Declan and Silvan are joined by author Alex Cross, creator of Echoes of Us, Becoming Us, When We Ignite and From Our Ashes.
Alex takes us right back to the beginning of her writing journey, from growing up as a chronic daydreamer and discovering fanfiction, to writing her first novel on her phone while nap-trapped with her daughter. We talk about the leap from fanfiction to publishing, learning the industry as she went, and why releasing Echoes of Us was such an unexpectedly emotional experience.
Of course, we get into Atticus and Noah. Alex opens up about creating the complicated relationship at the heart of Echoes of Us and Becoming Us, why forgiveness and second chances provoke such strong reactions from readers, and her decision to portray addiction, recovery and grief with all of their messiness. She also shares just how deeply she inhabits her characters while writing, and why sometimes stepping back out of their world can be harder than expected.
We also talk about the huge role music plays in her writing, the songs that define Atty and Noah, finding the perfect voices for the audiobooks, her love of dark romance, and the characters who have completely ignored her plans and seemingly written themselves.
Alex gives us an early glimpse at what’s coming next, Between Here y alla, her upcoming Spanglish MM romance featuring a Colombian main character, Latin culture, plenty of Bad Bunny and a story she describes as a very, very long book.
Plus, somehow we end up discussing brownies, Basque cheesecake, ‘la chancla’ and why being a professional chef doesn’t necessarily mean you want to cook at home.
Spoiler warning: This episode contains significant discussion of Echoes of Us and Becoming Us, including major plot points.
The next episode of the Long Game podcast will be released on Sunday 13th September 2026.
Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/LongGamePodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Join our Long Game Podcast Book Club on Fable to read along with us each week.: https://fable.co/club/long-game-pod-book-club-with-long-game-pod-349252537194?invite=fc285de0-86ea-45c4-ab3f-8dcc82b8cad8&referralID=4tVUzsxlCC
Find us on instagram: longgame.heatedrivalry.pod
Write to us: longgamepod2481@gmail.com
Find Alex on:
Her website: www.alexcrossauthor.com/
instagram: alexcrossauthor
Tiktok: alexcrossauthor
Find Declan:
Instagram: declan712
Tiktok: declanmccallion1
Find Silvan:
Instagram: Silvates
Tiktok: silvates1
Listen to the Podcast on:
Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/long-game-a-heated-rivalry-podcast/id1863459680?i=1000786733601
Spotify podcast:
Amazon podcast:
Watch it on youtube:
Listen to Silvan’s ‘Silvates’ podcast on mental health and wellbeing here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/silvates/id1531620495
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xMX59teVzpf6M86Cv7WG9?si=016f5477aed14697
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:30 Alex Cross: The Journey to Writing
02:37 The Impact of Dyslexia and ADHD on Writing
05:54 Transitioning from Fanfiction to Original Works
08:29 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Publishing
11:39 Character Development and Reader Reactions
14:37 Exploring Themes of Forgiveness and Healing
17:28 Content Warnings and Revisions
20:41 The Importance of Realism in Writing
23:20 Mental Health and Writing Process
32:41 The Emotional Toll of Writing
36:12 Method Acting in Writing
40:52 Balancing Writing and Family Life
45:15 Reader Interpretations and Author Intentions
50:24 The Realism of Addiction and Recovery
56:45 Resilience in Character Development
58:36 Character Connections and Personal Reflections
01:04:32 The Role of Music in Storytelling
01:13:40 The Audiobook Experience
01:15:45 Exploring New Genres
01:17:53 The Dark Romance Trend
01:21:31 Teasing the Next Book
01:26:34 Cultural Representation in Writing
01:35:30 Engaging with Fans on Social Media
01:39:53 Using Platforms for Advocacy
01:41:55 Where to Find Alex Cross
