S.2 Ep. 44: A Fairytale Built on Ruins: Sasha E. Sloan on Her Disney YA Debut The Ruins Beneath Us

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where magic is forbidden, heroines are far more dangerous than they seem, and stories dare to remind us that softness can be power.This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with breakout fantasy author Sasha E. Sloan to celebrate her debut novel, The Ruins Beneath Us. Sasha reflects on her unconventional path to publication—from musical theater and pageantry to building a massive online audience and ultimately landing a publishing deal with Disney. She shares how years of rejection, experimentation, and relentless creativity shaped her journey, and why she believes success is built, piece by piece, with intention and persistence. We dive into the enchanting and dangerous world of The Ruins Beneath Us, a YA fantasy that blends the wonder of classic fairytale worlds with high-stakes tension and emotional depth. Sasha unpacks her vision for the story: a “wonderstruck” fantasy experience inspired by the sweeping magic of 90s classics, where castles loom, forests whisper, and nothing is quite as simple as it seems.At the heart of the story is Lyria—a heroine who challenges the genre itself. Soft, compassionate, and deeply feminine, yet fierce, powerful, and unafraid to fight for what matters. Sasha explores her intentional choice to write a character who embodies both strength and softness, pushing back against the idea that female power must look one specific way.Along the way, we explore Sasha’s philosophy of storytelling: that perfection is the enemy of progress, that creativity requires vulnerability, and that sometimes the most powerful stories come from embracing imperfection and trusting your voice.🩸 What if the most dangerous thing about you is the power you were told to hide?✨ Can softness and strength exist in the same character?🔥 And what happens when a forbidden world begins to feel like home?This is a must-listen for fantasy lovers, aspiring authors, and anyone who believes magic should feel as emotional as it is immersive.🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT✨ Sasha’s journey from musical theater and pageantry to published Disney author. ✨ Building a massive audience before publishing and why it mattered. ✨ The unconventional path to landing a Disney publishing deal. ✨ Writing multiple “failed” books before The Ruins Beneath Us. ✨ The inspiration behind the world of The Ruins Beneath Us. ✨ Challenging stereotypes of female strength in fantasy. ✨ Crafting romance and intimacy for a YA audience with intention. ✨ The balance between vulnerability, ambition, and storytelling. ✨ What’s next in the Ruins series and beyond. CONNECT WITH US🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill📚 Sasha E. Sloan – IG: @sashaesloan and TikTok: @Sashaesloan✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.