Have you ever heard of a tattooed, chain-smoking, foul-mouthed nun? Well, you’re about to.

I’m SO excited to have Margot Douaihy, author of the Sister Holiday Mysteries, a new series that has already gotten much critical acclaim—and it’s no mystery why. From her poetic writing style to the noir atmosphere and the gripping plots, not to mention the exploration of faith that is inherent throughout the books, it’s no surprise that this series is getting a ton of attention. As a recovering Catholic, I was fascinated with her protagonist for so many reasons, which I got to discuss with her in this episode.

Margot is a beautiful writer and a fascinating person - she grew up in Scranton, PA and earned a BA in Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. Her series, of which there are two books so far, is published by Gillian Flynn Books - yes, that Gillian Flynn. The first book, Scorched Grace, was named a Best Crime Novel of 2023 by The New York Times, The Guardian, Apple Books, and Barnes & Noble, among others. The second book, Blessed Water, was named a Summer Crime & Suspense Pick by NPR’s Fresh Air.

We cover:

• Margot’s journey from poetry to fiction writing

• The creation of Sister Holiday

• The evolution of genre fiction

• The impact of virtual reality on her writing process, and the transformative power of art in the face of political challenges

And so much more.

I can’t wait for you to meet Sister Holiday and her creator.

You can find more about Margot here: https://www.margotdouaihy.com/

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04:18 The Journey to Fiction Writing

10:40 The Origins of Sister Holiday

24:20 The Evolution of Genre Fiction

29:25 Virtual/Augmented Reality

37:30 Art as a Tool of Transformation and Political Futures