of them. The first one I submitted to them for some consideration of things I wanted to tweak for the final version based on like beta reading feedback. And that's actually set in France and it's actually got fairies.

Moths to the Flame (10:28.195)
things I wanted to tweak for the final version based on my beta reading feedback. And that's actually set in France and it's actually got fairies, but like don't think Tinkerbell. No, like Faye. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. The scary ones. Ew. Yeah. I love that stuff. Okay. So, um, with folk horror, I'm assuming is that your favorite sub genre of horror to write in or do you write in other genres too or folk is kind of where you're at right now for sure.

Kev Harrison (10:35.542)
But like, don't think Tinkerbell. Think like the fairies that kidnap kids and like eat the kids, all this kind of stuff exactly. Oh yeah.

Me too.

Kev Harrison (10:56.786)
Yeah, I think it is probably my favourite actually, because even the novel that's coming next year is kind of based on folklore, but that's like Middle Eastern folklore. So, yeah.

Moths to the Flame (10:58.011)
it's probably my favorite actually because like even the novel that's coming next year is kind of based on folklore but that's like the middle eastern folklore so yeah okay let's dive into that so that is shadow of hidden right shadow of the hidden exactly okay hidden is like the sort of the general meaning for the word for what they call the jinn yes i'm sure you know what the jinn are from various films and books that have come out recently yeah um i didn't i honestly didn't start writing it

Kev Harrison (11:11.222)
Shadow of the Hidden, exactly. The Hidden is like the sort of, the general meaning for the word for what they call the Djinn. So I'm sure you know what the Djinn are from various films and books that have come out recently. I honestly didn't start writing it because I thought it would be a trend, but if it hits a trend, so much the better.

Moths to the Flame (11:26.403)
because I thought it would be a trend, but if it hits a trend, so much the better. Hey, perfect timing, right? Yes. And that was actually based on a real experience as well, because when I was living in Turkey, I had a friend, and we used to play backgammon a lot, because he was like, how much do you play backgammon? I was like, sure, fine. Okay. And one day we were playing backgammon, and he ran an ice cream bar, and this old widow came to him, and basically asked him for some ice cream, and in their culture, like in Turkish culture, certainly a bit different.

Kev Harrison (11:32.254)
And that was actually based on a real experience as well. Cause when I was living in Turkey, I had a friend, and we used to play backgammon a lot, cause he was like, I'm gonna teach you to play backgammon. I was like, sure, fine. And one day we were playing backgammon and he ran an ice cream bar. And this old widow came to him and basically asked him for some ice cream. And in their culture, like in Turkish culture, certainly, if a widow, like who's dressed as a widow, asks you for like sort of food or whatever,

Moths to the Flame (11:55.831)
widow like who's dressed as a widow asks you for like sort of food or whatever you're supposed to give them like bread, water, milk, cheese, something like this. They have that basic stuff to help keep them alive. But he said like look at the ice cream, the ice cream is like really expensive. But you can have like I'll make you a cheese sandwich, I'll give you some water, whatever you want, tea, fine. But like not the ice cream because the ice cream is like his main product. Yeah, yeah. Fair enough, right? Yeah, I think so. And then, yeah. And then she like suddenly like just completely blitz out.

Kev Harrison (12:01.094)
supposed to give them like bread, water, milk, cheese, something like this. You have basic stuff to help keep them alive, right? But he said like, I'm not giving you ice cream because ice cream is like really expensive, but you can have like, I'll make you a cheese sandwich, I'll give you some water, whatever you want, tea, fine, but like not the ice cream because the ice cream is like his main product. Fair enough, right? And then, yeah, and then she like suddenly, like just completely flips out. She starts shouting at him and I was sitting there at the table, at the back

Moths to the Flame (12:25.231)
started shouting at him and I was sitting there at the table at the back gammon table going like and I heard her change from Turkish to Arabic most people there if they're Muslims right they know right but it's different levels different people and he like just like started crying basically and just this is about big laughs like big buff guy I've never seen cry before

Kev Harrison (12:30.334)
And I heard her change from Turkish to Arabic. Most people there, if they're Muslims, right, they know some Arabic, but it's a different level to different people. And he just started crying basically. And this is like a big, big lad, like a big buff guy who had never seen cry before. Started crying, was like completely traumatized. And when she went away, she spat on his next to his feet before she left him, which is just extra touch of lovely.

Moths to the Flame (12:54.539)
next to his feet before she left him, which is just extra touch of lovely. Oh yeah. And then after she went away, I said, what the fuck man? And he said like, ah, so she basically just put like a major geni curse on my entire family, like wishing death on me, this kind of stuff. And I was like. Over ice cream. Oh my gosh, wow. The baddest thing though, was that the next morning, he got up after we went out partying, so it was like one of my last days there. He got up in the morning.

Kev Harrison (12:59.702)
And then after she went away, I said, what, what the fuck, man? And he said like, ah, so she basically just put like a major gin curse on my entire family, like wishing death on me, this kind of stuff. And I was like, goodness, I've ice cream. And the maddest thing though, was that like the next morning we got up after we went out partying, because it was like one of my last days there. We got in the morning. And he was like already outside, because I was staying in the apartment near him. And

Moths to the Flame (13:23.791)
and he was like already outside because I was staying in the apartment with him and he was like shouting like in the street and I was like what is going on and the ice cream thing had been moved into the sunlight and like before like before we went to bed we checked it was chained up and it weighs like half a ton no oh my god

Kev Harrison (13:29.25)
And he was like shouting like in the street and I was like, dude, what's going on? And the ice cream thing had been moved into the sunlight. And like before, like before we went to bed, we checked it was chained up and it weighs like half a ton. Weird. All of it destroyed, all the ice cream ruined. And he was like, he was convinced it was a gin. He was convinced he's like, yep.

Moths to the Flame (13:47.823)
Of course. He was convinced he was a gif. Well of course it was. I mean I'm also convinced, yeah. I mean automatically. I said to him, she probably has like two nephews who are like, they just came along and did it, you know, but he was like, nope. Okay, so has he had any more experiences post? Like has he? No, everything was fine. Okay, good, I'm glad. But my face in one book picks up from the perspective of like what if it was that and what if things went really south from there? Yeah, that is interesting. Okay, so we can find out more.

Kev Harrison (13:52.69)
I said to him, she probably has like two nephews who are like big lads and they just came along and did it, you know, but he was like, nope, gin.

Kev Harrison (14:04.306)
No, everything was fine. But like, basically, my book picks up from the perspective of like, what if it was that? And what if things went really south from there?

Moths to the Flame (14:17.399)
where you take the story in March. Yes, okay, awesome. Do you have, are you gonna be doing pre-orders for that or is it just totally release 2024? When are pre-orders available? There will be some pre-orders for it. Yeah, I'm not sure exactly when. I mean, basically the edit's gonna land with me this month or next. And so I'll be working through those by the summer and then we'll get it back to the publisher and they will then cover.

Kev Harrison (14:20.002)
That's coming in March. Yeah, exactly. I'm very excited.

Kev Harrison (14:30.85)
there will be some pre-orders for it. Yeah, I'm not sure exactly when. I mean, basically the edits are gonna land with me this month or next. And so I'll be working through those over the summer and then we'll get it back to the publisher and they will then get the cover created and all that kind of stuff. So I'm guessing like sometime in the last quarter of this year, maybe towards Christmas, it'll be up for pre-order, something like that.

Moths to the Flame (14:45.199)
creative and that kind of stuff. So I'm guessing like sometime in the last quarter of this year, maybe towards Christmas, it'll be up to three or something like that. Okay, awesome. Awesome. So listeners, make sure we I'm sorry, my puppy is wreaking havoc in this house. I'm going to do you hear him? He's literally losing his mind.

Kev Harrison (15:01.455)
I mean that is like a puppy's job essentially. A little bit, just like rustling.

Moths to the Flame (15:06.923)
Like, so I am, this is my note of, cut this out. I'm gonna go take him downstairs really quick. I'm so sorry. I've never done this before during a pod, but he is wild right now. Oh my gosh. I will be right back, okay? So don't leave the recording or it will shut off. Okay, thank you. Fire, honey bunny, what are you doing? Yeah.

Kev Harrison (15:14.13)
No worries, no worries. It's fine, it's fine. It's all good. Go for it. Cool, see you in a second. I'm staying right here.

Cheers.

Moths to the Flame (16:37.675)
So sorry, my goodness. No probes, no probes. I have two cats, so I know exactly how this goes. Yeah, overlords of the home. I mean. Exactly. This is my, yeah, and it's my son's dog, so. Oh my god. We are just, bless his heart. We love him, but man, he's a menace. Okay, so how do you think, or what do you think sets your work apart from other horror writers, other folk books in the genre?

Kev Harrison (16:38.974)
No probes, no probes. I have two cats, so I know exactly how this goes.

Exactly. Yeah, totally.

Kev Harrison (16:48.999)
Oh my god.

Kev Harrison (16:52.782)
Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe hehehe hehehe hehehe hehehe he

Kev Harrison (17:07.086)
Hmm, good shout. I mean, I think one thing is that I do try to take my ideas from like sort of around the world, like different cultures that I've experienced because I travel a lot. Like one of my big passions in life is travel. And so I have that one thing set in Poland. I have like a short story set in Romania. No, no, where was it? Where was it? Oh, there is one set in Romania, yeah, which was in the Lost Films anthology. There's another one in Slovenia somewhere. There's this one that's just to me in Turkey.

Moths to the Flame (17:08.179)
shout. I mean I think one thing is that I do try to take my ideas from like sort of around the world, like different cultures that I've experienced because I travel a lot, one of my big passions in life is travel. Yes! And so I have one thing set in Poland, I have like a short story set in... roommate? No, no.

There is one set in Romania, which was in the Lost Films anthology. There's another one in Slovenia somewhere. This one is for me in Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt. Ooh, that's fun. My new novella is going to be in France, like I said. So I like to sort of globalize my stuff and try and do justice to those international kind of folklore and get inside the culture somewhat. Oh, I love that. Okay, so this is going to deviate a little bit from authorly.

Kev Harrison (17:37.246)
Tunisia and Egypt. And then my new novella is going to be in France, like I said. So I like to sort of globalize my stuff and try and do justice to those international kind of folk laws and like get inside the culture somewhat.

Moths to the Flame (17:57.047)
pod, but I'm a big time traveler too. And so I have to ask you, what is your favorite country that you've ever been to?

Kev Harrison (17:58.198)
Hmm.

Kev Harrison (18:05.686)
Hmm, I think my favorite country that I've traveled around actually was probably Tunisia because it was so easy to travel because they have like a really, really good transport network created by the French, like really, really good railways, excellent little bus system to get between places. And they've got so much variety. They've got like vineyards and it looks like sort of Italian countryside in the north and they have like the Sahara desert. They have some mountains, they have some coast, they have little islands. It's just like so complete. What about you? What's your favorite place you've been to so far? I've never been.

Moths to the Flame (18:06.859)
My favorite country that I've traveled around actually was probably Tunisia because it was so easy to travel because they have like a really, really good transport network created by the French, like really, really good railways. Yeah. It's a little bus system to get between places. And they've got so much variety. They've got like vineyards and it looks like sort of Italian countryside in the north. Then they have like the Sahara desert. They have some mountains. They have some coasts. They have little islands. It's just like so complete. What about you? Mine is Iceland, I think is probably my absolute favorite.

Kev Harrison (18:36.47)
God, I would love to.

Moths to the Flame (18:36.671)
Yeah, you should. It's amazing. And it can be done in, I mean, we went for three weeks and drove the whole island and stayed in the hostels and we do the whole cultural thing too. But yeah, no, I totally recommend it. It's so funny because like I've been to 30 countries. How many of you been to? I think it's about 26, 27. Okay, and it sounds like we've been to different countries like we're covering the world in different places.

Kev Harrison (18:39.777)
Yeah.

Kev Harrison (18:45.611)
Wow.

Kev Harrison (18:49.313)
amazing.

Kev Harrison (18:55.543)
I think it's about 26, 27, something like that.

Yeah, awesome! We're ticking all the boxes!

Moths to the Flame (19:05.047)
I lived in Japan, I was born in Germany, lots of European. So yeah, which is exciting, but I have never, I wanna go to Egypt so bad. Africa, I wanna go swim with the sharks in Cape Town. You know, so. I've never been below the Sahara actually. So that's a big box for me to check. Definitely. It's like getting to Africa, but further down. Yeah, definitely. And New Zealand and Australia, I've wanted to go there too. So. That'd be amazing.

Kev Harrison (19:06.931)
Wow.

Kev Harrison (19:18.194)
Yeah, I've never been below the Sahara actually. So that's a big box for me to check in the next couple of years, like getting to Africa, but further down.

Kev Harrison (19:30.946)
That would be amazing.

Moths to the Flame (19:32.071)
I know, have my little Lord of the Rings experience, I think. So I think that's really admirable what you're doing and really including that cultural aspect and kind of exposing, you know, a lot of people when they think of folklore, they're thinking of just their own culture because that's what they know. And so being able to research and experience and draw on personal experiences from those places and talk with the locals, like, I just think that's so neat. So have you ever had an experience where?

Kev Harrison (19:35.168)
Yes, fantastic!

Moths to the Flame (20:01.151)
you're in a location, I mean, do you draw from stories that you hear the locals telling or, you know, do you have more of those type of experiences you'd like to share? Yeah, I mean, I try to pick up, for example, books when I'm in places as well, like I'm going to find books about local folklore, but also, yeah, like you say, talking to people. Like when I wrote this book that's set in France, actually it's going to come out probably next year as well, but it hasn't got a date yet, the ferry one. Yes, yes. I actually went to, I actually went down to the place in Western France and...

Kev Harrison (20:10.954)
Yeah, I mean, I try to pick up, for example, books when I'm in places as well, like if I could find books about local folklore, but also, yeah, like you say, talking to people. Like when I wrote this book that's set in France, actually, it's going to come out probably next year as well, but hasn't got a date yet. The ferry one. I actually went to, I actually went down to the place in the western France and just traveled around, walked through the forest where they've got this amazing tunnel, which was built like

Moths to the Flame (20:31.459)
Just just traveled around walk through the forest where they've got this amazing tunnel, which was built like 1600 years ago or something So basically like acts as a conduit for the fairies to come out of their kingdom into ours and then go back again Oh my god, and it's still there still standing. It's like a little tunnel You kind of have to crouch to get into it because obviously it's built the fairy size right? Right, right, right? Like it's amazing It's just in this little clearing and what's really crazy about that place was like people still like seem really fixated on it But they have a fairy festival every year

Kev Harrison (20:39.77)
to basically act as a conduit for the fairies to come out of their kingdom into ours and then go back again. And it's still there, it's still standing, it's like a little tunnel. You kind of have to crouch to get into it because obviously it's built for fairy size, right? But it's amazing, it's just in this little clearing. And what's really crazy about that place was people still seem really fixated on it. They have a fairy festival every year. They had this sort of shelter that was built with woven sticks, which...

Moths to the Flame (21:00.943)
They had this like sort of shelter that was like built with like found sort of woven sticks, which after the festival had like flowers all over it and bits of food that they left as offerings. Yes. It's like kind of decayed, which was even more creepy. Right. Really amazing. But fascinating. And, and that it's still a part of their culture today. Like that was something in Iceland in order to build a home on any of the land out there.

Kev Harrison (21:07.922)
after the festival, it had like flowers all over it and bits of food that they'd left as offerings and had since like kind of decayed, which was even more creepy. But yeah, really amazing. Like great to have those experiences. Yeah.

Kev Harrison (21:23.604)
Exactly.

Moths to the Flame (21:29.419)
they have to call in like a mythological fairy expert to make sure that there are no magical creatures living on the land before they build there. And that's still a part of their normal culture right now. Yeah, and I just, that's so fascinating. Yes, definitely, definitely. My husband, he had a, in all of his endless ideas of books that he writes and then stops writing and then write, I'm calling you out right now, Burt. You gotta finish a book.

Kev Harrison (21:41.718)
That is so awesome.

Yeah.

Moths to the Flame (21:55.335)
Okay, everybody hold him to it. But he has an Icelandic kind of folkloric book idea. So maybe this podcast will inspire him. This episode will inspire him. Yes. Absolutely. And I think actually, are you familiar with Tenenbos Press? I believe they have. Alex Woodrow has a Romanian folklore book coming out pretty soon. Very much on my radar. Oh, yes, definitely.

Kev Harrison (21:55.984)
Hush.

Kev Harrison (22:02.07)
Wow.

Kev Harrison (22:05.634)
Keep this on my radar please, when it's out, let me know.

Kev Harrison (22:12.909)
Yes.

Kev Harrison (22:17.526)
Yep, that is very much on my radar. Yeah, I'm very excited about that.

Moths to the Flame (22:22.187)
Yeah, they put some really cool stuff out. So keep everybody, all the listeners, keep that in mind because we are folklore lovers in this place. So, okay, so thinking about folklore and thinking about kind of the different, like you mentioned, traditions with Baba Yaga, how you can have this super evil, super scary, kind of a spectrum of, oh, not so scary, kind of scary. How do you balance that in your writing versus, you know, that love of like when you were camping, wanting to scare the kids with the ghost story?

Kev Harrison (22:26.723)
Definitely.

Hell yeah.

Kev Harrison (22:40.983)
Mm-hmm.

Moths to the Flame (22:50.979)
but also wanting to stay true to the tradition. How do you balance that when you're dealing with that kind of topic? That's a really interesting question because I think horror, like, by its very nature, we've got to have things that are going to scare you or make you uncomfortable or make you feel dread. That's right. But, I mean, I don't tend to write like this sort of extreme horror stuff. I read some of it, like, I mean, and enjoy the hell out of it. Yes. But what I tend to write, I tend to be quite sparing with the horrifying stuff to kind of give you more impact.

Kev Harrison (22:57.982)
That's a really interesting question. Cause I think horror, like by its very nature, we've got to have things that are going to scare you or make you uncomfortable or make you feel dread. But I mean, I don't tend to write like this sort of extreme horror stuff. I read some of it, like, I mean, and enjoy the hell out of it. But what I tend to write, I tend to be quite sparing with the horrifying stuff to kind of give you more impact. So like, yeah, so I found that relatively easy, but like I-

Moths to the Flame (23:19.603)
Okay good good. So like yeah so I found that relatively easy but like I because I wanted it to be kind of believable and quite human and quite relatable and I wanted her character actually as well to be quite relatable even though she's only in it for the first third let's say of the book and then yeah then basically the scares kind of come from the sort of reaction of nature to man's training.

Kev Harrison (23:26.314)
because I wanted it to be kind of believable and quite human and quite relatable and I wanted her character actually as well to be quite relatable, even though she's only in it for the first third, let's say of the book. And then, yeah, then basically that the scares kind of come from the sort of reaction of nature to man's transgressions, basically.

Moths to the Flame (23:46.723)
transgressions basically. Yes, which I think that's one of the scariest things about Stephen King and his writing and then I just finished have you read Gabino, Iglesias, his The Devil Takes You Home? Yes, I read that last summer when I was on holiday. I had not read it yet. I was doing a trip through France. Yeah. I was like, oh my god, I love it. Unbelievable. Well and because it really dives into that the horror human nature.

Kev Harrison (23:55.724)
Mm-hmm.

Kev Harrison (23:59.97)
Ah, the most recent one. Yes. I read that last summer when I was on holiday. Actually, when I was doing that trip through France and like, oh my God, I love it, love it.

Moths to the Flame (24:14.887)
and not, you know, it's not, there are some paranormal type things in there. And, and I think that's so fascinating when you really dive into that, like how horrible humans can be. And that's scarier than, we're not going to go, not going to go to spoiler territory, but I'm just gonna say the words, bolt cutters. Whoa. I know triggered. I'm so triggered. Like that's the first book in a while that literally brought visceral like.

Kev Harrison (24:22.762)
Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, we're not going to go, we're not going to go into spoiler territory, but I'm just going to say the words, bolt cutters.

Kev Harrison (24:32.978)
Still no, still no. Jesus.

Moths to the Flame (24:41.239)
hand over their mouth like oh my god reactions from me. When I finished that chapter I was like close the book. Yeah I need a break. I have to go for the world. Yeah and I read extreme horror too like when I mean I read Duncan Ralston and Matt Shaw and Jonathan like I. And they are the grimest of the grim. Oh yeah but I'm like laughing when I'm reading those because they're so absurd but with that type of horror where you have that human element of like.

Kev Harrison (24:42.922)
Yeah. When I finished that chapter, I was like, close the book, look out the window for a little while.

Kev Harrison (24:55.958)
And they are the grimist of the grim, right?

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kev Harrison (25:07.854)
and you know that probably out there somewhere, someone is doing that shit.

Moths to the Flame (25:07.915)
What the fuck? And you know they're probably out there somewhere. Yeah. Someone is doing that shit. I know, I'm like that is, I mean, and I'm all fascinated, but obviously this is a morbid and curious podcast. And so I want all the everything. I soak it in, I love it. But then I'm also like, yikes, there are some really nasty people in the world, for sure, for sure. So I think that's good. Keeping a nice balance and sprinkling in the dread, sprinkling in the fear to give it the most impact.

Kev Harrison (25:19.47)
Absolutely. Yeah, yeah.

Kev Harrison (25:25.706)
My god, yes.

Moths to the Flame (25:33.227)
without it being this headlong rush down the roller coaster and you never get to come up for air. Yeah, so what are some of the most memorable reactions that people have had to your writing?

Kev Harrison (25:38.216)
Exactly.

Kev Harrison (25:50.163)
I mean, it's one of those things you don't really hear often that much from readers. But I actually have a newsletter, which I put out every month. And it's like, you know, just a little bit of a writing update. Like I share any new stories that have been published or like pre orders and stuff, but then also some recommendations and that kind of thing. And just once or twice, I've had like one of those one of the subscribers just write back to me and say like, Oh, I was reading this book.

Moths to the Flame (25:50.383)
I mean, it's one of those things you don't really hear often that much from readers. Yeah. But I actually have a newsletter which I put out every month and it's like, you know, just a little bit of a writing update. Like I share any new stories that have been published, pre-orders and stuff, but then also some recommendations and that kind of thing. And just once or twice I've had like one of those one of the subscribers just write back to me and say like, oh, I was bringing this book and like, you know.

Kev Harrison (26:17.866)
And like, you know, when this happened, I was totally shocked. And like, I was thinking about it for a whole day afterwards. And those are the moments where you're just like, Oh my God, that's so wonderful. Yeah.

Moths to the Flame (26:20.131)
When this happened, I was totally shocked and like I was thinking about it for a whole day afterwards. And those are the moments where you're just like, oh my God, that's so wonderful. Especially when it's somebody you don't know, like you don't know in person. I think that- There's like no like vested interest in them. Yeah. It's just like, it's just lovely. And you know that they're unbiased. Like they actually like the story and they want to share with you. And they're reaching out for no reason. Yes.

Kev Harrison (26:33.214)
Exactly. Yeah, there's like no like vested interest in them telling you. It's just like, it's just lovely. Yeah.

Kev Harrison (26:42.57)
Yeah, they're reaching out for no reason, to get nothing. Yeah, yeah.

Moths to the Flame (26:45.727)
Okay, so tell the listeners about your newsletter. How can they find that? It's probably linked on your website, I'm assuming, right? It is, yes. Okay, good. It's on my website, which is kepharrisonfiction.com. Definitely. And if you go there, you can sign up and basically when you sign up you get a free supernatural horror novella, sorry, novelette, called Warding. And it's about warding animals. Do you know what warding animals are? Okay, is that like Game of Thrones warding, where he could go into the crows?

Kev Harrison (26:51.678)
It is, yes. You can go to my website, which is kevharrisonfiction.com. And if you go there, you can sign up. And basically when you sign up, you get a free supernatural horror novella, sorry, novelette called Warding. And it's about warding animals. Do you know what warding animals are?

Kev Harrison (27:15.794)
Ah no, so this is a thing that they used to do, especially in East Anglia in the UK in the Middle Ages. You know like when the time when everyone was like, that lady's got a cat, she's a witch, that lady's got a thing on her nose, she's a witch. Well, not familiar in fact. What they would do is if they suspected someone in their village was a witch, or just were paranoid about witches, which most people were, they would take an animal, they would like, by the way, animal trigger warning for anybody listening.

Moths to the Flame (27:15.843)
Ah, no. So this is a thing that they used to do, especially in East Anglia in the UK in the Middle Ages. You know, like when the time when everyone was like, that lady's got a cat, she's a witch. That lady's got a thing on her nose. Oh, a familiar, yeah. Well, not familiar, in fact. What they would do is if they suspected someone in their village was a witch, or just were paranoid about witches, which most people weren't. Always, yeah. They would take an animal, they would like, by the way, animal trigger warning. Okay, thank you for the trigger warning. We appreciate that.

Kev Harrison (27:45.574)
Yes, they would like, like dose the animal with like alcohol or something like that to put unconscious, then they would carve like warding sigils into the skin. Then they would brick it into their house in the wall. And obviously, when it woke up, it would then just starve to death, which is just fucking horrendous. Yeah, yeah, but this apparently would protect them from witches, like apparently the building because it then had like this warding animal as like a component of the house.

Moths to the Flame (27:45.815)
Yes, they would like, like dose the animal with like alcohol or something like that. So unconscious. And they would carve like warding sigils into the skin. Then they would break it into their house in the wall. And when it woke up, it would then just starve to death, which is just fucking horrendous. Oh, my God. What? It would protect them from witches, like the building, because it then had like this warding animal as like a component of the house.

Kev Harrison (28:14.026)
would then be spared from witchcraft activity, which... mind bending, I mean Jesus.

Moths to the Flame (28:18.87)
would then be spared from witchcraft. Okay, now, okay, wait. So they bricked them up in the house of the suspected witch or they bricked them up in their own house? So that's even more animals. No, but for each house, right? Like your house would have to have one, my house would have to have one, right? Oh, that's horrible. See, the horror of human nature.

Kev Harrison (28:24.67)
No, no, their own house, their own house. Yeah, their own house.

Kev Harrison (28:30.471)
I'm, it's only one. I think you only need one in the house. I mean, I don't know if it's a bigger house. Maybe not. But, um, yeah, Jesus. Exactly. Yeah. Right? Yeah. I would rather take my chances with the witch.

Moths to the Flame (28:44.427)
Would definitely just hang out would be I would probably be the witch actually I see all those memes all the time They're like if I lived in the 1500s. Yeah dead immediately Feel like she automatically done So Wow, okay. So is your novelette deals with that wording Well, I'm gonna have to read that now because it's traumatized as I am that sounds awesome

Kev Harrison (28:48.254)
Yeah, yeah, I would be totally on Team Witch for sure.

Kev Harrison (29:05.262)
So it's basically, you can get it for free. Hurrah! And yeah, this lady basically moves to a house in that part of the country where it used to happen a lot. She is like renovating and then her dog starts like scruffing the wall and she's like, what? Stop being a dick to the dog. And then she goes behind the bricks, finds this cat and that is just the beginning of the bad, bad stuff.

Moths to the Flame (29:12.811)
in that part of the country where it happens a lot. She is renovating and then her dog starts scuffing the wall. She's like, no, stop being a dick. And then she goes by Bricks, finds his cat, and that is just the beginning of the bad, bad. Oh wow, that sounds so intriguing. That's what's wrong with we horror people. Yeah, we're like, that's horrible, I want more.

Kev Harrison (29:32.822)
So yeah, I hope you enjoy it.

Kev Harrison (29:37.308)
Yeah, exactly, exactly.

Moths to the Flame (29:38.439)
Oh gosh. Okay. So you also not only dabble in these novels, novelettes, novellas, but you also have a collection. Is that correct? Paths Left Untrodden? Paths Best Left Untrodden. Paths Best. Okay. So tell me about the process of putting together a collection. Did you like start out with a theme in mind and then you wrote stories to go with that? Or did you just have a bunch of stories and you're like, hey, these will go together? Or how did that process happen for you?

Kev Harrison (29:48.17)
Mm-hmm. Yep, absolutely. Path, best left on Trot in. Yep, yep.

Kev Harrison (30:06.346)
Well, basically, I didn't write fiction for a long time. Like I wrote that story I told you about at the beginning, and I wrote other stories as a kid. And then at university, I wrote like the most horrifically nasal gazing, sorry, nasal gazing, like gothy kind of vampire book that thank God has been destroyed, like atomized. And then...

Moths to the Flame (30:07.215)
Basically, I didn't write fiction for a long time. Like I wrote that story I told you about at the beginning and I wrote other stories as a kid. And then at university, I wrote like the most horrifically nasal gazing, sorry, nasal gazing, like gothy kind of vampire book that thank God, I destroyed. Like, absolutely. No, I'm telling you one day, I'm gonna do an anthology of like our shit.

teenage writing no one needs to see and just put it out for everybody to see. It's just so embarrassing. But yeah, so after that I was probably allergic to writing for a while. But I just wrote like blogs and stuff. I did like travel blogging and things like this. And then when I came back to writing fiction, one of my friends, Michael David Wilson, is in charge of This Is Horror. He did a thing for the This Is Horror patrons where he said, like, if anyone wants to get involved, I'm going to do the Story of Week challenge, which is where you try and write a story of week for a year.

Kev Harrison (30:35.762)
Oh my God, it's just so embarrassing. But yeah, so after that, I was probably allergic to writing for a while, but I just wrote like blogs and stuff. I did like travel blogging and things like this. And then when I came back to writing fiction, one of my friends, Michael David Wilson, who's in charge of This Is Horror, he did a thing for the This Is Horror patrons, where he said, like, if anyone wants to get involved, I'm going to do the story a week challenge, which is where you try and write a story a week for a year, which is a bloody lot. So this was 2017.

Moths to the Flame (31:02.255)
which is a bloody lot. Wow. This was 2017 and I failed the challenge, but at the end of the year I had 38 stories. Holy shit. And won the velor, so that was fine. That was a perfectly good failure. Yeah, because then you can submit all that everywhere. And I submitted loads of these stories and some of them got published, some of them didn't, but that kind of gave me like a body of work and some of them obviously were like finished but not edited or not polished. And so I've used those over the years. I've written other stories, so.

Kev Harrison (31:05.966)
And I failed the challenge, but at the end of the year, I had 38 stories and one novella. So that was, that was fine. That was a perfectly good failure. There you go. And I submitted loads of these stories and some of them got published and some of them didn't. But that kind of gave me like a body of work. And some of them obviously were like finished, but not edited or not polished. And so I've used those over the years and I've written other stories. So when it came to 2021.

Moths to the Flame (31:31.575)
When it came to 2021, I think, yeah, I started to put out a collection. It was a year after my first novella. And I just thought, okay, I'll take some of these stories, some of the other stories I've published since. And so I didn't really go with a theme. It was more just like a mix tape, if you like, of like, these are all the different types of thing that I do. I love that. And I'm also super inspired by this writing a story a week situation. Because, oh, I am-

Kev Harrison (31:34.862)
2021 I think, yeah. I decided to put out a collection, it was a year after my first novella, and I just thought okay I'll take some of these stories, some of the other stories I've had published since, and so I didn't really go with a theme, it was more just like a mixtape if you like, of like these are all the different types of thing that I do.

Kev Harrison (31:58.39)
Do it! Seriously!

Moths to the Flame (32:00.751)
I'm always trying to find ways to trick my ADHD into like staying on task and doing shit. So, yeah. And the thing about the story of a week as well is that basically, like you can start writing a story and you know like sometimes you start writing a story and you think like, oh, this is a great idea. Then when you're like a thousand words in, you're like, this is a shit idea. Oh yeah, the worst. You're like, what am I doing right now? Yeah. But with that challenge, it doesn't matter because all you do is you just go, oh, I'm just gonna finish it and do some different Monday anyways, so who cares? Oh, see. And so it allows you to like get this habit of like finish your shit.

Kev Harrison (32:05.962)
I mean, this would be perfect. And the other thing about the story a week as well, is that basically, like you can start writing a story and you know, like sometimes you start writing a story and you think like, oh, this is a brilliant idea. Then when you're like a thousand words in, you're like, this is a shit idea.

But with that challenge, it doesn't matter, because all you do is you just go, well, I'm just gonna finish it and do something different on Monday anyway, so who cares? And so it allows you to like get this habit of like finish your shit, even if it is shit. And it's great.

Moths to the Flame (32:30.263)
even if it is shit, it's great. I love that. You know what we could do? This just an off the cuff idea. What if I had like a moss to the flame writing prompt every to end every, like I have my guest, we're gonna just make this up on the spot. So having each guest come up with a prompt, like by the end of the episode, and then listeners could.

Kev Harrison (32:42.925)
got.

Kev Harrison (32:48.323)
Go for it.

Moths to the Flame (32:56.663)
write that story throughout the week and if they wanted to send it into the pod I could I could read it out on the pod for others to hear. Isn't that fun? I think that would be so fun. Okay, so start thinking. Let's think about what the prompt is going to be by the end of the episode. I think that's such a fun idea. Yes, yes. Okay, so what do you hope readers take away from your work?

Kev Harrison (32:59.039)
Oh my God.

Kev Harrison (33:03.978)
It's a really wonderful idea. Yeah. Awesome. Okay.

Pressure, pressure, pressure. Ha ha ha.

Moths to the Flame (33:24.287)
You know, do you want them to just be scared? Do you want them to learn something? Like what's your intention there? I think I want my readers to put themselves in a position of the protagonist. So I think a lot about character when I'm writing and try to make my characters kind of three-dimensional and like real, but I try to represent because I mean, I'm like a straight white guy.

Kev Harrison (33:30.254)
Um, I think I want my readers to put themselves in a position of the, of the protagonist. So I, I think a lot about character when I'm writing, um, and try to make my characters kind of three-dimensional and like real, like I try to represent because I mean, I'm like a straight white guy, which, you know, we don't need any more of those fucking fellas, do we? Um, exactly. Um.

Moths to the Flame (33:51.215)
you know we don't need any more of those. No we got a lot of that yeah I mean straight white female same I get it. Okay yeah all right yeah so you're like one grade away. Yeah literally we're there. Yeah yeah um and so I try to include characters from a range of backgrounds uh in my fiction. I can always do more but I'm trying to do that as well um like and I find as well that I don't know maybe you can relate to this but I find often what my book is about.

Kev Harrison (33:57.246)
Okay, yeah, all right. Yeah. So you're like one grade away from me in terms of the bad. Yeah. And so I try to include characters from a range of backgrounds in my fiction. I could always do more, but I'm trying to do that as well. Like, and I find as well that I don't know, maybe you can relate to this, but I find often what my book is about, like is like, you know, X monster in X situation, but what it's really about is something else.

Moths to the Flame (34:20.343)
like is like an ex-monster in ex-situation, but what it's really about is something else. Always. So for example, my novella below is about a guy that was like trapped in a mine and then became like a monster. Um, but it's really about like how we see heroes and how like that um view of heroes can be like naive in one sense in that we kind of idolize these people. Right. Actually they're imperfect, but it can also be the other way as well when we see them as completely evil when actually they're not and so there's much more of a kind of shades of grey.

Kev Harrison (34:25.31)
Like, so for example, my novella below is about a guy that was like trapped in a mine and then became like a monster. But it's really about like how we see heroes and how like that view of heroes can be like naive in one sense in that we kind of idolize these people when actually they're imperfect. But it can also be the other way as well when we see them as completely evil when actually they're not. And so there's much more of a kind of shades of gray in between. So I think taking away those kinds of things like

Moths to the Flame (34:50.371)
So I think taking away those kinds of things like I was the real message, but what's this really about? I love that I think that's really cool like peeling away the layers because so many people they shit on genre fiction I mean, let's be honest, you know, and they're like Right and it's not deep it's not nuanced and I'm like, well, you're not reading the right genre fiction then because

Kev Harrison (34:53.219)
What's the real message? What's this really about?

Kev Harrison (34:59.927)
Mm.

Kev Harrison (35:03.87)
Yes. Yeah they say it's just lazy or stupid or bass or whatever. Yeah.

Kev Harrison (35:14.206)
Exactly this, yes.

Moths to the Flame (35:15.819)
It's so deep and it really, I mean, it's much more, I'm not gonna hate on any other genres right now, but like thinking about the complexity of humans and the human experience and the human reaction to all of these horrible situations that they're put into, that's some deep shit. Like, horror's been being developed for the last like what, like 10,000 years? Yeah. Because it's the stuff that people were telling around campfires to like keep their kids safe. Yeah. So like, I mean.

Kev Harrison (35:35.374)
And if you think about like, horror has been being developed for the last like, what, like 10,000 years, cause this is the stuff that people were turning around campfires to like keep their kids safe. So like, I mean, the idea that we have still, we are still at this very base level with nothing to offer in terms of meaning, I think is at best naive and at worst just ignorance.

Moths to the Flame (35:45.527)
The idea that we have still, we are still at this very base level with nothing to offer in terms of meaning, I think is at best naive and at worst just ignorant. Totally. I just, it's almost like willful ignorance at this point, just because it's a tough, I mean, this hot take, I guess, but because people don't like the content, and so then they are like, oh, well, that's not literary quality. And I'm like, you need to broaden your horizons. I'm the metal band for years, so it's the same with that. Oh, yes.

Kev Harrison (35:58.974)
Yeah, yeah, it really is.

Kev Harrison (36:09.39)
Exactly. I mean I was in a metal band for years so it's the same with that. You know like people are like, oh heavy metal is just noise. And you're like, what the hell are you listening to you idiot?

Moths to the Flame (36:15.735)
You're like, what the hell are you missing? No! The emotion. I'm a big metal listener, same. And I just, you know, it is what it is. But you know what? More for us, and that's fine. So good for them. Exactly. OK, so what do you think is the most challenging part of writing horror, specifically, or even just writing books? What is the most challenging part for you? I think the most challenging bit.

Kev Harrison (36:21.318)
Exactly. There we go.

Kev Harrison (36:26.815)
Exactly. They're lost.

Kev Harrison (36:43.822)
think the most challenging bit in terms of writing generally is that there are some weeks when I'll be going great guns and everything will be fine. And there'll be other weeks when like my little voice in my head is just going like, you are just so bad. Like why are you doing this? Just give up, give up, go and like do your day job, forget this crap. And like there's not necessarily even a correlation between like whether the work is going well at that time or not. It's just there are times when your brain just kind of becomes your enemy and you just have to

Moths to the Flame (36:45.611)
in terms of writing generally, is that there are some weeks when I'll be going great guns and everything will be fine, and there'll be other weeks when like my little voice in my head is just going like, you are just so bad, like why are you doing this? Just give up. Right. Go and like do your day job, forget this crap. And like there's not necessarily even a correlation between like whether the work is going well at that time or not. It's just there are times when your brain just kind of becomes your enemy and you just have to wade your way through that swamp of misery.

Kev Harrison (37:12.766)
wade your way through that swamp of misery and just get it done, which is pretty difficult. And I think a lot of creators, not just writers, but I think a lot of creators experience that. It's a very kind of lonesome kind of process, isn't it? And I think it can really help to have people to kind of bounce your ideas off and your whinging even off and get someone to give you a kick up the backside and say like, shut up, that's just your...

Moths to the Flame (37:16.087)
and just get it done, which is pretty difficult. And I think a lot of creators, not just writers, but I think a lot of creators experience that. It's a very kind of lonesome kind of process, isn't it? And like- It is. I think it could really help to have people to kind of bounce your ideas off and your whinging even off and get someone to give you a kick up the backside and say like-

Shut up. You're fine, yeah, exactly. Get on with it. Right, so, and that I think is one of the biggest pieces of, I'm sorry that my light is like, I'm trying to move so that it's not getting in your face. It's not wider. Yeah, well, it's my red little like flame for most of the flame, but anyway. I get it, it's awesome. Yeah, well, thank you. So that's something that I have.

Kev Harrison (37:41.746)
In the voice talking, get on with it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kev Harrison (37:50.538)
It's a cool light though.

Kev Harrison (37:55.114)
Yeah, I get it. It's awesome.

Moths to the Flame (38:01.155)
mentioned many times to newer writers that are coming in, you know, find your tribe, find your squad. I have my little right squad and my sprinters group that if I, you know, if I didn't have them, if I didn't have my dearly beloved Twitter friends that I've, you know, come to rely on to bounce ideas off of or that sort of thing, I would be nothing, you know. So where do you have like a group that you work with or how do you do that kind of

critique group thing. I have like a really small group of a few guys that we talk on WhatsApp pretty much every day about, sort of writing and books we read, this kind of stuff. Like you say, the Twitter horror community, people shit on it a lot, and I get that there's like a new drama like every 10 days. I mean, you gotta ignore that. It's like enough to rival any soap opera writing. Right, right. But generally speaking, I've met so many great people through that community, and people who are generally very positive like.

Kev Harrison (38:31.822)
I have like a really small group of a few guys that we talk on WhatsApp pretty much every day about sort of writing and books we read, this kind of stuff. Like you say, the Twitter horror community, people shit on it a lot. And I get that there's like a drama, a new drama, like every 10 days, which is like enough to rival any soap opera writing. But generally speaking, I've met so many great people through that community and people who are generally very positive.

and genuinely interested in others' wellbeing and stuff. So I still do cling to the label of a community in that. I've also got a writing group in Lisbon, which I only discovered in autumn last year. And that's been really productive as well, because like no one writes horror, apart from me, but they're not dismissive of it. Exactly, exactly. Yeah, what's your role here? I'm the weirdo. Exactly.

Moths to the Flame (39:00.063)
and genuinely interested in others' wellbeing and stuff. So I still do cling to the label of a community. Definitely, definitely. I've also got a writing group in Lisbon, which I only discovered in autumn last year, and that's been really productive as well, because no one writes horror, but apart from me. It's fun being, I'm the only horror writer of my group too, and they're all like, what are you doing, Marie? Yeah, what's your role here? I'm the weirdo. I am the strange one, I'm the bat. Yeah. Exactly.

Kev Harrison (39:29.474)
But like, but they're all, they're not dismissive of it. Cause I don't, I don't mind like if people, you know, say, I don't know why you write horror, but I still respect that you're doing it. That's fine with me. And they're really, really supportive and really helpful. And we do like, you know, we get together, we have a chat, we do some writing. Then after we've done the silent writing, then some people can share if they want to. And I normally share if I'm happy with my stuff and I don't share if it's just a stream of like bullshit consciousness, which is about three quarters of the time.

Moths to the Flame (39:29.731)
But like, but they're all, they're not dismissive of it. Cause I don't, I don't mind if people say, I don't know why you write horror, but I still respect what you're doing. That's fine with me. And they're really, really supportive and helpful. We do like, you know, we get together, we have a chat, we do some writing. Then after we've done the silent writing, then some people can share if they want to. And I normally share if I'm happy with my stuff and I don't share if it's just a stream of like, bullshit consciousness. Which is about three quarters of the time. Have you ever read, oh, who is it by? Polly?

some it's called the taxidermist lover i have not read oh man that is a trip of a book but you talk about stream of consciousness writing i had that and stephen graham jones kind of writes like that too very like very stream of consciousness and that's an acquired taste and like references and stuff yeah it's super interesting so i encourage you to read the taxidermist lover speaking of writing i horrified my writer friends talking about that one but it was

Kev Harrison (40:01.234)
I have not read it, no, but I am aware of it.

Mm-hmm.

Kev Harrison (40:10.599)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Lots of asides and like references and stuff, yeah.

Moths to the Flame (40:27.663)
I had just never read a book that was, I mean, it didn't even have like paragraph breaks in it. And I mean, it's wild. It is wild for the entire book. Like it's just very interesting and it's total almost like manic stream of consciousness. So I highly it's a fucked up book, but it is it is yeah worth the read for sure. So what types of books do you like to read? What are your top?

Kev Harrison (40:33.494)
Wow. Jesus. Okay.

Kev Harrison (40:43.155)
Okay.

Kev Harrison (40:46.542)
I'm gonna grab that. Yeah, definitely.

Moths to the Flame (40:56.691)
right now reads in horror and then what do you like to read outside of horror if anything? Sure, I'm reading the second book in Brennan LeFaro's Slattery Falls series. Okay. I bloody love the first one. It's like kind of like a it's basically like people who become ghost hunters and then they go to a specific haunted house which is particularly evil and what he does with it is like amazing.

Kev Harrison (41:02.03)
Sure. I mean, at the moment I'm reading the second book in Brennan Lafarro's Slattery Falls series. I bloody love the first one. It's like kind of like a, it's basically like people who become ghost hunters. And then they go to a specific haunted house, which is particularly evil. And what he does with it is like, amazing. And the second book, I just picked it up. And you know, when you get like a sequel,

Moths to the Flame (41:26.723)
Okay cool. I just picked it up and you know when you get like a sequel, for one there's always that worry that like is it gonna match the Always terrifying yeah. In this case like Toby ticks that box. Um but also like after I read the first one like a year ago and it just felt like putting on like a comfortable pair of slippers or something. Oh I'm back! Yes. Yeah. Oh that's fun.

Kev Harrison (41:31.058)
one there's always that worry that like is it going to match the first one and like in this case like totally ticks that box. But also like after I read the first one like a year ago and it just felt like putting on like a comfortable pair of slippers or something it was like oh I'm back in this world that's awesome so yeah enjoying the hell out of that. I read also like this new book by Scott J Moses a few weeks ago called Our Own Unique Affliction which is a vampire story and

Moths to the Flame (41:50.751)
I read also this new book by Scott J. Moses a few weeks ago called Our Own Unique Affliction, which is a vampire story. And I bloody loved that. It was, it starts off with a kind of very attitudy kind of vamp character, and you kind of think like, okay, I'm on board for this, let's do some vamp-slashing murdery stuff. But it's way, way deeper than that. And it quickly goes sort of off track. And

Kev Harrison (41:59.834)
I bloody loved that. It was like, it starts off with a kind of very attitudy kind of vamp character. And you kind of think like, okay, I'm on board for this. Like, you know, let's do some vamp slashing murdery stuff. But it's way, way deeper than that. And like, it quickly goes sort of off track. And yeah, really clever, really smart, really emotionally hard hitting as well, actually. So I really enjoyed that. Yeah.

Moths to the Flame (42:18.475)
Yeah, really clever, really smart, really emotionally hard-hitting as well actually. I like that. Well, and I know that for a while back, maybe three or four years ago, you know, everybody was saying, oh, vampires are dead. We don't vampires are no thing. I've been hearing about a lot of vampires kind of sneaking back up to the surface lately. I think we're having a little bit of a vampire resurgence. Do you think you agree? I think all tropes like are just like, it's not about the trope dying. It's about

Kev Harrison (42:30.766)
Mm-hmm.

Kev Harrison (42:41.63)
I think all tropes are just like, it's not about the trope dying, it's about finding the new way to present that same trope in a way that's fresh and interesting. Because like, zombies, I mean, I get tired as hell of zombies from time to time, but then someone will do something interesting with it and yeah, I'm all for it.

Moths to the Flame (42:46.627)
finding the new way to present that same trope in a way that's fresh and interesting. Yes. Because like, you know, zombies, I mean, I get tired as hell of zombies from time to time, but then someone will do something interesting with it and yeah, I'm all for it. Yes. Okay, so then I have to ask you, do you prefer the fast zombies or the slow zombies? I mean, if-

Kev Harrison (43:04.91)
Hmm. I mean, if there was a real zombie apocalypse, definitely slow.

Moths to the Flame (43:08.848)
there was a real zombie apocalypse definitely snowed. Right, right, right. In media. I could run for a long time, but not quickly. No, yeah, no. Listen, all these people that are like, oh, in the zombie apocalypse, this is how I'm gonna prepare, no. Like, I'm just, count me out. I'm not gonna be able to survive in that shit. Like, I'm dead. So, I'm just gonna have to become a zombie and everybody will see me coming a mile away. It's fine. Like, I just, I already know I'm not built for it, not ready for it. If it's the fast zombies. Yeah, no.

Kev Harrison (43:10.894)
because I could run for a long time, but not quickly.

Kev Harrison (43:23.299)
Yeah, just like.

Kev Harrison (43:33.322)
Yeah, yeah, I can't see myself surviving.

Moths to the Flame (43:36.383)
I don't see, I would give it a valid shot, but I don't think I would be making it to the final season or anything, you know? No, no, no. Yeah, no. So what do you like to do outside of writing? Well, I really like running, actually. Okay, cool. And it's something I find that really useful for the writing process, because I think a lot of people talk about things like, you know, like mindfulness meditation, that kind of thing for helping when you've got creative.

Kev Harrison (43:43.573)
No, no, no.

Kev Harrison (43:50.582)
Well, I really like running actually. Um, um, that's, and it's something I find that really useful as well for the writing process, because I think a lot of people talk about things like, you know, like mindfulness, meditation, that kind of thing for, um, helping when you've got creative, like stumbling blocks and stuff. So like problems that you can't fix in a story. And unfortunately I can't meditate. Like I've tried various ways and like, I dunno, I'm maybe too stupid. My brain is not wired the right way, whatever it is, I can't do it. But when I go running.

Moths to the Flame (44:05.843)
stumbling blocks and stuff, so like problems you can't fix in a story and unfortunately I can't meditate. I've tried various ways and like I don't know I'm maybe too stupid my brain is not wired the right way whatever it is I can't do it. It's just you have too many thoughts happening yeah. Yeah exactly but when I go running it like kind of does that for me it kind of puts me into a space where I'm like uh completely switched off and so my subconscious can like do its thing and I'm just like making sure I don't get hit by a car. Wow!

Kev Harrison (44:19.07)
Yeah, exactly. But when I go running, it like kind of does that for me. It kind of puts me into a space where I'm like, completely switched off. And so my subconscious can like do its thing. And I'm just like making sure I don't get hit by a car. So yeah.

Moths to the Flame (44:32.911)
My thoughts while running are, oh God, what is chasing me? I might be dying. Why am I doing this? Like, so yeah. That's very much. Yeah, I'm one of those meditation people. But for me, if I'm having a creative stumbling block, music and art are where it's at for me. I have to do something totally different creatively in order to come- Especially produce art as well, like visual art.

Kev Harrison (44:40.915)
My wife is very much like that, very much.

Kev Harrison (44:49.774)
Mm. Yes. Okay.

Kev Harrison (44:57.174)
Do you actually produce art as well, like visual art?

Moths to the Flame (44:59.631)
Oh, what kind, let's talk art. What kind of art do you like to do? No, no, do you. I'm asking to you, I don't like art. Oh, oh, yes. I, yes, and that's something Book World has not experienced a lot of my art yet, but they hopefully will be soon. Hint, hint, wink, wink. So yeah, I do oil painting and digital media, and I do some sculpting, and I really like to do like 3D type of art pieces. I actually, I, lalalala.

Kev Harrison (45:02.218)
No, no, do you? I'm asking do you? I don't, I'm useless. But do you?

Kev Harrison (45:10.241)
Mmm.

Cool.

Moths to the Flame (45:26.527)
I used to have an art business before I headlong went into book business a long time ago because it just got to be, it was too much like work and then it started to become less creatively inspiring I guess. It was just, I think I was overwhelmed with the commissions and the things. You're just going to say commissions can be quite generic right? Yeah. Just like not being fulfilled. Yeah. I didn't feel like I was doing enough of my own original.

Kev Harrison (45:31.916)
Wow.

Kev Harrison (45:46.134)
Well, you're just gonna say, commissions kind of can be quite generic, right? Like, and then you're just like not being fulfilled.

Moths to the Flame (45:54.607)
creations, you know, and so that kind of just put a little bit of a stopper in it. But I am right now in the middle of a project at a school where I'm painting the lockers into books. So yeah, we took the list of the most checked out books from their library and then added in a few of the classics and the educator in me it has a

Kev Harrison (45:55.787)
Yeah.

Kev Harrison (46:04.846)
Wow, that is so cool.

Moths to the Flame (46:20.343)
As a challenge for the students that if they can read all of the books on those lockers, then they win a prize So yeah, so it's like stuff that they've actually enjoyed as a school. That's really awesome. Yeah And it kind of blends book club, you know that sort of thing a dabble in some Cover creation and that sort of thing. So yeah, it's a lot of fun But for me, that's the getting outside of that and for you

Kev Harrison (46:25.61)
That's amazing. But it's really personalized as well because it's stuff that they've actually enjoyed as a school. So that's really awesome. I love it. That's a great idea.

Kev Harrison (46:41.198)
Cool.

Moths to the Flame (46:45.303)
the running, which sounds like a very healthy other option to have. I mean, I had to start running when I got to like 35, 36. I lost my superpower not to get a belly from the beer and food. Yes. So it's like either I stopped the beer and food or I start running. And who wants to stop the beer and food? No, yeah, nobody's going to do that for sure, for sure. Okay, so if you had a lot of our listeners or writers, as you know, if you had some advice for someone that's wanting to get into this horror writing...

Kev Harrison (46:48.498)
Yeah. I mean, I had to start running when I got to like 35, 36. Uh, I lost my superpower not to get a belly from the beer and food that I consume. So it was like, either I stopped the beer and food or I start running. And I didn't really understand the sentence of stopping beer and food. Exactly. So.

Moths to the Flame (47:15.179)
type of business, what advice would you give to them? I would say start now. Because like, I left it for a long time like thinking, you know, fiction is something that other people do, like special people do or whatever. And it's just such a complete nonsense. Like, I mean, really, anyone can do it. And like, as our friend Gabino always says, like, everyone has a book in them. Yes, whether you're prepared to go through the, like immense trauma, immensely traumatic suffering of like ripping it out of your chest.

Kev Harrison (47:19.422)
I would say start now. Because like, I left it for a long time, like thinking that, you know, fiction is something that other people do, like special people do, or whatever. And it's just such a complete nonsense. Like, I mean, really, anyone can do it. And like, as our friend Gabino always says, like, everyone has a book in them. It's just whether you're prepared to go through the, like, immense trauma, immensely traumatic suffering of like, ripping it out of your chest. So yeah, like, so if you want to do it, just do it.

Moths to the Flame (47:44.891)
Right. Bleeding onto the page. Yeah. Totally. Yeah. But so cathartic and so therapeutic too, because I mean, that's something I hear. When you can like hold it in your hands. The best, the best feeling in the whole world. Absolutely. No, I love it. And I think too, but it's so soul bearing for everyone. I know when I let someone read any of my, you know, I'm like.

Kev Harrison (47:48.118)
Totally, totally.

Kev Harrison (47:52.654)
Absolutely. And when you have it finished, you know, when you can like hold it in your hands, it's just like, oh my god. Yeah.

Kev Harrison (48:05.229)
Yes.

Moths to the Flame (48:09.751)
this is my baby. Here is my soul on a platter for you. Like I said before, there's always these things, there's always these themes in our stories that we don't even know we're putting into them. And then you get it and you go like, oh, fuck, that's about that. Oh, yeah, I wrote an entire book that was set in I don't know if you've ever heard of the Lost Colony of Roanoke that happened. Okay.

Kev Harrison (48:11.626)
Yeah, yeah, completely.

Kev Harrison (48:15.934)
And like I said before, like there's always these things, there's always these themes in our stories that we don't even know we're putting into them. And then you get it and you go like, oh, fuck, that's about that, isn't it? God.

Kev Harrison (48:31.943)
I have indeed. Fascinating.

Moths to the Flame (48:34.003)
Oh yeah, so I have an currently unpublished, we'll see what happens with that book. And it is, I think the best thing I've ever written so far. I mean, it's, oh, it's so good. And I've held it so close to the chest. I can't even believe I'm talking about it on the pod, but. But. I mean, I would love to check it out. It is, maybe I'll send it to you. It's, but it is basically 300 pages of my religious trauma. And like, I started seeing all of these themes of like, wow, now I know where.

Kev Harrison (48:42.445)
Whoa.

Kev Harrison (48:47.47)
Oh my god. I mean I would love to check that out because that mystery, like, yeah.

Moths to the Flame (49:03.819)
comes from and it really until I was yeah it was it really was like oh I understand why I'm writing this book now so definitely an interesting little experience I if it if it does not find a home then I will just put it out myself so yeah I think I will I think I will I have another project that's the priority before that one but it we'll see we'll see what's the space

Kev Harrison (49:05.314)
But like, totally unintentionally, right? It's just like, yeah.

Kev Harrison (49:12.738)
Mm-hmm.

crossing my fingers that one finds the light of day.

Kev Harrison (49:23.374)
Do it! Yes!

Kev Harrison (49:28.686)
Mm-hmm. Watch this space.

Moths to the Flame (49:32.127)
Yes, absolutely, definitely. Okay, so let's see. What do you think is the most important lesson that you have learned as a writer, just in general? Okay, so when someone gives you criticism, like that's constructive, but is very painful, just like accept the pain, let it dull, and then go back to it with a fresh pair of eyes and try and understand how you can make it.

Kev Harrison (49:45.07)
Um, okay. So, uh, when someone gives you criticism, like this constructive, but is very painful, just like accept the pain, uh, let it dull, and then go back to it with a fresh pair of eyes and try and understand how you can make it. Make your stuff better. Because I think the first time I had like a really critical, uh, review, not a review, but like a, you know, like a critique from, from a, but yeah, exactly. Feedback.

Moths to the Flame (50:00.975)
make your stuff better because I think the first time I had like a really critical review not review but like a critique feedback yeah exactly feedback from somebody it was very staving and it was something that I thought was really good I kind of was first of all just really upset just really like oh my god right shocking kind of let it yeah that's it kind of it's really emotionally painful and then when

Kev Harrison (50:12.086)
from somebody that was very, very scathing. And it was something that I thought was really good. I kind of was, first of all, just really upset, just really like, oh my God, I can't believe this. And kind of let it, yeah, that's it. It kind of, it's really emotionally painful. And then when I allowed that pain to die for a few days, then came back to it, I thought, oh yeah, actually, you know, a lot of this advice they've given me is actually gonna make it a much better story. And you just have to kind of get through the pain.

Moths to the Flame (50:30.488)
I allowed that pain to die for a few days then came back to it. I thought...

this advice they've given me is actually going to make it a much better story. And you just have to kind of get through the pain and then go to a more rational place where you can apply the things that make sense. And of course, some of it's going to be opinion based. If it's opinion based, then fair enough. Exactly. But often there's stuff there which is really valuable. Yeah. And I think that also goes to say having more than, you know, having that group of people that can read your work and bounce the ideas off and having...

Kev Harrison (50:41.262)
and then go to a more rational place where you can apply the things that make sense. And of course, some of it's going to be opinion based. And if it's opinion based, then fair enough, maybe it's not right. But often there's stuff there, which is really valuable.

Kev Harrison (50:59.31)
Mm-hmm.

Yes.

Moths to the Flame (51:02.571)
the galley readers and the arc readers, because if you start to get that same feedback, especially if it's like plot changing type of feedback, then maybe we need to think about that. But if you start having more than one person, so you're like, oh yeah, this is something. Right? Yeah. Everyone has the same problem here. Maybe this is the problem. Am I the problem? Yes, I'm the problem. Exactly.

Kev Harrison (51:05.579)
Absolutely.

Kev Harrison (51:19.838)
Yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like everyone has the same problem here. Maybe this is the problem is with me, not with them. Yeah. Exactly, exactly.

Moths to the Flame (51:30.275)
Oh, I love that. So do you also like horror movies in addition to horror books or do you just kind of stick with books? I do, yeah. I very much grew up watching horror movies because I think like most of us horror creators, I had very irresponsible parents who would just be like, you're seven, you can watch The Howling. Oh. You can watch The Nightmare on Elm Street, no problem. See, I'm envious of that. I had a completely opposite experience. I...

Kev Harrison (51:37.694)
I do, yeah, I very much grew up watching horror movies because I think like most of us horror creators, I had very irresponsible parents who would just be like, you're seven, you can watch The Howling, you're nine, you can watch The Nightmare on Elm Street, no problem.

Kev Harrison (51:56.59)
Whoa. Responsible parents? And you're a horror creator?

Moths to the Flame (51:57.459)
remember religious trauma. Oh, well, overbearing might be the term you're looking for. Was not allowed to be exposed to any of that. And so I grew up terrified of most things that, but then I was like curious, you know? And I would read, I read all of the Goosebumps books. I mean, I devoured them. And then as I started to get older, I tried to watch scary movies. So I have a big gap in my horror knowledge that I'm now trying to fill because I learned

Kev Harrison (52:02.648)
Okay, okay, right.

Kev Harrison (52:07.982)
Ah, okay.

Kev Harrison (52:17.902)
Okay, yes.

Moths to the Flame (52:27.851)
there's not that big of a difference between true crime obsession and horror obsession. So when I was... Often less evil in the horror. Ah, you would think. Yeah, exactly. And I'm fully absorbed in true crime world. And then it was just an easy segue to come over into horror. So no, yeah, I did not grow up at seven watching the scary movies. It was not that... I have a different experience there. So I'm envious because I do... I feel like I'm playing catch up a lot of the time where things I've...

Kev Harrison (52:32.406)
for sure. Often less evil in the horror actually.

Kev Harrison (52:47.906)
Well.

Moths to the Flame (52:54.731)
like gaps that I've had to fill in and that sort of thing. So. You have incredible stuff that you can discover for the first time as a grownup with like a fully functioning brain, which is fantastic. Okay, you know what's so sad though? So my husband is also a horror writer and he has always, always loved horror, watched the movies, the books, everything. And he used to give me a little synopsis of things when we first met and we've been together 13 years now. So that he met me still in the non-horror phase, okay? And I had this idea, I was like, honey.

Kev Harrison (52:57.518)
but then you have incredible stuff that you can discover for the first time as a grownup with like a fully functioning brain, which is fantastic.

Moths to the Flame (53:24.979)
I'm gonna write this book about a bunch of wealthy people that take really poor people and have them like fight it out and do it and all these. And he was like, that's the plot of Hostile. And I was like, damn it, I've never seen Hostile. I didn't know. It was so sad. So frustrating. I know, I was like, I thought I came up with something original. And it was just. It's a fan-seller. Yeah, no, he's like, well, I mean, you know.

Kev Harrison (53:42.809)
So frustrating!

Kev Harrison (53:46.638)
This is a best seller.

Moths to the Flame (53:50.831)
points for a good idea, but it's already been done. I'm like, damn it. So always that, I mean, every story has ever been written and we just have to do it in a different way, right? So stay tuned for one day when I can get over it and write that wealthy whatever story. But anyway, okay. So are you ready for one of my favorite parts of the podcast, our- Do what? Quick fire question. That's right, the lightning round. Okay, let's go. Okay.

Kev Harrison (53:52.654)
Mm.

Kev Harrison (53:59.775)
Exactly, your own twist.

Kev Harrison (54:06.614)
You

Kev Harrison (54:14.935)
Quickfire questions?

Okay, let's go.

Moths to the Flame (54:19.991)
Would you rather spend a night in a haunted house or a graveyard? Haunted house. Oh, definitely, definitely. Would you rather watch a horror movie alone or with friends? With friends, I think. Okay, true crime or paranormal? Paranormal. Okay, werewolves or vampires? Werewolves. Interesting, okay. Would you rather encounter a UFO or Bigfoot? Bigfoot, but with like a river in between us.

Kev Harrison (54:23.351)
Haunted House.

Kev Harrison (54:29.91)
With friends, I think.

Kev Harrison (54:33.816)
Uh... Paranormal.

Kev Harrison (54:38.106)
werewolves.

Kev Harrison (54:46.026)
Bigfoot but with like a river in between us.

Moths to the Flame (54:50.371)
Right, right. Okay, would you rather explore a creepy abandoned building or a creepy dark forest?

Kev Harrison (54:59.206)
Oh, I think nowadays creepy abandoned building. When I was younger, I loved forests, but now I get a little bit scared. I think it's like a mortality thing. Like I'm just like death is coming for me soon. Well, not soon, but you know what I mean, sooner.

Moths to the Flame (55:01.455)
Nowadays, creepy abandoned building. When I was younger, I loved forests, but now I get a little bit scared. I think it's like a mortality thing. Like, death is coming for me soon, so, well not soon, but you know what I mean, sooner. Sooner than I thought it was when I was younger. Yeah, yeah. Exactly, exactly. No, definitely. Well, and I think we think about like, what else is out there in the forest too? At least in a house, you're kind of contained and- Not one hole where I live. Oh. When they're pissed, they are not to be messed with. No, do they have horns and shit too? They have like, yeah, those tusk things like sort of impale people.

Kev Harrison (55:14.067)
Exactly, exactly.

Kev Harrison (55:19.81)
Exactly. A lot of wild boar where I live and they are when they're pissed they are not to be messed with.

They have like, yeah, those tusk things like sort of impale people.

Moths to the Flame (55:30.763)
Okay, hold on, hold on. There's something coming to my brain. Isn't there a folk horror book that had a boar with tusks on it by Adam Neville? Penning Folk? Did you read that? Yes, it's on the cover. Exactly, no, I haven't read it yet. No, I've got it, but I haven't read it yet. You must! It's so good. I love Adam Neville. I just think his spooky kind of like, he's- He is a scary bastard. Yes, he is. And his folk, it gets into that human nature shit too. Oh, oh, he's so good. Did you read, what was it? The-

Kev Harrison (55:40.418)
Oh, yes, on the cover. Exactly, no, I haven't read it yet. No, I've got it, but I haven't read it. Okay. Yeah, me too.

He is a scary bastard, my god.

Kev Harrison (55:57.106)
Exactly, exactly.

Moths to the Flame (56:00.507)
uh, the reckoning or the reddening, the reddening. The reddening. I have that as well. I haven't read it. My wife read it the other day from my shelf and she loved it. So good. I think I like Cunning Folk better than Reddening. Start with Cunning Folk. It's good. Okay. Would you rather be trapped in a room with a possessed doll or a cursed mirror?

Kev Harrison (56:02.75)
The Reddening, I have that as well. I haven't read it. My wife read it the other day from my shelf and she loved it.

Kev Harrison (56:11.822)
Okay, okay. I'll get on that.

Kev Harrison (56:23.926)
Ooh, I think probably Cursed Mirror. I'll just cover it up.

Moths to the Flame (56:25.787)
cursed mirror. I'll just cover it up. Oh yeah, oh there you go, unless it's that woman, but you've already dealt with that. You're like, I know what to do here. Okay, would you rather be lost in a haunted maze or a haunted cornfield? Haunted maze, because I quite like mazes, and it'll be something to think about while you're running away from ghosts as well. Like, is this, do I go give a fall? Is it left or right?

Kev Harrison (56:31.323)
Exactly. Yeah, yeah, done.

Kev Harrison (56:39.327)
Haunted maze, because I quite like mazes and it'll be something to think about while you're running away from ghosts as well. Like, is this, did I go here before? Is it left or right?

Moths to the Flame (56:47.147)
But that's terrifying. Do you guys have that? I know around fall, we have a bunch of cornfields here. And so we do haunted corn mazes where people like run through with like, you know, chainsaws that don't have the chains on them and chase you and that very much like to be a part of that we do not have. Oh, no, you're gonna have to come to the US for a fall. And it is so much fun. We do. We have a haunted. It's a haunted corn maze. And so you go into the.

Kev Harrison (56:56.245)
Oh my god.

Kev Harrison (56:59.79)
I would very much like to be a part of that. We do not have anything of like this at all.

Well...

Kev Harrison (57:09.375)
I would be so on board with that.

Holy shit.

Moths to the Flame (57:14.599)
It's a cornfield, but they've made it into a maze. And so you have to find your way out and there's all these scary haunt creatures chasing you. Yeah, it's super fun. It's super fun. Oh, I love it. And the one that I go to, they have a big band that plays all of the time. And so you can hear the like metal scary music while you're out in the field and there's no lights. So it's like if your phone dies and you don't have a light, it's done. And the-

Kev Harrison (57:25.711)
Oh, I would love it.

Kev Harrison (57:31.406)
Amazing.

Kev Harrison (57:40.098)
Good night.

Moths to the Flame (57:41.203)
Oh yeah, the sound of the creepy people coming through the corn, like you can hear it rustling as it comes to you, messed up. Is there also awesome food when you're done? Oh, of course, food trucks and all the things. Yeah, yeah, it's amazing. I'm booking my ticket tomorrow. Yeah, no, it's so fun, so, so fun. Okay, would you rather be a vampire or a werewolf?

Kev Harrison (57:49.118)
Oh my god, is there also awesome food when you're done?

Kev Harrison (57:56.122)
I'm booking my ticket tomorrow.

Kev Harrison (58:07.143)
I think probably a werewolf because I think immortality would get really old quite quickly. Yeah. Okay.

Moths to the Flame (58:07.407)
I think probably a werewolf. Cause I think immortality would get really old quite quickly. Really? I think I would rather be a vampire. I don't think that transformation process of being, becoming a werewolf I would be into. Yeah. And also your hair would be a mess all the time. Oh, it would be awful. I know I already look like a cryptid. Like I don't need to go down and experience that. Okay. Would you rather, we were just talking about this earlier. Would you rather be a survivor in a zombie apocalypse or a nuclear fallout?

Kev Harrison (58:16.626)
Oh yeah, that would be really painful, right? Yeah. And also your hair would be a mess all the time.

Kev Harrison (58:25.195)
Likewise. Yeah.

Kev Harrison (58:36.814)
I think nuclear fallout, because I think I understand the rules that much better. Whereas zombies, you know, like are they going to be... do I have to chop their heads off? Or is there some other way of killing them? I don't know. So yeah, nuclear disaster.

Moths to the Flame (58:37.295)
nuclear for them because I think I understand the rules that much better whereas zombies you know like are they gonna be is it just chop their heads off or is there some other way of killing them? Do we burn them? What do we do? Yes okay would you rather be the victim of a classic horror movie or a modern horror movie? I think a modern horror movie because then you get some good comedy lines as well.

Kev Harrison (59:01.703)
I think a modern horror movie because then you get some good comedy lines as well.

Moths to the Flame (59:06.743)
Very true. Did you see, um, one of my favorite modern horror that like just absolutely turns everything on its head is, um, cabin in the woods. Did you see that one? Yeah. Oh, the script is wonderful. Like just so many funny quips, so many fun references to all of our, Yes. I love the callbacks and I love the, I mean, no spoilers, but the ending. Yes. Prime time. Fantastic. And I did not see it coming. I was like,

Kev Harrison (59:15.39)
I love it. Yeah. And just like the script is wonderful, like just so many funny quips, so many fun references to old horrors and stuff. It's just, yeah, beautiful.

Kev Harrison (59:28.542)
Yes, glorious. And I did not see it coming. The first time I watched it, I was like.

Moths to the Flame (59:33.579)
I know, I wish that it's one of those where you're like, I wish I could watch this again for the first time, having never seen it because the absolute shock and glee. That I... It's glorious. I mean, just absolutely the best. So, awesome. Okay, well that's the end of our lightning round. I so, so appreciate you coming on the Moss to the Flame podcast. Make sure... I so appreciate you inviting me on. Yeah. Tell the listeners where exactly they can find you.

Kev Harrison (59:38.422)
without knowing. Yeah.

Kev Harrison (59:43.786)
Just glorious, glorious.

Kev Harrison (59:56.226)
I so appreciate you inviting me on. I'm just so happy to talk to you.

Kev Harrison (01:00:04.234)
Yeah, sure. So if you go to my website, which is kevharrisonfiction.com, you can find all my socials there as well. I'm on Twitter, but if you just search for Kev Harrison, because my handle is in Portuguese, because I live in Portugal, it's probably not a very good idea, but whatever. And also on Facebook, exactly, because it's too late now. I'm on Facebook, and it's like Kev Harrison Fiction is the author page, but you can find me Kev Harrison as well. I'm also a real human that's there.

Moths to the Flame (01:00:04.555)
Yeah, sure. So if you go to my website, which is KevHarrisonFiction.com, you can find all my socials there as well. I'm on Twitter, but if you just search for Kev Harrison, because my handle is in Portuguese, decided in Portugal, probably not a very good idea, but whatever. It is what it is. Exactly. So it's too late now. I'm on Facebook and it's like Kev Harrison fiction is the author page, but you can find me Kev Harrison as well. I'm also a real human that's there.

Kev Harrison (01:00:33.838)
And I do use Instagram, but it tends to be more personal. And I do have a TikTok, but I'm way too stupid to understand it. So I just don't really use it very often. I just, I just can't get my head around it. I just do it wrong.

Moths to the Flame (01:00:34.159)
And I do use Instagram, but it tends to be more personal. And I do have a TikTok, but I'm way too stupid to understand. No, TikTok is so fun. I just can't get my head around it. I just do it wrong. No, I'm sure you do it great. And Book Talk, that's where everybody's at. They're on TikTok. Book Talk is brilliant. Yeah. I do watch it, if I just, when I think about what content will I make, I'm just like.

Kev Harrison (01:00:51.758)
Booktalk is brilliant. I do watch it, but when I'm thinking about what content will I make, I'm just like, Jesus, this is impossible.

Moths to the Flame (01:00:58.587)
Oh, yeah. No, I get it. I go through I go through slumps where I don't post anything. And then I'll go through times where I'm like, I have 10,000 videos I'm going to post. And it's all is what it is. So and I will make sure to post your links listeners all of his links for his social media and website will be in the description of this podcast. And you will also be able to find this video on YouTube if that's okay with you, Kev. So have your video.

Kev Harrison (01:01:08.733)
Okay.

Kev Harrison (01:01:24.586)
Yeah, absolutely.

Moths to the Flame (01:01:27.043)
premiere on Moss to the Flame. Awesome. Okay, well thank you listeners. Next week we'll be back with, I believe another horror writer and then we have a couple of exciting guests coming up too that are not horror but equally as creepy. So thank you again, Kev, we appreciate you. Thank you so much. Thank you, bye bye.

Kev Harrison (01:01:29.39)
Cool, cool.

Kev Harrison (01:01:43.09)
Awesome. Thank you so much. Cheers, bye.