Episode
Speak Now: The Queer Audio Rom-Com You Need to Hear | Author Interview with Ash Perez
- Published
- May 7, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1255
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com
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Summary
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What if a rom-com could feel like a movie in your ears ? That's exactly what debut novelist and TV screenwriter Ash Perez set out to create with Speak Now, and you are going to want to listen to this one. In this episode, Laura chats with Ash Perez about Speak Now , an audio-first queer rom-com published by Simon & Schuster featuring a full cast of actors, sound effects, and production that rivals a Hollywood film. Born out of the 2023 writer's strike, Speak Now blends Ash's screenwriting background with a lifelong love of 90s/early 2000s rom-coms. Think second-chance romance, Nancy Meyers vibes, a luxury hotel kitchen, and a HEA you absolutely deserve. This episode is perfect for audiobook lovers, rom-com fans, and anyone who's been sleeping on audio-first fiction. 📚 Books Mentioned Speak Now by Ash Perez — Buy on Amazon | Queer Rom-Com | Audio ✅ (Audio-first/only; also available via Spotify Premium and library request) Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction/Novella | Audio ✅ Murder Bot Diaries series by Martha Wells — Buy on Amazon | Science Fiction | Audio ✅ Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston — Buy on Amazon | Queer Rom-Com | Audio ✅ The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster — Buy on Amazon | Classic Fiction | Audio ✅ ⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Welcome & introduction to Ash Perez [00:45] What is Speak Now ? Audio-first rom-com explained [01:30] How the 2023 writer's strike led to this book [03:15] Why rom-coms & audio are a perfect pairing [05:00] Co-directing the production & what it felt like [05:45] The plot of Speak Now : queer second-chance romance, chef, boutique hotel [07:00] Casting a queer audio romanc…