February is the month of romance at FOLD! In this episode, romance author Farah Heron joins Jael and Lin to talk about romance novels and spice levels.

FOLD's February Reading Challenge is romance by a queer male author. Read our book recommendations at thefoldcanada.org/readingchallenge2026.

Track your reading on Beanstack! Visit thefoldcanada.org/foldreads to learn how to join our online reading community.

About Farah Heron

Farah Heron is a critically acclaimed author of romantic comedies for adults and teens. Her books have been named best book of the year by CBC books, USA Today, and NPR. She writes romantic comedies and young adult romances full of huge South Asian families, delectable food, and most importantly, brown people falling stupidly in love. Her books include Accidentally Engaged, Jana Goes Wild, and A Little Holiday Fling. She lives in Toronto with her family and her cats. (https://farahheron.com/)

Jael, Lin & Farah's Tips for Writing Spicy Scenes:

1. Understand the purpose of your spicy scenes. Do you want to further the plot or character development? Is it only meant to be titillating? Make sure you write to that purpose.

2. Make sure the characters have an emotional bond on the page that correspond to their physical actions. Don't only describe the physical activity, also show what the characters are feeling in the moment.

3. Make sure the writing is good and appropriate for what the purpose of the scene is.

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to itf@thefoldcanada.org and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider donating at https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate.

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New Year, New Reading Challenges! Jael and Lin talk about how difficult it can be to make and keep new year resolutions, including reading challenges. But here at FOLD, we want to make reading as easy and enjoyable as possible!

Join us on Beanstack where there are multiple reading challenges to meet the needs of every reader. Visit thefoldcanada.org/foldreads to learn more!

Jael & Lin's Tips for Keeping New Year's Resolutions:

1. Instead of making a resolution intended to last the whole year, set a goal for one month. The shorter time period makes it easier to stick to the resolution and you can re-evaluate after.

2. Don't give up if you don't meet your goal. If you miss a day, just start again the next day. Just keep trying.

3. Make your resolution a mindset or attitude that you want to guide your year. Put it on a sticky note where you'll see it every day.

4. Understand your why. Why is this a goal you want to pursue? Understand the reason behind the goal will help keep you motivated.

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to itf@thefoldcanada.org and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider donating at https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate.

Podcast Page: https://www.thefoldcanada.org/intothefold

Website: https://www.thefoldcanada.org

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FestivalofLiteraryDiversity

Book marketing and the way readers choose new books has changed significantly in the last decade. Social media has created more personalized streams to find new authors, with many book influencers taking a hobby and a love of reading and turning it into a full-fledged business.

On today’s episode of Into the FOLD, Jael, Lin and Jessica Rampersad talk about how to break into the exciting but sometimes intimidating world of social media book influencing, both as a prospective influencer and as an author.

Jess’s Tips for Breaking Into the Book Influencing World:

1. For new influencers, take the time to build a strong first impression. Create content that shows you’re involved in an author’s niche and that your network will be well connected to share relevant posts.
2. As an author, understand your goals before reaching out to influencers and personal assistants. Whether it’s coordinating for a launch or growing your social media following, know what you’re asking for before you start the conversation.
3. For everyone, remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Building a platform and relationships takes time and repetition. Be prepared to put in the work.

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to itf@thefoldcanada.org and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider donating at https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate.
Podcast Page: https://www.thefoldcanada.org/intothefold

Website: https://www.thefoldcanada.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_fold

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FestivalofLiteraryDiversity

How many shopping days are left until Christmas? At this time of year, it feels like everyone from big box book stores to indie authors selling books from their living room is promoting a sale. But how do you know which book to choose for your loved ones? And are books even a good gift to give?

On today’s episode of Into the FOLD, Jael, Lin, and FOLD’s Kids Program Coordinator Ardo Omer talk about why holiday gift giving can be a joy and a struggle. While they love books, they agree books may not always be the right gift for everyone on your shopping list.

Jael, Lin & Ardo's Gift Giving Suggestions for 2025:Books

• Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin
• One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
• Waiting To Be Arrested At Night by Tahir Hamut Izgil
• You Can Be An Activist by Charlene Rocha and Mary Beth Leatherdale
• Black Boys Like Me: Confrontations with Race, Identity, and Belonging by Matthew R. Morris
• Little You by Richard Van Camp
• The Inscrutable Mr. Yang by Lindo Forbes
• Only Mostly Dead by Alli Temple
• Gaysians by Mike Curato
• International editions and translated versions of your dearest reader’s favourite book

Other Gifts

• Bookish clothing and merch (like FOLD Apparel!)
• Gift cards to your favourite indie bookstore
• Tickets or passes to upcoming bookish events
• Donations to charitable organizations supporting literacy and diversity in publishing
• Library passports
• Reading logs

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to itf@thefoldcanada.org and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider a donation at https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate.

Podcast Page: https://www.thefoldcanada.org/intothefoldWebsite: https://www.thefoldcanada.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_foldFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FestivalofLiteraryDiversity

Literary festivals are in a crisis moment right now. Funding is drying up, readers are tightening their budgets, and with new festivals and book cons popping up, the money that is still available is being spread thinner than ever. On today’s episode of Into the FOLD, Jael and Lin look at what goes on behind the scenes in planning a literary festival, how to organize and program with longevity in mind, and what you need to remember when interacting with other literary festivals in your niche or geographic area.

Jael & Lin's Top 3 Tips for Lit Fest Organizers:

1. Make sure you’re programming with purpose, not just “because that’s how we’ve always done it.”

2. If you’re starting a new festival, understand what your mission is and be open and honest about it.

3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other festivals and events about possible collaboration and joint learning opportunities.

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to ⁠itf@thefoldcanada.org⁠ and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider a donating at ⁠https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate⁠.

Podcast Page: ⁠https://www.thefoldcanada.org/intothefold⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.thefoldcanada.org⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_fold⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FestivalofLiteraryDiversity⁠

Jael and Lin pit literary festivals against book conventions, with this episode's guest, Melissa Saavedra, founder of Steamy Lit Con. We talk about the difference between literary festivals and book conventions, some of the challenges we face as organizers, and what lessons we can learn from each other.

About Melissa Saavedra

Melissa Saavedra (she/her) is the founder of Steamy Lit, a romance literary collective dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and celebrating self-love through storytelling. Melissa launched Steamy Lit in 2021 with the debut of The Steam Box, a romance book subscription box that has since gained a loyal following for its commitment to inclusivity and sexual empowerment. When she’s not curating must-read romances or running her bookstore, Melissa can be found enjoying tequila on the beach or spending time with her beloved dogs. (https://www.steamylit.com/about)

Jael, Lin, and Melissa's Top 3 Tips for Organizing Book Events:

1. Think of the reader experience, and draw from book con or lit fest models as appropriate.
2. Treat the authors with respect and care.
3. Don't just create events to fill time, craft an experience for everyone in attendance.

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to itf@thefoldcanada.org and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider a donating at https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate.

Podcast Page: https://www.thefoldcanada.org/intothefold

Website: https://www.thefoldcanada.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_fold

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FestivalofLiteraryDiversity

When the world is on fire, reading sometimes feels like a luxury we can't afford. Jael and Lin can commiserate. They talk about mood reading, giving yourself permission to read what you want, and how authors can use reading to inform their writing.

Jael & Lin's Top 3 Tips for Mood Reading:

1. Don't be afraid to DNF if a book isn't working for you.
2. Explore different formats that fit your lifestyle.
3. Understand how your reading affects your writing.

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to itf@thefoldcanada.org and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider a donating at https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate.

Podcast Page: https://www.thefoldcanada.org/intothefold
Website: https://www.thefoldcanada.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_fold
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FestivalofLiteraryDiversity

Jael and Lin are joined by literary agent CeCe Lyra to talk about writing to market. What is writing to market? Should you do it? How should you do it?

About CeCe Lyra

Cecilia “CeCe” Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates representing a range of fiction and nonfiction authors writing for the adult market. Born and raised bilingual and bicultural in Rio de Janeiro, CeCe is passionate about representing under and misrepresented voices.

She is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) and a co-host of the podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, which has over four million downloads. A mixed-race Latina, CeCe is a proud member of Latinx in Publishing. She is also a recovering lawyer but asks that you do not hold that against her. (https://cecilialyra.com/)

Jael, Lin & CeCe's Top 3 Tips for Writing to Market:

1. Write what you love. Remember your goals and priorities.

2. Study what's selling in the market.

3. Read books like a writer.

If you have questions for Jael & Lin, submit them to itf@thefoldcanada.org and we may answer them in a future episode!

If you've enjoyed this podcast and would like to support the work of the FOLD, please consider a donating at https://www.thefoldcanada.org/donate.

Podcast Page: https://www.thefoldcanada.org/intothefold

Website: https://www.thefoldcanada.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_fold

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FestivalofLiteraryDiversity