Fantasy Fangirls Podcast

Episode: Callie Hart Interview

Date: November 17, 2025
Hosts: Nicole (younger sister, romantic at heart), Lexi (older sister, fantasy lore nerd)
Guest: Callie Hart (author of Quicksilver and the upcoming Brimstone)

Episode Overview

In this special author interview, Nicole and Lexi chat with Callie Hart on the eve of Brimstone’s release. The sisters go deep into Callie's writing process, favorite moments from Quicksilver, character insights, world-building, and future plans for the Fae and Alchemy series—including juicy tidbits and playful banter about fan theories and series lore. The episode closes with the sisters’ signature "bets" segment, full of wild predictions and family stakes for Brimstone.

Main Discussion Themes

1. Getting to Know Callie Hart: Origins & Influences

• First Story & Reading Roots ([06:36])
  • Callie shares that a love of books drove her to write:

    "A love of books, a love of like disappearing off into a story and, you know, a little bit of escapism … wanting to explore that and share my own stories..." – Callie Hart (06:36)

  • She started out writing poetry, bonding over limericks with her nana as a child ([07:34]).
• On Book Count ([07:18])
  • Quicksilver is her 43rd book; Brimstone her 44th.
• Favorite Series ([08:57])
  • A huge Lord of the Rings fan, but also loves Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.
• Writing Comforts ([09:40])
  • Loves coffee (currently oat milk latte with half a pump of sugar-free vanilla), sometimes tea, and newly, matcha.

2. Rapid-Fire Bookish Questions

• Favorite Realm in Fae and Alchemy ([10:31])
  • Callie’s favorite spot hasn’t been revealed yet, but from Quicksilver, she’d choose Kalish for Fisher and Archer.
• Similarities to Characters ([14:07])
  • Considers herself a blend of Carrion and Kingfisher:

    "I'd like to say Carrion, but it's probably more Kingfisher." – Callie Hart (14:07)

• Earliest Series Inspiration ([14:38])
  • The series originated with a "quiet, emotional" scene between Kingfisher and Cerys, developed before she even knew who they’d be.

3. Deep-Dive on Quicksilver: Process, Favorite Scenes, and Lore

• Quiet Kingfisher/Cerys Moments ([15:39–16:25])
  • Callie’s favorite scene to write was a “quiet moment” between Kingfisher and Cerys, expressing tension and vulnerability.
  • Relatable to real relationships—tension and partnership without words.
• Bonus Chapter Creation ([31:46–32:45])
  • Most written after finishing the main book. For Quicksilver, she craved doing Kingfisher’s POV, which would have spoiled the mystery if included earlier.
  • The “Gate” and “Fox, Boots, Dress” chapters are fan favorites and tied to important lore.
• Magic System Insights ([36:04])
  • Kingfisher’s “illusion magic” is part of his "small magics," with more revealed in book two.

4. Behind the Scenes: Publishing & Fandom

• Rising Popularity & Surreal Reader Response ([27:15])
  • Callie reflects on the wild, overwhelming year—personal loss, extensive touring, and seeing enthusiastic fan engagement across social media.
• Fan Theories & Author Boundaries ([29:10]):
  • She avoids fan theories to prevent spoilers for herself and prefers not to intrude on reader spaces.
• Busy Author Life ([30:02]):
  • Life has only gotten busier since going traditional with 30 languages to coordinate, non-stop tours and interviews, and big events.

5. Brimstone Preview & Lore Teasers

• Kingfisher’s POV & Character Growth ([51:41–52:30])
  • Book 2 promises almost 50% in Kingfisher’s voice.

    "Getting to write those [POV chapters] … whet my appetite for his POV. So it was very rewarding to be able to write from his perspective throughout the book too. I just love him so much." – Callie Hart (52:30)

• Character Development: Cerys ([41:21])
  • Cerys is “whole” and not defined by needing a partner. Book 2 further develops her self-advocacy and partnership with Kingfisher.
• Tattoo Lore ([44:21–44:58])
  • Cerys’s bird tattoo is connected to her mating bond with Fisher; Kingfisher’s tattoos have deeper meanings, and some move—a relevant hint for future plotlines.
• Gods and Realms ([48:27–49:25])
  • The Tree is representative of the universe, many realms exist, and the gods each have their own “domain.” Only some have been seen so far.

6. Fun and Niche Questions

• Volleyball/Tennis in the Winter Palace ([36:28]):
  • The fae women are “volleying”—in Callie’s mind, it was tennis, but volleyball works too!
• Carrion’s Plant ([39:21]):
  • Reassuring fans:

    "He absolutely has his plant… He would never abandon his plant." – Callie Hart (39:46)

• Sex Scenes "Bet" ([62:27–62:39]):
  • Brimstone is “about a 3” on the chili pepper scale, with roughly the expected amount of spice from Callie Hart.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Writing Escape:

  "Living many lives through books and then realizing that I wanted to explore that and share my own stories..." – Callie Hart (06:36)

• On Tattoo Lore:

  "It's important that some of Kingfish's tattoos move and some don't. That's relevant. … Like, the mating bond, you know, is permanent, so it doesn't move, it doesn't shift..." – Callie Hart (44:58)

• On Book 2’s Anticipation:

  "Oh God, I'm just so excited for you guys to read a lot of the Carrion stuff because that was just like the best freaking time. ... the relationship between Kingfisher and Saris obviously is, is like I cranked that up to an 11 because I was just like, it's time.” – Callie Hart (61:27)

• On Fandom’s Response:

  "Daily, I'm still kind of like pinching myself because this year has been kind of brutal... when I open my phone ... it's all I see ... people doing the craziest cosplays and spending so much money on their outfits and time and effort ... It means the absolute world to me." – Callie Hart (27:26)

• On Carrion in the Modern World:

  "He’d be a Tinder boy. Putt putt mini golf. ... Like, escape rooms where you just get to smash everything. ... He’d be getting arrested for sure. Yes. On the regular." – Callie Hart (46:07)

Important Timestamps & Segments

| Time | Topic/Question/Event | |--------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:35 | Callie Hart joins the episode | | 06:33 | “What got you into writing?” | | 07:14 | On her first book & poetry origins | | 08:57 | Favorite book/series | | 09:40 | Writing beverages | | 10:31 | Favorite Fae & Alchemy realm? | | 14:07 | “Which character are you most like?” | | 14:38 | First creative inspiration for the series | | 16:25 | Favorite scene from Quicksilver | | 27:26 | On fan responses and online explosion | | 29:10 | Thoughts on fan theories | | 31:46 | Writing bonus chapters | | 36:04 | Explaining Kingfisher’s magic system | | 39:34 | Does Carrion still have his plant? ("Yes.") | | 41:21 | Cerys as a strong female MC; arc in Book 1/Book 2 | | 44:21 | Lore on Cerys’s and Kingfisher’s tattoos | | 46:07 | Modern world: What would Carrion love? | | 48:27 | Lore explanation: domain of the tree and the gods | | 51:41 | Impact of switching to Kingfisher’s POV in Brimstone | | 62:27 | On the "spicy" scenes and chili pepper rating for Brimstone| | 63:28 | Callie thanks and wraps up the interview |

Podcast's Signature "Bets" Segment ([64:36] onward)

• Nicole and Lexi present their traditional “bets” for Brimstone, attaching humorous and embarrassing consequences for whoever loses (from wearing odd costumes to creating wild social media posts).
• Example stakes include:
  • Wearing a blow-up penis costume for an episode ([67:37])
  • A skit called “I Love Fun Theories” ([76:28])
  • Picking each other's Christmas wrapping paper theme ([77:36])
  • Doing push-ups or TikTok dances on camera
  • Hair coloring consequences based on the number of sex scenes ([82:40])

Closing

• The sisters thank Callie for her openness, humor, and engaging with fan theories.
• Callie expresses her deep gratitude for readers and the supportive, creative fandom, while teasing much more to come in Brimstone.
• Listeners are reminded to check out upcoming episodes for Brimstone and follow Fantasy Fangirls for detailed chapter deep-dives and continued playful debate.

Summary

This episode delivers a lively, insight-rich conversation with Callie Hart, diving into her writing process, inspiration, world-building, character arcs, and the vibrant fandom around Quicksilver and the Fae & Alchemy series. Fans are treated to lore revelations, relationship deep-dives, authorial intent behind beloved scenes, and plenty of playful, spoiler-free teasing for the next installment, Brimstone.

Callie’s humor, humility, and warmth shine as she fields everything from "Does Carrion still have his plant?" to "Why does Kingfisher's tattoo move?" The sisters’ nerdy, upbeat style gives listeners both entertainment and in-depth context—making this episode a must-listen for anyone invested in fantasy fiction, creative process, or the Fae & Alchemy universe.