Episode 70 - Unmasking, Authenticity & Escaping Into Fantasy Worlds with Author Alina Bellchambers

Have you ever looked at the life you’re presenting to the world and thought… “This isn’t actually me”?

So many of us move through life wearing masks - hiding our sensitivities, our complexity, our neurodivergence, or simply the parts of ourselves we fear won’t be accepted.

Today’s guest, Alina Bellchambers, knows this journey intimately. Alina grew up inside her family’s bookstore, spending her childhood immersed in other worlds - worldbuilding, psychology and fantasy becoming early languages she now weaves into her writing.

Today, she’s the author of two highly acclaimed romantasy psychological thrillers: The Order of Masks - a high-stakes tale of deception, power, and identity and The Weight of Crowns - a darkly seductive exploration of destiny, desire and the cost of becoming who you truly are. 

And this conversation goes exactly there - into identity, masking, authenticity, self-acceptance, and what it really takes to stop shaping yourself to keep others comfortable.

I adored this conversation because Alina speaks so openly about unmasking, self-acceptance and the freedom that comes when you allow yourself to be fully you. These themes are so deeply tied to my work as a mindset coach - helping people peel back the layers of who they thought they needed to be and reconnect with who they truly are.

Key Episode Takeaways:

• Why fantasy (and especially romantasy) offers such powerful escapism and how Alina uses her psychology background to create rich, layered characters and psychologically tense storylines
• What “masking” really means, how it shows up for women, and why so many are misdiagnosed or misunderstood
• The role of autism and neurodivergence in identity formation and self-acceptance and why letting go of others’ expectations is the most liberating thing you’ll ever do
• The reality of becoming an author - the discipline and the magic of creative flow
• What happens when you stop shrinking, stop performing, and start choosing authenticity

About the Guest:

Alina Bellchambers grew up in her family’s bookstore and spent her childhood immersed in fantastical worlds. Today, she channels that lifelong love of storytelling into writing romantic fantasy and psychologically rich thrillers featuring fierce female protagonists, morally grey characters, intoxicating magic and seductive court politics.

She is the author of two acclaimed romantasy novels - The Order of Masks and The Weight of Crowns.

Alongside her writing career, Alina is also an actor, model and public speaker. She holds a degree in psychology and writes from her forty-acre hobby farm in the picturesque Adelaide Hills of South Australia.

When she’s not typing away in her study (with a cup of tea always nearby), Alina enjoys creative arts, hiking with her feisty dog Scamp, and connecting with her readers on social media at @alinabellwrites.

Show Resources:

Follow Alina on Instagram - HERE

Check Out Alina's website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Check Our Emma's 1:1 Become the Butterfly Coaching Program - HERE

Book a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call with Emma - HERE

If you loved this episode, please share it on your Instagram stories and tag us: @emmalagerlow and @alinabellwrites.

Yours in Fantasy and Authenticity, Emma. X.