Today's guest is Karla Marie Sweet

Karla Marie Sweet is a British-American actor, screenwriter, novelist, and dramaturg born and based in Manchester, UK. She’s written for radio, TV, and stage, and her reimagining of Othello was praised as a “remarkable” thriller-paced adaptation by The Guardian. Her speculative fiction debut Another Life was released as an Audible Original in 2024, and her print debut False Idols is a gripping psychological thriller exploring the dark side of wellness culture and charismatic leadership.

This conversation packed a punch as Karla and I discussed —

• Her early love of acting and the shift to writing after a disabling injury
• The spiritual, ego-free approach she brings to her creative practice
• How capitalism resists the autonomy and messiness of artists
• The false promise of mastery—and why she prefers to serve the craft
• How wellness culture can offer real healing and real harm
• The creation of Sadie, a messy, complex Black woman protagonist
• Why Black women deserve characters who aren’t always likable
• How her biggest rejection became the seed of her biggest breakthrough
• And how being an aunt, climbing walls, and reading James Baldwin bring her joy

You can preorder or order False Idols here: https://geni.us/FalseIdols

Follow Karla on Instagram: @karlamsweet

Read more of her work: https://karlamariesweet.substack.com

Learn about her publisher: @mountainleopardpress

Twitter: https://x.com/karlamsweet

And follow the podcast over on @writingblackjoy

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.