Love Letters and Books

I spoke with Maren Riley, the dark thriller romance author of the Grave Series (Grave Obsession, Grave Possession, and the forthcoming book three) and Wrong Turn. We'll explore how love, obsession, and survival collide across the jaw-dropping twists of the Grave series. Maren gets candid about writing on-page trauma, hypersexuality as a lesser-talked-about survivor response, balancing horror with...

I spoke with debut romance author Emmy Kendall about her upcoming book, Ricochet, a second-chance medical romance where two doctors reunite a decade after an explosive betrayal. Emmy reveals why she dared to make her FMC the one who strayed, how real-life experience as a labor-and-delivery nurse fuels the novel’s authentic operating-room tension, and what forgiveness, self-acceptance, and messy, g...

I spoke with best-selling romance and fantasy author C.R. Jane. I am obsessed with her viral Pucking Wrong hockey romance universe, the Wrong Player spin-off series, and all of her red (ish) flag MMCs! Jane explains how Taylor Swift tracks inspire every book idea, why she mixes laugh-out-loud locker-room banter with raw emotional themes and powerful love stories of healing and connection. We also...

I spoke with Bailey Hannah, the best-selling author of the Wells Ranch series, which is full of small-town heat, heartfelt stories, and an abundance of hope and healing. Together, we explore what makes the Wells Ranch series so impactful for readers. We discuss Bailey's emotional debut novel, “Alive and Wells,” which introduces us to this spicy cowboy-romance world set in rural British Columbi...

I spoke with Kitty King, a dark romance author, who writes unforgettable stories with blazing spice where flawed characters, making mistakes, deconstructing shame, exploring kink, and sexual trauma survivorship take center stage. We discuss the electric relationship between Xavier and Marissa, the fan-favorite couple from Red Night, and the exploration of male sexual assault and survivorship from...

I spoke with Albany Archer, an indie country romance author known for her “Hallmark-After-Dark” blend of heart, heat, and happily-ever-afters. In this episode, we drop into her wilderness romance, Roughing It (a 30-day wilderness challenge that pairs an Austin influencer with a gruff mountain man), her first book, Keep This Between Us, and her novella Wild Horses. Albany reveals why she writes abo...

I spoke with Alina May, a bestselling indie author of dark romance thrillers. Alina shares her experience going from voracious reader to international hit author with her why-choose, captive, dark romance book, Better Run. We dig into Alina’s real-life inspirations, her craft secrets, and the compelling characters she creates, including her resilient heroines who reclaim their agency after experie...

I spoke with dark romance indie author Summer Riley about her Possession Duology, including Mine, and its brand-new sequel, Ours, and the choices that make this stalker romance resonate with readers. We dive into using a third-person POV and delivering a cliffhanger ending that actually satisfies. Summer reveals how revising and re-releasing Mine on social media helped the book find its audience,...

I spoke with author Katherine Bitner about the inspiration behind her book, Unravel Me, the first book in The Hometown Series of interconnected stand-alone novels. Unravel Me is a steamy strangers-to-lovers, opposites attract, small town romance. Think: The Notebook meets Sweet Home Alabama. This sweet and spicy love story is about two people from different worlds and the invisible string that kee...

I spoke with my favorite dark romance content creator, Amy Gurley. We discussed everything from finding community through spicy reads, theories on Shantel Tessier’s upcoming book Chaotic, our favorite authors (Kinsley Kincaid, Jennifer Ivy, Shantel Tessier, Harleigh Beck, Alexandra St. Pierre, Leigh Rivers, Ames MIlls / Kali Noir, and K.M. Baker) and how dark romance books can actually help reader...

In this debut episode, I spoke with Regency romance author J.M. Zamudio about the heart, craft, and inspiration behind her novel Memories of You . We discussed everything from the vulnerable TikTok dedication that launched the novel’s buzz to the book’s powerful love story between a former soldier navigating PTSD and his best friend’s sister, who is determined to save her family. Our conversation...

 Welcome to Love Letters and Books, a podcast for anyone who loves a good story. Join me for weekly conversations where we'll drop between the pages of everyone's favorite fiction, nonfiction, short stories, essays, and novellas to talk plot twists, real-life inspiration, and the craft of storytelling. Follow this podcast for candid conversations with your favorite authors and creatives, w...