What if the publishing experience felt personal, fast, and genuinely supportive—and the books brought the heat? I sit down with MK Ahearn, the romantasy author behind Broken Flames and the founder of Azala Press, to talk about building a small press that acts like a trusted partner. From a pandemic spark that led to her first manuscript to a growing catalog of romance and fantasy romance, MK shares the choices, systems, and scrappy experiments that turned a lone imprint into a full-service publisher.
Romantasy and dark romance take center stage as we explore the genre’s rise, the power of BookTok and Bookstagram, and the cultural shift from hiding steamy reads to celebrating them. MK spotlights her spiciest release yet, Hollow House—a Halloween novella filled with masks, secrets, and a house of pleasures—plus rapid-fire recommendations.
We close with a roadmap for what’s next: more audiobooks for accessibility, smarter distribution, and a thoughtful path to international reach.
Follow MK Ahearn IG: @authormkahearn and Azala Press IG: @azalapress and Azala Romance IG: @azalaromance
Cover Art by: moi
Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut
Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com
Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast
Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction
