Hazel McBride- A Fate Forged in Fire episode artwork

EPISODE · May 29, 2025 · 18 MIN

Hazel McBride- A Fate Forged in Fire

from Speaking of Writers · host Steve Richards

To become the first queen in centuries, a powerfully blessed blacksmith must use her wits and fire magic to overthrow the corrupt powers ruling her kingdom—while also fighting her growing desire for one of her dragon-riding adversaries—in the first book of a sizzling Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology.Once a territory built on matriarchal rule and values, Tìr Teine has since grown frail from a long line of fruitless kings, the most recent of which have ruled under the influence of the True Religion, an oppressive group who have steadily poisoned the region with their anti-magic teachings.Born to rule and blessed by fire, Aemyra has begrudgingly lived in hiding rather than risk her life in court, waiting in anticipation for the current king’s death so she can bond to his dragon, claim her throne, and protect her people. But when the king dies and Aemyra is ready to take what is rightfully hers, her ambitious plan is foiled, and she is thrust into a game of vicious politics and plots.Her biggest adversary is Prince Fiorean, a dragon rider and one of the most powerful fire wielders in the territory. Cold, arrogant, and blindly supportive of his corrupt family, he is everything Aemyra despises. But as chaos engulfs the court, they find themselves reluctantly entwined, forced to forge an uneasy alliance—one that quickly ignites into something more dangerous than either of them expected.Behind enemy lines and slowly falling for her so-called adversary, Aemyra uncovers just how far the rot of corruption has spread, and what she may have to sacrifice to claim her throne. About the AuthorHazel McBride is originally from Scotland but lived in the Caribbean, Spain, and France before settling in the Netherlands with her Dutch husband. As a former animal trainer, McBride loves writing about magical and fantastical creatures, and as a bisexual author with anxiety, she focuses on writing queer characters and exploring topics such as mental illness within her work. When she isn’t writing, McBride can be found eating chocolate (Galaxy only) and watching shows that fuel her daydreams about morally gray villains. At least until her incessantly energetic border collie forces her to get off the couch.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 29, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Hazel McBride- A Fate Forged in Fire

0:00 18:16

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Speaking of Writers?

This episode is 18 minutes long.

When was this Speaking of Writers episode published?

This episode was published on May 29, 2025.

Can I download this Speaking of Writers episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!