S.2 Ep. 81: The Fake Princess Romantasy With Revenge, Betrayal, and Bodyguard Tension: Alexis Calder on Silk and Iron

S.2 Ep. 81: The Fake Princess Romantasy With Revenge, Betrayal, and Bodyguard Tension: Alexis Calder on Silk and Iron

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where dead princesses have dangerous doubles, arranged marriages are never what they seem, and sometimes the girl sent to save the rebellion would rather burn the entire kingdom down. This week, hosts Bethany Amanda, Sara Santillan, and Amara sit down with author Alexis Calder to discuss Silk & Iron, the first book in the Vow of Death series (and its upcoming sequel, Lace & Poison), a romantasy filled with rebellion, royal deception, bodyguard tension, an immortal king, and one heroine with absolutely nothing left to lose. Alexis shares her journey from art teacher and lifelong storyteller to indie author and traditionally published author, including how her upcoming Red Tower release, Six Bullets and a Crown, came to be. She opens up about the differences between indie and traditional publishing, submitting on proposal, switching between wildly different fantasy worlds, deadlines, creative momentum, and why authors need friends who understand the stage of the publishing journey they are in. The conversation also dives into Silk & Iron, where the heroine loses her family to an oppressive regime and is sent undercover to impersonate a dead princess promised to the enemy prince. Her mission is supposed to be gathering intel on how to kill an immortal king, but the heroine has other plans. Angry, grieving, and untrained, she enters a royal court built on secrets while trying to survive a role she was never meant to play. 👑 What happens when the princess is dead and the imposter wants revenge? 🗡️ Can a girl with no training take down an immortal king? 🔥 And what if the person she falls for is not the prince she is supposed to marry, but the bodyguard watching her every move? Whether you love fake princesses, undercover rebellion plots, slow-burn bodyguard romance, dangerous courts, morally complicated choices, or heroines who begin with grief and rage, this episode is full of twists, publishing insight, and bookish chaos. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT: ✨ Alexis’s path from art major and high school art teacher to author. ✨ Why you do not need permission or a PhD to write a book. ✨ The creative shift from visual art to storytelling. ✨ Indie publishing, traditional publishing, and the process behind Six Bullets and a Crown. ✨ Working with Red Tower and learning the slower pace of traditional publishing. ✨ Submitting on proposal versus submitting a completed manuscript. ✨ How traditional publishing contracts can impact indie publishing timelines. ✨ Why author friends at the same stage of the journey matter. ✨ Finishing the first draft and why you cannot edit a book that does not exist yet. ✨ The Vow of Death series and what's coming next. ✨ Bodyguard romance, slow burn tension, and a love story that does not follow the expected prince path. ✨ Book two teasers, shifting character arcs, a more hopeful emotional journey, and the villain readers have not fully met yet. 🗡️ Plus: travel talk, Colorado adventures, reality TV hot messes, writing books that refuse to behave, cliffhanger reactions, author chaos, and the line Alexis would absolutely turn into a tattoo. CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic [https://www.instagram.com/mythicmic/] 👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland [https://www.instagram.com/bethanyinfantasyland/] 👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill [https://www.instagram.com/the_magical_quill/] 📚 Alexis Calder – @AuthorAlexisCalder [https://www.instagram.com/authoralexiscalder/] ✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.

S.2 Ep. 80: Academic Rivals, Forbidden Curses, and Monster-Filled Woods: Maiga Doocy on Sorcery and Small Magics

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where cursed magic, academic rivalries, and enchanted forests collide in one of the most charming fantasy romances you'll read this year. This week, host Sara Santillan and Mythic Mic Rep Megan sit down with fantasy author Maiga Doocy to discuss her acclaimed debut novel, Sorcery and Small Magics, a whimsical queer fantasy filled with dangerous curses, magical monsters, reluctant allies, and a romance that unfolds one spell at a time. Maiga shares her journey from writing short stories and participating in Pitch Wars to landing a publishing deal and seeing Sorcery and Small Magics become a stunning special edition beloved by fantasy readers. We also dive into her lifelong love of fantasy, growing up dreaming of magical worlds, and how those early inspirations helped shape the enchanting world of Leo and Grimm. For readers new to the series, Sorcery and Small Magics follows Leovander Loveage, a chaotic sorcerer with a knack for small magics, and Sebastian Grimm, his studious academic rival. When a forbidden curse binds them together, the two are forced to journey into the mysterious Unquiet Wood in search of a cure. Along the way, they encounter magical creatures, dangerous secrets, and perhaps something neither of them expected: each other. Maiga also teases what's ahead for Leo and Grimm in the next installment, discusses writing queer fantasy that feels authentic, and shares why writing the story that excites you is always the best path forward. This episode is perfect for fans of cozy fantasy, queer romance, magical academia, enchanted forests, and stories filled with heart, humor, and a little bit of chaos. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT: ✨ Maiga's path from aspiring writer to published author. ✨ The impact of Pitch Wars and the writing community. ✨ Building the world of Sorcery and Small Magics. ✨ Leovander and Sebastian's complicated rivalry. ✨ Academic rivals, curses, and reluctant alliances. ✨ Writing queer fantasy and authentic representation. ✨ Creating a two-part magic system built on collaboration. ✨ How Dungeons & Dragons inspired parts of the story. ✨ The beautiful FairyLoot edition and special edition publishing. ✨ Why personal stakes can be more powerful than world-ending ones. ✨ What readers can expect from the next book in the trilogy. CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic [https://www.instagram.com/mythicmic/] 👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland [https://www.instagram.com/bethanyinfantasyland/] 👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill [https://www.instagram.com/the_magical_quill/] 📚 Maiga Doocy – @MaigaDoocy [https://www.instagram.com/maigadoocy/] ✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.

S.2 Ep. 79: The Pink Romantasy Murder Mystery With Feminine Rage and Plant Magic: Addie Thorley on Burn the Kingdom Down

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where captive brides come with secret agendas, sisters are worth burning kingdoms for, and sometimes the quiet princess is the most dangerous one in the room. This week, host Bethany Amanda is joined by Mythic Mic team member Amara for a fun, honest, and wildly inspiring conversation with bestselling author Addie Thorley about Burn the Kingdom Down, a YA romantasy murder mystery filled with revenge, sisterhood, plant magic, political tension, enemies-to-lovers banter, feminine rage, and one princess determined to uncover the truth. Addie shares her long and winding path to publication, from writing in a dental office between patient check-ins to surviving years of rejections, multiple agents, unsold books, pandemic delays, motherhood, and the terrifying choice to bet on herself and the stories she believed in. She opens up about writing many books before her debut, leaving an agent who did not share her vision, finding the right creative partner, and the surreal experience of seeing Burn the Kingdom Down become a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. The conversation also dives into Burn the Kingdom Down, where Princess Indira lives in a kingdom of farmers and carries the rare ability to grow a magical plant that sustains her people’s economy. When her older sister is sent to a neighboring kingdom as a captive bride and dies under mysterious circumstances, Indira takes her place, marries the same prince, and enters enemy territory determined to find out who killed her sister. 👑 What happens when a princess becomes a bride to investigate a murder? 🌿 Can plant magic save a kingdom caught in a political chokehold? 🔥 And what if the enemy prince is not nearly as terrible as she expected? Whether you love revenge stories, sister bonds, morally gray love interests, murder mysteries, enemies-to-lovers tension, banter, plant magic, or heroines who learn to stop living in someone else’s shadow, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and so many reasons to add Burn the Kingdom Down to your TBR. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT: ✨ Writing in unexpected places, including a dental office and the LA Fitness parking lot. ✨ Why carving out writing time often means getting creative with the margins of real life. ✨ Addie’s long path to publication, including Pitch Wars, querying, agents, submission, and the terrifying courage of walking away when a creative relationship is not the right fit. ✨ Writing Burn the Kingdom Down during the pandemic and navigating deadlines while raising tiny children. ✨ Addie’s advice for aspiring authors, including separating the art of writing from the business of publishing. ✨ Getting your butt in the chair and shoveling sand so you can later build castles. ✨ Burn the Kingdom Down as a YA romantasy murder mystery mashup. ✨ Feminine rage, revenge, sisterhood, political secrets, and a heroine ready to burn the kingdom down. ✨ Plant-based magic, pandemic plant obsessions, and building a kingdom of farmers. ✨ Writing fantasy for readers who may not think they like fantasy. ✨ Layering murder mystery clues, red herrings, twists, and reveals into a romantasy world. ✨ Indira’s journey from living in her sister’s shadow to trusting her own voice. ✨ The possibility of bonus content, deleted epilogues, and future stories in the Burn the Kingdom Down world. CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic [https://www.instagram.com/mythicmic/] 👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland [https://www.instagram.com/bethanyinfantasyland/] 👤 Amara – @Bored_Military_Wife [https://www.instagram.com/bored_military_wife/] 📚 Addie Thorley – @AddieThorley [https://www.instagram.com/addiethorley/] ✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.

S.2 Ep. 78: A Fae King, A Deadly Labyrinth, and A Hunting Shadow: Shaylin Gandhi on Hunted by the Fae King's Shadow

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where fairy tales get twisted, labyrinths hide more than just monsters, and sometimes the most dangerous thing you can do is discover what you actually want. This week, Co-Host Sara Santillan sits down with author Shaylin Gandhi to talk about her upcoming romantasy Hunted by the Fae King’s Shadow. This is a lush, seductive, and subversive story inspired by Labyrinth, where a proper princess is forced into a world that challenges everything she thought she knew about herself. From the very beginning, this conversation blends honesty, humor, and the reality of building a writing career—from dreaming of being an author at five years old to navigating rejection, losing an agent, and ultimately landing a traditional publishing deal. Shaylin shares what it actually takes to survive the industry and why stubbornness might be one of the most important traits a writer can have.  We dive into the heart of Hunted by the Fae King’s Shadow, where a princess is given an impossible choice: marry the fae king or survive his labyrinth. But this isn’t just a story about survival—it’s about transformation. As she navigates the labyrinth, hunted and tested at every turn, she begins to question the life she’s been told to want and whether the version of herself she’s been performing is who she truly is. We also explore Shaylin’s broader work, from emotionally intense romantasy like Once Charmed, Twice Cursed and The Nightmare Bride to her perspective on writing flawed, complex heroines who challenge expectations instead of fitting neatly inside them. 🌹 What happens when the life you’ve been taught to want isn’t actually yours? 🗝️ What do you do when desire and duty collide? 🖤 And who are you when no one is there to tell you who to be? This is a must-listen for romantasy readers, lovers of dark fairytale retellings, and anyone who wants stories that feel as emotionally real as they are magical. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:  ✨ Shaylin’s journey from medicine to full-time author. ✨ Getting dropped by an agent and coming back stronger. ✨ Why rejection eventually stops hurting (and starts helping). ✨ Hunted by the Fae King’s Shadow and its Labyrinth-inspired premise.  ✨ The emotional core: identity, desire, and self-permission.  ✨ Writing flawed heroines with deeply rooted misbeliefs.  ✨ The Immortal Hunters collection and “hunt or be hunted” theme.  ✨ Why romantasy is such a powerful space for women’s stories.  ✨ Sexy goblins, fan art (!!), and the moment you know a character works.  CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic [https://www.instagram.com/mythicmic/] 👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland [https://www.instagram.com/bethanyinfantasyland/] 👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill [https://www.instagram.com/the_magical_quill/] 📚 Shaylin Ghandi – @AuthorShaylinGandhi [https://www.instagram.com/authorshaylingandhi/] ✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.

S.2 Ep. 77: ACOTAR Meets The Bachelorette With Sentient Shadows: Anna Applegate and Helen Domico on Blooms of Darkness

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where marriage trials are never simple, shadow daddies come with complications, and sometimes the shadows have a mind of their own. This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with writing duo Anna Applegate and Helen Domico to discuss their romantasy series, Blooms of Darkness, a darkly addictive story filled with marriage trials, fae politics, enemies to lovers to enemies, found family, mental health representation, and sentient shadows that may just steal the entire show. Anna and Helen share how they went from college friends to co-authors, reconnecting through the bookish world and eventually deciding to write a series together. They open up about their chaotic co-writing process, how they blend their voices into one seamless story, and why writing with your best friend can bring back the joy, excitement, and creative spark of storytelling. The conversation also dives into Blooms of Darkness, which the authors pitch as ACOTAR meets The Bachelorette, with marriage trials told from the perspective of the woman whose hand is being fought for. Anna and Helen discuss the high-stakes world, the heroine's lack of magic, the darkness spreading through the world, the suitors competing for power, and the found family that becomes just as important as the romance. 🌑 What happens when a princess without magic must marry someone powerful enough to protect the throne? 🔥 Can a marriage competition survive fae politics, dangerous suitors, and enemies-to-lovers tension? 🖤 And what if the shadow daddy’s shadows are just as obsessed as he is? Whether you love romantasy, forced proximity, morally gray love interests, fantasy politics, found family, or shadows that deserve their own point of view, this episode is chaotic, hilarious, and absolutely made for your TBR. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT: ✨ How Anna and Helen met, reconnected, and became co-authors. ✨ Writing a book with your best friend and embracing creative chaos. ✨ Their color-coded co-writing process and how they blend two voices into one. ✨ The “why not?” mindset that shaped their publishing journey. ✨ Building a street team, connecting with Bookstagrammers, and finding community. ✨ The business side of indie publishing, contracts, taxes, LLCs, and all the unexpected details. ✨ The Everheart Book Box special edition of Blooms of Darkness. ✨ How Blooms of Darkness became ACOTAR meets The Bachelorette. ✨ Enemies to lovers to enemies, platonic friendships, found family, mental health rep, and morally gray shadow daddies. ✨ The sentient shadows in book two and why they became characters of their own. ✨ Writing bonus scenes, shadow point of view, and deliciously unhinged romantasy moments. ✨ What readers can expect from the full trilogy and the authors’ upcoming work. 🌑 Plus: bar brainstorming sessions, criminal justice chaos, special edition book love, shadow play art, magical weapons, rapid-fire madness, and why every author duo needs one cautious planner and one “why not?” friend. CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic [https://www.instagram.com/mythicmic/] 👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland [https://www.instagram.com/bethanyinfantasyland/] 👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill [https://www.instagram.com/the_magical_quill/] 📚 Anna Applegate & Helen Domico – @AuthorAnnaApplegate [https://www.instagram.com/authorannaapplegate/] and @AuthorHelenDomico [https://www.instagram.com/authorhelendomico/] ✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.