Podcast appearances and mentions of carina press

Join THOT cohosts as they interview one of their favourite authors, Charlie Adhara. They pick Charlie's brain about all things Gay Wolf Book, how to make the leap from cottagecore cozy mysteries to seditious queer werewolves, and all the best cryptid hunting on the way!And no interview would be complete without diving into the upcoming, JUST released Pack of Lies, which B & C were lucky enough to read pre-release. So pick up a copy, get to know the boys, and listen in as we plan for Charlie to take over award season, here on THOT.

Two married ladies expose you to the best, the worst, and the kinkiest erotica...but don't tell their husbands!Music: "Girls Like Me" by AAPOfficialThanks to Cat Wynn, Partner Track, Carina Press, published April 26, 2022

The year has flown by! Yaki and Tati reminisce on the Season 3 highlights! It's been a fun ride... In Hot Topics in Romance, we mourn the relationship of Lori and Michael B. Jordan (not really... LOL), Caresha and Diddy get flirty, and Chloe Bailey talks about dating preferences. In Watching Romance, we talk P Valley (Starz) and the new Issa Rae show, Rap Shit (HBO Max). In Reading Romance, we talk about our season 3 guests' books, book recs over the season, and the upcoming Summer 22 Reading List.... and Tati's debut "The Build Up" coming soon in 2023 (Carina Press, 23). FOllow us on Social Media: Tati(Twitter, IG, Facebook, and TikTok): @RIchardWritesOn Yaki (Twitter, IG and TikTok): @OurNYCHome Podcast IG: @RomanceinCOlour Podcast Twitter: @RomanceNColour FacebookGroup: www.facebook.com/groups/RomanceInColour See you all September 2023! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/romanceincolour/message

What it means to be a fulltime writer and supporting yourself with your writing career, and how that's a continual effort to maintain. Also big news on rights reversion for my TEN Carina Press books! What do I do now???The Heirs of Magic series is here (https://jeffekennedy.com/series/heirs-of-magic). Preorder THE STORM PRINCESS AND THE RAVEN KING here (https://jeffekennedy.com/the-storm-princess-and-the-raven-king).The Sorcerous Moons series - now in KU! - is available here (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YVVB82N).The form to preorder books for Apollycon is here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbs-nwq5cfOpk-5xzhz1mfUMycvaZ-bRdvmF0uN7--Ii9ioQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0).The audiobook of BRIGHT FAMILIAR is here (https://www.audible.com/pd/Bright-Familiar-Audiobook/B09WSGFLXW?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-303113&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_303113_rh_us) and DARK WIZARD is here (https://www.audible.com/pd/Dark-Wizard-Audiobook/B09QQRHTYZ?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-294201&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_294201_rh_us) and you can check out FaRoFeb here (https://farofeb.com/farofeb-2022/).You can order FIRE OF THE FROST here (https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost) and DARK WIZARD here (https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard).If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or follow this link (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jeffekennedy).You can watch this podcast on YouTube here (https://youtu.be/LCQPuIc98ng).Sign up for my newsletter here! (https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r2y4b9)Support the show

Trailblazer episodes continue this week with EE Ottoman, the first out trans author of romance novels. EE joins us to talk about his journey into romance, about the evolution of trans romance novels, and about the importance of representation in romance. This is a fascinating conversation, and we're so grateful to EE for joining us to tell his story, and the story of trans romance to date. An important note: While books by LGBTQ+ authors have been targeted by book bans across the country for decades, the recent bans on books and language around queerness in schools and public spaces make this issue even more pressing. This episode was recorded in the fall of 2021, which is why this specific issue is not a part of our discussion. Thanks to Kelly Cain, author of An Acquired Taste, and Ava Wixx, author of Virtual Reality Bites, for sponsoring the episode.Our next read along is Julie James's Something About You. Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or at your local bookstore.Show NotesWelcome EE Ottoman, a romance trailblazer for being the first trans writer to write romance with trans characters. You can watch the RWA video of romance firsts here. People and publishers mentioned: Less Than 3 Press; We discussed the shifting landscape of LGBTQ bookstores during our trailblazer interview with Radclyffe and Oprah daily has an extensive list of LGBTQ bookstores searchable by state. The zine bookstore in Chicago is called Quimby's. EE Ottoman mentioned authors KJ Charles and May Peterson as being especially supportive on his journey through romance, and notes that Carina Press has been several trans romance titles. Books with queer characters continue to be the target of book banning across the country, and books with trans characters are the most likely to be targeted.

Happy Saturday friends! Today on the podcast we are joined by author Jadesola James!! We chat her Harlequin Presents/Mills & Boon Modern debut Redeemed By His Cinderella, her Carina Press title The Sweetest Charade and more. We truly had a blast picking her brain and hope you enjoy. Wherever you are in the world, we hope you are finding ways to take care of yourself. We're rooting for you!♡ ♡ Check out Jadesola's website here. Keep up with Jadesola James on Instagram here. To keep up with her on Facebook, click here. Follow Jadesola on Twitter here. To find Jadesola's books via Harlequin's website, click here. To buy her books via Mills & Boon Australia's website, click here. To buy her books via Mills & Boon UK's website, click here.   ♡ Click here for our linktree! ♡ This podcast is engineered by Sincere Alexander and contains music from Lukrembo

Kathleen Donnelly is a K-9 handler for Sherlock Hounds Detection Canines—a Colorado based private narcotics K-9 company. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Lisa Jackson scholarship to attend Killer Nashville. In 2017, her novel was a Killer Nashville Claymore Top 20 Finalist. In 2018, Kathleen placed second in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's Colorado Gold Contest. Her debut romantic suspense, Chasing Justice, published by Carina Press, will be released in June of 2022. She lives in Berthoud, CO with her husband and all their four-legged friends.  Follow Kathleen on Facebook: Kathleen Donnelly Mayger and Sherlock Hounds Detection Canines, LLC Instagram: kathleendonnelly20 Twitter: @KatK9writer   Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/    

Vibe Check This week, Gwen is feeling good about moving around more throughout the day and getting settled in her new city! Danielle has been reading a TON lately. She's working her way through the Y: The Last Man graphic novel series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, and she read a magical Ethiopian Jane Eyre retelling (yes, you read that right) called Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood (Sorry, it doesn't come out until November, but you should totally preorder it!). INDULGENCES When D thinks of indulgences in pop culture she thinks of shows in the early Aughts, like Gossip Girl and Revenge. Also, the Harlequin Desire line of category romances, which are described as being about the “American elite.” Back in the Texan's Bed by Naima Simione and Waking Up Married by Reese Ryan (future podcast guest!) are two recent releases she enjoyed. Of course, watching any of the Real Housewives franchises or even the Kardashians—but it's interesting when the people on these shows are “messy” like everyone else, and watching them mess up is very entertaining. Gwen really loved the English translation and Netflix adaptation of 365 Days by Blanka Lipinska! Also, she enjoys aspirational life-style reality TV like Million Dollar Listing, Selling Sunset, and The Big Day. Also, remember how sumptuous and vibrant old technicolor moves were? Like Sunset Boulevard and Imitation of Life. What do our indulgences say about us? You tell us! Gwen: Taking a long shower, putting on lotion, and getting in fresh sheets, Midnight Cookie runs, Rachel's Ginger Beer, Seattle donuts, and Omakase sushi menus Danielle: Ipsy subscription, ordering lunch at least once a week, Starbucks at least once a week (under normal circumstances, it's definitely more than that), ALL the streaming services, and buying books! Recent buys: Why She Wrote by the Bonnets at Dawn hosts, Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce, and a Kindle Oasis Recs from Angelina! Looking for great sex scenes in romance? Look to early Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Theresa Medeiros, Laura Kinsale, Sierra Simone Angelina, Danielle, and Melonie Johnson host the Boozy Book Broads chat every 3rd Friday of the Month on Love's Sweet Arrow's YouTube channel. Some of her favorite chats have been with Rosie Danan, Diana Biller, and Naima Simone. Coming soon: a new series by Angelina with Carina Press about 3 Mexican American sisters set in a small-town Kansas bar. Check out http://www.angelinamlopez.com/ for her blog, short stories, and much more! You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and sign up for her newsletter. You can read her books: LUSH MONEY, HATE CRUSH, and SERVING SIN (our pals at Love's Sweet Arrow have SIGNED copies of all of Angelina's books right now!!)   Goals/Comfort & Joy  Gwen has been unpacking like crazy and is so close to getting everything done in her new place that she is going to carry this one over for another couple of weeks! Danielle has been working on her patience and that has been helped by some much-needed distance—plus she is planning on taking a trip to see family soon! This week, Danielle wants to stop drinking coffee and see what happens. Wish her luck! Gwen's new couch, the Lovesac Sactional, is bringing her immense joy! Danielle has simplified her skincare routine and loves the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant.

This week, Tavi talks with Nationals fan Sydney Bergman, AKA KD Casey, a romance novelist and baseball enthusiast living in the DC area. She writes for a variety of baseball websites, though can primarily be found at Resting Pitch Face Podcast and Baseball Prospectus. Her writing has also been featured in the BP Annual, the Hardball Times, and other baseball-writing venues. Her debut novel, Unwritten Rules, is upcoming via Carina Press. You can find her on Twitter at for baseball things at Sydrpfp and for romance novel things at kdcaseywrites. And, come on, you have to appreciate that spectacular baseball romance novelist pen name! We talk Juan Soto, Max Scherzer vs. Clayton Kershaw, and the odd bond of having World Series Championship celebrations marred by COVID-19. And yes, we talk 2019 NLDS. Oof. Baseball Neighborhood is a production of Dodger Yard. Theme music by BenSound.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

John Jacobson, freelance editor at Carina Press, joins me to trouble the binaries as we unpack a problematic favorite trope: women in pants in historical romance novels.Show Notes:Guest: John JacobsonTwitter | Check out Best Laid Plaids by Ella Stainton | The Immortal City by May PetersonShelf Love:Sign up for the email newsletter list | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com58 Romance Novellas For A Quick Hit of HopeCheck out Shelf Love’s updated website including the transcript for this episodeShelf Love episodes with transcriptsNotes:Johanna Lindsey - Gentle RogueAmanda Bynes in She's The Man (2005 film)Judith ButlerVirginia Henley - SeducedSusan Faludi's book: BacklashDisclosure (Netflix Documentary)Hélène CixousMallory Jagodzinski - On Bustles and Breeches: Cross Dressing Romance Novel Heroines and the Performance of Gender Ideology."You and I are humans, and there is something complicated between us": Untamed and queering the heterosexual historical romance by Jodi McAlister in the Journal of Popular Romance StudiesRecent projects as editor:Ella Stainton - Best Laid PlaidsThe Immortal City by May Peterson

Originally from a small town in Northern California, Holly West moved to the big city to attend Loyola Marymount University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting. After shoving a few unproduced scripts in the proverbial desk drawer, she succumbed to her baser instincts and turned to writing crime fiction. She’s the author of the Mistress of Fortune series, set in late 17th century London and featuring amateur sleuth Isabel Wilde, a mistress to King Charles II who secretly makes her living as a fortuneteller. The first in the series, Mistress of Fortune, was published by Harlequin’s Carina Press in February 2014 and was nominated for the Left Coast Crime Rosebud Award for Best First Novel in 2015. Holly’s short stories appear online and in numerous anthologies, including The Big Book of Jack the Ripper, Unloaded, and Killing Malmon. Her short fiction has been honored with Anthony Award nominations three times, including her latest published story, “The Best Laid Plans,” which appears in Florida Happens, the 2018 Bouchercon anthology (September 2018). Her latest novella, The Money Block, came out in March. Holly’s also the editor of Murder-A-Go-Go’s, a crime fiction anthology inspired by the music of The Go-Go’s.  Holly lives in Northern California with her husband, Mick, and dogs, Stella and Brando. She’s a member of the Mystery Writers of America, for which she edits the Southern California chapter’s newsletter. She’s also a member of Sisters in Crime and was formerly on the Local Organizing Committee of Bouchercon 2020 Sacramento, where she served as registrar and webmaster. Matt Coyle is the author of the Anthoney, Shamus, and Lefty Award-winning Rick Cahill crime series.

Today our guest is Stephanie Tzogas. Stephanie is Associate Publicists for Carina Press and Carina Adores. In this episode, we dive into upcoming releases for both Carina Press and Carina Adores as well as some great  backlist titles that you should check out.  BOOKS RECOMMENDED:  Just like That by Cole McCade - https://amzn.to/3iwgufo Just Like This by Cole McCade - https://amzn.to/2GCi3ew Better than  People by Roan Parrish - https://amzn.to/34DlhqP The Love Study by Kris Ripper - https://amzn.to/3cVGTlI Hearts on Hold by Cherish Read-  https://amzn.to/30vEDNh  House Rules by Ruby Lang - https://amzn.to/3iw3jvd Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke - https://amzn.to/34lmId6 Lynsay Sands - https://amzn.to/2GEuPJO Adriana Herrera - https://amzn.to/3l76MBS Out of Uniform by Annabeth Albert - https://amzn.to/3cVzOln Better not Pout by Annabeth Albert - https://amzn.to/2HNoNXA Act Like it by Lucy Parker - https://amzn.to/33se90L Teddy Spenser isn’t Looking for Love by Kim Fieldings - https://amzn.to/3nfHmE1 This is not the end by Sidney Bell - https://amzn.to/34l4Yic  Serving Sin by Angelina M. Lopez - https://amzn.to/3ngwzcV Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera - https://amzn.to/34lncjq You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria - https://amzn.to/3l907r5 Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey - https://amzn.to/3jH9HRq   CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE  Twitter    JOIN PATREON COMMUNITY  Get weekly romance recommendations, early access to author interviews and exclusive Patreon audio series by joining the Patreon community. Monthly perks start at $1  a month. Want to join the fun? Sign up today; http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com/patreon   FROLIC PODCAST NETWORK  What to Read Next Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts!    AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE If you purchase a book through my Amazon or Bookshop link, I will receive a commission at no cost to you that will help cover the cost of the podcast    CONNECT WITH LAURA YAMIN  WhattoReadNextBlog.com Instagram  Goodreads

Follow Us on Social Media:Twitter: @DrinkWAuthorsInstagram: DrinkingwithAuthorsCall us or email us with questions or inquiries!Email: DrinkingWithAuthors@gmail.comPhone: (727) 300-6752New episodes weekly!Wynter Daniels has authored more than three dozen romances, including contemporary, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance books for several publishers including Entangled Publishing and Carina Press as well as for Kristen Painter’s Nocturne Falls Universe.Her new Cat’s Paw Cove Romance series features romance, cats, and magic in small-town coastal Florida. She lives in sunny Orlando with her family and two very spoiled rescue cats who try all day to distract her from writing.Buy Wynter's books and follow her!Website: https://www.wynterdaniels.com/Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wynter-Daniels/e/B003U2KQCM/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wynter-Daniels-Romance-Author-112308715446045/Twitter: https://twitter.com/wynterdanielsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wynterdaniels/

Follow Us on Social Media:Twitter: @DrinkWAuthorsInstagram: DrinkingwithAuthorsCall us or email us with questions or inquiries!Email: DrinkingWithAuthors@gmail.comPhone: (727) 300-6752New episodes weekly!Wynter Daniels has authored more than three dozen romances, including contemporary, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance books for several publishers including Entangled Publishing and Carina Press as well as for Kristen Painter’s Nocturne Falls Universe.Her new Cat’s Paw Cove Romance series features romance, cats, and magic in small-town coastal Florida. She lives in sunny Orlando with her family and two very spoiled rescue cats who try all day to distract her from writing.Buy Wynter's books and follow her!Website: https://www.wynterdaniels.com/Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wynter-Daniels/e/B003U2KQCM/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wynter-Daniels-Romance-Author-112308715446045/Twitter: https://twitter.com/wynterdanielsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wynterdaniels/

We're joined by editor Angela James! We discuss her departure from Harlequin, her work at Carina Press, her advice for writers, and her Before You Hit Send self editing workshop! She demonstrates how she does a Candid Cold Read to evaluate the first pages of Jenny's manuscript, giving us a fascinating glimpse into the way an editor's brain works.

Jess speaks to former executive editor of Samhain and Carina, Angela James about impostor syndrome, choosing books as an editor, taking on the issue of diversity in publishing from the publishing side, disruptions in publishing, letting go of ego, her recent departure from Carina and what's next for her and in publishing.

Jeff opens the show talking about the work he's doing on the manuscript for the Hat Trick re-release. New patron Lucy is welcomed. The guys talk about Tales of the City on Netflix and the new season of Pose on FX. Will reviews Anticipating Disaster by Silvia Violet while Jeff reviews Prince of Killers (Fog City #1) by Layla Reyne. Jeff interviews Layla Reyne about the new Fog City series as well as how it felt wrapping up the Trouble Brewing series earlier this year. They also talk about Layla's RITA nominated book, Relay, and the upcoming fall release, Dine with Me. Complete shownotes for episode 193 along with a transcript of the interview are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. Interview Transcript – Layla Reyne This transcript was made possible by our community on Patreon. You can get information on how to join them at patreon.com/biggayfictionpodcast. Jeff: Welcome Layla back to the podcast. It’s great to have you here. Layla: Thank you for having me back. Jeff: I had to have you back to talk about this new series, “Prince Of Killers,” as listeners will have heard right before this interview, blew my mind to pieces and back. Layla: That’s what I wanna hear. Jeff: Tell everybody what this new series is and in particular what they have to look forward to in “Prince Of Killers.” Layla: Sure. So the series is “Fog City.” It’s set here in San Francisco. It’s a new romance suspense series. You don’t need to have read any of my series before that. I won’t say that there aren’t some Easter eggs for those that have, because we are all existing in the same place and time. But, this is a little different because this is following a family of assassins. So in books one to three of the “Fog City” trilogy, starting with “Prince of killers,” you’ve got Hawes Madigan, who runs a cold storage business by day, a very successful family kind of business in the city. And then by night, the families, they’re assassins. And he and his two siblings, Helena and Holt, are kind of the triumvirate that is currently the heir apparent. He’s the heir apparent and they kind of all run it together. His grandfather is ailing and so that’s kind of the setup and fairly successfully he is making some changes in the organization. And so in comes…in the first scene, which is actually set at one of my favorite restaurants in the city, Gary Danko, walks Dante Perry who kind of has this strut about him, you know, long hair, looks like a rock God. But he’s carrying a gun, which he immediately notices, Hawes does, and Perry tells him, “There is someone trying to kill you.” And Hawes kind of laughs it off to start with because, dude, he runs an organization of assassins. That’s what they’re paid for. But then as Hawes and the family come to learn, it does look like someone is trying to stage a palace coup, so to speak. And so “Prince Of Killers” involves sort of the first stages of that and them trying to figure out who it is. And Dante has his own motivations as well. You know, he is trying to find the killer of someone who was close to him and Hawes doesn’t want him to find out who that is either. So I will leave it at that without spoiling too much. Jeff: Let’s talk about the elephant in the room a little bit, and that is the fact that while you have left, for example, the books of the Whiskeyverse on some subtle cliff hangers, this one’s bigger than normal for you. Layla: Yeah, I’m not hiding anything, guys. This one’s got a cliffhanger. I wouldn’t say anyone’s life is in jeopardy, but it’s definitely a cliffhanger. I have made no bones about that “The Usual Suspect” is one of my favorite movies. So hello. And, you know, I grew up in TV land and so I love cliffhangers and I kind of embrace it with this. And, you know, the good thing is the plan is for all the books to be out this year. All the covers are done. By the time this airs, book two will be in the hands of editors and I should be working on book three by then. So, they will all come this year and it’s in the blurb. So you know, everybody, fair warning. I’m not trying to hide it here. So… Jeff: Yeah. And I love how you make the analogy to TV because I would put the cliffhanger that you did on the level of like the mid-season break. Not quite the end of season break, but that mid-season, it’s Christmastime, we’re gonna go away for a while and we’ll have a big thing when we come back. Layla: That’s right. It’s the end of November sweeps. Jeff: Exactly. Layla: That’s where we’re at, not gonna lie. And then book two picks up right where it ended and goes on in there. Jeff: Yeah. Which I’m super looking forward to. Layla: I’m writing. It’s been a…It’s fun and, you know, I can’t…yeah, I can’t spoil anything. Jeff: Yeah. Don’t say anything else. I don’t wanna know. I don’t want the listeners to know. Layla: Okay. Okay. Jeff: What was the inspiration for “Fog City” overall? Because since you’ve gone with this family of assassins, it’s certainly different from what we’re used to in the Whiskeyverse where you’ve got all the, you know, FBI agents and other kinds of, you know, law enforcement as your main characters. Layla: So ironically, I was wandering through Wander Aguiar’s photography website looking for covers for a different project and I saw this picture of what will be the book three cover. And I had to know what the hell is their story. I mean it just jumped at me and I was like, I have to know the story. And then one of my good writer friends, Allison Temple said, “You can’t buy the pictures until you have a story.” She’s like, “Do not spend the money.” So by the end of the weekend, I had the story. I had all three of them and then I was like, “Okay, so let me piece together the three covers.” And so that’s kind of how it, in its original, came about, you know, thinking about doing it. So art really did inspire art in this case because the photos were just amazing. I wanted to branch out and do a little bit of something different. There have been hints of the people in the gray area, you know, Jamie, good guy, but some of that hacking is not exactly on the up and up. Mel, I think we saw go more and more, you know, in her bounty hunter business and be a little bit more flexible once she left the FBI. And so kind of going from there and wanting to play more in that gray area and having read books too, L.J. Hayward’s “Death And The Devil” series, in particular, you know, it’s fun and it’s to some extent pretty liberating. I don’t think it was…it wasn’t harder. There are less rules. Right? I don’t have to check the FBI’s hierarchy chart every day to make sure I’m naming someone the right position. So in that regard, it’s actually been a bit easier. Jeff: Your shades of gray is 100% right because it’s not a spoiler to say that Hawes, not only did he have the legit business on the side, but he’s even trying to modify the ways that the family does the assassin business to make it, I guess, less bad maybe. Layla: Yeah. So, there’s an event that happened three years ago that kind of drives a lot of the series and when you read you’ll find out what that is and to the extent it drives Hawes’ three rules, which are in the blurb, which is no indiscriminate killing, no collateral damage, and no unvetted targets. So, if they’re not…He is turning the organization away from kind of the killing machine that his grandfather, Papa Cal, was. And his parents were very methodical, very efficient, not a whole lot of emotion in it. And so, he’s trying to find the balance between those two of it being, you know, I don’t wanna say the killer with a heart of gold, but he is a killer with a conscience. And so he doesn’t even like the moniker Prince of Killers and what that stands and how it came about, which you’ll read about in the book as well. So, he’s definitely a great character. And then when you look at the broader picture of everyone in the series, Holt is, you know, this…he has a kid and he is, first and foremost, a father, right? And he is a hacker and he, because of where he’s at in his life, has pulled back to being kind of the digital assassin of the bunch. And then Helena, who is the sister, who is my typical female complete badass, love her, she works for…she does a criminal defense work in her day job where she is actually working for people who are wrongfully accused. And so there’s some shades of gray in her as well. And then even one of the other side characters is the chief of police who has an interesting relationship with the Madigans and he knows that there is some benefit to what they do and you’re gonna find out there’s some backstory with him as well as to where he is. So, there’s a reference to him in…If you’ve read “Trouble Brewing,” there’s a reference to him in “Noble Hops.” It’s the same chief, for those who are watching, that read that. So… Jeff: That was one of the Easter eggs that I missed. Because you and I have talked about the Easter eggs and there was some that I caught it and some was like, “Dang it.” Layla: So that’s one of…he’s the new chief, you know, that’s a little bit more flexible in the way things are done. And so everybody…and then Dante is also, you know, playing in his shades of gray as a PI and how far he’s willing to go and what he’s doing personally and professionally. Like where’s that line for him? Jeff: Helena is the one that I found the most interesting in her shades of gray because here’s an officer of the court who occasionally does some, you know, very illegal things, which isn’t to say that, you know, all lawyers are, you know, on the right side of the law. But for her, it seemed like really… Layla: Right. And she makes a line about balancing out her karma, right? That’s kind of how she approaches it to some extent of, you know, part of what they’re doing and why he…particularly Helena and Hawes are so well aligned like that, you know, Hawes wants the contracts of the people the law can’t reach or that escape the law, you know, who get around it, let’s just say, because of who they know or who they pay. And that’s kind of who their targets…that’s the targets he wants. People that have, you know, skirted justice for nefarious reasons. And her day job is the people who justice has wrongfully done. And so they kind of work hand in hand and her feeling on it plays to both of her careers. Jeff: You mentioned in this book you had less rules, so like, you’re not looking upon the FBI flow chart and things. Were there challenges to coming at these characters who had these shades of gray or was it…”free for all” is a little bit much, but certainly more freeing I guess. Layla: Yeah, certainly challenges. Though, I mean, you still have to balance the fact that, “Hey, they’re killing people.” Right? And how you balance that with their conscience, with the people around them, particularly Kane, who was the police chief, has a lot to deal with and going on kind of. So yeah, I mean it is definitely there. There were different challenges for me, I kind of liked it because I got to go a little bit more, even though it’s a shorter book than usual, I think going into their heads more than I typically would because there’s a lot more internal conflict – while still having tons of external conflict. I felt like there was more internal conflict about what they’re actually doing than, you know, being an FBI agent and knowing you’re on the right side of the law. So this was more…they had to kind of walk that line, particularly Hawes. Jeff: One of the things I like most about the book that is…in a lot of ways, it’s separate from the romance and it’s separate from the suspense element a lot is the family unit. And it’s a recurring theme, at least in the books that I’ve read of yours from, you know, Irish And Whiskey and their families. And then what we see of the families in “Trouble Brewing” of the main characters. And here I really feel like maybe it’s because we’re so much closer to the family that we really, even in the shorter book, get a lot about Hawes and Holt and Helena and their interaction with each other. What was your plan as you like populated this family and the characters that you wanted to put on the page? Layla: So, it kind of, I would say, came about organically to an extent. The first scene I wrote like that weekend when I saw the pictures, I wrote it and then I posted it in my little reader group’s like, “I hate you.” And in that first scene, actually there’s a reference to the siblings, but you actually don’t see them, but then they pop up. And part of it too was I had already found their pictures as well. I kind of knew who they all were, but, I also knew who we needed to do X, Y, and Z from a plot standpoint. I also didn’t want Hawes to be an island to himself. Right? And to some extent, giving the life that he lives. And, you know, the two aspects of his life, that family is gonna be the only…like they can’t really let anyone else get close. Right? And so, they’re so tight with the family. That’s the only people they trust. And so, that’s, I think, particularly why, you know, that’s who he debriefs with. That’s who they’re planning with and everything because that’s kind of it. And then, sort of, you have in that expanded family, you also have Holt’s wife, Amilia, and you have the grandmother, Papa Cal’s wife, and like that’s the tight-knit crew. And it has been that way for that family for three generations. And that’s kind of what you find out is that, this is what they do. And because of that, they have to keep it close to the vest and the families who they trust. Jeff: But even through that, you’ve got Helena pushing on Hawes to make the connection to find somebody. Which I love because even as all hell’s breaking loose, it’s like think about doing that because you could have what Holt has. Layla: Yeah. They both…you know, Holt’s happily married with a kid. And I think for both, for Hawes and Helena, you know, that’s the ideal. Their parents were happily married, right? Papa Cal and Rose were. So you can have happiness, right, in this. You just have to find the person who accepts it and where’s that line? And Dante is someone who could be that person, right? He comes in and he seems to know what they do. He seems to be okay with it. And it’s got a hint of insta-lust for sure. Like they’re immediately attracted to each other, but it’s not until later where Hawes kind of starts to think, “Huh, here’s this person who maybe gets it and is okay with it,” the way that Holt and Amelia ended up working out. And Amelia is part of the group, she actually has her own specialty with pressure points and being kind of a perfect Trojan horse for the group because she’s not as out there as the rest of the Madigans are with the business. So yeah. So, he starts to see that. And Helena is kind of also walking a thin line of, “I wanna be happy, but do we know who this dude is?” Right. “Hey, Buddy. Okay, go have fun. But be careful.” So, he’s trying to be the rational one in that scenario. Jeff: So, we know that this is a trilogy. How far does “Fog City” go overall? Do you have a grand plan? Layla: I do, I do. Hawes and Dante will have a trilogy. So they’re the main characters through books one to three. And then Helena will have a book and then there’s another fifth book, but I’m not gonna say who that is because that’ll spoil things. But everybody will get their HEAs by the end of it. I’m looking at five and then I’ve got some ideas for spin-offs and I may already have some cover photos bought for them. I would say I like building big verses, right? I mean, I grew up…I mean my intro to really reading a lot of romances, Kristen Ashley, and I love that big verse concept. And so I like building them too. Jeff: And if you, you know, put it back on TV, I mean, you look at things like the Arrowverse and all of its characters or all of the Chicago shows on NBC, you can have all of your one big, huge comboverse. Layla: Yeah. No, and that’s kind of like that. I grew up in all that too. I was a TV person first. I come from that world where it is all intertwined like that. I like doing that. I like cameos and seeing characters and it’s fun. And you know, Mel runs everything, just remember that. That’s all you need to know. Jeff: Even if the characters don’t know that, she’s really in charge. Layla: Everything. Yeah. Jeff: Now, we gotta give you a congrats too because in the midst of you getting this ready, it was announced you’re a finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, for the book, “Relay.” Layla: Yes. Yes. Jeff: Which is awesome. For those who don’t know, tell us what “Relay” is about. Layla: “Relay” is book one and the “Changing Lanes” duology, which is “Relay” and “Medley.” So, two books. The duology follows the four men who are on the U.S. men’s medley relay team, swim team. And so, the first book, “Relay,” which was nominated, is about Alex Cantu and Dane Ellis, who had a little summer love affair at a training camp 10 years ago and didn’t go well because Dane is the son of an evangelical minister and very closeted. And so he ends up on the same Olympic team with Alex, who is the team captain, who’s worked his tail off basically to get where he’s at and he is…you know, it’s enemies to lovers to start. Obviously, there’s a lot of friction there from what happened in the past. And then they end up on the relay team together, have to work together. And so then you’ve got a bit of a second chance love story. That’s what it rolls into. And so you see up through the first two legs of training camp and Olympic training in the first book. So you see the two domestic sites. And then in the second book, “Medley,” which follows the other two characters, Boss and Jacob, that’s a mentor-mentee. A little bit of an age gap, like 26 to 19, I think. And Jacob’s this lovely like pirate-quoting cinnamon roll. I love him. He’s so much fun. And two bi characters. Jeff: Pirate-quoting cinnamon roll? Layla: Yeah, he’s a cinnamon roll character, like, he’s a total dork. Jeff: I love that description of him. Layla: And so, then you see international training in the Olympics in that book. So they go hand in hand. And I’m really…you know, there are definite problems with the RITA awards has been brought up with getting better representation. I am happy this book got through. Alex is a character of color. And, you know, when I wrote this, I wanted to say, you know, “This is the U.S. Olympic team, a representation that I would like to see,” right, that’s diverse in sexuality and race and, you know, I’m glad that it did get to the finalists because that’s at least out there. Jeff: And again, congrats for that. That’s cool. I’ll have to go pick that up now because I have not picked up your sports books and I’m certainly like a sports romance lover anyway, so… Layla: One of my good friends was a competitive swimmer up through college and so I talked to him a lot and then one of my other friends swam up through high school and then a little bit in college too. So, it was something different, you know, and I think it was right about the Olympics time where we started talking about that idea and then it just rolled. Jeff: As I mentioned, there was some research involved there too, just to know what the training program was like and where it happened. Layla: And then some of it was my own, like, but too, they go to Vienna for training and I studied abroad there. And I’ve kinda always wanted to put it in a book. And so that was a lot of fun – everywhere there is somewhere that I went and even the fight that happens up in the wine country kind of happened to a friend. And so it was interesting like to see kind of, it was a different source of the fight, but you know, I was traipsing through this little village in the middle of the night going, “Where’d you go?” Jeff: That’s awesome. Drawing from real life events. You’ve got a bit of a con schedule going on this year. You’re headed to BLC so you’ll be at the first incarnation of Book Lovers Con in New Orleans, but you’re also making your very first trip to GayRomLit this year. Layla: I know, I can’t wait. It’s finally back out here, relatively close to us on the West Coast. I’m so looking forward to that. You know, I loved…I’ve been to an RW International and then I went to RT last year and I love the reader interaction like that. I like that part of it so much. And so that’s why I’m going back to Book Lovers Con to get more of that, but then I really want to go to GRL because those are particularly our readers, right, and my favorite authors, so I can’t, you know, wait to meet some folks. See folks that I met last year, meet others, and then like… two of my closest writing friends I’ve never met in person, they’re both going to be there. So I can’t wait for that. Jeff: So name drop a little bit. Who are these people you’re meeting in person for the first time? Layla: Well, what’s cool at Book Lovers Con is that I’ll get to meet Annabeth Albert, who’s been a sprint partner, publishes with the same…with Carina Press too. So that’ll be awesome. But then, yeah, at GRL, it’ll be Erin McLellan, who you actually reviewed “Clean Break,” and Allison Temple. So we’re looking forward to that. Jeff: Very cool. Now, of course, “Fog City” continues through this year. I know you’ve got at least one other book sneaking it’s way out there. What else is coming up this year? Layla: So there’ll be the three “Fog City” books and then “Dine With Me” comes out in September and it’s very different from everything else. So, well, I guess not, you know, if you read my books, and even in “Fog City,” there’s food, there’re restaurants because I am a complete and total foodie. And so “Dine With Me” is kind of my love letter to restaurants that I’ve loved, to food experiences that I’ve loved. And it follows Miller Sykes who is an award-winning chef who gets a diagnosis, a medical diagnosis, and basically if he gets treatment, he will lose his sense of taste. It’s a high likelihood that the treatment and surgery will compromise the sense of taste. And as a chef, dude, how? Like even as a foodie, you know, God, I can’t imagine and I can’t even…as a chef, wow. And so rather than get treatment, he decides to go on the last tour of his favorite meals. And it’s not just high end, you know, it’s dive bars and, you know, there are high-end restaurants also all across the spectrum for everything a different place offers. And that’s partially my experiences too, everywhere there is based on somewhere I’ve been. And then Clancy Rhodes who is the financial backer for this effort is kind of along for the ride. He’s a total foodie, experiencing it, and how he starts to piece together what’s going on and also starts to realize they have a lot in common. Despite, you know, a bit of an age gap and coming from different places in different worlds, they are both kinda facing these great expectations and how to handle that. And he has to convince him that, you know, life is more than just your taste buds, right, and that love’s worth it. And so it’s the book of my heart. It’s been in my head for years. I’ve sat on the first chapter since 2015, 2016 it was on the initial list of blurbs I gave my agent, and we finally found a place to make it happen. So I’m super excited about it. Jeff: That’s awesome because it’s always good to get the book of your heart out there. Layla: Yes. Yeah. Like I said, it’s different. You know, there is a ticking clock aspect to it given the diagnosis and what’s going on but, there’s not a car chase, which is unusual. But it’s a much more internal book and a lot of food gushing. So, you know, I generally say have snacks and tissues, just FYI. Jeff: That’s not really a bad thing for any book to have the snacks and the tissues nearby. Layla: You’ll really need it. So, I’m excited. That comes out September 16 and that’ll be from Carina, that one will. Jeff: Cool. And I have to ask before we wrap up, how was it to wrap up the Whiskeyverse for now – as “Trouble Brewing” wrapped up earlier this year? Layla: Yeah. I mean, good. Right. I like where everybody got to. I loved writing that last scene in “Trouble Brewing” and “Noble Hops.” You know, it was just kind of a nice – everybody’s where they should be. Right. I was glad to give everybody their happily ever after there. I did see some things, which are in the pipeline. And so, things may happen in the future depending on time and whatnot. But I’m excited for it and I’m glad Nick and Cam and Mel and Danny and Aiden and Jamie all got their happy. They definitely deserved it. Jeff: Yeah. Yes, they did. They worked for it. Layla: They worked for it. Jeff: Yeah. It was such a satisfying read. If anybody hasn’t picked those books up, they need to for sure. Layla: Thank you. Jeff: So what is the best way for folks to keep up with you online so they can keep track of all the “Fog City” releases and the upcoming “Dine With Me” and everything else? Layla: Yeah, so probably my Facebook group, Layla’s Lushes is where I’m at the most. And you can find a link to that on my Facebook page too, which is just Layla Reyne. So, that’s me on pretty much all the platforms on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I’m on Instagram a fair bit. There’s a lot of food and my pugs there, so just FYI. I would say the reader group and the newsletter too, which is on my website, there’s a banner, so it’s laylareyne.com and you can follow and find it there. Jeff: Yup. We will link to all that in the show notes along with all the books. The reader group is the place to be because it’s where you find out about like, oh, the first chapter of “Fog City” well before anybody else does. Layla: Yeah. I kind of like…I have a hard time sitting on stuff. I ran one of the big “X-Files” spoiler sites back in the day, so if that tells you anything, I’m a bit of a spoiler junkie and have a tendency to spoil things though, just FYI. Jeff: Yeah. Everybody should go join up with that if you’re into Layla’s books in any shape, form, or fashion. Layla: Yes. Jeff: All right. Well, Layla, it’s been so good talking to you. Thank you so much for the great read that is “Prince of Killers” and I look forward to keeping track of “Fog City” as the year progresses. Layla: Excellent. Thank you so much for having me again. It’s been fun. Book Reviews Here’s the text of this week’s book reviews: Anticipating Disaster by Silvia Violet. Reviewed by Will Nice-guy Oliver enjoys his quiet bookish life – so he’s less than thrilled to be attending a family reunion at a ski resort. He braves the frigid temperatures and disapproving attitudes of his extended family to please his grandmother, who he adores. Irresistibly sexy bisexual outdoorsman David is in town to help his friend mend a broken heart. While his bestie distracts himself with a pair of slope bunnies, David sets his sights on klutzy Oliver, offering to give him private ski lessons. Flirtation leads to friendship and to David accompanying Oliver to some of the planned reunion activities. When certain family members mock Oliver’s nerdish tendencies, David fiercely defends him. Can’t they see how smart and sweet and kind he is? To give Oliver a vacation from his relatives, David takes Oliver to Anticipation, the picture-perfect mountain town that he calls home. The more time that our heroes spend together, the more they think this might just be the real deal. The problem is that neither one of them does casual relationships. David has his life in Anticipation and Oliver has his life back in Florida with his grandmother. A long-distance arrangement doesn’t seem particularly practical and they sadly part ways. Oliver returns to his real life and, after some time apart from David, he realizes (with some help from grandma) that his quiet existence might be more about hiding from life than truly living it. He decides that David is well-worth the risk and heads back to Anticipation to start a new adventurous chapter in his life story. I really enjoyed Anticipating Disaster. The author takes some familiar character types and story tropes and crafts a really compelling story, while at the same time giving the romance her own twist. The set-up might be pure category romance, but let’s be real, this is a Silvia Violet book, so you know that the heat level is going to be cranked up to 11. Oliver has a penchant for lacy undergarments and, over the course of the story, David discovers he likes cute guys with a penchant for lacy undergarments – like, A LOT. Also, in the bedroom, David has a talent for turning some particularly filthy turns-of phrase. So the time our that heroes spend together do not disappoint – these aren’t the kinds of sex scenes you’ll skim over. This book is the first in a series with the quaint town of Anticipation serving as the backdrop for future installments. A few side characters are introduced in Anticipating Disaster and I look forward to the new romances that will unfold in upcoming books. Prince of Killers (Fog City #1) by Layla Reyne. Reviewed by Jeff. Anyone who’s been listening to the show over the past year knows that I’ve fallen hard for romantic suspense, and in particular the stories that Layla Reyne writes. As soon as I offered the chance to read an advanced copy of Prince of Killers I jumped on it and devoured it in just a few days. Not only is the suspense tight but the budding romance had great sizzle. I’ve never read romantic suspense where someone in law enforcement wasn’t at least one, if not both, of the central characters in the love story. In this book, our main character is on the flipside of the law as the leader of a family of assassins. This provided an interesting twist and I loved the ride. The titular prince of killers is Hawes Madigan who has recently come into leading his family’s business because his grandfather is on his deathbed. One evening, just before a job, Hawes gets information that someone inside the organization is looking to take him out and possibly targeting others inside his family. The bombshell is dropped by the mysterious Dante Perry. The news of betrayal from the inside throws Hawes for a loop. He figured some associates might take issue with the new rules he’s put into place, which include no indiscriminate killing, no collateral damage and no unvetted targets. He introduces these rules because of past incidents that haunt him. The introduction of the Madigan family and how they approach their line of work fascinated me as much as the suspense of the internal sabotage and the romance that blooms between Hawes and Dante. Hawes has a twin sister, Helena, and younger brother, Holt who has a wife and baby daughter. Holt’s the tech wizard for the organization and Helena has another career as an attorney helping those who are wrongfully accused. Hawes’s life revolves solely around the family businesses–both the legit refrigeration business and the not-so-legit assassin game. The interplay of the family members as they try to sort out the traitor in their midst while dealing with their dying grandfather is so sharply written. There’s barely time for them to process any one thing that happens and yet the do make time to support and care for one another. Helena even pushes Hawes toward Dante as a potential partner because she wants her brother to have someone. Hawes taking the leap to trust and fall for Dante is one of things I love most about the book as he finds the strength to overcome the fear of putting his family at risk. Even though Holt has made a family for himself and his parents and grandparents had a successful family life, Hawes feels that he needs to be cautious since he’s the family leader now. Dante also goes out of his way to get Hawes and the family to trust him with not only their brother’s heart but aspects of the business as well. Hawes using Dante as his rock as the plot against the family unfolds, exposed his vulnerabilities perfectly. Meanwhile, the bombs that dropped in the final quarter of this book were ones I hadn’t seen coming and got my heart thumping. This is book one of a trilogy and as was the case with Layla’s other books I can’t wait to see where she takes this story. Similar to the Irish and Whiskey and Trouble Brewing trilogies, the Hawes and Dante’s story doesn’t fully wrap up at the end of the book. Of particular note, Prince of Killers ends with a significant cliffhanger. I don’t mind cliffhangers but if you are averse to that kind of ending you might want to wait until book two’s out so you won’t be waiting long to see what happens next. For me Layla’s redefined what a family of assassins looks like with this book. Fog City kicks off with some mind-blowing twists and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Don’t let the smile fool you; Holly West has a dark side. Originally from a small town in Northern California, Holly moved to the big city to attend Loyola Marymount University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting. After shoving a few unproduced scripts in the proverbial desk drawer, she succumbed to her baser instincts and turned to writing crime fiction. She’s the author of the Mistress of Fortune series, set in late 17th century London and featuring amateur sleuth Isabel Wilde, a mistress to King Charles II who secretly makes her living as a fortuneteller. The first in the series, Mistress of Fortune, was published by Harlequin’s Carina Press in February 2014 and was nominated for the Left Coast Crime Rosebud Award for Best First Novel in 2015. Holly’s short stories appear online and in numerous anthologies, including The Big Book of Jack the Ripper, Unloaded, and Killing Malmon. Her short fiction has twice been honored with Anthony Award nominations and her latest published story, “The Best Laid Plans,” appears in Florida Happens, the 2018 Bouchercon anthology (September 2018). Holly’s also the editor of the forthcoming Murder-A-Go-Go’s, a crime fiction anthology inspired by the music of The Go-Go’s. Net proceeds from the collection will benefit Planned Parenthood of America. Murder-A-Go-Go’s will be published by Down and Out Books in March 2019. Holly lives in Northern California with her husband, Mick, and dogs, Stella and Brando. She’s a member of the Mystery Writers of America, for which she edits the Southern California chapter’s newsletter. She’s also a member of Sisters in Crime and the International Thriller Writers. Holly’s also on the Local Organizing Committee of Bouchercon 2020 Sacramento, where she serves as webmaster.

EPISODE 137I Today’s guest is Cassidy Carter, whose new book, Love on Location, just came out with Hallmark Publishing. Hallmark is all about sweet romance, usually with some humor on the side, and Cassidy definitely delivers. Cassidy tells us about her writing journey, starting at Carina Press, taking a break with her children, then coming…

Jess and Trisha discuss the Ripped Bodice’s annual report on the state of racial diversity in romance, talk through some of the romance sales issues brought to light by a high-profile plagiarism event, and recommend books that sit all along the emotional spectrum. This episode is sponsored by Libro fm audiobooks and Down and Dirtyby Rhenna Morgan, published by Carina Press. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS: Patricia covered the Ripped Bodice report for Book Riot, and the 2016 and 2017 reports can be found at the RB site as well. Nora Roberts has some feelings, and she is making them known in 2019. Here’s the Venn diagram we mentioned that Bree posted (and you should read the whole thread). Kilby Blades reflected on the ghostwriter issue on her blog. BOOKS: Perv by Dakota Gray Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan Hired by Zoey Castile Ripped Pages by M. Hollis American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang Let us know if you have thoughts on Thirsty and what books you’ve loved for the Read Harder challenge. Find us on email (trisha@riotnewmedia.comand jessica@riotnewmedia.com), Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown).

Show Notes- Our special guest this week is romance author Adriana Herrera. American Dreamer, her debut novel with Carina Press, comes out in March of 2019. -Jen interviewed Adriana about domestic violence in romance for the Smart Bitches.- Jen and Sarah both loved The Opposite of You, a food truck romance by Rachel Higginson, and Sil at Book Riot made a list of food truck romances.- Kresley's historical trilogy is called The MacCarrick Brothers, and you can get all 3 bundled together, of course. - There's nothing more amazing than warring think-pieces. So here's Huffington Post and Slateteaching us about fuckboy, and Jezebel telling us how they're doing it wrong.- The five witches' castes are warrior, healer, enchantress, conjurer, and sorceress. Jen's going to make a Buzzfeed Quiz that tells you which witch strength you'd have. (This is a lie. Jen does not know how to make Buzzfeed quizzes. But it's a good idea, right?) -Speaking of vibrators, the best Romancelandia blog is the Bawdy Bookworms, which features review of both books and sex toys!- Here's a serious video explainer of the Hero's Journey, and also a slightly more silly one.- This blog is dedicated to looking at feminism and Snow White in American culture.- Deconstruct Disney for yourself or for your kids.- There's an IAD wiki, and it's pretty useful for when you're listing Hekate, Haxa, and can't remember the third one is Hela.- As symbols, apples do a lot of heavy lifting.- Mirrors and feminism have a long complicted history. And since we're talking action movies, check out this think piece by Carolyn Petit about feminism, movie criticism, and John Wick's house of mirrors. And then I found this article about Sylvia Plath's senior thesis at Smith and it's very far afield from the current topic, but this is a super interesting read.- Jack Ryan on Amazon.- There isn't a video for Cardi B's Money yet, but here are the lyrics.- How young women have internatlized the Girl Power vs. Feminism dichotomy. - There's a famous image that illustrates the difference between equality and equity. It's most often used in the context of race, but can be used as a way to envision any kind of oppression.- Romance has been thinking about consent for a long time. Jen wrote a review of a graphic novel for teenagers called What Does Consent Really Mean?- Our next Dark Needs at Night's Edge is next.Lost Limb Count(Leg - 2, Arm - 1, Eye - 1)- Lachlain tears off his own leg to reach Emma. He regenerates. (A Hunger Like No Other)- Sebastian pulverizes most of his right arm during the Hie. He regenerates. (No Rest For the Wicked)- Bowen loses an eye and most of his forehead during the Hie. Mariketa has cursed him and he can't heal until he returns to her. (Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night)- Mariketa's skull is fractured and her leg is torn from her body. She heals herself after Bowen lays on the ground. Ivy grows over her and heals her. (Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night)

I chat with fellow genre writers Maurice Broaddus, Sandy James, and Tony Perona during the Genre Writing Panel at the Indy Author Fair held Saturday, October 14, 2017 at Central Library in Indianapolis. Maurice Broaddus is the author of the Knights of Breton Court trilogy, and the upcoming middle grade novel, The Usual Suspects. He has published dozens of short stories, essays, novellas and articles. He founded the Phoenix Arts Initiative, which encourages use of the arts for at-risk youth to express themselves. He teaches at the Indiana Writers Center. Sandy James has published numerous romance novels with Forever Yours and Carina Press, and is the recipient of two HOLT Medallions for excellence in that genre. Her indie-published romance novels have been Amazon #1 Bestsellers. She lives in suburban Indianapolis. Tony Perona is the author of the Nick Bertetto mystery series (SECOND ADVENT, ANGELS WHISPER, and SAINTLY REMAINS), the standalone thriller THE FINAL MAYAN PROPHECY, and co-editor and contributor to the anthologies RACING CAN BE MURDER and HOOSIER HOOPS & HIJINKS. Tony is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served the organization as a member of the Board of Directors and as Treasurer. He is also a member of Sisters-in-Crime.

Editor extraordinaire Mackenzie Walton and Jess Michaels discuss the importance of libraries, how children's stories steer us toward romance and how she saved my career.

Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 (Cleis Press) Join us for a night of readings from the Best Women's Erotica of  the Year series, featuring contributors from volumes 1 & 2.  "America's favorite erotica writer takes the helm of the top-selling erotica series!"  Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 gives us fierce female passion, timeless love, and lustful encounters that are guaranteed to fill you with utter delight. Editing by the award winning Rachel Kramer Bussel, these sexy stories about women on the prowl span the globe, traveling from Peru to the Bahamas and beyond in pursuit of pleasure. Learn why "Teacher Appreciation" is so special, what sex is like "At the End of the World," and explore some very explosive "Volcano Nights." These unforgettable erotic tales by the top authors in the genre as well as newcomers will arouse and thrill readers looking for a hot time between the pages." Jocelyn Bringas is the author of Heartthrob Fantasy and Heartthrob Daddy. Her stories have been in various erotica anthologies such as Zane’s Caramel Flava and Rachel Kramer Bussel’s Yes Sir: Erotic Stories of Female Submission. Rachel Kramer Bussel is the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series editor. Her 60+ anthologies include The Big Book of Orgasms, Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica, Fast Girls and Cheeky Spanking Stories. She writes widely about sex, dating, books, and pop culture and teaches erotica writing workshops in person as well as online at LitReactor.com. Follow her @raquelita on Twitter and find out more about her classes and consulting at eroticawriting101.com. Melina Greenport lives in Los Angeles where, after a twenty-year career in television and film, she has shifted her focus to writing. While working on a collection of linked fiction, she has taken up erotica and is having a blast. "The House On Orchard" is her first published story.  Jade A. Waters’ debut novel, The Assignment, will be published by Carina Press in December 2016 as the first of the Lessons in Control series. Her erotic fiction and poetry has been featured in over a dozen anthologies from Cleis Press, Coming Together, Fuse Literary, and Stupid Fish Productions, including Best Women's Erotica of the Year (Vol. 1), Best Erotic Romance of the Year, and Best Women's Erotica 2014. Her stories have also been narrated on The Kiss Me Quick’s Erotica Podcast. Jade lives in the Bay Area of Northern California, and is currently finishing up the final book in her series. Find her on Twitter @jadeawaters or at her website, jadeawaters.com.

Amanda and Jenn discuss place-based narratives, women breaking barriers, and books set in Vancouver in this week's episode of Get Booked. This episode is sponsored by Carina Press, publisher of Rough and Tumble by Rhenna Morgan.

Marie Force, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than 40 contemporary romance novels was recently in Toronto and spent an evening with Kobo, Harlequin and an intimate group of lucky fans to celebrate Marie. Mark Lefebvre, Director of Kobo Writing Life, interviewed Marie in front of the group. In the conversation, Mark and Marie discuss: How Gansett Island, a fictional island is based on Marie's favourite real island, Block Island, is a spot that Marie goes to regularly The next Gansett Island book (Celebration After Dark - coming December 1st) which will feature Big Mack and Linda The READER WEEKEND summer retreat that Marie runs for her fans, (limited to 300 people) which is co-ordinated and plann by Julie, Marie's Executive Assistant How Marie has been with a Harlequin imprint (Carina Press) since 2010 when Fatal Affair was launched and the recent deal for books 10 through 13 which is, so far, the biggest deal of her career A reveal that Sam is not going to get pregnant any time soon in the Fatal series (because of how significantly that might change everything in the series) How new ideas are constantly flowing through Marie's mind and the amount of time she ends up spending thinking about fictional people in her life The six people that Marie employs full time The fact that Gansett Island is Marie's favourite series and how Sam from the Fatal series is her favourite character to write. The manner by which Marie embraces both traditional publishing and self-publishing and how she enjoys the collaboration of working with publishers How self-publishing allows her to do things such as bring out three books in three weeks (something that is a rare feat when it comes to traditional publishing) The reality of the punishing writing schedule (writing 8 or 9 books in a year) that Marie keeps in order to meet the demands of the publishing that she does How the first books from the Fatal series sat on the shelf for a full year before Carina Press came along, wanting to do something different about the way that romance was presented to readers   Marie also answers questions from her fans about: If Skip might ever recover from his paralysis Whether or not she will write until Scotty becomes an adult Her most memorable fan interaction Whether or not fans will see more of Shelby and Avery The hardest part of writing romance The best ways to keep informed about Marie's new works and the new Marie Force app that is available to keep fans informed and connected Whether or not she plots out books ahead of time Where she writes most often and whether or not she writes longhand or via a computer If Doctor Harry Flynn might ever have a love interest Her influences for writing   After the interview, Mark goes over a few tips for those about to embark upon NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), conjuring up a few tips derived from articles on the Kobo Writing Life blog by Kevin J. Anderson and Chris Mandeville.  

Romance novelist Bernadette Walsh interviews Adrienne Giordano, writer of romantic suspense and mystery. Along with her Private Protector series published by Carina Press, Adrienne is also co-founder of the popular Romance University blog.

Interview: This week, Angela James, Executive Editor of Carina Press, joins us to talk about the digital book marketplace, and some of the changing trends in reading habits, reading formats, and options for a wider range of authors, and more.   [Read more...] Source