We sat down virtually with EnolaLugosi, horror podcaster, writer, true crime lover, Twitch streamer, and horror media outlet owner. We discuss running a podcast, taking opportunities that come and running with them, and the latest true crime documentary they’ve watched!
Monster Thoughts: We know you run the horror/true crime podcast Slay Away. Can you tell us a bit about how that came into fruition for those who may not know?
EnolaLugosi: As a long time horror lover, I wanted a creative outlet to immerse myself in the horror community and explore my love of both horror and true crime. During lockdown, I finally found the time to focus my energy on a horror podcast project. That’s how Slay Away came to be. It was born from an obsession with the macabre that’s been festering within me since early childhood. I didn’t expect the project to grow into Slay Away With Us, but a horror media outlet giving a voice to marginalized creators and beyond felt like a natural progression. We have a wonderful list of editorial contributors and monthly columnists. I hope to add more as funding allows.
I wanted to create a challenge with themes that forced players to really challenge themselves and I wanted to use themes I hadn’t seen a lot of in other challenges.
MT: We’re looking forward to seeing Slay Away grow! You’ve gotten some wicked opportunities since starting Slay Away. What advice do you have to would-be podcasters on maintaining momentum and networking in the horror world?
EL: Someone once told me that you have to take opportunities as they come, you’ll never really know if a “next time” will come along. That was with regards to job opportunities and I think it can really be applied to any opportunity. You may not come away with the outcome you were expecting, but the worse you can do is to not try. Networking should never be about what you can gain from it, you want to make real genuine connections with other creators and community members. That’s why I wanted to create a way to celebrate horror, creators, community members and more with our website. Creators want to talk about their work. Never be afraid to ask for an interview, request a guest, etc. The worst someone can do is decline the offer. I’ve been extremely fortunate in the opportunities that have come my way, but honestly it all derived from connecting with fellow horror lovers about our favorite creepy things.
MT: That’s sound advice! Changing tact for a second, preferred horror movie genre? Why?
EL: I am a creature feature and folk horror fan through and through. It was a creature feature, Silver Bullet (1985) that ignited my love of horror in the first place and I’ve always felt drawn to stories about death, the afterlife and what’s beyond.
MT: I remember you mentioning Silver Bullet when you were on our podcast! You started a daily horror movie challenge on Twitter recently called the #31NightsOfTerrorChallenge. Why did you want to start an annual movie marathon with your readers/listeners and how has the response been so far?
EL: I wanted to create a challenge with themes that forced players to really challenge themselves and I wanted to use themes I hadn’t seen a lot of in other challenges. I felt it would be a fun way to celebrate my love of horror with the horror community at large. The response has been small, but mighty so far, but it’s been really wonderful to engage with folks about their film choices to fulfill the themes this year. I’ve already got ideas for next year’s challenge.
MT: We can’t wait to see what you come up with next! What’s the latest true crime/based on a true story movie or documentary you’ve watched recently that’s really stuck with you? Why that one in particular?
EL: My Discovery+ subscription gets quite the workout when it comes to how much True Crime I watch. However, in the last few months, I watched a four-part miniseries, COLD BLOODED: THE CLUTTER FAMILY MURDERS on Prime Video. It’s a look at the case that focuses on the people that were most affected by the crimes, the family and friends of the Clutters. It also touches on how the story was sensationalized by Truman Cope, the friendship he developed with the killers and the film adaptation of the case. I always feel that in true crime cases the media pays far too much attention to the perpetrators of a crime and their motives versus the victims, their stories and helping to honor them. I appreciated that this documentary gave a voice to the Clutters.
MT: You mentioned to me once that Tiktok was essential in developing Slay Away’s presence online. What advice do you have to give to newcomers to the app who want to start creating videos based around horror but don’t know where/how to start?
EL: I don’t recall saying TikTok was essential. To be honest, we don’t have a big TikTok presence, but we occasionally post videos that I believe get the podcast in front of more potential listeners. Social media can be used as a tool in that sense, but for TikTok to be effective, you have to keep up with it and frankly, we don’t have time to post more than a few a month.
MT: Perhaps I misheard that, my bad. I agree in that TikTok, as well as other social media can be a chore to keep up with especially when one is busy with other things. Moving onto a question about the horror season: What’s your preferred horror movie/true crime watching session drink and why?
EL: I typically opt for a soda pop with my snacks. The classic drive-in or movie theatre combo. Call it nostalgia.
MT: Can’t go wrong with a classic! Enola, I want to thank you for sharing more about Slay Away with us (ha!), and we can’t wait to see what you do next!
E. L. King (also known as Enola Lugosi) is a horror lover, writer and critic. They host the Slay Away horror podcast and are the Editor-in-Chief of horror media outlet SlayAwayWithUs.com. Their recent projects include a contribution to the Hear Us Scream anthology, voice acting as main character Ada MacReady in Fossil Games new Horror RPG, Sunshine Manor releasing October 28 on Steam and coming soon to all platforms and an upcoming narrative podcast exploring urban legends, myths and folk horror.
You can find Enola at any of their links below!