Spill the Smut

From Daydreams to A Crown In Shadows with Alecia Kirby

• Jordan • Season 1 • Episode 27

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Ever wondered how a late-night creative outlet can turn into a full-fledged fantasy trilogy? We sit down with Alecia B. Kirby—tourism marketing pro by day, author by night—to trace the unlikely path from a tough season in life to the release of A Crown In Shadows, a medieval fantasy charged with political intrigue, a framed-for-murder twist, and the kind of grumpy-sunshine pull that keeps pages turning.

Alicia opens up about her writing process: embracing pantsing with a vision of the ending, a chaotic yet effective post-it wall, and a nightly ritual of rereading to avoid repetition and re-enter the scene’s emotion. When the words stall, she looks outward—shows like Blue Eye Samurai can reignite the spark even if they share nothing with her world. We also get honest about the realities of balancing art with a 9–5, the tradeoffs of weekends and social life, and why listening to your body is more sustainable than forcing word counts.

If you crave court intrigue, high-stakes choices, and a heroine forced to flee after a wedding-eve murder shock, Alicia’s world belongs on your TBR. A Crown In Shadows is available at major retailers and on Kindle Unlimited. Enjoy the conversation, then tap follow, share this episode with a book-loving friend, and leave a quick review to help more readers find us.


Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Meet Alicia B. Kirby

Jordan

Tourism marketing professional by day, author by night, she's been a lifelong book lover and an unapologetic daydreamer. What started as a dream is now her debut novel, A Crown in Shadows, the first book in a trilogy. If you love grumpy sunshine tension, arranged marriage drama, a love triangle, dark and forbidden magic, and a murder mystery woven throughout, this book belongs on your TBR. And welcome to the podcast, Alicia B. Kirby. Hi, thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

Alecia Kirby

Hi, thank you so much for having me.

Snowstorm Week And GoT Trivia

Jordan

Um, okay, so I like to start off each episode with this one question. And what has been the highlight of your week so far?

Alecia Kirby

Well, it's Monday and there's a snowstorm outside. So I will go off the week prior. Um, a couple of friends and I went to a Game of Thrones trivia. And as soon as they hear this, they're gonna be like, Why did you why did you brag about this? We got third place, which I still think is pretty good. We went to one last year and we got first, so we didn't do as well, but we still got a $25 gift certificate to the bar I was at. So like I think that's a win.

Jordan

Uh a hundred percent that is a win. I oh my gosh, yes. Any any place in trivia. I feel like the trivia questions are always so hard, no matter what.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, some of the categories, we just looked at each other and we we just didn't even know we did our best. So that's that's all we can ask for.

Finding Writing As Escape

Jordan

It's definitely a win. So I yes, I say yes. Thank you. Okay, so let's just dive on in. And I want to ask, as like the first question, what inspired you to become an author?

Alecia Kirby

That's a great question because I I don't think I ever saw myself being an author when I was really, really young. I read all the time, I watched a lot of movies, um, specifically like fantasy Disney movies is what I kind of grew up with. And I was always a fan of writing, even in high school. I enjoyed essays. I didn't enjoy, you know, the boring topics of it, but I always enjoyed writing. So I don't know if there was something that like really sparked an inspiration. It kind of started as a way to get me away from the day-to-day life. I started reading again, like I feel like I was on a 10-year like reading slump up until 2020, 2021 when a couple of my girlfriends introduced me to Aquatar. And that just got me like spiral spiraled right back into it. And I wasn't having the best home life at the time. Um, I was in a relationship that was kind of on its way like out the door. I spent a lot of my evenings alone with my dog. And so I started just writing as kind of a creative outlet and a way to kind of get me away from everything. And then it just kind of spiraled into a full-length novel. And I went, okay, this is this is something. I wrote it for a reason. Let's just see where this goes.

Jordan

And is that the story that you have out now, or is that a different story? It's the story I have out now. Oh my goodness. Wait, that's like actually really cool. Like you just used it as a like an outlet, and now you have like a published book.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, it's it's crazy how it started to where it is now. It's just I'm so thankful, but it really just was something that I did, and now it's it's this physical being that people buy and read, and it just still like blows my mind that it's out in the universe.

Jordan

I think that oh, I just I think it's so cool what you guys do, like being an author. I just I I love reading naturally, but I can't even imagine putting words on paper or putting words on a screen like you you all do. And I don't, I don't, I don't know how you do it, and I can't even begin to fathom how you do it, but I think it is so cool that you guys do that.

Alecia Kirby

It's definitely a lot, and sometimes it can come a little bit easier than other times, like the writing slump is for sure a thing, and just in the trenches, but I don't know, there's just something like therapeutic about it because especially when you in my head, I was like, no one's ever gonna read this, so I didn't really care where the story went or like how my main character acted. Like I just wrote it how I would want to read it as a reader, and I think that helps me a lot where I wasn't holding myself back, I was able just to all kind of dump it on a page, but yeah, you you get to those points sometimes where you look at your story and you're just like, Where the heck is this going? But it all comes around eventually.

Jordan

So then I'm guessing you would say you're more of a pantster than a plotter.

Alecia Kirby

Oh yeah. I mean, I have an idea of where, like I'm literally looking at my crazy post-it wall right in front of me of book two, because I'm in the trenches of writing book two. And I have an idea of where I want it to go, and that's the way it was with the first. I knew how I wanted it to end, but all of the middle parts, I kind of just let the characters lead me and my imagination lead me, my imagination lead me. Okay, so then what would you say like your writing process is like if you or is it really yeah, actually, I'm gonna leave that.

Jordan

What is your writing process like?

Alecia Kirby

Uh chaos.

Jordan

Absolutely. Love it.

Alecia Kirby

I try to write at least every night. There's some nights where I just I sit down in front of my computer and I'm like, yeah, it's not happening tonight. But for the most part, I'll always put on, you know, some like relaxing music or like ambiance. Um, I typically will put my phone on do not disturb because I'm such like a doom scroller. If I pick up my phone, I will scroll for hours. And so I have to put it on do not disturb. And I really just read back on what I've written prior and think of where I want the story to go to get to the end. Because, like I said, like I know where I want it to end. I just have to get there. And so it's a lot of just kind of going at it, rereading that, going back. And they say, like, you shouldn't be doing that. You should just get everything on page and then go back. I don't do that. I have to go back. And so I do that and then just write until I can't write anymore. And I either call it a day after a couple of pages, or I've written like three chapters. There's just like no in between.

Jordan

Interesting. Wait, so if you're going back, are you rereading your whole story again?

Alecia Kirby

Or do you just go back like a couple chapters and then I normally just go back and either reread what I did the night prior or I'll read a couple of chapters just because if I'm writing and something sounds familiar, I'll have to go back and just double check that I'm not re-re like reusing the same phrase over and over again or like kind of harping on one subject. Like I want to move on from it.

Jordan

Yeah, I I know too for myself. I recently read a book and I I won't say the name, but I oh my goodness, the repetitiveness of even just the same sentence. It would it would be like a sentence, then maybe like a paragraph or two would go by, and then it would be the exact same sentence. And I was like, Did you just forget that you already put it in there? Or did, or like, I don't I don't know what happened here.

Deadlines And Small Press Support

Alecia Kirby

And I'm really bad at that, and I think that's something I keep in the back of my head, so that's why it makes me feel better to go back and just reread. There is sometimes if there's been a couple of weeks where I haven't written, like I got the flu around Christmas and I just could not look at a screen. I would get dizzy. So I just didn't write for a week. And so I went back and I reread like a good portion of what I was working on. I didn't read the whole thing, but I read a good portion of it just to like get my mind back on track of like where the story was at the moment.

Jordan

So I'm I'm curious, does that ever do you have? I know too, like you're with a small press. Does that ever uh I don't know how to explain this? But if you get like, let's say you get sick and you have the flu and you you can't write, do you ever have like deadlines and then you can't meet those deadlines? And did you hit miss a deadline or were you okay because you had like extra writing done? Like how did that work?

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, I think I was okay. Thankfully, with the press I'm under right now, they're very flexible. They understand that we're all, you know, doing our own thing, not all of us are full-time authors. Um, so they're really, really good about giving us that grace that we all kind of, especially with like everything going on right now, that we kind of need in life. So I did not break any deadlines. We do have a deadline of I think March to have like my first draft officially done. So thankfully it's not like, oh, chapters one through 15 need to be done by this date, or they kind of just say, like, hey, once your final draft is done, get it in by this time so we can have it published by this time, which has been really helpful.

Jordan

So, do you have like a general idea of like when book two is going to be published, or is it like so hush hush?

Balancing Writing With A 9–5

Alecia Kirby

I think I said it might be hush hush, I don't know. Um, I don't think it's hush hush, but I turned 30 in June. So I was like, okay, that'd be really cool. Welcome to the 30s club. Thank you. I was like, it'd be cool if it came out around summertime, June. So I've like fingers crossed, if everything goes well, it's gonna be June. We don't have an official date, but at least summer is what I'm aiming for.

Jordan

Okay, so then I know too, you've like kind of brought up that um with having like a job. And I'm like just how how is it fitting in being an author while also being employed, like a nine to five full-time job?

Alecia Kirby

Mm-hmm. It's hard. It's definitely something that when I come home of an evening, not that I have to force myself to sit down and write because I'm never going to write well if I have to force myself, but it is something that I've had to get into the mind frame of doing of being like, okay, I can dedicate at least an hour to this and I'll be okay. And other times, you know, if my body needs that break, I listen to my body. But my full-time job, I work in tourism. I do digital marketing for a local tourism uh department in the area that I live. It's very creative. So I already feel like my juices are flowing on a day-to-day basis. So there's some days I come home and I'm just like riding that high. And I'm like, okay, like I'm gonna write, I'm gonna write. And then other times it's days where I've been driving all over the county that I work for, and I'm like, I just need a break. So it comes and goes with kind of anything. It's it's hard because I wish I had more time to dedicate it. And I'm like, oh, I have the weekends, and then the weekends come around and I want to do stuff with my friends. So it's definitely a little bit of a challenge, but when it's done right and you hit that mark, or like you write a chapter where you go back and you're like, oh, I'm proud of it, it just makes everything worth it. But it it is definitely hard to kind of balance both sides of your life while also having a social life.

Jordan

And I think that's the big thing is to have like off I even know too for myself, for like reading, I almost it's it's weird because it's like I know it's a different, a different way of like doing things because I'm reading the book, so you are writing the books, but I know for myself, like because I do enjoy reading, but I could just like sit at home and read all day and I'm like wait, but I'm not I'm not having like a life right now. Like reading is like doing things, but like I I also want to be social, like you're saying, and it's like sometimes I kind of forget about that, so I can definitely like in a way relate to that, but just with reading, I'm not actually putting words on a paper, but still, you know, it it that's your free time being spent, so you want to, you know, feel good about how it's being spent at the end of the day.

Alecia Kirby

Yes, exactly.

Beating Slumps With Media Sparks

Jordan

Um, and I kind of want to go back to like because you mentioned too, I know you were saying that sometimes you can't like force yourself to write, but I'm curious if inspiration isn't there for like where your characters want to go. Is there anything you do to get that inspiration of like, okay, like now the characters are talking to me, or is it do you just kind of wait until it gets there, until you have it?

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, it's kind of a mix because a lot of the times when I'm just doing stuff, or like if I'm at work, I I'm always thinking about the characters, and like same how I reread chapters or like stuff that I've worked on, like I'm I'm thinking about it too. So if I ever get an idea, I'll write it down or put it in my notes app on my iPhone. And so I just have like an ongoing list of ideas or things, and sometimes it'll all play out and I can like rough write a scene, and that's very helpful. But I thankfully have a really good support group when it comes to friends who if I'm like I'm just in a like a writing slump, like I'm stuck, like writer's block is real. They kind of know the stuff that I like in media, so they're like, just do me a favor and like watch watch this show or watch this movie and tell me how you feel after. And a lot of the time it works, like it gets my creative juices flowing, and like I'll sit down at the computer and like I'll write out a chapter.

Debut Path: Indie Vs Small Press

Jordan

Oh, wait, that's so cool. And then it it is it is interesting because I feel like there's so much media out there that you can like watch or listen to or whatever to get inspiration for something, and I think that is so cool because it could be literally nothing to do with what you watched or listened to, but it like sparked this idea for XYZ, and I think that's honestly just so cool.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, it's really, really helpful. Like, like like you were saying, it could be not even close to the story, but just seeing how creative other people can be and just how certain things can play out helps so much. Like my book, A Crown is A Crown and Shadows, is very like medieval fantasy, it has nothing to do with any like Asian cultures. But one of the recommendations that my friends gave me was Blue Eyed Samurai, and like literally they have nothing to do with it. But after I watched Blue Eyed Samurai, I was like, Oh, I gotta write. Like, I want to write so bad.

Jordan

Oh my gosh. Wait, that's I I don't know. I'm assuming that's a show. I don't know what that is.

Alecia Kirby

It is, yeah, it's a good show.

Jordan

Okay, okay. Maybe now I need to watch it. Um, okay, so then I kind of want to ask too, like, because you this is your debut book, right? How was it as being a debut author, but then also publishing like through a small press? Like, how was that process? And yeah.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, I think I had no expectations, truthfully, because it was something that I didn't think I was going to pursue once the like first draft was finished and I realized I had a full-length novel on my hands. I debated being like an indie author. I was like, okay, if anyone, you know, like if I'm gonna publish this, like I'll just do it on my own. And if anybody reads it, like they read it, it's not that big of a deal. And Molly Um MK, she's the creator behind Azala Press. She was all over my TikTok. Her uh book, Broken Flames, was just like taking over my feed. And eventually I followed the Azala Press page and I saw that they were opening up submissions for manuscripts. And I was going back and forth, and I was like, okay, well, you know, I don't think I would ever pursue it like being traditionally published. So this is kind of like the middleman, right? I'm not traditionally publishing it, but I'm not indie publishing it. Like it's someone that's gonna help me figure out if this is something I even want to pursue. So I submitted it, they read it, they accepted it, they offered, you know, to help me publish it. And I'm so glad I did because it's it's been a crazy ride with everything that was going on in my personal life. And I felt in the beginning I wasn't really able to kind of take it all in and enjoy it because that's when everything was just going to shit. But she was so kind, everyone in the press was so kind, like I mentioned earlier, like they understand that we all have lives and we have other stuff rather than just what we're doing and writing. And I I really am thankful because I think if I had tried to pursue it on my own, it would have never seen the light of day, especially with everything that was happening. It just would have stayed on my computer, stayed a thought in my head, and no one would have ever read it.

Goals, Money, And Creative Work

Jordan

I also feel like, too, with a small press, especially for debut authors, because I can't even begin to know the process, but I feel like there's a lot more nitty-gritty things that the debut author doesn't necessarily know too with self-publishing. And it could be the silliest thing, but I've just seen debut authors like posting about it on social media, being like, I didn't do this, and then like something like XYZ happened. So I feel like having that small press background, like backing you, they're they know everything. So it's almost like you can be like, okay, here's what I've got. Like, what do I need to do next? And they almost like take it and they're like, We've got you. And it sounds like it's like everybody there has your back, which is also like such a feel-good and supported place to be, especially because I I know too, like again, I've never published anything and I've never written anything, but I feel like that's your baby and something that can be very vulnerable of like publishing something. And I don't know, I think having that small press behind you is just I feel like it's gotta be very nice.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, I 100% agree because we all started off in the same position where uh like MK and a couple others at the time, they all self-published, like they were indie publishers. So they knew what worked and what didn't work, and they knew what resources were the most cost efficient, and they knew how to get your face in front of certain things. And so that was helpful too, because it's just not these, you know, like CEOs or people that don't even like really know who you are telling you what to do and just being like, you know, slapping a label on it and calling it a day. The involvement that the press had just made me feel so much better about pursuing this and wanting to get out there. And I I have just said from like day one, if one person read it and enjoyed it, then like that's all that matters. Like, I don't need to be on like a huge press tour or like have you know my face on the New York bestseller, like obviously those things would be nice, but you gotta start like realistically and you gotta start small. And I had no idea where to start. So just even having someone kind of guiding me in the right way that was going to be real realistic and work for me was just such a big help.

Jordan

I know too, like since you have that full-time job, do you think what is the goal to be a full-time author? Or do you think you kind of just want to do this as like part-time and still have your full-time job?

Alecia Kirby

I don't know, because you know, we got bills to pay, like it's expensive out there, so it's root preaching. Yeah, it's you know, um, I would love to do anything where I'm creative full-time, whether that's writing, I had a photography business for eight years where I just started it in college to help pay for groceries and rent, and I continued it throughout COVID. So whether it's photography, writing, maybe like a mix of both, life is hard. So I understand like that's not always realistic. But as long as I get to do those things in addition, if I have to work a nine to five, then like I'll be satisfied.

Advice To New Authors

Jordan

Okay, I like that. I like that a lot because I agree. Like, life is hard and bills, and I swear, just everything's going up in price, so yeah, it's it's just crazy. But anyways, so I I want to ask too like what advice would you have to give to a new author who hasn't published anything, so like this would be their debut book. Like, what advice do you have for them?

A Crown In Shadows: Spoiler-Free

Alecia Kirby

I don't sweat the little things, there's a lot of time where like for me, when I started marketing my book, I started fresh. Like people who followed my page were friends and families, and then a couple of you know, random people would trinkle in. But when I would first start marketing, in the back of your head, maybe just in the back of my head, just because I see certain people like thrive on book talk and like book Instagram and like get all these like viral moments. In the back of my head, I was like, oh, that's gonna, that's what's gonna happen with me. It's gonna like pop off. It's gonna be fine. And then for months and months and months, you know, my posts would get like maybe 10 likes. And that is what I hyperfixated on to be like, why isn't and that's it's it's a little thing, right? And that's just where like my head went, where at the end of the day, it really doesn't matter. The little things seem scary and they seem like they're the end of the world. But once you get past them, you're like, I'm so glad that happened because now I have that learning lesson in the back of my head. And also just be courageous. Like the world is so big, there's so many people. Like, it's okay to put yourself out there. It's okay to make silly videos and like show yourself in who you authentically are, because the people who accept you are gonna come regardless. So just like be courageous and just put yourself out there.

Jordan

There's room for everybody, and no matter what way I think, whether it's like you want to post about books or you want to write a book, I think your story deserves to be told. Um, I like everything that you said. Okay, so now let's get into your debut book, A Crown of Shadows. So we'll keep this like spoiler-free so that way anyone and everyone can listen. But can you tell me a little bit more about your book?

Alecia Kirby

Of course. Uh, it follows Princess Genevieve. She is the heir to her kingdom and only heir to her father. Their kingdom has been embedded in a war with the neighboring kingdom who happened to be home of the Fey uh for about a hundred years, and no sign of reconciliation is in the future or even just on the horizon. So her father comes up with the idea of marrying her off to the Fey Prince, and the night before their wedding, a murder happens. She gets blamed for the murder, and so she has to flee her kingdom for the first time in her entire life to kind of clear her name. And on her journey, she finds out that there's been a lot of stuff that's been lied to her about her kingdom, and also things about herself that she's been lied to.

Jordan

Okay, okay. Honestly, like I feel like you don't see so many or see, I don't like yeah, see many like books that have like this like murder aspect to it, like as like kind of like a major theme in it. And I think that's so interesting. And you said too, it's like medieval.

Dreams, Cliffhangers, And Trilogy

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, that was kind of my inspiration for it. I was really speaking back of Game of Thrones, I was really into Game of Thrones when I first started writing it. So like that was just the the time period that was most relevant in my mind when I was writing it. So yeah, definitely more medievally. Um yeah.

Jordan

I feel like that's like a good theme's not the right word, but like a good kind of setting, especially for like all of this. Like I think that's like so fun. So how did this story come to you? Like this one.

Alecia Kirby

So I had a dream famous speech. I had a dream that literally is one small, small section of the book. And when I woke up from that dream, I immediately just like started writing down certain things and just let the story flow. But the dream, like literally, it's the smallest scene in the entire book, and it's towards the end of the book too. I just I went off that dream and started writing it.

Jordan

Wait, that is so cool because it was a a dream you had, which led to you writing all of book one, book two, and then are you uh how many books are is it just gonna be two books or is there gonna be a trilogy? Ooh, I feel like trilogies are the perfect length for a fantasy. They're just you can get everything in you need to get in, and it's just perfect. I think I'm here for the trilogy.

Alecia Kirby

Yes, yeah. So hopefully we can wrap it all up in three, but I think we can.

Jordan

So I'm was the did the first one release last year, and then the second one is this year, and then I'm assuming next year is the the third one type thing.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, yep. So we're almost on a year of A Crown and Shadows being released. It came out in February of 2025, so almost a full year.

Jordan

Oh my gosh, that's so exciting! Happy almost a full year. Thank you. Which honestly, when you listen to this people, it's probably been a year at this point. Happy belated birthday. Right. Um, okay, so then I kind of I'm curious about like probably the main characters. Where did you draw inspiration for the I'm assuming the female main character?

Character Inspirations And Easter Eggs

Alecia Kirby

So she's named after my best friend. Um, my best friend's middle name is Genevieve, and I just always thought it was such a pretty name. And so when I started thinking of character names and writing them out, she has a lot of character traits that like my best friend has, which I didn't mean to do, but rereading it, I'm like, oh, that's that's a little bit of Brenna. And then my mom, when she read the book, she would like text me certain sections. She was like, I just giggle so much because she reminds me of you. Um, so apparently I inspired myself for this character, but I think it's just natural sometimes to kind of put yourself in the characters, just little sayings or like quirks that they have. And then other characters, I tried to name some characters after people in my real life. So it's always a little fun Easter egg for people to kind of see who's named after who. Um, but a lot of the character traits is is just either stuff that I enjoy reading about, characters who do certain things or like certain what's the right word?

Jordan

Like a personality?

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, certain personalities, just what I enjoy reading. I love a grumpy ex sunshine. So when I started writing her love interest, I was like, oh, this is this is easy. He's gonna be a grumpy gills and only be nice to her.

Jordan

Oh, I love it. I love it. And I have to ask too, for like, I don't know if there's like a villain in the story, but if there's a villain, did you put it to somebody that was like that you don't like in real life?

Alecia Kirby

I didn't mean to. Oh, I love it. I love it. It ended up working out to be named after someone who ended up not being the nicest person in my life. So it worked out. I am here for it.

Jordan

I am here for it. I love because I think I don't remember who the author was, but they said that like all the villains in their books are like names from people that were like mean to them in real life, either younger or like whatever. And I was like, Yes, I if I wrote a book, I would do the exact same thing. And then too, I think it was like, was it somebody else? I don't remember who the author was, but their dedication. I don't know if you saw this. I think this went viral maybe around Christmas time, but it was the dedication was to an ex, and they like were like you were horrible, and then they like sent the book to the ex's house or something, and the mom, I don't I don't know if that's real or not, but like the dedication is to their ex. And I think that is amazing.

Alecia Kirby

I I could never, I could I do if I was like super, super petty, maybe I love that they did that, but I I could never understandable because like I would strive to be that petty, but I don't know if I could actually do it, but I would strive for it. That's the type of petty that I convince myself that I am, and then someone would be like, Oh, you should do it. I'm like, oh no, oh no, no, no.

Speaker 1

Like back up, back up. I really yeah, abort mission, abort mission. Wind that we're not not doing that.

Themes: Don’t Yield And Self-Reliance

Jordan

Mm-hmm. Um, okay, so what is like one takeaway that you would want someone to get from at least the first book that someone might not necessarily pick up right away from the book?

Alecia Kirby

Okay. That's hard because my dedication, I wanted to it's a theme of the book, but it's also something that I was kind of trying to remind myself. And overall, it's just like don't yield. Like, it's okay to like go through certain things, but at the end of the day, like don't give up. So I I would say that just off the dedication alone. But I I love that. I would also say it's not a direct quote in the book, there's something similar, but like you don't need no man, like you can be your own hero. You don't need no man.

Jordan

Yep. I I I am here for that. I am here for that. Yeah, it is it is so true. It is so true. I also sorry, that made me think of are you a Taylor Swift fan or are you not?

Alecia Kirby

Um, I'll listen to her. I'm not like a diehard Swifty, but I I can respect her her drive. Okay, okay.

Jordan

Well then I'm assuming you didn't watch the Ares documentary.

Alecia Kirby

No, it's on Disney Plus.

Jordan

Yes, yes, but there is one episode where she was like, I think this must have been in the height of like she had broken up. This is like before Travis and all this stuff, but she like made a comment of how, like, you know, a man will break your heart, but the Aeros tour never will. And I don't know why that quote made me think of that. But it's it's true, it's true, yes. Um, and so I'm like here for that. And oh my god, I got sidetracked because I thought of Taylor Swiss. Story of my life. I honestly, if I can bring her up, I'm bringing her up, and I will find the weirdest way just like this to bring her up. Um okay, so since this is fantasy, do you think you will always write fantasy, or do you think you'll dive into like different genres after you finish your trilogy?

Genre Talk: Fantasy Romance Vs Romantasy

Alecia Kirby

I think I would dive into different genres. I've been semi-writing a romance novel in my spare time. Like if I if I'm too involved in my current world that I'm writing, I use like the other book as like a palette cleanser to kind of just refresh everything. So I'm I think after I finish the second one, if I need that break between the third, I'll try to actually pursue fully finishing and writing that. But I love like a good thriller, I love a mystery. This one already kind of has a murder mystery into it, so maybe I could just go off of that and write one. But I would probably just stick to writing what I read most, which is fantasy romance, and then whatever my book club tells me to read that month. I'll normally read it.

Jordan

I love it. I don't necessarily always do that because book club, I'm like, I don't really want to read you. No, but some of them are hard. Right, right. But um, okay, then I'm curious too about um your book, like A Crown of Shadows. Would you label this as romanticy or fantasy romance?

Alecia Kirby

Fantasy romance. I definitely think the romance is more of a subplot rather than the driving point. I think it's easier to market it as a romanticy just because it's in there and people like to know that it's in there, but it's definitely not the main driving point of the entire story.

Reading Life And Audiobooks

Jordan

It's it's interesting too because I feel like when you say fantasy romance, it's pretty easy to determine like what it is. But I feel like if you say romantic, it can be so many different levels. But I also think that's because like spice levels vary, so something that can be spicy, because like I know too, like romanticies, like where the romance seems to be like more forward-focusing and the fantasy's kind of like stepped back. Um, but I love like a good see, I love a good fantasy romance because I want the fantasy to take off, yes, and then the romance be the subplot. So I'm here for that. Lovely. Now, did you know the whole time that you wanted this to be a trilogy, or did it kind of like, or was it gonna be a standalone? And then you just kept you're like, oh no, I have more to tell.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, the way that it ended, I think people would riot if it was a standalone, because it does end on a cliffhanger. So if I was just like, Yeah, figure it out on your own, whoever would bring it would be like, what this is so mean. So I definitely knew that it was going to be uh at least two, and then once I started kind of thinking about where I wanted the story to go in my head, I was just like, unless these are like Crescent City sized books, like there's no way that I can get it done in two. So it just makes sense for it to be three.

Jordan

I I like that, and then to two, like I know since you're writing and you have a full-time job, do you fit in reading at all? Or do you have you not really read in a while because you've been just working in writing?

Alecia Kirby

So in 2024, I was definitely reading a lot and like looking back at it, because I was also doing my photography at the time, I'm like, when did I have time to breathe or eat or take care of my dog? Like, I have no idea how I did all that, but I read a lot in 2024. Last year I kind of fell off of it a little bit. But I started the book club that I'm in now, like I started going to that, so that kind of kept me accountable. And then I've also really gone into audiobooks. I was never an audiobook fan before, but I started as long as the narrator's good, I can get through it. But I've really been utilizing that the past year. And whether I'm just cleaning around the house or like driving to work, doing whatever, taking care of my nephew, I just pop on an audiobook and I love it. I love a podcast, but something about an audiobook just makes me feel like so satisfied at the end of it.

Jordan

Right? I love audiobooks. I also too, like I work a full-time job, and so even just my commute from home to the office, it makes a huge difference. I feel like I get not that my commute is that long, but it's it's 30 minutes and like you're listening at like 1.7 speed, like I can get like a good good junk in. And right. And I think it's just like also helps the day go by faster for me at least. Like I all like put in my headphones and like I'm working and listening, as long as it's something that doesn't take too much brain power, or like when I go get a coffee, I'm listening. I'm going to make my lunch, I'm listening. So it's like, and I feel I also too, and I don't know if this happens to you when you if you like listen to an audiobook and then you finish it. I feel just accomplished because it's I finished a book. So I feel like I I I did something.

Alecia Kirby

I agree with that. I was given a physical copy of The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and I had never read it before. And it was just something I was keeping on my bedside table and picking up at night and reading, but it it got to the point where I I didn't touch it for like weeks. I was like, let me just see what the audiobook is like. And so I started listening to it in the office, like while I was working, and it got to a point where I had to turn it off because I was about to bawl like a baby. I was literally like on the brink of sobbing, and I was like, I can't listen to it here.

Jordan

Wait, what is this book now?

Speaker 1

I don't I don't know if I want to listen to it.

Author Influences And SJM

Alecia Kirby

Oh my gosh, it's it's an older book. I'm trying to think of who the author is. It is, I'm gonna butcher the guy's last name. It's A-L-B-O-M album. But it yeah, it's by Mitch Album. Um, it just follows the story of this older man who works at a like carnival on a pier. And he, this isn't a spoiler because the kind of the title gives it away, right? He passes away, and it's the journey of the five people that he meets in heaven who had either really affected his life or vice versa, that he affected their life, and it's very, very short. Um, but oh my gosh, yeah, it just it punched me in the gut, and I was like, I can't listen to this at work.

Jordan

Oh my gosh, yeah. No, I don't mm-mm, I couldn't do that either. I I listened to the silly romances at work or a like thriller because those are the only ones that because I feel like a fantasy I have to like pay attention too much to like be able to actually like a romance. I feel like I can zone in and out if I have like something really important. But I definitely don't want to be like bawling my eyes out in the office.

Alecia Kirby

I I felt the I felt my t my eyes watering a little bit, and I was like, okay, I'll have to wait till I get home to finish this. I've got to put a pause on that for now.

Jordan

I I did want to ask, what are some of the authors, or are there any authors that like influenced you to start writing, or do you like um I don't want to say draw inspiration from, but like you read their stuff because you value like what either they have written or their writing style. Um I just I'm curious if there's any authors that maybe you look up to.

Alecia Kirby

I'm sure this is probably a common answer, and maybe it's not, maybe it's just me. But I will definitely give all the credit to Sarah J. Moss just because the Avatar series really pulled me back into reading, and I read Crescent City after it. I haven't read um Throne of Glass. I almost said Game of Thrones. I haven't read Throne of Glass, that's on my TBR. I need to make time for that.

Jordan

But that is like by far my all-time favorite series in the whole entire world.

Alecia Kirby

I know. I've heard so many good things about it, and I just I know it's gonna be so good when I finally sit down and read it. I just have to get there. And I I've tried I thought about doing the audiobook for that, but the narrator, I just I could see myself not not getting into it with whoever was reading it. But I'll definitely give all the credit for her because she she really I don't know, like yeah, inspired, but also just brought me so into the world that she creates. And I know people have negative things to say about Crescent City, but even Crescent City, just the way that she writes and describes things and the way you get so attached to the characters, it it was just one of those things where it's like, I want to do that, like I want to be able to do that to my readers because she did it to me, and I I know how good that felt. And obviously, like there's times it didn't feel good because people die and like you cry and things happen in the book, and you're like, Why did you do that? But I will give her all the credit. Like, she she really she did it. She did, she did.

Favorite Recs: Dark Fantasy Duet

Jordan

I I she was like the first fantasy, like Avatar was like the first fantasy series like I've ever read. So, and that first book is rough to get into because it's so boring for like 75% of the book, but once once I got to that like certain part in uh Avatar, I like thr flew through the rest of the series and dived right into Throne of Glass. I almost said Game of Thrones too, but throne of glass, and I just have never looked back. The only thing is, is like when I finished um I read it like a few years ago. It was like right, it was like three months before Kingdom of Ash came out. And so once that came out, I read that, finished it. But I don't really think there were as many people, many people, there were many authors that like wrote like she did. So then I was trying these other authors and they were just not hitting the spot. And she just put me in the biggest reading slump of my life at the time, and it was that was brutal.

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, that's it's such a double-edged sword, right? Because, like you said, like we love the way that she writes and tells her stories, but then you're almost expecting that from other authors, and when you don't get it, you kind of have to pull yourself back out and be like, okay, that's a completely different author. This is a completely different series with different characters, it's not all gonna be the same, but I can still find something to love out of this. And a lot of the times, like that's that's what happens. I I try not to DNF books, I normally try to get through them, but I've I mean, there's other series like on my bookshelf over there that I I love and they're different writing styles than SJM, but they still like break my heart just as equally.

Jordan

Yeah, I think, and that's like a great way to like look at it too, is just because I feel at the time for myself, I just wanted more of that. Like I just wanted to be like sucked into the universe, like you were saying. It's like she can really pull you in, and no other author was like hitting the spot for that. Like I wasn't getting sucked in like I did with her, so but that's also I I wasn't really on like Bookstagram or Book Talk yet. So I think finding these books was really difficult. But here we are today. We got through it. We we did, we made it, and we are here. Um okay, so before we end this episode, I did want to ask you two questions, and there First, one being what is your favorite book? A book that you would recommend to anyone and everyone.

Alecia Kirby

I always say One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig, I think is how you say her last name. I loved both of the books, The One Dark Window and the Two Twisted Crowns. So so good. And I think it's a perfect intro into dark fantasy because it's not fully romanticy. Like there's some romance in there, but it's all closed door for the most part. Like I think they might have one steamy thing that gets suggested, but it doesn't actually happen. But so dark, so creepy. I love the way that she took the story and it all plays out the like magical aspects of it and just how even the societal rankings work. I just ugh it's so good. I love it so much.

Jordan

I love that duet so stinking much. I feel like it's so unique to what like especially like when it came out. Granted, I only like just read it. I think I read it in the fall last year. That but at the time, there's like there's it, I feel like it's just so unique to like coming out right now or whenever it came out, you know? And I think that off I totally agree. I love that duet. I love her writing style in it. I loved everything with the cards. I feel like that was so unique. And like you can have those powers, but only if you have the cards. And if you don't have the cards, I'm like, I would just I have you read her other book, um, The Night and The Moth. Yes.

Alecia Kirby

I have not yet. I want to so highly because people are like, it's so so good. I've had a lot of women in my book club that have said it was like their top read of the year, and I'm like, okay, I need to read it, but I just haven't, I haven't snagged it yet.

Jordan

Same. The only thing is, is I've seen people say that they've read that one and love that one, but then they tried to go to one dark window and they didn't love it, like one dark window. So I'm like, oh, does that mean because I loved one dark window, I'm not gonna love the night in the moss? So I I've been a little nervous, but I also know too, like I think there's supposed it's supposed to be two books, or there is another one. So I'm like, oh, maybe I wait until the second one's out and then I can just read both of them.

Big Goal: Salem Book Convention

Alecia Kirby

Yeah, I have not heard that. Um, but that is that makes me curious, curious now. But because when I was talking with some of like the women in the book club for Christmas, we did a book exchange, and oh, that's so fun. It was so much fun, and someone got one of like the special editions of One Dark Window, and they were like, Oh, like I just bought this for myself, and we were able to steal, I think, two times. So, like, I made eye contact with them and I was like, I got you, like, don't worry about it. And it got stolen two times before I was able to take it. But I was like a lot of women around me were like, What is it? What is it? And I was like trying to explain it to them, and so just I it surprised me that a lot of people like hadn't heard of it, but they had heard of the night in the moth. Interesting.

Jordan

I didn't know that. I've I've seen a lot of people say that it is. I like you two. I didn't honestly, I never would have thought it classified it as like a dark fantasy, but you are so right. But I've seen a lot of people that aren't really reading fantasy or like romanticy, but they read that and they're like, okay, yes, I can read this. This is great for like an introduction into fantasy, but I think you're right, an introduction to dark fantasy specifically, because it does have those like darker elements in it.

Alecia Kirby

It's just it's yeah, it's just like a spooky, spooky book. Just some of the things that happen, you just are left a little unsettled, and you're like, Oh, oh, I loved it.

Jordan

I also thought it would well, never mind, I won't say that because I don't know if that would be considered a spoiler, but I loved it. Um so and then the last question I have for you is what is one goal, either short term or long term, that you would like to achieve? And this can be in like anything.

Alecia Kirby

I would love to attend one of the book conventions, specifically in Salem, Massachusetts. Like I've attended a couple and I have a couple coming up this year too. But I like my friends, call me like a witchy bitch. Like, I just love anything witchy, and I've been to Salem once before, but I saw that they have a book convention and it's a pretty big one. And I'm like, I would love to be an attending author for one of those conventions.

Jordan

I like it. We are manifesting this for you. I also love Salem too. I love anything and everything paranormal. So I'm just like, I love Salem so much. Um I but yes, we are manifesting this for you, and it will happen. Yes, yes.

Alecia Kirby

Put it out in the universe.

Where To Find The Book

Jordan

Well, okay, so I do also want to give you the floor if you want to like shout out yourself where people can find you, where people can get your book. Yeah.

Alecia Kirby

Okay, so my book is available online at pretty much any retailers, Barnes Nobles, Target, Walmart, Books A Million, Amazon. Uh, it's also available on Kindle Unlimited, and you can follow me on my socials, which is Instagram, threads, and TikTok at ABK Books, and hopefully have a website up within the year, but TBD on that, because once again, money bills gotta be paid. So yeah, TBD on that. Lythen. Lifely Lythen.

Jordan

Yep, yep. Um, okay, that's awesome. And thank you so much for coming on the podcast and letting me and like talking to me.

Alecia Kirby

Thank you so much for having me and dealing with my dog who is probably ready for food now.

Speaker 1

Oh, oh yeah. Oh, she's she's ready, she's ready. Um 40 years.

Jordan

Right. Oh, like the SpongeBob like voices or the yeah, that thing.

Speaker 1

Like many, many, many days later.

Jordan

Yes, yeah. She's starving at this point.