From Dark Demons to RomCom Chaos - with Amanda Sinatra

This episode is officially my longest one yet… and honestly? Worth every second 🔥

I sat down with author Amanda Sinatra and we got into EVERYTHING! From her dark paranormal worlds filled with demons, secrets, and forbidden love… to her unexpected romcom release that had us both spiraling a little 👀

We talk about:

•  Her Deck of Scarlets series and the darker side of her writing 
•  The chaos (and fun) of her romcom era 
•  Street team life (yes, I’m on it 😏) 
•  Books, events, and what it’s really like behind the scenes as an author 

This episode feels like sitting down and just talking books.. a little chaotic, a little unhinged, and completely honest.

If you love dark romance, paranormal secrets, and getting to know the author behind the pages… this one’s for you.

About Amanda Sinatra:
Amanda Sinatra writes dark paranormal and contemporary romance, including Deck of Scarlets and Hollow. Her stories explore forbidden love, hidden identities, and the secrets lurking beneath the surface.

Follow along on Instagram @boundindarkink and @prettymamasbooks.
Until next time–Stay dark. Stay obsessed.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

You're listening to Bound in Dark Ink, where dark romance, obsession, and bookish chaos collide. I'm Alicia. Let's begin. How are you? I am good.

SPEAKER_00 0:12

I am exhausted. Very tired. It was a very tiring week. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 0:20

Um, I think I'm getting sick.

SPEAKER_00 0:23

No, you're getting that cold?

SPEAKER_02 0:25

Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Oh, that cold is so annoying.

SPEAKER_02 0:29

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

It takes so long, especially the cough.

SPEAKER_04 0:33

Yep, that's just started.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

Ugh.

SPEAKER_04 0:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Yep. Paid. Absolutely paid.

SPEAKER_05 0:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:47

Okay, so let's talk about you. Okay. Uh, fair warning. If my dog does decide to bark, I apologize.

SPEAKER_03 0:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Because you cannot leave me alone.

SPEAKER_04 1:01

Fair. Who could? I can't either. Ah.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

That's the obsession. I love it.

SPEAKER_04 1:11

All right. So tell us about yourself and what you write.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

I'm Amanda. I write fantasy, romance, thriller. Um, I love to do puzzles, play video games. Obviously, I'm an avid reader. I love bedazzling books. I actually like going fishing, fun fact. And I work with kids who are on the spectrum at a elementary school. Been there for about doing it for about five years, been at the school for about three, but I enjoy it. It's fun. And yeah, I'm just a wholesome gal from the good old state of Massachusetts.

SPEAKER_04 1:58

All right. And how long have you been writing and what got you started?

SPEAKER_00 2:03

Uh, I've been writing since I was 12. And what got me started was my English teacher in the sixth grade had a new room, and we were able to go in there, and there was a sheet over this at the time I didn't know, but it was a bookshelf. And he wanted us to write a short story on what could be behind it. And it was like the first time I've like tried to write something that wasn't standardized, like a five-paragraph essay. And it turned out I made it into like a secret passageway. There was tons of obstacles in it. And then I kind of realized, oh, I think I like this. I think I like creating new worlds and mystery and stuff. So that's how it kind of started.

SPEAKER_04 2:50

Okay. What would you say has been your motivation?

SPEAKER_00 2:54

I think it's the thrill of finishing a new book and having the readers resonate with whoever or whatever situation is in it. I think it's nice to see people come together and enjoy a book and knowing it's mine that gets them out of a really bad situation or lets them escape for a while. That's what really motivates me to write.

SPEAKER_04 3:23

Okay. Do you feel that you've made it? Or is there a specific goal or achievement that you have in mind you need to reach before you feel like you can say, damn, I really made it?

SPEAKER_00 3:37

I haven't made it yet. I think it's gonna take a moment where it becomes so overwhelming with the attraction of readers and just being talked about in a good light. I think that's what I'll know. And if I make it on a list. If anything, I would love to be on a USA bestseller list.

SPEAKER_05 4:02

Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

We're trying.

SPEAKER_04 4:06

Yeah. We are, we are. Okay. What would you say is your favorite part of what you do?

SPEAKER_00 4:14

I love drafting a new book. I find it so therapeutic to start a whole new story from scratch and just diving into a whole new set of characters where not only I like kind of set them up how I want them, but then they end up surprising me and they totally change the story without realizing it. And it's just so much fun to just write a fresh new book. It's a thrill.

SPEAKER_04 4:43

Okay. Is there any advice or guidance that you would share with someone who's just starting out?

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Just write it. Don't worry about editing it along the way. Don't worry about if it sounds perfect. You need to just write it out. You will feel so much better knowing that the first draft will always be an ugly baby status. It's gonna be ugly. And that's okay. Because you're just getting your words out, and it's like word mommy, just letting it go, letting it take over. And then it will get to that point where it will be a beautiful manuscript. And don't feel discouraged. Just keep going.

SPEAKER_04 5:20

Okay. And then on the flip side, is there something that you wish someone would have told you when you were just starting out?

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Don't look at your reviews. Don't do it. I wish someone told me. Because you get so caught up in wanting to know how people perceive you and your writing, and then you end up seeing you shouldn't, and it really puts a damper on your mood. Don't look at your reviews. And that's what I would say to myself. Just enjoy and just be proud of what you create. And that's all that matters.

SPEAKER_04 5:55

That one is that answer is very common for that question.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

It's true, but it but it's so it's sad, but it's true.

SPEAKER_04 6:03

Yeah, like yeah, very, very common.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

Yeah, we get so caught up in it.

SPEAKER_04 6:09

Yeah. Um, okay. Do you have a favorite trope as a writer?

SPEAKER_00 6:17

My favorite trope as a writer is forbidden romance. I love knowing that they cannot keep their hands off each other, but they know they're not supposed to be together. It's like the sweetest sin. I love it. It's literally one of my favorites to write.

SPEAKER_04 6:34

All right. And then as a reader.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

Oh, I like a one-bed trope, honey. Yes. Okay. You mean to tell me they're traveling and they need to find and stop somewhere, and then it's just one bed? Absolutely. Chef's kiss, my favorite.

SPEAKER_04 6:52

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Okay. Are there any tropes that you feel are under or overrated?

SPEAKER_00 7:00

Hmm. I don't know, actually. I think an I think an underrated trope for me. Oh, that's tough. Because there are so many good ones. Oh, you know what an underrated trope is? Is lovers to enemies. I don't see that as often. And I would like to see when people become lovers and then it just crumbles. I love, I love sadness. Yeah, yeah. An overrated trope? Oh boy. Um, okay. Uh an overrated trope, which ironically enough, I I put this as my overrated trope. Oopsie doopsie, but it's the it's the black cat and the golden retriever trope. It's like, or the morally gray. Like we get it. You know what I mean? I feel so bad.

SPEAKER_04 7:59

What books, if any, would you say have influenced your writing or had helped get you into writing?

SPEAKER_00 8:08

Um, the one. Hmm. I liked Judy B. Jones growing up. That was a real good one that I kind of like started to get into. Uh, what helped me with my comedy writing was the Deirdum Diary books. I loved those. They were so funny. And they were just so like slapstick, like I couldn't stop reading those. And then recent, not recently, but like I love The Giver. That was one of my favorites. I feel like shaped my writing. I'm like looking at my shelf, and like it's funny when you ask the question, you read so many books, and you just like draw a blank.

SPEAKER_05 8:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:50

And you're like, huh, this is interesting. Although I will say, Twilight did start my love for vampires, along with Buffy. Sorry. That that's what really sparked the like the paranormal aspect of my writing with the fantasy.

SPEAKER_04 9:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:07

That was a huge inspiration.

SPEAKER_04 9:09

Uh, what do you wish people understood more about your work?

SPEAKER_00 9:14

That I write with experience and I write with a lesson, hoping people will understand why my characters go through certain things. And then recently, when I released Cloud9, my biggest thing was taking Noah as a typical fuckboy and helping him grow and get out of that and realize his worth. And I felt like it fell flat for a lot of people, which I was sad about. But for the ones who understood, I appreciate you and thank you for giving Noah a chance. And that's how I want my writing to be is everyone's allowed to grow and make mistakes and come out a better person.

SPEAKER_04 9:56

Um, we love Noah, Team Noah, Team Noah, all the way. Yeah. What is your white writing routine?

SPEAKER_00 10:09

What routine? It's so sporadic. Um, okay, so I try to write at least three times a day. Oh, not three times a day, three times a week. I try not to do the whole, I gotta write this amount during that day because I just set myself up for anxiety and thinking like crap, I don't have enough time. I can't do this. Yeah. So I try to do at least 500 words. Okay. At least. Um, I do have Readsy, which thankfully gives me like a goal. And so far, the goal for one of my books is like 200 words. So I just follow that. And I feel like that's a lot better than pushing myself to like write 4,000 words a day. Like for people who can do it, kudos to you. I would just lose my mind.

SPEAKER_04 11:00

Yeah. I mean, and whatever works for you. Exactly. Because they're they still come out amazing in the end.

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Yes, they do.

SPEAKER_04 11:09

All right. What would you say is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

SPEAKER_00 11:16

You know what my most difficult part is am I explaining this enough, or am I giving my readers the benefit of the doubt, knowing they can use their tools to put things together without having me to overexplain scenes in a book? I think that's like my biggest and toughest battle. It's how much is too much with overexplaining in a story. And then it also reflects, well, that's another thing that happened with the release. It's like people felt like the ending was rushed. And here I'm thinking, is that too much, or can people understand where they're going at the end?

SPEAKER_04 11:59

Right.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

That's my biggest challenge.

SPEAKER_04 12:02

Okay. Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?

SPEAKER_00 12:08

Hmm. I bounce my leg too much, and then I sit on my legs like I'm an elementary school kid on the rug watching their teacher do a presentation. Um, I twirl my hair a lot. I always have to have a snack, and I always have to have an Ollipop next to me. Like it needs to be right there. And my desk needs to be a mess, apparently. That's the only way I can write better. Seriously, it's a mess right now.

SPEAKER_04 12:39

I mean, fair.

SPEAKER_00 12:40

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 12:41

If you could give your 18-year-old self some advice, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 12:47

Don't stop writing. Why did you do that? Why did you let the people tell you you couldn't do it and give up for a bit? Don't stop. Although everything happens for a reason, and I'm where I am today, and I'm thankful. But don't let that dream go. You loved it so much that you let one person's opinion of you dictate the next five years that you shouldn't write because you couldn't do it because you thought everything sounded too similar. Don't do that. Just keep writing. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 13:22

Do you have a folder with scenes or drafts that haven't made the cut?

SPEAKER_00 13:28

I do. I have two scenes from checked in. I have a uh checked in Cloud9. And then for Deck of Scarlets, I have the first original draft, and it was originally a YA. Interesting. And it was totally different, very different from what you're reading. There was a scene, I can say, that Remy and Cal were actually together, and they go to a club, and Josh and Nikki are there and they hang out. That was a scene. That one completely got cut in the final. It's wild. For Hollow, for Hollow, it actually wasn't taking out, it was adding more.

SPEAKER_05 14:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

And switching it to like new adult.

SPEAKER_05 14:21

Right. Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

Mm-hmm. Thinking.

SPEAKER_04 14:30

Um what is your favorite time of day to write?

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Oh my god, it's like at the middle of the night. It's so bad. And speaking of that, last night I stayed up until two and I wrote a thousand words. And it that's for just some reason my brain is more active, and I find the most inspiration when it's the dead at night and it's so quiet. And it's like I have a second to really grasp like just this like sincerity of the quietness. It just feels so good. I don't know why.

SPEAKER_04 15:06

I'm nuts. Honestly, you're not nuts because again, that is a very common answer. I swear all of us like I don't know what it I don't know what it is with you guys and your author brains, but apparently, like middle of the night, 2, 3 a.m. is like a common time that I've been hearing.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

It's just, I think a lot of us are neurodivergent, and I think we just have a brain activity where it just gets so wired at a certain time, and we can't shut it off. And I definitely know that's my reason because I got AHD, so that's what causes my lovely sporadic riding times.

SPEAKER_05 15:52

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

She's crazy.

SPEAKER_04 15:58

Um, so if you can talk about it, what are you currently working on?

SPEAKER_00 16:04

Checked in is what I'm working on now, and I'm also finishing up Fallen. I made the executive decision to just postpone Deck of Saints because for me, I wasn't into it and I needed to make sure I was back in that mindset for it. It is 82% done. It's not like I didn't start it, but I wanted to make sure it was my best work. And if I can't give it my full attention, it's gonna show in it. And I don't want that. I want you guys to get a really good book that you can embrace and love. But for some reason, this rom-com has flipped my whole world upside down, and I just can't stop writing it. Especially Maya and Henry's characters. There's just something about this dynamic and how I set up this fictional world. I I'm in love with it, and it's so much fun. It reminded me why I like started writing to begin with.

SPEAKER_04 17:03

I am so excited. Oh excited. Okay. Anyways. If your books were ever cast as a movie, do you have people in mind that you would like to play your characters?

SPEAKER_00 17:21

Boy, do I for Hollow and Deck? I don't have anyone in mind. I think because I really want the cast of those characters to be super new and give younger actors a chance who haven't been in films to step up. And I that's what I always imagined. I never pictured anybody playing those characters, but for Cloud9, Emilio Sakara was the first one who I thought of as Noah. And I could not get him out of my head for Noah every time I wrote his scenes, and then Abby Cohen, who she's amazing. She's an a fantastic actress. She, as I saw, my beautiful redhead, Hannah, and I would love the two of them to play those characters.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 18:11

Alright. No one for Maya yet.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

There is one actress. I gotta, I can't remember her name, but I know what she looks like. And then have you seen Maxden Hall?

SPEAKER_04 18:24

Maybe. I'm really bad with faces. Uh with like names, I mean.

SPEAKER_00 18:29

I'll send it to you. Well, I'll send it everyone into the um Discord, but he played, oh my god, Beaufort, I think his name is. Oh my god, I can't remember his own name, but he's who I imagined Henry. And that's like the extent right now, only because I haven't really tapped into the other characters yet of who I picture. But definitely, definitely need a beautiful blondie for our Henry.

SPEAKER_04 18:55

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 18:58

Okay. And then if your life got cast as a show or a movie, who would you choose to play yourself?

SPEAKER_00 19:08

What's her name? Maya Mitchell?

SPEAKER_04 19:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:12

She will she was on The Fosters.

SPEAKER_04 19:15

Yes, I love that show so much. She would she would definitely I am so glad you said that. Like, oh my god, I don't think I've ever met anyone else that knows that show.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Yep. She and she was on um Disney Channel for the team uh Beach movie. So I remember her, and I was like, she's so pretty, and I would love for her to be cast as me. Because I was like, yeah, that makes sense. Just wear some brown contacts and we're all good to go. Because I think she has lighter eyes, right?

SPEAKER_04 19:49

I think she does, yeah. Okay, so are we team Edward or Team Jacob?

SPEAKER_00 20:00

Okay, ready for this? When I was 14, I was Team Edward. I am now in my 30s and I'm Team Charlie. Or Carlisle. Because I listen, when you read Midnight Sun, you realize how much of Edward is just a very sad boy. And you just like, dude, take a Xanax or something, get us, get a Snickers, acting up.

SPEAKER_04 20:32

You're not you and you're hungry, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

And I appreciate Bella's point of view more now. Yeah. So I I actually never liked Jacob. I don't know what it is about him. I just never cared for him. And I think if he wasn't so he just, I don't know, if he came off like so arrogant sometimes and it pissed me off. And then he imprints on the child, imprints on ratatouille, and I can't. I can't, I can't, I can't. So as an adult, I am team either Charlie or Carl because those are the real daddies. Let's be real.

SPEAKER_04 21:13

I feel, I feel like that um answer is very divided. Like the beginning is the same. Like, oh, when I was younger, it was Team Jacob, or when I was younger, it's Team Edward.

SPEAKER_03 21:27

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 21:28

And then everyone else is now like, oh, but now I'm either Team Charlie Carlisle or Team Y Choose. So it's like it's very divided from us book girlies.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

I have not heard of the why choose thing. Maybe that's where I should be.

SPEAKER_04 21:57

Like, why not Charlie Ann? Daddy Carlisle. Right?

SPEAKER_00 22:02

Get like the warmth and then the icicle pee-pee. Like, that's a good combo. It's like the yeah. It's like the fire and ice condom.

SPEAKER_01 22:13

Get rid of it. It will be perfect, you know? Right? Perfect. Too good. Yeah. Too good. I can't. Oh god.

SPEAKER_04 22:25

Oh man. Okay. So are there any topics or tropes that you would never even consider putting into one of your books?

SPEAKER_00 22:36

Pregnancy trope. I'm sorry, guys. I can't do it. I can't do it. I feel like listen, I love kids. And if you can do it in your book, kudos to you. I just can't throw that in there when the journey of that character isn't done yet. I think the baby just throws it off and makes it more difficult. And I can't do it. I'm sorry. It will never happen in my books. It'll never be the forefront. It will be like say the Interconnected Standalone series for Snowy Peak. You will see a character to have a child, but that they're grown up a little bit more. They don't go through really the pregnancy. It's not really the forefront. It's in passing, but yeah, I can't do that. That's a trope where I'm like, mm-hmm. And okay. I've never had kids and never been pregnant, so I don't know what it's like either. And I like to write things where I do kind of know and I, you know, relate to.

SPEAKER_04 23:35

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, to be fair, I I love you, but like good because you know, people hate on the pregnancy trope. Don't get me wrong, there it can be written badly. Yes. Like, I love pregnancy trope, but it has to be written in the right way. Yes. And some of them just aren't. And if it's not really something that you like or that you vibe with, or maybe that you've experienced, like, you might not write it in the right way. So then your pregnancy trope's gonna suck. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 24:19

Yep, you will you will never see that trope in my books. I couldn't I couldn't do it. And and because I know. Like, you know, like why?

SPEAKER_04 24:35

Yeah. All right. Are there any topics or tropes that you won't read?

SPEAKER_00 24:42

Actually, besides the pregnancy one, I'm pretty open. I used to be picky when I started out reading, but I'm actually pretty open. And I'm a heavy um, well, it doesn't really relate to writing, but I am a heavy mood reader too. So it depends on what vibes I'm in, but I'm I'm very I'm very open. And it has to hit just right. It has to be like the perfect, otherwise I won't touch it. Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 25:13

All right. How would you describe your books or your series in one brutal sentence?

SPEAKER_00 25:24

For hollow, um a forgetful psychopath who can't get her act together. Jack of Scarlets, a Barati teenager who can't hold accountability, and for Cloud9, it's just a bunch of adults trying to figure out their lives, and somehow they still fuck it up. I mean, that's the best way to put it. They figure it out eventually.

SPEAKER_04 25:58

Yeah, yeah. All right. Um, I think you may have already semi-touched on this, but um, did you have character inspirations?

SPEAKER_00 26:09

Yes. Um, I did like look up some actors and actresses, like Kieran Shipka kind of gave me a vibe of Remy. Uh for actually for Hollow Mile, Maya Mitchell was another contender. And then, like I said, for Cloud9, it was like Abby Cohen and Emilo Saqara for Noah and Hannah. I and then actually, when I wrote my short story thriller, which is Culpers was in the hall, one of the the husband Connor, the only actor I can think of who would play him so well is Dylan O'Brien. And I love Dylan O'Brien, I think he's a very underrated actor. And every time there's like a very emotional scene, I felt like he just fit perfectly with Connor.

SPEAKER_04 26:54

Okay. Um, what would you say your favorite chapter um in Cloud Nine was to write?

SPEAKER_00 27:05

Um, oh my god, oh my god. I think it was the condom scene of it hanging off his pant leg.

SPEAKER_04 27:16

I was like, oh my god, no, she didn't.

SPEAKER_00 27:20

I I was in a fit of giggles trying to get through that scene because of it just knowing it was used and it was hanging off his pant leg. And he has his legs crossed, and Poor Hannah is just like, dude, how do you not see this hanging or even feel it? And it's it's like number one, and then the second is definitely him falling out the window. I don't know what it is about this guy where he falls and like does stupid stuff, but damn, that condom scene was so funny.

SPEAKER_04 27:51

It sure was.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

Everyone loves that scene.

SPEAKER_04 27:58

Oh my goodness. Okay, um, and what was the hardest chapter to write?

SPEAKER_00 28:05

The scene where actually there's two. I'm gonna I'm gonna I lied, it's two, where she gets out of her doctor's appointment and Noah's there, and he's trying to get her to listen.

SPEAKER_05 28:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:21

And so he tells her a story. And then when she says goodbye at the end of his half pipe run, knowing that she helped him and that in the end, that's all it was that she thought. And she'll never, she thinks that she'll never like you know, amount to anything when it comes to being with somebody. And that was a hard scene because I have a lot of insecurities like that as well, especially with the PCOS that I have on Hannah. So I think that was like a moment of yeah, Hannah's like, well, this is it, like this is the only reason why we did this, is because you need to get back on the slopes, and now that it's over, you don't need to continue. I don't have to, you know, it it that's a hard that was a hard scene.

SPEAKER_04 29:06

Yeah. What is the ideal reader that you imagined?

SPEAKER_00 29:12

Someone who just wants to have fun, but can, like I said, resonate with something to this from the stories that I write and makes them cry or feel good or get mad at the right points that I want them to be mad at the certain characters, like that that's my ideal reader. That they I'm giving them a story where they can express their emotions, and I think that makes me like I've done my job as an author, is that I'm able to get you to feel something.

SPEAKER_04 29:46

All right. Um speaking of wanting to feel something, what genres um do you read?

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Oh, um almost all genres, really. I think my I would say my top three is fantasy romance, and I'm actually very into dark romance now.

SPEAKER_05 30:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:08

And yeah, I mean, I like I said, huge mood reader. If I'm vibing towards a book and I just grab it, I'll I'll read it. I'm not the one to shy away. I think the biggest issue I have is point of view. I'm not a huge third person point of view. I've I don't know, I've ever since I was a kid, I found it difficult to follow. I don't know what maybe it's just me for a learning disability. Probably. I'm a special little gal. But I recently I found books with the third POV, third person like habit fantastic, and maybe I just read the wrong books for my chance to read them. I do love a first person only because I love connecting with that one character, and I love a dual POV now. I used to never like it, and now I love it.

SPEAKER_04 30:56

Okay. Um well, the reason actually I was asking that is because uh I finished the audiobook of Miss Dietz's first book. I think yesterday. And The Feels, man. I was like, girl. I messaged her at one point and I said something, and then like I don't know, maybe an hour later, maybe not even, I would message her again, and I was like, um, just kidding, you got me. Surprise. Yes. Yep, yeah. That that one's that series is amazing. All right. Um, do you have any audiobooks?

SPEAKER_00 31:49

Not yet. If you're talking about me getting audio for my books, not yet. Um, funny enough, I actually don't also I like I don't care to listen to audiobooks. I think for me, I have a hard time focusing. I need to physically see the words and read them myself. They're in my head. Okay. Um, but as for my books, I don't have audio yet. I would love to have a duet narration for especially for Cloud Night. I think that would be amazing to hear the banter. Yeah. And just the gravel in Noah's voice and the irritation in Hannah's and the sarcasticness with Maya and her jokes, and I think it would do really well.

SPEAKER_04 32:34

And the twins. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 32:37

The twins. The girls, the little bicker, the little girls with their gossip and being 17 and just having it easy.

SPEAKER_04 32:47

Yep, yep. Alright. Who would you say you are as a reader? Who is Amanda as a reader?

SPEAKER_00 32:54

A girl who's just looking for a fun time and maybe wants to cry a little bit and feel in the motions. That's kind of the reader I am. I wanna I want to have a book hangover so bad that I feel like it's a breakup. I want the feels. I want my heart to ache in all the right spots.

SPEAKER_04 33:13

Have you read um Yaros's not the not the Empyrean series, but the other ones?

SPEAKER_00 33:22

Um, no, but I heard, was it the letters one?

SPEAKER_04 33:25

The last letter, yes.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

I heard that that one is very gut-wrenching, and I'm I'm preparing myself to read that one.

SPEAKER_04 33:33

It is. That one, and I believe it's the things we leave unfinished.

SPEAKER_01 33:40

Oh, jeez. Great. I can add those to the list. Can't wait to cry.

SPEAKER_04 33:45

What would you say your top read of 2025 was?

SPEAKER_01 33:49

Oh. You know what?

SPEAKER_00 33:53

Let me go look at my list. Hold on. My brain's like a little squirrel. You could you could ask me what a book about is about, and like, I know I loved it.

SPEAKER_04 34:03

Um honestly I'm the same way.

SPEAKER_00 34:05

And I'm like, uh-huh.

SPEAKER_04 34:06

Yeah. What did I read in 2025 that I loved?

SPEAKER_00 34:11

Oh my god, I'm so bad. Where's my where's my red pile? There we go. We're going to my red pile. I think, oh. Um, it was Deep End by Allie Hazelwood.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

Okay. I loved that book.

SPEAKER_00 34:31

That was I was in such a reading slump, and then I read that and I was like, say less.

SPEAKER_04 34:39

It's funny that you say that because um I am selling my copy. You are yeah, I have the um probably smut edition. No way. That has the the wet on it. Yeah. Why are you selling? Um, I just I I loved it, but I didn't love love it. And I need to come up with some money for some to move and stuff, so I'm like selling a bunch of my special editions.

SPEAKER_00 35:18

Um fair enough. I've done that. I've I'm selling I sold a bunch of my four-point ones, so I get it.

SPEAKER_04 35:24

Yeah. So um I am selling that, yeah. And I'm selling some fairy loots, and actually I might um give one of my fairy loots away in the giveaway that I'm doing soon. I was supposed to do it when I hit 2K. Um, but I was like, it took me a minute to get together with everyone who was c wanting to work with me on it because like getting back hearing back from people sometimes in the community, you know, they're busy. Yeah. Takes a while. And now I've hit 3K. Um, so and I had teased like the 2K one, and now I'm at 3K, so but I'm gonna s I'm spent I think it's a special edition or just this series of the books I was talking about from Deets, the Afton Adders, I believe is actually the name of the series. Um and like some art, and then I have I had two bookish box like small businesses, give cups.

SPEAKER_03 36:30

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 36:31

Um, I think I'm gonna put one of my fairy lootes in there. Ooh. I just haven't decided which one.

SPEAKER_00 36:39

Which one yet? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

My only fairy loot editions is a feather so black and a crown so silver, just because I loved that series and they did a fantastic job with it. So those are really the only like editions I currently like obsessed with that I wouldn't sell. But I have a lot. I have um a lot of Jennifer Armantrout books I want to sell that I like there. I have a actually that's I have a fairy ludicrous and owl crate one I want to sell. Yeah, I have a bunch.

SPEAKER_04 37:07

Yeah. I have um, you know, because when I got back into like heavy into reading, like maybe four or five years ago, um, Layla and Verity from Colleen Hoover. It really they really like helped me. And um The Perfect Marriage by Geneva Rose. And so I have like I have an entire box of Colleen Hoover books that I'm just like I'm over that and I don't need these anymore.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

Right. I mean, you you all start somewhere. I remember I started with it. I like we all read Verity, I did as well. If I had if if someone asked me if I had to say, I think out of all the books I read from her, Verity is probably the best from her catalog, but I don't read anything else from her anymore. And mind you, I read Verity like over three, four years ago, so right, and you kind of you grow and you realize, uh don't like it.

SPEAKER_04 38:12

Yep. All right, what are your top 10 authors?

SPEAKER_00 38:16

Oh my god. Uh Lana Ferguson, she wrote The Nanny, the game changer, love her. Allie Hazelwood, love her. Um, Lyra Celine, love her. I do love Jennifer Armitrout. She's up there.

unknown 38:33

I'm trying to think what else.

SPEAKER_00 38:35

Oh, recently, oh my god, JT Geisinger, she wrote Blackthorne and Pen Pal. I love her. She could write a grocery list and I and she and like I'd read it. Yes. I love her. Um and then I hmm, I'm trying to think. Oh, I love Raven Kennedy. She's good. I enjoy her. I love reading her books.

SPEAKER_04 39:03

I'm trying to think of who did you read the Plated Prisoner series?

SPEAKER_00 39:06

Yes, and I stopped at book four though. So so don't hold it against me.

SPEAKER_04 39:12

I can't, I um I've been like so into arc reading and stuff the last couple of months, I can't really say anything because it took me absolutely forever to read book one because I kept putting it down to read other things that like were more time, you know, constraint or time restricting, whatever. Because that's like my whatever I can I it doesn't matter if or when I finish it. So I think I'm like maybe a quarter of the way through book two, and I started it, I don't know, maybe in the middle of 2025. I don't even remember. So I can't I can't say anything.

SPEAKER_00 39:54

I know, and I'm like, these, but I also love Tessa Bailey and I love Caroline Frank. I think that's almost 10 or about 10. Those are like oh, and what's her name? She wrote the night the night wind, the south wind. Hold on, I gotta remember her name. Give my brain a second. Her name is Alexandria Warwick. I love her as well.

SPEAKER_05 40:20

You got one more.

SPEAKER_00 40:21

I got one more? Yeah. Oh, uh uh Kate Golden. I liked her um her Sacred Stones trilogy. It was really good.

SPEAKER_04 40:30

Okay. So how are you feeling since you're we're we're still pretty close to your release?

SPEAKER_00 40:37

Um I'm exhausted, but in a good way. Like I wasn't, I was not expecting this to be bigger than my last one. I expect like the same like turnout. But seeing how NetGalley went and how many people wanted to read it, I think it was a moment like, oh, okay, this could be something. And then when the release happened, my D Alicia, the DMs that I was getting, just like for tags and stuff and collabs, was so overwhelming. I had to like put my phone down for an hour because I was like, this is this is not what I was expecting. Right. And I mean, everyone seems to enjoy it majority, which is nice. Um, and if you don't, I'm sorry, but thanks for buying it anyways. See you later. But it's nice that people still wanted to read my work and they were really supportive of me pivoting to the um rom the rom com because I'm so known for just the fantasy and thriller. And it was nice, it was nice that people were like, let me give this a try. And then when they've read Cloud Nine and they saw my other couple stories, my backlist, the small backlist I have, they actually started reading Deck of Saint Scarlet's, and it was nice because they're like, Oh, she does fantasy. Let's read this. So it was just it's incredible. Like the page reads are like going up. Um almost to 25,000 page reads. Like I've never seen that. I've always been a small author. I've started in 2018 back into writing. I've always felt like I was behind, but now I have to see it as it's just my journey. And that where I where I where I am, where I'm supposed to be. Yeah. It happens for a reason. Um, but I feel like I gained a lot of wisdom along the way. And Cloud9 was never gonna happen. I was really reconsidering publishing it. I was just gonna let it sit in my author dead files, I call them, where just old No.

SPEAKER_04 42:45

I know, I know, and you were gonna keep Hannah and Noah from us?

SPEAKER_00 42:49

Yeah, I wasn't gonna publish them actually. I was very like, I think I just I did it for just like a therapeutic outlet for a bit. And then once I had I think it was like two alpha readers, just look at it to see if it was like, you know, to see what you think of it.

SPEAKER_04 43:06

Was it because you were scared of like stepping into the rom-com side?

SPEAKER_00 43:13

Yeah, like could I do it? Could I write in the genre? Am I meant to be also in the genre? Because I I hop and I don't like to confine myself in one box, but I was afraid, like, what if this fails? What if it's not the genre I'm supposed to be writing, even though I do love to read it? And I do love the world building, and I do love the short story thrillers that I write that I pack a punch, but I wanted to challenge myself on top of it, and it just I guess it it worked out. And it's usually the book you don't plan that is your most successful. Yeah. Because you're you're not setting it up in the beginning to make it successful, you're just writing it for the fun of it. Yeah. So I Spoke to some friends. I spoke to my agent, and she said, I think you need to go for it. And I think that was the best decision. Yeah. Um, I'm gonna ride the I'm gonna ride the wave with it. I will still be publishing the fantasy stuff. They're coming. Don't worry, I will never leave that behind. Um, but the success of Cloud9 so far has been like I've never charted in a new release at all. Um, I've never seen this many orders within like not even a week yet.

SPEAKER_05 44:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:31

I've never seen the amount of interaction that follows, the the tags, the collabs. Like I've never seen I've I've gotten so many tag comments of people recommending my book to other people. It was just like, hmm, this was supposed to happen. And I'm glad I pushed myself to really send it out there. Um, because once I really got the okay, I think I'm gonna do this, I made sure it was gonna come out in February because I really wanted to have that Olympic vibe to it while people were watching it. So it's like, oh, you know, you love this. I wrote this, and this has the vibes, and it's good because people love that stuff and I love it.

SPEAKER_04 45:17

So right, right. And um, so yeah, okay. What is Snowy Peak series look like to you? Like how many books is your plan? Five. Five?

unknown 45:31

Five books.

SPEAKER_00 45:32

Um, okay. All titles now have been made. Um, all characters have been slotted for each book that we're going to focus on. Um, and I already have ideas for book three, too, which is nice. And if you're in my street team on the Discord, you know what the titles are. So when you go in there, you will know what the titles are. Okay. But it's kept between us until it's ready.

SPEAKER_04 46:01

Yeah, yeah. Right, of course. All right. Um, I had another one. Uh oh. Do we know a majority of the characters already?

SPEAKER_00 46:14

Yes, you do. Okay. Yep, you do. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 46:20

Ooh, ooh, ooh. I'm so excited.

SPEAKER_00 46:24

Oh, yeah. You like you said, you meet them all in cloud nine. You're like, oh my god, and you all of them start to love certain ones. Well, majority. Oh, okay. Some are mentioned in passing. Um, there is one character I did not introduce yet. Okay. So that one is a fun one.

SPEAKER_01 46:48

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_04 46:50

Okay, so Cloud9 aside, have you read or watched? Well, if you've watched, I don't want to talk about that part because I haven't yet. He did Rivalry.

SPEAKER_00 47:00

Of course I have. I am in love with that whole series already. I gotta read it. I haven't got a chance to read it yet. Because I'm so behind with reading. But I don't know who I love more together. I either love Scott or Kip, those characters, or Ilya and Shane.

SPEAKER_05 47:20

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 47:21

Or I love all four of them. Yeah, yeah. And I love the the actors they chose for them. They just it it was so good. It was so it was done so well. And it's nice to see an adaptation of a book series for the first season be done like that and with care and actually keeping most of the material when it was important, yeah, in the series.

SPEAKER_04 47:47

I'm excited to watch it. I haven't watched it yet. I've I'm listening to because I am on Libby. Yep. I got Game Over and Heated Rivalry, and I'm like, I think 60% of the way through, maybe, of Heated Rivalry, and I cannot wait to watch it.

SPEAKER_00 48:09

It you're gonna just you're gonna love it. It's it's so good. And I I love that this genre and this trope and this love, like the MM's love is in it. I think it's so great that this is coming to light. And it's so important for people to read more diverse books, especially when it comes to like sexuality and stuff. And I think it all deserves a spotlight. And I I loved it. I mean, I cried when those scenes hit. I laughed, yeah, I kicked my feet like so good, right?

SPEAKER_04 48:49

Right. Yeah, I'm so excited. Um, what was the last dark romance you read?

SPEAKER_00 48:57

Blackthorn by JT Geisinger, and it end up being almost a monster one, which I've never read in my life. Okay, okay. I've never dipped my toes in it. I never had the urge to grab it. It just wasn't in my mood-reading repertoire. And when a scene came up and I was like, I get it now and I'm down for this. Would I write it? Maybe not. I don't think I could do it justice, but very, very good. Like it was the ending had my jaw like dropping, especially with the pen pal with her jaw dropped.

SPEAKER_04 49:38

I loved Pen Pal so much.

SPEAKER_00 49:42

Then you will love Blackthorn and you will love her Monster in I think it's Monster and Queen series, the Ruthless Creatures.

SPEAKER_05 49:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:51

One that one, I love that.

SPEAKER_04 49:54

Alright. What did you read before that one?

SPEAKER_00 49:57

The Blackthorn?

SPEAKER_04 49:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:00

Her pen bow. I literally just went on a kick with her.

SPEAKER_04 50:03

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 50:04

Yep, and then I read all of her four um mafia ones.

SPEAKER_04 50:10

Yeah, yep, yep, yep. Have you read um Lyngie Strabs yet?

SPEAKER_00 50:15

No, I have not.

SPEAKER_04 50:17

Girl.

SPEAKER_00 50:19

Just start sending me the book covers and I will say them.

SPEAKER_04 50:23

Yeah. Yeah. So, well, for one, how are you with snakes? I hate them, but I will read them. I'm not okay. Alright. So, um, there's a third one coming out. I know it's sometime this year. I don't remember exactly when. And I'm not okay from book two. So, nor do I know how there's gonna be a book three. Oh damn. But I am not okay. And they were amazing, they were amazing.

SPEAKER_00 51:00

Well, I'm gonna have to add that to my list.

SPEAKER_04 51:04

Yeah. Um, it's funny because when it now, I think I don't know how this came to be, actually. I'd have to do some research, but I know that it was like republished as what it is now, and it used to just be called um splitter swallow. And I don't know if it was planned to be a series back then, and or that it wasn't, and then she made the choice to now it's like a the splitter swallow like series, and the you know, it's kiss of the basilisk and between two kings. Oh, okay. Yeah, I don't know how that came to be, but I either way, it doesn't fucking matter because those two books are amazing, but like I said, I am unwell. I was listening, I was listening to them in audio, and I was at work and I'm like sitting on the floor in young adult, sobbing, doing voids at the end of Between Two Kings. It was like crazy. I love that though. When you get a book that makes you sob. That was that was also Rebecca Yarros. My husband woke up in the middle of the night and asked me who died.

SPEAKER_00 52:29

Me, and I'm like, no, just it's the book. Me, I've been shattered to pieces.

SPEAKER_04 52:40

Yeah. Um what do you call it? Chili Coles did that to me also. Oh, was it the Thousand Bowl Kisses? The Thousand Boy Kisses, yes.

SPEAKER_00 52:50

Yeah, I've heard of that one. I haven't read it, but I heard that one was a tough one to read. Yeah. God, the books, man. They just hit ya.

SPEAKER_04 53:00

Um, have you do you read um shit?

SPEAKER_00 53:06

Cowboy romance? I have not read a cowboy romance yet. I am I'm waiting. I'm being picky about it. Okay. Um, I have not, I feel like if I read one, I probably will end up writing one. That's usually what happens. I get inspired and I'm like, I'm gonna do it this way. So I'm gonna hold off because I know if I read one, that's it. And I will say that reading dark romance has inspired at least one possible story.

SPEAKER_04 53:37

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 53:38

Oh, I can't, I can't jump the gun just yet.

SPEAKER_04 53:42

Um have you read Caitlin Taylor?

SPEAKER_00 53:46

No, I haven't read that one either.

SPEAKER_04 53:48

She's my life and my soul and my heart.

SPEAKER_00 53:54

She's your your auto-by?

SPEAKER_04 53:56

Oh, yes, absolutely. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 54:00

And I get it. Got an auto-by author. You gotta love.

SPEAKER_04 54:04

She was supposed to come to Spellbound, but she's my lovely lady's pregnant. Oh, okay. So now she's only going to um oh shit. Uh Shadows and Seduction. This year.

SPEAKER_00 54:26

Huh? Oh no, Sinners and Stardust is in Boston.

SPEAKER_04 54:30

Yeah, she backed out of Sinners and Spellbound. She's only going to Shadows and Seduction and Nola. Yeah. Got it. Mm-hmm. Yeah, my beautiful woman. Um how about have you read any of the Emily McIntyre?

SPEAKER_00 54:56

No, I have hooked though, right? Is that what it is? Yeah, I have that one. I haven't read it yet. I have it. Yes, I have it. I have the indie one. Okay. Yeah. I am looking redheaded on my shelf, which is funny. Um I do have a Harper L. Woods book. I do think I want to bring so she can sign it at Spellbound.

SPEAKER_05 55:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:21

The cover, that's what I have. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 55:27

Ooh, um, do you read Tate James? Oh, what did what did she write? Um, so she has the series that's like um hate, liar, fate, Kate. And then she also has the Devil's Backbone series, which is Dear Reader.

SPEAKER_00 55:48

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

unknown 55:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 55:50

Dear Reader's Backbone. Watch your back, I think, or the three.

SPEAKER_00 55:54

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 55:56

Those were amazing. Did you read them?

SPEAKER_00 55:59

Nope, but I just added to my list as I'm doing it right now.

SPEAKER_04 56:05

Yeah, the devil yeah, they're so good. I read them. Um, we were doing a book club at the bookstore. And we read that series as the um at for book club.

SPEAKER_00 56:16

Oh, it's a mystery romance and polyromance. I've never read a polyromance. I dipped my toes.

SPEAKER_04 56:23

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So good, so good.

SPEAKER_01 56:26

You're like, yeah, keep keeped up with those toes. Oh god.

SPEAKER_04 56:30

Yep. Yes, ma'am. Um who did I just have in my head to ask? Oh, um, so you like fantasy? Yes. If you have not yet, you have to read I'm sure the whole series, but I've only read book one so far. Um, Forged in Blood by Sadie Kincaid. Forged in Blood. Typing it in.

SPEAKER_00 57:01

Making a list. Okay, there it is. Okay, we are adding it to list. I don't know when I'll get to it, but I'm adding it. That's how I feel every time I add a book.

unknown 57:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 57:13

As long as I have it on my list, I'll get to it. One day eventually. Right, right. Yeah. Because you never know. Like sometimes you'll say it to me, and then I'll be like, I'll get to it eventually, and then like I'll forget about it, but then all of a sudden I'll try to read something else, and then I'll pivot to that. And like, never mind, I should have read this earlier. Like, it happens all the time. So as long as it's on my stuff, good. Oh, she's a best of book talk. We love it.

SPEAKER_04 57:40

So I've read a lot by Sadie Kincaid um of her her different Ruthless series. Like she has um New York Ruthless, LA Ruthless, and I think maybe Chicago, and they're all like mafia, and they are amazing as well. Um, but for my book club, um, because I run a book club on Instagram and Discord, and we read dark romance and then romantic. You can pick or choose if you want to read both or just one or skip or whatever. Um we just read that for February. Forged in Blood.

SPEAKER_00 58:27

Oh. Yeah, she oh, she did write A Curse of Blood, The Curse Brown. Okay, I've seen that one before.

SPEAKER_04 58:35

Yeah, I really like her writing.

SPEAKER_00 58:37

She's got a lot of special editions coming out. Were you itchy? My dog. Were you itchy?

SPEAKER_01 58:45

Oh my god, I love books.

SPEAKER_04 58:50

Yes, yes, me too. Have you read any of the um Salacious Players by Sarah Kate? No, but I know exactly what you're talking about. Hmm, that one's a good one. I've seen that one, yep. Yeah, and it's I actually think I don't know if it's just because it's second gen, but I don't tend to always like second gen.

SPEAKER_00 59:14

But oh yeah, you like the first set of like the couples, and then they have what the kids and stuff, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 59:20

So, but she recently came out with the good girl effect, which is the first book in the Salacious Legacies, which is second gen, and I'm I'm liking it a lot. That's good. That that's really good. Yeah, I might like it more than the first gen.

SPEAKER_00 59:38

That's like um Jennifer Armantrout's from Blood and Ash. I prefer the prequel series over the main series, I like that one better. So I I get it. Did you read Lights Out or Caught Up? I read Lights Out, have not read Caught Up Yet. I loved Lights Out because I loved the male character, Josh, because obviously Josh, yeah, Josh is in Deck of Scarlets as well. So I love that name. Um I enjoyed it. I do have to read the second. I know she's coming out with a third. Yeah. I know it's got announced as a TV series. Yeah, Netflix. Yep, so that's happened. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:16

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:17

Curious to see how they're gonna do that because of the whole knife scene.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:21

Yeah, that should be interesting.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:23

Yeah, I'm curious how they're gonna they're gonna they're gonna do that.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:30

Yeah, that should be interesting. Um, ooh, what about the Rilla Ruinous trilogy? Who's that by?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:39

Bryn Weaver. You know, I've never read a Brynn Weaver book yet. Oh, okay. I am behind. Yes, I have not read any of her books yet. I did read Blood of Hercules. That was an interesting read. That was wild.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:57

Ooh, is that Jasmine? Yes. Yeah, that's on my list.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:03

That is on my list. For one minute I thought it was something else. The next minute I got a curveball, and I was like, oh, that's not what I expected.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:12

So I know you it was sorry, go ahead. No, no, go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:17

I had nothing else to say.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:18

Um, so I know you write, but do you read sports romance?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:23

Um, yeah, I started to. Like I'm reading The Game Changer right now by Lana Ferguson. It's really good. Um Deepend's a sports one, so yeah, I read that one. And then my sister wants me to read Elle Kennedy, so that's on my list. Okay. Um, anything by uh Tessa Bailey, I have a couple for sports ones. I haven't read that one yet. Okay, and then I read I did read Icebreaker when it came out.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:51

Okay. Okay, so I need you to add Liz Tomford to your TBR.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:58

Oh is it Mile High, caught up, right?

SPEAKER_04 1:02:03

Yeah, yes, that series, yes, absolutely, absolutely a thousand times, yes. My sister's been yelling at me to read that.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:13

She loved it. Yes, me too. Yeah, she she is also on my list. Don't you worry, I have a list of everything.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:22

Um, do you read like Mystery Thriller at all?

SPEAKER_00 1:02:27

Um, not recently, but I I I would read it. Like, I actually read, was it Freda McFadden ones? I read hers. Yep. Hers are good. I enjoy hers. I have not read The Housemaid though. I gotta read that one because I know it's different from the movie. And then what else did I read? I don't did you see the movie? I did. Okay. So I'm curious to see the difference. Sometimes I read it before I watch it, sometimes I watch it and then read it after to see. It's like a weird thing I do. But I yeah, like I would say, like I I actually enjoy writing it more though.

unknown 1:03:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:12

But I found a few good ones where I'm like, oh no, I've read The Perfect Marriage. I loved that one.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:17

That's who I was going to say. And anything I've read by her is amazing. And then um her dedication page for her, I think it might even be her most recent one. Is it for Scott? Dating that's no, that was in that I think went into the deluxe edition of um perfect marriage.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:44

Okay, good, because I know the whole debacle with Scotty Boy.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:47

Yeah, yeah. No, I it was um in Dating After the End of the World. And it's a romance book of hers, and it's like a zombie apocalypse believed romance style. Um, and the dedication page was like um something along the lines of like to the man who held up something about a zombie wanting me to write a zombie book on I think it said like a ripped pizza box or something in the back of one of my signings. I don't think this is exactly what you had in mind, but here's but here's your zombie book, dad. Oh love Geneva, and I was like, oh my god, that right there was like I have to read it, and it was really good. Oh my god. Yeah, that's hilarious. It was pretty hilarious.

unknown 1:04:51

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:52

She is, she's funny. So I'm super, super excited because I interview Poppy Jacobson soon.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:05

Ooh.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:07

And um, do you know my funny story of Poppy Jacobson? No, I do not. Have I told you? I don't think either you did, and my brain just did not like compute it, or that's fair. So I first met Poppy at Sinners and Stardust 2024. And she was her table was, if you're looking at the row, to the right, to the right of Aurelia Knight. And so while I was at Miss Poppy's table, she had wrote inside one of my books, Um, Now be a good girl and spread those pages for me. And signed it. So when I went back around. And I stopped at Aurelia's table. Um, you know, she did, she pitched her book and her amazing husband, you know, helped her with how he does. And um I had bought the NSFW series by her and she was going to sign it, and I had I had said something to her about like topping what Poppy had wrote. And so I had told her what Poppy wrote. And then maybe an hour later, I'm like checking my phone. Now, mind you, I had my AirPods in. Yep. Like an hour later, I'm checking my phone, and I'm like, why is my brother at the top of my text list? Like, I haven't talked to him. So I open it and immediately take my headphones out because Siri apparently heard to text my brother, and he just got a random ass text message from me that said, now be a good girl and spread those pages for me.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:07

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:12

I was like, oh my fucking god, I'm so sorry. I am not a bookman, and like I had to explain the situation to him, but I'm like mortified, like, what the hell?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:24

What the hell? What did he did? LOL.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:35

He literally says responded LOL. That's all he could say.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:42

Yeah.

unknown 1:07:44

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:47

Yeah. So um, I don't think I ever made it back to her table. So I get to tell her that when I when I record with her.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:59

She's gonna piss her pants laughing. That is yeah, it's like out of all people, it had to be your brother, but at the same time, that's like so funny that it's your brother.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:11

Yeah. Oh, great times, great times. Oh my gosh. Oh yeah. Okay, let's see. What are your 2026 bookish goals? For as a writer or reader?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:30

What are you what are you feeling?

SPEAKER_04 1:08:35

I'll leave it up to you. Do you want to talk writing side still or personal side?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:41

I will say for goals is just to get healthier. And I I need to read at least I want to read at least 10 books. I just want to read. I need to find my love for reading again. As for writing side, my goals are kind of funny. I hope I just get an audio deal and I hope um I get a hundred thousand page reads. Like that is my goal. Okay. I've never reached that. I just want to get at least a hundred thousand. And yeah. And then very simple goals. I'm not looking at high-end stuff because I still I'm not a baby author anymore. I'm definitely past that, but I know I can do it and get to those goals. Yeah. I have I just have to work harder.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:33

Who do you have in mind for your audio?

SPEAKER_01 1:09:38

Honestly, I have no idea.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:41

I was gonna say that might be hard because you don't really like listen to audio, right?

SPEAKER_00 1:09:46

Exactly. So I think if if it comes to an I get it, I would love, I would love to hear that. Obviously, the audition process is what I get to do and I get to hear and get to the snippets and who I get to pick. I believe that's how it goes. I'm not sure, don't quote me on it, but yeah, um, yeah. So I hope I get I just want when I think of Noah, I think of a deep voice, but isn't his he it doesn't sound so deep where it's like, whoa, it's just that nice gravel voice. Yeah. And that when he whispers in your ear, it's pure sex. Like that's what I want. Um, for females, I don't want her voice too low, but I also don't want it too high. Okay. But I want to make sure she sounds like a 24-year-old, right? Right. Because another thing, not to pivot, but another thing was like, why is Hannah so immature? I'm like, have you met a 24-year-old who was mature? This is the year before her frontal lobe was fully developed. Have you met a 24 like old mature girl? Yeah, there probably is a couple out there or a bunch, but I've I was never that mature at 24. I was still learning, I was still making mistakes. Right, right. And I I don't think people like grasp that sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:11

So yeah, but that's here or there.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:17

All right. Um what events do you have this year?

SPEAKER_00 1:11:22

Um, right now I have Romanticy in the Valley in Maryland, I believe, in July. It's my first time doing uh an event down there and further from my state, home state. And then I'm back at Spellbound in 2026. And the only books I'm bringing is once again Deck of Scarlets, Hollow. I actually have, if anyone's listening, I have eight left of the Hollow special edition spellbound. It's a first come, first serve. Once they're there, they're gone. If I do get people requesting it, I might do another shipment. But they would have to be like a pre-ordered type thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:08

And I'm I'm bringing Fallen and I'm bringing the special edition of Fallen spellbound, which I'm excited about. Yeah. The cover art, well, look, I should say that art is done for the inside already to add the picture, which I'm really excited for everyone to see what it is. And I'm bringing Cloud9. So Cloud9 will be there.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:32

So I want to offer a bunch of different genres.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:37

I just want to ask, um, or special requests, uh, if you get any more like mine, we can't give them out. No, they would have to stay.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:47

We would have to put them in like a storage unit or something. Um, yeah, it's just, oh my god. I can't believe that. The fact that you come to that signing and just a random one I grab from the table, and that was it. It was meant to be. That was it. And I'm like, wait a minute, where's the where's the cover title? Like, I was like, wow. And that's a relic. And those are those are relics. It was meant to be. Yep. Anytime there's like a a mishap and a manuscript or printing issue, I just like to remind people like that is normal. Yeah, that will happen. It also happens with your favorite strat authors, and just consider it a special gift because it you'll never get that again. Right, right. And that type of thing. So um I like to remind people that.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:48

Um, so actually, with that being said, with your pre-release party, do you feel like um a lot of people that you saw were new readers or old readers?

SPEAKER_00 1:14:01

I had one old reader and I had a bunch of new ones. Actually, I had two old readers because you're one. You're my old reader. Um, my friend Reagan, and that was it for old, but I had a bunch of new ones. When I before you showed up, I arrived and there was already a line waiting for me to set up my table. Oh, look at you go. I've never had that happen. I sold 10 books in like the first five minutes. It was like unbelievable.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:35

Was that better than Spellbound? How'd you do in the first hour?

SPEAKER_00 1:14:38

Uh, first hour was good. Nothing will compare to Spellbound. I I did incredible at Spellbound. I to the point where Elizabeth, who we all know and love, the sweet cheery that she is, yeah, who's also an author, guys, um, who was my wonderful assistant, we to the point where she had to pitch my own book just so she could slide it down for me to sign. That's how busy my line got. I right, I've never sold so many in my life, and having a line and people showing up and coming in and picking up their pre-orders. Oh, that was me dropping my stuff. Um, it was just like a surreal moment.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:18

And I know next year's gonna be even more crazy because there's gonna now be new readers try to get in.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:27

Yep. Yeah, because you know, everyone that maybe was unsure last year or or just new to the area, or just seeing it and being like, damn, that's what I missed, is it's gonna be insane this year.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:45

Yep, and then I'm working on I just I'm almost done bedazzling cloud nine. I'm gonna bedazzle fallen.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:55

Yep, that one since I've bedazzled the whole thing of Fallen, I have to bedazzle the whole thing. I mean, Apollo, I had to do the whole thing of Fallen. I'm like, right.

SPEAKER_04 1:16:04

Why'd you do that? But you know, past Amanda is not always nice to future Amanda. She's crazy, she's crazy, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:13

Um, the thing I might offer, because I know Dak of Saints is not gonna be part of the lineup anymore. I might offer Arc Reader sign up for it, who's who's read it, um, who wants to be a part of it. Um only because I feel bad not having the lineup, but I don't want to give a crappy book. So fair. But people who didn't end up buying one or the other, they could come back to my table and be like, okay, now I would buy this, or blah blah blah. So um now that I know what to bring, usually it's a 10% rule. I now know not to overbring stuff like I did because I it was my first time, I wasn't sure. Um and I'm gonna do more bundles. People like those bundles.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:10

Yeah, yeah, they do. You you feel like you brought too much last time.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:15

I definitely bought too much hollow. I had way too much hollow. Although people loved it. I definitely had too much of that.

SPEAKER_03 1:17:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:25

Um, but I am gonna bring more not safe for work art this time. I actually have stuff to put out, which I'm really excited about. And I'll have more stickers, more book box, and I'm gonna do another giveaway at my table.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:43

Okay, okay. Hopefully you get hopefully you get a better response this time.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:48

Yes. I mean, every time I texted the person, they didn't even respond.

SPEAKER_05 1:17:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:56

And I'm like, guys, I I would the rules were you do this and this and this, how many tickets, blah, blah, blah. And then if I'm texting you for my number, and I always told them what area code it was from. And it's nobody else, it's me. I promise. Yep. And clearly, I had to go into the spellbound attendee blog and be like, hey, still no answer. And they're like, I'll take it off your hands. I'm like, I would love you to take it off my hands. Right, right. Um, what I would put in the books, I might ask a couple friends for a couple extra additions of certain things. So um, you know, to donate and whatnot. I mean, I'm doing another giveaway and I think I'm gonna add music to my booth this time.

SPEAKER_05 1:18:48

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:49

Yeah, and then I also was thinking about getting a new sign with the rom-com stuff.

SPEAKER_05 1:18:59

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:01

Just to kind of showcase I have both.

SPEAKER_05 1:19:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:04

So that was another thing I was thinking of, but I have a few months to think about it. I should hopefully be announcing the special edition cover soon.

SPEAKER_05 1:19:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:17

And so you guys can pre-order. Everything else is on Paventi right now to pre-order.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:20

It's just I don't have that one yet, but I hopefully I will. Right. So yeah, that's that's basically it.

SPEAKER_04 1:19:30

Are you writing in the anthology?

SPEAKER_00 1:19:33

Uh no, I don't have time for that.

SPEAKER_04 1:19:36

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:37

I barely have time to eat shit and piss. So I'm not gonna do that. Um I just realize I I can't be a part of things where I don't have the momentum to do it. And if I don't have the love and drive for it, I'm not gonna waste people's time. Um, maybe if I didn't have like 50 million projects, right? I could definitely try one time, but no, but I do support it. I think actually this time I'm gonna do the charm hunt.

SPEAKER_04 1:20:12

Yes, I saw that. Super excited.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:15

Yes, I yeah, I'm definitely gonna participate in that. Um, you know what?

SPEAKER_04 1:20:20

I just I might I might be able to participate in that too.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:25

You might be able to. You might actually leave your booth. Jesus. Actually wild. Yeah. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 1:20:40

Okay, um, so where can we find you? Like your email and social uh socials.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:48

Socials, I'm at Author Mena Sinatra for Instagram and TikTok. I do have a substack on the link on my profile for any additional stuff. And I do have a threads, it's connected, it's the same thing at Author Mena Sinatra. I don't have Twitter. I don't want Twitter. If you see me on there, that's not me. Um, I don't have whatever else the other stuff is at. I do have 118, haven't touched in a while. I did get that other app that people were jumping ship to, but I kind of died. Okay, but yeah, those are my socials.

SPEAKER_04 1:21:30

All right. All right, well, thank you, my beautiful, lovely lady, for coming on and chatting with me.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:38

You're welcome.

SPEAKER_04 1:21:39

Thank you. And I'm glad that Cloud9 is doing amazing because it was amazing and you deserve every second of it.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:50

Don't make me cry.

SPEAKER_04 1:21:52

Thank you. All right, thank you. I'll talk to you soon. Goodbye, thank you. Goodbye. This has been Bound in Dark Inc with Alicia. You can find me on Instagram at Bound in Dark Inc and Pretty Mama's Books. Until next time, stay dark, stay obsessed.