Margs & Manuscripts

Sara Ney Unfiltered: 50 Books, Tropes, & Romance Writing Chaos

Romance author Sara Ney joins us for one of the funniest and most unfiltered conversations we’ve had on the podcast yet. From writing 50+ romance novels and navigating BookTok-driven publishing trends to hockey romance, favorite tropes, spicy scenes, and rapid-release writing schedules, Sara pulls back the curtain on what it actually looks like to build a long-term career in romance publishing. We talk indie vs. traditional publishing, bookstore signings, writing routines, weird author quirks, reader expectations, and why every ex-boyfriend somehow thinks the book is about him. Sara also gives us her best meet-cutes, favorite romance dynamics, and accidentally coins what might be the greatest romance-writing tagline of all time. Also discussed: • the now-infamous hot dog story • “foreplay is my forte” • why dry humping deserves a comeback • BookTok trend pressure & publishing chaos • Starbucks writing rituals • writing 50+ books without losing your mind • fake dating, hockey romance & favorite tropes • why romance readers know exactly what they want About Sara Ney:  Sara Ney is a bestselling romance author known for her sports romances, college romances, and fan-favorite series including How to Date a Douchebag, Jock Row, and Campus Legends. With more than 50 published books across indie and traditional publishing, Sara has become a staple in the contemporary romance space thanks to her humor, unforgettable banter, emotionally grounded love stories, and wildly addictive characters. Her upcoming releases include Married to the Scottish Player and Revenge Puck.

Mom-fluencers, Motherhood & Midwest Family Chaos | Claire Swinarski

Mom influencers. Midwest family dynamics. Wisconsin supper clubs. Postpartum anxiety. Parenting pressure. Somehow, Claire Swinarski wrapped all of it into one of the most emotionally honest books we’ve read this year. In this episode, we sit down with bestselling author Claire Swinarski to talk about her newest novel, The Supper Club Saints — a story about a young mother returning home to Wisconsin after fleeing a mom-influencer “mom-mune,” only to find her complicated family, their beloved supper club, and her own identity waiting for her. We talk about: *  the real-life inspiration behind the book  *  why mom influencer culture fascinates people  *  writing complicated but deeply loving families  *  motherhood, anxiety, and impossible expectations  *  Wisconsin culture and the magic of supper clubs  *  publishing pressure, launch anxiety, and finding readers organically  *  why authors need to stop declaring their books “dead” before launch week is over  Claire also shares how Ruby Franke, Paris Hilton’s advocacy work, and her own large Catholic family helped shape the story behind The Supper Club Saints. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re doing enough, parenting “right,” or comparing yourself to everyone online… this conversation is going to hit. In This Episode *  Claire explains what a Wisconsin supper club actually is  *  The inspiration behind the “mom-mune” storyline  *  Why every reader seems to connect with a different sister  *  The pressure of modern motherhood and online perfection  *  How childhood shapes parenting choices  *  Claire’s refreshingly healthy take on book launches and publishing  *  The reality of writing books rooted in the Midwest  *  Why readers are craving stories about family right now  About Claire Swinarski Claire Swinarski is the author of multiple novels for both adults and younger readers, including The Funeral Ladies of Ellery County and The Supper Club Saints. Known for writing deeply human, Midwest-rooted stories filled with complicated families, humor, and emotional honesty, Claire currently lives in Wisconsin with her family. Books & Authors Mentioned * The Supper Club Saints — Claire Swinarski  * The Funeral Ladies of Ellery County — Claire Swinarski  * Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club — Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club * Llama Llama Red Pajama — Llama Llama Red Pajama Follow Margs & Manuscripts 🎙 Podcast: Margs & Manuscripts [https://www.margsandmanuscripts.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 📚 Bookshop: Margs & Manuscripts Bookshop [https://www.margsandmanuscripts.com/bookshop?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🛍 Merch: Margs & Manuscripts Shop [https://margs-manuscripts-shop.fourthwall.com/]

We Need to Talk About Abigail Adams with Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray

What if the story we’ve been told about the American Revolution is only half the picture? In this episode, we sit down with bestselling authors Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray—the powerhouse duo behind America’s First Daughter, My Dear Hamilton, and their newest release, A Founding Mother. Known for bringing history’s most overlooked women to life, they’ve built a career on telling the stories behind the story—the ones that didn’t make it into the textbooks. We talk about their collaborative writing process (and how they make it work without killing each other), the research behind their novels, and why the women of the Revolution—especially Abigail Adams—still feel strikingly relevant today. This conversation is part craft, part history, and part reminder that the people holding everything together were often never the ones in the spotlight. In this episode: * How Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray built a collaborative writing process that actually works  * Why historical fiction is uniquely positioned to “read between the lines” of history  * The real lives of women during the American Revolution—and what’s been left out  * How Abigail Adams’ voice stands out among the founding generation  * The role of research, letters, and archives in shaping authentic storytelling  * Why every generation thinks it’s living through the “end”—and what history tells us instead  * The unexpected, chaotic reality of researching historical sites (yes, including almost getting in trouble) About our guests: Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray are bestselling authors of historical fiction known for their deeply researched, emotionally rich novels centered on women’s lives during pivotal moments in history. Together, they’ve written America’s First Daughter, My Dear Hamilton, and A Founding Mother, bringing new perspective to the American Revolution through the voices of the women who lived it. Books mentioned: * A Founding Mother by Laura Kamoie & Stephanie Dray  * America’s First Daughter * My Dear Hamilton Announcements: Laura and Stephanie are currently on tour for A Founding Mother. For upcoming events and appearances, visit: 👉 https://draykamoie.com/events [https://draykamoie.com/events]

The Fantasy Series That Made It Out of the Group Chat | Cozy Fantasy with E.B. Asher

What happens when a group chat turns into a published fantasy series? This week, we’re joined by E.B. Asher—aka Bridget Morrissey, Emily Wibberley, and Austin Siegemund-Broka—the trio behind one of the most fun, chaotic, and genuinely entertaining cozy romantasy series out right now. We get into how their books This Will Be Fun and This Will Be Interesting were born out of a years-long group chat, what it actually looks like to write a fantasy novel as a team, and why starting with a pitch (instead of a manuscript) might change everything about how you write. Also: sequels, worldbuilding, why humor works better when characters take themselves seriously, and the surprisingly strategic side of writing something that feels effortless. In This Episode *  How E.B. Asher turned a group chat into a full fantasy series  *  Writing a sequel vs. “hoping” for one  *  Their collaborative process (and why it works)  *  Why they start with the pitch instead of the book  *  The reality of co-writing a 120K word fantasy novel  *  Balancing humor with real emotional stakes  *  Cozy fantasy, romantasy, and writing for fun first  *  Audiobooks, accents, and letting narrators run with it  *  Their next project (and it’s chaotic in the best way)  *  What they’re reading right now About Our Guests E.B. Asher is the collaborative pen name of authors Bridget Morrissey, Emily Wibberley, and Austin Siegemund-Broka. Together, they write cozy, comedic romantasy stories filled with heart, chaos, and just enough emotional damage to keep things interesting. Their series includes: * This Will Be Fun * This Will Be Interesting Their work blends fantasy, romance, and humor in a way that feels both nostalgic and completely fresh—think classic adventure vibes with modern chaos and character-driven storytelling. Announcements ✨ New Bonus Series Coming Soon: We’re launching a new short-form bonus episode series: “How I Got My Agent” These will be 10–15 minute episodes featuring real stories from authors about how they landed representation or publishing deals—what worked, what didn’t, and what actually matters. Favorite Moments from the Episode *  “This book literally came out of a group chat.”  *  “We start with the pitchiest version of the idea first—and build from there.”  *  “The whole point is the class clown.”  *  “It’s like opening a document and it’s grown without you.” Episode Chapters 00:00 Intro – We finally got Cait into fantasy 00:41 Meet E.B. Asher (it’s three authors 👀) 02:04 How the series started (yes… the group chat) 07:18 The first idea that sparked the story 10:56 How they knew each other before writing together 12:52 How they actually write as a team 14:52 Building a fantasy world together (yes, they made an encyclopedia) 16:08 Editing, collaboration, and creative tension 17:41 Writing humor that actually works 20:27 Why fantasy still needs emotional stakes 22:04 Audiobooks, accents, and creative freedom 23:43 Their NEXT book (and it’s chaotic) 25:23 Fantasy influences + Jack Black energy 27:17 What they’re working on individually 28:53 Why they start with the pitch first 31:28 The problem with tropes (and why blurbs matter more) 33:12 Do they read while writing? 35:31 What they’re reading right now 37:13 For non-fantasy readers… start here 38:24 Why they wanted this series to feel easy and fun

The AI Conversation in Publishing Has Gone Off the Rails

AI in publishing is getting loud—and not always helpful Everyone has an opinion about AI right now, especially in the publishing and writing world. But instead of thoughtful conversations, what we’re seeing is a lot of noise, fear-based takes, and people rushing to pick a side. In this episode, we’re not here to give a definitive answer on AI. We’re here to talk about what’s actually bothering us about the conversation itself—the fearmongering, the “AI police,” and the pressure being put on writers in an already difficult industry. We waited to speak on this for a reason. We listened first. And now we’re sharing what feels off, what feels overblown, and where we think the focus should actually be. In this episode, we cover: *  Why the AI conversation in publishing feels reactive instead of productive  *  The rise of fear-based takes and why they’re not helping writers  *  Where we personally draw the line with AI (workflow vs creativity)  *  The pressure and anxiety AI is adding to authors—especially debut authors  *  Why “AI isn’t going away” is the wrong starting point for the conversation  *  What writers should actually focus on right now instead of spiraling For writers navigating AI right now: If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the noise around AI, you’re not alone. This episode is meant to ground the conversation back in reality and remind you of what actually matters: Your voice, your process, and the work itself. Listen now 🎧 Available on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5vQ31Bs6XIPHzmVWL3rURP?si=cZsel6hQSi6OtVk8xVsaDA], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/margs-manuscripts/id1853734323], and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjC2QkCbcBugi4VaKfnBlMw/] 📺 Full episode + clips on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjC2QkCbcBugi4VaKfnBlMw/] 📚 Explore books from our featured authors on our Bookshop page [https://www.margsandmanuscripts.com/bookshop]