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

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.

S.2 Ep. 76: Marching Band, Dungeons & Dragons, and a Rivalry Years in the Making: Kristy Boyce on Rolls and Rivalry

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where first loves deserve second chances, high school drama is never truly left behind, and sometimes the greatest adventure begins with a roll of the dice. This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with bestselling YA romance author Kristy Boyce for a nostalgic, hilarious, and delightfully nerdy conversation about Rolls and Rivalry, the newest installment in her beloved Quest for Love series. If you love rivals-to-lovers romance, marching band chaos, Dungeons & Dragons, and stories filled with heart, humor, and geeky joy, this episode is for you. Kristy shares her journey from childhood Barbie fanfiction writer to traditionally published author, opening up about the long road to publication, finding the right agent, and building a career writing the kinds of stories she wished she'd had growing up. As a social psychology professor, she also discusses how her fascination with identity, relationships, and personal growth naturally finds its way into her books. We dive into Rolls and Rivalry, a YA rom-com centered on Hazel, a competitive color guard captain determined to make her senior year unforgettable. When her former childhood friend Max joins marching band and immediately turns everything into a competition, old feelings and unresolved tensions quickly resurface. What follows is a rivals-to-lovers story packed with marching band antics, D&D adventures, and plenty of emotional growth. ⚡ What happens when your biggest rival is also your first friend? 🩸 Can competition bring two people together instead of tearing them apart? 🔥 And what if the perfect campaign isn't the one happening at the game table? This is a must-listen for YA romance readers, D&D fans, marching band kids, and anyone who still believes first love stories never go out of style. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT: ✨ Kristy's journey from aspiring writer to bestselling author. ✨ Balancing writing, teaching, and family life. ✨ The inspiration behind Rolls and Rivalry. ✨ Marching band, color guard, and bringing personal experiences into fiction. ✨ Why Dungeons & Dragons continues to connect readers and writers. ✨ Rivals-to-lovers romance and childhood friends reconnecting. ✨ Writing clean YA romance and slow-burn relationships. ✨ The growing popularity of gaming culture in books. ✨ Behind-the-scenes realities of traditional publishing. ✨ Barnes & Noble exclusives and seeing your books in stores. ✨ The Quest for Love series and its interconnected standalones. ✨ What's coming next from Kristy. 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/] 📚 Kristy Boyce – @Kristylboyce [https://www.instagram.com/kristylboyce/?hl=en] ✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.