Spotlight on Local Author Cassidie Salley

Ainsley Shaw • April 21, 2025

Local author Cassidie Salley shares the inspirations for her 2021 fantasy novel, After The Light Died (ATLD), and gives us a preview of the gothic fantasy book she plans on publishing this year that is set in modern-day suburban Texas. Cassidie will be signing copies of ATLD with Lioness Books at Wildfire Park in Leander on April 26th from 10am-12pm for Independent Bookstore Day.

AS: Can you start by introducing yourself, and telling us about your background?

CS: “My name is Cassidie Salley (I got married since I published haha)! I was born and raised in the Austin area, and have loved books for as long as I can remember. I published my novel in 2021 and have always strived to surround myself with books: whether it’s reading, writing, translating, or exploring bookstores everywhere I go! My first love in books was fantasy, and writing young adult and children’s books is a passion of mine.”

AS: Can you start by introducing yourself, and telling us about your background?

AS: What were the inspirations for your book, After The Light Died?

CS: “After The Light Died was a very personal book for me, as I first began writing it as a journaling exercise. The majority of its characters are based off people in my life, and I incorporated scripture into the beginning of the chapters to show what was on my mind at the time. My favorite book, The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho, is a short book about a boy’s journey to finding treasure. It’s poetic and emotional and was a very big inspiration for me when writing my book.”

AS: What were the inspirations for your book, After The Light Died?

AS: What messages or sentiments do you want readers to take away from your work?

CS: “Hopefully, this book allows you to enjoy it as objectively or subjectively as you want–if all you want is an adventure, or if you want to delve into every detail, you can find something satisfying. To whoever wants to walk away from this book with a message, I want it to be that life is so much sweeter and richer when you let people in.”

AS: What messages or sentiments do you want readers to take away from your work?

AS: What is next for you in your writing career?

CS: “My goal is to publish my next book this year! It’s a fun young adult fantasy–much goofier than After The Light Died, but still with a little depth to it that people can sink into. Stay tuned.”

AS: Tell us more about After The Light Died. Do you have any favorite moments from the book—or from writing the book—that you can share with us?

CS: “One of my favorite moments about writing After The Light Died was when I first thought of my favorite character, about halfway through writing the first draft. This character was born out of a throwaway line at the very beginning of the book, but as soon as I started writing them I just couldn’t stop. They were so fascinating and deep and nuanced–that’s the first time I remember being really led by a character. Sometimes writing a character is just about coming up with a personality, but with the really good ones it feels like they’re in your brain, telling you what they will and won’t do. They felt truly alive. That was such a rush to write.”

AS: How would you describe your writing style and the central themes of your work?

CS: “ATLD is the first time I tried to write a novel in the style of a poem. It felt very lyrical and whimsical when I wrote it. There were certain key phrases and ideas I made into motifs while I wrote, sort of like in children’s books when the author wants you to remember the main idea. After publishing this I think my writing style has gotten a lot more natural and straightforward–I like trying to simplify ideas down so the reading feels natural. Honestly, I’m not sure if I could write ATLD now, it feels like such a great time capsule of who I was when I wrote it.”

AS: Tell us more about the new book you plan on publishing this year. What was the initial inspiration for it?

CS: “My new book is a gothic fantasy set in modern-day suburban Texas. I love magic in modern-day society, and I really wanted to show the mystical side of this state–showing cowboys as the great warriors instead of knights, stuff like that. My first inspiration for it was visiting a town in Switzerland called Bern when I was a teenager. It’s this town that has preserved all the architecture from the Middle Ages in it, right down to the moat. There’s this cathedral inside that was covered in gargoyles and so full of history you could feel it. Yet people were just passing it by without a second glance, selling souvenirs around it. When I visited that town, I thought, if you plopped a castle like this in the middle of my hometown, people would not be acting normal about it. Then my book sort of bloomed around that thought.”

AS: Tell us more about the new book you plan on publishing this year. What was the initial inspiration for it?

AS: How can readers support local authors like you?

CS: “Of course, buying books always helps! Events like the one I’ll be at are such a great way to come and support us—posting about them on social media and bringing attention to local authors really makes a difference.”

AS: How can readers support local authors like you?

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Spotlight on Local Artist Gabriella Burt

By Ainsley Shaw • April 8, 2025

Local artist Gabriella Burt walks us through her creative process of rebinding books, and shares the inspiration, joy, and fulfillment behind her craft. Lioness Books will begin to carry Gabriella’s rebound books in-store on April 12th—the first day of the 2025 Austin Texas Book Trail!

Spotlight on Local Author S.E. Wheeler

By Ainsley Shaw • April 1, 2025

Local author S.E. Wheeler opens up about the inner workings of her literary work, and shares the sources of inspiration underpinning her latest adult fantasy series. Wheeler will be doing a book signing at our mobile bookstore for the 2025 Austin Texas Book Trail on April 12th from 12pm-2pm at Wildfire Park in Leander.

woman in a sun-lit room with a stack of books flanking her

7 Must-Read Books from Women Authors Who Used Male Pseudonyms

March 19, 2025

The literary world has long been a battlefield for women seeking recognition. Before the 19th century, publishing under a woman’s name was not just discouraged —it was nearly impossible. Women were barred from universities, denied access to formal education, and often silenced in intellectual spaces. This struggle is both vividly and humorously portrayed in modern takes on literary history, like the series Dickinson . While the show takes creative liberties in its depiction of the titular poet, it captures the frustration and obstacles women faced in making their voices heard. In one scene, Emily Dickinson—portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld—reveals that one of her poems was published anonymously in a local paper. Her father erupts in anger, saying her actions could tarnish the reputation he had carefully built for the family Though fictionalized, this moment reflects a reality that persisted even into the 1990s. For centuries, women had to fight for a place in the literary world, often resorting to male pseudonyms or publishing anonymously just to be taken seriously. Many refused to let these barriers define them, using whatever means necessary to ensure their voices were heard. Let’s take a closer look at the women who defied the odds and shaped modern literature as we know it today.

Tips for Shaking Up Your Book Club’s Routine

By Ainsley Shaw • March 10, 2025

Book clubs are all the rage recently! As they continue to grow in popularity, groups are bound to hit a lull as time goes on. Feel like your book club’s routine is getting old and want to try something new? Check out these tips for changing it up! 1. Find local authors and attend author events Lioness Books is a proud supporter of all things local and independent! We encourage readers to find books written by authors in their communities and include them in their book clubs. Furthermore, attending author events is a great way to open up your book club to new environments and socialize with other readers. 2. Have a (local and independent) free-for-all In this instance, everyone shops at a local independent bookstore and selects their own book! Rather than always reading the same novel, this shakes things up by allowing everyone to explore a different book and discuss their insights and opinions. This also makes room for diverse literature and possible recommendations. 3. Random book selections Have everyone pick a book and draw a title out of a hat, or use a random book generator to change up the way your book club selects your next read! If your club is running out of ideas and feeling adventurous, this is worth a try! 4. Perform table readings Take turns reading aloud pages of your book at meetings! This is a great way to enhance participation and highlight particular parts of your book. You may even use accents or change your pitch and tone of voice to represent different characters—take creative, fun, and dramatic liberties! 5. Book-themed food and drinks Get in tune with all things food and drink related to your book’s setting and characters and bring them to life at your next meeting! For example, if your book is set in New York, consider bringing some bagels or pizza to share as you discuss. This is a really fun way to connect on another level with your literature and friends! 6. Change up your environment Continually meeting in the same location to discuss your books can get old! Try venturing out to a local coffee shop, park, or bookstore. Alternatively, create a rotating schedule of each of your book club member’s houses for your meetings! You never know—you might discover a hidden gem or your next favorite spot!