Meet the New Faces in Terror!
An inside look into a connoisseur of gore and mayhem, Dan Shrader
Q: Who are you?
A: Dan Shrader. A sophisticated man-child of a clown who spends his days tormenting others.
Q: What do you provide to the horror world?
A: I enjoy writing twisted and disturbing horror stories. I hope my storytelling skills can captivate the reader and immerse them in the world I’m creating.
Q: What does horror mean to you?
A: I have always considered it as my safe space. Ever since I was young, I have been strangely attracted to things that are bizarre and dark. Horror is an escape at times but ultimately it just makes me so damn happy.
Q: Why do you enjoy the horror genre so much?
A: When I was younger, I found boxes of VHS tapes in my Grandparents garage. Each tape held about three movies, and they were all horror films from the 70s to the 80s. It changed my life! Those films opened a door to my mind and unleashed this creativity that I never knew was there. Even as an adult rewatching certain movies from that box brings back memories of my grandparents and is a way I can still connect with them.
Q: What particular subgenres do you enjoy most? Do you have a favorite or one that sticks out to you more than the others?
A: I find all of them enjoyable to some extent. If I had to select a top tier, I would go for Erotic/Body horror or Occult based.
Q: What is your favorite horror film or TV series?
A: This is a hard one. For film: there’s two I can’t choose from, Hellraiser and Angel Heart. For TV series, Tales from the Crypt and X-Files.
Q: What is your favorite horror novel?
A: The books to the two movies I chose. A Tell Tale Heart by Clive Barker and Falling Angel by William Hjortsburg. Both have equally impacted my writing and life in one way or another, so I have to say these two for sure.
Q: Do you play any horror video games (Ex: “Silent Hill”, “Resident Evil”, “Dead by Daylight”, “Amnesia, the dark descent”, Etc.), and if so, which is your favorite(s)?
A: I don’t play many games, but Dead by Daylight is my go-to. I’ve been playing since it came out. My little brother and I hop on there a few times a week and play as survivors.
Q: Who are your favorite horror icons?
A: Film-Pinhead, Ghostface, Leatherface, The Tall Man (Phantasm), John Rider (The Hitcher).
Actual People—Bill Moseley, Rutger Hauer, John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Clive Barker.
Q: When it comes to your projects, who or what have you drawn primary inspiration from?
A: I’d say watching old horror films and reading/listening to true crime.
Q: What projects are you currently working on? (Please feel free to include links ;))
A: Full Nasty 3 and Cabin Black are the two main projects at the moment.
Q: Where can fans, fiends, and ghouls find you? (Please feel free to include links ;))
A: I have Instagram, Facebook, threads, BlueSky, and TikTok. I have Dan Shrader Horror as my logo to make it easier on all platforms.
My website danshraderhorror.com has links to all my work, happenings, and there’s a blog I do a few times a month with updates.