Beyond The Page

We live in a world obsessed with data, productivity, and optimization, and yet, we still tell stories. In this solo episode of Beyond The Page, Lora Tia explores why storytelling isn't just entertainment, but a core human survival tool. From childhood imagination to branding, leadership, work culture, and personal identity, narrative shapes how we understand the world and our place in it. If you've ever wondered why stories linger, why representation matters, or why certain narratives feel hollow while others feel like home, this episode is for you.

Welcome back to Beyond The Page! In this cheeky solo banter episode, Lora Tia reflects on the tropes she once turned her nose up at, only to end up writing them. From Enemies to Lovers and The Chosen One, to the ever-popular Captive Hearts, Lora goes deep into the tropes she tried to avoid and the stories that convinced her otherwise. She talks about what makes a trope work, why clichés aren't always the enemy, and how Table Eleven became a genre-bending surprise that helped her fall in love with romance-forward storytelling. If you've ever sworn you'd never write that trope… only to catch yourself doing it with flair, this episode's for you. New episodes air biweekly. Subscribe, share, and let us know which trope you've secretly come around to.

As the year winds down, we're taking a moment to rest, reset, and reflect. Beyond The Page will be on holiday break until 2026, and this episode is our little way of saying thank you. Whether you've been here since Episode 1 or just joined the ride, I'm so grateful for your support, your listens, and your love for indie storytelling. So from me to you, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a joyful New Year in advance! While new episodes will be back in January, now's a great time to revisit your favourite chapters and explore any episodes you may have missed. Let's go into the new year rested, inspired, and ready to turn more pages, together. With love, Lora Tia 💛

This week, on Beyond The Page, we're having a little heart-to-heart.  It's me, your host, Lora Tia, pulling back the curtain on the heart of my writing journey. From reading James Hadley Chase under the covers as a kid, to writing fantasy worlds that make you forget you live in this one, I'm sharing the highs, lows, pivots, and personal stories of being a writer. You'll hear how stories shaped me, where I love to write (spoiler: artisan lattes were involved), what fuels my genre choices, and how my life and voice seep into every stubborn, strong-willed heroine I create. Whether you're a fellow writer, a curious reader, or just here for the vibes, this is a candid, reflective, and maybe a little rambly (in the best way). Come find out where it all began…and where I hope it's going next. Next week we're back to A Trial of Thorns. 

Life happened, and the mic didn't. But instead of ghosting your feed, here's a quick update on what's coming up on Beyond The Page, including more of A Trial of Thorns, and a brand-new indie feature just around the corner. Plus, if you're craving a lighthearted, no-spice, criminally fun read while you wait, don't forget to check out last week's book review. This one's short, sweet, and worth bookmarking.  🔗 Mentioned in this episode: 📚 The Sweetest Getaway by Sasha Preston — [Amazon Link] 📩 Get a free chapter preview — [sashapreston.com/newsletter] Want your book featured on Beyond The Page? Submit here: [your submission form link]

What do you get when a good girl teams up with a group of semi-pro criminals and accidentally finds herself tailing a cop? You get The Sweetest Getaway. A clever, wild, and laugh-out-loud heist rom-com by indie author Sasha Preston, and the spotlight of this week's Beyond The Page. In today's episode, I read a featured excerpt from the novel (straight out of Chapter 19) and share my live commentary on everything from the voice and pacing… to a budding flirtation between Jennifer (our heroine) and Fred (the cop she's sort-of stalking… for the heist). If you're craving a relaxing escape, clever dialogue, and a story that proves crime can be charming, this one's for you. 💌 Grab your free preview: https://www.sashapreston.com/newsletter 📖 Buy the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FND7RBHV Support indie. Share this episode. And if you're an indie author looking to feature your book on Beyond The Page, check the submission form linked in the show notes.  

The court calls it a rest day. Seventeen calls it an ambush disguised as leisure. With the arena silent and the remaining champions scattered, she begins to dig into the truth behind the disappearances. But curiosity in Elarion is a weapon with no handle. The harder she grips it, the more it cuts. Her questions draw the attention of Lady Dravenn, a powerful patron, and before the confrontation turns deadly, the Thornkeeper steps in, saving her, and raising new questions she's not ready to answer. Freedom, it seems, was never free. And the most dangerous blade in Elarion might not be the one drawn, but the one left idle.

When the mirror stares back, what do you see; the lie or the liar? The Trial of Sand becomes a game of reflection. Paired against Champion Five of House Cyrinth, Seventeen steps into a chamber built from mirrors and lies. The Mirrormind's gift is mimicry; face, voice, and thought, and soon, Seventeen finds herself staring into a version of her own deceit. But reflections break both ways, and when her true power answers back, the chamber, and the illusion of order, shatter. Six champions remain. The seventh has vanished.

What happens when content is no longer created by people, but by patterns? In Part 2 of The AI vs. Authenticity Divide, we move beyond copyright and courtrooms to explore the ethical cost of algorithmic creativity. What do we lose when machines mimic artistic works without soul? This episode is a call to action. For creators to evolve, for consumers to choose human work on purpose, and for all of us to draw a line in the digital sand. The soul of creativity is passion, spirit, and vulnerability. Don't let perfect automation replace meaningful expression. Listen now and let us know: what do you choose to value in the algorithmic age?

The Thornkeeper's summons is no mercy. Within the cathedral vaults, Seventeen faces the man who buried her mentor, and knows her secret. What begins as an interrogation turns into a dangerous negotiation. The throne watches, the trial waits, and the real game begins.

This week on Beyond The Page, we're taking a detour from fiction to dig into the rising controversy between human creativity and artificial intelligence. Where the future of writing, art, and creative labour is being rewritten in real time. In Part 1 of "The AI vs. Authenticity Divide," we discuss the burning questions around market acceptance and legal ownership in 2025. Don't miss Part 2 next week, where we look into the Ethical Mirror and address the cultural costs of bias, the emotional impact on human creators, and the erosion of trust. Hosted by Lora Tia Subscribe, follow, and share with a fellow creator. This conversation isn't going away.

The Trial of Sand grinds on, champions bleeding into the pit, while the crowd hungers for spectacle. But Seventeen's focus is elsewhere. She counts the dead, tallies the replacements, and wonders which houses profit from the shifting balance. And through it all, the Thornkeeper does not look away. Kingmaker. High priest. Executioner. His attention fixes on Seventeen alone, and this time, he calls her name.

The waiting is over. The Trial of Sand begins, throwing the masked champions into the arena, where blood and spectacle are the throne's favourite currency. Seventeen faces a lethal opponent whose lightning threatens to expose her for what she is not. To survive, she must mimic the power of the house she impersonates, or risk revealing the truth hidden beneath her mask.

Disqualified or silenced? Politics proves deadlier than the crawl. The Hall of Masks grows restless. Lysandra Veil has been disqualified, and the champions are forced to wait as her replacement is summoned. Tempers flare, powers clash, and alliances begin to take shape in the uneasy pause between trials. Seventeen keeps her mask in place, but behind it, she wonders. Was Lysandra's removal justice, or politics? And when the new Contestant Five finally arrives, one glance is enough to tell her the real trial has only just begun.

She entered the wall crawl, found a corpse… and a locked passage with no way out. In this episode of A Trial of Thorns, our heroine is faced with her first deadly consequence, and her first taste of the rot behind the crown. With nowhere to run, and a body still warm beside her, she'll have to think fast. Question for you:What do you think she's really here for? Sure, she's supposed to find the killer. Sure, the Trial's rigged. But what personal score is she trying to settle? Hit us with your theories. We're dying to know.

Seven champions. One crown. And a masked stranger who isn't supposed to be there. In this premiere episode of A Trial of Thorns, the gates open on a kingdom ruled by darkness, fear, and spectacle. The Thorn Trials, ancient, brutal, and cloaked in secrecy, are about to begin. Each champion arrives with a claim. A purpose. A weapon. But one of them isn't who they claim to be. And one is already dead! If you think you know who the real contender is, think again. 🎵 Featuring: Original soundtrack + immersive narration🕯️ New episodes every Friday

"Everyone wants the crown. Not everyone lives to claim it." Behind the walls of Elarion Citadel, seven champions have been summoned for the Trial of Thorns; a brutal, mysterious competition to determine the realm's next ruler. Glory, power, legacy… they say the reward is worth the blood. But someone isn't playing by the rules. In this fantasy-thriller audio series, one of the champions is not who they claim to be. Another is quietly killing off the competition. And our heroine is not here to win. She's here to uncover the truth... and end whoever's hiding behind a gilded lie. Darkly immersive, treacherously cruel, and full of secrets best left buried, A Trial of Thorns is a weekly fantasy podcast told in serialized chapters. The game has already begun. And not everyone will survive it.

It all starts with the first line. In this relaunch episode of Beyond The Page, host Lora Tia breaks down what makes a first chapter hook a reader, and what makes us quietly DNF and scroll on. From iconic opening lines to the emotional power of strong character work, this episode is part craft, part pep talk, and 100% rooted in the love of indie storytelling. Want your indie book featured in a future episode? Submit here → https://bit.ly/btpfeedback — Beyond The Page is a podcast that celebrates indie books, new-sprung voices, and the authors behind the pages. New episodes drop every other Friday.

Beyond The Page is back with a new format, the same heart, and a revamped mission to spotlight indie authors you might never find on your own. This trailer gives you a taste of what's to come: book excerpts, candid interviews, first impressions, and unfiltered reflections on stories that matter. Whether you're a writer, reader, or literary wanderer, this podcast is your next favourite scroll-break. Hosted by Lora Tia. New episodes drop bi-weekly. Follow the show on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to your favourite stories. Want your book featured? Submit here → https://airtable.com/appbQtiwehCzgu8pp/pag9mEzQFi4EG3axt/form

In this episode, I will be sharing the editing journey for my fantasy book, Torrents Of Fate, with you. How do you get that first complete draft good and ready for publishing? Listen and find out.  To pre-order Torrents of Fate, follow this link.