From escaping into fantasy as a young girl to building entire worlds that explore redemption, survival, and love, Monica Shantel has always turned to storytelling as her lifeline. With her debut Beauty of a Crimson Soul, she invites readers into shadowy realms where broken characters discover their strength—and maybe even a happy ending. In this interview, Monica shares the inspirations behind her work, her creative rituals, and the challenges she’s overcome to carve out her space in indie publishing. Whether you’re here for the romance, the monsters, or the magic, you’ll find plenty to love in her fierce and heartfelt journey.
In Beauty of a Crimson Soul, Angel is a newly appointed guardian angel tasked with saving Ayden Dyer, a reckless and self-destructive 23-year-old whose soul teeters on the edge of damnation. As Angel fights to guide him toward redemption, unexpected feelings complicate her mission—and when fallen angels drag them both to Hell, the stakes become eternal. With Ayden’s soul slipping away, Angel must defy fate to save him before it’s too late.
Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: The authors who i really loved to read when I was just starting to were Holly Black and Dan Greenburg. I was hugely into fantasy even at 7 years old. They shaped a ton of my love for fantasy in general, and it was later on that authors like Kelley Armstrong and Lauren Kate hooked me on the romance and darker side. But Neal Shusterman got me into the creepier and more horror side.
Q: Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?
A: Carrie Ryan is a major one. If you’ve ever read her zombie apocalyptic trilogy, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, basically a ton of what she implements screams my writing style. Between books that intertwine and follow generations, twists that make the romance last, and long lost siblings… Oh my goodness. And main characters who have nobody to turn to? It’s basically all me in a nutshell and I adore her for it.
Q: What’s been the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
A: That even when life knocks me down, I can’t part from it. Writing has become my lifeline. It’s helped me express myself. I’ve been at this nearly 15 years and even through all the hardships, it’s my safe haven.
Q: How do you nurture your creativity when life gets busy or overwhelming?
A: I have to just take time to write, or draw. Or design graphics. However I have to do it, I set aside time to revel in what I love most because life gets busy but you need to make time for the things that really make it worth living.
Q: What’s one writing habit you can’t live without and one you wish you could break?
A: I can’t live without plotting on spreadsheets. I wish I could break the habit of editing while I write because it slows me down, but I can’t because then it makes editing more stressful later on.
Q: When do you feel most “in the zone” with your writing—early mornings, late nights, or somewhere in between?
A: Early mornings full stop. Between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. is when I’m most productive, and it shows. In the evenings I’m useless.
Q: Do you find inspiration in other art forms (music, film, visual art)? If so, how does it shape your work?
A: I find inspiration from absolutely anywhere. It always begins as a thought. Like, “What if the hero became the villain,” or “What if I wrote a more historically accurate pirate novel where a woman hides as a boy?” It basically forms an entire novel or series for me, and that’s the fun of it.
Q: Do you have your own circle of writer friends? If so, what other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
A: Oh I’d be nothing without my writer friends. I’ve become friends with Wendolyn Baird, Vivian Rolfe, Morgan Reilly, Z King, Juliet Lockwood, Danielle Harrington (we also live 30 minutes from each other), and gosh the list goes on. They’re huge helps! They either beta read, listen to my ideas and help me sort them, and when I get around to reading their books, I let them teach me how better to hone my craft.
Q: If you could collaborate with any writer, past or present, who would it be, and what would you create together?
A: Gosh. This is a hard question. There are so many writers I absolutely love. I think I’d love to collaborate with any of my friends, but also maybe specifically Lindsay Clement. We both have a love for vampires that can’t be topped, and she’s amazing.
Q: What themes do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
A: Redemption. Definitely that. That people can change. It’s probably just wishful thinking on my part since I’ve had a lot of people in my childhood betray me. Also, themes of main characters who are broken and piecing themselves together, because that’s what I’ve had to do. That happy endings exist even when you’ve been through hell. I’d like to believe that’s waiting for me.
Q: How do you approach writing characters with experiences different from your own?
A: If it’s an experience that I know I need eyes on, I get a trusted friend or source who can ensure I do it justice. I’d never want to write an experience the wrong way. This usually pertains to experiences that are outside of racial or LGBTQ+ groups. Anything that might be the experience of loss, or addiction, or mental illness of some kind… I always want to portray it with care.
Q: Do you ever feel pressure to include (or avoid) certain topics in your writing? Why or why not?
A: I wouldn’t say I feel pressured to include or avoid anything. I write about what I feel inclined to write about. No topic is off limits whether that’s writing about it or excluding it altogether. I love being an indie because I decide, and as a Dark Romantasy author, no topic would be too taboo to talk about. Every story calls for a different world.
Q: What’s your go-to snack or drink while writing?
A: Popcorn.
Q: What’s a quirky or unexpected detail about your writing space?
A: My phone, I guess, haha. I basically write anywhere because I write on my phone until the final few manuscripts (after beta readers).
Q: Do you have any rituals or routines to help you transition into “writer mode?”
A: I suppose just being comfortable, being fed… I always have to be in cozy pajamas.
Q: What’s the most rewarding feedback you’ve ever received from a reader?
A: Honestly, it happened a long time ago before I self-published and left Wattpad. But a writer told me I was good at dialogue, and she could learn from me. It’s one of the things that always stuck with me to this day. I learned that dialogue is my strong suit and it gave me more insight on myself and why I write it so much. I have fun with it more than I do descriptions.
Q: What’s a challenge you’ve faced in your writing career, and how did you overcome it?
A: I’d say the biggest challenge I faced was a year ago, when I had been so depressed and ready to quit. I was discouraged to keep going. But I had to spend a lot of time between writing and distracting myself with other hobbies to remind myself, and over time, I had learned more about marketing. I took control and wanted to change the course of my career for the better. So far it’s been working for me.
Q: In your experience, what has been the best way to market your books? Where have you found the greatest return on your investment (whether it be time or money invested?)
A: Threads. I love design, but the algorithm hates what I create, and it doesn’t seem to do very well no matter what I do. On Threads, I have more posts circulate. It’s more personal and tight-knit. Conversations happen. Plus, a lot of readers over there create threads looking for books, and that’s been a huge help. Going directly to readers is easier than screaming into the void.
The war with the dark side becomes more personal for Lia when her twin sister becomes Pan’s new queen, just as evil if not more cruel. A harsh winter is taking its toll, changing Neverland; and Lia is the only one with the power to return the island to its natural state—if she can steal enough magic from Pan that is.
~To Believe in the Demon King by Monica Shantel
Q: How do you define success as an author? Has that definition evolved over time?
A: When readers are hyping up your word without you even knowing or asking. It hasn’t changed much over time for me because success isn’t measured by the money I make but the hearts that I can heal. I just want my books to touch readers, and when they do so much that they recommend them or shout about it to the world, I know the book has done its part.
Q: What do you wish readers understood better about the writing or publishing process?
A: Probably how important it is to support a book even when a series is incomplete. As authors, we rely a ton on hype to keep a series going, and it can be difficult to continue when you don’t have that (financially and emotionally).
Q: What have you written that you found to be the most fun to write?
A: That’s a tough one. Hm, I’d probably have to say my To Believe duology. I adore Peter Pan and it’s got dark elements but I’d say it’s the book that took the least toll on me as well as allowed me to really explore magic and recreating my own version of Neverland. It had begun as a OUAT retelling originally.
Q: What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
A: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Q: What is your favorite genre to read? Do you write in that genre? Has that always been your favorite genre, or has your taste evolved as you have grown as a writer?
A: Fantasy is my favorite. Alongside romance and horror, and yes I’ve always read and written in them, too! It’s a blast.
Q: What other books would you recommend to our readers in addition to your own?
A: The Legacy of Villains by Juliet Lockwood, The Diseased Ones by Danielle Harrington, An Absolute Bloody Disaster by Lindsay Clement, as well as Every Dark Shadow by Sarah Zimm. They’re all fantastic books.
Q: If you could live in the world of one of your books for a day, which would it be and why?
A: Simple answer, but my debut. Beauty of a Crimson Soul. I’d love to meet my original couple, Ayden and Angel. I feel like me and Ayden might clash but I could slap sense into him. Angel and I would be great friends because we’re similar in many ways.
Q: If your life were a novel, what would the title be?
A: A Faded Memory. It’s depressing, yeah. But my childhood was that way, and I always say I am invisible in a lot of instances. (Especially to my teachers growing up.) It’d be a ton about all the hardships. With maybe a hopeful ending that I’m still here.
Q: What’s a surprising or unusual skill you have that might make its way into a story one day?
A: I guess it’s not all that weird or spectacular but I could add it to a book for a little quirk someday. But I can write books while singing to music. I’ve trained myself to separate both sets of words. The other is that I’m almost ambidextrous. At least to the point my writing is legible both ways.
Q: What’s a new genre or style you’d love to experiment with in the future?
A: I’d probably like to experiment with dystopian if I ever get a good idea for it. It sounds like it could be a good genre to get into, but I’d want to do it justice and I’d have to be in a good headspace for it.
Q: What’s one thing you hope readers take away from your latest book?
A: That you matter. Even if you don’t believe you matter, you do. You can try to isolate yourself, but that won’t do any good for anyone. It’s better to just let people in, let them love you because you deserve to be loved.
Q: What projects are you working on at the present?
A: I’m currently working on two books. One of which I won’t say since I have no idea when it’ll be released, but the other will be released later this year. It’s a twisted ending to my trilogy, titled Grave of a Fiery Poison. I can’t say too much about it without spoiling the ending of book 1, Beauty of a Crimson Soul. GFP is 1.5, and takes place directly after book 1 and replaces books 2 & 3. It’s a series about a reckless bad boy who is assigned a guardian angel, and she ends up falling for him.
Q: What do your plans for future projects include?
A: I suppose this is a good time and place to announce my next plans. Starting in 2026, I will be publishing a new trilogy. It’s a fairytale standalone trilogy with the series title: Shadows Within. Or VAST, but I can reveal why it has 2 series titles that it can be referred to when I choose to officially announce the title of book 1 and the fairytale it’ll follow. All 3 books follow a different fairytale, and it’ll be entirely made up in a world I create. I’m diving into high fantasy without breathing. This trilogy has taken control of me and I’m dying to reveal more about it.
Monica Shantel began building stories at the age of twelve to escape reality and find hope in romance once again. While she started out on YouTube, then moved to Wattpad, she eventually realized she wanted to publish. On the side, she dabbles in art as well, but not limited to it. She also ventures into graphic design. She does her own covers and creates character portraits for the twisted and lovely worlds she conjures. Her debut is Beauty of a Crimson Soul.
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Book Summary
When Jack Utley loses his daughter just as his business is about to soar, it seems he’s traded financial gain for Callie’s life. After an encounter with a mysterious woman on the eve of Callie’s funeral, Jack wakes up to find that time has somehow rewound to the morning of Callie’s accident. Jack gets an opportunity that most grieving parents can only dream of – he saves his daughter’s life.
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