Maine has a way of claiming people as its own. Some arrive chasing clean air and quiet trails; others come for work, for family, or for the pull of a coastline that feels older than memory. Whatever the reason, this place keeps those who wander into its pine‑shadowed forests and jagged, sea‑bitten shores — and Zak Cowell is one of them.
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Zak drifted north after graduating from Appalachian State University and found himself rooted in the shadow of Derry, Maine. His creative work spans the uncanny fiction of The Obsidian Mirror to the intimate, visceral poetry of In Flesh, Enshrined. An HWA Affiliate writer, his stories have appeared in Alien Buddha Press, Flittermouse Press’ Postmortems series, Suburban Witchcraft Magazine, Dark Harbor Magazine, and even on The NoSleep Podcast.
Tonight, Zak joins us to talk about his life, his influences, and why Maine is the perfect crucible for the kind of horror he creates. He’ll also be stepping into the Lantern‑lit Symposium this October alongside eight other authors as we gather for an evening of stories, shadows, and shared dread.
Find Zak's work here https://www.zakcowell.com/
The Fogcast is an Acadia After Dark production. Our title theme is written and performed by local Maine legends, Pine Tree Riot. New episodes of the Fogcast go up every Monday. If you want more, you can find us on social media or head over to acadiaafterdark.com, where you’ll find info about all of our shows, news, and other surprises.
Finally, if you’d like to support the show and help keep the lights on, there are a few ways to do that. You can join us in the darkness over on Patreon and become a Lantern Holder, which gets you early access to ad‑free episodes, digital bonuses, and exclusive content like The Lantern Logbook. If a monthly commitment isn’t your thing, you can visit our merch store and pick up something nice before you hit the trails.
Keep those lanterns lit and stay safe out there.
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