In this episode, we discuss Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett. 

Spirit medium Aida Palmer uses her gift for summoning and speaking with the dead at the Gris-Gris speakeasy in Chinatown. She’s summoned to help the infamous bootlegger Winter Magnusson, who is haunted metaphorically and actually by ghosts.

They work together to uncover the identity of the hexer cursing Winter. At the same time, they help each other exorcise their own haunted pasts. Can Winter and Aida find their happily ever after before they begin their afterlife? The spirit board has said nothing so far…

In this episode, we discuss Pulling Doubles by Christina Jones. 

Nurse Practitioner Devyn Echols is making strides to live her best life by completing her internship at University Hospital. The physician supervising her internship is the arrogant Dr. Joseph Wright. Devyn soon learns that Joseph has been hiding his attraction to her behind his callous treatment. Maybe the first impressions were wrong, but does this mean their mutual chemistry can turn into love?

Content warning: Abusive ex-partners.

In this episode, we discuss While You Were Creeping by Poppy Rhys.

In the town of Tinsel on Dor Nye, Holly is struggling to put her ex behind her when she is gifted with a present that happens to be an interdimensional prison containing a Krampus-looking fellow by the name of Kye. When Holly and Kye are face-to-face, she freaks and he calls her a witch. Bound together by circumstance, they make promises to one another: he will participate in the holiday festivities as her boyfriend and she will find a way to release him from his prison by New Years, before he has to disappear back into his prison. But what will happen when the clock strikes midnight?

In this bonus episode, we share updates from November and discuss our thoughts about this year's NaNoWriMo challenge and Em's plans for her NaNo project going forward.

Check out our recommended reading list for learning about writing. 

Follow Us on Twitter and interact with us! We'd love to answer any questions about NaNo, the writing process, or our podcast.

In this episode, we discuss You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle. 

No longer feeling the love, Naomi decides that her fiance Nicholas no longer loves or appreciates her, if he ever did. She wants out but she doesn’t want to be responsible for the breakup. Naomi stops trying to keep things together and goes on the offensive. If Nicholas breaks up with her, she won’t be expected to foot the bill for the wedding her mother-in-law has been planning. As Naomi and Nicholas engage in a series of pranks and other misdeeds, they start to realize that there might be something worth staying for after all.

In this episode, we discuss Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade.

Geologist April Whittier loves rocks, fanfiction, and the TV show God of the Gates. For years, she’s been writing fanfic of her one true pairing, not realizing that she was sharing her stories with one of the show's stars Marcus Caster-Rupp. Marcus asks her on a  date after seeing her cosplay on Twitter, and April accepts, unaware that he is actually her online buddy. 

Although besotted with April, Marcus is reluctant to share his online identity, fearing career-related repercussions. But as they grow closer, his circumspection is now potentially relationship ending.

Today we’ll be discussing Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell. 

One day, out of the blue, free-spirited Prince Kiem learns of his duty to marry to maintain peace. He’s okay with this, he knew it would happen one day, but he doesn’t want to marry the still mourning widower of his cousin.

Jainan, the prospective groom, is reserved, careful, and seemingly repelled by Kiem, all expected behaviors of a grieving spouse. However, when it’s revealed that his previous husband died under suspicious circumstances, these actions become questionable.

Caught in an expanding web of politics and deceit, Kiem and Jainan must learn to trust each other while they work to discover the truth--and love.

Content warning: Depictions of past domestic violence, abuse survivorship.

In our last NaNo prep bonus episode, we discuss ways you can set yourself up for success with the NaNoWriMo challenge, now and in the future. 

This is the end of our series of bonus episodes where we invite you to NaNo with Us!

Author Pep Talks Mentioned in this Episode: James Patterson, Neil Gaiman, Jim Butcher.

Check out our recommended reading list for learning about writing. 

Follow Us on Twitter and interact with us! We'd love to answer any questions about NaNo, the writing process, or our podcast.

In this very special bonus episode, we discuss different ways writers can get in the mood for writing, and how you can train your brain to know when it's time to write. Em tells us about the important role music plays in her writing process and gives suggestions for incorporating music and sound into your own process.

This is part of a short series of bonus episodes where we invite you to NaNo with Us!

Follow Us on Twitter and interact with us! We'd love to answer any questions about NaNo, the writing process, or our podcast.

In this very special bonus episode, Em tells us about her writing process and gives us ideas for developing characters and settings. We discuss different ways a writer can make a story feel "real."

This is part of a short series of bonus episodes where we invite you to NaNo with Us!

Follow Us on Twitter and interact with us! We'd love to answer any questions about NaNo, the writing process, or our podcast.