Interview with author Chelsea Curto

Dev's dreams come true as she and Jordan interview contemporary romance author, Chelsea Curto. Join us as get sneak peeks at Chelsea's new title Power Play, share favorite moments from her books, discuss the writing process, and lament the struggles of a never ending TBR. 

Power Play by Chelsea Curto out Octobert 24, 2024

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Episode Transcript

Devonnie (00:03):
Welcome to Romance Recs, where book besties explore
the world of romance novels andencourage you to expand your
TBR.
Join us as we dive into thehottest releases and hidden gems
of the genre.
You can find us on Instagram andTikTok at Romance Recs Pot.
Hi guys.
I'm so excited, but it's me.
It's Devany.
It's Dev.

(00:23):
Hi.

Jordan (00:24):
Hey.

Chelsea (00:26):
Hi.

Devonnie (00:28):
Oh no,

Jordan (00:28):
she doesn't.
She's, she's.

Chelsea (00:31):
I didn't know.
I, I did.
I'm hi, I'm Chelsea.

Devonnie (00:36):
No! Chelsea, you're actually fine.
I'm just so excited.
I have like, excitementaggression, kind of like cute
aggression, but like Excitement.
I'm so excited right now.
I didn't finish what I wassaying, but hi guys, it's me
It's dev as you can tell i'mexcited because chelsea's here.
But um, yeah, I am currentlyreading bull moon rising by ruby
dixon

Jordan (00:57):
Hi, I'm Jordan.
I'm also excited.
Um.
I'm.
I am currently reading an ARC ofThe Crown Prophecy by Meg Acuna.
This is her first novel, sowe're really excited about her,
and for her.
And I'm listening to DarkRestraint by Katie Robert.

Devonnie (01:13):
So

Chelsea (01:13):
Um, I'm Chelsea and I am currently reading reckless by
LC silver.
Um, I'm almost done.
Yeah, I know.
Very good.
Very, very good.
I'm not, I'm not the biggestlover on accidental pregnancy or
like surprise pregnancy, but,um, this one slaps.
So I am a hundred percent herefor it.
So hard.

Devonnie (01:31):
so hard.
I loved it.
I

Chelsea (01:33):
She doesn't miss though.
So I, I knew if anyone couldmake me a believer, it would be,
it would be her.
So

Devonnie (01:40):
Yes.

Jordan (01:40):
Dev, you're biased.
You love that trope, so

Devonnie (01:43):
my favorite.
I eat it up.
I eat it up every time.
Yeah.
But of course, guys, as you cantell, we have the greatest with
us, Chelsea Curto, who I'm soexcited to have on the pod to
talk about all things romance.
And sports and just what it'slike being an author because

(02:04):
girl, you did that.
Okay.
You're

Jordan (02:06):
yeah, you're doing it.

Devonnie (02:08):
multiple times

Chelsea (02:09):
Well, I know, I know.
And we're coming up on number,on number 10, which is wild.

Jordan (02:14):
That's

Devonnie (02:14):
psychotic.
We love it.
We love being here for this.
So yeah, this is a specialepisode guys.
Thanks for tuning in with us.
We've got some good conversationplanned.
We're going to ask Chelsea somequestions also might play our
this or that game.
So stay tuned for that.
But yeah, Chelsea, is thereanything you want to like
mention real quick before wedive into this?

(02:35):
Do you want to talk aboutanything?
Anything coming maybe?

Chelsea (02:39):
So I have a book coming out October 17th called power
play.
It's a hockey romance, grumpysunshine.
And I'll talk more about itlater when we talk about, um,
face off, but that book iscoming October 17th.
And then, um, hopefully one morebook coming out this year, but
we'll see on that little

Jordan (02:59):
you are on

Chelsea (03:00):
holiday novella.

Jordan (03:02):
awesome Well before before dev gets too excited and
starts going down a rabbit holeUm, we do have some quotes that
we planned to share as we do atthe beginning of every episode
Don't mind this so I do have tosay before I give these quotes
When we started this podcast in,we started recording in March,
our first, or yeah, March, ourfirst episodes.

(03:24):
And one of her, this year,

Devonnie (03:27):
Huuuuuuuuuh

Jordan (03:30):
don't mind Dev.

Chelsea (03:31):
Six months ago,

Devonnie (03:32):
fuck my life.
I don't know what timeline I'mon, but please

Jordan (03:36):
it's okay.
It's okay.
I've got you.
That's why I'm here.
But from the very beginning.
She's been plugging your booksand it was like really before I
dove into indie authors and likereally understood how to find
indie authors.
So I finally just went for it.
I'm so excited.
Because we've been hearing aboutyou on the pod since its

(03:58):
inception and this is kind oflike a full circle moment.

Chelsea (04:01):
Yeah, I'm well, I'm very happy to be here.
And I, um, an open book, I willtalk about anything and
everything.
So

Jordan (04:08):
We will take you up on that.

Chelsea (04:10):
I don't

Devonnie (04:10):
Yeah, yeah.
Good.

Chelsea (04:13):
I'm like, Oh, someone wants to know something here.
Here's a six book series thatI've plotted out that no one may
ever see.
But let's just talk about itanyway.

Devonnie (04:20):
And we love it.
And we love that.

Jordan (04:22):
Okay, so I decided on, I decided on two quotes because I
just could not decide.
And I decided to stay on theme.
So I'm going with two quotesfrom Face Off.
So my first one, I'll do theserious one first.
I tear up every time I readthis.

Chelsea (04:36):
Oh, wait, hold on.
Try it on me.
Let me guess.
Let me guess which one it is.
It's something Maverick probablysaid.

Jordan (04:41):
It's like an internal monologue of his.

Chelsea (04:46):
I'm gonna go.
I'm gonna go with it's when isit when he's talking about not
having a home.

Jordan (04:53):
No, this is probably not one.
I don't think you'd necessarilyit's not typical.

Chelsea (04:57):
okay.
Ooh, I

Jordan (04:57):
I don't think.
It hits me then, right in yourcenter ice, in front of 20, 000
people, a thought I've beenhaving more and more lately
these last few weeks, butbecomes solidified right now.
This woman is fuckingincredible.
Special.
Changing the future of the sportand inspiring girls and women
everywhere all while wearingribbons and mascara.

(05:18):
I'm just, like,

Chelsea (05:20):
know.
I love

Devonnie (05:21):
Yeah, that's

Jordan (05:22):
feminist heart just

Chelsea (05:24):
love that because I love that because I feel like
in, in recent, so I will prefacethis, I'm a very big sports fan.
I'm mostly NBA.
I grew up on watching NBA.
um, but I love all sports, butyou know, mostly the NBA and in
recent years, the WNBA.
And I love that we've kind ofseen this acceptance of like
women athletes who have thenails, have.

(05:46):
The makeup hat, you know, whocome with their hair done and
like look pretty, but theystill, that doesn't make them
like less of an athlete.
It's kind of like they cancoexist as a woman and an
athlete.
And I like that.
Men, especially men, maleathletes are recognizing this as
well.
And I think Maverick, you know,I think that was really

(06:08):
important to include because,you know, he is like one of the
greatest in his sport, fictionalworld, obviously.
And so like for that kind ofperson to like recognize the
impact that a woman would haveon other people, I think was, it
was really important for me toinclude that.
So not to get all deep right offthe bat,

Jordan (06:27):
No, I did it.
I started it.
It's fine.
I

Chelsea (06:30):
couch?
Yeah.
But is he like really just likerespect her and admire her a
hundred percent

Jordan (06:36):
oh, he's goals He is absolute

Chelsea (06:38):
of both worlds.

Jordan (06:39):
Yes,

Devonnie (06:40):
him.

Jordan (06:41):
and really quick my fun one I just I just adore this a
toast Maven lifts her glass inthe air We all follow suit and
she smiles to the good men withgood dicks who treat us, right?
And to the good dicks out therewho haven't found their way to
us yet, may they hurry up andget here so everyone is happy
and satisfied.
I just, I love that twist on thequote, the cheers.

Chelsea (07:04):
And we will see more of that in powerplay.

Devonnie (07:07):
Yay! Yeah, we love their dynamic.
Yeah!

Jordan (07:09):
more good dicks.

Chelsea (07:10):
dicks.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Except in powerplay, Lexi's theone saying like to, I don't
know, more orgasms or somethinglike that.
So

Devonnie (07:21):
I love that.

Chelsea (07:22):
yeah, female empowerment, right?

Devonnie (07:24):
Can't wait for, can't wait for Lixie.
Okay, so this quote is also fromMaverick, uh, more of an
internal monologue, but likewhen I tell you I was on my
knees for it, especially the wayit's written because you just
see, anyway, let me get into it.
Okay.
Maybe we do, Red, and one dayI'll tell you all about it.
I love you, I think, when wehead to the locker room.

(07:45):
I love you, I think, when wecelebrate her goal in the first
period.
I love you, I think, when we winthe game and she jumps in my
arms.
I love you, I think, when sherests her head on my shoulder in
the hotel elevator after we getback from dropping Aled off in
Lansing.
I love you, I love you, I loveyou, I want to scream.
When she kisses my chest beforewe fall asleep, I think she
loves me too.

Chelsea (08:04):
That's, that's the best line right there.
I think she loves me too.
I love that

Devonnie (08:08):
That, I had to include that part because it's like, and
you know, knowing a little bitof Maverick's story, I think
that is the most important partbecause it's like, he wants that
love.
So him seeing it and feeling itand believing it.
Okay.
And then I, yes, I do haveanother word for you.
This is a sneaky word becausewhen I tell you, when I tell

(08:28):
you, I.
The dynamic here, this hasnothing to do with Emmy or
Maverick, but it's in face off.
Um, okay.
Riley looks up from his videogame controller.
A date?
He asks.
With who?
A guy she met at her Pilatesclass.
She didn't seem too excitedabout it though.
I add when his face falls andPiper and I exchange a look.
Oh, Riley Glantz is back at theTV.

(08:50):
Good for her.
If I do not get Riley and Glantzand a Y choose,

Chelsea (08:58):
So, okay, yes.
So, I,

Devonnie (09:01):
will write it myself.
I will be putting up fanfic.

Chelsea (09:03):
messaged my friends and I was like, okay, but what if?
However, I will say, I will saythat, the way that the coach's
book is plotted.
I think Grant will be bettersuited off with somebody else
with a little bit of a forbiddenromance, that will be a little
bit more and, and, and Riley andLexi, um, yeah, that, yes, there

(09:30):
will not, there will not be awhy choose.
Not, not this time, not thisplease write it.
You would like to, like the, um.
The scene from Silver Flamesthat did not get published with,
yeah,

Jordan (09:41):
Yes!

Devonnie (09:42):
Yeah.

Chelsea (09:43):
it's out there somewhere and everyone, maybe I
will do that.
Maybe I'll make like a little,like, newsletter, like,
surprise, here's a little, alittle, um,

Jordan (09:52):
we don't know if it's a dream or not, it's just like,

Devonnie (09:55):
It just happens, you know, but I was, I know he's
down bad.
So I just love that little, andyou, there's a couple of scenes
like that where like, I'mthinking about the other
characters and like theirpotential and where their
stories are going to go.
So I love that.
I love that.

Chelsea (10:08):
the, the club, the club scene with, um, Piper

Devonnie (10:13):
Piper and

Chelsea (10:13):
not accidental

Devonnie (10:16):
Yeah.

Chelsea (10:18):
in Power Play in one of the early chapters, he's, Um,
his internal monologue istalking about something and he's
like, thinking about that nightin Canada and nothing happens
like with them.
It's just literally like they goout and you like get ice cream
or whatever.
And he talks about how he hasn'tlaughed that much and how he
stayed and made sure she didn'tthrow up in her bed.

(10:39):
He like sat there for an hourwhile she was asleep and like,
it was the best night of thewhole season.
You know?
So he, it was something likethat.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So a little bit of.
He's like, he's like, she wasgiggling and laughing and
falling all over the place.
And from anyone else, I, itwould have been unbearable, but
from her, it was cute, like thatsort of thing.
So.

Jordan (10:57):
It

Devonnie (10:57):
I'm, I,

Jordan (10:58):
oh, it gives me flashbacks to the beginning of
my relationship with my husband.

Devonnie (11:03):
that's so cute.
Not flashbacks.
But yeah, I love them.
I love the little Easter eggsfor like our next favorite
couples,

Chelsea (11:11):
Oh yeah, there's, there's, there's nothing.
So when I wrote, um, the lovethrough lens series, which
starts with camera chemistry,which is a novella, there were
zero plans to make it a series.
It was just going to be thenovella and that was going to be
it.
And then I started gettingmessages about like, Oh, well,
what about, um, Lacey and Seanwas like, okay, I guess I'll
write it.
And I wrote it.
And then someone was like, Ohwait, Dallas and Maven.

(11:31):
Were they flirting?
I'm like, no, they weren'tflirting, but I'm like, Oh,
well, maybe now they

Devonnie (11:35):
maybe they were.

Chelsea (11:36):
And so like, I didn't plan to like write the single
dad and then like write hisdaughter like five years later
and like time jump.
Eight years and be like, don'tworry.
Everyone's old enough So likenothing about that was
intentional and like I had tolike start weaving it together
as I went.
However everything after umwell, there is some I did drop
something behind the camera thatwas intentional but everything

(12:00):
from face off on is Veryintentional with the easter eggs
for things that are going tocome Like I feel like when i'm
writing it i'm like I wonder ifhe's gonna pick up on this You

Devonnie (12:12):
I picked up on the ranch.

Jordan (12:14):
yeah, oh yeah, I can tell because the, yeah, the side
characters are so rich, I amjust as invested in them as your
main characters and I live forthat.
Because

Chelsea (12:26):
I didn't, I don't want them to be like, I don't want
them to be like too, obviouslylike, you're like, okay, well
these two are obviously going toend up together, but I don't
want to take away from like themain couple, but like, I want it
to be just enough whereliterally people were messaging
me and they're like, oh my God,please tell me Piper and Liam
are a thing.
And, I'm like, I did it justenough where people are like,
okay, wait a second.
Not like, oh my God, we knowit's going to be Piper and Liam,

(12:47):
but it was like, Okay.
But now I need to know more.
So it's like trying to find thatbalance between not being like,
Oh, this person, this person,this person with hockey teams,
difficult because there are alot of bodies on the team.
Um, and so I'm like, I'm tryingto be cognizant.
I'm like, don't give it allaway.
Reel it back a little bit.
It's going to like, it's goingto start to come together.

(13:08):
Um, but it's really fun to like.
Nothing is accidental.
So

Devonnie (13:13):
Yeah.
I think you're doing a greatjob.
Like, it doesn't seem veryovert, but it's definitely
enough to like, whet my appetiteto see more interactions of
those people.
So yeah, I think, I think you'refinding that balance really well
for sure.

Chelsea (13:25):
thank you.
Thank you.
That was my goal.

Devonnie (13:28):
Yay.
All right.
So.
First question of the night.

Chelsea (13:33):
Let's go.
Let's hear it.
I'm ready.

Devonnie (13:35):
What made you decide to first write and publish a
book?
Like what was the driving forcebehind that decision?
That

Chelsea (13:47):
during COVID I took a leave of absence because nobody
really knew what was going onwith.
Our job.
And if we were going to have ajob and everything like that.
And so I took a three monthsleave and then a six month
leave.
And I'm a very go, go, goperson.
I don't like to sit still.
I can't sit still.
Um, and so that was the firsttime truly in my life where I
was like, what do I do?

(14:09):
Like, what am I supposed to do?
And like, I bought a switch.
I was playing like animalcrossing and like, you know,
that sort of thing.
And then I just, so I read, I Iread Harry Potter when I was a
kid, like everybody else.
And then as I got older, Ireally read a lot of fan
fiction, um, and that sort ofthing.
And then like when COVIDhappened, I like was bored and

(14:29):
had nothing to do.
So I'm like, I guess I'll readsome more fan fiction.
So I read some fan fiction andthen I actually picked up a
couple of YA books.
I picked up, the Simon Snowseries by Rainbow, roll, um,
Simon and Baz.
I read that series and I lovedit.
And then I read, um, I think Iread red, white, and royal blue
right after that.
And then I picked up an EmilyHenry book and that was just, it

(14:51):
was just game over.
Um, and so.
When I was reading, I've alwayshad a very, creative mind.
Like I'm not math.
I'm not science.
I'm very much just like, like ifyou give me a situation, like if
I am just watching somethingsomewhere I can go, like, I can
create a whole book, a wholeplot in 10 seconds.
And, um, and so I've always hada very over active imagination

(15:14):
and a brain that is veryoveractive.
Um, and so I'm like, I guessI'll try to write a book.
And I did and.
There's so much I wish I couldhave done different then, but
I'm also grateful for howeverything's gone because I
don't know.
If I would still be writing ifthings went different when you
know what I mean?
So like I would I'm grateful forthe way everything is gone.

(15:38):
Um, and so yeah I wrote book oneand book two and honestly when I
wrote camera chemistry I almostjust stopped writing because I
felt like I didn't I don't know.
I just really didn't feel like Ihad, I don't feel like I had
figured it out yet.
And I really admire the authorswho figured it out on their
first book because that was notme.
But like by book four, I waslike, and that, that did well

(16:00):
comparatively.
And then I wrote, um, what did Iwrite next?
I have to look at my books overhere.
And I did copy camera and thatdid really well.
And that was honestly like theirturning point for me from a
writing standpoint.
And then obviously face off hasbeen, um, just beyond my wildest
dreams of how it, um, well haddone.
And it's so funny.
Like I posted on threads, like.

(16:22):
I don't go on Goodreads.
I don't look at Goodreads.
Like that's not my space.
That's a reader's space andlooking at Goodreads just, you
know, will derail anything andeverything.
I will look at other books andother reviews, which I found to
be helpful.
Like I look at other like hockeyromances, like one star reviews
and five star reviews.
I'm like, okay, so they didn'tlike that, you know, so to try
to find like, without looking atmy own, cause I would probably

(16:44):
cry.
Um, but.
Someone like tagged me on like agoodreads like thing so I could
see the star rating and I waslike, oh my god, like it has
over 10, 000 reviews.
And then I went and looked at mydebut goodreads to like face off
goodreads and it's just, it'smind blowing.
So to see that in two years is,it's, it's wild.
Um, so there's days when I'mlike, I don't know if I can do

(17:06):
this anymore, but then there area lot of days where I'm like, I
feel very lucky that this iswhat I get to do.
And then I, you know, I meetpeople and talk to people and,
um, You know, I will never be onlike an Emily Henry level or
anything like that.
But knowing that like oneperson,

Devonnie (17:22):
Uh, you don't know that?
I

Chelsea (17:24):
true, I don't know.

Devonnie (17:25):
you being a seer, Chelsea, okay?
So you don't know what's coming.

Chelsea (17:29):
That is very true.
However, uh, Just like oneperson, you know, tells me that
they liked my book.
They connected with my book, etcetera.
It just makes me feel very, um,just very lucky.
So that was a really cheesy anddrawn out answer, but, um, I, if
you had told me in August, 2022is when I published my first

(17:51):
book that I would publish 10.
I would say there's, there's noway, um, here we are.

Jordan (17:56):
in two years,

Devonnie (17:57):
even imagine.
Right, yeah, that the timelineis wild.

Chelsea (18:01):
The brain doesn't stop.
And, and it's, I was, so I alsoam a runner and the only time my
brain will not think of anythingwriting related is when I'm
running, but that is also when Icome up with my, some of my best
ideas, cause that's when my mindis most like clear, um, because
like when I sit in front of acomputer, I feel so pressured
sometimes to like.

(18:23):
Get certain words or like writea certain scene But like when
i'm running like when I if Ibring my phone with me I will
literally stop my run and writeout a sentence or when I get
home I'll like tell my boyfriendlike nope.
Don't talk to me.
Hold on.
I need to write this down It'sjust a different, you know
environment different change ofpace and i'm like, oh, I really
like that, you know I have likea fresh Fresh open mind.
It's where all the Has come tome when i'm suffering Mm

Jordan (18:47):
Speaking of your ideas so I've listened to some, a
couple of your other interviewsbefore, but, I've heard you talk
about how you just have this bigboard full of your future
projects.
And I know you've posted aboutyour planned future projects,
which are a lot and veryexciting, but what is that
process like for you?
Is it like you get an idea andyou throw it up there?

(19:08):
Is it more like, I'm going tosit and plan this all out and
then start working on Just doit?
Or is it a little bit ofeverything?
Like how do you decide whereyour stories are gonna go?
What's that process like foryou?

Chelsea (19:19):
So, um, I don't.
Um, I,

Jordan (19:24):
Mm-Hmm.

Chelsea (19:25):
um, I am not really a planner.
We call it like plotter orpantser.
I am a pantser.
I just kind of fly by the seatof my pants.
I will say, with Power Play, Iplotted out what each chapter
kind of I wanted to do and it,surprise, it made writing a
whole lot easier.
Um, but, Power Play.
I had the idea for face off andI was in the middle of another

(19:46):
series and I was like, I have towrite this book and like, I
know, like, and like, I was, I,I want to say this with a
caveat.
I understand that, like, I havemore good reads reviews that
like authors dream about, but inthe same sense, I have the
number of good reads reviews Ihave is like, Tiny compared to

(20:06):
what other, and you know what Imean?
So it's all comparative.
Um, like I, I don't considermyself a well enough established
author in the sense of like, mybooks don't hit number one in
the Kindle store, that sort ofthing, you know, there's, I
don't have that, that hugededicated, fan base yet, I will
say yet, I feel like in the lastcouple of months since face off
it's, it's definitely changed.

(20:28):
Um, so like, I knew it was riskyto like, kind of deviate from
what people were from what I hadbeen doing, but I was like, I
have to write it.
So I wrote it.
Um, and now I just am in thishockey world and we're going to
be there for a while.
But but with my, like I said,with my brain, it can't.
I can't focus on one thing.

(20:49):
So I'm honestly like right nowI'm working on like four
different projects becausethat's just how I work best.
Because I sit down and feel likeI have to write just one thing.
I feel like it's just not goingto happen.
So if I'm like a thousand wordson this one, a thousand words
here, a thousand, and then likeeventually they all add up, you
know, it's not like I had tojust sit down and write like 5,

(21:09):
000 words for this one thing.
I don't, I don't know if I coulddo it because I, I feel like the
wheels are always going, um,which is not as fun as it sounds
because I'm like writing this.
I'm like, okay, but what about,I'm like looking over here.
I'm like, what about that?
Um, so, you know, if I have anidea, I kind of have like a,
like a Google doc of like, Allthe ideas that are in my head.

(21:32):
Um, and so next year 2025, we'regoing to jump around a little
bit but you know because I feellike romance is such a big genre
that like not everyone likessports romances.
Not everyone likes, um, Cowboyromances not everyone likes this
not everyone likes that so Iknow people who like my books

(21:53):
and have read my books will keepreading my books, but I also
want to like, keep finding newreaders.
Um, and like a lot of people whocome face off as their first
book for me, I've gone back andread my other books, um, which
are romances, but, um, I'm like,well, what if I want to do a
cowboy romance?
Because that's popular rightnow.
And I've had this idea ever inmy head.

(22:15):
Um, so I'm like, we're going tohave to, I don't know, like, I
would rather like deviate andwrite what I'm kind of like
feeling.
But and enjoy it and and thennot Be excited about what i'm
working on if that makes sense.
So and it is

Jordan (22:28):
tell, you can tell when an author doesn't, isn't excited
to write something.

Chelsea (22:33):
yeah, and like face off I I am this is a book i'm most
proud of I love this book somuch and like when I was writing
it I knew it was going to bespecial and I haven't really
felt that way about my otherbooks I've been proud of them
but like writing this one i'mlike this is going to be Special
and I and I know and I didn'twant to write it because you see
a lot of authors He will likewrite something because it's

(22:55):
like the thing to write Um, andyou know, that's fine.
Like we have to make money andlike hockey romance is popular,
right?
Hockey romance.
Awesome.
Like, good, good for you.
Go for it.
Um, but this was like a storythat like, I wanted to tell and
I workshopped it a lot and I'mlike, well, how do I pull it
off?
And I'm like, the only way Icould pull it off really was

(23:15):
like hockey.
And I'm like, We're going to gofor it.
We're going to do it.
And I did, and I have zeroregrets with that.
So we skipped around a littlebit, but it was worth it.
I think.

Jordan (23:28):
I

Devonnie (23:28):
I think so.
Yeah, Maverick and Emmy havesome of the best banter of all,
like, and I've read all yourbooks, so I understand the
banter between your characters,and that's one of my favorite
things, just seeing how theyplay off of each other.
But there was just somethingabout these two that just, like,
blew my mind.
Like, it was just, you, I don'tknow, yeah, so it was, yeah.
You did it.

(23:49):
You really did it.

Chelsea (23:50):
Thank you.

Jordan (23:51):
So many highlights.

Devonnie (23:53):
Exactly.
Right.
Oh my gosh.
The Kindle highlights are crazy.
And, alright, so, yes.
Um, I do, I mean, we see thatyou have a lot a lot of
different things slated, right?
You're jumping around, you'restarting different projects,
you're working.
But can you tell us a Maybe acouple of the stories you have
planned.

(24:13):
And also, I think Jordan is veryinterested in this dark romance
because she's a dark romancegirly.

Chelsea (24:20):
Yes.
Okay.

Jordan (24:22):
I read everything,

Devonnie (24:23):
little crumbs.

Chelsea (24:24):
So I fully intended to have a Halloween, um, romance
out in, um, October, but withfrom face off to power play, and
I also released off camera andthere, there's just has not been
enough time.
Um, I feel very fortunate that Idon't have to fly.
I like flying schedule.
I really only work like eight to12 days a month.

(24:46):
So I feel very fortunate thatwhen I'm not flying writing is
my full time job.
However.
It is hard to write a book, nomatter if I'm in front of a
computer nine to five, or soit's hard to write a book.
Um, however, so I fully intendto get this, um, dark romance
out in time for Halloween.
It's not going to happen.
However, it's not a Halloween.
I mean, it kind of is aHalloween.
So I am born and raised inFlorida.

(25:08):
Um, and I've been going toHalloween Horror Nights for
years.
And a couple of years ago, I'm apass holder at Universal where
Halloween Horror Nights takesplace.
And if you're not familiar withHalloween Horror Nights, it's
like, Um the whole theme parkthey have haunted houses.
They have scare zones it's verylike they do haunted houses
based on like they did likechucky and like quiet place and

(25:28):
The last of us and strangerthings so it's it's basically
just the whole park turns intolike a scary time So a couple
years ago in the pass holderpage like on facebook someone
wrote Um, I just want to shoutout the michael myers and the
halloween house at like 7 p.
m.
So you like follow like a linein the house.
So like, you know, there'speople and like, it's very

(25:48):
obvious where the line goes, youknow, because people jump out
and scare you.
And she said, I want to thankMichael Myers.
I accidentally veered off coursein the haunted house and I have
did the haunted house.
If.
I would have, it is easy to getconfused at this part because
after I read that, when we wentto house, I'm like, Oh, I can
see.
So she went straight and she wassupposed to go right.

(26:08):
And so the Michael Myers, whowas behind there, who's supposed
to jump out and scare her, likeguided her back.
So she was like, I just want tothank the Michael Myers for
guiding me back into the line.
And I looked, I saw that.
I saw them like, it's a romancebook.
It's gotta be a romance book.

Devonnie (26:20):
that's, that's clearly a meet cute.
It's like,

Chelsea (26:23):
So, a novella where they meet in a haunted house and
he, is Michael Myers, or I don'tknow if I can use Michael Myers,
but he is a masked man with aknife, you know, um, and they
rendezvous, and he is a exserial killer, but like kind of
like Butcher and Blackbird werelike, getting rid of bad people,

(26:44):
not like, you know, he's notlike, he's getting rid of the
bad people in the world.
Not like he's, you know, so it'slike good.

Devonnie (26:51):
just off in everybody.
Yeah.

Chelsea (26:53):
It's not like,

Devonnie (26:53):
Vigilante, if you will.

Chelsea (26:55):
no anger issues.
It's like, these people are liketerrible.
Yeah.
So, yeah, so then,, he like kindof becomes obsessed with her
and,

Devonnie (27:02):
As you do.

Chelsea (27:03):
you

Devonnie (27:04):
Yes.

Chelsea (27:04):
So that was the Halloween,

Devonnie (27:06):
that.

Chelsea (27:06):
the Halloween Horror Nights inspired one.
And when I was there atHalloween Horror Nights, a
couple, a couple Uh, well, andwhen I was there last year, like
I, we were, we were like stoppedbecause of the house like backs
up and you're just like standingthere and they'll keep popping
out and scaring you.
And like, this guy had likejumped out like four times.
And so I just like looked at himand I like waved and he waved
back.
I'm like, yeah, there's the meetcute in a haunted house.

(27:30):
So that is,

Devonnie (27:31):
eat it up.
Yes.

Jordan (27:32):
Yeah.
Yep.

Chelsea (27:33):
short.
It's going to be not a lot of,not a lot of plot, just, you
know, a little good time.
And yeah, you know,

Jordan (27:40):
it.
You're great at writing plot andnot plot.
You're a little

Chelsea (27:44):
dark rom com?
I figure why not?

Devonnie (27:48):
of them.
Yep.

Chelsea (27:49):
Why not?
that's one thing.
Let me look over on my board.
Christmas one this year, um, isinvolving a half marathon and a
runner and a doctor at thefinish line.
And it's just kind of cutesy andspicy and it's short and it's
based off of, a reel from theBoston marathon this year, where
a girl, um, Was crossing thefinish line and she paired it

(28:10):
to, um, a thousand miles byVanessa Carlton or whatever.
And she's like, got a collapse.
And the, the, um, doctor justcomes in, like catches her.
And I commented, I was like me,a romance author watching this.
And I got like 70, 000 likes thecomment and I'm like, okay,
well, we're going to write it.
So

Devonnie (28:27):
to.
The people have spoken.

Chelsea (28:29):
The people have spoken so that one's coming out.
That should be out Hopefully bythe end of this year, uh, by
december.
It's like an ex boyfriend's dadlike age gap kind of thing Yeah,
so again short just you know,not not a whole lot of plot but
a little bit of plot a little

Jordan (28:46):
I love everything you're saying.

Chelsea (28:48):
Yeah,

Devonnie (28:49):
everything you're saying sounds delicious.
Oh.

Chelsea (28:54):
more hockey books.
We have the last book in theLove Through A Lense series, and
then we're gonna take a trip outwest to Colorado and do some
things out there with a flightattendant and a trail guide, so

Jordan (29:12):
old fantasy.
I don't know.
Maybe, no.

Devonnie (29:14):
Yeah.
Right?
Then fantasy.
Then she'll start writingfantasy.
Yeah.

Chelsea (29:20):
Oh good, no,

Jordan (29:20):
it all.
You have everything.
You're like, it's,

Chelsea (29:22):
never do fan Like, I like look at my board here and I
have like the, the um, theroster over here cause I'm just
so I like can keep track of likewho's who and everything.
Um, and it's like their book,their number, like what their
position is.
I'm like, I can't imagine beinga fantasy author and like having
like this whole world, like, Icouldn't even keep the field

(29:45):
straight that I named in thefootball, my football series, I
messed up the field name and I'mlike, whoops.
Like one of my readers messagemessages, she goes, isn't it
supposed to be this?
I'm like, yeah, it is.
Thanks.
I had to like, yeah, whatever.
It's fine.
So, like, I can't imaginekeeping, worlds and characters
and, like, magical powers.
That, I have so much respect forfantasy authors

Jordan (30:07):
Well, names change.
Names change.
It gets new.
Yeah.

Chelsea (30:11):
True.

Devonnie (30:11):
happen.

Jordan (30:12):
Our Lumen field, like, I mean, that's just changed
recently.
Yeah.
I

Devonnie (30:16):
Right.
Exactly.

Chelsea (30:17):
romance.
My 400 page romance novels whereeveryone falls in love.
That is where I'm, I'm bestsuited.

Jordan (30:25):
No, it's perfect.
I'm just saying, you have somuch, I love how you bounce
around the contemporary genre.
Like, I just, I

Chelsea (30:33):
I don't want to limit, I don't want to limit myself.
And, and honestly, you know,this is a job, but like I, when
I first started writing, I feellike I wrote the stories that
like, I thought I had to write,and now I'm writing the stories
that I want to write versuslike.
You know what I feel like peoplewould like so I was like no I'm
gonna write a female hockeyplayer and if people don't like
it, they can suck it.
Honestly That's what I wanted towrite and i'm very much in the

(30:57):
okay Well, I am really vibingwith the cowboy romance.
So i'm gonna write a cowboyromance and Yeah

Devonnie (31:04):
that's just it.
I think it's, it's reallyimportant for you to write what
you want to read as much as whatlike your audience is like
asking you for.
If you're not happy writing thethings that you're writing, then
it's just going to translate inthe work.
So yeah, it's, I think, yeah, ifyou switch it up tomorrow and
you decide, you know what, I'mgoing to go on a serial serial
killer binge, like I'msupporting it.
I'm reading all of the books.

(31:25):
Like

Chelsea (31:26):
I will say

Devonnie (31:27):
do.
Whatever you do.

Chelsea (31:28):
i've been working on something for a couple years and
i've like kind of teased it andlike You I have teased it more
being hurricane season, but I'mwriting something that is

Devonnie (31:38):
Oh,

Chelsea (31:39):
very

Devonnie (31:40):
people.
I

Chelsea (31:41):
Yeah, that's very, yeah.
So I, I can't say anything else,but, um,

Devonnie (31:47):
can't wait for them.
And that's all I would say.
Yeah, I can't wait for them.

Chelsea (31:50):
I'm very, I'm very excited about that one.
Cause that is very, um, likenear and dear to my heart.
So yeah.

Devonnie (31:59):
about them, but yeah.
Okay, so put that on the backburner, remembering that for
later.
Good to know.

Jordan (32:06):
Um, are there any audiobooks on the back burner
with that said because I okayand I was gonna ask this and
then I actually saw a commentthat you had on because I'm part
of your Facebook group thatmaybe it has something to do
with rights and stuff like that.
But I was just wondering iflike, you hope to do more
audiobooks, especially as thisnew series takes off.

Chelsea (32:28):
So, uh, I don't listen to audiobooks because of my
brain, but I am a full supporterof audiobooks and I love that
that is a, um, a, a resource forpeople to read books through
audiobook.
So, um, my first two books,unexpected Paradise and
Companion Project are on audio,and then my left through a lens
series is all gonna be on audio.

(32:50):
The face off series, I was, um,approached about rights for the
audio, but we're holding off onthat for a little bit.
Um, but hopefully we can, um,hopefully one day,

Jordan (33:03):
okay.

Devonnie (33:03):
okay,

Chelsea (33:04):
hopefully one day.

Jordan (33:04):
Okay.

Devonnie (33:05):
I

Chelsea (33:06):
Yeah.
That'd make me very happy to, tohear my Maverick and Emmy
brought to life.

Jordan (33:11):
Oh my goodness.
It'd be so hot.

Devonnie (33:13):
right?
Can you imagine?

Jordan (33:15):
I already know who dev would want to play it, but like
play it maverick But that's nosurprise there.
I don't even have to You talkedabout it

Devonnie (33:25):
I am

Jordan (33:26):
Dev.
You're obsessed with him.

Devonnie (33:27):
obsessed with Jacob Morgan slash Zachary Webber.

Chelsea (33:32):
See, I don't know who any, I don't know who any, um,
narrators

Jordan (33:35):
He goes by two

Devonnie (33:36):
Right, because, yeah, his name is Zachary Webber.

Jordan (33:39):
I almost exclusively listen to audiobooks because I
have a two and a half year oldand that's how I stay sane, is
like I have one headphone in andit's like I have an adult

Chelsea (33:52):
Your time.

Jordan (33:53):
while I'm playing a tea party.
Like I mean, it's, So,

Chelsea (33:58):
correct.

Jordan (33:59):
where, yeah.

Chelsea (34:01):
I will say since I don't listen to a lot of audio
books when so my first two booksI didn't get a say in the
narrator process and my, andthen a different company has the
rights to the other I keeplooking over here to just run
books are I'm not just likepointing to a wall.

Jordan (34:16):
Over there.

Chelsea (34:18):
Somewhere over here, a different company has the rights
to the Love Through Lens series.
And so they sent me samples of,um, narrators and then I sent it
to my friends who are big audiobook people.
I'm like, can y'all tell me likewhat, you know, cause, and
they're like, Oh, well, thisperson's pacing is really good.
And the, you know, so I waslike, thank you.
And so it was good to like, get,get their feedback on, on, um,

(34:39):
like what would be good tolisten for.
So yeah, hopefully,

Devonnie (34:44):
I love, I love Zachary Webber slash Jacob Morgan.
I'm

Jordan (34:49):
You don't know him personally, but you love his
voice.

Devonnie (34:51):
I, Oh, right, sorry, not objectifying you.
I know.
Yeah, I love, I love it.
I love his pacing.
I love the way he like justtalks.
I don't know.
I feel like he would be a verygood maverick.
So, um, Zachary Webber slashJacob Morgan.
If you're listening.
Yeah, hit Chelsea up, babe.
Maverick needs you.

Jordan (35:10):
When it's time.

Chelsea (35:11):
see hopefully one day

Devonnie (35:13):
Yeah.

Jordan (35:15):
Oh, it's just so cute.
Maverick.
Not, I don't know what he lookslike.

Devonnie (35:20):
look at the time.

Jordan (35:22):
She's getting ready.
This.

Chelsea (35:24):
is it?

Devonnie (35:24):
It's time for This or That!

Chelsea (35:29):
Oh, yeah

Jordan (35:29):
it! We always do that! We look very delete.

Chelsea (35:33):
I'm

Jordan (35:33):
Sometimes we get it.
Sometimes we don't.

Devonnie (35:35):
Sometimes we don't, okay.

Chelsea (35:37):
was really good.

Devonnie (35:39):
I hope so.
I was really trying to be verydelicate with it, very

Chelsea (35:42):
I was it was great.
It was great.

Jordan (35:44):
a lot earlier, so she should.

Devonnie (35:47):
Alright.

Chelsea (35:49):
Okay, hit

Devonnie (35:50):
Are you ready Chelsea?
Chelsea?

Chelsea (35:51):
I'm ready Okay,

Devonnie (35:53):
You just got to answer.
Okay.

Chelsea (35:56):
I'm nervous.
Okay, I'm ready.

Devonnie (35:58):
Contemporary or fantasy?

Chelsea (35:59):
Contemporary.
Ooh,

Devonnie (36:03):
One bed or who did this to you?

Chelsea (36:07):
I'm going to say One Bed because I feel like Who Did
This To You is really good inlike the fantasy realm.
Like because then they can likepull out a dagger and be like,
you know, who did this to youand like, Hard to do that in
like contemporary, I mean theycan,

Devonnie (36:23):
can.

Chelsea (36:24):
you can.

Devonnie (36:25):
kind of book.
Yeah.

Chelsea (36:26):
Yeah, you're gonna book.
I do love because I love forcedproximity and like only one bed.
You're like, oh well I'll justsleep over here and I'll put a
pillow for and then like, you'relike, oh we wake up and the arms
are around me and not, you know,

Devonnie (36:37):
Where's the

Chelsea (36:38):
that happen?

Devonnie (36:38):
Yeah.

Chelsea (36:39):
So one bed, yeah.
But I do like who did this toyou.
Especially when it's like, Likethe grumpy, like the grumpy guy.
And they're like, who did thisto you?
Like that.

Devonnie (36:49):
right, right, yeah.
It's giving Liam actually.
You might be able to do who didthis to you with Liam.

Chelsea (36:54):
Well, I guess we'll find out.

Devonnie (36:56):
I get, yeah.
Oh, okay.
Oh, well, I feel like this nextone is we already know audio.
Yeah.
Audio or physical.

Chelsea (37:04):
Physical, but I do love and support audio books and, um,
they do count as reading.
So

Devonnie (37:10):
Yes.
All right.
Jordan, you wanna do the rest?

Jordan (37:14):
Small town or sports romance.

Chelsea (37:16):
sports romance,

Jordan (37:18):
Standalone or series.

Chelsea (37:22):
um, interconnected series,

Jordan (37:24):
Okay.
or hardcover.

Chelsea (37:27):
paperback,

Jordan (37:29):
Second chance or friends to lovers.

Chelsea (37:32):
to lovers.

Jordan (37:34):
When you're drinking, or not when you're drinking, excuse
me.
When

Devonnie (37:38):
Or when you're drinking.
Yeah.

Jordan (37:40):
I mean it involves that too.
When you're

Chelsea (37:42):
now I'm really curious

Jordan (37:44):
hot or iced beverages for your snacks.

Chelsea (37:48):
for my snacks.

Jordan (37:50):
Like while you're, while

Chelsea (37:51):
Oh, I thought you said for your sex.
I was like,

Jordan (37:54):
I

Chelsea (37:54):
It's like.

Jordan (37:55):
need to enunciate more tonight is what I'm getting out
of this.

Chelsea (37:59):
Okay, so hot beverage or cold beverage while I am
enjoying my, my

Jordan (38:03):
Yeah.
While you're reading

Chelsea (38:04):
Oh, um, cold.
I don't drink, I don't drinkcoffee.
I am a, I am a water, watergirl.
So just water.

Jordan (38:11):
I don't mind Deb.
She's just crying.

Chelsea (38:16):
She's got the giggles.

Devonnie (38:18):
Oh my God.
Okay.

Jordan (38:20):
Discrete cover or cartoon?

Chelsea (38:23):
Oh boy.
This is the top.
This is the controversial topicof the year.
Do not even get me started onthat.
I love, there has been drama onthreads about this and

Devonnie (38:35):
Too much drama.
Drama.

Chelsea (38:36):
like, do these look like kids to you?
Like, what about this?
Like a young adult book on theback when it says after a night
where the tension between themreaches a tipping point and they
fall in bed.
They're not studying.

Devonnie (38:49):
yeah,

Jordan (38:49):
and also who's letting the little kids in the romance
section?
So I

Devonnie (38:53):
right,

Chelsea (38:54):
Um, I do, I am an equal lover of covers.
I do love, and I went throughthis debate because people are
very, very passionate aboutthis, which I very much respect,
and I'm like, I went with thecartoon cover because I felt
like it was in line with it.

(39:14):
The other hockey or like icebreaker, Stephanie Archer
collide, that sort of thing, butI did want to do like a discreet
cover for people who don't likecartoon covers.
Um, and, um, I will say for someof my next series, I will, I'm
not going to do cartoon coversbecause I feel like it aligns

(39:35):
more with like.
That as well, if that makessense.
So I, I like both, like I haveplenty of all of them back here
and around here.
Um, and like, and I like how,when I did, um, like this
series, like it's illustrated,but like not people, like I
kinda liked that, um, aspect ofit a little bit, um, but I, I

(39:59):
like both and if I had to pickone, I would probably pick.
Um, illustrated

Devonnie (40:06):
yep,

Jordan (40:08):
Okay.

Chelsea (40:08):
and I will not get mad that it was a book that had sex
because I would do my researchbefore picking it up.

Jordan (40:15):
Yeah, you'd be a responsible reader.

Chelsea (40:17):
yeah.

Devonnie (40:17):
right, read responsibly folks.

Jordan (40:20):
Okay, and the last one, the most important.
You have to quickly name yourtop three book boyfriends.

Chelsea (40:29):
My, like

Jordan (40:29):
Yeah, your personal, like, not necessarily that you
wrote.
I mean, it can be that you wroteif those are your favorite, or
it can be, like, ones thatyou've read.
Just like,

Chelsea (40:38):
I'm going to do both.
I'm going to say the ones I'vewritten, Maverick is number one.

Devonnie (40:44):
hmm.

Chelsea (40:45):
I think Liam is number two and I do love Dallas.
I think Dallas might be numberthree.
Oh, but I do love Sean.
I do like Sean.
Cause I did like doing thatfriends forever.
So they're a tie, they're a tiethere.

Devonnie (41:00):
Yeah.
Okay.

Chelsea (41:01):
Um, overall, now let me take a look here in my, my
shelf.

Jordan (41:05):
have a beautiful shelf behind

Devonnie (41:07):
Right?

Jordan (41:08):
what

Chelsea (41:08):
And there's more, there's more over

Devonnie (41:10):
no, I, I, I love it.
I'm obsessed.

Chelsea (41:13):
I don't remember who I was talking to.
I think it was, I was talking toStacey and then we got on the
conversation of like, um, UKcovers cause I'm a flight
attendant.
So I fly to London all the time.
So I'm like, Oh, you mean theseUK covers?
And I'm like,

Devonnie (41:25):
Yeah,

Chelsea (41:27):
Henry from Waterstones, those over there.
Um,

Devonnie (41:31):
I

Jordan (41:31):
better looking in U UK.

Devonnie (41:33):
Always.

Chelsea (41:34):
always, always.
Um, okay, top three, top three.
Oh boy.
All right.
Um, this is a lot of pressure.
What book have I read?
I don't know.

Jordan (41:43):
It's almost worse when you have visuals, because then
you get like, oh, but that one,oh, but that one.

Chelsea (41:48):
Okay, I'm going to say, um, Jack from Love Theoretically
by Allie Hazelwood.

Jordan (41:54):
Okay.
I

Chelsea (41:55):
Um, I'm going to say, Um, what else am I going to say?
I'm going to say something else.
Um,

Jordan (42:06):
love it.

Chelsea (42:07):
um, I do like Jack's from, um, uh, what's my broken
heart series.
I like Jack.

Devonnie (42:15):
said I should read that.
Yeah.

Chelsea (42:17):
Um, and then, um, uh, who there's gotta be an Emily
Henry boyfriend that I really, Ilove.

Devonnie (42:25):
Ooh.
Yeah.
I know my M.
M.
boyfriend that I love.

Chelsea (42:28):
Um, I do like Alex from people we meet on vacation.
Jen.
I liked him.

Devonnie (42:33):
that one?

Chelsea (42:34):
Um, I also liked, um, Theo from You with a View by
Jessica Joyce.

Devonnie (42:42):
I loved Theo.

Chelsea (42:44):
Yeah.
Liked him a lot.
And have I read any other booksin my lifetime?
I don't know if I have.

Devonnie (42:52):
It's, it's, we,

Jordan (42:53):
Did they all leave my brain?
They all left my brain.
Yeah.
No, you're good.
You got four.

Devonnie (42:57):
Yeah.
You got, yeah, that

Chelsea (42:59):
Yeah, that was, that was, that was four.
That was plenty.
But now I'm like, Oh gosh, youknow, that's what I had.
Then I, I look at these booksand I'm like, I have a lot of
books I need to read because Ihaven't read half of these and
I'm never going to get to them.

Devonnie (43:12):
yeah.
I mean, that's the point.
We're readers.
We collect books.
Okay.

Chelsea (43:15):
yeah, correct.
My Beach Read, uh, specialedition came today.
I'm like, Oh, let me add it tomy shelf.
It's never going to be open, butat least it's pretty.
At

Devonnie (43:24):
Yes.

Chelsea (43:24):
be good on the shelf.
And like my whole, I'm like,what am I doing with all these
books?
I'm like, I've read them all,but they look pretty.
So

Devonnie (43:33):
They look so pretty.

Chelsea (43:34):
yeah, that's the whole point.

Devonnie (43:35):
trying to see all the books,

Jordan (43:37):
this is why people don't need wallpaper anymore.
They just do just books That'sall I want.
Yeah.

Chelsea (43:43):
Then I'm like, and, but it's hard to read while I write.
Cause then I just, I'm like,Half of me, I'm like, Oh my God,
I can never write like thisperson.
And then the other half, I'mlike, wait, I really liked that
idea.
And so it's like, I'm like, whatcan I, I can't, I can't read.
So, it's a tough balance.

Devonnie (44:00):
Yeah.
I feel that.
I guess this is like prettyinteresting as well.
Cause.
I mean, you threw out some bookboyfriends, but given the few
books you've read, what has beenyour favorite book to read this
year?

Chelsea (44:13):
Oh, okay.
Um, I did like, um, the ex vowsby Jessica Joyce left that

Devonnie (44:20):
I haven't read that one

Chelsea (44:21):
it was very good.
Second chance, which I think isdifficult to do.
Um, and she, it was very good.
I did like not in love.
I love not in love by AllieHazelwood.
I love everything, uh, Alliewrites.
So that is an out of 10, fromme.
Um, what else have I read thisyear?
Um, I liked caught up by Liz TomFord.

(44:42):
Uh, all of, uh, Elsie Silver,um, this year, I read behind the
net by Stephanie Archer, likedthat a

Jordan (44:49):
one was so good

Chelsea (44:51):
I still need to read Pucking Around and I know I'm
way behind with that, but I needto read Pucking Around.
I've read the novella and I'mlike, I just need to read the
800 page.
Yeah.

Jordan (44:59):
the novella

Devonnie (45:00):
is that the one I just read?

Jordan (45:01):
Yes, it

Devonnie (45:02):
Oh, that, I just listened to that one.
But what threw me off is becauseI was trying to listen to his
audiobook, because again, momlife, and I was trying to like
balance, but that second one,that, or the first one,
whatever, the audiobook is 25hours.
I literally jumped up, I waslike, why is it that long?

Chelsea (45:17):
Yeah.
The book is 800 pages.
It's

Jordan (45:19):
huge.

Devonnie (45:21):
have never, I have never seen the physical

Jordan (45:22):
I, oh, I soft dnf'd it.
So I started it, but I softdnf'd because I had other

Devonnie (45:26):
There's no way!

Jordan (45:28):
to it yet.
Yeah,

Devonnie (45:30):
What?
There's no way! Ew.

Chelsea (45:33):
Wait, hold on.

Devonnie (45:34):
So yeah, I'll have to get to that.

Jordan (45:37):
so, um

Devonnie (45:39):
But like I know but like how how much do you have to
say about hockey for the book tobe that thick?

Jordan (45:45):
a lot about hockey dev it's

Chelsea (45:49):
about their relationship.

Jordan (45:50):
There are three dicks in that one

Chelsea (45:53):
Yeah, I gotta read it.
I need to read it.

Devonnie (45:55):
wait a minute.
Is it is it white shoes?

Jordan (45:58):
Yeah.
Didn't I tell you about that?
Didn't

Devonnie (46:01):
I don't know if I remembered that.

Jordan (46:03):
It's

Chelsea (46:03):
Yeah.
I, I,

Devonnie (46:05):
Oh, i'm gonna read

Chelsea (46:06):
I've been needing to read this.
And, um, yeah, I, I just, I needto do it because why not?

Devonnie (46:15):
right.
Exactly.
Why?

Chelsea (46:17):
Why

Jordan (46:18):
There was a scene in there that I hadn't read yet in
books and I had to like I put itdown for a moment and I go, I
need to think about this for asecond and see how I feel.
I don't, not sure.

Chelsea (46:33):
Oh, well, I now, now I really need to read

Devonnie (46:35):
Yeah, it's ready to borrow like on my libby so I
might

Jordan (46:40):
I was like, I'm pretty committed to this book at this
point.
So I'm going to keep going, butI'm going to have to like, think
about that for a few

Chelsea (46:47):
little self reflection.

Devonnie (46:48):
just like yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
I can't wait till I get thereI'm gonna talk to you about that

Jordan (46:53):
Yeah.
Oh, you will.
That's

Chelsea (46:55):
Um, let's see.
What else?
Um, what other books have I readthis year in loved?
Oh, I feel like that's, I mean,I've, I've read other books.
I just, of course now I can'tthink of them.
So.
I've already gone out of myhead,

Jordan (47:11):
all right.
I, I know the feeling.

Chelsea (47:13):
the ones, the ones I have read, yeah, I've, I've
really, really liked.
So, uh, but I'm, I'm easy toplease.
I'm very much a, Oh yeah, thiswas great.
Like I'm not,

Jordan (47:25):
Yeah.

Chelsea (47:26):
I don't, I'm not very stringent with my like four or
five stars.
I'm like, everyone gets fivestars.
Hooray.

Jordan (47:34):
Love it.

Devonnie (47:35):
Yeah

Chelsea (47:36):
And then I'm like, wait, why are you not giving my
book five stars?
Cause I'm like, not everyone

Devonnie (47:41):
go give Chelsea's books five stars right now.
No, everybody's gonna run to gogive you five stars right

Jordan (47:46):
yeah.
It's, it's well deserved.

Chelsea (47:49):
Um, yeah, that's, um, but yeah, I, I, I, well, and I
feel like writing, I'm alwayslike, I want to write like good
book boyfriends and like, I feellike I've done a lot of like
things like with Maverick, I'mlike, so now with Liam, I'm
like, but how do I make himbetter?
And I'm like, how do I, so I'vegotten to this part where I'm

(48:11):
like.
Cause like I like to write mymen that are just down bad and
will bend over backwards, youknow, and so now I'm like, well,
I've already done these things,so I don't know how I do them
again.
But I think I've done some new,some new things, um, in power
play that I haven't done before.
So I'm excited about that.

Jordan (48:31):
And we're excited to read it.

Devonnie (48:33):
yeah, let me be real with you.
Liam can stand in a corner forthe first 300 pages of this book
just staring, and I promise youI'll be down bad

Chelsea (48:40):
And you'll be down bad.
Yeah.

Devonnie (48:42):
I'll be down.
Yep, he could just stand there.
But yeah,

Chelsea (48:44):
I will, I will, I will, I've teased this before, but I
will say, um, I think myfavorite scene is when, cause
it's a marriage of convenience,fake dating turned marriage of
convenience.
If it works kind of, um, is whenhe loses his, what he, his
wedding ring that he ties to hisskate disappears during a game

(49:08):
and the whole team helps him tryto find it.
When they go back on the ice andthey're all like on their hands
and knees.
And Piper doesn't know he wearsit on his skates.
And so she's interviewing himafterwards and she's like, Can
you explain what you all weredoing crawling around on the
ice?
And he's like, He's like, well,I lost something.
And she's like, it must've beenpretty important.
And he goes, most importantthing in the world to me.

(49:30):
Something like that.
Yeah.
So stick a knife in me.

Devonnie (49:36):
I can't wait for him.
I can't wait for him.
I

Jordan (49:37):
I know, me too.

Chelsea (49:39):
little, little down, bad grump for

Devonnie (49:41):
Yeah,

Chelsea (49:42):
everyone but her.

Jordan (49:43):
Well, I don't want to keep you too long.
We'll just do one more questionfor you.
That kind of goes with whereyou're talking about your next,
what you've been writing,working on.
Do you have any big milestonegoals for your writing career
that you really are aiming for,or that once you hit that point
or what you want to do withthat?

Chelsea (50:04):
I still don't fully believe that like people read my
books and like, I don't meanthat in the, I don't mean that
in like the, Oh, my writingsucks.
Kind of way.
Just like, I don't.
I, because like I'm not onGoodreads and like I don't, some
authors check their page readsand everything daily and like I
will like after a release andthen after that like I haven't

(50:26):
checked my page reads in liketwo weeks and I'm like, yeah,
whatever, you know, um, and solike I, I forget that people
read my books And like keepreading my books and when
Goodreads, or Goodreads, when Iface off past 10, 000 reviews on
Goodreads, I was just like, Ohmy God, like that's a lot.
It's not a lot.
Some people be like, that's alot.
And I was like, that's prettycool.

(50:48):
I know I saw that and I waslike, I was like, Oh, and it's
like my highest rate of one, notto like toot my own horn, but
I'm very proud of that.
And I think that shows my, mygrowth as a writer too, which is
what I always want.
You always want to be gettingbetter.
So, I'm proud of that too, but,um, I, you know, I would love to
go into a bookstore.
So this is really cheesy, but,Like I said, I'm a flight

(51:10):
attendant and I mostly flyLondon.
And when I go to London, I doLondon once a week, twice a
week.
I have a routine.
I take a nap at the hotel.
I walk to Waterstones andPiccadilly.
I write in the cafe and then Igo up to the romance section.
And I always look at the romancetable because it's a very good
section.
Like it's like really nice.
And I look at the table.
And I say, your book will behere one day.

(51:32):
And it, and I just, and I saythat every time I go there and
now I'm like getting allemotional about this, but, um,
and I'm like, it will be thereone day and you know, it's being
an author is it's hard in thesense of like, you see things
happening for other people andyou're like, is it going to
happen for me?
Or like, why isn't it happeningfor me?
And, um,

Jordan (51:53):
Mm hmm.

Chelsea (51:54):
know, so it's hard to be patient and it's hard to be.
Like stay in your lane kind of,even though there's like so
much, there's only so much youcan control.
Um, so I would love for my booksto be in a bookstore.
I mean, they are in somebookstores, but I mean like all
bookstores, you know, I'd loveto walk into like a random
Barnes and Noble and likeAlbuquerque and see it.

(52:15):
Um, there are a couple ofbookstores, like the Barnes and
Noble and Myrtle beach has allmy books in there.
If you go to Myrtle beach, theyare phenomenal.
They have so many indie books.
Um, And they're wonderful.
I did a sign in there.
They're great people.
So plug for Barnes Noble andMyrtle Beach.
Um, and so I'd love to see mybooks in bookstores.
Um, I would love to betraditionally published, with

(52:35):
some series one day.
And I would love to hit top 100in the Kindle store.
And, um, cause that's likepretty impressive and I've come
very close.
I've come to 123.
Um, so I would love to crack thetop 100.
I think that would be fun.
And honestly, just keep writingbooks.

(52:56):
People like and enjoy.
I have considered writing fulltime, but I do like my job as a
flight attendant, so, and it'snice to have like a sure thing,
because I feel like I likewriting so much because I don't
have to write it.
Like, I don't have to putanything else out next year if I
don't want to, um, and so Ithink it keeps it, you know, fun

(53:19):
that I have this other lifewhere I.
Work and then I, on my layover,I write that sort of thing.
So it kind of separates it alittle bit.
So maybe write full time.
Maybe, I don't, I don't know.
I kind of like having the, theseparation of, my two, two
halves of me, but yeah, youknow, yeah, I keep putting out
things that people enjoy andpeople like to read and yeah,

(53:42):
we'll see, we'll see whathappens.
It's been a very fun journey.
And, um, I, you know, I alwayssay like, it's only going to get
better, but I truly think.
I just really think it's justkind of like starting.
But yeah, we'll see.

Devonnie (53:55):
Think it's just starting.

Chelsea (53:56):
yeah, but I'm, you know, I'm, I'm just, I feel very
grateful for any like, yeah, thefact that people like I had went
to my first like big signing atRomanceCon and I was like blown
away by people who came to hearme talk in the panel about
sports romance and then came tomy table after and, um, Like I,
I know, like I see people buyingmy book and I know people

(54:19):
interact with me on socialmedia, but it's just different.
Like to see like people holdingmy book in real life that these
people are reading it.
And yeah, it's, yeah, it's alittle mind blowing, but I feel
very grateful.

Jordan (54:34):
Well, we're grateful for the stories you've put out so
far.
I mean, I'm blown away.
I could sit here and talk to youfor so much longer about the
different ways that I love yourbooks.
I like, especially about thewomen and how the men are always
support the women in such anempowering way.

(54:54):
I just, that comes through inall of your books.
And it's, It's so amazing toread.
So thank you.

Chelsea (55:00):
and you know, with sports romance, like we see a
lot of books where the guys, theathlete, and I love that.
But I also think in the lastcouple of years with, you know,
the rise in like WNBA with likeCaitlin Clark and Reese and
like, you know, especially theWNBA and now with like the
Olympics with like the track andfield women and, and all these

(55:21):
women who are in the spotlightand now like rugby and, and.
You know, we're seeing all thesewomen that are finally getting
the attention that they deserve.
Um, and so writing a femaleathlete that was like on that
level and like, I knew I had itlike, and that's why in the
author's note, I'm like, I'mwell aware of this as fiction,

(55:41):
like not a woman in the NFL.
I'm well aware of that.
However, there has been onceupon a time and there could be
again.
You know, there's been femalekickers on college football
teams and Kandi Steiner, wrote abook with a female kicker and,
and

Jordan (55:55):
good.

Chelsea (55:56):
yeah, I loved it.
Love that series.
Um, and I think we're finallyseeing the attention that women
deserve on them.
And with that, we're also seeingthe men in their, you know,
counterpart league supportingthem too.
And, You know, I think like Ithink of like Kobe Bryant, who

(56:17):
was a big proponent of women'ssports, and unfortunately passed
away.
And I'm like, I wonder what hewould think if he could see,
because he was really kind of Ifeel like the first.
Especially NBA player thatreally was like at the WNBA
games, that's, you know,supporting them.
And now you get, you havestories like Jason Sudeikis.

(56:39):
And, you know, I wear my shirt,like everyone watches women's
sports and people are like, Ohmy God, I love your shirt.
And it's like, that's not how itwas 10 years ago.
Someone who like has alwaysloved sports has always watched
basketball and interacted onsocial media.
And Anytime there's been a postabout women or female athletes,
or I've commented on a postabout anything.

(57:00):
It's get back to the kitchen.
What are you doing?
They don't belong here, blah,blah, blah.
And I think we finally turnedthat corner and I would love to
see more of that in romancebooks.
Because women deserve to havethat stage too, you know?
And, and yeah, so, I mean, Icould talk about that for
literally hours

Jordan (57:20):
No, me too.
But you've had a really longcouple days, like full, almost
full 24 hours.
So we won't keep you muchlonger.
Is there anything else youwanted that you didn't get a
chance to mention or

Chelsea (57:34):
You're like, what, what else is she going to spill?

Devonnie (57:37):
I know, I mean, I'm, I'm like, I'm, I love the
crumbs.
I live for the crumbs.
I

Chelsea (57:50):
say in the hockey series, cause everyone asked me,
Liam is next is coming out inOctober.
Hudson will be after that.
and then who's after that?
Uh, uh, no, Lexi's after that.
And then, uh, coach will be bookfive.

Jordan (58:05):
yeah, I can't wait for

Chelsea (58:06):
and just

Devonnie (58:07):
can't wait for Coach, yeah.
I'm very

Chelsea (58:09):
your eyes open in the books because yeah, um, yeah,
I'm very excited about Piper andLiam.
It's tropes I've never writtenbefore and I'm excited for
people to, to read them andit's, you know, it's fun and
it's a good time and it's, it'ssexy and fun and yeah, so I'm
excited.
I'm excited about that one

Devonnie (58:28):
want in our books.

Chelsea (58:29):
everything else.

Jordan (58:31):
Well, you'll be hearing from us.
I'm sure definitely hearing fromDev once she gets her hands on
that one.

Chelsea (58:36):
Also, Dev, I will, I would like to say that Dev was
one of the first people, I willsay, I've, Wasn't big on Tik
TOK, like me, like going on TikTOK.
I wasn't really big on Tik TOKuntil like the last couple of
months.
And then I'm like, Oh, thisactually helps me make money as
an author by like posting mybooks.
Like I had an off, like I had aTik TOK account, but I really
didn't do anything with it.

(58:57):
But Dev posted a video aboutunexpected paradise.
And, I remember I was inSanibel.
With my family.
Cause we have a time share downthere for a week long trip.
And I remember I was in goinginto publics and I got tagged in
the video and I was like, Oh myGod.
I'm like, and I sent it to mygroup of friends.
I go, is this person on Tik TOKwas talking about my book.

(59:20):
Yeah.
I was like, this is so cool.
I'm like, Oh my God, Chelsea.

Jordan (59:25):
You made her day.

Chelsea (59:27):
remember that.
You've been, you've

Devonnie (59:30):
I know I love it.
That was like my beginning, myentry into the world of Chelsea
Curto, but it's like one of myfavorite experiences too.
Since the beginning, yeah.
And I've just watched you keepgrowing.
I'm just like, so proud of you,truly.
But yeah, I'm here.
Ride or die.
Yeah,

Chelsea (59:47):
That's what I love.
That's what I love.
Oh, wait, I will show, I will dosomething.
Secretive.
Hold on.
Are, are people, can people seeor just here?

Jordan (59:57):
We sometimes will we can clip sometimes but it's just
like that's just choice thingsfor socials They usually just
hear but

Chelsea (01:00:04):
Okay.
Well, I'm going to showsomething

Jordan (01:00:06):
okay,

Devonnie (01:00:07):
Okay, so this will be a clip.
Okay.

Chelsea (01:00:09):
this is secret.
So you only, you can only, noshowing,

Jordan (01:00:13):
We won't show this.
This is just for our

Chelsea (01:00:15):
Well, maybe, Oh,

Devonnie (01:00:16):
Oh.

Chelsea (01:00:18):
So this it's not, this is not the finished one.
And I kind of, I showed thesketch in the Facebook group.
This is the, this is the covercolor that we're going with for
power play.
Can you see it?
Hold on.
It's really

Devonnie (01:00:33):
I can't see it.
What's

Chelsea (01:00:34):
Oh, no, wait, wait,

Jordan (01:00:35):
Dev is gonna crawl through.
Dev is gonna crawl through the

Chelsea (01:00:40):
wait, hold on, am I, this is the, hold on,

Devonnie (01:00:43):
Chelsea, please, figure it out.
Figure

Chelsea (01:00:45):
figure it out, I know, lock it up, lock it up Chelsea,
come on, come on, do something,wait,

Devonnie (01:00:51):
This is crazy.

Jordan (01:00:52):
has a heart attack on

Devonnie (01:00:54):
so Yeah, can you imagine?
My Apple Watch is about to warnme of like AFib or

Chelsea (01:00:58):
well now I'm like, which of these fits the, cause
of course my, um, I wonder if Iturn the brightness down, hold
on, maybe that will help.

Devonnie (01:01:06):
Oh, yeah, maybe.
Or if you tap it.

Jordan (01:01:08):
or sometimes if you like

Devonnie (01:01:09):
Okay, okay.

Chelsea (01:01:11):
the color?

Devonnie (01:01:12):
No, I can't see the color.
Oh interesting

Jordan (01:01:16):
it's like So cute.
Yeah, I saw the sketch and itlooks good.

Devonnie (01:01:19):
gonna look so good next to face off though.
Like I love

Jordan (01:01:22):
imagine here.
I'll put mine up here so you cansee it next

Devonnie (01:01:27):
No, it's gonna look so good

Jordan (01:01:29):
Yeah

Devonnie (01:01:30):
Ooh, I love these.

Chelsea (01:01:32):
we, um, yeah, a little fun little pop of color there.

Devonnie (01:01:38):
I love that!

Chelsea (01:01:39):
yeah, yeah.

Devonnie (01:01:42):
Suckers, you guys didn't get to see it.

Jordan (01:01:44):
And you always have such great like your character art is
so good

Chelsea (01:01:49):
love character.
I will literally pay a thousanddollars for character art.

Jordan (01:01:53):
my

Chelsea (01:01:53):
I like it.
Readers like it.
It gets good engagement onInstagram, you know.

Jordan (01:02:00):
Yeah, so my daughter saw them and she's like, she, cause
the package had just come and Iwas opening them up, and she's
two and a half, and she goes,Oh, mama, who's that?
And I was like, Oh, this is Emmyand Maverick, and I like, scroll
to the, I like, look at theback, I'm like, okay, there's a
sticky note over it, but I'mlike, I don't know.
I'm gonna take this one out.
You don't get that one.
Like

Chelsea (01:02:20):
Keep that one far away.
This is a, this is one of Piperand Liam.

Jordan (01:02:25):
Oh,

Devonnie (01:02:26):
I will freak out! Stop! Liam! Daddy! Gold Daddy!
Goalie Daddy, is that

Jordan (01:02:33):
Oh! And

Devonnie (01:02:38):
I am biting at the bars of my enclosure right now.

Chelsea (01:02:42):
yeah, they're um,

Devonnie (01:02:44):
that the woman over his shoulder?
Oh my gosh, sorry,

Chelsea (01:02:48):
little tattoos.

Jordan (01:02:48):
you get to see his shoulders.
Look at the shoulders.
Man.

Devonnie (01:02:51):
the back, the back,

Jordan (01:02:52):
Is that a tattoo?
That's a tattoo.

Devonnie (01:02:54):
Wow.

Chelsea (01:02:55):
a little hockey player.

Jordan (01:02:57):
Oh, listeners.
Don't you wish this was aYouTube channel?

Devonnie (01:03:01):
right.
You're just gonna have to waituntil PowerPlate comes out.

Chelsea (01:03:06):
I love character art.
I've liked character art forlike eight books down the, down
the line.
I'm like, this book won't comeout until 2026, but we're going
to go ahead and just do somecharacter art right now.
So

Devonnie (01:03:18):
I love that.
I love that.
I

Jordan (01:03:20):
I love the style of them too.
They're

Chelsea (01:03:23):
yes.
Yeah.
The, the people that do, youknow, they're all so talented.
And I remember someone was like,Did you draw these?
I'm like, no, absolutely

Jordan (01:03:33):
Someone can only be so talented in so many

Devonnie (01:03:35):
Right, there's only so many things that

Chelsea (01:03:38):
Well, and like,

Devonnie (01:03:39):
skilled at

Chelsea (01:03:40):
what I admire about them is like, I'm like, um, this
is what I'm in math, like, thisis what I'm envisioning.
And they're like, Oh, like this.
And I'm like, that's literallywhat I'd stop my

Devonnie (01:03:48):
Exactly

Chelsea (01:03:49):
I would have driven, uh, drawn a stick figure.
So,

Devonnie (01:03:52):
Yeah

Chelsea (01:03:53):
you know, you know, a

Jordan (01:03:55):
Well, thank you for that sneak peek.

Chelsea (01:03:58):
little parting.
Parting of,

Devonnie (01:04:00):
that just

Chelsea (01:04:01):
yeah, goodbye, the goodbye present.

Devonnie (01:04:04):
And Chelsea, do you want to drop your socials real
quick?

Chelsea (01:04:07):
Oh, yes, where am I?
Instagram at authorchelseaCurto.
Threads is the same.
And I think my TikTok is atchelseareadsandwrites.
I have two.
I have one that is managed bysomebody else.
So that one is Author ChelseaCurto, and I think the one I
manage is at Chelsea Reads andWrites as I'm looking on my Tiki

(01:04:31):
Taki right now.
Yes, Chelsea Reads and Writes.
That's me.

Jordan (01:04:35):
Perfect.

Chelsea (01:04:36):
That is me.

Jordan (01:04:37):
Much.
Thank you.
Well, thanks everyone forlistening to us ramble with
Chelsea Curto.
If you're looking for moreromance Recs, let us know.
Or more interviews in thefuture, because we do have some
lined up.
Be sure to follow us onInstagram and TikTok at Romance
Recs Pod.
Also, you can find us over onour Discord server, Romance

(01:04:58):
Recs.
You can find our favorite bookRecs from our episodes, as well
as behind the scenes content,again, at Romance Recs Pod.
So make sure to give us afollow, and we'll be back in a
week or two, depending on whenthis comes out, with another
episode.

Chelsea (01:05:13):
Thanks y'all.

Devonnie (01:05:14):
follow guys.
Thanks for having us.
Thanks for being here.

Chelsea (01:05:19):
Thanks for being here