Once Upon a Time Zone: A Bookish Podcast

The Realities of Publishing a Debut Fantasy with Sarah Mughal Rana | Dawn of the Firebird 📚 [EP#21]

Once Upon a Time Zone: A Bookish Podcast

Show Notes

Let's talk about the hard truth of publishing with Sarah Mughal Rana, author of debut fantasy Dawn of the Firebird. From her experience with writing an immersive and unique fantasy story in an age of romantasy, to her experience with defamation & review bombing, to social media marketing - join us in this fun chat with our first ever guest!

Books Discussed: Dawn of the Firebird - Sarah Mughal Rana Edgedancer - Brandon Sanderson Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson The Defender - Ana Huang Stories of Your Life and Others - Ted Chiang

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 (08:25) welcome sarah mughal rana! (10:39) sarah's current read (13:45) life while publishing a book (16:48) social media marketing & PR (17:31) what is dawn of the firebird about? (19:39) the journey of writing a book (23:56) building a rich world filled with culture & FOOD (26:12) love to australian readers (26:51) high fantasy in a world of romantasy (29:13) a strong, flawed female protagonist (33:22) crafting the perfect fight scene (38:37) making readers cry (39:38) review bombing & defamation while publishing (52:04) rapid fire this or that (54:12) what can we look forward to in the sequel?

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