04Jun/21

Megan Hart

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June 4, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Brenda Murphy, Megan Hart, & Fiona Zedde as the guest on Season 6, Episode 22 – Worthy of a Sheet Protector!

Brenda Murphy, Megan Hart, and Fiona Zedde join us for a hilarious unveiling of their new book of three individual novellas that are bound together, Love, Blood, and Sanctuary. The innuendos, double entendres and comedic riffs happen so fast with this episode, we could almost classify it as a “jam session!”

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Brenda Murphy (she/her) writes erotic romance. You can catch her musings on writing, books, and living with wicked ADHD on her blog Writing While Distracted. She loves sideshows and tattoos and yes, those are her monkeys. When she is not loitering at her local library, she wrangles twins, one dog, and an unrepentant parrot.

Megan Hart writes books. Some of them use bad words, but most of the other words are okay. Some of them hit bestseller lists and win awards and some don’t, but that’s the way it goes. She can’t live without music, the internet, or the ocean, but she and soda have achieved an amicable uncoupling. She loathes the feeling of corduroy or velvet, and modern art leaves her cold. She writes a little bit of everything from horror to romance, though she’s best known for writing steamy fiction that sometimes makes you cry.

Fiona Zedde was born under the Jamaican sun but now makes her home in Spain. Since getting the writing bug, she’s published around thirty books and short stories, mostly about black queer romance. At this very second, she’s probably writing another book, and it has 100 percent chance of having queer romance and queer women in it. Her pseudo-healthy obsessions are French pastries, English cars, and Jamaican food.

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January 31, 2020


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Brenda Murphy and Megan Hart as the guests on Episode 253 – Intimacy With My Imaginary Friends!

Brenda Murphy and Megan Hart join us to discuss their duology release, Soul Burn, and how the team-up happened thanks to a fun road trip!

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Bio:

Megan Hart writes books. Some of them might break your heart a little, but she promises you, it will all be okay.
She loves: glitter, zombies, rainbows, unicorns, breakfast, diners, singing, dancing, reading, movies, hummingbirds, SeaMonkeys, tattoos, bees, octopuses, breakfast, the ocean, whiskey, onion rings, roses and the smell of rain on the summer pavement.
Occasionally, she takes a selfie. Or ten. She also writes under the name Mina Hardy.

Brenda Murphy writes short fiction and novels. She loves tattoos and sideshows and yes, those are her monkeys. When she is not loitering at her local library and writing, she wrangles two kids, one dog, and an unrepentant parrot. She reviews books, blogs about life as a writer with ADHD and publishes photographs on her blog Writing While Distracted.

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26May/21

Review – The Called by M.D. Neu

Review, , , , , ,

M.D. Neu was interviewed on WROTE in February 2021. To find out more about him and his work, check out Episode 308 – Oh God What Was I Thinking?

I read The Calling back in 2018, so I had to play a bit of catch up to grasp The Called, which is the second book in the series. Duncan, as referred to in the blurb for The Calling, is now Chris, as he had to leave his old life behind once becoming one of the Immortals.

This is an enjoyable second instalment, with Chris finding out who his real friends are and his burgeoning relationship with Kirtus happening quietly in the wings. In fact, the whole book is subtly done, without the brash colour of the first novel. The plot could also have been tightened up a little. It could be confusing at times and when that happened, I struggled to remain engaged with the story.

The story is much more character- than action-driven, and the characters are very likeable, with chemistry between the leads and a strong sense of the practicalities of being a vampire, without a sparkle in sight.

Although the tension could have been ramped up more, and it all felt somewhat low-key and a bit dour in parts, there’s a wry sense of humour running through the book, again so subtle some might miss it. I can’t help help thinking the author needs to shake loose a little and allow themselves to go all out, as the overall tone felt restrained. However, I’ll be very interested to see what happens next.

BLURB

The world is changing quickly for Chris now that he’s part of the Immortal Community. With the events of his past finally behind him, he’s still having visions and true magic is gradually taking hold in the world. Chris is still new and has no real standing in the Immortal Community, but he is learning that nothing is what he thought.

Old enemies must work together and longtime friends may not be trustworthy. With Juliet, Amanda, and Kirtus by his side, they have to prevent the immortal and witch community from being exposed.

New friendships are made, and longtime alliances are called into question. How will The Called defeat these latest threats, and what does it mean for the world?

21May/21

Alexander Watson

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May 21, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Alexander Watson as the guest on Season 6, Episode 20 – Is Madam Having Coffee?

Alexander Watson delights and entertains us with the story behind his book River Queens. We discuss everything from upending one’s life, meeting river folk who’ve never seen a gay man, and partner shenanigans that strengthened the relationship.

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The Harrises are strict teetotaling, sabbatarian farmers, but Dale drinks. The Watsons are urbane, philandering, wanton alcoholics, but Alexander does not drink. These are but two of the myriad incongruities which bind their thirty-year partnership together.

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07May/21

AM Leibowitz

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May 7, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome AM Leibowitz back as the guest on Season 6, Episode 18 – We Can Just Make It Normal!

AM Leibowitz joins Vance and Baz for a great discussion of their latest release, Every Time We Meet. This leads us to discussing sapphic fiction, queer parenting, and the importance of nonbinary representation within fiction as well as outside of it.

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A.M. Leibowitz is the author of literary and romantic fiction who refuses to color inside the lines. They are a freelance editor and remover of stray commas. Their blog offers commentary on books, writing, life, and spirituality. … Spouse, parent, queer, feminist, reader, and writer falling somewhere on the Geek-Nerd Spectrum.

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August 17, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome A. M. Leibowitz as the guest on Episode 179 – I Don’t Need A Word I’m Just Me!!

AM (Amy) Leibowitz joins us to talk about her new release Drumbeat and her novella Year of the Guilty Soul. We also talk craft, Bi-Erasure/Phobia and the impact of invisible disability in literary and media works.

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Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Read Jayne’s Review of Drumbeat here: http://www.wrotepodcast.com/drumbeat-by-a-m-leibowitz/

Bio:

Amy Leibowitz is a queer spouse, parent, feminist, and book-lover falling somewhere on the Geek-Nerd Spectrum. They keep warm through the long, cold western New York winters by writing about life, relationships, hope, and happy-for-now endings. Their published fiction includes several novels as well as a number of short works, and their stories have been included in anthologies from Supposed Crimes, Beaten Track, Witty Bard, and Mischief Corner Books. They are an occasional host for The BiCast, a podcast for the bi+ community, as well as doing bi+ advocacy work and curating the best-of bi list on the QueerBooksForTeens website. They are a social media contributor for Supposed Crimes, LLC, and they post about news, reviews, and updates for the website. In between noveling and freelance editing, they blog coffee-fueled, quirky commentary on faith, culture, writing, books, and their family.

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06May/21

Review – Dropnauts by J. Scott Coatsworth

Review, , , , , , , , , ,

J. Scott Coatsworth was recently interviewed on WROTE! Check out Episode 315: Oh My God We’re Gonna Die, to find out more about Scott and his work.

One thing you can expect from this author is superlative world-building, as I discovered when reading other books in the Liminal Sky series. There are a ton of them, and I’ve given up making sense of which book belongs where, but it doesn’t matter. This is a standalone novel as far as I can tell, although by the end, you may well be wishing for another in the series. The blurb does a good job of describing what to expect. Basically, the titular Dropnauts are on a quest to see if the Earth could be recolonised.

It’s an accepted belief there is no one left down there but they are wrong. The team get split up, meet a couple of Earth dwellers and get split up again into teams of two. With sinister drones and the dawning realisation that the AI designed to protect them is actually working against them, this is a familiar story to anyone who loves their sci-fi. Familiar, but not tired. There are sparky characters with history, new attractions, a diverse range of gender and sexuality, a tribe of vengeful women and two Earth-dwellers wanting to find medication for their sick mother.

There are great human stories within all the tech-speak. The hard-core sci fi nuts will love the intellectual-speak, the science-y stuff and the various AI’s doing battle inside each other’s heads. Lovers of human stories will enjoy the frisson of attraction between Hera and Ghost, Sanya and Rafe and Rai and Aidan. There’s a heart-stopping finale as everyone races to save both Luna and the Earth from doom. It’s all very exciting and intelligent and fun, with relatable characters and a thrilling denouement.

BLURB

Over a century after the end of the Earth, life goes on in Redemption, the sole remaining lunar colony, and possibly the last outpost of humankind in the Solar System. But with an existential threat burrowing its way to the Moon’s core, humanity must recolonize the homeworld.

Twenty brave dropnauts set off on a mission to explore the empty planet. After training for two and a half years, four of them—Rai, Hera, Ghost and Tien—are bound for Martinez Base, just outside the Old Earth city of San Francisco.

But what awaits them there will turn their assumptions upside down—and in the process, either save or destroy what’s left of humanity.

23Apr/21

Catherine Disabato

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April 23, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Catherine Disabato as the guest on Episode 317 – Fun, Slow, and Fast!

Catherine “Catie” Disabato joins us for a great conversation about all things LA queer fiction, and shares her latest release, U Up? We also discuss weird mysteries and how covid could effect writing in the years to come.

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Catie Disabato is a young woman in her 30s. Her novels The Ghost Network and U Up? are available wherever good books are sold.

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12Apr/21

Review – Summoned by J. P. Jackson

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J. P. Jackson will be interviewed by WROTE in the very near future. In the meantime, I received an ARC of his new novel, Summoned, in return for an honest and fair review.

Is it wrong to say my favourite character was a twig? Bear with me…

This was a fun story which grips from the first page. Full of sexy times, gory bits and terrific world building, I’d go so far to say this is his best book yet. Daimonion and Magic or Die were fun, deliciously dark reads, but this is on another level.

The main character, Dev, has had a lifelong wish to join the Shadow Realm and become a witch, but he gets more than he bargains for when he buys a summoning board and persuades his best friend, Cam, to have a go with him. The moral to take from this story is a) be careful what you wish for and b) never meet your heroes. I could also add c) don’t fall head over heels in love with a friendly, sexy redhead who seems perfect. He won’t be. And d) don’t rely on your best friend not to say something stupid. They will.

I made the mistake of picking this up ahead of every other book I’m supposed to review, just to have a peek and see what I was letting myself in for. Of course, I ended up reading the whole damned thing.

There are some great spell-casting scenes, a lovely burgeoning relationship between Cam and a grumpy werewolf after they find themselves trapped in the same dungeon, and some sexy, hairy scenes between husky Dev and the ginger bear-ish man of his dreams. Or is he? On a side note – these aren’t ripped, model-gorgeous, no-hair, twinky guys but normal men with hair and bellies and morning breath. They felt real.

I also loved Byron and Addas, his partner, who he is trying to save from being infected with werewolf venom. The methods an increasingly desperate Byron resorts to in order to save him are disturbing to say the least, made more so by their early domestic scenes, which are lovely.

Top marks for world-building and great side characters, including Cam’s mum, who is hilarious even though she only has a small part to play. And the twig. If you don’t have a lump in your throat after discovering the fate of the Spriggan, you’re a psychopath. End of.

All the dialogue runs smoothly and feels natural, and the characters are convincing to the max, with all their human frailties and foibles, as well as their strengths. The story didn’t end on too much of a cliffhanger, although there is another book to come. It could be read as a standalone, I guess, but my bet is no one will be happy with just one helping of these great characters.

It was a great read and I can’t wait for the next one!

BLURB

Devid Khandelwal desperately wants to experience the supernatural. After years of studying everything from crystals to tarot to spellcasting, nothing has happened that would tell him the Shadow Realm is real. And that kills Dev. As a last-ditch resort, he purchases a summoning board, an occult tool that will grant him his ultimate desires.

Cameron Habersham is Dev’s best friend. Cam loves Dev like a brother and will do anything for him, as long as he looks good doing it. So when Dev asks him to perform the summoning board’s ritual, he reluctantly agrees, but he knows nothing will come of it. Nothing ever does.

However, within a day, Dev and Cam’s lives are turned upside down as wishes begin to come true. They discover the existence of a supernatural world beyond their imagination, but peace between the species is tenuous at best.

Dev finally gets to see the Shadow Realm, meets the man of his dreams, and is inducted into the local male coven. But for all the desires that were summoned into existence, Dev soon realizes the magical community dances the line between good and evil, and Cam ends up on the wrong side of everything.

The old adage is true: Be careful what you wish for.

02Apr/21

Richard LeMay

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April 2, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Richard LeMay as the guest on Episode 314 – The Best Idea Wins!

Richard LeMay – filmmaker, screenplay writer, and novelist – joins us to discuss his film projects as well as his his foray into authoring his first novel, All The Way to Wrightsville.

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Acclaimed filmmaker Richard LeMay is best known for directing the remake of Francis Ford Coppola’s DEMENTIA 13 for NBC/Universal. Before his foray into the horror genre, LeMay was a prominent voice in LGBTQ cinema. He produced CHILDREN OF GOD, winner of 27 awards internationally and wrote, produced and directed the critically acclaimed NAKED AS WE CAME which the NEW YORK TIMES calls “A lovely surprise of a film.” Though LeMay is an accomplished screenwriter, ALL THE WAY TO WRIGHTSVILLE is his first novel. He resides in New York City with his husband and two dogs.

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19Mar/21

Rick R. Reed

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March 19, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Rick R. Reed as the guest on Episode 312 – Come Join Us At The Q

Rick R. Reed returns with his latest releases, including his newest, The Q, as well as what else he’s been up to since appearing on the show last year. It’s a great conversation and we’d love you to give it a listen.

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Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their two adorable rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin. You can find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com.

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December 25, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Rick R. Reed back as the guest on Episode 300 – Big Screen, Small Screen, Any Screen!

Rick R. Reed shares his latest release, The Man From Milwaukee, which leads us into a talk about the value of #ownvoices in the horror genre.

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Bio:

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their two adorable rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin. You can find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com.

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September 25, 2015

A_Demon_Inside_webThird_Eye_webDinner-at-Fiorellos_webBlink_webDinner-at-Home_web It gives us great pleasure to announce Rick R. Reed as the guest on Episodes 021 and 022: The Demon You Invite Inside, parts 1 and 2
Join us as we talk with Rick about the early start he took in writing, his most recent release “A Demon Inside,” the Queer aspect in writing, and genre fiction.
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12Mar/21

Britt East

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March 12, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Britt East as the guest on Episode 311 – There Is No Greater Wisdom Than Kindness

Britt East shares his A Gay Man’s Guide to Life, covering creating queer families, cultivating substantial gay friendships, and finding love. It’s a heartwarming discussion to listen to!

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BRITT EAST is an author and speaker who uses his experience, strength, and hope to challenge and inspire change-oriented gay men to get down to the business of improving their lives. With over two decades of personal growth and development experience in a variety of modalities, such as the 12 Steps, Nonviolent Communication, yoga, meditation, talk therapy, and the Hoffman Process, Britt is committed to building a personal practice of self-discovery that he can then share with gay men everywhere. He lives in Seattle with his husband and their crazy dog.

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