Inside Dragon’s Kiss and the Real Risks of Spicy YA: Insights from Author E.A. Winters
- Valerie
- 1 day ago
- 17 min read
E.A. Winters discusses the inspiration behind the Blood and Flame Saga and the impact of explicit content on youth.
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This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity but reflects the full conversation from the BookWorthy Podcast. Grab a cup of coffee, listen, and read along. This post does contain affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
Valerie - Welcome to Book Worthy, where we talk about the heart behind the books your kids are reading. Today, we're talking with the author of Dragon's Kiss, a dragon and assassin series by EA Winters. Erin and I are tackling two topics today: her adventurous book Dragon's Kiss and the dangers of spicy books for teen audiences. I've enjoyed watching her convictions, expertise, and amazing writing journey on social media, and I'm always both encouraged and challenged by her. I can't wait to share this conversation with you all. Welcome to Book Worthy, Erin.
E.A. Winters - Thank you. Thanks so much for having me. What a generous introduction. Glad to be here.
Random Question of the Week
Valerie - It's a pleasure. We usually start with our random question of the week. And since you're a boy mom, as I am too, I thought I'd ask what the most interesting thing your kids have somehow ended up in your hair?
E.A. Winters - I don't know that it's interesting. I'm going to go with like snot or liquid wax. You know, candle wax, something like that. Fingers. I don't know. I'll be both. Yeah.
Valerie - There's always something. It wasn't quite going for snot or vomit because I could definitely check those off the list. That's just a mom's general term.
E.A. Winters - Yeah, that's fair. Yeah. I can't think of a specific incident, but there have been a few.
Valerie - It's always something. I had a friend who had a son take a, what is it, one of those toy mixers, and basically mix their hair, which was lovely, and I know I've had a drone in mind. So it's always interesting with boys running around. That'll do it for sure. Well, Erin, why don't you tell us a little bit about your book, Dragon Kiss?
Inspiration Behind Dragon's Kiss
E.A. Winters - Sure, so Dragon's Kiss is book one of a complete four-book series of Blood and Flame Saga. It is so much fun. Dragon's Assassins, Royal Intrigue, all of that. And yeah, basically, I love fast-paced high-stakes adventure with romance written in, but enough where the boys enjoy it, the girls enjoy it, and it's just a good time.
Valerie- It's been a lot of fun. I've gotten to read at least the first book in the Blood and Flame Saga, and so it was very, you throw them in there very fast.
E.A. Winters- You're dropped into a botched assassination attempt. And that's not a spoiler because it's literally like the first page. So that's pretty much what happens. And essentially, there's basically the situation where there's a village where every month a child is snatched. The dragon comes and snatches a child, and the village just assumes that I guess the dragon's eating the children. But Semra was one of those kids, and she knows the truth. There is a dragon lord in the mountain raising his own personal. A syndicate of assassins for his own ends, and he is indoctrinating the children to raise his own army for his own personal agenda. And when she uncovers a lie and starts kind of figuring out the truth, she risks everything to expose him, which ends up with a lot of shenanigans involving an army of assassins. Indeed. Indeed.
Valerie - What was kind of your inspiration for this series?
E.A. Winters - Man, so I'm always asked this question about any book that I'm talking about. And I feel like I'm so boring about this, because I never know. You know, like, just, I don't know. It's just, it's somehow a what-if situation that pops into my head, and it spirals from there. So I often don't have like a specific one thing, you know, that's like, that's where that book idea came from. Like my most recent upcoming series or ongoing series, I should say.
It started with an idea of what if it were like a magical system based on an MLM pyramid scheme? That'd be kind of funny. And I don't know where that thought came from. I don't know. And then it kind of happened from there. So I don't know, but it's a lot of fun.
Valerie - Well, I think, is it? When it didn't, you do a book based on a character that someone threw out a name on TikTok.
Humorous Character Inspiration from BookTok Community
E.A. Winters - Oh, that is true. Wow. Look at you. Yeah, that's true. So, um, yeah, basically, one time I was like in the middle of writing, and I needed a name for a character, and all I wanted was a letter to inspire ideas. Just look, that's all I wanted. I wanted a letter. Like, gee. Yeah. And my husband said Frizzletwerp. What? In the actual hack, it's the ugliest name I've ever heard of. It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. It sounds like, I don't know, like Puddlegum from Narnia had a friend. Like that's what it sounds like. And I was like, my gosh. And I made fun of them on TikTok for this. And then there were all these comments about what kind of character this guy would be. And they were kind of hilarious and kind of awesome. And by golly. The guy has his own series. So granted, I still hate the name, and I use the last name as infrequently as possible. We discussed how terrible the name is, and he has a lot of aliases, and he never really uses that name anyway. So, but it did this, that did happen. Funny. Yeah.
Valerie - Well, for a character that has to use a bunch of aliases, it's good to know that the name that he truly has is not the one you use. If you don't like it.
E.A. Winters - Yeah, this is true. Yeah. I literally mentioned it, but I avoid it, but it was funny.
Valerie - With your books, you really kind of talk about adventure and kind of Lord of the Rings meets Narnia ideals. What made you want to write those types of books?
The Impact of 'Spicy' Material for Readers, young and old.
E.A. Winters - I mean, ultimately it started with just, I like to write what I like to read, you know, and that's something that I enjoy. I screen my own reading. I'm an adult person. You know, a lot of people will say in, in the, in the book community where spice is all the rage, at the moment in particular. And actually, we saw clean and wholesome. It is not maybe what you asked for, but clean and wholesome, as a book category, has been pretty sustainable over time. And, an explicit stuff was actually going down, surprisingly enough, until around 2020, which we would maybe first think, it's COVID, people are staying at home, and starting to read all of these things. It was mostly thought that at that same time, TikTok blew up, and this whole book talk phenomenon thing has centered around a lot of erotica and spicy content.
So it's really interesting, and I do screen my own things, and in that community, talking about books, it's funny because a lot of people will say, you know, they say that I'm a prune. They say all kinds of things, and I'm like, I have children. As I did make them, they happen from somewhere. It was not the stork, as it turns out, but I don't need to watch other people do it or imagine it. I just don't think that I need to do that. And part of that is, you know, my own personal convictions as a follower of Jesus. Part of that is I am also a licensed professional counselor, so I have a clinical background, and I know some of the damage both from research and also seeing it. Whatever I consume, impacts me, right? Whether it's TV, movies, books. I, so I, I write what I enjoy reading. And so there are some reasons for that. Could very easily give a logical, non-biblical defense of consuming carefully different media and making sure that you are taking in what is beneficial for you and your brain.
I could also give you a biblical one if that's the background that's important to you. It's an area of passion for me, I'm not gonna read something that I am against, or I'm gonna get a lot of fun for saying against, but it's not beneficial. Taking the worldview out of it, it's just objectively not beneficial when we look at studies, specifically in adolescence, it actually causes a lot of damage, particularly to the impulse control center of your brain. Yeah, story long, that's a piece of it.
Taking the worldview out of it, it's just objectively not beneficial when we look at studies, specifically in adolescence, it actually causes a lot of damage, particularly to the impulse control center of your brain.
Valerie - Well, I love that you're bringing both adventure and romance and excitement into your books, but also with this therapist background, with a knowledge of what our brains at different maturity levels can handle. What's both good for our minds and our hearts. No matter what faith we follow, there are still just psychological things that impact our brains, whether it's the words that we say to ourselves or the words people say to us. The media that we consume, and we're in such a media-rich culture right now, that I think recently there was even an author who went to a conference and was talking about how editors wanted sex on the page for YA books, and YA goes from 12 to 18. You would hope so, but...
E.A. Winters - Which is ridiculous, it's illegal.
It is. Is. Yeah. And sometimes the author will tell the publisher it's for this cat, right? Sometimes the author is wrong and they mis-categorize it. Sometimes the publisher is wrong and they mis-categorize it. There have been books that were on the YA shelves. And then finally they were pulled by like the bookstore or whatever at long last after however many, you know, complaints and stuff. Another thing about it, if you are people, I've also had this complaint saying like, or this comment saying, well, you know, they read it anyway or whatever. They, like teens, are exposed to it anyway. It's like, okay, some teens are. There's a difference between targeting children with explicit material and a teen going outside of what is meant for them to read something else. They know what they're doing, right? So, like this is the difference between somebody sneaking into an R-rated movie. They know what's in there. They know what they're expecting. They know why they're sneaking. There's a reason they have to sneak in the first place, maybe even, right? Or going to a movie that's targeted for seven-year-olds and discovering that it's actually George RR Martin's gory rape scenes, right? Like, there's a difference between that. You have to serve your market appropriately. This is doing a disservice, and it is damaging. So yeah, it's clearly an area of significant passion for me. Actually, the Blood and Flame Saga, My Dragons and Assassins series is dedicated, the first book is dedicated to anyone who has ever believed the lies they were told. And this comes from our main character, this assassin, she's indoctrinated and the Framatar, the dragon lord, that's set up as like this kind of father figure almost godlike and like I make the rules, he's this controlling person that restricts freedoms and says that it's because of them because everybody who experiences, every child who experiences abuse will blame themselves. I've yet to see an exception; that's just what happens. And it's funny too.
Valerie - Yes. No matter what your level of abuse or trauma is. Yes. So even if you came from a good family, there's still, you still experienced a trauma that affected you. You're still going to believe that lie, that it's your fault, you know, whether you matter on what part of that echelon you are. And it's, I mean, it's true about all of us, even as an adult, it's like, there's going to be lies that I believe about myself that are not going to serve me well, but they're what they're playing in my own brain. And until we can change the narrative, change the, you know, what we're consuming, there won't be a change in our behaviors. And so, I love how you are both tackling not just for the YA, but for adults too, listening and watching or reading explicit material isn't good for us as adults either. And it's like in that YA category, we're looking at 12-year-olds to 18-year-olds. It's like, there's a whole lot of growth happening there, a whole lot of emotional things happening there. And, but then even still, you look at the adult market, and it's flooded as well, and it's still doing damage in our communities. So I love how you're tackling that.
The Scientific Effects of 'Spicy' Content
E.A. Winters - It is. There's actually, thank you. You know what, actually, a study that's my favorite one to quote. I have so many people telling me that there's no research on this. I got so annoyed that I finally put a few together and said Here, just look at them. At first, I was putting off researching because I knew that it was there. I'd already encountered some of them. I go back and find it. I'm a research-oriented person. It was gonna take me hours. I was gonna get sucked into some like research hole. I already know what I think about it.
But I did it, I did it, I put it together, and you can find it. It's Research Zone | E. A. Winters. There are at least seven to get you going. A lot of them are adolescent-specific. There is one in particular that's one of my favorites, because it's as specific as some of these studies get for what I do for like fantasy novels and stuff. It's readers of 50 Shades of Grey. And basically, what they found is that there is a strong correlation. We can talk about correlation and causation at other times. There are definitely thoughts, both bidirectionally, that the impact would make sense. Where those who had read just the first book were significantly more likely to have had a partner who swore at them, sent them unwanted messages, like those sorts of yelling, like that kind of stuff, right? And then if they had read all three, the significance of the abuse that they had experienced really went up a lot. And part of that could easily be the normalization of these sorts of things in the culture, the romanticizing of these sorts of things. You're glorifying things that would make you want to die if you were in real life. That really, really bothers me. That's a lot of what this is, looking at romance and saying what they're saying is their romance. Like, well, what on earth do you mean by that? If by romance.
You mean there is explicit sex that might not at all be romantic? No. If you mean that there is romance and that you like it by that, Pride and Prejudice isn't a romance, right? Like what the heck? No, that's not what romance is. I will fight you on whether romance is just people having intercourse. Know, that's not romance. Come on. So, but I also didn't set out to make it clinical or make it, I just wanted to have a good time and write fun stories. And then ultimately I have two boys, and I don't want them to grow up if they read what mommy wrote, you know, I want it to be something that they can read. I also am unwilling to forfeit men in fiction. I had an editor tell me that this, I have a scene, this girl was dangling off a balcony. And the guy does end up coming and saving her. She saves him plenty of times. She's more than capable. It's not a concern. She's not a doormat. But heaven forbid there'd be one time this guy gets to like be a man and help this woman up. Like, are you for real? She said, I don't think you should do that. I said, Thank you for your opinion. And then I did it anyway. No, because I'm Indy. I can do that. I can do what I want. So.
Valerie - That's true. But as an indie author, that is also what it is? The danger in looking for books that are available in audio, in ebook, on Amazon, is that someone could say, This is for teens and a kid on their Kindle just says, Okay, this is, it belongs and it doesn't. And so.
E.A. Winters - So there's that.
Valerie - I love how you are, even in the space where you are the one making the decisions, that you're standing strong in the conviction that you have, and again, not glorifying evil in a sense, which I've done blogs on how our culture has done that both in books and movies, and just how there is this glorification of evil in our society, and it's heartbreaking.
E.A. Winters - Making it normal, making it desirable.
Valerie - The products on the shelves are more aligned with the evil character in a movie than the hero of a movie. And it's like, that just impacts our children's brains. And I can see it in my own boys as they're relating more to the Joker, and you know, these villainous characters. And it's like, we want, don't want to be like that. So it's interesting. But Erin, did you always want to be an author?
E.A. Winters Author Journey
E.A. Winters - So I wanted to be an author at the same time as I wanted to be a dolphin trainer when I was eight, and neither of those panned out for a while. I went to undergrad for psychology. I got my master's in mental health clinical counseling. I did my residency and got my licensure. I still see clients just once a week because I'm writing so much and doing kid things at the same time. My kids are five and six. So, I mean, I've wanted to, I guess it was in the back of my mind for a long time, but I never really like thought I'd do it after I was eight, you know? And then it just kind of, I stumbled upon it, I guess. I had a poetic line kind of drop in my brain. I was like, that's kind of too fun to let fly away. So I put it in my phone. I ignored it. The next week, I had like this character idea pop into my head, and I was like, Oh, I wrote that down. And except for him having a name, that paragraph was actually pretty untouched in my debut. And it kind of spun. Like, once I got going, I fell in love with it, and I'm really bad at doing things halfway. So the hobby thing didn't last long. It was like, and this is a career, and I'm doing this forever.
Valerie - I've watched you make that turn on social media, and it's been fun to be like, I have been following you a while. Yes, for better or for worse. But I mean, it's one of those things I kind of, you started your journey around 2020 in a sense. And that's kind of when I started my writing journey as well. And so it's been fun to kind of watch your success and watch how you have defined yourself and grown and challenge yourself. And it's been encouraging to me as a writer to be like, okay, I can do this and be a mom and apparently be a podcaster too. We're going to add all the things, all the things. So, it's been fun, but it is neat that, now, those little ideas that we have as kids, you know, wanting to do something. I think there is a freedom that COVID kind of gave us to be like, you know what? I can do that. I can't just do the thing. Yeah, it might be hard, but I can at least give it a try. And if I fail, I at least failed, but I at least tried. So I think that that's kind of the beauty of this post-COVID world in one sense.
E.A. Winters - Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's always good to know that there's beauty and positive things to take from any hard thing you do. And anything worth doing is going to be hard. Or like, yeah. And that is interesting too. I once had somebody, well, I've actually had this happen a few times, people would mess up to me and be like, I want to write too. So I think I'm just going to quit my job and start writing. What do you think? And I'm, whoa, don't do that. No. I can't guarantee you're going to be making money in any particular timeline, but I can guarantee you have to eat this week. Like, maybe build that up, you know? So it is work. There's a lot that goes into it. Yeah. But it's doable, though. It's for sure doable.
Valerie - Yes. Very good. What is one of the most impactful books in your life, Erin?
Most Impactful Book for E.A. Winters
E.A. Winters - So for fiction, I would say, well, I love Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. And one of my favorite openings ever was Black from the Circle trilogy by Ted Dekker. I haven't read any of his recent stuff. Some of it has gotten kind of funny. A lot of his original, like I read 20 of his books because I read Black and his open was awesome. I love things that sweep me off my feet right away. Like that. So for fiction, that's what I would say.
Valerie - Definitely, the Circle series was my first kind of, or my second, but because this Present Darkness by Frank Peretti was kind of the first intersection of faith and fiction. But yeah, Circle series was a lot of fun to read, and I'm itching to let my teenager read it. I like it, I want to give it to you.
E.A. Winters - It's so good. I don't know, I hated Green. I hated it a lot, but I really loved the actual Circle trilogy. So I just don't like Inception kind of like that kind of thing where I'm like, doesn't make no, but anyway.
Valerie - It's interesting, given the way that Ted Dekker connects all of his books. And so it allows for that element that he does in all of his earlier books.
E.A. Winters - It does. There is even one though, like the whole book of this, this other book, the whole book, it's like real. And then over here, it's mentioned, and it's like a video game. And I'm like, come on, I wasted my time on this book that I did actually enjoy. I wasted that. Cause that's what it feels like to me when it's like, it was real to me, and you just, you just killed it. And it makes me angry.
Valerie - Yeah. Tell us how you really feel. You feel many things. Too fun. Well, Erin, what can we expect next from you?
Future Projects and How to Connect with E.A. Winters
E.A. Winters - Well, the next thing I've got is a dozen published fantasy novels and three completed series out right now, not including my standalone. And then I also have an ongoing series called Monster Makers, which is so much fun. Basically, it's got some, it's basically fantasy, high fantasy with some game elements, which basically just means that there are levels. So imagine that the fantasy world has a magic system where killing monsters gets you XP that's turned into energy experience points and is sold back to the people like an energy company, like a power company. And if you're in the system, you have an inventory, you have banks, access, all of that kind of stuff. And if you're not in the system, you're screwed, and you're kind of going to die. Like, think about originally sending prisoners to Australia to die. That's kind of what kicking out of the system means. So we have a warrior class who is, you know, working within the system and trying to make a name for himself and make up for a mistake that led to the death of his father. And then we have an unmarked girl who is trying to keep her sister alive, but she needs a medical device that is only powered by energy from the system. And so she's an engineer, she's hacking stuff, she is just trying to kind of piece things together and keep herself alive. They both accidentally have to work together to clear their names when they are both put in the hot seat for a murder. So it's like a murder mystery, fantasy, fun.
Valerie - That's really fun. That sounds very exciting. I can't wait to hear more about that. Where can people find out more about you and your books, Erin?
E.A. Winters - So you can find all my books on Amazon, and then I also have a website, eawinters.com. If you wanna follow me on social media, see what I'm up to, see kind of updates as they come. I'm on Facebook, I am on Instagram, and I'm on TikTok. Those are the best places to reach me.
Valerie - You're definitely fun to watch. You have a good time with you and your family. So I have been both encouraged and entertained.
E.A. Winters -I'm so glad. It's a lot of fun. I enjoy it.
Valerie - Well, thank you so much for joining me today, Erin.
E.A. Winters - Of course, thanks for having me. It was great.
Valerie - And thank you for joining Erin and me on this episode of the Bookworthy podcast. Let us know in the comments something your kids have stuck in your hair. Help other parents discover Bookworthy by leaving a review and sharing it with your friends.
Happy reading.
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