On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Brynne Weaver to discuss her new novel, Butcher & Blackbird, a viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry that is unlike anything you've read before. 

We talk to Brynne about the idea for this novel about two serial killers and how she leaned into the dark, sexy and funny aspects of it; how she created such a complex, yet totally relatable female protagonist in Sloane; the way smitten Rowan allows her to feel safe and seen (and what her own experience rescuing birds has to do with it!); their annual murder competition; how fun it is to write sex scenes (this one is high on that chilli pepper 🌶️ scale!); and of course, how it feels to have your book go viral!

Butcher & Balckbird is out now and it’s the first book in The Ruinous Love Trilogy (look out for book two, Leather & Lark, coming June 4th!). Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat whenever you get your podcasts!

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome Brynne Weaver to discuss her new novel, Butcher &amp; Blackbird, a viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry that is unlike anything you've read before. 
We talk to Brynne about the idea for this novel about two serial killers and how she leaned into the dark, sexy and funny aspects of it; how she created such a complex, yet totally relatable female protagonist in Sloane; the way smitten Rowan allows her to feel safe and seen (and what her own experience rescuing birds has to do with it!); their annual murder competition; how fun it is to write sex scenes (this one is high on that chilli pepper 🌶️ scale!); and of course, how it feels to have your book go viral!
Butcher &amp; Balckbird is out now and it’s the first book in The Ruinous Love Trilogy (look out for book two, Leather &amp; Lark, coming June 4th!). Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat whenever you get your podcasts!

In Pop Fiction Women we deep-dive into the complicated women of books, movies and TV shows, along with the women that bring them to life behind the scenes. Think Fleabag and Phoebe Waller Bridge, Normal People and Sally Rooney, and so much more.

In each episode you can expect us to:

* Break down the protagonist as we ask what makes her complicated?
* Identify the best scenes, which can mean sweetest, funniest, or most badass. Anything we love.
* Recount the cringiest scenes. The ones that make you squirm. Sometimes it’s self-sabotage, sometimes it’s growth, but it’s always part of the process of becoming our complicated selves.
* Play arm-chair therapist in What’s Your Damage, Heather? An homage to the iconic line in Winona Rider’s Heathers, we discuss how these characters got to be the way they are.
* “What She Said” - the segment where we scour every essay and interview with the women behind the scenes and share some of our favorite first person quotes. Real life is as interesting as fiction here.
* Look into our crystal ball and ponder where these characters are six months later and five years later. Typically, Kate gets very real and Carinn gets buck wild.
* Provide a takeaway, aka that part in the podcast where we try to sound deep. We leave you with some parting wisdom, challenge each other with thought-provoking questions inspired by the work, and urge you to “stay complicated.”

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