S.2 Ep. 76: Marching Band, Dungeons & Dragons, and a Rivalry Years in the Making: Kristy Boyce on Rolls and Rivalry

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where first loves deserve second chances, high school drama is never truly left behind, and sometimes the greatest adventure begins with a roll of the dice.This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara Santillan sit down with bestselling YA romance author Kristy Boyce for a nostalgic, hilarious, and delightfully nerdy conversation about Rolls and Rivalry, the newest installment in her beloved Quest for Love series. If you love rivals-to-lovers romance, marching band chaos, Dungeons & Dragons, and stories filled with heart, humor, and geeky joy, this episode is for you.Kristy shares her journey from childhood Barbie fanfiction writer to traditionally published author, opening up about the long road to publication, finding the right agent, and building a career writing the kinds of stories she wished she'd had growing up. As a social psychology professor, she also discusses how her fascination with identity, relationships, and personal growth naturally finds its way into her books.We dive into Rolls and Rivalry, a YA rom-com centered on Hazel, a competitive color guard captain determined to make her senior year unforgettable. When her former childhood friend Max joins marching band and immediately turns everything into a competition, old feelings and unresolved tensions quickly resurface. What follows is a rivals-to-lovers story packed with marching band antics, D&D adventures, and plenty of emotional growth.⚡ What happens when your biggest rival is also your first friend?🩸 Can competition bring two people together instead of tearing them apart?🔥 And what if the perfect campaign isn't the one happening at the game table?This is a must-listen for YA romance readers, D&D fans, marching band kids, and anyone who still believes first love stories never go out of style.🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:✨ Kristy's journey from aspiring writer to bestselling author.✨ Balancing writing, teaching, and family life.✨ The inspiration behind Rolls and Rivalry.✨ Marching band, color guard, and bringing personal experiences into fiction.✨ Why Dungeons & Dragons continues to connect readers and writers.✨ Rivals-to-lovers romance and childhood friends reconnecting.✨ Writing clean YA romance and slow-burn relationships.✨ The growing popularity of gaming culture in books.✨ Behind-the-scenes realities of traditional publishing.✨ Barnes & Noble exclusives and seeing your books in stores.✨ The Quest for Love series and its interconnected standalones.✨ What's coming next from Kristy.CONNECT WITH US🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill📚 Kristy Boyce – @Kristylboyce✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review. It helps more fantasy readers and aspiring authors find their way to The Mythic Mic.