Episode Details

🎙️ Welcome back to The Mythic Mic Podcast, where mythological worlds collide, romance blooms in the most dangerous places, and every monster has a story.

This week, hosts Bethany Amanda and Sara sit down with bestselling fantasy author Olivia Wildenstein to celebrate The Ice Beyond, the first book in her breathtaking new Empress of Thorns series.

Olivia shares her fascinating journey from self-publishing to hybrid publishing, the realities of navigating both indie and traditional publishing, and why perseverance—not overnight success—is the true secret to a writing career. We also dive into writing routines, perfectionism, character art, worldbuilding, and why some stories refuse to let go until they're told.

Then we explore The Ice Beyond, an epic Norse-inspired fantasy filled with wolf shifters, vampires, Valkyries, dragons, forbidden romance, devastating secrets, morally gray characters, and a heroine whose entire identity is shattered when she discovers everything she's believed about herself is a lie.

🐺 What happens when the family who raised you has been hiding the biggest secret of your life?
❄️ Can love survive when it was forbidden from the very beginning?
⚔️ And who are the real monsters in a world filled with gods, shifters, and ancient legends?

If you love Viking-inspired fantasy, morally gray heroes, mythology, dangerous monsters, sweeping romance, love triangles, and immersive fantasy worlds, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:

✨ Olivia's publishing journey from selling ten self-published copies to becoming a bestselling hybrid author.
✨ The biggest differences between indie, traditional, and hybrid publishing, and why she now loves working in both worlds.
✨ Why perseverance matters far more than chasing trends or overnight success.
✨ Her writing process, perfectionism, self-editing habits, and why deadlines are both terrifying and essential.
✨ Character art, visual storytelling, and how seeing a world helps bring fantasy to life.
✨ Building The Ice Beyond from a simple vampire story into an expansive Norse-inspired fantasy universe.
✨ Reimagining Norse mythology with wolf shifters, Valkyries, vampires, dragons, and unforgettable monsters.
✨ Writing morally gray characters whose motivations remain a mystery until the very end.
✨ Why Olivia loves heroines who grow, stumble, and make mistakes instead of having all the answers.
✨ Forbidden romance, love triangles, and why readers secretly love emotional chaos.
✨ Advice for aspiring fantasy authors on finding your audience while staying true to your creative vision.

CONNECT WITH US

🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic
👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland
👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill
📚 Olivia Wildenstein – @Olives21

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