Trend readership is a fascinating topic, especially when readers enter a new genre without understanding the underlying character arcs or structural conventions. This week, I am sitting down with multi-genre indie author Aya Winter to break down what happens when hype-driven reading trends take over the fantasy and romantasy spaces. We dive into the hero’s journey, why readers confuse long-standing genre conventions with plagiarism, the creative autonomy of indie publishing, and why we need to retire the pretty-ugly, inexperienced heroine trope once and for all. 

Aya Winter is a romance novelist, illustrator, and publishing professional with over 20 years of storytelling experience across fiction, poetry, visual art, and music-inspired narratives. She has also spent nearly a decade in children’s book publishing, working from manuscript to print as an illustrator, designer, creative lead, and publishing manager. Her background in communications, branding, and digital media informs a strategic, design-forward approach to her stories and author platform. Known for character-driven narratives with emotional depth, cinematic pacing, longing, and found family in high-stakes worlds, Aya authored the Hartgrave Tellers rockstar romance series. Her debut novel, Through the Glory and the Mess, was released in July 2025. Writing at the intersection of art and story, she views romance as a messy, meaningful craft and calling rooted in emotional truth.

In this episode, we're discussing:

• How fear and early industry rejections stall creative output until life-altering events force a mindset shift toward publishing.
• Why hype-driven trend readership creates reader expectations that clash with standard fantasy conventions and story arcs.
• When the hero's journey gets mistaken for copycatting, and why formulaic character growth is essential for meaningful story payoffs.
• How the financial motivations of traditional publishing limit story variety compared to the creative freedom of indie authors.
• Why writing confident, experienced women who own their beauty and power makes for far better heroines than tired, self-deprecating tropes.

CONNECT WITH AYA WINTER:

Website

Instagram

Amazon

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Naima Simone Episode on the Podcast

Ember by Naima Simone  (Amazon | Bookshop)

Huntsman by Naima Simone (Amazon | Bookshop)

Behind Closed Doors by Shain Rose (Amazon | Bookshop)

Lilac by B.B. Reid (Amazon | Bookshop)

Crucible by B.B. Reid (Amazon | Bookshop)

Kelley Armstrong (Amazon)

Zoey Draven (Amazon)

Alpha Breeds by Milana Jacks (Amazon)

Fae-ted Kings by Milana Jacks (Amazon)

A Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell (Amazon | Bookshop)

https://youtu.be/W68Iqk8Kz4g

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Let's talk about the absolute chaos demon that these librarians' love lives are. This week, I am sitting down with Gabriella Gamez to talk all about her Librarians in Love series. We dive into her books The Next Best Fling, Kiss Me Maybe, and her brand-new release, Second First Dates. Gabby shares her journey navigating traditional publishing, the intentional choices behind writing ace, graysexual, and demisexual characters, and how romance novels allow us to unpack deeply complex family dynamics like machismo, parental favoritism, and the beauty of found family. 

Gabriella Gamez is a Mexican American author from South Texas. She writes about incredibly messy, well-meaning women trying their best and accidentally falling in love. When she’s not writing, she can be found drinking copious amounts of coffee, wasting too much time playing video games, and obsessing over other people’s books.

In this episode, we're discussing:

• How working in a physical library environment during a global shutdown sparked the initial concepts and characters for her debut novel.
• Why the financial freedom and structural boundaries of traditional publishing appealed to her over the total control of the indie author route.
• When visibility on the asexual spectrum shifts from a missing media trope to a deeply personal reclamation of graysexual and demisexual identities on the page.
• How centering two Latinx leads opens up a vital space to challenge intergenerational trauma, parental favoritism, and heteronormative expectations within families.
• Why writing an unlikable heroine provides a realistic look at how childhood wounds and family dynamics shape the protective cycles of adulthood.

CONNECT WITH GABRIELLA GAMEZ:

Website

Instagram

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez (Amazon | Bookshop)

Kiss Me Maybe by Gabriella Gamez (Amazon | Bookshop)

Second First Dates by Gabriella Gamez (Amazon | Bookshop)

Adrienne Thurman Episode

Margherita Scialla Episode

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

What started as a simple vision to mobilize the bookish community has turned into an entire movement aiming to pull one million people together to read books by Black authors. In this special bonus episode, I am sitting down with Crystal, the founder and force behind Melanated Reader Forte. We dive into her One Million Black Books initiative, what it actually means to live in a post-literate society, how fast-forwarding through content is shortening our attention spans, and practical ways we can demand reprints of out-of-print Black literature while supporting indie authors.

Crystal (Melanated Reader) Forte is a 19-year educator, PhD candidate, book influencer, and community organizer. Across social media and in-person community spaces, she builds inclusive literacy initiatives that bring readers of all ages together around Black literature—from children's books to banned classics and open-door romance.

In this episode, we're discussing:

• The core mission behind the One Million Black Books summer movement and how families can participate together across age groups.
• What living in a post-literate society means for short-form content consumption and our daily attention spans.
• Why building a sustained 35-minute daily reading habit improves critical literacy and standardized testing stamina for students.
• Practical ways readers can ask publishers hard questions about backlogs and demand reprints of out-of-print Black literature.
• How to support indie Black authors through platforms like Kindle Unlimited without breaking local budgets.

CONNECT WITH CRYSTAL:

• Etsy Shop
• Instagram Melanated Reader
• Instagram 1 Million Black Books
• Threads
• Substack
• Website

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Antoinette Sherelle 

Wild Women Don't Wear No Blues: Black Women Writers on Love, Men, and Sex is a nonfiction collection edited by author Marita Golden 

Zora Neale Hurston 

J. California Cooper 

K.C. Mills (They Call Him Nas) 

Christina C. Jones 

Alexandria House 

Kennedy Ryan

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Who says that romance is only for able-bodied or thin characters? In this episode, Northern Virginia romance author Katie Duggan joins the microphone to look at how we can take regular contemporary romance tropes and subvert them to center fat, neurodivergent, disabled, and queer representation.

We discuss her journey from high school creative writing magazine editor to falling into the romance genre during lockdown, how she uses her day job at a massive chain bookstore to advocate for diverse shelf placement, and the intense process of moving past childhood religious shame to find your true identity.

Katie Duggan is a New England transplant currently living in Northern Virginia. She writes romances that give fat, neurodivergent, and queer characters spicy happily-ever-afters. When Katie is not writing or being kept up at night by her characters, she can be found drinking iced chai lattes, going to therapy, convincing people to read her favorite books, and doing whatever hobbies give her brain the most dopamine at the moment.

In this episode, we're discussing:

• How to build a romance plot around an autistic lead by addressing the sensory challenges of intimacy through an explicit sex curriculum.
• Why relying purely on factual research falls short when writing disabilities like Type 1 Diabetes, making sensitivity readers vital for capturing lived experiences.
• When navigating purity culture clouds your understanding of your sexuality, and how uncovering demisexuality in therapy helps reframe sex positivity.
• How to challenge the toxic expectations of bounce-back culture by writing mid-size mothers dealing realistically with postpartum depression.
• Why the traditional third-act breakup serves as a necessary mechanism for character growth, forcing partners to choose emotional maturity over comfort.

This conversation serves as an essential reminder that true happily-ever-afters are built on the gritty reality of being believed and accepted for exactly who you are.

CONNECT WITH KATIE DUGGAN:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiedugganwrites/ 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/katieduggan 

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

From the Start by Katie Duggan (Amazon | Bookshop)

Back to Me by Katie Duggan (Amazon | Bookshop)

On My Side by Katie Duggan (Amazon | Bookshop)

Beloved by Toni Morrison (Amazon | Bookshop)

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Amazon | Bookshop)

Scribbles Bookshop

Friends to Lovers 

Romancelandia

Amazon Kindle Unlimited

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

If you read across genres and love picking apart the deeper mechanics of a story, this conversation is for you. This week, I am sitting down with Alyssa, the brilliant host of the Stories & Spoilers podcast. As a self-proclaimed mood reader who hops from dark romance and monster smut to Indigenous horror and graphic novels, Alyssa brings a beautifully diverse perspective to the reading community. 

We dive into how our reading tastes evolve as we grow up, the structural importance of thorough book reviews over superficial aesthetics, and how dark romance serves as a safe space to process trauma and communication. 

Alyssa is the creator and host of Stories & Spoilers, a diverse podcast featuring author interviews, anonymous community confessions, and deep-dive spoiler discussions across multiple genres. She also runs Cozy Soul Reads, a personal blog dedicated to summarized, chaotic book reviews and real life updates. Alyssa uses her platform to heavily champion diverse storytelling, with a dedicated monthly segment spotlighting Black authors and book creators. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• How our real-world perspective shifts our views on classic teenage reads when we revisit them as adults.
• Why the performative nature of bookish social media has pushed out authentic book reviews in favor of hyper-edited aesthetics and consumerism.
• When reading diverse representation, specifically Black and queer stories, shifts from a passive hobby to a deeply healing lifestyle change.
• How the horror and dark romance genres overlap by using extreme situations to explore power dynamics, absolute consent, and female rage.
• Why we need to support independent, Black-owned brick-and-mortar and online bookstores to keep the romance community genuinely inclusive.

CONNECT WITH ALYSSA:

Stories & Spoilers Podcast

Instagram - Stories & Spoilers | Cozy Soul Reads

YouTube

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Check out the Bookshop Links

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams (Amazon)

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (Amazon)

Bride by Ali Hazelwood (Amazon)

A Pack for Winter by Eliana Lee (Amazon)

Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger (Amazon)

Lilith & Memphis by Alexandria House (Amazon)

Huntsman by Naima Simone (Amazon)

Club Petal Series by Eden Emery (Amazon)

Spite House by Johnny Compton (Amazon)

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson (Amazon)

You Gotta Be You by Brandon Kyle Goodman (Amazon)

The Librarian's Gargoyle by Evelyn Sola (Amazon)

Never Whistle at Night - Indigenous Horror Anthology (Amazon)

Fallen Too Far – Abby Glines (Amazon)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Amazon)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Amazon)

Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan (Amazon)

All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stevens (Amazon)

Welcome to the Dark Side by Giana Darling  (Amazon)

Down South Bayou by Aricka Alexander (Amazon)

Outdrawn by Deanna Gray (Amazon)

Thunder Thighs by Evie Mitchell  (Amazon)

Kimberly Lemming (Amazon)

Hans by S.J. Tilly (Amazon)

Jay's House Website

Steamy Lit Website

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

How much do your childhood experiences or the way you were raised dictate the choices you make as an adult? This week, I am sitting down with the incredible Regina Black, author of The Art of Scandal and her latest paperback release, August Lane. Regina has a masterful way of creating fully fleshed characters who make deeply human, interesting choices based entirely on their past structures. We discuss how growing up on daytime soap operas influenced her angsty voice, her winding path from writing online fan fiction to securing traditional publication, and the complex real-world realities she weaves into her small-town romance settings.

Regina Black is a former civil litigator, current law school administrator, and life long romance reader who has always been passionate about the depiction of Black women in popular culture. She currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband and daughter.

In this episode, we're discussing:

• How her childhood of watching summer soap operas shaped her love for forbidden romance tropes.
• Why Regina chose traditional publishing because she preferred staying in her creative writing cave over running a business from scratch.
• When she learned how to revise a manuscript through the Pitch Wars mentorship program, which led to thirty agent requests.
• How she combined her Arkansas upbringing with the musical history of Helena-West Helena to construct a claustrophobic small-town setting.
• Why Regina intentionally writes through the heavy real-world realities of intergenerational trauma, recovery, and invisible illness.

CONNECT WITH REGINA BLACK:

Website

Instagram

Substack

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Charish Reid (Episode | Website)

Denise Williams Website

The Art of Scandal by Regina Black (Amazon)

August Lane by Regina Black (Amazon)

The King of Scandal by Regina Black (Coming in 2027 in trade paperback!)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Making new friends as an adult is notoriously difficult, and when your primary hobby is reading high-heat romance novels, it can feel even harder to find your people. As an introvert who gets overstimulated quickly, the thought of trying to build a community through endless social media scrolling can feel exhausting. In this solo season premiere, I am breaking down easy, low-pressure ways to find bookish friends who match your energy and your favorite tropes (both virtually and in real life) without relying on algorithms. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• Why traditional social media platforms can lead to doom scrolling rather than authentic connection, and how to pivot to dedicated spaces like Discord, Patreon, and Substack.
• How joining a structured buddy read helps you build deep, long-term friendships over shared chapter analysis rather than surface-level comments.
• Simple ways to navigate your local community, including the brilliance of Silent Book Clubs where you can read in parallel without the pressure of forced small talk.
• How to use indie bookstores, local author talks, library events, and even Little Free Libraries to signal your favorite tropes to nearby readers.
• A simple action step to reach out to one person this week and ask about their current read to break the ice.

Don’t forget to follow over on Substack and join the paid community for fun perks.

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Shelbey Monae on the Podcast (S3E6)

Shelbey’s Discord Community

Shamoya’s Romance Reads (Substack)

Weekend Reader (Substack)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Organizing your bookshelves or Kindle starting to feel chaotic? In this Season 3 finale, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I organize my physical and digital romance library without making it a full-time job.

We’re talking sapphic shelves, BIPOC-only shelves, signed books, Kindle collections, Handy Library, StoryGraph, and how it all works together so I stop double-buying books and always know what to read next.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How I organize my main bookshelf on camera (Elizabeth Stevens, Kennedy Ryan, Katie Robert + a dedicated sapphic romance section that reflects my values)
• The structure of my office bookshelves, including a BIPOC-only shelf and a separate shelf for everything else (contemporary, dark, queer romance, etc.)
• Why I use the Handy Library app to catalog my physical books, avoid duplicates, and even track my husband’s and kids’ books
• How I organize my Kindle collections for mood reading: Up Next, KU, physical TBR, podcast prep, Free Black, BIPOC, ARCs, anthologies, dark, contemporary, etc.
• How Handy Library, Kindle, and StoryGraph each play a different role in my reading life
• My system for reading three books at once (physical/audio + Kindle + Kindle app) without getting plots confused

Things Mentioned: 

Handy Library

Kindle Unlimited

Buy a Kindle

Tasty by Taahesi B. Williams (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Reconnecting with your creative identity after a massive life shift is challenging, especially when that shift is motherhood. Today, I am talking with debut author Adrienne Thurman about her new contemporary rom-com, Don't Tell Me How It Ends. We have an incredibly honest conversation regarding the isolation of the first year of parenting, processing postpartum depression, and how navigating those heavy phases of life can actually spark the desire to write gloriously unlikable women who get the happy endings they deserve. 

Adrienne Thurman writes romance and commercial fiction where gloriously unlikable women get the happily ever afters—or revenge plots—of their dreams. As a BIPOC creator, she writes stories with a diverse cast of characters that makes her readers feel seen. Don't Tell Me How It Ends is her debut novel. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• Reclaiming Identity Through Fiction: Adrienne shares how the isolation of the pandemic and the challenges of early motherhood led her back to writing as a way to fill her own cup separate from parenting.
• A Vulnerable Look at Postpartum Depression: A raw discussion on the physical and emotional toll of the first year of motherhood, processing postpartum depression, and how that heavy phase inspired her to create complex, authentic characters.
• Sibling Case Studies: An analysis of the sibling dynamics in her debut—how two sisters raised in the exact same household can develop completely opposite coping mechanisms and perspectives on love.
• Grounded Humor Over Ridiculous Scenarios: Why the best rom-coms build humor directly from a character's sharp personality and a true crime obsession rather than forcing them into absurd situations.
• Heavy Realities in Romance: Adrienne discusses balancing a hopeful romance narrative with real-world gravity, including the representation of a parent living with early onset dementia.

CONNECT WITH ADRIENNE THURMAN:

Website

Instagram

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Don’t Tell Me How It Ends (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Second chance romance has been testing my boundaries lately. After years of avoiding the trope, I am finally seeing the appeal of a hard-earned reunion. Today, I sit down with Swati Hegde to discuss her new book, Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt. We explore the sharp tension of the courtroom, the massive differences between the Indian and US legal systems, and the importance of writing neurodivergent leads with depth and soul. 

Swati Hegde is the author of Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Can’t Help Faking in Love, and Match Me If You Can, as well as the young adult romance As Long as You Loathe Me. She is also a freelance editor, mindset coach, and self-proclaimed coffee shop enthusiast who lives in Bangalore, India, and can often be found at the nearest café with a hot mug of tea or singing her favorite songs off-key at karaoke night. She looks forward to a long career bringing Indian stories and voices to light. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• Swati breaks down the procedural differences in the Indian legal system, including why they do not use juries and how civil law shapes the courtroom experience.
• A conversation regarding autism representation that prioritizes the internal life and personality of the character over a clinical diagnosis.
• Why second chance romance works best when the characters have spent years developing the maturity needed to handle a relationship.
• How Swati navigated the complexities of legal research to ensure her courtroom scenes felt grounded and realistic.
• The significance of reflecting Indian family structures and traditions in a way that feels natural and lived-in.

CONNECT WITH SWATI HEGDE:

Website

Instagram

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt (Amazon)

As Long as You Loathe Me (Amazon)

Can’t Help Faking in Love (Amazon)

Match Me If You Can (Amazon)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

Join the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

Connect with Alesia:
Storygraph

Instagram

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.