Austin, Texas — Just in time for spooky season, author and former Austinite Laura Venita Green is turning heads with her eerie Southern Gothic debut, “Sister Creatures.” The novel, which weaves together mystery, family secrets, and the supernatural, is already making its way onto fall reading lists.
Green sat down with Sierra Waggoner to share the story behind her haunting debut.
“‘Sister Creatures’ follows four women from the same small town in rural Louisiana and a supernatural entity that looms over their lives,” Green said. “It’s about home — the idea that once you leave, you can’t really return. It’s also about facing our own flaws so we can be there for the people we love.”
Green wanted readers to experience a fast-paced, spooky story with deep emotional layers.
“I wanted a reader to have a fast-paced, spooky read — perfect for just before Halloween — but it also dives into character and a particularly female relationship,” she explained. “I’m finding a lot of readers are reflecting on their own lives while watching these women’s journeys, thinking about their own families and found families.”
Green drew inspiration from her own Southern roots.
“I lived in Austin for 18 years after college — I went to Trinity University in San Antonio — but I grew up in Rosepine, Louisiana, a tiny town of about 1,200 people in the western part of the state,” she said. “It’s very small, very conservative, and everyone knows everyone’s business. Even though I’ve always felt like a city girl, it’s a beautiful place surrounded by nature, and I wanted to bring that setting and the people there to life.”
Readers can meet Green tonight at First Light Books, where she’ll be in conversation with author and playwright Kirk Lin, a close friend.
“He’ll be wonderful,” Green shared. “There will be snacks, coffee, drinks, and pizza. My friends are having an after-party. It’s just a good time to be in a beautiful Austin space, and I’m there to talk about my book.”
Fans can keep up with Laura Venita Green and her latest projects at lauravenitagreen.com