We Read Smut: Bookish Conversations for Romance Readers

Епизоде

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  Jessica P. Pryde on Running a Pop-Up Bookshop, Intentional Reading, and Systemically Excluded Romance 18.09.2026 46мин

  Connecting with long-time romance readers brings such a deep understanding of genre conventions to the podcast. This week, I am sitting down with Jessica P. Pryde to discuss her transition from public librarian and Book Riot editor to founder of the Why Choose Pop-Up Romance Bookstore. We talk about the importance of curating shelves filled with systemically excluded voices, how to combat the algorithm by reading intentionally, and why romance tropes are conventions rather than copies of othe...
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  Monique Fisher on Black Rom-Coms, Theater Directing, and Subverting Tropes 11.09.2026 42мин

  What does it take to direct a play, write television sitcom specs, and transition into creating vibrant Black rom-com universes? Today, I am sitting down with Los Angeles-based romance author Monique Fisher to discuss her artistic journey, her theater and playwriting roots, and why she is never precious about scrapping full manuscripts when the story isn’t hitting the mark. We get into the craft lessons of sitcom writing, why the most memorable meet-cutes embrace the cringe, and how she delib...
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  Frederick Smith on Black Queer M/M Romance, Higher Ed, and Authentic Representation 04.09.2026 46мин

  Today on the podcast, we have a very special treat: our first man on the show, and someone who writes deeply authentic, Black queer M/M romance! I am sitting down with author and higher education administrator Frederick Smith to discuss his seven-novel journey, writing queer love stories set across California, and navigating a full-time university career alongside a prolific writing schedule. We dive into the importance of own voices in the M/M romance space, paying homage to trailblazers lik...
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  Curvy Girls Read Romance on The Best He Falls First, Down-Bad Heroes, and Plus-Size Rep 28.08.2026 51мин

  There is something so delicious about the "he falls first" romance trope. This week, I am sitting down with my friend Aimee from Curvy Girls Read Romance for a trope deep dive into down-bad heroes, pining, and why this trope shines so brightly in plus-size romance. We discuss body neutrality vs. body positivity in bookish spaces, moving past 2000s media toxicity, and why we will never get tired of heroes who fall fast and hard for their women. Plus, we share a massive stack of recommendations...
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  Laura Chinn on Screenwriting vs. Novel Writing, Reproductive Timelines, and Adult Sisterhood 21.08.2026 38мин

  What happens when a Hollywood screenwriter and director steps out of the writer's room to write her very first fiction novel? Today, I am sitting down with screenwriter, director, and author Laura Chinn to talk about her debut novel, Counting the Days. We get into what it's really like transitioning from TV sitcom writer's rooms to solo novel writing, pre-midlife anxiety surrounding fertility and reproductive timelines, healing inner child trauma, and why she deliberately writes female friend...
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  Samantha Saldivar on Sapphic Sports Romance, Latina Representation, and Traditional Publishing 14.08.2026 36мин

  If you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time, you know how much I love showcasing queer authors, queer stories, and sapphic romance. Today, we get a special bonus as I sit down with Sam Saldivar (Samantha Saldivar), a queer Latina author who writes high-stakes sapphic sports romance. We dive into the nitty-gritty of traditional publishing, navigating a surprise four-manuscript backlog, pitching authentic Latina representation in sports, and building long-arc, second-chance ...
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  Aya Winter on How Trend Readership Is Ruining Character Arcs and Reader Expectations 07.08.2026 41мин

  Trend readership is a fascinating topic, especially when readers enter a new genre without understanding the underlying character arcs or structural conventions. This week, I am sitting down with multi-genre indie author Aya Winter to break down what happens when hype-driven reading trends take over the fantasy and romantasy spaces. We dive into the hero’s journey, why readers confuse long-standing genre conventions with plagiarism, the creative autonomy of indie publishing, and why we need t...
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  Gabriella Gamez on Librarians in Love, Brother’s Best Friend, and Latinx Character Dynamics 31.07.2026 42мин

  Let's talk about the absolute chaos demon that these librarians' love lives are. This week, I am sitting down with Gabriella Gamez to talk all about her Librarians in Love series. We dive into her books The Next Best Fling, Kiss Me Maybe, and her brand-new release, Second First Dates. Gabby shares her journey navigating traditional publishing, the intentional choices behind writing ace, graysexual, and demisexual characters, and how romance novels allow us to unpack deeply complex family dyna...
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  Melanated Reader on Mobilizing One Million Readers for Black Literature and Fighting Post-Literacy 28.07.2026 30мин

  What started as a simple vision to mobilize the bookish community has turned into an entire movement aiming to pull one million people together to read books by Black authors. In this special bonus episode, I am sitting down with Crystal, the founder and force behind Melanated Reader Forte. We dive into her One Million Black Books initiative, what it actually means to live in a post-literate society, how fast-forwarding through content is shortening our attention spans, and practical ways we ...
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  Katie Duggan on Giving Marginalized Characters the Spicy Happily-Ever-Afters They Deserve 24.07.2026 50мин

  Who says that romance is only for able-bodied or thin characters? In this episode, Northern Virginia romance author Katie Duggan joins the microphone to look at how we can take regular contemporary romance tropes and subvert them to center fat, neurodivergent, disabled, and queer representation. We discuss her journey from high school creative writing magazine editor to falling into the romance genre during lockdown, how she uses her day job at a massive chain bookstore to advocate for divers...
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  Alyssa on Stories & Spoilers, Sapphic Romance, and Book Reviews 17.07.2026 1ч 12мин

  If you read across genres and love picking apart the deeper mechanics of a story, this conversation is for you. This week, I am sitting down with Alyssa, the brilliant host of the Stories & Spoilers podcast. As a self-proclaimed mood reader who hops from dark romance and monster smut to Indigenous horror and graphic novels, Alyssa brings a beautifully diverse perspective to the reading community. We dive into how our reading tastes evolve as we grow up, the structural importance of ...
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  Regina Black on Soap Opera Romance Tropes and Writing Authentic Character Choices 10.07.2026 48мин

  How much do your childhood experiences or the way you were raised dictate the choices you make as an adult? This week, I am sitting down with the incredible Regina Black, author of The Art of Scandal and her latest paperback release, August Lane. Regina has a masterful way of creating fully fleshed characters who make deeply human, interesting choices based entirely on their past structures. We discuss how growing up on daytime soap operas influenced her angsty voice, her winding path from wr...
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  How to Find Bookish Friends and Romance Community Outside Social Media 03.07.2026 14мин

  Making new friends as an adult is notoriously difficult, and when your primary hobby is reading high-heat romance novels, it can feel even harder to find your people. As an introvert who gets overstimulated quickly, the thought of trying to build a community through endless social media scrolling can feel exhausting. In this solo season premiere, I am breaking down easy, low-pressure ways to find bookish friends who match your energy and your favorite tropes (both virtually and in real life) ...
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  Organizing My Physical & Digital Library as a Mood Reader 29.05.2026 17мин

  Organizing your bookshelves or Kindle starting to feel chaotic? In this Season 3 finale, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I organize my physical and digital romance library without making it a full-time job. We’re talking sapphic shelves, BIPOC-only shelves, signed books, Kindle collections, Handy Library, StoryGraph, and how it all works together so I stop double-buying books and always know what to read next. In this episode, you’ll learn: How I organize my main bookshelf on camer...
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  Adrienne Thurman on Finding Yourself at Every Phase of Life and Don’t Tell Me How It Ends 22.05.2026 33мин

  Reconnecting with your creative identity after a massive life shift is challenging, especially when that shift is motherhood. Today, I am talking with debut author Adrienne Thurman about her new contemporary rom-com, Don't Tell Me How It Ends. We have an incredibly honest conversation regarding the isolation of the first year of parenting, processing postpartum depression, and how navigating those heavy phases of life can actually spark the desire to write gloriously unlikable women who get t...
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  Swati Hegde on Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt and Second Chance Romance 15.05.2026 45мин

  Second chance romance has been testing my boundaries lately. After years of avoiding the trope, I am finally seeing the appeal of a hard-earned reunion. Today, I sit down with Swati Hegde to discuss her new book, Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt. We explore the sharp tension of the courtroom, the massive differences between the Indian and US legal systems, and the importance of writing neurodivergent leads with depth and soul. Swati Hegde is the author of Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Can...
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  Marina Hill on Subverting the Billionaire Trope in Romance 08.05.2026 38мин

  The billionaire trope is a staple in romance, but what happens when the hero decides he doesn't actually want the money? Today, I’m talking with Marina Hill about her journey from writing fanfiction to crafting intricate stories that challenge genre standards. We discuss the anti-billionaire lead in Royal Pain, the vital importance of representing undiagnosed chronic pain, and why the enemies-with-benefits trope remains undefeated. Marina Hill is a multifaceted author romance to histori...
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  Fat Girl Smut on Early Release (IYKYK) and Fat Positive Romance 01.05.2026 58мин

  Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in every single trope and microtrope. Today, I am joined by Meg of Fat Girl Smut to examine the radical joy of seeing larger bodies in romance and the specific humor of the coming early microtrope. We talk about the empathy gap, why erotica is a necessary space for healing, and how to find beauty in your own body exactly as it is right now. Key Takeaways Why reading about experiences different from your own is the fastest way to increase your unde...
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  Charish Reid on The Realities of Academia & Writing Across Genres 24.04.2026 43мин

  I am always curious about how authors take their real-world expertise and use it to craft stories that make us feel seen. This week, I chat with Charish Reid, an author who navigated the world of academia as an adjunct instructor before making her mark in both contemporary and paranormal romance. We discuss her book Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up, the importance of showing rather than telling chronic illness, and why we are both strictly "no" on Ouija boards. Charish also shares how she uses he...
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  Babe in Library on Second Chance Recs You’ll Actually Love 17.04.2026 53мин

  Second Chance Romance usually gets a meh from me. I am a fool me once, shame on you type of reader, so reruns in romance rarely make my list. But today, Lisa from Babe in Library joins the podcast to flip the script on its head. She shares why this trope sits at the top of her favorites and how it offers a unique sense of safety. We also announce a big project coming this September for the We Read Smut community. Lisa, better known as Babe in Library on Instagram and YouTube, is an avid reade...