August 12, 2025 • 57 mins
Jordan sits down with indie author Chelsey Ann Tompkins. They discuss Chelsey's latest title- Straw and Gold, unique female main characters, grumpy male leads, their love for the bookish community, and her journey thus far as an indie author. There's a lot of laughing and bonding over all things romantasy.
Straw and Gold is out August 15th! It's spicy reimagined Rumpelstiltskin novella! You'll find it full of tension, a strong willed FMC, chemistry, and one grumpy Fae King! While it is a stand alone, it is connected to the first in the series- Curse & Spindle (out now!). You can also find Chelsey's complete debut trilogy A Conduit of Light out in it's entirety.
To follow Chelsey or find her books:
https://www.instagram.com/chelseyanntompkins/
https://www.instagram.com/romancerecspod/
https://www.threads.net/@romancerecspod
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jordan (00:01):
Welcome to Romance Recs.
We're usually three romanceobsessed, besties, best sharing
book recs broken down by genresand tropes so you can be sure
you're getting exactly what youwant out of your next read.
I'm Jordan, and I'm currentlylistening to Rejection by K.
Lorraine and Meg Ann.
(00:21):
And today with me, I have,
Chelsey (00:24):
Hi, I Chelseysea Ann Tompkin, and I write romantasy.
Jordan (00:31):
are you reading anything right now?
Chelsey (00:33):
I am.
I'm reading three things, whichis very unlike me.
This is not usual.
It's usually a one.
I'm a one girl.
I am listening to the EverQueen.
I just finished the Ever King isvery good.
Enjoying the Ever Queen.
And then I am reading a CrookedKingdom, the second book in six
of Crows Duology.
(00:53):
And I'm also reading a Conduitof Light, which is my first
book.
And I'm doing that with one ofmy best friends.
And we are looking forbreadcrumbs that lead to the
twist in the book because I'mdoing a panel about adding
breadcrumbs to your stories atonce upon a con.
So we're both like huntingthrough and it is so much fun.
(01:15):
We are having a great time.
Jordan (01:17):
sounds like my favorite thing ever.
Chelsey (01:19):
It is so much fun to read with her because she's so
good at anything we readtogether.
She's so good at finding those,like little tidbit, little
sprinkles of things in the bookand you're like, oh, I missed
that.
I didn't even hear it.
And so she's so much fun to readwith.
We're having a blast.
Jordan (01:40):
That is like what I do naturally on my own and
rereading all of my likefavorite series, so That
Chelsey (01:46):
But instead of talking aloud to yourself, you're like
texting your friend.
It's great.
Jordan (01:51):
is funny.
Ha.
Oh, I knew this would happen.
I'm
Chelsey (01:53):
Yeah.
Jordan (01:53):
there's no one else who has read it.
Chelsey (01:56):
Yeah.
Jordan (01:58):
Yeah
Chelsey (01:58):
we're having a great time doing that.
So those are three books I'mreading again.
Very unheard of.
Jordan (02:03):
that's funny.
'cause usually I have at leasttwo, so it's strange that I have
one.
Chelsey (02:07):
that you're at one.
Jordan (02:08):
Swapped.
Chelsey (02:09):
We're just swapping over here.
Jordan (02:11):
Love it.
Perfect.
I'm so excited to have you on.
I'm so excited you're here withus.
Chelsey (02:16):
I love being here.
This is great.
I mean, we met a while ago.
Jordan (02:21):
Yeah.
You and I met, I think lastsummer,
Chelsey (02:24):
Yeah, it was June, And I remember talking to you a
little bit about your podcast,and I was brand new.
Jordan (02:32):
Yeah.
Chelsey (02:32):
I was like, what's going on?
Jordan (02:34):
I was brand new too.
I was,
Chelsey (02:36):
who's a person?
And
Jordan (02:39):
Who reads
Chelsey (02:40):
yeah, what's going on?
But the thing I remember themost was the logo.
Your logo.
And I remember being like, I'mobsessed with this logo.
And then later when I found youlater too, I was like, yes, the
logo lady.
Jordan (02:54):
the curvy lady.
The curvy
Chelsey (02:56):
I love
Jordan (02:57):
she get, she gets ya.
Chelsey (02:58):
And now here we are, here we're.
Jordan (03:00):
know.
It was so fun.
And we were right across fromeach other this year at the same
event at Emerald City RomanceWriters and Readers
Chelsey (03:10):
Yes, which was fun.
Jordan (03:12):
I know it was such a
Chelsey (03:13):
That was really fun.
I feel like that whole aisle wasvery loud and I feel like we
were a part of that.
Jordan (03:19):
I like to think
Chelsey (03:20):
there
Jordan (03:21):
I like to think that we were the heart of the party.
Yeah, absolutely.
Chelsey (03:25):
Your shiny cowboy boots running around.
It was amazing.
Jordan (03:30):
Listen, I like to make a statement when I can.
All right.
I, my mom attire day to day, Idon't always get the chance.
So when I do,
Chelsey (03:37):
I know it right.
No, I did the same thing.
I wore a super bright dress.
It's come look at me
Jordan (03:43):
We matched, we were wearing
Chelsey (03:44):
We did.
We did.
We're on the same wavelength oflike right across from each
other in red.
Here we go.
Jordan (03:55):
look at me.
It was perfect.
Okay.
Before we get too far off thebeaten path here we do like to
try to do quotes.
We don't try.
We do eventually
Chelsey (04:07):
Yes.
Jordan (04:07):
but we like to do quotes at the beginning of every
episode of something we'verecently read or one that really
stuck with us for a while.
Do you mind if I read one fromyour new, latest book that I
Chelsey (04:19):
I do not mind, Jordan.
Jordan (04:21):
Okay,
Chelsey (04:22):
That would be lovely.
Jordan (04:23):
so I'm gonna read a quote from Straw and Gold by our
very own Chelsey Ann Tompkins.
I just went with one that I feltreally represented our FMC and
her relationship towards ourleading man.
Chelsey (04:39):
Okay, I'm
Jordan (04:41):
What a, okay.
Ready?
Chelsey (04:42):
Yeah.
Jordan (04:43):
What a fool.
My husband had been trying todeny the instant attraction
between us.
Well, I wouldn't have it.
I wouldn't let him do it anylonger.
This fire in his eyes was mine,and I'd see it as often as I
could.
Chelsey (04:56):
You know, Jordan,
Jordan (04:59):
Is that your lie?
Is that the quote you grabbed?
Shut up.
Chelsey (05:03):
I can't shut up because I literally, Talk about the same
wavelength.
I came on here with a quote,which I will read from six
arose, which I just finished.
Right.
It's fantastic, but I was like,I should have something from
strong gold just in case.
I literally wrote down.
I didn't write that whole thing,but I wrote the end because it
(05:24):
needs to be heard again becausethis is Marella, this is her,
this fire in his eyes was mineand I'd see it as often as I
could.
And that is just like herstance, this entire book in a
nutshell.
She is,
Jordan (05:41):
I'm excited to dive more into her and this book in just a
little bit.
I, it was actually really closeto that between that one and
another one.
Maybe when we talk about herlater, I'll read it.
Chelsey (05:50):
Okay.
Jordan (05:51):
but obviously it's a really good quote.
Chelsey (05:54):
yeah, it's it and I think it really does, like I
said, it just sums up what, howshe feels about the whole
situation.
This is how she's feeling aboutthat.
Jordan (06:03):
too, and Okay.
Yeah.
Chelsey (06:04):
Okay.
We'll get into that.
Can I read my, uh, six A crowsone?
Jordan (06:08):
Yes
Chelsey (06:08):
So six of crows, you know, came out a bajillion years
ago.
And I just got around to readingit because I'm trying to read
more Heisty books and I'mwriting a Heisty book soon,
which we'll also talk aboutlater.
But I love Kaz Brecker.
I cannot get over this characterbecause he is so complicated and
(06:28):
yet, so, it's so simplistic Whohe is it he's a beautiful
character.
And so, a line from him is,there was no part of him that
was not broken, that had nothealed wrong, and there was no
part of him that was notstronger for having been broken.
And it's just, he's such adynamic, interesting character.
(06:53):
All of the characters in thatbook are fantastic.
I absolutely adored it and Iread it super slow.
And if I'm reading a book superslow, I you like, you know, it's
good because I'm just likesoaking it in and dreading the
last page basically.
Jordan (07:07):
Yeah, I like it.
I have only heard I haven't readit.
Obviously I know of it.
I know Christina's talked aboutit and the characters, and so
I've heard a lot of the names,like I've heard of and I've
heard
Chelsey (07:23):
you watch the show?
Did you watch Shadow and Bone?
Yeah, so they, they likecombined six of Crows and Shadow
of Bone and I remember watchingthe show and being like, well,
let's get back to the storylineof Six and Crows.
Six of Crows.
Right.
It was so good.
And I fi yeah.
I finally got around to readingit.
It's totally worth a read.
(07:44):
It's fantastic.
Five stars.
Jordan (07:47):
Yeah, I'll add it.
I'll add it to the G Again,
Chelsey (07:50):
Move that up.
Move that up.
The TVR.
Jordan (07:53):
and then other things like push it down and then it
goes back up and then morethings push it down.
Chelsey (07:59):
Yeah.
And as like romance readers,right?
You and I, there's not a lot ofthat in there.
It's in, but it's not the focalpoint.
And I didn't think that I wouldbe okay with that.
Jordan (08:11):
That's fair.
Chelsey (08:13):
I was obsessed with it though.
Like it's just that good, thatit's like romance, who, I mean,
there is some romance and ofcourse the romance that was in
there, I was like, I gotta hyperfixate on this because that's
just who I am.
But yeah it's a fantastic book.
Jordan (08:29):
I should say on in that vein, I feel like maybe two or
three times a year I find myselflike, I need to either read like
something just straight fantasyor mystery, like a suspense or
mystery.
I'm like, but then I find theromance plot within that, and
I'm like, oh, yeah, there, it's,yeah.
Chelsey (08:48):
And it's like that draw.
It's the high, it's the fix andlet's make it end game.
Jordan (08:53):
Technically I am also reading, listening to Dune right
now for the first time becausemy husband has been begging me
and he is read two series forme,
Chelsey (09:06):
Okay.
Jordan (09:07):
so, and I've tr.
Chelsey (09:09):
You feel like you need to reciprocate?
Jordan (09:11):
tried.
He had me trying, no, listen,Chelsey, he had, I don't know
what you know about War Hammer40 K, he had me trying to read
one of those,
Chelsey (09:22):
we talked about this at dinner
Jordan (09:24):
uh,
Chelsey (09:26):
I
Jordan (09:29):
like
Chelsey (09:30):
that you were drawing.
Jordan (09:31):
this and I was like, I just can't.
So Dune, I've watched Dune.
Cool.
Great.
Cute movie.
I'm probably the one calls acute movie, but I go to Dune
Park in Tacoma.
That's like cool.
I, it's so hard.
Chelsey (09:49):
Yeah.
I get it.
Jordan (09:50):
People come, people who complain about books when the
moon hatched I'm just like, thisis child's play.
I have attempted War Hammer,like the dry, like listing of
like world set up, world buildand all this stuff.
Anyways, I digress.
Chelsey (10:07):
different, it's a different category than you're
used to.
Jordan (10:12):
But it's good to know six of crows has more of that
and it's more
Chelsey (10:16):
six of crows and you know, it's, ya, I typically
stray away from it.
If it's, if something is youngadult, because I feel like I've
just, I don't know.
I've just moved on from that agegroup of care of characters.
Not that the writing's bad, notthat the story's bad.
I'm sure these things arelovely, but just the age group
of the characters, I tend to shyaway, but they don't feel 16 and
(10:38):
17.
Jordan (10:39):
Oh my God.
Are they that young?
Chelsey (10:40):
yeah.
And I'm reading it and I'm like,how was he 17?
Excuse me.
He's talking like he's at least25.
Jordan (10:47):
Oh, okay.
That, that totally just changedmy whole perception of that
path.
Wild.
All right.
Okay.
Well that we're like 13 minutesin can you share a little bit
about yourself, like who you areas an author and your latest
release?
Give us like who is
Chelsey (11:07):
Who am I?
I'd love to.
So, uh, I am a romantasy seeauthor.
That is what I write.
It's what I read.
It's what I love.
I live in it.
I wish I lived in, I don't livein it.
I live in a more contemporarystyle.
But I, uh, came out with myfirst book, A Conduit of Light
(11:30):
in November of 2023.
So it's coming up onto two yearssoon that I've been doing this.
Very wild and very joyful andeverything that I wanted pretty
much right, except, you know,other things that could have
happened.
But that's fine.
It's been a wonderful journey.
And so I finished my firsttrilogy at Conduit of Light
(11:52):
Trilogy.
In the last day of 2024.
'cause I wanted to have writtentwo books in 2024.
So that's what I did.
And it is, yeah.
And so that trilogy, a Con ofLight trilogy is not your
typical romantic.
It is very twisty.
It has a lot of nature magic andthere's not a lot of like sword
(12:15):
play and war and there's noassassin FMC and she doesn't
wield a sword.
So it's a different kind ofromantasy, uh, and it deals a
lot with themes of hope and uh,holding on to what you believe
in and what you love as well asgenerational trauma.
(12:35):
And all of these things cametogether in my life after I had
been through depression throughCVID and I was like, this is it.
It's time.
Like I knew that I was going tobe a writer forever.
I always knew that I would doit, and it was just a matter of
when, and it was time.
And so that trilogy reallyhelped me heal myself.
(12:57):
And I love talking about it topeople who just walk up to my
table or they just find me, onInstagram or something because
there's so much of myself intoit.
It's like, how do you get acrosslike how epic this story is
Jordan (13:13):
I love that.
Chelsey (13:14):
So that is my trilogy and, it's complete, it's done.
It has been so hard to move onfrom.
So what I did was I moved oninto super spicy fairytale
retailing.
Jordan (13:31):
How can I deal with this writing?
Let down
Chelsey (13:34):
yep, that's exactly the thought process.
I was like, how am I gonna dothis?
Because saying goodbye to yourcharacters after so long of
having them there with you everysingle day, you know, it was
writing Curse Spindle was like,whoa, we have to completely 180
(13:54):
this.
And so, I wrote a very spicy,sleepy beauty novella, Curse and
spindle, but I put my spin on itwhere it's still has themes, has
messages.
There's like an overarching, youknow, romance that is very
endearing and there's a lot ofchemistry.
And it's actually became likethis really beautiful novella
(14:19):
that I'm very proud of becausewriting a novella is just a
whole nother ball game,
Jordan (14:24):
I bet.
Chelsey (14:25):
40,000 words.
You have to have a completestory, and if it's romance, you
gotta make it believable.
And
Jordan (14:34):
Yeah,
Chelsey (14:35):
so it was a challenge that I really loved because it
really put me into a head spaceof having to really focus on
these characters and kind of getout of a conduit of light.
And so I wrote that, that cameout at the end of April this
year.
And that was wonderful because Imet so many new readers through
that book.
Because it's a standalone, youcould pick it up and read it and
(14:58):
a day.
Right.
And so then I just am releasingstraw and gold on August 15th.
That is a rumble stilts skinretelling, as you know.
Oh, I forgot I gave you thecharacter art.
Jordan (15:15):
I have the character
Chelsey (15:16):
Oh my God.
We're only a couple pre-ordersaway from sharing that, and I'm
very excited.
Jordan (15:22):
Oh,
Chelsey (15:23):
but straw and gold is not quite a novella.
It's a little over, but it hadto be, you know, it's kind of
Jordan (15:30):
it really did.
Chelsey (15:30):
Author things where I'm like this can't be Curse and
Spindle.
That has to be a little bitover,
Jordan (15:36):
Uh, yeah, that was my only complaint about the whole
thing, was that it wasn'tlonger.
I was like, I need this drawnout.
I need to know more.
I was like, this is amazing, andI just wanna keep going with
these characters.
Chelsey (15:47):
I completely understand, and I've heard that
complaint many times
Jordan (15:52):
it's not a true complaint.
It's more
Chelsey (15:54):
I know,
Jordan (15:55):
loved it so
Chelsey (15:56):
And it kind of counters what I'm trying to do with these
fairytales because I'm trying togive you something all, every
single fairytale in a realm ofrevelry, and there's gonna be a
bunch more, right.
Every single one is going to bethe length where you can sit
down on a Friday night andyou're done by Sunday.
(16:19):
I want them to be quick.
I want them, you know, haveadorable moments and a really
good chemistry, and I'm bringingin these pieces of these stories
that we know, and I'm just like,twisting the hell out of them.
They're like to the point whereyou're like, I see how this is
Rumpelstiltskin, but alsothere's no creepy man.
There's no creepy, like babystealing.
(16:42):
It's it feels like a romantasybook.
And so straw and gold comes outAugust 15th.
I'm really excited and proud ofit.
It was another labor of loveafter Chris had spindle getting
to it, but I think I spent everysingle lunch hour of mine from
like January to, I don't know,through April.
(17:06):
Writing that book.
Yeah,
Jordan (17:10):
That's a lot.
Lunch hour is precious.
Chelsey (17:13):
yeah.
And I, that's what I was doing,lights off.
Jordan (17:16):
Yeah.
Chelsey (17:17):
That's what was happening.
And it's, and I do it becauseit, it makes me happy.
And if I'm not, you know,working on a book or I'm not
writing I feel something is justmissing.
It just is.
If I'm not developing some storysomewhere, whether I'm actually
writing it or editing it orpreparing it for release it,
it's just so a part of me nowthat I can't imagine my life
(17:39):
without it.
Jordan (17:40):
Oh, I love to hear that though.
That's so amazing.
It's so nice to hear like youand how passionate you are about
these stories and how investedyou are and because it really
comes across when you talk topeople about it who either
haven't read it or you know.
Who stopped by your table, whohave
Chelsey (18:01):
Right.
Jordan (18:02):
Just like you talking about the characters.
Even though you spent so muchtime with them, you're still so
excited about them and it's justso fun to hear you genuinely
love your characters
Chelsey (18:13):
author who, yeah I am right there with you.
You know when you're readingthose moments and you're
giggling and kicking your feet,I am there.
When you're reading thosemoments and you're crying and
you hate me, I also hate me.
I am also there with you
Jordan (18:29):
Yeah.
Chelsey (18:30):
it's both.
It's all of it.
A hundred percent.
Jordan (18:33):
Yeah, and honestly arc commitments, that's how I
finally made time to read one ofyours.
I was like, yeah, I will take anarc of straw and gold because
then I will like actually haveto pencil it in and I'll have
ap, I'll have to, because thatis like how I'm getting through.
Most things these days.
But oh my God, now I'm soexcited to go back and read it
(18:54):
Curse and spindle because you dosee, you get glimpses and you
get an idea for the charactersfrom that in straw and gold.
Chelsey (19:03):
Yeah,
Jordan (19:03):
But, so if you do wanna pick up strong gold first, you
can.
Absolutely.
You can.
I did it.
I'm sure you would have an evengreater understanding if you
read Curse and Spindle first,but okay, can we talk about the
chin holding in straw and goldlike was like, oh, my good lords
Chelsey (19:27):
I think
Jordan (19:27):
oh.
Chelsey (19:28):
that it's, for me, it's like, it's not just how he grabs
her face.
the, it's that the grumpysunshine really shows in those
moments.
Killian is the most, grumpygiant, you know, very typical
(19:50):
MMC that I have ever written inmy life.
And I thought, I honestlythought I was going to argue
with him more, you know, in myhead with you can't do that.
Jordan (20:03):
He just means, well,
Chelsey (20:04):
I was like,
Jordan (20:05):
he just means, well, his assholeness comes from a
Chelsey (20:09):
I know he's,
Jordan (20:10):
He's an ass because he cares.
Chelsey (20:13):
of
Jordan (20:13):
about my man like that.
Okay.
Chelsey (20:15):
this is very typical that I would write an asshole
who's actually the sweetest,kindest person.
This is very on brand for me,because generally the men that I
write.
Are very kind, caring, uh,thoughtful, just it's all there
(20:36):
gushing on you as you'rereading, as you're like, oh my,
I know, right?
Oh, I'm very good at puttinginnuendos into things like this.
But, uh, it's, that's very mystyle of MMC.
And so I knew that Killian wasgoing to be different, and I
really thought writing hischapters that he and I were
gonna get in, you know, somearguments, right?
(20:56):
Like he and I were gonna havesome about what was appropriate
to put in there.
But the fact that he holds thisanxiety and trauma Really helped
his character be understoodright from the get go.
And I think that's what's soendearing about Killian is
because you get it.
You're like, yeah, he's ajackass.
(21:18):
I, but I get it.
Know, but that's the thing is hethough, I mean he is, he's not
very nice.
Jordan (21:24):
he, and here's the thing, it doesn't, I never felt
that he was that big of anasshole, but it's because I
often saw him from the lens ofthe most prob, possibly the most
unique FMC I've ever read.
Chelsey (21:41):
Yeah.
Let's talk about
Jordan (21:42):
tell you, let's, this is my, this is one of my new
favorite characters of all time,Marella.
She knew this was arranged,marriage was coming since she
was, what, 15
Chelsey (21:52):
Yeah.
Jordan (21:54):
you guys.
She ran to this wedding.
She did not run away.
Like most arrangement.
She never fought this.
She's yeah, I'm gonna go bequeen.
But it's not for power.
You guys, she didn't go andshe's not some snob, like she
has her reasons, good reasons,but also just for herself, she's
I can make this life work and Ithink I can be meaningful in it,
(22:15):
and I can do this and I can findlove out of this.
And it was like, what is thisplot possible?
Have we ever seen this?
Chelsey (22:25):
me, I asked myself that same question.
Jordan (22:28):
But I loved it because self-assuredness her, she knew
her worth, she like, eventhrough her own traumas that she
went through, she was steadfastin herself and in her goals.
Chelsey (22:46):
She was unwavering in what she thought was going to
happen.
Jordan (22:49):
I'm, and she was determined to make it happen.
She wasn't waiting around for itto happen.
One of my all time favoritemoments from this book, and it's
near the beginning.
So I mean, if you really don'twant a small spoiler, just skip
like 30 seconds or a minute,guys.
But like when she drags hertrunk across and on the first
night, it was like, I am notsleeping in a room away from my
(23:12):
husband.
I am married and I will make himfall in love with me.
And if he's not going to do me,at the very least, he can share
a room with me.
And she's just trying to dragthe, and then he opens the door
and she's there you are.
You can bring my trunk.
I, I was like, fuck yeah.
(23:33):
You're not even gonna make,you're gonna make him help.
Yes.
Chelsey (23:37):
She just dives into the bed like that's it.
When I, so all of, I will tellyou, let's preface this so all
of my characters talk to me.
I'm sure you've heard authorstalk about this.
It's a thing.
And if, you know, if you're anaspiring writer or you do write
and your characters are talkingto you, I always say, you're on
(23:57):
the right track because this iswhat it, this is what it feels
like.
Okay.
I've been watching so muchK-pop, demon hunters.
Oh my God.
Okay.
Jordan (24:05):
My daughter's been singing it.
It's okay.
Chelsey (24:07):
My characters talked to me and so I remember the story
developing right after KirstenSpindle because this, if you
don't know Marella is, uh, theMMC from Kirson.
Spindle Korvin.
It's his sister.
And as soon as I was like, whothe heck is his sister?
Who would be Korvin's?
(24:28):
Sister, because Korvin is aunique character all on his own.
And I'm like, who would hissister be?
Right?
And her like, she's coming tome.
This was one of the first scenesthat came to me is that she's
fucking dragging her own trunkout of the room.
That her husband, she justmarried, put her in, he put her
(24:48):
in a separate room and she says,F no.
Dragging it out in her nightgownat 2:00 AM this is her.
And I was like, okay, we're justgoing with it.
We're going with it.
'cause that is a beautiful sceneright there.
I
Jordan (25:01):
taking what she's owed without I mean, It's a matter of
fact and everything that shefeels like, this is a matter of
fact,
Chelsey (25:09):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so, her concept of hercharacter was, you know,'cause
she is, she's very differentthan what you've read before and
I, trust me, a huge part of mewas like.
This is too different.
Uh, you know, and it came downto Chelsey, what are you doing?
This FMC is not what people aregoing to be used to.
(25:33):
I don't know how it's going tobe taken.
Jordan (25:35):
I loved.
Chelsey (25:36):
And she is a person where she knows what she wants
and she knows that it might notbe, she eventually comes to
around to realize, okay, this isgonna be harder than I thought
it would be to get it right.
'cause the poor thing came intothat wedding going, woo, this
Jordan (25:55):
Look at me in my blood Red
Chelsey (25:57):
Yeah, the rest of my life right here.
And she was rudely awakenedduring the wedding, but she's
just a person where she's anFMC, where even though he puts
up the walls, even though he.
He does his darnedest to pushher away for reasons, very good
reasons.
Jordan (26:18):
are always reasons folks.
Chelsey (26:20):
she said, I'm not having this.
You are my husband.
This is it for us.
This is it for you.
This is it for me, and this isgoing to happen.
And that is so different thanwhat we're used to, than what I
have written before because allof the FMCs I've written before
are very like, independent.
This is what I want.
I'm gonna take it.
(26:40):
You could come along if youwant.
That's the kind of general
Jordan (26:44):
The thing she wanted was a husband, and not just any
husband but him.
She's this was my destiny.
Chelsey (26:49):
She wanted, yeah, she wanted that life together and
she felt like she was gettingout of her, you know, her
brother's wings, so to speak.
Right.
He's a Raven fa prince withwings.
And she has wings too, which isalso
Jordan (27:02):
that.
She was the one that
Chelsey (27:03):
has wings.
Yeah.
She has these black wings with
Jordan (27:06):
that are very Tint.
Chelsey (27:08):
It, they are and she's just a very different way to
write a woman, but also very, Ifeel like, accurate way.
I like to write FMCs who are,you know, very varied.
Who are different than eachother.
I don't wanna ever write thesame exact person into a book
(27:30):
because women are so differentfrom each other while also
having so many similarities.
You know, that's such a genericthing to say, but it's true.
And as we read these books thatwe
Jordan (27:42):
the experience of being a woman.
Chelsey (27:43):
Yeah.
We get to live in otherpeople's, other women's, you
know, minds and feel what theyfeel and reflect on different
ways of thinking about things.
And Morella definitely thinksdifferently about things.
Jordan (27:56):
yeah.
So here's another quote I wasgoing to, I was actually going
between three.
This is one of the other ones.
Do you believe your feignedindifference fools me.
I trace the side of his face.
It's these eyes, Killian.
I see the fire in them.
When you look at me, when youwatch me, when you dream of
tasting me again, when you touchyourself, imagining my lips
(28:19):
replacing your hand, like theaudacity.
And here's the funny thing isthey are both so stubborn.
Like she, I mean, really at thebottom of this, it's a lot of it
is stubborn and refusing to hearhim.
Like
Chelsey (28:31):
A Raven Fe trait for sure.
Jordan (28:33):
yeah.
But it's not, it doesn't come toan explosive head and but it is
this constant back and forthpush and pull with them.
And it's just, it's so fun toread.
Chelsey (28:45):
Because when she realizes, she comes to that
realization that he does wanther and that he would like to
have her and a lot of that comesout through their intimate
moments when he's teaching herabout sex and different kinds of
sex acts because she just, shedoesn't know.
And that's
Jordan (29:05):
her first experiences was lie, and I did like that,
that it wasn't like she wascoming and she totally saved
herself for him.
Like she knew she was destinedto be with him this whole time
or promise him or whatever, butshe was like, I'm
Chelsey (29:18):
It's been 15 years.
Yeah.
Jordan (29:20):
I'm still gonna have experiences.
It just
Chelsey (29:23):
And
Jordan (29:24):
that great.
Chelsey (29:25):
yeah, no, it
Jordan (29:26):
Been there.
Chelsey (29:27):
laugh about it so much.
It's so fun to make fun of thatpoor guy.
I need to have him in another.
Fairy tale guy,
Jordan (29:36):
Oh my God, that would be so funny.
Like in a tavern somewhere whilethey're traveling or
Chelsey (29:42):
Deal Tree, just like their name dropped.
Jordan (29:45):
I
Chelsey (29:46):
Oh my God.
I think it's gonna happen forsure.
Jordan (29:48):
I'm gonna, we need merch.
Poor Breen, like I hope Brickand learn some lessons.
Some lessons.
Like something with Breen, RIP,Breen.
Chelsey (29:57):
where's
Jordan (29:58):
We know you were like, he's just a poor teenage guy.
Just
Chelsey (30:03):
He was just 19 and figuring it out himself and it,
and they just make fun of him,the whole book.
It's great.
But but uh, when she realizes,when Marella realizes that
Killian wants her and is holdingback for whatever reason, that's
what she kind of goes feral.
She's well, here it is.
The evidence.
Yeah.
(30:24):
Basically, right?
She's no, I was right.
It's you and me.
I was correct.
And then she just takes off fromthere and there's no stopping
her.
Jordan (30:33):
Yeah.
And she doesn't ever letself-doubt win
Chelsey (30:36):
No
Jordan (30:37):
any, and this is
Chelsey (30:38):
she doesn't.
Jordan (30:40):
Has been the last almost two years you've been writing so
much.
You said you've always wanted todo this.
Did were you, did you go into itlike, yes, I wanna do indie?
Did you try to query, did you
Chelsey (30:56):
No.
Jordan (30:57):
Initially, what did you,
Chelsey (30:58):
I, you know, I wish I remembered how I even knew about
Indie publishing.
I don't recall.
I'm sure it was one of my.
Hyper fixated, deep dives intosomething but I wrote a conduit
of light and I am the mostimpatient person you've probably
ever met in your life.
(31:19):
I hide it really well.
I am so impatient.
And very much like the characterin a conduit of light, the main
character Kharis.
And so I wrote that book and Iwas like, no, I'm going to do
it.
Like I'm not gonna query it.
I'm not gonna wait.
Heaven forbid I wait to let mydreams come true was really
(31:41):
like, honestly the Pisces in methat is so dramatic and I want
this and I.
Jordan (31:49):
Is Marella a Pisces?
Is that how
Chelsey (31:51):
I don't think she is, but there's definitely me in
every single one of these FMCs.
So, I decided that I was goingto research how to do it, and
that's exactly what I did.
And I think the biggest thingfor me was producing this book,
releasing this book, and thenbeing like, now what do I do
now?
What?
Everybody's gonna read it,right?
Everybody's gonna read it.
Right.
(32:13):
And the kind of, you know, therude awakening of wow, there's
millions of us, this is lovely.
And truly joining like thecommunity of indie authors and
people who read indie especiallytoo, has been so just beneficial
to my mental health.
You know, these people are just,we're all rooting for each
(32:34):
other, which is incrediblebecause then it's just one big
support fest.
And then you really feel likeyou could do it.
You really feel like you can getone day to be in every Barns and
noble, you know, like, where's,where are your Chelsey Ann
Tompkins books?
It really feels like you couldget there someday.
(32:54):
And so I love this community andso, you know, going, I have no
regrets.
Absolutely none.
I have loved it.
And I even did the covers forCurse and Spindle and Strong
Gold myself, which was an evencooler thing because now, I hear
people say oh wow, I love thiscover.
I'm like, oh my God, thanks.
(33:14):
I did it.
And it adds to just an even morejust wow, I'm really doing it.
Like I'm really following
Jordan (33:20):
You can do it all.
I don't know.
Chelsey (33:21):
so long.
And it's just lovely andwonderful.
But, to segue for that, I amquerying my next book.
Jordan (33:28):
Yay.
I saw you post about that, Ithink, yesterday or a couple
days ago.
Because you have done so muchand such a relatively short
Chelsey (33:38):
Oh my God, Jordan it's insane.
Jordan (33:42):
a breather, and I know it sounds like you just wanna
you're like, okay, what's mynext thing?
What's my next But also toacknowledge what you've just
done
Chelsey (33:51):
Yeah.
Jordan (33:52):
and fully embrace that, recognize it, and just slow down
a little bit.
Are you like just gonna likeheels in, dig in and,
Chelsey (34:04):
exactly.
It's part of the like impatientpart of me is I'm always like,
what's next?
What's coming out next?
What can we all get excitedabout next?
And that is how I have written.
Five books, boop, you know, itless than two years.
And so this next story that I'mworking on that guy came to me,
(34:26):
they always just, they alwayscome into my dms.
And by that I mean my head,right?
And, he's just slipping.
And this guy,
Jordan (34:35):
is just
Chelsey (34:36):
I mean, once,
Jordan (34:37):
It's your list of
Chelsey (34:38):
yeah, once it like opened, starting to write, it's
just it's hard to close theflood gates, right?
And so this guy came to me,metaphorically speaking, it's
all in my head, people.
But
Jordan (34:49):
Don't worry.
Everything's in my head.
Chelsey (34:51):
It's fine.
I got it.
Jordan (34:52):
Me.
There.
Chelsey (34:53):
you know what though, if you write it down, people
accept that you have peopletalking to you, and that's fine
as long as you write it down.
Jordan (35:01):
That's fair?
Chelsey (35:02):
But he came to me right after I wrote a conduit of light
and it was off to the editor andI was like, Ooh, this is an
interesting, this is a reallyinteresting story.
And the first thing that came tome was the twist.
Of course, it's always thetwists with me.
And I was like, okay, backburner.
Sit back here because I'mwriting this like really epic
trilogy right now.
(35:22):
I can't talk to you.
And you know, as I was finishingup strong gold and I felt so
drained writing that book, Iloved writing that book.
I I really enjoy it now, but ittook me time to like it.
And I think that's because I wasso done creatively.
Jordan (35:43):
Yeah.
Chelsey (35:44):
I was done.
I was I'm shooting out theseromance stories and at this
point I'm like, is this just merehashing things?
And I don't think it is at all,but I recognized I need to slow
down.
And my plan was like, okay,strong gold, boom, here we go.
Third realm of revelryfairytale, which like right, is
(36:06):
like very much conceptualized inmy brain already.
But I decided this time to sitdown with this guy from two
years ago and start writing hisstory.
And the note that I have on myphone where I've been writing
all the notes about this storyis that Come to Me is it's
titled The Guy who was very loudbecause he's so loud in my head.
(36:31):
And the twist came to me.
And then just like his dark.
Love for this FMC of you canhate me, but know that I loved
her and you know, getting thatwas just like, oh God, there's
something really good here.
And so strong gold was done.
And I was like, this is it.
(36:52):
I have to, this is just the timeto write chorus.
And Chorus is like the codename.
That's not the title, but it's,that's what I'm calling it.
And it's this dark romantasythat has all the things we love,
all of the things that we expectto see.
It's got enemies to love, trueenemies to love.
They're trying to murder eachother.
They're
Jordan (37:12):
Thank you.
Thank you.
I really need an, I need a, notlike you first see them and
you're like, oh, I lost afteryou, but I can't,
Chelsey (37:20):
of that.
Absolutely none.
And that's gonna make it solovely later.
But
Jordan (37:25):
Yay.
Chelsey (37:25):
it's that true enemies to lovers where the first book I
don't, I think we're gonna get akiss.
And that's probably it, right?
Like it's slow burn.
Jordan (37:35):
me.
Chelsey (37:35):
It's,
Jordan (37:35):
Edge me.
It's fine.
Chelsey (37:37):
I love it.
I love it when readers say that.
And it's faded mates too.
So it's like these very generictropes.
We've read them how many timeshave we read these
Jordan (37:45):
For a reason.
Chelsey (37:46):
for a reason, right?
And I'm like, how do I takethese lovely things that I love?
And how do I make them twisty?
How do I make them in a waywhere people are reading this
book and they're like.
Oh my God, I see what you didthere.
That is just like my favoritething ever when the twist comes
(38:09):
about.
And so I've got this whole boardright now in my room of just
parchment paper, and it has it,it looks like a madman.
Came into my room and startedwriting down gibberish because I
had 18 notes, 18 pages of notesfrom those two years that I went
(38:29):
through.
And it is ready to go.
It.
I am gonna take my time with it.
I'm gonna sit with it and let itsimmer.
Jordan (38:36):
Enjoy those characters.
Like really?
Yeah.
Chelsey (38:39):
It's so cool to world build again, because writing the
fairytales there is worldbuilding, but you can't spend a
lot of time on it.
So the world building comesthrough over the, over time in
the fairytales you get to knowmore about the world.
But I miss that.
I miss building.
Something, some world fromnothing and really, uh, getting
(39:01):
readers to, to feel like they'reescaping and diving into it.
I'm excited for that part.
Very
Jordan (39:07):
very exciting.
I love
Chelsey (39:09):
Yeah.
Jordan (39:10):
So, really quick, so you laid it all out.
So you're a, are you're aplotter then.
Do you plot everything first?
Chelsey (39:16):
No.
Uh, over the past two years, Ihave become more of a half and
half person where when I startsomething, I've got it plotted.
Jordan (39:29):
Uhhuh.
Chelsey (39:29):
Half of that doesn't happen.
You know, like I, I start out, Iget a base, I'm like, here's
where it's headed, and then I'mlike, scrapping
Jordan (39:40):
You have an outline?
Chelsey (39:42):
A very general wiggy wiggly outline.
Jordan (39:46):
Yeah.
Chelsey (39:46):
Most of it ends up being pants where I sit down and
I'm like, what's this chapter?
I don't know.
Let's find out.
And it's so fun when you writetwists because sometimes, you
know, parts of the twist come toyou as you're writing And it
feels like a reader.
You know, you're sitting thereoh no, you know, you have this
(40:07):
same reaction of I can't believethis is happening in real time
and I highly recommend
Jordan (40:14):
That's so funny.
That reminds me of what Hannahsaid when we interviewed her
recently, talking about Evie andthe villain, because we were
talking about how slow of a burnthat is, and she's guys, it's
not me.
I literally tried to shove theirfaces together and are like,
kiss, kiss, and they're like,no, I won't.
She's I'm trying, guys.
I'm shoving their headstogether.
(40:34):
They won't do it.
So
Chelsey (40:36):
Yeah.
That's some intense slow bird
Jordan (40:39):
Yeah.
Okay, we're gonna shake this offbecause we're all like, we can
chat, obviously, but we're gonnatake a break.
We're gonna do this or that justto.
Chelsey (40:48):
Oh, yay.
Jordan (40:50):
Shake things up.
I'm gonna give you two options.
First thing that comes to mind,your opinion.
There technically are no wronganswers, but let's be honest,
Chelsey (41:01):
But everyone will judge.
Yes, I get it.
Jordan (41:04):
We'll start out, hopefully easy with physical
book or ebook.
Chelsey (41:09):
Physical
Jordan (41:10):
Okay.
Chelsey (41:10):
specifically.
Paperback.
Jordan (41:12):
Oh, paperback?
Yes.
Okay.
That's fair.
That's much more doable whenyou're actually holding it for
that long.
These fantasy books.
Sweet or salty snacks, whileyou're
Chelsey (41:22):
Salty.
Jordan (41:23):
Okay.
I agree.
Hidden identity or newfoundmagic ability.
Chelsey (41:31):
Hidden Identity.
Okay.
Jordan (41:32):
Yeah.
One horse or one bed.
Chelsey (41:36):
One bed.
You know, that's my favoritetrope.
That's what I told you.
It's my favorite.
I love one bed.
Live for it.
Jordan (41:44):
so good.
Small town or billionaire.
Chelsey (41:49):
Billionaire, but I haven't really read much of
either.
But I would guess billionaire,Uhhuh.
Jordan (41:54):
You'd rather see just the luxury of
Chelsey (41:56):
I grew up in a small town.
I don't see the romanticism init.
I'm like, I don't know.
I don't see it.
Jordan (42:03):
like the people you see all the time are not this nice.
It is not that
Chelsey (42:07):
Or that good looking.
Go ahead.
Jordan (42:10):
Yes, you and I can talk about that later.
Uh, standalone or series
Chelsey (42:17):
Series.
Jordan (42:19):
fake dating or marriage of convenience, Korvin or
Killian.
Chelsey (42:27):
Oh, God, you're so evil.
could you do this?
Okay,
Jordan (42:36):
knew it.
I was like, what if, what can Ido that's just for
Chelsey (42:39):
that's perfect.
I, Korvin
Jordan (42:42):
Okay.
That's fair.
Chelsey (42:46):
partial.
Jordan (42:46):
Nope, you don't get
Chelsey (42:47):
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
I wanna Okay.
Korvin a har a hard decision.
Very difficult but Korvin has myhearts for sure.
Jordan (42:56):
Love it.
All right, and top three book.
Chelsey (42:59):
I,
Jordan (43:00):
Book partners, boyfriends.
Chelsey (43:03):
oh, top three book boyfriends.
Okay.
Jordan (43:05):
Could be yours or other people, like
Chelsey (43:07):
oh, no, it's not gonna be mine.
That's boring.
Of course.
I love Reic to death.
No, rev is end game for everyonewho reads Continental Light.
Anyway, trust me.
So number one, Barons JerichoBarons from the Faye Fever
Series by Karen Marie Monning.
Jordan (43:26):
I have not heard of
Chelsey (43:27):
it's old.
It came out, I wanna say likeearly two thousands.
I hope I'm, I hope that'saccurate.
Jordan (43:35):
There's Google.
We can figure it
Chelsey (43:36):
hands down favorite series.
It is like Urban FantasyRomance, romantasy slow burn.
It has Faye and it's got likethe Sealy, unseelie fa oh my
Jordan (43:48):
I love Celia.
And Celia.
Chelsey (43:50):
I got my, one of my best friends to read it with me.
This, you know, in January atthe start of the year, she
became completely obsessed withit.
And I said see.
So Jericho Barons number onelike that man.
It changed me forever.
Number two, I would have to sayI'm looking behind me right now.
Jordan (44:08):
I love it.
That we, this is always ourending.
This is always our endingquestion, and everyone always
turns around to their books.
I love it.
Chelsey (44:14):
Will have to say, so I don't know.
I'm kind of going off of, notnecessarily who would I want to
live with for the rest of mylife, but I'm going off of what
MMC has always stuck with me.
And Cardin from the cruel Princehas always stuck with me.
I think
Jordan (44:33):
will love to hear
Chelsey (44:34):
such a good char, such a good character.
Like the letters that he wroteher I am, I'm still, I think
about it, you know what I mean?
So definitely there.
And for number three how aboutall five men from the bonds that
tie series?
Except the one, I can't rememberhis name and he was a jerk and I
(44:56):
didn't like him, but the rest ofthem like Griffin?
Yes.
Jordan (45:00):
Griffin, we've talked about this.
Oh, Griffin, Shore.
The that you are.
Oh,
Chelsey (45:11):
so not all five, but all four.
Those four.
Jordan (45:13):
Knox, you're thinking of Knox
Chelsey (45:15):
am thinking of NOx.
I
Jordan (45:17):
Listen, NOx, you have a tragic backstory.
We get it.
But like also, there is a
Chelsey (45:21):
but also, what the hell?
Okay.
Uh, there is, you crossed it andI'm
Jordan (45:26):
never apologized.
And you never groveled.
No, thank you.
Chelsey (45:30):
So, yeah.
So the last one is four men.
Jordan (45:33):
I accept that answer.
Yes.
That is the correct answer
Chelsey (45:37):
I think it is the correct answer.
Jordan (45:39):
Have you read the Mortal Fate series by J Bree?
Chelsey (45:43):
I haven't yet.
Is it done?
Is it done?
Is it the okay.
Jordan (45:49):
But
Chelsey (45:50):
I mean, that's not a deal breaker for me, but I was
just, I was
Jordan (45:52):
hands down
Chelsey (45:54):
I've heard this.
Jordan (45:56):
the best enemies to
Chelsey (45:58):
It's
Jordan (45:58):
ever read.
Chelsey (45:59):
it's one of those ones that I know I'm going to be
completely consumed by, and so
Jordan (46:06):
Absolutely.
Chelsey (46:07):
I know I will save it I'm like, wait until it's
consumable time, because rightnow it's not,
Jordan (46:14):
But who
Chelsey (46:14):
this, and this.
Jordan (46:15):
And I'm gonna be honest, I would say that after the first
one, my husband read them and
Chelsey (46:21):
Oh, really?
Oh that's interesting.
Jordan (46:24):
Dev just reread them and Dev does not reread
Chelsey (46:26):
Oh, really?
Okay.
I mean, no, trust me.
Jordan (46:29):
I'm just saying.
I'm just saying
Chelsey (46:31):
it.
I am well aware.
That I will go down that holeand be like, I'm not coming out
of this.
Jordan (46:39):
no and the world.
Oh.
So anyways.
So do you mostly read.
Is that like where your heartlies, not just in writing, but
also in reading.
Chelsey (46:47):
for sure.
And it really stems from fantasybeing such a huge part of my,
you know, childhood growing up.
And then I also read so muchhistorical romance growing up
Jordan (47:01):
Okay.
Chelsey (47:02):
and it just made sense that those kind of just aligned
Jordan (47:05):
well
Chelsey (47:06):
well, Really well.
And, so that's mostly what Iread is romantic.
I also write it, so I like tosee what other authors are
doing.
Jordan (47:14):
Yeah.
Chelsey (47:15):
You know, it is.
One thing that is rough as anauthor is that I don't enjoy
books the same way I used tobecause I'm constantly like, oh,
I see what they did there.
You know, I'm always thinkingabout the author as I read their
book, and I'm always thinkinglike, why did they make that
choice?
Why did they do this?
(47:35):
Or oh, I see where they'retrying to lead me down.
And,
Jordan (47:38):
Yeah.
Oh, it's like this war and soit's gonna do this, or, oh, they
got ideas from that and
Chelsey (47:45):
It's a lot easier, I feel to predict books once
you've written them.
Jordan (47:49):
Or read hundreds
Chelsey (47:51):
That too.
Jordan (47:52):
hundreds in the same genre.
Chelsey (47:54):
Yeah, that too.
That too.
Jordan (47:55):
I'm sure writing is a whole nother realm of that, of
understanding.
Chelsey (48:00):
And everything I read has a fellow fantasy element to
it.
It is very rare for me to readcontemporary romance.
It's rare to read sci-fi.
I don't read horror because I amterrible at horror.
I can't do it.
Can't even happen.
Jordan (48:18):
I understand that.
That's fair.
I like mystery and suspense.
I don't really go in for horror.
Chelsey (48:23):
Yeah it's a whole, it's a whole nother thing.
My husband loves like horrormovies and things like that.
As I've gotten older, I've beenlike, I'm uncomfortable and I'm
not gonna finish watching thiswith you.
Jordan (48:36):
That's fair.
I,
Chelsey (48:37):
Not something I would've said in twenties.
Not something I would've justbeared with it.
'cause it's my husband.
At this point in my life though,I'm like, I have other things to
do.
I am not finishing this moviewith you.
Jordan (48:47):
I'm gonna go read in the other Have fun.
Chelsey (48:49):
Yeah.
Jordan (48:50):
Yeah.
What are your favorite readsfrom the past year?
Chelsey (48:53):
Oh, yeah.
Jordan (48:54):
or like the last year or so, do you have any favorite
Chelsey (48:57):
Yeah.
I did, I wrote down I kind oflooked since January just to
kind of get okay, what's freshin my mind?
These are all indie books.
I believe so.
Actually, I'm not sure about thethird one now that I think about
it, but I recently read Smokeand Scar
Jordan (49:11):
Okay.
Chelsey (49:11):
by Gretchen Powell Fox, who is a lovely person.
I love her.
And she's blowing up right now.
She's gonna be everywhere prettysoon.
Just wait.
But it felt very, Dungeons andDragons, which is something I
used to play and I used to dmand so I really enjoyed that
aspect of it.
And then I grabbed this indiebook off of the shelf in the
(49:34):
library for Pride Month.
And I was like, give me, gimmesome raw Mm, romance.
And I grabbed this book, it wasso good.
It's called Yield Under GreatPersuasion.
And it feels, it's fantasy, butit feels almost historical.
(49:55):
And the main male character init is such an ass hat.
Like he is such, he is a walkingred flag.
But because we get all of thebook from his perspective, he is
constantly talking about all ofthe things wrong with him.
(50:15):
And then the man that he is inlove with is the sunshine
character of a grumpy sunshine.
And he just thinks, you know,the world is built around this
very toxic man that we'rereading about.
It was so good.
I absolutely adored it.
So that was yield under GreatPersuasion by Alexandra Roland.
(50:37):
I don't know anything else abouther.
I just pull this book off of thelibrary and is aqua.
It was just like really random.
And then the other one, if youreally like fairytale
retellings.
Scarlet St.
Clair wrote Mountains Made ofGlass.
And I haven't read her other onethat's like in the same, don't
know if it's a series or not,but Mountains Made of Glass is
(50:59):
very short, very weird, butfeels very original, fairytale
esque.
And she has like severalfairytales like in it, including
Rumpelstiltskin.
And I just loved it.
I was like, this is so freakingweird, man.
I, I.
But I loved it.
It just felt other worldly, oldfashioned fairytale.
(51:21):
It was very good.
I really enjoyed it.
I need to read her other one.
I think it's like Apple's dippedin gold, I think.
And I feel like that one waspicked up.
Maybe
Jordan (51:30):
okay.
I feel she
Chelsey (51:31):
I'm not sure she at least started indie.
I know that.
Jordan (51:36):
Yeah.
I've seen her a lot, but I'mnow, I'm like.
She,
Chelsey (51:40):
She might be.
She might
Jordan (51:42):
things that are trad,
Chelsey (51:43):
Yeah.
She might be
Jordan (51:44):
some trad, some indie.
But I actually kinda love itwhen authors do that because
they're like, these are mypassion projects.
Yeah.
These I love, but also I'm gonnalet someone else take care
Chelsey (51:54):
Yeah.
Somebody else grabbed these outof my hands, please.
Jordan (51:58):
Someone take care of these.
I'm gonna work on
Chelsey (52:00):
Uhhuh.
Jordan (52:00):
Just throw this out for people.
I kind of love
Chelsey (52:03):
That sounds like the dream, honestly.
Jordan (52:05):
absolutely.
So good.
So I mean, we already talkedabout your next project you're
already, that's so exciting.
What is like long-term goals asan author?
Do you have any big, likebenchmarks you're hoping to get
to?
What's like your big overall
Chelsey (52:22):
Like I was saying, I think just you know, for me it's
truly about telling the storyand being a storyteller.
And so I would love to makeenough money to do that full
time.
That's a big goal, right?
I would say like the biggestlike end goal would be to, like
I was saying, just know my booksare in like all the Barnes and
(52:48):
Nobles, right?
Like they're accessible.
They're, they have reach, whichis part of why I'm querying
because it is so hard to getreach.
It really is a difficult thing.
And you know, people like you,Jordan and this podcast are so
lovely to help us with that.
Truly they are, you know, evenif just one person reads any of
(53:08):
my books from this podcast it'samazing to be, and again,
talking about the community andhow supportive it is but the end
goal is to eventually just beable to walk in a Barnes and
Noble or.
You know, whatever yourpreferred bookstore is, and it's
oh yeah there's stories thatI've written.
Jordan (53:24):
Yeah.
Chelsey (53:25):
You know, I don't need to like, have a movie or be on,
the New York Times bestsellerlists five times or so.
You know, it is, that doesn'tmatter to me.
I just want people to be able towalk into a store and be able to
pick up a story that I wanted totell them.
Jordan (53:41):
I love that goal.
I be her happy.
Chelsey (53:47):
Oh,
Jordan (53:48):
I love it.
I know, and that's probably myfavorite thing about the podcast
is just like kind of being acheerleader
Chelsey (53:54):
Yeah.
Jordan (53:54):
authors and especially indie authors, and it's just so
much fun.
I love it.
I love this part.
I love talking about.
People's passion with them
Chelsey (54:04):
And we love you for it.
Jordan (54:05):
them.
My passion is reading thesestories
Chelsey (54:08):
love you for it.
Uhhuh.
Jordan (54:10):
Oh, thank you.
There's just love going all
Chelsey (54:13):
It's just everywhere.
Here we're,
Jordan (54:17):
I love that note.
Do you wanna give your socials,your handles?
Where can people find you?
Speaking of accessibility, wherecan they
Chelsey (54:23):
I know, right.
Speaking of reach, so I used tobe on TikTok a lot.
I'm mostly on Instagram now.
I have kind of found mycommunity there and so I'm on
TikTok though.
TikTok Instagram and Threads allare@chelseyanntompkins.
That's it.
Really easy.
Find me, DM me.
(54:44):
I love Jordan, the dms wheresomebody is reading one of my
books and they DM me and they'reeither pissed off right.
Conduit of light trilogy, you'llget mad.
Respectfully.
Respectfully, ma'am, how dareyou?
And then the people who comeinto my dms and they say, I just
(55:07):
got to such and such scene, andI had to, I can't tell you how
many times people have donethis.
I had to put it down becausethere was too much distraction
and I needed to savor it.
I love those dms and any kind ofcapitalization of letters and
exclamation marks, like I, Ilive for it.
Indie authors love when you gointo their dms and you tell them
(55:32):
how much you're loving the bookthat they wrote.
And it's literally will I likesuck it in you know,
Jordan (55:37):
Yeah.
And then that energy
Chelsey (55:39):
so refreshing.
Right.
And some of the things thatpeople have said, I have
literally on sticky notes andI'm looking at them right now.
And I just have them around mebecause especially a small indie
author, it's so easy to get lostin how obscure you are and how
small you are.
And it's so easy to see all thesuccess of people, and you're
(56:01):
like, I am so happy for you.
But you're also like when do Iget that?
And so I do, I write down thingsthat people say to me and it's
just there to remember that I amdoing this, to tell these
stories because I'm astoryteller and that's what I
am.
One of the most ancientprofessions ever.
Right.
Storytelling.
People have been telling storiessince people have been able to
(56:24):
communicate them.
And I love that I get to do thatand that I have enough talent to
do that to where people want toknow my stories.
Jordan (56:32):
Yeah.
Ask for
Chelsey (56:34):
yeah.
And so it's really lovely whenpeople reach out to me and are
just like, either, how dare you,or, oh my God, I'm dying.
Right, right.
One or the other.
I love that part.
Jordan (56:46):
Thank you so much and we love it.
We love to hear it.
Chelsey, Ann Tompkins, whereveryou can follow her, wherever you
have your own accounts.
Thank you for joining me
Chelsey (56:57):
Thank you for having me.
And keeping in touch in likeover a year.
Right.
Jordan (57:05):
it's worth it.
People go download the books.
But thank you everyone forlistening to us ramble about
Chelsey's books.
If you're looking for moreromance recs, be sure to follow
us on Instagram and Threads andsometimes on TikTok at Romance
Recs Pod.
You can find our favorite bookRecs from our episodes, as well
as behind the scenes content.
(57:26):
Again, that's at Romance RecsPod, so make sure to give us a
follow and we'll be back soonwith season three.
We'll be starting soon andseason three is
Chelsey (57:35):
Look at you.
Go.
Jordan (57:37):
Yeah, so it's gonna be a little bit different.
Thank you.
I
Chelsey (57:40):
it's so exciting.
Yes,
Jordan (57:41):
so there will be different kinds of content too.
We're gonna head over to newplatforms as well as where we
are now.
Chelsey (57:49):
Big thanks.
Big thanks coming.
I'm so
Jordan (57:52):
Thank you.
Chelsey (57:53):
you.
Welcome to Romance Recs.
We're usually three romanceobsessed, besties, best sharing
book recs broken down by genresand tropes so you can be sure
you're getting exactly what youwant out of your next read.
I'm Jordan, and I'm currentlylistening to Rejection by K.
Lorraine and Meg Ann.
(00:21):
And today with me, I have,
Chelsey (00:24):
Hi, I Chelseysea Ann Tompkin, and I write romantasy.
Jordan (00:31):
are you reading anything right now?
Chelsey (00:33):
I am.
I'm reading three things, whichis very unlike me.
This is not usual.
It's usually a one.
I'm a one girl.
I am listening to the EverQueen.
I just finished the Ever King isvery good.
Enjoying the Ever Queen.
And then I am reading a CrookedKingdom, the second book in six
of Crows Duology.
(00:53):
And I'm also reading a Conduitof Light, which is my first
book.
And I'm doing that with one ofmy best friends.
And we are looking forbreadcrumbs that lead to the
twist in the book because I'mdoing a panel about adding
breadcrumbs to your stories atonce upon a con.
So we're both like huntingthrough and it is so much fun.
(01:15):
We are having a great time.
Jordan (01:17):
sounds like my favorite thing ever.
Chelsey (01:19):
It is so much fun to read with her because she's so
good at anything we readtogether.
She's so good at finding those,like little tidbit, little
sprinkles of things in the bookand you're like, oh, I missed
that.
I didn't even hear it.
And so she's so much fun to readwith.
We're having a blast.
Jordan (01:40):
That is like what I do naturally on my own and
rereading all of my likefavorite series, so That
Chelsey (01:46):
But instead of talking aloud to yourself, you're like
texting your friend.
It's great.
Jordan (01:51):
is funny.
Ha.
Oh, I knew this would happen.
I'm
Chelsey (01:53):
Yeah.
Jordan (01:53):
there's no one else who has read it.
Chelsey (01:56):
Yeah.
Jordan (01:58):
Yeah
Chelsey (01:58):
we're having a great time doing that.
So those are three books I'mreading again.
Very unheard of.
Jordan (02:03):
that's funny.
'cause usually I have at leasttwo, so it's strange that I have
one.
Chelsey (02:07):
that you're at one.
Jordan (02:08):
Swapped.
Chelsey (02:09):
We're just swapping over here.
Jordan (02:11):
Love it.
Perfect.
I'm so excited to have you on.
I'm so excited you're here withus.
Chelsey (02:16):
I love being here.
This is great.
I mean, we met a while ago.
Jordan (02:21):
Yeah.
You and I met, I think lastsummer,
Chelsey (02:24):
Yeah, it was June, And I remember talking to you a
little bit about your podcast,and I was brand new.
Jordan (02:32):
Yeah.
Chelsey (02:32):
I was like, what's going on?
Jordan (02:34):
I was brand new too.
I was,
Chelsey (02:36):
who's a person?
And
Jordan (02:39):
Who reads
Chelsey (02:40):
yeah, what's going on?
But the thing I remember themost was the logo.
Your logo.
And I remember being like, I'mobsessed with this logo.
And then later when I found youlater too, I was like, yes, the
logo lady.
Jordan (02:54):
the curvy lady.
The curvy
Chelsey (02:56):
I love
Jordan (02:57):
she get, she gets ya.
Chelsey (02:58):
And now here we are, here we're.
Jordan (03:00):
know.
It was so fun.
And we were right across fromeach other this year at the same
event at Emerald City RomanceWriters and Readers
Chelsey (03:10):
Yes, which was fun.
Jordan (03:12):
I know it was such a
Chelsey (03:13):
That was really fun.
I feel like that whole aisle wasvery loud and I feel like we
were a part of that.
Jordan (03:19):
I like to think
Chelsey (03:20):
there
Jordan (03:21):
I like to think that we were the heart of the party.
Yeah, absolutely.
Chelsey (03:25):
Your shiny cowboy boots running around.
It was amazing.
Jordan (03:30):
Listen, I like to make a statement when I can.
All right.
I, my mom attire day to day, Idon't always get the chance.
So when I do,
Chelsey (03:37):
I know it right.
No, I did the same thing.
I wore a super bright dress.
It's come look at me
Jordan (03:43):
We matched, we were wearing
Chelsey (03:44):
We did.
We did.
We're on the same wavelength oflike right across from each
other in red.
Here we go.
Jordan (03:55):
look at me.
It was perfect.
Okay.
Before we get too far off thebeaten path here we do like to
try to do quotes.
We don't try.
We do eventually
Chelsey (04:07):
Yes.
Jordan (04:07):
but we like to do quotes at the beginning of every
episode of something we'verecently read or one that really
stuck with us for a while.
Do you mind if I read one fromyour new, latest book that I
Chelsey (04:19):
I do not mind, Jordan.
Jordan (04:21):
Okay,
Chelsey (04:22):
That would be lovely.
Jordan (04:23):
so I'm gonna read a quote from Straw and Gold by our
very own Chelsey Ann Tompkins.
I just went with one that I feltreally represented our FMC and
her relationship towards ourleading man.
Chelsey (04:39):
Okay, I'm
Jordan (04:41):
What a, okay.
Ready?
Chelsey (04:42):
Yeah.
Jordan (04:43):
What a fool.
My husband had been trying todeny the instant attraction
between us.
Well, I wouldn't have it.
I wouldn't let him do it anylonger.
This fire in his eyes was mine,and I'd see it as often as I
could.
Chelsey (04:56):
You know, Jordan,
Jordan (04:59):
Is that your lie?
Is that the quote you grabbed?
Shut up.
Chelsey (05:03):
I can't shut up because I literally, Talk about the same
wavelength.
I came on here with a quote,which I will read from six
arose, which I just finished.
Right.
It's fantastic, but I was like,I should have something from
strong gold just in case.
I literally wrote down.
I didn't write that whole thing,but I wrote the end because it
(05:24):
needs to be heard again becausethis is Marella, this is her,
this fire in his eyes was mineand I'd see it as often as I
could.
And that is just like herstance, this entire book in a
nutshell.
She is,
Jordan (05:41):
I'm excited to dive more into her and this book in just a
little bit.
I, it was actually really closeto that between that one and
another one.
Maybe when we talk about herlater, I'll read it.
Chelsey (05:50):
Okay.
Jordan (05:51):
but obviously it's a really good quote.
Chelsey (05:54):
yeah, it's it and I think it really does, like I
said, it just sums up what, howshe feels about the whole
situation.
This is how she's feeling aboutthat.
Jordan (06:03):
too, and Okay.
Yeah.
Chelsey (06:04):
Okay.
We'll get into that.
Can I read my, uh, six A crowsone?
Jordan (06:08):
Yes
Chelsey (06:08):
So six of crows, you know, came out a bajillion years
ago.
And I just got around to readingit because I'm trying to read
more Heisty books and I'mwriting a Heisty book soon,
which we'll also talk aboutlater.
But I love Kaz Brecker.
I cannot get over this characterbecause he is so complicated and
(06:28):
yet, so, it's so simplistic Whohe is it he's a beautiful
character.
And so, a line from him is,there was no part of him that
was not broken, that had nothealed wrong, and there was no
part of him that was notstronger for having been broken.
And it's just, he's such adynamic, interesting character.
(06:53):
All of the characters in thatbook are fantastic.
I absolutely adored it and Iread it super slow.
And if I'm reading a book superslow, I you like, you know, it's
good because I'm just likesoaking it in and dreading the
last page basically.
Jordan (07:07):
Yeah, I like it.
I have only heard I haven't readit.
Obviously I know of it.
I know Christina's talked aboutit and the characters, and so
I've heard a lot of the names,like I've heard of and I've
heard
Chelsey (07:23):
you watch the show?
Did you watch Shadow and Bone?
Yeah, so they, they likecombined six of Crows and Shadow
of Bone and I remember watchingthe show and being like, well,
let's get back to the storylineof Six and Crows.
Six of Crows.
Right.
It was so good.
And I fi yeah.
I finally got around to readingit.
It's totally worth a read.
(07:44):
It's fantastic.
Five stars.
Jordan (07:47):
Yeah, I'll add it.
I'll add it to the G Again,
Chelsey (07:50):
Move that up.
Move that up.
The TVR.
Jordan (07:53):
and then other things like push it down and then it
goes back up and then morethings push it down.
Chelsey (07:59):
Yeah.
And as like romance readers,right?
You and I, there's not a lot ofthat in there.
It's in, but it's not the focalpoint.
And I didn't think that I wouldbe okay with that.
Jordan (08:11):
That's fair.
Chelsey (08:13):
I was obsessed with it though.
Like it's just that good, thatit's like romance, who, I mean,
there is some romance and ofcourse the romance that was in
there, I was like, I gotta hyperfixate on this because that's
just who I am.
But yeah it's a fantastic book.
Jordan (08:29):
I should say on in that vein, I feel like maybe two or
three times a year I find myselflike, I need to either read like
something just straight fantasyor mystery, like a suspense or
mystery.
I'm like, but then I find theromance plot within that, and
I'm like, oh, yeah, there, it's,yeah.
Chelsey (08:48):
And it's like that draw.
It's the high, it's the fix andlet's make it end game.
Jordan (08:53):
Technically I am also reading, listening to Dune right
now for the first time becausemy husband has been begging me
and he is read two series forme,
Chelsey (09:06):
Okay.
Jordan (09:07):
so, and I've tr.
Chelsey (09:09):
You feel like you need to reciprocate?
Jordan (09:11):
tried.
He had me trying, no, listen,Chelsey, he had, I don't know
what you know about War Hammer40 K, he had me trying to read
one of those,
Chelsey (09:22):
we talked about this at dinner
Jordan (09:24):
uh,
Chelsey (09:26):
I
Jordan (09:29):
like
Chelsey (09:30):
that you were drawing.
Jordan (09:31):
this and I was like, I just can't.
So Dune, I've watched Dune.
Cool.
Great.
Cute movie.
I'm probably the one calls acute movie, but I go to Dune
Park in Tacoma.
That's like cool.
I, it's so hard.
Chelsey (09:49):
Yeah.
I get it.
Jordan (09:50):
People come, people who complain about books when the
moon hatched I'm just like, thisis child's play.
I have attempted War Hammer,like the dry, like listing of
like world set up, world buildand all this stuff.
Anyways, I digress.
Chelsey (10:07):
different, it's a different category than you're
used to.
Jordan (10:12):
But it's good to know six of crows has more of that
and it's more
Chelsey (10:16):
six of crows and you know, it's, ya, I typically
stray away from it.
If it's, if something is youngadult, because I feel like I've
just, I don't know.
I've just moved on from that agegroup of care of characters.
Not that the writing's bad, notthat the story's bad.
I'm sure these things arelovely, but just the age group
of the characters, I tend to shyaway, but they don't feel 16 and
(10:38):
17.
Jordan (10:39):
Oh my God.
Are they that young?
Chelsey (10:40):
yeah.
And I'm reading it and I'm like,how was he 17?
Excuse me.
He's talking like he's at least25.
Jordan (10:47):
Oh, okay.
That, that totally just changedmy whole perception of that
path.
Wild.
All right.
Okay.
Well that we're like 13 minutesin can you share a little bit
about yourself, like who you areas an author and your latest
release?
Give us like who is
Chelsey (11:07):
Who am I?
I'd love to.
So, uh, I am a romantasy seeauthor.
That is what I write.
It's what I read.
It's what I love.
I live in it.
I wish I lived in, I don't livein it.
I live in a more contemporarystyle.
But I, uh, came out with myfirst book, A Conduit of Light
(11:30):
in November of 2023.
So it's coming up onto two yearssoon that I've been doing this.
Very wild and very joyful andeverything that I wanted pretty
much right, except, you know,other things that could have
happened.
But that's fine.
It's been a wonderful journey.
And so I finished my firsttrilogy at Conduit of Light
(11:52):
Trilogy.
In the last day of 2024.
'cause I wanted to have writtentwo books in 2024.
So that's what I did.
And it is, yeah.
And so that trilogy, a Con ofLight trilogy is not your
typical romantic.
It is very twisty.
It has a lot of nature magic andthere's not a lot of like sword
(12:15):
play and war and there's noassassin FMC and she doesn't
wield a sword.
So it's a different kind ofromantasy, uh, and it deals a
lot with themes of hope and uh,holding on to what you believe
in and what you love as well asgenerational trauma.
(12:35):
And all of these things cametogether in my life after I had
been through depression throughCVID and I was like, this is it.
It's time.
Like I knew that I was going tobe a writer forever.
I always knew that I would doit, and it was just a matter of
when, and it was time.
And so that trilogy reallyhelped me heal myself.
(12:57):
And I love talking about it topeople who just walk up to my
table or they just find me, onInstagram or something because
there's so much of myself intoit.
It's like, how do you get acrosslike how epic this story is
Jordan (13:13):
I love that.
Chelsey (13:14):
So that is my trilogy and, it's complete, it's done.
It has been so hard to move onfrom.
So what I did was I moved oninto super spicy fairytale
retailing.
Jordan (13:31):
How can I deal with this writing?
Let down
Chelsey (13:34):
yep, that's exactly the thought process.
I was like, how am I gonna dothis?
Because saying goodbye to yourcharacters after so long of
having them there with you everysingle day, you know, it was
writing Curse Spindle was like,whoa, we have to completely 180
(13:54):
this.
And so, I wrote a very spicy,sleepy beauty novella, Curse and
spindle, but I put my spin on itwhere it's still has themes, has
messages.
There's like an overarching, youknow, romance that is very
endearing and there's a lot ofchemistry.
And it's actually became likethis really beautiful novella
(14:19):
that I'm very proud of becausewriting a novella is just a
whole nother ball game,
Jordan (14:24):
I bet.
Chelsey (14:25):
40,000 words.
You have to have a completestory, and if it's romance, you
gotta make it believable.
And
Jordan (14:34):
Yeah,
Chelsey (14:35):
so it was a challenge that I really loved because it
really put me into a head spaceof having to really focus on
these characters and kind of getout of a conduit of light.
And so I wrote that, that cameout at the end of April this
year.
And that was wonderful because Imet so many new readers through
that book.
Because it's a standalone, youcould pick it up and read it and
(14:58):
a day.
Right.
And so then I just am releasingstraw and gold on August 15th.
That is a rumble stilts skinretelling, as you know.
Oh, I forgot I gave you thecharacter art.
Jordan (15:15):
I have the character
Chelsey (15:16):
Oh my God.
We're only a couple pre-ordersaway from sharing that, and I'm
very excited.
Jordan (15:22):
Oh,
Chelsey (15:23):
but straw and gold is not quite a novella.
It's a little over, but it hadto be, you know, it's kind of
Jordan (15:30):
it really did.
Chelsey (15:30):
Author things where I'm like this can't be Curse and
Spindle.
That has to be a little bitover,
Jordan (15:36):
Uh, yeah, that was my only complaint about the whole
thing, was that it wasn'tlonger.
I was like, I need this drawnout.
I need to know more.
I was like, this is amazing, andI just wanna keep going with
these characters.
Chelsey (15:47):
I completely understand, and I've heard that
complaint many times
Jordan (15:52):
it's not a true complaint.
It's more
Chelsey (15:54):
I know,
Jordan (15:55):
loved it so
Chelsey (15:56):
And it kind of counters what I'm trying to do with these
fairytales because I'm trying togive you something all, every
single fairytale in a realm ofrevelry, and there's gonna be a
bunch more, right.
Every single one is going to bethe length where you can sit
down on a Friday night andyou're done by Sunday.
(16:19):
I want them to be quick.
I want them, you know, haveadorable moments and a really
good chemistry, and I'm bringingin these pieces of these stories
that we know, and I'm just like,twisting the hell out of them.
They're like to the point whereyou're like, I see how this is
Rumpelstiltskin, but alsothere's no creepy man.
There's no creepy, like babystealing.
(16:42):
It's it feels like a romantasybook.
And so straw and gold comes outAugust 15th.
I'm really excited and proud ofit.
It was another labor of loveafter Chris had spindle getting
to it, but I think I spent everysingle lunch hour of mine from
like January to, I don't know,through April.
(17:06):
Writing that book.
Yeah,
Jordan (17:10):
That's a lot.
Lunch hour is precious.
Chelsey (17:13):
yeah.
And I, that's what I was doing,lights off.
Jordan (17:16):
Yeah.
Chelsey (17:17):
That's what was happening.
And it's, and I do it becauseit, it makes me happy.
And if I'm not, you know,working on a book or I'm not
writing I feel something is justmissing.
It just is.
If I'm not developing some storysomewhere, whether I'm actually
writing it or editing it orpreparing it for release it,
it's just so a part of me nowthat I can't imagine my life
(17:39):
without it.
Jordan (17:40):
Oh, I love to hear that though.
That's so amazing.
It's so nice to hear like youand how passionate you are about
these stories and how investedyou are and because it really
comes across when you talk topeople about it who either
haven't read it or you know.
Who stopped by your table, whohave
Chelsey (18:01):
Right.
Jordan (18:02):
Just like you talking about the characters.
Even though you spent so muchtime with them, you're still so
excited about them and it's justso fun to hear you genuinely
love your characters
Chelsey (18:13):
author who, yeah I am right there with you.
You know when you're readingthose moments and you're
giggling and kicking your feet,I am there.
When you're reading thosemoments and you're crying and
you hate me, I also hate me.
I am also there with you
Jordan (18:29):
Yeah.
Chelsey (18:30):
it's both.
It's all of it.
A hundred percent.
Jordan (18:33):
Yeah, and honestly arc commitments, that's how I
finally made time to read one ofyours.
I was like, yeah, I will take anarc of straw and gold because
then I will like actually haveto pencil it in and I'll have
ap, I'll have to, because thatis like how I'm getting through.
Most things these days.
But oh my God, now I'm soexcited to go back and read it
(18:54):
Curse and spindle because you dosee, you get glimpses and you
get an idea for the charactersfrom that in straw and gold.
Chelsey (19:03):
Yeah,
Jordan (19:03):
But, so if you do wanna pick up strong gold first, you
can.
Absolutely.
You can.
I did it.
I'm sure you would have an evengreater understanding if you
read Curse and Spindle first,but okay, can we talk about the
chin holding in straw and goldlike was like, oh, my good lords
Chelsey (19:27):
I think
Jordan (19:27):
oh.
Chelsey (19:28):
that it's, for me, it's like, it's not just how he grabs
her face.
the, it's that the grumpysunshine really shows in those
moments.
Killian is the most, grumpygiant, you know, very typical
(19:50):
MMC that I have ever written inmy life.
And I thought, I honestlythought I was going to argue
with him more, you know, in myhead with you can't do that.
Jordan (20:03):
He just means, well,
Chelsey (20:04):
I was like,
Jordan (20:05):
he just means, well, his assholeness comes from a
Chelsey (20:09):
I know he's,
Jordan (20:10):
He's an ass because he cares.
Chelsey (20:13):
of
Jordan (20:13):
about my man like that.
Okay.
Chelsey (20:15):
this is very typical that I would write an asshole
who's actually the sweetest,kindest person.
This is very on brand for me,because generally the men that I
write.
Are very kind, caring, uh,thoughtful, just it's all there
(20:36):
gushing on you as you'rereading, as you're like, oh my,
I know, right?
Oh, I'm very good at puttinginnuendos into things like this.
But, uh, it's, that's very mystyle of MMC.
And so I knew that Killian wasgoing to be different, and I
really thought writing hischapters that he and I were
gonna get in, you know, somearguments, right?
(20:56):
Like he and I were gonna havesome about what was appropriate
to put in there.
But the fact that he holds thisanxiety and trauma Really helped
his character be understoodright from the get go.
And I think that's what's soendearing about Killian is
because you get it.
You're like, yeah, he's ajackass.
(21:18):
I, but I get it.
Know, but that's the thing is hethough, I mean he is, he's not
very nice.
Jordan (21:24):
he, and here's the thing, it doesn't, I never felt
that he was that big of anasshole, but it's because I
often saw him from the lens ofthe most prob, possibly the most
unique FMC I've ever read.
Chelsey (21:41):
Yeah.
Let's talk about
Jordan (21:42):
tell you, let's, this is my, this is one of my new
favorite characters of all time,Marella.
She knew this was arranged,marriage was coming since she
was, what, 15
Chelsey (21:52):
Yeah.
Jordan (21:54):
you guys.
She ran to this wedding.
She did not run away.
Like most arrangement.
She never fought this.
She's yeah, I'm gonna go bequeen.
But it's not for power.
You guys, she didn't go andshe's not some snob, like she
has her reasons, good reasons,but also just for herself, she's
I can make this life work and Ithink I can be meaningful in it,
(22:15):
and I can do this and I can findlove out of this.
And it was like, what is thisplot possible?
Have we ever seen this?
Chelsey (22:25):
me, I asked myself that same question.
Jordan (22:28):
But I loved it because self-assuredness her, she knew
her worth, she like, eventhrough her own traumas that she
went through, she was steadfastin herself and in her goals.
Chelsey (22:46):
She was unwavering in what she thought was going to
happen.
Jordan (22:49):
I'm, and she was determined to make it happen.
She wasn't waiting around for itto happen.
One of my all time favoritemoments from this book, and it's
near the beginning.
So I mean, if you really don'twant a small spoiler, just skip
like 30 seconds or a minute,guys.
But like when she drags hertrunk across and on the first
night, it was like, I am notsleeping in a room away from my
(23:12):
husband.
I am married and I will make himfall in love with me.
And if he's not going to do me,at the very least, he can share
a room with me.
And she's just trying to dragthe, and then he opens the door
and she's there you are.
You can bring my trunk.
I, I was like, fuck yeah.
(23:33):
You're not even gonna make,you're gonna make him help.
Yes.
Chelsey (23:37):
She just dives into the bed like that's it.
When I, so all of, I will tellyou, let's preface this so all
of my characters talk to me.
I'm sure you've heard authorstalk about this.
It's a thing.
And if, you know, if you're anaspiring writer or you do write
and your characters are talkingto you, I always say, you're on
(23:57):
the right track because this iswhat it, this is what it feels
like.
Okay.
I've been watching so muchK-pop, demon hunters.
Oh my God.
Okay.
Jordan (24:05):
My daughter's been singing it.
It's okay.
Chelsey (24:07):
My characters talked to me and so I remember the story
developing right after KirstenSpindle because this, if you
don't know Marella is, uh, theMMC from Kirson.
Spindle Korvin.
It's his sister.
And as soon as I was like, whothe heck is his sister?
Who would be Korvin's?
(24:28):
Sister, because Korvin is aunique character all on his own.
And I'm like, who would hissister be?
Right?
And her like, she's coming tome.
This was one of the first scenesthat came to me is that she's
fucking dragging her own trunkout of the room.
That her husband, she justmarried, put her in, he put her
(24:48):
in a separate room and she says,F no.
Dragging it out in her nightgownat 2:00 AM this is her.
And I was like, okay, we're justgoing with it.
We're going with it.
'cause that is a beautiful sceneright there.
I
Jordan (25:01):
taking what she's owed without I mean, It's a matter of
fact and everything that shefeels like, this is a matter of
fact,
Chelsey (25:09):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so, her concept of hercharacter was, you know,'cause
she is, she's very differentthan what you've read before and
I, trust me, a huge part of mewas like.
This is too different.
Uh, you know, and it came downto Chelsey, what are you doing?
This FMC is not what people aregoing to be used to.
(25:33):
I don't know how it's going tobe taken.
Jordan (25:35):
I loved.
Chelsey (25:36):
And she is a person where she knows what she wants
and she knows that it might notbe, she eventually comes to
around to realize, okay, this isgonna be harder than I thought
it would be to get it right.
'cause the poor thing came intothat wedding going, woo, this
Jordan (25:55):
Look at me in my blood Red
Chelsey (25:57):
Yeah, the rest of my life right here.
And she was rudely awakenedduring the wedding, but she's
just a person where she's anFMC, where even though he puts
up the walls, even though he.
He does his darnedest to pushher away for reasons, very good
reasons.
Jordan (26:18):
are always reasons folks.
Chelsey (26:20):
she said, I'm not having this.
You are my husband.
This is it for us.
This is it for you.
This is it for me, and this isgoing to happen.
And that is so different thanwhat we're used to, than what I
have written before because allof the FMCs I've written before
are very like, independent.
This is what I want.
I'm gonna take it.
(26:40):
You could come along if youwant.
That's the kind of general
Jordan (26:44):
The thing she wanted was a husband, and not just any
husband but him.
She's this was my destiny.
Chelsey (26:49):
She wanted, yeah, she wanted that life together and
she felt like she was gettingout of her, you know, her
brother's wings, so to speak.
Right.
He's a Raven fa prince withwings.
And she has wings too, which isalso
Jordan (27:02):
that.
She was the one that
Chelsey (27:03):
has wings.
Yeah.
She has these black wings with
Jordan (27:06):
that are very Tint.
Chelsey (27:08):
It, they are and she's just a very different way to
write a woman, but also very, Ifeel like, accurate way.
I like to write FMCs who are,you know, very varied.
Who are different than eachother.
I don't wanna ever write thesame exact person into a book
(27:30):
because women are so differentfrom each other while also
having so many similarities.
You know, that's such a genericthing to say, but it's true.
And as we read these books thatwe
Jordan (27:42):
the experience of being a woman.
Chelsey (27:43):
Yeah.
We get to live in otherpeople's, other women's, you
know, minds and feel what theyfeel and reflect on different
ways of thinking about things.
And Morella definitely thinksdifferently about things.
Jordan (27:56):
yeah.
So here's another quote I wasgoing to, I was actually going
between three.
This is one of the other ones.
Do you believe your feignedindifference fools me.
I trace the side of his face.
It's these eyes, Killian.
I see the fire in them.
When you look at me, when youwatch me, when you dream of
tasting me again, when you touchyourself, imagining my lips
(28:19):
replacing your hand, like theaudacity.
And here's the funny thing isthey are both so stubborn.
Like she, I mean, really at thebottom of this, it's a lot of it
is stubborn and refusing to hearhim.
Like
Chelsey (28:31):
A Raven Fe trait for sure.
Jordan (28:33):
yeah.
But it's not, it doesn't come toan explosive head and but it is
this constant back and forthpush and pull with them.
And it's just, it's so fun toread.
Chelsey (28:45):
Because when she realizes, she comes to that
realization that he does wanther and that he would like to
have her and a lot of that comesout through their intimate
moments when he's teaching herabout sex and different kinds of
sex acts because she just, shedoesn't know.
And that's
Jordan (29:05):
her first experiences was lie, and I did like that,
that it wasn't like she wascoming and she totally saved
herself for him.
Like she knew she was destinedto be with him this whole time
or promise him or whatever, butshe was like, I'm
Chelsey (29:18):
It's been 15 years.
Yeah.
Jordan (29:20):
I'm still gonna have experiences.
It just
Chelsey (29:23):
And
Jordan (29:24):
that great.
Chelsey (29:25):
yeah, no, it
Jordan (29:26):
Been there.
Chelsey (29:27):
laugh about it so much.
It's so fun to make fun of thatpoor guy.
I need to have him in another.
Fairy tale guy,
Jordan (29:36):
Oh my God, that would be so funny.
Like in a tavern somewhere whilethey're traveling or
Chelsey (29:42):
Deal Tree, just like their name dropped.
Jordan (29:45):
I
Chelsey (29:46):
Oh my God.
I think it's gonna happen forsure.
Jordan (29:48):
I'm gonna, we need merch.
Poor Breen, like I hope Brickand learn some lessons.
Some lessons.
Like something with Breen, RIP,Breen.
Chelsey (29:57):
where's
Jordan (29:58):
We know you were like, he's just a poor teenage guy.
Just
Chelsey (30:03):
He was just 19 and figuring it out himself and it,
and they just make fun of him,the whole book.
It's great.
But but uh, when she realizes,when Marella realizes that
Killian wants her and is holdingback for whatever reason, that's
what she kind of goes feral.
She's well, here it is.
The evidence.
Yeah.
(30:24):
Basically, right?
She's no, I was right.
It's you and me.
I was correct.
And then she just takes off fromthere and there's no stopping
her.
Jordan (30:33):
Yeah.
And she doesn't ever letself-doubt win
Chelsey (30:36):
No
Jordan (30:37):
any, and this is
Chelsey (30:38):
she doesn't.
Jordan (30:40):
Has been the last almost two years you've been writing so
much.
You said you've always wanted todo this.
Did were you, did you go into itlike, yes, I wanna do indie?
Did you try to query, did you
Chelsey (30:56):
No.
Jordan (30:57):
Initially, what did you,
Chelsey (30:58):
I, you know, I wish I remembered how I even knew about
Indie publishing.
I don't recall.
I'm sure it was one of my.
Hyper fixated, deep dives intosomething but I wrote a conduit
of light and I am the mostimpatient person you've probably
ever met in your life.
(31:19):
I hide it really well.
I am so impatient.
And very much like the characterin a conduit of light, the main
character Kharis.
And so I wrote that book and Iwas like, no, I'm going to do
it.
Like I'm not gonna query it.
I'm not gonna wait.
Heaven forbid I wait to let mydreams come true was really
(31:41):
like, honestly the Pisces in methat is so dramatic and I want
this and I.
Jordan (31:49):
Is Marella a Pisces?
Is that how
Chelsey (31:51):
I don't think she is, but there's definitely me in
every single one of these FMCs.
So, I decided that I was goingto research how to do it, and
that's exactly what I did.
And I think the biggest thingfor me was producing this book,
releasing this book, and thenbeing like, now what do I do
now?
What?
Everybody's gonna read it,right?
Everybody's gonna read it.
Right.
(32:13):
And the kind of, you know, therude awakening of wow, there's
millions of us, this is lovely.
And truly joining like thecommunity of indie authors and
people who read indie especiallytoo, has been so just beneficial
to my mental health.
You know, these people are just,we're all rooting for each
(32:34):
other, which is incrediblebecause then it's just one big
support fest.
And then you really feel likeyou could do it.
You really feel like you can getone day to be in every Barns and
noble, you know, like, where's,where are your Chelsey Ann
Tompkins books?
It really feels like you couldget there someday.
(32:54):
And so I love this community andso, you know, going, I have no
regrets.
Absolutely none.
I have loved it.
And I even did the covers forCurse and Spindle and Strong
Gold myself, which was an evencooler thing because now, I hear
people say oh wow, I love thiscover.
I'm like, oh my God, thanks.
(33:14):
I did it.
And it adds to just an even morejust wow, I'm really doing it.
Like I'm really following
Jordan (33:20):
You can do it all.
I don't know.
Chelsey (33:21):
so long.
And it's just lovely andwonderful.
But, to segue for that, I amquerying my next book.
Jordan (33:28):
Yay.
I saw you post about that, Ithink, yesterday or a couple
days ago.
Because you have done so muchand such a relatively short
Chelsey (33:38):
Oh my God, Jordan it's insane.
Jordan (33:42):
a breather, and I know it sounds like you just wanna
you're like, okay, what's mynext thing?
What's my next But also toacknowledge what you've just
done
Chelsey (33:51):
Yeah.
Jordan (33:52):
and fully embrace that, recognize it, and just slow down
a little bit.
Are you like just gonna likeheels in, dig in and,
Chelsey (34:04):
exactly.
It's part of the like impatientpart of me is I'm always like,
what's next?
What's coming out next?
What can we all get excitedabout next?
And that is how I have written.
Five books, boop, you know, itless than two years.
And so this next story that I'mworking on that guy came to me,
(34:26):
they always just, they alwayscome into my dms.
And by that I mean my head,right?
And, he's just slipping.
And this guy,
Jordan (34:35):
is just
Chelsey (34:36):
I mean, once,
Jordan (34:37):
It's your list of
Chelsey (34:38):
yeah, once it like opened, starting to write, it's
just it's hard to close theflood gates, right?
And so this guy came to me,metaphorically speaking, it's
all in my head, people.
But
Jordan (34:49):
Don't worry.
Everything's in my head.
Chelsey (34:51):
It's fine.
I got it.
Jordan (34:52):
Me.
There.
Chelsey (34:53):
you know what though, if you write it down, people
accept that you have peopletalking to you, and that's fine
as long as you write it down.
Jordan (35:01):
That's fair?
Chelsey (35:02):
But he came to me right after I wrote a conduit of light
and it was off to the editor andI was like, Ooh, this is an
interesting, this is a reallyinteresting story.
And the first thing that came tome was the twist.
Of course, it's always thetwists with me.
And I was like, okay, backburner.
Sit back here because I'mwriting this like really epic
trilogy right now.
(35:22):
I can't talk to you.
And you know, as I was finishingup strong gold and I felt so
drained writing that book, Iloved writing that book.
I I really enjoy it now, but ittook me time to like it.
And I think that's because I wasso done creatively.
Jordan (35:43):
Yeah.
Chelsey (35:44):
I was done.
I was I'm shooting out theseromance stories and at this
point I'm like, is this just merehashing things?
And I don't think it is at all,but I recognized I need to slow
down.
And my plan was like, okay,strong gold, boom, here we go.
Third realm of revelryfairytale, which like right, is
(36:06):
like very much conceptualized inmy brain already.
But I decided this time to sitdown with this guy from two
years ago and start writing hisstory.
And the note that I have on myphone where I've been writing
all the notes about this storyis that Come to Me is it's
titled The Guy who was very loudbecause he's so loud in my head.
(36:31):
And the twist came to me.
And then just like his dark.
Love for this FMC of you canhate me, but know that I loved
her and you know, getting thatwas just like, oh God, there's
something really good here.
And so strong gold was done.
And I was like, this is it.
(36:52):
I have to, this is just the timeto write chorus.
And Chorus is like the codename.
That's not the title, but it's,that's what I'm calling it.
And it's this dark romantasythat has all the things we love,
all of the things that we expectto see.
It's got enemies to love, trueenemies to love.
They're trying to murder eachother.
They're
Jordan (37:12):
Thank you.
Thank you.
I really need an, I need a, notlike you first see them and
you're like, oh, I lost afteryou, but I can't,
Chelsey (37:20):
of that.
Absolutely none.
And that's gonna make it solovely later.
But
Jordan (37:25):
Yay.
Chelsey (37:25):
it's that true enemies to lovers where the first book I
don't, I think we're gonna get akiss.
And that's probably it, right?
Like it's slow burn.
Jordan (37:35):
me.
Chelsey (37:35):
It's,
Jordan (37:35):
Edge me.
It's fine.
Chelsey (37:37):
I love it.
I love it when readers say that.
And it's faded mates too.
So it's like these very generictropes.
We've read them how many timeshave we read these
Jordan (37:45):
For a reason.
Chelsey (37:46):
for a reason, right?
And I'm like, how do I takethese lovely things that I love?
And how do I make them twisty?
How do I make them in a waywhere people are reading this
book and they're like.
Oh my God, I see what you didthere.
That is just like my favoritething ever when the twist comes
(38:09):
about.
And so I've got this whole boardright now in my room of just
parchment paper, and it has it,it looks like a madman.
Came into my room and startedwriting down gibberish because I
had 18 notes, 18 pages of notesfrom those two years that I went
(38:29):
through.
And it is ready to go.
It.
I am gonna take my time with it.
I'm gonna sit with it and let itsimmer.
Jordan (38:36):
Enjoy those characters.
Like really?
Yeah.
Chelsey (38:39):
It's so cool to world build again, because writing the
fairytales there is worldbuilding, but you can't spend a
lot of time on it.
So the world building comesthrough over the, over time in
the fairytales you get to knowmore about the world.
But I miss that.
I miss building.
Something, some world fromnothing and really, uh, getting
(39:01):
readers to, to feel like they'reescaping and diving into it.
I'm excited for that part.
Very
Jordan (39:07):
very exciting.
I love
Chelsey (39:09):
Yeah.
Jordan (39:10):
So, really quick, so you laid it all out.
So you're a, are you're aplotter then.
Do you plot everything first?
Chelsey (39:16):
No.
Uh, over the past two years, Ihave become more of a half and
half person where when I startsomething, I've got it plotted.
Jordan (39:29):
Uhhuh.
Chelsey (39:29):
Half of that doesn't happen.
You know, like I, I start out, Iget a base, I'm like, here's
where it's headed, and then I'mlike, scrapping
Jordan (39:40):
You have an outline?
Chelsey (39:42):
A very general wiggy wiggly outline.
Jordan (39:46):
Yeah.
Chelsey (39:46):
Most of it ends up being pants where I sit down and
I'm like, what's this chapter?
I don't know.
Let's find out.
And it's so fun when you writetwists because sometimes, you
know, parts of the twist come toyou as you're writing And it
feels like a reader.
You know, you're sitting thereoh no, you know, you have this
(40:07):
same reaction of I can't believethis is happening in real time
and I highly recommend
Jordan (40:14):
That's so funny.
That reminds me of what Hannahsaid when we interviewed her
recently, talking about Evie andthe villain, because we were
talking about how slow of a burnthat is, and she's guys, it's
not me.
I literally tried to shove theirfaces together and are like,
kiss, kiss, and they're like,no, I won't.
She's I'm trying, guys.
I'm shoving their headstogether.
(40:34):
They won't do it.
So
Chelsey (40:36):
Yeah.
That's some intense slow bird
Jordan (40:39):
Yeah.
Okay, we're gonna shake this offbecause we're all like, we can
chat, obviously, but we're gonnatake a break.
We're gonna do this or that justto.
Chelsey (40:48):
Oh, yay.
Jordan (40:50):
Shake things up.
I'm gonna give you two options.
First thing that comes to mind,your opinion.
There technically are no wronganswers, but let's be honest,
Chelsey (41:01):
But everyone will judge.
Yes, I get it.
Jordan (41:04):
We'll start out, hopefully easy with physical
book or ebook.
Chelsey (41:09):
Physical
Jordan (41:10):
Okay.
Chelsey (41:10):
specifically.
Paperback.
Jordan (41:12):
Oh, paperback?
Yes.
Okay.
That's fair.
That's much more doable whenyou're actually holding it for
that long.
These fantasy books.
Sweet or salty snacks, whileyou're
Chelsey (41:22):
Salty.
Jordan (41:23):
Okay.
I agree.
Hidden identity or newfoundmagic ability.
Chelsey (41:31):
Hidden Identity.
Okay.
Jordan (41:32):
Yeah.
One horse or one bed.
Chelsey (41:36):
One bed.
You know, that's my favoritetrope.
That's what I told you.
It's my favorite.
I love one bed.
Live for it.
Jordan (41:44):
so good.
Small town or billionaire.
Chelsey (41:49):
Billionaire, but I haven't really read much of
either.
But I would guess billionaire,Uhhuh.
Jordan (41:54):
You'd rather see just the luxury of
Chelsey (41:56):
I grew up in a small town.
I don't see the romanticism init.
I'm like, I don't know.
I don't see it.
Jordan (42:03):
like the people you see all the time are not this nice.
It is not that
Chelsey (42:07):
Or that good looking.
Go ahead.
Jordan (42:10):
Yes, you and I can talk about that later.
Uh, standalone or series
Chelsey (42:17):
Series.
Jordan (42:19):
fake dating or marriage of convenience, Korvin or
Killian.
Chelsey (42:27):
Oh, God, you're so evil.
could you do this?
Okay,
Jordan (42:36):
knew it.
I was like, what if, what can Ido that's just for
Chelsey (42:39):
that's perfect.
I, Korvin
Jordan (42:42):
Okay.
That's fair.
Chelsey (42:46):
partial.
Jordan (42:46):
Nope, you don't get
Chelsey (42:47):
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
I wanna Okay.
Korvin a har a hard decision.
Very difficult but Korvin has myhearts for sure.
Jordan (42:56):
Love it.
All right, and top three book.
Chelsey (42:59):
I,
Jordan (43:00):
Book partners, boyfriends.
Chelsey (43:03):
oh, top three book boyfriends.
Okay.
Jordan (43:05):
Could be yours or other people, like
Chelsey (43:07):
oh, no, it's not gonna be mine.
That's boring.
Of course.
I love Reic to death.
No, rev is end game for everyonewho reads Continental Light.
Anyway, trust me.
So number one, Barons JerichoBarons from the Faye Fever
Series by Karen Marie Monning.
Jordan (43:26):
I have not heard of
Chelsey (43:27):
it's old.
It came out, I wanna say likeearly two thousands.
I hope I'm, I hope that'saccurate.
Jordan (43:35):
There's Google.
We can figure it
Chelsey (43:36):
hands down favorite series.
It is like Urban FantasyRomance, romantasy slow burn.
It has Faye and it's got likethe Sealy, unseelie fa oh my
Jordan (43:48):
I love Celia.
And Celia.
Chelsey (43:50):
I got my, one of my best friends to read it with me.
This, you know, in January atthe start of the year, she
became completely obsessed withit.
And I said see.
So Jericho Barons number onelike that man.
It changed me forever.
Number two, I would have to sayI'm looking behind me right now.
Jordan (44:08):
I love it.
That we, this is always ourending.
This is always our endingquestion, and everyone always
turns around to their books.
I love it.
Chelsey (44:14):
Will have to say, so I don't know.
I'm kind of going off of, notnecessarily who would I want to
live with for the rest of mylife, but I'm going off of what
MMC has always stuck with me.
And Cardin from the cruel Princehas always stuck with me.
I think
Jordan (44:33):
will love to hear
Chelsey (44:34):
such a good char, such a good character.
Like the letters that he wroteher I am, I'm still, I think
about it, you know what I mean?
So definitely there.
And for number three how aboutall five men from the bonds that
tie series?
Except the one, I can't rememberhis name and he was a jerk and I
(44:56):
didn't like him, but the rest ofthem like Griffin?
Yes.
Jordan (45:00):
Griffin, we've talked about this.
Oh, Griffin, Shore.
The that you are.
Oh,
Chelsey (45:11):
so not all five, but all four.
Those four.
Jordan (45:13):
Knox, you're thinking of Knox
Chelsey (45:15):
am thinking of NOx.
I
Jordan (45:17):
Listen, NOx, you have a tragic backstory.
We get it.
But like also, there is a
Chelsey (45:21):
but also, what the hell?
Okay.
Uh, there is, you crossed it andI'm
Jordan (45:26):
never apologized.
And you never groveled.
No, thank you.
Chelsey (45:30):
So, yeah.
So the last one is four men.
Jordan (45:33):
I accept that answer.
Yes.
That is the correct answer
Chelsey (45:37):
I think it is the correct answer.
Jordan (45:39):
Have you read the Mortal Fate series by J Bree?
Chelsey (45:43):
I haven't yet.
Is it done?
Is it done?
Is it the okay.
Jordan (45:49):
But
Chelsey (45:50):
I mean, that's not a deal breaker for me, but I was
just, I was
Jordan (45:52):
hands down
Chelsey (45:54):
I've heard this.
Jordan (45:56):
the best enemies to
Chelsey (45:58):
It's
Jordan (45:58):
ever read.
Chelsey (45:59):
it's one of those ones that I know I'm going to be
completely consumed by, and so
Jordan (46:06):
Absolutely.
Chelsey (46:07):
I know I will save it I'm like, wait until it's
consumable time, because rightnow it's not,
Jordan (46:14):
But who
Chelsey (46:14):
this, and this.
Jordan (46:15):
And I'm gonna be honest, I would say that after the first
one, my husband read them and
Chelsey (46:21):
Oh, really?
Oh that's interesting.
Jordan (46:24):
Dev just reread them and Dev does not reread
Chelsey (46:26):
Oh, really?
Okay.
I mean, no, trust me.
Jordan (46:29):
I'm just saying.
I'm just saying
Chelsey (46:31):
it.
I am well aware.
That I will go down that holeand be like, I'm not coming out
of this.
Jordan (46:39):
no and the world.
Oh.
So anyways.
So do you mostly read.
Is that like where your heartlies, not just in writing, but
also in reading.
Chelsey (46:47):
for sure.
And it really stems from fantasybeing such a huge part of my,
you know, childhood growing up.
And then I also read so muchhistorical romance growing up
Jordan (47:01):
Okay.
Chelsey (47:02):
and it just made sense that those kind of just aligned
Jordan (47:05):
well
Chelsey (47:06):
well, Really well.
And, so that's mostly what Iread is romantic.
I also write it, so I like tosee what other authors are
doing.
Jordan (47:14):
Yeah.
Chelsey (47:15):
You know, it is.
One thing that is rough as anauthor is that I don't enjoy
books the same way I used tobecause I'm constantly like, oh,
I see what they did there.
You know, I'm always thinkingabout the author as I read their
book, and I'm always thinkinglike, why did they make that
choice?
Why did they do this?
(47:35):
Or oh, I see where they'retrying to lead me down.
And,
Jordan (47:38):
Yeah.
Oh, it's like this war and soit's gonna do this, or, oh, they
got ideas from that and
Chelsey (47:45):
It's a lot easier, I feel to predict books once
you've written them.
Jordan (47:49):
Or read hundreds
Chelsey (47:51):
That too.
Jordan (47:52):
hundreds in the same genre.
Chelsey (47:54):
Yeah, that too.
That too.
Jordan (47:55):
I'm sure writing is a whole nother realm of that, of
understanding.
Chelsey (48:00):
And everything I read has a fellow fantasy element to
it.
It is very rare for me to readcontemporary romance.
It's rare to read sci-fi.
I don't read horror because I amterrible at horror.
I can't do it.
Can't even happen.
Jordan (48:18):
I understand that.
That's fair.
I like mystery and suspense.
I don't really go in for horror.
Chelsey (48:23):
Yeah it's a whole, it's a whole nother thing.
My husband loves like horrormovies and things like that.
As I've gotten older, I've beenlike, I'm uncomfortable and I'm
not gonna finish watching thiswith you.
Jordan (48:36):
That's fair.
I,
Chelsey (48:37):
Not something I would've said in twenties.
Not something I would've justbeared with it.
'cause it's my husband.
At this point in my life though,I'm like, I have other things to
do.
I am not finishing this moviewith you.
Jordan (48:47):
I'm gonna go read in the other Have fun.
Chelsey (48:49):
Yeah.
Jordan (48:50):
Yeah.
What are your favorite readsfrom the past year?
Chelsey (48:53):
Oh, yeah.
Jordan (48:54):
or like the last year or so, do you have any favorite
Chelsey (48:57):
Yeah.
I did, I wrote down I kind oflooked since January just to
kind of get okay, what's freshin my mind?
These are all indie books.
I believe so.
Actually, I'm not sure about thethird one now that I think about
it, but I recently read Smokeand Scar
Jordan (49:11):
Okay.
Chelsey (49:11):
by Gretchen Powell Fox, who is a lovely person.
I love her.
And she's blowing up right now.
She's gonna be everywhere prettysoon.
Just wait.
But it felt very, Dungeons andDragons, which is something I
used to play and I used to dmand so I really enjoyed that
aspect of it.
And then I grabbed this indiebook off of the shelf in the
(49:34):
library for Pride Month.
And I was like, give me, gimmesome raw Mm, romance.
And I grabbed this book, it wasso good.
It's called Yield Under GreatPersuasion.
And it feels, it's fantasy, butit feels almost historical.
(49:55):
And the main male character init is such an ass hat.
Like he is such, he is a walkingred flag.
But because we get all of thebook from his perspective, he is
constantly talking about all ofthe things wrong with him.
(50:15):
And then the man that he is inlove with is the sunshine
character of a grumpy sunshine.
And he just thinks, you know,the world is built around this
very toxic man that we'rereading about.
It was so good.
I absolutely adored it.
So that was yield under GreatPersuasion by Alexandra Roland.
(50:37):
I don't know anything else abouther.
I just pull this book off of thelibrary and is aqua.
It was just like really random.
And then the other one, if youreally like fairytale
retellings.
Scarlet St.
Clair wrote Mountains Made ofGlass.
And I haven't read her other onethat's like in the same, don't
know if it's a series or not,but Mountains Made of Glass is
(50:59):
very short, very weird, butfeels very original, fairytale
esque.
And she has like severalfairytales like in it, including
Rumpelstiltskin.
And I just loved it.
I was like, this is so freakingweird, man.
I, I.
But I loved it.
It just felt other worldly, oldfashioned fairytale.
(51:21):
It was very good.
I really enjoyed it.
I need to read her other one.
I think it's like Apple's dippedin gold, I think.
And I feel like that one waspicked up.
Maybe
Jordan (51:30):
okay.
I feel she
Chelsey (51:31):
I'm not sure she at least started indie.
I know that.
Jordan (51:36):
Yeah.
I've seen her a lot, but I'mnow, I'm like.
She,
Chelsey (51:40):
She might be.
She might
Jordan (51:42):
things that are trad,
Chelsey (51:43):
Yeah.
She might be
Jordan (51:44):
some trad, some indie.
But I actually kinda love itwhen authors do that because
they're like, these are mypassion projects.
Yeah.
These I love, but also I'm gonnalet someone else take care
Chelsey (51:54):
Yeah.
Somebody else grabbed these outof my hands, please.
Jordan (51:58):
Someone take care of these.
I'm gonna work on
Chelsey (52:00):
Uhhuh.
Jordan (52:00):
Just throw this out for people.
I kind of love
Chelsey (52:03):
That sounds like the dream, honestly.
Jordan (52:05):
absolutely.
So good.
So I mean, we already talkedabout your next project you're
already, that's so exciting.
What is like long-term goals asan author?
Do you have any big, likebenchmarks you're hoping to get
to?
What's like your big overall
Chelsey (52:22):
Like I was saying, I think just you know, for me it's
truly about telling the storyand being a storyteller.
And so I would love to makeenough money to do that full
time.
That's a big goal, right?
I would say like the biggestlike end goal would be to, like
I was saying, just know my booksare in like all the Barnes and
(52:48):
Nobles, right?
Like they're accessible.
They're, they have reach, whichis part of why I'm querying
because it is so hard to getreach.
It really is a difficult thing.
And you know, people like you,Jordan and this podcast are so
lovely to help us with that.
Truly they are, you know, evenif just one person reads any of
(53:08):
my books from this podcast it'samazing to be, and again,
talking about the community andhow supportive it is but the end
goal is to eventually just beable to walk in a Barnes and
Noble or.
You know, whatever yourpreferred bookstore is, and it's
oh yeah there's stories thatI've written.
Jordan (53:24):
Yeah.
Chelsey (53:25):
You know, I don't need to like, have a movie or be on,
the New York Times bestsellerlists five times or so.
You know, it is, that doesn'tmatter to me.
I just want people to be able towalk into a store and be able to
pick up a story that I wanted totell them.
Jordan (53:41):
I love that goal.
I be her happy.
Chelsey (53:47):
Oh,
Jordan (53:48):
I love it.
I know, and that's probably myfavorite thing about the podcast
is just like kind of being acheerleader
Chelsey (53:54):
Yeah.
Jordan (53:54):
authors and especially indie authors, and it's just so
much fun.
I love it.
I love this part.
I love talking about.
People's passion with them
Chelsey (54:04):
And we love you for it.
Jordan (54:05):
them.
My passion is reading thesestories
Chelsey (54:08):
love you for it.
Uhhuh.
Jordan (54:10):
Oh, thank you.
There's just love going all
Chelsey (54:13):
It's just everywhere.
Here we're,
Jordan (54:17):
I love that note.
Do you wanna give your socials,your handles?
Where can people find you?
Speaking of accessibility, wherecan they
Chelsey (54:23):
I know, right.
Speaking of reach, so I used tobe on TikTok a lot.
I'm mostly on Instagram now.
I have kind of found mycommunity there and so I'm on
TikTok though.
TikTok Instagram and Threads allare@chelseyanntompkins.
That's it.
Really easy.
Find me, DM me.
(54:44):
I love Jordan, the dms wheresomebody is reading one of my
books and they DM me and they'reeither pissed off right.
Conduit of light trilogy, you'llget mad.
Respectfully.
Respectfully, ma'am, how dareyou?
And then the people who comeinto my dms and they say, I just
(55:07):
got to such and such scene, andI had to, I can't tell you how
many times people have donethis.
I had to put it down becausethere was too much distraction
and I needed to savor it.
I love those dms and any kind ofcapitalization of letters and
exclamation marks, like I, Ilive for it.
Indie authors love when you gointo their dms and you tell them
(55:32):
how much you're loving the bookthat they wrote.
And it's literally will I likesuck it in you know,
Jordan (55:37):
Yeah.
And then that energy
Chelsey (55:39):
so refreshing.
Right.
And some of the things thatpeople have said, I have
literally on sticky notes andI'm looking at them right now.
And I just have them around mebecause especially a small indie
author, it's so easy to get lostin how obscure you are and how
small you are.
And it's so easy to see all thesuccess of people, and you're
(56:01):
like, I am so happy for you.
But you're also like when do Iget that?
And so I do, I write down thingsthat people say to me and it's
just there to remember that I amdoing this, to tell these
stories because I'm astoryteller and that's what I
am.
One of the most ancientprofessions ever.
Right.
Storytelling.
People have been telling storiessince people have been able to
(56:24):
communicate them.
And I love that I get to do thatand that I have enough talent to
do that to where people want toknow my stories.
Jordan (56:32):
Yeah.
Ask for
Chelsey (56:34):
yeah.
And so it's really lovely whenpeople reach out to me and are
just like, either, how dare you,or, oh my God, I'm dying.
Right, right.
One or the other.
I love that part.
Jordan (56:46):
Thank you so much and we love it.
We love to hear it.
Chelsey, Ann Tompkins, whereveryou can follow her, wherever you
have your own accounts.
Thank you for joining me
Chelsey (56:57):
Thank you for having me.
And keeping in touch in likeover a year.
Right.
Jordan (57:05):
it's worth it.
People go download the books.
But thank you everyone forlistening to us ramble about
Chelsey's books.
If you're looking for moreromance recs, be sure to follow
us on Instagram and Threads andsometimes on TikTok at Romance
Recs Pod.
You can find our favorite bookRecs from our episodes, as well
as behind the scenes content.
(57:26):
Again, that's at Romance RecsPod, so make sure to give us a
follow and we'll be back soonwith season three.
We'll be starting soon andseason three is
Chelsey (57:35):
Look at you.
Go.
Jordan (57:37):
Yeah, so it's gonna be a little bit different.
Thank you.
I
Chelsey (57:40):
it's so exciting.
Yes,
Jordan (57:41):
so there will be different kinds of content too.
We're gonna head over to newplatforms as well as where we
are now.
Chelsey (57:49):
Big thanks.
Big thanks coming.
I'm so
Jordan (57:52):
Thank you.
Chelsey (57:53):
you.
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