Gretchen’s got Swiftie energy, purple hair, and a passion for storytelling—and in this episode, we get into all of it. We chat about how her dual heritage influences her writing and why authentic representation in fantasy matters to her.

After publishing her debut in 2012, life happened: marriage, kids, an ADHD diagnosis (not necessarily in that order); and this led to an unexpected hiatus from both reading and writing. But with the break, she eventually found her way back to reading, and with that, her passion to write again. Her journey is a reminder that taking a break isn’t the end… it’s just a plot twist. We also talk about the behind-the-scenes grind that doesn’t always make it to social media, especially around her latest release, Smoke & Scar. Gretchen keeps it real—and we love her for it.

If you want to connect with Gretchen, you can follow her here.