Join Mo for readings, panel discussions and book signings.

For Horror University, Mo will be presenting Stoker Con 2025 with:

Peele and the Furious Five: Taking Cinematic Themes in Peele’s Films to the Literary Space. - This course delves into the five key elements that make Jordan Peele’s films both visually and narratively groundbreaking. Through the lens of "String Theory," we explore how characters react under pressure and how these moments shift their axis. "Point of View, Point Askew" examines how characters’ perceptions are upended, creating new narrative possibilities. "Family Focus" reveals the impact of generational behaviors on character arcs and outcomes. "Call and Response" analyzes the dynamic interplay between protagonist and antagonist, highlighting audience engagement and investment. Finally, "Boom, Splat!" unpacks the climactic finish, showing how hidden Easter eggs reframe our understanding of the story, offering layered interpretations and endless rewatchability. Gain the tools to analyze and apply Peele’s storytelling techniques, enrich narratives with multidimensional characters and intricate plots, master reader engagement, integrate complex themes, and draft impactful endings that encourage lasting impressions and multiple interpretations.

Mo will be exploring the crossroads as a liminal space of supernatural transactions, punishment, and transformation in horror and Gothic narratives. From folklore’s spirit summoning and Faustian bargains (The Devil and Daniel Webster, Angel Heart, Supernatural) to crossroads burials and the unrested dead (The Others, Pet Sematary), this talk examines how horror engages with fate, free will, and consequence. Through intersectional perspectives, it will also consider Black diasporic hoodoo traditions (Eve’s Bayou, Us) and the crossroads as a space of identity negotiation in Indigenous and queer horror (I Saw the TV Glow).