Books With Your Besties
Miranda Smith Author Interview
Date: May 16, 2026
Hosts: Emily and Ashley
Guest: Miranda Smith
Episode Overview
In this episode, Emily and Ashley sit down with thriller author Miranda Smith to discuss her latest novel and the influences that shaped her love of storytelling, particularly within the horror and thriller genres. The conversation is lively, nostalgic, and peppered with insights into Miranda’s formative years growing up in a small-town video rental store. The hosts and their guest bond over their mutual love of scary movies, childhood memories, and the evolution of horror media consumption—from VHS tapes to binge-watching marathons. The discussion delves into Miranda’s writing inspiration and the ways in which genre storytelling shaped both her career and worldview.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Childhood in a Video Rental Store
- Miranda’s Background: Miranda shares that her parents owned an indie video rental store—aptly named "The Video Place"—in her small hometown.
- “That was my whole childhood, growing up in this little video rental store with my sisters...” (00:19)
- Early Exposure to Films: She describes spending summers and after-school hours watching a wide variety of movies with her sisters, leading to a deep appreciation for film and genre storytelling.
- “We would hang out there during the summers and, like, after school, and we would watch movies, like, all the time.” (00:22)
Family Binge-Watching and Genre Love
- Pioneering Binge Culture: Miranda talks about how she and her sisters would pick genres or entire franchises—like "Friday the 13th" or "Halloween"—to watch in marathon sessions well before “binge-watching” became the norm.
- “We started binge watching before binge watching was even really a thing.” (01:07)
- A Lifelong Love for Horror’s Formula: Her fascination with the structure and tropes of horror films is evident, and she credits these experiences as significant inspiration for her writing, particularly her latest book.
- “I just kind of fell in love with the formula of different horror movies.” (01:13)
The “Scream” Franchise Spark
- Influential Films: Miranda emphasizes the lasting impact the "Scream" series had on her—a blend of terror and humor that shaped her view of the genre and the kind of stories she wanted to tell.
- “Scream was the absolute best franchise. I can remember being so scared, and then as I got a little older, just, like, finding them funny and just really loving everything about it. And so that was a big inspiration behind Small for the cameras.” (01:16)
Watching Scary Movies Too Young
- Parental Rules & Loopholes: Ashley asks if Miranda watched thrillers before she was old enough, leading to a funny reflection on childhood “forbidden movies” and how some managed to slip through.
- “Did you watch these movies…before you might have been emotionally at an age where you should have watched them?” (01:23 – Ashley)
- “No, I was not ready. I was way too young.” (01:34 – Miranda)
- “It's so funny because there was, like, a solid list of movies I was absolutely not allowed to watch…But then there were so many that slipped under the radar.” (01:42 – Miranda)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Small-Town Nostalgia:
- “It was the first, like, video rental store in my really small hometown.” (00:19 – Miranda)
- On Childhood Movie Watching:
- “We just kind of…started binge watching before binge watching was even really a thing.” (01:07 – Miranda)
- On Parental Restrictions:
- “There was, like, a solid list of movies, like, I was absolutely not allowed to watch. Like, don't even look at that one on the shelf.” (01:42 – Miranda)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:19 – Miranda describes her upbringing in the video rental store and the genesis of her lifelong love for movies.
- 01:07 – Discussion of early binge-watching habits and family movie marathons.
- 01:16 – Miranda credits the "Scream" franchise as a major influence on her writing.
- 01:23 – Emily and Ashley probe Miranda about watching horror movies too young.
- 01:42 – Laughter over the list of forbidden titles and those that snuck past the rules.
Episode Tone and Style
The conversation maintains a fun, candid, and nostalgic tone throughout, reflecting both Miranda’s enthusiasm for the subject and the hosts’ chemistry as best friends. The storytelling is personal and filled with humor, making the discussion relatable for anyone who grew up with movie marathons and video store adventures.
This episode provides an engaging window into Miranda Smith’s life and creative process, spotlighting the impact of formative horror stories and the lighter, mischievous side of discovering scary movies as a child.
