Season 7, Episode 5: Engineered for Love (w/ CM Barnes)

Season 7, Episode 5: Engineered for Love (w/ CM Barnes)

Author: Tati R. and Yaki E November 7, 2025 Duration: 1:09:59

This week, we are honored to have author C.M. Barnes @thewritebarnes join Tati on the podcast. She's a wife, mom and engineer who is crafting hot romance and an even hotter series with her Winston Hills trilogy.


About C.M.:
C.M. Barnes is a Black and urban romance and erotica author with a voice as bold as it is tender. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, she brings both heart and heat to the page through vivid storytelling and emotionally charged narratives. With a background in civil engineering, C.M. crafts her stories with precision—laying the groundwork for characters who reflect the resilience, complexity, and beauty of Black love.
Her writing is inspired by a deep belief that Black women deserve love, happiness, and devotion without having to suffer for it. Her stories celebrate joy, sensuality, and emotional honesty, making space for Black women to be cherished exactly as they are.
When she’s not writing or reading voraciously, C.M. enjoys building intricate LEGO sets and spending quality time with her two children, diving into the things they love most.

For more, visit her website: www.thewritebarnes.com

Follow Romance in Colour on Social Media

IG ⁠@RomanceInColour⁠

Twitter: ⁠@RomanceNColour ⁠

Facebook Groups: ⁠www.facebook.com/groups/RomanceinColour⁠

Follow Yakini on her Instagram @OurNycHome

Follow Tati Richardson on social media and pick up her books here, ⁠here⁠


There’s a particular comfort in losing yourself in a romantic story, whether it’s on screen or on the page. Romance in Colour is that feeling turned into conversation, hosted by real-life friends Tati R. and Yaki E. Tati, a romance author, and Dr. Yaki, a psychologist, share more than just a friendship-they share a deep, abiding love for romance narratives and a specific lens shaped by their experiences. This podcast lives in the space where their fandom meets thoughtful discussion, breaking down everything from beloved TV movies to trending romance novels. They aren’t just reviewing plots; they’re diving into the emotional mechanics, the cultural touchstones, and the specific joys of seeing stories through a Black Xennial perspective. You’ll hear the easy rapport of two friends who get why a certain trope works or why a character’s journey resonates, blending professional insight with genuine fan enthusiasm. It’s for anyone who believes a perfect afternoon involves a great love story and wants to unpack it with some smart, funny people. Tune in to hear them quench that mutual thirst for romance and hand you the glass, episode by episode.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Romance in Colour
Podcast Episodes
Season 4 Epi 23: The Game of Love (ft. Mia Heintzelman) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:54
What do you get when you mix classic board games and a romantic comedy? You get magic, that's what! And Mia Heintzelman delivers with Monopolove. We discuss Mia's first traditonally published series, her inspirtation, an…
THE BUILD UP SPECIAL EPISODE 2: (w/ author LaQuette) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:36
This week we are celebrating the release of Tati Richardson's debut, The Build Up, with several guest hosts joining us to interview our podcast co-host. Our last guest host for release day, author LaQuette, award-winning…
Season 4, Episode 21: The Magic in the Genre (ft. Mia Tsai) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:45
If you want a book that is genre bending and gives you the same feels as the Oscar winning Everything Everywhere All at Once, this week's author is going to do just that. Mia Tsai's debut Bitter Medicine is a genre cross…
Season 4. Episode 20: The Imposter In Us All (Ft. Terreece M. Clarke) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:03
Exclusive: We have an extended interview with indie author Terreece M. Clarke, author of the romantic thriller Heartbeat. We talk about the imposter syndrome that all authors fight, her journey to publishing her debut, a…
Season 4, Episode 19: A Paranormal Shift (ft. Stella Williams) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:18
Stella Williams is a sister armed with a vivid imagination and a degree in anthropology. That combination yields some of the finest paranormal series in the world. A contemporary and paranormal romance writer from Washin…
Season 4, Episode 18: A Calling and a Purpose (ft. Mya Kay) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:29
Romance can be a place of healing and a place of deep, spiritual connection. If you don't believe us, then listen to our interview this week with author Mya Kay. This indie author of Christian Romance talks about the pur…