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Welcome to the newest Fizz Hangout! Every Friday, you all can stop by the weekly Fizz Hangout post and ask questions (to us or to your fellow patrons), discuss recent bonus scenes and/or podcasts with each other, and catch up on all the goodies you might've missed!

HANGOUT QUESTION: we love seeing your response to questions about the Like Us series, and it helps facilitate some awesome discussions! Each week, there'll be a new "hangout question" that you can answer in the comments, if you wish!

Naming new characters can be so hard! So what are some character names that will ruin a book for you? A character name that is a NO once you see it? Or are you open to any and all names?

Weekly Recap

Happy Friday, magical & heroic beauties! We're feeling on top of the moon after announcing some of our news yesterday. Thank you all for your support and excitement! It really has fueled us for the rest of the year. Our tanks are full and we are stepping on the gas. We're soooo ready for everything that's to come!

Speaking of what's coming...we will not be able to shut up about Dishonestly Yours once we're free to talk about it. It feels like it's been forever since this book was written, and yet, it's still so close to our hearts. It has a lot of the classic WB feels that we grew up on. Like an amalgamation of the vibes from all our favorite TV shows. There's something about it that makes us want to reread every page over and over again. So the wait to get it out into the world has been brutal, but we're hanging on!

Our extra podcast this month, we'll be discussing more about the news we hinted at yesterday and all the future announcements. We won't reveal anything, but we'll give some more insight into our thought process behind these things.

Writing is going well! We're back in the swing of things with Nobody Like Us and we just turned in copy edits on Long Way Down. Which really means we only have one more book to work on for the new print editions. It's been a jampacked year, and it's so satisfying to know that all the Addicted rereleases are almost out in the world. It feels like the gang is almost all together!

In Patreon world, we made an announcement, so in case you missed it, here's what went down this week:

- Announcement: News! Updates on Patreon + Future Series Announcements

MORE NEWS

💗🎉 NEW RELEASES: Addicted After All (Addicted Series), Unlucky Like Us (Like Us Series

💗  PRE-ORDER FORM: You can now pre-order books for Sweetgrass Author Event in March 2024. Just fill out the form, and you can pick up your books at the event!

💗 HOT ON BOOKSTOK SWEEPSTAKES: Berkley is giving away the new print edition of Addicted After All and 5 other amazing and hot hot hot books on their Hot on BookTok Sweepstakes. Giveaway ends 9/24.

💗 LIMITED TIME MERCH: The Lily Calloway Birthday Bundle is a limited time merch bundle and will be sold until supplies last. We won't be making any more of these totes, so be sure to snag one before they're gone!

💗 SIGNED BOOKPLATES: If you pre-order Fuel the Fire, Long Way Down, or Some Kind of Perfect from the Meet Cute Romance Bookshop, then you can also get a signed bookplates.

💗 Want more details about People Like Us while it's ongoing on Patreon? Check out our info post here.

💗 October 27th-29th, 2023, we'll be attending LoveNVegas in Las Vegas, NV.

💗 March 23rd, 2024, we'll be attending Sweetgrass Author Event in Charleston, South Carolina.

💗 October 2024, we'll be attending Authors in the Bluegrass in Lexington, Kentucky. Exact date is TBA, and tickets will go on sale January 2024.

THE SIGNED BOOK STORE

Our signed book store is restocked periodically. Keep checking it to see if a sold out item has been stocked. Any new updates will be posted here:

Lily's Birthday Bundle is now available for a limited time until supplies last. If you love merch, check out the new bundle that includes the "Lily Calloway 1991" tote bag + birthday stickers. We won't be ordering more of these totes, so once they're gone -- they're gone!

NEWS: We're going to be making some changes to the signed book store in the coming months. We will keep you updated!

Thank you all for checking out the store!!

If you have any questions about the store, sound below in the comments, and you can always email the store at kbr.authorstore@gmail.com xoxo

UPCOMING RELEASES:

Next Up:Fuel the Fire - December 5th, 2023

Upcoming:Nobody Like Us (Luna & Donnelly) - January 2024

Upcoming: Long Way Down - February 6th, 2024

Upcoming: Some Kind of Perfect - March 5th, 2024

Upcoming:Dishonestly Yours - TBA 2024

📍 Dishonestly Yours is a new romance trilogy releasing from Berkley Romance in 2024. Add it to Goodreads. Check out the Pinterest Board

WHAT'S COMING THIS MONTH:

Extra Bonus: This will be in Ryke's POV during the Unlucky Like Us timeline during the Night of the Donnellys. Stay tuned!

Monthly & Extra Podcast: The Monthly Podcast has been picked and we'll be doing a catch up discussion with some of your fav characters! You can still ask us questions for the podcast on the announcement post here. We will be discussing announcements and future plans in the extra podcast ✨

MASTER LISTS + PINTEREST

(the easiest way to find past bonus scenes, podcasts, & extras)

Master List of Bonus Scenes 📖

Master List of Podcasts 🎧

Master List of Extras 🤓

Pinterest Links to Every Board📍

Go forth & chat! You can ask us and/or your fellow patrons questions, discuss bonuses, podcasts, or whatever your heart desires! Thanks so much for all the support & being a patron!! *ALL THE LOVE, HUGS, AND FAIRY DUST*

xoxo Krista & Becca

Files

Comments

Haley Secen

I used to think that seeing my sibling’s name would completely ruin a book for me… but my brother’s name is Connor so I’ve learned to look past it 😂

Samantha Kimmell

Personally if I see the name Ainsley in a book, I instantly don’t read it. That’s my cousin’s (whom I have no nice feelings for) name. I had a question for you guys though regarding your big announcement! So the Like Us series is ending, but the universe isn’t right? Because if the universe is ending then I’ll freak lol so I just want to make sure I read your announcement right ❤️❤️

Piper

I absolutely hate the name Gabe. It's okay if it's a side character, but I can't read a book where the main character is named Gabe. I can handle Gabriel better than the shortened nickname.

cass (ben’s version)

i’m pretty open to all names in books, but in tv shows hearing my own name freak me out. i’ve never met another cassaundra, spelled nor said the same and it’s so weird to hear it on tv lol. but i’m good with cassie’s, cass is odd sometimes but not a ‘no’ for me at all! just takes a moment to get used to.

Andrea

There are no names I hate enough where I won’t read the book. I think most people hate if their spouse or kids names are used but that’s not an issue right now lmao. And my parents names are Latino so I’ve never stumbled upon them in books 💀 I’m so excited for all your upcoming books! There’s so much to look forward to and I appreciate you both so much 💙 Do you think you’ll pick up People Like Us again soon or are you more into Lunnelly centric bonuses for the next few months since you’re writing Nobody? I’m just dying for any Cobaretti wedding scenes 😭

cass (ben’s version)

i am so excited for everything to come y’all i literally can’t shut up about it!!! i told my best friend to be ready for tears in january at the end of the series and the announcement of a new one. excited tears of course, but tears nonetheless!!! i am so insanely excited i literally cannot put what i’m feeling into words. so happy for y’all and can’t wait to read everything!!! ❤️❤️❤️

cass (ben’s version)

my dads name is richard!! def took a second but also learned to look past it haha

Rachel Parsons

If the characters have the same name as close family members or friends, then it bothers me. Especially when it’s the guys lol.

Jaclyn

I was hesitant to read the addicted series because my moms name is Loren😅 Him mostly being called Lo convinced me to dive in and I’m so glad I did! 😁

Andrea

The Dishonesty Yours teases have been a long time coming I can’t wait 🥺💙

Jess

I can read all names. I have read books with my son's name as a character.

Tiffany Joiner

The name Steven for some makes my body cringe idk why 💀 I can't wait for the second part of Rykes POV. I think I've said it somewhere but I love seeing Lily and Lo from the rest of the core 6s eyes. Can't wait for new content 🫶

Angelina (Charlies version) ♟️

Im so so excited to listen to the extra podcast!! I honestly could do with most names except Peter or like Bob or something because Peter is my brothers name and no hot man is named Bob 🤣🤣

Bella Stanley

If I dislike a name it’s usually because there’s something else that it reminds me of more, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing if my learned association can change after reading about a character with said name. I know recently I read a book with a character named Perry and I didn’t think it was necessarily a bad name, I’ve just never met anyone with the name (and the only Perry I know if Perry the Platypus). Same goes for any season name like Winter or Autumn. They’re not inherently bad, but can be made bad at the same time. I think I dislike weird/unnecessarily long nicknames more than anything.

Thaís Brito

I really dislike “made up” names. I love simple names that convey enough without any kind of fanfare, like Lily, Anne, Elizabeth, Helen, Sophie, Mary, Lucas, John…I refuse to read a book with a character named ridiculously. Unless the joke is on purpose

shi luvs st.cobalt

I’m not too particular when it comes to character names! The only time that names will bother me is if I’m reading a sports romance and the names of the characters are reminiscent of real life players of that sport. I prefer to create my own image of all of the characters inside of my head, and I don’t want my view of a certain character to be tainted by my opinion of the real life athlete (if that makes sense)! •• Also! I was chatting with my friends this morning about our favorite bookish tropes & I was wondering what your all’s were? :) I was also curious if your favorite tropes to read are also your favorite tropes to write (or do they differ in some ways)?

Nicole

I only get weirded out if it's a family name sometimes but I get over it pretty quick

Arrow

I also get over names very quickly. I love unique names, though. I will sometimes be thrown for a loop when a name I think of as a villain name is given to a hero/heroine. My big villain names are Crystal, Jessica, Biff, and Damien. But I’ve also read a number of paranormal romances where I’ve gotten over this very quickly. Jeffra is hands down my new favorite villain name BTW. That was an excellent choice.

Joanna

Male family members- like Steven and Trevor… but honestly I’ve come across very little with those names. I think everyone around my age knows a Steven (including authors) and keeps that name as a side character or steers clear of if 😂.

rika

i mostly hate really common names like: kyle, emma, chloe, alex, lexie names like that lol i love love love unique names they’re so superior😭😭

alyssa ✨

Names don’t bug me! I’m more likely to pick up a book I’m hesitant on if they have a “unique” name, though. I think that’s the only time a name would make a difference for me! The one name that would truly take me a minute to “get over” or “look past” would be Paulo - my father’s name 😬 But I don’t think I’ve ever actually read or seen a book with his name (yet). Side note: Thora & October are two of my faaaaaaaaaavorite names now, introduced to me through YOU, of course. 🥰

Lauren Gibbs

I don't really hate any name in particular, but it can be tough when there are characters that always end up named the same way in different series because then it's hard to keep track lol. I can't even tell you how many characters named Felix there have been, I don't hate the name but the details blur haha! I'm super excited for this podcast though, I love hearing about your thought processes~!

BB

Was the night of the Donnellys in MLU? I thought it was ULU or is there one I'm forgetting in MLU? I adore Rykes POV!

Maeve

The name river. I just can’t read a book with that name🤷‍♀️

Duda

I think I am open to all names, at least I don’t remember if I have stoped reading a book because of characters names. I do like creative names, but I absolutely don’t see a problem with any kind of name.

Shea Thompson

I am pretty open when it comes to character names. But I did an early read for an author and I had to give her feedback after reading the book. She named the male main character Arthur and it just came across as soooo unsexy. When they were having sexy times and the female character was saying things like "Please, Arthur!" it made me cringe. This author has published over 100 books so she admits to having difficulty coming up with character names.

Yasti

For the most part I can learn to love a name if the book I’m reading is one that I enjoy, buuut I will say that any boy names that were popular on wattpad during its peak make me cringe a little now 😬 Also any currently trendy names that have unnecessarily complicated spelling for no reason are not my faves lol

Yasti

Also I just wanted to say that I LOVE the name October! 💕🍪 A name that’s also stuck out to me from you guys has been Phoenix, and I also particularly like Ryke, Poppy, Maeve, Audrey, Vada (😍😍) and Harriet. I actually wasn’t super fond of the name Harriet when I first read it (not for any reason), but I love her character so far so my brain has now been rewired to love her name, too 😂

Teresa

I am not a fan of the names Albert or Clifford. Also no Arthur because it makes me think of the cartoon, no Jeremiah and no Jeremy because its my brothers name and i cringe when ever sex scenes come up with that character🤣 The names I do like is unisex names like Phoenix or Sawyer or Taylor.

Sarah

I am not a fan of Leland, Stewart, and Jeffra. I don’t know where you got that name, I’ve never heard of it, but no. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

lex

i thought it was just me 😭😭 whenever i’m reading i’ll be like who is willingly naming their child this

Sarah

Any news on the audio book for ULU?

cass (ben’s version)

just saw that there’s boards for dalton and faust on pinterest now!!! definitely gonna help with playing scenes out in my head. makes me wanna reread the books and reimagine them with the pictures now haha 🫶🫶

dani

does anyone know why kinney is the only character that gets a pov but not a book? I know it’s a random question but i was reading her video diaries and wondered

Dana Hasan

I sure you talk about it on one of your podcase but it really diffecult for me to be update (i mess a lot of them). Can you say if the next serie will be about the Cobalt Emipre (**Charile😍) or maybe direct me on what podcast i should listen to have hint please ?

Sarah

I just read a theory that says Quinn is gonna be in a domestically abusive relationship with his current gf. God I hope not. He’s a boxer and has already been bullied. I just cannot fathom that. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 please not that

Molly Morrissey

Plans to do a bonus scene on Oscar and Jacks post engagement elopement party?

❥ Cait (The Carraway’s #1 fan)

I loovvveee character names!! Honestly, I very much relate to Lily when it comes to names because I also would have picked my tutor based on who has the best sounding name 🙈. Lately, I’ve really enjoyed names that are reminiscent of cities!! I’m so, so, so excited to read Webs We Weave!! I **love** books about con-artists. I could help but wondering if maybe it could have the same vibe as Cowboy Like Me by Taylor Swift (CLM is about two con-artists falling in love, and it always gets me excited for Dishonestly Yours when I listen!) ?? 👀🫶🏻

Teresa

Couple questions for you ladies, 1. When u announce the new serI es involving the families will you talk about the formatting of that series or will you wait until after Lunnelly book comes out to go into more detail( by formatting I mean for example 1 brother gets one book then the next brother gets his book then go back to the first brother to continue his story) 2. You officially confirmed Quinn and Frog in the last announcement post was this Couple something that happened organically like Luna and Donnelly or did you know Frog would be quinn love interest the moment you introduced her?

Teresa

I think they meant ULU 😄

Krista & Becca Ritchie

The universe isn't ending! We fully plan to keep writing the lives of the Hales, Meadows, Cobalts ☺️ We don't want to leave these families yet!

Krista & Becca Ritchie

I feel the same whenever I hear "Becca" on a TV show. It takes me out for a solid second and always feels weird lol! But I slowly get used to it after a while. But I would 100% prefer for a character to not be named my name in TV or a movie so it doesn't startle me as much 😆

Krista & Becca Ritchie

We might be more inclined to write Lunnelly or Unlucky timeline bonus scenes while it's fresh on the brain in the next couple of months and then return to People Like Us, but that could also change! It usually is just dependent on what inspires us during month and the time we have to write them ☺️

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Aww that's so awesome that your son is named Loren! We obviously love that name so much ☺️☺️

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Friends to lovers is one of our all-time fav tropes!! We love reading about a deep bond and connection with the couples before they act on their romance. And yep, our fav tropes to read are typically our fav tropes to write! But there are also tropes that we love that we don't write too much of. Like we do love sports romance, but we don't write many. Circus Is Family series is really our only "sports" romances out there. We also love reading paranormal romance, but we don't write much of that either. We mainly write fantasy and sci-fi romance outside of contemporary.

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Ah love that you love "Jeffra" for a villain name! There was a contestant on Survivor many years ago (first season of Brains, Beauties, Brawn), and she had the name Jeffra. It always stuck out to us, and that's partly what inspired the name when we first wrote Jeffra in SKOP!

Krista & Becca Ritchie

That's so true about Steven! It's a really good minor character name, but maybe not so much as a main character since it's so common. But there are common names we love as more main characters (John in Circus Is Family, Ben in the Like Us series). Also be warned, there is a Trevor in our new upcoming series Webs We Weave (Dishonestly Yours) 😆

Krista & Becca Ritchie

We always end up using Kyle as a minor character name, almost too much! Because we know we'll never use it as a main/significant character. So there tends to be a lot of random Kyles in our books lol 😂

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Ahh loveee that you love Thora and October!! Those are two of my absolute fav girl names as well ~ B

Krista & Becca Ritchie

It's in Unlucky Like Us! Did we mess up the header on the bonus? *runs to check now*

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Oh I see where we accidentally said it was Misifts (in the copy of the hangout). Fixing that now!!

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Ohhh yeah I can imagine after a 100 books, the options for names starts dwindling fast. We always catch ourselves accidentally reusing names for minor characters that appear in like one or two chapters tops.

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Aww love how a character's personality can alter the feeling towards a name! That's pretty awesome!!!

Krista & Becca Ritchie

Jeffra? 😂 I'm almost positive the first time we heard it was a contestant on Survivor. Her name was Jeffra, and it always stuck out to us. She was on season many years ago (first season of Brains, Beauty, Brawn).

Krista & Becca Ritchie

No new news as of this week. The narrators' schedules have been really tight, so we do know it's going to be recorded later than typical.

Krista & Becca Ritchie

We can't remember exactly why we chose Kinney since it was so long ago, other than at the time we wrote her diaries, we were just inspired to write her POV, and it seemed creatively really fun the way we could write her POV through her video diaries -- and this plot would link back up to the narrative of the books (particularly Headstrong and Charming Like Us with her camcorder).

Krista & Becca Ritchie

We'll be announcing the next project in December! But we talk a lot about the present and future in the Extra Podcast #77: General Discussion About Our Series: Like Us, Addicted, Circus Is Family, Cobalt Empire. We're also recording a podcast this week about the announcements!

Krista & Becca Ritchie

It's on our list. We are hoping to write snippets of this event for People Like Us ☺️

Krista & Becca Ritchie

1. When we announce the series in December, we're just going to announce the series and the title name of Book 1. We'll be hesitant to say more about the structure of the novel until we're further through writing. 2. It was pretty organic the way Frog & Quinn happened! We loved their interactions in Infamous Like Us while we were writing. So they were more like a Luna & Donnelly pairing for us 💗

Lauren Gibbs

I think it's been a more recent boom? Especially for really sassy characters!

C✨💞

Loved all the Pinterest updates last week 🥰

Sarah

Thank you

Mads

i can't wait for this month podcasts and the Ryke bonus chapter :) Is it here yet?🙈 haha

Isabella Ocampo

Any ideas of when the audiobook of Unlucky Like Us comes out???

Sioned

This was their response to someone else 🥰 “No new news as of this week. The narrators’ schedules have been really tight, so we do know it’s going to be recorded later than typical.”

Krista & Becca Ritchie

We wish we had more news! We know it's being recorded later than usual, as we're waiting on narrators' schedules. We're hoping that we're able to get them locked in for Nobody Like Us earlier though since we know when that book will release *fingers crossed*

Abby (Eliot’s version)

Character ‘s names are sometimes one of my favorite parts!! However, on the flip side, one thing that will definitely turn me off from a book is a character name that I am unsure how to pronounce! It often results me in reading a sentence and stumbling over someone’s name which takes me out of the story for a moment… what makes it worse is when I find out half way through the book that the way I’ve been pronouncing it in my head is COMPLETELY wrong!! 🙄🫣 other than that give me all the cute names and if it is something different just tell me, like make the character sound it out for someone like they did for Hermione in HP 😂

Abby (Eliot’s version)

Oh and I feel like the upcoming info section of our Fridays keeps getting bigger and bigger and it makes me smile EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. 😍 can’t wait for what’s next with NLU, DY, and the future series we’re all eagerly anticipating info about ❤️✨🎉🥰🙌🏻 happy writing ladies! *hugs and love* 💕