Cat Benstead (Hear Us Scream)
Thanks to the internet it's now possible for anybody to find a community that coincides with their personal passions. For podcaster & book publisher Cat Benstead that passion & community just so happens to revolve around the genre of horror.
According to Cat her interest in horror first began in childhood when she would often watch films with her Dad blissfully unaware that she was watching horror. The interest then deepened & ultimately developed into a passion in her late teens & mid-20s.
"As I got older I got more of an understanding of what I liked in regards to horror," Cat explained to Pario. "Horror presents whole new worlds that you don't necessarily see anywhere else. I love it so much. It's just a great escape."
Expanding on her passion further Cat told Pario that one of her favourite horror movies is in fact in the sub-genre of horror comedy.
"One of my favourite films ever is Psycho Goreman which came out in 2020. It's essentially Power Rangers on acid for adults."
With her ever-deepening passion for horror coming into full bloom during Sydney's first COVID-induced lockdown Cat looked to connect with the horror community in more ways. Firstly Cat rebranded her podcast to focus purely on horror films/tv. The second step in her horror expansion saw Cat impulsively tweet out an idea for a 'horror essay anthology', which to her surprise was met with ravenous interest. It was at this moment the Hear Us Scream anthology book was born. Being able to focus on the book & the horror community that she was now a part of was a blessing for Cat during the lockdown.
"I'm a very social person, so not being able to chat with my friends about the things that I like was really tough. Being able to find that community during lockdown really helped me get through a period which was pretty rough for me."
The Hear Us Scream journey began with a Kickstarter campaign. Just 30 days later the target had been met, which Cat said was a "really humbling experience."
Whist Hear Us Scream may have started as a salvation for Cat during lockdown she says it has now turned into an "honour" to be able to read the contributions & help get these stories out into the community.
"I've been so honoured to read some of the essays that have been submitted. These people are exposing themselves & their deepest anxieties or coming-of-age moments. These writers are talking about their lives & reflecting on really personal or intimate details which you wouldn't be able to get from a Twitter post."
It is the incredibly personal nature of these stories which Cat says sets Hear Us Scream apart from some of the other horror anthologies already out there.
"I feel like the creative writing, poetry & art side of horror is already covered by other anthologies, Outsider Zine & Skulls & Spells: A Queer Horror Anthology by Jinx Peregrine are two in particular that I love. We Are Horror Zine is another one which is so much fun."
Hear Us Scream is targeting a Halloween release. In the meantime though Cat & her team have just launched their website to give readers a taste of what to expect from the book.
Keep up with Cat & Hear Us Scream at: www.hearusscream.com
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