writing religious truama, horror flicks, and exvangelical deconstruction w/ Hannah Whitten episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 4, 2026 · 35 MIN

writing religious truama, horror flicks, and exvangelical deconstruction w/ Hannah Whitten

from Metaphysical Girl

New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten joined me on the pod to talk about deconstructing evangelical Christianity, learning to love horror, writing religious trauma narratives and yes, enjoying a Switchfoot banger from time to time! What a treat to dig into all the exvangelical Christian feelings with one of the smartest working writers in the game, and my dear friend.IN THIS EPISODE:- Learn about Hannah's background in the Nazarene church, and her deconstruction journey towards a service-led spirituality of "knowing that we don't know".- Flash back to the evangelical cultural landscape of the early aughts, and the underpinning moral frameworks that continue to shape the ex-vangelical mind.- Explore Hannah’s experience of writing religious trauma narratives in The Nightshade Crown trilogy and Wilderwood Duology.- Hear about Hannah and Saint’s favorite horror movies, and the power of horror to explore mental illness, motherhood, and generational trauma.- Dig into Hannah and Saint’s writing process for outlining trilogies, discovery writing towards theme, and choosing to write “passive” heroines with intentionality.CONNECT WITH HANNAHWebsite: https://hannahfwhitten.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hwhittenwritesPREORDER RELIQUARYSigned Copies at Parnassus Books HORROR MOVIES MENTIONEDThe Wicker Man (1973)Woodlands Dark and Days BewitchedAs Above So BelowThe RitualThe RingThe BabadookHereditary Speak No Evil (2004 James Macavoy film)Fire Walk With MeLET'S GET METAPHYSICALJoin the community on saint.substack.com to get new episodes in your inbox, and join the paid tier for essays about art, sexuality, and spirituality, as well as Metaphysical Girl After Dark episodes, where we get darker, deeper, and more intimate.Follow Metaphysical Girl on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/metaphysicalgirlpod. BOOK A TAROT READINGI've spent a dozen years helping artists, spiritual seekers, and those in transition uncover their inner wisdom through tarot. To schedule a private reading with me, follow the booking link here.MUSIC CREDITHot Stone Meditation by Yuri Megis This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saint.substack.com/subscribe

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writing religious truama, horror flicks, and exvangelical deconstruction w/ Hannah Whitten

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