My guest this week is Tara Tai, whose debut novel SINGLE PLAYER came out this January. It’s a queer rom-com about two video game developers who clash over whether or not to include romantic storylines in their blockbuster new game Compass Hollow.

Tara and I talked about what it was like for them to write a romance novel about gaming culture, and the similar social stigma of romance and gaming as adult hobbies. What are the key differences between writing a romance novel and a romantic video game storyline, and what games should romance readers play next? Plus, how the immersive experience of video games leads to incredible storytelling at its best… and dangerous fan behavior at its worst. 

Follow Tara on Instagram @tarzaparzagagapan, on Bluesky @taratai.com‬, and at their website taratai.com.

Purchase SINGLE PLAYER and other romance novels featured on Rebel Ever After in my affiliate Bookshop at bookshop.org/lists/rebel-ever-after

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Games mentioned include: 

• Ghost of Yotei
• Date Everything
• Dragon Age: The Vielgard
• Dungeons and dragons
• Clair Obscur
• Split Fiction
• Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Stardew Valley
• The Sims
• Rollercoaster Tycoon
• Baldur’s Gate
• Dragon Age
• Mass Effect
• Fire Emblem
• The Last of Us Part I and II

Books mentioned: 

• Love In Focus, Lyla Lee