I spoke with Kitty King, a dark romance author, who writes unforgettable stories with blazing spice where flawed characters, making mistakes, deconstructing shame, exploring kink, and sexual trauma survivorship take center stage. We discuss the electric relationship between Xavier and Marissa, the fan-favorite couple from Red Night, and the exploration of male sexual assault and survivorship from her book White Hole. Plus, Kitty generously offers exclusive intel on her July launch of Cult Campus, a seven-book, second-generation college saga complete with primal hunts, horror escape rooms, and Greek-house cult games that overlap almost every series in the Kitty-verse. If you crave lovable anti-heroes who do not grovel, taboo spice, and HEAs that make you question everything, this conversation is for you! Stay with us to the end to hear Kitty’s heartfelt love letter to her readers.

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Write me a love letter: lovelettersandmixtapes@gmail.com

Connect with Kitty King

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorkittyking

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kittykingauthor/

Website: https://www.kittykingauthor.com/

I spoke with Albany Archer, an indie country romance author known for her “Hallmark-After-Dark” blend of heart, heat, and happily-ever-afters. In this episode, we drop into her wilderness romance, Roughing It (a 30-day wilderness challenge that pairs an Austin influencer with a gruff mountain man), her first book, Keep This Between Us, and her novella Wild Horses. Albany reveals why she writes about 30-something protagonists, the power of found family, the importance of communication, connection, and consent-driven spice, and crafting flawed heroines readers love to debate. She discusses world-building a fictional small-town universe in New Mexico, her own “Southwestern Stars Hollow,” balancing heat with emotional depth, her voracious reading habit, and what’s next for her characters. We also shared our mutual love for Ruby Dixon! This episode is perfect for fans of small-town, sweet-and-spicy contemporary country romance looking for strong female leads, cinnamon-roll heroes, and guaranteed HEAs.

Connect with Love Letters and Books

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovelettersandbooks

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@lovelettersandbooks

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Write me a love letter: lovelettersandmixtapes@gmail.com

Connect with Albany Archer

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authoralbanyarcher

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoralbanyarcher

Website: https://linktr.ee/authoralbanyarcher

I spoke with Alina May, a bestselling indie author of dark romance thrillers. Alina shares her experience going from voracious reader to international hit author with her why-choose, captive, dark romance book, Better Run. We dig into Alina’s real-life inspirations, her craft secrets, and the compelling characters she creates, including her resilient heroines who reclaim their agency after experiencing PTSD, miscarriage, and abuse. We also explored the stigma around the dark romance genre, discussing consent, why readers feel safe processing real-world pain inside a guaranteed HEA, and the catharsis of Alina’s latest release, Make Me. Plus we'll touch on her other books, Better HIde, Ready or Not, and Wanna Play A Game, what it's like to write a book that shares a world with her friend and author, Alexandra St. Pierre, a TBR of must-read books, and Alina’s tear-jerking love letter to readers where she reminds all of us, “You are loved and worthy, no matter how comfortable the darkness feels.”

Connect with Love Letters and Books
TikTok: @lovelettersandbooks
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Write me a love letter: lovelettersandmixtapes@gmail.com

Connect with Alina May
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alina_may_author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alina_may_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/133494816419422/
Website: https://www.alinamaybooks.com/

I spoke with dark romance indie author Summer Riley about her Possession Duology, including Mine, and its brand-new sequel, Ours, and the choices that make this stalker romance resonate with readers. We dive into using a third-person POV and delivering a cliffhanger ending that actually satisfies. Summer reveals how revising and re-releasing Mine on social media helped the book find its audience, why fiction is a safe space for trauma healing, and how a near-death experience pushed her to hit publish. The conversation also previews her next project, The Many Sins of the Douglas Brothers, a four-book, billionaire, dark romance series, and embracing the stops and starts of creativity. If you’re searching for paranormal and dark romance, strong female leads, obsessive heroes, self-publishing strategy, or writing through pain, you’ve come to the right place.

Connect with Love Letters and Books

TikTok: @lovelettersandbooks

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Write me a love letter: lovelettersandmixtapes@gmail.com

Connect with Summer Riley

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorsummerriley

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsummerriley

Website: https://thesummerriley.com/

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/authorsummerriley

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Summer-Riley/author/B0B2Q7QLXG?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=c3352820-b9d4-4e75-9291-05380bc2812d

I spoke with author Katherine Bitner about the inspiration behind her book, Unravel Me, the first book in The Hometown Series of interconnected stand-alone novels.

Unravel Me is a steamy strangers-to-lovers, opposites attract, small town romance. Think: The Notebook meets Sweet Home Alabama. This sweet and spicy love story is about two people from different worlds and the invisible string that keeps pulling them back together. Katherine also teases the spicy sequel Lucky Penny (out October 2025).

We talked about Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, the importance of Lana Del Rey, Pinterest mood boards, and the experience of writing spice without the cringe. The conversation also explores the power of romance fiction to process trauma, increase emotional awareness, and revive us after reading slumps. This episode offers a heartfelt, in-depth exploration of storytelling, community, and pursuing big dreams.

Connect with Love Letters and Books

TikTok: @lovelettersandbooks

Instagram: @lovelettersandbooks

Write me a love letter: lovelettersandmixtapes@gmail.com

Connect with Katherine Bitner

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katherine.bitner.writes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekatherinebitner/

Website: https://katherinebitner.com/

Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Katherine-Bitner/author/B09X6373YQ?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=01c94375-a0d6-4aa5-9c73-18ddfdc0be97

I spoke with my favorite dark romance content creator, Amy Gurley. We discussed everything from finding community through spicy reads, theories on Shantel Tessier’s upcoming book Chaotic, our favorite authors (Kinsley Kincaid, Jennifer Ivy, Shantel Tessier, Harleigh Beck, Alexandra St. Pierre, Leigh Rivers, Ames MIlls / Kali Noir, and K.M. Baker) and how dark romance books can actually help readers process trauma, reclaim agency, and even laugh on the hardest days. Amy breaks down the ABCs of becoming an ARC reader, alpha reader, or street‑team member, shares the confidence boost she’s gained from creating friendships through a shared love of books, and stresses the importance of taking up space, regardless of age, follower count, or genre preferences. The conversation highlights the power of self-acceptance and mental health, culminating in Amy’s heartfelt love letter to her younger self, which reminds listeners to be brave, read what they love, and let joy be loud.

Connect with Love Letters and Books

TikTok: @lovelettersandbooks

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Write me a love letter: lovelettersandmixtapes@gmail.com

Connect with Amy Gurley

TikTok: @amylgurley

Instagram: @amygurleyreadssmut

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amylgurley

In this debut episode, I spoke with Regency romance author J.M. Zamudio about the heart, craft, and inspiration behind her novel Memories of You. We discussed everything from the vulnerable TikTok dedication that launched the novel’s buzz to the book’s powerful love story between a former soldier navigating PTSD and his best friend’s sister, who is determined to save her family. Our conversation explores how trauma, class barriers, found‑family bonds, and hard‑won redemption drive an unforgettable slow‑burn plot filled with yearning. Jess shares candid insights into her writing process and the power of honoring your voice. Listeners will hear a pep talk for aspiring writers, reflections on building community after grief, and a tender love letter Jess penned to her younger self, along with a glimpse of the upcoming companion novels that will keep fans immersed in this richly emotional world.

Connect with Love Letters and Books

TikTok: @lovelettersandbooks

Instagram: @lovelettersandbooks

Write me a love letter: lovelettersandmixtapes@gmail.com

Connect with J.M. Zamudio

Website: https://jmzamudio.my.canva.site/

Goodreads: goodreads.com/jmzamudioauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/j.m.zamudio.author/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmzamudioauthor/

Tiktok: JMZamudioAuthor (@j.m.zamudio.author) | TikTok

Amazon Page: Memories of You - Kindle edition by Zamudio, J.M.. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.