Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
What is up, Daddy Gang? It is your founding father, Alex Cooper, with Call Her Daddy. Sarah J. Maas, welcome to Call Her Daddy. Oh, thank you. I'm so excited to be here. This is like... I have never had more people asking me, okay, so like if I buy my own plane ticket, could I just fly in and like sit in the corner and just like maybe meet her? And I'm like, stop it, guys. No.
Never had more people. Same. Same with you. My friends who like don't give a shit like what I do for a living, suddenly they hear I'm coming here and they're like, oh, like I could be your assistant for the day.
Chapter 2: What exciting announcement does Sarah J. Maas make about new ACOTAR books?
And like, have I told you how much I love you? And I'm like – I wish you guys could come, but at the same time... No. No. We're like merging our two worlds. You've made me cool to my friends who usually only see me in my like ugly casual clothes. That's our dress code, ugly casual. I am honored that you're here. I also want to give everyone watching the... I just want to say...
And spoilers could happen in this episode if you haven't read all of the series. So I would just beware. Don't come for me on social media if we talk about things that you're like, what do you mean? Like, just prepare yourself. You guys have had plenty of time to read. Plenty of time. Very true. Okay. You are the best selling author of Throne of Glass, Crescent City, and the ACOTAR series.
You've broken publishing records. You have sold over 75 million copies of your books. And I am such a huge fan and I'm so excited to sit down with you today. Thank you. Welcome to Los Angeles. Thank you. What are you in LA for? I'm only here to be with you. You're the only reason that I would actually come to Los Angeles. Do you come here often? You're like, no, no, we don't like L.A.
Well, you know, we used to live here. So, of course, like I don't like I like L.A. But like, I mean, you're just here for this or I'm here just for you. I'm just for you, Alex. I am only for you. Would I drag myself across the continent? Thank you. Thank you. OK, if you are on a plane, can you ever work on a draft or it's like way too risky?
I'm on deadline right now, actually working on something. But I had to work. I had to work. And then the worst thing was, is that like my husband, who was supposed to be helping with the kids, just takes a nap. So you're writing and you're holding children. And the kids are like, mommy, can you get me a new sparkling water? Mommy, my iPad turned off. And Josh is just there snoring.
The dog's sleeping next to him. And I'm like, what is this? I was about to throw a bucket of water. You're like, this is why my fans are mad at me, guys. I need to lock in. I need to focus. I was like, we need to get this going. There's no time for naps, for spouse naps anymore. I feel like you're also known for your writing playlists. What have you been currently listening to for inspiration?
weirdly, like weirdly enough, like I heard the soundtrack to that, the Rob Pattinson, like the Batman thing. And like, there was like certain like pieces in that that just like spoke to me. And like, yeah, so that was like kind of like the current thing. But then like, I mean, it's not really like inspiration, but like K-pop, Demon Hunters, I'm still playing that nonstop in my house.
And like, even my seven-year-old son has been like, okay, like we're kind of over that. And I'm like, we are never over this movie. We are never over it.
over the soundtrack that's when you know you've lost it where your kids are like can we stop mom and you're like no i'm like pre-gaming in the shower like listening to the golden like babe we need to calm down yes no like like i bought the vinyl record oh you're in it sarah yeah and i play it when my kids are at school i put it on and i play it on repeat to the point where my housekeeper thinks i'm having like a mental breakdown down yeah
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Chapter 3: How does Sarah J. Maas balance her writing with family life?
Are you like a puffy or a crunchy? I'm the flaming hot. I've never had one. I'm like – I've never had one. I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm like – like my husband's always like, why? And I'm like, I like it to burn. Do you like spicy things in general? Yeah, I do. Okay. I've never had one. Now I kind of want to try one. You need to try one. You need to tell me what it was like.
But like is it like – It's a little painful, but like I – You're not selling this. But it's like good. Like I like the burn. Like it keeps – I, when I'm editing my show, I'm like eating them and I love the little thin ones and I just like kind of take it and I'm editing. It's a vibe.
I also was curious like when – if you do go out in public and you do ever see fans, like what is the most common thing that people ask you when they run into you? Yeah. Um, people usually don't like ask me things. It's more like they just want to express like what the books have meant to them. So usually that makes me cry.
But I'm also like such a nerd where like if I see someone in public reading my books, like, I go up and say hi to them because, like, I want to say thank you to them because, like, all these beautiful, like, blessings I have in my life, the fact that I can, like, do this for a living is because of people reading.
So, like, how can I not at least just, like, go up and be like, I just want to say, like, thank you. But then, like, when I do that, like, I think they don't believe me initially because, again, normal Sarah covered in Cheeto dust. Like, I look, like, unwell. on a daily basis. So they're like, I don't think that's actually her. And then I'm like, no, it's me. Like, look, I've got the tattoo.
You're like a psycho being like, guys, thanks for reading my book. They're like, who is this? And they Google you and they're like, I think that was her. But then I feel like weird. Like sometimes like I'll like, if I see someone reading like, especially the ACOTAR books and like, I'll interrupt them. I'm like, what, like, what part are you reading right now?
Like, and is that like, is that like your mom like walking in on you? Like when you're like,
watching porn or something where i'm like is that like a weird thing i've no one's ever told me that like i've never like it is i cannot imagine if i was reading and i looked up and it was you i've would it be weird for you if i was they would make it 10 times better if it was like a super smutty wouldn't care because you wrote it it makes me know but like it wouldn't like be like weird for like no i feel like i've walked into moments where someone was listening to one of my episodes that was like a more sexual one and they're like
I'm listening to you right now. And I do the same thing where I'm like, which one? And then it's like a bonding moment. And it's between the girlies. Yes. Okay.
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Chapter 4: What music inspires Sarah J. Maas while writing?
There are obviously so many celebrities who absolutely love you and your books. Which celebrity fan has left you the most starstruck? I mean, I respect, like, so many of these, like, women especially. So, like... Like, Margot Robbie's, like, become... Like, Margot's become, like, one of my friends.
And, like, I love... So, like, meeting her, I just, like... You know, she was coming off the heels of, like, Barbie when we first met. And I just, like... It was amazing when she and I, like, first met up. Like, we were at, like, a coffee shop in New York. And it was just... It was really, really moving and inspiring to see how many young women came up to her.
Like, not for a picture, not for anything. Just to say thank you for Barbie and what that meant to me. And, like, I loved... And like, that's kind of like the fan interactions that I have are usually like people saying things like that. And so it was really cool to like, just like, I thought it was like the impact that Margot has had on like- She's amazing. Like she's just- I love her.
When I like describe her to people, I'm like, she's as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. And like, so, so smart. And like, it's an overwhelming combination. It is. But she's a marvelous person. Speaking of Margot, people are obviously dying to know, what is going on with this potential ACOTAR TV series? Can you give us any update of, like, what do you think is happening?
So I have the rights back to everything now. And getting the rights back to all my things has been a big part of my journey in recent years that, like, maybe at some point soon I will, like, talk more about. But, like, right now... my focus is on books and like, it's been a little while since like you guys have had something.
So like I'm focusing on like that, but like I look at any TV movie adaptation as kind of like another facet of, like, the worlds that I've created. And it's something that I want to be in charge of. Like, I want to be figuring out, like, I want to be learning everything that I can. I'm, like, a type A, like, control freak a little bit.
But, like, I want to know, like, everything about how it gets made. Not Because of that control, it was because I love movies. I love TV. Like, I want to like be a part of that. And I want to see everything adapted the way I envision it and the way like I know fans want it. And like, I don't ever want to hear like, oh, we need to change this to appeal to like XYZ demographic.
graphic I'm like no that's not how you make art that's not how I create my stories so like when I do it like it's gonna be like you're gonna do it me and I will like dedicate like everything that I have to like making it right but like it will be like I will be in there like you know looking at like all the design but also like what does it sound like because music plays such a big part like so like I'm not just gonna like the music is gonna have to be like a huge project
You'll have to have understandably your hands on every single part of it because it's in your brain. Like you created this world. So to give it over to anyone else would be... No, I view it as like my legacy in a way where I'm like, I put my books out into the world. That's like one way that the fans are like interacting and seeing these characters. But like...
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Chapter 5: What insights does Sarah J. Maas provide about the ACOTAR TV series?
okay, like you're like getting into the nitty gritty of like, you know, what, like you're like Midwestern alcohol, alcoholic. I'm like, what about like the sex? What's going on with that? Like that, that is a key part of anyone's life. I'm like, you want to have a mirror, like an accurate mirror and you don't have to have sex, but it's just the, this idea that like having it there is,
again, devalues the work. It's, I find it a little more than frustrating. But then it's also like anything related to women. Like I, again, like watching like Lord of the Rings or like reading that, like as a kid, like all these fantasy books, like with all these guys in them. There's like no women. Well, I would think like,
Okay, like, if I was there, like, me and Legolas are running through the Mirkwood together. Because I totally marry Legolas in my mind. Obviously, Sarah. Yes, yes. I'll give you that one. Thank you. Thank you very much. That's my number one fantasy. But... Like I'm going on an epic fantasy quest in my mind. Like I'm like in Mordor. I get my fucking period. What do I do?
And like, I want to write about that shit. I'm like, that's like, I mean, it's not only like funny to me, but it's also like, this is a reality. It's like our life. Like I'm like, and so like in my books, I'm like, I want to write about things that like, The sex, the like, you know. The real stuff.
Like the real stuff where I'm like, what if you got your period when you were climbing the slopes of Mount Doom? What would you do? Like, are you free bleeding? Like, are you like, do you have cramps? Sarah J Maas is getting the hard hitting facts. I just want to know. Maybe some people don't want to know those things, but I was like, I get such, I do such a deep research.
dive into the world, into these characters that I'm thinking of like bathroom breaks. When was their last period? Like all of that. I think it's so obvious, though, that although there and we always hear the negatives, there's such clearly an appetite for what you've done.
I also love how you talk about the real stuff, because speaking of the real stuff, obviously, yes, your books are fiction, but like you are hitting very, very real honest topics that you can kind of extract what you want to take from each.
And I think there was a lot of online discourse around Feyre's pregnancy in A Court of Silver Flames because I think a lot of people were frustrated, right, that she didn't have control or understanding of what was happening to her body and her partner did, which we'll get to. But can you talk a little bit about why you chose to write her story that way? I love my children.
I am fucking obsessed with my kids. I hated being pregnant. I hated it. It was traumatic for me every step of the way, starting with like when I was first pregnant with my son and I was told by like this asshole of a nurse, like, okay, this is your weight and you can only gain this much weight while you're pregnant.
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Chapter 6: How does Sarah J. Maas develop her complex female characters?
Okay. You obviously are in a success and like a league of your own. You've had just like such an incredible career already. And I know we've talked about the pressures and also the beauty of it. How do you define success at this point in your career? I mean, for me personally, It's two things, success is two things.
One, it's getting to tell the stories that I want to tell how and when I want to tell them. That's a gift, that's a wonderful blessing to have. That's all I ever wanted from when I was a kid. But it's also like, am I happy? Am I happy in my life doing this? Am I like, what is the balance? And do I feel successful in that?
Do I feel like I'm able to create from a place of joy and curiosity and excitement while also having a life that is fulfilling and fun? And I get to be a mom to these two incredible kids and a wife to an awesome husband. And like what, like that, like having that and finding joy from that, from things outside of my books, that feels successful to me.
Like I've built something beautiful, completely unrelated to that. But yeah. It is so beautiful. And also like- What is so cool, too, is like you have completely changed the way that people think about romantic books and you have given essentially legitimacy, I feel like, to an entire genre that was either dismissed or overlooked at one point.
How do you feel about your legacy in the literary world? this is gonna sound like silly and you probably like won't believe me, but just like talking about things like legacy is like beyond for me.
When I started writing, when I started trying to get published, like I told myself like, you know, anytime I got a rejection, you know, I was rejected by every single agent except one, every single publisher except one. And those times I told myself it didn't matter
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Chapter 7: What is Sarah J. Maas's perspective on the evolution of her characters?
If it took me until I was 90 years old to publish a book, if it wasn't the book I was trying to get published, I'd write the next one and the next one and the next one until it happened. And so I was willing to have a life where just one book eventually made it. And that still was kind of like that was the dream. And so everything else beyond then has been...
insane, like insane to me, because I'm still very much that like girl in middle school or high school, like sneaking off to like watch anime or like drool over Legolas and like getting to go like play in these worlds in my head and like do the thing that like makes me come alive every day is like, that's incredible.
And so like talking about like these books going beyond that and meaning something and like playing whatever role they have and like letting
other similar books like get out there and like be appreciated and those like authors be appreciated like that that's all like i i just like i feel very very blessed very humbled like i i love that people are reading like people like i mean as a kid i just wanted someone to read my shit and be like it's good like that's all i wanted um i also think it's such a great um
inspiring story because someone like you again like a lot of times we get the success stories right you're sitting here and you're so well known and you've had such success but a lot of people could be sitting right now watching this being like I've wanted to be a writer or I've wanted to be whatever it be and when you are told no so many times that can be depleting and the fact that you are where you are today even though people looked at you being like you're insane
This isn't going to work. You had people in jobs look at you and roll their eyes about writing fantasy, right? And look at the empire that you've built. What an incredible testimony to women listening.
If anything, I genuinely believe that when people are telling you that you're crazy for wanting to start something or do something and they're all looking at you kind of cross-eyed, that is like your first indicator that you're on to something incredible. Oh, yeah. Anytime someone told me I couldn't do something, I would say, watch me. Mm-hmm. Just watch me.
You said you're like, I'll send the book one day. Yeah. Yeah. Where are they now? Yeah. Where are they now? And just like, I don't know. Like, I wrote the thing that I love. Like, I wrote the stuff that I love, that I've always loved. And like, I was always flabbergasted that anyone, especially like older adults, would tell like a young person, like, it's not worth your time. It will never happen.
I'm like... why can't we all be supportive of our dreams? And like, but thankfully, like I knew what I wanted. Like I knew this was what I wanted to do. And so there was nothing that was gonna stop me from that. But I also was willing to like, if it took me till I was 90, that was just what I want. Just one book that came out when I was 90 years old, like that would have been,
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