Talk Spicy to Me is a podcast where bestselling romance authors Kandi Steiner and Giana Darling go rogue and talk all things romance — the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between. From behind-the-scenes writing stories and industry myths to swooning over messy book boyfriends and the spiciest reads, nothing is off limits. Grab your favorite drink, curl up in your reading nook, and get ready — it's about to get spicy.
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Building Author Friendships & Writing Community | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 10
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 • Duration 01:39:21
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In this season finale episode, Kandi and Giana discuss the realities of life in the publishing trenches, the importance of genuine author friendships, what really happens at writing retreats, and answer reader questions about writing and the romance genre.
The podcast will return this summer after Giana begins maternity leave.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Season finale announcement & Giana starting maternity leave early
01:36 – Life in the indie publishing trenches
08:45 – Season sponsors: Lena Hendrix & Willow Aster
10:07 – The Spice Report (current reads, shows, and obsessions)
27:58 – Kandi's word of the year: "Rooted"
30:11 – Industry advice: building genuine friendships
32:25 – Why meeting in person matters ("vibe checks")
43:56 – What really happens at writing retreats
52:58 – How to organize your own writing retreat
01:08:17 - Sponsor: Brittanee Nicole
01:12:59 – Red Flag / Green Flag trope discussion
01:18:11 – Reader question: why write romance?
01:23:29 – Book club discussion: Deep Pockets by Nana Malone
01:35:29 – Final Bump-Date
BOOK CLUB PICK
Deep Pockets by Nana Malone
Tropes for that book: Mafia/Assassin romance, Best friend's sister, Age Gap, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers
Listen, watch, and don't forget to subscribe for weekly episodes, author conversations, and honest discussions about romance, publishing, and storytelling craft.
The Anatomy of a Romance Bestseller w/ Liz Tomforde | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 9
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 • Duration 01:35:50
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In Season 2, Episode 9, the hosts are joined by bestselling romance author Liz Tomforde to break down the anatomy of a bestseller.
They also share personal updates, reality TV obsessions, and the importance of author friendships while navigating pregnancy, publishing, and the chaos of a writing career.
03:07 – Why friendships matter in pregnancy and writing
04:15 – Season sponsors: Lena Hendrix & Willow Aster
Boundaries, Burnout & Publishing Deals w/ Shanora Williams | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 8
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 • Duration 01:29:51
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
This week, we're joined by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shanora Williams for an honest, vulnerable conversation about boundaries, burnout, publishing contracts, and whether you can actually balance it all as a modern author.
Shanora Williams
New York Times & USA Today bestselling author known for emotionally immersive romance across contemporary and high-stakes worlds.
02:56 – Season Sponsors: Lena Hendrix & Willow Aster
Why Raw & Messy Romance Hits Harder w/ Ambar Cordova | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 7
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 • Duration 01:18:59
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In Season 2, Episode 5, hosts Kandi Steiner and Giana Darling are joined by special guest Ambar Cordova for a deeply honest conversation about messy characters, third-act breakups, reader reactions, and why raw, emotionally complicated romances hit harder
Please note: Due to technical difficulties, audio quality may not be up to par in the first half of the episode. We appreciate your patience.
How to Build an Indie Author Career From Scratch | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 6
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 • Duration 01:14:31
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In Season 2, Episode 6, hosts Kandi Steiner and Giana Darling share life updates, celebrate publishing milestones, and break down exactly what they would do differently if they were building an indie author career from scratch today.
00:55 – Travel episode & Kandi's ski trip in Deer Valley
02:31 – Learning to ski
04:38 – Season sponsors
05:18 – Spice Report
18:03 – Main Topic: Building an indie career from scratch
18:34 – Step 1: Identify your author identity
20:37 – Step 2: Start with a series of standalones
22:28 – Series strategy & saving the fan favorite for last
23:42 – Step 3: Market research & branding
25:52 – Recovering covers & packaging pivots
27:40 – Thinking like a business person
29:16 – Testing covers, blurbs & ads
31:02 – New Release Spotlight: Safe Haven by Kristen Proby
32:00 – Courses & free resources
36:11 – Write more than one book
Meet Cutes & First Impressions | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 5
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 • Duration 01:14:39
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In Season 2, Episode 5, hosts Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner catch up on life updates, celebrate major career milestones, and dive deep into one of the most important (and underrated) moments in romance writing: The Meet Cute!
01:23 – Life updates & Kandi's 10-year publishing anniversary
03:03 – Why authors struggle to celebrate success
05:56 – Season sponsor spotlight: Willow Aster & Lena Hendrix
10:35 – Valentine Vaults: favorite Valentine's Day memories
15:12 – Why your partner should also be your best friend
17:47 – Generational shifts in parenting & partnership
19:06 – What is a "meet cute"?
23:29 – How meet cutes shape a story from page one
26:47 – Tips for writing a strong meet cute
35:54 – Favorite meet cute examples in romance
46:40 – Writing exercise: crafting your meet cute
49:32 – Sponsor spotlight: Jessica Prince
51:14 – Red Flag / Green Flag: Insta-love
59:03 - Reader Question: What's your favorite part about being an author?
Kink in Romance Writing w/ Sara Cate | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 4
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • Duration 01:37:09
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In Season 2, Episode 4, hosts Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by a surprise guest, USA Today bestselling author Sara Kate, for an honest, thoughtful conversation about kink
33:10 – Why romance (and kink) are still trivialized
43:11 – Researching kink and sensitivity readers
44:21 – Exploring new dynamics in upcoming work
14 Lessons in Romance: Surviving a Decade in Publishing | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 3
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 • Duration 01:41:33
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In Season 2, Episode 3, hosts Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by special guest Melanie Harlow for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about surviving a decade in romance publishing.
49:28 – Discipline, routine & keeping joy in writing
53:14 – Taking risks & trying traditional publishing
56:06 – Adaptation vs emulation of trends
57:20 – Protecting your peace & consistency
01:17:31 - Red Flag / Green Flag
01:23:52 - Reader Question: Have you ever completely abandoned a project?
Melanie Harlow
Building an Author Team: Editors, Agents & PAs | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 2
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 • Duration 01:31:19
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me: The podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, the unbearably hot, and everything in between.
In Season 2, Episode 2, hosts Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are back for a full solo episode covering real-life updates, spicy media recommendations, and a deep-dive discussion on building an author team as an indie author.
23:39 – Building an author team as an indie author
28:30 – Why delegation is necessary to scale
29:07 – Finding editors & designers
46:53 – The importance of a personal assistant
52:27 – Kandi's PA story & long-term growth
50:10 – Backlist Deep Dive: Jillian Dodd
01:09:57 – Book Club: A.L. Jackson
01:11:06 – Red & Green Flag
01:14:49 – Reader Question
BACKLIST DEEP DIVE
Author: Jillian Dodd
Series: The Keatyn Chronicles
Link:
Writing Secrets ft. Laura Pavlov | Talk Spicy to Me
Season 2 · Episode 1
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 • Duration 01:27:37
Welcome back to Talk Spicy to Me, the podcast where two bestselling romance authors go rogue and talk all things romance: the good, the bad, and everything in between.
Season 2 kicks off with a deep dive into writing a romance series, featuring special guest Laura Pavlov. We talk series vs standalones, series bibles, character continuity, managing reader expectations, and what it takes to keep readers hooked across multiple books. Plus, a new release spotlight, book club announcement, red & green flags, and a reader Q&A.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Season 2 premiere 02:51 – Season sponsors 05:45 – Laura Pavlov joins the show 07:34 – The Spice Report 20:50 – Series vs standalone romance 34:18 – Building a series bible 40:37 – Second-generation characters 43:52 – Managing reader expectations 50:10 – New release: Jennifer Millikin 01:14:15 – Book club pick: A.L. Jackson 01:15:26 – Red & Green Flags 01:20:27 – Reader Q&A: matchmaking
New Release Spotlight: Jennifer Millikin: Hard Feelings (Serendipity & Shenanigans)
Book Club Pick: A.L. Jackson: From Here to Eternity (Moonlit Ridge, Book 1) Join us for the discussion on February 18th.
Season Sponsors: Lena Hendrix: Chasing the Sun Willow Aster: What It Takes
After Dark (Patreon Exclusive): This week's bonus episode explores how sex evolves over time in real-life relationships, from new love to long-term commitment. Join the Patreon for extended, uncensored episodes and bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkSpicytoMePodcast
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Listen, watch, and don't forget to subscribe for weekly episodes, author conversations, and honest discussions about romance, publishing, and storytelling craft.
04:10 – Introducing Shanora Williams
07:02 – Indie vs Traditional Publishing Speed
09:11 – Protecting Yourself in Publishing Contracts
10:27 – Why You Shouldn't Accept Every Deal
11:43 – Turning Down a Major Publisher (And Why It Paid Off)
12:44 – The Spice Report
13:27 – Interview with the Vampire
18:50 – Night of the Seven Kingdoms
21:26 – Wuthering Heights Film Adaptation
22:20 – Can You Actually Balance It All?
25:51 – Productivity Guilt & Burnout
27:11 – "Rest Is Productive"
31:07 – The Irregular Life of an Author
37:10 – Series Deep Dive: Anna B. Doe
40:10 – Motherhood & Writing with Three Kids
45:40 – The Invisible Load Women Carry
49:00 – Delegation & Building a Support System
01:13:49 – Red Flag / Green Flag
01:17:40 – Reader Question: Steamy Scenes
BOOK CLUB PICK
Deep Pockets by Nana Malone
Tropes for that book: Mafia/Assassin romance, Best friend's sister, Age Gap, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers
Listen, watch, and don't forget to subscribe for weekly episodes, author conversations, and honest discussions about romance, publishing, and storytelling craft.
01:31 – Pregnancy updates & writing while sick
02:46 – Balancing indie and traditional publishing
05:17 – Patreon shoutouts: Ghost Pepper Goddesses
06:23 – Season sponsors: Willow Aster & Lena Hendrix
07:28 – Introducing Ambar Cordova
11:20 – The Spice Report
19:06 – Motherhood, high-risk pregnancies & body changes
Listen, watch, and don't forget to subscribe for weekly episodes, author conversations, and honest discussions about romance, publishing, and storytelling craft.
37:45 – Rapid release strategy
39:02 – Newsletter & reader funnel
41:20 – Film everything (sell the journey)
42:43 – Building super fans
44:02 – Stay positive in the community
45:36 – Sponsor spotlight: Piper Rayne
46:34 – Red Flag / Green Flag: Office Romance
50:32 – Reader Question: Special edition book process
NEW RELEASE SPOTLIGHT
Safe Haven by Kristen Proby
Hockey romance, best friends to lovers, found family, and a protective hero.
Listen, watch, and don't forget to subscribe for weekly episodes, author interviews, and spicy romance discussions.
Follow Talk Spicy to Me on Instagram, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platforms for weekly episodes, author interviews, and spicy romance conversations.
