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What happens when the Grim Reaper falls for a children's librarian? Kelly Creagh's adult debut says: absolute chaos, and a whole lot of heart.

YA fan-favorite Kelly Creagh (the Nevermore trilogy) makes her adult debut with A Date with Death, a spicy, comedy-forward paranormal rom-com about a Grim Reaper and the sunshine-y librarian who steals his afterlife. In this episode, Kelly talks about jumping from YA to adult romance, writing comedy after years in paranormal horror, and her upcoming Hades and Persephone romantasy retelling — plus she shares the books currently topping her TBR. Perfect for readers who love cozy paranormal rom-coms, monster romance, and stories about finding your process as a writer.

A Date with Death by Kelly Creagh — Buy on Amazon | Paranormal Rom-Com | Audio ✅

A Promise to Hades by Kelly Creagh —YA Romantasy (upcoming)

My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine — Buy on Amazon | Paranormal Rom-Com | Audio ✅

Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson — Buy on Amazon | Monster Romance | Audio ✅

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy/Romantasy |Audio ✅

How to Write Best-Selling Fiction by James Scott Bell — Buy on Audible | Writing Craft | Audio ✅ (Audible-exclusive)

• [00:00] Welcome + intro to Kelly's adult debut, A Date with Death
• [01:00] Moving from YA to adult romance
• [02:00] Adult problems vs. YA coming-of-age stakes
• [03:00] Writing a heroine with romantic baggage
• [04:00] Where the Grim Reaper concept came from (thanks, nephew Ethan)
• [05:00] Why cozy romance is resonating right now
• [06:00] Kelly's comedy background
• [07:00] Family humor, playwriting, and theater roots
• [08:00] Working in a library — and that infamous bookmobile
• [09:00] What's next: A Promise to Hades, a Hades/Persephone romantasy
• [10:00] Researching mythology and the Vestal Virgins
• [12:00] On retellings and finding your voice as a writer
• [14:00] What Kelly reads across genres
• [15:00] Advice on finding your own writing process
• [16:00] Learning structure before you break the rules
• [19:00] The business side of being a writer
• [21:00] Craft book recommendation: James Scott Bell
• [22:00] Fiction recs: vampire rom-coms, monster romance, and The Cruel Prince
• [23:00] Where to find Kelly online

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Can you imagine erasing your worst memory — even if it meant erasing the people in it too? Debut author Evann Normandin joins us to talk about her stunning new dual-timeline novel, The Good Parts.

In this episode, Evann shares her long road to publication, the musical that inspired her book's structure, and why she believes The Good Parts was always meant to be her debut. We also dig into her book club-ready recommendations for readers who love a powerful "what if" premise, propulsive second-chance romance, and stories that leave you thinking about what a happy ending really means.

The Good Parts by Evann Normandin — Buy on Amazon | Speculative Romance, Book Club Fiction

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary/Romance, Book Club Fiction

The Measure by Nikki Erlick — Buy on Amazon | Speculative Fiction, Book Club Fiction

Every Version of You by Natalie Messier — Buy on Amazon | Second Chance Romance

• [00:00] Welcome & intro to Evann Normandin
• [00:01] Evann's day job in educational publishing
• [00:02] The path to debut: earlier books that didn't sell
• [00:04] Signing with agent Michelle Wolfson & landing the book deal
• [00:05] Elevator pitch: the dual past/present timeline structure
• [00:06] How the musical The Last Five Years inspired the format
• [00:07] Plotting vs. pantsing — how much was mapped out in advance
• [00:09] The full elevator pitch: Rose, Landon, and the memory-erasing pill
• [00:10] The ethical questions that make it a great book club pick
• [00:12] Evann's reading life & recommendations begin
• [00:12] In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
• [00:14] The Measure by Nikki Erlick
• [00:15] Every Version of You by Natalie Messier
• [00:16] Where to find Evann online

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Rom-com author Victoria Lavine joins us to talk enemies-to-lovers banter, writing wedding chaos, and the funniest, freshest romance reads on her TBR.

Victoria Lavine, author of Any Trope But You and the upcoming Not That Kind of Proposal, sits down to talk about crafting high-stakes rom-coms, why banter is her favorite thing to write, and the books that made her cackle out loud this year. If you love enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and grumpy-meets-sunshine energy, this episode is for you.

Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine — Buy on Amazon | Romance / Rom-Com, Alaska-set, Enemies-to-Lovers

Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine — Buy on Amazon | Romance / Rom-Com, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity

Let's Kiss and Tell by Joss Richards — Buy on Amazon | Romance

It's Different This Time by Joss Richards — Buy on Amazon | Romance, Second Chance

Pot Shot by Laura Piper Lee — Buy on Amazon | Romance, Humor

Succubus: A Love Story by Kate Fox — Buy on Amazon | Paranormal Romance, Humor

• [00:00] Welcome + intro to Victoria Lavine
• [01:00] Life in Maine, escaping mud season
• [02:00] Growing up in Alaska and its influence on her debut
• [03:00] Any Trope But You — the retreat, the grumpy hero, writing it fast
• [04:00] Not That Kind of Proposal — premise: wedding planner vs. divorce lawyer
• [06:00] Researching wedding planning for the book
• [08:00] Favorite part of writing: the banter between enemies-to-lovers leads
• [10:00] Let's Kiss and Tell and It's Different This Time by Joss Richards
• [12:00] Potshot by Laura Piper Lee
• [13:00] Succubus: A Love Story by Kate Fox
• [15:00] Where to find Victoria online

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