Rebel Ever After

My guest this week is Shelly Jay Shore, the author of the best-selling novel Rules For Ghosting . We talked about writing escapism versus resistance in romance, and the role of authors and artists in fighting the Trump administration. We also discussed how romance creates a safe way for readers to engage in hard emotional topics like mourning and death, and why we want to see more abortion stories...

In this episode, I interview Erin Baldwin about her debut novel Wish You Weren't Here,  a sapphic YA romance about two girls who can't stand each other but are forced to share a cabin at beloved summer camp Fogridge. We talk about writing the enemies-to-lovers trope for a young audience, accurately representing Gen Z teenagehood, and what Erin wishes she didn't have to cut from her final draft.  P...

During the innocent week before the 2024 election, I chatted with Becca Grischow about her debut novel I'LL GET BACK TO YOU , a sapphic Thanksgiving rom-com published by Penguin Books. We discussed Becca's career as a ghostwriter and what it's like to finally claim authorship of a book she wrote, including the downsides of being a queer author on TikTok. Plus the importance of writing broke, queer...

As we face down a second Trump Presidency, we need the escapism of a good romance novel more than ever. But romance isn't a fluffy distraction from politics — from its first transgressive pages, the romance genre centered the needs, desires and ambitions of women. Now more than ever, we need romances that envision a world where everyone can live their happily ever after.  Fight fascism, form commu...