Transgressive Fiction Author, Storyteller, Post Modernism Literature, Book Cover Design, Writing Mentorship

Long before feminism had a name, women were writing it. From Margery Kempe’s unruly confessions to Táhirih’s revolutionary poetry in Qajar Iran, female voices across the globe defied silence. Nana Asma’u educated women in 19th-century Nigeria, Rābiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya penned mystic verse in 8th-century Iraq, and Sor Juana challenged patriarchy with poetry. These weren’t footnotes in history—they were its uncredited authors.

Author Shannon Waite talks about her bold debut Raising Women, a choose-your-own-adventure-style novel that redefines women’s fiction. In this interview, she shares the inspiration behind her interactive format, how she writes emotionally raw and transgressive stories, and what’s next in her follow-up collection The Women. A sharp, thoughtful conversation about storytelling, girlhood, and breaking all the rules.

Inspired by a YouTube discussion on the history and evolution of dark romance, especially its connection to women writers, I began reflecting on why this emotionally intense, often taboo-laden genre resonates so deeply with a broad readership. Building on an earlier marketing-focused article I wrote, this piece explores dark romance through a deeper lens—examining its literary roots, psychological depth, and gendered cultural significance.