Bonus Chapter: Heather Colley on Dark Academia, Cool Girls, and The Gilded Butterfly Effect

In this bonus episode, Sara and Noelle sit down with debut author Heather Colley to talk about her dark, emotionally rich campus novel The Gilded Butterfly Effect. They dive into the Shakespeare-inspired title, the messy realities behind the “cool girl” trope, and why Stella and Penny function as two sides of the same messy, brilliant coin.

Heather breaks down real dark academia vs the TikTok aesthetic version, how Greek life shapes the power dynamics in the book, and why she chose to write some chapters like a play. She also shares what it’s really like to publish a first novel in 2025 while juggling a PhD at Oxford — the patience required, the surprises, and the soft-life moments that make the process worth it.

If you love a BookTok podcast that blends dark academia vibes with career advice for millennials, this conversation is going to be your new favorite.

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