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To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Wicked, we bring you something rare and unexpected. Years ago Corey sat down with Gregory Maguire for a candid, hilarious and deeply thoughtful conversation about the moral complexity of Oz, the origins of Elphaba, the impact of politics on fantasy, and the loose ends that make his work feel so human. The original audio has been lost to time. But with the help of AI we rebuilt the conversation from Corey’s transcript. And because it is Horror Heals we could not resist adding a twist. The recreated Corey voice is performed as a British woman named Imogen, which gives the entire interview a surprising charm.

What makes this conversation special is how timely it still feels. Gregory speaks openly about public rage, war, art under pressure, and the ways fantasy helps us process the truths we cannot face directly. He talks about readers who misinterpret his work, fans who adore his characters, and the younger audiences who discovered Wicked through the musical and wanted more. He also shares early and often painful stories from his first book signings, which proves that even bestselling authors start small.

Corey opens the episode by explaining why The Wizard of Oz has always carried a streak of horror. Baum’s original books, the classic MGM film, and the darker modern retellings all share unsettling elements. Flying monkeys. Bewitched forests. Shifting reality. Dreams that turn against you. For many of us, Oz was our first exposure to the uncanny, long before we had the vocabulary for horror. It is no surprise that fans of Wicked often overlap with fans of the horror genre.

This special episode blends nostalgia, literature, Oz lore and the darker emotional themes that make Wicked endure. Whether you came for the witch, the musical, or the monsters under the yellow brick road, this conversation shines a light on why Gregory Maguire’s world continues to resonate.

Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse, it is.

Thank you for listening to Horror Heals.

Share the show with someone who loves horror and someone who needs a little healing.

If you want to support our guests, check the show notes for links to their work, conventions, and fundraising pages.

You can also listen to our sister podcast Family Twist, a show about DNA surprises, identity, and the families we find along the way.

Horror Heals is produced by How the Cow Ate the Cabbage LLC.

Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.

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Women in Horror are reshaping the genre, from the lingering dread of The Exorcist to modern Final Person heroes like Naru in Prey. In this episode, Kimberly Ramsawak, creator of Horror Concierge and founder of Horror and Her, joins us for her first podcast appearance to talk empowerment, representation, and why horror is the most emotionally honest genre around.

We explore Kimberly’s horror origin story, including The Exorcist at age six, the rise of women-led horror commentary on Substack, how identity and empowerment show up on screen, and why original storytelling matters more now than ever. We also talk Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Predator Badlands, and Jordan Peele’s upcoming remake of The People Under the Stairs.

If you love smart horror conversations, slow burn dread, women finding their power, and creature feature nostalgia, you will love this one.

Who is Kimberly Ramsawak

Kimberly is the creator of Horror Concierge, a Substack newsletter for women horror fans and creators. She is also the founder of Horror and Her, a coaching business that helps women build powerful newsletters and communities centered on their unique horror perspectives.

What we talk about in this episode

• Kimberly’s horror origin story and how The Exorcist became her lifelong favorite
• The link between horror and empowerment for women
• Why Substack is becoming a home for horror voices and creative community
• How to turn horror writing into a movement
• Why horror fans were more resilient during the COVID pandemic
• The growing diversity in the horror world
• The need for original storytelling and fewer remakes
• Kimberly’s favorite final person and why Naru from Prey stands above the rest

Favorite moments

• “I was six when my dad sat me down to watch The Exorcist and Thriller. He told my mom, ‘They are going to learn not to be afraid of anything.’”
• “Everyone writes reviews. What is your hill to die on? That is your horror voice.”
• “Horror fans already survived the zombie apocalypse in our minds. That is why we handled COVID better than most.”

Why this episode matters

Kimberly shows how horror can be both a creative outlet and a path to healing. Her approach reminds us that when we confront what terrifies us, whether it is societal expectations or personal fear, we make space for growth, power, and reinvention.

Listen if you have ever

• Hidden your horror fandom at work
• Wanted to write about horror but did not know where to begin
• Needed a reminder that fear can be fuel
• Wished more women and creators of color shaped the horror landscape

Connect with Kimberly

Substack: https://horrorconcierge.substack.com?utm_source=horrorheals

Horror and Her: https://horrorandher.com?utm_source=horrorheals

Follow Horror Heals

YouTube Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@horrorhealspodcast?utm_source=buzzsprout

Instagram: https://instagram.com/horrorheals?u

Thank you for listening to Horror Heals.

Share the show with someone who loves horror and someone who needs a little healing.

If you want to support our guests, check the show notes for links to their work, conventions, and fundraising pages.

You can also listen to our sister podcast Family Twist, a show about DNA surprises, identity, and the families we find along the way.

Horror Heals is produced by How the Cow Ate the Cabbage LLC.

Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.

What happens when an actress who played make-believe among the stars helps real astronauts reach them?

In this special tribute episode of Horror Heals, Corey honors the life and legacy of June Lockhart, who passed away at 100 after a century spent balancing the light of Hollywood with the wonder of the cosmos.

For most of us, June will always be the fearless matriarch who kept her family safe aboard the Jupiter 2 in Lost in Space, or the comforting mother who taught generations of kids kindness through Lassie. But her reach extended far beyond television screens and soundstages.

In 2013, NASA awarded June the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for her decades of advocacy and inspiration. Her fascination with space was not an act, it was part of who she was. She spoke with astronauts, attended launches, and became a true ambassador for curiosity itself.

June also made her mark in the worlds that inspire this show: science fiction and horror. She brought heart and humor to the cult favorite Troll (1986), blended domestic warmth with cosmic dread in Lost in Space, and carried the poise of old Hollywood into the age of aliens, monsters, and magic. She proved that even in the strangest worlds, empathy matters most.

Corey shares his family’s personal connection to Meet Me in St. Louis, a Lockhart classic that his grandparents introduced to him and his siblings on SelectaVision, and reflects on how June’s artistry linked generations through story and imagination.

• June’s evolution from Broadway debut to interstellar pioneer
• The Lost in Space legacy that launched real-life dreams
• Her forays into horror and fantasy, including Troll and other genre-bending roles
• Why NASA called her one of its brightest stars
• How she turned compassion, curiosity, and courage into a century-long career
• The enduring power of imagination as both escape and healing

June Lockhart’s story reminds us that horror and science fiction are never only about fear, they are about possibility. She showed that the same spark that lights a campfire ghost story can also ignite a rocket.

Her legacy is proof that curiosity can be sacred, that kindness can exist in the face of the unknown, and that our best stories, the dark ones, the cosmic ones, and the human ones, are all connected.

Join Horror Heals for a heartfelt journey through the life of June Lockhart, the actress who helped us face the void, love the strange, and look to the stars.