The Fantasy Grimoire

Spoiler Warnings: Their Series, The Sundered Realms Universe & The Kindred Curse SagaMeeting Parker and Bree was genuinely one of the coolest moments of my podcasting journey — and a powerful reminder of what true creative friendship can accomplish. Inspired by a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, these two co-authors have an effortless way of building a shared vision and finding compromise when the story demands it.They talk about the power readers hold — especially how word of mouth can change an author’s entire trajectory — and Parker gives us a glimpse into her author-artist perspective. We also get the official pronunciations for some of their character and series names, and they even confirm a few of my theories about the Ascended.We dive into why they took a different approach to crafting their trials when writing The Ascended, how that choice shaped the uniqueness of the story, and if their readers have caught all the Easter Eggs they’ve left throughout the books…which now means I need to reread the entire series.You can find Parker on Instagram here and Bree on Instagram here.

Shari joins me to unpack the journey of creating her first fantasy series—how the story refused to let her go even when life got messy, and how the worlds we build can evolve right alongside us. We dive into her world-building philosophy, the unexpected challenges that come with it, and why reading remains one of the most powerful tools an author has to level up their craft.We talk about staying open to inspiration at any moment (and actually writing it down), whether pronunciation guides are a must in high fantasy, and why readers crave real stakes and real consequences. Shari also shares how she decides which ideas deserve a full investment of time, money, and creative energy, the power of writing the book you want to read, and her take on whether authors should include series recaps.You can find her instagram here.

When Ruth’s publishing plans didn’t go as expected, she decided to bet on herself—and it changed everything. Instead of querying, she pivoted to self-publishing, proving that sometimes the indie route isn’t a fallback, it’s creative freedom. It gave her the chance to tell her story her way, without fitting into traditional molds.Ruth gives us a peek into her intricate world and magic system, and we talk about her friends genius idea of using book clubs as beta readers—petition to make that a thing! We also chat about the constant tug-of-war with perfectionism as indie authors and learning when to finally hit “publish.”She shares her thoughts on what makes an unforgettable enemies-to-lovers story, the double standards that still exist in publishing, and how she’s layered her Latina heritage and complex relationship with religion into her work. Through it all, Ruth’s journey is a reminder that trusting yourself as an author can be the most powerful decision you make.You can find Ruth's Instagram here.

AI might be shaking up the creative world—but not always for the better. But thankfully, it seems like protections are starting to be put in place to guard human creativity.Megan joins me to share her journey into audiobook narration—a dream that didn’t come easy. She failed the first time, tried again, and made it happen. Her story is the perfect reminder that failure isn’t the end—it’s where the learning begins.We talk about intimacy coordinators and why they’re more vital than ever, plus what it really means to set boundaries in an industry that thrives on saying yes. From scarcity mindsets to self-worth, Megan keeps it refreshingly real.She also pulls back the curtain on audiobook production—from choosing which stories to narrate to the surprising costs behind every finished product.A must-listen for anyone chasing their creative dream (and needing a reminder that it’s okay to try again).Content/Spoiler Warnings: It Ends With Us, Reign (TV Series)You can find Megan on Instagram here.

Spoiler Warning: ManacledCat is an unpublished fantasy author whose debut series began with a dream and turned into something much bigger. We chat about treating characters like real people, turning trauma into stories of healing, and navigating the wild world of writing your first book.She shares her thoughts on when to start building your author platform, the importance of community, and finding balance between writing, marketing, and actually living. Imposter syndrome? We’ve all been there—and we talk about how we try to move through it.As the host of the Storytelling Sirens Podcast, she’s all about keeping creativity alive and giving authors a voice. We also get into industry double standards, fan fiction ethics (and why you can’t profit off it!), and why she chose self-publishing over traditional.You can find Cat's Instagram page here.