Conversations with Rich Bennett Newsletter

Writing Horror with Heart: Taryn Womack on Craft, Edits & Marketing

Published on September 26, 2025

Horror author and editor Taryn Womack joins Rich and co-host Kayla Deickman to talk ghost hunting in Gettysburg, haunted dolls, and her short-story collection Down a Dark Road. She opens up about writing vs. editing, the reality of self-publishing and marketing, and why campfire-style micro-stories can still deliver big chills. You’ll also hear actionable ideas for audiobook production, gift-shop placement, and turning local legends into page-turners.

Sponsored by Harford County Living

Guest Bio:

Taryn Womack is a Maryland-based horror author and editor with a B.A. in English (creative writing & publication) from the University of Baltimore (2019). Her collection Down a Dark Road (2023) gathers campfire-style short horror stories inspired by hauntings, mines, and eerie objects; she’s currently drafting a romantasy novel and developing a haunted-antiques concept. When she’s not writing or editing, Taryn explores historic sites (hello, Gettysburg) and works in Bel Air, MD—often swapping critiques (and jokes) with best friend and illustrator Kayla Deickman.

Main Topics:

· “Down a Dark Road”: concept, timeline, and favorite stories (“The Mines,” “The Doll,” “Snowman”)

· Ghost-tour inspirations: Gettysburg’s Jenny Wade House & the Orphanage, Alcatraz daytime tour

· Haunted dolls & The Conjuring universe; why real porcelain/Raggedy Ann-style dolls are scarier than movie props

· Writing vs. editing: process, drafts, beta reads, and Taryn’s editing style/preferences

· Self-publishing realities (IngramSpark vs. KDP), royalties, and why buying direct helps authors

· Marketing on a budget: podcasts, campground gift shops, seasonal bundles, audiobook casting ideas

· Overcoming writer’s block; why “the first draft always sucks” and how to push through

· Local-legend story ideas: Chessie, Black Aggie, Maryland folklore, Havre de Grace/Jerusalem Mill angles

Resources mentioned:

· Down a Dark Road by Taryn Womack (short horror collection; 2023)

· Gettysburg ghost tours; Jenny Wade House; the Orphanage (story “The Doll” inspiration)