Spill the Smut

Fantasy Romance With Teeth with Margarita Artista

A romantasy author explains how stories become meaningful... A phoenix hatches in a college dorm and nothing stays normal. We’re joined by fantasy romance author Margarita Artista, creator of The Phoenix Keeper, to talk about how an urban fantasy romance can deliver the swoon while still carrying a serious punch of meaning.  From there, we zoom out into craft and publishing. Margarita breaks down a real-world writing process: plotting big, rewriting early drafts as you grow, and learning when “perfect” is the enemy of “done.” We also talk self-publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing, what it feels like to rack up agent rejections, and why a small press can be a sweet spot between indie freedom and traditional publishing structure. If you love romantasy, forced proximity tension, and fantasy that actually has something to say, hit play. Subscribe for more author interviews, share this with a writer friend, and leave a review telling us what theme you want fiction to tackle next. Follow Margarita on IG: @margarita.artista https://www.margaritaartista.com/ [https://www.margaritaartista.com/] Cover Art by: moi Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spillthesmutpodcast/] TT: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@spillthesmutpodcast?lang=en] Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction [https://www.instagram.com/sipsoffiction/] TT: @sipsoffiction [https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsoffiction]

Interview with Bookstore Owner: Amanda Anderson

The romance bookshop that feels like home. We sit down with Amanda Anderson, the owner of The Last Chapter Bookshop in Chicago, to talk about what it truly looks like to build a modern independent bookstore that’s equal parts retail, event venue, and community home for romance readers. Amanda shares her path from corporate sports business to entrepreneurship, why she started The Last Chapter Bookshop as an online bookstore first, and how book boxes, preorder campaigns, signed books, and merchandise helped her prove demand before opening a brick-and-mortar space.  Then we get into the fun stuff that romance readers search for: what subgenres are flying off the shelves, how she decides which indie romance authors to champion, and why big releases can spark waves of demand.  If you love romance novels, Chicago bookstores, author signings, and the behind-the-scenes of small business ownership, press play, then subscribe, share the show with a fellow reader, and leave a review with your go-to romance trope. Follow The Bookshop on IG: @thelastchapterchi  and follow Amanda on IG: @xoxoaanderson Bookshop Website: https://thelastchapterbookshop.com/ [https://thelastchapterbookshop.com/] Cover Art by: moi Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spillthesmutpodcast/] TT: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@spillthesmutpodcast?lang=en] Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction [https://www.instagram.com/sipsoffiction/] TT: @sipsoffiction [https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsoffiction]

Interview with Author: Lila Herron

A confident heroine refuses to take up less space. A dark romance heroine who’s plus-size, confident, and fully aware of her worth should not be a rarity. Author Lila Herron, whose book Any Means Necessary delivers sharp banter, undeniable tension, and a heroine who refuses to dim her light for anyone. We go behind the scenes on publishing and platform strategy. Lila breaks down how teasing an unwritten idea on BookTok went viral, what self-publishing taught her about craft and marketing, and what changed when Any Means Necessary was re-released through traditional publishing. If you’re curious about hybrid publishing, Kindle Unlimited page reads, and what it’s like to build a romance career in public while the algorithm shifts under your feet, you’ll get both honesty and useful detail. Listen now, share this with a romance reader who wants more representation, and leave a review if you like what you hear. What’s the one thing that makes you trust a romance couple on the page? Follow Lila on IG: @authorlilaherron & TT: @authorlilaherron  Website: www.authorlilaherron.com  Cover Art by: moi Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spillthesmutpodcast/] TT: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@spillthesmutpodcast?lang=en] Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction [https://www.instagram.com/sipsoffiction/] TT: @sipsoffiction [https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsoffiction]

Interview with Author: Hannah Brohm

Anonymous peer review, professional grudges, and a conference that could make or break your career aren’t the usual ingredients for a swoony romance, which is exactly why this conversation works. We’re joined by neuroscientist and debut author Hannah Brohm to unpack how real academic life shaped Love and Other Brain Experiments, a STEM romance that pairs sharp humor with the very real instability of early-career research. We also get personal about craft and process: drafting while doing neuroscience, learning where to bend reality for story, and why Hannah needs a little surprise to stay motivated as a plotter-pantser hybrid. She shares a key theme that runs through the romance and the research mindset: when you get new information about someone, you should be willing to update your view. We close with what she’s working on next, plus where to follow her online. If you love STEM romance, women in STEM stories, academic rivals-to-lovers, and fake dating done with heart, subscribe, share this with a romance friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Follow Hannah on IG & Threads: @hannahbrohm & TT: @Hannah.brohm website: https://www.hannahbrohm.com [https://www.hannahbrohm.com/] newsletter: https://substack.com/@hannahbrohm [https://substack.com/@hannahbrohm] Cover Art by: moi Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spillthesmutpodcast/] TT: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@spillthesmutpodcast?lang=en] Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction [https://www.instagram.com/sipsoffiction/] TT: @sipsoffiction [https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsoffiction]

From Office Bit To Dark Romance with KL Hill

A book goes viral on TikTok and the author isn’t even on TikTok. That’s where our chat with dark and paranormal romance author KL Hill begins, with the adrenaline of waking up to huge KDP page reads, the weird psychology of monthly dashboard resets, and how reader-driven hype can change your week before you’ve had coffee.  From there, we get into the real story behind her debut Coded In Control and the Masquerade series: organized crime, a masked nightclub with an underground kink club, found family, forced proximity, and why choose chaos. KL shares how the entire concept started as a workplace comedy bit, then grew into a multi-book world once the characters took the wheel. We also talk writing craft in plain language, including being a pantser with quilter tendencies, living in the Notes app, and why your first draft should be written for you before it’s shaped for readers.  If you like dark romance, romantasy, indie publishing realities, and honest creative process talk, hit play. Subscribe, share with a romance-reading friend, and leave a review so more readers can find the show. Follow KL Hill on IG: @klhill_author Cover Art by: moi Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spillthesmutpodcast/] TT: @spillthesmutpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@spillthesmutpodcast?lang=en] Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction [https://www.instagram.com/sipsoffiction/] TT: @sipsoffiction [https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsoffiction]