Bloodlines and Broken Minds: Horror as a Path to Healing - Nadira Jamerson

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In this episode of Writing and Killing Unicorns, I had the absolute honor of speaking with horror writer and cultural storyteller Nadira Jamerson. This conversation left me breathless, grounded, and strangely healed. Nadira opens up about how she uses horror not just to scare—but to unearth, confront, and ultimately mend what’s been broken.

We talk about what it means to be a Black woman writing horror, how trauma and mental health show up in her stories, and the power of ancestral memory and folklore in crafting narratives that hold both shadow and light. She also shares how she protects her spirit while writing deeply emotional and often painful material—and offers guidance for the next generation of Black girls who feel called to the dark.

Some highlights we dig into:

• Horror as a tool for processing pain
• The deep relationship between fear, healing, and identity
• How Nadira's characters act as vessels for shadow work
• Creating boundaries when writing from personal wounds
• The rise of a Black horror aesthetic—and what liberation looks like through that lens

This isn’t just a conversation. It’s a reclamation. Tap in.

🔗 Mentions:

• Follow Nadira: IG 
• Why Black Women are Embracing Horror
• Follow Nadira on her website!

Remember: There are no shortcuts to writing. Only the craft.