BCE Book Club: The Year of Sin and Smoke (with Stephanie Kemler)

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 safeStephanie’s creative origin story (from education → full-time author)Co-writing with Jillian Dowell: journal entries vs. narrative + the “cosmic” synchronicitiesCatholic mysticism, forbidden tension, and how faith can shape erotic storytellingWhy true dark academia needs depth (privilege, gatekeeping, obsession—not just “fog”)Garnet, hematite, carnelian vibes + floral lattes + baby-doll perfume dualityA sneak peek: Stephanie’s upcoming republished vampire series The Mina Coffin DuetBook Club homework: grab The Year of Sin and Smoke and start reading now — then meet us back here for the discussion.Website: - Stephanie KemlerInstagram: InstagramBook: 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