Nadine takes a coffee break with debut author Erynne Rivers about Wench, her fae-drenched, romantic reimagining of the Robin Hood myth told through Maid Marian's eyes. They discuss the surreal wait between selling a book and seeing it on shelves, the historical research that shaped the world (including medieval women's erased business ownership and the physical toll of archery), and Erynne's messy-first-draft writing process, including four scrapped versions of her sophomore novel. They close on writing rituals, chronic illness and creative work, and the \"word of the year\" that's guiding Erynne through 2025: whimsy.
Erynne's recommendations from the episode: Honey in Her Veins by Ruth Mikel, Steel Born by Taylor J. LaRue, and an upcoming gothic horror by Cece Foster.