Surviving Monsters: Clare Castleberry’s Dark Journeys

About the Author:Clare Castleberry is a Southern Gothic and transgressive horror author known for blending dark feminine energy, psychological depth, and taboo-breaking themes in her fiction and nonfiction. With an MLIS from Louisiana State University, she draws deeply from the gothic atmosphere of Louisiana and personal experiences. Her writing explores the intersection of power, survival, abuse, and the supernatural, with stories rich in dysfunctional family dynamics and layered social commentary.Episode Highlights:Clare discusses her novels Lisette and Journeys Through Fear, delving into Southern Gothic motifs, personal folklore, and explorations of the occult.Lisette features a woman caught in a codependent and abusive relationship with supernatural elements, blending horror, sex work destigmatization, and feminist themes.Clare reflects on confronting taboos and personal trauma, her own paranormal experiences detailed in Journeys Through Fear, and her developing philosophy around surrender, control, and the unknown.She also reads a vivid, atmospheric excerpt from Lisette and shares insights into her writing process, inspirations, and upcoming events.Connect with Clare Castleberry:All Official Links: allmylinks.com/femmebionicInstagram: @femmebionic007Twitter/X: @femmebionicGoodreads: Profile & ReviewsSubstack: Clare’s Little Black BookSupport/Tip jar: Ko-fi: clarecastleberryPurchase Clare's Books:Amazon Author Page (all titles): Clare Castleberry on AmazonLisette (Kindle)Journeys Through FearAzalea HouseForbidden GardensDark Feminine Energy: Tales of VengeanceWide Retailer Link for Second Skin: Books2ReadGoodreads Book Pages: Forbidden GardensUpcoming Appearances:Signing at Louisiana Book Festival (Nov 1): Azalea House, Forbidden Gardens, Dark Feminine Energy, Second Skin—and illustrated stickers.StokerCon 2026 in Pittsburgh (planned).Stay updated:Clare recommends following her on Substack for news and appearance updates.Selected Books & Themes:Lisette: Gothic horror, codependency, power, supernatural folklore, sex workJourneys Through Fear: Experiencer manifesto, personal paranormal encounters, metaphysical philosophyDark Feminine Energy: Revenge, transformation, shadow self, feminismAzalea House / Forbidden Gardens: Southern Gothic, taboo relationships, haunting, traumaQuotes from the Episode:"I don’t really show the light without the dark, and I don’t really like to show the dark without a little bit of light.""Sometimes we attract certain people in our lives to give us a lesson. Don’t ignore those early red flags or they’ll come back to bite you in the ass.""For me, it’s really just like a lot of cultural commentary. The genre doesn’t really matter all that much, whether it’s nonfiction or erotic or … Southern Gothic sexy paranormal stuff. There you go. That’s my genre."