Once Upon a Time Zone: A Bookish Podcast

We have the AMAZING debut author Shannon J Spann on the pod today! We chat about her process writing the incredibly unique fantasy standalone A Stage Set for Villains, her love for theatre, and more.

Shannon's socials:
https://www.instagram.com/shannonjspann

Books Discussed:
A Stage Set for Villains - Shannon J Spann
One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig
Daughters of the Sun and Moon - Lisa See
Two Can Play - Ali Hazelwood

Long Distance Book Club:
⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/OnceUponaTimeZone⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(03:18) why we love theatre
(05:28) life as a debut author
(06:34) from publishing to being an author
(09:50) about a stage set for villains
(10:28) the inspiration that started it all
(12:44) the writing process
(16:53) how to start a fantasy book
(18:56) all about BANTER and chemistry
(22:29) evolution of the protagonist
(24:36) creating a unique magic system
(27:13) the power of mirrors
(29:03) will we see more in this world?
(32:45) what's next?
(34:41) adapting to film!
(35:40) our dream casts
(41:03) listener questions
(41:11) was the book always split into acts?
(42:32) what inspired Riven as a character?
(47:05) did you write with a mood board?
(49:00) what role did your faith play into writing?
(55:30) this or that

Let's wrap up our March reading month & talk about what we're looking forward to in April!

Books Discussed:
Just Friends - Haley Pham
Rhythm of War - Brandon Sanderson
Shield of Sparrows - Devney Perry
Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
The Mirror of Infinite Endings - Stephanie Garber
Lady Tan's Circle of Women - Lisa See
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman
The Last Wish - Andrzej Sapkowski
The Ragpicker King - Cassandra Clare
Recursion - Blake Crouch
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
The Someday Garden - Ashley Poston
Cleopatra - Saara El-Arifi
Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan
Lost Lambs - Madeline Cash
The Ending Writes Itself - Evelyn Clarke
Rites of the Starling - Devney Perry
An Arcane Study of Stars - Sydney J Shields

Long Distance Book Club:
⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/OnceUponaTimeZone⁠

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(10:05) book club pick!
(11:52) project hail mary debrief
(22:22) stephanie garber news
(28:17) wrap up disclaimer
(28:49) jaime's march highlights
(35:38) freya's march highlights
(41:32) jaime's march lows
(45:26) freya's march lows
(47:09) jaime's april lookahead
(51:19) freya's april lookahead
(53:38) reading a book a day
(56:30) new releases in april

Looking for a fantasy book to read? Look no further! We go through every fantasy subgenre in this episode, with recs for beginner to advanced readers!

Books Discussed:
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter - Heather Fawcett
The Elsewhere Express - Samantha Sotto Yambao
Broken Country - Clare Leslie Hall
Recursion - Blake Crouch
Throne of Glass - Sarah J Maas
The Sword of Kaigen - ML Wang
Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
Sabriel - Garth Nix
The Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
A Game of Thrones - George RR Martin
The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
The Will of the Many - James Islington
Once Upon a Broken Heart - Stephanie Garber
Divine Rivals - Rebecca Ross
Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon
The Rose Bargain - Sasha Peyton Smith
The Crimson Moth (Heartless Hunter) - Kristen Ciccarelli
When the Moon Hatched - Sarah A Parker
A Darker Shade of Magic - VE Schwab
Red City - Marie Lu
Jade City - Fonda Lee
Shadow Hunters - Cassandra Clare
Crescent City - Sarah J Maas
Sword Catcher - Cassandra Clare
Belladonna - Adalyn Grace
Phantasma - Kaylie Smith
Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo
One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig
Immortal Dark - Tigest Girma
Alchemised - SenLinYu
The Poet Empress - Shen Tao
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - VE Schwab
Th Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Babel - RF Kuang
The Poppy War - RF Kuang
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door - HG Parry
Emily Wilde - Heather Fawcett
The Wishing Game - Meg Shaffer
House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune
Sorcery and Small Magics - Maiga Doocy
A River Enchanted - Rebecca Ross
The Unmaking of June Farrow - Adrienne Young
Before the Coffee Gets Cold - Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Long Distance Book Club:
⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/OnceUponaTimeZone⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(12:41) high fantasy
(27:12) fantasy romance
(38:32) urban fantasy
(46:00) gothic fantasy
(53:08) historical fantasy
(01:00:32) cozy fantasy
(01:04:17) magical realism

Diving into NOSTALGIA today! Let's talk about the books that made us fall in love as young teenage readers.

Books Discussed:
A Stage Set for Villains - Shannon J Spann
The Ragpicker King - Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) - Sarah J Maas
Silverwing - Kenneth Opal
Fallen - Lauren Kate
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
The Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
Holes - Louis Sachar
The Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M Martin
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants - Ann Brashares
Goosebumps - RL Stine
Land of Stories - Chris Colfer
Room - Emma Donaghue
Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
Divergent - Veronica Roth
Because of Wynn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo
Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
The Outsiders - SE Hinton
Me Before You - Jojo Moyes
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Paper Towns - John Green
Harry Potter - JK Rowling
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs

Long Distance Book Club:
⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/OnceUponaTimeZone⁠

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(09:05) acotar announcement
(17:18) silverwing
(20:24) fallen
(22:27) lovely bones
(24:21) the chronicles of narnia
(29:09) holes
(33:06) the babysitters club
(35:12) goosebumps
(39:03) land of stories
(42:24) room
(47:44) daughter of smoke and bone
(51:13) a series of unfortunate events
(56:48) anna and the french kiss
(57:51) rapid fire honourable mentions

In this episode, we chat with the beautiful Ellen Catherine and share some of our bookish unpopular opinions!

Ellen's socials:
https://www.youtube.com/@bookswithellen
https://www.instagram.com/ellencatherinebooks
https://www.tiktok.com/@ellencatherinebooks

Books Discussed:
Heir of Illusion - Madeline Taylor
The Someday Garden - Ashley Poston
The Mask Falling - Samantha Shannon
The Heart of Betrayal - Mary E Pearson
Wild Dark Shore - Charlotte McConaghy
Broken Country - Clare Leslie Hall
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
Wild Love - Elsie Silver
Direbound - Sable Sorensen
Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider

Long Distance Book Club:
⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/OnceUponaTimeZone⁠

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(09:21) our unpopular opinions
(10:25) first of third person POV?
(15:13) rating a book you've DNFed
(17:52) audiobooks count towards your reading goal
(20:51) spice is not a fix
(25:03) re-reads are better
(27:39) cracked spines
(31:14) stop with long series
(35:19) audiobook listening speeds
(43:56) romance books don't need to be deep?
(47:11) enemies to lovers isn't real
(49:14) trigger warnings spoil a book
(54:37) kid characters are rarely written well