I&apos;m back! After a few months away, I&apos;m back in the closet with a mic, some iced coffee, and a lot to get into. In this episode I catch up on my May TBR, I talk about the 12 Lives Challenge,   about my Hallmark mystery obsession and what it has to do with writing romance, I break down the release plan for Standard of Care, and get into event season.Beverage Break: Iced coffee. It was 11 a.m.  Book Report2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge: 53 of 150 books — 35% toward goal, 4 books ahead of schedule.What I want to get read in May: <ul><li>These Heathens: A Novel — Mia McKenzie (listening on audio)</li><li>Ms. Lorraine&apos;s Late-in-Life Love — T.L. Martin | A reverse age-gap novella set in the world of The Black Wife Effect in the Cinnamon Grove neighborhood. 1 Read it in one night. Delightful — especially if you&apos;re 40+ and into romance.</li><li>L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood — Anne Soon Choi | The next 12 Lives Challenge read.</li><li>Mist and Malice (Haven #2) — Rachel Howzell Hall</li><li>The Drowning Season — Debra Webb | ALC from NetGalley. Releases approximately May 12th.</li><li>Sunset Over Napa Valley — Monica Garner | ARC that is no longer an ARC — released April 28th. Getting to it.</li></ul>The 12 Lives ChallengeHosted by Dr. Raymond Williams (<a href='https://www.instagram.com/rtwilliams16/'>@rtwilliams16</a>). The goal: read 12 biographies in 2026. The rule: biographies only! No memoirs, no autobiographies. It has to be a book about someone, written by someone else.  Join in and use the hashtag #the12liveschallenge.DL&apos;s progress — 4 of 12:<ol><li>The Smartest Guys in the Room — Bethany McLean &amp; Peter Elkind (the fall of Enron)</li><li>The Wizard of Lies — Diana B. Henriques (Bernie Madoff)</li><li>The Butler: A Witness to History — Wil Haygood</li><li>G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century — Beverly Gage</li></ol>What I&apos;m Streaming<ul><li>Garage Sale Mysteries — amateur sleuth, small town, cozy stakes, killer always gets caught</li><li>Haley Dean Mysteries</li><li>Mystery 101</li><li>Occasional free mystery movies on Hulu and YouTube</li></ul>Why it connects to writing: Romance and cozy mystery run on the same contract with the reader: the outcome is known going in. The satisfying ending is guaranteed.  The work is in stacking complications, near-misses, and tension so the reader stays engaged even when they know where it&apos;s going. That is the exact problem a romance writer solves every time they sit down.Low stakes, familiar structure, no emotional tax after months of finishing a book is  not a guilty pleasure, it is maintenance and self care. Writing &amp; Publishing UpdateCrime Writers of Color PodcastI sat down with Robert Justice on the Crime Writers of Col <a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support">Support the show</a> Stay connected:Visit my website–<a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'>Booksbydlwhite.com</a>Join my newsletter – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'>booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter</a>Follow me on Substack–<a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'>Main Substack</a> | <a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'>Short Fiction Substack</a>Buy books &amp; merch – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'>booksbydlwhite.com/shop</a>Support this show with a recurring gift at <a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'>bookcast.buzzsprout.com</a> or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you really liked it, tell a friend.

<description>&lt;p&gt;I&amp;apos;m back! After a few months away, I&amp;apos;m back in the closet with a mic, some iced coffee, and a lot to get into. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode I catch up on my May TBR, I talk about the 12 Lives Challenge,   about my Hallmark mystery obsession and what it has to do with writing romance, I break down the release plan for &lt;em&gt;Standard of Care&lt;/em&gt;, and get into event season.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Beverage Break: Iced coffee. It was 11 a.m.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Report&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge:&lt;/b&gt; 53 of 150 books — 35% toward goal, 4 books ahead of schedule.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What I want to get read in May: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;These Heathens: A Novel&lt;/em&gt; — Mia McKenzie (listening on audio)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ms. Lorraine&amp;apos;s Late-in-Life Love&lt;/em&gt; — T.L. Martin | A reverse age-gap novella set in the world of &lt;em&gt;The Black Wife Effect&lt;/em&gt; in the Cinnamon Grove neighborhood. 1 Read it in one night. Delightful — especially if you&amp;apos;re 40+ and into romance.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood&lt;/em&gt; — Anne Soon Choi | The next 12 Lives Challenge read.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mist and Malice (Haven #2)&lt;/em&gt; — Rachel Howzell Hall&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Drowning Season&lt;/em&gt; — Debra Webb | ALC from NetGalley. Releases approximately May 12th.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sunset Over Napa Valley&lt;/em&gt; — Monica Garner | ARC that is no longer an ARC — released April 28th. Getting to it.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The 12 Lives Challenge&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hosted by Dr. Raymond Williams (&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/rtwilliams16/'&gt;@rtwilliams16&lt;/a&gt;). The goal: read 12 biographies in 2026. The rule: biographies only! No memoirs, no autobiographies. It has to be a book about someone, written by someone else.  Join in and use the hashtag &lt;b&gt;#the12liveschallenge&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;DL&amp;apos;s progress — 4 of 12:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Smartest Guys in the Room&lt;/em&gt; — Bethany McLean &amp;amp; Peter Elkind (the fall of Enron)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Wizard of Lies&lt;/em&gt; — Diana B. Henriques (Bernie Madoff)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Butler: A Witness to History&lt;/em&gt; — Wil Haygood&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century&lt;/em&gt; — Beverly Gage&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;What I&amp;apos;m Streaming&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Garage Sale Mysteries&lt;/b&gt; — amateur sleuth, small town, cozy stakes, killer always gets caught&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Haley Dean Mysteries&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Mystery 101&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Occasional free mystery movies on Hulu and YouTube&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Why it connects to writing:&lt;/b&gt; Romance and cozy mystery run on the same contract with the reader: the outcome is known going in. The satisfying ending is guaranteed.  The work is in stacking complications, near-misses, and tension so the reader stays engaged even when they know where it&amp;apos;s going. That is the exact problem a romance writer solves every time they sit down.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Low stakes, familiar structure, no emotional tax after months of finishing a book is  not a guilty pleasure, it is maintenance and self care. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Writing &amp;amp; Publishing Update&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Crime Writers of Color Podcast&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I sat down with &lt;b&gt;Robert Justice&lt;/b&gt; on the Crime Writers of Col&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Stay connected:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit my website–&lt;a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'&gt;Booksbydlwhite.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join my newsletter – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow me on Substack–&lt;a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Main Substack&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Short Fiction Substack&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buy books &amp;amp; merch – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/shop&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Support this show with a recurring gift at &lt;a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;bookcast.buzzsprout.com&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp;amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt; really&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; liked it, tell a friend.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

I'm back! After a few months away, I'm back in the closet with a mic, some iced coffee, and a lot to get into.  In this episode I catch up on my May TBR, I talk about the 12 Lives Challenge,   about my Hallmark mystery obsession and what it has to do with writing romance, I break down the release plan for Standard of Care, and get into event season. Beverage Break: Iced coffee. It was 11 a.m.   Book Report 2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge: 53 of 150 books — 35% toward goal, 4 b...

Bookcast Episode 137: The Mic Was Right Where I Left It

Why get dressed when Sunday is pajama-shaped? That’s all I have to say about that. In Episode 136 of The Bookcast, I’m talking through my January reading, checking in on the book that is BOOKING, and sharing a few updates and thoughts that came up along the way. It’s a quiet, at-home episode, recorded without much planning and very much in the spirit of a monthly check-in.Books Mentioned in Episode 136Am Reading: <ul><li>Nobody Heard a Thing — Angela Henry</li><li>Mr. and Mrs. Taylor: A Toxic Love Story — Shea Sanders</li></ul>January Reads<ul><li>Kin — Tayari Jones</li><li>No One Knew — Kendra Elliott</li><li>Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget — Zuri Day</li><li>Behind These Four Walls — Yasmin Angoe</li><li>Seven Daughters of Dupree — Nikisha Elise Williams</li><li>The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust — Diana B. Henriques</li><li>The Smartest Guys in the Room — Bethany McLean &amp; Peter Elkind</li><li>Groove — Bernice L. McFadden</li><li>If I Ruled the World — Janelle Williams (Amy DuBois Barnett)</li><li>The Wilderness — Angela Flournoy</li><li>Inside Man — John McMahon</li><li>In Black and White — Nia Forrester</li><li>Her Cold Justice — Robert Dugoni</li><li>The Fire That Burns — Kay Sine</li><li>Before the Streetlights Come On — Ashley Antoinette</li><li>Sundown Girls — L.S. Stratton</li><li>Yours Forever — Farrah Rochon</li><li>I Don’t Wish You Well — Jumata Emill</li></ul>Upcoming Appearances <ul><li>Black Romance Book Fest — Atlanta — May (pre-orders open on Beventi)</li><li>Wine with Writers — Baltimore — June (Preorders coming soon!) </li></ul> <a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support">Support the show</a> Stay connected:Visit my website–<a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'>Booksbydlwhite.com</a>Join my newsletter – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'>booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter</a>Follow me on Substack–<a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'>Main Substack</a> | <a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'>Short Fiction Substack</a>Buy books &amp; merch – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'>booksbydlwhite.com/shop</a>Support this show with a recurring gift at <a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'>bookcast.buzzsprout.com</a> or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you really liked it, tell a friend.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Why get dressed when Sunday is pajama-shaped? That’s all I have to say about that. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In Episode 136 of &lt;em&gt;The Bookcast&lt;/em&gt;, I’m talking through my January reading, checking in on the book that is BOOKING, and sharing a few updates and thoughts that came up along the way. It’s a quiet, at-home episode, recorded without much planning and very much in the spirit of a monthly check-in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Books Mentioned in Episode 136&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Am Reading: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Nobody Heard a Thing — Angela Henry&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Mr. and Mrs. Taylor: A Toxic Love Story — Shea Sanders&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;January Reads&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Kin — Tayari Jones&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;No One Knew — Kendra Elliott&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget — Zuri Day&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Behind These Four Walls — Yasmin Angoe&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Seven Daughters of Dupree — Nikisha Elise Williams&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust — Diana B. Henriques&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Smartest Guys in the Room — Bethany McLean &amp;amp; Peter Elkind&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Groove — Bernice L. McFadden&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If I Ruled the World — Janelle Williams (Amy DuBois Barnett)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Wilderness — Angela Flournoy&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Inside Man — John McMahon&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;In Black and White — Nia Forrester&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Her Cold Justice — Robert Dugoni&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Fire That Burns — Kay Sine&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Before the Streetlights Come On — Ashley Antoinette&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Sundown Girls — L.S. Stratton&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Yours Forever — Farrah Rochon&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;I Don’t Wish You Well — Jumata Emill&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Upcoming Appearances &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Black Romance Book Fest — Atlanta — May (pre-orders open on Beventi)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Wine with Writers — Baltimore — June (Preorders coming soon!) &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Stay connected:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit my website–&lt;a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'&gt;Booksbydlwhite.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join my newsletter – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow me on Substack–&lt;a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Main Substack&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Short Fiction Substack&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buy books &amp;amp; merch – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/shop&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Support this show with a recurring gift at &lt;a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;bookcast.buzzsprout.com&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp;amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt; really&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; liked it, tell a friend.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Why get dressed when Sunday is pajama-shaped? That’s all I have to say about that.  In Episode 136 of The Bookcast, I’m talking through my January reading, checking in on the book that is BOOKING, and sharing a few updates and thoughts that came up along the way. It’s a quiet, at-home episode, recorded without much planning and very much in the spirit of a monthly check-in. Books Mentioned in Episode 136 Am Reading:  Nobody Heard a Thing — Angela HenryMr. and Mrs. Taylor: A Toxic Lo...

Bookcast Episode 136: Sunday is Pajama-shaped

In this episode, I share a reading update, a quick TV check-in, and an overview of the first project I’m pre-working for 2026.Book Report I’m currently 7 books into my 150-book reading goal for the year. Most of my reading this week was in audio.Books discussed:<ul><li>Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget by Zuri Day</li><li>Behind These Four Walls by Yasmin Angoe</li><li>The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust by Diana B. Henriques</li><li>The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy</li><li>Groove by Bernice McFadden (writing as Geneva Holliday)</li><li>Kin by Tayari Jones</li></ul>I also mention the upcoming literary event featuring Tayari Jones in conversation with Pearl Cleage.TV Watchlist<ul><li>The Pitt (Season 2)</li><li>Will Trent</li><li>Currently stacking episodes of Elsbeth, Matlock, Reasonable Doubt, and Landman</li></ul>Writing Update I begin pre-work on my next novel, a medical romance centered on the consequences of a critical operating room incident and how systems, responsibility, and personal relationships collide.Find the full transcript, extended show notes, and links at <a href='https:// booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast135'> booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast135</a> <a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support">Support the show</a> Stay connected:Visit my website–<a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'>Booksbydlwhite.com</a>Join my newsletter – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'>booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter</a>Follow me on Substack–<a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'>Main Substack</a> | <a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'>Short Fiction Substack</a>Buy books &amp; merch – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'>booksbydlwhite.com/shop</a>Support this show with a recurring gift at <a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'>bookcast.buzzsprout.com</a> or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you really liked it, tell a friend.

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, I share a reading update, a quick TV check-in, and an overview of the first project I’m pre-working for 2026.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Report&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; I’m currently 7 books into my 150-book reading goal for the year. Most of my reading this week was in audio.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Books discussed:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget&lt;/em&gt; by Zuri Day&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Behind These Four Walls&lt;/em&gt; by Yasmin Angoe&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust&lt;/em&gt; by Diana B. Henriques&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Wilderness&lt;/em&gt; by Angela Flournoy&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Groove&lt;/em&gt; by Bernice McFadden (writing as Geneva Holliday)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kin&lt;/em&gt; by Tayari Jones&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;I also mention the upcoming literary event featuring Tayari Jones in conversation with Pearl Cleage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;TV Watchlist&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Pitt&lt;/em&gt; (Season 2)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Will Trent&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Currently stacking episodes of &lt;em&gt;Elsbeth&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Matlock&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Reasonable Doubt&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Landman&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Writing Update&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; I begin pre-work on my next novel, a medical romance centered on the consequences of a critical operating room incident and how systems, responsibility, and personal relationships collide.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Find the full transcript, extended show notes, and links at&lt;br/&gt;&lt;a href='https:// booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast135'&gt; &lt;b&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast135&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Stay connected:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit my website–&lt;a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'&gt;Booksbydlwhite.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join my newsletter – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow me on Substack–&lt;a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Main Substack&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Short Fiction Substack&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buy books &amp;amp; merch – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/shop&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Support this show with a recurring gift at &lt;a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;bookcast.buzzsprout.com&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp;amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt; really&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; liked it, tell a friend.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode, I share a reading update, a quick TV check-in, and an overview of the first project I’m pre-working for 2026. Book Report  I’m currently 7 books into my 150-book reading goal for the year. Most of my reading this week was in audio. Books discussed: Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget by Zuri DayBehind These Four Walls by Yasmin AngoeThe Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust by Diana B. HenriquesThe Wilderness by Angela FlournoyGroove by Bernice McFadden (writin...

Bookcast Episode 135: You Betta (Pre)Work

Welcome back to The Bookcast. I’m DL White, and this episode is an easy, unstructured start to Season 7!  I’m talking through how I approach a new year, what I’ve been reading, what I want to write, and how I’m easing into 2026 without forcing goals before I’m ready.Books mentioned in this episode: <ul><li>Kin — Tayari Jones (ebook, ARC)</li><li>No One Knew — Kendra Elliott (audiobook, ALC)</li><li>Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget — Zuri Day (audiobook, recent release)</li></ul>Books by DL White referenced<ul><li>Calculated Risk (now wide; ebook, print, and audio)</li><li>The Never List</li><li>Missing Persons</li><li>Hey Lover</li><li>Elysium</li><li>The Pearl</li></ul>Shorts &amp; Fanfiction<ul><li>A Misadventure in Cloudcroft, New Mexico</li><li>Questions and Answers (coming up on Substack sook)</li></ul>Writing Plans for 2026<ul><li>The goal is two &amp; a possible.</li><li>My first project of the year is in planning, anticipated to be ready before Black Romance Book Fest in May, which means drafting now and editing by late March.</li><li>I’m using 20K in Five Days (Jan 21–25) to get a strong foundation in place.</li><li>Continue producing shorter works to increase reader discovery </li><li>Writing new characters makes me more energized right now than forcing long-stalled series work.</li></ul>Everything else is light and in-flux. My year really begins in March, so I&apos;m ramping slowly. Strap in for the ride!  <a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support">Support the show</a> Stay connected:Visit my website–<a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'>Booksbydlwhite.com</a>Join my newsletter – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'>booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter</a>Follow me on Substack–<a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'>Main Substack</a> | <a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'>Short Fiction Substack</a>Buy books &amp; merch – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'>booksbydlwhite.com/shop</a>Support this show with a recurring gift at <a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'>bookcast.buzzsprout.com</a> or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you really liked it, tell a friend.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Welcome back to &lt;em&gt;The Bookcast&lt;/em&gt;. I’m DL White, and this episode is an easy, unstructured start to Season 7!  I’m talking through how I approach a new year, what I’ve been reading, what I want to write, and how I’m easing into 2026 without forcing goals before I’m ready.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Books mentioned in this episode: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kin&lt;/em&gt; — Tayari Jones (ebook, ARC)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;No One Knew&lt;/em&gt; — Kendra Elliott (audiobook, ALC)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget&lt;/em&gt; — Zuri Day (audiobook, recent release)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Books by DL White referenced&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Calculated Risk&lt;/em&gt; (now wide; ebook, print, and audio)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Never List&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Missing Persons&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hey Lover&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Elysium&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Pearl&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Shorts &amp;amp; Fanfiction&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Misadventure in Cloudcroft, New Mexico&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Questions and Answers (coming up on Substack sook)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Writing Plans for 2026&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The goal is &lt;b&gt;two &amp;amp; a possible&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;My first project of the year is in planning, anticipated to be ready before &lt;b&gt;Black Romance Book Fest in May&lt;/b&gt;, which means drafting now and editing by late March.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;I’m using &lt;b&gt;20K in Five Days (Jan 21–25)&lt;/b&gt; to get a strong foundation in place.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Continue producing shorter works to increase reader discovery &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Writing new characters makes me more energized right now than forcing long-stalled series work.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everything else is light and in-flux. My year really begins in March, so I&amp;apos;m ramping slowly. Strap in for the ride! &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Stay connected:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit my website–&lt;a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'&gt;Booksbydlwhite.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join my newsletter – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow me on Substack–&lt;a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Main Substack&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Short Fiction Substack&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buy books &amp;amp; merch – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/shop&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Support this show with a recurring gift at &lt;a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;bookcast.buzzsprout.com&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp;amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt; really&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; liked it, tell a friend.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Welcome back to The Bookcast. I’m DL White, and this episode is an easy, unstructured start to Season 7!  I’m talking through how I approach a new year, what I’ve been reading, what I want to write, and how I’m easing into 2026 without forcing goals before I’m ready. Books mentioned in this episode:  Kin — Tayari Jones (ebook, ARC)No One Knew — Kendra Elliott (audiobook, ALC)Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget — Zuri Day (audiobook, recent release)Books by DL White referenced Calcul...

Bookcast Episode 134:  Ima Letchu Finish...

In this episode, I’m wrapping up 2025! I talk through the books I released this year, how they performed, what I earned across platform (Amazon, wide and Wide and direct sales) and what I learned about my businesst through the year (hint: lean into audio!)I also share my reading year, including the 172 books I read in 2025, the genres I leaned into, and the standout reads that kept me entertained.  2025 was a year where I stayed busy on purpose to keep my wits about me, and I’m proud of the work I did.Topics covered:<ul><li>Why I make time every year to review accomplishments and challenges.</li><li>The projects I released in a catalog-building year</li><li>My top seller by units</li><li>Launch of Missing Persons- expanding genres</li><li>Companion novellas, seasonal releases, and catalog expanding projects</li><li>What my books earned in 2025 and where that money came from</li><li>My biggest income category</li><li>Wide sales vs Amazon performance</li><li>My thoughts on Kindle Unlimited as a short-term strategy</li><li>2025 Goodreads challenge and just HOW did I read that many books in 2025? </li><li>My top reads of the year, the genres I leaned into and what I avoided</li><li>What staying “busy on purpose” gave me during a demanding year</li><li>A brief look ahead to 2026 and what I’m thinking about next</li></ul>Mentioned in this episode:<ul><li>Grumpy Valentine</li><li>Missing Persons (Young Investigations, Book 1)</li><li>Drinks at Minks</li><li>Calculated Risk</li><li>Decorative Gourd Season</li><li>Layover</li><li>Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh</li><li>Edge by Tracy Clark</li><li>Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall</li><li>We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry</li><li>Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan</li><li>Bad Blood by John Carreyrou</li><li>A Devil Went Down To Georgia  by Deb Miller Landau</li></ul> <a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support">Support the show</a> Stay connected:Visit my website–<a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'>Booksbydlwhite.com</a>Join my newsletter – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'>booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter</a>Follow me on Substack–<a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'>Main Substack</a> | <a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'>Short Fiction Substack</a>Buy books &amp; merch – <a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'>booksbydlwhite.com/shop</a>Support this show with a recurring gift at <a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'>bookcast.buzzsprout.com</a> or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you really liked it, tell a friend.

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, I’m wrapping up 2025! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I talk through the books I released this year, how they performed, what I earned across platform (Amazon, wide and Wide and direct sales) and what I learned about my businesst through the year (hint: lean into audio!)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I also share my reading year, including the 172 books I read in 2025, the genres I leaned into, and the standout reads that kept me entertained.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2025 was a year where I stayed busy on purpose to keep my wits about me, and I’m proud of the work I did.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Topics covered:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why I make time every year to review accomplishments and challenges.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The projects I released in a catalog-building year&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;My top seller by units&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Launch of &lt;em&gt;Missing Persons- expanding genres&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Companion novellas, seasonal releases, and catalog expanding projects&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;What my books earned in 2025 and where that money came from&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;My biggest income category&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Wide sales vs Amazon performance&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;My thoughts on Kindle Unlimited as a short-term strategy&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;2025 Goodreads challenge and just HOW did I read that many books in 2025? &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;My top reads of the year, the genres I leaned into and what I avoided&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;What staying “busy on purpose” gave me during a demanding year&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;A brief look ahead to 2026 and what I’m thinking about next&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mentioned in this episode:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Grumpy Valentine&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Missing Persons&lt;/em&gt; (Young Investigations, Book 1)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Drinks at Minks&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Calculated Risk&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Decorative Gourd Season&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Layover&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Fifty-Fifty&lt;/em&gt; by Steve Cavanagh&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Edge&lt;/em&gt; by Tracy Clark&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Fog and Fury&lt;/em&gt; by Rachel Howzell Hall&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;We Don’t Talk About Carol&lt;/em&gt; by Kristen L. Berry&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Can’t Get Enough&lt;/em&gt; by Kennedy Ryan&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bad Blood&lt;/em&gt; by John Carreyrou&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;A Devil Went Down To Georgia  by Deb Miller Landau&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150199/support"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;Stay connected:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit my website–&lt;a href='https://Booksbydlwhite.com'&gt;Booksbydlwhite.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join my newsletter – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow me on Substack–&lt;a href='https://authordlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Main Substack&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://shortfictionbydlwhite.substack.com'&gt;Short Fiction Substack&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buy books &amp;amp; merch – &lt;a href='https://booksbydlwhite.com/shop'&gt;booksbydlwhite.com/shop&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Support this show with a recurring gift at &lt;a href='https://bookcast.buzzsprout.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;bookcast.buzzsprout.com&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; or Buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If you enjoyed this episode, please rate &amp;amp; review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt; really&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; liked it, tell a friend.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode, I’m wrapping up 2025!  I talk through the books I released this year, how they performed, what I earned across platform (Amazon, wide and Wide and direct sales) and what I learned about my businesst through the year (hint: lean into audio!) I also share my reading year, including the 172 books I read in 2025, the genres I leaned into, and the standout reads that kept me entertained.   2025 was a year where I stayed busy on purpose to keep my wits about me, and I’m p...

Bookcast Episode 133: Busy on Purpose: My 2025 Year in Review

The Bookcast by DL White is my platform for sharing short fiction and updates on life as a self published author of contemporary fiction.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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