You Were Ahead of Your Time

[00:00:00] That's a different dog.

[00:00:01] I should have ducked and just had him sitting here.

[00:00:04] It's the other showboy, not Georgie Harry.

[00:00:11] Welcome to The Incoherent Fangirl.

[00:00:14] Where this is our last episode before the Candy Awards of 2024.

[00:00:18] I am Karin from Old Earth.

[00:00:22] And I'm Mandy of Hemlock Falls.

[00:00:24] I like the sound of that.

[00:00:26] You've been there. I got to read The Whispering Knight, which is the third in the luminary.

[00:00:31] Yes, yes.

[00:00:32] I got to listen to an audio of it.

[00:00:33] I was like, why does this sound familiar?

[00:00:36] Yeah.

[00:00:36] Very exciting.

[00:00:37] I have an arc of that that I need to read.

[00:00:40] Yes, you do.

[00:00:41] I need somebody to talk to about it.

[00:00:42] I'm so excited.

[00:00:44] I'm so excited.

[00:00:48] I think this is the last time I'm doing this this season, right?

[00:00:51] Maybe.

[00:00:52] Hey, yeah.

[00:00:52] In our timeline, it is October 17th.

[00:00:56] And in Y'all's timeline, it is October 25th.

[00:00:59] It's almost Halloween, guys.

[00:01:01] It's been so cold here the past few days.

[00:01:03] I'm having to wear fugs and sweatshirts and leggings.

[00:01:07] Like, I'm not bougie enough for real Uggs.

[00:01:09] I'm too cheap for that.

[00:01:10] So I got my fugs on.

[00:01:11] That's fair.

[00:01:12] It's been cold.

[00:01:13] I asked a word what the temperature was outside when I was getting dressed today.

[00:01:17] And she was like, it's 49 degrees.

[00:01:20] Can we switch?

[00:01:21] It's so hot still.

[00:01:23] Yes.

[00:01:23] I want to switch.

[00:01:23] I don't like it.

[00:01:25] I don't want this.

[00:01:26] I want fall.

[00:01:27] I don't want summer.

[00:01:28] You can have fall and winter.

[00:01:29] I don't want summer anymore.

[00:01:31] I want fall.

[00:01:32] I could live in summer forever.

[00:01:34] I would.

[00:01:35] Oh, no.

[00:01:35] Okay, Olaf.

[00:01:37] I only say that because we really, we had a dinner recently and we put frozen on.

[00:01:44] And so that's at like the forefront of my mind right now.

[00:01:49] I love it.

[00:01:51] Oh, man.

[00:01:57] That sound means we have an intruder alert.

[00:01:59] Goodness.

[00:02:00] This is so exciting.

[00:02:01] Y'all, we have the awesome Ceci Robson here to talk about her new book, Blood Guard.

[00:02:06] We are so excited to have you.

[00:02:08] Thanks for being here.

[00:02:09] Thank you for having me and for being such awesome hosts in a few seconds we've had together.

[00:02:16] So what we normally start out with is could you tell us or tell the listeners, anybody

[00:02:22] who hasn't heard, kind of the quick elevator pitch for the book?

[00:02:25] Oh, geez.

[00:02:27] I'm not supposed to.

[00:02:29] This is how I pitched it, even though it's not the pitch.

[00:02:31] So Susan Collins, please don't be angry at me.

[00:02:34] It's basically gladiator versus meets the Hunger Games.

[00:02:38] So that was the original pitch for it.

[00:02:40] And it's basically like you have this spectacle that occurs on Arrow, which is the kingdom.

[00:02:46] Originally, there was a title of Blood Guard that was the highest honor for a soldier given.

[00:02:52] And you get all this gold and you get the status and you get to lead the army.

[00:02:57] It's like, or not.

[00:02:58] It's just like this, basically you're the best fighter in all of old earth because different

[00:03:03] ogres and elves and cyclops and trolls and dwarves all come together and fight each other

[00:03:11] in this gladiator arena.

[00:03:12] Now, originally the way it was set up, it was just to basically determine again, who's the

[00:03:17] best fighter is in all of old earth.

[00:03:19] But as it progressed, it started to become more violent.

[00:03:22] And the story starts with the queen who's been in a coma for three years, has just passed.

[00:03:27] So in the time that she's passed, the regent Vitor has set it up to become more bloody.

[00:03:36] So what was something once an honor to see who could best the other is now a battle to the

[00:03:41] death.

[00:03:42] You have a couple rules, not great ones by any means.

[00:03:45] But basically, if you're still standing and live through the event, you win.

[00:03:50] But in the process, you don't know what you're getting into.

[00:03:53] It's a betting arena.

[00:03:54] You know, back in old earth, you know, the kind of violent Lord of the Rings era, but

[00:04:00] a different middle earth, I think is much more friendly.

[00:04:05] That's saying a lot.

[00:04:07] That's true.

[00:04:08] That's true.

[00:04:09] They've got Sauron.

[00:04:11] So what happens is it starts to become more violent.

[00:04:14] And the rule is, you know, there's no entertainment back then, as it was when the Romans and the

[00:04:20] gladiators did play.

[00:04:21] There was no television.

[00:04:22] There were no podcasts.

[00:04:23] There was no incohere podcasts.

[00:04:25] There was no radio, not real anything.

[00:04:29] I mean, public stonings were an event.

[00:04:32] Hangings were an event.

[00:04:33] And so were these gladiator games.

[00:04:35] So there's a betting process, too.

[00:04:37] You come in, you have this huge arena, which I based on the Colosseum in Rome.

[00:04:42] And each level, the closer you are, the hierarchy you have in royalty.

[00:04:47] Like that's all royalty.

[00:04:48] And then it's like, you know, the middle class and then the lower class, you get the

[00:04:51] little seats like I get when I go to a concert.

[00:04:54] And like the person I'm there to see is roughly the size of a Rice Krispie.

[00:04:58] Yeah.

[00:04:59] That's that.

[00:05:00] That's probably the right one of that.

[00:05:01] And you get to bet.

[00:05:03] So the gladiators come together.

[00:05:04] They don't know what they're facing.

[00:05:06] You get this pile of weapons.

[00:05:08] You get to choose two.

[00:05:09] That's it.

[00:05:10] And you don't know if you're facing like a spider with 10 heads or another gladiator

[00:05:17] or if you have to best them because you have to run through fire.

[00:05:21] You don't know.

[00:05:22] So it's not only the anticipation of a fight.

[00:05:26] You don't know if you're going to kill your best friend.

[00:05:28] Lee is in this because originally he was looking at the gold.

[00:05:32] He's just basically a migrant worker.

[00:05:36] He is from a very, very poor realm of gray and he's from Siertos, which is part of gray.

[00:05:43] And they only have one way out.

[00:05:44] They only have harvest this one plant that kind of makes this very, very special and the

[00:05:50] best perfume in the world.

[00:05:51] That's all they're known for.

[00:05:53] But it's like the people who discovered it are the ones that are making the money.

[00:05:57] They're basically immigrants.

[00:05:59] And I was born in El Salvador.

[00:06:01] So when you grow up in El Salvador, things are starting to change a little bit.

[00:06:04] I think you can have the best education.

[00:06:06] You can have all these degrees.

[00:06:08] But if you don't have a job, you're still selling juice at the market.

[00:06:12] Yeah.

[00:06:12] So it's kind of based on that in a sense that he could work all his life, but he will never

[00:06:18] have more than he has.

[00:06:20] So he just wants more for his family.

[00:06:22] He has a mother.

[00:06:23] He has two sisters, one that's very ill.

[00:06:26] And he knows in the first match, he's like, if I don't win this, I'm not going to have

[00:06:30] enough to send home so Violet can have medicine.

[00:06:33] She might die.

[00:06:34] Like, so there's always this constant pressure of who he's fighting for in addition to the

[00:06:39] actual fight itself.

[00:06:41] Right.

[00:06:42] So, you know, you play MMA.

[00:06:44] I love MMA.

[00:06:45] You don't play that bad.

[00:06:47] If you do MMA, you know, you're either going to win or lose, but either way, you're going

[00:06:50] to get paid and you're going to survive.

[00:06:52] And there's a stress of being in a fight, but this is stress of living or dying.

[00:06:56] And if you die, in a sense, your family is going to die with you.

[00:06:59] Mm hmm.

[00:07:00] So it's, it's very, very intense, very violent, and I'm very proud of the fight scenes because

[00:07:07] my husband and I act them out.

[00:07:08] I love that.

[00:07:10] Karen told me that.

[00:07:12] And I was like, that is amazing.

[00:07:14] I love that.

[00:07:16] There's this one scene I'm working on now, and we had to go over and over again because

[00:07:20] I'm not as flexible as I was when I started writing my sheet.

[00:07:25] I'm like, no, I'm sliding across the mud.

[00:07:27] If I go back, like I'm like sliding on our wood floors, leaning back, something cracked.

[00:07:33] I'm like, okay, pretend I'm still sliding.

[00:07:36] Okay.

[00:07:37] Can you help me up so I can pretend to come?

[00:07:42] I love it.

[00:07:43] That is unique and so cool.

[00:07:45] And blood guard is unique in a lot of ways.

[00:07:47] One of which is you don't, we don't often see in like fantasy and romantic fantasy and,

[00:07:53] you know, Red Tower books.

[00:07:55] We don't often see a male point of view as like the primary.

[00:07:59] Was that intentional to kind of break a genre norm?

[00:08:02] Or were you like, no, I just want to tell his story.

[00:08:04] Well, it's funny.

[00:08:04] My first series that my agent sold and the first I became published with is The Curve,

[00:08:11] The Curve.

[00:08:11] So it's about four sisters that are different from any being a vampire, werewolf or witch on earth.

[00:08:19] And what happens to them when the supernatural community becomes aware of who they are and what they can do.

[00:08:23] And their powers are from a backfired curse.

[00:08:25] So things don't always turn out the way they wanted to.

[00:08:29] But they make this close knit circle of friends.

[00:08:32] And one of their friends is Brent and Danny.

[00:08:34] They're two, they're two guys.

[00:08:35] And for some reason, I always had this connection to Brent.

[00:08:39] Like I really, really got to know him.

[00:08:43] And I, the Penguin at the time wanted a novella in between a couple of the books.

[00:08:47] So they're like, I'm like, you know what?

[00:08:49] Talk to your friends perspective.

[00:08:50] And I was actually really happy with how he came out.

[00:08:56] Like all the sarcasm, all the, all the issues that like, you know, the way he didn't see, like, there's a scene where Celia is a golden tigress.

[00:09:05] So she can turn into a golden tigress and they're fighting something.

[00:09:09] And this tree comes crashing down on Brent.

[00:09:12] And, you know, she's trying to move it because she's strong, but she can't.

[00:09:14] She goes, I'm going to have to change to get this tree off of you.

[00:09:17] Don't look.

[00:09:17] So she takes her clothes off, you know, and he says like, wow, she's really hot.

[00:09:22] I wonder if she and Eric ever.

[00:09:25] He's like, I never agree to that.

[00:09:29] And he's like, insult.

[00:09:30] He's like, I never agree to.

[00:09:31] I never said I'd not look.

[00:09:32] You just told me not to.

[00:09:34] So he, so it was fun coming from a guy's perspective, like a stereotypical kind of frat boy, but with a heart.

[00:09:41] And that was always Brent.

[00:09:42] And when I first conceptualized the series was like 10 years ago.

[00:09:46] Really?

[00:09:46] It was originally four books.

[00:09:48] The first one was Gargoyle.

[00:09:49] The second one was Bloodguard.

[00:09:50] The third was Elf Lord.

[00:09:52] And the fourth was Dragon King.

[00:09:53] So Blood, I'm sorry, Gargoyle went to acquisitions right away.

[00:09:59] But romanticity didn't exist that.

[00:10:01] So they passed on it because they didn't know whether to, to market it as a fantasy or as a romance.

[00:10:06] So they passed.

[00:10:08] Oh my gosh.

[00:10:10] Yeah.

[00:10:10] So it's just like, oh, okay.

[00:10:11] And they're like, plus, you know, it's interspecies dating.

[00:10:14] You got this Gargoyle, got this girl.

[00:10:16] And I'm like, and now it's like, you know, nobody tells that.

[00:10:48] Everybody wants.

[00:10:49] Bloodguard was the one I just got to very much perfect.

[00:10:53] I think I wrote 50 pages and my agents, you know, sent it out.

[00:10:56] And I never heard anything about it.

[00:10:57] She goes, okay, I want you to work on this.

[00:10:58] I'm like, okay.

[00:10:59] And then I think it was two years ago in July, my agent, who was like my best friend in the world now, she calls me.

[00:11:05] She's like, send me Bloodguard.

[00:11:06] What?

[00:11:06] Send me Bloodguard now.

[00:11:07] What?

[00:11:08] Send it to me.

[00:11:08] I'm like, okay.

[00:11:09] So, you know, skimmed it.

[00:11:10] Yeah.

[00:11:12] And the next day I had this contract with Red Tower just based on the first action scene.

[00:11:17] That's so incredible.

[00:11:19] I know.

[00:11:21] So, but that's before Red Tower even got started.

[00:11:24] Red, they were trying to build Red Tower before it even had the name Red Tower.

[00:11:29] Oh, my gosh.

[00:11:30] Because they named it like a couple months after I was contracted because they were trying to come up with a basically their own part specifically of Entangled since it has, you know, so many different like shots.

[00:11:41] Right, right.

[00:11:41] One that was specifically romantic-y and they were trying to come up with names and Liz Peltier who was, I have to say, is a genius when it comes to editing.

[00:11:50] She's the head of Entangled and she's, she was who picked up Bloodguard.

[00:11:54] A couple editors picked up different novels and different series, but she picked up mine.

[00:11:57] She just came up with this whole concept and this whole marketing plan.

[00:12:01] So she loved Bloodguard and she was always a champion for Leith.

[00:12:05] And I think she liked that it was told from Leith's perspective because of who Leith had to be, how much he had to suffer, what it was about.

[00:12:12] It had to be his story.

[00:12:14] It wouldn't have been the same.

[00:12:16] Like, if Duel POV names the other, the love interest that's in it's from Duel POV, point of view.

[00:12:21] It wouldn't have been the same if, you know, this beautiful Elven princess was like, oh, so he's suffering.

[00:12:27] Oh, he's getting up.

[00:12:28] Oh, he's lifting his sword.

[00:12:30] Oh, he looks like he's in pain.

[00:12:31] It's the same.

[00:12:32] If you're going to be a gladiator, you had to be that gladiator.

[00:12:35] Yeah.

[00:12:36] Yeah.

[00:12:37] He was Leith and he had to feel and he had to burn and he had to suffer and he had to have all that pain because that's who he was.

[00:12:45] And I think that's why I was so connected to him.

[00:12:47] So it's not so much that I decided, oh, let me see if I can do this.

[00:12:51] It was more like it was always Leith.

[00:12:53] He was always there.

[00:12:54] And he's like, okay, Sassy, buckle up, you know, we're going to work.

[00:12:57] And it was just, he just always automatically came to me.

[00:13:00] What's funny is because I've written more from female perspectives, Maeve was harder for me because Leith and I had been together 10 years at this point.

[00:13:07] Yeah, that's a good point.

[00:13:09] Yeah, that's a good point.

[00:13:10] I absolutely knew who he was.

[00:13:13] He's this immigrant who just wants something better.

[00:13:16] He just wants a little better.

[00:13:18] And you're like, who's this new girl coming in?

[00:13:21] Pretty much because like, it's really hard to make her likable in the beginning because she's rich.

[00:13:27] She's a princess.

[00:13:29] She's a healer.

[00:13:30] And, you know, the big thing was like, you know, nobody's going to be able to relate to somebody that's this prophet.

[00:13:36] And so that was the challenge with her.

[00:13:39] Well, what's her goal?

[00:13:40] Give me something.

[00:13:41] What's gonna so slowly with Liz and I, we just began to build her.

[00:13:46] So I, once I figured out who she was, I was like, I got her because it was always Lee's story.

[00:13:52] And because you want to relate to someone, a female, if you want them to die within the first couple pages you're reading, you didn't do a good job.

[00:14:01] You know, the challenge is what's going to make this us as readers root for this.

[00:14:06] Yeah, what's going to make her humanize her, even though she's an elven princess, what's going to make her more human to us?

[00:14:12] Right, especially since we start off in Leith's point of view.

[00:14:15] Exactly.

[00:14:16] And he's like, she's royal.

[00:14:18] She's a princess.

[00:14:19] Like, so yeah.

[00:14:21] Yeah, I mean, she's actually everything that he despises.

[00:14:24] Here's this rich girl who's never known a day of suffering, who has everything she needs.

[00:14:29] And in old, I made her specifically healer because I've been a nurse for 23 years.

[00:14:33] And I'm thankfully in a position where I can just right now.

[00:14:37] And that was always important to me.

[00:14:39] And I also wanted to soften her a little bit because she doesn't healers are very uncommon in older because the amount of study it takes and dedication it takes.

[00:14:48] And she specifically wanted to be able to have this skill for her people, for the poor.

[00:14:54] And I just thought that was very endearing because I always thought and I hopefully will still get the opportunity to do this, go to a third world country and just like give immunizations or help the poor.

[00:15:04] I just think that's, I'm very passionate about that.

[00:15:06] So I could see me.

[00:15:08] These are her people.

[00:15:09] She, she wants them to not have to pay all, all those gold just for someone who broke their baby or someone who's sick or I know us, you know, when you have, when you think about like when there was a vast immigration and on Ellis Island, like there were some people that were sick and, you know, they would go into pockets of these communities where everyone in the community would be sick.

[00:15:29] And, you know, kind of, you know, all kind of affected because of the poverty, because of the conditions.

[00:15:34] Maeve didn't want her people to be hurting.

[00:15:38] Yeah.

[00:15:38] To suffer for something as simple as being born or needing basic medical care.

[00:15:44] Right.

[00:15:45] Even though I hadn't intended it this way, Blood Guard is very much a story about immigration.

[00:15:49] Yeah.

[00:15:50] Yeah.

[00:15:50] And Arrow is the United States, you know, the land of milk and honey, the land, all these people are trying to get into.

[00:15:56] And, you know, a few people are like, you know, this is very political.

[00:16:00] I'm like, but it wasn't the intent.

[00:16:01] It was just the story.

[00:16:03] And, you know, because I am, y'all know, reality is really scary.

[00:16:07] I'm like, well, I'd rather dive into that fantasy world.

[00:16:10] Yeah.

[00:16:10] Absolutely.

[00:16:11] That's why we read so much.

[00:16:12] Exactly.

[00:16:15] So no spoilers, but there is a certain twist in, in, at some point in the book.

[00:16:22] There's a few twists.

[00:16:23] Yeah.

[00:16:23] There's something very specific that we find out that kind of is.

[00:16:27] I've gotten hate mail for it.

[00:16:28] Yeah.

[00:16:29] Oh my God.

[00:16:31] Oh my God.

[00:16:33] And, and I messaged you on Instagram.

[00:16:35] I'm like, Ceci.

[00:16:37] But.

[00:16:37] Oh, you were one of.

[00:16:39] I was nice about it.

[00:16:40] I was very nice.

[00:16:41] I was like, it's okay.

[00:16:43] I'm like.

[00:16:43] You were nice about it, but I could tell you hated me.

[00:16:46] I was like, this is so sad, but it's like, you know, you know, like when you read a fantasy

[00:16:51] and like you're the author, I don't know, kills off your favorite character and you're

[00:16:55] like, I hate you, but like, I love you.

[00:16:58] Right.

[00:16:58] You know, like the pain.

[00:17:00] Yeah.

[00:17:00] Like I love, I love that kind of pain because it really grounds you in the story.

[00:17:05] Like, especially with.

[00:17:06] Is it real?

[00:17:07] This.

[00:17:08] It's a huge compliment to me because if you get this mad at me or I break your heart or

[00:17:14] I rip your guts out, that's a huge compliment to me.

[00:17:16] I've done my job.

[00:17:17] Yeah.

[00:17:18] You made us feel.

[00:17:19] Yes, exactly.

[00:17:19] So I'm curious how you, where that specific thing came from?

[00:17:25] Like, did you know all along that that was okay.

[00:17:28] And so what was, where, what was the decision-making process kind of like to, for that?

[00:17:33] Whenever one of the best advice I received was from my agent when we first started and

[00:17:39] we're trying to market, you know, the weird girl series sealed with the curse and like,

[00:17:42] you know, this is your opportunity.

[00:17:43] You gotta, you know, so we would do rewrites and rewrites and rewrites.

[00:17:46] And she would do your, are y'all familiar with track changes?

[00:17:49] In word.

[00:17:50] Yeah.

[00:17:51] I want to say, unfortunately.

[00:17:55] Yeah.

[00:17:56] Yeah.

[00:17:57] Yeah.

[00:17:58] So as you know, in track changes, you have this document and the person has the opportunity

[00:18:03] who's reviewing it to insert certain changes, whether it's like deletions or comments.

[00:18:08] And there was this moment and sealed with a curse.

[00:18:11] And my agent, Nicole writes, you have the reader by the guts twist.

[00:18:17] And that has just stuck with me.

[00:18:18] Ooh, that's good advice.

[00:18:20] I'm just like, you know, leaf is cut right now and wounded.

[00:18:24] What's going to hurt?

[00:18:25] Let's eviscerate.

[00:18:26] Yeah.

[00:18:27] And it was, it was hard.

[00:18:28] Let's eviscerate him.

[00:18:29] Oh my God.

[00:18:31] But that's, but that's hard where I never forgot what my agent said.

[00:18:36] You have them by the guts.

[00:18:37] Like, you know, now it's those guts.

[00:18:39] And it's always stuck with me.

[00:18:41] It has always stuck with me.

[00:18:43] Like, and I'm just.

[00:18:44] Such good advice.

[00:18:45] So I always, I've always hung on to that with every novel I've written.

[00:18:49] I've always stuck to it.

[00:18:51] Because my novels, as much as, you know, I have a series, the O'Brien series, some of them

[00:18:55] are more lighthearted.

[00:18:56] There's always these moments where you're just like, where I'm at least crying behind

[00:19:00] the keyboard.

[00:19:01] Because if that moment is so intense, be it because it's so heartbreaking or so cathartic.

[00:19:07] So I've always kind of hung on to that.

[00:19:10] And, oh, I got, can I tell you my favorite hate mail I've ever received?

[00:19:13] Yes, of course.

[00:19:14] It's a funny story.

[00:19:15] So I don't read my reviews.

[00:19:17] Part of it is, you know, I'll admit, you know, I'm sensitive.

[00:19:20] And, you know, for all like more seasoned authors tell me, you know what?

[00:19:23] Who cares?

[00:19:24] It's a product.

[00:19:25] You send it out to the world.

[00:19:27] You know, it's some, you know, and another really good author of mine told me you could

[00:19:31] be the sweetest peach on that tree, Sassy, but not everybody likes peaches.

[00:19:36] Right.

[00:19:36] Yeah.

[00:19:36] I'm going to wish you were an apple.

[00:19:38] Right.

[00:19:38] Or like, you know, I love puppies.

[00:19:41] You can always have that person who doesn't like puppies and like, and you're like, what

[00:19:45] are, what's wrong with you?

[00:19:46] But some people don't.

[00:19:47] And as much as I accept that, it's too easy for me to get surrounded by the negative.

[00:19:53] So, I mean, it's when Madonna once said back when she wasn't, you know, dealing what she's

[00:19:58] dealing with now, she said, if there's a hundred people and 99 of them absolutely love

[00:20:03] my song, I'll always remember the one who didn't.

[00:20:06] So I'm kind of like that.

[00:20:08] So it's, so I don't read reviews.

[00:20:09] I said, my husband's also my business manager.

[00:20:11] So he'll read them through me and he sees something like really amazing.

[00:20:14] He'll send them my way, like just to kind of fill me up and like, yeah.

[00:20:17] Yeah.

[00:20:18] So he's like, I got a review for you.

[00:20:20] You know, you need to read it.

[00:20:21] And when I tell you, it's like this woman wanted me dead.

[00:20:25] She writes this review and it's like paragraphs and paragraphs long.

[00:20:29] And she is just like, you know, I got to the point.

[00:20:31] And like Celia is my main protagonist in the Weird Girl series.

[00:20:35] She said, I got to the point where I'm screaming in my Kindle.

[00:20:38] She's like, I'm screaming, wanting to break an hand.

[00:20:39] I throw my Kindle against the wall, you know, and it's just going on.

[00:20:42] She goes, I screamed so loud at this part.

[00:20:44] You know, my cat blew out of my lap.

[00:20:46] You know, she says, I just wanted to tear my entire house apart.

[00:20:49] I hated Celia.

[00:20:50] I hated Ceci Robson and stars.

[00:20:52] And I'm like, oh my gosh.

[00:20:54] Because that person's like, oh, she's like, I hit it.

[00:20:56] I'm like, what?

[00:21:00] She goes, anybody who can make me feel this deserves it.

[00:21:03] I'm like, yay.

[00:21:04] Right.

[00:21:05] Like I've flung a book across the room before, but then I've been like, let me go pick this up.

[00:21:10] You're right.

[00:21:11] That's a good thing.

[00:21:12] That was probably an awesome book.

[00:21:14] Yeah, exactly.

[00:21:15] But she just, she flat out told me she hated it.

[00:21:18] And I am still to this day afraid that I will meet her on the street.

[00:21:25] There was so much rage.

[00:21:28] Oh my gosh.

[00:21:29] And I just couldn't believe my husband was giving this to her.

[00:21:31] And I'm just like, but she's like, yeah, any book that can make me feel this way.

[00:21:34] The author has done her job.

[00:21:36] And I'm like, okay.

[00:21:37] This was a roller coaster.

[00:21:39] Whoa.

[00:21:39] This was a ride.

[00:21:42] Oh my gosh.

[00:21:43] Okay.

[00:21:44] So we have a few questions that are kind of fun and lighthearted that we love to ask our guests.

[00:21:49] So we have a segment on the podcast that we call fictional boyfriend of the week where we pick.

[00:21:54] It doesn't have to be a boyfriend.

[00:21:56] It could be a fictional girlfriend.

[00:21:58] Karen's had a fictional granny.

[00:21:59] We've had fictional pets.

[00:22:01] Do you have, and it doesn't have to be anybody you've written, but it can be.

[00:22:05] Do you have a fictional character where you were like, that is my favorite.

[00:22:08] Everybody should know them.

[00:22:09] Everybody should love them.

[00:22:11] It would have to be Celia from my original Weird Girl series.

[00:22:14] We've known each other for 15.

[00:22:17] I don't know what year.

[00:22:18] It's 16 years now.

[00:22:19] And I always knew her from the start.

[00:22:21] Oh.

[00:22:22] And she was always kind of like, her sisters are kind of parts of her personality, but their own unique way.

[00:22:29] Like somebody cuts you off, you know, on the highway driving crazy.

[00:22:33] That's where Taryn comes in.

[00:22:34] She will hunt you down.

[00:22:35] She will curse you out.

[00:22:36] She will, you know.

[00:22:38] You know, like the nurse in her is Emmy.

[00:22:40] She's kind.

[00:22:41] She's shy.

[00:22:42] She's soft.

[00:22:42] She's going to be, she's a hospice nurse.

[00:22:44] She's going to hold that person's hand as they pass.

[00:22:47] Then you have Shana, the perky one, the excited one, like, you know, the one who literally will skip into battle.

[00:22:54] And she's like, literally, because there's this one scene in the first book.

[00:22:57] They're like, the vampires are there.

[00:22:59] Very intense scene.

[00:23:00] They have to get in his castle.

[00:23:01] And he's like, Shana, go ahead.

[00:23:02] Okay.

[00:23:03] And one of the vampires is like, what the fuck is she skipping?

[00:23:09] And then there's Celia.

[00:23:11] And they're very, they're all very beautiful.

[00:23:12] They're half Latina.

[00:23:13] And Celia is the strong one.

[00:23:16] Like, they're not like werewolves in, like, my stories where, like, they heal.

[00:23:19] She doesn't heal.

[00:23:20] She breaks her arm.

[00:23:21] Her arm is broken.

[00:23:22] So you have, I had to introduce Emmy.

[00:23:24] Because, I mean, Celia breaks a lot of bones throughout the entire series.

[00:23:27] So I had to have Emmy kind of help her.

[00:23:29] And she can shift underground, like, sand through a colander.

[00:23:33] Like, she can just, you know, go on underground and pop up on their place.

[00:23:36] But she can't see where she's going.

[00:23:38] Otherwise, I'd be so like, you know, but she kind of like, because she's like, oh, yeah, I can't open my eyes.

[00:23:43] Because then they're kids in my eyes.

[00:23:45] So, like, she can't breathe during it.

[00:23:46] So she can't go that far.

[00:23:48] But she also can switch into golden tigers.

[00:23:51] So I'm certain you guys have been to a zoo and at some point have seen a tiger.

[00:23:56] When the tigers walk, they have this way about them.

[00:23:59] Because they know they're strong.

[00:24:01] They're, if you ever had a tiger look in your eyes, I mean, you're walking the other way.

[00:24:05] You can't keep that eye contact.

[00:24:08] Because of that, even though it's not intentional, Celia is very much a tiger that's going to eat you.

[00:24:14] She walks.

[00:24:15] So she is disastrous with men.

[00:24:18] Like, disastrous.

[00:24:19] Because most of them are scared to death of her.

[00:24:21] They go to her, you know, less threatening pretty sisters.

[00:24:24] And, you know, she's just kind of used to being ignored.

[00:24:27] And I love that about her because she is strong.

[00:24:31] She's caring.

[00:24:33] She's beautiful.

[00:24:33] She's brave.

[00:24:34] But I love that aspect of her being just disastrous with men.

[00:24:38] Like, she's just like, why is he looking at me?

[00:24:40] You know, but, and Bren, the guy, you know, who's like, you know, I never agreed to that when, you know, she takes her clothes off.

[00:24:46] He tells her the best thing.

[00:24:48] He's like, because she's hurt.

[00:24:49] I mean, it's hard for her to, you know, watch her sisters get picked up.

[00:24:53] She's always the one that's sitting at home on Saturday night or left to, you know, drink her beer alone at the bar and just, you know, kind of hang out.

[00:25:01] And Bren gives her the best advice.

[00:25:02] He's like, you need to find someone that matches the strength of your beast.

[00:25:08] And that just kind of came to me.

[00:25:11] And that beast tends to end up being a werewolf named Eric.

[00:25:16] So it's, um, so I just have always had a soft spot for her because Terrence is sexy bombshell.

[00:25:23] She's always going to have the guy.

[00:25:24] She's always going to have, you know, she's always going to be the dumper.

[00:25:28] She'll never be the dumpy.

[00:25:29] She's always going to be like, you know, traffic stops for her.

[00:25:32] And she, you know, she's hot.

[00:25:33] She knows it.

[00:25:34] She has a mouth on her.

[00:25:35] She knows it.

[00:25:36] You know, she's very confident.

[00:25:37] You know, Shayna's always the cute one.

[00:25:39] You know, like if you ever probably have groups of friends this way, but like when you were growing up, like the guys always like the fun, cute one.

[00:25:45] Like she wasn't the, you know, the most gorgeous girl.

[00:25:47] But she, she was one you never forgot.

[00:25:50] And there was guys were always comfortable joking around that Shayna and Emmy's just beautiful and sweet and innocent.

[00:25:55] You know, Cecilia was just like, yeah, they're scared to death of me.

[00:25:58] So she was always going to be my girl.

[00:26:02] Like she's the first character I've ever written ever.

[00:26:04] I love that.

[00:26:06] Yeah.

[00:26:07] So she's, she's special.

[00:26:09] Yeah.

[00:26:10] I hope she'll forgive me for everything I've done to her.

[00:26:14] She's it.

[00:26:14] I'm sure she will.

[00:26:16] Okay.

[00:26:16] We, we only have a few more minutes with you.

[00:26:18] I'm so sorry.

[00:26:19] We do, we do want to know.

[00:26:20] No, you're good.

[00:26:21] But we do want to know, like, we're obviously going to be recommending your book because we love it.

[00:26:25] But we want to know, like, what are you reading?

[00:26:28] What are you recommending?

[00:26:29] Like, it doesn't even have to be something like right now that you're reading.

[00:26:31] I'm reading something right now.

[00:26:34] And that's not so much reading.

[00:26:35] I'm doing the audio books because I don't have time to read because if I'm sitting somewhere, I'm writing.

[00:26:40] Yeah.

[00:26:40] But Abigail Owens, The Game's God's Play.

[00:26:43] Oh, so good.

[00:26:44] Yeah.

[00:26:44] Isn't it good?

[00:26:45] So good.

[00:26:46] I'm at the part where I don't want to get too much away.

[00:26:49] Yeah.

[00:26:50] Spoilers.

[00:26:50] I think it's like the sexual tension between her and the guy.

[00:26:54] Yeah.

[00:26:55] Like, literally, like, and the person who does divorce is really good at doing.

[00:27:00] I don't want to even say the male.

[00:27:01] I don't want to give anything away.

[00:27:02] But you know that.

[00:27:02] Yeah.

[00:27:03] Yeah.

[00:27:03] Yeah.

[00:27:03] And some of the things he says, I'm like, oh.

[00:27:06] Like, he's a deposit.

[00:27:08] Just.

[00:27:08] Oh, yeah.

[00:27:09] It's like that is good.

[00:27:11] I love.

[00:27:12] I immediately love the protagonist, Lyra, which is funny.

[00:27:15] The other thing about this.

[00:27:16] In Bloodguard, Maeve, sister, Giselle, used to be Lyra.

[00:27:20] Right before I went to print, they made me change her name.

[00:27:23] But she's been there for 10 years.

[00:27:25] Because Abigail had named her.

[00:27:27] Oh, my gosh.

[00:27:28] I had to change this.

[00:27:30] That's so funny.

[00:27:31] That's so crazy.

[00:27:32] I had to change it.

[00:27:32] And it's so.

[00:27:32] And, like, we don't like doing entities.

[00:27:34] I'm like.

[00:27:34] Oh, no, no, no.

[00:27:35] I don't know.

[00:27:35] You know, you're.

[00:27:37] It's just like Lyra from the start.

[00:27:38] She's always been Lyra.

[00:27:39] Now she's just.

[00:27:39] I'm like.

[00:27:40] And I had to pick a new name for her.

[00:27:41] And, like, they hated all the other names.

[00:27:43] I'm like.

[00:27:43] Aw.

[00:27:43] And she.

[00:27:44] So.

[00:27:45] My agent.

[00:27:45] Publishing.

[00:27:46] A little secret.

[00:27:47] She let me in on a little secret.

[00:27:49] She said.

[00:27:50] Kaylin.

[00:27:50] One of Maeve's friends.

[00:27:52] Was one of Rebecca Yaros' and Fourth Wings.

[00:27:55] Male character's friend.

[00:27:56] One of the main ones.

[00:27:57] And she made her change it.

[00:27:58] That's wild.

[00:27:59] Or.

[00:28:00] It was.

[00:28:00] Yeah.

[00:28:00] So.

[00:28:01] Publishing is crazy.

[00:28:02] I know.

[00:28:03] But it's just like.

[00:28:04] When she told me.

[00:28:05] I'm like.

[00:28:05] Okay.

[00:28:05] I'll change your name.

[00:28:06] You're like.

[00:28:07] Oh.

[00:28:07] I made Rebecca Yaros change something.

[00:28:10] Exactly.

[00:28:10] Like that.

[00:28:11] So.

[00:28:11] You know.

[00:28:12] So I'm like.

[00:28:12] Well.

[00:28:12] I guess it's fair.

[00:28:14] Yeah.

[00:28:15] That's funny.

[00:28:16] That's a good one though.

[00:28:17] That's a good book.

[00:28:19] Yeah.

[00:28:19] You want to hear.

[00:28:20] You want to hear some of the dirt that goes on.

[00:28:22] It's good.

[00:28:23] Once I heard that.

[00:28:24] I'm like.

[00:28:25] Okay.

[00:28:26] Yeah.

[00:28:26] I can see.

[00:28:28] You know.

[00:28:28] All right.

[00:28:29] Last question.

[00:28:30] What comes next.

[00:28:32] From you.

[00:28:32] All right.

[00:28:33] So.

[00:28:33] I'm working on the second book.

[00:28:35] And it's so hard.

[00:28:36] Because I found out today.

[00:28:37] Bloodguard is a best book of the year for Bonnet de Nobles.

[00:28:41] And.

[00:28:42] I mean.

[00:28:42] Not when we're surprised.

[00:28:44] Yeah.

[00:28:44] Thank you.

[00:28:45] And it's also.

[00:28:46] A book.

[00:28:46] It's the book of the month.

[00:28:48] So.

[00:28:48] I'm just like.

[00:28:49] And I.

[00:28:50] I didn't see that.

[00:28:50] I have a few.

[00:28:51] You know.

[00:28:52] Other accolades I've received from it.

[00:28:54] It's my first international release.

[00:28:56] It's going to be a worldwide release.

[00:28:57] Which I've never had before.

[00:28:59] So.

[00:28:59] The reason I'm saying all this.

[00:29:00] Is because it's like.

[00:29:01] How am I going to top this?

[00:29:05] And I'm like.

[00:29:05] How am I going to top this?

[00:29:06] What are you doing?

[00:29:08] Yeah.

[00:29:08] So now I'm here.

[00:29:09] So I have.

[00:29:10] I'm working on one.

[00:29:11] That's very different.

[00:29:12] From what's out there now.

[00:29:14] It still takes place in Older.

[00:29:15] The tenet of title is Death Maiden.

[00:29:18] So we got.

[00:29:19] Bloodguard.

[00:29:20] Death Maiden.

[00:29:21] And.

[00:29:22] I'm sold just on the title.

[00:29:24] I am sold just on the title.

[00:29:26] And author.

[00:29:26] I love it.

[00:29:27] Well.

[00:29:28] Speaking of which.

[00:29:29] We do have to give you a little bit of bad news.

[00:29:31] Oh yeah.

[00:29:32] Now that you have been on the podcast.

[00:29:34] You're actually legally obligated.

[00:29:36] To come back for all future book releases.

[00:29:38] I would absolutely love that.

[00:29:40] We're so sorry to inform you.

[00:29:42] Oh no.

[00:29:43] If I must.

[00:29:45] No.

[00:29:46] I would love.

[00:29:46] I would love that.

[00:29:47] Thank you.

[00:29:48] Oh I hope the title stays Death Maiden.

[00:29:51] Yes.

[00:29:51] Because that is.

[00:29:52] That is so metal.

[00:29:53] I really.

[00:29:53] Really like it.

[00:29:55] Well thank you.

[00:29:56] All right everybody.

[00:29:56] Thank you.

[00:29:57] Everybody go pick up Bloodguard.

[00:29:59] It is out.

[00:30:00] I think.

[00:30:01] Next week.

[00:30:02] Tuesday.

[00:30:03] So by the time this episode is out.

[00:30:04] The book is out in the world.

[00:30:06] Look at those edges.

[00:30:07] The edges.

[00:30:08] Yes people.

[00:30:08] If you haven't seen them.

[00:30:09] Go look them up.

[00:30:10] It's so.

[00:30:11] And honestly.

[00:30:12] Like there's something about this white.

[00:30:14] Yes.

[00:30:14] With the red.

[00:30:15] That is just so beautiful.

[00:30:16] Beautiful.

[00:30:17] So go pick it up y'all.

[00:30:18] Yeah.

[00:30:19] The actual book is so embossed.

[00:30:22] And different colors.

[00:30:23] Like the crown is silver.

[00:30:25] Ooh.

[00:30:25] Boiled.

[00:30:26] And everything.

[00:30:27] It's stunning.

[00:30:28] Yes.

[00:30:29] So if y'all are listening to this episode.

[00:30:32] Go.

[00:30:32] Go to your local bookstore.

[00:30:33] Go get it before it's gone.

[00:30:34] Before it's gone.

[00:30:35] Because it is a limited print run for that first.

[00:30:37] So.

[00:30:38] Thank you so much Ceci.

[00:30:39] It was so great.

[00:30:40] We had so much fun with you.

[00:30:42] Karen.

[00:30:43] Mandy.

[00:30:43] It's my pleasure.

[00:30:44] Like anytime.

[00:30:45] If you see me at a convention.

[00:30:46] Or you want to drop me an email.

[00:30:48] I'm always up to talking.

[00:30:49] You guys are great.

[00:30:50] So I appreciate you all.

[00:30:51] Thank you so much.

[00:30:52] Thank you.

[00:30:52] We'll talk soon.

[00:30:53] We've had so much fun.

[00:30:54] Thank you.

[00:30:55] Bye.

[00:30:56] Bye.

[00:30:57] Oh she's so adorable.

[00:31:00] She's so cute.

[00:31:01] That was fun.

[00:31:01] I love her.

[00:31:03] So like I want to go to dinner with her.

[00:31:05] And get a bottle of wine.

[00:31:06] And just like.

[00:31:07] Oh it would be more than one bottle of wine.

[00:31:09] Have a gab fest with her.

[00:31:09] It would be at least two or three bottles.

[00:31:11] Yes.

[00:31:12] That would be so much fun.

[00:31:14] She's got such like an infectious personality.

[00:31:17] Yes.

[00:31:18] I just want to sit and talk with her forever.

[00:31:20] So much fun.

[00:31:21] Yay.

[00:31:21] Yes.

[00:31:22] Okay.

[00:31:22] Time for I guess an announcement.

[00:31:25] Yeah.

[00:31:25] Not really.

[00:31:26] Well I guess we do have a couple announcements.

[00:31:28] So first off.

[00:31:29] We're going on summer break.

[00:31:30] Summer break.

[00:31:31] Winter break.

[00:31:32] Hey.

[00:31:33] It still feels like summer over here.

[00:31:35] We're going on winter break.

[00:31:38] So we are taking the month of November and December off.

[00:31:43] We will be back.

[00:31:43] Our first episode back will be mid January.

[00:31:47] But stick around because we may or may not have a surprise in store.

[00:31:51] Yeah.

[00:31:52] Not confirming or denying anything.

[00:31:54] I'm not saying a word.

[00:31:55] And of course next week is our candy awards episode where we pick our superlatives for

[00:32:03] the year.

[00:32:04] So.

[00:32:04] It's going to be so easy for me because I reread Throne of Glass.

[00:32:09] It's just like last year when I had like what was it three Chloe Gong releases.

[00:32:14] I'm like this is easy.

[00:32:15] Or the first year we did it where I had read Shatter Me.

[00:32:19] Oh yeah.

[00:32:19] And I think I'd read Throne of Glass that year and Cruel Prince.

[00:32:22] Oh yeah.

[00:32:22] And so it was like yeah this is so easy.

[00:32:25] This is so easy.

[00:32:27] My favorite fictional boyfriend this year.

[00:32:29] That's a silly question.

[00:32:30] Yeah.

[00:32:31] I've read.

[00:32:31] Oh my gosh.

[00:32:33] Erin Warner this year.

[00:32:34] Right.

[00:32:34] Okay.

[00:32:35] I guess it's time for a spiel.

[00:32:36] Yeah.

[00:32:36] Yeah.

[00:32:37] All right friends.

[00:32:38] If you enjoyed this episode please like follow and subscribe wherever you're listening to

[00:32:42] us.

[00:32:42] Please also follow us on social media.

[00:32:44] We are at The Incoherent Fangirl on all the things.

[00:32:46] You can also head over to our website TheIncoherentFangirl.com where you can also stream all of our

[00:32:51] episodes as well as read our blog.

[00:32:53] And if you're interested in early access to podcast episodes, full video episodes, and

[00:32:57] bonus content you can subscribe to our Patreon by going to TheIncoherentFangirl.com slash Patreon.

[00:33:02] If you are not ready to make that commitment you can also buy individual bonus content.

[00:33:07] Commit to us.

[00:33:10] It's just us.

[00:33:12] We're worth it.

[00:33:13] We're awesome.

[00:33:13] But just in case you want a little taste beforehand you can also purchase individual bonus content

[00:33:19] episodes or the full bonus content collection to kind of get a sneak peek into what Patreon

[00:33:24] is like before you do make that commitment because you should.

[00:33:28] We're awesome.

[00:33:28] And then if you are interested in some merch and doing some self-care which now is the

[00:33:33] perfect time to do that with the sad months coming in.

[00:33:36] Head over to TheIncoherentFangirl.com slash shop to check out all of that.

[00:33:40] If you have any comments, questions, concerns, suggestions, design ideas you want to tell us

[00:33:45] that we're pretty, we will accept all of that in our inbox.

[00:33:49] TheIncoherentFangirl at gmail.com.

[00:33:50] We love hearing from y'all.

[00:33:52] Yay.

[00:33:52] One last way to support the podcast is to rate and review wherever you are listening to us.

[00:33:56] You know we love your words.

[00:33:58] Give us your words.

[00:33:59] Commit to us and give us your words.

[00:34:01] Yes.

[00:34:01] Love letters.

[00:34:02] Yes, please.

[00:34:03] In our reviews.

[00:34:04] We love all of that.

[00:34:06] Yes.

[00:34:06] She is at Mandy Perv on all the things.

[00:34:09] She's at Ms. Made in China on all the things.

[00:34:11] And once you've followed us on social media and you follow the podcast on social media,

[00:34:14] you can head over and visit our internet besties and do some more self-care because we want

[00:34:19] you to take care of yourself.

[00:34:20] Yes.

[00:34:21] First stop is HereComesthenerd.com where you're going to use code Fangirl to get 20% off your

[00:34:25] first order.

[00:34:25] Then you're going to head over to OnceUponABookClub.com.

[00:34:28] Now we have two codes that you can use.

[00:34:30] You have to pick one.

[00:34:31] They don't stack, but we don't care which one you pick.

[00:34:33] We love you no matter what.

[00:34:34] Use code Karen10 or Mandy10 for 10% off.

[00:34:37] You just have to make sure you spell Karen right or you're going to get no percent off

[00:34:41] and we're going to make you go through Blood Guard.

[00:34:43] Like the fights, not the book.

[00:34:46] We're going to submit you into the Hunger Games.

[00:34:49] That's scary.

[00:34:52] So spell it right or pay the price.

[00:34:54] I like that.

[00:34:55] And then once you've done that, you're going to go visit our friend Amber D. Lewis at AmberDLewis.com.

[00:35:00] Going to add like 10 of everything to your cart.

[00:35:02] It is the gift giving season.

[00:35:04] So you can get your gifts now.

[00:35:06] The gift of books.

[00:35:07] My God.

[00:35:07] We love to see it.

[00:35:09] You're going to add 10 of everything to your cart.

[00:35:11] You're going to use code Fangirl10 and get 10% off your 10 of everything.

[00:35:14] And then you have gotten one of those things for free.

[00:35:18] It's amazing.

[00:35:18] Science.

[00:35:19] Math.

[00:35:19] Yay.

[00:35:20] We're experts at both.

[00:35:22] And last but not least, you're going to go support the show husband.

[00:35:25] We're kind of fans of his around here.

[00:35:26] You're going to go follow Searchers Believe on everything and the Paranormal Mind on everything.

[00:35:31] That's his paranormal group and podcast.

[00:35:34] Podcast is coming back soon.

[00:35:35] We hope.

[00:35:36] It's just been busy because we've been building Beacon TV.

[00:35:39] So you're going to go follow Stream Beacon TV on everything.

[00:35:42] It's a streaming platform that's bringing you all of the horror, true crime, paranormal content you've been missing.

[00:35:48] And if you use code Fangirl10 at Stream Beacon TV when you subscribe, you'll get 10% off.

[00:35:52] Then you can go to searchersbelieve.com slash shop and use code Fangirl10 for 10% off there too.

[00:35:58] There's some merch that was designed by yours truly.

[00:36:00] So we know it's good.

[00:36:02] Yes.

[00:36:03] Yeah.

[00:36:03] Support the show husband in all the ways because we're kind of fond of him around here.

[00:36:07] We like him.

[00:36:07] We like him.

[00:36:08] He's all right.

[00:36:08] And that was the Incohair Fangirl.

[00:36:11] Incohair Fangirl.

[00:36:12] Thanks for listening.

[00:36:14] We love you.

[00:36:14] We love you.

[00:36:15] Bye.

[00:36:18] Bye.