Selena Samuela Author Interview: Peloton Instructor Hosts NY Times Bestseller During Workout

Sarah A. Parker held a two-minute plank for rapid-fire questions at Peloton Studios, proving romantasy fans and fitness fans have more in common than you might think.

Selena Samuela pulled off something most book clubs never attempt: an author interview conducted mid-workout, with the author doing the planking. On June 3, Samuela shared an Instagram video of her session with New York Times bestselling romantasy novelist Sarah A. Parker, describing it as “the honor of doing an author interview while working out.” Parker held a plank for two solid minutes while the two ran through rapid-fire questions on the studio floor.

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A post shared by SELENA SAMUELA (@selenasamuela)

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Samuela’s caption gave Parker the highest possible compliment in her corner of the book world: “She is a true baddie. Raeve would have been proud.” Raeve is the protagonist of Parker’s When the Moon Hatched, an assassin defined by grit and resilience, and apparently the right benchmark for surviving a two-minute plank under questioning. Samuela noted that more clips from the interview are coming, suggesting this is the first installment in a series of posts from the session.

Fellow Peloton instructor Tunde Oyeneyin spotted the video and commented: “Adding this to my audible list!!”

About A Court of Books and Baddies

The workout-meets-literature format fits Samuela’s off-platform identity precisely. She runs A Court of Books and Baddies, a romantasy-focused book club hosted on the Fable app and known by its acronym ACOBAB. The club has previously read titles including Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, and Samuela has built a devoted readership alongside her fitness following. Bringing one of romantasy’s leading authors into a workout setting  for this Selena Samuela author interview is a natural extension of what ACOBAB represents: fitness and fantasy, together. You can join the club on the Fable app. Those who have been tracking Samuela’s return to Peloton after welcoming twin girls Stella and Frankie in December 2025 can catch up with her recent schedule coverage here.

About Sarah A. Parker

Parker is an internationally bestselling author based on the Gold Coast of Australia. Her novel When the Moon Hatched earned a Goodreads Choice Award nomination for Best Romantasy in 2024 and a British Book Awards nomination for Debut Book of the Year in 2025. The Ballad of Falling Dragons, the sequel in the Moonfall series, was released May 19, 2026. Her earlier Crystal Bloom trilogy, beginning with To Bleed a Crystal Bloom, established her in dark fantasy romance.

Are you a romantasy fan? What books help you connect your Peloton life with your “IRL” goals?

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