Episode Details

Big Crystal Energy Book Club is in session 🕯️📚
In this episode, Ashleigh sits down with dark obsessive romance author Stephanie Kemler to talk about The Year of Sin and Smoke — a lush, unsettling dark academia story rooted in grief, desire, power, and the dangerous ways we’re shaped by repression.

We talk about:

• The premise of The Year of Sin and Smoke (spoiler-light)
• Writing “for the damned” + why dark stories can feel strangely safe
• Stephanie’s creative origin story (from education → full-time author)
• Co-writing with Jillian Dowell: journal entries vs. narrative + the “cosmic” synchronicities
• Catholic mysticism, forbidden tension, and how faith can shape erotic storytelling
• Why true dark academia needs depth (privilege, gatekeeping, obsession—not just “fog”)
• Garnet, hematite, carnelian vibes + floral lattes + baby-doll perfume duality
• A sneak peek: Stephanie’s upcoming republished vampire series The Mina Coffin Duet

Book Club homework: grab The Year of Sin and Smoke and start reading now — then meet us back here for the discussion.

Website: - Stephanie Kemler

Instagram: Instagram

Book: The Year of Sin and Smoke: An Erotic Dark Academia Thriller - Kindle edition by Kemler, Stephanie, Dowell, Gillian. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Send me any questions or comments you may have and I will answer them on upcoming podcast episodes!! Looking forward to hearing from you!

Please message me with any questions or comments. 
bigcrystalenergypodcast @gmail.com