In this live episode from the Asylum in Eagle Pass, I sit down with multi-genre author and podcaster Tricia Copeland to explore the magic behind storytelling, the craft of building believable worlds, and the courage it takes to bring characters to life. We talk about her path from scientist to novelist, how a personal struggle inspired her first fiction series, and why her creativity spans fantasy, dystopian, and contemporary romance. Tricia shares insights on writing strong character arcs, balancing multiple genres, and closing out her 10-book saga that culminates with To Be a Fae—the finale of the Realm Chronicles—where themes of identity, leadership, and bravery take center stage. We also get into her Finding the Magic Book Podcast, how Toastmasters sparked her transition to hosting, the realities of indie publishing, and the difference between writing novels and adapting them to screenplays.We swap favorite classics (yes, vampires and Poe), talk about why readers’ emotional investment is the ultimate compliment, and preview her upcoming romance Perfect Secrets (June). If you love urban fantasy with witches and vampires, epic fae realms with a medieval vibe, or heartfelt romances with a happily ever after, Tricia’s catalog—and candid look at the author life—will hit the spot. Plus, find out how to grab two free short stories and where to follow her work and podcast.Check out her books, podcast, and freebies, and keep an eye out for her upcoming romance, Perfect Secrets, arriving in early June. Joe's GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/raise-funds-to-cover-mortgage-escrow-shortageFOLLOW US ON:RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/joeroozYouTube: https://youtube.com/@joeroozTWITCH: https://twitch.tv/joeroozX: https://x.com/joeroozFacebook: https://facebook.com/joeroozshowMinds: https://minds.com/joeroozGETTR: https://gettr.com/joerooz Want to be a guest on The Joe Rooz Show? Send Joe a message on #PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/joe Music: https://youtube.com/@pogo(00:04:07) Cold open from Asylum Studios, Eagle Pass, TX(00:04:54) Late start banter and last night’s Lt. Col. Ken Webb recap(00:06:09) Show times and audience growth reminders(00:09:30) Guest intro: Tricia Copeland, multi‑genre author & podcaster(00:10:37) Icebreaker: the three apps Tricia would keep(00:13:03) Follow‑up on Romans 14 and favorite fictional characters(00:14:41) What drew Tricia to writing: from technical writing to memoir‑inspired fiction(00:17:25) Growing up in Georgia, reading habits, and Shakespeare’s resonance(00:21:56) Young adult fiction then vs. now(00:21:59) Finding the Magic Book podcast: origins and focus(00:24:21) Host’s podcast journey and booking avalanche(00:27:12) From writer to host: Toastmasters and starting a show(00:28:37) Writing across genres without mixing projects(00:29:41) Why “magic” matters in life and storytelling(00:32:01) Worldbuilding process: hybrids, curses, and Kingdom Journals(00:34:47) Character arcs: hooks, pace, and avoiding a slow start(00:36:29) Does a story have heart? Emotional barometers and feedback(00:38:49) Are characters based on real