Episode 103: Kristi DeMeester on DARK SISTERS: Witchcraft, feminine rage, and breaking free from purity culture

What happens when you weave together three centuries of women's stories, religious trauma, and a curse that won't let go? Author Kristi DeMeester takes us deep into the haunting world of Dark Sisters —a multi-generational horror epic that explores shame, rage, and the power of accepting all parts of ourselves.

Kristi is the author of Such a Pretty Smile, which was selected as a Georgia Author of the Year finalist, and Beneath. Her latest novel, Dark Sisters, is out now. Kristi’s short fiction has appeared in publications such as The Dark, Black Static, multiple volumes of The Year’s Best Horror, Year’s Best Weird Fiction, and in her short fiction collection Everything That’s Underneath. Kristi lives, writes, and makes horror-themed candles in Atlanta, Georgia.

In this episode, Kristi opens up about her personal journey growing up in fundamentalist religion and mega churches, and how those experiences shaped the themes of religious persecution, purity culture, and feminine rage in her work. She also shares her path to publication, from years of querying and rejection to a life-changing book deal, why she fought writing horror for so long, and why the term "literary horror" isn’t her favorite.

You'll learn:

• How journaling became the foundation for Dark Sisters

• How Kristi developed three timelines (the maid, the mother, and the crone) to tell the complete story she needed to tell

• Why accepting all parts of yourself means being willing to see what's wrong and apologize—not just blindly accept

• How Kristi ended up with a “life changing” book deal after years of rejection

• How horror can offer comfort: even in the most horrific situations