Spill the Smut

A romantasy author explains how stories become meaningful...

A phoenix hatches in a college dorm and nothing stays normal. We’re joined by fantasy romance author Margarita Artista, creator of The Phoenix Keeper, to talk about how an urban fantasy romance can deliver the swoon while still carrying a serious punch of meaning. 

From there, we zoom out into craft and publishing. Margarita breaks down a real-world writing process: plotting big, rewriting early drafts as you grow, and learning when “perfect” is the enemy of “done.” We also talk self-publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing, what it feels like to rack up agent rejections, and why a small press can be a sweet spot between indie freedom and traditional publishing structure.

If you love romantasy, forced proximity tension, and fantasy that actually has something to say, hit play. Subscribe for more author interviews, share this with a writer friend, and leave a review telling us what theme you want fiction to tackle next.

Follow Margarita on IG: @margarita.artista

https://www.margaritaartista.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

The romance bookshop that feels like home.

We sit down with Amanda Anderson, the owner of The Last Chapter Bookshop in Chicago, to talk about what it truly looks like to build a modern independent bookstore that’s equal parts retail, event venue, and community home for romance readers.

Amanda shares her path from corporate sports business to entrepreneurship, why she started The Last Chapter Bookshop as an online bookstore first, and how book boxes, preorder campaigns, signed books, and merchandise helped her prove demand before opening a brick-and-mortar space. 

Then we get into the fun stuff that romance readers search for: what subgenres are flying off the shelves, how she decides which indie romance authors to champion, and why big releases can spark waves of demand. 

If you love romance novels, Chicago bookstores, author signings, and the behind-the-scenes of small business ownership, press play, then subscribe, share the show with a fellow reader, and leave a review with your go-to romance trope.

Follow The Bookshop on IG: @thelastchapterchi  and follow Amanda on IG: @xoxoaanderson

Bookshop Website: https://thelastchapterbookshop.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

A confident heroine refuses to take up less space.

A dark romance heroine who’s plus-size, confident, and fully aware of her worth should not be a rarity. Author Lila Herron, whose book Any Means Necessary delivers sharp banter, undeniable tension, and a heroine who refuses to dim her light for anyone.

We go behind the scenes on publishing and platform strategy. Lila breaks down how teasing an unwritten idea on BookTok went viral, what self-publishing taught her about craft and marketing, and what changed when Any Means Necessary was re-released through traditional publishing. If you’re curious about hybrid publishing, Kindle Unlimited page reads, and what it’s like to build a romance career in public while the algorithm shifts under your feet, you’ll get both honesty and useful detail.

Listen now, share this with a romance reader who wants more representation, and leave a review if you like what you hear. What’s the one thing that makes you trust a romance couple on the page?

Follow Lila on IG: @authorlilaherron & TT: @authorlilaherron 

Website: www.authorlilaherron.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

Anonymous peer review, professional grudges, and a conference that could make or break your career aren’t the usual ingredients for a swoony romance, which is exactly why this conversation works. We’re joined by neuroscientist and debut author Hannah Brohm to unpack how real academic life shaped Love and Other Brain Experiments, a STEM romance that pairs sharp humor with the very real instability of early-career research.

We also get personal about craft and process: drafting while doing neuroscience, learning where to bend reality for story, and why Hannah needs a little surprise to stay motivated as a plotter-pantser hybrid. She shares a key theme that runs through the romance and the research mindset: when you get new information about someone, you should be willing to update your view. We close with what she’s working on next, plus where to follow her online.

If you love STEM romance, women in STEM stories, academic rivals-to-lovers, and fake dating done with heart, subscribe, share this with a romance friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Follow Hannah on IG & Threads: @hannahbrohm & TT: @Hannah.brohm

website: https://www.hannahbrohm.com

newsletter: https://substack.com/@hannahbrohm

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 book goes viral on TikTok and the author isn’t even on TikTok. That’s where our chat with dark and paranormal romance author KL Hill begins, with the adrenaline of waking up to huge KDP page reads, the weird psychology of monthly dashboard resets, and how reader-driven hype can change your week before you’ve had coffee. 

From there, we get into the real story behind her debut Coded In Control and the Masquerade series: organized crime, a masked nightclub with an underground kink club, found family, forced proximity, and why choose chaos. KL shares how the entire concept started as a workplace comedy bit, then grew into a multi-book world once the characters took the wheel. We also talk writing craft in plain language, including being a pantser with quilter tendencies, living in the Notes app, and why your first draft should be written for you before it’s shaped for readers. 

If you like dark romance, romantasy, indie publishing realities, and honest creative process talk, hit play. Subscribe, share with a romance-reading friend, and leave a review so more readers can find the show.

Follow KL Hill on IG: @klhill_author

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

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