Melinda’s Substack
Epic Fantasy Adventures with Melinda Kucsera
Fantasy, Lore, & More with Gold and Gossamer
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Fantasy, Lore, & More with Gold and Gossamer

Hi, I’m indie fantasy author, Melinda Kucsera, and in this episode, Riley S. Quinn is joining me to talk about her book, Gold and Gossamer.

What’s it about?

The Mage King of Avonbend is meant to be untouchable, but Dante cannot help feeling that the formidable Fairy Queen who lurks beyond the ruins and rivers of Avonbend’s borderlands is not truly the threat that human legends describe her to be. When he finds himself in need of a favor to save his people from a mysterious blight, he dares to ask for her generosity. The Fairy Queen offers up a different path: one that leads to a truth that Dante is not yet prepared to unveil, with webs of secrets, oaths, and intrigue all at her fingertips.

Gold and Gossamer is a character-driven fantasy romance with cinematic storytelling.

Set in the world of Talamherra created by Riley S. Quinn, Gold and Gossamer is fantasy with fae elements and political intrigue.

What’s in this episode:

Riley S. Quinn will take us into a world of fairy courts, magical kingdoms, and dangerous alliances with an excerpt from Gold and Gossamer, and we’ll explore aspects of that world, like the balance between the human and fairy realms, the mysterious blight threatening Avonbend, and the intricate politics between rulers.

We’ll find out what to expect from this standalone fantasy and maybe get some spoiler-free highlights of the rivalry and unexpected connection between the Mage King and Fairy Queen.

We’ll discuss Dante’s journey from isolated Mage King to being drawn into the shadows of the Fairy Queen’s dominion, and discover the worldbuilding details, the cinematic techniques Riley uses to bring scenes to life, and how her background in animation and storyboarding shapes her fantasy writing.

Join us in a place where the human and fairy worlds balance on a precipice, and two rulers find their fates more intertwined than they ever dared to imagine.

Where to get the book: https://linktr.ee/goldandgossamer (Releases November 8, 2025)

Where to find our guest:

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