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What happens when influencer culture, megachurch ambition, and algorithm-driven community collide?

This week, I’m joined by longtime friend and fellow early-podcaster Alli Hoff Kosik to talk about her debut novel, Too Blessed to Stress — a sharp, nuanced story about faith, friendship, ambition, and the very online world we’re all living in.

We talk about how her MFA journey led her here, why religion in fiction felt like a “risky” topic just a few years ago, and how influencer culture (hello Mormon wives and MomTok 👀) makes this story more relevant than ever. If you love messy friend groups, big institutions, powerful men, and complicated women trying to build something meaningful — this one is for you.

[00:00] Early podcast days & friendship origin story

[02:00] Alli’s MFA journey and first abandoned manuscript

[05:00] The Christian influencer rabbit hole

[07:30] Influencer monetization & megachurch power

[10:00] Religion, algorithms & modern politics

[14:00] Community after the pandemic

[21:30] Behind the Scenes podcast (BTS-TBTS)

[24:00] Book recommendations: cults, ambition & satire

[37:00] Where to find Alli & audiobook details

Too Blessed to Stress by Alli Hoff Kosik — Book Club Fiction | Influencer Culture | Literary Fiction

Little One by Olivia Muenter — Cult Fiction | Dual Timeline | Psychological Drama

Paper Cut by Rachel Taff — Literary Fiction | Power & Family Dynamics

Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour — Satire | Reality TV Culture | Pandemic Fiction

Glossy by Marisa Meltzer — Nonfiction | Business Biography | Millennial CEO

Workhorse by Caroline Palmer — Literary Fiction | Publishing Industry | Ambitious Female Lead

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Queer joy, Hollywood theater, and why romance doesn’t have to earn its happy ending.

In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest Amy Spalding to talk about In Her Spotlight, her latest sapphic romance set at the intersection of celebrity culture, live theater, and second-chance love. We dig into why queer joy matters, how power dynamics shift when fame enters the room, and why it finally feels possible to tell coming-out stories without centering tragedy.

We also chat about reading across genres, unexpected nonfiction rabbit holes, and Amy’s favorite sapphic and bisexual romances to add to your TBR—especially if you love stories about ambition, community, and women figuring it out together.

In Her Spotlight by Amy Spalding — Sapphic Romance | Celebrity Romance | Second Chance | Theater Setting

Rooting Interest by Cat Dibasato — Sapphic Romance | Sports Romance | Career-Driven Characters

Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory — Sapphic Romance | Contemporary Romance | Wine Country Setting

Writers & Lovers by Lily King— Literary Fiction | Women’s Fiction | Writing & Ambition

Alice Rue Evades the Truth by Emily Zips — Bisexual Romance | Contemporary Romance | While You Were Sleeping Retelling

[00:00] Welcome back + first impressions of In Her Spotlight

[01:00] Writing queer joy during bleak times

[02:00] Why sapphic romance has changed so much

[04:00] Coming-out stories with nuance and community

[05:00] In Her Spotlight elevator pitch

[06:00] Power, consent, and the #MeToo context

[08:00] Celebrity culture vs. theater life

[11:00] Companion standalones & the Out in Hollywood series

[12:00] Reading across genres as a writer

[13:00] Nonfiction deep dives & pop culture obsessions

[15:00] Sapphic and bisexual romance recommendations

[19:00] Where to find Amy online

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Quick Note Before You Press Play:

The audio quality on this episode isn’t my usual standard (thank you for your grace 😅). If you want the best experience, I highly recommend watching the video version — it includes captions and the sound is much clearer. You can find it on Spotify and YouTube.

Thank you for being here and for always supporting the show. 💛

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What happens when a virgin sex toy engineer asks her coworker for sex lessons… and ends up getting way more than she bargained for?

This week, I’m chatting with author Alys Murray about her steamy new romance A Little Buzzed, why sex scenes need emotional arcs, and how the sex toy industry has completely transformed over the last decade. We talk mutual pleasure, power dynamics, writing for Hallmark vs. high-heat romance, and why “horny jail” only lasts so long.

If you love workplace romance, sex-positive stories, mafia rom-coms, and books that balance spice with heart — this episode is for you.

A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray — Contemporary Romance | Workplace | Sex Lessons Trope | High Heat

The Seduction of Mr. Alfred Saintsbury by Lydia Lloyd — Regency Historical Romance | Power Dynamics | High Spice

Dom Com by Adriana Anders — Workplace Romance | High Heat | Sex-Positive Romance

The ReDo List by Denise Williams — Contemporary Romance | Second Chance at Life | Emotional Growth

Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards — Mafia Rom-Com | Female Mob Boss | Cinnamon Roll Hero

[00:00] Welcome + why Alys and I have similar book taste

[02:00] The premise of A Little Buzzed

[03:30] Mutual “sex lessons” + flipping the virgin trope

[04:30] How the sex toy industry has evolved

[07:00] Virginity, pleasure, and agency in 2026

[08:00] Why sex scenes need emotional arcs (Heated Rivalry reference 👀)

[10:00] Screenwriting for Hallmark vs. writing spicy romance

[14:00] Lydia Lloyd’s filthy Regency recommendation

[16:00] Workplace spice: Dom Com

[17:00] The Redo List by Denise Williams

[17:30] Mafia rom-com obsession: Love Most Fatal

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What happens when you drop a retired serial killer into a luxury retirement home full of former investigators? You get chaos, secrets… and one very suspicious death.

In this episode, I chat with British comedian-turned-mystery author Fergus Craig about his latest cozy crime novel, I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home. We talk about writing a likable serial killer, the art of “cracked cozy” mysteries, and how parody crime novels unexpectedly launched his fiction career. If you love cozy mysteries with a dark twist — and characters who blur the line between wrong and relatable — this one’s for you.

We also dive into his favorite reads (including a book he calls the best he’s ever read), and why sometimes escape fiction is exactly what readers need right now.

I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Mystery | Dark Comedy | Serial Killer Protagonist

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction | Family Drama

East of Eden by John Steinbeck — Buy on Amazon | Classic Literary Fiction

[00:00] Introduction to Fergus Craig

[01:00] The premise behind I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home

[02:00] What is a “cracked cozy” mystery?

[03:00] Writing a likable serial killer

[05:00] Balancing flashbacks and present-day mystery

[06:00] From comedian and actor to novelist

[07:00] Parody crime novels and landing a book deal

[08:00] Why readers want escape fiction right now

[09:00] Fergus’s reading life and audiobook habits

[10:00] The Bee Sting by Paul Murray recommendation

[12:00] Literary fiction and reading widely

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What happens when a swoony rom-com set in Venezuela meets fake dating, music, and telenovela-level drama? I’m joined by debut author Maria José Morillo to talk about romance, bilingual reading, and writing against the odds.

In this episode, I’m chatting with Maria José Morillo, a Venezuelan author making her Big Five debut with The Ex-Perimento. We talk about growing up bilingual, discovering romance through Harry Potter and Twilight, and what it means to write English-language romance from Venezuela.

We also dive into celebrity rom-com tropes, Latin American pop culture (yes, Miss Universe matters), and how Maria José went from fanfiction to landing a traditional publishing deal. If you love high-concept rom-coms, global romance, or behind-the-scenes publishing journeys, this episode is for you.

The Ex-Perimento by Maria José Morillo — Contemporary Romance | Celebrity Romance

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle — Rom-Com | Enemies-to-Lovers

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry — Friends-to-Lovers | Travel Romance

Happy Place by Emily Henry — Second-Chance Romance | Emotional Romance

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero-Lacruz — Fantasy | Venezuelan Folklore

Bochica by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro — Gothic Horror | Latin American Folklore

[00:00] Welcome & why Venezuela pop culture feels familiar

[02:00] Becoming a reader through Harry Potter

[05:00] Switching from Spanish to English reading

[07:00] E-reading vs physical books outside the U.S.

[09:00] From fanfiction to writing original romance

[12:00] Why writing in English opened publishing doors

[15:00] The book that didn’t sell — and why that matters

[17:00] The origin story of The Ex-Perimento

[20:00] Miss Universe, telenovelas & Latin American fame

[24:00] Romance recommendations & reading for joy

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What happens when a pandemic side project turns into a full-time creative career?

In this episode, I’m joined by fantasy romance author Kate Golden to talk about writing through uncertainty, leaving a stable career, and why urban fantasy is having a moment.

We get into Kate’s journey from working as a studio executive in Hollywood to indie publishing A Dawn of Onyx, landing a traditional book deal with Berkley, and finally quitting her day job to write full-time. We also dive deep into Half City, her dark academia–meets–urban fantasy trilogy set in a reimagined New York City — complete with demon hunters, secret colleges, forbidden romance, and Buffy-level vibes.

This conversation is for readers who love grounded fantasy, creative career pivots, and honest talk about monetizing passion projects without losing your mind.

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Making adult friends is hard — but it doesn’t have to be lonely.

In this Galentine’s Day special, I’m joined by my friend Jules from Friday Night Readers to talk about how we met as adults, how to build meaningful female friendships, and the six books that celebrate the complicated, beautiful, soul-shaping power of friendship.

We share how sliding into DMs, podcast interviews, book communities, and even fitness classes can turn into real-life connection. If you’re craving community, feeling isolated, or just want book recommendations centered on female friendships (from literary fiction to cozy mysteries), this episode is for you.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction |Audio ✅

Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett — Buy on Amazon | Memoir | Audio ✅

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay — Buy on Amazon | Historical Fiction | Audio ✅

Too Blessed to Stress by Alli Hoff Kosik — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Fiction | Audio ✅

Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet by Emma Mills — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Mystery | Audio ✅

Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Mystery | Audio Audible Exclusive

[00:00] Why Galentine’s Day matters

[02:00] How Laura and Jules became friends as adults

[06:00] Loneliness vs. being alone

[08:30] My Brilliant Friend & complex literary friendships

[15:30] Truth and Beauty & unconditional friendship

[19:00] Millennial mystery nostalgia (2008 tabloid era!)

[23:00] Love & Saffron & long-distance friendships

[26:00] Golden Girls cozy mystery vibes

[30:00] Real-life ideas to build adult friendships

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What happens when love, music, and unfinished business collide—20 years later?

In this episode, I’m joined by novelist Lisa Peers to talk about Motor City Love Song, a sapphic second-chance romance set against Detroit’s indie music scene—then and now.

We dive into the late ’90s Detroit garage-rock era, the rise and fall of live music venues, and what it means to revisit the love and choices that shape who we become. If you love music-driven novels, queer romance with emotional depth, and stories about creative communities surviving change, this one’s for you.

Motor City Love Song by Lisa Peers — Queer Romance | Music Fiction

Life by Keith Richards — Memoir | Music History

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby — Literary Fiction | Music Obsession

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan — Literary Fiction | Music Industry

Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon — Memoir | Rock Music

[00:00] Meet Lisa Peers & the inspiration behind Motor City Love Song

[02:00] Detroit’s ’90s indie music scene explained

[06:30] Music, community, and surviving industry shifts

[09:00] Second-chance love & dual timelines

[14:00] Writing younger vs. older characters

[16:00] Music memoirs Lisa loves

[22:00] Final book recommendations for music lovers

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