Brandy Stoker Shares her Interesting Fantasy World

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living presents Conversations with Rich Bennett. I love the time. 

You're not going to show up! (laughter) I never went to work. (inaudible) It's kind of a few seconds of hours of work. You don't have to wait until it's done. No, no, no, no, it's not. Truth is. 

Rich Bennett 0:27
Alright, so today I am sitting here with another independent author. Well, yeah. Are you independent? 

Brandy Stoker 0:33
I am self-published. 

Rich Bennett 0:35
Okay. Another 

Brandy Stoker 0:36
independent 

Rich Bennett 0:37
author, 

Brandy Stoker 0:37
Brandy 

Rich Bennett 0:38
Stoker, and her books, well, you're going to find out when we get into it, because they're a little bit different than some of the other guests I've had on here. But she's written and Brandy correct me if I'm wrong. Four books now, 

Brandy Stoker 0:55
we're going to-- 

Rich Bennett 0:55
Right? 

Brandy Stoker 0:56
Correct. 

Rich Bennett 0:57
Alright, so we have Brandy Stoker. I hate you doing Brandy. 

Brandy Stoker 1:00
I'm fine. Thank you for having 

Rich Bennett 1:01
Oh, 

Brandy Stoker 1:01
me. 

Rich Bennett 1:02
my pleasure. And I know this is not the first time you're going to be on several more times. 

Brandy Stoker 1:07
(laughter) 

Rich Bennett 1:07
I'm feeling. Alright, so your books, four are--is it four in a series 

Brandy Stoker 1:15
or just three in a series? There are three. The third book in the series is actually going to be published soon, 

Rich Bennett 1:21
Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 1:21
but we have a prequel that's part of the series. So it's--it's his story before the romance. So it is not--it's part of the series as an overall, but it's not--it's 

not associated with the It's just an action--action adventure with some 

Rich Bennett 1:43
So 

Brandy Stoker 1:43
a- 

Rich Bennett 1:43
it's a prequel to the series? So it's the first book of the series? 

Brandy Stoker 1:48
No, because it has nothing to do with the romance. 

Rich Bennett 1:50
So not Star Wars prequel type. 

Brandy Stoker 1:52
Correct. 

Rich Bennett 1:54
Well, when I hear prequel, that's when I-- 

Brandy Stoker 1:55
Yeah, it's the--it's like a prologue just in a full book form. 

Rich Bennett 2:00
Alright, so explain the genre that you're right. 

Brandy Stoker 2:03
So I write dark dystopian fantasy romance, but it's also called grim dark fantasy romance. 

Rich Bennett 2:12
dystopian? Dystopian. What is 

Brandy Stoker 2:15
So dystopian is 

Rich Bennett 2:17
that? Look, 

Brandy Stoker 2:17
when 

Rich Bennett 2:17
I 

Brandy Stoker 2:17
you have-- 

Rich Bennett 2:18
quote, okay? 

Brandy Stoker 2:18
So dystopian is when you have a government that is trying to control the people. And that's dystopian. So in this particular case we have the city of media that is trying to control its people. 

Rich Bennett 2:35
I love it. Okay, media does control us, so--and that's the first book? That 

Brandy Stoker 2:44
is the first book, Escape from Media. 

Rich Bennett 2:46
Escape from Media. Okay, I have to ask this. What was it that drew you into writing and becoming an author? 

Brandy Stoker 2:55
Well, so I've been writing since I was in goodness, middle school, high 

Rich Bennett 3:00
School 

Brandy Stoker 3:00
school and-- 

Rich Bennett 3:01
paper? 

Brandy Stoker 3:01
And I was on the school paper, but I also-- I had a teacher who was really supportive of my gold to be a novel writer. And so he actually created an entire class for me called Creative Novel Writing. 

Rich Bennett 3:15
Really? 

Brandy Stoker 3:16
And I took-- I had an extracurricular class that I was just going to sit there and do nothing anyway for. So he created an entire class and I-- So I spent an entire year outlining and building a story and getting it in draft form. And that's kind of what gave me the-- How do you get it to finished 

Rich Bennett 3:37
with a 

Brandy Stoker 3:38
book? And that was how I did it. And so I've got like 20 books that are actually-- I've got them ready. It's just a matter of getting them published. I only started publishing last year. 

Rich Bennett 3:52
Wait, wait, wait a minute. So four books that you 

Brandy Stoker 3:54
Just 

Rich Bennett 3:54
just-- 

Brandy Stoker 3:54
started 

Rich Bennett 3:55
Shouldn't 

Brandy Stoker 3:55
publishing? 

Rich Bennett 3:55
last year? 

Brandy Stoker 3:56
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 3:57
These are novels. 

Brandy Stoker 3:58
Yes. Yes, they are huge novels 

Rich Bennett 4:01
Oh 

Brandy Stoker 4:02
too. 

Rich Bennett 4:02
my god. 

Brandy Stoker 4:03
But I had-- so like Escape from Media, I wrote 15 years ago. It was just a matter of cleaning it up and kind of getting the editing finished and that 

Rich Bennett 4:11
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 4:11
process done. And then Journey to Alluria, I wrote 10 years ago. I had to make some adjustments because of Escape from Media when we got that one finished. But it was pretty much there. And so that was-- those were easy ones to get done. And then like Tom's a Marath, it's only 50,000 words, which is still a good-sized book. But I had the outline of that story already built years ago. So it's just a matter of cleaning things up. And so I've got four out in one year. 

Rich Bennett 4:45
right, wait a minute now. Okay. So you started writing middle school. You were 

Brandy Stoker 4:50
All 

Rich Bennett 4:50
all on the newspaper. A teacher created a class.. 

Brandy Stoker 4:54
Before 

Rich Bennett 4:56
we started recording, when you went to college it was nothing, had nothing to do for writing. 

Brandy Stoker 5:01
Right. 

Rich Bennett 5:03
So what was the shift? I mean most 

Brandy Stoker 5:06
well 

Rich Bennett 5:06
people, 

Brandy Stoker 5:06
writers don't get paid anything, so 

Rich Bennett 5:08
well 

Brandy Stoker 5:08
I wanted, 

Rich Bennett 5:08
yeah that is true. 

Brandy Stoker 5:10
kind of like the idea of getting a career that would actually pay a 

Rich Bennett 5:13
bill. OK. 

Brandy Stoker 5:14
And then my goal was to, long term, I wanted to eventually, publish or get 

Rich Bennett 5:21
right, 

Brandy Stoker 5:21
published. And then I wanted to slowly build that and then eventually shift to a full time career of that. So now I'm, I'm divorced and I'm able to actually publish things. So now I can get start that whole plan. 

Rich Bennett 5:36
All right. So when you went to college though because you you're a bulldog. And then you came back up here and what was it you majored in up here? 

Brandy Stoker 5:45
Well, 

Rich Bennett 5:46
say up here those of you. 

Brandy Stoker 5:47
University of Georgia, I was majoring as a chemical engineer 

Rich Bennett 5:50
OK. 

Brandy Stoker 5:50
and then when I came back up to Maryland, I changed to a business major and that's when my dad said you have to go to Harper Community College to do business major because you can do that anywhere. 

Rich Bennett 6:00
But that's smart though, especially because now that you're an author of nor I'm sure that comes in handy. 

Brandy Stoker 6:07
Very much so and owning my own business for decades probably didn't help. And then when I switched in 2005 to government contracting and project management. And then I have my project management certification and then I had to change careers again in 2019 for health reasons to be cost estimator. So it's it's been an evolving route of my life, but I'm finally getting to share my writing. 

Rich Bennett 6:36
Your passion. 

Brandy Stoker 6:37
Yes, the thing I love is writing and it's always been my escape from reality has been writing. So writing is definitely what I love to do. 

Rich Bennett 6:47
OK. So with this, the grim dark grim 

Brandy Stoker 6:52
dark grim dark. 

Rich Bennett 6:52
What 

was your blow on me away with all these different things? What was it that got you interested in writing net because you said you wrote the first one 20 years ago or 15 years 

Brandy Stoker 7:05
ago. 15 years ago for escape from media. 

Rich Bennett 7:08
All right, so what actually got you interested in writing something like that 

Brandy Stoker 7:12
book. 

Rich Bennett 7:12
there had to be 

Brandy Stoker 7:12
Well, 

Rich Bennett 7:12
a 

Brandy Stoker 7:13
so I've been I've been writing fantasy and fantasy stories and I believe in. So the one class I really loved in high school was humanities and then I took a whole bunch of philosophy classes and things like that. So I know a lot about that morally grey and how to which which side is right and is there a right or a wrong that kind of thing. And so I wanted to explore the which side of the story is telling the story is the one that you think is the good guys, 

Rich Bennett 7:50
right, 

Brandy Stoker 7:50
but it depends on who's telling the story. And so I wanted to explore that. And so I have like I said 20 books that I haven't even published yet that are all in this same world. And me and my friends used to play Dungeons and Dragons in this world and we it's just it's a world that I know every facet of this world I have stories in all over this. This entire planet through different points of time in this planet. And so I'm very excited to finally get to share some of that. 

Rich Bennett 8:26
Wait, but growing up you were playing D&D. 

Brandy Stoker 8:28
Oh, yes, I am 

Rich Bennett 8:29
really 

Brandy Stoker 8:30
true geek. 

Rich Bennett 8:31
Did you do the comic cons and all that too? 

Brandy Stoker 8:33
Well, I went to awesome con and 

Rich Bennett 8:36
March and uh huh. 

Brandy Stoker 8:37
Awesome. Con is the comic con type thing that they have in DC in March every 

Rich Bennett 8:44
Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 8:44
year. 

Rich Bennett 8:45
There's different kinds of cons all the way. 

Brandy Stoker 8:47
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 8:47
Like 

Brandy Stoker 8:48
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 8:48
what was the other one I heard about Monster Con? 

Brandy Stoker 8:50
Oh, yeah, there's a whole bunch of them all over the place. 

Rich Bennett 8:52
I 

Brandy Stoker 8:53
But 

Rich Bennett 8:53
can't I can't keep up 

Brandy Stoker 8:54
this. 

Rich Bennett 8:54
with 

Brandy Stoker 8:54
I'm definitely I like pretty much every kind of geek out there I've got. 

Rich Bennett 8:59
That's awesome. 

Brandy Stoker 9:00
Wow.I  like them all. 

Rich Bennett 9:02
So Wow. Okay. So with the first one, it was Escape from media, 

Brandy Stoker 9:07
Escape from Media. 

Rich Bennett 9:08
All right. Explain that without giving it away 

Brandy Stoker 9:13
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 9:13
because the characters continue on to the next book. 

Brandy Stoker 9:15
Right. Right. Well, so the overall series is uh the story is about a single mom who finds out that her daughter has magic in a city where magic can get her killed. And she has to get out of this city, but the only way out is by being smuggled out, because the city wants to stop anyone from having magic, so they'll inject them with this technology that takes away their magic, but 

Rich Bennett 9:43
Damn. 

Brandy Stoker 9:43
can sometimes kill them in the process. So it protects all the non-magical citizens, because then they don't have to worry about people having magic. So the problem is that can kill people and it kind of hurts them in a way. So she needs to get out of this city. The rogue smuggler that she has, who's going to help her, is also the guy who was trying to do a love con on her right before this. 

Rich Bennett 10:18
A 

Brandy Stoker 10:19
love con. A love con on her. So she doesn't necessarily trust him, but she has to put her life in his hands. 

Rich Bennett 10:26
Oh God. 

Brandy Stoker 10:28
And he is an anti-hero, so he has spent, pretty much, his parents were killed in front of him when he was 10. 

Rich Bennett 10:36
Oh Jesus. 

Brandy Stoker 10:37
And he has spent his life doing all those dark deeds to save people that nobody else wants to do. He's, he assassinate the bad people. 

Rich Bennett 10:50
Like the witcher. 

Brandy Stoker 10:51
Yeah, he's kind of that same 

Rich Bennett 10:54
OK. 

Brandy Stoker 10:55
theory. 

Rich Bennett 10:55
I'm hooked. 

Brandy Stoker 10:56
And so he, he's kind of that kind of a person that, but he's a rogue, so he's charming. 

Rich Bennett 11:03
OK, 

Brandy Stoker 11:05
but he's spent his life, you know, doing untrustworthy, con artisty type things. So she doesn't necessarily trust him. But there's some faded mates going on there. So there's some magic behind the scenes that might be drawing them together and making it so she feels something more than maybe she really is ready for. And so. 

Rich Bennett 11:29
OK. 

Brandy Stoker 11:30
So 

book one is they, well the whole series is them trying to get to safety, trying to find a way to get her and her daughter to safety 

Rich Bennett 11:41
throughout the whole series. 

Brandy Stoker 11:42
The entire series is how can she get to safety? And so 

Rich Bennett 11:46
you leave the people hanging where they got 

Brandy Stoker 11:48
Each, 

Rich Bennett 11:49
her going. 

Brandy Stoker 11:50
each book is a happily for now. 

Rich Bennett 11:52
Oh, I 

Brandy Stoker 11:53
it. 

Rich Bennett 11:53
love 

Brandy Stoker 11:53
But we so we do have a happily for now. But like book one, we escape the city. But they're on the other side of the planet that is the city of safety called a lauria. And then they have to get to. And so in book two, they have to take an ocean voyage to try to get to the city of safety. The problem is they have to go through magical pirate infested waters, deal with monsters of all kinds. And even worse, they have to deal with their exes. 

Rich Bennett 12:25
I think I'd rather deal with the monsters and all 

Brandy Stoker 12:29
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 12:29
that. Yeah, 

Brandy Stoker 12:31
be. 

Rich Bennett 12:31
exes can Yes monsters of all. 

Brandy Stoker 12:33
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 12:35
So. Wow. 

Brandy Stoker 12:35
So there's lots of. 

Rich Bennett 12:36
Wait a minute, but you wrote these before you were married, right? 

Brandy Stoker 12:39
No, no, I was. 

Rich Bennett 12:40
Oh, you wrote 

Brandy Stoker 12:41
It's 

Rich Bennett 12:41
them? 

Brandy Stoker 12:41
married for 27 years. So I was definitely 

Rich Bennett 12:44
OK. 

Brandy Stoker 12:44
married. 

Rich Bennett 12:45
OK. Wow. Can you come up with these characters? Was was there some from your personal life as well? 

Brandy Stoker 12:53
Well, generally I like to create the FMC, the female main character 

Rich Bennett 12:58
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 12:58
as you know, kind of based off of me, because I'll know what she is going to think. I 

Rich Bennett 13:03
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 13:04
know what she's yeah, I know how she thinks and is easy. It's a no brainer. If I think that way, she'll probably think that way too. 

Rich Bennett 13:11
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 13:12
The male main character has been more of a challenge, kind of in imaginary person. 

Rich Bennett 13:20
Wow. OK. So with these, are they even audio form by chance? 

Brandy Stoker 13:27
Escape from media does have a dual POV point of view audio book that is 

Rich Bennett 13:33
Really? 

Brandy Stoker 13:33
currently available. I had to delay the journey to a laureate the my narrator, Laura Horowitz just happens to be amazing and she's also super popular and she she has other priorities that she needs to do. And so and she's really popular. 

Rich Bennett 13:57
She did the first book for you. 

Brandy Stoker 13:59
She was she's still she's going to continue her and Walker Williams. 

Rich Bennett 14:04
How did you find her? 

Brandy Stoker 14:06
I actually, she was my dream person because I love audiobooks. That's how I listen to my books. And so she was my dream, if you're good. And so I just reached out and asked her. And she, and I talked about my books and she loved the concept and she loved the idea. And so luckily, I was able to contract to the five book deal. So, 

Rich Bennett 14:27
wow. 

Brandy Stoker 14:28
So we were able to do all that. Luckily, before she got all of her awards, because she's winning awards like crazy now. 

Rich Bennett 14:35
Where is she at based out of? 

Brandy Stoker 14:37
I think she's in the Portland, California, 

Rich Bennett 14:40
okay, 

Brandy Stoker 14:40
Area, I'm not 

Rich Bennett 14:41
okay. 

Brandy Stoker 14:41
sure exactly, but it's that West Coast 

Rich Bennett 14:44
You 

Brandy Stoker 14:44
side. 

Rich Bennett 14:44
know what? Here's the thing, because a lot of people, and yourself published, but a lot of authors, especially if they're published, they're told they have to go that they have to use somebody like Laura or somebody that are eight which can cost an arm and a leg. 

Brandy Stoker 15:02
Right. 

Rich Bennett 15:03
But the fact that you just reached out to her and asked her, 

Brandy Stoker 15:06
right? 

Rich Bennett 15:07
That's a lot of people are free to do that. I don't know why. I know why I didn't want to hear the no. 

Brandy Stoker 15:13
Well, I have no problems with no's. And I used to be a project manager. So I don't, I mean, unless you ask my my theory in life has always been what's the words that they can say is no. So I figured who was my dream person reach out to them, find out if she was even available or not. And sure, she was. And she when she read through it, she's, I was going to have it just her as a single 

Rich Bennett 15:41
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 15:41
person, the whole thing. But she convinced me that dual or duet would definitely be the right choice. 

Rich Bennett 15:47
Yeah. 

Brandy Stoker 15:48
And so we went, she she recommended Walker Williams, who I am so glad she did because he is just amazing. He sounds 

Rich Bennett 15:58
Wow. 

Brandy Stoker 15:59
fantastic. And so between that and then journey to eloria and the other three books we figured out are going to be duet and then we're going to go back and real, we'll redo escape from media after all the rest of them, all the, in the series, have been published. And, and 

Rich Bennett 16:17
Does 

Brandy Stoker 16:17
outs. 

Rich Bennett 16:18
she know that you have 20 ready to get her? 

Brandy Stoker 16:20
Oh, no, it's only the five one. 

Rich Bennett 16:22
Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 16:23
done. Then we're going to 

Rich Bennett 16:24
Five 

Brandy Stoker 16:24
go back and redo escape from media. 

Rich Bennett 16:26
All right. So you, you had to hear her on another book. 

Brandy Stoker 16:30
Oh, yes. 

Rich Bennett 16:30
What was it that you heard her on that just pulled you towards her? 

Brandy Stoker 16:33
Pantasma, actually. She did that. She did that one. She also did. I think it's called Inking Athena and Inking Adonis. Oh, there's, so she's been on so many of them. 

Rich Bennett 16:49
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 16:49
Um, but I mean, I've listened to a lot of her work and, and recently right now I'm listening to My Butterflies by B Evans. And she does that one too. She's just amazing as a narrator. 

Rich Bennett 17:03
So, All right. Here's a scary question. And I have a funny feeling this number is going to be very high. How many books do you read or listen to? Read and listen to I guess combine them because If you're listening to a book, you're still reading it. 

Brandy Stoker 17:17
Right. 

Rich Bennett 17:18
That's what 

Brandy Stoker 17:18
belief. 

Rich Bennett 17:18
my 

Brandy Stoker 17:18
Right. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 17:19
So, how many do you read a year? 

Brandy Stoker 17:22
Not as many now that I started writing. 

Rich Bennett 17:24
Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 17:24
When I was, when I, before, well, I mean, I've been writing the whole time. So, since I started publishing because now I have a much more detailed editing process and 

Rich Bennett 17:35
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 17:35
I have marketing to do. And my time is going a lot shorter, so I don't get to read as often as I would like to. But, um, I'd say probably 

Okay. 10 to 20 

Rich Bennett 17:49
a 

Brandy Stoker 17:49
a 

Rich Bennett 17:49
year, 

Brandy Stoker 17:49
year. 

Rich Bennett 17:50
okay. 

Brandy Stoker 17:50
Easy. I mean, 

Rich Bennett 17:52
before that, I was probably over 100. Huh. 

Brandy Stoker 17:53
Oh, before that, I was easily at like 20 to 30. 

Rich Bennett 17:57
Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 17:58
I had life. 

Rich Bennett 18:01
I mean, 

Brandy Stoker 18:02
I got three kids. So, that takes up life too. 

Rich Bennett 18:05
And, uh, 

Brandy Stoker 18:06
yeah. So yeah, it's, it's, there's a lot going on. But, 

Rich Bennett 18:11
all right. So now you got these books are written and published. You have all these other ones. Now do you do the editing or does 

Brandy Stoker 18:19
other people 

Rich Bennett 18:20
do other people do the editing for you? 

Brandy Stoker 18:21
I do, 

Rich Bennett 18:22
or both. 

Brandy Stoker 18:22
Jury of my own editing. However, I, I was able to find finally a fantastic editor that I really vibe with. 

Rich Bennett 18:32
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 18:33
Jennifer, Windlow, uh, uh, uh, when, when, yeah, Windlow. And she and I just vibe fantastically together. And I just love, uh, working with her. And so, um, 

Rich Bennett 18:46
all right. Because I'm just blown 

Brandy Stoker 18:48
away by the fact that you see 

Rich Bennett 18:49
you said you've only your first book was published two years ago, right? 

Brandy Stoker 18:53
No, last year. 

Rich Bennett 18:54
Oh my god. 

Brandy Stoker 18:55
Well, I mean, the first first book technically was Blue Haven, which is a contemporary romance. That one was written. So technically it was December of 2024 that I, I 

Rich Bennett 19:07
still though, I mean, 

Brandy Stoker 19:08
but, but I mean, it didn't actually start selling until January. So that's why I say it got published last year. 

Rich Bennett 19:15
Oka, but this is what amazes me because from what I could tell already, especially when I thought the other brand new author, you got your shit together already. Excuse me for saying that, but you do, you do, 

Brandy Stoker 19:30
Well, I've been, I've been publishing since I've been writing for 35 plus 

Rich Bennett 19:35
right? 

Brandy Stoker 19:36
years, and I've been planning to be a full-time writer since I was in high school. I just didn't do it. So I mean, 

Rich Bennett 19:45
yeah, 

Brandy Stoker 19:46
and the, the projects that I managed were required some marketing. They, so I knew how to do marketing. I had an Etsy shop, so I knew how to do, I do graphic web design, so I know how to do that stuff. It's, I know how to do the bulk of things and I've learned and studied how to write and I've done all the homework I needed to do to be able to write well and, and much less publish it. So 

Rich Bennett 20:17
you do your own website too? 

Brandy Stoker 20:19
Oh, the website I definitely did on my own. 

Rich Bennett 20:21
That's a good looking website. 

Brandy Stoker 20:22
Oh, thank you. 

Rich Bennett 20:23
Wow. 

Brandy Stoker 20:24
I appreciate that. And most of that art was all me. I, I do have like my cover design. I actually do have a, a professional cover designer. 

Rich Bennett 20:32
I was going to ask you who designed the covers. 

Brandy Stoker 20:34
Yeah, I do, I do have a professional cover designer. And I've watched her. I know she's not using any AI. This 

Rich Bennett 20:40
Right, 

Brandy Stoker 20:40
is all her. She's that good of she combines stock photos and then she art. She, but stock photos that we have commercial licenses 

Rich Bennett 20:49
right, 

Brandy Stoker 20:49
for. And then we do art on 

Rich Bennett 20:51
improv. 

Brandy Stoker 20:52
top of it. And so she's just amazing. 

Rich Bennett 20:55
And what's her name? 

Brandy Stoker 20:56
Her name is Angelive Ann Alman. 

Rich Bennett 20:59
Okay, local or 

Brandy Stoker 21:01
no, no, she, I believe, I want to say Wisconsin, but maybe 

Rich Bennett 21:06
okay, 

Brandy Stoker 21:06
it's Ohio. I'm not sure. She, it is that general area. 

Rich Bennett 21:09
How'd you find her? Was it fiber or? 

Brandy Stoker 21:12
Actually, Upworks is where I found her. 

Rich Bennett 21:14
Really, 

Brandy Stoker 21:15
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 21:15
that's still a thing. 

Brandy Stoker 21:16
It is apparently. 

Rich Bennett 21:17
Wow. Okay. Holy cow. All right. So you're doing the marketing. 

Brandy Stoker 21:21
You're 

Rich Bennett 21:22
doing the editing. You're doing the publishing. You're doing the website. You already got all the audio hooked 

Brandy Stoker 21:31
up. 

Rich Bennett 21:34
I'm just 

Brandy Stoker 21:34
away. 

Rich Bennett 21:34
so blown 

Brandy Stoker 21:35
I don't get very much sleep. 

Rich Bennett 21:36
I was going to say, most of us already written, but you got to re through them again when you edit it. All right. So, your day, 

Brandy Stoker 21:46
when you get up, I'm 

Rich Bennett 21:47
once you get up, the first 

Brandy Stoker 21:48
sure 

Rich Bennett 21:48
thing you do is ready for working. 

Brandy Stoker 21:51
Well, 

Rich Bennett 21:52
maybe. 

Brandy Stoker 21:52
So I work. right. Motely. 

Rich Bennett 21:53
All 

Brandy Stoker 21:54
So I work from home. So I literally get up. I grab my coffee. I do have a whole get ready morning 

Rich Bennett 22:03
right, 

Brandy Stoker 22:03
routine with, you know, 

Rich Bennett 22:04
so how? 

Brandy Stoker 22:05
How? Stuff like that? 

Rich Bennett 22:06
How many? 

They are a few times a week 

Brandy Stoker 22:12
or pretty well every day. I make sure to work on something writing, either 

Rich Bennett 22:17
editing 

Brandy Stoker 22:17
writing or 

Rich Bennett 22:18
something with the book. 

Brandy Stoker 22:19
At least for an hour, at minimum. But, but there's, but there's days where, like right now, I'm in deep editing for for dissent to sink into sanctum, which is the book three of 

Rich Bennett 22:32
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 22:32
the series. And right now I'm deep into editing for that. And I can say I've been getting about five to six hours of sleep a night. I wake up. I do my morning routine. I edit for about an hour. And then I start work because I turn my chair. Work for my eight hour day. Then I turn my chair. And I work until about midnight or so. And then I wake up and I start it all over again 

Rich Bennett 23:08
seven days a week. 

Brandy Stoker 23:09
Pretty much. Right. Now, I mean, it's only been, it's only a limited, I'm only giving myself a limited, like two month 

Rich Bennett 23:16
do. 

Brandy Stoker 23:16
period to 

Rich Bennett 23:16
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 23:17
But that's pretty much my life right now. 

Rich Bennett 23:19
And when are you hoping to have the next book published by? 

Brandy Stoker 23:21
So officially the date people will be able to get to it is July 11th is my goal. So I have 41 chapters. I am at chapter 18 right now of the final copyright line editing phase. And then after this phase it goes to proof reading and then formatting and then after formatting it'll be published. 

Rich Bennett 23:50
Wow. 

Brandy Stoker 23:52
So I'm getting so close to this one. 

Rich Bennett 23:54
Did he use arc readers? 

Brandy Stoker 23:56
I do that. That's why it that's why I have such a push to need to get them out 

Rich Bennett 24:02
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 24:02
because I need to be able to get the arch readers to the to the book. By the middle to end of June. Otherwise, they won't be able to have enough time to do any of the reading before it comes out. 

Rich Bennett 24:17
All right. 

Brandy Stoker 24:17
you 

Rich Bennett 24:18
So 

Brandy Stoker 24:19
got your degree 

Rich Bennett 24:20
of business management, but you are doing 

Brandy Stoker 24:26
everything 

Rich Bennett 24:27
that it takes to be. That it takes to be so much more than some other authors 

Brandy Stoker 24:31
doing. 

Rich Bennett 24:32
are How did you learn all this? 

Brandy Stoker 24:34
It has been decades of trying to learn it 

Rich Bennett 24:38
because I know they didn't teach you that in school. 

Brandy Stoker 24:40
No, 

Rich Bennett 24:41
a 

Brandy Stoker 24:41
no. I 

Rich Bennett 24:41
lot has changed since then. 

Brandy Stoker 24:42
Right. No. Yeah. No. So as far as so I tend to pick up computer stuff very quickly and easily. 

Rich Bennett 24:51
OK. 

Brandy Stoker 24:51
So that helps. But the 

like the marketing what Etsy shop I've had my Etsy shop for like fibrous actually I think this is your five. I just started year five of my Etsy shop. So the Etsy shop required me to do marketing. It required me to how to build a listing, how to get the word out, how to how to do all of that. So I had to learn all of that over the course of five years. So I learned that part there. 

Rich Bennett 25:25
Wow. But I'm just blown away. Seriously. 

Brandy Stoker 25:32
yeah, 

Rich Bennett 25:32
It's amazing because you haven't been doing it that well,let  me rephrase that. You haven't published that law. You've been writing for a while. You haven't been published that law, but you're ahead of the game already. And where can most people, where can people purchase your book? 

Brandy Stoker 25:47
So it's currently available pretty much everywhere. The it's on a Amazon. It's also on Barnes and Noble. Ingram Sparks has it so that if whole sailors need to buy it or libraries they can get to it there. It's on the escape from media is on audible only right now. The ebook is currently a kind of limited only right now. But so it's it's only available there for right now until I get the series done, I'm just going to leave all of them as kind of limited for right 

Rich Bennett 26:22
until the okay, 

Brandy Stoker 26:22
now. And then once I have the series done, then I'll make everything wide. 

Rich Bennett 26:27
And where can people follow you? 

Brandy Stoker 26:30
I am pretty much on every social media you can think of right now. But mostly Instagram is the largest following I have right now. But, yeah, 

Rich Bennett 26:40
oh my God, you mean I stumped you on something when it comes to authors. 

Something that a lot of authors don't tell people to follow them Amazon. You didn't know you can follow authors on 

Brandy Stoker 26:56
I never even really considered 

Rich Bennett 26:57
Amazon. 

Brandy Stoker 26:58
that. 

Rich Bennett 26:58
Yeah, 

Brandy Stoker 26:58
I mean, good reason where most of my reviews are. 

Rich Bennett 27:01
Right, but 

Brandy Stoker 27:02
with Amazon, 

Rich Bennett 27:04
so all you listen, make sure you do this. Follow 

Brandy Stoker 27:08
the 

Rich Bennett 27:09
authors you like on Amazon because what happens is when your new books coming 

Brandy Stoker 27:14
out. 

Rich Bennett 27:15
Because mostly everybody has Alexa in their house now. Alexa will notify you. If you're following all an author, I'll get 

Brandy Stoker 27:24
that's 

Rich Bennett 27:24
like she's blanking. Like Alexa, what's the notification? Randy Stoker has a new book that has come out. Would you like me to put it in your shopping cart 

Brandy Stoker 27:32
tonight? 

Rich Bennett 27:33
Yeah, 

Brandy Stoker 27:34
a cool idea. 

Rich Bennett 27:35
that's 

Brandy Stoker 27:36
I did not know that. Yes, you did. 

Rich Bennett 27:38
Look, even though I've been doing this for 10 years, I've been learning some things too. I had another author suggested this. So I always tell people once they 

Brandy Stoker 27:49
purchase the books. Make 

Rich Bennett 27:52
sure they leave a review. 

Brandy Stoker 27:53
Not just on Amazon, 

Rich Bennett 27:55
but also on 

Brandy Stoker 27:56
sports, 

Rich Bennett 27:57
wherever you can leave reviews. I know some of the sites you have to purchase the book from there, 

Brandy Stoker 28:01
but Amazon's really the main one for that. 

Rich Bennett 28:03
Yeah, yeah, but you leave it wherever you can and since Brandy's on Instagram. Take a photo of yourself with the book. I posted on Instagram and tag her. 

Brandy Stoker 28:13
Yes, I would love that. 

Rich Bennett 28:15
--I-I've never thought about that and 

Brandy Stoker 28:17
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 28:18
it author brought that up. I was like, that 

Brandy Stoker 28:19
--I've 

Rich Bennett 28:19
is 

Brandy Stoker 28:19
had a few 

Rich Bennett 28:20
brilliant. 

Brandy Stoker 28:20
people do that and it... it- it makes my day 

Rich Bennett 28:23
--Oh, 

Brandy Stoker 28:23
just, 

Rich Bennett 28:23
it's... 

Brandy Stoker 28:24
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 28:24
it's brilliant! Okay, so, even though you haven't been published that long. --Still 

Brandy Stoker 28:29
--Hahaha. 

Rich Bennett 28:29
find that hard-to-believe. Um, now I know you do the Book Fair Bel Air. How often are you doing, like, signings and fairs and everything? 

Brandy Stoker 28:38
--Um, pretty much, at least once a month. Um, 

Rich Bennett 28:42
--Really? 

Brandy Stoker 28:42
yeah, like, in February I was at four in one month and 

Rich Bennett 28:46
--Book 

Brandy Stoker 28:46
p- 

Rich Bennett 28:47
fairs or signings or booth? 

Brandy Stoker 28:49
--Both. 

Rich Bennett 28:49
--Wow. Well, I know libraries will have, 

Brandy Stoker 28:51
--Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 28:52
like, signing, yes. 

Brandy Stoker 28:52
yeah, in fact, yeah. Um, that's- the library was one of the places in February that I once was at and then, um, uh, but March I only had two, but one was, um, awesome con, like I said, 

Rich Bennett 29:04
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 29:05
so that was that massive, um, event. Uh, so that was, that was definitely different. And then, uh, 

Rich Bennett 29:12
(laughs) 

Brandy Stoker 29:13
this month I've only got- 

Rich Bennett 29:14
--Did you wear a costume? --Of 

Brandy Stoker 29:15
course. 

Rich Bennett 29:15
--Oh, 

Brandy Stoker 29:16
I dress- 

Rich Bennett 29:16
okay. (laughs) 

Brandy Stoker 29:18
--I dress as my characters, so, yes. 

Rich Bennett 29:19
All right, God, I have to ask, so what was the costume? --You're listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back. 

If you love books, you need to experience the Book Fair Bel Air. This incredible community event brings together authors, readers, and book lovers of all ages for a celebration of stories, creativity, and connection. What makes it special is the chance to meet authors in person, hear their stories, and purchase books directly from them. I've attended myself, and I can tell you there's nothing quite like discovering a great book and talking with the person who wrote it. It makes the experience more personal and far more meaningful. Whether you're looking for your next favorite read, something for your kids, or even a unique gift, you'll find it at the Book Fair Bel Air. It's family-friendly, welcoming, and full of the kind of energy that reminds you why books matter. Learn more and see upcoming event details at bookfair@bellair. org. Again, that's bookfair@bellair. org. 

Brandy Stoker 30:39
--Loss of Black leather.

Rich Bennett 30:41
my god. 

Brandy Stoker 30:42
(laughs)  Oh 

Rich Bennett 30:45
Okay. Wow, okay. 

Brandy Stoker 30:49
--Yeah, well 

Rich Bennett 30:50
I 

Brandy Stoker 30:50
you know, that's what they 

Rich Bennett 30:50
see. 

Brandy Stoker 30:51
travel in. 

Rich Bennett 30:51
--So the bookfairs, the libraries, yeah I'm turning it right now, aren't 

Brandy Stoker 30:56
I. --A little. 

Rich Bennett 31:00
--The podcast you've been on what? --No, how many podcasts you've been on so far? 

Brandy Stoker 31:04
--Only two so far. 

Rich Bennett 31:06
--Only two? 

Brandy Stoker 31:06
--Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 31:07
--Oh you're just starting. 

Brandy Stoker 31:10
--Yeah I've got a couple more coming up in the next few months, but yeah. 

Rich Bennett 31:15
--Just a couple? 

Brandy Stoker 31:16
--Just a couple that 

Rich Bennett 31:17
some. 

Brandy Stoker 31:17
scheduled 

Rich Bennett 31:18
--How would you like to get on some throughout the world? 

Brandy Stoker 31:20
--I would love that. 

Rich Bennett 31:21
--I'll hook you up. 

Brandy Stoker 31:22
--Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 31:23
--Yeah. --I can definitely do that for you. Now have you been on Samantha's yet? 

Brandy Stoker 31:28
--Not yet. 

Rich Bennett 31:29
know. --What? 

Brandy Stoker 31:29
--I --I know. We talked about it at least, so eventually I will get there. 

Rich Bennett 31:37
--So probably a good thing she's not here because I'd be chewing 

Brandy Stoker 31:40
out. 

Rich Bennett 31:40
her --Did she invite you on? 

Brandy Stoker 31:42
--Oh, she 

Rich Bennett 31:43
did. 

Brandy Stoker 31:43
--She has a lot scheduled already so she we have discussed it and she definitely has me on her plans. 

Rich Bennett 31:52
--All right, I can't give her a 

Brandy Stoker 31:53
hard. 

Rich Bennett 31:54
--All right, so after this series is done, are you sticking with the grim? 

Brandy Stoker 32:01
--Yes. Oh, like I said, I already have the books finished. 

Rich Bennett 32:05
--All 20 are the grim dark stuff? 

Brandy Stoker 32:07
--Well, yeah, in that world, yeah, it's all in the same world that I have those. 

Rich Bennett 32:12
Oh, 

Brandy Stoker 32:13
--Well, 

Rich Bennett 32:13
wow. 

Brandy Stoker 32:13
I do know that's not true, so I have like three or four of them that are contemporary romance type 

Rich Bennett 32:19
--Okay, 

Brandy Stoker 32:19
things that just stories in 

Rich Bennett 32:22
right. 

Brandy Stoker 32:23
not necessarily this world, but --Wow, 

Rich Bennett 32:27
okay. So when are you hoping to have all 20 published by. Did you notice how 

Brandy Stoker 32:31
isn't? 

Rich Bennett 32:31
little it 

Brandy Stoker 32:31
--When 

Rich Bennett 32:32
you're a deadline 

Brandy Stoker 32:33
--So, 

Rich Bennett 32:33
now? 

Brandy Stoker 32:34
a lot depends on cost because my plan is to take everything that any amount I make from my books and reinvest into the next books. So as soon as I can afford them, they will be getting out there. 

Rich Bennett 32:51
--I never thought about that. Even though you're even though you're self published, there's still a cost in it. 

Brandy Stoker 32:55
--Oh, goodness. You got to pay --I got to pay... 

Rich Bennett 32:59
--The ISBN number? 

Brandy Stoker 33:00
--Well, I already have a huge thing of ISBN number, so I don't need 

Rich Bennett 33:04
that. 

Brandy Stoker 33:04
to worry 

Rich Bennett 33:04
--Oh? 

Brandy Stoker 33:04
about Now you can buy them in bulk. 

Rich Bennett 33:07
Really? 

Brandy Stoker 33:07
Oh yeah, I've got those covered, but I've got editing, I've got to pay for multiple editors, I've got to pay, because I, I have researched to find how do midsize publisher what steps would a midsize publisher actually do to promote a book or create make sure to publish a book. And so I took it upon myself as the business person I am. I am paying people to do those steps as much as whenever I can, I'm trying to do 

Rich Bennett 33:41
I, I 

Brandy Stoker 33:41
as many 

Rich Bennett 33:42
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 33:42
as I can, but I still like, like for instance, my editor, but then I have a proofreader and I have I have somebody who's helping me with the Trying to get into bookstores 

Rich Bennett 33:57
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 33:57
and I have I have a team of people that I'm trying 

Rich Bennett 33:59
to That's smart though. It could be because I can be very, if you're trying to do all that yourself, that's a lot of 

Brandy Stoker 34:04
stress Yeah, it is and a large percentage of it. I have been trying to do myself, however there's still like I said but like special editions I have special editions of with foil and spray Edges 

Rich Bennett 34:20
Oh, 

Brandy Stoker 34:20
and all that and 

Rich Bennett 34:21
come on 

Brandy Stoker 34:22
And they are gorgeous, but I had to buy six hundred of them at a time. So that was a good, you know $6, 000 just right there. Just to buy my special editions and now I'm selling them and so they're great, but There's a lot of costs that go involved 

Rich Bennett 34:40
know, 

Brandy Stoker 34:41
with 

Rich Bennett 34:41
that's 

Brandy Stoker 34:41
you 

Rich Bennett 34:41
brilliant. I never heard of that All right, God, I'm learning new 

Brandy Stoker 34:46
again 

Rich Bennett 34:46
stuff All right, so for those aspiring authors that haven't 

Brandy Stoker 34:52
yet 

Rich Bennett 34:53
started How in the world do you buy ISPN numbers involved and explain for the people out there what 

Brandy Stoker 35:01
so 

Rich Bennett 35:01
that is 

Brandy Stoker 35:01
There there's a company called Bauer That sells the ISBNs and but it's there that's the official source of ISPNs So you can get a free ISPN just by going to Amazon, but you're limited to only Amazon or Barnes and Noble has the same work You're limited to only Barnes and Noble or you can use their ISP Ends if you do goes with those companies, 

Rich Bennett 35:26
but your books can't be 

Brandy Stoker 35:28
But 

Rich Bennett 35:28
sold 

Brandy Stoker 35:28
you can't sell it elsewhere because you're you you've got an ISPN for that 

Rich Bennett 35:33
Did 

Brandy Stoker 35:33
company. 

Rich Bennett 35:33
not know that 

Brandy Stoker 35:34
if you buy them individually you and there you can just buy one or two or, you know, 

Rich Bennett 35:42
right? 

Brandy Stoker 35:42
handful right there But you get a big discount if you can buy say 100 or 500 at a time and I know that I've got 20 books and each book you've got the e-book You've got the paperback. You've got the hardcover. You've got the Special 

Rich Bennett 36:03
so they're all different numbers 

Brandy Stoker 36:04
all every single one of 

Rich Bennett 36:05
really 

Brandy Stoker 36:05
those Number and the audio book is a whole different number so your one book can be five or more ISPNs So no 

Rich Bennett 36:15
idea 

Brandy Stoker 36:16
so to get 20 books out I've got to get a hundred ISB ends so I bought So I've already I've already got my ISB ends for all of my books. It's just a matter of getting them 

Rich Bennett 36:27
now 

Brandy Stoker 36:27
out there 

Rich Bennett 36:27
I want other tricks are there that other authors may not 

Brandy Stoker 36:30
know I'm sure there's a lot 

Rich Bennett 36:34
I did I always thought an ISPN number was for the 

Brandy Stoker 36:39
title of 

Rich Bennett 36:40
the book which covered everything 

Brandy Stoker 36:42
No, it's that That format of that book 

Rich Bennett 36:47
right, 

Brandy Stoker 36:47
so if you've got a paperback so if you've got a paperback book or if you've got a hardcover book it is That title for that hard cover 

Rich Bennett 36:58
I'll be damn 

Brandy Stoker 37:00
And in fact, what's even worse is so I what I found out was that Like Barnes and Noble and Amazon are not very happy with each other and and so you it is really hard you Basically have to have a separate If you want to have a hardcover that's available both on 

Barnes and Noble and on Amazon you have to have two separate ISB ends Because they have to have two separate 

Rich Bennett 37:31
what 

Brandy Stoker 37:31
yeah, it's 

Rich Bennett 37:33
ridiculous. 

Brandy Stoker 37:33
It is 

Rich Bennett 37:34
So did you have to have for the special edition ones that had to be a separate ISPN too? 

Brandy Stoker 37:39
Yeah 

Rich Bennett 37:41
So 

Brandy Stoker 37:42
for each book I have five ISB ends prepared so Luckily the ebooks don't really need to have an ISB as I found so So I'm I was able to just adjust so 

Rich Bennett 37:54
or what about in the future of the I guess it doesn't have with novels But like it you know how you have second printings or second editions of books. 

Brandy Stoker 38:03
That's a whole separate book 

Which is-- 

Rich Bennett 38:07
Wow. 

Brandy Stoker 38:08
Another reason why you don't necessarily have to have additions of books. Sometimes-- 

Rich Bennett 38:14
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 38:14
Date the book. 

Rich Bennett 38:15
Is there any genre that you want to write that you haven't yet? 

Brandy Stoker 38:19
Well, I just love my-- so I just love my dark dystopian world. But there are a lot of contemporary romance stories that I have. That are, 

Rich Bennett 38:35
during your 

Brandy Stoker 38:36
head. My head. Yeah, so me and Be Evans are the author of My Butterfly. Her and I are actually working on a contemporary romance that is two sisters. And so it's a different form of story because it's basically two separate stories that are just interconnected. So going through a course of a year. So one chapter will be one sister. Another chapter will be another sister. But it'll sound completely different because she's writing one sister. I'm writing the other sister. And so-- and it's a whole separate story. But it's-- 

Rich Bennett 39:19
That's brilliant. 

Brandy Stoker 39:20
Yeah. I'm really excited about the concept. I had the concept while I was Thinking of something else. 

Rich Bennett 39:28
thinking of something. 

Brandy Stoker 39:29
And next thing you know, I was like, I ran into her. And she really loved the idea too. And so-- and it-- she writes rockstar romance. And the other sister is that same type of fun kind of carefree person. 

Rich Bennett 39:48
Rockstar romance. 

Brandy Stoker 39:50
Yeah, her books are fantastic. 

Rich Bennett 39:53
So, 

what I'm thinking, like romance between like rock 

Brandy Stoker 40:00
In 

Rich Bennett 40:00
stars. 

Brandy Stoker 40:01
a rock star with like a person falling in love with a 

Rich Bennett 40:04
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 40:04
rock star or something like that. 

Rich Bennett 40:06
Oh, wow. 

Brandy Stoker 40:07
Yeah,her  books are fantastic. I definitely encourage that. 

Rich Bennett 40:10
Is she local too? 

Brandy Stoker 40:11
Well, I mean, local ish. 

Rich Bennett 40:13
Local 

Brandy Stoker 40:14
Jersey. 

Rich Bennett 40:14
ish. 

Brandy Stoker 40:15
She's in Jersey. 

Rich Bennett 40:16
Oh, god. From Jersey, uh, gee. I've never-- 

Brandy Stoker 40:22
What's your 

Rich Bennett 40:22
name? B. 

Brandy Stoker 40:23
B-Events. 

Rich Bennett 40:24
Hey, I'm only joking. Okay. If you're listening to this, I'm joking. All right. So, is there 

Brandy Stoker 40:29
anything-- 

Rich Bennett 40:30
Oh, better yet. Let me refresh 

Brandy Stoker 40:31
this. Tell 

Rich Bennett 40:34
people 

Brandy Stoker 40:35
Why 

Rich Bennett 40:35
why they 

Brandy Stoker 40:36
do 

Rich Bennett 40:36
need-- 

Brandy Stoker 40:36
you need your 

Rich Bennett 40:37
books? And not just so you make money. 

Brandy Stoker 40:41
So, if somebody is looking for a story that is going to get there adrenaline going, but at the same time have a lot of hurt and in a fantasy world that-- So, we start in the real world. Let's say some people-- well, it's a real world, but there's magic in 

Rich Bennett 41:03
world. 

Brandy Stoker 41:03
this 

Rich Bennett 41:03
So, 

Brandy Stoker 41:04
it's as if right now you're world, and then you get shoved into this fantasy world where you are having to learn about all this magic, and you are having to experience this story, and I write very cinematically, so-- I really try to bring you into the action and really try to get you to a point where you care about 

Rich Bennett 41:38
Yeah. 

Brandy Stoker 41:38
these people, and you really want the found family. It's a family in book where there is danger, and there is definitely gritty darkness in the fact that people do get hurt, and then it's a real world type thing. It feels like you get upset things happen. But at the same time, it's a story of a mom who was in the dark. I mean, when she started, she didn't know anything about magic as far-- she didn't know her daughter had magic. 

Rich Bennett 42:21
when 

Brandy Stoker 42:22
She didn't know anybody, and her family had-- she didn't know that world, and she was terrified of it. So now, she's thrown into this environment where not only does she have to go out there into this unknown that she's terrified of, but she has to protect her daughter. 

She took, you know, an oath to save lives, but now to protect her family, she has to take lives. And so there's some darkness in there. exploring her darkness because, so in the prequel, Tom's a morath, we have his in his villain era. He's already in his darkest place. And he ends that book wanting to be a better person and wanting to find that happiness. And that's where he's at when he falls in love with this. And that's where we find escape from media is he's been to that darkness. He's there. And now he's coming up. So in in the series, he starts in a spot of I am darkness and I'm trying to be better because of her and because of my family. And then he goes through trauma that makes it harder for him to go through his happiness and then but we have her who she's in the state of happiness she is in her good place she is in that righteousness and doing the right thing and then she's pulled down in the story. So she actually in book. The book I'm in right now book three descent into sanctum, she actually finds her villain 

Rich Bennett 44:28
era. Oh, oh, it's like a complete circle. 

Brandy Stoker 44:32
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 44:33
Oh wow. 

Brandy Stoker 44:34
And so he has to then bring her out. 

Rich Bennett 44:37
Oh, 

okay, man, all right. Yeah, I can't wait to. Or well, definitely I can start listening to the first one. 

Brandy Stoker 44:48
Yeah. And but yeah. And so book four will be the end of the series when 

Rich Bennett 44:54
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 44:54
it comes to that. And then I have some side stories, some characters that my my fans have been talking about that they really want to know more about these characters and their lives. So I've got some of those stories that I already have written. It's just a matter of getting them out there. So 

Rich Bennett 45:11
wow, 

Brandy Stoker 45:11
I'm very excited to do that. And then I have. I have a lot of other stand-alones and some duologies where they're 

Rich Bennett 45:21
duologies. 

Brandy Stoker 45:22
So duologies, just two books. 

Rich Bennett 45:24
Oh, I need out. 

Brandy Stoker 45:27
It's two books that are stand-alones. 

Rich Bennett 45:29
Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 45:29
That's that's their world. And so, so like and in the book I'm descent into sanctum we meet the God Tamerus. And so we we have a backstory book that's just his life before everything. 

Rich Bennett 45:48
You're a marvel fan, aren't 

Brandy Stoker 45:49
you? I 

Rich Bennett 45:50
I 

Brandy Stoker 45:50
am. 

Rich Bennett 45:50
could tell me 

Brandy Stoker 45:51
and Kevin Feige would have a ball together. 

Rich Bennett 45:53
I was going to say because like the origins. 

Brandy Stoker 45:56
Yes, yes, I've got origin stories and then so I have a dark fantasy of one of my other characters Derek Tom that will be coming out where he is he's a very selfish nobody's he's a prick. So he's going to not going to like him and he is in that era where nobody's going to want to be around him but he is going to get his own story and he's going to get a redemption arc where he gets to bring his area his city 

is going to bring that area into a they're going to enslavery and make it all good and he's 

he's going to be better. 

Rich Bennett 46:48
You are very very very passionate. 

Brandy Stoker 46:51
I see these characters in this story just like they were in front of me and I've had conversations with the characters. I know I it's 100% real to me. 

Rich Bennett 47:05
If they become movies, who would you want playing the characters? 

Brandy Stoker 47:09
Oh, I've got so many plans. 

Rich Bennett 47:11
Go ahead. 

Brandy Stoker 47:13
Well, so Oliver Richter's I've already got him for, he's going to be my Gorak which is one of the like he's it's a giant. 

Rich Bennett 47:27
Oh, yeah, 

Brandy Stoker 47:29
yeah, okay. He's 

Rich Bennett 47:29
yeah, 

Brandy Stoker 47:29
he's going to be the Dutch giant. He's he's going to be he's a quarter giant character that 

Rich Bennett 47:35
he 

Brandy Stoker 47:35
okay. He definitely takes a much larger role in book four but he was also heavily in book one 

Rich Bennett 47:44
okay, 

Brandy Stoker 47:44
and then. 

So I have see a zombie. 

of the black dagger brotherhood, he would be perfect for my keylock. 

Rich Bennett 47:59
Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 48:00
Charact. So I've got, I got some people there, but I haven't found the right people to play the main main 

Rich Bennett 48:11
characters 

Brandy Stoker 48:11
yet, but I know 100% some of those, some of those other characters. And I actually, when I, when I hear the voices in my head as I'm, I have those people's voices in my head already as they're playing. 

Rich Bennett 48:29
The little bit of sleep that you get, you dream a lot of the stories. 

Brandy Stoker 48:33
Oh yeah. 

Rich Bennett 48:34
Do you wake up and just write them 

Brandy Stoker 48:36
I wake up and start writing. Yeah, that's, that's usually my, my morning. Sometimes it's writing new stuff is 

Rich Bennett 48:43
there? 

Brandy Stoker 48:43
how I 

Rich Bennett 48:44
Right. 

Brandy Stoker 48:44
spend my morning. And then good work. And then, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 48:47
That's smart. 

Brandy Stoker 48:48
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 48:49
Well, tell everybody the website. 

Brandy Stoker 48:51
Uh, www. brandystoker.com. 

Rich Bennett 48:55
And it's BR-Y-A-N-D-Y-S-T-O-K-E-R. 

Okay. How'd you come? All right, because that's your pen name. 

Brandy Stoker 49:03
Well, it's, it's my name, but yeah. 

Rich Bennett 49:05
Oh, I thought it was your pen name. 

Brandy Stoker 49:07
Well, it's my maiden

Rich Bennett 49:09
name. Okay. 

Brandy Stoker 49:10
So it's me actually, it's actually, um, genealogy. And yes, I can honestly say I am, according to my mother, related to, uh, Brom Stoker who wrote Dracula, which is also one 

Rich Bennett 49:23
reasons 

Brandy Stoker 49:23
of the 

Rich Bennett 49:24
that they get the hell 

Brandy Stoker 49:25
here. 

Rich Bennett 49:25
out of 

Brandy Stoker 49:26
Yes. I. 

Rich Bennett 49:26
Well, that makes sense 

Brandy Stoker 49:27
So Brom 

Rich Bennett 49:28
now. 

Brandy Stoker 49:28
Stoker, his real name was Abraham Stoker. He lived in Ireland. And, um, he had a brother and, or he had a whole bunch of brothers actually. And I apparently unrelated to one of Brom Stoker's brothers. 

Rich Bennett 49:41
I was going to say your, I asked if you were Irish. 

Brandy Stoker 49:45
I've got apparently Irish Scottish French. And, there's, 

Rich Bennett 49:50
sure, 

Brandy Stoker 49:50
I'm 

Rich Bennett 49:50
we're all much. 

Brandy Stoker 49:51
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 49:51
definitely 

Brandy Stoker 49:51
I'm 

Rich Bennett 49:52
definitely. I 

Brandy Stoker 49:53
definitely got that there. But yeah. 

Rich Bennett 49:56
All right. So Brandy is there anything you would like to add before I get to my last question. What you're going to pick? 

Brandy Stoker 50:03
No. 

Rich Bennett 50:05
Is that scary when I say you're going to pick the 

Brandy Stoker 50:07
question? 

Rich Bennett 50:07
last 

Brandy Stoker 50:08
I'm very interested hearing this last question. 

Rich Bennett 50:11
Oh, so am I. Because I don't have a clue what it is. Yeah. Al right. So I need you to pick, I got these, I got a hundred different 

Brandy Stoker 50:17
questions. Oh, my, 

Rich Bennett 50:18
you're going to get a pick one. 

Brandy Stoker 50:19
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 50:20
And they're in five different blocks. So do you want me to tell you the block with the blocks? 

Brandy Stoker 50:26
You should probably just pick them because I don't have my reading glasses on and I won't be able to read it. 

Rich Bennett 50:30
You're not going to read. I'm 

Brandy Stoker 50:31
can? 

Rich Bennett 50:31
going to read it. Why 

Brandy Stoker 50:31
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 50:31
do you think I Pick a number between one and five. 

Brandy Stoker 50:36
All right. One and five. Uh, let's go with four. 

Rich Bennett 50:39
Four. Now pick a number between 61 and 80. 

Brandy Stoker 50:43
Uh, 72. 

Rich Bennett 50:47
Yeah. I mean, I just might just ask this one. 

Brandy Stoker 50:49
72. 

Rich Bennett 50:49
So you know, that's all right. You're going to 

Brandy Stoker 50:50
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 50:51
have to, you're going to have 

Brandy Stoker 50:51
wait. 

Rich Bennett 50:52
to 

Brandy Stoker 50:52
I can go with the 

Rich Bennett 50:53
Excuse 

Brandy Stoker 50:53
different. 

Rich Bennett 50:53
me this first. 

Brandy Stoker 50:54
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 50:54
Okay, it's more than once. 

Brandy Stoker 50:55
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 50:56
If you could witness any historical event first hand, which one would it be and why? 

Brandy Stoker 51:03
Um, see. Witness it first hand. 

Um, 

Rich Bennett 51:18
it's a hard 

Brandy Stoker 51:20
one. 

Rich Bennett 51:22
That is a hard one. I would think with you, it had to be something back in the mid-event times. 

Brandy Stoker 51:27
I wouldn't necessarily want to be. 

Rich Bennett 51:29
Well, that is true too. 

Brandy Stoker 51:32
Um, let's see. Uh, 

goodness. I don't Um, 

Rich Bennett 51:49
hmm. 

Brandy Stoker 51:50
Yeah. Um, 

Rich Bennett 51:52
so I do have to ask you a different one. 

Brandy Stoker 51:53
Yeah. I think so because I'm not sure. 

Rich Bennett 51:56
All right. So we'll, we'll stick on number four. 

Brandy Stoker 51:59
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 51:59
Okay. I pick another one between 61 and 80. 

Brandy Stoker 52:00
Okay. Uh, let's go with 68. 

Rich Bennett 52:10
The, the, the funny thing is, I don't know what's been going on the past couple days. Usually these questions align with what been talking about. Okay. But the last couple of times they have not. 

Brandy Stoker 52:22
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 52:23
Um, 

I thought I have a funny feeling what your answer is going to be for this one. You said 68 

Brandy Stoker 52:30
68. 

Rich Bennett 52:30
If you could spend a day, observing any, any living creature in its habitat. What would it be? 

Brandy Stoker 52:40
Any living creature in its habitat. Um, 

Rich Bennett 52:47
man, these are, I, I know have these more than half of these questions. So somebody is hard. 

Brandy Stoker 52:52
I 

probably a 

black panther, 

Rich Bennett 53:05
uh, ooh. So Dan and Florida. 

Brandy Stoker 53:09
Well, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 53:10
Yeah. Aren't they Dan and Florida? 

Brandy Stoker 53:12
I mean, they have them in Florida. They also have them another, um, area like, uh, India has, I think, 

Rich Bennett 53:19
Oh, 

Brandy Stoker 53:20
some black panthers, and there's some black panthers down in the South American area. 

Rich Bennett 53:24
So why black panther? 

Brandy Stoker 53:26
I don't know. It's just, they're just such majestic people. 

Rich Bennett 53:30
Oh, yeah. 

Brandy Stoker 53:31
And I have a character who's coming out in this next book, that I actually had to, her name is Marin. And so she is a basat, which 

Rich Bennett 53:44
Yeah, 

Brandy Stoker 53:44
is... 

Rich Bennett 53:45
we got a character. 

Brandy Stoker 53:46
So, basat is the name of the rice of people who are cat people. They're actually based off of cats. They have cat like features, but they're humans or humanoid type. And 

Rich Bennett 54:01
Yeah. 

Brandy Stoker 54:02
so I had to do a lot of research about Black Panthers because her... She specifically is Her people are Black Panthers 

Rich Bennett 54:13
kind of... 

Brandy Stoker 54:13
type people, so they believe in kind of staying to themselves and so that's kind of the way she lives her life. 

Rich Bennett 54:25
Interesting. 

Brandy Stoker 54:27
So I did a lot of research about them, so I figured that was, that made the most sense. 

Rich Bennett 54:32
One question I did not ask you, but so I got to ask you now, how much research do you put into your books? 

Brandy Stoker 54:38
Oh, I put a lot of research into my books. I just spent like three hours. I was trying to write a torture scene, and I had to research three hours into different torture techniques that... 

Rich Bennett 54:53
On the internet? 

Brandy Stoker 54:54
Oh, yes. 

Rich Bennett 54:55
Oh, good Lord. I hope government doesn't come knocking on your door. 

I've 

Brandy Stoker 55:01
already written off saying that they are allowed to check whatever I want, but yes. 

Rich Bennett 55:06
It could be scary though, some of the stuff you'll pull 

Brandy Stoker 55:08
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 55:08
up. 

Brandy Stoker 55:09
yeah, it was quite. It was quite enlightening. 

Rich Bennett 55:13
Wow. 

Brandy Stoker 55:13
Yeah, 

well, so the most painful torture techniques are... I didn't have enough time to write that into this. I only had a three hour window for these people to torture somebody. 

Rich Bennett 55:29
None 

Brandy Stoker 55:29
of those painful ones, but they had to get the information. So I then had to narrow things down. So what if the torture was with knives? Limits it. And then, okay, so then a... 

Rich Bennett 55:46
Razor blades 

Brandy Stoker 55:47
Yeah, they'll trust me. People would talk if they were... 

Rich Bennett 55:52
are worth. 

Brandy Stoker 55:52
The right person would talk if they were tortured the way I have them tortured. 

Rich Bennett 55:58
[Laughter] 

Brandy Stoker 55:59
Checked with 

Rich Bennett 56:00
people. 

Brandy Stoker 56:00
enough 

Rich Bennett 56:02
God. 

Oh, boy, you got... never Never mind. Brandy, thank you so much. I've learned so much already. 

Brandy Stoker 56:12
mind. 

Rich Bennett 56:14
Yeah, you definitely got the 

Brandy Stoker 56:15
other 

Rich Bennett 56:16
podcast. 

Brandy Stoker 56:17
Oh, I'm happy, dude. This is great. 

Rich Bennett 56:19
I've got some 

Brandy Stoker 56:21
ideas. There you go. 

Rich Bennett 56:24
Thank you so much. I want to thank Brandy so much for coming on the show. This has been a fascinating conversation, and I have to say, I'm walking away with a whole new appreciation for what it takes to be a successful independent author. It's not just about writing a great story, it's about world-building, business, marketing, editing, networking, and having the determination to keep chasing the dream, even if it takes years to bring it to life. I love Brandy's passion for these characters, and this universe she's created. It's obvious that this isn't just a series of books to her. It's a world she's been living in for decades, and now readers finally get to experience alongside her. If you'd like to learn more about Brandy, pick up Escape from Media, check out her other books, follow her on social media and visit her website at BrandyStoker.com, and I'll make sure I have the link to that in the show notes. And don't forget to follow her on Amazon. Leave reviews after you've read her books, and if you post a picture with one of her books, tag her in it. Those little things really do make a difference for independent authors. And to all of you listen, thank you for spending part of your day with us. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends, especially anyone who loves fantasy, dystopian worlds, unforgettable characters. We're simply hearing the stories behind the storytellers. Until next time, I'm Rich Bennett. Thanks for listening, and remember, every great conversation starts with someone willing to listen and someone willing to share. Now it's your turn. Join the conversation by sharing this episode, leaving a comment, or reaching out to me directly. Take care, be kind to one another, and I'll talk with you again soon.