Stacey McEwan: From isolation to found family and the release of a forbidden alchemy
- romantasyillustrat
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
Stacey McEwan might have once been just a bookish girl in isolation, but now she is part of one of the most well-known bookish found families in the community—alongside authors Hannah Nicole Maehrer (Assistant to the Villain), Amber V. Nicole (The Book of Azrael), Samantha Ferrand (Seven Little Kisses), Kaven Hirning (A Forbidden Touch), and Maggie Silician (soon to be released). This group represents the bookish community in its purest form: family.
Now here's the tea that you won't find anywhere else - how this found family REALLY came to be as told by Stacey herself...(it is important to note that Stacey is not a reliable narrator of this story and it is in fact a story -- a very good and entertaining one too.)
"I think I always write found family because I experience that in real life."
When asked to share Stacy's side of the story on how they met, she said, "Well, we met in prison, and the important part of this story is knowing how we all got there. Kaven was in for second-degree moorder...I think. Amber did a hit-and-run. Hannah is just in for repeated alcoholism, where she is just drunk in public all the time. Maggie, I think she is in for tax evasion, but she is very close-lipped about it -- I can't be for sure. Sam was just visiting. Just a conjugal visit. And I, believe it or not, was the chaplain of the prison. And that is how we all came to be. We all just really got along, and then I broke them out. With Sam's help, of course, and we have been together ever since."
But really -- it was Maggie who brought everyone together in a group chat that doesn't let a day go by without a message being sent into it. Stacey said, "By any measuring stick, we should not get along as well as we do, but it works." A group of women who should have never met or worked, but do and does. This group of women who have so little in common and are different in every way, but at the end of the day, their shared values are what tie them together. Friendship that spans continents and might only be one friendship retreat a year, and shows the truth and power that is the found family trope. As a reader of each of these women, it is evident how easy it is for them to write the found family trope; they live this out daily and have it in each other. Their friendship might have started on social media, but it is in person, it is real, and it is raw and pure. This is the bookish communities in real life, found family.
Now that you know the tea...here's the rest of the article!
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Romantasy Illustrated had the honor of interviewing Stacey McEwan, author of the Glacian Trilogy and the soon-to-be-released Alchemy Trilogy. Book one, A Forbidden Alchemy, is set to release July 1st and is published by Simon & Schuster imprint, Saga Press.
Stacey is known online for her chaotically entertaining energy—and for ripping out readers' hearts with no remorse. In the words of Stacey, “Only the animals are safe.” Readers should walk away from book one, A Forbidden Alchemy, feeling a deep sense of dread. “Full body dread. No character is guaranteed—and I do love a cliffhanger,” Stacey warns. Book two, currently in the editing process and projected to release summer of next year, will be no walk in the park. If you think you know what’s happening—you don’t. Only by book three will you feel satisfied.
Who wouldn’t want to read a fantasy version of Thomas Shelby? If you're a fan of Peaky Blinders—from the gang lifestyle to fierce devotion to family, bloodshed, and rivalry—then the Alchemy Series is for you. Gaslamp fantasy through and through. For those unfamiliar, gaslamp fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that combines elements of historical fiction with magical or supernatural components—such as magic itself, mythical creatures, or altered realities—often set in Victorian, Regency, or Edwardian eras.
When it comes to publishing trends, this isn't what everyone else is writing or signing. And yet, Stacey’s pitch was highly sought after—even without a full manuscript. Coming off the Glacian Trilogy, Stacey knew she needed—and wanted—to keep writing. She wrote what she says is her proudest book to date, only to be told by agents and publishers that it “wasn’t what they wanted”—despite the entire book being finished.
She felt pigeonholed. Told to stay in the lane that is Romantasy from a market-trend perspective—something she wasn’t willing to do. The rejected story was more literary than fantasy, with just a hint of romance. And while it sparked some resentment, it’s a project we’ll likely see Stacey self-publish in the future.
When agents and publishers circled back asking if she had anything else, Stacey pitched a general idea—not even a full concept. But once she shared a preemptive outline and synopsis, the excitement exploded. That idea became A Forbidden Alchemy.
For those who don’t know, Stacey had originally planned to self-publish The Glacian Trilogy, and just three weeks out from its release, two publishing houses reached out. She had an agent within days for international and audio rights, and she told publishers the book wouldn’t sit on the backburner for four months while they decided. She had two offers almost immediately. Making the decision wasn’t easy, but with the guidance and support of her husband—who encouraged her to “say yes to the opportunities before you”—Stacey signed with Angry Robot Publishing.
When asked for advice for new writers, Stacey said:
“That voice in your head making you feel dumb, or telling you that you’re too loud, obnoxious, annoying—turn it off. No matter how far you get in this industry, no one will ever advocate or support you the way you have to support yourself. Learn to let the voices go, speak up about yourself, and be proud of it.”
While many readers might see Stacey’s success and think she "got lucky"—that she didn’t work for it or hasn’t been rejected—she has. Many times. Her first time querying a publishing house was when she was 18 years old, before attending university. She queried many more times before defaulting to her backup plan: becoming a teacher.
“I knew I wasn’t good enough then—I was throwing mud at a wall hoping it would stick.”
But life snowballed. She wasn’t meant to publish those early works. Ten completed novels (still unreleased) and dozens of unfinished ones later, Stacey found herself in the pandemic, bored out of her mind and looking for community. And she found it. She joined the bookish space—even just making videos about books she was reading—and people liked her. Like, 11,000 followers in a week liked her.
Stacey McEwan has earned her reputation and following by being existentially authentic—both online and in her writing. She is a testament to perseverance, passion, and the power of staying true to your voice—even when the industry tells you otherwise. Her journey from isolation to found family, from self-doubt to signing deals, reminds us all that the magic we chase in stories can begin with simply believing in our own.
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