Sam’s got an impressive backlist, a passion for storytelling, and a big heart for the indie author community. In this episode, we talk about what it’s like to shift from writing under a pen name to owning your voice with your real name. Her advice? If you’re scared, do it anyway.

Sam doesn’t believe in failure—only learning. She follows her passion, writes what she loves, and has built a recognizable brand by doing just that. From her love of Teen Wolf (both the ‘80s and the reboot) to her bittersweet goodbye to the werewolf series she adores, we chat about writing less popular subgenres, embracing sustainability in your career, and what it really feels like to finish a series.

We also dive into the inspiration behind her own podcast and why she’s committed to sharing everything she’s learned as an indie author. Breaking the algorithm may feel impossible, but Sam reminds us: community and visibility matter.

Her next series? Think The Craft meets teen rebellion, soaked in magic and nostalgia for the Buffy, Charmed, and Angel era we all still crave.

You can find her on Instagram here.

If you’ve followed Ve for any length of time, you’ve seen the real-life romance unfolding between her and Tony—it’s a love story worthy of its own novel. Like many of us, Ve joined the community because her friends didn’t share her reading tastes—and what she found was a space full of connection, authenticity, and lifelong friendships.

In this episode, we talk about how Ve sets bold goals, pushes herself outside of her comfort zone, and has built a bookish brand that includes services for authors and co-creating a book tour company. She reminds us that we shouldn’t be afraid to put ourselves out there - we’re only competing with the person we were yesterday.

We also chat about her predictions for the book space, including her Throne of Glass predictions (will we finally learn what Lorcan did?!), how traditional publishing is eyeing the indie space, and why representation matters—paired with the responsibility to educate yourself and do the work.

You can find here on Instagram here.

Spoiler warning for the Kindred Curse Saga

Romantasy rekindled Evelyn’s love for reading, but after making her way through the typical Romantasy books, they decided to create the stories they wanted to see more of. Enter: feminine rage, morally complex characters, and fierce independence. It’s a brand they wear proudly.

After getting some interest while querying, Evelyn chose to go indie for one major reason: retaining control of their story. In this episode, we unpack why they made that call, what it’s really like navigating indie publishing, and the thoughtful decision behind writing under a pen name. We also talk about the growing problem of book pirating in the author world, and Evelyn shares their take—plus ethical ways to access free books that actually support creators.

This is an episode for anyone reclaiming their voice, writing with purpose, and building the career they truly want. You can connect with her here.

Let’s be honest—we could’ve just called this the Bonnie Bennett Appreciation Episode. Sim and I go full fangirl over The Vampire Diaries (Damon + Bonnie forever, IYKYK), and we dig into how more urban fantasy authors are using iconic TV shows as comps for their books. Warning: spoilers ahead for The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Legendborn!

Sim shares how embracing his love for TVD helped him let go of old biases—and why representation should never feel forced. We talk about the importance of centering main characters from marginalized backgrounds, not just sticking them in as sidekicks.

One of the most meaningful parts of this episode? Connecting over our shared South African heritage and seeing how a dual heritage shows up more and more on Bookstagram. We all have more in common than we realise.

We also dive into Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn series and how it’s reshaped modern urban fantasy, plus the difference between morally white, grey, and black characters—and why readers deserve more nuanced women characters (stop giving men all the passes, Nesta discourse incoming!)

This one’s full of hot takes, heart, and a whole lot of supernatural love.

Aileen is a bit of a rockstar in my eyes. She went indie back in 2012—before it was cool—and never looked back. In this episode, we talk about why she chose the indie route over traditional publishing, why she’s sticking with it, and how her research and backlist-building helped her create a sustainable full-time author career (AKA the dream for most indies!).

I was a huge fan before I ever hit “record,” so you can imagine how thrilled I was when she said yes to being on the show! We bond over our love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and Aileen shares how a misunderstanding during her MFA led to the creation of her popular Alpha Girl series.

We also dig into the real side of author life—setting boundaries (especially when people don’t treat writing like a “real job”), balancing full-time work with being a mom, and the wild ride of producing audiobooks. Plus, Aileen discusses her inspiration for her Days of Iron and Clay series-a gritty, magical series she describes as “a female John Constantine”—inspired by her dual heritage.

You can view Aileen's website with all her information here.

Gretchen’s got Swiftie energy, purple hair, and a passion for storytelling—and in this episode, we get into all of it. We chat about how her dual heritage influences her writing and why authentic representation in fantasy matters to her.

After publishing her debut in 2012, life happened: marriage, kids, an ADHD diagnosis (not necessarily in that order); and this led to an unexpected hiatus from both reading and writing. But with the break, she eventually found her way back to reading, and with that, her passion to write again. Her journey is a reminder that taking a break isn’t the end… it’s just a plot twist. We also talk about the behind-the-scenes grind that doesn’t always make it to social media, especially around her latest release, Smoke & Scar. Gretchen keeps it real—and we love her for it.

If you want to connect with Gretchen, you can follow her here.

If there’s one thing I took away from my conversation with Jordan, it’s just how much attention to detail goes into the worldbuilding of epic fantasy—often long before a single word is written. What began as inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons Campaign has grown into the immersive world of her Nightmare Novellas.

Like many of us, Jordan started writing because she had a story to tell. But she quickly discovered that the publishing world can sometimes feel like a numbers game. Still, she’s determined not to let that take the joy out of her process. Instead, she taps into her passions—like her love for the band Sleep Token—and we talk about how that connection weaves into her stories and helps attract the right readers.

Jordan is currently earning her master’s degree in English, and chats to us about how she made the leap into academia, how it’s impacted her writing, and even gives me a crash course in second-person POV.

If you want to connect with Jordan, follow her here and reach out to her. She would love to chat!

If there’s one thing I learned from this conversation with Kate, it’s that allowing yourself to dream is something we should all do more often—because when we do, we’re able to achieve incredible things.

When I first started working with Kate, it was under stressful circumstances, but now, a year later, she’s one of the best things to happen to me in my author journey. And I know I’m not the only one—several of her clients feel the same way.

Editor-author relationships are a lot like a marriage: behind every successful author, there’s often an amazingly supportive editor. With authenticity at the core of her values, Kate’s priority is always supporting an author’s vision while providing the editing guidance they need. Her approach is flexible, adaptable, and deeply rooted in partnership.

We also dive into the importance of setting boundaries in business, the realities behind editing rates, and the reminder that while editing is an investment, editors are simply trying to earn a livable wage. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, it’s a conversation we need to keep having and creating awareness for.

If you want to connect with Kate, you can find her Instagram page here.