The utterly lovely oracle of a human Lauren Eve is with us in the Podfort today, and we are deeply in love. Lauren is the first poet we’ve had grace the Podfort, and we jump right into structuring a poetry collection so it has a narrative, putting your heart on the page, and her process of introspection and journaling leading to her poems. We then dig into being a word geek, writing work that inspires others to create art, and how confidence as an artist and person leads to braver and more intimate art. We end up talking about creating art about becoming, the vulnerability and ethics of writing sex and intimacy autobiographically, how life imitates art and art imitates life when it comes to writing sex, and finally, we talk about the process of writing prose. Then, Lauren reads some poems for us before we get into her big threes! This podcast was nothing short of a delight and listening to it again had my (Macon) hands itching to create. Do yourself, and the world, a favor and GET INTO IT - then get into making some art.

Lauren’s Poetry Collections:

• A Graceless & Flourishing Heart
• A Fractured & Luminous Soul

Big Three Albums

• Lungs by Florence and the Machine
• Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful by Paloma Faith
• Light Me Up by The Pretty Reckless

Big Three Books

• Tulip Church by Anne Fine
• The Road Home by Erin Zak
• Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

Also, we will be at ReadOUT Literary Festival in Gulfport, FL from February 16-18, 2024. You can get tickets to attend both in person and online here. It’s going to be such an awesome time and we really hope to see you there! 

Find Lauren: TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Linktree

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The brilliant and wonderful and deeply kind Carrie Byrd is with us in the Podfort today and wow do we have a big ole lesbian crush on her. This is an exceptionally special conversation that you’ll want to revisit over and over again. Centering on Loser of the Year, Carrie’s debut novel, which drops in the Summer 2024, Carrie talks to us all about writing fire queens, having a goal of liberation rather than merely representation in her writing, and how her ethnoreligious identity influences her and her writing. We then get into writing good sex well. Next Carrie teaches us about developmental temporality, and we talk about what it means to write a realistic and worthy happily ever after that understands pain and joy live together. We dig deep into how shame and repression are touchstones of queerness in American culture, the role of art in freeing ourselves from that shame and repression, and how the job of the artist is to write into the hard stuff. Finally, Carrie talks about what it is like to be married to another writer and the joys of creating together. This episode is so special. It made me (Macon) a better writer and thinker and person. It also made me want to sit at Carrie’s feet and let her be my great mentor. Do yourself a favor and GET INTO IT!!

Carrie’s Big Three Books:

Emily of New Moon by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair

The Promise of Happiness by Sara Ahmed

Carrie’s Big Three Albums:

Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

Wasteland, Baby! by Hoizer

The Loneliest Time by Carly Rae Jepsen

Carrie’s Big Three Poems:

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop

Flirtation by Rita Dove

Since You Asked by Carl Phillips

Find Carrie: Instagram, Twitter, Website, BlueSky, Threads

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We did it y’all! We finally have a non-writer in the Podfort and it’s none other than the reigning queen of sapphic fine art Halie Torris. It was such an honor to get to talk to Halie about painting from the sapphic gaze, multimodal storytelling, art as a distillation of queer joy, and simply forgetting men exist. We also dive deep into queerness and religious trauma, beard drawings, the importance of sapphic artists taking up space, how the artists’ job is to stand in wonder at the world, and just so much more. This is an incredibly wide-ranging conversation and we really think you are going to love it - we such as hell did. Halie is kind, thoughtful, and making art that forges new ground for all kinds of sapphic artists. This conversation was a gift to be a part of and we think you’ll find it’s a gift to spend time with Halie as well. GET INTO IT!

Also, we will be at ReadOUT Literary Festival in Gulfport, FL from February 16-18, 2024. You can get tickets to attend both in person and online here. It’s going to be such an awesome time and we really hope to see you there! 

Halie’s Big Three Albums:

• Preacher’s Daughter by Ethel Cain
• Come on Over by Shania Twain
• evermore by Taylor Swift

Halie’s Big Three Books:

• The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
• A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

People, Books, and Articles Mentioned:

JJ Arias

Jerry Saltz

Liz Gilbert and Big Magic

Georgia OKeef Letters

Sophia Bush

The Artists Task by Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

JJ Arias’ Destination You

Haley Cass’ Those Who Wait

Find Halie: TikTok, Instagram,

Follow Strictly Sapphic on Twitter and Instagram.

Today in the Podfort we are joined by Bold Stroke Books romance writer, all-around awesome human, and resident sad girl writer (in the best way) Morgan Lee Miller. In this wonderful and wide-ranging conversation, we talk about Morgan’s truly adorable writing roots before digging into the art of writing both adult and young adult romance novels, exploring darker themes within the context of romance, and the importance of mental health representation in art. We have an incredible conversation about how art helps the artist, saves the artist, in so many ways before digging into music as part of the writing process, writing with vulnerability, and Morgan teaches us all how to give a dickie. We end with a rousing game of bang buddy-girlfriend-wife.

Morgan’s Big 3 Books:

• Strawberry Summer by Melissa Brayden
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Colorblind by Siera Maley

Morgan’s Big 3 Albums:

• folklore by Taylor Swift
• The Glass Passenger by Jack’s Mannequin
• Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars

Find Morgan: twitter, instagram, threads, bluesky, website, newsletter, TikTok

Follow Strictly Sapphic on Twitter and Instagram.

In something out of a dream, the brilliant Milena McKay joins us in the Podfort today. In this wide-ranging conversation, McKay's discusses her fanfiction roots, her greatest influences, and we get really nerdy about the craft of writing romance novels. We deep dive her novels, talk about telling a story from the Ice Queen's point of view, the gift of sensitivity readers, and so much more. This was a dream guest and a dream of a conversation, and we really think you are going to love it! GET INTO IT!

Milena’s latest novel Magdalene Nox releases today! Get into it!

Writers who raised her

• Jane Austen
• Bronte Sisters
• Charles Dickens
• William Faulkner

Writers who made her a writer:

• Rosalyn Sinclair
• Lee Winter

Writers she currently loves:

• Virginia Black
• Emily Waters
• Claire Ashton
• Anna Burke

Find Milena: Instagram, Patreon 

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Addison Clarke joins us in the podfort to talk about writing a book a month, creating an interconnected series without planning deeply, writing mental health issues/neurodivergence from personal experience, creating a sapphic utopia, and writing the parents we wished we had. We dig into creating cozy, readable stories, fancasting your characters, using the pop culture you love in your stories, and laughing about negative reviews with friends. We finish up talking about engaging with fans and sapphic romance social media, before digging into Addison Clarke’s big three albums. Enjoy y’all!

Addison’s Big 3 Albums:

1. Rumors by Fleetwood Mac
2. Evermore by Taylor Swift
3. Stick Season by Noah Kahn

Find Addison: Twitter, Instagram, Moonflower Cove Merch, playlist, all Addie’s books

Follow Strictly Sapphic on Twitter and Instagram.

Nobody freak out (Macon is fully freaking out) but sapphic romance wunderkind and genuinely terrific person Haley Cass is in the Podfort today and it’s so much Better than Expected. We discover how In the Long Run being a child with dyslexia helped Haley fall in love with stories, explore how her fanfiction roots helped her become the writer she is today, and discuss Haley’s weirdly healthy approach to using comments and reviews to make her a better writer. After that we talk about the unexpected success of Those Who Wait, following up a phenomenon, and how Haley has using tropes in unexpected ways Down to a Science. We also discuss Haley’s hotly anticipated new book On the Same Page which releases tomorrow (October 24, 2023) and her masterful use of miscommunication in a best friends-to-lovers novel to create tension When You Least Expect It. Finally, good things truly come to Those Who Wait, as we end with a rousing round of Wife-Girlfriend-Bang buddy wherein we get a definitive answer of whether hot southern transplant Charlotte Thompson is a top or bottom. 

Speaking of Charlotte Thompson, you can preorder your very own Charlotte Thompson Has a Southern Accent shirt today and remind everyone their favorite future president has a Southern accent while helping young southern sapphics and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community. $5 from every shirt will be donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s work on protecting LGBTQIA+ youth in the South.

This episode was incredibly fun and also really provided some incredible insight into creating stories that resonate. GET INTO IT.

Haley’s Big 3 Books:

• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wall
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Haley’s Big 3 Albums:

• Reputation by Taylor Swift
• Lover by Taylor Swift
• Evermore by Taylor Swift

Find Haley: Twitter, Instagram, Patreon

Follow Strictly Sapphic on Twitter and Instagram.

We are beyond honored to have sapphic romance powerhouse and all-around incredible human JJ Arias join us in the Podfort today. We dive deep into the importance of conflict in romance, why good banter and sex come from the same place, and the brilliant way JJ conceptualizes her heroines. We then talk about her upcoming (THIS WEEK) release Losing Control (please get this book, it’s dumb how good it is) and the importance of aspirational sapphic art that is queer as fuck, getting representation right, desexualizing ourselves as queer people, and writing wonderful and wise women. JJ gives us some incredible picks for her big three and Macon, without question, wins Bang Buddy - Girlfriend - Wife. 

JJ is so wise. This conversation made me (Macon) a better human. GET INTO IT - you will not be sorry!

Books/Resources Mentioned:

Seven Figure Fiction by T Taylor

Steamy Lit Con

Red, White, and Royal Blue

Heartstopper

Carol

A League of Their Own

GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo 

JJ Arias Books Mentioned

Destination You

Guava Flavored Lies

Crossing the Line

Undercover Madam

JJ’s Big 3 Books:

• Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls
• Valencia - Michelle Tea
• We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This? - Achy Obejas

JJ’s Big 3 Albums:

• Celia Cruz
• This Used to Be My Playground by Madonna
• Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette

Find JJ: Instagram, website

Follow Strictly Sapphic on Twitter and Instagram.