In this episode of Horror Heals, we sit down with an emerging author who has a powerful and deeply personal story of transformation. Growing up, Dacre Black faced a relentless series of bullying that could have easily defined his life in a negative way. Instead, through the support of his mother and a unique mix of horror and martial arts, Dacre found a path to healing, and eventually, a thriving career as a horror author.
In this episode, Dacre Black shares how he turned real-life pain into something creative and cathartic. His journey is a testament to the power of horror, not just as entertainment, but as a tool for processing trauma and finding resilience. Here’s a closer look at how Dacre’s experiences shaped his career and how horror became his lifeline.
Facing the Real Monsters: Bullying and Early Struggles
For many, childhood can be a time of joy, but for Dacre, it was marked by relentless bullying. Kids can be cruel, and Dacre Black experienced this cruelty firsthand, with bullying becoming a major part of his early years. It left scars that, for a long time, seemed insurmountable. The teasing, exclusion, and harassment could have easily pushed him into a dark place—but that’s when his mother gave him advice that would change his life forever.
“My mom told me that if the world isn’t treating you right, you can create your own reality,” Dacre shared during the podcast. That simple but profound advice planted the seed that would eventually grow into his passion for writing. In a world where he had little control over how others treated him, writing became his way to take that power back. By creating his own stories, Dacre could escape the harshness of real life and build worlds where the monsters were ones he could conquer.
Creating His Own Reality: Writing as an Escape
With his mother’s encouragement, Dacre Black dove into writing. He found solace in building characters and worlds that allowed him to process his emotions in a safe space. In many ways, horror was the perfect genre for Dacre to work through the pain of bullying. The genre, with its supernatural villains and monstrous antagonists, gave him the chance to transform the real-life monsters he faced into fictional ones he could control.
“Horror is about confronting fear head-on,” Dacre said during the episode. “It’s about facing the unknown and finding a way to survive it.” For Dacre Black, every time he sat down to write, he was reclaiming his narrative. Instead of being a victim of bullying, he became the creator of his own world—a world where he could decide how things played out.
His passion for 80s horror movies—iconic films like Friday the 13th and Poltergeist—also fueled his imagination. These films, with their high-stakes tension and larger-than-life villains, resonated with him deeply. He loved the thrill of the chase, the suspense, and, ultimately, the victory over evil. It mirrored what he wanted in real life: a way to overcome the forces that tormented him.
Martial Arts: Physical and Emotional Healing for Dacre Black
Writing wasn’t Dacre’s only way of coping with the pain of bullying. He also found refuge in martial arts. His journey into Gracie Jiu-Jitsu began as a way to defend himself, but it quickly became much more than that. “Martial arts gave me the confidence to protect myself physically,” Dacre Black explained. “But over time, it became about more than just self-defense. It taught me discipline, self-respect, and how to rebuild my confidence.”
Martial arts didn’t just help Dacre regain his physical strength—it gave him the emotional resilience he needed to navigate the challenges of life. The discipline required in martial arts translated into his writing, too. He approached both with a sense of purpose and determination. The structure, the practice, the repetition—it all helped Dacre Black move forward, even on the toughest days.
It’s no surprise that his experiences with martial arts have found their way into his writing. In his Afterlife series, his characters often reflect that same determination to fight back, whether it’s against bullies or supernatural forces. The journey from victim to victor is a central theme, and it’s one that Dacre knows well.
The Birth of the Afterlife Series
While Dacre’s journey began as a way to heal, it eventually blossomed into a full-fledged writing career. His Afterlife series taps into the 80s nostalgia he loves so much, bringing together paranormal elements, haunted locations, and relatable characters trying to survive terrifying situations. His latest release, The Campground, is the third installment in the series, and it’s packed with the kind of eerie, suspenseful storytelling that fans of 80s horror will love.
“I wanted to write something that captured that same feeling I had as a kid watching Friday the 13th,” Dacre Black shared. “It’s that thrill of feeling like you’re getting away with something, that rush of adrenaline when you don’t know what’s coming next.”
But beyond the scares, Dacre’s books offer something deeper. His characters are often dealing with internal struggles that mirror his own experiences. Whether it’s feeling out of place, struggling with self-worth, or facing overwhelming odds, Dacre’s protagonists reflect the very real challenges we all face. And through it all, they fight—just like Dacre did.
Why Horror Heals
For Dacre, horror has always been about more than just the monsters on the page. It’s about the ones we face in real life—the bullies, the fears, the traumas. And, most importantly, it’s about how we overcome them. “Horror helps us process what we’re afraid of,” Dacre explained. “It gives us a safe space to confront our fears, whether they’re supernatural or emotional.”
That’s why horror became such a lifeline for Dacre. In a world where he couldn’t always fight back against the people who hurt him, horror gave him the power to confront those fears in a way that felt safe. It allowed him to channel his pain into something creative, and through that creativity, he found healing.
The message of Horror Heals is clear in Dacre’s story: horror can help us confront the darkest parts of ourselves and the world around us, and through that confrontation, we can begin to heal. Dacre’s journey from bullied kid to horror author is proof that, even in the face of adversity, we can find strength in the unlikeliest of places.
What’s Next for Dacre
Dacre isn’t done yet. With more books planned for the Afterlife series, he’s just getting started. His goal is to continue exploring the themes of fear, survival, and resilience that have been so central to his own life. And while his stories may be filled with ghosts and ghouls, they’re also filled with heart.
“I want people to see that even when you’re scared, even when things seem impossible, you can make it through,” Dacre said. “That’s what horror has taught me—and that’s what I hope my readers take away, too.”
Final Thoughts
Dacre Black’s story is a reminder of the transformative power of horror. It’s a genre that goes beyond just scaring us—it can help us heal. Whether it’s through creating your own reality, as Dacre did with his writing, or finding strength in unexpected places like martial arts, horror has the ability to guide us through the darkest times.
If you haven’t already, check out Dacre’s latest release, The Campground, and dive into a world where 80s nostalgia meets paranormal terror—and where healing happens, one terrifying tale at a time.
Interested in hearing more of Dacre’s story?
Check out his full interview on the latest episode of Horror Heals. You’ll hear all about how he overcame bullying, the influence of his mom’s life-changing advice, and how martial arts helped him find his way to becoming a horror writer. It’s an episode you don’t want to miss!
