Jeff and Will talk about their favorite reads of 2023, including books by Ari Baran, Leta Blake, Sarina Bowen, Sarah Rees Brennan, Kacen Callender, Slade James, LaQuette, Sher Lee, Dominic Lim, C.S. Pacat, David Valdes, N.R. Walker, and M.A. Wardell.
Jeff reviews "Time to Shine" by Rachel Reid and then talks to Rachel about this hockey romance that is set during the holiday season. Rachel talks about the inspiration for Landon and Casey and this opposites attract, forced proximity story. RacRachel also discusses her holiday traditions, offers some reading recommendations, and details on what she's working on next.
Complete show notes for episode 443 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, January 1.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff and Will share news about a holiday hockey romance anthology that features a new short story from Jeff. They also review books by Sarina Bowen, Keira Andrews, and David Valdes.
David also discusses his new adult holiday rom-com "Finding My Elf." He talks about drawing from his own love of Christmas traditions in creating Cam and Marco's story. He also shares some of his favorite holiday traditions, offers up some reading recommendations and details on what he's working on next.
Complete show notes for episode 442 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, December 18.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff and Will review books they've read recently, including "Manhandled" by Lauren Blakely, "The Billionaire's Assistant" by Silvia Violet, and two books by M.A. Wardell, "Teacher of the Year" and "Mistletoe & Mishigas."
M.A. Wardell discusses the "Teachers in Love" series, the inspiration he drew from his teaching career, and how "Teacher of the Year" went quickly from a standalone book into a series. He also talks about the latest installment, "Mistletoe & Mishigas," and how Christmas and Hanukah provided the perfect setting for this fake dating rom-com. In addition, Matt chats about why he makes his rom-coms spicy, the artwork he commissions for the stories, and offers some book recommendations.
Complete show notes for episode 441 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, December 4.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff and Will celebrate Big Gay Fiction Podcast's 8th Anniversary!
Jeff shares reviews of recent books he's read, including "Stars in Your Eyes" by Kacen Callender, "Tempted by the Bollywood Star" by Sophia Singh Sasson, and the holiday romance from this week's guest LaQuette, "Secret Heir for Christmas."
LaQuette then discusses "Secret Heir for Christmas" and the "Dynasty"-inspired family romance/drama series "Devereux Inc." She talks about the inspiration for Stephan and Carter's romance, and how she celebrates Black culture and familial love throughout the story. We also find out about her Christmas traditions, get some book recommendations, and find out what she's working on next.
Complete show notes for episode 440 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, November 20.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff and Will discuss some of their favorite reads for the Halloween season, including "The Rivals of Casper Road" by Roan Parrish, and "This is not a Horror Movie" by Sara Dobie Bauer. They also recommend the "Reformed Rakes" podcast and their recent discussion of the gay gothic classic "Gaywyck" by Vincent Virga.
The guys revisit the Big Gay Fiction Book Club episode from October 2020 to talk about one of their favorite gay gothic tales, "The Mystery of Brackenwell Hall" by Gillian St. Kevern.
Complete show notes for episode 439 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, November 6.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff and Will kick off the show talking about two movies they've recently seen: the film adaptation of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" and the Hallmark Channel original "Notes of Autumn."
They also have recommendations perfect for your Halloween viewing, including "Dante's Cove," "Chucky," "Interview with the Vampire," "Out of Body," "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special," "Midnight Kiss," "Hellbent," "The Covenant," "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge," and "Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street."
Complete show notes for episode 438 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, October 23.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Gregory Ashe talks about his new crossover series "Iron on Iron" uniting characters from the four series that make up the "Hazardverse." He also shares his strategies for balancing the large cast, and why he decided to do a Kickstarter. In addition, Greg discusses his day job as a high school librarian and the book bans he's dealt with first hand.
Complete show notes for episode 437 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, October 9.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will kick off the episode reviewing two YA books, "Lion's Legacy" by L.C. Rosen and "Fake Dates and Mooncakes" by Sher Lee.
Then they bring you a panel discussion that Jeff hosted for a Barnes and Noble NOOKEvent Live featuring authors Gregory Ashe, Josh Lanyon, Layla Reyne, and Felice Stevens. The authors discuss their careers writing queer fiction, as well as how their characters and plots often surprise them as the writing unfolds. They also discussed the joy of bringing back characters in cameos, the challenges of crafting slow burn romances, and they each discuss their recent and upcoming books.
Complete show notes for episode 436 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, September 25.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
https://frolic.media/podcastsJeff & Will welcome journalist and podcaster Tre'vell Anderson to talk about their book "We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film." Tre'vell discusses the history of trans and gender expansive characters in TV and film, and how these representations impacted their own identity and community. They also highlight important moments through history, ongoing issues around representation, the memoir/personal aspects of the book, and advice for improving trans representation in media.
Complete show notes for episode 435 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, September 11.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will kick off this episode with their thoughts on "Heartstopper" season 2, and the movie adaptation of "Red, White & Royal Blue."
Timothy Janovsky discusses his new book "New Adult," including its inspiration from time travel movies like "13 Going on 30." He talks about the book's themes of character growth, "queer time," memory, and the impacts of making the wrong choices. He also shares how he started writing romance during the pandemic, his love of rom-coms, and his favorite tropes. We also get details on his forthcoming books, including "The (Fake) Dating Game," and a queer holiday romance spin on "The Santa Clause."
Complete show notes for episode 434 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, August 28.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
This week we revisit our interview with Casey McQuiston from May 2019. It's the perfect way to get ready for the "Red, White & Royal Blue" movie adaptation that hits Amazon Prime Video on August 11. Casey shares the inspiration for the book, how it changed during the 2016 election cycle, and some of the tropes and pop culture influences that are in the book. They also talk about the movie, which had only been optioned just a few days before the interview.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, August 14.
Complete show notes for episode 433 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will welcome author Robin Knight as he celebrates 15 years of publishing stories featuring queer characters. He talks about the conclusion of the "Fathom's Five" adventure series, which is the series that began his career. We also get details on his latest romances with "Under the Arabian Sky" and "Heartless," which is his first m/m/m story. Robin also reveals what else he's working on, and he's got book recommendations too.
Complete show notes for episode 432 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will welcome authors Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone to talk about their new installment in the "Christmas Notch" series, "Snow Place Like LA." Julie and Sierra discuss the origins of "Christmas Notch," which began with "Merry Little Meet Cute" and continues this coming holiday season with "Holly Jolly Ever After." Of course, they share what's happening for Angel and Luca in "Snow Place Like LA." We also get details on their holiday traditions, how they became friends, and we find out what's coming next for each of them.
Complete show notes for episode 431 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will welcome author Jess Everlee to talk about her Victorian historical romance series "Lucky Lovers of London," including the new book "A Rulebook for Restless Rogues." Jess discusses what led her to historical romance and what she loves about the Victorian era. We also find out about the varied characters she's written so far, including a book store owner/erotica author, that author's biggest fan, a tailor, and the manager of an underground queer club. Jess also has a couple of recommendations, as well as details about Lucky Lovers book three.
Complete show notes for episode 430 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will present a panel discussion featuring YA authors Abdi Nazemian, Jason June, and Sonora Reyes. They talk about their latest books, Abdi's "Only This Beautiful Moment," Jason June's "Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball," and Sonora's "The Luis Ortega Survival Club." The authors each discuss the inspirations for their stories, how they relate to their lives, and the self-care they practice when writing. They also have book recommendations, and to wrap up Pride 2023 they each share what Pride means to them.
Complete show notes for episode 429 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will welcome Mark Kanemura to talk about his debut children's book "I Am a Rainbow." Mark—who is well known for his stint on season four of "So You Think You Can Dance," his time dancing with Lady Gaga, and his Instagram dance parties—discusses how he came to write this book and how much it reflects his childhood. He also shares what he hopes readers of all ages take away from it, and what Pride means to him in 2023.
Complete show notes for episode 428 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Debut author Dominic Lim joins Jeff & Will to talk about his second chance romance "All the Right Notes," which is one of Jeff's favorite books of the year. Dominic talks about why he wanted to write Quito and Emmett's story, and which parts of it are inspired from his own life. We also find out about the song he co-wrote for the book, and how Aaron J. Albano became the narrator for the audiobook.
Complete show notes for episode 427 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Author Rey Terceiro and illustrator Bre Indigo join Jeff & Will for this Pride 2023 episode. Rey and Bre are the creators of the "Northranger," the young adult graphic novel retelling of Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey." Rey discusses how he approached this adaptation and Bre tells us how she brought the story to life through the artwork. Bre and Rey also talk about their solo projects, and share what Pride means to them in 2023.
Complete show notes for episode 426 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Pride 2023 continues as Jeff & Will welcome author Lisa Bunker in this conversation that was recorded live at Capital Books in Sacramento. Lisa discusses her new middle grade book "Joy, to the World," which she co-wrote with teen activist Kai Shappley. The book tells the story of a 12 year old girl who is banned from her school's cheer squad because she's trans. Lisa shares what led to her collaboration with Kai, what she hopes readers get from this story, she also reads an excerpt. Lisa talks about what allies can do to support the trans community, and we also hear about two more books coming from Lisa this year.
Complete show notes for episode 425 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
NOTE: The excerpt from "Joy, to the World" is copyright 2023 by Kai Shappley & Lisa Bunker and is used here with permission.
Jeff & Will kick off Pride 2023 with authors Byron Lane and Steven Rowley. Byron's "Big Gay Wedding" looks at a wedding in a small Southern town. Steven's "The Celebrants" features a group of college friends who reunite every few years and now have to face a secret one of them is harboring. In addition to the books, Byron and Steven talk about being a creative couple, and what it's like to release books at the same time. They also have book recommendations, and share what Pride means to them.
Complete show notes for episode 424 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will welcome married couple and collaborators Anna-Marie and Elliott McLemore for a conversation that was recorded live at Sacramento's Capital Books for the launch of the YA fantasy "Venom & Vow." They discuss how the book went from something Anna-Marie was working on solo to a co-writing project, and they share great stories about all aspects of their creative process. We also get to hear their first ever joint reading, and Jeff slips in a question about Anna-Marie's Great Gatsby remix from last year, "Self-Made Boys."
Complete show notes for episode 423 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
NOTE: The excerpt from "Venom & Vow" is copyright 2023 by Anna-Marie McLemore and Elliott McLemore and is used here with their permission.
Jeff & Will welcome debut author Ari Baran to talk about their enemies-to-lovers, age gap, hockey romance "Game Misconduct." Ari discusses how the story evolved as they worked on it, why they created a co-ed pro hockey league, and the story they wanted to tell with the characters of Mike and Danny. Ari shares their deep love of hockey, and how that has lead them to take such a deep dive on learning about the sport. Ari also has some book recs, and a few details about their next book.
Complete show notes for episode 422 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will offer up a ton of recommendations in this episode. They kick off talking about "Pretty Woman: The Musical," Eurovision 2023, the documentary "Judy Blume Forever," "The Great American Baking Show," and Netflix's "Bridgerton" spin-off "Queen Charlotte."
Then it's on to books as they review "Afterglow" by Phil Stamper, "Always the Almost" by Edward Underhill, "Tears of the Golden Tiger" by Robin Knight, "In the Lives of Puppets" by TJ Klune, "A Fashionable Deception" by Sera Taíno, "The Best Man's Problem" by Sera Taíno, "The New Guy" by Sarina Bowen, "Never Have I Ever Gone Skinny Dipping" by Riley Hart, "Pick One" by May Archer, and "The Tinker's Apprentice" by Jordan Castillo Price.
Complete show notes for episode 421 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Jeff & Will announce the Super Summer Bonus Episodes event, which will feature weekly premieres through the end of June. Jeff also shares details on two upcoming author events that will be recorded for future shows.
The guys welcome the creator of the "Heartstopper" universe Alice Oseman to discuss the U.S. release of the novel "Solitaire." Alice talks about Tori's story in "Solitaire" and how that led to Charlie and Nick taking the lead in the graphic novel series. In addition, she also teases a few details about "Heartstopper Volume 5" and season 2 of the Netflix series. At the end of the episode, we also have an audiobook excerpt from "Solitaire," narrated by Jenny Walser who plays Tori on the TV series.
Complete show notes for episode 420 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!
Copyright note: The audiobook excerpt from "Solitaire" is text copyright 2023 by Alice Oseman, production copyright 2023 by Scholastic, Inc. The excerpt is used by permission.
Jeff & Will welcome author K. Sterling to discuss "The Handy Nanny" and the "Nannies of New York" series. The guys talk to her about what prompted her to write her first book, and why today she writes primarily romantic suspense and romantic comedies. She also has details on the long running "Lake Cliff" series, a tease about a possible new series, and she's got book recommendations too.
Look for the next episode of Big Gay Fiction Podcast on Monday, May 8.
Complete show notes for episode 419 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!