Super Scary Haunted Homeschool, Episode 1: Vampire Geography by Grady Hendrix

Available: Spotify, Podcast Addict, Listen Notes, Podchaser, Deezer, RSS Feed

I don’t usually have the attention span for podcasts, but Grady Hendrix’s Super Scary Haunted Homeschool was recommended to me by someone I trust. In Episode 1, Hendrix gave a very entertaining travelogue on vampires around the world, with characteristics, legends, and historical descriptions of vampires through the years. He was funny enough to make me laugh out loud, but there was also some pretty gross stuff (complete with sound effects) and some horrific stories.  He’s a great storyteller, and even if you haven’t read his work, it’s easy to see that Hendrix is an effective writer.

The reason this podcast is getting a mention here, though, is because it did something remarkable in my house: it got my daughter, age 12, to sit down and listen. She wandered into the room about ten minutes in, and was fascinated by the history and the stories. In fact, she did not want me to turn it off. She is not a fan of horror at all, so this is remarkable. These days, grabbing her attention with anything for any amount of time is something special.

If you are looking for great, attention-getting storytelling, I highly recommend this. If it continues in the same manner, I think it will appeal to readers of historical fiction and nonfiction who aren’t typically interested in horror, and to tweens and young teens as well as fans of Hendrix and horror-related nonfiction.

For more information on Grady Hendrix, visit gradyhendrix.com.