Coffee, Coffee, Conversation with Breanne Randall
Dearest book loving bestie,
It has been a second since I had some coffee, coffee, and a conversation with an author, but spring is blooming and so is my desire to share with you a perfect spring read, a new book to pre-order, and an author who has a big affection for our favorite show.
Today’s guest of COFFEE, COFFEE, CONVERSATION is the New York Times bestselling author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic who garnered major excitement online for said book with its comparison to Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic. Say less, right? Her most recent release brings that same wonder, magic, and melancholy you love in Stars Hollow. Read on for more from the author of SPELLS, STRINGS, AND FORGOTTEN THINGS—
WITH BREANNE RANDALL
Photo: © Raber PhotographyNEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic,Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things, and Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies. She lives in the sleepy foothills of Northern California with her husband, her two daughters, and a slew of farm animals. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering the property searching for fairy portals or serving elaborate stuffed animal tea parties.
If Stars Hollow had magic…
There is something inherently magical about a small-town. Somehow everyone knows everything about you. Some people seem to just appear when you least expect it (or want it.) And when you’re down on your luck, the community arounds you seem to know just what to do.
In most small towns, that’s the magic of love and togetherness. In Breanne Randall’s small town of Gold Springs, the typical magic you love fits perfectly right alongside a dose of real magic.
Calliope and her two sisters, Thalia and Eurydice, are living out every woman’s fantasy by owning a bookstore slash tea shop called Tea & Tome. They’re also all secretly witches, Lightcraft witches to be specific. Her sisters have all but denounced the use of magic because it requires the payment of a memory in exchange for use. This isn’t a deterrent for Calliope because she wants to forget the things making her heartache.
When a mysterious evil awakens, Calliope attempts to save her fading magic by binding herself to an equal mysterious man. Enter Lucien, the head of a rival coven of Shadowcraft witches. Did I mention he was handsome? Together, they must confront their pasts in order to save the town’s future.
For our Gilmore lovers— if you love a quirky small town filled to the brim of loving characters, a family hiding secrets, a strong willed female lead, close knit communities, rivals to lovers, and a handsome man rolling up into the small town unannounced (but not like the guy you’re thinking!), your TBR is calling out for SPELLS, STRINGS, AND FORGOTTEN THINGS.
And if your favorite part of Gilmore girls isn’t only the small town, but maybe Rory’s elite academic settings, love triangles, bantering couples, or a secret society, you’ll need to stay tuned for more on Breanne’s forthcoming novel CURSES, KEYS, AND SECRET SOCIETIES.
But let’s hear more from the author herself in Coffee, Coffee, Conversation—
Hi Breanne! I’m so glad to have you for a coffee coffee conversation!
Breanne Randall (BR): Ahhh I’m SO excited, thank you so much for having me!!
Before we continue, we need some coffee coffee for our conversation! Coffee from Luke’s is essential to keeping Lorelai and Rory functioning. The Petridi sisters in your second novel Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things seem to keep Gold Springs, their own small town, running with the tea at their cafe & shop Tea and Tome. Are you grabbing a coffee from Luke’s or a tea from our favorite sisters? And what are you ordering?
BR: Oooh this is such a good question and I’m going to cheat hahaha. I’d go to Luke’s first because, well, DUH! Iconic. Just a drip coffee with some creamer. After that I’d do a little shopping then stop by Tea and Tome to grab a tea, probably a rooibos with a little cinnamon and honey!
Oooh a little magical rooibos would be perfect. Speaking of, the Petridi sisters seem to be living every girl’s dream of owning a bookshop slash tea shop in the middle of a small town with their secretly magical sisters. What inspired Tea & Tome?
BR: Literally exactly that! I thought about my dream shop and it would be a combo of books, tea, and treats, filled with plants everywhere and cute little tables and cozy corners. It felt perfect for the sisters because it caters to all their favorite things as well. I should have made it a cat cafe, too, then it would really have been perfect!
Rumor has it you’re a big Gilmore Girls fan! When did you first start watching the show and what keeps you returning to this world?
BR: Oh my gosh - I’ve been watching Gilmore Girls for literal decades. I was so young when I first started watching and I feel like with every rewatch I notice something new or relate to a different character based on what I’m going through in my life. And that’s probably one of the main reasons I always return to it! It’s everything cozy and warm and there’s always a little reference I didn’t get before or a new take on an old character. I’m obsessed.
If Lorelai is known for her coffee addiction and Rory for her love of books and school, what would your friends and family say is your addiction/obession?
BR: Books would definitely be their first answer! And collecting coffee cups would probably be a close second haha.
Do you prefer to read like Rory or read books that feel like the show?
BR: Both, actually! But I think these days I tend to focus on books that feel more like the show because it feels like comfort.
Mandatory question from our listeners: what team are you on and what does that mean to you to be on that team?
BR: I’m team Emily Gilmore. Hahahaha I’m sorry but that woman is an ICON! Boys come and go, but Emily freaking Gilmore is forever.
Put it on a t-shirt or even tattooed on my forehead because yes, 100% yes. On that note, what do you think our Gilmore loving audience will love most about the story of family, love, and magic in Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things?
BR: Ahh, another great question! There’s a lot of family drama in Spells, some old wounds that are hard to heal, and those familial expectations that are seemingly inescapable. But just like with Gilmore Girls, at the end of the day, loyalty and love win out ALWAYS. I think they’ll love the banter, the drama, the cozy town, and how magic is woven into everyday parts of life like the tarot shop and tea and bookstore!
Let’s time travel a bit. Gilmore girls released in October 2000. What were you writing in the year 2000?
BR: I was ten in 2000 which was actually around the time I stopped writing for several years. I’d grown up wanting to be an author, stapling pages together and writing and illustrating my own stories. As I got a little older I stopped writing and started reading A TON. As I got a little older, I started writing a lot of poetry. If I was writing though, it would probably have been like Nancy Drew fanfiction.
Gilmore girls is the comfort show for our listeners and book club members. What is your comfort movie/tv show/book and/or album that you return to when you’re out on the road feeling lonely and so cold so to speak?
BR: Comfort movie is going to have to be the 1999 cinematic masterpiece The Mummy. It’s simply the best hahaha. Comfort shows will always be Gilmore Girls and Vampire Diaries! Comfort book would probably have to be Honestly I’m Totally Faking It by Amanda Gambill (literally one of my all time faves). And music - anything 70’s!
On that note, what sort of media are you consuming when you’re in the drafting era of a book?
BR: I try to limit my intake when I’m drafting because I’m too easily influenced! I was watching Peaky Blinders one time while I was drafting a book and was like - I NEED A TOMMY SHELBY CHARACTER. But it didn’t really fit the vibe of the book. So now I don’t consume any new content when I’m drafting. I’ll rewatch old shows or re-read favorite books so I don’t get any new ideas haha.
Is there anything on your desk, or writing space, that helps you sink into the world you’re writing in?
BR: Actually no! I could be sitting in a landfill or at a beach and be perfectly content to write. It’s really a mental switch that flicks on and then the world kind of falls away.
PHOTO: breannerandall.comGilmore Girls is set in the small, rather quirky town of Stars Hollow. Add in a bit of magic and give the town some much needed diversity and that’s what the town in your novel feels like. A cozy, perfect, secretly magical escape. What inspired Gold Springs? What was most important to you when crafting this cozy town?
BR: Eeeee thank you!!!! This is such a compliment! I live in the country near some little towns that are called the “Stars Hollow of the West Coast” because they’re so quaint and adorable. So it’s definitely inspired by where I live! It was very important to me to make it feel grounded and real and like a place you’d want to visit. Even the people and shops are inspired by where I grew up!
Your leading lady, Calliope has a deep love for her family despite the hurt she has faced from them. What guided you when creating three sisters with very different responses to the departure of their mother?
BR: I have a degree in psychology and had to do some dusting off of those old corners of my brain where some of that info was stored. It was really helpful though to have that framework of how different birth positions and personalities (external and internal factors) can play into how we approach trauma. For Calliope in particular, the middle child seeking some validation while still holding onto the anger, it was a little challenging because a lot of her choices were at odds with each other. But it made sense for her character even though I wanted to shake her sometimes haha.
Lucien, the very mysterious and rather attractive rival coven leader Calliope accidentally binds herself to, cannot help but bicker with Calliope over everything. Do you prefer writing scenes where the bickering is nonstop, verging on flirtatious, or scenes where there is more tenderness between the characters? Or another type of scene entirely?
BR: Oh my gosh, excellent question! I love love love writing flirty bickering scenes. It’s like a love language to me. It’s those moments where you want to strangle them and kiss them at the same time!
Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things feels like it could be Stars Hollow with witches. Who do you think in Stars Hollow is most likely to secretly be a Lightcrafter (or Shadowcrafter!) witch?
BR: Oooo - I think Kirk would be a hilarious secret Lightcraft witch. Emily would for sure be a Shadowcrafter and oh boy, watch out.
Favorite line from Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things with no context?
BR: “Hope doesn’t have to be a blazing fire. Sometimes it’s just a flicker in the darkness, but it’s enough to guide us through.”
What draws you to telling stories of magic, witches, and dreamy shadow magic wielders?
BR: I’ve always loved infusing magic in the mundane! And I really believe that fiction can influence so much of reality. It seeps into us and when we see characters going through these trials and hardships, it gives us a little spark of hope that we can, too. And if I can’t actually live in a world with real magic then I can at least create the ones I want through stories!
The Lightcrafter magic in your book operates by offering up memories. What is a memory of creating your second novel that you would never dare part with?
BR: I would have to say the editing process! I learned sooo much from my amazing editor throughout the editorial process. Things that continue to help me as I work on more books! I’m a perpetual student by nature because I love learning and it’s been really incredible to work with a team who’s been in the industry and knows so much!
If you could pick one character from the show to appear in your next release, who would it be and what do you think they’d be up to?
BR: I will always choose Lorelai! I think she’d make ANY book just that much better and I’m actually working on a romantasy where the FMC has some serious Lorelai talky talky vibes haha.
PHOTO: breannerandall.comAnd you have a new release coming out May 26th to complete the Sisters of Shadow and Light series titled Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies. Did you know when you started that Lucien’s sister would also get her own book?
BR: Yes! Although I will say, I did originally envision her story going in a bit of a different way. But when I started writing, I knew this was the direction it needed to go in!
We met her in SSF, but now Elea is taking center stage. Other than their Lightcraft and Shadowcraft magic, what sets Elea apart from the Petridi sisters?
BR: The Petridid sisters always had each other growing up. Even after their mother’s disappearance, even when they were arguing, they had each other’s backs. For Eléa, she had a very different upbringing. She loves Lucien, but he was gone a lot when she was younger and so when things got bad at home, she didn’t have anyone to turn to for a long time.
If Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is the small town vibes of Gilmore Girls, Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies feels like the elite schools Rory attends and the overwhelming cast of characters that comes with it. Elea even has a love interest by the name of Logan (sigh of love!) What will Gilmore Girls fans find familiar in this new book and what will they discover is distinctly Breanne in this one?
BR: I didn’t even think about Chateau d’Ancy and the Shadowcraft School being like the elite school Rory attends and I LOVE that! I think that even though it’s “dark academia” there’s still some coziness to it. The chateau in and of itself has the warm, small town vibes with the way it takes care of Eléa. But I think readers will find the darker side of magic and the higher stakes new and hopefully fun and exciting!
Elea finds herself in a love triangle with someone from the past and someone wanting to open up her future. What is your favorite story of a love triangle? Book, movie, tv, IRL?
BR: Hahaha! Gosh, you know I recently read Blood of Hercules and Bonds of Hercules and there’s some epic, why choose love triangle type shenanigans in there and I LOVED it! I think there will always be a nostalgia to the Twilight love triangle. Even if I can look back now and see how toxic a lot of it is, there’s still something about Edward, Jacob, and Bella!
Favorite line in Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies with no context?
BR: “Her chest tightened as the magic flared inside her and she scrambled internally to lock it down. But it was eager, and her blood sang for her to set it free.”
*ominous laughter*
What is a book you would recommend for Gilmore girls fans and what will they love about it?
BR: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna! It’s got lots of found family but with a dose of cozy magic!
(Reader, you can listen to Sangu Mandanna’s episode of Gilmore To Read here for her novel A Witch’s Guide To Magical Innkeeping)
Where can our listeners pre-order a copy of Curses, Keys and Secret Societies?
BR: I recommend Ruby’s Books in Folsom, CA because it will come signed and with swag! But you can also reach out to your local indie to see if they can stock it! I’m working with over 100 indies to offer signed bookplates and bookmarks, too!
Thank you for chatting with us, Breanne!
BR: It was an absolute pleasure! Thank you so much for having me and until next time, coffee coffee coffee!
Thank you so much for reading another Coffee, Coffee, Conversation, my book loving bestie! And thank you to Breanne Randall for giving us all this magical insight into her novels. Comment below which book of Breanne’s you love most or which one you want to dive into!
Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies by Breanne Randall comes out on May 26th, 2026. Get it wherever you get your books or pre-order from Ruby’s Books. Follow Breanne on Instagram to stay up to date on future releases!
And If you want to keep up with Gilmore To Read, follow us on Instagram or join us on Patreon as a free member to join the conversation!
This month is a Reading Is Sexy month of our book club and we are reading Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. A little mix of Gilmore & Maisel to represent our new era of the podcast. Head over to Patreon if you’d like to discuss with the club!!!
Until next time, happy reading!
Haley
And it wouldn’t be an edition of the GTS Gazette without a poem! I gave Breanne the creative liberty to pick a poem, song, or quote she resonated with.
submitted in this edition by Breanne RandallBR: One of my favorite poems that has stuck with me since I was a teenager!
One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII
By Pablo Neruda
Translated by Mark Eisner
I don’t love you as if you were a rose of salt, topaz,
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as one loves certain obscure things,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that doesn’t bloom but carries
the light of those flowers, hidden, within itself,
and thanks to your love the tight aroma that arose
from the earth lives dimly in my body.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you directly without problems or pride:
I love you like this because I don’t know any other way to love,
except in this form in which I am not nor are you,
so close that your hand upon my chest is mine,
so close that your eyes close with my dreams.