It's clear there are experiences we might call 'universally terrifying', and this has been part of a global culture that has spread first through reading and later through cinema. And few people are as well-qualified to speak on the horror genre - both as a writer and a screenwriter - as Grady Hendrix, whom we had the opportunity to interview at the 15th Celsius 232 Festival of Horror, Fantasy, and Science-Fiction held in Avilés, Spain. You can watch the full interview, with localised subtitles, below.
But where might a story like that of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls originate from, such that it stands as a horror story that works worldwide, even though the plot centres on American culture and tradition? The answer, as Hendrix explains, lies in his own family's experiences.
"It was something very personal. I discovered that some of my relatives had been sent away when they were teenagers, and nobody knew about it until 50 or 60 years later. So I started to think there was a story there. And the more I found out, the more I realised there was a great story there."
However, this personal experience is not an isolated case, as, as the author himself notes, something similar has happened in other parts of the world.
"I think this has happened in many countries. Someone told me it had happened in Spain. It's happened in Ireland. It's happened to some extent in the UK.
"But I also think that, even if you don't have the same story, you understand that same feeling. All over the world, in every country and since time immemorial, single mothers have been hated. This is universal; it's very true. Single mothers can be portrayed as something to be hated or as a horror in stories."
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is about a teenager called Fern who, after becoming pregnant, is sent to an isolated institution to give birth in secret and hand over her babies. We chatted about this book and much more - such as horror in cinema - in the interview with Grady Hendrix that you can find above.