iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Thank you for sharing! This was the work of my heart for nearly a decade, and I'm glad we were able to share it with folks who could build their own version.

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Bookstore Romance Day @bookstoreromanceday.org · 31/07/2026

All of this year's virtual events have been assembled into a collection for your convenience. www.eventbrite.com/cc/bookstore...

eventbrite.com

Bookstore Romance Day 2026

All of the virtual events being presented by Bookstore Romance Day for this year's celebration.

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Why Choose: A Romance Bookstore @whychoose-tucson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

So uh…hi friends! We regularly forget that bluesky exists but we had to come over and join the fun for @romancingthevote.com! The auction starts TOMORROW and we went ahead and dropped in a full year of personally curated romance shipped every other month right to your mailbox!

32auctions.com

We Choose from Why Choose

Auction item 'We Choose from Why Choose' hosted online at 32auctions.

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Romancing the Vote @romancingthevote.com · 30/06/2026

Our auction is starting again tomorrow, and here’s your reminder for six particular reasons that our FUCK SCOTUS sticker is back, for anyone who needs that, which is a lot of us.

32auctions.com

F*CK SCOTUS Sticker

Auction item 'F*CK SCOTUS Sticker' hosted online at 32auctions.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

I do developmental editing and other projects for Black Girls Who Edit, and work under my own banner for the audiences that BGWE doesn’t serve. I’m hoping to get into audiobook narration, and probably forgot something. Most importantly: I now do all of this full time.

Photo of Beyoncé staring into the middle distance

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Today’s a big day so let me reintroduce myself: My name is Jessica P. Pryde, and I am a Professional Book Person. I write and podcast about books, write my own books, and co-founded a romance bookstore (@whychoose-tucson).

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

YouTube autoplay sent us down a Raye rabbit hole last night and I will be listening to absolutely nothing else for the next several weeks. What a master of her craft. Whoosh.

open.spotify.com

This Is RAYE

Playlist · Spotify · 50 items · 171.3K saves

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Reese Ryan @reeseryanwrites.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Important article. Nothing burns me up more in the literary space than the same folks who praise dark and mafia romance with their whole chests denigrating urban romance. Tell us why you find one genre acceptable but not the other. I’ll wait. baltimorebeat.com/black-urban-...

baltimorebeat.com

Black urban romance deserves to be taken seriously

In 2025, Sweet Nothings Book Co. opened as Baltimore’s first romance-only bookstore. It’s truly a romance book lover’s dream — it’s cozy and welcoming, clearly created with readers in mind. The shelve...

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Hey Reactor Mag, I know you're focused on publishing timeless media convos instead of news, but when you're publishing a review of a movie there are a few things I expect you to put somewhere in the article: has it been released? Is it in theaters? Streaming? This is media journalism basics.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

So in year two, when the collection could be broader and deeper, it actually follows the same pattern that publishing does and goes back to being all white.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

JQ could have used that Bridgerton influence to really do something to show the broad reach of historical romance but instead we have nine romances across two years with two authors of color and one protagonist of color, the latter of which is in the first year.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

I mean, proper technique and all 🤣 also probably better with like crochet than individuals… I am going to think too much about this.

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Laura Vivanco @lauravivanco.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Do you listen to podcasts about romance novels? One of the romance scholars (Dr. Precie A. Schroyer) is inviting you to take part in a research study: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

forms.office.com

Microsoft Forms

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Suleikha Snyder @suleikhasnyder.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

I'm 48 today! You don't have to buy 48 of my books but one or two would be nice! #romancelandia Tikka Chance on Me books2read.com/u/mKKrNv Kick at the Darkness books2read.com/u/4Xrqqv Frostburn books2read.com/u/47aYWq Spoiled Brit books2read.com/u/3LBQjw Nobody's Bargain books2read.com/u/bxD0no

books2read.com

Available now at your favorite digital store!

Frostburn by Suleikha Snyder

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celli @aliascelli.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

#uspoli (sadly not just the US #worldpoli) - goosebumps and tears

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Frederick Smith, Ed.D. @fsmith827.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Another enjoyable When In Romance podcast episode. Hosts @trishahaleybrown.bsky.social & @jessisreading.bsky.social discussing romance novels that would make great adaptations to tv, film, or miniseries. Great conversation as always! 📚💕🎧 bookriot.com/listen/fake-... #Romancelandia #RomanceBookSky

bookriot.com

Fake Fated Mates - BOOK RIOT

Jess and Trisha talk a LOT about adaptations - including their dream adaptations - and a little bit about other news and updates.

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Rebekah Weatherspoon @rdotspoon.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Small town romantic suspense with a BDSM chaser. Check out my Beards & Bondage trilogy today! 😈 print: www.therippedbodice.... 😈 e: amzn.to/48lbAfm 😈 audio: www.chirpbooks.com/a... #booksky #romancelandia #blacksky

Now available in audio!
Haven, Sanctuary and Harbor by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Three romances with shirtless buff guys on the cover, standing in front of the mountains, in front of a farm and in front of the ocean. All three books have plus size black heroines and all three books feature BDSM elements.
Haven - he saves her from serial killers. Months later they reunite and do the nasty instead of going to therapy.
Sanctuary - She saves herself from a professional hit and ends up hidding at his farm. They do the nasty
Harbor is a polyam story with three black folks. Their cheating partners are killed and they try to find meaning in it all. The meaning involves a threesome on the beach.
Now available in audio!
Haven, Sanctuary and Harbor by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Three romances with shirtless buff guys on the cover, standing in front of the mountains, in front of a farm and in front of the ocean. All three books have plus size black heroines and all three books feature BDSM elements.

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Hari Conner @haridraws.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

HELLO I'm so delighted to finally officially share A TRUE GENTLEMAN, the graphic novel I’ve been working on for the last few years & is very close to my heart. Inspired by a lot of real queer & trans history and my own disability, with big marsh, big ships & BIG YEARNING #books

Publishers' marketplace screenshot about A True Gentleman, "a queer historical romance fllowing a trans teen grappling with masculinity, diability and empire after his dreams of proving himself at sea take a turn - and his sweetheart's secret plans to see him again. to Caitlin O'Connell at Penguin Workshop, for publication 2028, by Jessica Mileo - Rights to S&S UK by Louise Lamont at LBA books."

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Why yes, I did pantomime a hairflip for knowing the answer to the first question on Jeopardy when none of the contestants did—fellas should have watched Bride and Prejudice on repeat like the rest of us

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Large Type books should be printed in Open Dyslexic.

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Lee West @whodat35.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

This is surreal. 4 Oglala Lakota men kidnapped by ICE in Minneapolis have finally been located. One of them was released but the other 3 are being held at Fort Snelling, a former concentration camp used to imprison Native people incl. the Dakota 38 during Dakota Wars. ictnews.org/news/north-c...

ictnews.org

Four Oglala detainees located, three still in ICE custody - ICT

The four Lakota detainees were reportedly sent to a former concentration camp used during the Dakota Wars

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Well, I have found myself back on Substack, but I’m going to use it to give more Black women money and my feed is basically 98 percent that anyway. Masters tools masters house and all that, but if I gotta use it, it will be me doing this to the white supremacists

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Jackie Lau @jackielaubooks.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

I have two ebooks that are always free at all retailers! 1) Grumpy Fake Boyfriend (Kwan Sisters 1) 2) Her Big City Neighbor (Cider Bar Sisters 1) jackielaubooks.com/books/

Tablet with cover of Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau, surrounded by raspberries and pink popsicles. Cover: serious white man in white T-shirt.

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Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 14/01/2026

Instead of ending the constitution and murdering people, we could have high speed trains and universal health care.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

TIL Alexandre Dumas wrote a two-volume Robin Hood story and am even further upset that we got whatever dark ass bs is coming out this year. Adapt this one instead. Make everybody Black and clever. As God and Dumas intended.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Walking around in my comfiest lounge pants with a stomachache and realized why I have leaned fully into the oversized romper life: no awkward shifting of waistlines, no drawstring geometry, just a comfortable nightgown without the chub rub and much deeper pockets lol

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Does anyone have a non-AI randomizer that I can upload my entire TBR into that will tell me what to read next? I’m talking export my Goodreads and Storygraph (because they’re different 😩), my Kindle, my Libib, my Libro, all of it—so many gems that I only remember when I’m looking for something else

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

I haven’t but I’ll check it out!

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

📖Faux Ho Ho by ‘Nathan Bourgoine 🎧 You Make it Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh 🎧 The Christmas War Paws by Terreece M Clarke 🎧 We Don’t Need Another Santa by Bix Barrow What are you reading?

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

‘Tis the season to see what holiday novellas your library has available! These were all enjoyable reads from the last couple of weeks, and I’m looking forward to checking out more from each of these authors, who were all technically new to me (I was aware of all of them but hadn’t read them yet lol)

Graphic with lights in the background and four covers: Faux Ho Ho, You Make it Feel Like Christmas, The Christmas War Paws, and We Don’t Need Another Santa

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

Grace, I want to reskeet this but I can't. It's a rule. I won't disrespect the number 😂

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Rebekah Weatherspoon @rdotspoon.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

If you missed out on the limited edition hardcover of A MAN FOR MRS CLAUS, Cover Snob, you can buy your copy here, without a subscription, while supplies last! 🎄❤️ www.coversnob.com/sh...

The hard cover with decorated edges of A MAN FOR MRS CLAUS by Rebekah Weatherspoon. A Black couple embraces. The man is kissing the woman's neck as she holds a sprig of mistletoe over their heads. He is wearing a red tshirt and fireman's gear pants with suspenders. She is wearing a short tight fur lined red christmas dress and white boots.

This book takes place in the summer so its technically a North Pole romance, not so much a Christmas romance.

A Man for Mrs. Claus Exclusive Edition Includes:

Illustrated hardcover with foiling

Illustrated endpapers

Three-sided digital sprayed edge

Signed bookplate

Bookmark

BONUS sticker (while supplies last)

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Frederick Smith, Ed.D. @fsmith827.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Today is exactly 6 months out from the pub date for my forthcoming novel. Love Is A Contact Sport, a Black, Queer, Second Chance, College Reunion, MM romance out 6/16/26 on @boldstrokesbooks.bsky.social I’m excited about this book and bringing it into the world! bookshop.org/p/books/love...

Love Is A Contact Sport cover features two Black men in an embrace. The taller one has light brown skin, bald head, and a beard, and is wearing a college athletics jacket. The shorter one has dark brown skin, twists and a fade haircut, and wearing a yellow sweatshirt with the words Black Romance Writer (and a small rainbow) on it. The cover is purple with red, yellow, and white writing.

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Kelly Farmer @kellyfarmerauthor.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

SAPPHIC WOMEN’S HOCKEY ROMANCES! 🏒💖 You want rivals to lovers? Canadian/US cross-border ❤️? Old crushes? Teammates falling in love? The only jock in the family? Cute Labrador retrievers? We’ve got all that & more! @katebcochrane.bsky.social +OUT ON THE ICE is on sale for $1.99 & NAT & DARCY is in KU!

Image with a pink and orange background, the book covers for Wake Up Nat & Darcy and Yours for the Season by Kate Cochrane on the top, and the book covers for Out on the Ice, Unexpected Goals and Calling the Shots by Kelly Farmer on the bottom. The text says "If you like these, Read these" with arrows pointing to the books.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

If you have access to The CW via the app or on the web, you can watch Recipe for Romance, based on Sweet On You by Carla de Guzman (which is 1.99 for the ebook on the harlequin website right now!) …I was gonna say right now but it doesn’t appear to have been added to the site yet. But soon? I guess

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

Even in Tucson, a high of 80 in mid December is wild. If they had just given Al Gore his presidency we would have the department of Climate Change (yes I know we have EPA bear with me) instead of DHS, and I would be able to wear the cute winter jackets I bought in the years it was cold.

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Thanks for sharing! This one was a lot of fun

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Bryn Donovan @bryndonovan.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

In chapter two, Rose figures: doing a little love spell couldn't hurt...right? HER TIME TRAVELING DUKE will be available in the 21st century tomorrow! @thecure.com @berkleyromance.bsky.social #romance #booksky #romancelandia #music #goth #romancelandia #tiktok

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

I feel like maybe Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis could work here? It doesn't *quite* have the same vibes but definitely leans in that direction. And So Let Them Burn is high romantasy but has that crossing into enemy territory + sisterly relationship vibe. I haven't been reading much YA this year

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Hi if you use spotify as a member of a duo or group but not the plan manager you can now REQUEST ACCESS FROM YOUR PLAN MANAGER FOR AUDIOBOOK TIME (this is a good thing, Spotify's original solution was "cancel and sign up again with the person who wants to listen to audiobooks as plan manager")

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Why Choose: A Romance Bookstore @whychoose-tucson.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Tucson, are you ready? Our first pop-up is happening before the end of 2025! Subscribe to our newsletter (and keep an eye on this space) to get all the info! #tucson #romancelandia #bookstores #romance whychoose-tucson.beehiiv.com

whychoose-tucson.beehiiv.com

Why Choose: A Romance Bookstore

Get updates on pop-up appearances and discover new books and readerly fun things!

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Jessica Pryde @jessisreading.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

PS not only is @haymarketbooks.org having a sale, did you know they brilliantly bundle a free ebook copy when you buy a book in print?

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