TOD A17 CM Muller: A Lineage of Shadows in the Nightscript

October 20, 2016
7 mins to read

In this archival podcast Scott Nicolay interviews CM Muller, editor & publisher of the acclaimed new annual horror fiction journal Nightscript: An Anthology of Strange and Darksome Tales. It was recorded on October 27, 2015 and originally aired on October 28, 2015. This broadcast also includes bonus new content featuring a follow-up interview with CM Muller about the second issue of Nightscript released in September 2016.

Show Notes

CM Muller reveals the genesis of Nightscript: An Anthology of Strange and Darksome Tales as his labor of love, as well as patterns and divergence in the 20 stories in the first issue by a mix of the Weird’s top authors and newcomers, his personal affection for Aickmanesque strange tales, the warmth and camaraderie in today’s Weird fiction community and the proliferation of good writers now. The conversation then turns to his background as a reviewer and a fiction writer, championing rising writers such as Clint Smith and Kyle Yadlosky, a bombshell in the deep forgotten roots of Nightscript in the 1990 horror boom, his passion for bookbinding and typesetting and his hope to inspire others, the story behind Nightscript’s wraparound cover design including the influence of Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen, other remarkable current small presses such as Dunhams Manor and Dim Shores and his own inspirations including Michael Kelly’s Shadows and Tall Trees, the most meaningful reviews and reader responses, his short story “Vrangr” as career turning point, and his past and future short stories. He also looks ahead to his plans for Nightscript 2, his picks for writers to watch including Ralph Robert Moore, Damien Angelica Walters, and the marvelous Terry Lamsley, as well as his dream list of future contributors.

News From the Weird

(1:13:45) Arkham Digest’s and Strange Aeons’ Justin Steele reviews Nightscript and other small presses such as Dunhams Manor and Dim Shores.

Bonus New Content: CM Muller Previews Nightscript 2

(1:39:18) In an exclusive new segment, CM Muller returns one year later to talk about the 21 stories in Nightscript 2 released in September 2016, his own recently published or upcoming fiction, the state of the Weird today, Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize and more. Writers, take note, Nightscript 3 opens for submissions on January 1, 2017, and it’s likely to fill up fast.