In this special Dear Fantasy Author episode, host Hannah Michelle and guest co-host, Mary Cross, sit down with New York Times bestselling romantic fantasy author, Penn Cole, to discuss The Kindred's Curse Saga in preparation of book four's release, Burn of the Everflame! This episode serves as PART ONE of two, exploring Penn's intricate world-building, slow-burn romance, and the nuanced social themes woven into her storytelling, as well as insights on the craft of writing and activism. The first portion of the episode is completely spoiler-free, while the second portion dives into spoilers for all three released books in The Kindred's Curse Saga. Key Topics: Penn Cole's inspiration and creative process behind The Kindred's Curse Saga World-building and magic system intricacies Themes of social injustice, empathy, and activism embedded in her series Writing advice for debut authors and insights on overcoming imposter syndrome The role of media, social commentary, and activism in storytelling Penn's unique writing rituals and environment The evolution of the Guardians and their moral complexities Handling sensitive topics with nuance and intentionality in fantasy worlds The importance of diverse voices and sensitivity readers in fiction Stay tuned for PART 2 (releasing 07/30/2026) where the hosts ask Penn all of their burning questions about the highly anticipated Burn of the Everflame! Segment Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:27 Spoiler-Free Segment 31:50 Spoiler-Filled Segment 01:09:07 About Dear Fantasy Reader *Please note that ads may affect the timestamps by a few minutes* Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pIie08iT-m8 Ready to add one (or three) more books to your TBR? Order The Kindred's Curse Saga: https://www.penncole.com/shop#books Follow Penn Cole's Journey: Website: https://www.penncole.com/ Upcoming Appearances: https://www.penncole.com/appearances Reader Discord: https://discord.com/invite/pennspals Newsletter: https://www.penncole.com/newsletter Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AuthorPennCole Threads: https://www.threads.com/@authorpenncole TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@AuthorPennCole Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpenncole/ Author bio: Penn Cole is the New York Times bestselling author of the international romantasy hit, Spark of the Everflame. Her debut series, The Kindred's Curse Saga, has been published in 18 languages and has sold over 3 million copies. Before becoming an author, Penn was a small business owner and an attorney. A Texas native, she now lives in Paris, France with her husband and their cat, Cardboard. When Penn isn't writing epic slow-burn romantasy, she can be found eating far too many French pastries and trolling her readers on Discord. Series Name: The Kindred's Curse Saga Spark of the Everflame Originally self-published June 1, 2023 Traditional publication re-release October 8, 2024 Glow of the Everflame Originally self-published July 18, 2023 Traditional publication re-release December 3, 2024 Heat of the Everflame Originally self-published September 12, 2023 Traditional publication re-release March 11, 2025 Burn of the Everflame Releasing September 8, 2026 Tropes and traits: Enemies to lovers, chosen one, elemental magic, political intrigue, dragons/animal sidekick, fight against injustice, banter, found family, prophecies, slow burn romance, shadow daddy, feisty healer FMC, brooding dark prince MMC Synopsis: When her mother suddenly vanishes, healer Diem Bellator's search for answers forces her out of her poor mortal village and into the dark world of the cruel demigods known as the Descended. Bloodthirsty rebels are recruiting her to join the civil war, but the King's handsome, mysterious heir is watching her every move. Diem must navigate a dangerous game of love, power, and politics to save her mother—and all of mortalkind. Background/Pronunciation Guide: A general overview of the world and a pronunciation guide for the locations and characters is available on Penn's website at https://www.penncole.com/enter-emarion Want more from Dear Fantasy Reader? The DFRP chapters so far: Season 1: Fourth Wing Deep Dive Through the Lens of Iron Flame Season 2: Dear Fantasy Author — our ongoing author interview series featuring your favorite romantasy writers! Follow us on Instagram @dearfantasyreaderpod to see who we're interviewing next! Season 3: Dear Fantasy Community — our UPCOMING & ongoing series with industry experts where we pull the curtain back on different aspects of the book community learning what all goes into getting these books to our hands! Visit the Dear Fantasy Reader website for more info: https://www.dearfantasyreader.com DEAR FANTASY READER POD MERCH: https://dear-fantasy-reader-podcast.printify.me/ JOIN OUR FREE DISCORD COMMUNITY: https://discord.gg/9pcd3jBTVK Follow along: Instagram: @dearfantasyreaderpod TikTok: @dearfantasyreaderpod YouTube: @dearfantasyreaderpod Threads: @dearfantasyreaderpod Don't forget to share this episode with your bookish friends!
