Welcome to the What to Read Next Podcast. So excited to be back. And today's guest is Kelly Reynolds, who has been a podcast friend, BFF. We've been doing this for way too long, so, and now Kelly's a writer, well, she's always been a writer, but she's now a published author with multiple books. So you actually can have enough time to binge on them. You have five books or six books actually you have out, so, and you have many more to come because I'm your mom, manager, and I make sure that you're, keep writing.

Yes. I'm so thankful to have my momager, Laura, to keep me on track and constantly check in and say, are you working on something you should be

Yes.

What are you working on?

Too many. I need you to get to work.

I know. And you know what, here's the thing is like I love going to author sightings. I love going to book sightings.

Yeah.

are draining. They absolutely are draining. Sometimes financially, sometimes mentally and emotionally. But I don't know. I feel like I can't give them up because I, me, I'm a very extroverted person. This is like,

Yes.

I thrive is like going. And talking to people and talking about books and finding excuses to wear clothing other than like my sweatpants. And,

Yeah.

But you're right, I absolutely should be doing more writing. So

yes.

to do that so I can make my momager proud. Loud.

Yes. We just need more books, more and more work. That's all we want. 'Cause at the end of the day, money call we need money. Like we need, it's, we live in a capitalist society, so

But this, and this is like how, this is where we differ because like I am never, I know that I should, but I've never treated writing like a business.

yeah.

it's probably because like I know that I'm not at the stage in my authoring career to be able to do that full time. As I'm sure many authors are in the same boat but at the same time, like I know that I could probably be thinking about that a little bit more.

think I think it's just like a nice little balance because I was talking to somebody else, I was like, there's something there's two crowds. There's the fame who wants to go viral and then wants to get, be known, and I don't want that. I don't care about that. It's just not worth the time and investment because fame doesn't pay the bills. But money, tutoring as a business, even though it's your hobby, it's, it just means like you're conscious about conscious about what you're spending your time spending, your energy, what actually gives you more energy to keep doing the work and keep enjoying the work for the joy of the work. And sometimes it's like it's having, it's not like the motivator that you're just like, I gotta make my money. It's just more no, but it's actually pays the bill so then I'm gonna actually go and enjoy my life and other things.

do. Yeah,

Yeah.

really, it's one of those catch 22 things where it's like you want to invest more of your time into the thing that you're passionate about, which, for me is writing and and not even just the writing. It's really just like the world of romance and especially like fat girls in romance. and so that's why I love doing the other things that come along with the writing as But at the same time, it's to be able to invest that time in it, you kind of need the money to be able to,

Yeah.

Step aside from the nine to five. And I recognize that everybody who is not only writing romance, but reading, romance and blogging about romance and podcasting, about romance, we're all in different boats, like some of us.

Yeah.

Are lucky enough to have maybe like a little extra cash laying around. Some of us are lucky enough to have a partner who is there to help support or we've made it to a point in our careers where we are able to call it our full-time job, and that's

Yeah.

But if there is anybody that's listening, that is also a, I don't wanna say like a newbie or a baby author especially not in a demeaning way by any means, but. Just that you are not alone. If you're thinking, oh, I can't do that yet. I'm not a full-time author yet. That's okay. There are so many more of us that are just trying to get to that point than there are of the people who have quote unquote made it already. So, and even once you make it, you still gotta stay there and keep doing the thing you do.

Yeah, and not everyone wants to let go of their, they may have a day job, they enjoy it. Like actually it was coming to a place where I do love my day job. My day job was engaging, interesting and everything. It allows me to have flexibility to do the things. But it is just, I think we're thinking like aspirations I'm gonna be a full-time writer. I'm gonna get so much fun in reality is maybe not because. You may have other distractions. I think what we wanted, we don't live, unfortunately, we don't, I'm a socialist, even though I'm like capitalist in that sense, make money. I'm a socialist that I want social services to be funded like, healthcare and like affordable housing and stuff like that. We don't live in that society. We live in a society where it's dog meats, dog eats dog, and it's and we're trying to just keep head above water. And so it's like, how to compromise, having that space to ha to be able to afford your life and afford what you can, and at the same time, be able to spend the life and live joyful, which is the ultimate act of rebellion,

girl, you're preaching to the choir. I'm getting further, closer and closer to communism day

Yes. I'm like,

but at the same time, it's like you do, you have to recognize like the environment and systems that we do exist under. And there's no way, because I hate when people pull the whole. Oh, well if you wanna be a communist or you wanna be a socialist, like just leave. Just get outta here Or

Where are we gonna,

own. Yeah, exactly. It doesn't, it can't exist. So like you have to participate in the systems that are in place. However, at the same time, like you said, you can protest in specific ways. You can Outside of specific parameters. And

yeah.

for the people who still say that books aren't political or art isn't political. Believe me, this is not going to be the podcast episode for you because they

No.

are. And just the idea of writing not only romance novels, but romance novels about fat characters, usually women. That is already an act of political protest.

yeah.

and

it's joy.

it is too. Yeah, exactly.

It is about joy because I think so much has been like the trauma, the horrible things. I'm still traumatized by it. Which the Wally Lamb book. That was horrible. It was such a horrible book. I read in 1999, she comes undone. It was an Oprah pick, 1999. It was a fat character. She had lost weight. She got through so much trauma and it was just like, and the only way a men love her was when she lost weight. And Oprah obviously picked that book because this is the height of diet culture. And so actually like it's an act of rebellion to show joyful characters living with your disabilities, living with the fat characters, living with all the things that you're not supposed to. Being single is an act of rebellion because they want us to be impregnated and to. Let's down too many babies,

and actually I, and I'm sure you've probably seen this discourse happening as well. And I actually do really wanna talk about this more in like in depth. Maybe I'll do a substack about this, but

Yeah.

I feel like it's not even a feeling. I know because I've been seeing it. We're seeing this push again for, diet culture and like skinnier bodies, like we've

Yes.

it and people have been quick to point out, especially people who are very well versed in how would I put it? Well, both with like fashion and also with nutrition and health that this is usually tied directly to when conservatism is on the rise.

Yes.

so, and obviously we're seeing that in the United States. I can't speak for every country,

No, it.

prevalent in the United States. And so we are starting to see not only this conservatism breach into like media, like movies and tv, but also into how we perceive bodies and always female bodies. It's never about male

Yes. Yes. Well, I actually.

to write plus size romance now more than ever.

Yeah, like I actually had an interview which I'll posted. I have a meeting, I interview a wellness person who would study wellness in the history of wellness and so similar fashion. What was going on? It actually it happened again in the after post-industrial revolution in Germany and there were two factions. Became hippies and the other one became the Nazi party. And there were all the wellness, the purity, the stuff, shocker. So we got to see it with Maha. We got to see it with the space of like skinny talk and all the things I'm like. It's just rebranded. It's is this a rebrand And Yes, the GLP one, and yes, it's the, and it's it's just, it got to a point where I was like I don't know. I've talked enough to my therapist about this. 'cause I had an eating disorder. I went through all the specifics and all the recovery and all this, but a lot of it was. Not just culturally, it was also the era at the time, it was in the nineties and s where diet culture was so rampant. And even recovery, like if you go to a foster recovery and eating disorder, it was like, you gotta restrict so many foods, which was not my recovery and that was not it. And I told my therapist, it was like, I don't, my body is the most boring shit in the world. Like it's just not that important. And I think, but I got to believe that my worthiness. Was based on the actual, the size of the body and what it looked like and how the attractability of somebody else we attract. And it's it's so fucking boring.

it right there is in a nutshell, very much, and again, this is only, this has only ever been geared towards women,

Yeah.

that in order to attract a mate, a male suitor, because obviously we're talking about like heteronormativity. That you need to look a certain way in order to

Yeah.

that because your self-worth should be tied to being a wife, a mother, and continuing the age old tradition of American values.

Yes.

and it's just, it's it's so easy to spot if you're like willing to. that conversation. And I think too many people today just don't ask the question of like, why with anything really. Like it's, well this led to this well, but why did it get there? Like, how

Yeah.

that happen? And so I think we're finally at a time where people have become so comfortable with their bodies. People, I mean, we're seeing more plus size romance now than we've ever seen before. We're seeing.

Yeah.

plus-sized characters in TV shows and movies who aren't just the fat, funny friend,

Yeah.

something to make fun of. And that scares people who, if they are still clinging to those ideas of like their self-worth being tied to, looking a certain way. They hate to see fat people happy and they hate to see fat people. have others attracted to them and in love with them, even if there are, they're still fat. So

Yeah.

it really is like, this is the time to be reading it. This is the time to be writing it. And like you said, that goes beyond just talking about skinnier fat. It, we wanna see this with disabled characters. We wanna see this with. Characters with different skin pigments. I, this

Yeah.

to be doing it, so I just hope that people continue to write them and read those stories.

Well, I think it's just needed to normalize. There's another way because I think it's a lot of times fat characters have the idea that they have to struggle with their food. They have to struggle with their body. They have to, they cannot have body neutrality. They cannot be in the place of just acceptance. It does, I'm not saying. Positivity or not saying it's just actually don't have that issue. Like I didn't care about that issue. It stopped being worried. I don't identify with eating disorder anymore. 'cause it was a very era time and it's been 15 years at this point. I'm like, I don't really care. I, I actually taking care of myself because I didn't know how to eat. Yes. I did not know how to eat for a long time because I got. Bought in the belief that I was like, I needed to do this, and now being like, no, I just don't wanna have hip replacement surgery, so I actually wanna build strength and I wanna actually have

And

nourishment.

A different thing too. Like you

that's a very

and fat.

Yes,

reason that you can't be, any nutritionist will tell you the same thing too. Stop listening to the men with microphones on TikTok. Like they

yes.

shit.

They don't know shit. They're like, you gotta do, I'm like, I just don't because being skinny can actually cause can actually cause bone. I'm a perimenopause at this point. I'm like I'm my ex are going out of sale. It's actually this is a woo. My mom has to give me the menopause talk. She's yeah, this is what's gonna happen. It's an expectation.

talk.

other talk that you don't probably, generations ago may not have had that talk, but now I get that talk. It's so it's like my body's changing and like things I actually have to take care of it. And it's but it's challenging that belief that you need to eat less, you need to be at a smaller pace. And it's doesn't work anymore. Like it doesn't really matter.

You can be skinny and healthy. You can be skinny and unhealthy. And the same

Yeah.

being fat and healthy. Fat and unhealthy, or anywhere in between. Because also

doesn't really matter.

you know.

Yeah, I think it just doesn't, it doesn't really matter. I think it's like it's just coming to turn. So I love that you're writing fat characters who fall in love fat characters who get accepted and all different body shapes. 'cause there's also like even the body shapes, like curve hour glass figure and blah, blah. And I'm like.

No. And actually that's been something that I've worked on as I've published more books is oh, okay, well I'm going to. Think about, what if she's like a little heavier on the bottom half? But like

Yeah.

half has small boobs because that was me like most of my life, was that I have always like hips and ass, but like barely anything in the broad department.

Yeah.

and then there's also, women who are. Curvy and thick all around. There's,

yeah.

of women with folds and curves and I mean, it's just there's no reason to shy away from it. Me specifically, like I'm always self-conscious about my arms 'cause I have like thicker arms, but like I, you can put me in a crop top any day of the week. So it's just,

Yeah.

really is we all have our own things with our bodies, so why shouldn't our characters.

So let's talk some recommendations. We got fad bodies in sports romances. 'cause you know what? There's enough FA bodies that in fiction that we got. We got some niches here, so we got sports romances. I know you write some sports romances. You got some baseball, but you got some other recommendations. But I love that we're actually expanding. There's not just like just one fat body creation. He is no. We got amnesia down.

Exactly. I know, and that's kind of, I feel like that's a really great sign that we're seeing like enough plus size romance at this point to be able to give these like niche recommendations. So, well, okay. First of all, I don't wanna toot my own horn, but I will just shout out a couple of my books that are both sports romance, that feature plus size bodies. So, I have my Rose City Roasters Baseball series and the first book in the series. Hit it and quit it. I describe her more as a mid-size girly, so kind of in like the size 12 to 14 range. Which I wanna say is kind of the average size for women in the United States. And then pitches be crazy. My second book in the series, she's a big girl. Like she, she is I think I kind of, when I had the. I sent out to get some, like spicy art done for the book, and I said, no, make her bigger. Like I, I want more folds, I want more, cellulite

yeah.

her those wrinkles. So, and both of those, are in my baseball series that's in ku and then actually the third book. And I am gonna focus mostly on plus-size women in sports romance. But I will say that my third book, all bats are off. I actually described one of the guys in it, in a As being on the thicker side that he has these

Yeah.

trunk thighs. So, just a reminder that, obviously there can also be plus-sized men in romance too. which actually I feel like we see less of. I, I think,

We do because everyone has watch four apps. I don't know. For some reason they think, I was like, yeah, that it's not realistic. Like everyone, like it doesn't matter. They don't exercise, but they got the eight pack. I was like, how does this happen?

right. And I guess in sports romance it is to be, expected that maybe the guys will be a little more toned. But

Yes.

it, it depends on the

In non

Yeah.

like

No

billionaires and and mafia, Roman says, I was like, I did not know. The shooting men actually can make you wash for apps,

a fluffy billionaire man. Oh my God, I would

Yes.

that. That would be great. Well, and okay, so keeping, actually, this is a good way to transition because keeping in mind that there are some romance and specifically sports romance with also plus-size men. And people might have seen this one, I feel like it's been kind of making the rounds on TikTok is every move you make by Sloan Spencer, and this is a rugby romance. And what I really love about this, it is a why choose, it's a polyamorous relationship between two men and a woman. And what I love about this one specifically is that they're all. Involved in athletics. Like one, one of the men and one of the women are both rugby players. And I think the author did talk about how she took some inspiration from Aloma Mar.

I was gonna say, I was like.

And in fact, recently I saw Aloma Ma doing her podcast, or she was on

Yeah.

and they were talking about, oh, did you know that there's like a rugby romance that is maybe supposedly inspired by you? so I, oh God, I'm sure Sloane Spencer was just loving every second of that as she should.

Yes.

But yeah, that's and I think there are multiple books in this rugby series. that's just one of them. But that's the one that a lot of people have been talking about. And one of the men is also plus size. So I was excited that we have some plus size rep for, men and women in sports, but also that they're both athletes. I thought that was really cool. So, yeah, that one was a great one. This one I actually just finished reading, so I was kind of glad that we planned this when we did no, cool Down For Love by Aaliyah Burke. And this is also, it's not the first in the series. I wanna say it's like the second or third book in the series, but he is an ex pro. Basketball player. It's also an interracial romance, and it starts where he like rescues her from her broken down car in a snow storm, which look I'm a sucker for. I love a good, like my car broke down. Oh no. All I have to say is that I, for one in the future, I actually have this written down to put into one of my future baseball books. I want him. To have the breakdown and she rescue him

Is he naked also? 'cause you've gotta make them

I know I

For the listeners. Kelly's known for the, so there always has to be some sort of no clothes in their mecu. So.

It's

Yes.

It's true. Even in my book that I'm working on right now that comes out in August. they already know each other, but do they also have sex in like the third chapter? Yes. I know it's not

Yeah.

but

yeah. So there is a little bit of, so.

Yes. But yeah, anyway, I just finished that one and Aaliyah Burke was a new to me author, so I was excited to to, find that one. But I wanna say the series is all different sports too. Like I think one is baseball. I'm not sure what the other one is, but I think they're all different sports. It's not like one team kind of thing, so, anyway, could be fun.

Yeah.

a shout out a few of my like author pals who I feel like the three of us started publishing around the same time. And we all publish very similarly in that we love writing big girls and we love writing. Squishy boys that are like obsessed with them. And usually we also write main characters that are like a little older in age, like more in their thirties than they are twenties. So Anna p just the letter P. Anna p writes some of my favorite books her latest one is called Stumped and it's a cricket romance. Which I just was like, oh my gosh, I am already obsessed with this. And what were you thinking? Ru toying with my heart this way. But Anna's also a South Asian oth author, so like a lot of her characters are South Asian or I think this one is actually set in India. Which makes sense, given that it's cricket. And there's also an age gap where she is older, so.

Ooh.

I love that. And then the other author whom I adore is Leonor Solis. And Leon's books are great. She just started a new series called the Seattle Strike Series, and obviously I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I am always excited to see books set in the Pacific Northwest. and this one is a football series that is set in Seattle, and I think there's a little shorty prequel novella that you can read. But the first book in the series is called The Game and it's a grumpy quarterback. He had a one night stand with the main the female main character. few years ago, and now she's the one hired to do PR to rehab his image.

I love the PR set out the whole, have your in the. You're like, you've been so stuck. And then it's and then they get feelings, 'cause

talking about like micro tropes specifically in like sports romance, that's one that just every time Chef's

social media, PR publicist, crisis manager,

so

to clean up your act. And he's having sex in the alleyway or stuff like that. I'm reading another one that he is like, he had to fake date her for some reason. I was like, oh, love this. Yes.

there's always a reason. There's always a reason.

Because the contract is gonna be off, or they're trying to get into another team, or they're trying to get something outta it and you're like, it has to.

Yeah. No I get it. I'm here for all of it. And then as far as, there's just like a few authors that I think I wanna put on people's radar if it's not already, if they're not already there. Who kind of, for the most part, always right. Plus size, romance. They just happen to have a few series that. Are all plus size Romance Sports edition. Most notably, and I'm sure people are already aware of both Emily Wraths books and Amy awards books, and both of them have ongoing series that with Emily it's hockey romance, Amy, it's. Football and I think they're still both publishing books in those series. But I know for Amy, the first book in her series is called The Cock Down the Block. The other thing about her books that's just incredible are the titles. You have the cock down the block, the wiener across the way. The Anaconda downstairs, like they're just, they're so good. And then Emily's hockey series I think the first one is Pucking

I think it's parking. Yeah. It's always puck Pucking parking.

Yes. And I don't think I don't think Rachel, the main character in that one is described as plus size. But Tess, who's in the second book is, and I, that's kind of like my bread and butter, that book. You've got a big girl, you've got an age gap where she's older. There's a lot of toys involved, there's pegging. And so there's definitely like a lot of crossover with the things that. Emily puts into that book that I also tend to put into my books and I love to read as well. So, those are great. And then the last one I wanted to recommend is and this is actually not just for books, but I think everybody who loves plus-size romance should be following. Author Mary Warren and on both Instagram and TikTok, her handle is Fat Girls and fiction because she started as a blogger creating a community. Specializing in discussing and, uplifting plus size romance. And so I am very lucky to now kind of be a part of that community. We have our own little private chat group on Instagram that's for plus size authors and we share recommendations with each other and shout each other out. But in addition to having fat girls in fiction. Mary also publishes has an entire hockey series right now that is featuring plus-size women. So I think the first book in that series is Connor. All of the names of the, all of the titles are names of players on the team, so, I think it's the Glendale Magic Series.

Okay.

But yeah, she is somebody to follow because. She also puts together a lot of listicles. Much like the Fabulous Laura. That will be, oh, fat Girls in Fiction, sports Romance edition, fat Girls in Fiction. She did a collection of, romances.

Yeah.

she did ones that were for Pride month, like a whole collection of queer romance featuring plus size characters. But yeah, like there's definitely a lot that she's put together over there that I know I'm thankful for. 'cause it's introduced me to so many other authors that I wasn't already reading.

Yes, I love this and thank you Kelly for all the recommendations. So tell us where you can find your books online and maybe also check out movies and movies, podcast. There's some plenty of episodes to go back to. So, and there's always Christmas in July, so you can actually listen to some Plenty of Boots, masks episode.

Yes. Yeah. In fact, actually that's a great point. I'll put, I'll talk about that. I got my start. Hosting the podcast, boobies and Newbies, and you can still listen to all 250 plus episodes.

in the, we're in the longer episodes, streak I, they, someone did Data on Romance's podcast and we were like. We're featuring the same list. So I was like,

that's

I'm not the most as smart bitches, Reed Romance, I'm not. I'm actually, I have 800. They got double the amount of episodes, but you know.

Oh my God. Well, and that's crazy that we're on the same list if you have 800 plus episodes and I'm like right around like 300. But yeah, and like Laura, a lot of my episodes, I've done interviews with authors. I also got into doing kind of these panel discussions about specific topics in romance. But mostly it's a lot of romance reviews with romance reading newbies that I would bring onto the podcast, hence the title, boobies and Newbies. But the claim to fame that everyone loves, that I am still trying to do, but I don't, the time just doesn't allow for it. So I haven't been doing. any podcasting lately, but every December I host the 12 days of boobs, miss, in which we discuss all holiday romance reads. We've got Hanukkah, we've got Kwanza, we've got Christmas, we even have have what's the Pagan holiday that's during, the holiday season, Yue, we've got some Yue in there. And in fact, I just picked up a new Yue romance at a signing I went to.

You like? Yes.

Ooh, exactly. And I wanna keep doing it. It's just a matter of being able to balance the time with writing and you're my momager. So you should

Yeah.

anyone.

Yes I understand I, it's not easy as someone who has taken multiple breaks and it continues to just take it as it comes. It's just not easy, especially 12 episodes, because it's not just 12 episodes for you. You have to read the book, you have to understand it, but you have to figure out the expert. You have to figure out the questions and the discussion. It is not as easy to say, like an author just come in and Hey, let's just talk about your book. It's talk about, it's you actually have to work on it. And it's not just one, it's 12 episodes. And then you have to edit and then create the show notes, all the show specifics and the promotion,

it's a lot.

and then do full job. You don't paid. You do not get paid for this.

It's so fun. Well, and obviously I love. I love the holiday season because my first three books that I published are all Holiday Romance.

Yeah, it.

I will say, I don't know when this episode will air, but I am doing, because it's, let's say Christmas in July I am doing in my Facebook group right now, we're rereading the three books in my holiday series. And later in July, I'm actually gonna be doing a sale on Amazon. So all of the eBooks. In the series Meet Me in Los Felice, Venice, actually, and Santa Monica baby. All three of them I think, are gonna be on sale for 99 cents.

Should buy them because they're perfect. They're quick reads. They're good pal cleanser, they're great. If you're trying to meet a numerical goal and you're like, I need to get these numbers, those books are great. And they're like, they got meat.

write

They got toys.

I don't write long books. They all have one of the leads is plus size,

Yeah.

one, if not both of the leads are queer. Like it all takes place in Los Angeles during the holiday season. So it's sunny, but. Christmasy. Yeah. And so all of those are available in Kindle Unlimited. But yeah, there is going to be a sale later this month if you do wanna buy them. And and then my baseball books, same thing. They're all available in Kindle Unlimited. I'm working on. Technically book three, but it is the fourth book in the series because I did have a little novella in between books two and three. And this is the one that, I'm like both excited for and also dreading because I know that people are waiting for this one. That's the coach. affectionately refer to him as coach daddy in my Facebook group. And the social media director for the team, they used to have kind of a secret fling relationship and accidentally hook up one more time and oops, she's pregnant. Yeah it's a lot of fun. I'm working on it right now. It comes out at the end of August. It's called addicted to glove, and and I am, I'm excited for it, but again, very nervous because I want everyone to love it.

Yes, I'm very excited for this one. I've been reading your books in the series, so I got to beta read the first one actually, because you, we were actually attending a book signing that one and only book signing I attended. I'm never gonna go back.

time we met in person, it was so

Yes.

Another one of these days. We'll make it happen again.

we still gotta do our podcast retreat or sensor retreat 'cause we do have, for the listeners, we do have a group chat of the podcast. And we've known each other since the frolic days when we were used to being a net four.

that's a whole different conversation.

Yes. Yes.

I hear my neighbor, by the way, starting the lawnmower. So this is probably the perfect time for us

Yeah.

wrap up.

Yep. And it's all good. So thank you, Kelly for being in the show.

Always, I love you and I love romance.

Awesome. All right. Bye.

Bye.