12/27/2025: 2025 Fall & Winter Author Spotlight Series: Denise Tapscott

This series will be showcased on my Patreon first, every Friday this fall and winter, through early 2026. If you are not a patron, look for the new author spotlight to appear here on the blog every Saturday! These will be for incredibly talented, but lesser known, authors that truly deserve a spotlight on their work!

As is our mission here at Uncomfortably Dark, we want to be a community support and while how we do that may change over time, we will always find a way to shed light on the many wonderfully talented people in this space. Please check out their interviews, click on their links, and check out their work for yourself. I promise you will not be disappointed.

This week, we have the always delightful Denise Tapscott here on the author spotlight. Denise has been in the industry for a while and is an author as well as a podcast co-host. She can be found all across social media promoting her work, posting engaging videos, and supporting others.

I've had the opportunity to work with her on several occasions, and she is not only a fabulous author, but she is kind, genuine and sincerely excited to be creating new work for her readers. check out her spotlight below and be sure to pick up one of her incredible books.

MEET DENISE TAPSCOTT

Introduce yourself in 4 sentences or less.

Hey there! I am Denise N Tapscott. I am a horror writer, podcaster, actress, and wine lover.

Describe your style of writing in 2 sentences or less.

I am a visual person, and I keep coming across people who say, "I don't read; let me know when your book is a TV show or a movie". So, I like to paint a picture of the story and describe the characters vividly for my readers so that they can "see" what I see.

What is your favorite type of horror to write?

I like to write supernatural horror with sprinkles of vampires and werewolves, and a dash of hoodoo and voodoo.

What is your favorite book or character you’ve written so far?

My favorite book I've written so far is the sequel, Enlightening of the Damned. (Without giving any spoilers) I absolutely love all of my characters and all of their stories. In this book in particular, I have new characters who at first seem like your average "monsters," when actually they are very different. I had lots of fun creating them and I can hardly wait for readers to love and hate them.

Who are your top 5 favorite authors?

This is a really hard question to answer, because along my writing journey, I have met quite a few talented authors. For novels, I would say Steven Van Patten and John Butcher; for short stories, I'd include L. Marie Wood, Eden Royce, and Stephen King.

What most inspires you to keep writing when imposter syndrome hits the hardest?

Talking to people who have read my stories, (especially if I get the opportunity to meet them in person) inspires me to keep writing. On a handful of occasions, I've sat next to someone who read the description of one of my books on Amazon! Watching their reaction to the first few pages was crazy. At first, I was really nervous because writing is so personal, even if the stories are fantasy. To see their reactions is an amazing feeling. Whenever I feel that impostor Syndrome kicking in, I reflect on those memories and then push through to the next project.

Is there a genre, sub-genre, or trope you’ve not written, that you’d like to try?

I think I'd like to try writing Sci-Fi. My sister and I keep saying that we are going to write a novel or screenplay called "By the Winds of Neptune".

What is your hope for your writing career for the next five years? As in where do see yourself ?

In the next five years, I'd like to create audiobooks for all of my novels. If all goes well, I should have at least two more novels come out by then? I'd also love to write screenplays based on my books or short stories. I see myself still in Los Angeles, maybe with a few awards or award nominations?

Pitch your current WIP in three sentences or less.

My next WIP is titled "Lotus Flowers of the South". Readers will find us back in New Orleans with Grandmother Zenobia and a crafty cast of characters. We will also discover that no matter if you are a good person or a bad person, the past catches up with you.

Where can we find you online and where can readers see you next?

People can find me and all of my social media links at www.denisetapscott.com and in 2026, not only will our podcast, Beef, Wine, and Shenanigans be back online, but also, I hope to be at the Los Angeles Times Book Fair, as well as Stokercon in Pittsburgh. I'm open to other conventions if they come across my path as well.

CHECK OUT DENISE'S WORK AT:

www.denisetapscott.com

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/denisetapscott.

BIO FOR DENISE TAPSCOTT:

Denise N. Tapscott is a California native with a soul in New Orleans. She is the author of Gypsy Kisses and Voodoo Wishes, as well as the sequel, Enlightening of the Damned. She recently released an anthology, The Friends and Foes of Zenobia. One of her next projects will be the third book in the series called Lotus Flowers of the South. She plays the sassy vampire Tasha in YouTube comedy series The Vamps Next Door. Denise cohosts the Beef, Wine, and Shenanigans podcast with fellow dark fiction writers, and it's known for being hysterical and insightful. Her website is www.denisetapscott.com