In this episode, we chat with Taylor Grothe about their new book, Lethal Kiss, and so much more. We discuss writing a book from a two-POV angle and what that offers a storyteller, especially in a love story. Taylor explains to Dan everything there is to know about Academia and Dark Academia style, including outfits and architecture. Taylor also breaks down her monster, vampires, and the Nordic Saga to dig into some of their influences. Be sure to pick up Lethal Kiss by Taylor Grothe, on sale now from Tor Nightfire!

About Lethal Kiss

LETHAL KISS follows two professors at Preston University. One is an exhausted scholar on the tenure track; the other is a draugr in disguise (think succubus, but worse) hoping to leave minimal bodies in her wake. But when a grisly murder occurs on her watch and not by her hands, the two are thrust together and discover an even deadlier creature that slinks beneath the marble floors. Digging deeper into the mystery brings certain death, but they're as drawn to the truth as they are to each other. And they're determined to kill for both.

About Taylor Grothe

Taylor Grothe (AKA T.G. Laine) is the USA Today bestselling author of adult and young adult horror, horror romance, and dark fantasy. They hold a nonfiction MFA from Fairfield University, served as the graduate Assistant Managing Editor of Brevity, and their short works appear in esteemed publications such as These Dreaming Spires (Titan Books), Brevity's craft blog, Haven Speculative, and Shortwave Magazine. They are a scholar of medieval literature and Nordic Saga. They live with their family in New England, and on the rare occasion they're not writing, they can be found playing with the cats, on the cello, or in costume!

Taylor is the author of the YA books Hollow and Monstrous Beautiful Things (Peachtree Teen), as well as adult books Lethal Kiss (Tor Nightfire) and The Mage and the Liar Knight (Little, Brown).

Content Warning: Topics in this interview include death, dead bodies, and a number of topics related to thalassophobia (fear of the ocean and other underwater areas).

Umm yes hello! It's Spooky Lake Month, where GateCrasher Patrick Dickerson (he/him) interviews artist, educator, and the creator of the viral October internet sensation Geo Rutherford (she/her). As we are fans of horror in all of its forms here at GateCrashers, it was only natural that we talk about all things haunted hydrology with Geo, who posts her educational video series for 31 days each October on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

This video series, though called Spooky Lake Month, covers all the weirder, wilder, and downright horrifying facts about all of the underwater places on our planet. From lakes to rivers, oceans to glaciers, and even manmade watery places like nuclear spent fuel pools and killer fountains, Geo covers it all. Started in 2020, Geo has discussed (and rated 1 to 10 out of 10 spookies) almost 200 topics and counting about creepy wet places around our world. This series has also spawned two books: Spooky Lakes (2024) and Spooky Rivers (2026), which both also feature beautiful original illustrations created in gouache paint by Geo herself. Patrick and Geo talk about classic Spooky Lakes topics, like the Great Lakes, soap mummies, and manmade horrors, while also saturation diving into Geo's artistic inspiration.

The Spooky Lake Month series can be found on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook at Geo Rutherford's account, @geodesaurus, and this year's series will run through October 31. Geo's books, Spooky Lakes and Spooky Rivers, as well as an accompanying coloring book, are published by Abrams and available wherever you buy your books, including many independent bookstores and the Abrams website. Spooky Lake Month merchandise, including prints of Geo's gouache paintings, can be purchased at spookylakes.com.

Golden Axe is now out on Paramount Plus! We spoke with co-creators and showrunners Mike McMahan and Joe Chandler about the show. We dove into what it means as storytellers to work in a fantasy setting and more. We also spoke with Danny Pudi and Carl Tart about their respective roles in the show. We discussed what it takes to craft a distinct voice for each character they embody.

The show is another instant classic, which I expected from the former Mike McMahan and Joe Chandler shows. The mix of humor and heart makes this a must-watch for fans of the original Sega series and newcomers alike. Even though I played the games when I was younger, I was unfamiliar with the world's lore, but I had no trouble diving headfirst into the show. Plenty of references and easter eggs cater to longtime fans of the SEGA series, but it never feels inaccessible. The cast is stacked with some of the best voice talent working in the business, with Emmy Award winners like Matthew Rhys or the absolutely hilarious improv god Lisa Gilroy. It makes for an extremely fun watch, with plenty of sword-swinging action and all the emotion you expect from a McMahan show.