# Buffy Meets Dark Academia: Inside Half City with Kate Golden

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/buffy-meets-dark-academia-inside-half-city-with-kate-golden
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/buffy-meets-dark-academia-inside-half-city-with-kate-golden.md
Podcast: [What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads](https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873)
Published: 2026-02-16T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/74844114-071f-4bd2-b245-6d978d6be835.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1610

## Resource

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a pandemic side project turns into a full-time creative career? In this episode, I’m joined by fantasy romance author Kate Golden to talk about writing through uncertainty, leaving a stable career, and why urban fantasy is having a moment. We get into Kate’s journey from working as a studio executive in Hollywood to indie publishing A Dawn of Onyx , landing a traditional book deal with Berkley, and finally quitting her day job to write full-time. We also dive deep into Half City , her dark academia–meets–urban fantasy trilogy set in a reimagined New York City — complete with demon hunters, secret colleges, forbidden romance, and Buffy-level vibes. This conversation is for readers who love grounded fantasy, creative career pivots, and honest talk about monetizing passion projects without losing your mind. Join the Conversation Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. ( wtrnblog.substack.com ) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read Next Subscribe & leave a review!

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