She Wrote Her Debut at 18 — Now It's a Viral Romantasy Series | Powerless by Lauren Roberts

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.She wrote her debut novel at 18, self-published it, went viral on TikTok — and now she's a Simon & Schuster author with a dramatized audiobook. Lauren Roberts is living proof that passion plus scrappiness can take you very, very far.In this episode, Lauren breaks down the wild origin story behind Powerless — from pitching the idea live on TikTok to Googling her way through ISBN numbers and copyright filings. We talk about what makes the Powerless trilogy so addictive (enemies to lovers! forbidden romance! high-stakes trials!), the incredible new dramatized audiobook of Powerless, and the literary fiction authors who are quietly shaping Lauren's writing voice.Whether you're a romantasy superfan or just looking for your next unputdownable series, this one's for you.📚 Books MentionedPowerless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅(Dramatized Audiobook available!)Reckless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅ Fearless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅ Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction / Romance | Audio ✅Masters of Death by Olivie Blake — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction / Fantasy | Audio ✅One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig — Buy on Amazon | Gothic Fantasy | Audio ✅Vicious by V.E. Schwab — Buy on Amazon | Dark Fantasy | Audio ✅Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy (Duology) | Audio ✅⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Welcome & introducing Lauren Roberts[00:45] Lauren's background — writing at 18 and the TikTok origin story[02:30] Figuring out self-publishing from scratch (ISBNs, copyright, editors)[04:30] Simon & Schuster reaches out — the surreal moment it all changed[05:30] What drives Lauren: supporting other creatives and following your passion[06:30] Elevator pitch for Powerless — the plot, the world, the magic system[07:45] The romance: enemies to lovers, forbidden tropes, and sky-high stakes[08:30] The dramatized audiobook of Heartless — a movie for your ears[10:30] Behind the scenes: scripting, sound effects, music, and casting the voices[12:30] Lauren voices a character herself — and what it felt like to hear Powerless fresh[13:00] Lauren's reading life: the literary fiction curveball[14:00] Olivie Blake and V.E. Schwab — balancing lyrical prose with fantasy[15:00] Where Lauren's own writing is heading next[15:30] Book recommendations: Lauren's top picks for listeners[16:30] Where to find Lauren online (Instagram, TikTok, Substack)Join the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!