romance writing

We're talking happily-ever-after with Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton romance novels.

With its multiracial (and hot) casting and steamy sex scenes, Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series found new and enthusiastic audiences via Shondalands's hit screen adaptations for Netflix. BW and romance correspondent Rudi Bremer talk to Julia about collaborating with Shonda Rhimes on the new Queen Charlotte series and novels, and what she's learned about writing non white and queer characters.

And BL and BW hear from the director and cast of Rye Lane, a British romcom that sends its leads on a colour-saturated caper through the landmarks of South London.

On this episode of Steam Scenes, Emma Barry is on the steam seat! Emma is a teacher, novelist, recovering academic, and former political staffer. She lives with her high school sweetheart and a menagerie of pets and children in Virginia, and she occasionally finds time to read and write.

Emma and I talk about how English studies weaponizes taste, how any writing you do is intrinsically valuable, and that literary fiction and romance are not as far apart as readers (ahem some readers) think. Then we get real about how sometimes we have a hard slog through the rough patches of being a writer and Emma shares how she managed to overcome it. And I read a steamy excerpt from her book Chick Magnet. Buckle in, my friends, we’re in for a steamy ride!

Grab your copy of Chick Magnet.

Follow Emma on the internet: 

AuthorEmmaBarry.com 

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Spotify

Noué Kirwan joins me for this episode and our conversation is everything! We’re dissecting the chili peppers, digging into her introduction to the romance genre, and talking about the importance of being a black woman writer. Get your ears ready, this one is fire! 

Hey there my steamy friends. After an unexpected hiatus, Steam Scenes is coming back with new episodes!

Lee Blair is on the Steam Seat this week and this is an awesome conversation. We drill down into what makes a book low angst, why she prefers writing low angst to high, and what drew her to writing in the M/M genre. Plus I read a naughty bit from her book Eternal Hoptimist (I am HERE for the punny titles!) and we talk about her excellent podcast Low Angst Library. 

Visit Lee online: 

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

Facebook group

LowAngstLibrary.com

Maggie Sims went from romance addict to romance author when she was laid off from her tech job. She scratched her author itch by penning a contemporary romance. But when the pay phones in the novel dated it real quick, she decided to go all in on Regency romance. We dig into how language does a lot of work for us, erotic romance vs. erotica, and whether she will ever pull away from the kink. Plus I read a steamy bit from her book Sophia’s Schooling, the first book in her School of Enlightenment Series. (BTW, Regency fans, book 3 in the series, Althea's Awakening, just released in April!)

Connect with Maggie:

MaggieSims.com 

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter 

Facebook

BookBub

Slow-burn romance author Sandra Young joins me on the latest episode of Steam Scenes! Find out how vintage fashion inspires her writing, learn about her wild background as an actor and rock and roll frontwoman, and how her different creative lives fuel each other, and why she opted to lower the heat level of her book. Plus we dissect women’s fiction and romance fiction, and I read an intimate scene from her debut romance novel Diving Vintage.

Connect with Sandra online:
SandraYoungAuthor.com
Goodreads
Instagram
BookBub

It's time for a new episode of Steam Scenes and Kelly Ohlert is this week’s guest! We talk about her debut rom com To Get to the Other Side and, of course, writing the naughty bits. It’s a great conversation filled with lots of talk about sexual freedom and independence so you know I was there for it!

Connect with Kelly online:

TikTok

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Meredith Schorr is on the steam seat this week and all cheer for the single pov writers! We talk about writing Big City settings, getting inspo from our fave TV series, and how to write naughty bits using less naughty words. And I read a steamy excerpt from her debut novel As Seen on TV.

Grab a copy of As Seen on TV.

Connect with Meredith online:
MeredithShore.com
Twitter
Instagram

Erin La Rosa is on the Steam Seat and this is a fun one! This episode is all about one number and it starts with a 6, and ends with a 9. And yes, feel free to giggle! Erin and I talked about why she left what she thought would be a dream job in publishing, how her work in the pop culture trenches inform her writing, and I read a naughty bit from her punny rom-com For Butter or Worse. Plug in your earbuds – fun episode ahead!

Interested in pre-ordering an anthology that features my short story The Devil’s Tattoo? Grab your copy of Reckless Deck’s anthology Tabula Rasa.

Connect with Erin online:
ErinLaRosaCreative.com

Twitter 

Instagram 

TikTok 

Finally, love this podcast? Don’t forget to rate and review on your fave podcast app! 

This episode is with my favorite author Beverly Jenkins. We discuss her career, writing, and the need for diversity in romance.

About Beverly Jenkins

Beverly Jenkins is the recipient of the 2017 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the 2016 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for historical romance.

She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured both in the documentary “Love Between the Covers” and on CBS Sunday Morning.

Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for multicultural romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR.

To learn more at www.beverlyjenkins.net.

About Romance by the Book

Romanced by the Book is a podcast for writers of happily ever afters and dream-worthy book boyfriends that put readers into a romance-induced hangover with host Dana Pittman, a USA Today Bestselling Author, developmental editor, and avid romance reader.

For more information and to leave questions, visit www.danjatales.com.

AC James is on the Steam Seat this week and we need to start this with a content warning. We have that conversation about the Amber Heard/Johnny Depp trial and the troubling things we noticed around romancelandia and society doubts accusers and protects abusers. We also talk about representation and conversations around women’s bodies and women’s pleasure and the shame that swirls around that. We lighten things up by chatting about very close encounters (wink wink) with aliens. And I read a steamy bit from her book Nin: Earth Girls Aren't Easy, the first book in her  Intergalactic Dating Agency series. If you are up for the conversation, spending time with AC is well worth it. 

Grab a copy of Nin and Not Well Behaved Women, her multi-author group project for charity.

Connect with AC online:
ACJames.com
TikTok
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
BookBub
Goodreads

If you enjoy Steam Scenes, don't forget to rate and review on your favorite podcast app!

Ashlyn Drewek writes dark, gritty MM romance but after her characters slay their demons (personal or otherwise)  they always have a happily ever after. Ashlyn joins me on this episode to talk about writing in the dark space – including writing dubcon and noncon — while retaining your own mental health, why she prefers to read and write MM stories, and how she always stays authentic to her characters.

Grab a copy of Malum Discordiae

Connect with Ashlyn online:

AshlynDrewek.com

Jess Everlee had rejection after rejection before she submitted for A Gentleman’s Book of Vices and got her first book deal. It’s a story of perseverance, not paying attention to market forces, and researching those naughty Victorians. Plus Hustler Hollywood makes an appearance! Plug in those headphones and get ready for the steam!

Grab a copy of A Gentleman's Book of Vices.

Connect with Jess online: 

JessEverlee.com www.jesseverlee.com 

Facebook
Instagram

Newsletter signup

New year, new episode! This week, I chat with book blogger Laura Nelson, also known as Tangents and Tissues. Laura and I dig into how she ended up as a book blogger and bookstagrammer, her fave tropes and heat levels, and how reading is a form of therapy for her.  I loved recording this episode. Laura has been a massive supporter of my writing, and I wanted to point a spotlight on the incredible work she does for the author community. Laura, you are a star! xo

Connect with Laura online:

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

BookBub

Goodreads

Happy New Year and good riddance 2022! This is a special Steam Scenes solocast where I get very, very real about 2022, share my word for 2023, and read a naughty bit from Free Falling, the fifth book in my LA Rock Star Romance series.

I wasn’t planning on being so honest for this New Year episode, but I spent much of the holiday week in contemplation (also called, running through my financials in preparation for tax season).  And I realized that we never talk about the hard shit. I probably look like I’m out there killing it to so many people, but the reality is pretty different. And I wanted to talk about that because you know what? It’s okay if your year wasn’t what you wanted it to be. Mine definitely wasn’t. 

You can grab Free Falling over at Amazon (it’s in KU!). And if you would rate and review Steam Scenes on your favorite podcast app, I’d love you forever. It helps with this podcast’s visibility (and also gives my ego a little boost). 

Cheers to an epic 2023. I think we all deserve it! 

Tarin Lex writes short-form steamy romance – think under 10,000 words. How do you get a full story told in such a compressed story? Tarin explains her process. Plus we talk about what makes forbidden romance so sexy and how she feels like as a writer she has permission to go really over the top because she’s writing shorter works  Plus, I read a steamy bit from her book Wanted by the Hitman (which she wrote as an experiment to get into darker, edgier work).

Connect with Tarin online:
TarinLex.com 

Facebook

Instagram

BookBub

Goodreads

This episode is brought to you by my own shorty, Vegas Wonderland. This insta-love holiday novella is a prequel to the LA Rock Star Romance series and features fan favorite Vivienne and it’s the start of her love story with Jack Casey. Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. Happy hols! 

The Queen of Christmas Romance Samantha Chase joins this very special holiday episode! This one is filled with a ton of laughs and we go there! How we both feel about aging in the TikTok era, writing naughty but not too naughty, Hallmark holiday movies, and tons more. Plus I read a steamy moment from her book His for the Holidays. Crack open the egg nog; it’s a very special episode! 

Grab a copy of His for the Holidays on Amazon. 

Hang out with Samantha online:

Chasing-Romance.com 

Facebook

 Instagram

Twitter

Reader Group 

Mailing list (featuring exclusive content and chances to win members-only prizes!)

And don’t forget! You have one more day to join Mark Dawson’s Self Publishing Launchpad. The doors close tomorrow -- December 1. If you are a brand new author who wants to supercharge your career or an intermediate author who would like a little more guidance on growth, the Launchpad is the perfect place to gain knowledge and grow your author business. Details here! And, since I am an affiliate, using that link to purchase helps support this podcast!

An unexpected conversation with author Carol Shaughnessy at DragonCon propelled Harper Michaels into finishing “ the damn thing.” She ended up releasing eight books (eight!) in a year! In this Steam Scenes episode, Harper and I talk about outing ourselves to our friends and family about our steamy romance writing, how we are still terrified when we release a book, and how to redeem irredeemable characters. Plus I read a steam bit from her novel Chasing You (check it out on Amazon).

Hang with Harper online:
AuthorHarperMichaels.com

Instagram
Facebook
TikTok

This episode is brought to you by Mark Dawson’s Self Publishing Launchpad. The doors are now open but only until December 1. Are you a brand new author who wants to supercharge your career? Or are you an intermediate who would like a little more guidance on growth? The Launchpad is the perfect place to gain knowledge and grow your author business. Details here! And when you buy through my link, you help support this podcast! 

You are in for a treat this episode! I hosted Steam Scenes for the first time ever live at the Fall In Love New England conference and Lisa Olech was my guest. We’re talking pirate sex and sexy pirates, erotica vs. steamy romance, and the differences in writing the naughty bits in historical vs. contemporary romance. And this was all LIVE in front of an actual audience! Plus I read a steamy scene from her book The Pirate Wore White. Don’t miss this extra fun episode!

Grab a copy of The Pirate Wore White.

Connect with Lisa online:
LisaOlech.com