From Daydreams to A Crown In Shadows with Alecia Kirby

Ever wondered how a late-night creative outlet can turn into a full-fledged fantasy trilogy? We sit down with Alecia B. Kirby—tourism marketing pro by day, author by night—to trace the unlikely path from a tough season in life to the release of A Crown In Shadows, a medieval fantasy charged with political intrigue, a framed-for-murder twist, and the kind of grumpy-sunshine pull that keeps pages turning.Alicia opens up about her writing process: embracing pantsing with a vision of the ending, a chaotic yet effective post-it wall, and a nightly ritual of rereading to avoid repetition and re-enter the scene’s emotion. When the words stall, she looks outward—shows like Blue Eye Samurai can reignite the spark even if they share nothing with her world. We also get honest about the realities of balancing art with a 9–5, the tradeoffs of weekends and social life, and why listening to your body is more sustainable than forcing word counts.If you crave court intrigue, high-stakes choices, and a heroine forced to flee after a wedding-eve murder shock, Alicia’s world belongs on your TBR. A Crown In Shadows is available at major retailers and on Kindle Unlimited. Enjoy the conversation, then tap follow, share this episode with a book-loving friend, and leave a quick review to help more readers find us. Cover Art by: moiIntro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on CapcutContact Email: [email protected] IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcastJordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction