E215: Olivie Blake on Hollywood Gothic, Fire as Eco-Horror, and DREAMLAND
Topics discussed
Introduction and show notes
Olivie Blake's background and previous works
Plot summary and character dynamics in Dreamland
Influences from LA noir and true crime
Gothic influences and character design
Romance, gothic, and the 'had I but known' trope
LA as a setting: art, commerce, and tech
Themes of power and nihilism
Hollywood's history and decay
Urban planning and LA's wild west past
Wealth, corruption, and gentrification
Tech culture and the loss of reality
Research methods and bee mythology
Career path and the book's evolution
Toxic relationships and the gothic sublime
Japanese gothic and contemporary voice
Identity, isolation, and white passing
Physical isolation and connectivity
Perception of race and othering
Climate fiction and Santa Ana winds
Prairie Fires and historical disaster
Collective action and billionaire isolation
Wealth and the evolution of gothic
Bookstores and personalization
Southern gothic and closing remarks
Outro and social media links
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