Fantasy FanClub - Penn Cole Book Club Sneak Peek

Summary

Fantasy FanClub - Penn Cole Book Club Sneak Peek
Fantasy Fangirls | QCODE | Release Date: April 10, 2025

---

Welcome to the Fantasy Fangirls Podcast, where sisters Nicole and Lexi delve deep into beloved fantasy literature, exploring intricate lore, compelling characters, thematic elements, and intriguing theories. In this special episode titled "Fantasy FanClub - Penn Cole Book Club Sneak Peek," the sisters offer an exclusive preview of their in-depth interview with Penn Cole, the acclaimed author of the Kindred's Curse saga. This episode is a treasure trove for fans eagerly anticipating the next book series covered on the podcast.

Episode Overview

• Guest: Penn Cole, Author of the Kindred's Curse saga
• Focus: Sneak peek into the book club interview, including discussions on world-building, character development, and upcoming releases
• Segments Covered:
  1. Author Insight: Penn Cole discusses her journey and the creation of the Kindred's Curse series.
  2. Deep Dive Questions: Exploration of Spark of the Everflame, the first book in the series.
  3. Spoiler-Rich Discussion: Comprehensive spoilers for all books in the series, including Glow, Heat, Spark, and Burn.

Joining the Fantasy Fan Club

Before diving into the interview, Nicole and Lexi highlight the benefits of joining the Fantasy Fan Club:

• Access to Exclusive Content: Including full interviews with authors like Penn Cole, Callie Hart, Sharisa Weeks, and Hannah Nicole Mayer.
• Membership Perks: Live Q&As, community events, trivia, discounted merchandise, promo codes, ad-free episodes, and an active Discord community.
• Cost: Starting as low as $6 a month.

Nicole directs listeners to sign up via the link in the podcast description or visit fantasyfangirls.com/fanclub.

Exclusive Interview with Penn Cole

The heart of the episode is the extended interview with Penn Cole, offering fans a glimpse into her creative process and the world of Kindred's Curse.

Inspiration Behind Kindred's Curse

Penn Cole shares the genesis of her series, emphasizing the uniqueness of her protagonist's journey:

Penn Cole (03:37): "We usually see worlds where somebody inherits it from their parent or, you know, the royal family, whatever, but we don't usually see somebody kind of coming out of nowhere from obscurity and being put in charge of, you know, everything."

She highlights the contrast between traditional royal inheritances and her character DM's unexpected ascent to power, exploring themes of responsibility and unprepared leadership.

World-Building Influenced by Parisian Experience

Having lived in Paris, Penn discusses how European cultures influenced the diverse realms within her fantasy world:

Penn Cole (09:53): "I think that being in Europe in particular, how it's so many very different cultures packed into, like, a very small area."

She draws parallels between the cultural diversity of Europe and her fictional continent, Imarian, ensuring each realm possesses distinct cultural values, languages, and architectures.

Challenges of Becoming an Author

Penn candidly addresses the emotional roller coaster of authorship, touching on imposter syndrome and the fluctuating nature of self-belief:

Penn Cole (12:44): "It's just the imposter syndrome and the... like not believing in yourself."

She underscores the emotional resilience required to navigate both positive and negative feedback, emphasizing the rewarding aspect of reader interactions.

Character Development: DM and Henry

A significant portion of the interview delves into the complexities of Penn's characters, particularly DM and Henry.

• DM's Dual Nature:

  Penn explains DM's outward confidence juxtaposed with internal struggles:

  Penn Cole (21:17): "DM is a lot of women that I know who are outwardly very confident... but internally just a hot mess."

  This duality makes DM a relatable and multi-dimensional protagonist, embodying the tension between external composure and internal turmoil.

• Henry as a Reflection of Oppression:

  Henry represents the struggle of oppressed groups, embodying the frustration of being unheard and the desire for justice:

  Penn Cole (25:03): "He represents a lot of people in the world that have just been pushed to their limit, and they snap."

  This characterization offers a mirror to real-world societal issues, adding depth and relevance to the narrative.

Upcoming Events and Releases

Penn provides an exciting outlook on her future projects and events:

• Conventions and Appearances:

  • Luca Comic Con (October): "I'm super excited about that." (15:36)
  • RomantasyCon LA (February): "So excited." (15:36)
  • Polycon and Villains and Vixens in Dallas: Plans for international and domestic events.

• Book Releases:

  • Burn: Recently delayed to July 31. Penn encourages followers to stay tuned via her Instagram and mailing list for updates.
  • Upcoming Translations: Expanding into 13 languages, broadening the series' global reach.

Engaging with Fans

Penn emphasizes the importance of reader interactions, sharing how feedback and discussions fuel her passion:

Penn Cole (14:06): "And like that is just, as an author, incredible. I mean, I could never have dreamed that it would have that kind of impact."

Her connection with fans fosters a vibrant community, enhancing the overall experience of the series.

Character Dynamics and Relationships

The discussion also explores the intricate relationships between characters, particularly the evolving bond between DM and Henry.

• Evolving Friendships:

  As DM and Henry navigate their diverging paths, Penn reflects on the universal experience of growing apart from close friends:

  Penn Cole (27:00): "What you want out of life changes. Your values can change a lot."

  This evolution adds authenticity to their relationship, resonating with listeners who have experienced similar dynamics.

• Leadership and Morality:

  DM's inherent kindness juxtaposed with her role as a leader creates compelling moral dilemmas:

  Penn Cole (23:25): "She wants to give people second and third and fourth chances."

  This aspect of her character challenges traditional notions of leadership, highlighting the complexities of maintaining compassion in positions of power.

Conclusion

This episode of Fantasy Fangirls offers an enriching preview of the Kindred's Curse saga through an engaging conversation with Penn Cole. Listeners gain valuable insights into the author's creative process, character development, and the thematic underpinnings of her series. The episode not only teases upcoming releases and events but also underscores the significance of community and reader engagement in the world of fantasy literature.

For those eager to delve deeper, joining the Fantasy Fan Club is highly recommended to access the full interview and exclusive content. Stay tuned to Fantasy Fangirls every Monday for more immersive discussions on your favorite fantasy tales.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Penn Cole on Unique Leadership Themes ([03:37]): "We usually see worlds where somebody inherits it from their parent or, you know, the royal family, whatever, but we don't usually see somebody kind of coming out of nowhere from obscurity and being put in charge of, you know, everything."

• Penn Cole on World-Building Influences ([09:53]): "I think that being in Europe in particular, how it's so many very different cultures packed into, like, a very small area."

• Penn Cole on Authorial Challenges ([12:44]): "It's just the imposter syndrome and the... like not believing in yourself."

• Penn Cole on DM's Characterization ([21:17]): "DM is a lot of women that I know who are outwardly very confident... but internally just a hot mess."

• Penn Cole on Henry's Representation ([25:03]): "He represents a lot of people in the world that have just been pushed to their limit, and they snap."

---

Connect with Fantasy Fangirls:

• Website: fantasyfangirls.com
• Fantasy Fan Club: Join for exclusive content and community benefits.
• Social Media: Follow for updates, reading guides, and more.

---

Thank you for tuning into the Fantasy FanClub - Penn Cole Book Club Sneak Peek episode. Happy reading!

Transcript

[Quentin]

Location the lab. Quentin only has 24 hours to sell his car. Is that even possible?

[Carvana Representative]

He goes to Carvana.com what is this, a movie trailer?

[Quentin]

He ignores the doubters, enters his license plate. Wow, that's a great offer. The car is sold, but will Carvana pick it up in time for it?

[Carvana Representative]

They'll literally pick it up tomorrow morning. Done with the dramatics.

[Quentin]

Car selling in record time.

[Carvana Representative]

Save your time. Go to Carvana.com and sell your car today. Pickup fees may apply.

[Amazon Representative]

This episode is brought to you by Amazon. Sometimes the most painful part of getting sick is the getting better part. Waiting on hold for an appointment, sitting in crowded waiting rooms, standing in line at the pharmacy. That's painful. Amazon One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy remove those painful parts of getting better with things like 24. 7 virtual visits and prescriptions delivered to your door. Thanks to Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon One Medical Healthcare just got less painful.

[Nicole]

Welcome, welcome welcome to the Fantasy Fangirls Podcast where two sisters dive deep into beloved fantasy lore, characters, themes, theories and more.

[Lexi]

I'm Lexi, older sister and fantasy lore nerd.

[Nicole]

And I'm Nicole, younger sister and romantic at heart.

[Lexi]

And today is an extended sneak peek into our special book club interview with Pencole, author of the Kendrick's Curse saga, which is the next book series we are covering on the podcast.

[Nicole]

We were so fortunate to have Penn join us for our June 2024 book club meeting all about Spark of the Everflame with our Fantasy Fan Club members. Which means that this sneak preview includes spoilers for Spark of the Everflame book one of the Kindred's Curse Saga. The full interview is split into several different parts. Part one is about Pen as an author and working behind the scenes to bring her idea of the Kindred's Curse saga to life. Then we move into part two, which is Questions Deep into Spark of the Everflame, Book one of the series. Then part three includes all spoilers for every book that is out. That is Glow and Heat and Spark. All of them. Pen gives us great teasers for Burn, plus her favorite moments from Glow and Heat. It is one of my favorite parts of this interview. It was incredible. It was so fun getting exclusive insights from Pen herself and our fantasy fan club members got to ask her questions directly which is awesome.

[Lexi]

If you are interested in participating in amazing monthly book clubs like this one and listening to the full interview with Pen Cole, you can join the Fantasy Fan Club today. You get access to our book club with any of our membership tiers along with tons of other benefits like live Q&As community events, trivia, discounted merch, promo codes to other events, ad free episodes and the best most active discord ever starting as low as $6 a month. Plus as you see here, some of our book clubs include authors like this one with Pen Cole, Callie Hart for Quicksilver, Sharisa Weeks for the Witch Collector and Hannah Nicole Mayer for Assistant to the Villain.

[Nicole]

Check out the link in the description below to check out the Fantasy Fan Club or go to fantasyfangirls.com fantastic fanclub to get started. We hope to see you in there.

[Lexi]

And now take a quick peek into our conversation with Pen Cole.

[Nicole]

I hope you love it. Welcome, welcome, welcome to Fantasy Fangirls Book Club for Joan.

[Pen Cole]

And as everyone knows, we have a very, very, very, very, very special guest here today. Pen Cole is joining us, author of Spark of the Ever Flame and of Glow and of Heat and of Burn. And we are all so excited as we are all devouring or have dev.

[Guest Author]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Nicole]

Thank you so much for being here. It is truly just an honor. Where are you tuning in from? I will be curious to hear. Where are you calling in from? I guess like we're radio.

[Guest Author]

I'm in Paris, France.

[Podcast Host]

Oh my goodness.

[Pen Cole]

What time Is it there?

[Guest Author]

1Am oh my gosh.

[Nicole]

You had no idea. Sorry.

[Guest Author]

No, no, no, no. I'm always up this late. Oh my gosh.

[Pen Cole]

Well, an extra thank you then.

[Guest Author]

I'm like semi nocturnal because everybody in the US is up late. Well my late and so I can't.

[Audience Member]

Miss all the fun.

[Pen Cole]

Oh man. Well, this is going to be so much fun.

[Nicole]

Yes. Oh my gosh. Let's kick it off and let's get into some questions. I'm so excited to dive in.

[Pen Cole]

Yes. So real quickly for everyone here, as you are probably familiar, we are going to divide this into two parts. The first part, it's going to be about 45 minutes. But if we are kind of really moving along and everyone's feeling good, we might cut it a little bit short. So the first 45ish minutes are going to be spoilers for only Spark of the Ever Flame. Everyone in the chat, please do be respectful to the other readers who might not be as far as you are in the books. And then the last part about the last 15 minutes or so, we're going to just we're going to give a big old spoiler warning and it's going to be a free for all for all three of the books. And of course as we're talking about Burn that is coming up very shortly. So, yes, thank you so much.

[Nicole]

We've got some other nocturnal people. It looks like Nicole finished heat at 5:00am this morning.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, my goodness.

[Guest Author]

Nicole needs a nap. And tissues. Probably, yes. Wine and chocolate and Kleenex.

[Podcast Host]

Absolutely.

[Nicole]

Nick, do you want to kick it off with question number one?

[Podcast Host]

Sure. So we would like to know more about your inspiration for the Kindred Curse series. How did you come up with this?

[Guest Author]

Well, it's so fun. I get to talk with.

[Audience Member]

Usually I try not to give this.

[Guest Author]

Away, but since I think all of you have read Spark, my first idea.

[Audience Member]

For the series was what happens at the very end, which is her obviously getting the crown and becoming queen.

[Guest Author]

And I thought it was really compelling to. Because we usually see worlds where, you know, somebody inherits it from their parent or, you know, the royal family, whatever, but we don't usually see somebody kind of coming out of nowhere from obscurity and being put in charge of, you know, everything. And so I thought that was a.

[Audience Member]

Really interesting concept of what happens if.

[Guest Author]

This girl who grew up in this.

[Audience Member]

Small mortal village is sort of plucked.

[Guest Author]

Out and put onto the throne and is completely unprepared for that role. Not at all competent to do the job, but has to do it anyway, you know, so that was kind of part of it. And then I also just kind of loved the idea of, you know, these, the haves and the have nots and, and how that impacts people, especially with different lifespans and, you know, in this small, small kind of continent that has.

[Audience Member]

So many different cultures in such a.

[Guest Author]

Small place and how, you know, that might. That sort of two caste society might manifest differently depending on, you know, certain cultural values, you know, as you move around the continent. So the. I think the world and sort the.

[Audience Member]

Rules of the society were what came to me first.

[Guest Author]

And then I built out the characters.

[Audience Member]

And the story from there.

[Pen Cole]

I love that that was going to be. My next question was kind of which came first, the world building or the plot? Because it's so interesting to hear those different perspectives. Sorry, Nicole, I didn't mean to interrupt you.

[Nicole]

You're totally fine. Well, my, my question for you is, was this just like a shower thought? Was it just like you were going about your day and it just like downloaded into you? Were you doing something and it sparked into your Spark? But I'm like come into your mind? Do you rem prompted right before it came into your mind?

[Guest Author]

I don't.

[Audience Member]

I can't remember.

[Guest Author]

I. So I have like a notes app that where I just Write down any.

[Audience Member]

Story idea that I get.

[Guest Author]

And I think that I had several different little ideas that I combined into this one. But the, the one that really set it off was that idea of, like, I had this scene in my head of this girl, like, running through a.

[Audience Member]

Forest, and like, some. Some men are chasing after her and I guess trying to rob her or.

[Guest Author]

Something, and then all of a sudden, in the middle of it, this, like, crown appears above her head. And that was originally how the book was gonna start. And then as I started to think about, okay, who is this girl? Where does she come from?

[Audience Member]

What are her motivations?

[Guest Author]

Like, what is her, you know, big overarching conflict, it shifted into something a little bit different. But that was that scene. I don't know.

[Audience Member]

For some reason that scene in my.

[Guest Author]

Head, like, wouldn' me. And so I just.

[Pen Cole]

That is so exciting.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, sounds so good.

[Pen Cole]

So a follow up question to that is we know that you. You've lived in Paris, you moved during COVID the pandemic, and it was your second time living in Paris, correct?

[Guest Author]

Yes. So I lived here for four years before. Then we went back to the US For a few years, and then we came back during the pandemic, which I don't.

[Audience Member]

I don't recommend.

[Pen Cole]

I was listening to that experience on another podcast that you were interviewing with, and it's like, oh, my go, yes, man. Yes. I thought being pregnant during COVID was crazy. And getting married during COVID was crazy.

[Guest Author]

Yeah, I mean, it had its fun parts too. Like, everything was shut down when we moved here. Everything. And so we just got to be, you know, here at home and kind of. It was like a.

[Audience Member]

We weren't thrown right into the middle of everything.

[Guest Author]

We got to kind of acclimate, and you don't usually get that in life. It was actually kind of nice. Yeah.

[Pen Cole]

So. So being in Paris or even maybe just like having all of that time to write it sounds like. Did you. Are there aspects of the world or the character, the characters or the stories that have been influenced by your time in Paris and the culture there?

[Guest Author]

I think that being in Europe in particular, how it's so many very different.

[Audience Member]

Cultures packed into, like, a very small area.

[Guest Author]

You know, I'm from Texas, and yes, there are many different cultures within Texas and many. It's very, very different depending on where.

[Audience Member]

You go, but still there's kind of a similarity to it.

[Guest Author]

And even in surrounding states, like, you know, there's kind of a unified, like, American culture. Right.

[Audience Member]

That.

[Guest Author]

That we all share from.

[Audience Member]

From that country in Europe, it's so different.

[Guest Author]

I mean, I can drive an hour.

[Audience Member]

Or two in any direction.

[Guest Author]

And new, you know, language, new political system, new types of architecture, new cultural value.

[Audience Member]

It's just very different.

[Guest Author]

And I think it interesting being from America and especially Texas to see, like.

[Audience Member]

These extremely different cultures in such a close proximity to each other.

[Guest Author]

And even though they've shared these borders.

[Audience Member]

For hundreds of years, they've really kept.

[Guest Author]

Like, their defined cultures through so much change. And so I kind of tried to replicate that a little bit with Imarian and how even though it is a small continent, you know, each. Each realm really is very distinct from the other. And they. They cling on to those differences and they don't want to let go of them. And I think that's kind of an interesting thing to think about, especially later in the series as we, like, travel through the realms and see more of them.

[Pen Cole]

I love that so much. And I'm looking here in the chat and so many others are as well. Lots of other Texas representing here. And also going kind of back to what you were saying before about really getting to know her, her life before the cr and so many people just really relating and sympathizing with her relationship, especially with her brother Teller. And that is just such an incredible. It's kind of like, okay, I don't want to say very much. She has a fantastic relationship with her existing family here, and it really catapults into such a great foundation moving forward in the series as she balances all the other responsibilities and individuals who come into her life there. I think I said that.

[Nicole]

Really quickly just. Just for anyone who is watching. If you guys also have questions for Pen, feel free to write them in the chat and we'll see how many we can get to as well before we get into the book discussion. Yes, Nick, do you want to take the next question?

[Podcast Host]

Sure. So what has been the hardest and easiest things that you didn't expect about becoming an author?

[Audience Member]

Oh, my gosh.

[Podcast Host]

Hold on to big ones.

[Guest Author]

There's a long list. When it comes to hardest, I think.

[Audience Member]

For me personally, the hardest thing has just been.

[Guest Author]

And I think probably any author would.

[Audience Member]

Actually give the same answer. It's just the imposter syndrome and the.

[Guest Author]

Like not believing in yourself. And it's such a roller coaster because one day you can have get a.

[Audience Member]

Great review or somebody can send you.

[Guest Author]

The nicest DM and you can just be on feel on top of the world because somebody said something super nice about your books, and the next day maybe not such a Nice review. Or your sales are really low or you're struggling with the senior writing or whatever and it's so much up and.

[Audience Member]

Down just from day to day. Your emotions are all over the place.

[Guest Author]

So I think hug your local indie author, please. They need it for sure. So I think managing the emotional side of it has been really tough.

[Audience Member]

The easiest.

[Guest Author]

I don't know if any of it's been easy, if I'm being really honest.

[Pen Cole]

While you think about that, I'm just gonna say the chat is just absolutely blowing up with, with virtual hugs to you and we all are like just absolutely love, like really love this series and love you. Love. We've been so excited to talk to you. Oh my gosh, right now.

[Guest Author]

Well, honestly my answer with I wouldn't.

[Audience Member]

Say easiest but like the most enjoyable, the most fulfilling is the reader interaction.

[Guest Author]

And just talking to people in DMs about the book and on my discord. And you know, I haven't done any.

[Audience Member]

Events yet, but hopefully soon in the.

[Guest Author]

Future and just getting to meet people that, you know, this little story that I made in my little apartment that I never really thought anybody would read and then people did read it and they, you know, they care about the.

[Audience Member]

Characters as much as I do.

[Guest Author]

And you know, I've heard some amazing things about how the book has helped.

[Audience Member]

People through certain issues that they've had in life.

[Guest Author]

And like that is just, as an author, incredible. I mean, I could never have dreamed.

[Audience Member]

That it would have that kind of impact.

[Guest Author]

So that has for sure been my favorite part.

[Pen Cole]

That's wonderful.

[Podcast Host]

That makes my heart so happy.

[Nicole]

It's amazing.

[Pen Cole]

Well, you did just mention you haven't had any events quite yet. But we are, we are. When we opened up the, the initial questions here before we get to the live ones, a lot of people are asking, where can they find you? What upcoming events do you have? It's kind of a several part question here. So what upcoming events? Do you have any special editions specifically for any upcoming events and any other books slash projects on the horizon?

[Guest Author]

So I do have an event this year that I unfortunately cannot say what it is, but it is in the U.S. it's like East Coast U.S. latter half of the year. I'm super excited about that.

[Audience Member]

Hopefully announcing soon.

[Guest Author]

And if any of you are in.

[Audience Member]

Italy, I just found out I'm going.

[Guest Author]

To be at the Luca Comic Con at the end of October, so that's pretty fun with my Italian. Yeah, I'm super excited about that.

[Audience Member]

And then next year I'll have a ton of stuff.

[Guest Author]

So I'm doing RomantasyCon LA in February. So excited.

[Pen Cole]

I'm so excited. I'll have to give you a big hug.

[Guest Author]

Oh, I'm amped about that one. And I'll be doing a Polycon. I know people are probably getting ready to get their tickets right now. I'll be doing a Polycon and then.

[Audience Member]

One that hasn't been announced yet, but.

[Guest Author]

It'S in Europe in summer of next year. Then Villains and Vixens in Dallas. I'm super excited to go home in I think September of next year.

[Nicole]

Oh, you're busy. Yes.

[Audience Member]

The appearances and then as for.

[Guest Author]

Books, some stuff is happening, but I.

[Audience Member]

Can'T talk about it.

[Guest Author]

I hate not being able to talk about this. I swear, I hate this. I cannot keep a secret. So this is terrible for me. But some exciting releases coming. No new books this year, except for Burn, of course, next year, tbd, but lots of special editions coming and lots of international translations coming. I think we've got 12 link or.

[Audience Member]

We just signed 13, our 13th language, yesterday.

[Guest Author]

So that's amazing. Lots of releases coming over the next year. Yeah, I'm super excited about that.

[Pen Cole]

How fun.

[Podcast Host]

Crazy.

[Guest Author]

Crazy.

[Pen Cole]

Now, now with Burn, I know that the release date was recently pushed back from July 1 to July 31. Are you able to share? Is that the official release date or.

[Guest Author]

Okay. It's not. Yeah. Unfortunately, part of it is out of my control because of things, but so I'm. I'm kind of at the mercy of.

[Audience Member]

Other factors at this point. But it is close.

[Guest Author]

I promise it is coming soon.

[Audience Member]

I just.

[Guest Author]

I myself don't know yet.

[Pen Cole]

Oh, that's gonna be. That's gonna be extra hard as out there. You don't even know.

[Guest Author]

Stressful. But soon?

[Audience Member]

Ish.

[Guest Author]

For sure. I. It could be sooner than that, could be later. I just. I have no idea.

[Pen Cole]

Sounds good. Well, we're sure like on your social media, is that the best place to find or on do if you have a newsletter, where would be the best place for all of us to find out what that release date is going to be?

[Audience Member]

I. The best place is probably either my Instagram or my mailing list for sure.

[Nicole]

Awesome.

[Pen Cole]

Awesome. All right, everybody hear that? Sign up or follow her on Instagram.

[Nicole]

You also post these reading these awesome, awesome reading guides on your Instagram for every single book and like literally follow for that alone. I love those so much. We do.

[Podcast Host]

They're very helpful.

[Nicole]

They are extremely helpful. We do have a question for the chat, which is where did you get the idea for the names of different places and the characteristics of people like from each place. So we'll.

[Pen Cole]

Yeah.

[Nicole]

Oh wait. I actually said that we might need to wait until we do all of them. All the books. Spoilers. Before we get into this, maybe I'll.

[Guest Author]

Touch on it a little bit.

[Nicole]

Perfect.

[Guest Author]

So if you've seen the map at all, you can kind of see sort of what the names are around the thing. They all come from Latin, so. I love fantasy. I've been a reader of fantasy my whole life.

[Audience Member]

But the one thing I don't love.

[Guest Author]

About fantasy is how every name is unpronounceable and you can't remember it. And it's like, oh, we're traveling from the city of Smargenfahrd to. And then we're going to click clock and then after that or you know what I mean, you can't keep these things in your head. And so I'm sure people will make fun of me for how like simplistic names are, but I just wanted people to be able to remember them and not have to, you know, refer to a map or a glossary every five seconds. So the, the. That's kind of why the names are fairly simple in the, in the world. But each one comes from Latin and.

[Audience Member]

Each name has meaning.

[Guest Author]

So Lumnos, you know, if you've ever seen Harry Potter. And so that kind of represents like.

[Audience Member]

The light magic they have. Monteos is mountains.

[Guest Author]

Fortas means strength. That's kind of where the army is, you know, each, each of those names has a specific meaning that ties either to their magic or their personality or.

[Audience Member]

The landscape or some aspect of each.

[Guest Author]

Realm'S sort of culture.

[Audience Member]

Awesome.

[Nicole]

Very cool.

[Podcast Host]

Amazing to do a deep dive and figure out the meanings of all of these.

[Pen Cole]

Oh, you know it.

[Nicole]

This is what we are famous for. Let's get into some spark of the ever flame specific questions, shall we?

[Audience Member]

Perfect.

[Nicole]

Let's do it. Question number one is what was your characterization inspiration for dm? And what would you like readers to take away from her journey? We're specifically looking at her book One Journey. I should say.

[Guest Author]

I think dm. For me, DM is a lot of women that I know who are outwardly very confident.

[Audience Member]

Maybe even to the point of being.

[Guest Author]

Like cocky or arrogant, but very. Just kind of bold outwardly and internally just a hot mess. Not, not really sure what they're doing. Second guessing everything, you know, carrying a lot of just self doubt and guilt and feelings of being inadequate that don't match up with their out. Their outer, you know, Persona. And so I. That was really compelling to me about her story is that that she.

[Audience Member]

To all the people who know her.

[Guest Author]

She seems like she's so strong and she's so confident and, like, so good at what she does, and she just feels like she's the opposite of that and she's, you know, crumbling at every chance. So I think that sort of duology of. Of the two aspects of hers is really interesting.

[Audience Member]

She also, you know, even though she was raised in, like, a poor area without a lot of rights, she was.

[Guest Author]

Very sheltered within that.

[Audience Member]

So she kind of lived in a bubble that gave her a lot of privilege because her mom and her dad really protected her from a lot of stuff.

[Guest Author]

So as we see in Spark especially.

[Audience Member]

Even her eyes are being open to.

[Guest Author]

Really how bad it is for everybody. Even though she thought she knew, she really starts to see how bad it got. And so her place in the series.

[Audience Member]

Throughout all four books, is that she's kind of in between. You know what I mean?

[Guest Author]

She doesn't quite fit in with the mortals.

[Audience Member]

She definitely doesn't fit in with the descended.

[Guest Author]

She's figuring out her place in this world in the middle. And I think as our POV character.

[Audience Member]

That'S a really interesting place to be. Not firmly on one side or the other.

[Nicole]

Yeah.

[Pen Cole]

And especially as. As you move more in the series, it's. It's so interesting how the inner conflict really does. Is so. Is so her. And you really see it in so many different ways in different situations where there. It isn't black and white. Like, life is not black and white. And I love how well her inner conflict and just her as an individual represents that in every which way.

[Nicole]

I agree with Meredith in the chat. She says, I love how DM is so kind and yet not a doormat. I could not agree more. Like, that's such a really good way of putting it, actually. Yes.

[Audience Member]

She's just such a good person and.

[Guest Author]

To the point of being annoying. I know for a lot of people, especially later in the series, you start to really get frustrated at her goodness.

[Audience Member]

And her kind of sometimes inability to.

[Guest Author]

Like, like, lay down the hammer on people that you want.

[Pen Cole]

We know exactly what you're talking about. One particular scene in particular. Yes.

[Guest Author]

But I think that's her right. She sees the goodness in everybody. She wants to give people second and.

[Audience Member]

Third and fourth chances.

[Guest Author]

She believes everybody can be redeemed and can, you know, learn from their mistakes. And so because of that, I think that that that makes her a good leader as she kind of embarks on this journey, but it also gets her into so much trouble.

[Nicole]

I love Chrissy says in the chat, that voice in her head is always saying fight, but her core reaction is always protect. Going back to that dichotomy and that polarization, I think that's just so. So on point. I do want to pivot ever so slightly because, Pen, you have admitted and confirmed that you are Henry's number one fan, and we really want to talk about this.

[Guest Author]

That's my boy. I love it.

[Pen Cole]

So, with all due respect, why, like, genuine question. And again, like, on an easy. We understand, like, he has been a very difficult character for you to write, especially with readers in mind there. So what characteristics and maybe even any events.

[Nicole]

In book one, help us.

[Pen Cole]

Help. Help us out here.

[Podcast Host]

We want to see what you see.

[Pen Cole]

Yes.

[Guest Author]

I think there's two things. Things.

[Audience Member]

The first is that, for me, Henry represents the mortals, and he represents the.

[Guest Author]

Struggle that they go on. And not just them, but like, every oppressed group of people that have just.

[Audience Member]

Been beaten down and beaten down and.

[Guest Author]

Beaten down, and they have been told to, you know, well, don't complain or you're. You're dealing with it the wrong way.

[Audience Member]

Or just ask nicely or.

[Guest Author]

You know what I mean? They've been told so many ways that they should deal with their oppression, and they've tried all of those things, and nothing gets them anywhere. And then they finally get pushed to their limit, and they snap, and they.

[Audience Member]

Say, you only listen to me, you.

[Guest Author]

Know, when I yell or when I'm violent or when I break the law or whatever. That's the only time you pay attention. And so that's what I'm gonna do. And then they get judged for that, right? For, like, going too far. And so I think for me, he represents a lot of people in the world that have just been pushed to.

[Audience Member]

Their limit, and they sn and they're.

[Guest Author]

Angry, and they want vengeance. They want justice. You know, they want people to listen.

[Audience Member]

To them who haven't been listening to them. They want power that they've been denied their whole life.

[Guest Author]

So I find that aspect of him really compelling. And also for me, seeing how people.

[Audience Member]

Respond to him because of that, I.

[Guest Author]

Think is really telling and really interesting because it does often mirror what we.

[Audience Member]

See in the real world.

[Guest Author]

I think where I screwed up is that he also is, you know, the foil to Luther, and he's sort of in the way of our shadow daddy, and so he's never going to be beloved because of that. But I love all of my characters, and so I have a lot of sympathy for him for that. And the other thing that I really appreciate, with respect to DM especially, is, you know, they've been friends since they.

[Audience Member]

Were toddlers, and they know each other so incredibly well, or at least he knew.

[Guest Author]

He. They think they know each other really well. Right.

[Audience Member]

But they're both kind of the same age.

[Guest Author]

Their early 20s, they're, you know, changing a lot, as anybody who's been through their twenties knows.

[Audience Member]

You change so much.

[Guest Author]

What you want out of life changes. Your values can change a lot.

[Audience Member]

The goals and dreams that you have.

[Guest Author]

For yourself can change. And so I think where we enter.

[Audience Member]

The series is where they're starting to diverge for the first time.

[Guest Author]

They've been kind of on the same path their whole life, wanting the same things, doing everything together.

[Audience Member]

And this is where DM is starting.

[Guest Author]

To say, like, well, I'm not sure I want that life. Like, I think maybe I want to go this way. And Henry is like, no, no, no. We've always talked about, like, wanting to.

[Audience Member]

Go this way, and this is what.

[Guest Author]

We have always said we wanted together, what's going on.

[Audience Member]

But also he's kind of going his.

[Guest Author]

Own way, like, joining the Guardians and. And all of that. Like, he, too, is kind of veering off in a way that they never really talked about. And so. So it.

[Audience Member]

To me, it's reflective of a lot.

[Guest Author]

Of what I think many of us.

[Audience Member]

Have gone through with losing.

[Guest Author]

Not losing, but friendships that we had.

[Audience Member]

Growing up just sort of drifting apart from those people and really clinging on to them, because we still care about them so much and they meant so.

[Guest Author]

Much to us, and we still want them in our life, even though they.

[Audience Member]

Don'T quite fit anymore, you know, and we're.

[Guest Author]

It's just, you know, kind of. Yeah.

[Pen Cole]

Yeah.

[Guest Author]

And so I have a lot of.

[Audience Member]

Sympathy for Henry and D and Bo.

[Guest Author]

Both in the relationship that they have.

[Audience Member]

Because they care about each other so much, and they're trying to figure it.

[Guest Author]

Out, and something just isn't quite clicking. And it's not, in my opinion, it's.

[Audience Member]

Not either of their faults.

[Guest Author]

It's just. That's what happens when you grow up and you become a different person.