Ever wondered how a late-night creative outlet can turn into a full-fledged fantasy trilogy? We sit down with Alecia B. Kirby—tourism marketing pro by day, author by night—to trace the unlikely path from a tough season in life to the release of A Crown In Shadows, a medieval fantasy charged with political intrigue, a framed-for-murder twist, and the kind of grumpy-sunshine pull that keeps pages turning.

Alicia opens up about her writing process: embracing pantsing with a vision of the ending, a chaotic yet effective post-it wall, and a nightly ritual of rereading to avoid repetition and re-enter the scene’s emotion. When the words stall, she looks outward—shows like Blue Eye Samurai can reignite the spark even if they share nothing with her world. We also get honest about the realities of balancing art with a 9–5, the tradeoffs of weekends and social life, and why listening to your body is more sustainable than forcing word counts.

If you crave court intrigue, high-stakes choices, and a heroine forced to flee after a wedding-eve murder shock, Alicia’s world belongs on your TBR. A Crown In Shadows is available at major retailers and on Kindle Unlimited. Enjoy the conversation, then tap follow, share this episode with a book-loving friend, and leave a quick review to help more readers find us.

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

A dream, a superhero, and a kiss that can kill—Karina Halle joins me for a wildly honest, high‑energy conversation about Vanguard and the creative path that brought it roaring to life. 

From process to publishing, Karina is disarmingly practical. She writes in sprints, outlines lightly, sees scenes like movies, and lets characters bend the plan. We talk hybrid publishing and non‑competes, why she’ll always keep an indie lane for control, and how chasing reviews kills joy. She pinpoints backlist highlights—Sins and Needles for morally gray adrenaline, Ship of Bones and Teeth for pirate‑mermaid mayhem, Black Sunshine for obsessive vampires—and offers smart starting points for new readers.

Press play for craft insights, industry truths, and a reminder that romance isn’t fluff; it’s a lifeline that teaches us to want more and fight for it. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others find us.

Follow Karina Halle on IG: @authorhalle

www.authorkarinahalle.com

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

MY FIRST SOLO EPISODE

I saw LarryReads do a beginning of the year tag on her BookTube and I thought you know what, let me try that on the podcast. HERE WE ARE! my first solo episode where I answer all the questions Larry had for her tag.

And I hope you all love it and if you don't please don't tell me, just lie to me and say you love it.

Is there someone you are dying for me to interview or have a conversation with? LET ME KNOW!!

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

MEET US AT THE COTTAGE!!

Spoilers for both the show and book

I brought Genesis back for us to talk about all things Heated Rivalry!!

A hockey romance that actually trusts intimacy to carry the story? That’s the magic we dig into as we break down Heated Rivalry—from the viral cottage vibes to the quiet beats that make every look feel loaded. We talk about how a show that starts hot becomes something unexpectedly tender, why the mother–son conversation shattered us, and how consent shows up on screen in ways that feel natural, caring, and wildly compelling.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s “still at the cottage,” and leave a quick review—what moment sealed it for you?

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

We swear we're not buying more books... After December!

Goals that actually stick rarely start with spreadsheets—they start with a feeling. We as in Olivia and I decided our feeling for 2026 is consistency, and it changed everything about how we read, buy, and share books. From a simple 45‑minute daily target to a color‑coded year‑in‑pixels page, we map a routine that protects mental health, surfaces patterns, and keeps stories fun. No shame, no streak anxiety, just a gentle checkpoint that tells us when life is getting loud and what to tweak next.

We also get real about the TBR and the dopamine loop of book mail. Tabs on unread spines, shelf counts in Notion, and a “shop your shelves” ritual help us see what we already love. Content creation gets its own reset. Batching shoots and edits reduces burnout, and each platform has a lane: TikTok for raw hot takes and TBR experiments, Instagram for polished favorites and visuals, YouTube for vlogs and deep dives. ARC boundaries return control to our tastes—we stay with core teams and skip the ad hoc rush. 

We close with rapid‑fire 2026 anticipated releases and the 2025 reads we can’t stop thinking about, from heart‑stopping romantic suspense to nostalgic favorites that felt like home. If you’re craving a reading year that fits your real life, this is your blueprint: simple habits, visible progress, fewer shoulds, more savoring. 

Subscribe, share with a bookish friend, and tell us the one change you’re making to design your best reading year yet.

Follow Olivia IG & TT: @pages.and.journeys

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

SPOILER FILLED!!

I AM BACK WITH MY ROOMIE AKA HUBBY!!

A glossy thriller can hold your breath and still leave you wanting more, and that’s exactly where our take on The Housemaid lands. We walked into the theater from different angles—one of us with the book’s twists stored in the back of our mind, the other meeting the story cold—and still found ourselves circling the same questions: did the “too perfect husband” give it away, did the inner monologues help or hurry the plot, and why did the final music cue feel like the sharpest blade in the drawer?

If you’re on the fence, our verdict is simple: a solid, entertaining watch with a standout ending and just enough bite to spark debate. Press play on our spoiler-heavy breakdown, then tell us your rating out of ten, your favorite scene, and whether you want the sequel. If this conversation hits, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves psychological thrillers, and drop a review to help more listeners find us.

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

I sit down with Canadian author Nova Adams to unpack how a “quick” holiday novella turned into an 80,000-word small-town slow burn that balances cozy cheer with real emotional stakes. Nova shares the origin story behind The Crush of Christmas Past—written to brighten a friend’s darkest season—and how found family, age gap dynamics, and a grumpy-sunshine pairing come together without glossing over grief or growth.

We get candid about the indie author grind: juggling a full-time job, sneaking in 2 a.m. drafting sprints, and learning to market a debut without a big budget. Nova breaks down her craft choices, from acting out dialogue to keep conversation natural to using dual POV so readers can see beneath a broody exterior. 

Add The Crush of Christmas Past to your holiday TBR on Amazon or Kindle Unlimited, then press play and join the conversation. If this episode made your TBR taller, follow, share with a romance-loving friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more readers find the show.

Follow Nova Adams on IG & TT: @nova.adams.writes

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Slutty Little Glasses

A ghost of Christmas past with memory magic, a cinnamon-roll bodyguard, and a door knocker with opinions—Cass Geller brings the holidays to life in a way that’s equal parts tender, funny, and haunting. I sit down with Cass to unpack Mary & Brite, her urban fantasy romance set in present-day London with a secret world of Spirits Incorporated, where grief becomes a character and love learns to speak in the quiet.

Cass opens up about writing at night while working full-time and parenting, how she protects the joy of making by simplifying her launch process, and why she’s unapologetically character-driven. We get into the craft: building slow-burn tension, handling spice without cliché, keeping humor close to heartbreak, and pacing a novella so it still feels rich. She shares the unlikely spark behind the book—Dickens, Muppets, and a single title pun—and explains how Maurice the talking door knocker became the emotional glue she didn’t know she needed.

If you loved the episode, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a new festive read, and leave a quick review to help others find us.

Follow Cass on IG: @wonderlandandwhisky

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

What does it really take to keep an author’s world running? We sit down with Erin—aka @SinfulShelves—to unpack the real work of an author PA: building Airtable databases packed with character details and settings, pulling market-ready quotes and hooks, managing launches, and keeping creative teams moving. Erin’s approach blends meticulous systems with real empathy, showing how collaboration beats lone-wolf myths and why the right boundaries can actually improve results.

The conversation travels from Bookstagram beginnings to a full-time career, where late-night deep work powers newsletters, graphics, and content libraries. Erin explains how she blocks time, schedules client updates, and balances alpha, beta, and ARC reads with a packed calendar. She also shares the hard-won lessons behind sustainable pricing, capacity, and choosing clients who value people over pace. 

We also dive into Erin’s mental health journey, including years of misdiagnosis before an ADHD combined-type evaluation changed the trajectory of her life and work. Her openness about therapy, medication, and self-advocacy offers a clear path forward for listeners navigating similar terrain. Then she brings the same candor to chronic illness: living and handling flares, and adjusting workloads without losing momentum. 

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves behind-the-scenes craft, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find us.

Follow Erin on IG: @sinfulshelves

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Love, Lies, And A “Fake” AI Boyfriend

What if the flirty “AI boyfriend” on your phone wasn’t artificial at all? Debut author Laura Bishop joins us to unpack the addictive hook behind Love Me, Stalk Me—a slow-burn, body-positive romance where obsession meets accountability and intimacy waits for honesty to catch up. Laura shares the real-world spark that lit the concept. From there, she built a story that asks sharp questions about privacy, consent, and the comfort we seek in digital confessionals—then grounded it with a heroine learning to trust her voice and a security-chief hero who won’t cross the final line until truth is on the table.

And because a great book deserves great buzz, we dig into Laura’s unexpectedly brilliant marketing: partnering with BikeTok creators, filming bookstore rides, and keeping content authentic to each creator’s voice. We also preview the series trajectory. 

Come for the spicy tension and morally gray hero; stay for a candid, generous look at creativity, confidence, and the line between fantasy and reality.

Loved the conversation? Follow and share the show, subscribe for more author deep-dives, and leave a review to help other romance readers find us.

Follow Laura on IG & TT: @laurabishopauthor and her website: https://laurabishopauthor.com/

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: [email protected]

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction