Join host Hannah Michelle and guest co-host, Mary Cross, as they sit down with New York Times bestselling author, Penn Cole, for an in-depth discussion on the highly anticipated conclusion of her romantic fantasy series, The Kindred's Curse Saga: Burn of the Everflame! This episode serves as PART TWO of their three hour long interview (!!!), where Penn shares insights into her writing journey, character development, thematic depth, and the emotional rollercoaster awaiting readers in Burn. The entirety of this interview episode contains spoilers for the first three books in The Kindred's Curse Saga (Spark, Glow, & Heat) and many, MANY hints for Burn of The Everflame. If you are looking for spoiler-free, or more on Penn Cole's writing process, check out Part One of the interview here: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/42158685 Key Topics: Penn's evolution as a writer across four books, highlighting her plotting process and handling series burnout Deep dive into character arcs, specifically Luther's journey of self-discovery and devotion to Diem (& Penn's love for Henry!) Exploration of themes such as hope amidst chaos and the complexity of morally gray characters The crafting of multiple POVs, including controversial choices and their impact on storytelling Easter eggs, foreshadowing, and hidden clues in earlier books that connect to Burn Insights into the Burn's emotional weight, including tears, trauma, and moments of joy to come Behind-the-scenes on the adaptation process and the challenges of working with Hollywood Penn's reflections on the future of the series and potential spin-offs or continuations Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TPjxGytRXQ8 Segment Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:40 Spoiler-Filled Segment (ENTIRE EPISODE) 01:24:25 About Dear Fantasy Reader *Please note that ads may affect the timestamps by a few minutes* 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!
