ALTOONA, Pa. — Penn State Altoona faculty members Brian Onishi, associate professor of philosophy, and Jeff Stoyanoff, associate professor of English and of women's, gender and sexuality studies, have released a new episode of their "Horror Joy" podcast. In the latest episode, Stoyanoff interviews British author Craig Wallwork about the connection between horror and joy, his early exposure during Britain’s “video nasty” era, and how his father desensitized him by explaining gore effects, creating a rare bond through film.
Wallwork describes becoming a writer via transgressive and neo-noir influences before turning to horror 17 years ago after his daughter’s birth, using horror to process fear and anxiety through a story about a sleep pandemic and a father chasing the sun to keep his child awake. Discussing “The Instruction Manual to Being a Vampire” (2026, Trueborn Press), he explains rejecting vampire tropes and grounding vampirism in a blood-transfusion condition, with the vampire targeting “bad people,” and choosing a priest mentor figure for trust and access to confessions. Wallwork also previews a possession novel and shares recent horror joys, including mainstream recognition, women creators and watching horror with his son.
You can access the full episodes of "Horror Joy" on podcast providers or on Red Circle.