In episode five, Nicole chats with Erika T. Wurth. Erika's novel, WHITE HORSE, is a New York Times Editors Pick, a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, an Indie Next List Book of the Month, and a Target Book of the Month. She is both a Kenyon and Sewanee fellow, and Kenyon faculty. She’s published in Buzzfeed and The Writer’s Chronicle and is a narrative artist for the Meow Wolf Denver installation. She is an urban Native of Apache/Chickasaw/Cherokee descent. She’s a professor of creative writing and lives in Denver with her partner, step-kids, and two incredibly fluffy dogs. Her novel, THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904, is out with Flatiron Books.

In this convo, Erika kicks it with Nicole about her experiences with childhood fears, the complexities of adult life, and the cultural influences that shape her writing. She reflects on her identity as a Native American woman and the importance of representation in literature. Erika shares insights into her creative process, the role of music in her life, and the significance of confronting personal and societal monsters. The discussion culminates in an exploration of her latest novel, The Haunting of Room 904, which intertwines themes of family, loss, and the supernatural.

Purchase The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth.

Oracle Card: "Boogeyman" from the Classic Horror Oracle Deck.

Chapters

00:00 Confronting the Boogeyman: Childhood Fears and Monsters

04:24 Creating Monsters: Universal Fears and Cultural Contexts

06:40 Identity and Heritage: The Urban Native Experience

13:38 Coming of Age: Cultural Awareness and Personal Growth

17:45 The 90s: Music, Monsters, and Growing Up

22:39 Facing Real-Life Monsters: Personal Stories and Resilience

25:55 The Importance of Authenticity in Native Art

26:49 Influential Native Writers and Their Impact

29:14 Erika Wurth's Literary Journey and Diverse Works

34:35 Exploring 'The Haunting of Room 904'

46:03 The Role of Indigenous Folklore in Writing

50:07 Erika Answers the OM Closing Five

Of Monsters: A podcast with Nicole Shawan Junior features intimate chats with speculative fiction masterminds and the characters they create.

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Written and performed by Nicole Shawan Junior, the Of Monsters intro music was created by Ben Ford, produced by Caits Meissner, and engineered by Tatenda Dizha.