Episodes

Jenni Bara’s day job as a paralegal in family law (“writing real life unhappily ever afters”) made her an avid romance reader turned writer. We talk about character compatibility, second chance romances, and how her job helped her write stories. AND! Fun fact! Her nitpicky boss (!!) proofreads all her books, steamy bits and all! Hers was the very first romance he ever read. We also get down and dirty about housework — Roomba should sponsor this episode. Plus I read a steamy moment from her book ...

Charlie Beauvoir is on this week’s Steam Seat and it’s another epic conversation. When Charlie considered writing romance, they wanted to write emotionally aware men and strong women as well as add to the queer romance canon. Charlie shares with me about working as a phone sex operator, how their job in security was just like Stephanie Plumb, how they wanted to re-write the romantic hero, and writing sensitively and accurately about trauma. Plus, I read a super steamy scene from their debut nove...

Would you consider having a male crime writer Beta read your steamy romance book? That’s exactly what Evie Alexander does! In this Steam Scenes episode, Evie shares the madness to her writing method, how her career as a filmmaker helped (or hindered!) her work as a novelist, and how she deleted 19,000 words of pure sex from her first novel. We go deep, talking about how romance writing (and reading) aligns with women’s pleasure and female empowerment. Plus, I read from her brilliant rom-com Holl...

Buckle up friends, this is one a wild ride! The brilliant Mia Michele is this week’s guest and this one is a doozy! Our totally 80s conversation spans soap opera tropes and Greek shipping tycoons and we both fangirl over Sidney Sheldon. And, Mia talks about writing authentic BDSM in romance. We even divert to a converstion about wine! So it’s a boozy doozy. Be sure to check out her astounding epic Mafia romance Faultline on Amazon. Connect with Mia online: MiaMichele.com Facebook: MiaMicheleBoo...

Contemporary romance author Kitty Berry manages to release three to four books a year even with a full time job, a family, and running RomanticConn, Connecticut’s premiere romance author signing event. Hear how 50 Shades turned her on (heh) to romance, how she leans towards writing dom/sub stories, and how she manages to get so damn much done in a day. Plus, I read a steamy excerpt from Blossom Springs: Book 2. Connect with Kitty online: Website: http://www.kittyberryauthor.com Facebook Profi...

Julie Hamilton is on the Steam Seat this week! From plotting and pantsing, to fake dates and fake kissing, to the importance of reading women vocalize what gives them pleasure, Julie and I dig deep to mine the elements that go into writing her steamy scenes. Plus I read excerpts from a steamy moment in her book Just for Show and we talk about real estate porn. Connect with Julie online at: Twitter: twitter.com/JHamiltonAuthor Instagram: instagram.com/juliehamiltonauthor Website: juliehamiltonau...

I know just enough about music to be dangerous (and write rock star romances!). So I am super excited to branch out on the podcast with singer-songwriter Katy Oberle. Katy also worked as a couples therapist before transitioning to creative mindfulness coaching so she knows a thing or twelve about intimacy. This is a fascinating conversation about the neurological functions of love and sex and how they are not all that different from how our bodies respond to things like music and romance books. ...

Amish porn led Sarah Burnard to romancelandia and she hasn’t looked back. But, Amish porn aside, she struggled with writing the naughty bits. To get comfortable, she wrote a “dirty, sexy, filthy” book, which got her into Pitch Wars and landed her an agent! See, filth works! Listen to the end, when I read a sneak peek naughty bit from Sarah’s “dirty, sexy, filthy” not-yet-published book Batteries Not Included. Connect with Sarah: Twitter @SarahABurnard Instagram: sarah_burnard Web: SarahBurn...

Nan Reinhardt pivoted her career from copy editing and proofreading computer manuals (sexy, right?) to writing romance. Nan and I swoon over the beta hero, discuss how an industry pro told her romances with older MCs weren’t saleable, and we talk about steamy moments vs sensual moments and what’s harder to write. Plus I read an intimate scene from her book The Valentine Wager (Book 1 in her Lange Brothers series), which was released in early February. Grab The Valentine Wager on Amazon. Connec...

Kelle Z. Riley is in the Steam Seat! In this episode, we talk about how she’s a sucker for a Cinderella story, how her writing process includes interviewing her characters, and how she battles the beauty standards society sets on women in her writing. We also get into the similarities between cozy mysteries and romance, and why she loves writing women-centered stories. And we get into writing sexual tension vs. just writing sex. And I read a steamy scene from book one in her Riches and Royals se...

Eliana West is in the Steam Seat! Eliana never imagined being a writer. Originally, she was in retail. But when the economic collapse in 2008 shuttered her clothing boutique, she decided to do NaNoWriMo to “feed her soul” and she was hooked. (Fun fact: Her first book was handwritten!) There’s a ton happening in this ep! We talk about why she chose to write sweet vs steamy, then we take a wide turn to discuss Victorian erotica, before veering back to discuss her work with Writers for Diversity. O...

A trope-alicious episode!

Save a horse, ride a cowboy.

Is a kiss really just a kiss?

Sexy Big Bads

Feel the heat

Slippery When Wet

Is that so wrong?

Make it hurt so good.

Highway to the danger zone

Writing polyamory, menage, and kink.

Come for the capers, stay for the steam

Horny horses and other research notes

Popping cherries!