Episode 216 with Kate Maruyama: Author of Bleak Houses, Master Worldbuilder, and Skilled Observer and Chronicler of Family Traumas, Class and Privilege, and Psychological Horrors Modern and Timeless

Notes and Links to Kate  Maruyama’s Work

 

 

   For Episode 216, Pete welcomes Kate Maruyama, and the two discuss, among other topics, her early reading and writing and love of diverse works from that of James Baldwin to Stephen King’s work, connections between Catholicism and writing horror, the ways in which teaching and writing commingle, writing allegory and its connection to plot, the ways in which she wrote convincingly of the COVID quarantine, and key themes in her novellas, including race and racism, class, generational traumas and family cycles, and privilege and family culpability.

   Kate Maruyama was raised on books and weaned on movies in a small college town in New England. She writes, teaches, cooks, and eats in Los Angeles, where she lives with her family.

   Her novel, Harrowgate was published by 47North in 2013 and her novella Family Solstice named Best Fiction Book of 2021 by Rue Morgue Magazine was published by Omnium Gatherum. Her novella Halloween Beyond: a Gentleman's Suit appears in Halloween Beyond: Piercing the Veil is out now from Crystal Lake Publishing and Bleak Houses is available from Raw Dog Screaming Press, released in August 2023. Her short work has appeared in Asimov's Magazine, Analog SF among other journals and in numerous anthologies including Winter Horror Days, Halloween Carnival Three, and December Tales.

 

 

Buy Bleak Houses

 

Kate's Website at CA State LA

 

A Review from The Skiffy and Fanty Show for Bleak Houses

At about 2:15, Kate talks about her reading and writing life as a child, and the town where she grew up

 

At about 4:00, Kate cites the Oz series and other fantasy/imaginative/horror books that shaped her literary tastes, including “formative” works by Stephen King

 

At about 6:40, The two discuss the connections between Catholicism and horror writing

 

At about 8:45, Kate discusses works and authors, especially James Baldwin and Another Country, which have inspired and influenced her

 

At about 10:00, The two discuss a real-life example from her life/background which made it into Kate’s fiction

 

At about 11:15, Kate traces the ways in which her teaching informs her writing, and vice versa

 

At about 13:40, Kate gives background on the publishing journey and seeds for Bleak Houses

 

At about 15:00, Kate responds to Pete’s questions about the genre(s) for her work

 

At about 17:00, Pete lays out the book’s exposition and compliments Kate on writing about the early COVID days, asking her how she handled perspective in writing about the time

 

At about 19:40, Kate provides background on seeds for the book’s first novella, especially Wolf’s Lair and Beechwood Canyon

 

At about 20:20, Kate and Pete discuss some of the important characters in “Safer”, and Kate describes how working within Hollywood for years gave her inspiration for Celine  

 

At about 23:00, Celine’s son Story and his haunted friends are connected to Mr. Wolf’s real-life story

 

At about 26:15, Kate discusses a chilling scene from the book that Pete compliments for its tension

 

At about 29:10, The two discuss themes from “Safer,” including power dynamics based on class and race; Kate talks about twisted ways in which those needing a job were often exploited during the early days of quarantine 

 

At about 33:20, Pete compliments the thrilling action scenes written by Kate in “Safer”

 

At about 34:05, Pete asks about the history of the real-life house that inspired “Family Solstice,” and Kate talks about the importance of the solstice in general, and the seeds for the novella

 

At about 37:00, Pete sets out some of the novella’s exposition and highlights key characters and key character traits 

 

At about 39:00, Kate discusses the mother’s passivity and possible reasons for it

 

At about 40:25, Kate responds to Pete’s questions about “sitting in judgment” of her characters 

 

At about 41:30, The two discuss generational traumas and cycles and questions of culpability in connection to Shea and her sister as differing narrators in the novella

 

At about 42:50, Pete wonders about how Kate balanced plot and allegory

 

At about 44:50, Kate discusses writing symbolism and politically and 

 

At about 46:20, Kate shares exciting new projects

 

At about 49:10, Kate shares contact information

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

   Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

    Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

   This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

   Please tune in for Episode 217 with Jeffrey Sharlet. He is the New York Times and national bestselling author of THE FAMILY and C STREET. He was an executive producer of the five-part Netflix series The Family (2019), based on two of his books. His newest book is THE UNDERTOW: Scenes from a Slow Civil War.

   The episode will air on December 19.