She Wrote Her Debut at 18 — Now It's a Viral Romantasy Series

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This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. She wrote her debut novel at 18, self-published it, went viral on TikTok — and now she's a Simon & Schuster author with a dramatized audiobook. Lauren Roberts is living proof that passion plus scrappiness can take you very, very far. In this episode, Lauren breaks down the wild origin story behind Powerless — from pitching the idea live on TikTok to Googling her way through ISBN numbers and copyright filings. We talk about what makes the Powerless trilogy so addictive (enemies to lovers! forbidden romance! high-stakes trials!), the incredible new dramatized audiobook of Powerless, and the literary fiction authors who are quietly shaping Lauren's writing voice. Whether you're a romantasy superfan or just looking for your next unputdownable series, this one's for you. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Powerless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uiCosz] | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅(Dramatized Audiobook available! [https://amzn.to/4ui5x6U]) Reckless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RJKqvQ] | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅ Fearless by Lauren Roberts — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4uL4Rqs] | Romantasy / YA Fantasy | Audio ✅ Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake [https://amzn.to/4uzR4Ul] — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction / Romance | Audio ✅ Masters of Death by Olivie Blake — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/497MPqb]| Literary Fiction / Fantasy | Audio ✅ One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/492mv0O] | Gothic Fantasy | Audio ✅ Vicious by V.E. Schwab — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4eNIrAk] | Dark Fantasy | Audio ✅ Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/42G3eOY] | Fantasy / Romantasy (Duology) | Audio ✅ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & introducing Lauren Roberts [00:45] Lauren's background — writing at 18 and the TikTok origin story [02:30] Figuring out self-publishing from scratch (ISBNs, copyright, editors) [04:30] Simon & Schuster reaches out — the surreal moment it all changed [05:30] What drives Lauren: supporting other creatives and following your passion [06:30] Elevator pitch for Powerless — the plot, the world, the magic system [07:45] The romance: enemies to lovers, forbidden tropes, and sky-high stakes [08:30] The dramatized audiobook of Heartless — a movie for your ears [10:30] Behind the scenes: scripting, sound effects, music, and casting the voices [12:30] Lauren voices a character herself — and what it felt like to hear Powerless fresh [13:00] Lauren's reading life: the literary fiction curveball [14:00] Olivie Blake and V.E. Schwab — balancing lyrical prose with fantasy [15:00] Where Lauren's own writing is heading next [15:30] Book recommendations: Lauren's top picks for listeners [16:30] Where to find Lauren online (Instagram, TikTok, Substack) JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

YA Historical Fiction That Adults Need to Read Right Now with Karyn Parsons

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a beloved actress becomes a storyteller of forgotten Black history? Karyn Parsons — yes, the Hilary Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — joins us to talk about her powerful historical fiction for young readers, her nonprofit Sweet Blackberry, and why books like hers matter more in 2026 than ever. In this episode, we dig into Blue Beach, a YA murder mystery set on a segregated Black beach in 1929 that is equal parts page-turning thriller and gut-punch history lesson. We also talk about Clouds Over California, Karyn's middle grade novel set in the 1970s that reframes the story of the Black Panthers. Whether you're a longtime reader of YA or someone who thinks "that's not for me" — this conversation will change your mind. Adults: these books are absolutely for you. Plus: Karyn shares what she's been reading lately, including a deeply unsettling thriller about smell, murder, and obsession, a darkly funny book that involves... cannibalism (?!), and why Kindred by Octavia Butler is a required read for every human. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Blue Beach by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+-ACzMcguFCn68FScNfML8A] | YA Historical Fiction / Mystery | Set in 1929 on a segregated Black beach; a murder mystery with powerful themes of race, community, and colorism Clouds Over California by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+tNB-eXtP7IUz1rcFf4ZRZg] | Middle Grade Historical Fiction | 1970s California; reframes the Black Panthers through the eyes of a young Black girl Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+WoKNcwdV__I0pJ_pHvNirw] | Literary Thriller | A man with a preternatural sense of smell pursues an obsession with devastating consequences — dark, rich, and unforgettable Kindred by Octavia Butler — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+Oz_kb6BaFtjnxYYizPRXsQ] | Speculative/Historical Fiction | A modern Black woman is pulled back in time to the antebellum South — a masterclass in writing and a required read A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+jjDj1-eO_sxwwTaOum2NWQ] | Dark Satire / Literary Fiction | A witty, darkly funny novel about a food critic with a very particular appetite — not for the faint of heart (cannibalism warning, delivered with humor) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+Lmn5h7Tm1718xMtvRUkQlw]| Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 1 of the ACOTAR series A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+4xapePWhBVw7xRVm4TulBQ] | Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 2 — where the series truly takes off Pet Sematary by Stephen King — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+PM9VMO2xnw9IyYqEj9vsAQ] | Horror | A meditation on mortality and grief as much as a horror novel — deeply unsettling Femme Feral by Sam Beckbessinger — Buy on Amazon [https://on.ltk.com/+swHEH_4E_tfQ5fWElgCMig] | Horror / Dark Fiction | Female rage, perimenopause, and werewolves — Laura's current read ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome & intro — Karyn Parsons, aka Hilary Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air [01:00] How Karyn became a historical fiction author and the origin of Sweet Blackberry nonprofit [04:00] Why she writes truthfully — empathy, history, and what literature can do [05:00] Blue Beach — the real story of Bruce's Beach that inspired the novel [07:00] Growing up in Santa Monica on a beach that had been segregated — and not knowing it [10:00] Elevator pitch for Blue Beach: the setup, the murder, the stakes [12:00] Colorism, community, and the paper bag test in the story [13:00] Clouds Over California — reframing the Black Panthers for middle grade readers [16:00] The parallels between the 1970s, Black Lives Matter, and today [18:00] Karyn's reading life: what she reaches for and why [19:00] Perfume: The Story of a Murderer — obsession, scent, and murder [22:00] Pet Sematary and revisiting Stephen King; Misery memory [24:00] Kindred by Octavia Butler — why it's a masterclass and a required read [27:00] A rec for A Court of Thorns and Roses and the ACOTAR series [28:00] Femme Feral — female rage, perimenopause, and horror as a new genre for Laura [29:00] A Certain Hunger — a darkly funny, very specific rec (you'll know when you hear it) [31:00] Where to find Karyn online and info about Sweet Blackberry JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

8 de jun de 202632 min

She Wrote Her Debut at 18 — Now It's a Viral Romantasy Series | Powerless by Lauren Roberts

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