Meet the Swift Lits
Kristie Frederick Daugherty
Kristie Frederick Daugherty is a professor, writer, and editor based in Evansville, IN.
She is the editor of Invisible Strings: 113 Poets Respond to the Songs of Taylor Swift published in Dec. 2024 from Random House. She has work in The North American Review, American Poetry Review, and many other literary journals.
She has a chapbook of poetry from BlazeVOX Books forthcoming in late 2025 co-written with Harvard professor and poet Stephanie Burt, and a short story collection, Red Scarf Stories, forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press in fall 2027. She is a contributing editor at The Blue Mountain Review, editor-in-chief at Harbor Review, and the founder of The 113 Poets Foundation.
Kristie has been featured in Lit Hub, The New York Times, Vulture, USA Today, Parade, Barnes & Noble Reads, & Medium.
Kristie holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and she is a PhD candidate at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she is writing a dissertation on how Dr. Taylor Alison Swift's lyrics converge with poetry.
Kristie is the founder of The 113 Poets Foundation which exists to provide grants to poets. Poetry is the most underfunded art form, and as national writing grants have been slashed throughout the country, poets and small, independent, non-profit presses need more help than ever.
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Click on the pic to watch Kristie Frederick Daugherty's TedTalk: "Taylor Swift, Poetry, and Following Your Passion"
Kristie in Vancouver on Dec. 8, on her way to The Eras Tour!
Britton Rae
Britton Rae is a 26-year-old Nashville-based author, educator, and Neuro-Linguistic master practitioner. A viral post on Tiktok launched the concept of her novel as a psychological thriller that personifies the themes of Taylor Swift’s albums as characters in a mind-bending allegorical narrative that blends the depth of upmarket fiction with the intensity of commercial thrillers.
In early 2024, Britton Rae began sharing poetry, personal essays, and “chapter previews” to her Substack, "The Sensationalist," before turning to TikTok to drive interest in her debut novel.
Utilizing classical literature references, Britton Rae’s videos about her novel have gained the attention of Swifties, Booktok, classical literature lovers, and literary fiction junkies alike.
Britton utilizes social media platforms to share her personal essays and poetry which explore contemporary and culturally relevant themes. Her poem, "11 Minutes in America" soared to over 1.1 million views in just two weeks.
With a TikTok following of over 132,000 and impressive engagement in both the Swiftie and Booktok communities, Britton has proven her ability to share work that inspires deep conversation. Her Substack has reached 1,812
subscribers and has gained over 100,000 reads since its launch in January 2024.
In addition to her writing, Britton is a certified Neuro- Linguistic Master Practitioner and teaches Social and Emotional Intelligence in the Media and Entertainment Industries as an adjunct professor at Belmont University. Her background in psychology has influenced her craft, allowing her to create character arcs that are equally emotional as well as intellectually sharp.
Follow Britton Rae on her nationally-acclaimed socials!
Britton's TikToks have garnered millions of views!
Britton at Holiday House!
