Bookcast Episode 120: The Wayward Host Returns

After a few weeks away, I'm back with updates on my reading progress (now at 73 books toward my 175-book goal), what I've been streaming, and preparations for the upcoming Black Romance Book Fest. I also share updates on my fan fiction The Music of My Heart, which just got two new chapters! 

I talk about why I decided not to pitch a book at the book fest, my current writing projects that are behind schedule, and all the life events keeping me busy this spring. Plus, I give you the inside scoop on Black Romance Book Fest 2026 tickets. 

Find full show notes for this episode on my website at Booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast/120. 

Transcript

DL White [00:00:14]:
Hello, everybody. Happy Sunday. Happy long weekend. That's right. I'm here. The wayward host returns. It's not that I don't want to be here. It's just that it takes so much effort to get here, but here I am.

DL White [00:00:30]:
This is episode 120 of the BookCast, my platform for sharing short fiction and updates on life as a self published author of romantic fiction that centers black love. I am your host. I am DL White. I'm an Atlanta based author of so many novels, short stories, fan fiction works. I think we settled on about 18, and, that's where I still am. So if you enjoy this podcast, awesome. I love that for you. I love your support.

DL White [00:00:59]:
The best way to help me is to buy the books directly from me at booksbydlwhite.com/shop, where I offer ebooks and audiobooks at great prices. I also have a little bit of merch, some fun things you can wear and drink out of and write on. So you can get your print editions through my bookshop page, which supports both indie bookshops and me. And, we really like that. Find the links to my Bookshop page, my merch page, all my specials going on, all my sales at my Links page. It's booksbydlwhite.com/links. Now it's been a few weeks since I've been on the mic. It's a mix of not really having anything new to say, not really wanting to expend the effort expend the effort to plan an episode and to post it up, to edit it and get it all up.

DL White [00:01:50]:
Like, it's not hard. It's just a little bit of time consuming and just being busy with other things. There's a lot going on here in the spring. Things tend to calm down a bit over the summer, especially where work is concerned. So I'm hoping to really get back into a groove of podcasting and reading and writing. But I am here. I'm back to update on books and writing, so let's kick it. Today is Sunday, 05/25/2025.

DL White [00:02:16]:
It is a sunny day in Atlanta, Georgia. I have a mic, and I am ready to dig in. But first, it is time for a brief beverage break. Alright. Alright. Alright. Welcome back. I hope your break was refreshing.

DL White [00:02:47]:
As usual, my my drink of choice, especially afternoon, is a Powerade zero fruit punch with a little Sprite zero for some razzle dazzle and water over ice. I like it ice cold over ice. That's delicious and refreshing. It's just what I need. So let's kick it with the book report. Because if I'm gonna do anything, I'm gonna read a book. I am at 73 books of my goal in 2025 to read a 75 books. I'm absolutely gonna smash that, but I'm probably not gonna change my goal again until after summer.

DL White [00:03:23]:
We'll see how summer goes. I am 42%, toward my goal, almost halfway there, and I have four books ahead of schedule. So so far in, May, I haven't counted how many books I've read, but I have got to Fuck With Your Boy by Nicole Falls, which is Friends and Lovers book three, People of Means by Nancy Johnson, A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni, that's Tracy Crosswhite, number 11, Night Wherever We Go by Tracy Rose Payton. Ignacio by Delaney Diamond. That's Family Ties, book five. Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan. That's Skyland, book three. This Side of Beautiful by Tai.

DL White [00:04:03]:
Devil in a blue dress by Walter Mosley, Easy Rawlins book one. That was a read for the stacks podcast book of the month, monthly you know? You know, our our book club book. Let me just tell you, don't cancel me. I mean, cancel me. Whatever. I did not enjoy devil in a blue dress. I think for me, it's just it is is an older title, and not read mostly before. I feel like maybe his current works would be maybe more my speed.

DL White [00:04:34]:
I just didn't I just didn't enjoy this book. I did enjoy though father of the bride by Shea Sanders and the boomerang, a thriller by Robert Bailey. And now I really enjoy Robert Bailey a lot. This book was, like, so out there. I don't I don't wanna spoil it, but there's a recent political event that's getting a lot of news that makes this book entirely more relevant than it was before I read it. And that's all I'm gonna say about that. Like, if you enjoyed John Grisham when he was super good, you should dig into Robert Bailey. I've read all of his books.

DL White [00:05:14]:
I feel like this book can sit next to the Bosephus Jones section of his writing career. Not bad, not really good either. Like, it was really, really good until it just went. It went off it went off the deep end a little bit toward, like, the backside of the middle toward the end. Yeah. But I I really enjoy Robert Bailey. He's my he's my modern day Grisham. Though John Grisham does have a new book coming out this fall, if you think I'm not gonna get it, you are sadly mistaken.

DL White [00:05:46]:
I'm currently reading August Lane by Regina Black. I am making good progress with this one. It's not out till July, but it it was a read now read now on NetGalley. You might still be able to catch it if you are listening to this on Sunday. It was, like, read now for seventy two hours. So I'm kinda hoping the audio will pop up, because I'm I just page read so slowly, but I am, I have started this. Starting to get real juicy. So I also started Zeal by Morgan Jurgens.

DL White [00:06:16]:
Now I really enjoy Morgan a lot. Her memoir, this will be my undoing, was so, so good. I just enjoy listening to her speak. I'm not in the mood for a violent slave story right now. I this thing where I don't read book blurbs is starting to kick me in the butt because had I read the blurb to this book, I would have realized what it was, and I would have put it back on hold. I've had it on my TBR for a minute, and everybody's reading it right now. So I thought I really got to get into it. And no.

DL White [00:06:46]:
No. I don't. What I'm gonna do instead is start King of Ashes because I do have a advanced listener copy of that. I'm gonna do king of ashes, and I'm gonna do Danielle Allen's, plus size player, and I'm gonna get my entire life. So, that's what I'm doing. Also, the Stacks podcast, which is, my absolute fave. It's the first thing I listen to on Wednesdays, love Tracy Thomas Down. She released a great, really great nonfiction summer reading guide.

DL White [00:07:16]:
Y'all know I'm not I'm not a huge nonfiction girly, but if it's, anything close to scandalous, anything that's, like, murdery, anything that makes my eyes pop and go, oh, I wanna read about that, it's going on my TBR. It's going on my TBR. Now I it might wait until nonfiction November. It might, like, sneak in between a couple of fiction books. Like, sometimes I just get all hopped up on fiction, and I need, like, I need a break. I need something, like, real, like, true true life. So it might pop in, like, a true crime. So I've got I added a few books to that, plus a couple others I've had saved.

DL White [00:07:52]:
I'm not reading these anytime soon, but they're definitely on my wish list. The Secret History of the Rape Kit, a true crime story by Pagan Kennedy. I've had this on my list forever, as well as A Devil Went Down to Georgia, Race, Power, Privilege, and the Murder of Lita McClinton by Deb Miller Landau. I think one of my Instagram friends, paperbacks and pound cakes. I can't say that like Mika can. That's as sassy as I get. I think she is was also reading this book, and it popped up and reminded me I've had it on my list forever. It's on my wishlist on Libro, so I'm gonna pick it up eventually.

DL White [00:08:26]:
Then, Into Thin Air, a personal account of the Mount Everest disaster by Jon Krakauer. I am fascinated by people climbing this mountain year after year, knowing that so many people die and, like, passing dead body. No. They're still up there. Like, they don't bring them down. They're still up there. Yeah. So I'm never climbing Everest, but, I like the real story part of it.

DL White [00:08:51]:
So I'm I'm interested in in, like, a personal account of what happened on that mountain. And then a better ending, a brother's thirty year quest to uncover the truth about his sister's death by James Whitfield Thompson. That sounds really good. Liliana's Invincible Summer, A Sister's Search for Justice by Christina Rivera Garza. This is a Pulitzer Prize winner, so I'm really interested in that. Then No More Tears, The Dark Secrets of Johnson and Johnson by Gardner Harris. I'm definitely into dark secrets of any major corporation. I did hear, I read Tracy's review of this book, and she said it was slightly repetitive, but, I think I'm again to it.

DL White [00:09:31]:
And then The Bar and the Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi by Wright Thompson is absolutely directly up my alley. It is my total catnip. It is it will scream to me in the night until I read it. So, those are books that I have going on. I got a lot going on book wise, so I should be a happy camper most of the summer. Streaming wise, most of my shows are on hiatus right now. We did say goodbye to the irrational, papa's house, and equalizer. I don't think I've actually watched the last episode of Papa's House.

DL White [00:10:05]:
I've gotta check on that, but, and I don't think I've watched the last episode of The Equalizer, but I have to check. But The Irrational is done. So none of those those three were not renewed for the final season for the next season, so I've gotta just watch the last episodes if I haven't yet. Looking forward to my fall lineup, Watson, Elizabeth, the pit, Will Trent. Season three of the diplomat is coming in the fall, and a new season of land man starts in November, so that'll be exciting. Thinking about rewatching land man season one, it's on Paramount. It's really like, Billy Bob Thornton does the thing in this book. And, also, John John what is that man's name? John something.

DL White [00:10:48]:
Oh, it's not disturbing my tongue. Am I gonna have to look this up? I bet I have the wrong name. Landman cast. Jon Hamm. My goodness. Jon Hamm is also really good, in this. I don't know if he's coming back for season two because there's something devastating going on with this character, but, anyway, really good. I caught Untold, the fall of Favre on Netflix.

DL White [00:11:12]:
I was just really looking forward to that. I don't watch sports at all, but I love an Untold. I love a 30 for 30. I'll watch that all day. If it's anything, like, documentary ish, I'll watch that. Except, what's his name? The soccer dude. Oh my goodness. David Beckham.

DL White [00:11:33]:
The things I have to look up because I can't remember them. His was okay. Like, I like the parts where he talked about his wife and his family and his life, but, like, the all of the soccer in it. I was like, what is this documentary? It's a soccer documentary. Anyway, as well, poker face season two has started. I did not think I would like the storyline with the main character, like, being chased, but, like, the front half of season two, has been uploaded. It's actually quite good. Really, really great guest stars Cynthia Erivo, Rhea Perlman, Esposito, Giancarlo Esposito, like, so many good guest stars.

DL White [00:12:20]:
I just could not stop watching. So I've watched, like, four episodes of season two, and then the new episodes start airing on Thursdays. I finally have a Thursday show again, which, of course, I watch when I have time. So excited about that. Catch that if that is any interest of you. It's Poker Face. It's on Peacock, and then I'm about three episodes behind on Will Trent. I might catch up tomorrow since we're off.

DL White [00:12:44]:
I just I really enjoy Will Trent, but I just for some reason, it's I just I I I don't know. I can't catch up. I'm just I'm not interested, but I will I will get caught up. That's also been renewed, I think, for season four. So I also tried Secret Lives of Mormon Wise, but I did not even last an episode. I'm not really I'm not a reality show person. I'm not a Real Housewives of whatever city kind of person. I don't like a I don't like a catty, Why did you post that thing on the Internet? Because I could tell you it wasn't true.

DL White [00:13:17]:
It was true. It wasn't true. I just you're so spoiled. Like, god. I'm not. I can't. Mm-mm. Mm-mm.

DL White [00:13:25]:
Mm-mm. I can't do it. I thought it would be more documentary focused. And again again, my habit of not, like, checking into shows before I start watching them is biting me in the butt. But, again, I saw people talking about it online And, like, mister Williams pre k on Instagram and TikTok, he's all into it. And, I really should have taken my cue from that. It's very Real Housewives ish, and I'm not into it. I didn't even last an episode.

DL White [00:13:55]:
God bless. More power to you. But I did see homicide Los Angeles as a series on Netflix. That's my kind of show. So I'm probably gonna be working my way through those episodes. And then I also found a Small Town Murders podcast on Wondery with about three seasons I need to catch up on. I listened to a couple of episodes, while I was having a root canal. And so that was really the most enjoyable part of the root canal.

DL White [00:14:21]:
Well, it wasn't like, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't in pain, really. They numb me up real, real good. Like, it's 2025. Nobody should be in pain while they're having any kind of procedures. But I'll tell you, I have a very small mouth, and it does not. My mouth does not open very wide. And they put that bite block in to, like, hold your mouth open, and my jaw was aching, like, aching so bad, I got a headache.

DL White [00:14:45]:
And once I get a headache, I will get nauseous. So I was like, that needs to come out because, otherwise, I'm gonna spew all the food I haven't eaten all over both of you. This that has to come out. And so I waited until major work was done, and I was like, alright. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They were like, your jaw? Oh, yeah.

DL White [00:15:06]:
The bite block can come out. Yes. Yes. It can. So that's my update on all the streaming, I have or haven't been watching, plan to watch. Moving on to our writing and publishing update. I haven't really been writing much. I haven't, I haven't touched any of my current projects.

DL White [00:15:24]:
I just have so much else going on that is distracting me. I decided, though, not to pitch a book at the book fest. It's just it's not ready. I thought I could cram a lot of writing and book development into, like, a month in which I had two off-site meetings and a whole bunch going on personally. I need to remind myself of who I am as a person. Nowhere in my CliftonStrengths does it say I can do that. Nowhere. Why do I not listen to myself? Why do I not listen to Becca Sime? So I'm gonna hold off.

DL White [00:15:56]:
I might pitch later in the year. It depends on how much I get done over the summer or fall or whatever. Maybe I'll pitch next year. Maybe I will never pitch. Maybe I will never finish the three book series because it is definitely not ready. I haven't done much commercial fiction in writing because there's just so much happening work wise. Like I mentioned, I I had two big events in April, and I have two big events coming up in June. Prep is taking significant time, plus I have two festival appearances that are requiring requiring quite a lot more work than I expected them to, that I really thought they would.

DL White [00:16:32]:
I'm really like I'm trying to show out, show up, and be my best self, have books available, and just, like, be ready to meet readers. Anyway, also, my mom's visiting next month, so I'm prepping for that. Plus, I have another big personal life event I can't talk about until she is here. So, yeah, it's a lot, and I can't concentrate on book stuff. So I know I am behind on at least two books. I have, missing persons that I wanted to release this summer. I haven't even looked at it Haven't looked at it. And then Still I Rise is supposed to be out this fall.

DL White [00:17:09]:
Haven't finished it. Yeah. No idea. So they'll be out when they're out. Might be some things I gotta work through on the podcast. We haven't written a book together on the podcast since last summer when I wrote Elysium. So I feel like it's about time. But let me get through these two festivals and my mom's visit, and then I will be able to sit down and concentrate.

DL White [00:17:28]:
I did, however, update the fanfic story I've been working on. Music of my heart has two new chapters. I posted those this week. I'm pretty happy with where the story's at. I will not be able to write next weekend, so I posted two chapters this week. These chapters cover Zoe's big break, or a big breakthrough moment and the chaos that follows. Chapter 21 talks about the industry showcase at the Echo Hollywood that her manager set up for her, performing for about 60 handpicked music industry professionals, some bloggers, some, not agents, but, like, record reps and etcetera. Performance goes really good.

DL White [00:18:13]:
Zoe commands the stage with all this confidence she's conjured up that JC has helped pull out of her JC and Kelly. Multiple labels have expressed interest, including some indie labels. Alec has really stepped up as her manager, and then JC is there to provide really quiet support from the background, letting Zoe have her moment and letting Alec do his job while, providing, support, you know, the kind of, like, strong silent boyfriend type that we kind of imagine to be, like, his strong suit if he were to if he were to mentor. Like, we saw him when he was mentoring the girls' group. I forget the name of it, of course, because I'm trying to think of it on the fly, but he had a, like, a super group of, like, 13 girls that he was mentoring for a while. And he was just really, really good with them, like, letting them do what they needed to do to get the music out, but also being there to, like, guide them along the path of, doing shows and recording a record. I don't know what happened to that group. It kind of fell apart, but it seems like JC is sometimes kind of the king of starting something.

DL White [00:19:26]:
He likes to make new things, but, like, following through with things is maybe not his strong suit. Anyway, then chapter two, shows that success brings its own problems. Zoe faces a lot of hard realities about her career path, and then she, Alec, and JC have, a strategy meeting, where they weigh all of her label deals against going independent. And then, when Zoe and JC go out in public to have a couple of meetings, she gets recognized in public leading to a really uncomfortable encounter with some really aggressive fans. And then they have their meeting, and then later, they meet up with some other people who are actually fans of Zoe, and they give her some disturbing news about a song that isn't supposed to be out, but it is. So something has been leaked. And so now she is in crisis management mode crisis management mode, scrambling to get things in order to turn this leak into a an official release. And so that's kind of where we ended.

DL White [00:20:35]:
I just need to think about where to go from here. I am not ready for the story to end, but it does need to have, like, some kind of progression. So I gotta think about, like, where do we go from here and, you know, and be realistic with the passage of time and how things seem to happen overnight for new artists. And there's a lot of you have to do this and you have to do this and you have to do this, and you have to stay in in people's faces. And even, in this chapter, Alec, Zoe's manager, tells her, like, these people online have made you go viral, and they are ready to buy your music, and you have not said a word to them. You've gotta get online. You've gotta be in front of these people. She's like, I don't know what to tell these people.

DL White [00:21:17]:
I don't know what to say. Like, you've got to say thank you. Say something. Show them some behind the scenes. Show them who you are. So I'm kinda, like, working through that, but I gotta make it interesting, and I gotta work in the the, the the romance angle with her, mentor turned boyfriend, come industry professional, former boy bander, solo artist, producer person, and, you know, her professional relationship with her friend who is now her manager. So I did have, Kai who was at the retreat with Zoe. I had her come back, fly in from Nashville for Zoe's showcase, and she's in town to, like, meet with people and try to get into some writing rooms.

DL White [00:22:06]:
And so that's a really fun friendship that I've been cultivating. I really like Kai. She just, she kinda reminds me of, one of my coworkers. She is just like a a my coworker, I think, is Filipino. I don't know. She's gonna smack me if I'm wrong. I I don't remember. But, I believe I believe she's Filipino, but she is just the, like, the tiniest ball of energy.

DL White [00:22:31]:
She's very much a foodie. She is very much a let's go. Let's do this. I'm going in. Let's let's roll, type of person. So, I'm not modeling her after my coworker, but Kai does remind me of her. She's just a person that, like, speaks her mind. She doesn't have a filter.

DL White [00:22:50]:
She's very young. She loves anime. I don't know if that's stereotypical at all, but, like, she's, like, a very into anime and k pop. And to me, she's just very gen z, but she's also a really talented songwriter. And so I'm trying to bring some of that out as well and give Zoe some support that isn't someone trying to have sex with her and someone trying to make money off of her. You know what I'm saying? So, anyway, that is where music of my heart is. I really talked about that way longer than I intended to, but I'm really into the story. So I don't I don't really have a main topic.

DL White [00:23:25]:
I am I'm deep into prep for Black Romance Book Fest. I'm honestly feeling, like, a little scattered. There's a lot happening going on, like, right outside the door. Outside the door. I have these little, die cut handle bags that I got to put my preorders in, so I can keep them separate and for people to pick up when they, come to the book fest. I have to get my preorders set. I got my little rolling cart so I can cart all my books into the, and I have, like, a dolly as well, so I can cart all my books into the hotel. I gotta figure out how I want my table to be set up.

DL White [00:24:11]:
So I'm just kinda, really just trying to get ready for that. It's gonna be a huge, huge event. I think, like, 1,800 people are coming. It's been very well organized. I'm very, very pleased. It's just been sold out since day one, and so it's really frustrating to see people trying to get tickets and not be able to. But they have announced that tickets for 2026 will go on sale June 1. So you heard it here.

DL White [00:24:41]:
Stay woke. Be ready. Have them debit cards and credit cards ready because there's only one ticket drop. So, anyway, just a heads up for after Black Romance Bookfest and Indie Love. Nothing bores me more than the idea of doing a detailed detailed recap. I won't be doing it. So don't expect a blow by blow. I might do, like, a brief overview of some highlights.

DL White [00:25:04]:
But if you want the full tea and detailed coverage, I will point you towards some other creators who will do an excellent, excellent event breakdown. I know, the Lit Library podcast, is planning to do a, a, probably, a review of it and probably, reads in colors. We'll probably do one, but you won't you might not hear it for a bit. But I won't I probably won't do an extensive, breakdown. So right now, I'm just focused on getting everything ready. I got my books ordered. I have, my last 10 books that I ordered, the hardcover for, brunch at Ruby's. I just ordered 10 more because I really only have, like, three on hand, and I wanna have those at the table.

DL White [00:25:47]:
They're so pretty. They turned out really, really nice. And so I got those coming on Wednesday. Other than that, I just got everything in my car, and I wanna pack my bag, all my pens, all my, you know, other stuff I need to have at that table, and just to be mentally prepared to be on from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. And, also, I'm on a panel on Sunday. So, like, what am I wearing and, you know, what am I doing and all that good stuff. So just getting ready for that. So it's a long holiday weekend.

DL White [00:26:21]:
I just saw that, two things. I just saw that, the book funnel podcast has Michael Evans on, and we have not heard I have not heard from Michael Evans since he was unceremoniously fired from Reem. And, so I'm excited to get this done and up so I can, bring up the podcast and watch it. I'm excited. And I wanted to give a shout out to, my writer friend, Rain Coleman. Reading, Writing, and Rain, I follow him on TikTok, Instagram. No. Not Instagram.

DL White [00:26:55]:
Well, maybe Instagram. TikTok, blue sky, and YouTube. He is so very diligently getting his book ready. Follow him anywhere. There are links everywhere for his novel, loving Ashley. I'm excited for him. Been really following him from writing and finishing to getting his rough draft done. He's got his paperback, I think, is now ready for preorder.

DL White [00:27:22]:
The ebook is ready for preorder. So, offering up any amount of wisdom that I can, and, good luck. So, anyhow, I think those are the last two. That's it. We're shutting it down. Thank you so much for joining me for today's chat. I do really super enjoy being with you, climbing onto this desk and to turn on this microphone and share lots of things with you about reading and writing books. I welcome any comments or feedback you might have at booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast/120 or my Substack at authordlwhite.Substack.com.

DL White [00:28:04]:
You will also find full show notes and links to all other things I talk about if they're relevant and a transcript for today's show. Please share this podcast if you enjoyed it. And if you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube or Substack, give a girl a rating, drop a comment, let me know you're listening. I do appreciate it. Don't forget you can support this podcast with your book purchases at payhip.com/booksbydlwhite or at my shelf at bookshop.org by spreading the good word to your friends and family, joining my newsletter, or joining the Substack. Links are on my website at booksbydlwhite.com/linkinbio. You can also throw some coins in the hat at book cast dot bus route dot com or buymeacoffee.com/booksbydlwhite. All of the links will be in the show notes.

DL White [00:28:53]:
Thank you so much to my monthly supporters at BookCast. Your gift is so immensely useful to keeping this podcast going. And to those who have recently sent me some love at buymeacopy.com, thank you so much. I do really appreciate your support. The Book House by DL White is written, produced, and edited by me, DL White. Are they music and any sound effects are provided by Pixabay? I will be back soonish. I do not know if I will be back before Indie Love. But if not, I'm, like, I'm here.

DL White [00:29:25]:
Shout me out a holler on the socials. I'm on Blue Sky. I'm on Instagram. I'm on Facebook. I am here and there on TikTok trying to get up there a little bit. I did post I did do an ad yesterday. I spent way more than the ad generated, but it was like the first day that I've made more than $3 a day in a while. So TikTok might actually be an avenue once I get my mess together.

DL White [00:29:51]:
So we'll see if I spend any more money there. But I did I did make some money there. Not what I spent, but I did make some money more than I have been making. So anyhow, that's it. I will be back soon. Until then, please have a superlative week. Enjoy your weekend. We'll chat again soon.

DL White [00:30:10]:
Bye bye.