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This episode was originally published on August 29, 2022

This episode was initially published in August 2022 — but lately, one book keeps coming up in nearly every author interview I record: A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna. It’s easily the top Fall 2025 book recommendation among authors, and after reading it myself, I completely understand why.

So I’m pulling this conversation from the vault. In this interview, I chat with Sangu about how she built the whimsical, witchy world of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, what inspired her to write for adults after years in YA and middle grade, and how her stories deliver the kind of cozy comfort we all crave when the world feels heavy.

If you’ve already fallen in love with A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, this episode gives you a deeper look at where it all began — straight from the author herself.

📚 Books Mentioned

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Fantasy, Witchy Romance | Audio ✅

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Fantasy, Found Family | Audio ✅

Babel by R.F. Kuang — Buy on Amazon | Dark Academia, Historical Fantasy | Audio ✅

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood — Buy on Amazon | STEM Romance, Enemies to Lovers | Audio ✅

⏱️ Timestamps

[00:00] – Welcome + why we’re revisiting this conversation

[01:00] – The cozy, witchy vibes of A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

[03:00] – Writing for adults after years in YA and middle grade

[05:00] – Character-driven fantasy and how Sangu builds her worlds

[07:00] – How she balances writing across genres and age categories

[08:00] – Sangu’s favorite reads and upcoming projects

[10:00] – Where to find Sangu online

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