Our Next Chapter

This week, we’re joined by contemporary romance author Georgia Stone to talk about her new rom-com, The Roommate Rule . Georgia shares how growing up in Switzerland shaped her creativity, how she came back to reading and writing as an adult, and how late-night writing sessions helped her turn a tiny idea into her debut novel.  We also talk about doomed rules, forced proximity, tall heroines, bante...

We’re back from a very bookish road trip with a slightly late episode, a dash of magic, and the world’s biggest em dash announcement. This week, we launch our very serious, very unofficial Save the Em Dash movement, recap a weekend of author events with Kirsty Greenwood, Ashley Poston, Kayla Olson, Livy Hart, and Naina Kumar, and dive into why magical realism has become one of our favorite storyte...

Lauren Okie is back for our first-ever return guest episode, and we’re talking all things Tropesick , her second novel out June 16. We get into romance tropes, writing through fear, sophomore-book pressure, big emotional swings, and why Lauren is so good at writing stories that feel messy, honest, hot, and human. Plus, we rank Andrea’s favorite romance tropes and somehow make room for Annabel Mona...

In this episode, we're recording at LaunchPad Studios in Dallas while surviving  May: graduations, theater awards, senior celebrations, middle school milestones, Mother’s Day, road trips, and the big-time realization we’re about to have both a high school freshman and a college freshman. Then we dive into two of our favorite new summer reads: The Shippers by Katherine Center and Dolly All the...

We kick things off with author signatures, big family updates, and the very strange feeling of watching their boys grow up and move toward their own next chapters. Then we're joined by Dr. Irena Smith, author of Troika , a powerful memoir about a three-day road trip across California with her mother and daughter that unfolds into something much deeper: family history, identity, generational d...

Andrea is back on pothole patrol, we wrestle with the soulmate question at the heart of Your Soul Mail Is Attached , and after our conversation with Joan F. Smith, we get a special soul mail delivery of our own. Joan joins us to talk about the big idea behind her new adult novel, her move from YA to adult fiction, her writing process, and how personal experiences shape her stories. Plus, she plays...

We took this one to the movies. In this special episode, we headed out to see Project Hail Mary  , then talk through all of it, and yes, this is your official spoiler warning. We’re breaking down what worked, what surprised us, and the moments that stuck with us most. From Gosling's glasses crawling all over his face to Rocky being Amaze Amaze Amaze, we’re getting into everything. If you have...

Matt and Andrea kick things off with an audiobook narration audition before welcoming bestselling author Natalie Keller-Reinert to the show. Natalie shares how a lifelong love of horses turned into a writing career, the path from indie publishing to Flatiron Books, and the story behind her new novel The Jump . We then wrap up with a story about the Dreamers and Readers festival and how the Dallas-...

We’re back with a conversation we loved with bestselling author Jenn Dugan, whose newest novel, Anderson in Bloom , is out tomorrow! Jenn shares her journey from writing after bedtime to publishing multiple books a year, and what it really means to write messy, complicated characters who still deserve big love. We talk about finding your voice, navigating YA and adult romance, reclaiming your stor...

We’re continuing our one-year POD-aversary celebration on Our Next Chapter — and this week we’re joined by USA Today bestselling fantasy romance author Kate Golden . Kate stops by to talk about her new romantasy novel Half City , the first book in the Harker Academy series — a dark academia story featuring demon hunters, forbidden attraction, and a mystery that unravels at an elite supernatural ac...

One year in, and we’re celebrating our podaversary with romance author Sophie Sullivan. In this chapter, we talk about her long road to publication, redefining success, and trusting the timing of the story you’re in. We dig into anxiety, joy, and what it means to keep writing anyway, even when the goalposts move. Plus, we play Check In / Check Out, wrap with our final five questions, and reflect a...

In this chapter, we’re joined by YA romance author Jessica L. Cozzi to talk forced proximity, big teenage emotions, and her debut novel We’ve Hit Turbulence . We dig into what it’s like writing a book while also working as a publishing publicist, seeing the industry from both sides of the mic, and knowing how the sausage gets made. Plus, we play a quick game of Real or Fake Genres, where things ge...

We’re starting 2026 with coffee, chaos, and a little main-character energy. First up, Matt and Andrea swap New Year’s resolutions and immediately rate how likely they are to actually happen. Spoiler: confidence is high, follow-through is questionable. Then we’re joined by a true legend, Jayne Ann Krentz, for a fun and thoughtful conversation about writing, intuition, romantic suspense, psychic ene...

We’re hanging out with romance author LaQuette and chatting about her latest novel Janae Sanders' Second Time Around, releasing January 6th! We talk second chances, high school enemies who come back hot and emotionally competent, and why romance after real-life experience just feels good. There’s soap operas, Brooklyn stories, confident heroines, and a very fun game where charming men keep tu...

Matt and Andrea roll into Thanksgiving week with birthday chaos, cafeteria turkey lunches, and a quick chat about why gratitude hits a little harder when you’re raising teens. They dig into how gratitude shapes your brain, why it shows up so often in modern romance, and what they’re reading this week. They wrap with “Thankful or Thankful It’s Over,” a fast Thanksgiving game full of hot takes on ev...

Author Erin La Rosa joins us to talk about her writing journey, the creation of the Burbank Book Festival, and the story behind her new time-loop rom-com. We dig into the balance between joy and grief in storytelling, what community means to a writer, and why giving yourself permission to break the rules might be the key to better writing. Matt also tests out a few birthday gift ideas for Andrea,...

It’s our Halloween special! Matt and Andrea face off in the ultimate candy draft, play Trick or Thirst (where things get a little spooky and a little steamy), and chat with author Lauren Okie about her debut romance The Best Worst Thing.  Come for the sugar rush, stay for the sweet talk. Matt & Andrea here. Thanks for joining us on this journey.  We'd love to hear from you. Visit us at ww...

It’s Matt’s birthday, and we’re celebrating with author Jamie Varon. We talk about her newest novel Charlie Quinn Lets Go , a story about starting over, chasing joy, and learning when to finally let go. Jamie shares her honest take on writing, healing, and building a life that truly feels like yours. Plus, we play a chaotic Mad Libs game where we build Jamie’s potential yes day and see if she’d ac...

Matt kicks things off with a brand-new show intro, and Andrea talks about meeting Abby Jimenez, before we welcome author Maggie Gates. We dig into her Griffith Brothers series, her path from pastry chef to bestselling romance author, and why first drafts just need to exist!  Follow Maggie Gates TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authormaggiegates Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaggiegates...

We’re chatting with Kathleen Barber, best-selling author of Truth Be Told and Follow Me , about her brand-new novel Both Things Are True . We dive into love, contradictions, and we play a fun game inspired by the title itself. Plus, Andrea is taking a trip to meet Abby J - maybe we should roleplay how that'll go.  Connect with Kathleen Barber: Website: kathleenbarber.com Instagram: @katelizab...

This week we kick things off with Matt’s sultry sandwich artist R&B moment, Andrea’s family reunion reflections, and then dive into our author spotlight on the brilliant Kirsty Greenwood. We’ll talk about her books, her humor-filled style, and even her new musical project. Plus, we share updates on Indy, Zoe, and the newest character to join our story. Big laughs, big book talk, and big things...

This week, we catch up on summer life, play our Make Up the Date game (this one gets a little ridiculous), and sit down with author Megan Sotelo Padilla to talk about her latest romance novel,  I Object , and the writing journey behind it all. Matt & Andrea here. Thanks for joining us on this journey.  We'd love to hear from you. Visit us at www. OurNextChapterPodcast.com

This week, we welcome the incredibly talented Brent Black, also known as Brentalfloss, to the show. We chat with Brent about his journey from YouTube favorite to full-on creative powerhouse. He shares stories from his work as a lyricist, composer, and game developer, and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to bring creative projects to life. Whether you’re into video games, m...

In Episode 22 of Our Next Chapter , we share summer excitement with the boys at  theater camp, plus exciting updates on our book. We also spotlight Katherine Center, dive into the Romance Con controversy, and talk through our creative process and plan.  Matt & Andrea here. Thanks for joining us on this journey.  We'd love to hear from you. Visit us at www. OurNextChapterPodcast.com

We’re back from summer camps, vacations, and a little chaos, and ready to catch up. This week, we shine a spotlight on indie author Matt Dinniman and his litRPG series Dungeon Crawler Carl . Plus, we’ve got a big announcement about our podcast schedule and a fresh update on where our own romance story is headed. Matt & Andrea here. Thanks for joining us on this journey.  We'd love to hear...