Episode Details

Too many mafia romances rely on the exact same blueprint: a sheltered damsel in distress sold off for family alliances while a hardened mobster pulls the strings. Today, I am joined by dark romance author Natasha K Lauren to celebrate the release of her debut novel, Make Me, and talk about flipping tired mafia conventions completely on their head. 

Inspired by late-night mafia media binges, a strong martini, and a desire to see women fully in charge of their own narrative, Natasha crafted a universe where matriarchs and patriarchs lead with equal authority. We dig into her journey from writing cozy sapphic romance to embracing gritty, explicit fiction, the importance of modeling safe sex and enthusiastic consent in dark romance, and why a fully formed adult heroine who refuses to back down makes all the difference. 

Natasha K Lauren is a dark romance author who began her writing career penning sapphic romances before turning her focus to gritty, high-heat romantic suspense. Her debut dark mafia romance, Make Me, is the first installment in a multi-book series of interconnected standalones following the powerful Moretti syndicate and the fierce women who challenge them. 

In this episode, we're discussing:

• Natasha’s self-taught journey from storytelling bedtime plots to navigating querying and craft books.
• How a late-night dirty martini and a craving for The Sopranos sparked the premise of Make Me.
• Subverting the mafia princess trope: equal-partner parents, self-sufficient heroines, and rejecting the passive damsel role.
• Gia and Nico’s dynamic: stoic ex-marine bodyguards, protective custody, and a heroine who acts as the unapologetic pursuer.
• The transition from sweet sapphic romance to explicit open-door writing without censoring the page.
• Why on-page safe sex conversations and enthusiastic consent belong in dark romance.
• Moving past the reformed player cliché in favor of heroines and heroes with genuine codes of honor.
• A preview of the next standalone installments in the series.

CONNECT WITH NATASHA K LAUREN:

Website: natashaklauren.com

Instagram: @natashaklauren

TikTok: @natashaklauren

BOOKS/AUTHORS MENTIONED:

Make Me by Natasha K Lauren

Sacha Black (Author of The Anatomy of Prose)

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

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Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or borrow a book through these links, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.

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Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

This podcast was produced by Galati Media.
Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.