From the Archives: Christmas Down Under and an interview with LAURETTA HIGNETT!

Shéa and Amy are on vacation, so we're bringing back one of our earliest (not redited at all) episodes. 

On today's episode, which originally aired in July 2025, we interview author extraordinaire Lauretta Hignett about her "Susan, You're the Chosen One," the first in her "Welcome to Midlife Magic" series and try not to cringe too much at Amy’s fangirling.

You can find Lauretta at the following places:

https://laurettahignett.com/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lauretta-Hignett/author/B079ZPLXNL

https://www.instagram.com/laurettahignett/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/laurettasravenousreaders/

For complete show notes and recipe, visit us at: https://www.cliffhangersandcocktails.com/post/rerun-lauretta-hignett

Today's Oracle Deck was the Norse Goddess Rune Oracle by Rebecca Joy Stark and artwork by Sharon McLeod.

https://blueangelonline.com/shop/card-decks/oracle-cards/norse-goddess-rune-oracle/

https://www.instagram.com/blueangelpublishing/

Watch us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@cliffhangersandcocktails

Visit our sponsor, the Paranormal Women's Fiction Bookclub, for a free monthly book at https://pwfbookclub.com/.

Follow the pod on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/cliffhangersandcocktails/, 

Check out our website at https://www.cliffhangersandcocktails.com/ and sign up for our newsletter!

Don't forget to like, rate, review, subscribe, and share!

Thanks - the Caftan Coven

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Hey everyone, it's Editor Amy here. Shea and I are still on vacation. And at this point, you may be asking yourself if we're ever coming back. But we are, I promise. I promise. We're hard at work behind the scenes doing all sorts of fun other interviews, and I am super excited for what we've got coming up starting in September. But today I'm once again pulling from the Wayback Machine and finding some of our 2025 episodes. We are headed back to a personal favorite, Loretta Hignett. Not only is she a hoot and a half, I am a super fan. I've read every single book Loretta's ever written, and P2T, her newest in the Marie series, just dropped a couple weeks ago. Get it, get it now, and finish this episode first and then get it. I haven't done anything to the original episodes other than add our intro and actual music as well as our branded transition images. So you can super enjoy the early graphics, sound, and editing, or laugh thereof. Mix yourself up a spicy margarita instead of like the fingers and cottils podcast with Amy Sissel and Shan McCloud. Moah. We are both USA Today best-selling authors of paranormal women's fiction, among other things. And this podcast is brought to you, as always, by the CafTan Coven. Woohoo!

SPEAKER_00 1:23

Thank you for joining us, everybody. Today we're going to be talking with Loretta Hignett about her paranormal women's fiction novel. It's called Magic Susan. We love her so much. We love her book and her series so much. We talked about this book before, and I'm like pretty much pimping it to like everybody I know that we're paranormal. Well, 100%. I'm like, oh, do you want something awesome? This is a series for you. And so um, but so I'm I was really excited we get to talk to her today. And we're also gonna be all I can't talk, um, also going to be mixing up her favorite cocktail and talking about its magical vibes, and you know, we'll be talking about the usual witchy things and general shenanigans. Yay, shenanigans! Shenanigans.

SPEAKER_02 2:21

That was my na na shenanan.

SPEAKER_00 2:24

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

I don't know what that was.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

I I don't either. I I think tequila, I'm starting to realize that I think tequila makes me goofy.

SPEAKER_02 2:32

I love tequila. I mean I'd forgotten how much I love tequila until this is top shelf stuff.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

I don't usually drink tequila. I bought this bottle specifically for doing magical potions for the podcast. So I'm sacrificing myself for y'all for science and magic. I know. But it's for science and magic, so oh my god, that's amazing. I know. I'm really an amazing person.

SPEAKER_02 2:59

You are so selfless. I really am. Always, always giving of myself. Well, and I learned the other day that tequila um helps with bone health. I did not read the article. I like to take things like this at face value. Yes. I don't want to see the research behind it. I just want to know that tequila helps bone health. Yes, and we are women of a certain age, uh-huh. And that means we need to really be concerned about our bone health.

SPEAKER_00 3:27

And so don't take this medicine. Don't take this as this is not health, uh, this is not healthcare uh recommendations. We're not doctors. We're just this is a healthcare recommendation.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

If you like tequila, it's good for you. Sometimes I break Shaya and she just laughs really quietly.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Definitely broken. Moving on. Don't sue Shaya. Please don't sue me. This was not medical advice from me. You can sue me.

SPEAKER_02 4:11

Okay. I literally said I didn't even look at the article, so I'm clearly a good source.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

I didn't either. I mean, I remember you you posted it in the chat and I saw it and I'm like, oh hey, and I didn't read it either. It's kind of like red wine is good for your heart. Awesome. Uh women who drink coffee. I oh, that was another article. It was women, women over 40 who drink coffee, one to two cups of coffee a day. There was something good about it. Like they had better brains somehow, or they lived longer, or oh, champagne increases your memory and your lifespan. Well, clearly I need to drink more champagne. Me too. I'm gonna live forever, bitches. So today's affirmation is it's an affirmation, but I I would say it's a question, and your answer is the affirmation. Because the question is, what would you do if you knew you could not fail? And I ask myself this a lot when I'm like not sure about uh like a decision, or I'm uh not stepping forward and doing something I know needs doing or that I want to do because I'm kind of afraid. And um but the thing is you know, if if you ask yourself that what's this thing that's uh you're holding yourself back from doing that would make a big difference in your life, whatever that is. Um it could be something small, something big. Um the other day and we talked about this a little bit, but um the other day, like so I was in this um uh Zoom call for this abundance um group that I'm in, and they asked sort of a similar question. It was like, what's the thing that you've been um that you know you should do, like this is the thing that would make a difference, and like you know, I kind of like challenging us to do that thing, right? And I'm like, oh, okay, somebody just it was like a double dog dare, right? Do not double dog dare me, or I will probably do it unless it's gross, like I won't eat worms. No, wait, I didn't know this that I'll double dog, that I'll do it. Well, it's like I'm so stubborn, like stubborn I I'm a stubborn person. And if you tell me that I can't do something like that that I want to do, then I'm gonna be like, I'm gonna do that thing and prove that you're wrong. I don't think you can move to Portugal next year. I'm gonna do that thing and I'm gonna prove that you're wrong, and oh Jesus, now I'm in trouble. But no, seriously, like I just it's the like I mean it you can dare me to like swallow goldfish or something, and I'm not gonna do it because I'm not stupid. But um, but if it's like a you know, if it's something, and especially if it's something I really want to do, but I've just been maybe putting it off, or like if somebody tells me they don't think I can do it, you know, I got told so much by people that I'd never make it as an author, and I'm like, watch me, bitches. Um so anyway, I'm in this thing and they're like basically double dog daring us to do this, and they're saying to put it in the chat, and I'm like, oh shit, like I want to do this, it's a thing I've been wanting to do, and I was putting it off until you know the podcast was bigger or something. And I almost didn't do it, and I'm like, you know what? Nope. And I put it in the chat. I'm like to ask to guest star on our pod or to make a guest appearance on our podcast, and um and uh they're alive, and I'm just like going, you know, what's the worst? They're gonna say no, and maybe when it we're bigger, they can come back around and say yes. And but guess what? Like right there, they're like, Yeah, that sounds fun. Oh shit, now I have to have on the podcast, and you're like, I'm texting you like a crazy person, and you're going, no, no, oh god, I gotta go lie down.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Yeah, that's scary.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

Yeah, but also really cool. And we've had a lot of really cool people.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

I love it. Okay, so today's topic is what's your go-to spell? I thought that would be kind of a little fun thing to uh talk about today. Cause like everybody has it's so funny when uh when um I was thinking about this, I it just popped in my head as a topic, and I was going, I don't know that I do that many spells like daily, and then I started thinking about the ones I do, and I'm like, oh yeah, I do them all the time. So you might be doing witchcraft spells that you don't even realize are spells.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

So um, you know, if you do not accidentally hexing people.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

Well, no, hexing takes an intention. It's all about intention. But I just don't want people to panic that they're don't yeah, definitely doing bad stuff. Don't worry you're accidentally hexing anyone. Um, but like for me, like one of the one of the ones that I do on the regular is the cinnamon ritual where you just like take a little bit of ground cinnamon, put it in your hand, and you blow it across the threshold of your house into your house to attract money and abundance into your house. Can I use cinnamon sticks? I don't have any ground cinnamon. I mean, I guess I've never tried it. Chuck 'em. Yeah, like I guess you'll attract big ass rolls of dollar bills, yeah. Nice. You know, the big peeling off the 20s. Money, money, money, I don't know how to do that.

SPEAKER_02 10:07

I would just probably like fling that across the room too.

SPEAKER_00 10:09

For sure. I can barely like I can barely do a deck of cards. Never mind and the money. Um, but yeah, I do that like every month to just sort of, you know, attract that into the home and keep the energy flowing. Um, I also have, I don't know if you'd call this a ritual per se, but it's definitely witchcraft. And it's um, it's what I call the anti-spider ritual. You know, we get all these like influx of spiders, and I I mean, I hate spiders. Spiders are so they just give me the heebie jeebies.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

They're so good for the environment, and I appreciate their role in the ecosystem. I just want them of life.

SPEAKER_00 10:51

Yes, I just want them to stay outside and not in my space. In fact, I got a spider bite the other day, and I was not happy about it. So um basically, spiders are really, really hate um strong scents, particularly peppermint or like lavender essential oil. So um, you know, we get we always get that big influx of spiders in the spring and then the fall. We like have two spider seasons or something. It's gross. So I like spiders.

unknown 11:22

I don't either.

SPEAKER_00 11:23

So I just take like a squirt bottle, fill it with water, and several drops of peppermint oil because you want it to be have a good strong smell.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

What do you do with that after you put it in the water?

SPEAKER_00 11:34

Uh what was that motion? Uh never mind. You're dropping the drops of peppermint oil in essential oil in the water.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

I didn't know what you did next.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

This is all new to me. Okay, this this if you're watching on YouTube, you'll understand why we're laughing. If not, use your imagination. Um, yes, and then I give it a nice shake, and I'm not gonna mime that particular uh motion.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

I don't think we understand how it works though, Shay. You might have to show us.

SPEAKER_01 12:10

Thank you! She did it, y'all. She did it.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Oh, see, don't dare me. Um, so yes, this is such a weapon in my arsenal. And then you spray, I just spray like around all the windows, all the doors. I'll spray the screens on the windows, uh, corners of the rooms, under the bed, everywhere. I'll just like spray everywhere. And that actually works. It's but it's so it's it's less a ritual, if you will, and more of a stay the heck out of my house, you stupid spiders.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

So you know, if they're gonna come into my house, I don't know why they can't also get the fruit flies that I get this time of year. Right? Like, if you're gonna be here, like be yourself useful, eat those stupid little sugar ants that and they're like, Yes, please. Actually, in my old house, the spiders would build um webs like along the floorboards. Well, that's always be full. Yeah, I left those alone.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

Yeah, those are useful. Like it no, that's not what these guys do, they just drop on me in bed and bite me. So, no.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Um maybe it's because they love you.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

Well, I don't love them, and it's not reciprocal. Oh, that's not very consensual. No, it is not consensual at all.

SPEAKER_02 13:24

And consent is everything. That's right, people. An almost called our audience bitches again, and I feel like we've each done it once already. So maybe chill on the bitches. Yeah, don't chill on the bitches. Yes, chill on the bitches.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

Okay. So another one I do is like um put a dash of nutmeg in my coffee either while I'm brewing it or or directly into my cup afterwards. And that just nutmeg uh nutmeg it attracts abundance, but it also is for mo motivation and creativity. So uh, you know, I've got I need to write some words today, I need to get some words out, I need to get motivated. So I'll just get a little nutmeg in there and and stir it in and just you know, sort of visualize motivation, getting in there and and there you go. So those are my little witchy trip tips that I use a lot.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

I can't help but notice that everything you've mentioned basically comes out of the kitchen, right? You got your cinnamon, your nutmeg, your temperament. There's something else you mentioned. Lavender, lavender, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

Lavender is also good for anti-cit. Yeah, yes, very much so. Sandwich. Although I do, you know, I do burn candles and things of that nature. And rocks. I don't burn the rocks. Burn rocks? No. I collect the rocks. This is real magic. Shiny magic rocks. No, I do not burn them. That'd be impressive. Probably really bad luck. Probably. It's I yeah, I don't recommend that. But so what are your rituals? Tell me, tell me.

SPEAKER_02 15:04

Well, when I saw this in the script, I had a total panic attack because I do nothing, right? So I'm pulling all my books off the shelf, like rifling through them, like, find a spell, find a ritual, what do I do? And then um, I turned around away from my bookshelf, and there along the wall is my altar. And I'm like, Okay, so yeah. So every morning I sit down there and I light the candles, and I have different candles depending on where I'm trying to go with the day or the week or whatever. And um, so I light my candles and I sit down and I do a guided meditation to kind of clear my mind, and then I do a non-guided meditation, unguided, blind meditation, wandering in the woods, lost meditation. Okay. Um, and where I kind of really concentrate on what I'm trying to manifest. So currently, right now, I have orange candles on my altar, and that's very much like the change management. Change management. Yeah, you you do need a little of the change management right now. Um, and and like some creativity and abundance and all that. Green is really great for like financial abundance and stuff like that. Um, I have black ones on there that are kind of like protection, and they're next to my black tourmaline, and they're they're there for that. But also, so I'm not a kitchen witch, as we have discussed. I um tend to be more of an earth witch, of I love the forest. And I have this little guy. Oh, he's so cute! He's this little carved guy. I love him. And um, he was a gift a number of years ago from a neighbor who carved his little face, and his name is Vincent. Of course it is. That is um the perfect which was so great. He named him. Um, this guy named him before he gave him to me, and that happened to be my grandfather's middle name. So I'm like, oh, this is my little guy. And so he sits on my altar and he is my representation of the woods.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

That's so awesome.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

And I also have um right before I moved, I had a murder of crows that I supported um financially, honestly. Um, and when I was getting ready to move, one of them left me a feather in the place where I always fed him. So I have that on my altar as well. So that's my connection to like nature and outdoors. And that's the ritual I do every day, and it's totally there, my manifestation abundance, yeah, ritual that yeah, that's I didn't have to panic.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

You didn't, and that's what I'm saying. It's like if most natural witches or anyone who's been practicing the craft for any length of time, sort of develop little rituals on their own, and and you don't even necessarily realize what you're doing is magic. Um, sometimes you're doing it completely subconsciously. It's just you're working magic in in your world, you're connecting to your world all the time. And that's really what's part of what being a witch, I think, is all about is that connection to the world around us, whether it's through throwing cinnamon sticks through the doorway or you know, commanding your crow army. So, what kind of a drink are we drinking today? I know, I know. Tell me, tell me. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 18:30

We're having a spicy pineapple margarita, as we mentioned, the tequila, good for bone health.

SPEAKER_02 18:35

Yeah, um, we're taking care of ourselves, it's very important. Um, Loretta says this is her current favorite drink. Um, so yeah, and I got it. It's nice and it's I mean it's summery, right? It's winter there. Yeah, it is winter there, but it's summer here. Maybe it's a good winter drink. Maybe? I don't know. Because it's like almost Christmas. Well, no, it's not almost Christmas. That's not how it works. That's not how it works.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

Down there in Australia. She's in Australia. We probably should have said that. I don't think we said that.

SPEAKER_02 19:13

It's almost Christmas. No. I know that. I know that's not true, guys. Oh, this is delightful. I think we mentioned we wanted to visit her in Australia. Yes. Oh, yes, we did. We did.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

I don't think we could have just wanted a girl's trip there. I don't know. I mean, yeah, no, she actually lives in Australia. Of course, I think she lives maybe in like more of a um, she might live in a warmer area, I think.

SPEAKER_02 19:40

I am not as familiar as I should be with the like climate zones of Australia.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

I am not either. I know there are lots of hot places.

SPEAKER_02 19:51

With maybe she lives in a hot place. Like, okay, we're gonna go with she lives in a hot place, it's almost Christmas, and oh my god, we're gonna be boycotted by every Australian ever.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

They're gonna be like, these women are idiots. Like, no, so I'm really sorry.

SPEAKER_02 20:08

I meant it's almost summer solstice for us, and winter's winter solstice for her. Yes, that's what it was going. We're summers, they're winter. So technically still in December, no matter what.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Right. But sh for her, it's almost Yule, and for us, it's almost Letha.

SPEAKER_02 20:25

So yes, yes, we have it at the time of this taping, it is uh when it airs, we will both be on the other side.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

So anyway, this this margarita is um really good for attracting abundance and love, and its energy uh from its various ingredients is abundance, love, and protection. And did you make it with your heart this time?

SPEAKER_02 20:53

Um not exactly last time I made this margarita. I like okay, so it's called a spicy pineapple margarita. Right. So last time I made this, I was like, huh, this is a good margarita, but something doesn't feel quite right. And then I only realized halfway through that's because I did not put the pineapple juice in my my pineapple margarita. But today, today it has pineapple in. So I did look at the recipe whilst making it. Whoops. Here we go. Um pretty pretty so that I wouldn't forget any ingredients, and I didn't, and it's good. Um, but I still like I just looked at the ingredients. I measured with my heart.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

I would be disappointed if you did it any other way. But for those of you who don't measure with your heart or want to at least know the the actual ingredients before you measure with your heart, uh it's one and a half ounces tequila, one and a half, whoops, excuse me, one and a half ounces. Of pineapple juice, one ounce lime juice, three quarter ounces of quantro. I forgot that.

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Oh my god. I brought it, I brought it upstairs and put it with all my ingredients. I'm like, this doesn't taste as good as the first one I made.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

Better than the second one. Well, and two to four fresh jalapeno slices. Put everything in a shaker, give it a shake while focusing on your intention and strain it into a rock's glass over ice and garnish with pineapple wedge jalapeno slices or a slice of lime. And um, now I didn't use quantou actually because I'm out of it and I haven't had a chance to get to the liquor store. So I used uh Domain Canton uh ginger liqueur. And it's actually really nice. I mean, it's it's obviously a slightly different flavor, but it adds to the spicy, and ginger is really good for uh manifesting abundance and health. So uh the pineapple is um for prosperity. I mean, it used to symbolize prosperity, adding like the ginger in there kind of doubles up on the healing and the good luck. Uh jalapeno, and this is really cool, um, has purifying energy, protection. This is my favorite, warding off negative energy. I love it. Why are you being working for my negative drink energy this time? Well, uh maybe I don't know. I really don't know what to tell you. I'm gonna have to go make another one just so I can like get it right right. Yeah, and maybe I don't know, have the recipe with you even if you was on the counter next to me. Also has uh energy of courage, love and passion. So maybe maybe you can get your uh love and passion of your heart making cocktail making lined up with all of the ingredients. I love this. This is I really this is really tasty. I knew it would be. I mean it. I just it was good.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

I'm like, oh, the one I made when we interviewed Loretta is so much better. And I don't know what's different about this one.

SPEAKER_00 24:28

It does add this nice little sweet orange, you know, undertone to it, which really makes it pop. Well, you'll just have to add a little contro later and make another one. I mean, there's I'm not adding anything to this.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

Oh, it's almost gone. I mean, it's still good. Um, yes, should we talk to Loretta now? Moving to this interview that we've been teasing this whole time.

SPEAKER_00 25:01

We've been teasing them this whole time. So, yes, let's talk to Loretta about all kinds of magical shenanigans.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

I am so so excited today to welcome to the pod Loretta.

SPEAKER_03 25:19

Hey, welcome.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

Thank you. Thanks for having me. Excited to be it's we are on an exciting time difference. Loretta's from the future. Um, and you may notice as we get into this that she is Australian.

SPEAKER_04 25:38

Oh just a quick quick clara quick quick clarification. I'm a Kiwi, but I've lived in Australia for longer than I've lived anywhere.

SPEAKER_02 25:45

Oh my god, I am so sorry. Yeah, no, no, no, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 25:49

I am not actually. I'm just um yeah, I'm I'm actually originally from New Zealand from Tatanaki and the west coast of the North Island. And um, and I moved to I moved to Australia when I was, I don't know, 22, I think. And it was it was a long time ago. So um, and I have lived all over the world a little bit here and there, but yeah, mostly Australian. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 26:09

I know there is a difference between Australian and Kiwi.

SPEAKER_04 26:12

There is not me though, because I've been here for longer than anyone anyround. If I was a true Kiwi, I'd probably be insulted, but I'm not really I've married an Australian, I've got Australian children, I have an Australian dog and an Australian cat. So alrighty.

SPEAKER_02 26:27

There you go.

SPEAKER_04 26:28

Awesome.

SPEAKER_02 26:30

Um so Loretta is a raving fangirl for all things paranormal, supernatural, magical, and fantastical. Excellent. She writes fun, fast-paced urban fantasy, unique kick-ass characters, and madcap adventures with a dash of romance and loads of laughs. She's a massive fan of anything shifter, witch or vampire. She loves a plot twist, hates cliffhangers, and always keeps her readers on their toes. When she's not writing, Loretta enjoys crazy fat diets, sunshine, her two little children, weird craft projects, and massive amounts of dark chocolate. You'll often find her staring into space or muttering to herself in weird voices. Just ignore her. She'll come back to reality eventually. And so my question Is it the weird craft craft question? Because that's my question too.

SPEAKER_04 27:18

Oh, I was wondering which part of it you were gonna pick up. I'm finding because I wrote that ages ago, and all of it is still very, very true. Um, the weird craft projects, literally anything you can think of. Like I'll go and do an upholstery course and try and upholster something, and then um, you know, it'll it'll stay in the lounge in pieces for about eight months, and then I finally clear it away. Just anything you can think of. I've I've you know, we do makrame hangers, um, you know, crocheting. Um a big plant. I was for ages I was a big plant person. I had a million indoor plants, but then we moved and I was forced to leave them behind. Um just I don't know. I mean, people would probably say it's a little bit um ADHD of me to just start something and then abandon it halfway through. But um, so yes, weird craft projects, totally into them. Uh but yeah, the the the craft project, um, it has taken a little bit of a back seat since I've gone balls in with my author career, I must say. Because um, so just as a uh side note as well, I used to be a hairdresser for as well as a bunch of other stuff, but for a good chunk of time I was a hairdresser. And while I was hairdressing, I found that I couldn't do anything else creative because that's where all your creative energy goes, it goes into hairdressing. And now that I've gone balls in into my writing career and it's going obviously super, super well. I'm really happy with how everything's going. Zero craft projects. I just can't. It's just too hard. I just I don't have the creative um juice to put anywhere else. Um, I've I I get as far as I get as far as I need to until I can tell that it's gonna suck at the end and then I've I've abandoned it.

SPEAKER_00 28:54

So um yes, that's at least with writing, you can if you get bored, you can go, you know, stab someone through the heart or yes, you know, whatever. Murder, murder, murder. Yes. Or like sex scene. Yes, insert sex scene here.

SPEAKER_02 29:11

Um I have not done either of those things in my current work in progress yet. And um now I'm sad. I haven't murdered or sexed up anyone.

SPEAKER_00 29:21

Well, you need to get with the program. Yep, go back through. Well, now I have a really important question. Very important. Do you have a favorite cocktail?

SPEAKER_04 29:38

So, my favorite cocktail at the moment, I think I probably established that I'm the fligtiest person ever and I change my mind constantly. Um, but my favorite cocktail at the moment is a spicy pineapple margarita. Uh with no, no, no, with sugar on the top, not salt, because I don't like a salty rim. I don't know what that's about me, but I don't like a salty rim. That's probably why I don't really, I'm not really a fan of traditional margaritas. I I wouldn't have one, but spicy pineapple mugs are the best thing ever. Oh, delicious. Yeah, it's amazing. Little bit, a little bit of sweetness from the pineapple, a little bit of spicy, chuck a dried jalapeno in there. It's just it's so good. Um, and that's my favorite thing. So the my favorite bar, which is from where I am right now in my new apartment, is literally a block that way, and they have a happy hour of at four o'clock every day. So that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 30:30

I love it. I love it. That's my dream life right there. My my local is just a block that way.

SPEAKER_02 30:37

I want to know a little bit about your author journey. When did you begin writing? Um, how many books have you published? I actually know this um answer because I've read them all. Um just a little bit about the genre you write in. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 30:52

Um, so I have always written. It's the only consistent thing in my life. Um, I went to you need to do English with a view to write, but back then I didn't know anything. No one knows anything when you're 17 years old. Um, and I I knew I wanted to be a writer, but the it never occurred to me ever in a million years that I'd be able to write the kind of stuff that I loved, which was fantasy. Um, and I'm I'm uh I've always been an urban urban fantasy fangirl. I've always been uh you know a buffy girl or a true bug girl. So it's it's always been urban fantasy, um, you know, just devouring that genre, but it never occurred to me that I could actually write that. I thought that if I wanted to be a writer, I had to do something practically like to make money from it. I thought I had to do something practical. Um, so I went to study journalism. Um doing English and journalism, and then I realized pretty quickly that I didn't want to do that because journalism massively cutthroat and all the other people and it freaked me out. Um I finished my English degree, I finally I did English Lit um and I finished that, and then I kind of um just you know, your dream just got it just never it never occurred to me that I could um, you know, I was obviously writing stories at that stage too, but it was pretty much just for fun. Um and then fast forward 20 years, and I've done a little bit here and there, obviously, I've never stopped writing. And every single job I ever did, and I've got a vast range of jobs that I've done. I've done um hospitality, I did corporate super in a finance um company for a while, I was a product writer for that. So every single job I did, I found myself in a writing role where I was you know either producing technical technical stuff, or even when I was hairdressing, I I um sort of segued into event management and started doing all their processes and stuff went for um so yeah, it was it's always no matter what I did, even bartending. When I was a bartender for a while, I found myself um yeah, doing all their all their uh PR and you know writing processes and that sort of thing. So it didn't really matter what I did, I was always gonna be be put in a writing role. And then, ah, let's uh so about four of so so about 10 years ago now, I um got myself a Kindle and started reading some books in Kindle Unlimited. And I realized that some of the stuff that I was reading that I loved, um, that these people were self-published. And it had never occurred to me that I could do that and make money off of it. I think okay, I'll just backing up a step, I'd I'd written a couple of superhero um young adult superhero series, and I'd I'd written them and I'd sent it off to a local publisher here in Australia, um, and I did get a bite. They offered me something, and it was not, it was just a heartbreaking amount of money. And I was like, if I want to do this as a job, then I need to sort of take this seriously. Um, and then obviously seeing what the self um self-published people were doing. Um, and I remember somebody said to me, I was like, I think I was having some coaching. My upstairs neighbor was a a life coach and he was trying to drum up some business and he said he'd do a couple of sessions with me. And he said to me, I said, he goes, What is it you want to do? And I said, Well, you know, deep in my heart, let's get deep and deep. I said, I want to be, I want to be an author, I want to write these stories. And he's like, Well, why can't you? And I'm like, because I don't know, like why I mean he's like, but other people do it, and he and I'm like, yeah, they do. And he goes, Well, why can't you? And I'm like, that's a very good question. It just never occurred to me that I could. Um, and he goes, you know, what you need to do is find somebody who's doing what you're what what you want to do, yeah, and just do exactly what they're doing. And then in my head, I'm popping off all these authors that I've read lately um that I love, and I'll just throw out some names. Um uh so Helen Harper was was one that I just devoured, uh, Deborah Dunbar and Deborah Wilde as well. So they were, yeah, you know those guys. Uh and I just I was loving their it was it was all fast-paced, funny urban fantasy, a little bit pretty, a little bit sexy, but also quite funny. And um, I was just loving their stuff. So my upstairs neighbor slash life coach said to me, do what they're doing. And I was like, you know what, I'm gonna do that. So I started sort of researching the industry a little bit and um sort of figuring out how everybody did everything, joined a few Facebook groups, started gathering all the information, um, wrote a bunch, and then um I was obviously doing that at the same time as a bunch of other jobs and also getting married and having children. Uh, and at the time we were we I were running a sports rehabilitation clinic. So I don't know, random job thing, but at the time I was sort of trying to build up my my my work a little bit and um really just research the industry and see what I could make of it, yeah, as well as running this massive gym and rehabilitation. And then uh three three years ago, we decided to sell. And we after we moved, I said to my husband, I'm gonna I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna go full-time. I'm gonna be a writer, um, and I'm gonna have a go. And he said, No, that's the worst idea I've ever heard in my life. Uh, he said, This is terrible. We've got mortgages to pay if we need to get a job, not having it. Um, and at the time I'd quickly got a quick job at a um a medical center. So I was doing medical reception work um and hating every second of it was the worst thing ever. And uh, and I just it was the first time in my life I've really properly put my foot down. And it's it was one of those, I don't know if you guys get into the um the uh the magic of a big leap, like making it making a big commitment. Yeah, and it was the first time in my life where I really put my foot down and said, you know what, this is what I want. In order to get that, I know I have to make a stand now. So I need to put my foot down and say, no, I'm doing this. So I did that. I said, no, I'm not gonna get a job. No, no, no, husband. You support me. Uh I'm not gonna do it. And and I'm gonna make, I'm gonna, I'm gonna make it, and I will make enough money to bring in for our family to pay our mortgages and all sorts of things. Um, you just got to give me a few months. And then eventually he came back to me and said, Look, you've got six months. You've got six months to make some money out of it. Um pressure.

SPEAKER_03 37:17

Yeah, no, I know, right?

SPEAKER_04 37:18

Uh six, you've got six, I'll give you six months, and then you've got to then then, not not if it's then you have to get a job. Uh and I'm like, right, bitch, let's go. And he and um I just I jumped in head first. I mean, and and and bear in mind I've got a good seven years worth of you know, deeply um investigating the industry, like trad versus indie is obviously such a different ball game, whereas I've been very trad focused before and and been very disillusioned quite quickly. Um then yeah, so did all did all the research, did it, did everything. Um, and then I jumped in, and within six months I was making more than he was. So and then the rest is history, and now now he's actually pretty much mostly quit his job because he we've got children to look after as well. So uh so yeah, and everything's just gone amazing, literally, dream come true. So fantastic. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 38:15

Yes, that is so that's awesome because I mean, and I'm not surprised that you're doing so well because I read Susan, you're the chosen one, because Amy kept telling me you need to read this book, and I just giggled over the title. It was so I started reading it and I went, Oh, holy shit, I can't. I I think I read the whole thing in a in a day. I couldn't stop. And then I of course I had to read all the rest, and I was laughing my ass off, like you know, crossing my legs while I'm doing it. Um the toilet travel like killed me. I died, like seriously, but I want to know uh tell us more about like this uh Susan, you're the chosen one and what inspired the story and um the setting and the characters, like just kind of give us a little rundown about that.

SPEAKER_02 39:22

One thing, yes. Okay, so the reason why I read it is and full disclosure, my partner um edits for Loretta. But um he was sending me snippets of this book while he was editing, and I would like, and he would be like, I am dying laughing over this book. And he would send me little snippets, and I'm like, okay, this isn't, and I could get into our files and I could have read it, but I waited, I waited until it was published because I'm full of patience. Oh my god, Cecil is my favorite character ever in the history of the world. Shame, yes, I want one.

SPEAKER_00 39:57

Duo corn. I want a Cecil.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

He is a special one.

SPEAKER_04 40:02

At least up for Dwayne, maybe I love sassy animal companion. You've got to have one. Um, so I actually came up with the whole plot line of Susan ages ago, um, before I started publishing. So Susan's actually out of my normal um universe. I've got at the moment, I've got like five series, and they're all spin-offs of spin-offs of spin-offs of spin-offs. And uh it just it I I didn't, I don't really plan these things. I'm not a hell of a big planner. Um, maybe in the back of my mind, I've got something going on where I'm um I am planning, but um, so I did my so my first series was immortal, and then I did a spin-off. One of the characters from that kept on dinging my bell. So I did a spin-off for her and did a uh a Vengeance Demon series, and then one of the characters from that was a little ding-ding-ding, and then I did the Bad Bone series. Um, same thing happened, another, another um character, so I went on to do um another series, but then I needed a break uh because I wanted to do, I just want I just needed a break. So I dusted off this idea I had ages ago to do Susan, and I've always liked funny titles. I don't know why. I just I like a good, you know, you want to be able to advertise exactly what the story, you know, the vibe of the story title. So Susan, you're the chosen one. And and I came up, like I said, I came up with that ages ago. Um, and it was back when I was um in working in corporate superannuation. So it was um I've and and I've done call center work as well. So Susan's she's an ex uh stockbroker, um, and she's high-flying, you know, super manager woman, and she's had a big downfall, and now she's found herself in a call center, um, managing a call center team, which is something that I used to do myself. So there's a lot of so Susan's who I want to be, um, but she's also all all the all the bad parts are me as well. Um, but she's and she's just she's just optimistic like me. I'm I'm ridiculously optimistic. Um, she's a real massive people person, and she is just um always always looking to to make her mark on people and just to to help everybody and make everybody happy. Um, but she's also super strong, like a super strong old person. So um I really love the idea of having just a normal everyday, not she's not normal, she's amazing, she's like superwoman. Um, but I like the idea of having uh you know a manager of a in a corporate environment um suddenly finding out that she's the chosen one.

unknown 42:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 42:39

And having to and having and having to escort these fey warriors across San Francisco to um find some amazing crystals.

SPEAKER_00 42:48

So poor woman stuck with a hot fee prince. Oh yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_04 42:54

Yeah, and I I did I did also like the idea of the um this the like PWF is such a great genre to write in. It's it's always it's always because I mean obviously I've I've undergone a bit of an awakening in my 40s as well with this writing stuff. It's like, you know what? Fuck you, Jimmy. I can do this. I'm gonna do it. Put my foot down. Still believe me, just watch. It's I know, I know. It was actually quite funny because there's, I mean, in the genre, there's a lot of you know, it opens up with somebody cheating or with a divorce or with something terrible happening. And I guess my own life was mirroring that a little bit because you know, I said to him, This is my dream and I want to do it. And he'd said no. And it could have gone one of two ways. Um, and that this was my awakening, but um he literally ate his words and he continues to do it, and he's become such an amazing, incredible support person for me. Like it's a complete 180. So um it worked out in my favor, but that's I guess that's why I I really love this this genre because it's all about you know finding your power in your 40s. And later. Um, and uh literally, this is only the beginning, and and I've always felt that Susan's has a special place in my heart too, because just because you you when you're younger, you think oh, it's all gonna be over by the time you're 40. You're gonna be, you know, life's over. But it's only just beginning. It's crazy how it's only just beginning. It really is. And and I'm watching my my mentors, um, the woman that I was just talking about, the ones that I idolized, I'm now friends with them. They're my friends, and it just seems so bizarre um to even think that 10 years ago I was sending them emails saying, I love you so much. I want to be just like you. And now here we are. So I I guess, and that's uh just the theme of of Susan is um, you know, it it's you when you when you enter this phase in your life, you're stepping into power. You're you know, you are the chosen one, you're stepping into power. You've got the you have the um the power to just change your world for exactly how you want to see it. So absolutely. There you go.

SPEAKER_00 45:03

It's such a powerful age, and we're told that we're supposed to be invisible and that we've lost our value as women and as humans, and it's so not true. And that's what I love about PWF because it's really the first time that urban fantasy has um, or really in general, paranormal or fiction, has focused so much on women of a certain age.

SPEAKER_02 45:36

Can you tell me a little bit more about what inspired Cecil? Oh, I'm sorry, all right.

SPEAKER_04 45:42

Well, as you uh I like I said, I used to be a hairdresser. Uh so I had a lot of colleagues who were almost exactly right. There was there's a few of them. He's he's he's not based on anyone in particular, um, but the essence of Cecil is the experience of lots of lots of people I've worked with, and some of my very good friends. When I first moved to Melbourne, um and I was just a wide-eyed, um, you know, innocent young lady. Uh, I was, I just, I found myself living in a share house with a bunch of gay guys, and I just became um, I just that's what I prefer. That's that's all I did was just go out with the boys. Uh, and and there's a lot of a lot of Cecil and a couple of people that I live with, and uh some family members as well. So he's he's very he's he's he's got such a big heart, and I think um, you know, he's he's a bit homicidal and a little bit crazy, but he um he's he's got such a beautiful big heart and he really super cares about Susan. Um, but he also wants her, no, it's not like it's he he he he wants her to be beautiful, but he wants her to be confident, and he wants her to be happy, and he wants to serve her as well, which I think that um you know we should we should be doing that more for each other, we should be serving each other, and yeah. So um, so Cecil is a little bitch, but he's yeah, he's pretty funny. It just he was just funny, and he's you know, I love him. I do miss him a little bit. It's been ages since I've read, you know. I was I was gonna go back and do more, but um, I don't know if it's gonna be on the cards, I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_00 47:25

Well, I mean I'd welcome it, but also I would also welcome it, but I also know how it is to like when you're kind of done with a series, or or you've just got so much on your plate, you can't quite get to it.

SPEAKER_04 47:37

Yeah, I just I just don't want to ruin it. Like I just it was four books in the Susan series and everything kind of wrapped up beautifully and everyone's really happy. Yeah, I did leave the door open. The door is open for more. You know, there's there's not there there is a door open. Um, I do want to do something else with Cecil too, because I just he is he's the bee's niece. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 47:58

So if your if Susan was picked up for television, who would you want to play Susan?

SPEAKER_04 48:06

So I got asked this question by um when my the audiobook got made. You know how when if you uh have a a company, a published company that's doing your audio for you, they send this big uh questionnaire that you've got to fill out about how you want it to go. So just uh full disclosure, I don't listen to fiction audiobooks. I never do. I don't know why. Um, but I can't, I just my brain doesn't compute. So I and I I do want to change that. Hopefully it's something I can change. I do uh will not even I can't even listen to um to nonfiction audiobooks go zone in in and out. But I'm sorry, I'm not I'm not an audiobook person. Um but when the publishing company is sending me all these questionnaires about how I think I should go, I'm like, I don't know, I don't want to be guys and the experts. Um but they they asked me character lists, like who do you think would play the character? And in my head, I always thought um Sigani Weaver, like how she was in working girl when she was just not a giant bitch, obviously, but um, but yeah, I thought that she would be very she's got such a commanding presence. Uh so I thought she would make an amazing Susan.

SPEAKER_00 49:11

That would be so cool.

SPEAKER_04 49:13

Yeah, so cool.

SPEAKER_00 49:16

Um, so what are your plans, your writing plans for this year? Like how many books do you plan to? I mean, obviously this series is basically finished unless you decide to do a little bit more. But um what other things are you working on that you're planning to put out this year?

SPEAKER_04 49:35

You keep saying plan.

SPEAKER_00 49:37

Okay, well, I know you had it, let's do it this way. I know you had a new release recently in a new series, right?

SPEAKER_04 49:45

Okay, and that's called uh this is my Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth series. So this follows um a character called Daphne, and this is one of the reasons why I did have a break to write Susan outside of my normal universe, um, is because Daphne, we needed to do a little bit of a time jump because the last time she showed up, she was just a child, and she was a psychopath child. Um, and she she's yeah, she was very stabby, stabby little girl, and she was a little bit crazy, um, but also with a heart of gold. So and I needed to do a time jump jump, which is why I just took a break to write Susan. Okay. So I've come back. So um this series is about a girl who got lost. She fell fell through a um fell through a portal uh when she was little, obviously, after all the stabby psychopath stuff, and she bounced around a whole bunch of wild magic realms, and she was you know in fairy for a while and she was in all the elf ramps. So we've got this whole universe thing going on. Anyway, she's popped back to the mortal realm to our universe, um, and she decided she wants to be a social worker, so she's gonna help um young other young girls like herself that would have a lot of trauma when they were little. So she's a qualified social worker and she is making her way um in the other world uh CPS. And so it's a series I'm writing in at the moment, and I've got another if I I'm running late, obviously, with my latest one, but um I've got two more books that are vaguely plotted, ready to go. And the other reason why I'm running late too is because I'm working on something completely different for and I don't I don't know why. I don't know why we do this to ourselves. I'm doing, I've got my spin-off of a spin off of a spin-off of a spin-off of a spin-off of a spin-off. Uh in my last new release, I had a character who came out waving massive, you know, main character flags. Uh so I will be taking her and spinning her off into another brand new series, and it's gonna be very buffied vampire slayer-esque. Very cool. Yes, yeah, very cool. And those are my general plans, I guess.

unknown 51:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:48

Um, if you're not watching on YouTube, you need to because Loretta has the best cut. Yes, that is a fantastic goblet.

SPEAKER_04 51:56

Yeah. This is I got um, this is I got a whole set of them just after I finished my series, Bad Bones. Um, so Bad Bones was another um series with a main character who was actually just a skeleton and she manifested her form. So um, but she was in essence just a skeleton. So this is my skeleton goblet. Love it. So cool.

SPEAKER_02 52:17

Okay, so finally, where can people find you? Where do you exist in the ether? Oh, right.

SPEAKER_04 52:24

Well, I've I'm an Australian, no. Uh find her in person, you guys.

SPEAKER_02 52:31

That's rude and creepy.

SPEAKER_04 52:32

Yeah, yeah. It's weird actually, because I'm not, I'm not very, I guess I'm not particularly savvy with stuff like that. I do tell readers, I've got it's so weird. I I had an email from uh, you know, you send your newsletter out and you get one or two replies. I'd had a a lady who had been replying to me for a little bit, and then um she said, Oh, you know, we've had some floods here at this side of you know, blah, blah, blah. And she like literally lived in the next town over. So I'm like, hey, let's catch up, let's go, let's go out. So I'm a little yeah, I'm a bit weird like that. Like sorry, website, yep, lorettahignett.com. Um, I'm on, I'm obviously on Amazon. I'm a I'm a um exclusive girly, so I'm on KU, all my stuff is in KU. Um and yeah, on on Amazon. And I have a reader group on Facebook called Loretta Hignett's rabbinous readers. Um, Dwayne, my goose from the last series, last two series, is a bit of a fan favorite. So if you're into goose memes, if you're not into goose memes, don't start because once you do like a meme or save it or share it, your feed will be nothing but goose memes. And it obviously it's worked in my favor because my reader group just pops off with funny goose memes. But um I love it. Yeah, just a tip. Yeah. So I've heard the same thing with goat memes as well. So if you've got a special side character that's a crazy goat, you'll get goat memes in your boat. Um, and I'm on Instagram as well, but I uh usually only use Instagram and TikTok for funny cat videos or funny dog videos. Cool.

SPEAKER_00 54:05

Well, we will definitely put all your links in the show notes as well as the margarita recipe and links to your books. Thank you guys so much for joining us today. This is so fun. I I I have one more thing to say, I have so many one more thing to say.

SPEAKER_02 54:21

Oh my god, one more thing always. I can just monologue.

SPEAKER_04 54:26

Pretty sure I'll be monologuing hard at this has been too much fun.

SPEAKER_02 54:30

Um I just I need you to know that I'm very angry with you. Okay, because my my sleep schedule has been massively disrupted. Um, as I read, I'd read all the Susanier Chosen One books. And then, you know, like I'm looking at stuff, I'm like, oh, I liked that. And I went, and then I read every single other book that you have written. Yeah, and it made me stay up too late sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 54:58

And it's the same. I almost wrote you a strongly worded letter because of my interface. Like, and I'm now the disciple of Susan spreading the gospel. I'm like, you have to read this book. Hot Fey Prince, Chain Smoking Duocorn. And they're like sold.

SPEAKER_02 55:22

Yes, I also, yeah. Every time somebody's like, Oh, I need something that's you know fantasy, but not like super serious, like I want to laugh, and I'm like, got it.

SPEAKER_00 55:32

And and then I always go, by the way, pee first.

SPEAKER_04 55:36

Yeah, I did I did get that one in a review as well. It's um, which it's it's it's so nice to hear. Like, I love that. It's all I want to do is just make people laugh and also just to you know, just to light just to lighten things up a bit. The world can be so heavy sometimes, and um I'm incapable of taking anything seriously. And I like to if I can gift something to the world, I would like everybody just to have a bit of a laugh and maybe wear their pants a little bit. And um, yeah, it just it's it's what what motivates me to keep going, really. So well, mission accomplished. Yay! Makes me happy.

SPEAKER_02 56:13

Thank you so much, Loretta.

SPEAKER_04 56:14

This isn't amazing. Thank you guys. I've enjoyed it. I wish I could have had a little cocktail, but I'm drinking my soda water right now. Wow, but this has been great. I'm glad. I'm glad we had a good time. And we're back.

SPEAKER_02 56:29

Did you miss us? Probably not, because we've been here the whole time. The whole time. You just saw us in the viewing, Loretta.

SPEAKER_00 56:35

Exactly. In different caftans, even. So we did like a quick change and then we changed back.

SPEAKER_02 56:42

I could go change again. Magic. And then just be really weird. I can take it off. Like, I'm pretty sure I'm only visible from like above the boobs up. Pretty much, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 56:54

Yeah. So here naked. Please don't. Because then I'll be like thinking about you sitting there naked, and that's just gonna get real weird.

unknown 57:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 57:05

I I won't do that. I won't. Yeah. Um, so we're gonna wrap up the podcast, like we always do, with drawing an oracle card. And today, when we were talking about it, I was like, let me, let me, let me. Because I just got a new deck, and it is called the Norse Goddess Rune Oracle. Ooh, I like that. That is really cool. Just took the cellophane off right before taping. Recording. We don't tape. We don't tape. My kid made fun of me the other day for saying taping.

SPEAKER_00 57:38

I know it's because we're old and this is the 21st century, and nobody tapes.

SPEAKER_02 57:42

This is the back of the car. Look at the tree of life.

SPEAKER_00 57:45

I love it. I love the tree of life. It's one of my favorite symbols.

SPEAKER_02 57:48

And on the book that I showed, for those of you who aren't watching, um, there is a woman with a um rune kind of tattooed down her face. She has deer ears and antlers, and like she's got flowers and plants, ferns, mushrooms growing out of her hair. She's got long red hair, and it's just really beautiful imagery. And the deck is by Rebecca Joyce Stark with the artwork by Sharon McLeod.

SPEAKER_01 58:17

Oh, you guys are probably related. Probably.

SPEAKER_02 58:20

Probably not. You spell McLeod differently. So um I am have already shuffled. Okay. Um, and so I'm gonna cut the cards. And I'm going to draw a card. This is the first one you guys ever from this deck. First card.

SPEAKER_01 58:42

Two eyes.

SPEAKER_02 58:43

It's about the Valkyrie card.

SPEAKER_00 58:49

Yes, this is a Valkyrie card. That is very appropriate. Very appropriate. Oh, that is glory. I don't know what's happening there. So let's describe it.

SPEAKER_02 58:59

So uh it's basically a picture of me.

SPEAKER_00 59:03

Yes. Mm-hmm. I see that clearly.

SPEAKER_02 59:05

Yeah. Um, so there is a black horse that's flying. It has red eyes. Um, and riding the horse is a woman with a winged helmet. She's got like a black mask or black um paint over her eyes. She's carrying a spear. There's a shield on her hip. She's wearing like a leather armor situation, and there's blood stains all over her. And then flying right below the horse are two ravens.

SPEAKER_00 59:33

Oh, excellent. This is your card. Yeah, for sure. It is a gorgeous card. So tell us what it means. Tell us what it means.

SPEAKER_02 59:45

And then I just got my Valkyrie tattoo on my back, which is so cool. And I usually have a Valkyrie necklace on, but my tattoo's kind of itchy right now. So um, not necklacing. Okay, now I will tell you what it means.

unknown 1:00:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:01

Now that we are there. Um oh, on the cover, that rune that's tattooed in our face is Algie. Um, which is protection and safety. Anyway. That makes sense. So this Valkyrie, courage, self-sacrifice, and honor. I am Valkyrie, goddess of war, chooser of the slain, among the dead and gore, warriors in Cessrumnir, the best of Freya's hall. May Tuaz give you the courage to overcome all. And then there's some lore in the book about the Valkyrie before we get to the meeting, the divination meeting. And I don't want to read you three pages of stuff.

unknown 1:00:38

Probably not.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:39

Although it would be fascinating. Um, so this is the rune of courage. Tyr is the Norse god of war and sacrifice. So Twaz is basically Tyr's rune. Um, it represents the warrior spirit within you, and it is the power of the Valkyrie that fiercely cuts down at what no longer serves you in this life. Um, which I think is just great. Maybe you want to get rid of an unhelpful habit, an addiction, harmful thoughts or behaviors. It is a time to find that courage within yourself and let that go because you have it in there. It's it's there. Yeah. So um don't make drinks with your heart, make logical decisions. No, no, it doesn't keep making drinks with your heart. Yes. Um, and so it just reminds you you have an incredible depth of bravery within that you can call upon to make big decisions. Yeah, you are the main character in your own story. You are the hero, the Valkyrie, the warrior. Um, and so one of the things that I oh wait, no, here. This I'm not reading the whole divination thing either, because it's a lot of words. But right here, okay, towards the end, it says to be the best defender of the vulnerable, you need to show up as the strongest version of you. Oh, and I love that so much.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:55

I do too. I do too, because a lot of people, so I've noticed, you know, we're being told that we're supposed to help people and help the vulnerable and everything. But what you end up seeing a lot is a lot of people that are just like pouring everything they are into other people, and they're not taking on anything for themselves, and they just give and give and give until they totally burn out. And it's like, you know, you can't help other people, at least not long term, unless you're taking care of yourself.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:34

And I mean, you're not gonna maybe die immediately if you're not taking care of yourself, right? But like there's a point where if you aren't taking care of yourself, you're gonna just like you're gonna wear so thin. You're gonna feel like not enough butter scraped over too much bread. And you may end up, no, I can't. Oh to my people who got that reference. Love you.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:59

Uh, but I mean, seriously, it's like, you know, you can physically fall apart if you're not taking care of yourself, and then you can't help anybody.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:12

I was kind of there like a year ago at this time. I was working full-time. I have a kid who was homeschooling about uh last year um for the last half of the school year, and I was putting out book after book after book. I was publishing like maybe four books a year, which I know, Shaya, you do more than that.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:34

I used to do more than that, yes. Um but I was writing full-time, not having a full-time job on top of writing.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:42

And it's just a lot of work to parent and full-time job and try to write. And about a year ago, I started getting like I was unhealthy because I had put everything of me into all of these other places that um and I had nothing left to take care of myself, which is why I haven't published a book for a year. Um but I needed that break. And you have to take care of yourself because if you don't, and like this comes up everywhere, like emotionally, spiritually, mentally, but and physically. Physically, yeah. Um, like if you I was a long distance runner for a long time, and I'm just recovering from a broken foot, and like I want to go do all the things, but if you don't take care of yourself now, maybe you can do some of the things for a while, but you won't get to do all of the things because you'll end up hurting yourself first.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:38

Yeah, I mean, I I used to that was me. Like I was putting out eight plus books a year, I was doing this, I was doing that, and then I had this surgery and I developed chronic pain, muscle spasms, like debilitating. And I have had to learn over the past three years how to say no and how to um how to put myself and my well-being first because if I do too much, I'm in bed for two or three days. Um so it's really frustrating to not be able to live life like I used to, but it's forced me to learn to take care of myself first. Um we have big ambitions, we have huge ambitions, and I am so excited for what's coming in the future, all the things that we have planned. And so I need to be well to be able to do them. And you know, chronic pain is chronic. I mean, it doesn't mean um, you know, it can mean forever or it can mean for a while. Not everybody is chronic pain. Sometimes some whatever it is clears up, but and I'm hoping that happens. But if it doesn't, I still need to be in a situation where I know how to balance my self-care with my ambitions so that I can keep doing the things I want to do in life, maybe at a slower pace than I'd planned. But um, but yeah, uh, so I really had to learn to to rest, to care for myself, to say no, to put uh I'm I'm learning boundaries. And I'm I'm learning, I know, I know. And I'm learning to overcome, you know, fears and like go for things that I want. So where can our listeners, our lovely, lovely listeners, get the Oracle deck, get Loretta's books, get the recipes, etc. Well, all of our links and everything are again in the show notes.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:57

Um you can find all you can find the recipe down there, information about the Oracle deck, inform um links to Loretta's books. Um, also you can sign up for our newsletter by going to our website, uh CliffhangersandCocktails.com, follow us on Instagram, Cliffhangers and Cocktails. And um, if you have any anything you want us to talk about, whether it be book related, uh magic related, um, cocktail related, um try to stick to like those general themes. Like, we're probably not gonna talk about like astrophysics. No. Although we could have a a guest star who is a child.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:43

Oh, you're oh, I was gonna say we could ask Neil deGrasse Tyson and he'd probably laugh at yeah, but no. Um, I prefer to have your child.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:54

Um but yeah, let us know what you'd like to talk about. Um, like and share this podcast with your friends, family, enemies, casual acquaintances, mailman, whatever.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:05

Dog walker, whoever. Um give us a five star.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:16

Um, and thank you again for listening. Thanks for joining us today. See you next time. Bye. Bye.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:27

Okay, we did it.