If you've got questions about Madame Strangeways (the host or the podcast), here's some answers.

Who is Madame Strangeways?

Madame Strangeways, the host of her eponymous podcast, has been mildly obsessed with the strange and unusual her whole life. She loves podcasts, good radio (like old school Art Bell or public radio), cats, and all things unexplained. Madame Strangeways is also open about mental health struggles, which are more relevant to paranormal stories than one might assume at first blush. After a childhood in which her mother was heavy-handed with demonic fearmongering, and after working through a diagnosis for depression, anxiety, mild OCD, and complex CPTSD in adulthood, she seeks to remind listeners that they can feel afraid and not be in danger. There are multiple possibilities for every unexplained story; just because a story is unexplained doesn't mean you should be afraid.

What topics are discussed on the Madame Strangeways podcast?

First and foremost, true strange stories of the unexplained. That meant ghost stories, cryptid sightings, haunted houses, shadow figures, and aliens, to name a few. Madame Strangeways reads true scary stories submitted by listeners and also sourced from paranormal subreddits on Reddit. After each story, she shares her thoughts, research, and both skeptical and paranormal theories, discussing spooky folklore, weird history, strange science, and pop culture along the way. 

There are also deep dive episodes (Strangedives) where Madame Strangeways does extensive research and discusses the iceberg of a topic, ranging from Ed & Lorraine Warren's allegedly-true paranormal case files to the internet urban legend, Mimics.

How can I submit by own paranormal experience to the Madame Strangeways podcast?

You can submit your true strange story here, or email your true unexplained story to madamestrangeways@gmail.com. You can be anonymous, if you prefer. It doesn't have to be a novel and you don't have to consider yourself a good writer. Please keep it under 1,500 words. Note that stories about psychic mediums and skinwalkers are not usually used for the show.

Does Madame Strangeways get permission for the stories on the podcast?

Yes, every story narrated on Madame Strangeways is done so with the express permission of the author. Some authors prefer to remain anonymous, but they have still given permission and requested their name not be shared. If you submit your true story, you can request to remain anonymous, or you can make up a name to be called if you'd prefer privacy. 

How does Madame Strangeways decide which scary stories to narrate? How does she know which stories are true?

For every ten or so stories that she reads on Reddit, she asks permission for just one of those stories. After a lifetime of reading ghost stories, she knows what details sound a little too dramatized or too cliche. Madame Strangeways chooses the most plausible of ghost stories, that could easily happen to anyone and leave you questioning what happened. 

Where can I listen to the Madame Strangeways podcast?

Listen wherever you listen to podcasts, or on YouTube.