She Wore Black

Today I welcome both Megan Bannen and Brian McAuley to the show for a chat about our favorite books of 2024. These two authors inspired me a lot this year, and they make me laugh, so I wanted to end a wild year with folks who are like a balm to my soul. Megan is the author of THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCY, and THE UNDERMINING OF TWYLA AND FRANK. These are some of the most creative books I’ve read in years, and are filled with humor and heart. Brian is the author CURSE OF THE REAPER and the CANDY CAIN slasher series, and he’s taught me a lot about slashers and writing. I’m thrilled to finish the year with these two fabulous writers. Links and shownotes are available on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com. Thanks for joining me today, and Happy New Year!

Today I welcome Sharon Lynn Fisher to the show to discuss two of her books I read this year. SALT AND BROOM is a witch retelling of Jane Eyre, and her new book, GRIMM CURIOUSITIES, is a perfect Yuletide ghost story that explores Krampus while using the Dickensian atmosphere of a Victorian curiosity shop. Both books manage to honor their Gothic inspiration while offering a cozy atmosphere, and we discuss that genre bending work on the show. All links and show notes are on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com

Today I welcome Jocelyn Codner, an academic librarian that I know from her work with the Horror Writers Association and their Summer Scares program, and Jenny Adams, the author of the delightful mystery novel, A DEADLY ENDEAVOR, and an elementary school librarian. I wanted to dive into the state of literacy in America with two librarians that are connected to the genre work I do on the show, and get their insight on how we started our literacy decline, what we’re seeing now, and give you all some fun and meaningful actions items to get us started on moving the dial towards better literacy. We hope it gives folks a better understanding of why all this matters and what we can do about it. I’ll include links and books discussed in my shownotes at

Today I welcome Neil McRobert from the beloved horror podcast, Talking Scared. I wanted to discuss Gothic, what it is and why it matters that we understand the difference between Gothic and other genres. I’ve become concerned about the rise of anti-intellectualism combined with a consumer culture that seems to miss the point of reading, and I wanted to speak with someone with an academic background in Gothic that is also engaging, so Neil was the perfect fit. I hope you enjoy our chat, and please follow Talking Scared if you haven’t already. It’s a treasure of a podcast. For show notes, but visit my website at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/

Today I welcome Stephanie Barron to the show to discuss both her Jane Austen mystery series and the appeal of mystery books set at Christmas. We talk about Jane Austen in the first half of the show, and what made her an interesting character for detective fiction, and we use the Christmas book in the series, JANE AND THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS as a launch pad for other Christmas mystery recommendations. All links and show notes at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/

Today I welcome back Kate Khavari to discuss Green Academia, a historical science aesthetic we apply to book recommendations. It’s not a real subgenre, but I thought this would be fun. Kate’s Saffron Everleigh mystery series centers a botanist in academia in the early 20th century, so she was the perfect guest for this discussion. We chat about the difference between STEM and Green Academia, and we revel in how often humor and romance factor into these stories. I also want to mention that I didn’t include EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FAIRIES in our book recs because the field of study in that book is fairy lore and not science. All show notes and book recommendations can be found at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/

Today I welcome back Sarah Hawley to discuss her new book, SERVANT OF EARTH, a romantasy with a sentient knife and strong female friendships. We chat about the origins of this book and how it compares to her witchy romcoms, and we discuss the unintentional timing of a story about a woman rising up against a tyrannical king. All links and show notes can be found on my website at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/

Today I have Cynthia Gomez on the show to discuss Story Collections by individual authors. We discuss the point of writing short stories vs novels, and the different ways collections can tell a single broader story from the stories within it. We also give you some great recommendations, including Cynthia’s collection THE NIGHTMARE BOX AND OTHER STORIES. All show notes and links can be found on my website at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/

Today I have Ivy Fairbanks on the show to discuss Spooky RomComs. Ivy is the author of MORBIDLY YOURS, a romantic comedy set in the funeral business. We discuss the work RomComs do and why spooky settings and ghosts are having a moment. We did not include witches or monsters because the non-magical human animal, dead or alive, brings its own spooky elements to any story. We also give you some great recommendations. Show notes and links available at sheworeblackpodcast.com

Del’s debut novel, THIS CURSED HOUSE, revels in traditional gothic tropes in the context of issues embedded in gothic novels set in the American South. It’s a fresh take on a long tradition of this subgenre, and we discuss what sets Southern Gothic apart from other gothic novels. We also give you some great recommendations. All show notes available at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/