Black heroines deserve to be treasured with LaQuette
Rebel Ever After
This week my guest is LaQuette, author of many contemporary romances including The King’s Pregnancy Proposition and the brand new rom-com Janae Sanders’ Second Time Around. We talked about her Savvy, Sexy, and Single Club series about couples in their 40s that explores communication, healing and mental health. Then we discussed the beautiful ridiculousness of romance and the perils of expecting a character’s choices to be “plausible.” Plus: LaQuette told me about her Ph.D. research on representations of Black women in popular media and how stereotypes limit the types of stories...
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Ella's publishing hot takes on the 'It's a Lot' podcast
Rebel Ever After
This week I’m the guest! I went on my friend Emily Hessney Lynch’s podcast It’s A Lot to talk about my romance novel, BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY. We dug into my writer's block and the depression a lot of authors experience thanks to the shifting goal posts of success in this industry. Plus I shared some conspiracy theories about why best-seller lists are rigged and if hardcover books are doomed to fail. Be sure to subscribe to the It's A Lot podcast! Emily does a great job interviewing folks about social media, parenting, books, and all sorts of stuff that feels way too much. Buy BUT...
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Ashley Herring Blake wants to know your star sign
Rebel Ever After
In the first Rebel Ever After episode of 2026, my guest is Ashley Herring Blake! I asked the author of DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE and countless other queer books about her shift from writing kid-lit to adult romance, and the authors who inspired her along the way. Then we broke down the role of astrology and tarot in her new book GET OVER IT, APRIL EVANS (Feb 2026) and why queers love our star charts so much. I also asked Ashley for her advice on how to live and work in line with your values in an industry where having principles can feel like a luxury. Plus: writing about kink and...
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Primal play & the catharsis of Dark Romance with Allie Oleander
Rebel Ever After
This week my guest is Allie Oleander, author of the dark-ish romance WILLING PREY about a woman who gets paid $30,000 to let a sexy, awkward lawyer hunt her in the woods. We talked about the definition of primal kink, how Allie approached consent and power dynamics in the book, and the differences between BDSM and Dark Romance. Plus: Why do some readers find Dark Romances so cathartic to read? Allie patiently helped me make sense of my complicated feelings about the subgenre’s rising popularity. Content warning: This episode is definitely not safe for work and includes discussion of...
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Does “historical romance” need a new name? With Katherine Grant
Rebel Ever After
This week my guest is Katherine Grant, indie romance author and the host of the Historical Romance Sampler podcast. We talked about the conclusion of her historical romance series The Prestons and how her characters live by their progressive principles in Regency Era England. On a craft level, Katherine shares how she interrogates thorny issues of labor exploitation and divesting from the slave trade while writing character-driven romance novels. Plus: How she approached writing the sexuality and personal growth of characters in their 60s in THE WIDOWER WITHOUT A WILL. Then we dove into the...
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A marriage of convenience for health insurance & housing, with Marisa Kanter
Rebel Ever After
This week my guest is Marisa Kanter, author of the adult rom-com FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, as well as several YA romance novels. We talked about writing the ultimate contemporary marriage-of-convenience about best friends who get married for health insurance and housing. We had a good venting session about ableism and misogyny in romance reviews, and the weird trend of readers wanting to “rescue” male main characters from their chronically ill heroines. Topics include: Romance characters who don’t want to get married, the disgraceful state of the United States healthcare system, and if...
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Rachel Runya Katz on the rom-traum-com
Rebel Ever After
My guest this week is Rachel Runya Katz, the author of Thank You For Sharing, Whenever You’re Ready and the brand new instant USA Today Best Seller Isn’t It Obvious? We talked about writing rom-traum-coms, balancing serious subjects with swoony romance, bipolar representation and our love of Michael Hobbes podcasts. Plus, should we be concerned about all the condomless big penises taking over sex scenes? And our hot takes about You’ve Got Mail. Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelrunyakatz and on Substack . Purchase Rachel’s books from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore !...
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Julian Winters on queer self-discovery and demisexual representation
Rebel Ever After
My guest this week is Julian Winters, the author of adult rom-coms I THINK THEY LOVE YOU and LAST FIRST KISS, as well as many books for teens and children. We talked about his passion for writing inclusive love stories that make people feel seen and celebrated. Julian walked me through how he approached demisexuality and pansexuality on the page of his new book LAST FIRST KISS in a responsible and character-driven way. Plus: Discovering your queer identity at your own pace, no matter your age; conversations about safe sex between characters; and writing ideal “first” sexual experiences....
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Sexy unionized ballet dancers with Chloe Angyal
Rebel Ever After
This week my guest is former journalist and current novelist Chloe Angyal! In her Dancers Down Under trilogy, Chloe writes about ballet dancers as athletes, employees, and hotties. We talked about her decision to self-publish BARRE FIGHT, the final book in the series, and how she wove the extensive research she did for her nonfiction book Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers is Saving Ballet From Itself into genre romance novels. Plus: how she wrote a high-steam romance novel without any penetrative sex scenes in POINTE OF PRIDE, the current conservative project to disenfranchise...
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Sample: Portland's Romance Bookstore with Katherine Morgan
Rebel Ever After
It's time for another Rebel Ever After's premium episode! This month my guest is Katherine Morgan, the owner of Grand Gesture Books, Portland's first romance bookstore. She shared what she has learned during the store’s first year at 814 SW 10th Ave — from managing stock to building community at events. She shared her advice on how authors can build strong relationships with their local booksellers, and how you can still support indie bookstores if you’re on a book buying freeze. Plus we talked about all those beautiful hardcover special editions… and wondered what makes a special...
info_outlineIn the first Rebel Ever After episode of 2026, my guest is Ashley Herring Blake! I asked the author of DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE and countless other queer books about her shift from writing kid-lit to adult romance, and the authors who inspired her along the way. Then we broke down the role of astrology and tarot in her new book GET OVER IT, APRIL EVANS (Feb 2026) and why queers love our star charts so much.
I also asked Ashley for her advice on how to live and work in line with your values in an industry where having principles can feel like a luxury. Plus: writing about kink and queerness in small-town settings, and why third-act breakups are the best, actually.
Find Ashley on Instagram @ashleyhblake or at www.ashleyherringblake.com
Pre-order Get Over It, April Evans from the Rebel Ever After affiliate bookstore at bit.ly/REABooks
Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee is an all-volunteer, grassroots, multiracial, and multinational immigrant rights mass-movement organization. MIRAC fights for legalization for all, an end to immigration raids and deportations, an end to all anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life. Donate to MIRAC here: www.miracmn.com
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Books and authors mentioned this episode:
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
- The Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert
- Rebekah Witherspoon
- Kennedy Ryan
- Nicole Brinkley