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, the hosts welcome Shane Hawk, a Cheyenne and Arapaho horror writer and editor, creator of the Native Horror Index and contributing editor at Counterpoint Press, acquiring and editing the works of Indigenous North American writers.
Hawk explains how horror can produce joy through safe distance, catharsis and the chance to rewrite grim histories by letting Native characters survive and resist stereotypes. He recounts early influences (“Goosebumps,” “Are You Afraid of the Dark,” a childhood Halloween scare), returning to intense reading in adulthood and self-publishing “Anoka” in 2020 before COVID-19 led him to spearhead “Never Whistle at Night” with co-editor Ted Van Alst.
Hawk discusses horror community support, the anthology’s themes of revenge and community, his comfort centering Native perspectives, co-writing the stage audio-drama “The Land Has Spoken” and launching the directory-style Native Horror Index. The sequel to “Never Whistle at Night,” titled “Back for Blood,” is set to release on Aug. 18.
The full episodes of "Horror Joy" can be accessed on podcast providers or on Red Circle.