Between Life and Labels: Writing Humanity in Horror - Jack Callaghan

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There are two things you need to know before listening to this episode:

1. The zombie apocalypse is over, and it has been for some time.
2. The world doesn’t need a hero.

What it needs—what this episode explores—is something much more human: awkward friendships, fierce loyalty, and flawed people trying to make sense of a broken world.

This week, we talk with author Jack Callaghan about writing horror that isn't just scary—but also deeply honest. Jack’s stories mix undead mayhem with biting humor and real heart, confronting themes of identity, belonging, and survival through characters who feel anything but destined for greatness.

Together, we dig into:

• Whether monsters are stand-ins for society—or just for us
• How the undead offer a mirror to the human condition
• Why weird, fun books can still carry emotional and political weight
• The dance between subtlety and clarity when you’re writing fast and fierce
• How to make meaning without preaching—and how to write with purpose anyway

Plus: zombies, outsider kids, and the moments when symbolism sneaks in through the back door.

We believe good stories don’t have to be tidy, and truth doesn’t always wear a cape. Join us for interviews with genre-defiers, rule-breakers, and writers who kill off more than just their darlings.

Follow Jack Callaghan
Facebook: Jack Callaghan
Instagram: @jackcallaghanauthor
YouTube: @jackcallaghan6104

Like what you hear? Rate and review the show wherever you listen. It helps strange little podcasts like ours survive the apocalypse.

Remember: There are no shortcuts to writing. Only the craft.