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- [00:00]
Mikayla
Foreign.
- [00:09]
Reggie
Everybody. Welcome back to I'll Read what She's Reading. I'm Reggie.
- [00:13]
Mikayla
I'm Mikayla.
- [00:14]
Kennedy
And I'm Kennedy.
- [00:15]
Reggie
And today we have one of our favorite authors with us on the podcast, the one and only Carissa Broadbent. Carissa, welcome to the podcast.
- [00:27]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you so much for having me. I am so excited to be here with all of you.
- [00:31]
Reggie
Oh, thanks. We are so excited, too. This was, like, a dream to get you on here, and we cannot wait to chat with you. I actually just finished Songbird and Heart of stone, like, 10 minutes ago, and I'm freaking out. No, seriously, I'm freaking out. So I'm like, this is perfect. We can't wait to chat with you. So before we kind of get into the nitty gritty questions, we'd love to just kind of hear your story and kind of tell us how you became an author.
- [01:01]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah, so I. I always really enjoyed telling stories. Like, when I was a kid, I used to write, like, in elementary and middle school, like, really dark, dark stories. There was this one about a girl dying alone in the woods that, like, definitely got some parental calls, you know, from the teacher. And then as I got into high school and college, I, like, got busy and I stopped. But then when I was, like, 22, 23, and I was out in, like, corporate America, and I had that thing happen that I think a lot of people around that age have where I was just like, oh, this is it forever. Like, this is life now. And then I thought I should write a book, because the idea, like, I felt like I needed something else, you know, to work towards. So I wrote a couple of really bad books, and they were published for a while. They're no longer available. For good reason. They're not good.
- [02:00]
Kennedy
Oh, my gosh.
- [02:02]
Carissa Broadbent
And then in, like, 2018, 2019, I started writing Daughter of no Worlds, which ultimately became the book that, like, really started to kickstart my career at that point. And a couple of years later, here I am.
- [02:16]
Mikayla
We are obsessed with your work. We love it, and we've at least for. We all started with Serpents, right? All of us started with Serpents. And we just loved how unique it was compared to some of the other things we were reading. And so we are just so glad that you decided to become an author. And I love, like, your twists on things. They're just so fun.
- [02:42]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you. That's, like, very high praise. Thank you so much.
- [02:45]
Reggie
Oh, you're welcome.
- [02:46]
Kennedy
I just saw an interview that you had done. I think it was at a bookstore and you were kind of talking about when you decided to write Serpents, you had done Fae, you know, with Daughter of no Worlds and you had seen Faye done so much and that you decided to do vampires. And let me just say thank you so much. I love the vampires and I love the serpents world so much.
- [03:08]
Mikayla
Yeah, thank you.
- [03:10]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you. It's always like a fine line. So especially when you're indie, like now I kind of have more freedom because I have like, I have a, like an audience, you know, that, that is easier for me to like speak to. But like especially at that time and especially when you're indie, like whenever you're about to write a book, you, you know, I was, I was a full time author, you know, it was my livelihood. So you have to like balance what you want to do creatively but like also have to be able to evaluate in a very clear headed way. Like, is this something that people are actually going to be into? And I was a little nervous about vampire, like high fantasy vampires because I hadn't seen that as much as like contemporary romance, like paranormal romance, vampires, which is great, but not like my world really. So I was nervous about it. So I'm glad that people hopped on board.
- [04:06]
Reggie
Yeah, it's so I feel like reading your books. Every time I read one, it just feels like a breath of fresh air. And specifically with like Crowns of Nyacea, it's like I love how brutal and dark it is while the characters still have this like realness and like lighthearted side to them. It's. It's my favorite. So I'm just gonna be patiently waiting.
- [04:35]
Kennedy
For your next book because I'm impatiently waiting. I'm like dying for the next book.
- [04:43]
Carissa Broadbent
I hope that you love it once it's here. It's done. I. Oh yeah, yeah, it's done. I mean, I'm revising it still a bit, but yeah, it's done.
- [04:53]
Reggie
Oh, I cannot wait.
- [04:54]
Mikayla
I can't wait.
- [04:55]
Carissa Broadbent
I am so excited for it.
- [04:57]
Mikayla
Oh, I love, I'm so excited to read it. So while writing these books, what does your writing process look like and how do you draw inspiration? Like what do you draw inspiration from?
- [05:10]
Carissa Broadbent
So I, at the core of all of my books is like the emotional journey is like always the thing that is most important to me. And then another thing that's important to me is I never want to write the same book twice. Like I, I always want to do something kind of unique and different and like push myself in a new direction with every book that I write. And so that's usually where I start, is I kind of come up with. The first thing I come up with is the theme. Like, what is the emotional core of what this book is exploring? Like, what is the main thing that I want someone to take away from this book? So I come up with the theme. And then, of course, you know, plot wise, I'll have, like, a very big picture. Like, especially in the NYAXIA series, you know, I'll have a very big picture sense of, like, what each individual book is about. And then I take that theme and I really try to interrogate it through the characters. And usually it's at the crux of the relationship between the. The male main character and female main character. And that's also like, kind of what the. Them kind of going back and forth around that theme and exploring it through each other is usually how the romance kind of develops. And then, of course, I'll have, like, my inspiration for big, you know, action set pieces or, like, big plot moments or whatever, and I'll. I'll piece all those things around. I'll create an outline that's like a very big picture plot beat, meaning, like, this happens and then this happens, and then this happens and then this happens through the end. But at, like, a scene level, I will kind of trust my gut, you know, and readjust at a scene level, like, as I need to. And then I'll have, like, seven mental breakdowns and, like, be certain that my career is over and I'll never write another good book and, like, cry to my husband and cry to my agent and cry to my friends. And then I have a book.
- [06:59]
Mikayla
Well, I love that. I love that process. I feel like we've interviewed some authors, and I feel like everyone's process is completely different. And so it's really fun to, like, ask this question because it's genuinely so interesting to hear how you write your books.
- [07:19]
Reggie
Yeah. Every time I'm reading a book, I'm like, how. How do people come up with this? And so it's really cool to, like, draw the curtain back and take a look into it. And especially, like, knowing the plot and characters in your books, I feel like it's really cool to. Yeah. Hear you share that. So we didn't start the episode off with this, but I'm sure people are listening. If you have read Charissa's books, you know what books she has out there. So tell us about your different series and, like, the reading order and how that works, because I like the way that you have them setup, especially with crowns of Nyaxia.
- [07:59]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you for saying that, because I know that some people find it confusing, which is my fault for being like, the Crowns of Nyaxia series, I always say, was like my yes and series, because when I was first conceptualizing it, I just staked out the bounds of this enormous world and I wanted to give myself lots of room to play. And I was just like, everything that I thought could be cool, like, everything that I thought could open the door to, like, cool possibilities, I was just like, yeah, we're doing it. So that's how I ended up with this very expansive kind of sprawling series layout. So my first series, the War of Lost Hearts series, is pretty straightforward. It's a trilogy. It's like epic epic fantasy with, like, very strong romantic overtones to it. The first book is Daughter of no Worlds, which is like the one that most people recognize. So that's pretty straightforward trilogy, epic fantasy. The Crowns of Nyaxia series is a six book series. And the first two books focus on one of the vampire kingdoms, the House of Night. So there are two, like, there's a main couple for that duology. And then books three and four focus on the House of Shadow, which is another vampire kingdom. And then the spotlight shifts to a different couple for those two books. And then books five and six will focus around the House of Blood, which is the third vampire kingdom. And we'll have another spotlight shift. But the fantasy arc goes across all six books. So I always try to specify that because people will be like, at events or whatever will be like. I feel like there was a lot unresolved at the end of book two. And I was like, yes, because we've got six books. We got four more books. You gotta bear with me, guys. We've got like some big crazy stuff happening here. And then there are two spin offs. There's six Scorched Roses and there's Slaying the Vampire Conqueror. Both of those books were designed to be optional. They were both designed to be like, you could read them first if you wanted to, or you could skip them. But some people like to read Six Scorched Roses in between books one and two. And some people like to read Conqueror after book two. I would say if you want, you. You might want to read it before book four, maybe. But it's also optional, so it's up to you.
- [10:35]
Kennedy
Okay.
- [10:36]
Reggie
Okay, cool. Because, yeah, I think I read Conqueror after the second book and then I read Six Scorch Roses in between one and two. But was it you that was saying that you Would recommend Six Scorched Roses after or before?
- [10:52]
Mikayla
I said before.
- [10:53]
Kennedy
I think I said before as well.
- [10:55]
Mikayla
Yeah.
- [10:56]
Kennedy
And I have to tell you that Six Quartz Roses is one of my favorite novellas I've ever read.
- [11:00]
Reggie
Oh, it was perfect.
- [11:00]
Kennedy
It was so perfect. Their story. Oh, my gosh, it was absolutely incredible. It was so good.
- [11:08]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you.
- [11:08]
Mikayla
I really enjoyed it.
- [11:10]
Carissa Broadbent
I very much wrote it for myself. I wrote it because. All right, this is going to make me sound, like, unprofessional. I had committed to be in this anthology, and I was, like, a little bit, like, I kind of forgot about it. And then it was coming up and I was like, ah, shit, I have to write a book. And I kind of thought. I really thought that nobody would really be on board with it. Like, I kind of thought, well, at that point, only Serpent was out and it was like, you know, Hunger Games, vampires, like, high octane, whatever. So I was like, people are not going to be loving this, like, you know, kind of quiet, like, story about, like, this scientist and this grumpy Dracula guy. Like, But I loved it, so I just wrote it for myself. I had, like, no expectations of it, you know, really. So it really means a lot to me that so many people have connected with it in a way I really did not expect.
- [11:58]
Reggie
Yeah, that's really cool to hear and cool that, like, you didn't feel any pressure to do it. Like, that just makes me even love it even more. So. That's really cool.
- [12:08]
Mikayla
I. I feel like when you write stuff for yourself, I mean, not that I'm an author, but it shows. It shows how much people really enjoy it. Because I feel like everyone I've seen, like, my friends on Goodreads are obsessed with that novella. And I think it just comes through how much you just wrote it for yourself and it just really shines. And I just think it's. It's honestly so good, especially for how short it is. It didn't feel rushed at all. It just felt like perfect. Perfect pacing, everything.
- [12:42]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you. Oh, that's so sweet.
- [12:43]
Reggie
We could just sing your praises all day.
- [12:45]
Carissa Broadbent
So I love it. This is great. Keep it coming. This is wonderful.
- [12:50]
Reggie
Yeah, we can be your hype girls.
- [12:52]
Carissa Broadbent
Yes. Thank you.
- [12:54]
Mikayla
So between all of your series, do you recommend a certain, like, reading order? Do you recommend the Daughter of. No. World Series first or the Crown Naxes Series first? Do you have, like, a preference or is it just kind of whatever?
- [13:11]
Carissa Broadbent
I don't. I don't. I actually am really. It's kind of funny because even the question that you just asked about the reading order for the NYAXIA series. Like, I am a very chill, like, as a reader, I'm a very chill, like, contemporary romance series. I read them out of order all the time. Like, even ones that you're kind of not supposed to read out of order. I do whatever. So it's almost like readers have a much stronger opinion about, like, when you're supposed to read certain things. So for me, between the two series, I mean, whichever one strikes your fantasy, like, if you're like kind of more of an epic fantasy person, you might like the War of Lost Hearts trilogy first. I will say the Naxia series is getting progressively more epic as we go, because that's just who I am in my heart. So it's really up to you.
- [14:01]
Mikayla
I think that's a great answer. I think so too. Yeah, I know. I don't think, because they don't really. They're like two completely different series, which is like, amazing and that you're like so diverse with your writing because I feel like there are some authors, I still really like them, but I feel like their series kind of like blend together a little bit. So it's awesome that they're just like completely different. And I guess whatever you're feeling is what you should read.
- [14:28]
Carissa Broadbent
I'm happy with whatever someone, you know, picks up. I hope that they find something in there that they enjoy.
- [14:36]
Kennedy
I don't know if you have noticed, maybe you have, but the War of Lost Heart series I feel like has been gaining so much momentum on booktok recently. And honestly. So me and Reggie have both read that series and Mikayla's in the middle of it and we are so happy to see that. Obviously the Crowns of NYAXIA series is super popular, but to see the War of Lost Hearts trilogy become as popular has made us so happy because it's so incredibly good. Max is one of the best male main characters. He is just this ooey gooey cinnamon roll. He's just so great. And so I don't know if you've noticed that it started to gain a little bit more traction and maybe. Is it like, do you feel like it's the same popularity as serpents or.
- [15:20]
Carissa Broadbent
It's. I've definitely noticed that it's like more popular than it has ever been, which is really amazing, you know, for me, because that book we're coming up on the five year anniversary of the publication of Daughter of no Worlds. And one thing that I will also, I always like to point out, like, for any aspiring authors, or anyone who's maybe earlier in their author career. I mean, the whole first year that Daughter of no Worlds was published, I made, like, maybe barely four figures on it, you know, for like a year, you know, like. Like my career has been a real slow burn, you know, so it's really wonderful to see, like, that series still gain traction. It's, like, really close to my heart. I. I love it very much. I did get a lot of people. I've been on tour for the last five days. I did have a lot of people coming up to me about that series, which is so lovely to see. It's not, I can tell you, from a sales perspective, it is not as popular as the NYAXIA books are, but it's getting, like, close, which I honestly never thought would happen, to be honest. So it's amazing.
- [16:25]
Reggie
Yeah. I remember finishing the first book of Daughter of no Worlds, and I was like, why are more people not talking about this book? And I've just. I have, like, a very nice. What am I. What's the word I'm looking for? I don't know. That's. That series is just. Or trilogy, whatever you want to call it. One of my favorites ever. And same with nyaxia. And, Yeah. I mean, if anyone listening hasn't read any of your books or has read some and not the other, this is your sign to pick them up, because we're obviously obsessed with them. And, yeah, just hearing, like, the heart behind your books, too, is. Just makes me love it even more. So. Yeah.
- [17:11]
Carissa Broadbent
Oh, thank you so much. That's so sweet.
- [17:13]
Reggie
Yes, you're welcome.
- [17:15]
Carissa Broadbent
I really try with every book that I create to do something different. Like, I don't want to be writing the same book over and over again. And I don't want even just as a writer, like, I get bored, you know, that's part of the reason I set up the NYAXIA series to be the three sets of two, you know, because then that was my way of kind of progressing this big scale plot, like I like to, as an epic fantasy author, but still switching things around. Like, I have a lot of admiration for authors who can write eight books about the same. The same couple or the same person. Because I feel like, damn, I'd be bored. You know, I would start to feel like, okay, I'd like to explore something else now. And I'm really appreciative that my readers have been, like, so on board with, like, all right, like, we're going to hell. Like, there's going to be monsters and ghosts and, like, skulls, creature guardians, and, like, there's crazy gods and, like, gross dark necromancy magic and stuff. And I'm like, I'm writing it sometimes, and I'm like, I don't know. Are people just here for, like, the hot vampires? Like, because I'm going to be like.
- [18:16]
Reggie
Oh, I'm here for it all.
- [18:17]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah, right. Why not both?
- [18:20]
Reggie
Yeah, why not? Well, and like, you were saying, like, the three sets of two we always talk about on the podcast, how much we appreciate and love duologies because they never feel, like, rushed or. I don't know, there's just something about duologies that we just love. And so I feel like the way you have the series set up is it's like you're getting the best of both worlds, where you're getting this incredible storyline that's continuing throughout all these books, but then you're also getting that, like, little sweetness of almost having, like, a duology, which I love so much. And especially after finishing Songbird and Heart of Stone, I just. I'm on the edge of my seat.
- [19:11]
Mikayla
We recorded her reaction finishing it because we had both finished it.
- [19:15]
Reggie
I know we were waiting for you to get on here, and I was just sitting here like, oh, so you're.
- [19:20]
Carissa Broadbent
This is raw. This is raw for you.
- [19:22]
Kennedy
Oh, yeah.
- [19:22]
Reggie
Oh, yeah, this is raw. I am. Like, I couldn't have finished it at a more perfect time.
- [19:27]
Kennedy
I was. I was.
- [19:28]
Reggie
Questions I have for you.
- [19:30]
Kennedy
Yeah, we have so many questions, but I was driving in my car, listening to the audiobook, and I finished it, and I paused it, and I just screamed, Carissa Karissa. Because it's just. The ending was so good.
- [19:45]
Carissa Broadbent
He was so good. Thank you. So good. I'm gonna make something very. Like, you're gonna see this now. And you'll probably see it in other duologies, too. I also love duologies, and part of the reason why I love them is because when I write with plot structure, the midpoint is very important to me. Like, you will now notice that in all of my books around the 50% mark, sometimes it's like 60%, like, because my midpoints tend to be a little bit late. You know, there's a big change. Someone makes a big decision. So I like duologies because over the course of the series, you're ending at a big moment halfway through the main arc. So you're finishing the arc of one book, but there's. In the finishing of that arc, something major has changed. And then a duology as a series is basically structured like a before and after and mine, I usually try to think of it as the first book is someone coming to terms with what they are not, and then the second book is them figuring out who they are. And I love that as, like, a structure. It's, like, very meaningful to me. And then for the NYAXIA series, it's like the three duologies kind of function as, like, the beginning, middle, and end of a trilogy. So, like, you zoom out and the structure makes sense that way too. Which. This all makes me sound like a lot more put together than I actually am when I'm actually creating this stuff. So just a warning there, but it's a lot of fun. I love it.
- [21:16]
Reggie
Yeah, that's really cool. I just have to say, when I finished the first book, the Servant and the Wings of Night, I don't think I have had such strong of a visceral reaction in my entire life. Reading a book I like will never forget. And I so badly wanted to reread those before I started the third one, and I didn't, but now I almost want. It makes me even want to reread them even more after this one. And so it's one thing that I think is really cool about your books is I can always remember where I was and what I was doing when I read certain moments in your books, which is like. Like, oh, my gosh, I'm trying to remember exactly what chapter it is. Like, in book two, I remember driving on a road trip with my husband, and I was reading it, and I just started uncontrollably sobbing, and he was like, what is wrong with you? Like, I just. I. It's so cool that I feel like I can pinpoint certain moments in your books with certain moments of where I was. And. Yeah. So it's really cool for me to say now I remember exactly where I was when I finished book three. I was about to talk to you. So, yeah, big fans.
- [22:30]
Carissa Broadbent
That's like, the highest praise. It really is.
- [22:32]
Reggie
Oh, I'm so glad we get.
- [22:34]
Mikayla
Yeah, I feel like we all have reactions to your book. And that's my favorite part about reading, is reading these books. And even though they're fiction, having such strong reactions to characters and, like, crying, laughing. Like, you write such great banter, and I love that banter. Like, I love laughing at books, especially where the Crowns of Nyxia, a darker series. I think it's so fun when you add, like, sprinkles of, like, funny moments. I think that's just, like, makes me giddy, makes me laugh. So I think you do such a great job of evoking these emotions for your readers, and I think that's just like, such a wonderful accomplishment. So, yeah, we. We love. Sorry. We're just like hyping.
- [23:26]
Reggie
We're just dashing.
- [23:27]
Carissa Broadbent
I love it. I'm loving it. Just keep it coming. Yeah. Thank you so much.
- [23:34]
Kennedy
I also think what's cool about the Crowns of NYAXIA series is because you have it set up the way that you do. They feel different, but also it all makes sense together. Hopefully that makes sense. Like comparing, you know, the first two books to just the one book we've read from this to these two. They feel so different. The settings feel a little different, but it feels the same. So the fact that you kind of say that you want to write, you don't want to write the same book twice, it. It shines in this series. But also you have such a talent of making it feel cohesive.
- [24:09]
Carissa Broadbent
Oh, great. That's my biggest insecurity. So thank you. Thank you for validating me. I will try to keep it up. I've got three. Three more. Well, two more now because the fourth is done. But yeah, so we'll try. Really excited for those last two.
- [24:24]
Kennedy
So I think I can speak for all three of us when we say you're an auto by author and you'll always be an auto by author. So whatever you write, we're reading.
- [24:33]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you. Thank you for sure. This is why I get to have a career. So thank you for doing that.
- [24:40]
Reggie
Yeah, you're welcome. We know that. Well, first of all, we're really grateful for Podium and you for sending us your audiobook of Songbird and Heart of Stone. And we loved it. I like dual, like, read and listened. We're curious if you listen. Do you listen to your audiobooks?
- [25:01]
Carissa Broadbent
Absolutely not. No, I. The. And that's not a testament to the amazing narration work.
- [25:10]
Reggie
Oh, yeah.
- [25:10]
Carissa Broadbent
I mean, such immensely talented people work on those audiobooks and I know that they are incredible, but the idea of, like, listening to a stranger read my words back to me just, like, makes me want to peel off all of my skin and eat it. Like, it just seems like torture to me. Like, it makes me wonder how, like, actors watch their own movies. Like, can you imagine being an actor and being at a premiere and having to sit in the front row and watch yourself on a freaking 50 foot screen or whatever. Not 50. That would be a really big screen. But, you know.
- [25:42]
Mikayla
Yeah.
- [25:42]
Reggie
Oh, yeah.
- [25:43]
Carissa Broadbent
I just. I can't.
- [25:44]
Reggie
But.
- [25:44]
Carissa Broadbent
But I know that they are amazing and I've Obviously heard snippets and whatnot.
- [25:49]
Reggie
Oh, definitely. Yeah, they were wonderful. But that's just something we've never asked an author before, I don't think. And so we were really curious to know because that makes a lot of sense. Like, I even listening back to our podcast, like, when I have to go edit an episode, I'm like, oh, I don't like listening to myself.
- [26:06]
Mikayla
But are you involved at all with the process of the narrators, or do you kind of just leave it up to Podium, for example?
- [26:18]
Carissa Broadbent
So, as a professional, I generally believe one of my favorite things about this job is that I get to work with so many talented people. So I believe that the best thing that you can do in most situations professionally is like, find the best people and then let them do their jobs to the best of their ability. Which means giving them the input that they need and that they asked for, but then also backing off and letting them do their job. So Podium is very good about, like, I was very involved in, like, choosing the narrators. You know, they give me options and make recommendations and then, you know, ask for my input. And then they also ask for my input on things like pronunciations and whatnot. So. Yes. But then when it comes to the actual creation of the audiobook, I let them transition their job and they do an excellent job at it.
- [27:04]
Mikayla
No, it was great. I think the narrator for. Is this. Is this spoiling? I don't know if I'm allowed to say it. The narrator for the character, I think really just, like, brought her character to life.
- [27:19]
Carissa Broadbent
Yes. She's so good. And then especially when you consider. I knew from the outset this was going to be a tricky one to cast because it's a six book and she does the spin offs. So, like, there's so many different characters that she is narrating who are so different from each other. Like someone narrating Oreya is a very different voice than narrating Misha, and I think that she did a really fantastic job with that. And then similarly, very different than who we're headed for for books five and six. So, yeah, she's excellent. She's so good.
- [27:57]
Kennedy
I love that you have kind. You have the mentality of delegating because that just allows you so much more time to probably do the things you love, which is writing books instead of kind of micromanaging everyone around you. You're able to put so much more thought and time into your actual books. I actually, I love that.
- [28:16]
Reggie
Yeah, it's cool to see the behind the scenes because I'm always wondering.
- [28:20]
Carissa Broadbent
So yeah, it's also just sanity, you know, preservation too. And also I, I was a graphic designer and I worked in marketing before I was an author. So I had been on the opposite side. Like, I know how annoying it is when you're trying to do your job and someone is like, make the logo bigger. Like, I think this shade of green should be like more yellow. Or like, what if it was a, you know, a tree instead of a flower or whatever and you're just like, let me do my job, you know, I never want to be that person, you know?
- [28:53]
Mikayla
That's awesome.
- [28:54]
E
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- [29:57]
Mikayla
So we've talked, we kind of talked about all of the books. We have to know who your favorite character is to write out of all of your books. And then also who is your hardest character to write?
- [30:14]
Carissa Broadbent
Ooh, that's a tricky question. This is such a cliche of an answer to say like, they're all my favorite, but they are. Like they are all my favorite in different way. Some of them, like Aurea was very challenging at first because she was very different than other female main characters that I had written and her voice was very different. So that was challenging for me. Like getting to know her when I was first writing Serpent Misha was easy. You know, my life changed very dramatically in between Ashes and Songbird. I had a Baby and moved. And, like, my career changed a lot. And, like, so having that break definitely helped kind of reset. And it was a lot easier for me to get into her voice, even though she's so different than the voices I had before her. And then there are also, like, certain side characters that, like, every time they're on screen, I just have so much fun writing them. Septimus is one that I like. Every time he's around, I'm just, like, having a blast.
- [31:17]
Mikayla
I love it. I love it so much.
- [31:20]
Reggie
Yeah, he's fun. I'm trying to think. See, now I'm trying to ask myself the same question of, like, who my favorite character is. I would say I don't know what it is, but there's just something about that I love about Vincent. I love him. I love him.
- [31:36]
Carissa Broadbent
I also love Vincent.
- [31:38]
Reggie
Yes, I love him. I feel like. I don't know if it was after the second book. I just, like, started gushing about him to these two, and they're like, do you like him more than you like another? And I was. I just. I just love him. I just, like. The men in your books are just extremely well written. And, yeah, I'm in love with all of them.
- [32:02]
Mikayla
So the fan art you have on, I'm like, oh, my gosh. I love the fan art. And it's. It's nice to. Um, sorry, this is kind of, like, a little bit off topic, but do you work with one artist exclusively or do you kind of, like, switch?
- [32:22]
Carissa Broadbent
I have, like, no self control when it comes to art. I love working with and supporting artists, especially right now. I know it's. It's very tough for artists right now because of Generative AI and all of that crap. So I. I really love commissioning artists. I went way overboard with Songbird and commission so much art. Like, basically every time I was on Instagram and saw an artist that I liked, regardless of whether they had, like, 500 followers or, like 10,000, I would be like, hey, do you take commissions? You want to draw some vampires? Like, here's the document. Draw whatever you want. Like, it's great. I do have a long standing relationship with, like, certain artists that I will go back to and commission over and over again. Like Alicia MB on Instagram, she has drawn portraits of all of my characters, and we have more coming, and she's wonderful. But I just. I love working with artists. It's like, my favorite part of this job there.
- [33:24]
Mikayla
I don't think you could ever go over.
- [33:26]
Kennedy
You did not go over.
- [33:28]
Mikayla
No, never.
- [33:29]
Reggie
Give us more.
- [33:29]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah. Oh, I have more. I have more. I have a lot of, like. So what I did was I created, like, this master document with, like, both character descriptions, and then I had five scene descriptions in there, and I basically just sent it to all of these artists and was just like, draw whatever here looks interesting to you. Like, it can just be, like, just them hanging out, or it can be like, any of these scenes. And what I didn't really consider until I started getting art back was like, some readers are very particular about what they consider to be spoilers. Like, things that I maybe, again, as someone who is not sensitive to spoilers, would not really think of as a spoiler, per se. Like, some people don't want to see any scene depicted from the book at all, even if it's out of context. Like, nothing. So a lot of it I've been sitting on until, like, now. And I will, like, still put a little slide in front of it and be like, you know, this is a scene from chapter 30 or whatever, you know, so if someone wants to avoid it, they can. But I was like, there was a bunch of it that I was like, I need to wait until after the book is out, at least before I start posting this stuff, because I think some people would prefer not to see it. But yeah, there's so much. There's so much more.
- [34:44]
Mikayla
I love it. It was great getting a visual for the characters and kind of like how the scenes are set up. So I'm personally a big fan.
- [34:55]
Reggie
Yeah, I feel like I've always been able to see in my mind the characters very well, based off of how well you write about them. But it's cool to see how other people interpret the characters as well. And sometimes I'm like, oh, I like that better. So, yeah, keep the fan art coming.
- [35:16]
Carissa Broadbent
Oh, yeah.
- [35:17]
Reggie
Along the lines of, okay, yeah, we'll be. We'll be just keeping an eye out along the lines of characters. If your ser. Any of your series were to be turned into an adaptation for TV movie, which series would you prefer, first of all? And then do you have any potential fan cast? Like, do you have certain people in your mind while you're writing? Maybe. I don't know. I'm just curious how that works in your answer to that.
- [35:47]
Carissa Broadbent
So I actually usually do not have, like, strong, specific people that I have in mind most of the time. Like, actually when I work with, like, Alicia, for example, on these portraits, like, she always has to, like, send me a bazillion pictures to, like, force me to, like, to nail it down. To, like, a specific face. So of course I know features. You know, this person has, like, dark, curly hair. Like, they have this color eyes or a scar or whatever. But in terms of, like, actual specific people, I am very flexible. I also will say I am very open to, like, other. Other interpretations of characters and, like, visualizations. So, like, the only character I've ever had a pretty strong mental image for, like, I definitely kind of imagined Rain as, like, a Jason Momoa type, which I know some people.
- [36:39]
Kennedy
Okay.
- [36:41]
Carissa Broadbent
I imagine, like, not even necessarily specifically him, but like a. Like, that type. Like a big, kind of burly, kind of gregarious guy. And it's always funny when I say that at, like, events, because sometimes, like, half the room will be, like. Like, totally not what they were envisioning at all. Which is fine. It's just me. But usually I do not, actually.
- [37:05]
Reggie
No, I can see that with, like, the features that we know that Rain has, because he has, like, almost. His hair, like, almost red. It's, like, really dark. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I. I'm picturing it. I can see it.
- [37:18]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah. He's, like, hairy and, like, big.
- [37:21]
Mikayla
Yeah.
- [37:21]
Carissa Broadbent
And like, kind of, like, not. He's handsome, but he's not, like, pretty pretty. You know, he's got very strong features. That's just always how I kind of imagined him.
- [37:32]
Mikayla
No, I like that description. Now I'm just gonna picture Jason Momoa with red hair. Dark, dark, red hair, right?
- [37:43]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah.
- [37:43]
Mikayla
Yeah. Would you prefer the crowns of Nyaxi Naxia or the War of Lost Hearts to be adapted? Is that, like, even what you're thinking or what you would want, or would you turn it down if that option was presented to you?
- [38:03]
Carissa Broadbent
Oh, I. Well, I would not turn it down. I. I am realistic about, like, let's be real here. A Court of Thorns and Roses is one of the biggest series in the entire fucking world, and they cannot manage to get that thing made. So let's be realistic here. I mean, any adaptation of these books would be super, super expensive, and it would require, like, crazy. And Hollywood is just. Sounds very frustrating, frankly. So, like, if someone comes to me or comes to my agent and is, like, really passionate about it, and they want to throw us a bunch of money to, like, try to make it happen. Hell, yeah. I'm on board. The one thing that I feel very passionately about that I would love. I would love an animated series based on any of my books. I'm a big animation fan, and I think it's an ideal medium for fantasy adaptations.
- [38:51]
Mikayla
I love that. What Style of animation. Do you, like, envision? Because there. There is a wide variety of animation styles. Do you see, like, I don't know if you watch, like, anime or, like, more. I don't know.
- [39:07]
Reggie
Yeah, I can't think of the names, but I can see Claymation.
- [39:11]
Carissa Broadbent
That would be funny. Well, I watched, actually part of the inspiration when I first was kind of toying with this idea of doing vampires in, like, a fantasy setting. I was watching Castlevania and. Which is very good. It's, like, way better than it has any right to be, frankly. Like, it's so good. So, yeah, something like that. Like, right now, because the second season came out, I'm very into arcane. Honestly. I just love animation as, like, an art form. And it's just such a great way of adapting fantasy to me. Like, they do such a wonderful job. So maybe one day that would be a dream for me.
- [39:47]
Mikayla
I feel. I wish I had all the money in the world because I feel so passionately that books. I don't know why books aren't into, like, turning into movies more, because I feel like they're throwing things out that are kind of garbage, in my opinion, or they're redoing things that don't need to be redone. And I'm like, there's so many good books that could be turned into these wonderful productions. And there's a fan base already for these books. And so I just think, you know, they're really missing out on these opportunities right now. Especially with books being so big right now. It's definitely, you know, a phenomenon where, like, everyone's reading right now, and I just feel like they're missing out on all these great business opportunities. And I wish I could just produce these books into movies.
- [40:43]
Carissa Broadbent
I know. I. I mean, I get it. Because it's just so difficult to get things made, you know, Like, I worked at Microsoft before I was here, and it was just like, even. Just anyone who's worked at a big corporation just you know how hard it is to get things done just in, like, one business. Now imagine that you have to string together, like, 10 freaking Microsofts to, like, make a movie happen and then spend, like, millions of dollars. And, like, there's so many different creative visions involved. And then also, you could have the most faithful adaptation of a great book and have it not be a great movie. I mean, they're different mediums, you know, so I. I understand it, but, yeah, it's. That's another reason why sometimes I'm like, I don't know if someone Came to me, sure. But I am not eager to go get out there in Hollywood and deal with that bureaucratic nightmare. It just sounds exhausting to me.
- [41:34]
Reggie
It seems like a whole new world. Yes, definitely crazy. But we will be sending out good vibes your way. And I think an animated series would be so cool.
- [41:46]
Carissa Broadbent
Yes, so cool.
- [41:49]
Reggie
I love it. So you have told us, you know you have three more books coming in Nyaxia, is that correct?
- [41:57]
Carissa Broadbent
Yes.
- [41:58]
Reggie
Six in total, right? Yeah.
- [41:59]
Carissa Broadbent
Yes, yes.
- [42:00]
Reggie
And you finished the fourth, which impatiently waiting do you have? I mean, I know you're busy and it seems like you've got a decent amount on your plate right now, but do you have any future plans for after Nyaxia is finished?
- [42:18]
Carissa Broadbent
So I have some author friends that are always like, oh, I have like so many ideas and like, not enough time to write them. And I'm always like, that's great for you. I tend to be very focused on what I have on my plate at the moment. And then like, when I finish it, I'm like, okay, what do I write? Which is like, why it was really scary. But before I wrote Serpent, because I was like a full time author, but I like, had just kind of become a full time author, so I was like, shit, I better write something good that people like, because this is my job now. I've been toying around with some, like, very big picture kinds of ideas. I think I want to maybe try a little bit of a setting shift. Like I said, I don't like to write the same thing twice and I don't like to write, like, I always try to do something that's a little bit different and like a little bit memorable for people. I want people to be able to remember it a year from now, two years from now, even if they're not remembering the specifics of the plot, because God knows that I don't as a reader. But I'll always remember, like, oh, this. I thought it was like, really cool and creative and like, wow, this one part gave me this really major emotional reaction. I always want to do something like, a little bit different and memorable. So I have some, some thoughts about some new settings. Kind of doing a little bit of a twist on the romantasy genre maybe.
- [43:46]
Reggie
Okay, cool.
- [43:47]
Kennedy
I was just about to ask, would you ever write in another genre?
- [43:50]
Carissa Broadbent
I. I really love writing fantasy. I can't really see myself doing. Maybe one day I'll do something contemporary, but I can definitely see myself doing like space fantasy. And when I say space fantasy, I don't mean sci Fi. Because I can't do science. So, I mean, more like Star wars versus Star Trek. Like, definitely kind of more like magic and swords, but in space with kissing. You know, I can definitely see myself doing that.
- [44:22]
Mikayla
I love it.
- [44:22]
Kennedy
I would eat that up so fast.
- [44:24]
Carissa Broadbent
Well, I hope that you do, because that very well may be where I head next. We'll see.
- [44:30]
Mikayla
I love.
- [44:30]
Reggie
That is so cool because, well, I. Especially Niaxia. Like, I feel like I catch myself a lot reading your books and being like, whoa, like you were saying in the beginning, like, yeah, let's. Like, let's go to hell. Let's. And you paint this picture where it's so cool for my mind to try and build your world as I'm reading. Because some books, a lot of books I read, I'm kind of like, okay, yeah, like, I've seen this before, or, you know, maybe not anything too complex, but I really love specifically the Nyaxia series and just how dark and brutal it is with. There's just so many cool elements. So it's really interesting to hear that you would want to maybe move into this, you know, space world, because I can only imagine how insane and wonderful it's going to be.
- [45:28]
Carissa Broadbent
So that's probably very insane. That's like. I just. I like to get a little weird. I. I'm like a. I consider myself to really be, like, kind of an epic fantasy author at heart. I love writing romance, but, like, I really appreciate how readers have hopped on board with kind of my weirder impulses with the fantasy and world aspects. So hopefully.
- [45:53]
Reggie
Oh, we're here for it. And it works. Yeah, it works. We love it.
- [45:57]
Kennedy
It makes. I mean, we've said this so many times already, but it just. Your books feel new and fresh in the best. Like, they feel new and fresh, but also they feel like I'm at home. Does that make sense? They have all the elements of romantasy that I love, but you sprinkle in these new ideas and these different concepts and it just makes it feel fresh.
- [46:19]
Carissa Broadbent
That is exactly I aim for. So thank you.
- [46:23]
Mikayla
Maybe I've already said this, but I think you writing like you're. You're. No, you're crazy.
- [46:30]
Carissa Broadbent
You.
- [46:30]
Mikayla
You phrase it as, like, your craziness. I think it's giving people what they want, but they didn't know they wanted. Because, yes, I feel like some authors, at least the newer ones, are writing what they think their, you know, their fans want or what their readers want, but really we want something different. And so that's just. That's what you do with your books is you're giving us something we didn't know we wanted.
- [46:59]
Reggie
Solid agree.
- [47:00]
Carissa Broadbent
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
- [47:03]
Kennedy
Has there ever been a time where you feel like you've gone too far and you've had to pull yourself back? Where you're like, oh, hold on. I have this idea, but never mind.
- [47:13]
Carissa Broadbent
I. I definitely have questioned if I've gone too far, but, like, I don't pull myself back. There were definitely when I was writing Songbird, and there was like, you know, I'm not getting specific here, so no spoiler, but there's like. I mean, it's the underworld and there's like, rivers of blood and there's like, trippy, like, mind hallucination sequences and crazy stuff like that. And I was like, I'm writing it. And I'm like, carissa, are people really going to, like, be with you on this? But I was like, too late. Already wrote it. Like, we're already doing it, guys. And, yeah, it's gonna get. We're gonna keep getting a little. A little weird. A little weird, but I can't help it.
- [48:00]
Kennedy
I loved it. I loved every bit of awareness in Songbirds. Give me more. Yeah, I'm ready for more.
- [48:06]
Carissa Broadbent
Okay.
- [48:08]
Reggie
Yeah. That's why we love your books so much and what sets you apart, I think, from so many authors. So thank you. And like, I said, we could sing your praises all day, but to kind of like, step back from your books for a second. What is your current read right now? Are you reading anything? Do you have time?
- [48:26]
Carissa Broadbent
No, I do not have time. My TBR just is perpetually long. And, like, there's so many books that, like, I know I will love them, but I just haven't gotten to them. So right now I'm reading Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Meyer, because she was kind enough to join me on tour a few days ago in Pittsburgh. And she's the sweetest person and I had such a lovely time with her. So I'm really loving that book. It's so fun and fresh and kind of like an interesting take on Romantasy. Talk about someone who did something a little different. Fun. I have so many others. I've been meaning in the vampire fantasy world to read the Second Empire of the Vampire Book for a long time because I loved the first one and I know I'm going to love the second one, but it's also very long, so there's definitely been moments where I was like, I don't have the brain for this. I need to be a little bit more rested. So that might be my read after my upcoming deadline, going into the holidays.
- [49:32]
Mikayla
Oh, that's exciting. It's always fun hearing what you guys are reading because you're kind of like us. We've read Assistant to the Villain. So it's fun to hear that you are reading it right now and that you try to make time for authors and what they are writing. But I bet you're just so busy. I couldn't imagine trying to write a book and then trying to read other books and all of that stuff.
- [50:03]
Carissa Broadbent
It's a lot of words. Sometimes you're worded out, you know, like. And a lot of times I do find it easier to read non romantasy books at times just because I get. I really get into my own head. Like I get really bad imposter syndrome when I'm writing. And when I'm doing that, sometimes it's tough for me to read romantasy because I'll be like, oh no, this is like so good. Like I'm loving it, but it's so good. And I'll never be this good. My career is over. That's it.
- [50:31]
Mikayla
What?
- [50:31]
Reggie
No.
- [50:32]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah.
- [50:33]
Mikayla
Never.
- [50:34]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you. Bless you. But I end up. I'm not a very discriminating reader at all. Like, I read all genres, you know, thrillers, women's lit, contemporary romance, just everything. And I think that there's always something to. To learn from that. Like that's where you get fresh ideas and fresh inspirations is by reading things that are kind of outside of the. The ecosystem of the sub genre that you're living in. Constantly.
- [50:58]
Mikayla
I love it. Do you. Sorry, this is also a little bit off topic. Do you listen to music while you like write or you're drawing inspiration for your books and characters?
- [51:08]
Carissa Broadbent
I listen to a lot of music when I'm thinking, like when I'm brainstorming. And I get a lot of my emotional inspiration from music or while listening to music I cannot listen to. Word. Lyrical. That's the word I'm looking for. Lyrical music when I'm writing because I find it distracting. I can only listen to. Do you ever listen to the Bioral beats? Music like that's just like, like, it's like, just like, like techno beats. Like there's a deep focus playlist on Spotify and that's all I can listen to when I'm actually writing.
- [51:42]
Mikayla
That's so interesting.
- [51:43]
Kennedy
Yeah, that is interesting.
- [51:44]
Mikayla
I. I don't think I've ever listened to that while reading. I can't listen to lyrical music either. While I'm reading, it has to be like, you know, fall vibes for two hours.
- [51:55]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah, yeah.
- [51:56]
Mikayla
Kind of music. Yeah. I'm going to have to try and see the techno. Yeah, I'm sure that stimulates your brain, though, and gets you, like, your brain moving.
- [52:06]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah, it's very, like, focused, like, and it's very, I guess what I'll call, like, emotionally neutral. So like, sometimes, like, if I'm doing it like a battle sequence, I'll listen to, like, battle fantasy music, you know, like soundtrack music. But then the problem is that, I mean, I'm writing a lot of different scenes and then it's like, distracting if the emotions don't line up to, like, what I'm. So that's why I like kind of bland, focused music. I will say there was a whole sequence in. I almost just said something I was not supposed to say. Book four, whose title has not been revealed yet. And I listened to Hallelujah by, like, Jeff Buckley's cover of Hallelujah for like, three hours straight on loop while I, like, wrote this, like, epic sequence of that book. And that's the only time I've ever done that.
- [52:58]
Reggie
Why isn't that, like, give me chills? I don't even know what you were writing.
- [53:02]
Mikayla
I'm so excited.
- [53:04]
Kennedy
Will we know, like, when we read it? Will we know? Will we be able to read and.
- [53:07]
Carissa Broadbent
Be like, oh, this is when I think you will?
- [53:10]
Reggie
Yeah, we'll be like, cue the music.
- [53:12]
Carissa Broadbent
Yes. It's an excellent cover. It's like a revision of that song.
- [53:17]
Mikayla
Ooh.
- [53:18]
Reggie
Oh, man. I'm even more excited than I was so excited.
- [53:21]
Mikayla
Are you allowed to say when it's planning on being released or are you not allowed to say?
- [53:28]
Carissa Broadbent
I can't say it's going to be. I don't know when this is airing, but as of speaking on November 26, it is going to be revealed relatively soon from what I understand from my team. And it's hopefully not as painful as a wait as some people are speculating.
- [53:44]
Kennedy
Oh, okay.
- [53:46]
Reggie
Love it.
- [53:47]
Mikayla
Okay, that's really exciting.
- [53:50]
Reggie
Perfect. Well, like we said, we will just be impatiently waiting.
- [53:54]
Carissa Broadbent
I'm excited.
- [53:54]
Reggie
We just really appreciate you coming on here, taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. It really means the world to us. And it's like, such an honor to be able to talk to you because, I mean, I'm speaking for myself. You are definitely like, one of my favorite authors ever. So this is like a pinch me moment. So thank you so much and everyone listening. Go check out Karissa's books if you haven't already, because if this hasn't inspired you to, then this is your sign. So thank you so much.
- [54:31]
Carissa Broadbent
Yeah, thank you so much for having me. This is. I mean, being able to do these kind of things is a pinch me moment for me. You know, like, even as little as a year ago or two years ago, it was, like, not. Not something I ever thought was possible to be able to, like, come on these kinds of podcasts and talk with wonderful people like yourselves or go to events and stuff. So I'm. I'm really happy that we got to do this.
- [54:52]
Reggie
Awesome. Well, thank you. We'll be sure to, like, link all of your everything, socials and stuff in our show notes so people can follow along with you. Check out your amazing fan art and yeah, thank you so much. Best of luck with all that you have coming up.
- [55:09]
Mikayla
We're really excited for you. We're. We love all this success that you're getting because it's. It's well deserved.
- [55:16]
Carissa Broadbent
Thank you 100%.
- [55:18]
Reggie
Yeah, thanks again. We really appreciate it. And everybody, we'll see you next Wednesday.
- [55:24]
Mikayla
Bye.