Rebel Ever After

In this episode, TJ Alexander and I celebrate their new historical romance A Lady For All Seasons, a Shakespearean-esque screwball comedy with an unforgettable genderfluid lead. Then TJ introduces me to the real queer historical figures who inspired their characters, like the Ladies of Llangollen and Lord Byron. Plus: what you should know about the first proposed national book ban, and the importance of annoying queer representation. Pretentious queer artists deserve rights too, you guys.

Follow TJ on Instagram as @tjalexandernyc, and find their newsletter and other links at tjalexander.com

Purchase TJ's books from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore at bit.ly/REABooks

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, Ella's newsletter, and other bonuses! Save 10% when you buy an annual membership — your financial support makes this independent podcast possible.

Learn more about HR 7661 and other censorship threats by supporting Authors Against Book Bans.

Other media mentioned this episode:

• The Allusionist podcast episode about Fiona Macleod.
• TJ's latest guest episode on the Historical Romance Sampler.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

This week my guest is queer BDSM romance author Kate Hawthorne, who also writes as Nikki Markham. We talked about the nuance of depicting ongoing negotiation and consent on the page, accountability in kink communities, and the long-lasting appeal of submissive coming out stories. Plus: why everyone needs a good platonic spanking.

We do discuss some potentially triggering topics like what abuse can look like within a BDSM dynamic, particularly in undernegotiated power exchange relationships. That being said, BDSM is not inherently abusive and we do not conflate the two.

Follow Kate on Instagram and Threads @kate.hawthorne or go to www.katehawthornebooks.com.

Breaking The Mold is available for pre-order now! You can find Kate's books on Kindle Unlimited, and in the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore on Bookshop.org at bit.ly/REAbooks

Reserve your ticket to our Romance Read-In to benefit Authors Against Book Bans on April 29th: https://bookclubbar.com/events/4612720260429

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Save 10% when you buy an annual membership! Your financial support makes this independent production possible.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books and authors mentioned this episode:

• Danielle Steele
• Norah Roberts
• Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
• Heated Rivalry (Crave, 2025)
• The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs

This week on Rebel Ever After, my guest is Adib Khorram, a queer Iranian American author of fiction for all ages. His adult romances are I'LL HAVE WHAT HE'S HAVING and IT HAD TO BE HIM, and his newest YA novel ONE WORD, SIX LETTERS comes out March 17th. We had a wide ranging conversation about queer joy versus queer liberation, writing hot sex scenes with occasional farts, and dysmorphia and body neutrality in fiction. Plus: Checking in with the Iranian diaspora, and why we should all move to Kansas City.

Follow Adib on Instagram/Threads @adibkhorram and on BlueSky at @adibkhorram.bsky.social. Join Adib's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ChateauAdib

Purchase Adib's books from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore at bit.ly/REABooks

Reserve your ticket to our Romance Read-In to benefit Authors Against Book Bans on April 29th: https://bookclubbar.com/events/4612720260429

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Save 10% when you buy an annual membership! Your financial support makes this independent production possible.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books and authors mentioned this episode:

• Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Adriana Herrera's Dreamers series
• Alexis Daria
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Sierra Simone
• Julian Winters
• M.A. Wardell

This week my guest is LaQuette, author of many contemporary romances including The King's Pregnancy Proposition and the brand new rom-com Janae Sanders' Second Time Around. We talked about her Savvy, Sexy, and Single Club series about couples in their 40s that explores communication, healing and mental health. Then we discussed the beautiful ridiculousness of romance and the perils of expecting a character's choices to be "plausible."

Plus: LaQuette told me about her Ph.D. research on representations of Black women in popular media and how stereotypes limit the types of stories Black romance authors are able to get published.

Follow her on Instagram @la_quette and at https://laquette.com/.

Purchase LaQuette's books from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore at bit.ly/REABooks

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Save 10% when you buy an annual membership! Your financial support makes this independent production possible.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books and authors mentioned this episode:

• Carole Mortimer's The Devil's Price
• Kimberla Lawson Roby
• Donna Hill
• Sandra Kitt
• Rochelle Alers
• Francis Ray
• Zane

Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee is an all-volunteer, grassroots, multiracial, and multinational immigrant rights mass-movement organization. MIRAC fights for legalization for all, an end to immigration raids and deportations, an end to all anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life. Donate to MIRAC here: www.miracmn.com

This week I'm the guest! I went on my friend Emily Hessney Lynch's podcast It's A Lot to talk about my romance novel, BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY. We dug into my writer's block and the depression a lot of authors experience thanks to the shifting goal posts of success in this industry. Plus I shared some conspiracy theories about why best-seller lists are rigged and if hardcover books are doomed to fail.

Be sure to subscribe to the It's A Lot podcast! Emily does a great job interviewing folks about social media, parenting, books, and all sorts of stuff that feels way too much.

Buy BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY in any format here or at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel

Join my Patreon community for free and get email updates about the show and my upcoming events at patreon.com/brosandprose.

Get tickets for my 2/5 event at the Ripped Bodice with Jennifer Iacopelli: https://www.therippedbodice.com/brooklyn-events

In the first Rebel Ever After episode of 2026, my guest is Ashley Herring Blake! I asked the author of DELILAH GREEN DOESN'T CARE and countless other queer books about her shift from writing kid-lit to adult romance, and the authors who inspired her along the way. Then we broke down the role of astrology and tarot in her new book GET OVER IT, APRIL EVANS (Feb 2026) and why queers love our star charts so much.

I also asked Ashley for her advice on how to live and work in line with your values in an industry where having principles can feel like a luxury. Plus: writing about kink and queerness in small-town settings, and why third-act breakups are the best, actually.

Find Ashley on Instagram @ashleyhblake or at www.ashleyherringblake.com

Pre-order Get Over It, April Evans from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore at bit.ly/REABooks

Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee is an all-volunteer, grassroots, multiracial, and multinational immigrant rights mass-movement organization. MIRAC fights for legalization for all, an end to immigration raids and deportations, an end to all anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life. Donate to MIRAC here: www.miracmn.com

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Save 10% when you buy an annual membership! Your financial support makes this independent production possible.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books and authors mentioned this episode:

• The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
• Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
• The Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert
• Rebekah Witherspoon
• Kennedy Ryan
• Nicole Brinkley

This week my guest is Allie Oleander, author of the dark-ish romance WILLING PREY about a woman who gets paid $30,000 to let a sexy, awkward lawyer hunt her in the woods. We talked about the definition of primal kink, how Allie approached consent and power dynamics in the book, and the differences between BDSM and Dark Romance.

Plus: Why do some readers find Dark Romances so cathartic to read? Allie patiently helped me make sense of my complicated feelings about the subgenre's rising popularity.

Content warning: This episode is definitely not safe for work and includes discussion of kink, stalking, trauma and sexual violence.

Follow Allie on Instagram and Threads @allie.oleander. You can also subscribe to her Patreon for free at Patreon.com/AllieOleander.

Purchase Willing Prey from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore at bit.ly/REABooks

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Save 10% when you buy an annual membership! Your financial support makes this independent production possible. Please reach out at rebeleverafterpod.com/contact with advertising and sponsorship inquiries.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books mentioned this episode:

• The works of Nenia Campbell
• Rebecca Kinkade's Streams and Schemes trilogy

This week my guest is Katherine Grant, indie romance author and the host of the Historical Romance Sampler podcast. We talked about the conclusion of her historical romance series The Prestons and how her characters live by their progressive principles in Regency Era England. On a craft level, Katherine shares how she interrogates thorny issues of labor exploitation and divesting from the slave trade while writing character-driven romance novels. Plus: How she approached writing the sexuality and personal growth of characters in their 60s in THE WIDOWER WITHOUT A WILL.

Then we dove into the state of historical romance in the indie publishing space. Is it true that indie authors will keep the subgenre alive? How are hist-rom authors doing these days? And how can historical romance appeal to new and young readers?

Find Katherine on Instagram as @katherine_grant_romance and at katherinegrantromance.com. Listen to the Historical Romance Sampler wherever you get your podcasts, and follow the show on Instagram at @historicalromancesampler.

Purchase Katherine's romances from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore at bit.ly/REABooks

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Save 10% when you buy an annual membership! Your financial support makes this independent production possible. Please reach out at rebeleverafterpod.com/contact with advertising and sponsorship inquiries.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books mentioned this episode:

• The work of Nicholas Sparks
• The work of Jodi Picoult
• The work of Mary Higgins Clark
• The work of Mary Balogh
• What a Wallflower Wants by Maya Rodale
• Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett
• The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh
• The Roman Heirs series by Jenna Bigelow
• Mate by Ali Hazelwood
• Princess Weekes's Dramione video
• The work of Emma R. Alban
• The work of Adriana Herrera

This week my guest is Marisa Kanter, author of the adult rom-com FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, as well as several YA romance novels. We talked about writing the ultimate contemporary marriage-of-convenience about best friends who get married for health insurance and housing. We had a good venting session about ableism and misogyny in romance reviews, and the weird trend of readers wanting to "rescue" male main characters from their chronically ill heroines.

Topics include: Romance characters who don't want to get married, the disgraceful state of the United States healthcare system, and if escapism has to mean a love story completely untethered from economic reality.

Follow Marisa on Instagram @marisakanter and visit her website at marisakanter.com. Purchase Marisa's FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore here!

My second-chance college reunion romance BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY is available wherever books are sold and at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Your financial support makes this independent production possible. Please reach out at rebeleverafterpod.com/contact with advertising and sponsorship inquiries.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books referenced this episode include:

• The works of Sarah Dessen
• The works of Meg Cabot
• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
• The Broposal by Sonora Reyes

My guest this week is Rachel Runya Katz, the author of Thank You For Sharing, Whenever You're Ready and the brand new instant USA Today Best Seller Isn't It Obvious? We talked about writing rom-traum-coms, balancing serious subjects with swoony romance, bipolar representation and our love of Michael Hobbes podcasts. Plus, should we be concerned about all the condomless big penises taking over sex scenes? And our hot takes about You've Got Mail.

Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelrunyakatz and on Substack here. Purchase Rachel's books from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore here!

Subscribe on Patreon at patreon.com/brosandprose to get access to the Rebel Ever After Discord server, as well as premium episodes of the podcast. Your financial support makes this independent production possible. Please reach out at rebeleverafterpod.com/contact with advertising and sponsorship inquiries.

Please remember to RATE AND REVIEW the podcast wherever you like to listen. Theme music created by Dalton Deschain. This show is brought to you with the support of my patrons.

Books and podcasts mentioned this episode:

• The works of Jasmine Gillory
• The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
• Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan
• The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• Maintenance Phase podcast
• You're Wrong About podcast
• If Books Could Kill podcast

P.S. My second-chance college reunion romance BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY is available wherever books are sold and at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel