Romance Out Loud

The time is getting near.  Chadrick's holiday festivities are well underway but all that good cheer will turn into anguish if you don't heed one simple warning from Chadrick.   Kris welcomes Denise Milano-Sprung, a friend of the show who co-hosts a blog called Shh, Mom’s Reading (shhmoms.com) which is described as "a book blog run by two Moms who find their sanity in books."  Yup, moms read gay romance too! Denise also has another passion. She is an advocate for mental health.  A touching, personal event changed her life and now Denise is out to honor a loved one and remove the stigma that burdens others with mental health issues.      

Kris chats with Rocco Paone (R. Paone to his fans), a new author to the gay romance scene who Kris met through the Romance Out Loud Facebook page!  Rocco is crafting several books about gay romantic experiences under his Only If series.  He's put a little of his own experiences into his books and mixes in some intrigue and sexual passion to come up with some great reads. For Chadrick, it’s more like what if? as he goes down a very dark and perverted universe where characters in old sitcoms get it on.  The question shouldn’t be what if? but WTF?

Kris and Chadrick follow up their Thanksgiving holiday with more talk about food.  Ugh, we know.  Yet barely food comatose, they trudge along to rattle off their views on Black Friday, the legendary day after Thanksgiving when holiday shoppers become wild boars for the TV cameras and we holier-than-thou observers turn our noses up and denounce such atrocious displays of savagery -- because we shop online for the same crap. Roni Coghill chats with Kris about being a lesbian mom of not just 6 kids, but 6 adopted kids, from foreign lands, as young adults.  Way to go woman!  The "L" word here is love.

Kris and Chadrick talk turkey as the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving approaches.  But first, Chadrick swears he can live in Alaska ... as long as he's bundled up like a body in a rug after a mafia hit.  OK he didn't put it THAT way, but he's feeling the chills! Chadrick welcomes a special guest, Robert L. Camina.  Robert is a filmmaker, writer and director who's in Dallas for the screening of his latest documentary film, Upstairs Inferno.  The film is narrated by our previous guest, author and New Orleans native, Christopher Rice.   The film deals with the aftermath of a fire at a gay bar in 1973 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  It was deliberately set and took the lives of over 30 people, but was largely under-reported and under-investigated.  Upstairs Inferno looks at the largest mass murder of gay people in U.S. history from the perspective of survivors and others who lost loved ones on that fateful day.  This was a date in LGBT history that has sadly been forgotten and hardly ever told -- until now.

Kris laments a recent LGBT rights setback at the ballot box, while speaking of politics, Chadrick contemplates running for office himself ... handing out decoration violations.  He does get down from his stump speech long enough to sing the praises of some of his favorite political dramas on television. Kris enjoys an author-to-author chat with New York Times best-selling author Christopher Rice. Having made his mark penning thriller novels, Christopher has recently created works of erotic romance, highlighted by his 1,001 Dark Nights series. He also co-hosts his own internet radio program, The Dinner Party Show. 

Chadrick waxes poetic about Halloweens past and provides a "hairy" story about his antics during those days gone by.  Kris gets Chadrick to admit that Halloween does not top his list for special days either. Author A.E. Via talks to Kris about her hot covers and stories and what it's like being a woman writing about gay male romance.  Here's a hint: EVERYBODY thinks it's hot!

It's Halloween and what's scarier than Chadrick and Kris trying to be, well, scary? Don't get bug-eyed by this episode. Halloween is upon us and for Chadrick that means, beware ... and behold the wonder that is this darkest of days. Film director Israel Luna talks to Chadrick and Kris about mixing comedy and terror in his most famous film, Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives. Oh yea, there's that thing about using an offensive term in a movie title that garnered a bit of controversy.  But is all forgiven now? Even if it's not, Israel promises there will be more bloodshed! You'll just have to wait for the next film.

The long-awaited return of Chadrick Douglas brings some candid talk about annoying people on a cruise.  The good news is that Chadrick and Steve returned with their relationship intact ... despite screaming children, in-laws and lots and lots of pushy seniors!  Tiki doll myth busted! Kris talks to his editor about what it takes to reign in the egos and expectations of romance writers to produce the right kind of book.  If you ever want to know how good authors get even better, look no further than their editors.  Kim Guidroz has dealt with many authors and has made them all shine!

As Chadrick sails the ocean blue, the show's producer Mike sits in one more time and wishes Chadrick luck as he shares stories of other trips to Hawaii that have not gone so well -- especially one involving a famous television family.  Kris talks dating in the online world with a former Grand Poobah of Profiles, Lord of Lewdness and Overseer of "Oh My!" at a major online dating company. Get ready for some facts about online dating and hope you don't start a war against something.

Chadrick is off to Hawaii and out of the studio with a promise to call in and check with the show.  Remember that promise about the Pride parade float and Periscope event?  We thought so.  That's why Mike the Producer sits in for Chadrick to talk about ... well ... Chadrick!   Kris interviews romance author Jeff Rivera who tell Kris about his interesting journey from being homeless to living in Costa Rica while writing books of all stripes.  Under a different pen name, Jamie Lake, Jeff writes steamy gay romance novels, but it's not beyond him to attach his namesake to other works, even books for young adults.

Kris chats with Chadrick about his upcoming cruise and traveling with in-laws.  Author Sandrine Gasq-Dion joins Kris in a lively conversation about her series of gay romance books and other fun topics.  Did you know that Channing Tatum and Ian Somerhalder could be a thing?  Sandrine's body of work focuses on Male-Male romance and her Assassin/Shifter series of books takes things to another level, sometimes deep and dark.

Chadrick sings like a canary, unable to live with his own little fib.  Author Riley Hart shares her book series which takes the hard outer core of divergent lives and breaks them down into sensual romantic tales. Riley uses her dreams for inspiration at times, proving that authors are always thinking and their characters are ever so active even when their creators are not.  Did we mention that Riley has the best book covers ever?

Robert Peters started up the Dallas-Ft. Worth chapter of Gay for Good, an organization dedicated to sharing the best of the LGBT community with the larger population through volunteerism.  Robert shares a very personal and moving story with Chadrick about his experience with being gay in the military, the thrill of getting married and the anquish of having to end the marriage.  He gives advice about what everybody should know before making the big decision now that marriage equality is the law of the land.

It’s Kris’ birthday month and our regular host takes a break from the studio chair but Chadrick will have none of it. He teams up with previous guest and best-selling author Lexi Blake to reel Kris in while he’s out promoting his new book (The Marine in Unit A, which by the way you must get!) and make him the guest interviewee for a change. Step "gingerly" during this episode. You’ll know why when you listen.  

Chadrick suffers a great loss (really, it's not that big a deal) and Kris interviews prolific reader, writer, shifter fan and menage creator Carrie Anne Ryan.  Did you know that some authors hear voices in their heads?  OK, maybe it's nothing new, but did you also know that some authors give colors to different sex acts?  It's all in the name of hot romance. Give a listen!  

In a slight detour from our interviews with romance authors, special guest and friend of the show Sabrina Pandora joins Kris and Chadrick to talk about the myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings many people have about transgender individuals. It's not what you'd expect.  Then again, neither is Sabrina!

From Wall Street to barely a Main Street, Sarina Bowen takes her love of sports and her bucolic surroundings to craft best-selling romantic stories for many tastes and lifestyles.  One gay-themed story involving two college athletes who reconnect years after a life-changing encounter has recently made the USA Today's Best Seller list -- a rarity for a gay themed book!  

New York Times best selling author Lexi Blake joins Kris and Chadrick to discuss the role that fantasies play in delivering great romantic novels and how the chemistry has to be just right when writing scenes involving multiple partners.  Kris gets taken for a ride and Chadrick lets everyone really know what role he thinks some people actually play in bed.

Kris and Chadrick walk the gay tightrope across the religious divide and Chadrick adds a romantic story about bouncing a check across the Atlantic.  Romance author L.A. Witt reveals her many hats and names as she pens multiple works featuring gay characters in the military and the church.

Just after the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling in favor of the recognition of same-sex marriage, Kris sat down for a phone chat with author Damon Suede about his transition from exotic dancer to gay romance author, with our apologies to Houstonians in the process.