Writer Adam Page shares how he got into horror, his love for Stephen King, how attitudes towards horror fans have evolved in the UK over the past 40 years, how to introduce new/young audiences to the genre, and more!

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LINKS for More Adam Page:

• Adam Page on Bluesky (@adam-page)
• Adam Page on Instagram (@adam.page.988)
• Adam Page on Threads (@adam.page.988)
• Adam Page’s articles on HorrorFam.com

FULL Written Transcript: HorrorFam.com Podcast Interview with Adam Page

*HorrorFam.com Podcast Intro Music*

Lauren Spear: Hi, Everyone! I’m Lauren Spear and you’re watching or listening to the HorrorFam.com Podcast. And my guest today is Adam Page! He’s a writer who got his start in the horror writing field on HorrorFam.com last August – in 2024 – and, since then, he’s been featured on Movie Marker and Film East. And he’s continuing his writing journey talking about horror-themed things such as horror books, horror movies, and… I can’t wait for you to meet him!

And he’s also our first guest not from the USA!

Hi, Adam!!

Adam Page: Hi, Lauren! It’s good to finally meet you. Thank you for having me on.

Lauren: Well, thank you for being on! It’s great to finally meet you “in person” as well. *laughs*

I mentioned the other day that I didn’t really know what you looked like because your author bio photo is about… *holds up thumb and forefinger about one inch apart* …this big. *laughs hard*

Adam Page: Yes! I didn’t realize it was so small until you said that. *chuckles* I thought, “Ooh. I’m gonna have to change that.”

Lauren: *laughs*

Adam Page: Plus, it’s really out of date… I was much younger then!

Lauren: I’ve run into that a few times myself in my writing career. Where it’s like, “Ohh… That… That is me from when I was, like, nineteen!” *laughs*

Well…! *remembers she’s conducting a horror interview, not a retrospective on outdated social avatars*

How did you get into horror?

Adam Page: With me, it was books. Where I lived at the time, we had a cupboard that was FILLED with books – a lot of them were my own, a lot were my dad’s – and I was just digging through it one day, just looking for something, and I pulled out a copy of Carrie. And…

I think it was the novelization [of the film]. I remember it had Sissy Spacek on the cover. With the blood coming down her face. And I thought, “What’s this?!” And I read the blurb on the back of it and… *imitates Young Adam reading the back cover of Carrie* “Hmm!”

And I asked my dad, “Can I read this?” And he just looked at it for a second or two and went, “Yeah! Sure.”

So, that was it! That was the first time I’d read anything – or even really seen anything – to do with horror. And I loved it! I couldn’t get enough of it. I read it… I think I read it twice – because it’s a short book – I read it twice over a few days.

And ever since then it’s been horror books, movies, TV shows all the way! I love it.

Lauren: *chuckles because she asks this question to every guest and every time the answers they give always transport them and her to happy memories*

Adam Page: And then, a friend of mine in primary school… I guess I would’ve been like ten… Maybe… no. I was quite a bit younger. I would’ve been about eight! 

His dad had SO many of the old horror films on VHS! So, I would go ‘round and we’d watch them. And I told you about…

We had the Video Nasty thing here.

Adam Page (continuing): A lot of horror films were banned. And he HAD them! And I know we were WAY too young to watch these! But we watched. And a lot of times – I think maybe because we were that young – we laughed at them.

I remember watching The Burning who… The director’s name escapes me. It’s Cropsy. He attacks all the teens, but he has garden shears! And there’s a really famous scene where he attacks them on the boat. And one of the girls screams and puts her hand out like that *holds up his hand so all his fingers are exposed/vulnerable* and then the fingers come off! *makes shear-chopping gesture with his other hand* I just thought that was hilarious! *laughs*

Lauren: *laughs*

Adam Page: But then, I remember watching The Exorcist. He had it! Before it was banned. Because I remember…

It was rated X. It was this big black X on the cover! And we watched it. He thought it was really boring *shakes head in bafflement*, but I just… I thought it was… Obviously, I’d never seen anything like it, but that was…  I remember that was a BIG moment, watching that.

Because I remember – vaguely remember – hearing “This film is EVIL. And it’s horrific.” But I loved it! Thought it was a perfect film.

Been into it ever since!

Lauren Spear: And you actually wrote about the original novel as part of your very first article on HorrorFam.com!

Adam Page: Yes! That’s right. Mmhmm.

Lauren: Yeah! You said that that was one of the 7 Books That Every Horror Fan Should Read!

Adam Page: That they should read. Yeah!

Because it’s SO similar to the film. Well, William Peter Blatty also wrote the screenplay so I think that’s fair enough.

But the film… Sorry. The book itself is… There’s this sense of DREAD the whole way through it. It’s a very slow burner. It doesn’t… I mean, it’s a looooooooong time before demonic possession is even TALKED about! The whole time it’s more “Is it a psychological problem? Is it a physical problem? What is it?!”

By the time we get around to “it’s demonic possession,” you’re TOTALLY hooked! You buy it completely. Because you’ve seen everything Regan was going through and what it’s doing. And it does stay with you.

There’s some horror books you could read and you forget about them as soon as you’ve set them down. Things like that one stay with you.

Lauren Spear: Were there any

horror novels that you read that had an adaptation

Lauren Spear (continuing): that you were like, “This is completely NOT how it was”?

Adam Page: I think the most famous one would be The Lawnmower Man by Stephen King. It was real famous.

I remember watching… Yes. I had read the short story first and then I’d heard they’d made a film of it. Then I put it on and after about 20 minutes I turned it off. I said, “What is this?”

Both: *laugh*

Adam Page: But I think sometimes the best way to do it is to watch the film first and then read the book. Because, in my opinion, the book is usually better but that’s not always the case.

Lauren: So, you would recommend seeing the film first and then reading the book to get more context?

Adam Page: Uh-huh. I think so. Yes. For me, anytime I’ve done that, I seem to have gotten more out of it.

Because a lot of times, if I watch a film and then I’ll maybe read the book… I would then go back and watch the film again. Because then you have a bit more of it in your head – more context – more “Okay. I see what he was going for there. I see what he was trying to do. Or what he’s, maybe, thinking.”

Lauren: That’s interesting. Because usually people are like, “Read the book and then see the movie!” But then they usually end up disappointed! *laughs*

Adam Page: Yes. That’s true.

Lauren: So, doing it your way…

Adam Page: *chuckles* It’s worked for me. Yeah. It’s worked out for me. I can’t say it’ll work out for everybody, but… I liked it.

Lauren Spear: Yeah. That’s actually… Like… Why haven’t I thought of that?? *laughs* Because if you watch the film and then read the book, you’re not going to be disappointed in the film – you can just take it for what it is! Ha!

So, that’s clever.

And you mentioned Stephen King.

I know you’re a huge fan of Stephen King and you’ve written about his works. There was one up… One of your articles on Stephen King up on June 27^th and you’ve got another one coming up [August 22^nd].

How did you get into Stephen King and why is he so important to you?

Adam Page: Well, it would be from Carrie. Yeah. And then, after that, you know, it had a list of books in the front. So, I started digging like “Do we have anything else here?”

I tried to read Salem’s Lot next, but it was just such a slow read I couldn’t get into it. It took me a long time to read that one.

But I think what sets… For me, what sets him apart more than other horror writers is the characters he creates. He creates people you really care about. And then he puts them into a frightening situation.

The scariest book I think he’s written is Pet Semetary. And it’s, again, a veeery slow read. It’s a LONG time before Gage Creed is run down in the road. It’s a long time reading before we even hear what the Pet Semetary is! It’s maybe two-thirds of the way through before he’s killed and then buried; but, by that point, you’ve gone through this family – their highs and lows. And they introduce this relationship with Jud – this father figure. And you’re really invested…

And then Stephen King comes along and runs a toddler down in the street!

Lauren Spear: Yeah. I imagine that it also hit differently reading that as a young man and then again now that you’re an older father yourself…

Adam Page: It does a little, but I remember reading it the first time when… I might’ve been 13 or 14… But I remember reading it then and thinking how he described this child being hit by a lorry… The funeral… And then the digging him up as well! I remember being SO shocked by that!

Because it was nothing… It wasn’t like any of his books I’d read before. Even something like The Shining. It had horrific imagery in it, but you knew that it was a supernatural thing. You knew there were ghosts in The Overlook chasing Jack to corrupt him.

This was about a father digging his son up. And I found that really hard to deal with the first time I read it. Even now! And… yeah. It does hit harder as a father. But it’s still a horrific book to read [either way].

Lauren: Yeah…

I guess I should mention that we’re the same age! But you’re a parent and I’m not. And I’m in the USA and you’re in the UK. And we briefly discussed before the show maybe talking about some of the differences that we each had, like, growing up.

I don’t think I’ll probably need to talk much about that since… you know… *laughs* It’s been talked about on other episodes!

But, as our first UK guest…                                  

What was it like growing up liking horror in the UK?

Lauren Spear (continuing): You mentioned the Video Nasty bans… What was the general attitude [towards horror/horror fans] and has it changed?

Adam Page: It has changed…

Whenever I was growing up, horror was on TV a lot and… I don’t know if it’s the same in the USA but, here, when they’d put a film on a lot of the time they would edit it – for language, for violence, for things like that – but whenever I was younger, there was still some of that but it wasn’t as much as it is now. It seems to have become a bit more sanitized almost now.

I remember… I know it’s not a horror movie, but I remember watching RoboCop – and I was 12 I think – and it’s brutally violent but it was on TV basically uncut. Now, I remember it was on TV here a few years ago and we watched it and… If the film’s two hours, they’d cut it down to maybe an hour and a half. SO much of it was edited out! And I thought it was unwatchable.

Adam Page (continuing): Horror, I think… I think “sanitized” is the better way of describing it now.

When’s the last time we [in the UK] saw a proper scary horror film with lots of blood, with gore, with Body Horror almost…? Haven’t seen that in a very long time.

But, growing up, it wasn’t… It didn’t seem to be a problem! If I couldn’t get a horror book – novel – at home, I would go out to my local library and get it.

Now and then… What was it? Was it It? Yeah. I went to rent It from the library and the librarian rang my dad! *laughs*

Lauren: *laughs*

Adam Page: And asked. *laughs* Because, by this point, I’d been going for a few years. By this point they knew me. But with It, even then, they said, “Is it all right? Can he take this?” And he said, “Yep. Yep. That’s okay. He can take it.” And they said, “Okay. That’ll do.”

So, it was somewhat just a normal part of life! If you liked horror, you liked horror. Some of my friends liked action movies. *says another sentence but the audio is unclear*

It wasn’t a taboo subject or anything. It was just part of your normal everyday life.

Lauren Spear: So, it was more… *digesting what Adam said*

It sort of normal when you were younger [to love horror] and then it became MORE stigmatized?

Adam Page: Yes!

Lauren: Whereas, here, for my childhood, it was like, “Oh. That’s weird. You’re strange. YOU’RE weird! You like horror and horror is scary so, therefore, YOU are scary.” And then, now, it’s sort of more accepted and people are more fine with it! I think that’s fascinating.

Adam Page: It’s completely opposite here. It is a case of if you say to somebody that you enjoy horror they…

There’s a LOOK that comes across their face that’s sort of… *disgustedly cringes back* “Oh. You like… THAT? Ooh. I wouldn’t have thought that.” *shakes head in bafflement* Why?? Genuinely…!

And it is that… I think it is that reason! They think that if you like horror, there’s something WRONG with you.

And I’m studying English Literature at the minute and I have some of the classics to read but then, also, I can sit and read Stephen King or Dean Koontz or Peter Straub… And you can see people… “Why are you reading THAT?!” You know? As if it’s… *shakes head in exasperation* They have a feeling that it’s beneath them almost. You know… “Oh, horror’s for scary people. For strange people.”

I just thought, “Well, if it is, then sign me up!” Because they’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Even in my younger days, whenever we went out, we’d go to a heavy metal con and, even now, guys and girls in leather jackets and boots are the nicest people – to me – you’ll ever meet!

Lauren Spear: Yeahhhh! *giggles* My husband’s a metalhead, so… *laughs*

Adam Page: Oh, is he? *laughs and nods in approval*

Lauren: So, I can attest to that! *laughs*

Adam Page: Yep!

Lauren: Oh, that’s so interesting.

And you do tend to lean into a lot of the really dark horror…

Lauren Spear (continuing): Like, some of the horror that you’re into I’m like “Oh! Oh my goodness! I’m glad that he’s telling me about it and I don’t have to watch it myself.” *relieved laugh because she likes to learn about all horror but knows she can’t emotionally handle some of it*

Adam Page: *chuckles* I had not picked up on that until you mentioned it! And I was like, “OH! …yeah… I do!”

Both: *laugh*

Lauren: But you seem to, like, get beauty and… You know. You find things to latch onto within those!

Adam Page: In those really dark ones, I think it’s because… I think we enjoy being scared! And then you watch some of those and you’re in a safe environment. I think real life has enough horror in it, so you can watch this and enjoy it.

Or, if you go to the cinema, you’re in there with – what? – 200 other people? You’re all… You get scared together. And then you all come out a little bit closer with each other. Everyone’s talking about it, y’know? In this room… Every now and then you’ll hear a scream or a jump. You know. See the popcorn fly! You know you’re afraid, but you also know you’re safe. So, you can come out into the light and think, “I enjoyed that. That was… That was a good experience!”

And it’s also, you get that feeling – especially when the adrenaline is going – afterwards you feel good.

Lauren: Yeah! Like you said: There’s enough scary stuff in real life and at least with horror you expect to be horrified. When real life hits you with horrors, it’s always a surprise! *laughs*

Adam Page: Well, that’s the thing…

There’s a story – and I’ve never checked if it’s true because I like it too much – that Alfred Hitchcock was asked once “Why do we like to be scared?” and he said, he answered, “Well, what’s the first thing we do when we see a new baby? We lean over and go ‘Boo!’”

Lauren: *chuckles*

Adam Page: I’m sure that story probably isn’t true, but I’ve heard it and I love it that much. And it just makes so much sense to me. Everyone… We all use horror and we explore the really uncomfortable things in life like human nature, society; but then you come out into the light and you can feel good about life – you go on.

Lauren: That story made me think, like, when we’re born we’re bald and wearing diapers and when we get old we’re bald and wearing diapers.

Adam Page: Exactly. Yeah. *chuckles*

Lauren: We don’t really change that much throughout life. *laughs*

Adam Page: No. It’s a circle. A horrible circle.

Both: *laugh*

Lauren: And you’ve talked a lot about books…

What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Adam Page: I think my favorite… It would have to be The Exorcist. It’s what I would go back to because it’s so strange and creepy.

One of the scariest ones I’ve seen – that I wrote about – was The Vanishing. I’d put that one not really knowing that much about it. And when it got to the ending when he wakes up underground and he’s got the lighter and he screams…? I was like, “Okay. I’m having trouble breathing here.” That was SO… It REALLY scared me! It really properly scared me.

Adam Page (continuing): But then also things like… I want to say The Burning. I… It just makes me… *half chuckle* I think it’s the idea of garden shears! Because… As the weapon? Because whenever I saw it, I kept thinking of my dad cuttin’ the hedges! You know? Because that was – pfft – 30… 30-something years ago? And it just… It makes me smile!

Lauren: *laughs*

Adam Page: But then I think something like Psycho as well. Because I remember watching it and I knew vaguely what happens… I knew that this woman was being killed in a shower. But I didn’t realize that it was the MAIN star and that she was killed half an hour into it! And I was like, “What happens NOW?!”

Lauren: *laughs*

Adam Page: And then when we get to the reveal towards the end with Norman Bates’ mother? I thought, “This is brilliant!” *laughs* “I LOVE this!”

Lauren: *laughs* It’s fun when they pull a switch like that! Like in From Dusk Till Dawn how…

Adam Page: Oh, yes.

Lauren: How it starts as kind of a crime movie and then switches? *chuckles*

Adam Page: I know. A friend of mind put that on and he said, “Look. I’m not going to tell you anything. We’ll just sit down and we’re gonna watch it.” And I was just like, “WHAT is happening?!” *laughs* I just thought, “Oh, George Clooney is playing a bank robber. Oh wait. No. There’s vampires now?? Okay.”

Both: *laugh*

Lauren: I went into that one cold too! And I was like, “This is GREAT!” *laughs* It was so much fun.

I like it when a film can surprise me.

Lauren Spear (continuing): Because, at this point, I’ve watched so many things that it’s hard to be surprised because you’ve seen all the tropes before. And with you, too, especially I think, because you read so many books as well! You start to notice the literary… Like, where things are going and guessing things ahead of time.

Adam Page: *nods in agreement* Mmhmm.

I’d seen Misery first, before I’d read the book, and it was another one that just had that real uncomfortable feeling. You know? He’s tied to the bed by this crazy person…

But it was the hobbling scene – when she puts the two-by-four between his ankles – and then the sledgehammer…? It was one of those where I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t! Because… they’re not actually going to…?! And then she hits him!

Even now, I’ve seen that film dozens of times and every time, whenever that hammer hits… *hands go up to his mouth* *gasps* *laughs*

Lauren: *chuckles*

Adam Page: Every. Time. *laughs*

Lauren: Yeah.

Adam Page: But I love it!

But I read the book after and in the book she cuts his foot off with an axe and cauterizes it with a blowtorch and I find the sledgehammer worse!

Lauren: Yeah!

Adam Page: I don’t know why! I just… It was awful.

Lauren: Yeah. Yeah.

Both: *laugh*

Lauren Spear: Well, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about other people’s writing.

I’d like to talk a bit more about your own [writing].

Adam Page: Okay.

Lauren: Like where people can find you and read your writing… I know they can read some on HorrorFam.com!

Adam Page: On your site; yes. *laughs*

Lauren: *laughs* Yeah.

Adam Page: I’m on… Well, I put it up on Instagram and link to it.

I’m also on Bluesky. Just “Adam Page” at Bluesky.

I was… I think I still have a Threads? I must actually check that because I know HorrorFam is on it so I’m going to have to start using it again.

But, other than that, that’s where I put everything up. On Bluesky at the moment.

Lauren: Well, see? That’s good for me to know. I’m new on Bluesky and I didn’t know you were on there!

Adam Page: Oh, are you?

Lauren: *laughs and nods*

Adam Page: I’ll look you up whenever we’re done with this!

But, yes… I went off X or Twitter a while ago because… well… you know.

But then, like I said, I was on Threads but I just – tcch! Fell out of the use of it. But I think I do still have an active account? I’ll have to check it again and see if it’s… If I am, it’s Adam Page 998 on Threads as well.

Lauren: Yeah. Isn’t it… Is it Adam Page DOT 998?

Adam Page: Dot 998! Yes.

Lauren: Yeah. So, that’s Adam’s…

Adam Page: Also, I probably should’ve had that written down before we started!

Both: *laugh*

Lauren: So, Adam’s handle on Instagram and probably Threads – since they’re connected…

Adam Page: Oh, yes.

Lauren: …are Adam Page dot 998.

Adam Page: And Bluesky is Adam Page at Bluesky social… yeah.

Lauren: Okay! So, as you continue to build up your horror writing portfolio, people can follow along on those accounts! *laughs*

Adam Page: Yes. Absolutely! I’ll become a bit more active on social media.

Lauren: Yeah! *chuckles* And I’ve noticed that you’ve been getting lots of horror articles published since you started out [on HorrorFam.com] and it’s been great to follow along with that.

Adam Page: Ohhhh, well, when I’m free during the day… You know. I can sit down and write for a while. Which is… Try to keep the routine of it. Instead of, you know, do something today and then there be nothing for another couple of days. But I try to keep at it daily. I think that’s what we all have to do.

Lauren: Oh, yes. *chuckles in fellow writer*

So, I highly recommend people read your articles. You’re a very good writer and you’ve got some interesting thoughts on horror. And a lot of things people wouldn’t normally see like…

Both: *laugh*

Lauren: Yeah! You did a whole thing on disturbing horror movies.

Adam Page: Welllllll I have some friends to thank for that. They’re the ones who made me sit down and watch them. I don’t think… Martyrs?! I don’t think I would’ve sat and watched it myself if a friend of mind hadn’t said, “Sit down, we’re watching this.” *laughs*

Lauren: And was there anything else that you wanted to talk about?

Adam Page: No? I’ve really enjoyed this. I think… I guess we’ve covered everything? But… I was nervous starting out! But, no. This has been great.

Lauren: *laughs* Well, that’s good!

Is there anything coming out, horror-wise, that you’re looking forward to?

Adam Page: Sinners has just come out in cinema here and I want to go and see it! Because everyone’s been raving about it. So, that’s the only thing at the minute.

Unfortunately, at the minute, the things on my list are, um, Lilo and Stitch and… things like this.

Lauren Spear: Oh! That’s something that I wanted to ask you! What’s a…

Have you introduced your children to horror yet?

Adam Page: My eldest daughter. Yeah. She…

About a year and a half, two years ago, her school had a writing contest. To write a poem. And she wrote one about The Monsters and I was reading it and…

So, she’d been going through all my old Stephen King books to get ideas! And she’d written a poem based on that. *laughs* And she won a little certificate!

And she wants to read a couple of them, so I’m trying to… I’m trying to introduce her… but NOT throw her into the deep end!

Because a while ago I found out she’d started reading It! And I thought, “Ooh. No. No. Maybe just start with something… Maybe the short stories! Maybe not just start with that one…”

Both: *laugh*

Adam Page: But she’s 11, so I think she could handle it okay.

Lauren Spear: Yeah…

Adam Page: But my seven-year-old? I’ll not give her Misery yet or anything. *chuckles*

Lauren: I was thinking that maybe she could start with the same book that you did – with Carrie! That’s a good one for girls around that age.

Adam Page: Yeah! You know, I asked her about that, and she said it sounded “Boring!” So I said, “Maybe I just didn’t describe it very well.”

Both: *laugh*

Adam Page: I’ll definitely have to get her introduced to a few more. And more films.

Tina Spear: *frustrated meowing* [Editor’s Note: this might sound funny because the equipment I used to edit the audio cut out her original meows so I tried to isolate them in the original recording and add them back in so I didn’t sound insane during this segment lol]

Lauren Spear: If you hear meowing, I’m sorry. That’s our cat. She’s upset that she’s locked out of the room right now. *apologetic laugh*

Adam Page: Ah, yeah! I can hear my dog out there snifflin’ around trying to get in here, so…

Both: *laugh*

Lauren: All right! Well, thank you for answering that. Whenever I have someone who’s a parent on, I ask like, “What horror movies or horror books have you introduced your children to?”

Adam Page: Ah, yes. Start them… Start them slow. Not throw ‘em in the deep end.

Lauren: Yeah! But that goes for adults too. Because… *laughs*

Adam Page: Ah, I guess so. That’s a fair point. *chuckles*

Lauren: People who aren’t used to it – you gotta eaaaaaaaaaase them in.

Adam Page: *chuckles* Oh, yes. Absolutely.

Lauren: Well, I know it’s late where you are so thank you again for being on.

Adam Page: Not a problem. I really enjoyed myself! Thank you.

Lauren: And for everyone watching or listening, this has been Adam Page. And you can find him at Adam Page dot 988 on Instagram and Threads and Adam Page – just search his name – on Bluesky. And keep up with his writing! He’s doing a lot of neat stuff that’s horror-related and I think you’ll enjoy reading his articles.

Thank you, Adam! Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Adam Page: Thanks, Lauren! Thank you. Bye!! *laughs*

*outro music plays*

Images of movie posters were purchased on CineMaterial. Images of film stills were purchased on MovieStillsDB. I added the word “Boo!!” to the behind-the-scenes still of Alfred Hitchcock directing Family Plot because I thought it was cute. All other images were provided by Adam Page or are screenshots from the actual interview.