Writing a Fantasy Novel with Long Covid | Carrie Mellem discusses 'The Heir & the Vow'

In this episode of the Long Covid Hope Podcast, host Sarah Evans sits down with author Carrie Mellem to discuss her six-year journey navigating Long Covid, POTS, and ME/CFS from the first wave to today. Discover how Carrie pushed through medical gaslighting, explored innovative interventions like peptides and infrared therapy, and mastered careful pacing and radical acceptance to write her debut fantasy novel, The Heir & the Vow (releasing 1st November 2026).

Living with chronic illness and making changes to your life to accommodate that often feels like losing your identity, but Carrie’s story is proof that you can still accomplish extraordinary, deeply creative things without letting illness define you!

In this episode, we explore:

- Navigating the Medical Maze: Surviving six years in a siloed healthcare system, facing medical gaslighting, and learning self-advocacy.

- Innovative Interventions: Carrie’s experience with peptide injection therapy, infrared sauna/light therapy, and navigating high out-of-pocket costs.

- Radical Prioritisation & Pacing: How to audit your environment, strip away toxic energy drains, and protect your energy envelope for what brings true joy.

- Taming Anxiety: Carrie's honest insight into why anxiety alongside chronic illness can sometimes feel more debilitating than physical symptoms - and her actionable steps to overcome it.

- From Illness to Authorship: How careful pacing and symptoms stablisation allowed Carrie to draft a complete novel in a single year, plus her vision for a four-part romantic fantasy 'Romantasy' series.

TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Snippet0:50 Introduction with Sarah2:56 Interview with CarrieLINKS &

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Carrie's Writing Website: https://www.carriemellem.com

Order the ebook on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/Heir-Vow-Carrie-Mellem-ebook

Carrie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriemellemauthor/

Carrie in Tacoma News Tribune about Long Covid: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article241789321.html

Carrie on FOX 13 Seattle: Local recovered COVID patients still dealing with symptoms 10 months later: https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/local-recovered-covid-patients-still-dealing-with-symptoms-10-months-later

My COVID-19 story: Carrianne Ekberg - MultiCare Vitals: https://www.multicare.org/vitals/my-covid-19-story/

Peptides as a treatment for Long Covid: https://cculy1.wixsite.com/econsultingpnw/post/my-love-hate-relationship-with-peptides-as-a-treatment-for-covid-long-haul

What Functional Medicine is and isn’t plus my COVID Long Haul & SIBO treatment plan: https://cculy1.wixsite.com/econsultingpnw/post/what-functional-medicine-is-and-isn-t-plus-my-covid-long-haul-sibo-treatment-plan

WORK WITH SARAH EVANS (Wellness Coaching, Yoga, Meditation, & Reiki):

- Book a Private 1-1 Session: https://www.sarahevans.co/1-1sessions

- Schedule a Healing and Wellness Mentorship Discovery Call: https://www.sarahevans.co/wellness-coaching🎙️

Long COVID Hope Podcast Webpage: https://www.sarahevans.co/podcast

ABOUT THE LONG COVID HOPE PODCAST

Hosted by Sarah Evans, the Hope Podcast tells the more hopeful stories of Long Covid, from the true experts: those with lived experience of the condition.

#LongCovidRecovery #MECFS #NervousSystemRegulation #POTS #Neuroplasticity #ChronicPain #LongCovidHope #VagusNerve #Spoonie #ChronicIllnessRecovery

Buy Me a Coffee: Support the podcast and Long Covid yoga library: https://buymeacoffee.com/sarahevans