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14 Lessons in Romance: Surviving a Decade in Publishing | Talk Spicy to Me

Release Date: 01/28/2026

Romance, Murder & Plot Twists: Writing Romantic Suspense w/ Catherine Cowles | Talk Spicy To Me

Talk Spicy To Me

In Season 3, Episode 6 of Talk Spicy to Me, bestselling authors Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Cowles to talk all things romantic suspense - from crafting believable villains and planting red herrings to using suspense to push the romance forward. Catherine also gets candid about career milestones, setting boundaries as a woman in publishing, and the reality of going from indie to traditional publishing. Plus: true crime research, romance adaptations, murderous book boyfriends, and whether a cold-blooded killer is actually a red flag....

How Bestselling Romance Authors Build Unforgettable Worlds w/ Ava Rani | Talk Spicy to Me

Talk Spicy To Me

In Episode 5 of Talk Spicy to Me, hosts Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by USA Today bestselling author Ava Rani for a deep dive into one of the most important (and often overlooked) aspects of storytelling: world building in romance novels. Whether you're writing fantasy romance, dark academia, sports romance, mafia romance, small-town romance, or contemporary romance, this episode is packed with practical advice on creating immersive settings, weaving sensory details into your scenes, and making your fictional world feel like a character of its own. The conversation also covers...

The Truth About Creative Burnout w/ Giana Darling & Kandi Steiner | Talk Spicy to Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me! In Episode 4 of Season 3, bestselling romance authors Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are getting honest about burnout, motherhood, creativity, author life, and the pressure to keep producing when your brain and body are begging for a break. This week, Giana and Kandi dive into what burnout really feels like, how it starts with overwhelm, the warning signs they’ve learned to look for, and the habits that help them protect their creativity before they hit a wall. They talk about the difference between pushing through and fully burning out, why social...

What It’s REALLY Like Being Married to a Romance Author | Talk Spicy To Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me! In Episode 3 of Season 3, bestselling romance authors Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by two very special guests: their husbands, Haden and Jack. In this episode, Giana and Kandi pull back the curtain on what it’s really like being married to a romance author. Haden and Jack share how they were first introduced to the romance book world, what surprised them most about the size and passion of the reader community, and what it’s like watching their wives build careers in the romance industry. They also get into the hilarious misconceptions people...

The Truth About Being a Hybrid Author w/ S.J. Tilly | Talk Spicy to Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me! In Episode 2 of Season 3, bestselling romance authors Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by the hilarious, wildly talented, and always chaotic S.J. Tilly for a deep dive into what it really means to be a hybrid author. In this episode, Giana, Kandi, and S.J. talk about the realities of balancing indie publishing and traditional publishing, how Kindle Unlimited helped change the game for indie romance authors, why going traditional can help authors reach new readers, and what authors need to know before signing print-only deals, planning book...

Queer Joy, MM Romance & Happily Ever After w/ Chip Pons | Talk Spicy To Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me and welcome to SEASON THREE! 🌶️ We’re kicking off the new season with the amazing Chip Pons, USA Today bestselling author of contemporary gay romance, including Winging It With You and Dearly Departed. In this episode, Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner sit down with Chip to talk all things queer love, queer joy, MM romance, found representation, grief, romance tropes, reader expectations, and the power of happily ever afters. This conversation dives deep into why joyful queer stories matter, how romance can help readers feel seen, the difference between...

Building Author Friendships & Writing Community | Talk Spicy to Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between. In this season finale episode, Kandi and Giana discuss the realities of life in the publishing trenches, the importance of genuine author friendships, what really happens at writing retreats, and answer reader questions about writing and the romance genre. The podcast will return this summer after Giana begins maternity leave. Timestamps: 00:00 – Season finale announcement & Giana starting...

The Anatomy of a Romance Bestseller w/ Liz Tomforde | Talk Spicy to Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between. In Season 2, Episode 9, the hosts are joined by bestselling romance author Liz Tomforde to break down the anatomy of a bestseller. They also share personal updates, reality TV obsessions, and the importance of author friendships while navigating pregnancy, publishing, and the chaos of a writing career. Liz Tomforde Upcoming Release: In Her Own League Website - Instagram - 💬 Got a question...

Boundaries, Burnout & Publishing Deals w/ Shanora Williams | Talk Spicy to Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between. This week, we’re joined by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shanora Williams for an honest, vulnerable conversation about boundaries, burnout, publishing contracts, and whether you can actually balance it all as a modern author. Shanora Williams New York Times & USA Today bestselling author known for emotionally immersive romance across contemporary and high-stakes worlds. Upcoming...

Why Raw & Messy Romance Hits Harder w/ Ambar Cordova | Talk Spicy to Me

Talk Spicy To Me

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between. In Season 2, Episode 5, hosts Kandi Steiner and Giana Darling are joined by special guest Ambar Cordova for a deeply honest conversation about messy characters, third-act breakups, reader reactions, and why raw, emotionally complicated romances hit harder Please note: Due to technical difficulties, audio quality may not be up to par in the first half of the episode. We appreciate your patience. Ambar Cordova...

More Episodes

Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.

In Season 2, Episode 3, hosts Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by special guest Melanie Harlow for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about surviving a decade in romance publishing.

💬 Got a question you’d like us to answer on the podcast? Submit it here → Send us a voice message on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/TalkSpicytoMe

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me

02:35 – Patreon & After Dark episodes

03:20 – Season sponsors

04:23 – Introducing Melanie Harlow

10:47 – The Spice Report (Hot Salsa only)

22:36 – Melanie Harlow’s origin story

27:17 – Changing covers & reader backlash

35:11 – Staying in your lane & long-term growth

36:10 – Balancing creativity and business

49:28 – Discipline, routine & keeping joy in writing

53:14 – Taking risks & trying traditional publishing