Fairytales, Dark Romance & Writing from the Heart with Naima Simone

What this episode covers

What happens when a seventh-grader decides no one else is qualified to write her love story with a member of New Edition? A publishing career is born. USA Today bestselling author Naima Simone joins host Samantha Tennant on the Fresh Fiction Video Book Club for a wide-ranging conversation about sizzling romance, emotionally complex characters, and the creative leap that led to her darkest book yet. Naima talks about how a psychology degree she never used informs her deeply layered characters, why she writes stories she would want to read, and how her pastor-counselor father became an unexpected sounding board for her books. She also goes deep on her fairytale reimagining series — including Huntsman (Snow White reimagined as a dark mafia romance) and the upcoming Ember (Cinderella) and Beast (Beauty and the Beast) — and what it means to give Snow White the agency the original story never allowed her. Plus, Fresh Fiction Facts: Slim Jims on road trips, a five-minute zombie apocalypse survival estimate, a twin sister who refuses to read her books, and a dog with legendary side-eye. This one is a must for romance readers and anyone who loves getting inside the creative mind of an author who writes with her whole heart.

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