Stacey McEwan - A Forbidden Alchemy | A Dear Fantasy Author Interview

Summary

Dear Fantasy Reader Podcast: Interview with Stacey McEwan - "A Forbidden Alchemy"

Release Date: July 17, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of Dear Fantasy Reader, hosts Hannah, Kinsey, and Carly engage in an in-depth interview with Stacey McEwan, the acclaimed author of the romantic fantasy novel "A Forbidden Alchemy". Described by listeners as a "deep dive book club with your besties," this podcast episode delves into the intricacies of Stacey's latest work, exploring her inspirations, writing process, and the complex magic system she crafted for her captivating world.

Author’s Background and Inspiration

Stacey McEwan opens up about her journey from being a primary school teacher in Australia to a full-time author. She shares, “[...] I switched to this a couple of years ago. I sort of was discovered, I guess is the best word to use on social media” (03:40).

Inspiration Behind "A Forbidden Alchemy": Stacey draws heavily from historical fiction and her admiration for the gritty atmosphere of "Peaky Blinders." She explains, “I adored Peaky Blinders, which is not set in the Victorian era, set post-war, but it still very much has that grittiness” (22:43). This blend of historical grit with magical elements forms the backbone of her novel, creating a unique and immersive world.

Book Overview and World-Building

Elevator Pitch: Stacey provides a succinct overview of "A Forbidden Alchemy": “There’s a world that’s divided between the magical and the non-magical. I call them artisans and craftsmen. Our two main characters, Patrick and Nina, meet for the first time at 12 years old and uncover a devastating national secret that sets off a revolution” (05:32).

Magic System: The magic system in Stacey's world is meticulously designed, with roles such as artisans (Earth Charmer, Fire Charmer, etc.), masons, smiths, cutters, and scribblers. Stacey elaborates, “the magic system was really... it's hard to believe that that particular FMC was able to take out the strongest warrior... because she was born and raised in this really hostile, terrifying, dog-eat-dog environment” (15:04).

Writing Process and Character Development

From Plotter to Hybrid: Initially a meticulous plotter, Stacey has shifted to a hybrid approach for this book. She states, “I do plot. I know how the story is going to end... but getting from A to B is now a little bit more up in the air for me” (18:37). This flexibility has allowed her to infuse more spontaneity and depth into her storytelling.

Character Insights: Stacey shares her favorite character to write, Patrick Coulson, describing him as “morally bankrupt” yet “loyal and empathetic” within his family (36:36). She also reflects on her own influences, likening Theo’s character development to real-life experiences with her sister.

Release Day Anxiety and Coping Mechanisms

Stacey candidly discusses the emotional rollercoaster leading up to a book release. “[...] two days before release and I start to imagine that everything’s going to go wrong” (06:51). To manage anxiety, she has adopted strategies like avoiding social media and spending time with family to regain a sense of normalcy post-release.

Cliffhanger and Reader Reactions

Brutal Cliffhanger: Stacey acknowledges the intense reaction to the book's cliffhanger ending. She shares her initial underestimation of its impact: “I truly didn’t think that it was that bad of a cliffhanger” (65:41). The overwhelming responses have validated her intent to leave readers on the edge of their seats.

Swifty Mania: Taylor Swift Segment

In a fun twist, hosts incorporate a Swifty Mania segment, aligning Taylor Swift songs with characters from "A Forbidden Alchemy." Stacey participates enthusiastically, revealing her favorite Taylor Swift album is "Speak Now," and her top song is "Loss of My Life" (74:24). This segment highlights the cultural intersections between fantasy literature and contemporary music fandoms.

Trivia Challenge: Are You Smarter Than a Fangirl?

The episode features a rapid-fire trivia segment where Stacey and the hosts test each other’s knowledge of "A Forbidden Alchemy." Stacey impressively answers questions about the magic system, character details, and plot points, showcasing her deep familiarity with her own work.

Reader’s Letter and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with a heartfelt Reader's Letter expressing appreciation for Stacey’s ability to blend chaos, emotion, and intricate world-building. Stacey thanks the hosts for their kind words and shares her excitement for future projects, promising more captivating stories and deeper lore in the forthcoming books.

Notable Quote: “Thank you for creating complex characters who persevere mostly because you refuse to let them catch a break” (93:52) – Reader's Letter.

Conclusion

This episode of Dear Fantasy Reader offers an intimate glimpse into Stacey McEwan’s creative mind, her passion for building a richly textured fantasy world, and her dedication to storytelling that resonates deeply with readers. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her work, this interview provides valuable insights and sets the stage for the eagerly anticipated continuation of the Empyrean series.

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For more details, quotes, and timestamps, refer to the show notes linked below.

Transcript

[Stacy McEwan]

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[Hannah]

Dearest Fantasy Readers, welcome to our Dear Fantasy Author interview, where we get to talk with the brilliant minds behind our favorite Romantasy novels. I'm Hannah.

[Kinsey]

I'm Kinsey.

[Carly]

And I'm Carly.

[Hannah]

Today we are chatting with Stacy McEwan, author of the romantic fantasy A Forbidden Alchemy, which just released on July 1st.

[Carly]

The first portion of this episode will be spoiler free, but we will be diving into spoilers in the second half before our bonus segments. Swifty Mania, Are youe Smarter Than a Fangirl? Trivia, and the Reader's Letter to Close. You can find the timestamps for each section down in the show notes.

[Kinsey]

Due to the nature of this book, this podcast is rated R for content and language. If you'd like to watch this episode ad free and full video or audio only. If you would prefer, it's available now on Patreon. And we've dropped that link in the show notes as well.

[Hannah]

I'm so excited. Everyone, please welcome Stacy McKeown.

[Kinsey]

Thank you so much for joining us. We're so excited.

[Carly]

Excitement isn't even a word. I can't contain this.

[Stacy McEwan]

Thanks for having me. I'm so happy to be here.

[Hannah]

Can y' all believe Stacey's saying that? No. Okay, one word. We are so unbelievably excited. Trying to play it cool here. We're gonna start with an icebreaker. It's not. It's not successful. It's fine. So we are huge Romantasy fangirls. What is one thing, book related or not, that you are an unashamed fangirl of? And there are no wrong answers.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, shoot. Okay. I really, really love Second Chance romance and Friends to Lovers more than I like enemies to lovers. Ooh. And I think that's quite controversial in our romantic community. Right. Because we're like, live and die enemies to lovers fans usually, if you like Romantasy. But though I actually prefer those tropes more than I prefer Enemies to lovers.

[Kinsey]

They're great tropes.

[Carly]

Yeah. I love a Second chance.

[Stacy McEwan]

Me too. Sometimes we're scorned for that. Yeah. I love a redemption arc as well. We're Sometimes for that we're like, oh.

[Hannah]

Thanks God for redemption.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, just so. Just so you know, we're unpopular for that opinion.

[Kinsey]

Can you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself?

[Stacy McEwan]

Well, I'm an Australian author. I live in a place called the Gold Coast. I have a husband, two kids. My previous vacation was actually as a primary school teacher. But this is like the best job that I know how to do and get paid for being, like, mentally unwell. And so I switched to this a couple of years ago. I sort of was discovered, I guess is the best word to use on social media. But I was writing books for more than a decade before that, just badly and with no success or attention. And then suddenly I was writing them with a little bit of success and attention. So the switch up happened quite literally within a couple of months. And now I'm doing this full time.

[Kinsey]

And we're so grateful for that.

[Hannah]

Yeah, very much so. Me too.

[Stacy McEwan]

Me too.

[Carly]

This is a mutually beneficial situation.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, hell yeah. Yeah. I've been in a classroom recently, but it's like being in a war zone. So here's so much karma.

[Carly]

Both my sisters are teachers, so I hear some crazy stories, that's for sure.

[Stacy McEwan]

Bless them. They're in my thoughts and prayers.

[Carly]

They'll appreciate that.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Carly]

If you had to sum up a Forbidden Alchemy for a brand new reader.

[Stacy McEwan]

What would you say the short one liner is? That it's like Peaky Blinders but with corrupt magic dealings. And the elevator pitch, though, is a little longer. Would you like that as well? Because I see.

[Hannah]

Spring it up.

[Stacy McEwan]

I've like practiced it, I promise you. I've said this in the mirror about 50 times and I've practiced it and I'm pretty proud of the delivery because usually what would happen is someone would say, can you give us a synopsis of the book really quick? Or can you give an elevator pitch? And then I just say, no.

[Hannah]

We would have accepted that.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, either that or I get the book and then I just flip it over and I'm like, here's the back, let me hold it up to the camera. Because I just blank. And I'm like, I don't remember what I wrote about. But the elevator pitch for Forbidden Alchemy is there's a world that's divided between the magical and the non magical. I call them artisans and craftsmen. And our two main characters, Patrick and Nina, meet for the first time at 12 years old and at a siphoning ceremony that will determine which they will become. They uncover a very devastating national Secret instead, that sets off the first ripples of what will become a revolution and separates Nina and Patrick where they will never see each other again. Except they do see each other again as adults now. And they're on opposite sides of a raging and long lasting class war that they themselves accidentally started as children.

[Kinsey]

That was great.

[Carly]

That is perfect.

[Stacy McEwan]

Thank you. Thank you. It was like a lot of practice and a lot of honing and now I can say it out loud in front of people, which is great.

[Kinsey]

We could tell it was perfect.

[Hannah]

Yeah, no, it was great.

[Stacy McEwan]

Thank you, Kinsey. That was very. I knew you guys would compliment me for that.

[Kinsey]

Of course, of course.

[Hannah]

Prepare all throughout this episode will be nothing but compliments. Yeah.

[Kinsey]

So a forbidden alchemy is out in the world tomorrow. How are you feeling about this?

[Stacy McEwan]

I am descending into the first circles of madness like as we speak, which is very normal for me. I have this common practice. But the great thing is that this is my fourth release and so I know I have more self awareness now of what's happening to me. But generally what happens is the week before I'm feeling super confident, everything's going really well. I'm being very kind to myself and everything's on track. Right. And I'm feeling good. And then I hit two days before release and I start to imagine that everything's going to go wrong. And I read into everything. I obsessively check anything that I can check online on social media, I will check rankings on random retail websites. I do everything that you're not supposed to do as an author.

[Hannah]

Coming out like torture.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, well, I think I'm really looking for validation that I'm in fact correct and it's all like crumbling down around me. So I think I'm searching for proof that I'm smarter than all the people that are telling me it's going well. I think that's what's happening because I do in fact have like a great support system and a lot of people around me going, everything's great. Like everything's on track. You have nothing to worry about. Just enjoy. And I'm like, bullshit. And then I go looking for like all the reasons why they're wrong. So I know that I do that now. So I haven't done that this time. That's the great news. I've looked at nothing. I've even stopped looking at things that I might tagged on on social media because that can be very gray area, very like dangerous territory.

[Hannah]

And it's difficult to know if you're.

[Stacy McEwan]

In like Ally or enemy territory online sometimes. So it's just best to kind of stay. Stay away. So I'm doing that. And then usually on release day, I completely zone my. Like, I. I cut myself off from everyone other than my immediate family, and I sit in my home and stare at a wall. Or again, just kind of. That's like the bottom circle of. Of madness for me, where I'm just like, this is terrible. I'm terrible. Everything's terrible, and something really horrible happens. I've talked about this to many authors before. Something really terrible happens on an author's release day, which is shocking and unexpected, and you don't know what's coming until you're an author who releases a book. And that thing is that the world keeps turning on release day, and people carry on with their lives as though something cataclysmic hasn't just happened. And that's always quite shocking to kind of release a book and then be like, why are you guys going to work? It's released.

[Hannah]

It's like, kind of a big deal.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. And then, like, my kids are like, are you gonna make us breakfast? I'm like, unfortunately for you, it's release day. Like, I don't. Why does everyone still need things from me? Why is my phone ringing? Like, why are people leaving their houses? I don't understand. And so it's always, like, quite a shock that the world has, in fact, just like, continued on while you're in what feels like hell. Because all of the anticipation and all the buildup and all the work, and it feels very. And when it's something that you're incredibly passionate about, and it's the thing that you love to do, and you've built up your entire work life around this thing, it feels like the most important thing in the world, and it's actually not. And then the day after release day, I wake up and I. I'm a normal person again. And I'm like, oh, wait, actually, I'm not the only person in the world. And that is not all that important. It's just a book, and it's okay that the world has continued on, and thank God for it. And now I will go and join the rest of the world and be a productive member of society and return to, like, a sense of normalcy and. And then I mellow out and everything's fine. And I think it's just that release day has come and gone and the world hasn't imploded, and nothing terrible happened, and it's all good. So that's my process. Thank you so much for asking that question. I bet you weren't expecting that life changing answer. But I'm doing much better. We're two days out now and I'm actually feeling good and I'm just staying away from everything. And I'm not trying to like intentionally sabotage my own sanity, which, you know, good for me. Growth.

[Carly]

Well, if it helps, on release day, I'm going to be simultaneously listening to the audiobook even though I've already read it, because I cannot wait for the audiobook while waiting next to my mailbox for my pre order to show up.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, Kali, I love you for that.

[Hannah]

Thank you. Do you have like one thing on release day that is your favorite? Why at this point you would have had your hands on the pretty sprayed edges? Because I've seen your TikTok.

[Stacy McEwan]

Well, I think so. I haven't had the hardback yet. Like the US Deluxe Edition. I haven't seen it in the flesh. I've seen the Australian, which is the trade paperback and it has beautiful sprayed edges as well. It's very, very pretty. So I have a box of those. They arrived on my doorstep last week, which is really cool. But it would be great to see the US Deluxe Edition. I'm really looking forward to getting that. I don't know when I will get it. Maybe that would be like a great release day treat for me if it turned up on my doorstep and it might just do that. So yeah, maybe we're going to manifest.

[Hannah]

For you because we also can't wait.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, me too. So I'll also be sitting at my letterbox. Carly, just like, please show up. Please show up. Yeah, I just try to get myself out of the house on release day. And this year release day falls on school holidays. So my two kids are at home, which is great because they definitely want to get out of the house too, so. And they're really good at bullying me into the car and out to parks and to the beach or to wherever. So we'll find somewhere to go. We'll probably end up at the beach if it's not raining. And you know, it's my version of touching grass.

[Kinsey]

Ocean therapy.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Carly]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

You kind of already touched on our next question. It was about the fact that you finished your first manuscript at 18 and we were going to ask you to share a little bit about your writing journey, which if there's anything else you'd like to expand on that you didn't already. But really we wanted to give Carly a chance to fangirl Over Ledge.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay.

[Hannah]

Truth be told. So Carly put me on the spot here.

[Carly]

I guess I'm just. I don't want to give any spoilers for Ledge, because they have not had a chance to read it yet. They got. We got a Forbidden Alchemy. And they. I was like, oh, y' all gotta read Ledge next. So that's. Incoming. Quickly.

[Stacy McEwan]

I've started it.

[Carly]

But I just want to know, like, I am so curious about what inspired Ledge, because I started reading Ledge. It's absolutely incredible. It's the book I tell everybody. I'm like, it's one of my favorite fantasy books. It's one of my favorite trilogies of all time. It's the only trilogy I've rated five.

[Hannah]

Stars for every single book.

[Carly]

It's absolutely perfect. Book one, the trauma that you put on people, and you know what I'm talking about. But I'm not going to spoil it for them of that ending. The way my husband and I were.

[Hannah]

Reading this book together.

[Carly]

And my husband never reads a book faster than me. And I can tell you that my husband has read a book faster than me twice. And it was Ledge, and it was.

[Hannah]

Chasm, and it was the only two.

[Carly]

Books he's ever finished before me.

[Hannah]

And he.

[Carly]

He called me at work. He finishes Ledge while I'm at work. And he's like, where's Book two?

[Hannah]

Where's Book two?

[Carly]

And I'm like, what are you talking about? And he's like, I need the book. The next book after Ledge. Where is it? I'm like, it's on my bookshelf. And he's like, where on your bookshelf? And I'm like, oh, my gosh. It's next to Defy the Night.

[Hannah]

What is going on?

[Carly]

He's like, you'll understand when you read it. And I'm like, okay. And then I read it, and I'm.

[Hannah]

Like, how did people wait for book two?

[Carly]

And I was like, this is unbelievable. I don't know how people waited for book Two, but that ending was the best cliffhanger I have ever read. It was amazing. But I am so curious what inspired. I know we're talking about the world of forbidden Alchemy, but what inspired that world?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, I woke up with this girl in the snow, basically, like, that image in my head, like, this girl in the snow. But she looked like she belonged there. She looked like she was very much hewn in that sort of environment. And I think it came off the back end of me just reading and watching movies and things that all had A similar theme. And the theme was this survival of the wilderness type thing. Like this very. Like, I'd watched documentaries, and then we went on a Survivor binge. And then I had read a couple of books where that was sort of. The plot was like, we have to survive. The elements, like, the environment around it. And I really wanted to have a go at doing that, but in a fantasy setting. And then I had this vision of this girl and this woman standing in the snow holding an ax. And I was like, I don't know why she has the ax, but I'll find a reason for why she might need it. And that ax became, like an extension of her, really, which I found really cool along the way. But I just knew that I really, really wanted to have a go at that trope, if it is, in fact, a trope.

[Carly]

Well, that's exactly what it felt like. Like just intense survival.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. Yeah. And I liked the idea of it not being that a person was trying to endure survival on many facets. And it wasn't just people who are like an enemy or something, as some great big dark shadow of an enemy hovering over the plot at all times might descend at any moment and obliterate the mc. I liked the idea that it was actually constantly fraud, because, again, like, apparently torture is my brand. I liked the idea that it was the environment at all times as well. It was, like, most basic human needs of, like, warmth and food and. And shelter that she was battling against at all times as well. I also, like, I love a really strong, fierce fmc, but sometimes it doesn't always ring true if we don't get a good understanding of why they might be strong and fierce and how they've adopted these skills. I love a training montage as much as the next person, and I buy into things very easily. But sometimes that training montage is not enough in a story for you to go, okay, so they've gone from skinny, weak, and anemic and hasn't eaten in five days to fierce warrior who's somehow able to kill the front line of an army with her sword alone after two weeks of training. And so sometimes an author can write that really, really well and say you believe it. Sometimes it doesn't quite ring true. And it's very hard to believe that that particular FMC was able to take out the strongest warrior in the opposing army. I liked the idea that I was still riding that really strong, fierce FMC who was killing everyone bloody and taking no prisoners and could protect herself. But there was a very good reason for it, it was because she was born and raised in this really hostile, terrifying, dog eat dog environment where she didn't learn to kill other people quickly, then she was going to die. And that if she didn't learn how to survive in that wilderness quickly, then it was going to kill her. And that she was raised with other women who also taught her how to do that because they had to do the same thing. So she was very much a warrior from the outset. And I really wanted to write a story about that.

[Carly]

Yeah, that's exactly what it felt like when reading it. She was very much a product of her environment and it felt so intense and so real and like you said, like fraught. Like I can remember telling people, I'm like, I've literally never been so afraid for a character over and over and over and over again as I read that book. Like it was literally just constantly like scared. But it's so good. I need everybody to read that book immediately.

[Hannah]

Sounds like you need to be in a mentally well place. So good though.

[Stacy McEwan]

You almost always need to do that. If you're picking up one of my.

[Hannah]

Books, I think, yeah, I feel.

[Stacy McEwan]

And it's completely by accident. Yeah, it's completely by accident. I never intended to be this person. It's just kind of naturally occurred this way. But it turns out that, yeah, I think my brand might be like pain.

[Kinsey]

Well, we apparently enjoy pain, so we're.

[Carly]

Signing up for it, apparently.

[Kinsey]

All right, well, we would love to learn a little bit more about your writing process. Would you consider yourself more of a plotter or a pantser?

[Stacy McEwan]

Up until quite recently, I used to say that I was a full blown plotter and that I would meticulously plot out most of the story at the chapter level. Now I've learned to let some of that go because I found in the editing process I was then getting really tangled up in, well, but that wasn't the plan. And so like, I can't change this because it's not part of the plan. And it was a slow release of letting that like planning go for the sake of the story and the editing. But when I approached A Forbidden Alchemy, I said, I'm not going to plot at the chapter level. I'm going to provide an outline and I'm going to make sure I know where my plot beats are. But I'm not going to plan at the chapter level this time because then when I get to the editing, I don't have to have this mental war with myself where I'm like, all right, But I. That's not. That wasn't the plan. And now I'm going to have to undo all these parts. I'm just going to let that happen on its own without stewing on it and feeling like I owe something to all of those hours of planning that I put in because I felt, for some reason, very married to it. Like, I can't give up those three days of planning that I did at the chapter level. Otherwise it was all for nothing. It was really just making the whole editing process so much longer. So now I would say I'm somewhere in between. I do plot. I know how the story is going to end. I know where all the big twists are. I know where all the big development pieces are going to fall. But getting from dot to dot or getting from A to B is now a little bit more up in the air for me. So I kind of approach them one segment at a time now. But as I'm writing it, so I kind of have a look at it and think what conversations need to occur here, what pieces of dialogue need to fit in, like what character development needs to happen between these two plot beats. So. And that's been actually really, really fun. And I found writing AFA and writing the sequels has been so much more enjoyable because I've got a little bit of freedom to move in between those two points. And it's really nice.

[Hannah]

Do you do a bit of that for the entire series or book by book?

[Stacy McEwan]

For this series, I've done the first two books. I knew the outline because it's supposed to be a duology. And then I looked at the second book and went, this is going to be a like 800 page monster if I leave it as it is. And so now it's going to be a trilogy because I was sort of faced with a decision of I need to cut the story or I need to turn it into two books so that it's not one big monster of a book that's, like, taken over my life. And I thought that I'd be really unsatisfied if I had to cut everything out to make it a more sizable book. So I didn't want to do that. So I got permission to turn it into a trilogy. So now it's a trilogy. So I'm about to go into books three, and I have very, very few things plotted out at all. So I need to actually go back through now. My job now is to start outlining it more intensely because I sort of know how it's going to end and I Know where two of the plot beats are, but I don't know anything in between. I need a little bit more information for myself before I dive in. So that's going to be my job next.

[Hannah]

Does that mean that book two is fully written?

[Stacy McEwan]

It is, yeah. It's all done. Thank goodness.

[Hannah]

Oh my God.

[Stacy McEwan]

I just finished its first editorial. Pass.

[Hannah]

Congratulations.

[Stacy McEwan]

Thank you. And it was very intensive and it took a long time, I don't even know how many hours, but it was, it was six solid weeks of every waking moment sitting in front of the computer to get it done. But I got it done and my goal was to get it done before this, the release.

[Hannah]

I mean, I have to say, seven, six weeks sounds so impressive.

[Stacy McEwan]

Thank you. This is my full time job now, so I get sort of get the freedom to actually put full time hours into it, which is great. But yeah, I just, I really wanted to get that done and have that off my plate for this release so I could just focus on it. So that was the goal and I got there. Thank you.

[Carly]

Well, I'm so glad you can enjoy your release without having the edits hanging over you.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, me too. Me too.

[Carly]

You've mentioned that Peaky Blinders was part of the inspiration for a forbidden alchemy, which for those who have not seen it, is set in post World War I England and it follows the street gang. What inspired you to take the essence of that world, which you captured absolutely perfectly, and bring magic into it?

[Stacy McEwan]

I just really love Peaky Blinders, but I also, I'm a huge. I love historical fiction in any form I read historical romance, but I also just really like war fiction. And I think that probably comes from my grandfather who had like mountains of paperbacks on his shelf. And I was allowed to get any of them and read them if I wanted to. So I was reading them like well before I should have read them because they're quite gory and they really don't hold back in detail on the gore. And so I was reading that from a young age and I love it, but I also a little bit obsessed with Regency but Victorian era England and sort of like this slow shift that we see in that time period where most of the UK and Central Europe was monopolized by sort of centralized monarchies and they were slipping into this quasi capitalist democracy. And it was like a pendulum swing between one and the other. And it caused a lot of class division. And so then we saw 98% of the population. We didn't see it because we weren't there. We saw 98% of the population in England living in slum and living below the poverty line and not having their basic needs met. And for those industrialized areas really suffering from things like lack of sanitation and overcrowding and having families of 17 living in one bedroom, they were also monopolized by the churches in their parishes that told them that they should continue to have many, many, many children and that they shouldn't seek medical help. And all of that was in aid of its government, who wanted to keep those people in those industrialised slum areas and not moving away from them. So I had read a lot about that continuously, and I'd read a lot of stories set in that time period. And again, like with Ledge, kind of engrossed myself in media like that, in documentaries, in fiction works, but saw no fantasy works necessarily that emulated that. So I went looking for it and I found it in certain things. And it's quite. Sometimes it's a little bit hidden in romantasy and fantasy, but those themes and that political setup and that government setup and the relationship between government and church in that time period is still very much emulated in many romantasy books. If you look for it. I found it in Six of Crows and I found it in A few other things, and some of those were quite dystopian leading books, and I kind of really loved that as well, because it is quite a dystopian setup. So I was just so immersed in it, I think, that I had no choice. The Glacian trilogy was finishing. I'd written Valley. I was in edits for that. So I was in a point where I was like, well, what's. What's next? What am I going to write now? And I just knew that I was going to write in a world like that that was sort of emulating those vibes. And I adored Peaky Blinders, which is not set in the Victorian era, set post war, but it still very much has that grittiness. And Birmingham at the time still very much had that reek of poverty and that sort of like that divide of class. And I kind of like how the Shelby family operated. And I took sort of that Industrial revolutionized Victorian era slum England and was like, what if I put the Shelby family in that? And that the thing that they were dealing in was not drugs and was not illegal betting and bookmaking, but was actually like this magic that was very difficult to come by in those slum areas. So that was sort of the long story background information for how AFA came To be in my head before I started writing.

[Hannah]

Well, we all felt like it was incredibly unique. That's one of the things that we walked away with and we were just very appreciative of that because sometimes a lot of elements can start to kind of feel like they overlap a lot, which is. Nothing is necessarily wrong with that, but it is so refreshing to experience a book that is this level of unique.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Hannah]

We're actually going to be asking more detailed questions about this in the spoiler section, so you have a little bit more freedom there. But we would love to know how you went about building the magic system specifically in this world and what that creative process, especially with the inspiration you took from all those elements you just discussed for alchemy to bring that into the pot, essentially.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. The magic system was really. It actually took a really long time to sort of stitch together. It probably took the longest of all the plot planning. To be honest, I didn't even know what the magic was going to be. I just knew that there was going to be this family that dealt in it that like, and that used it and leveraged it to create their own little revolution, their own little industry or. And entrepreneurism in this, like, very poor world. I'd watched this documentary about mine collapse, oddly, and there was one particularly bad one that happened in Aberfam, which is in Wales, and it was post war, also Post World War I, and a mine that hadn't been properly checked over collapsed and it caused a mudslide right into the town and it buried an entire school full of children and killed everyone inside the building. And it was catastrophic and horrible and everyone inside the mines that day died. And that set up the very first sort of, I guess, description in AFA when you crack open the book. I won't go further there because that might be a spoiler, but that sort of set up the very first scene. And I was so. I was quite. I then became quite taken with the idea that the reason that these towns were impoverished were perhaps because they were mining towns. And I thought, what if this world that I'm writing is very much based on resource generation for an elite class that don't want to have to do that for themselves. And as a fantasy author does, we tend to take our FMC and go, all right, but if she has a magical power, let's make it the most garnered or, like, what's going to put the biggest target on this person's back in a world like that? So in a world that's really, really dependent on mining its resources for its magic. The biggest target you could have on your back is if you're someone who can get to those resources very quickly and without anyone dying. So I thought, what if she can bend earth like an avatar? What if she's an earthbender? That would be really cool. It's been done many times before, but I went, that would be kind of cool. In this particular setup, I don't think I've seen that before. In this particular setup, I ended up calling her an Earth Charmer. What if there was an Earth Charmer, but the only one in a world that was running very scarce on its resource and that desperately needed someone who could dig deeper and mine deeper and go further to find what was left of it? So I sort of had that construct first. That was the very first thing that came to mind. But I knew I wanted her to be sort of either the only one, or I wanted that particular ability to be very rare. And so I started. It's almost a class structure within the magic system, where it's like charmers. If you're an Earth Charmer or a fire charmer or a water charmer, you're sort of up the top. And then we have masons, which can manipulate stone and wood, and then smiths who take care of the metals and, like, any metal resource that you can think of. And then cutters, who deal in precious gems, and then scribblers, who are the riders, and therefore the lowest form of creative genius, which is just, like, I dig it myself, really. It was honestly just like an inside joke between myself and my agent. When I was discussing this with her, I was like, I'm definitely going to make scribblers, like the lowest form of artisan. She's like. I figured, but. And I just based that structure on, like, what would be most useful in this kind of world. And then lastly, I had. Well, I sort of didn't have an alchemist. I had taken this resource, which was terranium, and I'd sort of fit it in with the rest of the metals. And so I had just called that a Turanian smith and given no importance to it. So that plot structure came up much, much later in the piece where I sort of came across the option of a plot twist, some development and some deep diving into, like, but what if. What if this thing was the most. Like, that would have to be the most important thing, right? So originally in the story, I had sort of like an army of Turanian smiths who worked to siphon idiom from this rock because everyone wants it, everyone needs it. And then I was just going to have that. The terrain was scarce and, like, you know, it was running out and it was a finite resource and that the mines were emptying. And so these tyrannian siths just had, like, nothing to do. They were just sort of sitting around waiting for this rock to come in that wasn't coming in and they couldn't siphon anything. And then I thought, what if it was even worse? Let me make it worser. And so instead of it, like, just the terranium running out, what if the alchemists were running out as well? Like, what if that particular ability was incredibly rare as well? So that kind of changed it and I gave it a new name. I was like, terranium Smith is boring. They're now called alchemists, which was very fitting because they're literally siphoning magic and manipulating it. So, yeah, it's sort of all. It tumbled about very, very slowly and developed very slowly. But I also think that that's why I love it so much, was because it was such a slow burn to get and to add all the pieces in and to put the puzzle together.

[Hannah]

I have to say, and I feel like I can confidently say this on behalf of all of us as world building girlies, and we love a magic system, as you can imagine. This is absolutely fascinating to hear about. Do you want to write a book just on your world building process? Because we would read it.

[Stacy McEwan]

Sure, Absolutely. Why not?

[Kinsey]

Now, before we move on to our spoiler portion, is there anything else you would like to share for readers who are considering reading a forbidden alchemy?

[Stacy McEwan]

I would say just, like, prepare to. It's not a relaxing time. I mean, I didn't write this book in hopes that you would, like, chill out and find a cozy spot in your home and. And like, relax and smile. I. More wrote it for people who want complete and utter escapism and to forget all the woes and the troubles of their current world and to immerse in the woes and troubles of someone else's world. Yeah, And I think that's what I look for when I'm reading a book. If someone tells me that a book has hurt their feelings, then I'm like, well, then I must read it. And I don't know what that says about me or us collectively, but there's something about, like, putting aside real problems and picking up fictional ones that is actually very therapeutic to me and very cathartic. So that's what this book is about. It's not going to be a fun, easy beach read. It's going to give you anxiety, I guess, is what I'm trying to say.

[Hannah]

And it's going to be an incredible time. I know that you may not feel like you could say that. We can confidently tell everybody. It's still as much as we say that we are traumatized by books, like, we're also here for it, you know?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. I take that as a compliment as well. If someone told me that I traumatized them, I'm like, you're so welcome. Yeah, I'm glad I could bring that into your world.

[Carly]

Yeah.

[Kinsey]

I want a book to make me scream.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

If it doesn't hurt, it doesn't work.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Carly]

I can confirm when Kinsey finished the book, she literally called me, still screaming.

[Kinsey]

This is true.

[Carly]

She was not.

[Hannah]

Okay. Yeah.

[Carly]

And then we were. Yeah. And then we just talked and talked and talked about it for like two hours and. But I'm with you. I want a book to make me feel deeply. And that usually comes with a little bit of trauma.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. You can't have one without the other, unfortunately. But that makes. That's probably like the nicest thing that you could say to an author, by the way, is I love it when people go, I call my friend. And we just screamed about it and talked about it together. It makes my author heart. My black author heart happens.

[Hannah]

Alright, it's now time to move to the spoiler filled portion of the interview. So if you haven't finished A Forbidden Alchemy, this is your official cue to skip ahead to the reader's letter section using the timestamps down in the show notes. We recommend saving the episode and coming back to hear the spoiler section once you've turned the final page. We'll be here waiting. If you're pausing here, you can find the links in the show notes to grab the book in print, ebook or audio. And as always, we highly encourage you to support your favorite indie bookstores if you can. And don't worry, we fully support one more impulse buy. We've also linked Stacey's socials down in the show notes. I am so excited for this part. You've already given us so much just in the spoiler free portion. So we. We've got. We've got a lot to ask you and I'm so excited. First, we'll start off light. Who was your favorite character to spend time with while writing?

[Stacy McEwan]

Patrick Coulson Forever in a day. Yeah, yeah. I'm also a Patrick Coulson apologist. I don't actually believe that he can do any wrong in every decision that he made. I'm like, justified. Justified.

[Kinsey]

I'll join the fan club.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. And writing someone who's kind of morally. Not even just morally gray, but kind of morally bankrupt, like the Colson family and who is. There's a sense of like, they're self serving, but they're family serving. Like they're self serving to a small portion of people. And so you get to see glimpses of them showing, like, heart and empathy and sympathy and loyalty towards one another. And I think that's what makes me such an apologist with them. But I liked spending time with when it was Patrick Coulson and whether it was with Nina. But I also really liked the dynamics between Patrick and his brothers and his mum. So, like, any of those scenes were just so much fun.

[Hannah]

They were fun to read.

[Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. I'm glad.

[Kinsey]

If you lived in this world and drank idiom, which power would you possess?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, unfortunately, I think I would definitely be a scribbler.

[Hannah]

That was coming.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. Hey, we need to. I really want to say something cool. I truly though don't think that I would be an artisan in this world at all. I would have been one of the kids, shit on like. Like put on a train, taken to the capital city, drunk. The idiom. They were like, what a surprise. You're still a crafter. Off you go home. And I would have gone back to my town and been like, it didn't work. And that would have been me. And I would have spent my life as I know this deep in my soul that I would have been a craftsman for all of my days. But if I had have had a fair chance, if I was Nina and I stole the idiom and drank it, I think I would be a scribbler.

[Kinsey]

Nice.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

We always tend to believe that we're their main characters, so I love that self reflection. I couldn't be me, could not be me. But I was like that for you.

[Kinsey]

I got an alchemist.

[Stacy McEwan]

Do you guys have one? Do you know what you would have been?

[Hannah]

Well, I would have just been an earth charmer because it's the rarest.

[Stacy McEwan]

Right. But naturally, because you're Nina. Yeah, I understand that. I understand.

[Kinsey]

I don't know, maybe I would have been a fire charmer just because all my favorite characters have fire abilities.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, perfect. Yeah.

[Carly]

That's funny because I have like an affinity for water. So I feel like I would have been a water charmer if it would have been.

[Stacy McEwan]

A Team of charmers.

[Kinsey]

She's like, craftsman.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Carly]

I'm just basing that off, like, the thing. I feel like I gravitate more most, too. But, like, I. I'm kind of with Stacey. I probably. They would have been like, you don't have any magic. Get out of here.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. It's so funny that you got. You asked this question. I recently visited my. My friends in America, and we were talking about it, and one of the girls said. Asked the same question, like, what do you think you would be? And we went around, and, you know, one of the girls has an affinity for trees. So she's like, I think I would be a woodmason. And one of the girls was like, well, I'm like, jewelry obsessed. So I think I would be some kind of cutter. And so we're going around and we're talking about it, and it got to me, and I went, I think I would definitely be a fire charmer for many reasons. I think because of my fiery personality, but also. And I'm, like, going off, and they're all staring at me like this. And then one of the girls went, stacy, there's no way you would be a fire charmer. There's no. Do you think you would be at the top of that particular class structure? And I'm like, no, you're right. I wouldn't be in there. Like, unfortunately for you, it's a scribbler or more likely, a craftsman. And that's completely correct for that.

[Hannah]

And I'm like, not completely correct.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. They were literally like, stacey, you are from a farm somewhere in backwoods nowhere Australia. And you think that you're the fire charmer. But I'm like, but that's what fantasy is about. It's like someone from nowhere rises up, and they're like, stacy, just write your books and accept your fate as a scrupler. And you know what? They're really real for that. So upon further reflection, I'm like, no, that's correct. So now that's gonna have to be my answer every time.

[Carly]

Oh, that's fair. Were there any scenes that you had to defend through the editing process to keep in the book?

[Stacy McEwan]

No, not this time. If you asked me about Ledge, I'd have to be like, well, then there's this one and this one and this one.

[Hannah]

Oh, don't tell Carly that. She's gonna be like, can we please talk about it?

[Stacy McEwan]

I won. No, no, no. Yeah. Car won all of those arguments, so don't worry. But for this particular book, there were no scenes. Sometimes there were lines that I was like, but that line is so pretty, can I please keep it in? But my editor's such a softy. She was like, all right, all right. If you've seen since you said please, well, we're glad. Yeah. And writers truly do I need to impress this. Writers truly do get the last say on all those things. Like, editors are there to suggest and they can sometimes present excellent arguments for why something needs to go or something needs to be added or changed. But at the end of the day, you as the author have to agree to that or disagree. And if you disagree, there's no one else that can change it. They're not allowed to physically go in and alter it that way without your permission. So just in case there was any misconception between readers, I definitely have assumed.

[Hannah]

Based on some authors responses to some questions about that, that it felt like they. I don't use the word bullied, but we're like strong handed into it.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes, I think you can be muscled into making certain decisions that you don't want to make, but you can also let yourself not be muscled into it. You know, I think there is such thing though, as killing your darlings. And sometimes even though the line is beautiful and pretty or that paragraph, you're like, I really had my writing pants on that day. Like, I really wrote the shit out of that paragraph and I want it to stay. Sometimes it has to go because it's not actually serving anything, it's just there to be pretty and it's prolonging something or it's, it's stuffing up the pacing. So sometimes there's a really good reason for it. I always think I need to listen to the reason why I think it should go and really listen to it and then go back and reread that whole thing and then decide whether that concern is valid and how much I care. Sometimes I'm like, oh, I'll delete the whole chapter if you want me to. Like, I could not care less. But sometimes I really, really, really strongly care. So you have to pick your battles. I like to think of it as well as I give myself five diva points. My agent taught me this, by the way. She was like, when you work with professionals in this industry, your editors, you need to explain to them, like to your team that you're like, listen, I'm giving myself five diva points. So at five points in this, in this relationship, I'm going to be an asshole. I'm going to be a problem because I'm fighting this particular battle. But I promise I won't fight every battle for the sake of saying, I'm going to pick and choose. I'm only going to give myself five. So I'm going to be selective and I'm going to really make sure that I care about this. But I get five of them. And so I told them that and they were like, that's so fair. And I've only used one, so. And I tell them that. But then you can approach conversations where you say, you remember those five diva points. I'm about to use one of them. And they're kind of then just very open to the conversation because they know that if you're doing that, you must really, really care about it. Must be very, very important to you. And I have a great publishing team, like, really truly, so awesome. To the point where they said, we need to make a decision here and we think we should go this way. And I said, I'm about to use one of those diva points and impress upon you that I really want to go in the opposite direction. And they, you know what? Fair enough. And that was it. It was like argument opened and argument closed. And they were like, okay, we understand. If you feel that strongly about it, then that's okay.

[Hannah]

So I actually have two quick follow up questions for that, if you don't mind.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

So first, it doesn't sound like you did cut a ton, but if you did, did you move anything to book two for that?

[Stacy McEwan]

No, not this time around. But there's a ton from book two that I'm moving to book three, if that makes sense.

[Hannah]

Yeah, it does.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. So yeah, book one was like solid from the jump, whereas I've just finished editing of book two and it took such a long time because there was so much movement that needed to happen to make sure that the flow of the story was still there and the pacing and all of those things were still happening. But no, not for book one.

[Hannah]

Is there a chance there's a bonus chapter out there floating around, maybe waiting for an addition?

[Stacy McEwan]

Well, my editor and I don't have any, like backup information for you, but my editor actually had me write three bonus chapters that will fit in the first book. And she said, I just want you to pick like three things that you're like, oh, that would have been cool background information. And she's like, and write them when you have time and just have them sitting here for if and when we might use that for something in the future. What thing they will be used in the future? No idea. And it hasn't come up yet, but if it ever does, those three bonus chapters are just like kind of sitting there. And they will definitely see the light of day at some point. I just don't know when or for what reason.

[Hannah]

That was enough. I will accept that. That is more than enough. I'm so stoked to hear that. Thank you for sharing that.

[Stacy McEwan]

Thank you. You're welcome.

[Hannah]

Was there a scene that was especially fun or meaningful for you to write in book one?

[Stacy McEwan]

There was a scene that I wrote like maybe four or five times. I actually have two answers for this. So the scene that I wrote four or five times was the initial. The first scene with Nina and Patrick overlooking Kenton Hill and kind of sitting down and talking together for the first time. And it's very shortly after Nina arrives in Kenton Hill and then she kind of sneaks out and takes herself just wandering around. And Patrick catches up to her and they sit on that hill for quite a while and talk about sort of their stance on everything in this world. And I wrote that whole scene so many times and rewrote it because they relay so much to each other in that. But there's so much that they don't say as well. And once you've read the whole book and all the secrets come to light and all the betrayals and the double agency and all the secrets that they've been keeping kind of come out and you go back to that, it kind of makes sense. But at the time it just felt it was very tricky balancing all of those secrets that they were kind of both holding. And I really, really love how that scene turned out. And I was really happy with it in the end. So that one's probably very meaningful because I worked so hard on it and I was I. For a certain amount of time I really thought, like, this whole scene doesn't work. Like, I might have to scrap it and try again somewhere else in the story. But it got to stay. And I think it worked well. My second answer is the dance scene with Patrick and Nina at their first, like rally together in Kenton Hill. That's the scene that I barely had to edit. I just glossed it over and tidied it up a bit. But that scene was so much fun to write. That was like, you know, the nice romantic build up payoff scene or like the first payoff scene between them. And it was really fun.

[Hannah]

That was one of my favorites.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, and it's my favorite. It's my favorite to read back on as well. When I was going through the 17 million edits that you do. Anytime I got to that scene, I'm like, it's my scene. It's my show. Everyone shut up. We're here.

[Kinsey]

Including Theo.

[Stacy McEwan]

Please shut up.

[Kinsey]

Theo.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. Get out of here. Patrick, shoo him away. And then he comes back in and kind of ruins the whole vibe.

[Hannah]

I don't want to talk about that part. God damn it.

[Kinsey]

If the Coulsons were to travel to our modern world, which invention would they try to replicate first?

[Stacy McEwan]

Great question. You guys haven't met. I won't say that. That's a spoiler. I just realized as I was saying it, I'm like, I'm about to give book two spoilers now, which is. We're not doing that.

[Kinsey]

I mean, you could.

[Stacy McEwan]

I think Donnie would try a karaoke machine. I think Gunner would be a car. I think he'd see a car and be like, unfortunately, he's just such a Himbro that I think he would turn into. Yeah, yeah. So I think that would be him. I think Patrick's so painfully practical that his would be something that would be, like, super useful to him, but perhaps a little more boring. I'm trying to think of what that might be. I don't know. I think it would be, like, a tool of some kind. I need time to ruminate.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Stacy McEwan]

I take these questions very seriously.

[Hannah]

Yeah, let us know.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. Patrick's would be like a computer. Do you know what I mean? Like, it would be something, like, life changing, I think, whatever he picked. And I'd be like, man, you're such a show off, but very hot, I think. Yeah. I think Donny's would be something pretty flippant. Like, he'd be like, what, a karaoke machine?

[Hannah]

Absolutely.

[Stacy McEwan]

I love that. So I think that they fit their personalities.

[Carly]

That makes sense with his personality.

[Kinsey]

Yeah, that was a perfect answer.

[Carly]

The first chapters of a forbidden alchemy take place with Nina in the Artists in School. Did you pull anything from your teaching background into this part of the story?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, I also pulled things from, like, my real life because my little sister and I had a dynamic in primary school where she was forever bullied and I was forever the. I'm about to fuck everyone up. And so in that situation. And I think Theo is two very different characters in this book. He's a very different character in the school to what he is, like, sort of seven years later and in War Times. And I kind of like that about his character. I like that Theo's character morphs through War Times because I think that's, like, a Common thing that runs through war fiction is that people who go to war don't come back the same. So Theo is very much that. But in school, he was, like, gentle and soft and very much like a caretaker. So Theo and Nina's dynamic in school is very much like my little sister being Nina and then me kind of guiding her around and, like, pushing off anyone that wanted to come and give her a hard time. As for the, like, my teaching background, none of that came into it. Mostly because my teaching background is something I'm trying to, like, leave behind. Do you know what I'm saying? So, yeah, I'm like, I'm not. And this is a fun place for me to exist in, and I'm not bringing that. This into this. I kind of don't want those two worlds to collide. So, no, but very much the relationships in there reminded me a lot of my little sister and me, for sure.

[Carly]

I love that.

[Kinsey]

Well, I did appreciate how the timing was. One chapter was one year, so we kind of rushed, not rush, but the schooling was quick so that we could get to, oh, we're at war now. So I actually really liked that.

[Hannah]

I appreciated that as well.

[Carly]

Yeah. I also liked how the time passage kind of made you feel like that building rebellion over time. Instead of, like, all of a sudden there's just this rebellion. You kind of got to feel how over the course of those chapters, it was building and things were becoming more and more unsettled. And I loved that feeling of building to that tipping point.

[Hannah]

You wrote it beautifully.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. Well, it's. Those sort of initial scenes in the school were initially going to happen completely off the page. So the jump was going to be that she sort of. Nina was an Earth charmer. She went to the artisan school. I was going to have one chapter where she's sort of, like, ruminating, what is it going to be like entering this school as a child from the brink when it seems that no one else is? And what's going to happen to that boy that went back on the train to Kenton Hill and how she wished that he had come with her to the school. Like, now she's starting to doubt this decision. Maybe she should have gone on the train back home with him. And then it was literally just going to cut to the graduation ceremony where the entire school gets blown up. That was going to be the time jump. And so I wrote it that way. But I kind of. Even when as I was writing the graduation ceremony and there was this boy, Theo, who appeared and the Reader hadn't met Theo yet, but that all they knew was that it must have been a boyfriend because apparently they've broken up. And Nina seems really upset about it. And then I just thought, no, I like. It doesn't. I need more of this Theo person if he's going to be entangled in her future in Kenton Hill. And so I knew right from the jump that I was gonna have to go back and write in scenes of her in school. I told my editor that, and she was like, I want you to put in everything, including the kitchen sink. Like, put in everything. So then Nina's school scenes were very, very long winded, and there was a lot in there. And then we're going to pick out the most important plot beats. So that's what we did. And it worked really well. It does mean that I have, like, all of these scenes of Nina in school that we can release later on if anyone's, like, interested in reading more about Nina in school and.

[Hannah]

Anything, honey, anything you give us.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, because I really. We fleshed it out a lot, but, yeah, so that was all supposed to happen off the page, but it was great because it was this opportunity to build momentum through the rebellion and to give it. For it to pack a punch. When we did get to that graduation ceremony and it did get blown up by the miners union, the reader then has all this, like, this sense of something brewing. So thank God. Thank God we wrote it all back in. Otherwise, I think that the first half, I mean, we would have gotten to Patrick sooner, which is nice. But, yeah, I still think that we needed to build that up a little.

[Kinsey]

Bit more, diving a bit into the magic system. So the artisans are required to take two doses of idiom a year to wield magic. What made you decide to limit a person's ability to use magic instead of giving them unlimited access?

[Stacy McEwan]

I kind of think sometimes that's the most fun part about a magic system is not what they can do, but what they can't, or how they're limited or where the boundaries are and what the limits are in their magic and what might stop them. Because if artisans have to continually ingest idiom to stay powerful, then that poses a huge problem if there's no idiom, because it means that their power is fleeting and very, very flawed, and that even the most powerful can descend back into what they perceive as the lowest form of citizen if they don't have it. And so you can imagine that would push people to very, very desperate measures to retain power. So that was sort of the decision making, I suppose, behind them needing to ingest it, like, not only in continue to ingest it, but to ingest it semi frequently. As for why it's like every six months, if it was every day, that posed a huge problem for the plot and for people like the Coulsons and the Scribblers who are out on the brink and people who are on the front lines of war and how had a dispensary set up, what that would look like. So I knew it couldn't be as frequent as, like, you know, you have to take it every morning with breakfast. But every six months seemed viable in that there was still a ticking clock winding down until your next dose. But you had time for those desperate measures.

[Hannah]

Are there any new mediums that we will get to see in book two that we haven't heard about yet that you can tell us about? If so.

[Stacy McEwan]

No. No new mediums. I didn't add that in. It was an option for me. At one point I went, what if I just. But I didn't want to because they would have had to be a huge background story about why that particular medium was covered up for this long. And I already had such a strong historical lore already in book two that to add that in as well, they kind of didn't stitch up nicely together. But I can tell you that. I can tell you there's a lot of, like, historical lore that gets introduced in book two. Can't wait.

[Carly]

We love lore.

[Hannah]

We do.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, me too.

[Carly]

The Children from the Brink aren't actually given idiom during the siphoning. And we find that both Nina and Patrick's magic is very much tied to the land and environment they are raised in. Is there a connection to these parallels within the magic system and the way it is being manipulated with the lack of alchemists and earth charmers?

[Stacy McEwan]

It's not manipulated by the alchemists. So they're not taking the idiom and sort of making, this is ink for scribblers and this is ink for. Because then it asks the question, well, why aren't the alchemists making more alchemists? Or why aren't the alchemists making more fire charmers, more earth charmers? If earth charmers are scarce as well, if they're incredibly rare. So I really wanted to place that limitation on the world as well, that even when they find idiom, they kind of have no control over who becomes what, because then the political system, they have a reason for confining who becomes an artisan and who remains A craftsman. Because if they're giving everyone idiom, how do you ensure that this person who already has a huge vendetta, then doesn't come a fire charmer and sends us all to hell? Like, I thought about this for a very, very long time. How much power does an alchemist have and how deeply can it be manipulated? But I think it's more fun if it can't be manipulated at all and the magic does what it wants to do, and that once you drink idiom, you don't have any control over what medium you're given, it's just given to you. And that outcome can't be manipulated because then it is very dangerous. And then the government does have a very good reason for wanting to control. Then who is allowed to siphon idiom and who shouldn't. And it's always going to be based on their prejudices. Right. Like who. Who can be trusted with power and who. Who should be blocked. Yeah. So I. I thought that was sort of more fun, particularly in this political setup.

[Hannah]

Correct me if I'm wrong, Carly. Are you asking more if they were giving the children from the brink idiom instead of pretending to.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, sorry, did I misunderstand you? And then just tangent for ten minutes?

[Carly]

No, no, no. You definitely answered part of it, I guess. Also, part of this is just. Is there a lack of alchemists and earth charmers, though, because they're not testing all of the kids.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. That's the reason they're trying to withhold the magic from the brink kids on purpose. And they are only trusting their artisan families and keeping it in line with them because they believe they've been bred properly and they've been indoctrinated into their belief system, into their religions and into their customs so they can be more easily controlled. But in doing so, they're limiting. There's probably alchemists and earth charmers and these rarer abilities out there, but because the pool is so small, those things are running out. So it's sort of a natural consequence that they found themselves in these predicaments in the first place by withholding the idiom from the rest of the brink. Because there's no alchemists, and Earth charm is incredibly rare, but also very beneficial to them. So, yeah, it's sort of like this natural consequence that they found themselves in.

[Kinsey]

Karma's a bitch.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, karma's a bitch. Yeah, exactly.

[Hannah]

Is it correct to assume that there is some sort of influence from the land or environment that you are born in to the Gift that you do end up manifesting. Forgive me if that's not, like, the exact wording that I should use for gift and manifest.

[Stacy McEwan]

But, no, I think that that's the correct wording to use. I think it's reasonable and natural to think that whatever their medium is, it's somehow linked to either aptitude or perhaps environmental circumstances and how they were raised, but that it's reasonable to think that. And that's all I will say about that.

[Hannah]

Okay, I'll take that. I'll take it.

[Kinsey]

What would be essential to preserve if your book were adapted for film and television?

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, my God. Great question. Thanks. Do you guys get really annoyed if you heard a character's voice a certain way and then you listen to an audiobook or you see an adaptation? You're like, that's not how they sound.

[Hannah]

Anyone who says they don't is lying.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, I believe this deeply. There's so many accents in this book that sound a certain way to me that if they didn't sound the way that I wanted them to sound in the adaptation, I think I'd be like, no, get a voice coach. I mean, I'd probably also have, like, zero control over that. But, like, for anyone in Kenton Hill or anyone in the North. So whenever I reference, like, a northern accent in this book, I mean, specifically, like, a Brummy accent, like a Peaky Blinders, Brummie Birmingham accent. And frustratingly, sometimes readers are like, oh, I like how he has, like, a country accent, like a Texan accent. And I'm like, girl, I just. What?

[Hannah]

I kept telling him. I was like, I need to be able to hear the accent because I am from the South. And I was. I was like, every time I picture the Southern, I get the ick. So I was like, I have to go back and listen to this. Carly was like, you have to listen to at least five minutes of Peaky Blinders and you're good. So.

[Stacy McEwan]

And yeah, and then, like, the Eastern accent to me is like a cockney accent. Yeah. If they messed up the accents, I would be like, excuse me. No, unfortunately, you're incorrect. And it's okay. Sometimes I have wrong opinions as well. Not often, but you need to fix this, because I can't possibly continue. I'm going to trash this whole thing if the accents aren't doing what they're supposed to do. So, yeah, I would say. And then other people are. There's so much conversation always about voice acting and things, but unfortunately, I have to join them. And I am one of those people like, if it doesn't sound right, I think I would. That would be one of my diva points. I'm like. I'd be like, listen, I'm going to be.

[Kinsey]

Do you think you'll have to use one of those diva points anytime soon?

[Hannah]

Or, like, is it on the table.

[Stacy McEwan]

That you're not at all? Not right now.

[Hannah]

I'm.

[Stacy McEwan]

I have no class in Demi when it comes to this sort of stuff. If I was, I'd be like, but no, there's none of that. There's nothing like that right now.

[Kinsey]

Not yet.

[Hannah]

Is it something you'd be interested in?

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think anyone who tells you they're not interested in it, I'm like, are you lying? Yeah, come on. Like, you must be a little bit curious to see, like, what happens to your books if they're like, yeah, that's a dream. Most writers, I think, are so visual and their books are playing in their heads like movies. More often than not. Most readers are that way as well. We're that way inclined. How could you not want to see something you've worked so hard on being manifested to the screen? Even if they got it dead wrong, I'd still be curious enough that I'd want to see how it turned out. So, yeah, absolutely. That would be a dream.

[Carly]

Agreed.

[Stacy McEwan]

It could be a nightmare.

[Hannah]

I don't know. Is this the series you would want it for?

[Stacy McEwan]

I would say yes to any. Like, I would say yes to the Glacian trilogy as well. But, yeah, A Forbidden Alchemy is my favourite book that I've ever written thus far. I say that about every book. Whatever the most recent is, that's usually my favourite.

[Hannah]

But you also have written book Two.

[Stacy McEwan]

That's true. This is my favorite series that I've ever written. Yeah. So I think I would be. At this point, I would be most excited to have this. If I had the choice, I'd say, yeah, do, do A Forbidden Alchemy. But if the Glacean trilogy ever got picked up, I'd be stoked for that as well. How could I not be? You know?

[Carly]

Yeah, fair.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. So I'd be. Yeah. I'd be so uncool about it. Very uncool. I'd be wearing a sandwich board on a street corner that just said, we'll.

[Hannah]

Be there with you. We'll have each street corner. Okay, it's now time to talk about the cliffhanger. It was brutal, and we now understand why Katherine Heigl called you a bitch. Yeah. Can you share a bit about what it was like writing that ending. And what your goal was like, was it to leave us screaming at the acknowledgments page? Because it was successful of that.

[Stacy McEwan]

The funniest thing is that I tr. And I mean this from the bottom of my heart. I truly didn't think that it was that bad of a cliffhanger. I thought it was a cliffhanger lite. And I went in and I handed this story in to my editor, and she's like, there's definitely going to be a cliffhanger, isn't there? Right. Because she knows my background. And I was like, yes, but, like, nothing. Nothing like ledge. Nothing like chasm. So you don't need to worry. It's. It's. I mean, yeah, there's like, a cliffhanger because there's another two books, but it's easy. It's chill. It's a chill cliffhanger. And she was like, oh, good. And then she read it and then like, immediately cussed me out. And. And I was like. I was honestly, like, you're being so unreasonable. Is really not that bad. And to this day, I'm still like. I think, like, I'm not the problem. And everyone else is like, that's how unaware.

[Kinsey]

Well, you know how it's going to finish. We don't know how. Where it's going to go.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes. And I think that's why. I think it's that I'm like, relax. Like, don't worry about it, because I know what happens next, but I do. Like, I am becoming more aware that perhaps the majority opinion is correct and not me, and that it was a little harsh. I did, like. I will say that I knew it would be brutal, that I'd built up a love for this town, and that I was going to burn it all down. So I knew, like. Like, intentionally, like, be like, but look, it's beautiful. And like, she's found a lovely home and a found family, and now I'm gonna burn it off.

[Hannah]

Just step on our hopes and dreams.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, I'm just. I'm just gonna ruin it.

[Hannah]

So I.

[Stacy McEwan]

Like, I knew that would be brutal. But then I was like, but that specific cliffhanger is probably fine. And I truly believed that. I was like, I don't think people are gonna be that angry about it. Like, all the main things that have happened have needed to happen, and then now you know where they are, and you know where they're going, and you. You know that they're alive. So everyone relax. And no one relaxed. There was not A modicum of relaxation happening. And I was like, oh, maybe it was a little. Maybe I could have tied it up, like, a little nicer.

[Kinsey]

Yeah. I mean, we don't have gunners alive.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, that's true. There's no body, Right?

[Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

So you don't know. That's fun for me.

[Carly]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

You guys not knowing if someone's alive or not.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Now that you've said that, like.

[Stacy McEwan]

But I am who I am.

[Hannah]

But, like, I do feel better.

[Stacy McEwan]

Maybe he is in fact just dead. You don't know.

[Carly]

I will say I feel like reading Ledge does give you a different appreciation for cliffhangers.

[Hannah]

You're like, what just happened?

[Stacy McEwan]

If you guys do read Ledge in the future, I think you'll come back to this conversation and be like, oh, when she said, it's not that bad, what she meant was, it could be worse.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And has been.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Kinsey]

I mean, I did start it, so now I'm a little nervous.

[Hannah]

Yay.

[Stacy McEwan]

Well, I can't wait.

[Hannah]

Can't wait for that call.

[Stacy McEwan]

Carly can send me the audio of you streaming.

[Kinsey]

I'll just send the audio to you.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, yeah, send it on through to me. That's my favorite. Yeah, perfect.

[Kinsey]

Awesome. We have a few theory level questions and clarifications we'd like to ask. Feel free to say pass. If it does fly a little bit too close to the book two. Sun. So, starting off. Since Nina never finished digging the tunnel at the end of the book, will we find out how the Lord's army accessed it?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Stacy McEwan]

That's what you get there.

[Hannah]

Yeah, we figured.

[Carly]

Is there any chance that some characters could wield two mediums, maybe that may.

[Hannah]

Or may not be keeping it a secret?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, maybe.

[Carly]

Okay.

[Hannah]

Okay, okay. Okay. Is there a chance that Nina collapsed the tunnel where the army was, but didn't collapse the shaft where they're standing?

[Stacy McEwan]

No.

[Kinsey]

Dang.

[Stacy McEwan]

Wait, that's what I was hoping for.

[Kinsey]

Okay, so Polly didn't disclose that Patrick is the alchemist in her note, and yet they knew he was the last alchemist. Did Patrick's father finally break and reveal his identity?

[Stacy McEwan]

Pass. Oh, we knew that.

[Hannah]

You knew that.

[Carly]

The first line of the book is about Nina being named after a dead canary. And the last line of the book is Nina hearing the canary sing up the mineshaft as she descends into it. Was this intentional?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes.

[Hannah]

Okay. Love it.

[Stacy McEwan]

I love that. This is Lightning Round, by the way.

[Hannah]

Okay. This is the final one, and it's to me, the most important. Are dogs safe? Specifically Isaiah.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Stacy McEwan]

A Confident. Yes.

[Carly]

Okay.

[Kinsey]

The dog lives. All right.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. You need to understand that I. Obviously, I'm sprinkling pain, torment, torture all over the place, but the dog is my sprinkling of, like, I'm sorry about the pain and torture. Here's a dog. Do you know what I mean? So I would never take that away. Thank you so much. Like, literally nothing else. No one else is safe except for the dog.

[Hannah]

Okay, fair.

[Kinsey]

I'll remember that.

[Stacy McEwan]

Hannah just swallowed.

[Hannah]

Like, not even. Such a relief. I don't know if you saw my shoulders. Like, I was so relieved.

[Kinsey]

Yeah, but she's, like, not even Patrick is safe. Oh, no.

[Hannah]

I knew she wouldn't tell me that. I mean, I hope she seems to love him as much as I do. It's fine.

[Stacy McEwan]

I do love Patrick. Yeah.

[Hannah]

Okay, good.

[Kinsey]

Will the second book pick up exactly where we left off, or can we expect a bit of a time jump?

[Stacy McEwan]

No, you can expect it to pick up exactly where we left off.

[Hannah]

Ooh.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay.

[Carly]

And finally, what, if anything, can you share with us about the next book?

[Stacy McEwan]

If you thought that this had a lot of plot twists in it, it doesn't compared to book two.

[Hannah]

Oh, okay. Yes.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes.

[Kinsey]

I was already so hyped to read book two, and I'm even more so excited.

[Stacy McEwan]

I think the only other thing I would say is that we get to see a lot more of Bellevue Trench as a whole.

[Carly]

Oh, I love to get to explore the world, so I'm so stoked for that. And I know it's way, way too early to expect anything from this question, but we have to ask, do you have any sort of timeline in mind for the next book?

[Stacy McEwan]

No. That's a fair question. So the publishing schedule that we're on is to release one book a year. So that would put book two at around this time next year. So that's like the hopes and dream. Dreams is that we will publish book two, like, around the same time, so you can expect it, like, July. June. July. Ish. Somewhere in there.

[Hannah]

Writing that down.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. Yeah. So it would. That's. That's the plans, but it's. The date is to be devised because we don't have a hard release date yet, and we need to do a bunch of other things first. Like, we're. Right now we're getting together the COVID I've seen the earliest sketches, and it's looking beautiful. We finally have a title. So once we can share, like, the title, the COVID and get those files and things uploaded, then, like, a hard release date will be determined between all of the retailers. But yeah, it's just there's actually like a quite a lot that goes into it for them to be able to put it on a calendar with the print houses and things to make sure that works. So it takes a little while sometimes to get all the ducks in a row to actually come up with a date.

[Hannah]

So I have to ask this. Is there by chance an Easter egg for the next title in the first book?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes. Ooh, that's a great question. I love that question.

[Kinsey]

We love Easter eggs.

[Hannah]

Yeah, we love this. In true Swifty fashion.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes.

[Hannah]

Speaking of, before we jump into our are you smarter than a fangirl Portion, we had to add in a Taylor Swift segment which we are calling Swifty Mania. Carla came up with that. I think it's precious. Good job, Carly. I love it. When I found out that you were a Swiftie first. To say I was excited is an understatement and to totally make it all about me for a second. I am also a Swiftie content creator and or what some people call a Swift talker. So it's like the best of both worlds when I meet an author whose book I love, Romantasy, specifically, that is also a Swiftie. So as you can imagine, I have a lot of questions for you.

[Stacy McEwan]

Of course, I found out on the Venn diagrams, like, it's mostly just a circle between romancy lovers and Swifty lovers as well. We do in fact collide quite often.

[Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Yes, very much so. Okay, first, what is your favorite Taylor Swift album and song?

[Stacy McEwan]

My favorite Taylor Swift album is Speak Now, My favorite ever song. I know that's such a mean question.

[Hannah]

Evil question to ask, but you can have it for you could have a couple where it's like, this is my favorite lyrical song. This is my favorite vibes. If you want. You don't have to stick to just one. You can give me a top three.

[Stacy McEwan]

I think all too well. The 10 minute version is probably my favorite lyrical song. I think my favorite song ever is probably Man, I think it's probably Loss of my life is my favorite song ever. Which should tell you a lot about my personality.

[Hannah]

Yeah, it does.

[Stacy McEwan]

And that I'm like, hurt me. Make me feel something really profound. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Hannah]

You should have seen my face when Carly told me that you had a playlist for a forbidden alchemy. And she told me Loml was the last Taylor Swift song on it.

[Carly]

Yeah, she nearly fell over.

[Hannah]

I fell out. What?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Okay. So that's actually what I'm gonna ask you about Next, Labyrinth, Exile, Safe and sound, and LOL are on that playlist, which we will link down below in the show notes for our listener to check out. Basic level analysis here. These are some assumptions we're making. Labyrinth. About Nina falling for Patrick.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Okay. Exile, her and Theo.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Okay. Safe and sound, I imagine can apply to several aspects, but essentially herself and the people she cares about.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah. And I think just the general vibes of the world as well.

[Hannah]

Very much so, don't you think?

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And loml, we're really hoping, like, all fingers and toes crossed here, that it's about Theo, please.

[Stacy McEwan]

It's not.

[Kinsey]

So who is it about?

[Stacy McEwan]

I'm so sorry. I tried to tell her it's not girl. Yeah. She made some errors in judgment. She hurt his feelings a lot, and he's super unhappy about it.

[Carly]

And it's gonna take.

[Hannah]

It's valid.

[Kinsey]

You did say you like redemption arcs, so we're just waiting for.

[Stacy McEwan]

I love a redemption arc. Yeah.

[Kinsey]

It'll all be fine.

[Hannah]

All right. All right. I'm gonna need, like, 10. 10 minutes to process that one. At least 13.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

So if you gave Patrick and Nina a Taylor Swift song together, that it's not loml, what would it be? And I'll give you a moment to process because you did mention earlier that you take these questions very seriously. I do. And you can also, like, if you say one later, we can make an addendum to our show notes and let listeners go down there and check and find it. But I also have one in mind that after you figure out one, then I'm going to ask you if it's that.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay. So you want me to say mine first or you want to see yours first?

[Hannah]

Well, the girls already know mine, so I can wait. Just so people don't think I changed it.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay. If I take out the ending.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Stacy McEwan]

My gut feeling is that it would be mastermind, but if you imagine it from Patrick's point of view, and I kind of love that for Patrick, that, unfortunately, Patrick gets outmaneuvered in the end.

[Hannah]

Okay. Okay. I am going to ask you about each of the characters in a minute. Tell me what you. Tell me what you mean.

[Stacy McEwan]

Of course.

[Hannah]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

What was yours?

[Hannah]

Peace.

[Stacy McEwan]

Can I change my answer to peace?

[Carly]

You can.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yes. That's a great answer.

[Hannah]

I literally read a line from Patrick's point of view, and he is thinking about how he could never give Nina peace. And I got chills, and I immediately started playing the song in my head, and I was like, oh, no, it's Perfect.

[Stacy McEwan]

I will cry right now. You'll see you do it, man. You're good at this. My friend Hannah, who you guys have talked to before, I think my friend Hannah is great at this, by the way.

[Hannah]

So usually we have a swifty mania planned for her as well.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, yeah. Oh, she'll nail it. She's an even bigger swifty than me. But yeah, usually I'm like, tell me what you think. You give it to me. Yeah.

[Hannah]

So the next little section right here is literally, I'm gonna give you a character name, and you take this as seriously as you want to. But also, no pressure. It could be the very first song that comes to mind for each character. Okay.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay. I'll try my best. Yes, Nina. Okay. I have a lyric in my head for Nina.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Stacy McEwan]

And it's. I can go anywhere I want, anywhere I want, just not my tears ricochet. Yes. So I think my tears ricochet. I knew you knew this.

[Hannah]

I was thinking that that would be on the playlist. So that was. Yeah, that's.

[Stacy McEwan]

It should be on the playlist. I'll add it. It's collaborative, by the way. Hannah, you can add your own songs to that playlist. Oh, I'll send you the link.

[Hannah]

Deal. It's going to turn into nothing but Taylor Swift.

[Stacy McEwan]

I love that.

[Hannah]

All right, so Patrick, is Mastermind your final answer for him or does he have his own individual?

[Stacy McEwan]

His is probably going to be something else. Although I kind of want his song to be sexy rather than sad.

[Hannah]

Hmm.

[Stacy McEwan]

Maybe delicate.

[Hannah]

Oh, I like that.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, I like that. It has a bit of like forbidden love about it as well, in like a sexy way. So maybe something like that. Uh huh.

[Hannah]

Guilty as sin. Maybe book two.

[Stacy McEwan]

Guilty as sin. That would be a great one. Okay. Guilty as Sin.

[Hannah]

Perfect. All right, Gunner.

[Stacy McEwan]

I think his would be from a Reputation.

[Hannah]

Ooh, well, I'll wait. I have an idea.

[Stacy McEwan]

It might be visual anti shit, actually.

[Hannah]

Ooh, I love.

[Stacy McEwan]

It. So not Red Chair?

[Hannah]

No, because all I can picture is him doing like Taylor's actual ERAS tour performance in Red Chair.

[Stacy McEwan]

Me too. Me too.

[Hannah]

Oh, no, that's perfection. I was gonna go with getaway Car, which is. I'm biased. That's my all time favorite Taylor Swift song. But because you said that his invention would be the car.

[Stacy McEwan]

Right. Maybe that'd be more fitting. But I still feel like he's just.

[Hannah]

Yours is perfect.

[Stacy McEwan]

He's just so gun happy. He's so trigger happy, you know, I think he would be inf.

[Hannah]

All right. Okay. Okay. This is so fun. I know Donnie, who I have to say is my favorite character. I don't know if you meant for us to feel that way, but I absolutely.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, yeah. Oh, I love Donnie so much. There's always. I. Like, Donnie is like my gift. Like, sorry for all the pain, but here's Donnie and this dog.

[Carly]

Thank you.

[Stacy McEwan]

They're here to make it all better. I feel like he'd be. I'm going to say, fearless.

[Kinsey]

Canada's processing.

[Carly]

That's so cute.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

He's just such a little baby girl, you know?

[Hannah]

Yes. Oh, I love that.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

All right. I'm really intrigued for this one.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay.

[Hannah]

Theo.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, I think Exile. That's why I put that on. There was for.

[Hannah]

I knew I saw it. Oh, no, I love that. Okay. Patrick's dad. And then I have one in mind, and it's like prior life, like, not his current circumstances, but.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh.

[Hannah]

I know this is like, the most random thing to have hyper fixated on, but.

[Stacy McEwan]

I haven't considered what John's would be. Tell me what yours is.

[Hannah]

I think it's a little less about him, but Midnight Rain. Oh. For him and Tess, she was sunshine.

[Stacy McEwan]

That's cute.

[Hannah]

Midnight Rain. Isn't it?

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, I really like that. Okay, I'm sold on Midnight Rain.

[Hannah]

Sold. Okay, last one. Isaiah. Not the dog.

[Stacy McEwan]

Don't you ever grow up?

[Hannah]

I knew you were gonna say it. I literally hit my head. It's like, never grow up. Did you?

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay, great.

[Hannah]

Yes. Yep.

[Stacy McEwan]

Never grow up.

[Hannah]

I was gonna say Robin, because that one reminds me of my cats, but I was like, never grow up, Robin.

[Stacy McEwan]

Sweet.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

What about Peter for Nina and Patrick as well? That would be a great song for Nina and Patrick, especially because they met as children.

[Hannah]

You know, we're gonna have to catch Kinsey up on all of this and analyze it later for her.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

So is there a character, and this is totally cool if you say no, is there a character we didn't name that you want to share a Taylor Swift song for? We did have a comprehensive list there.

[Stacy McEwan]

I don't think so. I think those are pretty. That's pretty much. I think the only one that we didn't do was probably Polly. I think Polly would be good as a getaway car.

[Hannah]

Oh, love that. Finally, if you had to name one or two or as many as you want, Taylor swiftsongs for book two.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, geez.

[Hannah]

What would they be?

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay. I had my tears ricochet slated for book two. I'm still curating my little playlist there. How did it end? You look very upset. About that anti hero. Maybe Peter again. Oh, and Cassandra.

[Hannah]

Yes.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

We are not emotionally ready for this book. Good thing we do have a year to prepare.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

It is now time to shake things up with our are you smarter than a fangirl? Rapid fire trivia segment where we test the ultimate question. Does the author remember their own book better than a totally unhinged reader?

[Stacy McEwan]

I love this segment so much. Okay, I'm ready.

[Hannah]

Carly, that's you, babe.

[Carly]

Okay, I have such bad test anxiety.

[Hannah]

Here's how it works.

[Carly]

One of us takes off our headphones while Stacy answers as many trivia questions about a forbidden alchemy as she can in one and a half minutes. Once time's up, the fangirl will come back on and try to answer those questions from memory. No notes, no context, Just pure fangirl chaos. Then we'll tally up the scores and see who reigns supreme. It's definitely, definitely, definitely going to be Stacy, because I already have anxiety.

[Hannah]

This is all we've heard about for a week, is how excited she was to get to talk with you and how nervous she was for the anticipation.

[Stacy McEwan]

And now she's crashing, and you're probably gonna nail it.

[Hannah]

No, you got this. You got it. So, clearly, Carly is going to be the fangirl this episode. I will be the game host, and Kinsey will be our scorekeeper.

[Kinsey]

Will the author triumph? Will our host crumble under pressure?

[Stacy McEwan]

Probably.

[Hannah]

She's nodding her head yes.

[Kinsey]

There's only one way to find out. If you don't know the answer, feel free to say pass. Remember, this is all in good fun. And honestly, it's probably more entertaining if you don't remember, so it's fine if you slip up.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay, great.

[Hannah]

Stacy, are you ready?

[Stacy McEwan]

I'm ready.

[Hannah]

Carly, headphones off and set your timer for one and a half minutes to come back. The scorekeeper, Kinsey, will signal you when it is time to start your Timer. Counting down. 3, 2, 1. So look out for that. I'm going to pull up the questions and I'm going to be the one reading them.

[Stacy McEwan]

Okay?

[Kinsey]

Three, two, one.

[Stacy McEwan]

Go.

[Hannah]

What do artisans drink to access magic? Gideon, how old were Nina and Patrick when they first met?

[Stacy McEwan]

12.

[Hannah]

What color are Patrick's eyes?

[Stacy McEwan]

Blay.

[Hannah]

How many living Earth charmers are there?

[Stacy McEwan]

One.

[Hannah]

What was Nina's nickname in school?

[Stacy McEwan]

Wan.

[Hannah]

How could school officials tell if an idiom vial was fake or real?

[Stacy McEwan]

It was wax sealed or not wax sealed.

[Hannah]

What are Nina's two last names?

[Stacy McEwan]

Harrow or Clark.

[Hannah]

Where does Nina pretend to be from? You can say Pass.

[Stacy McEwan]

If you like. Levnanchu.

[Hannah]

Which stone do they mine for? Idiom and bluff.

[Stacy McEwan]

Terranium.

[Hannah]

What do all trained artisans have on their wrist?

[Stacy McEwan]

A brand. The Addison brand.

[Hannah]

What are bluff dealers called?

[Stacy McEwan]

Hawkers.

[Hannah]

Which character is blind Donnie. Who betrayed Patrick's identity?

[Stacy McEwan]

I'm not answering that.

[Hannah]

How many years? How many years was nina in hiding?

[Stacy McEwan]

7.

[Hannah]

Fill in the blank. If you're not an artisan, you're a craftsman. Which item did Patrick bring with him to the siphoning ceremony?

[Stacy McEwan]

A lighter.

[Hannah]

What do craftsmen call Artisans.

[Kinsey]

Up Time.

[Hannah]

You did great. You did. You nailed it. All right, Carly's coming back on.

[Carly]

Okay.

[Hannah]

Welcome back. Okay, Stacy, you can keep your headphones on and enjoy the show.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, yay. Okay, great. I was like, oh, God.

[Hannah]

Carly, are you ready? Totally messed up, I guess.

[Stacy McEwan]

It's okay.

[Kinsey]

You got this.

[Carly]

I'm okay.

[Kinsey]

You're ready?

[Carly]

I can fail. It's fine.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

She's not even looking.

[Kinsey]

She's closing her eyes.

[Hannah]

I'm just kidding.

[Kinsey]

All right, three, two, one, Go.

[Hannah]

What do artisans drink to access magic?

[Carly]

Idiom.

[Hannah]

How old were Nina and Patrick when they first met?

[Carly]

12.

[Hannah]

What color are Patrick's eyes?

[Carly]

Glacial blue.

[Hannah]

How many living earth charmers are there?

[Carly]

One.

[Hannah]

What was Nina's nickname in school? You can pass. Pass. How could school officials tell if an idiom bile was fake or real?

[Carly]

Oh, whether or not it had a wax seal.

[Hannah]

What are Nina's two last names?

[Carly]

Oh, Clark and Harrow.

[Hannah]

Where does Nina pretend to be from?

[Carly]

Pretends to be from Summerland.

[Hannah]

Which stone do they mine for? Idiom and bluff.

[Carly]

Terranium.

[Hannah]

What do all trained artisans have on their wrist?

[Carly]

Oh, they have that mark, but I don't remember what it looks like.

[Hannah]

What are bluff dealers called?

[Carly]

I don't remember. Pass.

[Hannah]

Which character is blind Donnie. Who betrayed Patrick's identity?

[Carly]

I mean, multiple people.

[Hannah]

I feel like, betrayed Patrick's identity. But, Polly, how many years was nina in hiding?

[Carly]

7.

[Hannah]

Fill in the blank. If you're not an artisan, you're a craftsman. Which item did Patrick bring with him to the siphoning ceremony?

[Carly]

Pass.

[Hannah]

What do craftsmen call artisans?

[Kinsey]

Time. Okay, that impressive card we finished at the same, like, Question.

[Stacy McEwan]

Question.

[Carly]

What was the final part of that question? I'm curious.

[Hannah]

I already forgot which one it was.

[Carly]

It was 17.

[Kinsey]

It was. What do craftsmen.

[Stacy McEwan]

What do craftsmen call artisans?

[Kinsey]

And it's Swanks.

[Stacy McEwan]

You did good, Kali.

[Hannah]

You did. Nailed it.

[Kinsey]

So, to no surprise, we did have our author win again.

[Stacy McEwan]

Listen, here's the thing. If you give it five years, I won't win this. And someone else Will. But, like, it's too recent and we have to read the manuscripts, like, 10 times.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Carly]

What are the bluff dealers called? I'm so. I couldn't remember.

[Kinsey]

Hawkers.

[Carly]

Oh, God. I. Yeah, that was the one where I'm like, I don't have any brain cells for this.

[Stacy McEwan]

I still got at least a couple wrong. Like, yeah, one of them. One of them. I was like, I've got no idea.

[Kinsey]

Technically, though, like, one was a trick question and you passed on it.

[Stacy McEwan]

But.

[Kinsey]

Yeah, but so for. Nina's nickname in school was Worm. And then Nina pretends to be from Summerland.

[Stacy McEwan]

I got that wrong.

[Kinsey]

All trained artisans have a branded tattoo of Idia on their wrist. Bluff dealers are hawkers. We were like, oh, we don't really know who betrayed Patty.

[Stacy McEwan]

It could be a lot of people.

[Kinsey]

And 16. Oh, the lighter is what he brought with him to the siphoning ceremony.

[Carly]

Oh, that's right. His, like, dad made it right.

[Stacy McEwan]

I almost said coin, and then I was like, no.

[Hannah]

Oh, technically that wouldn't have been wrong, though.

[Stacy McEwan]

Did he have a coin? I don't know if he.

[Carly]

I remember he had the lighter because.

[Stacy McEwan]

He has a coin lighter.

[Kinsey]

I remember she had a pin because she, like, sewed a very special dress.

[Carly]

That's. Yeah, that's what I remembered. Yeah. Her cool skirt that, like, turned into, like, a coat.

[Hannah]

A coat, yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah.

[Kinsey]

That was great.

[Hannah]

Oh, it did great. That was so much fun. You guys were so much fun.

[Stacy McEwan]

I love that.

[Kinsey]

Before we let Stacy go, we're going to close with a little tradition we're calling the Reader's Letter a short appreciation letter to the author, shared only if, of course, our guests are comfortable with.

[Hannah]

It, and our goal is to make you as uncomfortable as we possibly can with us.

[Stacy McEwan]

Different.

[Hannah]

Dear Fantasy Author, thank you for giving us a refreshing take on the romantasy genre, a story that somehow manages to be sharp, chaotic, and deeply emotional all at once. It felt like a much needed breath of fresh air after the canary stops singing. That may be a little bit too soon. Thank you for building a world that's wildly unique but never overwhelming, and for providing efficient storytelling that still delivers knockout twists, incredible banter, and serious heartbreak. Thank you for perfectly channeling the gangster energy of Pinky Blinders, but giving it your own magical, intricate, and deeply original flair. Thank you for a magic system that actually limits your characters and raises the stakes. Because while we want to see our FMCs with badass powers, we also love our fantasy with consequences. Thank you for creating complex characters who persevere mostly because you refuse to let them catch a break. Thank you for our newest book, boyfriend. And thank you, we guess, for leaving us on the ledge of our seats. With that ending, we're still recovering emotionally, spiritually, and in several group chats. Unfortunately, though, your humor doesn't cover our therapy bills, so we will be sending an invoice. With love, your fantasy readers, who absolutely need book two immediately.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, my God. That is so gorgeous. I love it so much.

[Carly]

Thanks.

[Kinsey]

Well, we loved your book.

[Hannah]

Yes. Very, very much.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, I love this podcast. This has been one of the most fun ones that I've ever sat on. So thank you. What a joy. And thank you for just genuinely knowing so much about the poor.

[Hannah]

We cannot express how honored we are that you took the time to talk with us. We were like, stacy's too cool for us.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh, shut up. I am not. I am not.

[Hannah]

No, we're like. I. This is. This is just one of those, like, huge milestone moments for us to, like, have to. For you to take. I mean, you don't even have to spend this long with us, you know, like, And. But to be able to probably do.

[Stacy McEwan]

This for another two hours, though.

[Hannah]

We got more calendars. Wait, I'm not gonna.

[Carly]

Dangerous.

[Kinsey]

We need to process a little bit.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

Truly, you guys are. You guys are so fun, and you do such a good job. This is like. Truly, I've. I've sat on a few before, and I'm telling you guys, the setup, the arrangement, all the information that you sent out to me, how welcoming and warm you are. Truly, I. This podcast is gonna do great things. I just know it.

[Hannah]

Oh, I'm, like, actually about to cry. Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

I love making people cry.

[Hannah]

We can do readers tears.

[Carly]

Ye. Oh, gosh.

[Hannah]

I can't.

[Carly]

This is, like. This is gonna be the best day I had all summer.

[Hannah]

So I'm just. I peaked.

[Stacy McEwan]

Aw. Well, thank you. I'm only in a good mood because I won.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Stacy McEwan]

If I didn't win the game, I'd be like, this is the worst podcast.

[Hannah]

And umpire start. See? And we're gonna have to have you.

[Kinsey]

Come back on with Hannah and see which one of you wins the game next time.

[Stacy McEwan]

Oh. Oh, my God.

[Carly]

Yes.

[Stacy McEwan]

We're gonna ask questions about each other's books. Yeah. Yeah. She's got every chance.

[Hannah]

That's our game plan. We are super excited to do the Are youe Smarter Than a Fangirl? With you against each other for each other's goal.

[Stacy McEwan]

Hell, yes. Hell, yes.

[Carly]

That'll be so much fun.

[Hannah]

Yeah. We're stoked.

[Stacy McEwan]

For that, I can't wait.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Kinsey]

Well, thank you so much listeners. We have linked Stacey McKeown's socials down in the show notes so you can follow along and stay up to date on the series. So, Stacey, thank you again so much for joining us. This has been so incredible. It's been amazing and we're so excited for you.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yeah, thank you. Thank you. I'm sure I'm about to go back to descending into madness, but this was such a lovely, gorgeous break away from that. So I thank you. Thank you for having me.

[Carly]

Yeah, well, be prepared for some unhinged DMs once I get the audiobook in my hands and I do it. I am so excited for the audiobook next. I can't wait.

[Stacy McEwan]

Yay.

[Kinsey]

And if it helps for tomorrow, you already have three five star reviews that exist on the Internet, so what a great head start.

[Stacy McEwan]

Thank you.

[Kinsey]

And you'll get more.

[Hannah]

Oh yeah, you're like to make it about us for just a moment.

[Stacy McEwan]

It is about you. This is your podcast. It is about you.

[Kinsey]

I've been looking forward to this since we first got reached out about it and it was everything I expected and hoped.

[Carly]

If you would have told me Carly of 2 years ago who read Ledge and was traumatized that she was gonna get to talk to Stacey McEwen today, I would never would have believed you.

[Hannah]

I can't believe this. This is our lives. Like I know. Anyways.

[Carly]

If this is your first time listening, welcome. We are Hannah, Kenzie and Carly, three book besties who deep dive, Theorize, Fangirl and crash course your favorite fantasy read so you're always ready for what's next.

[Hannah]

Next. Occasionally we get to interview amazing authors like Stacey McKeown. And if you're wondering who's coming on next, we announce all upcoming author interviews over on Instagram and our new and improved website. So be sure to follow us there and check it out.

[Kinsey]

We just wrapped our season three chapters by Chapters Deep Dive of Onyx Storm and are working hard on our next prep season for Burn of the Everflame that will include recaps, worldbuilding and lore breakdowns and more.

[Carly]

We also have a book club that selects a fantasy or romantasy book and meets to discuss it on a live stream the last Wednesday of every month. You can join on Patreon where you can access all of our episodes ad free a day early and in full. Video plus extras like weekly PDF annotations, shout outs, bonus resources and more.

[Hannah]

Woo.

[Kinsey]

You'll find. You'll find our Patreon link in the Show Notes along with all the ways you can support the show, whether that's joining a tier, subscribing, leaving a review, or just sharing us with your fellow Romantasy readers.

[Hannah]

You can also find more information about our previous and upcoming seasons, episode and events, calendar, other author interviews, our contact form, and more on our newly revamped website that I'm so proud of. So please, please go check it [e-mail] also linked down in the Show Notes.

[Carly]

We'd love to hear from you. Send us your thoughts, tag us on Instagram, or come fangirl with us over your favorite fantasy books in our free Discord Chat.

[Hannah]

Until next time, dearest Vietnamese readers, May your chapters be spicy, your book boyfriends morally gray, and your TBR organized just enough to justify one more pre order.

[Carly]

Or maybe more than one.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[E]

Hi, I'm Chris Gethard, and I'm very excited to tell you about Beautiful Anonymous, a podcast where I talk to random people on the phone. I tweet out a phone number. Thousands of people try to call. Talk to one of them. They stay anonymous. I can't hang up. That's all the rules. I never know what's gonna happen. We get serious ones. I've talked with meth dealers on their way to prison. I've talked to people who survived mass shootings, Crazy, funny ones. I talked to a guy with a goose slab, somebody who dresses up as a pirate on the weekends. I never know what's gonna happen. It's a great show. Subscribe today. Beautiful Anonymous.