Latest / Deep Trope Fantasy & Romance Podcast / LJ Claren Interview | Author of The Silversmith & The Incendiary

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LJ Claren Interview | Author of The Silversmith & The Incendiary · Deep Trope Fantasy & Romance Podcast

• Rachel: Welcome to Deep Trope, where we go deep into fantasy and romance books, one trope at a time. I'm Rachel, also known as Plot Twist Rach. And in lieu of my usual co-host Kate, today I'm joined by a very special guest. We recently completed our four episode deep dive into the Silversmith, book one of the Selvaren series. And today I'm joined by none other than the creator of The King of Yearning, my book husband Gavin Smyth. Author L J Claren LJ Claren: Hello, thank you for having me. Rachel: thank you so much for joining me today, LJ. This is such an exciting month for you. We're one week away from the launch of the incendiary, book two in the Selvaren series. How are you feeling? LJ Claren: I am really excited. I've been chomping at the bit for people to read this one for a while now. I'm so excited. Counting down the Rachel: my gosh. LJ Claren: days. Rachel: Yes. Well, as an arc reader, I mean I was like blown away by this book. I think you're gonna you're gonna break the internet. I'm convinced. You're gonna break the internet. LJ Claren: I hope so. I'm really excited for for people to read it. I'm excited for people to see Ary in this book and you know, I think it's I I'm it's my favorite thing that I've ever written. I love it. I'm so excited. Rachel: that's so exciting. So I want to spend some time kind of chatting through the Silversmith as well as kind of what people can expect from the incendiary. and the Selvaren series as a whole. So can you tell us like how this story, the Selvaran series in general, came to be? Like when and how did you come up with the concept? and how long it was like sort of marinating in your mind. LJ Claren: So it's been marinating for quite a while. I think I was either I was like fourteen or fifteen when like Ary herself came kind of just in my head. I think it was kind of I was going through some stuff and you know, ment mental health and when those teenage years are tough. And Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: I'd always been a big reader and you know, escaping into books and Ary kind of came to me as somebody that was kind of at rock bottom. And I think a lot of that probably came from how I was feeling at that time too. and it just this idea of her like in this in this like farm-ish house, like in in a rural area and just alone Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: came to me. And you know, that's kind of what I wrote first was just her and how she was feeling. and then from there, I mean, these characters just kind of came to me one by one. And especially, you know, Smyth swooping in to save her from the wolf, you know, that he came next. And then they've just been kind of sitting with me for a really long time. And I I just didn't I think I was like really afraid to dive in and really write their story for a really long time, but it was marinating for like, I mean I think I wrote I wrote Silversmith two years ago, three years ago. So Yes. So I finally put pen to paper for the final time when I was like twenty eight. So Rachel: okay. LJ Claren: sat on it for quite a while. I think I mean I I r I wrote parts of it over a long period of time and just wrote and revised and finally just wrote the final draft when I was twenty eight. So three years ago. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Rachel: Okay, so this has been years over a decade really in the making. LJ Claren: Yeah, I've been just kind of sitting on their story for a really long time and like they've kind of I mean, writing, especially them, they they've always been a really big part of you know, me managing my mental health and I journaling Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: never worked for me. And I think it's an amazing tool. It just for me it just wasn't super helpful. I was very much wanted to like escape into other characters and I found you know, channeling my emotions through other characters was more more beneficial to me. And so that's what I did. And that's actually why I went to college and got an English degree because ultimately I wanted to write this story. And that's kind of what drove me to do it. Rachel: Well, LJ Claren: so but then for a while I I I didn't know if I wanted to bank on writing to be my career. So 'cause that's a scary thing. It's scary to put Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: your passion as your career like that, not knowing if you make any money and, you know, you want to support a family and all that. So I just wasn't sure I wanted to take the take the dive. so I I worked in or I I got a degree in business too. And so I also work in insurance. That's my sa that's my that's my day job. So then I decided to do both and it's been a whirlwind. Rachel: I mean, that is wild that you're doing both. Why don't we talk about that for a minute? Like how are you balancing all of this? LJ Claren: Well, I do have an amazing husband and I have amazing my mom lives nearby and this is and this is more referring to I have a four year old and a two year old. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: so they help my mom helps with the kids a lot. and it's just a lot of balance. I'm very lucky to have a flexible job during you know, my my day job. So I'm able to kind of make my own schedule there and so I'm able to balance and It's definitely tough. Definitely have my days where I'm a bit in over my head, but I've managed for about a year and a half now doing both. So do I actually say doing all three? Mothering the most importantly. But Rachel: Right. LJ Claren: yeah. Rachel: So do you have like a typical day or can you walk me through like what a ideal writing day looks like? LJ Claren: I am unstructured. Rachel: Ha ha ha. LJ Claren: I will say I do most of my writing at night after the kids are in bed. So doing a lot of my my day job during the day. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: but then about usually about seven o'clock is when I start writing. And I usually am up pretty late and I definitely don't get enough sleep. I drink a lot of caffeine. But I it's nice at night 'cause it's quiet too and that's really when my creativity flows the most as well. I've always been a night owl. So my my brain's always moving during those Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: evening hours. Rachel: Well, that's amazing that you're squeezing it all in. And I'm curious. So this has obviously been in your mind for many years. And did you have or do you have the whole five book series? Because I believe it's five books, right? LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: Do you have the whole five book series kind of mapped out or okay. LJ Claren: Yeah, yes. So I feel like I always knew where I wanted the story to go. And I always knew what was gonna happen to certain characters, and and how that was gonna propel the story forward. And I that's what I mean and where really just sat on it for a while and took notes and said, This is what's gonna happen. Basically I plotted over years and years of just thinking about it. Rachel: So you you plotted over like years and years in your mind, like LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: not visually anywhere, just really just thinking about it. LJ Claren: No, I definitely have I definitely have notes. but Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: I I do a lot of like a lot of moments come to me. So different scenes. So I'll write down and then they're kind of just in a word document and then I organize them all together based on, you know, the flow of events. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: so I'm very much, you know, they talk about being a plotter and a pantser or a pancer. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: And I think I'm definitely both. Because you do have to plot to some degree. Otherwise, I mean, you don't where's the story going? Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: but I definitely think you know, my books are definitely very character driven. So the characters definitely drive where things go and their development drives where where things go as well. Rachel: So you mentioned that the characters sort of came to you and this is sort of like your replacement for journaling through the years. Okay. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. That's how it definitely started. I mean, now it's totally o its own thing and own characters and story and everything. But I would say that's r that's really how Ary came to me at the beginning. Mm-hmm. Rachel: Okay. So I was gonna ask like which character you relate to the most and I'm assuming the answer is Ary. Okay, yeah, LJ Claren: Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Rachel: yeah. which is your favorite character to write? LJ Claren: That varies on the book. Without s well, do you mean like from their point of view? Rachel: You can answer however you'd like to answer that. LJ Claren: I mean anything with an MMC in it. Right with Rachel: Right, yeah. LJ Claren: with tension and banter. I mean writing Smyth in the first book, his aura and his just protective, dominating Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: energy is addictive to me to write. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: I think that I definitely really thrive on the romance, on the romance Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: aspect. That's my those are my favorite that's my favorite part to write for sure is that those tense moments. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: what is the the new term literary edging? Rachel: Well you are the queen of that. LJ Claren: So I've been told. Rachel: Well and you asked you said, you know, whether from their POV or not. Like let's talk about that a little bit because you did LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: mention so you have most of the Silversmith is in Ary's perspective or POV, LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: other than like there's what is it, two Gavin chapters? LJ Claren: Yep, there's two chapters from his point of view and then the very last chapter is Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: our commander. Rachel: Yes. So those are two very different characters. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: And I'm just interested of like how you're getting into the headspace to like write from their perspective. LJ Claren: Honestly, I don't there's not really anything that I do specifically. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: I think I think that these characters have just been with me for so long that it just comes naturally to me. Like one of one of the things too, I'm very inspired by music, and that can definitely change my frame of mind. So certain certain types of music, certain songs I'll listen to to, you know, get into a certain zone for whatever character I'm gonna be writing. and I mean with Smyth, I just think I know him so well. And I mean, I know Elias very, very well too. So Rachel: Ha ha. LJ Claren: when it comes to those two, you know, those I would say I mean Ary, Smyth and Elias were all very easy for me to write because I know Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: them so well and they've been with me so long. Rachel: Yeah. Do you so you you love listening to music while you write? Do you have a playlist for each book? LJ Claren: Yes, I do have a playlist on Spotify for both Silversmith and Incendiary. Rachel: Okay. And do you create them like as you're writing the books or afterwards? LJ Claren: I'd say both. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: Incendiary was very much while I was writing it. Silversmith was more after, but that's kinda because I wrote it l longer b you know, longer two years ago, three years ago. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: But I will say book three was some while at while I was writing it. I'm I'm editing right now. And some, you know, if if songs just show up in my play s show up in my shuffle and I go, Yep, Rachel: Mm. LJ Claren: that that's going on there, that's going on there, or as new songs come out. Like there have been a couple of songs like that Baby Doll by Jamie Miller. Rachel: okay. LJ Claren: I put that one in the incendiary playlist when that came out. Yeah, so I mean it j it varies. If I find a song that I think belongs or in one of that I stick it in. Rachel: Yep, yep. Okay. Well, I mean, that certainly feels like a fun way to read the books, right? Like listening to your playlist while we read So thank you for that. That I mean, 'cause they're public, right? Everybody can find them. LJ Claren: For the first two books, yes. Rachel: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. okay, and you said that you are in editing for book three. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I just finished the first draft a week ago. Rachel: How long did it take you? LJ Claren: four months about. Rachel: That seems very fast after fourteen years of marinating over the or whatever it was for the LJ Claren: Well, I think this one I definitely I mean, this one I wrote the fastest for a variety of reasons. parts of it were easier for me to write, and that's all I'm gonna say. than others, but I would say the incendiary took me the longest. I think it's because there's a lot of trauma in that book and that can be hard. but You're gonna have to sit with it for a while to really make it hurt. Rachel: Right. Yeah. LJ Claren: No. Rachel: Yeah, I mean I feel traumatized after reading it, so LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: I can't imagine being the one writing it. you need to take a break after some of the more traumatic scenes? LJ Claren: sometimes. Sometimes, yeah. I mean, I really thrive on I've always liked really emotional movies and books. I mean, we all like to be destroyed while we're reading, or not all of us, but Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: a lot of us do. That's why we read romantasy. That's why we read romance is for all that emotion. I have a hard time once I stop though, or once I'm once I'm writing, I have a hard time stepping away. Like it's hard for me to take a step back until I'm like done with the whole thing. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and even then, you know, like when I finished the book three draft, sent it to my editor. It was like a couple days later. I'm like, all right, I'm going back in. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: But you know, I It's very therapeutic to write some of those scenes, even when they're really hard. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: so, you know, I'm I I don't know that I necessarily feel like I have to step away because you kinda get all the emotion out while you're writing it. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: So it almost kind of feels like you've got a weight lift off your shoulders once you're done. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. LJ Claren: That kind of does that ther therapy work for you. Rachel: Yeah, I see that. I I can see that. So while we're kind of chatting through a little bit of your writing process, I would love to kind of understand how you're keeping like the details of the character straight through your writing process. So this is something we ask like any author that comes on the podcast because like everybody has a different approach. So like all the little details that you sort of discover about that character, how are you organizing them? Are they like in your head or are they in like an outline somewhere? Like just so it's like consistent through the entire five book series. LJ Claren: A lot of it's in my head but I do have like a reference sheet for I mean, just details like eye colour, hair color, things like that. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: Yeah. I've I've a pretty it's a pretty basic sheet, but it's got the info that needs to be consistent, so yeah. Rachel: Yeah. Okay. And I also think that like this story, at least the Silversmith and the but especially the Silversmith. I we've deep dived the Silversmith you know we're all about tropes here. And there's so many LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: tropes in it. And I think that's one of the reasons that it like resonates with readers so much is it's that perfect formula of like familiar tropes, but then there's that mystery that you're like, LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: How does what is happening here? Like I need to know. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: and then the tension, but also like something new, right? That that special LJ element. were there any books that sort of inspired you during your writing process? LJ Claren: I will say that like reading ACOTAR got me back into writing Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and reading. So I know like everybody has like their gateway thing. Like, Rachel: Uh-huh. LJ Claren: you know, I I read so much when I was younger. and then in my early twenties I just kind of got away from it for a while. I think probably got having I probably just got burned out in college, honestly. and so in my early twenties I wasn't reading a ton. got married, had kids, then read ACOTAR. or I had my son and then then read ACOTAR. And was like I kind of feel like I was interested in like the idea of romanticity before it became like a really popular thing. Not Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: in the sense that like, I knew it before it was cool. Not like that, but like just before it really, really, really took off and it really became a market. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and so once, you know, I read ACOTAR, I was like, I think if I think if I want to write this series, this is the time I need to do it. You know, once Fourth Wing came out and I was like, This is the time to capitalize on and everybody's reading romantic right Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: now. So that was really what got me back into it. But I wouldn't say like certain elements of the story, inspired mine, if that makes sense. It just kind of reignited that Rachel: yeah, yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: passion and creativity for me. Rachel: Yeah. But even like, you know, we keep joking about like Sleeping Beauty on the LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: on the podcast. Like, do things like that come in into play at all? Like some of those like classics? LJ Claren: You know, I everybody I mean a lot of people have said Sleeping Beauty because of the whole years, Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: centuries long sleep. but I would say that at least in my head for me, it's more inspired by like Beauty and the Beast. Like that Rachel: Mm. LJ Claren: is that was my Disney movie. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: But you know, I'm trying to remember. I know that the movies that I was obsessed with when I was really little were Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast were by two. And I don't think Sleeping Beauty, it's kind of funny that I've had a lot seen a lot of people reference that because like that was not one of my favorites. But not that I didn't like it, but I just like Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: was like, I never even thought of that, like being, I mean, as being like Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: an inspiration. so that's kind of funny. I I think but Ary is very much like, and without spoiling too much, like her origin and what she doesn't remember is very Disney princessy d Disney princes y. so I think it's kind of like a twist on what happens to the princess when everything's taken away. Yeah, Rachel: When it gets dark. LJ Claren: when it gets dark Rachel: So you released The Silversmith originally as an indie LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: book. I would like to chat about that a little bit because LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: I mean that really takes guts and takes a lot of work. So what was like that moment for you where you're like, I'm gonna put this out there? LJ Claren: Yeah, so I wrote so then I so I wrote it in the final draft in my son was eighteen months old, so it was summer of twenty three, right before getting pregnant with my daughter. and so I wrote it and I finished it during that time. Then I really didn't do much of anything for over a year because I had my daughter. And then it was she was almost one at the beginning of 2025. And that's when I decided to try to trying to start query to query agents, which querying is not fun. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: and I didn't have a lot of luck with it. I and so but what I did do is I reached out to a couple of like smaller Bookstagram creators. Like I literally just stumbled across Chelsea. That's what she said. That's what she read. Rachel: Really? LJ Claren: And like, yeah, like she, I was I didn't even have an author account. I was like, I wonder if I can just get people to read this. I'm sure they get messages all the time. And Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: at the time she had maybe four or five thousand followers. And Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: I just DM'd her and I was like, hey, so this is what my book's about. Would you be interested in reading it? And I was like, Well see what happens. She's probably gonna be like, Screw you, bye. But she was like, Sure. So that was in like March of twenty five. so she read it and she loved it. And then she had some other Bookstagram friends that she was like, You guys should read this and so I kind of formed like a whole beta group. And at that time I was still querying and and waiting to hear back. And I just kind of got to I didn't even know that you could publish on Amazon at that time. Like I didn't know that you could even do that. And Rachel: Mm. Okay. LJ Claren: a couple of these girls were on Sable Sorensen's Dire Bound Arc team. And Rachel: okay. LJ Claren: so they were like, Did you know you could do this and like publish independently? And I think you should look into this. And so then they actually got me in touch with Sable and I got on the phone with them and they're Amazing. By the way, one of them, Eliza, is going to be with my conversation partner in Brooklyn on the n 9th of September September. So excited because I haven't met either of them in person yet. But Rachel: that's amazing. LJ Claren: yes, I'm so excited. But they literally just told me this is how you do it, this is how you publish, this is what we did with Dire Bound ARCs and I was like, okay, I'm gonna do what they did with my book. And I decided to self-publish and I just learned how to do it and I hired an editor and just started posting and posting and posting and posting to get ARC readers and ended up with quite a big ARC team. So then Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: sent ARCs end of May twenty five. Yeah. And so then ARCs went out like at the very end of May of twenty twenty five and then it came out in July. And it was actually though in May of twenty twenty five that my now agent, Katie Reed, saw a post. Actually, the post that she saw was literally just two hands. It was a man's hand holding like the wrist of a woman. And it was touch, it was the touch my girl and you'll never see that hand again. And she Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: saw that and DM'd me and said, I want to read it. Rachel: Wow. I mean it's a great quote. It's a great line. LJ Claren: And so sh then she read it. She loved it. She's like, I wanna sign you. Let's get this published. And so at that point I'd already had like a whole ARC team. And so I was like, well, let's I don't wanna pull it. I don't wanna not send ARCs out. I don't wanna not publish it now that I've been advertising it. So that's why we published it indie. but then in August, signed with Second Sky and Forever. Rachel: So did you so you knew that it was going to most likely go trad like when you were releasing it, indie? LJ Claren: That I mean, that was the goal, yeah. I mean you never know what's gonna happen, but like yeah, that was that was the goal. Rachel: Okay, that was a goal, but it wasn't in the works yet. Yeah, yeah. Okay. LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: That's crazy. I mean, that moved so quickly. LJ Claren: It did. It did. I feel very blessed. I know that that's not how it goes for a lot of authors. it's been an absolutely insane whirlwind. I'm so grateful to Katie. I'm so grateful to Chelsea. I mean, the fact that she was willing to just some random mom on Instagram with a private profile. I was like, Will you read my book? and so she's my PA now. Rachel: That's amazing. LJ Claren: yeah, so crazy, crazy Rachel: And LJ Claren: journey. Rachel: how did you who did you have design the cover art? Are you able to share that? LJ Claren: The original cover art was by @ghostdx_art Handle Ghost underscore. and yep, she's an artist that I found on I just found her online. and just you know, freelance artist. Rachel: I mean it's it's stunning and that caught LJ Claren: Is this? Rachel: my eye. I th I'm sure that a lot of people signed up or it caught their eye. Cause that I mean, like I was fortunate, you know, to be one of the arc readers LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: and and it was literally like I saw the picture and I was like, This is gorgeous. Like I would love to read this, you know? LJ Claren: Well, I knew I wanted to do like I there's so many amazing, beautiful covers out there. And I was like, how do I kind of balance? I wanted to c balance something bright with what like Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: is the dark, threatening feel of romantasy and just like the overall moodiness of the series. and so I kind of thought like I I thought of like just the idea of this this flower border and like that how that flower border can change for the for the different books and how it can be like a branding thing too. and so I just started coming up with the ideas of how that would work. And then my beta readers at the time really helped me come up with ideas for that too. So we went through a lot of different versions of that first cover. Rachel: okay. That's amazing that the beta readers helped with that. LJ Claren: Yes. Yes, they did. I've had I feel like I've met so many amazing, incredible people through Bookstagram that I feel Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: like, you know, as much as so many people on here have kind of found their their place and then f found people that they can connect with, I have too. And it's a little different as an author for sure, but it's really cool. Rachel: Yeah, I mean it is so weird to me that I've made friends on the internet. Like Yeah LJ Claren: We used to be you're not supposed to do that. You are not supposed to do that. Rachel: Yeah, I know. Like I I if you had told me like two years ago that I would have great friends that I met online, I would look at you like you had two heads, you know? LJ Claren: Yeah, right. If I found if I found out my my child was doing that, I'd have a coronary mind. Rachel: Ha ha. LJ Claren: You know, but Rachel: Yeah, yeah. But Bookstagram's a special place. LJ Claren: It is. Rachel: Yeah. How has the author experience changed for you since going from indie to trad? LJ Claren: I mean, having a traditional publisher behind you is huge. I mean, with the marketing and just overall the resources. one of the challenging things, especially for an editor for an author, I think right at the beginning is just it costs a lot of money to even I mean, put an ad f to even get ARC readers to sign up for your ARC. that Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: alone costs quite a bit of money and You pay for have to pay for the cover, you have to pay for your editors, which can be quite a hefty chunk of money. and that's really hard for some people. I mean, at the time I mean, it was a challenge for for me at the beginning too. because you're also taking a gamble and you're putting all this money in and you don't know if anybody's gonna read it. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: so I mean, having a traditional publisher behind you, you you have your editor, you have your resources, you have your publicist. I mean, all of that, is immensely helpful and just people that know what they're doing and know the market is kind of invaluable. So yeah. Definitely a lot of that stuff has been taken off my plate, which is great because I don't know that I mean I loved the the fact that somebody can just write a book and touch so many people Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: through being an indie author is so amazing. I would say for me, I don't know if it would have been sustainable just with all the things I'm doing with my little kids and my job and you know, all of that, doing all of it is not something that I think I could have kept up for much longer mentally. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. LJ Claren: so you know, I think for me that was definitely the right route. Rachel: Yeah. I mean, yeah, the indie authors, it's they're doing LJ Claren: I was some Rachel: like ten jobs at a time and some people do it like their whole career. LJ Claren: I I'm like the speed too at which I don't write. I don't Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: write very fast. I wouldn't say I'm a slow writer, but a lot of these authors, man, props to them. They're just churning them out and I can't I can't write that fast. But it's amazing. Rachel: Yeah. Yeah, I know. It's I mean, although four what did you say, four months? That's pretty quick. LJ Claren: Well, but yes, it is, but I like some remember I said to my husband, I said that I'm I can't I I need a little bit of a break. I need more time, you know, for Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: the next one. So but yeah. I think if it really was my sole job I'd be able to just keep going and going, but hopefully in the future, but we'll see. Rachel: Yeah, yeah, hopefully. So if you you had so many people that really like were able to support you along this journey and like you know, Sable Sorensen giving you that LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: advice. What is your number one piece of advice for somebody who's an aspiring author? LJ Claren: I would say just put it out there and don't be afraid to get feedback. Don't be afraid to fail or mess up or write something silly, you know, that I think one of the hardest things is when an author puts out their work, especially somebody that I mean, for me it was The Silversmith was a very deeply personal book. And so Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: putting it out there has been really, really hard. Because I think there are some elements of it that are so personal that any type of, you know, really harsh criticism can be really hard to hear. But you have to remember who you're writing it for. You're writing it Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: for you and you're writing it for all the people that you do touch. And Try not to let all the noise get to you and stop you from doing it, from putting yourself out there because you never know who you're gonna touch, and who's gonna fall in love with the story. Rachel: that's some great advice. So I want to spend some time talking about what readers can maybe expect from the incendiary and beyond. So up until this point, we've been, I think, pretty spoilery-free, but just a LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: warning. Anybody who hasn't read The Silversmith yet, maybe this part might include some. So consider this your warning. all right, so what can readers expect? For Ary and Smyth in the incendiary. LJ Claren: Emotional damage. I almost you know, I almost wrote Silversmith to be more predictable in places because I wanted to allure people into a false sense of security. Rachel: Okay, so you you like traumatizing us. LJ Claren: I wrote The Silversmith and The Incendiary. Like obviously it's a five book series. But like I wrote it. I wrote them both. Like you can't have the incendiary without the Silversmith. but I wrote The Silversmith thinking of the Incendiary, if that makes sense. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: Like I knew everything that was going to happen and like even Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: certain little things that call back to the first book. And so I think that the second book makes the first book better in hindsight if that makes sense. Like I wrote them like as a pair in my head. So yeah, so Rachel: Yeah, no, it does. It does make sense. Having read them both now, it does make sense. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: many of the reactions from the incendiary arc readers seem to be in the realm of this emotional devastation. so I'm assuming you were expecting that. Yeah, you're getting the LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Yes. I cried a lot when I wrote it. I also I I'm very much like in order for characters to grow, they need to be put through trials and Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: not just literal trials, trials and you know, emotional, mental, physical. because I think it makes the emotional payoff so much more worth it. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: especially when we're talking about like emotional connection and romance, I think people going through some really traumatic things characters going through really traumatic things really makes the payoff of them, Try not to spoil now. It makes the it makes it every it makes it all sweeter. Emotional damage makes the payoff sweeter. Rachel: boy. LJ Claren: haha Rachel: what kind of payoff? LJ Claren: Well you'll find out eventually. Rachel: All right, all right. So in The Silversmith, Ary is really at such a disadvantage because she has no memory, no life skills, and she doesn't know who to trust in her life. And LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: she really only knows what fucking Elowen told her. And I'm sorry, LJ Claren: You should. Rachel: fucking Elowen is her official name on this podcast. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: So we really only see Ary sort of discover who she is and step into her power throughout that book, right? LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: Can you tell us anything of what we can expect out of Ary's journey in the incendiary and also as the series continues? LJ Claren: I would say like I writing Ary in the first book was almost like writing half a like not half a conscious person, but kind of. Like she's there, but she's not mentally. Like there's so much she doesn't know, and I think that she's so overwhelmed with the new information that she doesn't even know what she's so overwhelmed with well mourning, but also just all the information's being given to her that she doesn't even know what to ask and she's kind of just in survival mode. Like I think we see at the beginning of the book that she was kind of getting to the point where she didn't care if she died. So I mean she was very much in a true depression where she just didn't care. And I think that that's also why she kind of just went along with what people told her because she was like, well this is better than dying. So I guess I'll go, you know? Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and I kind of in that first book she's kind of half awake. And what I would say is in the second book and on, she's very much awake. She's she's awake now. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and she is not going to let people walk over her. And she stands her gr she's gonna stand her ground, even though she's very much still trying to figure out who she is. I think emotionally she's in a place where she knows enough of who she is that she's Of who she is in her heart and what she stands for and what's Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: okay and what's not okay and she's gonna stand up for those things. Rachel: Yeah, yeah. That's so exciting to hear. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: And, you know, it's interesting the way you put it of how Ary really didn't care if she lived or died at LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: certain points in the Silversmith. that's definitely something that we talked about on this podcast and Smyth's reaction to that LJ Claren: Mm. Rachel: because he seems kind of harsh at certain points and like I think LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: some of his actions Toward Ary for some people might have felt questionable, you know, especially like that one training scene after her attack. And yeah. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. I think he There are certain things that like I can't, you know, I can't spoil. But I Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: will say that he was very, very, very scared for her. and obviously angry. And a lot of that came out in ways that he wasn't proud of, or Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: at least that he, I think in hindsight, would have done differently. But I think that that's also a very human thing. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and I think that we see that his intentions are to protect her and to get her to protect herself and kind of snap out of it. Like you need Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: to wake up or the world's gonna run you over. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and he's definitely morally grey. I mean, I think that's a morally grey character has questionable makes questionable choices. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: And he absolutely is. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I mean, what you're describing is exactly how I read it, that he was just LJ Claren: Okay. Rachel: so scared for her LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: and the fact that she seemed to just give up and you can't you can teach somebody how to fight, but you can't make them want to fight, right? And I felt like that's what he was trying to get out of her. LJ Claren: And I think too, if you are if you really, really love someone and you see them giving up and you see them in a place that is like detrimental to them, it would be very hard not to just do everything in your power to make them wake up and fight for themselves, even if it would make them hate you. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: Because what you care about is them being able to fight for themselves. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: And I think that that's also the place where he's coming from too, is what he cares about is even if it pisses her off, even if it makes her angry, that she snap out of it and fight for herself Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and find that fire. And that's very much where he's coming from. And yeah, it's questionable for sure. but I think we also will see plenty of character development across the board. I think. So Rachel: So even at his age he still has some development to do. LJ Claren: Well, even if it's in hindsight, you know. Rachel: Yeah. All right. So maybe some flashbacks. LJ Claren: There may be some flashbacks. Rachel: Ha ha. LJ Claren: And I think that also, if in the hypothetical there are flashbacks, you can also see some of the the things that he's endured and where he's coming from. And I will say there is a lot that the reader does not know that he has endured and seen. and some of those things would add context to some of his decisions as well. Rachel: Who are you most excited for people to meet or get to know in the incendiary? LJ Claren: Well Elias Winterton Our sexy shmexy commander. Rachel: Yeah, we can tell from your art. LJ Claren: He is such a like one of the most exciting things for me is like I get giddy over just like how polarizing he is. And people trying to figure out like what they're supposed to feel. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: it's very entertaining for me. Rachel: boy. LJ Claren: Because I think that I mean I just just in the arc stage people have like, Are we supposed to love him? Are we supposed to hate him? And I'm like, You're supposed to feel how you feel. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: That's what I would say. Rachel: So is this like something for us to process like the type of person we are? Or is it like you're trying to trick us and we're all gonna know the type of person he is by the end of the series? LJ Claren: you'll know the type person he is by the end of the series. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: You'll know. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: Interesting. Okay. LJ Claren: Does that make you nervous? Rachel: It does. I'm excited. I mean what what else can you tell us about him? LJ Claren: he's very complicated. He's very layered. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: I think what we see of him at the, you know, at the very end of Silversmith is like one facet of who he is. he uses a lot of he uses certain things to kind of escape the role he's been forced into. There's also a lot, from his background and things that he is connected to that play a really big role in the story that you'll discover. and I just he's I think a lot of people I I I mean I wrote him the way I wrote him at the end of the first book because he you very s you see this Playboy personality. but there's a lot a lot behind that too. And he's very multifaceted and that's you know that's why it's so Interesting to me to see people react to him too, because it's wild to see some people are like in love with him and some people literally wish him a slow, painful death. And It's I I he is he is one of my favorite characters in the series. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: Regardless, you know, whether or not he's good or bad. As a character, he's one of my favorites. I love him. As a character. Rachel: I mean, one of the things that we say around here a lot is why not both? Like you can you can think that he's super fine and also super want him to die. LJ Claren: I think that like there's also it I don't think re I think a lot of readers, especially romantasy and romances, think of a character as I don't want him for her and so I don't like him. Rachel: Mm. LJ Claren: And I would encourage people not to limit to themselves to that kind of way of thinking. Rachel: So maybe for somebody else. LJ Claren: I don't know. I'm just saying like it's a five book series Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: and so a lot can happen. Rachel: Yeah. Yeah. So speaking of future books, you mentioned we're getting multiple POVs in book three. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: are these characters that we meet in the incendiary or are there more characters that we're going to continue to meet throughout the series that will then have a POV? LJ Claren: the POVs in book three are characters that you have met in incendiary. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: In future books there will be POVs of characters that you have yet to meet. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: but not like to an extensive degree. this it will always Arya's story will always be at the center. It's just going Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: to expand and there's going to be other other characters and other things going on simultaneously. Rachel: Are there characters other than Molochai who we meet in book one? That come back later in the series. LJ Claren: That we meet in book one? Rachel: Yes. LJ Claren: Are you are you referring to like side characters? Rachel: Yes. Or like even more minor than that. I'm gonna tell you who I have been spiraling over. LJ Claren: Who? Rachel: The I'm blanking on her name right now, but the female Insidion who we meet at Molochai's camp. LJ Claren: yeah, who knows? Maybe I didn't Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: have plans, but now I do. Rachel: Okay, we'll keep an eye out. LJ Claren: one of my favorite moments that I heard was I think it was Rebecca Yarros was at a in an in was at an event or at an interview and somebody were people were like, Don't kill don't kill Ridoc, don't kill Ridoc and her husband says, You don't know this woman. If you tell her not to do something, she's going to do it. And I'm like, that's the vibe. Rachel: I mean, I don't care if you kill any of the insidians, but I'll keep some other characters' names to myself who I do like. LJ Claren: No, I know. But just that. Yeah. Who are your favorite characters? Rachel: D his name Damien? Dam wait, LJ Claren: Damon. Rachel: Damon, Damien Damond? I love Damond. I mean, LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Rachel: I just wanna like I want him to like shake up a cocktail for me. LJ Claren: Mm. Yeah. I would he'd be a great person to have a drink with, that's for sure. Yeah. Rachel: Right. and maybe like go to like like I feel like he would be a good book bestie. We can go do some book shopping 'cause like he likes to take her to the library. and then we'll have some cocktails after. Sounds like my kind of guy. LJ Claren: Yep. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Rachel: also we're a little torn around about Gemma around here. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: We like her cause she's like a you know, badass, but also like LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: she kind of grinds our gears a little bit. Is that LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: intentional? LJ Claren: Yeah, I mean, I think Gemma is someone who has a very, very good heart and Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: genuinely loves Ary and wants the best for her. And I think that she kind of falls into that overprotective to the point of suppressing a little bit, not not intentionally, but because I mean Ary is very much like a vulnerable, very vulnerable person in the first book. And I think that it would be difficult, especially as somebody who's very like type A like Gemma is and is very Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: take charge, it would be difficult not to just be like, I'll take care of you, I'll take care of it. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and I think that that kind of can grind people's gears because it it can be seen as really not letting Ary take off and fly on her own kind of thing, you know. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: And she's she has a very strong personality, which I think anybody that has a really, really strong personality, is bound to can rub people the wrong way. Rachel: Yeah, yeah. LJ Claren: But I will say Gemma does have a good heart and I will say her intentions are there. Rachel: Yeah, I mean if it feels that way, at least. Yeah. Yeah. Is she based on anybody? LJ Claren: Not anyone specific. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: I think I have I you know, growing up I was kind of more on the I wouldn't say timid, just probably struggled to stand up for myself in a lot of ways. And so I really did gravitate towards like some friends with like stronger personalities. and so I mean I can think of a few, but I wouldn't say there was any one person in particular that she was inspired by. Just that kind of type of friend that will stand up for you. yeah, Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: even if it's a little aggressive. Or misguided. Rachel: No, she definitely reminded me of p LJ Claren: But with the good intentions. Yeah. Rachel: yeah. Yeah. She definitely reminds me of people I've known and I think, yeah, to your point, we're all very lucky if we've had a friend like that. LJ Claren: Yeah, right. Rachel: will we meet any other characters with powers? And if so, can you tell us anything about those powers and where they're sourced from? LJ Claren: we will meet other characters with powers, but I cannot tell you anything else. Rachel: Okay, all right. LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: and then next question includes a spoiler for the Silversmith, like major one. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: again, for anybody who hasn't read it, this is like a major, major one. So when Ary survives at the end of the Silversmith, do you consider that a true resurrection? LJ Claren: Yes. Yeah, she died. in She kind of had to, magically. Like I don't really feel like this is too much of a spoiler. It really woke up her when she died and came back. So that's all I'll say. Rachel: Okay, alright. So this was like the thing that supercharged her magic. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: Okay. Well and because I need to shoot my shot, LJ, what is the title LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: of book three? LJ Claren: I can't tell you that, but I will say it won't be too long until you all know. Not too long. Rachel: Okay. Not too LJ Claren: So Rachel: long. LJ Claren: not too long. Rachel: Okay, was that a clue? Not too long. LJ Claren: No. No. But there will there will be announcements in coming months. Rachel: Okay. Well I have my I have my hangman whiteboard over here. I don't know if you can see it. I can pull it into screen if you wanna play if you wanna play a game, give us a letter. LJ Claren: Honestly, I would love to. That would be so fun, but I think some people would be mad at me. Rachel: You've contracts that that won't allow that. LJ Claren: I'd be getting a call from my editor in the morning. Rachel: is there a release date for book three yet? LJ Claren: There is, but I can't tell you yet. But again, Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: it won't be too long until you know. Rachel: All right. amazing. All right. Well this is amazing. You gave us so much to think about. I wanna end with some rapid fire questions and get LJ Claren: Okay. Rachel: to know you a little bit more. So what types of books do you read? LJ Claren: I read pretty much just romance and romantasy. I just love romance. I love love. I love the tension. I love the yearning. it's just like a drug you can never get enough of. so that's really that's really what I read. Rachel: Okay, yeah. Same. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: what what is your most recent five star read? LJ Claren: I have not read much at all this year because I really went straight out of incendiary edits into book three drafting. So I think I la the last five star read, I think, was in April. And I read the first two off campus Rachel: Mm. LJ Claren: before the show. So I read the deal and the mistake. I loved them both. They were both five stars for me. I'm a pretty I'm a pretty easy Rachel: Okay. I have it on my shelf. LJ Claren: like I if I'm into a book and I love it, it's five stars. Rachel: Yeah, no, that's exactly that's how I feel. Yeah. I have that one on LJ Claren: Yeah. Yeah. Rachel: my shelf. I've heard really good things. LJ Claren: Yeah, th that's really fun. Those are fun ones. Rachel: Yeah. Did you watch the show? Yeah. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And that's why I wanted to make sure I read the first at least the first one. So Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I haven't watched it yet, because same thing. I'm like holding off, but like all the clips that I'm seeing, like everybody looks so attractive. LJ Claren: It's I it's it's really well done. It's really well done. Rachel: Okay. So we always like to ask our guests how they got into romantasy as a genre. And LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: a lot of times people sort of have this like conversion moment. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: So do you have a moment like that? Was there a book or series that was really the thing that was sort of like your gateway book? LJ Claren: I feel like there were well, like I said, like ACOTAR, but I feel like there were kind of two phases of my life where like I've always loved fantasy and I've always loved like any of the cookie crumbs of romance that we get, like in Lord of the Rings, Rachel: Uh-huh. LJ Claren: or even in in like in Harry Potter back when I was Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: in middle school, like and of course Twilight, obviously. Rachel: Yeah. Yeah. LJ Claren: but like I always gravitated towards the romance aspect of it. and then like I said, I kind of took a hiatus for a while from both reading and writing. But yeah, I mean, I would say ACOTAR is my gateway kind of back into that. For sure. Rachel: Okay. Were did somebody like recommend it to you or was it just kind of like on your radar? LJ Claren: I think I just kept seeing it. I think when I was just on my personal profile, I just kept seeing probably on Instagram. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. LJ Claren: I wasn't even really like a part of Bookstagram, but even when you're just on it, you'd see reels. I wanna say I had seen I ha so I have not read Throne of Glass yet. I know. Rachel: What? LJ Claren: Well, listen, I I just literally like I read ACOTAR. I got back into reading and then I had two kids, like boom, boom. I just Rachel: Mm. LJ Claren: haven't had a chance to because then I started writing. and I've kind of been not putting it off, but just really wanting to be able to take time for it. And I just haven't had the time. So now of course I'm panicking because I'm like, I haven't read Throat of Glass. I have it. I have the whole thing. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and Crescent City. but now I'm like, there's no way I'm gonna be able to. get it all done before ACOTAR six. So I don't know what I'm gonna do. But Rachel: Well well I did do the math. I don't know if you saw, but we did the math of how if you started and you had 70 days to read the entire series or just Throne of Glass or just Crescent City or Throne of Glass and Crescent City how long it would take. So LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: if you want that, we can make sure that you get that. But you will need to carve out at least probably two hours a day. LJ Claren: I could do it. I just I'm kind of burnt out. So I don't know. I'm very much like, you know, the next two months are gonna be book three edits. And so I'm definitely my energy is gonna be there for sure. Rachel: Yeah. Yeah. LJ Claren: but when I do finally get around to it, I'm very excited because I know that it's gonna be a god tier for me. I love Sarah J. Maas. Her writing is like she is my favorite. just from reading ACOTAR. She is like my just her writing is so beautiful and Heart wrenching, and when I finally do get to read all of it, I'm very excited to be able to do that. So yeah. Rachel: Based on the type of books you write, you're gonna love Throne of Glass. Like for for me, ACOTAR was here and Throne of Glass was like through the roof. LJ Claren: I know. I think I think that's almost I know, I think and I know that. Like, so I think that's also why I've been like, I want to be in a good frame of mind where I can actually put my energy into it. And I just literally haven't had that for the last two years. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: And so that's why I haven't read it. I've just been reading like just contemporary mostly. That's just easy to just get through, you know. Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: so I'm very excited when I can finally do that. Rachel: Yeah, that's fair. We've talked to other authors too who it's like when they're writing a romantasy, they just can't even read another romantasy or fantasy. Yeah. LJ Claren: Yeah. Yeah. That's yes. I would say that that's hard. It you don't want your worlds to like blend together. Rachel: Suddenly everybody's got wings. LJ Claren: Surprise! Rachel: Ha ha ha. okay. Top book boyfriend that you didn't write. LJ Claren: Well Rhysand. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: For a romantasy and then some of Elsie Silver's men. Rachel: Mm. LJ Claren: Cade Eaton, all the Eaton Boys, The Chestnut Springs. Rachel: Ha ha LJ Claren: I love, I I love that is what I did. Last fall I did read like most of Elsie Silver. love the cowboy romance. one of my favorite books is Jennifer Hartmann's one of favorite authors, too. So Older Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: by Jennifer Hartmann, June First. I'm gonna read Still Beating soon. I've got a list of of books that I need to read that I probably won't be able to get to, but going to attempt. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: but yeah, I mean Rhysand and Cassian. Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: I like Az, but I we just have we haven't had enough of him yet. I know some people are obsessed with him Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: and I'm like, We hardly know this guy. Rachel: Well, but he's like the quiet guy in the corner with LJ Claren: We're gonna Rachel: the giant wingspan. LJ Claren: We're gonna find out. Honestly, I probably will just read ACOTAR six and seven, even if I haven't read TOG. I will. Rachel: think you can. Like I don't think that they would market it that way if you couldn't. LJ Claren: No, I it's not gonna I I'm I'm not afraid to then go back to TOG and read it and then connect there. You know what I mean? Like it's still Rachel: Yeah. Yeah. LJ Claren: gonna be amazing. I'm still gonna connect Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: all the pieces and so I'm not too worried about it. I do have very Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: strong opinions on who Azriel and Elaine should end up with. Rachel: D do you wanna share LJ Claren: I do not want Azriel and Elaine together. Rachel: Yeah, me neither. LJ Claren: No, I really, really do not. Like, I read those bonus chapters. We're totally getting off topic here. Rachel: That's great. LJ Claren: I read those bonus chapters and I thought that on purpose, Azriel and Elaine, like that was so lust-driven on purpose. And then, Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: and then you go, like, did we forget how he then goes and talks to Gwyn and they've got like this like ethereal connection. I'm like, hello. Rachel: Yeah. Right. Well and it LJ Claren: So I'm very much Az and Gwyn and I want I want Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: I want Lucien to get his girl. I want them to connect on a deep level and her giving Yeah, I do. Do you? Rachel: you want Elaine with Lucien? Interesting. LJ Claren: I know some people want him with Vassa. I'm like I don't feel like I don't I'm not I don't feel super connected to Vasa yet. Rachel: I don't really like Lucien. LJ Claren: don't you? Rachel: know. I've only read the series once, so maybe I need to reread it. I I did start listening to it again. LJ Claren: It would be super weird. I've had some people I've heard some people say that they want Tamlin and Elaine. Rachel: No, I I don't think we're getting that. LJ Claren: Yeah. Rachel: She said like Tamlin's a like we're done with Tamlin. Like I don't LJ Claren: did she? Rachel: on her call her daddy interview, she said, you know, because so many people have come to her and said like this reminded me of my abusive relationship LJ Claren: No. Rachel: and like, you know, she's like, I'm not giving him a redemption arc. LJ Claren: Mm Rachel: I don't know if she uses exact words, but it sounded like that was off the table. LJ Claren: Watch ya. Okay. Yeah. I didn't know that, but that's a a good thing. I mean, I'm I don't know I won't mi I won't miss him. Rachel: Yeah. Yeah. He he like that's the one thing that I do love in a lot of romantasy books is we get that like first boyfriend who was not a good boyfriend, but we've all had a first boyfriend who sucks. LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Okay. Rachel: And then and then like the Rhysand or whoever, you know what I mean? Like that's like, LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: this is what real love is and should be. And don't you do that to us, LJ LJ Claren: -Sighs- Rachel: Y no. no! LJ Claren: I will say I I I can't say anything. I think though that at the end of the second book it's clear, in my opinion. Rachel: Okay, so there's we're not cha w once we get to the incendiary, once we get to the end of it, we know who's it for Ary and there's no no other roads. LJ Claren: I mean I can't I can't say for sure, but I think that I th I y if I was reading I would be assuming one thing at the end of the second book. And I think that it's clear. I don't know how else to say it. Rachel: Ha ha ha What book will you always recommend? LJ Claren: That's hard. I feel like like broadly You know what book I would always recommend would be The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Rachel: Mm. LJ Claren: Like if we're talking about like Rachel: Mm-hmm. LJ Claren: Not romance, 'cause not everybody likes romance, but just like what is a really, really good book? Rachel: Yeah. LJ Claren: especially for women, just across the board. That's one I would recommend. Rachel: Yeah, okay. That's great. I LJ Claren: Have you read that one? Rachel: I haven't, but I've heard amazing things. Like I yeah, only only five star reviews. LJ Claren: It's it's heart wrenching, but it's yeah, it's it's a phenomenal book, yeah. And I think they're doing an adaptation with like the fanning sisters, which is gonna be crazy. I'm so I'm so I'm excited for that. But I read that a really long time ago. but yeah, that's a really wonderful book. Rachel: okay. LJ Claren: but I think it just i so like romance, if I were to recommend recommend romance, I would recommend Jennifer Hartmann. Although some of her stuff is taboo, but it's just like so emotional and beautiful. just depends who I'm recommending it to. But yeah. Meghan Quinn if you're looking for rom coms, she's hilarious. Rachel: This is amazing. I mean, you've given me a whole list just from chatting today. yeah. Alright, last question. Of all the characters you've written, who would you most like to spend the day with? LJ Claren: You know what? The answer is a book someone from book two. I don't wanna spoil anything. n but it's not Eli. It's not Elias. It's one of two certain redheads. Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: but yeah, I don't wanna spoil it. I think that the I think though that once you read book two you'll probably know who I'm talking about. Rachel: I think I know who you're talking about. LJ Claren: Yeah. That'd be a fun wild time. Rachel: Fair. Yeah. Alright, well with the release of the incendiary coming up, I think you have a few tour dates listed. Where LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: can people find you? LJ Claren: So on my website, but then also the link in my bio leads to the page with all the different tour dates. So in my the link in my Instagram bio. So I'm gonna be in Milwaukee on release day on September eighth, then I'll be in Brooklyn on September ninth, then North Carolina on the tenth. And then Seattle on the 12th and then I'll be back in Des Moines because I live in Iowa. I'll be back in Des Moines on on the 14th. So all Rachel: Wow, so it's LJ Claren: of those you can get the link in my bio will have the whole tour tour page. And then I also, if Rachel: Amazing. That's a busy LJ Claren: you can't make any of those, I am going to be at RomantasyCon in Orlando in October. So excited for that. It'll be my first, Rachel: Yes. And I will see you there. LJ Claren: it'll be like my first convention. So I'm very stoked. Rachel: it's my first one too. Yes. LJ Claren: Is it? I'm excited. Rachel: I'm I'm so excited. Do And finally, where can everybody find you online if they want to follow along for your author journey? LJ Claren: LJClaren.com and then also, but even honestly, even more so I'm s I'm very active on Instagram. So I would say most of my updates are there first before I remember to go put them on a website. Rachel: Ha ha ha. LJ Claren: but if you sign up for my newsletter as well, you can do that through my website and we send one of those out every month. So that has updates as well. Rachel: And you send out all you send out all sorts of goodies there, right? Sometimes some bonus chapters, maybe? No? LJ Claren: I haven't recently, Rachel: Okay. LJ Claren: but there was one for Silversmith. But yeah. I should I I might. You never know. I'll keep you on your toes. Subscribe. Subscribe Rachel: All right. LJ Claren: so you don't miss out. Rachel: Well, we covered the only reason I brought brought it up is we covered one, the Gavin chapter seventeen POV LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Rachel: bonus chapter that we got through, I guess it was Second Sky's email list for you. So LJ Claren: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Rachel: yeah, wanna make sure everybody everybody gets access to those. LJ Claren: Yes. Rachel: Well, all right, LJ, thank you so much for coming on this podcast. This was so much fun chatting with you. LJ Claren: Thank you for having me. This was so fun. Rachel: I absolutely adored talking with you and you know I am gonna be begging you to come back for after the incendiary. We can chat spoilers. LJ Claren: Yes. And I will. I'm very excited. Very excited to be able to talk about this book. Rachel: I think people are gonna be like dying for more. So yeah. and thank you so much for the arc copies that you know you gave to me and Kate so that we could could read it ahead of time as well. Our deep dive will be starting on September 29th So after everybody has a chance to kind of read the book, we'll be diving into it. And for anybody listening to this episode for the first time. We have a complete four-episode deep dive into the Silversmith already out. join us next week for our final episode into our read-along coverage of the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman. These books can be read in any order, unlike the Selvaren, but we're covering them in release order in the lead up to the movie Practical Magic 2, which comes out on September 11th. And if you enjoyed yourself, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube at Deep Trope Podcast. See you next week.