Kiersten White (New York Times bestselling author of Hide and Mister Magic) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore why horror is the ultimate tool for navigating religious trauma, from the "invisible" God of a high-control childhood to the cathartic power of a cursed children’s show.

In this episode, Kiersten and Rachel dive into:

• Religious trauma and the "sucky foundation" of being raised in a high-control Mormon environment.
• Dismantling purity culture and the process of "healing the shit out of" trauma through fiction.
• Why Mister Magic serves as a "holy grail" for survivors seeking to reclaim their identity from toxic beliefs.
• The millennial horror of Hide: sacrificing the next generation for a measly $50,000 and the "unlikability" of human desperation.
• Giving Lucy Westenra her groove back: reclaiming Dracula’s most tragic victim through a queer, feminist lens.
• The "T-shirt book deal" and the secrets to writing for iconic franchises like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Wars.
• The real star of the show: Kimberly, the 40-pound, "opportunistic omnivore" tortoise living in Kiersten’s backyard.

Whether you're a "self-proclaimed chicken" who loves scary stories, an author navigating the "murky areas" of different genres, or a survivor looking for the hope and catharsis hidden in the dark, this one is for you.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Does horror still scare a professional horror writer?
• 01:47 — Why horror? Taking control of childhood fears.
• 03:16 — Forbidden stories: Growing up in a high-control religious environment.
• 08:33 — The "Twilight" effect and accidentally starting a career in YA.
• 10:50 — Writing for teens vs. adults: Hope vs. "we’re on our own".
• 13:39 — Re-imaginings: Having a creative conversation with Dracula and Frankenstein.
• 18:02 — The "Sunnydale" T-shirt deal and pitching a Ben Solo novel.
• 23:49 — Balancing ADHD, humor, and darkness across different "cookie jars".
• 29:09 — Hide: Greek myths, reality TV, and the horror of the American system.
• 36:50 — Religious Trauma: Why Mister Magic is for the people "crying in the DMs".
• 47:25 — Reclaiming Lucy Westenra: Why the men in Dracula are the real villains.
• 54:26 — The Fox and the Devil: Forensic science, world fairs, and joyful queerness.
• 1:08:17 — Meet Kimberly: The dinosaur-sized tortoise in the backyard.
• 1:10:06 — Upcoming projects: Graphic novels and Wild and Wicked.

Follow the Guest (Kiersten White):

• Website: kierstenwhite.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkierstenwhite

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

Paulette Kennedy didn't finish a single manuscript until age 44. Her debut novel published at 46. Now Paulette Kennedy is one of gothic suspense's most talked-about voices, and this conversation is exactly why.

In this episode, bestselling author Paulette Kennedy pulls back the curtain on her unexpected path to publication, the pandemic grocery run that sparked The Devil and Mrs. Davenport, and why she believes dark fiction isn't just entertainment, but one of the safest ways to explore what makes us human. We go deep on grief, weaponized religion, "punchable" villains, and how her stunning new novel The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael is really a story about transformation and what you do with the time you have left.

Whether you're a lifelong gothic fiction fan or just discovering the genre, this one will stay with you.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Intro: Meet Paulette Kennedy & the "punchable" villain

00:43 — How the Brontës, VC Andrews & Stephen King shaped her voice

03:06 — The book that made her want to write (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier)

04:04 — ADHD, unfinished manuscripts, and not publishing until 46

06:21 — The real (unglamorous) truth about early writing life

07:50 — Her morning ritual: 5 AM, candles, film scores & flow state

09:23 — Where story ideas come from — and when they don't

11:31 — Plotter vs. Pantser: why she now does both

13:40 — Working with a developmental editor & finding your craft

14:50 — Her hardest book to write (and why it became her bestseller)

17:03 — The pandemic grocery run that became The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

19:32 — Faith vs. religion — and how religion gets weaponized

21:30 — Writing grief from the inside: "I've lost pretty much everyone"

24:02 — Feeling like a midlister despite massive success

28:33 — Why writing faster made her writing better

30:15 — The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael: toxic families & sibling rivalry

33:29 — Crafting villains readers love to hate

35:33 — Why dark fiction matters more than people think

36:17 — Balancing emotional depth with thriller momentum

37:41 — Why she keeps choosing historical fiction (and how she picks the era)

40:05 — A full year of research: archives, maps, diaries & location visits

42:20 — Writing race, LGBTQ+ oppression & abuse in historical contexts

45:19 — The Death tarot card, transformation, and "what am I doing with my time?"

48:01 — The magic of readers finding themselves in your pages

48:48 — Why readers are drawn to the dark side

50:05 — When to make your antagonist supernatural vs. human

52:16 — What's next: future genres & upcoming projects

📚 Connect with Paulette Kennedy:

🌐 Website:

paulettekennedy.com

📸 Instagram:

@pkennedywrites

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

Saratoga Schaefer (USA Today bestselling author of Serial Killer Support Group and TradWife) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore why horror is the freest genre for the darkest truths, from the body horror of pregnancy to the real monster already on your phone screen.

In this episode, Saratoga and Rachel dive into:

• Seven unpublished books and a decade of rejection before getting the "yes"
• Why social media — not a demon in the well — is the true villain in TradWife
• The ethics of true crime fandom and why victims shouldn't be footnotes to their own stories
• How sobriety, poetry, and a childhood love of murderous nutcrackers shaped a horror career
• What queer and non-binary identity brings to horror's most essential questions of power and self
• A sneak peek at the upcoming A Thousand Monstrous Forms and The Last Time We Drowned

Whether you're a horror skeptic who loved The Hunger Games, an aspiring author surviving the rejection marathon, or a reader hungry for stories that challenge identity and power, this one is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Why readers shouldn't eat while reading Saratoga's books

00:19 — Introducing Saratoga Schaeffer

01:31 — Horror, genre-blending, and the freedom of the "Dark Side"

03:26 — Breaking the stigma: Horror is for everyone

04:35 — Saratoga's origin story: From murderous nutcrackers to middle-grade horror

08:20 — Poetry, recovery, and inheriting an art form

11:23 — Writing as a safe space for identity and self-confidence

14:16 — Reaching back: Writing the books you needed in the past

17:57 — The "Unicorn" myth: Surviving a decade of rejection

19:41 — Behind the scenes of Serial Killer Support Group: Revisions and character deaths

22:55 — Knowing when to bend: Boundaries in the publishing industry

46:30 — TradWife: Social horror, body horror, and the monster on your screen

1:04:15 — Sneak peek at A Thousand Monstrous Forms

1:11:05 — Closing thoughts and cover reveal dates

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!