Hi, I’m indie fantasy author, Melinda Kucsera, and in this episode, I talk about what’s been happening behind the scenes (updates on life, my job, and my family, as well as the situation with Amazon), what I’ve been writing, and what’s coming next.

New Books Out Now:

• Tales of the Curse Breaker in NY Trilogy: https://melindakucsera.com/tales-of-the-curse-breaker-in-ny/

• the last two books in the Curse Breaker’s Companion Series: https://melindakucsera.com/curse-breakers-companion/

What I’m writing now:

• Curse Breaker Jousts, book 12 of the Curse Breaker Series. I talk about the story behind it in this episode.

What I’m writing next:

• Chaos Reigns, the next book in the Riders of the Apocalypse series.

Where to get Curse Breaker Jousts:

Follow the kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/melindakucsera/two-riders-of-the-apocalypse-illustrated-epic-fantasy-quests

Where to find your host:

• Newsletter: https://www.melinda-kucsera.com/embed

• website: https://melindakucsera.com/

Hi, I’m indie fantasy author, Melinda Kucsera, and in this episode, Joshua Olivieri is joining me to talk about his debut book, The Fifth Commander.

What’s it about?

When the hero chosen by the divine becomes a tyrant, who is strong enough to kill him?

The Alkatharos, Valazar’s prophesied savior, has ruled for five centuries. However, peace is but a memory for its people. A rebellion gnaws at the borders of His Lordship, and whispers of a traitor within His walls turn fear into panic.

Gallen Tramore, the feared Fifth Commander of the Alkatharos, is sent to expose and slay the traitor. What he uncovers instead is a betrayal that shatters his faith in his master, his home, and his comrades.

To discover the truth, Gallen commits a crime worthy of death: abandoning his post. Now declared a traitor, Gallen is hunted by those he once bled alongside. Caught between centuries-old vendettas and a forbidden power that should’ve stayed buried, Gallen must decide where his loyalties lie and if he is strong enough to defy an immortal legend.

Where to get the book: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshuaolivieri/the-fifth-commander

Where to find our guest:

• Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587664119664

• LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-olivieri-555760bb/

• Website: https://joshuaolivieriauthor.com/

Where to find your host:

Melinda’s website: https://melindakucsera.com/

Hi, I’m indie fantasy author, Melinda Kucsera, and in this episode, Riley S. Quinn is joining me to talk about her book, Gold and Gossamer.

What’s it about?

The Mage King of Avonbend is meant to be untouchable, but Dante cannot help feeling that the formidable Fairy Queen who lurks beyond the ruins and rivers of Avonbend’s borderlands is not truly the threat that human legends describe her to be. When he finds himself in need of a favor to save his people from a mysterious blight, he dares to ask for her generosity. The Fairy Queen offers up a different path: one that leads to a truth that Dante is not yet prepared to unveil, with webs of secrets, oaths, and intrigue all at her fingertips.

Gold and Gossamer is a character-driven fantasy romance with cinematic storytelling.

Set in the world of Talamherra created by Riley S. Quinn, Gold and Gossamer is fantasy with fae elements and political intrigue.

What’s in this episode:

Riley S. Quinn will take us into a world of fairy courts, magical kingdoms, and dangerous alliances with an excerpt from Gold and Gossamer, and we’ll explore aspects of that world, like the balance between the human and fairy realms, the mysterious blight threatening Avonbend, and the intricate politics between rulers.

We’ll find out what to expect from this standalone fantasy and maybe get some spoiler-free highlights of the rivalry and unexpected connection between the Mage King and Fairy Queen.

We’ll discuss Dante’s journey from isolated Mage King to being drawn into the shadows of the Fairy Queen’s dominion, and discover the worldbuilding details, the cinematic techniques Riley uses to bring scenes to life, and how her background in animation and storyboarding shapes her fantasy writing.

Join us in a place where the human and fairy worlds balance on a precipice, and two rulers find their fates more intertwined than they ever dared to imagine.

Where to get the book: https://linktr.ee/goldandgossamer (Releases November 8, 2025)

Where to find our guest:

• Website: https://www.rileyquinnart.com/

• Instagram: rileyquinnart

• TikTok: rileyquinnartofficial