The Mythic Mic Podcast

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where spite can birth stories, birds carry omens, and every book has a secret behind its wings.  
This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with Braidee Otto, author of Songbird of the Sorrows, for a conversation that is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply inspiring for aspiring authors.
Braidee takes us from her childhood struggles with reading (and a very memorable moment of classroom humiliation) to the exact moment a holographic Del Toro Quest cover rewired her brain and set her on a lifelong path as a ferocious reader and writer. We talk hyperfocus, ADHD, all-or-nothing creativity, and what four straight months of writing actually look like.
We also dive into Braidee’s wild publishing journey from indie release, to shock translation and audio offers before her book even hit shelves, to signing with an agent just weeks later, and eventually landing a traditional deal. Along the way, she shares refreshingly honest insights about fear, self-doubt, relinquishing control, and why gorgeous covers really do matter.
And of course, we sink our teeth into Songbird of the Sorrows — a princess-turned-spy competing in deadly bridal trials, caught between duty, desire, and a former flame who is now her handler.
🕊️ What happens when spite turns into a lifelong love of stories?
🗡️ What if your biggest writing breakthrough came before you even realized you were being watched?
🔥 And what does it really take to move from indie to trad without losing your creative soul?
This episode is a must-listen for romantasy readers, epic fantasy lovers, and any aspiring author wondering what the publishing journey actually looks like.
🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…
✨ Braidee’s unforgettable childhood reading story and how spite became her superpower.
✨ Four-month hyperfocus writing sprints and what her real writing days look like.
✨ The ADHD conversation and “all-or-nothing” creative brains.
✨ Writing through self-doubt and why the fear hit hardest after finishing the book.
✨ Navigating indie to trad in record time.
✨ Why investing in your cover can literally change your career.
✨ A deep dive into Songbird of the Sorrows: deadly bridal trials, spies, and second chances.
✨ Why Braidee wants readers to remember how the book made them feel. 
CONNECT WITH US
🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic
👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland
👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill
📚 Braidee Otto – @braideeottobooks
✨ If you loved this episode, please rate and review — it helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where ambition becomes art, illusions blur morality, and a failed acting career might just be the best writing origin story.  
This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with debut romantasy author Madeline Taylor, whose book Heir of Illusion is already taking the genre by storm. Equal parts hilarious, unfiltered and deeply insightful, Madeline walks us through her winding path from unsuccessful actress, to  English degree, to self-publishing, to a whirlwind traditional publishing deal in a matter of months.
We talk about what it really looks like to write a book during grief, burnout, and mental health struggles, and how spite, therapy, and sheer determination helped her push through anyway. Madeline is refreshingly candid about money stress, timing, and the emotional whiplash of being courted by agents and editors while still trying to pay for wisdom teeth surgery.
Then we dive into the deliciously dark world of Heir of Illusion: a female assassin bound to a ruthless king, a mysterious Shadow Reaper, and illusion magic that is as morally tricky as it is powerful. Madeline unpacks Ivy’s journey from self-punishment to self-worth, the seductive danger of invisibility, and why she loves writing razor-sharp banter more than anything.
🗡️ What happens when spite becomes your greatest creative fuel?
🖤 How do illusions blur the line between survival and morality?
🔥 And what does it really take to go from indie debut to trad deal in record time?
This is a must-listen for romantasy readers, aspiring authors, and anyone who loves messy heroines, shadow daddies, and brutally good cliffhangers.
🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…
✨ Madeline’s unlikely journey from failed acting to published author.
✨ How spite — and someone underestimating her — became a powerful motivator.
✨ The reality of self-publishing on a shoestring budget.
✨ Auctions, foreign rights, and the surreal speed of her trad deal.
✨ Why writing is a business — and how she treated it like one.
✨ Illusion magic, invisibility, and moral grayness in Heir of Illusion.
✨ Banter as Madeline’s favorite thing to write and why scripts helped her master dialogue. 
✨ Her favorite and hardest chapters to write. 
✨ That evil cliffhanger and why Madeline stands by it. 
CONNECT WITH US
🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic
👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland
👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill
📚 Madeline Taylor – @madelinetaylorauthor
✨ Loved this episode? Leave us a rating and review — it helps more fantasy and romantasy readers find The Mythic Mic.

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where great stories deserve great craft, world building goes beyond imagination, and the details you don't see can matter the most. 
This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with Hannah Gomez, Senior Editor and Director of Cultural Accuracy and Sensitivity Editorial Services at Kevin Anderson & Associates, for one of the most eye-opening craft conversations we’ve had yet — especially for aspiring authors.
We dive into what cultural accuracy and sensitivity editing actually means (and what it doesn’t), why fantasy and invented worlds are never as disconnected from real history as we think, and how small overlooked details can quietly break reader trust. Hannah shares how her work helps authors strengthen their stories, avoid unintentional harm, and build more immersive, believable worlds — not by policing creativity, but by sharpening it.
From goblin stereotypes with real historical roots to cookbook naming pitfalls to fantasy races that accidentally mirror real-world bias, this episode pulls back the curtain on blind spots most writers never realize they have until someone shows them.
📚 What if your “made-up” fantasy race isn’t actually neutral?
🔍 What tiny detail can break reader trust instantly?
🧠 And how can curiosity — not fear — make your writing stronger?
If you’re an aspiring author, fantasy writer, or worldbuilder, this episode is a must-listen craft masterclass.
🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…
✨ What cultural accuracy and sensitivity editing actually is and why the name evolved. 
✨ The difference between “sensitivity” and simple factual or cultural accuracy. 
✨ Why fantasy worlds are never truly disconnected from real cultures and history. 
✨ Hidden historical roots behind common fantasy tropes (including goblins and witches). 
✨ The “IMDb goof” effect — how one wrong detail can pull readers out of a story. 
✨ Blind spots authors commonly have in both fiction and nonfiction. 
✨ Writing outside your lived experience and best practices that actually help. 
✨ Three essential self-check questions every author should ask while drafting. 
✨ How cultural accuracy edits work behind the scenes. 
✨ Budgeting for cultural accuracy edits as part of your publishing plan. 

🐦 CONNECT WITH US
🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic
👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland
👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill
📖 Guest: Hannah Gomez, Cultural Accuracy & Sensitivity Editor at Kevin Anderson & Associates: @KaWriting
✨ Mention this episode when reaching out to Kevin Anderson & Associates and Hannah will extend a listener discount on her services.

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where fantasy romance spans every mood, tropes are meant to be devoured, and writing careers are built one brave decision at a time. 
In this episode, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with bestselling romantasy author Tessonja Odette to talk about her genre-spanning catalog, her indie-to-traditional publishing journey, and her upcoming dark fantasy romance, The Lies That Summon The Night. From cozy fae rom-coms to shadowy, art-forbidden worlds filled with monsters and hunters, Tessonja shares how experimentation, persistence, and reader awareness shaped her career.
We dive into Tessonja's 15-year road to publishing her first book, why “failing forward” in indie publishing helped her find her true voice, and how paying attention to reader behavior and market shifts led her to pursue a traditional deal. We also explore her creative process, how she pushes through self-doubt and writer’s block, and why finding your writing crew might be the single most important step for aspiring authors.
Then we step into the dark, dangerous world of her newest release, where art is illegal, artists are fugitives, shadow monsters are drawn to creativity, and survival may depend on an uneasy alliance with a deadly hunter.
🎨 What if creating art could get you hunted?
🩸 What if your only protection came from the one man who could turn you in?
🕯️ And what happens when dark fantasy, romance, and rebellion collide?
This episode is a must-listen for romantasy readers, trope lovers, and aspiring authors navigating their own publishing path.
🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…
✨ Tessonja’s creative roots in art, music, and punk bands, and why she ultimately chose writing.
✨ The 15-year journey behind her first novel and the reality of rewriting, doubt, and persistence.
✨ Imposter syndrome, research overwhelm, and pushing through creative paralysis.
✨ Why publishing her early work — even when it didn’t succeed — helped her grow faster.
✨ Experimenting across fae fantasy, fairy tale retellings, cozy rom-coms, and dark fantasy romance.
✨ The shift in indie vs. traditional fantasy romance audiences and what changed.
✨ How watching reader behavior helped guide her publishing strategy.
✨ Why genre-shifting is becoming more accepted for authors.
✨ The importance of finding your writing crew and peer support circle.
✨ Recurring themes in her books: found family and romance as emotional healing.
✨ Inside The Lies That Summon the Night: forbidden art, outlaw storytellers, shadow monsters, and a half-vampire hunter hero. 
✨ Why emotional damage is basically her brand promise to readers. 
✨ Teasing book two (already written) and what’s next in the trilogy. 
CONNECT WITH US
🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic
👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland
👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill
📚 Tessonja Odette – @tessonja
✨ Don’t forget to rate & review! If you loved this episode, leave us a review — it helps more fantasy and romantasy readers discover The Mythic Mic.

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast — where old stories are reborn, fairy tales grow teeth, and fantasy dares to ask harder questions about love, identity, and choice.
This week, host Bethany Amanda is joined by bestselling author Lyra Selene, the mind behind The Fair Folk Trilogy — A Feather So Black, A Crown So Silver, and the just-released finale, A Heart So Green. If you love Celtic folklore, mythic romance, morally complex characters, and fairy tales that refuse to stay simple, this conversation is for you.
Lyra takes us deep into the origins of The Fair Folk Trilogy, from living in rural Ireland as a child to falling in love with Irish mythology, wild landscapes, and the question of why we keep returning to the same stories over and over again. We talk about her lifelong relationship with storytelling, the winding road to publication, and why perseverance — not talent — is often the deciding factor in an author’s career.
We also dive into what makes this trilogy so emotionally resonant: a changeling heroine caught between worlds, a Swan Princess story turned inside out, and relationships built on tension between what a character wants and what they truly need. Lyra opens up about writing complicated heroines, controversial love triangles, and villains who genuinely believe they’re doing the right thing — even when they’re not.
🦢 What happens when the Swan Princess isn’t the hero?
🌿 How do myth, landscape, and folklore shape a fantasy world from the inside out?
💔 And why are the most devastating endings often the most honest?
This episode is a love letter to mythic fantasy, character-driven storytelling, and the beauty of bittersweet endings that linger long after the final page.
🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…
✨ Lyra’s childhood spent moving between countries, including a formative year in Ireland, and how that shaped her imagination.
✨ The Fair Folk Trilogy as a Celtic-inspired reimagining of Swan Lake and The Swan Princess.
✨ Writing fantasy that feels mythic, lyrical, deeply romantic, and grounded.
✨ Why Lyra considers herself a character-first writer and how internal vs. external wants drive story tension.
✨ Love triangles, banter, and relationships that force characters to confront who they really are.
✨ Turning the Swan Princess into the villain, and why Lyra believes great villains never think they’re the villain.
✨ The theme of self-acceptance and choosing yourself over romance.
✨ The realities of publishing: multiple books that didn’t sell, switching agents, and learning to keep your eyes on your own paper.
✨ What to expect from A Heart So Green, including new POVs, higher stakes, and an ending that is earned, bittersweet, and unforgettable. 
✨ What Lyra is working on next, including a Roaring Twenties–inspired adult fantasy standalone. 
🐦 CONNECT WITH US
🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic
👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland
👤 Guest Author: Lyra Selene – @lyraselene
✨ Loved this episode? Leaving a rating or review helps more fantasy readers discover The Mythic Mic.