The Fresh Fiction Podcast

Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay are here to bring you the latest updates on what's happening in the world of cinema and television. So, sit back, relax, and tune in! This week's happenings include: A discussion on the state of the film/theater industry. FILM THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES I SAW THE TV GLOW THE DRY FORCE OF NATURE EVIL DOES NOT EXIST POOLMAN INTERVIEWS THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY director Francis Galluppi

We're chatting with Xio Axelrod, author of GIRLS WITH BAD REPUTATIONS. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Xio Axelrod is a USA Today bestselling author of award-winning contemporary romance, romantic fiction, and what she likes to call strange, twisted tales. Xio grew up in the music industry and began recording at a young age. When she isn't writing stories, she can be found in the studio, writing songs, or performing on international stages (under a different, not-so-secret name). She lives in Philadelphia with one full-time husband and several part-time cats.

We're chatting with Joanna Davidson Politano, author of THE ELUSIVE TRUTH OF LILY TEMPLE. Join us for a lively conversation about her work! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan.

We're chatting with Lisa Gardner, author of STILL SEE YOU EVERYWHERE. Join us for a lively conversation about her work! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Gardner, a No. 1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist, began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels, published across 30 countries. Lisa’s books have received awards from across the globe. Her novel, THE NEIGHBOR, won Best Hardcover Novel from the International Thriller Writers, while also receiving the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle in France. She was also recognized with the Daphne du Maurier Award in 2000 for THE OTHER DAUGHTER. Finally, Lisa received the Silver Bullet Award from the International Thriller Writers in 2017 for her work on behalf of at-risk children and the Humane Society.

Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay are here to bring you the latest updates on what's happening in the world of cinema and television. So, sit back, relax, and tune in! This week's happenings include: FILM THE FALL GUY THE IDEA OF YOU STAR WARS EP. 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE WILDCAT JEANNE DU BARRY CIVIL WAR HARDWARE WARS (MVD Rewind Collection) TV THE BIG DOOR PRIZE (Season 2) revisited INTERVIEWS THE IDEA OF YOU director Michael Showalter THE BIG DOOR PRIZE showrunner David West Read and stars Chris O'Dowd & Josh Segarra

We're chatting with Jennifer Deibel, author of THE IRISH MATCHMAKER. Join us for a lively conversation about romance and mystery! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Deibel is the bestselling and award-winning author of A Dance in Donegal, The Lady of Galway Manor and The Maid of Ballymacool. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children.

Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay are here to bring you the latest updates on what's happening in the world of cinema and television. In addition, they engage in a healthy debate on Taylor Swift's new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," and conduct an interview with filmmaker Caitlin Cronenberg. So, sit back, relax, and tune in! This week's happenings include: FILM CHALLENGERS HUMANE BOY KILLS THE WORLD THE RING and THE RING TWO STEEL MAGNOLIAS SASQUATCH SUNSET (Revisited) TV PALM ROYALE (Revisited) THE BIG DOOR PRIZE (Season 2) PALM ROYALE INTERVIEWS HUMANE director Caitlin Cronenberg

On episode 3, Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay discuss what's happening this week at the cinema and on television. We also have filmmaker and scientists interviews to share. So, pull up and chair and listen in! This week's happenings include: FILM SASQUATCH SUNSET THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE ABIGAIL REBEL MOON: PART TWO TV EARTHSOUNDS SECRETS OF THE OCTOPUS PALM ROYALE INTERVIEWS This week's interviews include: SASQUATCH SUNSET directors David & Nathan Zellner EARTHSOUNDS producer Sam Hodgson, marine biologist Dr. Beth Goodwin & Bourhan Yassin (CEO of Rainforest Connection)

We're chatting with Vivienne Lorret, author of IT HAD TO BE A DUKE. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: USA Today bestselling author VIVIENNE LORRET transforms copious amounts of tea into words. She is an Avon author of fun and steamy Regency Romances, with works including the Wallflower Wedding series, the Rakes of Fallow Hall series, the Season’s Original series, the Misadventures in Matchmaking series, the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series, and the new Liar’s Club series.

On episode 2, Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay discuss what's happening this week at the cinema and at home on the tube. We also have filmmaker and actor interviews to share. So, pull up and chair and listen in! This week's happenings include: FILM CIVIL WAR ARCADIAN STING GIRLS STATE LISA FRANKENSTEIN TV FRANKLIN FALLOUT INTERVIEWS This week's interviews include: GIRLS STATE directors Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss ARCADIAN stars Jaeden Martell & Maxwell Jenkins

We're chatting with Michel Prince, author of TEMPERED BEATS. Join us for a lively conversation about mystery. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: USA Today Bestselling author, Michel Prince, graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science. Michel writes new adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance. With characters yelling "It's my turn damn it!!!" She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you. When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found cheering for her son in a variety of sports. She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up. Michel has been awarded Elite Status with Rebel Ink Press in 2013, the service award for her local RWA chapter Midwest Fiction Writers 2013, 2014, won 2015 Sweetest Romance from IREA for Chrysalis, a 2022 finalist for the Minnesota Book Awards for The Amalgam and was a PAN member of RWA. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, and new puppy.

Fresh Fiction Podcast is expanding to the world of film and television! For our debut episode, Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay discuss what's happening this week at the cinema and at home on the tube. We also have filmmaker and actor interviews to share. So, pull up and chair and listen in! This week's happenings include: FILM Wicked Little Letters Parachute Monkey Man The Greatest Hits The First Omen Dogman Anyone But You Drive Away Dolls TV Palm Royale Manhunt The New Look Loot - Season 2 INTERVIEWS This week's interviews include: Loot creators Alan Yang & Matthew Hubbard Parachute director/co-writer Brittany Snow

We talked with Jayne about the latest in her suspense series, Lost Night Files. The Night Island Lost Night Files Berkley January 2024 On Sale: January 9, 2024 Featuring: Talia March; Luke Rand 336 pages ISBN: 0593639855 EAN: 9780593639856 Kindle: B0C1YCHX1Q Hardcover / e-Book / audiobook Romance Suspense The disappearance of a mysterious informant leads two people desperate for answers to an island of deadly deception in this new novel in the Lost Night Files trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz. Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night none of them can remember, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago—an experience that amplified innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them—all they have to do is find the list of others who took that same test. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio’s podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished. Talia isn’t the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It’s clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebe and the list. The rocky investigation leads Talia and Luke to a rustic, remote retreat on Night Island in the Pacific Northwest, where the Unplugged Experience promises to rejuvenate guests. Upon their arrival, Talia and Luke discover they are quite literally cut off from the outside world when none of their high-tech devices work on the island. It soon becomes clear that Phoebe is not the first person to disappear into the strange gardens that surround the Unplugged Experience retreat. And then the first mysterious death occurs. . . .

We're buzzing with excitement to chat with Katie Ruggle about her splash hit, FISH OUT OF WATER. It's not just about romance. Katie's not your everyday author. Imagine living off-grid in the Rockies, being a Police Academy grad, and diving in cold Colorado mountain reservoirs. Yeah, she's all that and more. We're talking horseback riding, shooting, and even Krav Maga. Katie brings this kickass energy right into her writing. FISH OUT OF WATER Why date a mountain man? Because he knows how to pitch a tent. When Dahlia Weathersby's sister disappears on what should have been a simple day hike, Dahlia immediately heads deep into the Colorado Rockies to find her. Knowing she'll never survive the mountains alone, she convinces the local hermit—adorably grouchy survival expert Winston Dane—to be her guide. All it takes is a good helping of Dahlia's charm…and just the teeniest bit of blackmail…before she's got all six-foot-something of him wrapped around her finger. But even with her very own mountain man in tow, things aren't going to be easy. There are: Long hikes through gorgeous wilderness? Check. Bears? Check. A single shared sleeping bag? Check. Enough sparks to set the Rockies ablaze? Check, check, check. With everything the wilderness has to throw at them, it'll take more than charm and some city-girl ingenuity to make this trek anything but a disaster waiting to happen…and an adventure she'll never forget.

This week, we're chatting with David McCloskey, author of MOSCOW X. We had a lively conversation about espionage and mystery! Take advantage of all North Texas events! Sign up for our weekly newsletter. (http://eepurl.com/cc9BoH) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and consultant at McKinsey & Company. While at the CIA, he wrote regularly for the President’s Daily Brief, delivered classified testimony to Congressional oversight committees, and briefed senior White House officials, Ambassadors, military officials, and Arab royalty. He worked in CIA field stations across the Middle East throughout the Arab Awakening and conducted a rotation in the Counterterrorism Center focused on the jihad in Syria and Iraq. David holds an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. He lives in Texas with his wife and three children.

This week, we're chatting with Dakota Cassidy, author of JINGLE ALL THE SLAY. Evening Rundown (all times CT): 7:00 pm - informal chitchat and icebreaker with readers 7:30 pm - Interview with Dakota Cassidy (recorded live) 8:00 pm - Unrecorded Q&A with readers 8:30 pm - Reader after party Take advantage of all North Texas events! Sign up for our weekly newsletter. () ABOUT THE AUTHOR: USA Today Bestselling author Dakota Cassidy lives for a good laugh in life and in her writing. In fact, she almost loves a good giggle as much as she loves hair products and that's saying something. Her goals in life are simple, (like really simple): banish the color yellow forever, create world peace via hot rollers and Aqua Net; and finally, nab every tiara in the land by competing in the Miss USA, Miss Universe, and Miss World pageants, then sweeping them in a stunning trifecta of much duct tape and Vaseline usage, all in just under one week. Oh, and write really fun books! Dakota lives in Texas with her dogs and has a husband who puts the heroes in her books to shame.

Fresh Fiction is joined by #KatieReus, the bestselling author of the grumpy-sunshine romance 'HOW THE Hitman Stole Christmas.' In the interview, we discuss Katie's writing process, the narrative arenas she feels most comfortable in as well as what her holiday traditions are. Enjoy the conversation! Video Book Club is a great opportunity to connect, shared insights and explore the nuances of writing life. Whether you're a seasoned book club enthusiast or a first-time participant, or even if you haven't had a chance to read the book yet, you'll be welcomed into a warm and engaging community of readers. Take advantage of all these events by signing up for our weekly newsletter here (http://eepurl.com/cc9BoH) ABOUT THE BOOK: Explosives expert Elliana hates Christmas—and the only good thing about this holiday season is that her gorgeous neighbor seems allergic to shirts and clothes in general. She knows because she’s been watching him for months with her drone. She’s never stalked anyone before, but he not only doesn’t seem to mind, he puts on nightly strip shows just for her. When she finally works up the courage to talk to him, she stumbles right into a murder—that he’s committed. But this holiday is one she’ll never forget… According to him, the whole murder thing is no big deal—the dead guy needed killing. And while her hot neighbor wants her, protecting her is his main priority. So when she’s targeted, this cinnamon roll hitman kidnaps her for her own good. With a deadly threat hunting them and a hot hitman who keeps handcuffing her to him “for her own protection”, Elliana is starting to reconsider her grinchy stance on the holidays. And when everything finally comes to a head, the results are bound to be…explosive. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Katie Reus is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Ancients Rising series, the Endgame Trilogy and the Red Stone Security series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing paranormal romance and romantic suspense.

For #VideoBookClub this month, Fresh Fiction was joined by #StefanieLondon, a multi-award-winning and USA Today bestselling author. Video Book Club is a great opportunity to connect, shared insights and explore the nuances of writing life. Whether you're a seasoned book club enthusiast or a first-time participant, or even if you haven't had a chance to read the book yet, you'll be welcomed into a warm and engaging community of readers. Take advantage of all these events by signing up for our weekly newsletter here (http://eepurl.com/cc9BoH) ABOUT THE BOOK: August Merriweather has always been good with animals. In fact, she’s known as Manhattan’s Dog Whisperer. Men, on the other hand? Not so much. She’s been falling for the wrong guys ever since her regrettable crush on Keaton Sax, older brother of her best friend, Leah, and the biggest jerkface this side of the Hudson. Now an emotionally closed-off widower, Keaton has become one of the most formidable men on Wall Street, but August knows his secret. He’s not driven by sales targets and bonus checks—Keaton just wants to give his family the security they never had. So when Leah asks Keaton to wrangle her over-the-top dramatic husky at a weekend talent competition, Keaton says yes…and begs August to help him win the event for Leah. Between obstacle courses, Molly’s husky temper tantrums and a cabin with just one bed, August is having a blast. Away from the pressure to have a “perfect life” with the “right guy,” she finds herself relaxing and getting to see the softer side of the man she once loved. Is this just a temporary truce? Or could Keaton finally be the right guy at the right time? ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stefanie’s books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and “elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT magazine. Her stories have won multiple industry awards, including the HOLT Medallion and OKRWA National Reader's Choice Award, and she has been nominated for the Romance Writers of America RITA award. Originally from Australia, Stefanie lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges in her passions for good coffee, lipstick, romance novels and anything zombie-related. #authorinterview #author #interview #bestsellingauthor #romance

This week, we're chatting with Pippa Grant, author of THE GOSSIP AND THE GRUMP. Join us for a lively conversation about romance and laughter. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pippa Grant is a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author who writes romantic comedies that will make tears run down your leg. When she's not reading, writing or sleeping, she's being crowned employee of the month as a stay-at-home mom and housewife trying to prepare her adorable demon spawn to be productive members of society, all the while fantasizing about long walks on the beach with hot chocolate chip cookies.

Listen in to our interview with Tammy L. Grace as she talks about her series, Sisters of the Heart, set in Lavender Valley.

Interview with mystery writer Matt Coyle, author of the Rick Cahill series.

Vibe Check Gwen has finally moved, and she is traveling for work for the next two weeks!! Danielle is enjoying this blip of springtime in Chicagoland! * Julia Quinn/Shondaland The Netflix show, QUEEN CHARLOTTE, goes up on May 4th! Gwen’s favorite Julia Quinn novel is ROMANCING MR. BRIDGERTON (Bridgerton #4). Danielle’s favorite is WHEN HE WAS WICKED (Bridgerton #6) Gwen loves two of Shonda Rhimes’s screenplays: CROSSROADS and THE PRINCESS DIARIES 2: ROYAL ENGAGEMENT. Danielle of course loves GREY’S ANATOMY, but also STILL STAR-CROSSED. * Interview with Julia Quinn QUEEN CHARLOTTE by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes, available May 9, 2023! Advice for aspriring romance authors: sit down and write the book! Also, figure out the process that works for you; it will be different for everyone. MISS BUTTERWORTH AND THE MAD BARON is the graphic novel Julia worked on with her sister, Violet Charles. Dog-sharing with her neighbors is brining Julia much joy! https://juliaquinn.com/ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJuliaQuinn/ https://www.instagram.com/juliaquinnauthor/ * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check We’re joined this week by entertainment critic and first repeat FF Pod guest, Susan Kamyab! Coming off of a busy awards season, Susan is enjoying just watching movies as a fan and not a critic. She fulfilled a lifelong dream of doing an hour-long segment about the Oscars on WFAA! It’s almost Spring Break for Danielle and her family and they are READY. This week, Danielle crossed 80,000 words on her WIP! Is Gwen moving? She doesn’t know. But she had a great time at SXSW and a ton of successful events for her day job! * Spring 2023 Media Recs! MARCH/APRIL Susan, Movies: Super Mario Bros (4/5), Air (4/5), Paint (4/7), Showing Up (4/7), Beau is Afraid (4/27), Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (4/28) Gwen, TV: Succession on HBO (3/26), Yellowjackets on Showtime (3/26), Great Expectations on FX (3/26), Martha Stewart Cooking Show on Roku Channel (4/3), Beef on Netflix (4/6), Below Deck: Sailing Yacht on Bravo(4/10) Danielle, Books: Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller (3/28), Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker (4/4), The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur (4/18), Return to Hummingbird Way by Reese Ryan (4/28) MAY Susan, Movies: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 (5/5), What’s Love Got to Do With It (5/5), The Little Mermaid (5/26) Gwen, TV: Fatal Attraction on Paramount (4/30), Queen Charlotte: a Bridgerton Story on Netflix (5/5), City on Fire on Apple TV+ (5/12) Danielle, Books: An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera (5/30), Lore Olympus Volume 4 by Rachel Smythe, Even if the Sky is Falling by Taj McCoy; Farah Heron; Lane Clarke; Charish Reid; Sarah Smith; Denise Williams (5/30) JUNE Susan, Movies: Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse (6/2), Elemental (6/16), No Hard Feelings (6/23), Joy Ride (6/23) Gwen, TV: Tony Awards on CBS (6/11) Danielle, Books: To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai (6/13), Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (6/13) * You can find Susan Kamyab at http://thischixflix.com/, and on Instagram and Twitter * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle succeeded at writing 15,000 words a week! Now, she needs to start making plans for the launch of ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE on August 8. She is enjoying the new Toni Morrison Memorial Stamps. Gwen has started to go through her desk ahead of her move but has more to do. This week she would like to take some clothes to be recycled and get her passport renewed! She’s finding joy in the new season of Top Chef: All Stars. Susan would like to start taking 30-minute walks every day and eat better. Watching movies from her childhood has been bringing her comfort: Smart House, Man of the House, First Kid, Jungle 2 Jungle, George of the Jungle, etc.! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen has a lot of upcoming travel and is moving! She is glad to have gotten over her recent cold. Danielle had a lot of things to do over the last week and wonders why everything happens at the same time. She also finished reading all 20+ trade volumes of the Lumberjanes series with her daughter! * Main Discussion Let’s talk fantasy! The differences between Paranormal and Fantasy are vast, but also not quite as different as we thought. Hopefully you can make sense of what we mean. Danielle and Gwen both like fantasy on the screen more than on the page. The world building must be seamlessly built into the story, and, above all, it has to make SENSE. PS Danielle is a huge Tolkien nerd and this clip of Stephen Colbert out-nerding James Franco lives rent free in her mind. TV RECS Danielle: Pushing Daisies, Shadow & Bone, Once Upon a Time, Merlin, The Magicians Gwen: The Mayfair Witches, Westworld, The Good Place, House of Dragon/Game of Thrones MOVIE RECS Danielle: Lord of the Rings, Encanto, Labyrinth, Willow, Dark Crystal, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Princess Bride Gwen: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Last Unicorn, Everything Everywhere All at Once BOOK RECS Danielle: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Mila Vane, The Kingmaker Chronicles series by Amanda Bouchet; Authors I have not read but people LOVE: Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, G.A. Aiken Gwen: Rachel Caine’s The Great Library series (start with Ink and Bone), Ruby Dixon’s never-ending Ice Planet Barbarians; Abigail Owen’s new Dominion series (start with The Liar’s Crown) GAME RECS Gwen: Ascension deck building, Dragonlance tie-in game and new guidebook * Interview with Jennifer Estep CONQUER THE KINGDOM, now available! https://www.jenniferestep.com/ Facebook Twitter Instagram Upcoming releases: HEART STRINGS (May 9), GOOD ENEMIES (July 18), SPIDER & FROST (September 26) Jennifer has been watching Ghosts on CBS! * Goals/Comfort & Joy Gwen wanted to drink more water, and thanks to her cold, she did! This week Gwen wants to clean out her desk drawers before moving. Danielle turned in her pass pages for ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE (8/8/32). She is determined to write 15,000 words a week through the end of March to finish this WIP. Gwen is finding comfort in watching Vegas tourism videos ahead of her trip with her husband! Danielle loves any and all grocery store bakery cookies. * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Yr girls are busy this week with work, writing, and life. But we are getting prepped for Rihanna (and the Super Bowl). Gwen made Death by Chocolate Trifle from scratch, including this Chocolate Pudding and these Outrageous Brownies. Danielle has a plan in place for the next few months of her author newsletter. * ESCAPISM WITH INTENT Danielle’s Recs: Movies: Under the Tuscan Sun, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Brooklyn, The Holiday, Toy Story 4, Wild/Eat Pray Love/Julie & Julia; TV: Schitt’s Creek, Ted Lasso, Virgin River; Books: Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn, The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller, After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez Gwen’s Recs: TV: The Peripheral, Poker Face, The White Lotus; Book: Flirty with Fifty by Jane Porter; Board Games: Pandemic, Takiedo * Interview with Rochelle Bilow https://www.rochellebilowwriting.com/ https://www.instagram.com/rochellebilow https://twitter.com/BilowRochelle Rochelle recommends the Olive & June Mani System and the color Caramel Budino * Goals/Comfort & Joy Last time, Danielle wanted to get to 20,000 words in her WIP, and she is at 16,000! Now she needs to spend some time on her pass pages for ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE. Danielle has been eating all the Girl Scout Cookies, and encourages everyone to buy cookies from Troop 6000, which has scouts in NYC’s homeless shelter system: https://www.girlscoutsnyc.org/en/whatgirlsdo/gs-troop-6000.html. Gwen wanted to fill out her conscious spending plan and has... not. But it is open on her internet browser! This week, Gwen needs to drink more water to help with hydration because it is so dry and cold right now. Leftover Chocolate Pudding is bringing her very much joy right now! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen and Danielle have both had sort of rough weeks, but we’re getting through it! Gwen has been going to bed early and Danielle successfully revealed the cover of ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE. * Truth in Fiction Gwen likes when real figures pop up in fiction works, to see how people reimagine them. Danielle struggles with real historical figures in fiction, unless under very specific circumstances. Gwen’s Recs: Inspired by real-life figures: The Menu, RRR, A Star is Born; Biopics: The Crown, Rocketman, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story; Recent/Upcoming: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Oppenheimer, Maestro Danielle’s Recs: Egregiously Inaccurate/Different: The Great, Dickinson, Reign, My Lady Janies YA series; Side Characters who are real life figures: Ever After, Downton Abbey, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson, Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter People we’d like to see portrayed on screen: Danielle—Josephine Baker, Gwen—Mary Pickford * Interview with Krystal Marquis THE DAVENPORTS, now available! https://krystalmarquis.com/ https://www.instagram.com/krystabelle_reads https://twitter.com/krystalmarquis https://www.tiktok.com/@krystalmarquis Follow Krystal for updates about Book 2! She’s enjoying the excitement and support in the days leading up to her book release, as well as making time for self-care and taking some time away from work. * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle did NOT get anywhere close to writing 20,000 words of her WIP, so she’s continuing this goal for this week. The graphic novel series Heavy Vinyl by Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva, and Irene Flores is bringing her immense joy. Gwen has spent about 30 minutes everyday making plans for everything she needs to do. This week, she would like to fill out the Conscious Spending Plan, specifically with her subscription services. Gwen is enjoying the new reality show THE TRAITORS! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Happy 2023, Everyone! Danielle and Gwen are both getting over colds, and catching up after the holidays. But Danielle got to meet her best friend’s brand-new baby girl and Gwen went to the doctor! * How did we ring in New Year’s? Gwen and her husband got massages and had a quiet night at home. Then they spent time prepping meals and seeing friends for lunch on New Year’s Day. Danielle still had a cold but did manage to go out to dinner with her husband and daughter. They played Unicorns vs. Llamas Monopoly while Danielle napped and barely made it to midnight. Morale of the Story: we’re old now. * New Year’s INTENTIONS (overarching things; lifestyle changes/habits) Danielle: getting back into the freelance groove and working from home, using her desk cycler, going out into the world (sometimes), staying in contact with friends and people in general. Gwen: better documentation of things she enjoys, journaling regularly, keeping track of the media she consumes, and capturing moments from her big, ongoing projects, raching out to friends regularly. New Year’s GOALS (specific things we want to do) Danielle: finish the draft of her magical realism/women’s fiction WIP, finish editing a fake dating contemporary romance, and outline a smalltown romance series that only exists in her mind right now, LOL Gwen: plan trips to see friends, take time off and find more work-life balance, cooking project of making 3 meals at home per week from the America’s Test Kitchen Cooking for Two Cook Book, stretch everyday, track and document things things she loves, and make a 2023 playlist. **We are holding ourselves accountable and will update all of you on our intentions and goals in May 2023! Email us at [email protected] to tell us your 2023 intentions and goals!** * Goals/Comfort & Joy Last time, Gwen wanted to start prepping for her plan to make every recipe in AMerica’s Test Kitchen Cooking for Two. She did, and modified her big goal slightly (which is ALLOWED!). This week, Gwen wants to commit to two hours a week of journaling and planning the week ahead. Gwen has been making Brownie Baked Oatmeal for evening snacks and that is making her SO happy. Danielle needed to finish her ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE copyedits and she did! Everything has been sent to her editor. This book will be in stores on August 8, 2023, and the cover reveal will happen on January 18! Follow Danielle on Instagram and Twitter for more details and learn how to see it early by signing up for her newsletter!! Danielle has found immense comfort in drinking hot water with lemon and honey. Water, who knew? LOL * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check We’re ready for the holidays! Also, it’s COLD. Danielle has finished her Christmas shopping and Gwen attended TWO Christmas markets. * Faves of 2022 Both of your girls are dealing with feelings about media consumption—being okay with being behind and not being the target audience for everything anymore. TV Danielle: The Bear on FX/Hulu, Heartstopper on Netflix, Ms. Marvel on Disney+, Abbott Elementary on ABC, My Brilliant Friend on HBO Max, Miss Scarlett and the Duke on PBS Gwen: The Bear, The White Lotus, The Handmaid’s Tale, Harry and Meghan doc, Rick and Morty, Abbott Elementary, Hacks, Bad Sisters, Yellowjackets, Wednesday, The Dropout, WeCrashed MOVIES Danielle: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Turning Red, Catherine Called Birdy Gwen: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once; Turning Red, The Princess, Barbarian BOOKS Danielle: Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron, After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M Lopez, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley, Stirring Up Love by Chandra Blumberg, Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne, My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee, Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith Gwen: A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera, Meet Me in the Bathroom by Lizzy Goodman, The Accidental Pinup by Danielle Jackson MISC. Danielle: Vitamin String Quartet (music), Renaissance by Beyonce (music), It’s Been a Minute with new host Brittany Luse (podcast) Gwen: Wet Leg by Wet Leg (music); I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi (podcast), Articles of Interest (podcast, specifically the Prep season); You Must Remember This (podcast, erotic 80s); Spectacle (podcast, true crime); The Missing Pages (podcast, literary scandals); The Pixies (music) * Host Gift Exchange! Danielle’s gift from Gwen: a LizzyKate tea sampler: St. Nick’s Tea, Cranberry Hibiscus, Masala Chai, and Moroccan Mint and a tea-tasting notebook! Gwen’s gift from Danielle: You Already Have the Answers: A Gratitude Journal by Amanda Deibert and a Felt Flower Making Kit * Goals/Comfort & Joy Last ep, Danielle said she needed to clean her desk. She actually cleaned her desk and her entire house, but now her desk is a mess again. This week, she needs to do ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE copyedits! She has also been enjoying Doritos 3D Crunch snacks. Gwen wanted to get into a better nighttime face washing routine so she could use her new, fancy La Mer product, and she has started! This time, Gwen wants to start prepping for her big 2023 project: making all of the recipes in America’s Test Kitchen Cooking for Two Cookbook! Gwen is also having all the egg nog lattes (and neither host likes egg nog on its own). * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check It’s cold in Chicagoland and Seattle, but Danielle and Gwen are staying cozy. Danielle hosted a couple of great bookstore events this week, while Gwen co-hosted Readers & ‘ritas in Texas. * Gift Guide 2022 For Your Fancy Friend Danielle: Voluspa Mokara Candle Gwen: A spa gift card. My local recommendation is Yaun Spa For the Sports Fiend Gwen: Gritty plush Danielle: Lewis Hamilton Funko Pop For a Book Lover Danielle: Check your local independent bookstores for SIGNED copies! They make excellent gifts for book lovers. Anderson’s Bookshop has a vast collection! Gwen: A fresh journal to document 2023’s TBRs and reads. Read Between the Lines has some adorable options, but also look for local spots to support your community For the Crafter Gwen: A cross body style apron from Hedley and Bennett Danielle: Michael’s Felt Applique Kit For a Woo-Woo Witch Danielle: The Modern Witch Tarot Journal Gwen: Cantrip Candles For the Kiddos Gwen: A big cozy blanket shaped like an animal Danielle: Anything and everything Squishmallows Also, a Costco-sized box of BandAids * Goals/Comfort & Joy Long-term Goal Check-In: Danielle has started working on her writing routine and has some outlines to get her started on new drafts in the coming month or so. Gwen definitely did Fall activities but did not keep up with intermittent fasting during her busy travel season. Last Episode Goal Updates: Danielle didn’t really do anything extra for her anniversary, but had a lovely weekend with her husband celebrating 9 years! This week, Danielle needs to clean her desk. Danielle’s IMAK RSI Smart Glove 2-Pack (recommended by fellow author Hanna Earnest) is helping her wrists while drafting. Gwen has prepped for THanksgiving and just needs the big day to get here for a Friendsgiving celebration. Her new goal is to wash her face at night and use her new splurge on La Mer! Gwen has been wearing Bombas merino wool long socks to stay warm. * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen is prepping for more travel, but is excited to go back to Texas for Readers & ‘Ritas. She also scheduled a haircut while she’s there! Danielle is fighting off a cold that will not decide what it’s going to be... She and her family had an awesome Halloween in their neighborhood! * BORN IN FIRE by Nora Roberts The first of the Irish Born Trilogy. We LOVED this book. This was also Gwen’s first Nora Roberts read!! Danielle mentioned episodes of Fated Mates and Learning the Tropes, fellow romance podcasts, and Bonnets at Dawn, a podcast about women writers from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Danielle’s Nora Roberts Recs: Gallaghers of Ardmore series (another series set in Ireland), Bridal Quartet, Chesapeake Bay Series Gwen’s Born in Fire read-alikes: Danielle Jackson (LOL), Stella Cameron, Susan Elizabeth Phillips * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle painted Halloween cards and sent them to her friends! This week, she would like to do something nice for her husband for their 9th wedding anniversary. Re-reading the Irish Born series has brought her comfort, as well as watercolor painting regularly. Gwen made a schedule and stuck to it! This week, her goal is to start prepping for Thanksgiving. She has been drinking a lot of LizzyKate Tea and that makes her happy! BONUS: the podcast needs to start planning 2023!! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check After all of her recent traveling, Gwen got sick last week! But she is recovered and was able to finalize the program for Fresh Fiction’s Readers & ‘ritas event on November 12th! Danielle had two book events with Anderson’s Bookshop: Courageous Discomfort by Shanterra McBride and Rosalind Wiseman and The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban. She also got her COVID booster and flu shot! * HOCUS POCUS 2! Beware: SPOILERS! We talk about the ENTIRE movie, so if you haven’t watched it yet, you’ve been warned. We loved how much fun everyone was having and that the subplot wasn’t a romance. We also LOVED the bit in Walgreens, but also wondered about the musical numbers. Nonetheless, we recommended for family-friendly spooky viewing! * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle successfully hosted her BFF’s baby shower! She made these awesome Spice Cake Mix Cookies that everyone loved! This week, she would like to send Halloween cards to her friends. Gwen did NOT move, and that has been put on hold for now. Her new goal is to plan out the next three weeks and stick to the schedule... including adding some breathing room/planned breaks. Danielle has been reading graphic novels to catch up on her Goodreads goal. Some recent reads: The Bad Guys series (enthusiastically recommended by her 8-yr-old daughter), The Sandman comics, and the Lumberjanes. Gwen recently enjoyed some Penzey’s Hot Chocolate Mix with Penzey’s Black and Red Spice and the show BAD SISTERS on AppleTV+. * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen has been all over the country, and she survived almost a full month of constant travel. Danielle is doing well, but is tired! Our family’s fall routine is finally getting into the groove, and she attended a book signing for her friend, Hanna Earnest and her new book, END OF THE DAY. * Host Check-In Gwen traveled for most of the month of September: NYC, Chicago, OKC, and back to NYC. Seeing friends and family and eating good food has refilled her creative well. Danielle is having a very busy time at the bookstore, is waiting for final word on book 2, thinking about what is beyond book 3, and everything else! How we cope when we’re overwhelmed: Danielle makes lists on lists on lists. Gwen makes charts and tries to journal every morning to organize her thoughts. Also, new candles, taking walks, or watching reality TV. Get excited for Readers & ‘ritas 2022, which is in person in Texas! Join Danielle and Denise Williams at an LSA Event on 10/22. Also, if you need a gentle writing challenge, check out #FinishUrBookFall, hosted by author Claribel Ortega! * Interview with Celestine Martin WITCHFUL THINKING is now available! Celestine’s Witchy Faves: The Teen Witch starring Robin Lively, The Craft, Charmed (the OG), Practical Magic, The Good Witch, Bonnie Bennet on Vampire Diaries Fan casting her main characters: Nicole Beharie as Lucy and Winston Duke as Alex Celestine will be at New York Comic Con on October 7th! Follow Celestine: https://celestinemartin.com/ Twitter (where she’s most active) Instagram * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle was successful in some long-term social media planning (follow her on Instagram for regular giveaways and book recs) and would like to have a successful baby shower for one of her best friends in the next week. Gwen successfully stayed hydrated through all of her travels and is probably moving in the next few weeks! Danielle is leaning into all things witchy with the Amenti Oracle Feather Heart Deck by Jennifer Sodini and Modern Witch Tarot Deck by Lisa Sterle. Gwen found immense comfort in eating Tex-Mex from Chuy’s and Texas BBQ while she visited home! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen is doing a lot of reflecting, and successfully booked a hotel for her upcoming trip to NYC. Danielle is getting used to back to school and turned in Book 2. * MESSY CHARACTERS! This discussion came about purely so we could talk about Carmy from THE BEAR again. Danielle’s TV and Movie Picks: How to Get Away with Murder, Fleabag, Starstruck, Lovesick, New Girl, Insecure, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Harley Quinn, Suicide Squad, Ant-Man, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Bridget Jones’s Diary Gwen’s TV and Movie Picks: This Fool, A League of Their Own, The Wedding Season, Euphoria, Girls, most reality TV, and a shout-out to the couples on the I Will Teach You To Be Rich podcast. Danielle’s Book Picks: 99% Mine by Sally Thorne, Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert, Boyfriend Material/Husband Material by Alexis Hall, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Gwen’s Celebrity Picks: Courtney Love, Britney Spears, Adele, and J.Lo and Ben Affleck * Interview with Denise Williams DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN is in stores September 6! You can find out more about Denise’s books and novellas on her website: https://www.denisewilliamswrites.com/ Watching Superstore on Hulu has given Denise great joy and comfort (and we agree)! Denise has three books planned for 2023: a compilation of her 2022 novellas set at an airport called LOVE AND OTHER FLIGHT DELAYS, a story in the romance anthology EVEN IF THE SKY IS FALLING, and her 4th full-length novel, coming in September 2023—title and cover reveal coming soon! Follow Denise on the socials: Instagram Twitter TikTok Newsletter * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle is working on drinking more water and wants to plan out some ongoing social media for her author platforms. Gwen hasn’t been working on her squats, but she would like to join Danielle on increasing her water intake. A new water bottle perhaps? Danielle is enjoying the Black Girl Magic Red Wine Blend, which was a gift from her author pal Melonie Johnson! Gwen has been indulging in Crumbl cookies! Particularly the French Silk and Chocolate Chip. REMINDER: We are taking the month of September off because of travel and new writing endeavors. We will be back in October because it’s the most wonderful time of the year: HALLOWEEN! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Hi, It’s future Gwen. Danielle and I planned to take the month of September off, but leave you with a few episodes before the hiatus. Life got in the way of our plans, and due to hectic travel and writing schedules, and attempting to spend time with family before the end of the summer – we had to take a longer break than we originally expected. We’re back with three brand-new episodes this month, including interviews with Denise Williams and Celestine Martin. But first, Danielle and I share our most anticipated fall entertainment. Just for some context, we recorded this conversation before TIFF and the Venice Film Festival. Vibe Check Danielle and Gwen are out here surviving and thriving! It was Danielle’s daughter’s 8th birthday and Gwen did ALL OF HER LAUNDRY. Please clap. * Main Discussion Danielle’s 4th Quarter Goal/Intention: Get back on a regular writing schedule Gwen’s 4th Quarter Goal/Intention: Intermittent Fasting + Fall activities (apple picking!) Danielle’s Favorite Fall Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cobbler (I used 1 TBSP of pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices and leave out the orange extract) Gwen’s Favorite Fall Recipe: Shepherd’s Pie * Fall 2022 Recs! SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER Danielle: Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (9/2 Amazon Prime), the return of Abbot Elementary (9/21; Quinta Burnson Awards Chatter podcast interview), Celebrity Jeopardy and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, the return of Miss Scarlett and the Duke (10/16, PBS), The Woman King (9/16), Blonde (9/23, Netflix), Don’t Worry Darling (9/23), Do You Take This Man by Denise Williams (9/6), The Caretaker by Alyssa Cole (9/6); On the Hustle by Adriana Herrera (10/11), The Belle of Bellgrave Square by Mimi Matthews (10/11) Gwen: Celebrity Jeopardy (9/25); Monarch (9/20 Fox); So Help Me Todd (9/29 CBS); Alaska Daily (10/6 ABC); Young Rock (11/4 NBC); Interview with the Vampire (10/2 AMC); A League of Their Own (August Amazon), The Silent Twins (9/16); Bros (9/30); Ticket to Paradise (10/21); New season of You Must Remember This; Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Cool It Down” NOVEMBER-DECEMBER Danielle: A Knives Out Mystery (November), Amsterdam (11/4), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (11/11), Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne (11/15); Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca (12/6) Gwen: The Menu (11/18); She Said (11/18); Empire of Light (12/9); I Wanna Dance with Somebody (12/21) * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle FINALLY cleaned her house and needs to drink more water after a very busy publication month. She has been finding immense joy in Nothing Bundt Cakes confetti buntinis. Gwen is continuing to potty train her puppy and would like to work on her squats. The Bellevue Candle in Vanilla and Monk Fruit (from our beloved Costco) is the perfect scent to bring a sense of comfort. * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check THE ACCIDENTAL PINUP by Danielle Jackson has finally arrived! It has been a whirlwind week; Danielle’s Instagram has all the details: https://www.instagram.com/djacksonbooks/ Gwen has taken the bus to work and got to spend time at a farewell dinner for her friend who is moving to France! Ooh la la! * Main Discussion Pop Culture Baking! Gwen’s Recs Movies: Ratatouille, any studio Gibli movie, Waitress, Sweeney Todd, Hook TV: Crime Scene Kitchen, Is it Cake? (avoid Sweetbitter) Books: Joanne Fluke’s cozy mysteries (Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder) with Hannah Swenson Danielle’s Recs Movies: Chocolat, Like Water for Chocolate TV: Cupcake Wars, Great British Baking Show, Nailed It, Pushing Daisies Books: Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall, Battle Royale by Lucy Parker, Mangoes and Mistletoe by Adriana Herrera, For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa * Interview with {author name} THE ROMANCE RECIPE, now available! Hot Copy is also available https://www.rubybarrett.com/ https://twitter.com/RubyBarretWrite https://www.instagram.com/rubybarrettwrite/ Foodie Reality TV Recs: Ruby loves Master Chef and Hell’s Kitchen. Danielle enjoys the OG: Top Chef. Gwen is a big fan of Guy’s Grocery Games. Ruby recommends a fancy latte with a design and some kind of breakfast snack, like a yogurt parfait, to eat while reading her book! Ruby’s recent book recs: FIRE SEASON by KD Casey LOVE & OTHER DISASTERS by Anita Kelly, NEVER BEEN KISSED by Timothy Janovsky, and FOOL ME ONCE by Ashley Winstead What’s bringing Ruby Joy: the release of Harry’s House by Harry Styles, Heartstopper on Netflix Ruby has more books in the works, and hopes to self-publish a SFF/post-apocalyptic second chance romance sometime this year. * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle successfully enjoyed going on vacation AND releasing her book! This week, she needs to clean her house. The latest episode of the Boozy Book Broads with special guests Pippa Grant and Ali Hazelwood is bringing her much joy (and great writing advice): The Boozy Book Broads Talk Publishing Gwen is making progress on her goal of potty training her puppy Aria, and will continue to work on this!! Gwen has found a new recipe to love: Japanese Curry from NYT Cooking (you can find a similar recipe here that isn’t behind a paywall) * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check We took a break and feel great! But we’re so happy to be back!! Danielle is attempting to go on vacation and release a book and work at the bookshop all at the same time. But she actually updated the News and Events sections of her website—go look at them! Gwen got a NEW PUPPY (who is noisily chewing/playing with her bone throughout this episode)! That is both her vibe and her achievement this week, and we are here for it. * What pop culture have we been consuming this summer? We both HIGHLY recommend The Bear (FX on Hulu). What Gwen is watching: Loot (Apple TV+), Barry (HBO Max) What Danielle is watching: Heartstopper (Netflix), Ms. Marvel (Disney+) Queen Sugar (OWN/Hulu), Wimbledon What Gwen is reading: Meet Me in The Bathroom by Lizzie Goodman What Danielle is reading: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley, Heartbreaker by Sara MacLean (August), Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (October); re-reads: the entire Reluctant Royals Series by Alyssa Cole, all of Lore Olympus on Webtoons What Gwen is listening to: Podcasts: You Must Remember This, Spectacle podcast, You’re Wrong About (Go Ask Alice); Music: Wet Leg, WILLOW, Beyonce, Bob Moses What Danielle is listening to: Podcasts: Newcomers (MCU season), Wait is This a Date w/ Drew Gregory and Christina Tucker; Music: Harry’s House * Interview with Danielle Jackson (we know her!) THE ACCIDENTAL PINUP hits stores on July 19th! For buy links and info to order personalized, signed copies from independent bookstores: https://daniellejacksonbooks.com/books Website: https://daniellejacksonbooks.com/ https://twitter.com/DJacksonBooks https://www.instagram.com/djacksonbooks/ https://www.goodreads.com/daniellejackson * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle didn’t really spend a ton of time outside like she wanted to (plans to make up for this in FL!)… This week, Danielle wants to focus on enjoying vacation and her book launch week!!!! She has found immense comfort in Ben & Jerry’s Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream Ice Cream and Pilot Acroball Fine Point ballpoint pens (Gwen recommends Pentel Energel RTX pens as well) Gwen did cook for herself while her husband was on a business trip, but then her fridge died, so... This week, Gwen wants to potty train her new pup, Aria! Her comfort this week comes from La Colombe Coffee (found at our beloved Costco, natch) * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check We’re both doing our best to deal with the news, but Gwen has a very clean apartment after getting a new Dyson cordless vacuum, and Danielle has been reading a TON! * Main Discussion Welcome to the first FF Podcast Book Club! We read A CARIBBEAN HEIRESS IN PARIS by Adriana Herrera. We really loved it! Gilded Age Recs: Mr. Selfridge, The Paradise, The Buccaneers, The Age of Innocence, Howards End, Ken Burns’s Gilded Age Documentary PS—No one understood the Gilded Glamour assignment at this year’s Met Gala. * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle was supposed to work in her garden, but did not. This week, she would like to spend time outside every day. Gwen did not organize her office (but has a deadline to do so in a couple of days!). This week, she wants to cook for herself instead of ordering food while her husband is away. Danielle has been enjoying the graphic novels by Reina Telgemeier! Gwen loves her teak shower foot roller! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Danielle has a cold but finished book 2! Gwen is nervous and excited to go on a work retreat and outlining her schedule in her journal has helped with her mood! * Host Check-In + Summer Rapid Fire We are ready for summer! Some highlights from this rambling discussion: Gwen enjoyed her vacations to Puerto Rico and Pennsylvania, but enjoyed being home most (to watch *Nsync videos and walk around with her BFF). Danielle remembers going to San Francisco and really enjoying the touristy stuff! Yogurt parfaits and Oreo ice cream cakes are IMPORTANT. We like ice cream a lot, actually. Danielle is going to publish a book this summer! Gwen is going to the beach!! * Interview with {author name} SOMETHING WILDER, now available! https://christinalaurenbooks.com/ Instagram Twitter Facebook Page Facebook Group Adventurous Movie Recs: Romancing the Stone, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, Goonies, Fool’s Gold, Tangled, Speed, The Princess Bride. What’s Bringing CLo joy: BTS and K-Pop! Jungkook’s Bad Guy lip-sync convinced Lauren to become a part of the BTS Army! * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle sort of kind of maybe started working on something new, and would like to give her garden some extra attention. Gwen organized her pantry, and needs to spend more time organizing everything else, especially her desk and what is behind her during video calls. Danielle recommends Tony’s Chocoloney’s Chocolate Bars and Gwen is really into the oat milk mochas she gets from her new café! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen is feeling cozy! Danielle is tired! Gwen washed and put away all of her clothes after her big move; Danielle made her family pound cake for Easter. * Main Discussion Let’s face it—we love a book adaptation, whether it’s on TV or a movie! Gwen: You, Trainspotting, The Princess Diaries, Atonement, Virgin Suicides, Normal People Danielle: Shakespeare remakes—Romeo & Juliet, Romeo + Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tragedy of Macbeth, 10 Things I Hate About You, O, Hamlet; Austen—Clueless, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta; TV Adaptations—Poldark, Station Eleven, My Brilliant Friend, Good Omens, “YA”: The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, The Hate U Give, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Heartstopper * Interview with ABBY JIMENEZ PART OF YOUR WORLD, now available! Nadia Cakes, Abby’s cupcake shop (she won Cupcake Wars!) Movie Deal Announcement for The Happy Ever After Playlist Abby’s Page-to-Screen recs: Warm Bodies, The Hating Game Gwen’s Page-to-Screen recs: Clueless, My Brilliant Friend Danielle’s Page-to-Screen recs: Trainspotting, Little Women Connect with Abby: https://www.authorabbyjimenez.com/ Facebook Page Facebook Group Twitter Instagram TikTok * Goals/Comfort & Joy Last time, Gwen wanted to finish packing and move... and she did! Now she’d like to organize her pantry. Gwen is also really enjoying Julia on HBO Max. Danielle tried to read a nonfiction book but did not. This week, she’d like to write something new, not related to what she’s working on right now. Related to writing, Danielle has found comfort in long-form journal writing, and Gwen suggested she consider doing The Artist’s Way! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check It’s Spring Break and Danielle is in the thick of book 2 revisions! Also, everyone should check out ALL MY RAGE by Sabaa Tahir. Gwen is MOVING and by the time this episode airs, she will be in her new place! * WEDDINGS! Danielle got married at the height of Pinterest weddings and made all of her flowers out of paper and book pages. Gwen was 40 minutes late to her outdoor wedding in the hills of Virginia and it had a “movie” theme. Memorable TV Weddings Gwen: Kelly and Zack on Saved by the Bell, Luke and Laura on General Hospital, Jim and Pam on The Office, the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones Danielle: Meredith and Derek on Grey’s Anatomy (the post-it note), All of Parks & Rec’s surprise weddings, David and Patrick on Schitt’s Creek, Ralph Angel and Darla on Queen Sugar Wedding Movies Gwen: All versions of Father of the Bride, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Bridesmaids, Sex and the City, The Little Mermaid, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End Danielle: Also Father of the Bride, Crazy Rich Asians, The Wedding Planner, Monsoon Wedding, About Time Pop Culture Moments: Meghan and Harry, Beyonce and Jay-Z, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Bisset Books: Nora Robert’s The Bride Quartet, Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series by Jenny Holiday, D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins, Mia Sosa’s The Worst Best Man and The Wedding Crasher * Interview with Mia Sosa THE WEDDING CRASHER THE WORST BEST MAN Connect with Mia: Website | Newsletter | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Romance tropes that Mia loves: Friends-to-Lovers, Fake Dating, Grumpy-Sunshine What’s making Mia happy: Love is Blind on Netflix * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle did not read a nonfiction book, but she wants to read You Got Anything Stronger by Gabrielle Union (she also finally cleaned her desk!). This week, Danielle wants to actually read a nonfiction book! Gwen succeeded in packing up her kitchen stuff and needs to continue to pack because she is literally moving in 24 hours. Danielle has been reading old school romances: Morning Glory by Lavyrle Spencer and Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas. Gwen went to her local cookie kiosk! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen has been traveling and booked movers! Danielle has been going outside and started working on more book 2 revisions! * Main Discussion Self-care has changed so much and is incredibly personal. We’re discussing our own self-care practices and how we approach taking care of ourselves. * Our interview with KATE SPENCER IN A NEW YORK MINUTE Kate’s Website Kate’s Instagram Kate’s memoir: THE DEAD MOM’S CLUB Forever35 Podcast Book recs from Kate: the entire Ice Planet Barbarians series (and spinoffs!) by Ruby Dixon, PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry, ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED by Farah Herron, A THOUSAND MILES by Bridget Morrissey (6/21), FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK by Elissa Sussman (4/12) Kate has a new puppy! The Encanto soundtrack is giving her entire household life. And she recommends the folk singer Henry Jamison, especially for writing! * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle did not clean her desk (and probably won’t now that revisions have started) but would like to read a nonfiction book. Gwen did not start going through her closets but thinks packing up her kitchen might be a better place to start. Danielle loves her Old Skool platform Vans. Gwen is reading and loving Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check It’s cold and dreary in both Washington and Illinois. Gwen has found a new apartment and Danielle hosted two events: a virtual event with Lauren Kate and a sold-out in-person event with Bob Odenkirk. * Main Discussion In just a few short weeks, this year’s Academy Awards will be handed out. Gwen and Danielle discuss if the Oscaras “matter” anymore, what goes into Oscar campaigns, and of course, our predictions for this year’s winners! We don’t over all the categories, but you can find a full list of nominees here: https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2022. Danielle mentioned the podcast Fat Mascara, and in particular episodes with Cruella makeup artist Nadia Stacey and Gwen Stefani. * Interview with Kristy Woodson Harvey THE WEDDING VEIL will be in stores on March 29th! It is set at the legendary Biltmore Estate. Kristy’s Peachtree Bluff series has been optioned to be adapted into a TV series! She told us about helping write the pilot and more exclusive details. Reading is Kristy’s self-care! She recommends GILT by Jamie Brenner, REMINDERS OF HIM by Colleen Hoover, ONCE UPON A WARDROBE by Patty Callahan, THE HOMEWRECKERS by Mary Kay Andrews, and books by William Kent Kreuger. Head to Kristy’s website, sign up for her newsletter, and find her on Instagram and Facebook. She’s also a part of the Friends & Fiction Facebook group! * Goals/Comfort & Joy We gave ourselves a break from goals last time! This week, Gwen wants to clean out her closet and Danielle needs to clean her desk! Danielle bought a huge tub of Stonefire Naan Dippers from Costco and has been enjoying them immensely. Gwen is loving the Salt & Straw Pot of Rainbows cereal-flavored ice cream. * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check It has been... a week, LOL! Gwen is going to her first concert in a while—Eddie Vedder! Danielle did a virtual event with friend of the pod Jessica P. Pryde with Books are Magic last week. Follow her on social media for the link the replay! * Main Discussion Some of the cool girls we discussed: Gone Girl, and the Salon article Everyone on Euphoria Julia Gardner/Anna from Inventing Anna Anne Hathaway/Rivka in We Crashed Sarah Michelle Gellar/Katherine in Cruel Intentions Mila Kunis/ Rachel in Forgetting Sarah Marshall Megan Fox/Reagan from New Girl Celebs: Glen Close, Olivia Coleman, Jennifer Lawrence, Zendaya, Billie Eilish, Betty White, Dionne Warwick Books: Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake, Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher * Recs from Mia P. Manansala Website: https://www.miapmanansala.com/ (sign up for her newsletter!) Twitter: https://twitter.com/MPMtheWriter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPMtheWriter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpmthewriter/ All the food! Celebration/common Filipino dishes: Adobo, Lumpia, Pancit Unheard of dishes: Ginataang Bilo-bilo Good starter dish for the home cook: Sinigang Mia’s website has a ton of recipes from and inspired by her book! Cozy mystery series Mia and her mom enjoy: Joanna Fluke’s Hannah Swensen series, Vivien Chien’s Noodle Shop Mysteries, Raquel V. Reyes’s Caribbean Mystery series Mia LOVES candles. Bath & Body Works are among her favorites, but she also mentioned two small Filiapina-owned candle makers: Terra and Kilig Mia is also a new romance reader and enjoys novels by Talia Hibbert, Alyssa Cole, and Sherry Thomas! Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle has succeeded in making her lunch for work! Gwen hasn’t gotten around to exploring her neighborhood, but she has been taking Ronin (her dog!) on new walking routes. And... we are taking a break from goals this week! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Dresser Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen is busy but making lists, and took the time to relax by going on a long drive to see the snow. Danielle is being lazy on purpose but did some major Valentine’s Day crafting with friends. Black Romance in Media MOVIES Gwen: If Beale Street Could Talk, The Lovebirds, Poetic Justice, Malcolm and Marie, Southside with You, The Bodyguard, Beyond the Lights, Cinderella Danielle: Love and Basketball, The Photograph, The Incredible Jessica James TV Gwen: Insecure, Harlem (also Run the World), Black-Ish, The Wonder Years (new version) Danielle: Insecure, Queen Sugar, This is Us, Living Single, Girlfriends CELEB COUPLES Gwen: Berry Jenkins and Lulu Wang, Oprah and Stedman Danielle: Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade, Beyonce and Jay-Z, Barack and Michelle Obama, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky BLACK ROMANCE AUTHORS TO CHECK OUT! Beverly Jenkins, Brenda Jackson, Alyssa Cole, Tracey Livesay, Farrah Rochon, Vanessa Riley, Christina C. Jones, Rilzy Adams, Katrina Jackson, Tasha L. Harrison, Rebecca Weatherspoon, Chencia C. Higgins * Recs from JESSICA P. PRYDE BLACK LOVE MATTERS was in part, inspired by WELL-READ BLACK GIRL by Glory Edim, but with more romance! Jess co-hosts a podcast called When In Romance, with Trish Brown. Book recs: LOVE AND OTHER DISASTERS by Anita Kelly, YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY by Akwaeke Emezi (May 2022), TO CATCH A RAVEN by Beverly Jenkins (Aug 2022) What’s bringing Jessica comfort: Star Trek: Discovery on Paramount+ Find Jess on Twitter and Instagram * Goals/Comfort & Joy Last week, Danielle said she was going to deep clean, and whoo boy, she did NOT. This week, she wants to make her lunch at home to take to work. Gwen absolutely excelled at her daily yoga practice, and this week is going to explore a new part of her neighborhood! Gwen is obsessed with water in all forms. Danielle highly recommends the Universal Standard Seine skinny jeans (and just about everything else on the site). * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check D and G are both feeling Mercury in retrograde. Danielle hosted a small family get-together for her husband’s birthday and Gwen made dinner at home every day! Host Check-In: Danielle has a new job at a local independent bookstore. Not to worry, the podcast will continue! Gwen is committed to doing more creative endeavors this year! * Early 2022 Anticipated Media JANUARY TV: The Gilded Age, Abbott Elementary Books: Violeta by Isabel Allende, D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins Movies: Scream 5, The 355, The Tragedy of Macbeth FEBRUARY TV: Pam and Tommy, Inventing Anna Books: Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake Movies: Dog, The Tinder Swindler, Marry Me, Book of Love MARCH TV: The Dropout, Atlanta Season 3, Bridgerton Season 2, Barry Season 3 Books: The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Meuller, Savvy Sheldon is Feeling Good as Hell by Tag McCoy Movies: The Batman, TUrning Red, Downton Abbey: A New Era, The Lost City APRIL TV: More to come soon! Books: The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa, In the Face of the Sun by Denny S. Bryce Movies: The Northman, X, Aline, The Bad Guys * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle sort of made a writing schedule for the first part of 2022, but now really needs to deep clean her house. Gwen did journal but didn’t exactly set up her entire week (it’s a work in progress). This week, Gwen would like to start a daily Yoga practice! * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Danielle and Gwen are both basking in the afterglow of taking time away over the holidays and disconnecting! Danielle has been taking care of her health and going to all the doctor’s appointments and Gwen has started eating more veggies at every meal. * Main Discussion Gwen’s Recs: Sex and the City (also And Just Like That), The Phantom Thread. Halston, FASHION CLIMBING by Bill Cunningham and The Times of Bill Cunningham (documentary film), GRACE by Grace Coddington Danielle’s Recs: The Devil Wears Prada (with the most iconic fashion montage ever), The Mindy Project, Insecure, Project Runway, House of Gucci, IRIS APFEL: ACCIDENTAL ICON by Iris Apfel We’re both obsessed with the anachronistic fashion found on Reign, The Great, Marie Antoinette, and Bridgerton * Recs from Mimi Matthews THE SIREN OF SUSSEX is now available! Mimi wrote about Victorian Fashion in A VICTORIAN LADY’S GUIDE TO FASHION AND BEAUTY. Mimi’s author and book recs: Lisa Kleypas, Evie Dunmore, Harper St. George, Suzanne Allain, JANE AND THE YEAR WITHOUT A SUMMER by Stephanie Barron Find Mimi on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and on her website, https://www.mimimatthews.com/. Look for the second book in Mimi’s series, Belles of London, THE BELLE OF BELGRAVE SQUARE, in fall 2022! * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle has finished her book 2 revisions and will send it to her editor soon. Her new goal is to work on a writing schedule for the first half of 2022! She is also obsessed with Soap and Glory Hand Food hand cream. Gwen definitely enjoyed traveling over the holidays. She would now like to take 30 minutes every Sunday and set up her journal/plan for the week. Gwen is also loving the Showtime show, Yellowjackets (and Danielle rec’d a recent episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour that does a deep dive on this show). * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Danielle and Gwen both can’t sleep and are very tired. No one at Fresh Fiction told Danielle about her book’s cover reveal and it went really well; the cover of THE ACCIDENTAL PINUP is now out in the world! Gwen made two new recipes ahead of the holidays: beef pot roast stew and apple cranberry sauce. * Our Faves of 2021! Danielle’s Faves TV: Only Murders in the Building, Ted Lasso, Virgin River Season 3, Insecure, Dickinson Movies: Raya and the Last Dragon, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, In the Heights, Passing (Danielle mentioned a Reddit thread and Salon article about the book Passing by Nella Larson, how it relates to The Great Gatsby, and how perhaps Gatsby was passing, too) Books: Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson, The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams, Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola Gwen’s Faves TV: Tuca & Bertie season 2, Rick & Morty, Succession, Hacks, White Lotus, Insecure, Ghosts Movies: King Richard, Tick, Tick, Boom; Malignant, Candyman, Barb and Star Go to Del Mar Board Games: Fort, Abandon All Artichokes, Accension Realms Unraveled * 2021 “SENIOR SUPERLATIVES” The Media that Saved You Gwen: Podcasts and reality TV Danielle: Graphic novels Something That Made You LOL Danielle: Nailed It! On Netflix; this clip of Prince Harry and Prince William doing obstacle courses set to Do You Remember Gwen: Noodle the Pug Under the Radar Gwen: Bo Burnham’s INSIDE Danielle: We Are Lady Parts on Peacock (Premium) Wild Card Danielle: Romancelandia Stickers Gwen: Alba Botanicals Natural Vegan Jelly What We Want to See in 2022 What we hope to see in entertainment in 2022 Gwen: History, but not just what we’re already used to Danielle: Diverse stories, more voices represented, and more HAPPY content. * Goals/Comfort & Joy BIGGEST GOAL FLOP FROM 2021 Gwen: Drinking water Danielle: Re-reading Austen BIGGEST GOAL SUCCESS FROM 2021 Danielle: Anything writing related Gwen: Uncrossing my legs at my desk BIG GOAL or INTENTION for 2022 Gwen: Creating and finishing something Danielle: ENJOY releasing a book! GOALS FROM LAST WEEK: Danielle: Finish The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante by the end of the year—ALMOST DONE! Gwen: Finish Christmas shopping—YES! * Gwen’s New Goal: Enjoy the next two weeks of traveling Danielle’s New Goal: Book 2 Revisions, round 1. * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen is on a mission to get her cart back! She has not gone to jail and this is a major achievement. Danielle feels accomplished, but is still busy. And she has addressed and stamped her Christmas cards! Candle Recs from Gwen’s Bath and Body Works haul: Champagne Toast, Campfire S’mores, Apple Hot Toddy. Candle + Tea rec from Danielle: Winter Wonderland (it’s LIMITED EDITION at Target) and Winter Wake Up Tea from Trader Joe’s * Main Discussion Old School Holiday Entertainment Danielle TV: Star Wars Holiday Special, Pee Wee’s Playhouse: Christmas Special, Disney Christmas Parade Movies: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Story, Home Alone 1 & 2 Books: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, Babysitters Club Christmas books Gwen TV Specials: The Spirit of Christmas Movies: Muppets Christmas Carol, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol. Books: The Nutcracker New School Holiday Entertainment Danielle TV: The OC/Chrismukkah, A Very Murray Christmas, The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show, Mariah Carey Magical Christmas Special & The Magic Continues Movies: A Christmas Prince, The Princess Switch, 8-Bit Christmas Books: Christmas Miracle in Jamaica by Ann McIntosh, What He Wants for Christmas by Brenda Jackson, Just for the Holidays by Adriana Herrera, OMG Christmas Tree by Stephanie J. Scott, A Princess for Christmas and Duke Actually by Jenny Holiday, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish by Grace Burrowes. Also, there are a TON of sexy Santa romances. Gwen TV: The Office Christmas episodes! Movies: A Castle from Christmas, a Clusterfunke Christmas Books: The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer * Recs from ROAN PARRISH The Garnet Run Series: BETTER THAN PEOPLE, BEST LAID PLANS, THE LIGHTS ON KNOCKBRIDGE LANE THE LIGHTS ON KNOCKBRIDGE LANE is the first Harlequin category romance to feature a same-sex main couple. Smitten Kitchen “Craggy” Pumpkin Bread Dear Romance Writer Podcast Birding has brought Roan immense joy! Coming soon: THE HOLIDAY TRAP (rom-com, house-swap, double romance; 9/6/22) and THE UNHAUNTING OF CASPER ROAD (final in the Garnet Run Series, Halloween romance, late September ‘22) https://www.roanparrish.com/ https://twitter.com/roanparrish https://www.facebook.com/roanparrish/ https://www.instagram.com/roanparrish/ * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle has completed her Christmas shopping, overachieving on last episode’s goal of finalizing her lists. This week, she wants to finish The Story of the Last Child, the final book in Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan series. Danielle’s comfort: the return of the podcast For Colored Nerds Gwen wanted to get better sleep and she is working on it! This week, she’d like to finish her Christmas shopping. Gwen’s comfort: Salt & Straw Ice Cream * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen is BOOSTED! And she is glad she has planned for Thanksgiving in advance. Danielle is working through THE ACCIDENTAL PINUP’s pass pages and book 2 revisions, and had an awesome chat with Denise Williams on the 11/19 episode of the Boozy Book Broads. Gwen is thankful for her move across the country, meeting silly dogs and pets in her neighborhood, and feel-good TV like Ted Lasso and Rick & Morty. Danielle is thankful for the health of her family, her dream coming true of becoming an author, her pandemic hobby (watercolor painting), Harlequin Desire romance novels (we chatted with Naima Simone and Reese Ryan on the pod), and Ted Lasso. * Main Discussion Thank you to EVERYONE who sent in questions! Best New-to-You Author D: Edie Cay, Kaia Alderson, Bolu Babalola G: Abby Collette, Olivia Dade, Preslaysa Williams Holiday Book Recs D: YA-Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant, Cookbook-Simply Julia by Julia Turshen, Historical-The Kat Holloway Mystery series by Jennifer Ashley or Bombshell by Sarah MacLean, Mystery/Suspense: The Final Hour series by Juno Rushdan G: YA-a nice omnibus of a beloved YA classic series like The Hunger Games, Narnia, or Percy Jackson, Historical-anything by Lauren Willig, Mystery/Suspense: David Baldacci Favorite thing about the podcast G: having a creative outlet and building on our friendship D: working with Gwen! And doing deep dives. Holiday Shopping in 2021 D: we can actually go to stores, paring down on spending, and buying local as much as possible G: more online shopping for me, and trying to be thoughtful about gifts Movies We Are Looking Forward To G: King Richard and Tick, Tick... Boom! D: House of Gucci, Spider Man: No Way Home, The Hating Game, Downton Abbey: A New Era Favorite holiday food and Tradition D: Food-corn pudding. Tradition-Thanksgiving is the holiday we don’t go anywhwere! G: Food-chunky mashed postates. Tradition-watching the dog show and the Macy’s parade EBook Organization G: Impossible. Although I do love folders, but I can’t ever find what I’m looking for again D: I don’t! It’s chaos!!! Guests on the Pod D: dream guests-Beverly Jenkins, Brenda Jackson, Susan Elizabeth Phillips. We’ve been so lucky in our guests who have been so generous with their time, like Alyssa Cole, Talia Hibbert, Naima Simone, and Lauren Willig (and seriously, everyone else). G: we’d love to interview industry professionals-editors, agents, cover designers, screenwriters, actors, more film & tv critics, etc. * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle watched a TON of TV (Succession, Dickinson, Call the Midwife, Only Murders in the Building, Howards End, Ted Lasso, Queen Sugar – goal achieved! This week she would like to finalize her holiday shopping lists. Gwen started journaling daily because Danielle sent her a one line a day journal! Her new goal is to sleep 7-8 hours a night, and trying to go to bed by 10pm. Danielle’s Comfort: Harlequin Holiday Romance Novels! Moonlight, Menorahs, and Mistletoe by Wendy Warren, Christmas at the Chateau by Rochelle Alers, What He Wants for Christmas by Brenda Jackson, Christmas Miracle in Jamaica by Ann McIntosh and breakup albums (Adele’s 30, Taylor’s Red, and Kacey Musgrave’s Star-Crossed) Gwen’s Comfort: Cowboy Bebop, both the original anime and the new live action show. * EMAIL US! Thoughts or questions? Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Vibe Check Gwen is leaning into Daylight saving. Danielle did a whole bunch of stuff but still feels like she didn’t “do” anything. Gwen learned the importance of cleaning out your fridge. Danielle read a bunch of books (MISS MORIARTY, I PRESUME? by Sherry Thomas, JUST FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Adriana Herrera, THE BAD BOY EXPERIMENT by Reese Ryan, and YINKA WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND? by Lizzia Damilola Blackburn) and her 8th wedding anniversary is this week! * Pop Culture Pets GWEN’S RECS: NOODLE THE PUG (tik tok), UP, SECRET LIFE OF PETS , All Disney movies with a journey, VIVO, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, THE CROWN, IT STARTED WITH A DOG by Julia London DANIELLE’S RECS: Salem on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Heihei from MOANA, the guard horse from TANGLED, GET A LIFE, CHLOE BROWN by Talia Hibbert, TOO GOOD TO BE REAL by Melonie Johnson, HEARTS OF ALASKA series by Alanna Martin * Recs from LUCY GILMORE The dog show in Lucy’s novel is based on Westminster, but on a much smaller scale. As for beauty pageant research? Toddlers & Tiaras! Lucy is enjoying watching Only Murders in the Building (on Hulu) and recently read Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat. For self-care, Lucy loves taking her dogs on long walks! Be sure to follow her on social media for info about her books and all the pet pics: https://tamaraberry.com/lucy-gilmore https://twitter.com/Words_by_Lucy https://www.instagram.com/tamaratamaralucy/ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLucyGilmore/ * Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle, and hopefully everyone else, enjoyed Halloween! This week she wants to watch more TV. Gwen did not do morning meditation, but she is going to start journaling every day (Danielle recommended her One Line A Day journal). Danielle is finding joy in eating leftover Halloween candy, and loose leaf tea from her local tea shop, The Tea Tree. Gwen is enjoying the return of Starbucks’s red holiday cups. * EMAIL US! Don’t forget to send us your questions/thoughts/ideas for the listener request show later this month. Email us at [email protected]. * Find us on the Socials! Gwen Reyes Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Jackson Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite