Grab your earbuds for this one. Nancy C suggested this interview in the comments to a recent episodes, and I’d been eager to set one up as well because, well, several reasons. Today I’m talking with Thien-Kim Lam, founder and owner of the Bawdy Bookworms subscription box service, which pairs erotic romance with sex toys and accessories. Thien-Kim recently attended a trade show all about sex toys in Vermont, and brought samples and new products … Continue reading 273. Sex Toys, Self Love, and Erotic Romance: A Very Bawdy Podcast with Thien-Kim Lam →

Elyse, Amanda, and I discuss building a reading habit – by which we mean the habit of regular reading. We discuss reading as self care and a ritual of restorative practice, and the practical and nonessential things that get in the way of reading time. We start by talking about listening to audiobooks in the Starbucks drive through and the challenges of heroines who need to be redeemed (instead of the hero, for example), and … Continue reading 272. Building and Maintaining a Reading Habit →

In this episode, I sit down for cake and podcasting with Alisha Rai. In a prior interview in episode 229, we talked a lot about dating and romance – both the concept and the genre. In this episode, we take a deeper look at dating as a romance author. We discuss seducing men with dad jokes, and why so many guys are into telling you they’re kinky in their third or fourth text. We also … Continue reading 271. Dating as a Romance Author: A Conversation with Alisha Rai →

Amanda, Carrie, Elyse, RedHeadedGirl and I talk about ghost tours, starting with the 1.5 ghost tours she went on in York recently. We discuss what makes a good ghost tour guide, and which stories were the best (and creepiest). Amanda shares her recommendation for ghostly, creepy television shows (don’t worry, of course we have links!). She also talks about a ghost tour she took in school (!) in fourth grade (!!) as part of her … Continue reading 270. Bitches Assemble: Ghost Tours, Ghost Stories, and Creepy Recommendations →

This is something of an all-in-one episode. Ready? We begin with one last recommendation request for Amanda and me, and then we squee! Amanda and I both read a book we loved, and want to tell all of you about it. We go on at length, too, so be ready. It’s got magic and mystery and a terrific heroine. But because I know so many of you immediately grab the next book when you begin … Continue reading 269. One More Reader Rec Request, A Book Squee, A DNF Warning, and Listener Email →

We are back with part two of our RecReq time! Sarah asked the Patreon supporters what types of books they’re looking for more of, and what they’d like to read next. This time, we talk about sexually inexperienced characters, pseudo-virginity, the presence of nuts in baked goods (we are divided on this very important topic), and romances with food porn, big families, trains, and science fiction and fantasy with excellent world building. Plus, you get … Continue reading 268. Rec Reqs with Sarah and Amanda, Part the Second! →

It’s RecReq time! I asked the podcast Patreon community what types of books they’re looking for more of, and what they’d like to read next. Now, Amanda and I answer many of your book recommendation requests! So we start with reader requests for romances with beta heroes, friends to lovers, intelligent heroines, virginal characters, mystery romances and heroines in disguise. Along the way we talk about post-therapy food indulgences and both of our Very Large … Continue reading 267. Recommendation Requests with Sarah and Amanda, Part the First! →

Amanda and I interview Ryanne Probst, Associate Publicist for Berkley Publishing, which is part of Penguin Random House. Ryanne is the creative mastermind behind Berkley Romance’s Instagram account, which is truly beautiful – and a feed both Amanda and I admire. We talk about why Instagram works for books, and what people in the book community and the romance community are looking for on Instagram. We discuss some technical details such as setting up shots … Continue reading 266. It’s All About the Lighting: Instagram and Social Media Strategy with Ryanne Probst from Penguin Berkley →

Sarah chats with New York Times bestselling author Alessandra Torre and filmmaker and Passionflix co-founder Tosca Musk about the filming of Hollywood Dirt, and the process of turning novels into films. We also discuss the launch of PassionFlix, their goals for service, the production schedule, and some behind the scenes fun moments and challenges that made filming memorable. And we have TWO dogs on the podcast! Very exciting. PassionFlix launched on 1 September, and Hollywood … Continue reading 265. Introducing PassionFlix: An Interview with Tosca Musk and Alessandra Torre →

Elyse’s mom underwent mega-major surgery for the second time in two years, and Elyse faced down the second surgery with a portable bag of self-care and attention. We talk about what she packed to bring with her to the waiting room and to her mom’s post-operative recovery, with a side trip to call blocking apps, video games, and evil squirrels. Then we return to methods of coping, tools for self care, mindful attention to one’s … Continue reading 264. Portable Self Care and Evil Space Squirrels: An Interview with Elyse →

In an interview recorded at RWA, I interviewed Alyssa Cole, and we talked about…clothing! Don’t worry – we start with books and history. And Hamilton! We begin by talking about her upcoming publications, and about the pockets of resistance among people in the South during the Civil War who fought against the Confederacy. Some of her research on that topic appears in A Hope Divided. Then we focus on her spring release from Avon, A … Continue reading 263. Behind the Scenes with Clothing, Creativity, and Cover Art: An Interview with Alyssa Cole →