The Fresh Fiction Podcast

Jennifer Crusie writes romantic comedies populated by women with messy, real histories, and Bob Mayer is a West Point graduate, a former Green Beret, and the author of more than 100 books. On paper, they are not an obvious pairing. In practice, they have spent over twenty years proving that action, humor, and heart belong in the same book. Samantha Tennant sits down with both of them for a conversation that is as funny as their novels. IN THIS EPISODE How a glass of white wine and a trade of manuscripts (BODYGUARD OF LIES for FAKING IT) launched a collaboration at the Maui Writers Conference What “YEC” means, and why Jennifer owns the emotion while Bob keeps the plot moving The river scene in VERY NICE FUNERALS, two competing rewrites, and the fix that made them both right How they work: Slack, one master file, forty versions, and the rule that each author owns their own characters Why Jennifer wrote 70,000 words of LAVENDER'S BLUE, got stuck, and sent it to Bob, who spent two months fixing it A first look at ARRESTING ANNA, DEEP WINTER, and the novellas and novels still to come The Fresh Fiction facts lightning round: reading glasses, Diet Coke, and gas station hot dogs BOOKS MENTIONED ARRESTING ANNA (Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, November 15) DON'T LOOK DOWN, AGNES AND THE HITMAN, WILD RIDE (Crusie and Mayer) VERY NICE FUNERALS and LAVENDER'S BLUE (Crusie and Mayer) GETTING CARTER (novella) and STEALING NADINE (upcoming, Crusie and Mayer) FAKING IT and MAYBE THIS TIME (Jennifer Crusie) SLOW FALL and DEEP WINTER (Bob Mayer, DEEP WINTER out November 24) BODYGUARD OF LIES (Bob Mayer) FIND JENNIFER CRUSIE AND BOB MAYER Jennifer Crusie: Facebook, and the ARGH Ink blog (A-R-G-H-I-N-K) Bob Mayer: Facebook, and his blog covering nonfiction and survival topics Browse both backlists at freshfiction.com About Fresh Fiction Fresh Fiction is the home for readers who can't stop. Visit us at freshfiction.com for daily author interviews, new book news, and what's out this week across every genre. We run daily contests where readers can win free books — stop by and enter. And if you love discovering great reads before anyone else, check out the Fresh Fiction subscription box, curated for book lovers every month. Subscribe to the Fresh Fiction Video Book Club so you never miss an author conversation. Get our free newsletters: freshfiction.com/newsletters.php

Roxy Taylor calls herself a Gen X Amazon writing romantasy that refuses to behave, and her adult debut, CLAIMED BY THE ORC KING, proves it. The first book in a new series arrives November 3, and it follows a grown woman with all of her baggage who falls into a fantasy world and never has to change to be great. In this episode, Samantha Tennant talks with Roxy about the orc, the panic disorder she gave her heroine, her family’s love of the 1980s, and the unexpected path from drag photographer to author. Roxy is funny, warm and unfiltered, and the conversation is well worth your time. In this episode: Why an orc, and how World of Warcraft and a hard stretch of perimenopause led to CLAIMED BY THE ORC KING A heroine who is unapologetic and broken at once, and never has to change to be great Roxy’s own panic disorder, and why she wrote it into her heroine The 1980s references, and the ARC reader who noticed something Roxy never labeled Her first book tour: a festival in Edinburgh, the train to London and a panel at MCM London Comic Con From drag photographer to novelist, plus CLOVER AND THE CAROUSEL HOTEL with Eureka O’Hara and Sandra Miller Books mentioned: CLAIMED BY THE ORC KING by Roxy Taylor — book one in a new series, out November 3 CLOVER AND THE CAROUSEL HOTEL by Roxy Taylor, Eureka O’Hara and Sandra Miller — middle grade, out January 5 Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan — mentioned as a companion read Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey — Roxy’s most dog-eared favorite Find Roxy Taylor: Instagram (Roxy prefers DMs, so send a message) More news and updates at freshfiction.com Add Roxy’s exact Instagram handle before publishing. It was not stated in the interview. Get the Fresh Fiction newsletter: https://freshfiction.com/newsletters.php About Fresh Fiction Fresh Fiction is the home for readers who can’t stop. Visit us at freshfiction.com for daily author interviews, new book news, and what’s out this week across every genre. We run daily contests where readers can win free books — stop by and enter. And if you love discovering great reads before anyone else, check out the Fresh Fiction subscription box, curated for book lovers every month. Subscribe to the Fresh Fiction Video Book Club so you never miss an author conversation.

The Busty Bodice Club is back, and the authors behind it are here to tell you what is coming. Samantha Tennant welcomes Eliana Piers, Cathy Maxwell, Annabelle Anders, and Deb Marlowe, with prerecorded answers from Kate Bateman and Christi Caldwell, for a lively look at Season Two of the historical romance series that started with a red envelope and a push to bust out of your shell. If you love Regency romance, behind-the-scenes author stories, and a good title reveal, this one is worth your time. In this episode: How Season Two begins: the eighth Harrington sister opens her father’s last red envelope, then turns the idea into pink envelopes for the women around her Why Regency romance holds such a pull for readers and writers, with prerecorded answers from Kate Bateman (England) and Christi Caldwell (Portugal) Cathy Maxwell, Annabelle Anders, Deb Marlowe, and Eliana Piers on tall boots, social rules, and the women who push past them Why the Busty Bodice Club stories are novellas, and how eight authors keep one shared world on track All eight Season Two titles, plus what is still ahead: trope reveals now and cover reveals in early winter A free Christmas anthology of Season One epilogues, written year by year starting in 1821 Rapid-fire fun: writing fuel, behind-the-scenes cover stories, and the animal sound each author would pick for a car horn Books mentioned: Curves for the Wicked Duke by Eliana Piers Curves for the Decadent Duke by Christi Caldwell Curves for the Notorious Duke by Jana McGregor Curves for the Sinful Viscount by Cathy Maxwell Curves for the Charming Marquess by Robin DeHart Curves for the Dangerous Duke by Kate Bateman Curves for the Dark Viscount by Deb Marlowe Curves for the Cocky Duke by Annabelle Anders Busty Bodice Club Season One (the Curves series), plus the free Christmas anthology of Season One epilogues Start here: If you have not read Season One, begin there, then watch for Curves for the Wicked Duke to open Season Two. Find the Busty Bodice Club: Facebook: search for the Busty Bodice Club group for title reveals, trope reveals, and cover reveals Each author shares news on her own author website and in her newsletter About Fresh Fiction Fresh Fiction is the home for readers who can’t stop. Visit us at freshfiction.com for daily author interviews, new book news, and what’s out this week across every genre. We run daily contests where readers can win free books — stop by and enter. And if you love discovering great reads before anyone else, check out the Fresh Fiction subscription box, curated for book lovers every month. Subscribe to the Fresh Fiction Video Book Club so you never miss an author conversation. Get the Fresh Fiction newsletter: freshfiction.com/newsletters.php

Chelsea Conradt is a USA Today bestselling author whose books have been described as "a true mix of murder and kindness" — psychological horror thrillers with real emotional depth, a slow build of Gothic dread, and, somehow, room for a laugh. On this episode of the Fresh Fiction Video Book Club, she sits down with Samantha Tennant to talk about her latest novel, THE SECRET ATTIC, her debut THE FARMHOUSE, and the book she calls the best she's ever written. In this episode: How a friend's real-life mother-in-law downsizing turned into a group-chat dare — and then THE SECRET ATTIC Why Chelsea calls her novels "gateway horror" and promises thriller readers (yes, Karin Slaughter fans) they'll be fine The slow "tick, tick, tick" of the roller-coaster climb: building Gothic dread in the tradition of Rebecca and The Hacienda Self-gaslighting, women who need proof before they're believed, and why her heroines finish each book reclaiming their agency THE SECRET ATTIC as a book about caretakers — and when caretaking becomes a personality The crows that bring Addison gifts, the chickens of Cluckingham Palace, and a first look at Her Sister's Ghosts Books mentioned: THE SECRET ATTIC by Chelsea Conradt (audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley) THE FARMHOUSE by Chelsea Conradt HER SISTER'S GHOSTS by Chelsea Conradt (Poisoned Pen Press, June 8, 2027) REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier THE HACIENDA by Isabel Cañas LOVER AWAKENED by J.R. Ward — Chelsea's go-to comfort reread Find Chelsea Conradt: Website: chelseaconradt.com — events, including her November 13 writing workshop at Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, Texas Instagram: @authorchelseaconradt About Fresh Fiction Fresh Fiction is the home for readers who can't stop. Visit us at freshfiction.com for daily author interviews, new book news, and what's out this week across every genre. We run daily contests where readers can win free books — stop by and enter. And if you love discovering great reads before anyone else, check out the Fresh Fiction subscription box, curated for book lovers every month. Subscribe to the Fresh Fiction Video Book Club so you never miss an author conversation.

Former CIA analyst David McCloskey joins Samantha Tennant in front of a live audience to talk about London Station, his new thriller in which the CIA and British intelligence start spying on each other again — a scenario with real historical precedent. David explains why the tradecraft in his debut is already outdated, what he saw when AI flagged would-be spies from their phone data, and why he obsesses over details down to the spelling of whisky. The standout moment: the day the real colleague who inspired Artemis Procter appeared in his signing line at CIA headquarters and said, "I know."

Barbara O’Neal — RWA Hall of Famer, multiple RITA winner, and author of more than 40 novels — joins Samantha Tennant to talk about A Thousand Painted Hours, a soulmate story that moves between colonial India and London during the Blitz. Barbara shares how the book followed her for years before her publisher said yes, how her British husband’s family history raised the question at its heart, and how friend Sonali Dev helped give the lovers a secret language. Plus: why she cries while writing, the one question every book of hers keeps asking, and a lightning round full of Jelly Bellies and Anthony Bourdain.

USA Today bestselling author CJ Carmichael has published more than 50 novels in romance, mystery, and women’s fiction, and she’s bringing her Coffee Creek, Montana series back to readers. She talks with Samantha Tennant about building fictional small towns with maps and Pinterest boards, why she’d rather solve a mystery through character than DNA, and why readers love to hate Olive, the controlling mother at the heart of the series. She also tells what it was like to walk a Hallmark set covered in fake snow in August, and why she’s taking her first year off in 26 years.

What happens when a flamboyant, fabulous 40-year-old man accidentally becomes the ruler of an island nation — and immediately starts wondering if the dragon made a terrible mistake? That's the heart of An Accident of Dragons, the debut fantasy from Cheri Radke, and it's not quite like anything else on shelves right now.

Mary Burton — NYT and USA Today bestselling thriller author, Amazon First Reads favorite, and self-described "Scary Mary" — joins Samantha Tennant to talk craft, characters, and her brand-new psychological thriller Trust No One. Mary breaks down her seven-draft writing process, explains why she plants twist endings before she even knows what they are, and makes a compelling case for heroines who are morally gray rather than simply "nice." Plus: what it means to write under two completely different pen names, why small-jurisdiction settings give her more freedom, and a first look at Trust No One, available now as an Amazon First Reads pick ahead of its October 1 release.

National award-winning historical romance author Robyn DeHart sits down with Samantha Tennant to talk about 90+ published titles, writing curvy heroines when publishers said no, and the grief-fueled pivot that launched her contemporary pen name Kat Baxter. Plus: the wrong-bride Regency story everyone is talking about, a Mount Rushmore of romance authors, and why her road-trip snack of choice is pickle-flavored sunflower seeds.