WATCH ON YOUTUBE Millie De Chirico is a writer, film & tv historian, and the former chief programmer for TCM Underground. Her latest book, TCM Underground: 50 Must-See Films from the World of Classic Cult and Late-Night Cinema (co-authored with Quatoyiah Murry and foreword by Patton Oswalt) explores gritty and eccentric cinema from the 60s, 70s, an…

WATCH ON YOUTUBE L.S. Johnson is a writer best known for her mixed genre books. Her work ranges from gothic novellas to fantasy to hints of horror. She's written over eight books and numerous short fiction pieces. In this interview, L.S. shares her experiences as an indie author, I learn about sensitivity editors, and L.S. shares her Vacui Magia De…

WATCH ON YOUTUBE! Michelle Ouellette is an illustrator, art director, and the co-founder of Yeah Haus, a mixed media production company. She has worked with a huge variety of clients including: Google, Discord, Adult Swim, and more. Like myself, Michelle is also part of a husband and wife team (her husband is the other half of Yeah Haus), and we ab…

WATCH ON YOUTUBE! Kassandra Heller is an amazing artist based in Los Angeles. She is currently one of the art directors for the Disney show Big City Greens. Previously, she worked as a comic designer for Bravest Warriors and Adventure Time. She also worked as a background painter on the Cartoon Network series Clarence. In my chat with Kassandra, we…

WATCH THE INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE Virginia Newcomb is an actress and indie filmmaker. She's worked with directors Daniel Scheinert in The Death of Dick Long and Jim Cummings in The Beta Test. I am a huge fan of both films. I was delighted for the opportunity to talk with Virginia about her experience with working in both Los Angeles and Alabama. She i…

I share the baby steps I'm taking to getting back into creating full-time. It's been a long three year journey to get to this point. I am back in the saddle and ready to share what's working for me in this moment to create again without fear or anxiety.

This panel was recorded on June 5, 2022 at Awesome Con DC. Our panelists, Clay McLeod Chapman, L.S. Johnson, and Liz Reed, discussed tips for writing horror using your unique voice. We want to give a HUGE thank you to Fangoria for supplying the giveaways for our panel! Clay's Website: https://claymcleodchapman.com/ L.S. Johnson's Website: https://w…

Jimmy Aquino is the host of the popular podcast Comic News Insider. He has been interviewing comic creators, actors, and all things pop culture since 2005. In this interview, Jimmy and I talk about MoCCA Fest 2022, his start in podcasting, and strange things that happen in New York. You can follow Jimmy on Instagram @jimmyaquino. Show Notes Comic N…

WATCH ON YOUTUBE Jenny is a comic book cover artist based in the Chicago area. I met Jenny during the pandemic and fell in love with her charm and hilarious stories on being the weird girl. In this episode, we chat about her career path into comics, how cons have evolved over time, and how to properly pronounce FRISON. You can follow Jenny on Insta…

Watch on YouTube This episode I'm talking to writer Steve Orlando. Steve is best known for his work in comics. He has written for Batman, Wonder Woman, and most recently Loaded Bible—the Tim Seeley series first released in 2006 with Image Comics. Steve is an amazing writer and advocate for bringing new voices and artists into the world of comics. W…

Watch the interview on YouTube! Artist, writer, and animator Chogrin returns to talk about his new toy with Kevin Smith and an updated version of his picture book Kid Del Toro! Follow Chogrin on Instagram and Twitter @Chogrin. Show Notes: Kevin Smith Toy Netflix Store Kid Del Toro Chogrin's Website You can follow me, Liz Reed, @cuddlesandrage or @L…

Watch the video on YouTube. Steve Casino is an artist and toymaker. He is best known for his mixed media peanut sculptures. I've been following Steve for years on Instagram. He is a beast when it comes to creating art and engaging on social media. His work ethic is inspiring. In this episode, we talk about his process, death threats from angry inte…

Sophia Glock is a writer and illustrator based in Austin, Texas. Her graphic novel memoir Passport was just released in November 2021. Passport is a coming of age story about a girl growing up in a foreign country with CIA agents for parents. The pitch line sounds like fiction, but this was real life for Sophia. Passport dives deep into the complex…

It's been a VERY long time since I've done a Lizzie Special—or really any episode updates. This episode I open up and share what's been going on while I've been away.

Gemma Files is a Canadian horror writer, journalist and film critic. I met Gemma when I was moderating a virtual panel for Fangoria. She's smart, funny, and knows her horror! In this episode, we discuss her latest horror anthology In That Endlessness, Our End, how publishing has changed over time, and her past job as a film critic. You can follow G…

Illustrator Dave Perillo is back! I caught up with Dave during pandemic times to talk about the fate of comic conventions and how managed work during the pandemic. It was great to have him back on the show. If you want to catch Dave's first appearance on the podcast then check out Ep. 8 (wow he got on early!) You can follow Dave on Instagram (@mont…

Gottfried Roodt + Lloyd Wilgen are the creators of the wildly popular series Noodle and Bun (https://www.noodleandbun.com/). I discovered Noodle and Bun on Tiktok and instantly fell in love with the expressive CG animation. Noodle and Bun got major traction on TikTok and now has over 4.3 million followers. In this interview, I discover how Noodle a…

Katie Skelly is a writer and illustrator based in New York. She's best known for her brightly colored graphic novels with strong giallo vibes. Her book Maids came out in 2020 from Fantagraphics and explores the true crime story of the Papin sisters. In this episode, we explore her film influences, the history behind Maids, and the indie comics comm…

WATCH ON YOUTUBE Ray Harkins is the host of the podcast 100 Words or Less. He is also the lead singer for the melodic hardcore band Taken. I discovered Ray's podcast while looking for a show that covered creative collaboration. Ray's interviews with indie musicians and artists was just what I needed. His interviews are more like casual conversation…

Watch the video on our People I Think Are Cool YouTube channel Jen Gubicza is an artist and designer best known for her faux taxidermy pieces. I first met Jen years ago at a craft show where she was vending with her shop Zooguu. I’m a huge fan of her work. I talked to Jen in the middle of the pandemic when all the shows were going online. We had a …

Watch on YouTube Jane Friedman is the author of The Business of Being a Writer. With over 20 years of experience in publishing, she is an expert in business strategies for writers. I discovered Jane's work through her blog years ago when I was about to publish my first book with HarperCollins. Her site was the only place that answered questions on …

Watch on YouTube! Jess Guise is the lead singer for the folk-pop band Guise. When I discovered her music, I fell in love with her lyrics, humor, and charm. In our chat, Jess shared her writing process and shifting gears as a creative during the pandemic. Definitely check out her video for "The Fun Part." It's one of the most clever music videos I'v…

Catch the video version on our Cuddles and Rage YouTube. Clay McLeod Chapman is one of my favorite writers. His stories are weird, wonderful, and creepy. I first discovered his writing through past guest Glenn McQuaid (ep 132) as I was binging Tales from Beyond the Pale. Clay's episode The Mattress King will make your skin crawl. Clay is a fellow Q…

Russell Nohelty is a USA Today Best-Selling author, owner of Wannabe Press, and host of The Complete Creative podcast. I discovered Russell through his podcast and was pulled in by his vast knowledge of how to be successful in the world of self publishing. In this episode, Russell and I talk about publishing stats, genres with the biggest audiences…

Georgia Kriss is an Australian based animator and writer. Similar to past guest Grant Kolton, I discovered Georgia's work on the FX show Cake! (seriously, great show and place to find the fun and the weird). Georgia's work spoke to me through its wit, fierce take on femininity, and style. In this episode, we talk pitching shows, giving projects tim…

Welcome to part three of three for our Final Girls special! In this episode, Tracie and I chat about our pieces then I talk with artists Chloe Rice and Steph C their art. Draw Me Like One of Your Final Girls is live at Spoke Art's sister gallery, Recess! Tracie Ching and I joined forces to co-curate the show. Final Girls (for short) celebrates horr…

Welcome to part two of three for our Final Girls special! In this episode, Tracie and I chat about curating the show then I talk with artists Paige Reynolds, Ellen Surrey, and Zi Xu about their pieces. Draw Me Like One of Your Final Girls is now live through 10/31 at Spoke Art's sister gallery, Recess! Tracie Ching and I joined forces to co-curate …

This episode is part one of a three part special! On October 29th, Draw Me Like One of Your Final Girls opens at Spoke Art's sister gallery Recess! Tracie Ching and I joined forces to co-curate the show. Final Girls (for short) celebrates horror from a female/femme perspective. The group show includes 60 artists with wildly different styles, rangin…

Grant Kolton is an animator, director, writer, and so much more that my fingers might fall off if I type it all out. I discovered Grant on Instagram while going down the animation hashtag rabbit hole. His animations first caught my eye through their loose yet controlled style. When I dove in deeper, I fell in love with his stories. They are dark, t…

Brea Grant is an actress, filmmaker, writer, and co-host of the Reading Glasses podcast. She just released her new graphic novel, Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy, and I loved it. Mary (for short) is a fast-paced read full of charm, mystery, and bada**…

Warren Bernard is the executive director for the Small Press Expo (SPX). We talk comics, collecting, the SPX lottery process, and how they're taking the show online for 2020. Don't miss the action this year with the panels & Ignatz awards streaming all weekend. Follow SPX on Twitter (@SPXcomics) & Instagram (@SPXcomics). SHOW NOTES: Small Press Exp…

Michael Lewis is an American photographer. His subjects range from celebrities to business moguls to captivating self portraits and more. If you can think of the person, he's probably captured their image. I discovered Michael's work on Instagram and got lost in the endless world of images on his site. His work invites you to explore new worlds and…

Eliaz Rodriguez is an award winning screenwriter, director, and editor. I recently caught his short film "Compartmentalization Storage Facility" at the online Chattanooga Film Festival and fell in love with his vision, humor, and take on humanity. In this interview, we chat about the online festival experience from a creator's perspective, his stra…

Brett Story is the documentarian behind The Hottest August. Her film explores climate change through unfiltered interviews with New Yorkers during the hot August heat of 2017. The film toured film festivals and aired on PBS. You can check it out now through Grasshopper Film. Show Notes: The Hottest August The Prison in Twelve Landscapes Alamo Draft…

Mary Kay McBrayer is a writer, podcaster, and horror enthusiast. Her new book America's First Female Serial Killer: Jane Toppan and the Making of a Monster hits stores everywhere tomorrow (May 19, 2020). Mary Kay's telling of Jane Toppan's life goes deeper than dissecting a murderer, it also explores the conservative Victorian culture that may have…

Stephanie Crawford is a freelance writer and podcaster based in Las Vegas. She loves all things physical media, John Waters, and horror. In this episode, we chat about her latest piece in Fangoria, blu-ray extras, and living with lupus. Follow Stephanie on Twitter @scrawfish. Show Notes: Website Just the Discs Podcast Fangoria Contributors' Crypt T…

David Allen is the creator behind Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress Free Productivity. He is the go-to-guy for all modern productivity methodologies. His work is life changing, and I wanted to share that experience with you guys. As a creative, I often get distracted and GTD helped get through major projects like writing a graphic novel and cu…

Alex Pardee is an artist, writer, and designer from California. His work is dark, twisted, and beautifully bright. In this episode, we talk about Brightmares, pitching TV shows, and growing from past experiences. You can follow Alex on Twitter @alexpardee & Instagram @alexpardee. Show Notes Website Twitch Brightmares Shop Bunny With…

Cory Kilduff is a musician based in Dallas, TX. I first came across his work when Burning Witches Records released his album When It All Gets To Be Too Much. After meeting Cory in person at Fantastic Fest this past year, I immediately wanted to know more about his creative journey into art and music. In this episode, we discuss his approach to writ…

Glenn McQuaid is a writer, director, producer, and musician. He is the co-creator of the popular horror audio play & anthology series Tales from Beyond the Pale. He's also the writer and director of the film I Sell the Dead, starring Ron Perlman and Dominic Monaghan. I discovered Glenn through his music created under the name Witchboard. Glenn is i…

It's a Lizzie Special! This episode I sit down with my Cuddles and Rage co-creator Jimmy Reed to share the soundtracks we listened to while writing Bites of Terror, our new graphic novel with Quirk Books. It was hard narrowing our list down to just five movies each. Although we wanted to have Romero, Carpenter, and John Harrison in every slot, we a…

Michelle Gish is the creator of We Are Here Forever, a webcomic about an adorable apocalypse where purple creatures explore the world we left behind. Quirk Books recently released a We Are Here Forever graphic novel with all new stories. In this episode, we chat Small Press Expo, indie comics landing book deals, and hints to how Michelle's sweet sa…

David Plunkert is an illustrator, poster artist, graphic designer, and co-founder of Spur Design in Baltimore. He's created tons of iconic images for over 500 companies, including The New Yorker and Criterion. In this episode, Dave and I discuss the evolution of graphic design plus where it is going, working with Criterion, and advice for new artis…

Meredith Borders is the managing editor for Fangoria magazine and a freelance film critic. I first met Meredith at Fantastic Fest a few years ago. As an avid reader of Fangoria, her articles always speak to me. In this episode we explore why she loves managing creatives, hot editing & writing tips, the craft beer industry, and best reads for artist…

Faye Guerra is the host of the genre film group Psycho Cinema. The club may take place at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester, but don't let that deter you from joining the fun genre talk on the Psycho Cinema Facebook group and Instagram (@psychocinema540). In this episode, Faye and I talk exploitation films, the fine line between offensive vs fascinat…

Leonard and Jessie Maltin are the father/daughter duo behind the Maltin on Movies podcast. The Maltin movie empire started over fifty years ago when Leonard wrote his first article at fifteen and has grown into a family business. In this episode, we chat growing up Maltin, movies that could scar your children for life, film curation, and selling bo…

April Wolfe is the host of Switchblade Sisters, a podcast featuring female creators examining their favorite genre flicks, and the co-writer of the new Black Christmas in theaters Dec. 13. In this episode, we talk about reimaging Black Christmas, women in film, and the logistics behind every episode of Switchblade Sisters. You can follow April on T…

Emily S. Whitten is back with her new graphic novel The Underfoot: The Mighty Deep. You might remember Emily from episode 80 where we chatted about writing for the popular site ComicMix. The Underfoot is a magical book full of science, friendship, and hamsters. In this episode, Emily and I cover her writing process, hamster expertise, and upcoming …

Andrea Tsurumi is back with her new picture book Crab Cake! The last time we had Andrea on the show (episode 124), this book was top secret. Now that the book is out, we can officially talk about Andrea's masterful skills at using her humor and illustrations to bring awareness to some serious and urgent environmental issues. This isn't your average…

Eric Vespe is an entertainment writer based in Austin, TX. He started writing professionally at sixteen for Ain't It Cool News under the name "Quint." Since then, he's gone on to write for other major online publications, including Rooster Teeth, SlashFilm, Collider, and more. In this interview we talk about how film criticism has changed over the …