10/23/2026 Creative Spotlight

Today, for Uncomfortably Dark, Kerry E.B. Black interviewed a fellow creative, life-long horror fan, and Horror Writers Association member Ande Thomas, founding member of and editor-in-chief at the WWW.WhatSleepsBeneath.com , an excellent online magazine for the horror nerd in us all. Ande is their resident cinephile who boasts an average of 400 films per year. He serves as a standing judge for the Pittsburgh Moving Picture Festival. Additionally, Ande and the What Sleeps Beneath group work with the George A. Romero Foundation. They offer insights and critiques of all things horror, so be sure to check them out! 

Hello, Ande, and thank you for sitting down with me. It’s always a pleasure! (I met Ande over three years ago when we volunteered at the first Pittsburgh Stoker Con, the one hosted at the Sheridan in Station Square.)  

Kerry: So, to start out, do you use a pen name?

Ande Thomas: I do not—writing sort of crept up on me, so it never occurred to me.

K: Where’re you from?

A: I’m from about an hour East of Pittsburgh, but I’ve lived in the city since college.

K: What drew you to horror in particular?

I’ve always had an interest in horror and had always thought it deserved more credit than the general population gave it, but if I had to point to a specific time, it was my insatiable appetite for Goosebumps books and watching The X-Files.

K: Do you have a favorite horror character from film or literature?

A: As a nonfiction writer, one of the characters I’ve written about that I relate to most is, I think, Mark (Sam Neill) from the 1981 film Possession. Mark is an extremely imperfect character. He makes a lot of mistakes, he’s not very good at taking a hint, but ultimately he’s just trying to find himself in a dark world.

K: What are you working on?

A: I’ve had to shift more toward editing and screeners recently, but I’m looking forward to

finishing my series on Sidney Furie’s "The Entity." That’s been a fun research project.

K: What is your favorite experience as a creative to date?

A: Honestly, the best part has been meeting filmmakers, authors, and other industry professionals. Hearing different perspectives and approaches to their process is a constant

learning process that I think helps me with my own work.

K: Have you ever experienced creator’s block? Imposter’s Syndrome? If so, how do you combat it?

A: God, yes. I combat it the same way I do all my emotional damage—bury it deep down

until it goes away.

K: LOL! That sounds healthy. So, do you read your reviews? If you’ve ever had a negative review, (perish the thought, of course!) How do you deal with it?

A: I write the reviews! As a reviewer, though, my job is to give my opinion in a way that

makes it clear that it’s just that—mine. I should be giving a reader the tools they need to

identify what they may or may not like about the work, whether or not they agree with

me.

K: How do you recommend others deal with negative reviews?

A: In the same way—take any criticism with a grain of salt. Everyone has their audience, the hardest part is getting your work into their hands.

K: What’s your daily creating routine like?

A: I have pretty intense ADHD so I really need a regimented schedule to get anything done.

At the start of the week, I outline the things that I need to get done, plan out the time I

need to do it and then try my hardest to stick to it.

K: Do you have a daily output goal?

A: No, I stick to my weekly goals. It’s easier to not disappoint myself. I try to schedule in 2 hour blocks. I’m a planner. I have to be. 

K: Are you a work-in-the-quiet or “soundtrack” creative?

A: During writing sessions, as quiet as possible, but while researching, I'll throw on horror

movie soundtracks.

K: What’s your “desk,” “office,” or “Work Room” situation?

A: I don’t have a dedicated desk at home, so I’ll write on the couch, but I love going to the

library and get so much more done there.

K: Do you have “creating buddies?” If so, who, and what are their names?

A: Absolutely my team: Theresa Baughman, Destiny King, and Noah Welter are always

there to help keep this thing running!

K: Who’s your biggest cheerleader?

A: My wife Theresa, without whom I probably never would have started this project.

K: What are some snacks you enjoy?

A: All snacks. Any snack.

K: What do you hope people would take away from your work?

A: That horror isn’t just mindless gore. That to know and understand what scares us is to

make ourselves better, more capable, and more empathetic people.

K: Where can we find your work?

A: https://www.whatsleepsbeneath.com We started the website in 2019, but I’d like to think I had been preparing for it for most of my life!

Where can people find you on social media?

@wsb_ande on Instagram and @ande.whatsleepsbeneath.com on BlueSky, but it’s

probably more productive to follow

WSB:IG and TT: @what_sleeps_beneath, BS: @whatsleepsbeneath.com.