Welcome to Story Deep Dive!

In this episode, book coaches and editors Rachel and Dana look back on their very first full year of the podcast—11 books, nearly 50 episodes, and a whole lot of craft talk and chaos.

Whether you’re a writer, editor, or story-obsessed reader, you’ll gain valuable insights on how discussing books changes your perspective, how genre and niche shape author branding, and how reading outside your comfort zone can sharpen your craft.

You can also watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube!

Estimate Timestamps

00:00 – “We Actually Did It”: Launching and Sustaining the Podcast

Dana kicks things off with pure gratitude and disbelief: after years of talking about doing a podcast—making lists, dreaming, and delaying—they finally did it, and they stuck with it. She jokes about wanting an acceptance speech and thanks Rachel for being endlessly patient and organized as they navigated recording days around “very, very, very busy schedules.”

They talk about how natural the conversations feel, since talking about books is already a core part of their friendship and professional relationship. The hardest part isn’t the content—it’s the scheduling and the brain exhaustion that hits after a long recording day. Still, they’re proud of the “reps” they’ve put in: about 50 episodes recorded over roughly 12 recording sessions.

Dana also shares that some of her favorite moments don’t make it on mic: the giggles, hot takes, and “mumble mushmouth” bloopers before they hit record. Those behind-the-scenes moments are part of what makes this project so fun and worth it.

04:00 – How Talking About Story Changes How You See It

Rachel reflects on how their process reshapes their opinions of the books they read. There are many times when their initial reactions shift after a full, structured conversation. A book that felt “fine” at first can suddenly click into place once they step back, look at the full picture, and talk through character, structure, and execution as coaches.

She explains that articulating why a story works—rather than just feeling that it does—deepens her understanding of the craft. Dana agrees, noting that she often recommends books based on instinct and market awareness, but the podcast forces her to unpack those instincts and explain what’s working on the page and in the marketplace.

They highlight how this year has given them a shared story vocabulary and a growing archive of examples they can reference in future episodes and with their clients.

09:00 – Surprise Favorites: The Woman in the Library, Ninth House, and More

Rachel asks Dana which of her (Rachel’s) picks surprised Dana the most in a good way. Dana jokes that every time Rachel gives her a book, she wonders if “this might be the one that kills me”—especially with heavier titles like The Whistleblower.

The standout surprise for Dana is The Woman in the Library. It isn’t a book she would have picked up on her own, but once she started, she realized she genuinely loved it: the characters, the story, and the experience. It’s the kind of book she’d happily read in a physical copy, slowly and comfortably.

She also reaffirms her love for Ninth House, which she considers her favorite among Rachel’s earlier picks, even outside the context of the podcast.

This section underscores how their contrasting tastes—crime and dark fantasy from Rachel’s side, romance-forward stories from Dana’s—have pushed each other into new reading territories and broadened their craft lens.

14:00 – Romance Niches, Market Positioning, and the Twisted Love Revelation

Rachel then answers the same “surprise pick” question and lands on Twisted Love. It’s not a book she would seek out on her own or a niche she naturally gravitates toward, and her initial reaction—especially after the first sex scene—was full-on pearl-clutching. She sent Dana a dramatic Polo asking, “Ma’am, what in the tarnation do you have me reading?”

But after dissecting it on the podcast and hearing Dana’s perspective, the book became a powerful case study. Rachel was fascinated by how Anna Huang leveraged dark romance elements while still keeping the story firmly in the contemporary romance space. In Rachel’s view, this balance was even more successful than in Beautifully Cruel, making Twisted Love a masterclass in author branding and market positioning.

Dana uses this to explain why many of her picks are current or recent bestsellers. Her clients are writing and publishing now, not two years from now, so she needs to understand what’s actively working in the market—even if those books aren’t what some would consider “literary.” It’s not about prestige; it’s about understanding why a book stays on the bestseller list for years and what that means for structure, tropes, and reader promise.

22:00 – Building a Reading Arc on Purpose and Planning Future Lineups

Dana reflects on how her picks formed a progression, even if it wasn’t fully intentional:

Things We Never Got Over as a foundational steamy contemporary.

Beautifully Cruel and Twisted Love as stepping stones into darker, edgier territory.

Sin and Chocolate as a PNR gateway with slow-burn worldbuilding.

This created a natural arc for listeners and for Rachel, showing just how broad the romance shelf really is. It ties into their ongoing conversation about branding—knowing where you sit, what you promise your readers, and how your stories show up in the market.

Rachel shares that she almost didn’t include Sharp Objects in a future season because it’s deeply uncomfortable, even though she loves it. She worried Dana might hate it, which led them to pick Janet Evanovich earlier in the year instead. But with Dana’s reassurance to “just pick your books,” Sharp Objects is officially on the list.

Dana, in turn, teases an ultra-dark romance title she’s tempted to add—a book that would keep Rachel’s pearls permanently clutched but would be structurally close to Rachel’s literary sensibilities. She hints that listeners will know when they get there, suggesting even more intense, craft-rich reads are on the horizon.

29:00 – Reading Outside Your Lane: Ninth House, Twitch, and Embracing Discomfort

They revisit Ninth House as a prime example of how reading outside your lane can stretch you. Dana recounts the shock of one particular scene: she stopped mid-walk, sent frantic messages to Rachel, and had to rewind the audio because she was so stunned and confused. Despite the initial discomfort, she’s eager to reread the book now that the shock has worn off so she can study what Bardugo did on the page—particularly with theme, darkness, and structure.

Rachel connects this to her own growth in embracing discomfort and challenge, including her time streaming on Twitch. Being publicly visible while lost, scared, or stuck in a game has made her more willing to tackle books and projects that throw her out of her depth. She now welcomes “trial by fire” as part of her growth as a coach and storyteller.

Dana notes that while these darker books aren’t always her personal sweet spot, they’re creatively useful and reaffirm her identity as a romance reader. She knew she loved romance before, but this year made that knowledge ironclad.

34:00 – What They Didn’t Get to (Yet): Fantasy, Shifters, and Thrillers

As they look back and forward at the same time, they talk about what didn’t make it into this year’s lineup—but might in future seasons.

Dana would have loved to have:

A true fantasy or romantasy pick, beyond PNR-adjacent books like Sin and Chocolate and the genre-blending Ninth House.

A wolf shifter / shape shifter story, which is closer to her own creative playground.

She also talks about the quiet curation happening behind her picks: she’s intentionally thinking about representation, minority characters, subgenre variety, and market relevance with each choice. She’s happy with how this year’s list balanced those priorities and how early picks set up later conversations.

Rachel mentions wanting to bring in a straight thriller at some point—perhaps classic or widely read authors like James Patterson (Alex Cross) or David Baldacci (The 6:20 Man)—both for their own sake and as comparison points for romantic suspense and crime-driven stories.

They reference Mistborn as an upcoming pick that will expand their conversations about worldbuilding and magic systems, giving them even more cross-genre craft tools to work with.

37:00 – Looking Ahead: Audience Picks, Endless TBRs, and Happy Writing

To close, Dana shares a dream: once they’ve grown the audience more, she’d love to have listener-chosen books a couple of times a year—titles where the audience says, “We need to hear you talk about this.” It would feel risky and unpredictable, but also incredibly fun. Rachel admits she doesn’t love unpredictability, but she’s game, trusting that they can have a good time with almost anything.

They circle back to the heart of the episode: they’re grateful they finally did the thing they’d talked about for years, and they’re even more excited about what’s coming next. With more books, more subgenres, and more cross-genre craft conversations on the horizon, they feel like they’re just getting started.

They sign off by inviting listeners to keep reading, keep writing, and keep exploring stories with them.

Next Episode

In the next episode, Rachel and Dana will d