The LitJoy Podcast with Kelly and Alix

In this episode, Kelly and Alix interview bestselling author Sabaa Tahir upon the release of her new fantasy novel, Heir.

Sabaa Tahir is a former newspaper editor who grew up in California's Mojave Desert at her family's eighteen-room motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, listening to thunderous indie rock, and playing guitar and piano badly. Her #1 New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes series has been translated into more than thirty-five languages, and the first book in the series was named one of TIME's 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. Tahir's most recent novel, All My Rage, won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Printz Award, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry.

Visit Sabaa online at SabaaTahir.com and follow her on Instagram or Twitter @SabaaTahir and TikTok @SabaaTahirAuthor.

• [2:00] Heir by Sabaa Tahir
• [4:04] Inspiration Behind Heir
• [14:15] The Writing Process
• [20:47] Becoming a Writer
• [21:41] Advice for Writers
• [29:00] Takeaways for Readers
• [33:15] Inspiration from Authors
• [36:38] Writing New Genres
• [38:30] Final Questions

• An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
• A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
• All My Rage by Sabba Tahir
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
• Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu
• The Maid by Nita Prose
• The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
• This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

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Thank you so much for watching the LitJoy Podcast! It has been an honor to bring you author interviews, bookish conversations, and more—we have loved every minute of it! While this is our last episode, we will continue to bring you all the bookish news and fun you can handle via our social media, the Lunacorns page, and, of course, with articles, interviews, and more in the LitJoy Lounge! Thank you for listening!

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In this Fun Friday Book Recommendations, Alix and Kelly ask author Chelsea Abdullah which books had the biggest impact on her life.

[0:29] The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

[1:04] Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

[2:01] She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

[3:06] A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

[4:14] Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Chelsea Abdullah is the award-winning author of The Sandsea Trilogy, an epic fantasy series that begins with The Stardust Thief. An American-Kuwaiti writer born and raised in Kuwait, she grew up listening to stories about mysterious desert creatures and wily (only sometimes likable) heroes.

Consumed by wanderlust, she has put down roots in various states. After earning her MA in English at Duquesne University, she moved to the East Coast, where she currently lives. When not immersed in her own fictional worlds, she spends her free time playing video games, doodling characters, and hoarding books she doesn’t have the shelf space for.

Introducing our intricately designed and truly stunning We Hunt the Flame Special Edition Box Set!

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In this episode, Kelly and Alix interview The Stardust Thief author Chelsea Abdullah.

Special Offer

Visit litjoycrate.com/chelsea to get 15% off Chelsea's collection using the code "LOULIE". Only valid within 48 hours of the airing of this episode!

• [1:20] The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah https://amzn.to/47eJcfT
• [3:41] Becoming an Author and Publishing The Stardust Thief
• [12:53] The Sandsea Trilogy
• [14:45] Writing Characters
• [22:54] Bringing a Character to Life
• [32:16] Writing the First Draft
• [35:50] Chelsea's Writing Ritual
• [38:13] Fictional World to Visit
• [41:14] Fictional Character to Meet
• [48:30] Chelsea's TBR
• [50:20] Final Questions

Chelsea Abdullah is the award-winning author of The Sandsea Trilogy, an epic fantasy series that begins with The Stardust Thief. An American-Kuwaiti writer born and raised in Kuwait, she grew up listening to stories about mysterious desert creatures and wily (only sometimes likable) heroes.

Consumed by wanderlust, she has put down roots in various states. After earning her MA in English at Duquesne University, she moved to the East Coast, where she currently lives. When not immersed in her own fictional worlds, she spends her free time playing video games, doodling characters, and hoarding books she doesn’t have the shelf space for.

• The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
• Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
• The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew
• This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole
• The Princess Bride by William Goldman

You asked—we delivered...our coveted Throne of Glass Bookshelf Alley is BACK, but only for a limited time! Take home this iconic moment before this opportunity disappears into the forest like the Lord of the North.

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In this episode, Kelly and Alix interview dark romance author Monty Jay about their writing, influences, and love of morally grey characters!

Monty Jay is a dark romance author with titles published in multiple countries. Their books are for hopeless romantics with wicked hearts looking for their next morally grey hero. They call the Appalachian mountains home, along with their two furry friends, Poe and Maeve. When they aren’t writing you can find them reading anything Stephen King, in a tattoo chair, or bingeing a new true crime documentary. 

• [2:12] Becoming a Writer
• [7:54] Writing Style
• [13:11] Writing Process
• [20:59] Horror Influence
• [31:08] The Lies We Steal by Monty Jay
• [42:11] Monty's Favorite Morally Grey Characters
• [52:20] Wrath of an Exile by Monty Jay
• [54:09] Final Questions

• Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• It by Stephen King
• Jay Kristoff Interview
• Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
• Bromantic Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James

Frankenstein & Phantom of the Opera Special Editions

The Fury Series

The Hollow Boys

Instagram

Newsletter

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In this episode, Kelly and Alix continue sharing their favorite book-to-movie adaptions.

[2:25] The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

[11:01] Dune by Frank Herbert

[17:44] Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

[26:07] Silo by Hugh Howey

[31:32] Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

[36:12] Austenland by Shannon Hale

[39:58] A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

[42:00] Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

[46:37] It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

Correction: Rebecca Fergeson stars in Silo.

• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
• A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas
• Fate: the Winx Saga by Olivia Cuartero-Briggs
• The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Eragon by Christopher Paolini
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
• Verity by Colleen Hoover

Introducing the two new additions to our Gothic Horror Classics Collection!

• Frankenstein LitJoy Classic
• The Phantom of the Opera LitJoy Classic

Use the code PODCAST10 for a 10% off discount!

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In this episode, Kelly and Alix continue sharing their recommendations for nonfiction books that are not focused on self-help.

• [0:44] Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
• [4:43] Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
• [7:45] Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
• [10:10] Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
• [12:36] The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

LitJoy Special Edition: Rise of the Evening Star

Cinderella Fairytale Notebook

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Find all episode show notes on The LitJoy Podcast homepage!

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In this "Fun Friday Book Recommendations", Alix and Kelly ask cosplaying couple, Michael and Hayley Burson, which books impacted their lives.

Hayley Burson is a full time public librarian and part time cosplayer. She began cosplaying with her husband, Michael, in 2016, and the two of them have shared many adventures with their love of creating together. Hayley specializes in hand embroidery and beading, wig styling, and creating silly videos. She especially loves cosplaying from Fantasy, Marvel, Disney, and Game of Thrones. When she isn't cosplaying, she enjoys playing the Sims, doing yoga, thrifting, and playing with her rescued mixed poodles, Bilbo and Basil.

Michael with a self-taught cosplayer and sewist with 9 years creating costumes and fashion pieces that inspire him. Audience Choice winner of the Her Universe Fashion Show at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, Michael has a passion for education and showing the "behind the seams" process of his builds to help others create their own art as. He cosplays from Marvel, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Disney, Star Wars, and much more.

[0:45] My Life in France by Julia Child

[2:50] Game of Thrones: The Costumes, the official book from Season 1 to Season 8 by Michele Clapton

[4:22] A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

[5:58] Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb

[8:02] The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

• Lord of the Rings Series by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Game of Thrones Series by George R.R. Martin
• Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
• ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas

Michael's Instagram

Hayley's Instagram

Hayley's TikTok

Michael & Hayley's YouTube Channel

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In this Fun Friday episode, Kelly and Alix get reading recommendations from Twin Crown authors Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber.

Katherine Webber is from Southern California and spent much of her childhood in the Palm Springs desert. She is the author of Only Love Can Break Your Heart and The Revelry. For younger readers, she cowrites the Sam Wu Is Not Afraid and Dragon Realm series with her husband, Kevin Tsang. She is currently based in London with her husband and young daughters. 

Catherine Doyle lives in the West of Ireland with her husband Jack, and their dog, Cali. She holds a BA in Psychology and an MA in Publishing. Her award-winning and bestselling work, which includes middle grade and young adult fiction, has been published in over 25 languages.

• [0:29] Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• [1:14] The Princess Bride by William Goldman
• [2:55] Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
• [5:29] A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• [6:29] Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce
• [6:47] Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

• The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• Twin Crowns series by Katherine Webber and Catherine Doyle

The Darkest Part of the Forest Annotated Special Edition

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In this "Fun Friday Book Recommendations", Alix and Kelly ask author Monty Jay which books had an impact on their life.

Monty Jay is a dark romance author with titles published in multiple countries. Their books are for hopeless romantics with wicked hearts looking for their next morally grey hero. They call the Appalachian Mountains home, along with their two furry friends, Poe and Maeve. When they aren’t writing you can find them reading anything Stephen King, in a tattoo chair, or bingeing a new true crime documentary. 

[0:39] Lord of the Flies by William Golding

[1:24] Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede

[2:58] Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

[6:12] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

[9:37] The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.

• Bill Hodges Trilogy by Stephen King
• Misery by Stephen King
• The Iliad by Homer
• The Odyssey by Homer
• Circe by Madeline Miller

• The Fury Series
• The Hollow Boys
• Instagram
• Newsletter

We deeply appreciate your support in creating a community around stories!

• Make sure to RATE & REVIEW us!
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In this "Fun Friday Book Recommendations", Alix and Kelly talk with author Brandon Mull about which books have most greatly impacted on his life.

Brandon Mull is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Fablehaven, Dragonwatch, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. A kinetic thinker, Brandon enjoys bouncy balls, squeezable stress toys, and popping bubble wrap. He lives in Utah in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife, Erlyn, their eleven children, and three mischievous cats. Brandon loves meeting his readers and hearing about their experiences with his books.

[0:45] The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

[1:15] The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien

[2:47] The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

[4:03] Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

[4:52] Dune by Frank Herbert

[6:47] Bonus Books

• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
• Watership Down by Richard Adams

• Watch Brandon's full-episode interview here!
• Fablehaven Special Edition Book Collection
• Brandon Mull's Website

We deeply appreciate your support in creating a community around stories!

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Use the code PODCAST10 at litjoycrate.com/podcast for a 10% off discount!

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