Taming Monsters with Dirty Rotten Bill

Writers, artists, and other creators discuss their work, and how art–books, music, and more–helped them through some of the most challenging times of their lives.

Taming Monsters with Dirty Rotten Bill is a arts podcast hosted by William J. Donahue, with 18 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

William J. Donahue hosts Taming Monsters with Dirty Rotten Bill, a arts show with 18 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #4

  Vaughn A. Jackson Raids Again

  Sep 25, 202643 minS2

  Vaughn A. Jackson styles himself as a writer of novels about kaiju, creatures, and cosmic horror, yet his stories defy easy categorization. His most recent novel, Southern Cross , introduces characters from the Civil War era, some of whom are from the ranks of the undead. In this episode, Vaughn opens up about his fear of jellyfish, how his love of fantasy evolved into a love of horror, and the enduring inspiration of the one and only Godzilla.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #3

  Nicole M. Wolverton and the Philosophy of Horror

  Sep 17, 202653 minS2

  Take a seat at the table with Nicole M. Wolverton, horror scholar and author of the YA horror novel A Misfortune of Lake Monsters and the forthcoming Meat Sweats (2027). Nicole talks about why horror consumers tend to be better prepared to face the terrors of real life, how her childhood “doomed” her to a life as a writer of dark fiction, and the inspiration behind her novel about a character who becomes, in her words, “an accidental cannibal.”

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #2

  Novelist Michael Pogach: Grief, Vengeance, and Vikings

  Jul 9, 202658 minS2

  In his forthcoming historical fantasy novel Valhalla Burning , Michael Pogach explores the lives, landscapes, and lore of Northmen in 9th century Scandinavia. We discuss his talent for writing about vengeance and brutality, his interest in mythology, and why his fiction tends to focus on unhappy people. He also shares the pluses and minuses of life as a college professor, including the role of generative AI.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #1

  The Ballad of Thomas G. Waites

  May 14, 202656 minS2

  Thomas G. Waites has cultivated a long and varied acting career on both stage and screen, probably best known for his roles in some of Hollywood’s best-known films, including The Thing , The Warriors , and The Clan of the Cave Bear . He has since honed his talents as a screenwriter, a director, and an acting instructor, as well as a musician; he’s the front man for the band Heartbreak Waites, which released its debut album earlier this year. In this episode, Waites discusses the things he learned from John Carpenter, his struggles and successes, and what he considers “the most powerful force in the world.”

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #14

  Candace Nola: Uncomfortably Dark, Unceasingly Kind

  Jan 22, 202653 minS1

  “If you want something done, give it to a busy person.” The saying certainly applies to Candace Nola, an award-winning horror writer, editor, and publisher, among other designations. She’s also exceptionally goodhearted, as proven by the time and energy she devotes to building community and otherwise helping her writerly peers through her platform, Uncomfortably Dark Horror. She leaves few stones unturned in this wide-ranging conversation, including the thread that connects all her stories, the pain and power of grief, and how she finds balance amid the chaos of daily life.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Taming Monsters with Dirty Rotten Bill. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.