Anna Dorn on Scent, Storytelling, and Writing Women Who Refuse to Behave
A conversation on Dorn’s latest novel, her writing process, queer literature, and how scent, identity, and power collide in fiction.
This week on Sick Sad Lit, I’m joined by Anna Dorn, author of Perfume and Pain, for a bold and unflinching conversation about writing women who misbehave and why that’s the whole point.
We talk about:
Her pivot from criminal law to fiction
The narrative power of perfume, desire, and scent
Crafting unlikable women (and why they tell the truth)
The power of author merch and literary self-branding
The highs and humiliations of the modern writing life — plus how social media, music, and contemporary culture fuel her creative process
If your favourite characters are the ones who would absolutely ghost you (after stealing your phone charger), this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
Omg I looovvveeed perfume and pain and love anna dorn. Can’t wait to listen. Her voice is so sharp and witty and bitchy. She seems tunes into pop culture and the contemporary moment without being dumbly consumed by it. I’m excited to hear how she uses social media and music to inform her writing.