This week, we’re joined by contemporary romance author Georgia Stone to talk about her new rom-com, The Roommate Rule.

Georgia shares how growing up in Switzerland shaped her creativity, how she came back to reading and writing as an adult, and how late-night writing sessions helped her turn a tiny idea into her debut novel.

We also talk about doomed rules, forced proximity, tall heroines, banter, book tours, author signatures, and the joy of writing imaginary friends for a living.

Matt & Andrea here. Thanks for joining us on this journey.
We'd love to hear from you. Visit us at www.OurNextChapterPodcast.com

We’re back from a very bookish road trip with a slightly late episode, a dash of magic, and the world’s biggest em dash announcement.

This week, we launch our very serious, very unofficial Save the Em Dash movement, recap a weekend of author events with Kirsty Greenwood, Ashley Poston, Kayla Olson, Livy Hart, and Naina Kumar, and dive into why magical realism has become one of our favorite storytelling devices.

From Romantic Hero and The Love of My Afterlife to The Seven Year Slip, The Dead Romantics, and The Someday Garden, we talk about romance books that use one impossible thing to make grief, hope, humor, love, and change feel even more real. We also share how magical realism may be making its way into our own book.

Plus, the great Mattzini does some Matt-gic.

Join the Movement: www.OurNextChapter.com/SaveTheEmDash

Matt & Andrea here. Thanks for joining us on this journey.
We'd love to hear from you. Visit us at www.OurNextChapterPodcast.com

Lauren Okie is back for our first-ever return guest episode, and we’re talking all things Tropesick, her second novel out June 16. We get into romance tropes, writing through fear, sophomore-book pressure, big emotional swings, and why Lauren is so good at writing stories that feel messy, honest, hot, and human.

Plus, we rank Andrea’s favorite romance tropes and somehow make room for Annabel Monaghan, fake dating, Jason Momoa, and Matt’s ongoing refusal to watch The Notebook.

Matt & Andrea here. Thanks for joining us on this journey.
We'd love to hear from you. Visit us at www.OurNextChapterPodcast.com