Becky also interviews several independent filmmakers, who had only 13 days to produce each short horror film in the annual Sinema Challenge. We even managed to coax a spontaneous true ghost story out of Shane Morton, AKA professor Morté, horror host of Silver Scream Spook Show. Then, Becky tells Diana funny stories about being trapped on a 12-hour tour with her mom, and the awkward joy of attending the rather bawdy film festival with her teen daughter. There were so many weird and funny outtakes from this episode, which we shared on Patreon.

Listen to the full episode right here:

or watch the video of our interview with Tina Romero and other horror filmmakers on YouTube:

Want to cut straight to the interview? Here’s the short version, containing only the interview Homespun Haints did with Queens of the Dead director Tina Romero.

About the Guest: Tina Romero

It may not surprise you that someone with this last name would be in the zombie business. Yet even when her career veered into the film industry, Tina was always certain she would never make a zombie movie. That certainty suddenly imploded the day she read a headline basically asking why the queer community was devouring its own. The metaphor highlighted the insidious presence of various discriminatory -isms within a community who are united mainly by the discrimination they face themselves. What better way to make social commentary art that metaphorically screams harmful infighting than zombies?

Did our whimsical interview questions pique your curiosity about more practical matters related to the experience of making Queens of the Dead? To hear Tina answer slightly more traditional interview questions, we highly recommend watching the Q&A she did at BAFF after the screening we found on the BAFF Facebook Page. Even if only for the relatable (according to Diana) moment when she calls her partner Liz to the stage and the two decide to share a single chair.

The Buried Alive Film Festival is Alanta’s Horror Film Fest

The 18th annual BAFF screened Queens of the Dead on November 9, 2025. BAFF also awarded Tina Romero with their 2025 filmmaker of the year award.

The BAFF Sinema Challenge: Short Horror Films

Imagine you’re given an abstract topic, one random card from Cards Against Humanity, and you have only 13 days to create a short horror film based on both. This is the Sinema Challenge independent filmmakers face every spooky season at BAFF.

In this episode, Becky does on-the-spot mini-interviews with several indie filmmakers who participated in the challenge, including Marta Correa, Chad Hudson, Vicki Shaplida, Levi Morgan, and Lexi Anthony.

Plaza Theater Atlanta

The Plaza Theater, Atlanta’s hub for cult movies, is the perfect venue for a horror film fest. It’s where we go if we’re in the mood to do the Time Warp with other weirdoes.

Queens of the Dead: Where it Screened + Watch Info

Queens of the Dead (directed by Tina Romero) had its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival on June 7, 2025. It also screened at NewFest and SLASH in 2025.

Hopefully, this episode convinced you to watch the film! It really is a fun ride. The gore glittered, but the camp never overpowers the emotional tone of survival horror. We loved the way it unabashedly flips the script by having only one cis-het character, and yet they don’t kill him off at the beginning. It stays true to the nostalgic Romero zombie style and social commentary you crave.

Where to Stream Queens of the Dead

Official trailer on YouTube:

As of Jan 25, 2026, you can watch Queens of the Dead at home with a free trial of AMC+, or on Shudder, or rent it from Amazon Prime Video. Find other current streaming options at queensofthedead.com, including AppleTV, Xfinity, YouTube, and Vudu.

What did you think of Queens of the Dead? Did you catch all the cameos? Did Jack Haven really just quote Gremlins? Which character would you cosplay? What interview questions would you want to ask Tina Romero? Let us know by commenting on the YouTube video, or on our Patreon, where we’re all just trying to survive another spooky day.

The post Homespun Haints Buried Alive with Tina Romero appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Episode Summary

If a little voice in your head told you to turn around, would you listen to it? If a strange woman appeared in the backseat of your car, would you pay attention to her? And, if something really wanted to trick you, how would you know? We speak with Tony and Jill Cox-Cordova, a couple that we met on Fireside. They live here in the Atlanta area.

And they’re also very haunted.

Episode promos

Sponsored by Witch Baby Soap

Bath time just got a heck of a lot gother with the creepy coffin bath bombs and spell-scented soaps from the spooky minds of Witch Baby Soap. Visit witchbabysoap.com. Feed your beautiful darkness!

Sponsored by CoraCreaCrafts

Vintage craft supplies for Halloween? Spooky! We just today went live on Instagram with CoraCreaCrafts to share some of our personal ghostly AND crafty stories. Grab your spooky crafting wares at corecreacrafts.com.

Sponsored by The Smell of Fear Candles

The hairs on the back of your neck will prickle every time you light these candles based on the ambient scents of your favorite horror flicks. Smell-o-vision, here we come. Grab your candles at TheSmellOfFear.com.

About the Guests, Tony and Jill Cox-Cordova

We met Tony when he raised his hand to come onstage at one of our first live shows on Fireside. We shared a laugh scrambling to improv off of Tony’s prompts. Then Tony introduced us to his wife and co-host, Jill. We all hit it off right away, and we were excited to hear that the couple live very close to Becky in the Atlanta, GA, area. But not as excited as we were when they started dropping hints that they had a slew of unique paranormal experiences to tell us about.

Jill

Jill Cox-Cordova holds an MFA from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, and a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University. She worked as a journalist for 21 years at such media outlets as CNN.com, The Weather Channel, MSNBC, and WSB-TV. She also freelanced for Essence magazine. As a creative writer, she has had flash fiction published in an anthology and creative nonfiction in Parks and Points, where she placed second in the publication’s essay contest. She works as a nonfiction associate editor for the Library Journal. She is also a member of the Atlanta Writers Club.

Tony

Anthony Cordova is a spoken word poet and host of the Fireside show Poetic People Fighting Racism, in which he uses his creative work to spark dialogues about and possible actions against discrimination. Originally from Long Island, New York, he has called Georgia home since the early 80’s. Known as “Tony C” aka “The Man about Love,” he has performed his poetry countless times in venues all around metro Atlanta, including when he read and placed in the radio-related “In my South” spoken word contest. Some of his work also draws upon his observations of human nature, or occasionally, nearly the 40 years he spent as a truck driver.

Together, the couple co-host the show “I’m Right, I’m Right” on the Fireside Apple app. We were honored to be their guests in an episode about the art of friendship. To keep up with Jill and Tony, follow them from their social media links here.

Episode Show Notes

Fairies are tricky by nature.

Jill tells us a story about how she received a supernatural message that gave her a purpose and a calling: to tell the story of feminist and civil rights activist Flo Kennedy. She worked and worked to write the story. But every time she put words on paper, something just wasn’t right. It wasn’t until much later that she realized the messenger may not have been so trustworthy.

We often think the key to becoming more clairvoyant is trusting in the small voice within that’s telling us to listen. But what if that small voice is a big liar?

Fairies are a supernatural race of humanoid creatures primarily from Celtic and Germanic folklore. Trolls and elves are both related to fairies. Some fairies are benevolent, such as those in the Seelie Court, and even marry into human families intentionally. But some are as wicked and evil as they come, like the skinless centaur Nuckleavee of the Unseelie Court.

Beautiful and magical, fairies are also quite mischievous. Folk lore tells of fairies carrying off human babies, replacing them with changeling look-alikes, much like cuckoo birds. Even adult humans who enter fairy rings may become trapped, or get stuck in endless dancing mode.

Was it a fairy, then, who told Jill to write about Flo? That just might explain the frustration she felt in attempting to complete the task. After all, Flo did have a sister named Faye.

Big Rig, Big Reward

Truck driving is a dangerous job. We have all been on a long road trip that lasts deep into the night. We’ve felt the strain of staying awake and alert. It can be hard to stay awake without sugar and caffeine that we know is just going to make us crash later (pun NOT intended, yikes). As we stare out the windshield at the endless yellow dashes, we become almost hypnotized. Dash…dash…dash. Then suddenly, we jerk back to reality. What was it that roused us from our stupor? Could it have been a spirit guide? Tony certainly credits a sentient supernatural being with his survival one fateful night when he received a message to turn his rig around.

Would you listen to a supernatural messenger?

Would you take advice from the mysterious sources Jill and Tony describe in these true ghost stories? Whether it’s a trick or a treat, listening to a message from an unknown supernatural entity is always a risk. Either way, you’ll probably have a spooky day!

The post Ghost Trucks of New York appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Episode Summary: A Near-Death Experience

Alicia was alive. Then she wasn’t. And then she was again. Then she wasn’t again.

You’ve heard the phrase “you only live once.” Unless you’re James Bond, in which case I suppose you only live twice. But what about our guest Alicia, who has clocked in at least seven lives in the last several decades?

We sit down and chat with Alicia about the moment that upended her life, how she interacted with those on the other side of existence, and how she returned changed woman.

Podcast Promotions

Episode Promo

Our episode promo is from the fabulous folks over at Seriously Sinister.

About the Guest: Alicia

Alicia produces and co-hosts the podcast Trashy Divorces with her wife Stacie. She also produces Done & Dunne, a true crime and literature podcast that dives deep into “writer Dominick Dunne’s quest for justice amidst his incisive commentary of the high society set”. You can get updates about each by following her on IG @trashydivorces and @doneanddunnepodcast. While you’re enjoying the ear candy of celebrity relationship drama, get yourself a balanced meal by simultaneously feasting your eyes on her artwork, available on Etsy.

What are the similarities among near-death experiences?

I’m sure those of us who’ve not been dead yet all have a concept of the experience molded by Hollywood. Surely the experience is unique for everyone. Yet in her extensive searching, Alicia has identified several commonalities within many people’s near-death experiences.

1. Surrounded by light. Alicia describes being surrounded by a thousand types of light. Without being told, she knew these lights were souls.
2. Best feeling ever. She felt 100% loved and welcomed.
3. Wanting to stay, but being sent back. Most people fear death, even those with a strong faith in a specific afterlife. Probably because the drive to survive is pretty much the necessary nature of all living organisms. After a near-death experience, many people report that, now that they have been on the other side, they aren’t afraid to go back, and in fact never wanted to leave it in the first place. This can get as bizarre as a feeling of being rejected upon being sent back to the land of the living.
4. Subsequent psychic abilities. While Alicia had a touch of the gift even before she died, for many the ability appears or becomes more pronounced after a near-death experience. Alicia calls it a touchstone to something ethereal.
5. A sensitivity to things that divide us. Dying may allow one to tap into the collective unconscious. After such an experience, separatist human tropes like politics may become significantly distressing. It makes sense that a clear knowing that we are all-one (at least on some plane) would make disagreements feel more isolating. Funny, then, that Alicia spends so much time thinking about divorce.

A dual birth chart!

We honestly never thought of this, but when Alicia mentioned it, it blew our minds! Birth charts are the basis of western astrology. They graph out many significant celestial positions that were present at the moment and location of an individual’s birth. Apparently, those who’ve died and come back receive a new birth chart at the moment and location of their resuscitation.

For Alicia specifically, her second chart was a near mirror-opposite of her original one. Planetarily speaking, she was a completely different person, according to her astrologist Andy. Halfway through life, she went from being a Leo to an Aquarius. Or is she both now?

Does a near death experience show you the afterlife?

Do you think the loving environment full of ancestors and light will be the place we all will spend eternity in? Or is that just a liminal space between life and death? Or is it perhaps dependent upon the person? Chime in with your opinions and experiences in the comments below, or on our private FB group.

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post You Don’t Have Time to F*ck Around When You’ve Been Dead appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Episode Summary

How can you tell if a ghost is nice? Or enjoys long walks in the woods? Or is fashionable?

Our guests today, a mother-daughter duo, have several ghost stories to share. Some of the ghosts are nice, and some aren’t. But one interesting ghost has a very particular way he likes to dress.

Episode Show Notes

About the Guests, Atlanta-Based Podcasters Melanie and Mollie

Today’s guests are the mother-daughter duo of Melanie and Mollie. If you’re wondering what are the other best Atlanta based true story podcasts out there, wait ’til you hear this. Together, Melanie and Mollie host a podcast called Storytime with Mom & Me. And they are as funny and mystical as we aspire to be. But their show features down-to-earth stories on all kinds of subjects. Independently, Melanie (mom) is into fair trade crystals. Mollie (daughter) is an astrologer and the oracle reader of Jalisa’s Palace.

Mystical ways to keep in touch with friends

Mollie and Melanie have some interesting ways that they use to keep in touch with friends. Personally, we like texts, Facebook, and Instagram (because we’re Gen Xers and can’t seem to find anyone on MySpace anymore for some reason). Our guests take communication in an entirely different direction. She has been known to use:

• The Ouija board, with friend Istepi. But, to be fair, she’s really only communicated with Istepi through the Ouija board. Istepi might not be alive.
• Telekinesis or poltergeist activity with “friend” Vackie. Unfortunately, Mollie was on the receiving end only, since Vackie is incorporeal. This “imaginary friend” used to lock Mollie in her childhood bedroom. Vackie also pushed Mollie down the stairs once.
• Telepathy with friend C.G. who, unlike the above, is corporeal.

Thank you for listening to our little indie Atlanta-based paranormal podcast!

We’re so glad the word is getting out locally. If you’re also in Atlanta, let us know how you found our podcast in the comments, or by connecting with us on social @homespunhaints.

Just for you, Hainted Loves, here’s a short bonus episode about a potentially paranormal occurrence between Becky’s son and her cat, What is the sound of one cat knocking?

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post Mom and Me and Hipster Lumberjack Ghost Makes Three appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Notes From This Podcast Episode of Spooky Stories

Whereas most of our guests are pretty adamant that they don’t want to share their homes with paranormal entities (listen to Episode 45 or Episode 25, for instance), Frantz builds relationships with the entities around him. He believes that asking them to leave his various abodes and workplaces would be wrong or fruitless.

In relaying his true ghost stories to us, Frantz makes mention of a ghost he met on the Roswell Ghost Tour who followed him home! He also develops a strained rapport with an entity (perhaps a demon?) brought forth through hoodoo ritualistic magic, and helps a friend who angered the ghost of a 19th century miner.

Episode references

The Roswell Ghost Tour is particularly scary because the area of Roswell, GA, is full of ghosts, as Frantz is quick to point out in this interview. But why is Roswell, Georgia, so haunted? Many attribute the massive hauntings to the raid on the mill workers in 1864. The raids were ordered by General Sherman during the Civil War as he attempted to cross the Chattahoochee River, which Roswell (and its mills) sat upon. Troops marched over 400 women and children out of the city, and many of them died along the way.

Others point out how the rushing waters of the Chattahoochee serve as a conduit to enhance the activity of restless spirits, and the granite prevalent in the area can also increase the amount of things that go bump in the night.

As if these factors aren’t enough, there is another sinister secret in Roswell’s past, tied to the cemetery that houses the town’s founders. You see, no one really knows how far the boundaries of the cemetery extend, but what we do know is it goes under the houses built around. That’s right. The houses surrounding this tranquil cemetery are sitting on top of unmarked graves. And the spirits there are none too happy about it.

And with that lovely little nugget of scares, we wish you a very spooky day!

The post I Am Talking to this Motherf*ing Ghost appeared first on Homespun Haints.