Hot and Bothered
48 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 452 ratingsYou may remember BFFs Vanessa Zoltan & Julia Argy from their all-star advice giving in Hot and Bothered Season 1. In this mini-season they’re sheltering in place in different cities, but they’re getting on the phone three times a week to read and talk about Twilight. On Twilight in Quarantine, they’ll work their way through the Twilight saga one chapter at a time, giving brilliant well-informed advice to Stephenie Meyer and her characters along the way. Being isolated sucks, but at least we can do it together with sparkly vampires brightening our days.
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Episodes
No Episode Today!
May 25, 2020 07:47 - 26 seconds - 414 KBWe know, we know, it's a terrible time to leave you hanging. Bella is on the floor bleeding! Her leg is broken and her head is bashed in. Is she dead? Well, we'll have to wait another few days to find out. We're taking the day off for Memorial Day! We'll be back at you with Chapter 23 on Wednesday. 😘 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Hide and Seek
May 22, 2020 07:47 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 22 and feel greatly betrayed when it turns out that Bella is not actually from Phoenix. --- If $2/month doesn’t feel like a vampire sucking your blood, we’d love it if you could support us on Patreon. Your support will help us help Bella through book two! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Phone Call
May 20, 2020 07:47 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 21 and are amused by the quaint technologies of the early 2000s like 'drawing' and 'writing.' Bella's gonna have her mind blown by photoshop and snapchat. --- If $2/month doesn’t feel like a vampire sucking your blood, we’d love it if you could support us on Patreon. Your support will help us help Bella through book two! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Impatience
May 18, 2020 07:47 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBVanessa and Julia have read chapter 20 and they're feeling as trapped in Bella's hotel room as she is. --- If $2/month doesn’t feel like a vampire sucking your blood, we’d love it if you could support us on Patreon. Your support will help us help Bella through book two! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Goodbyes
May 15, 2020 07:47 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 19 and they are starting to understand why the Cullens treat Bella like a toddler. --- If $2/month doesn’t feel like a vampire sucking your blood, we’d love it if you could support us on Patreon. Your support will help us help Bella through book two! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: The Hunt
May 13, 2020 07:47 - 16 minutes - 15 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 18 and they want you to JUST SAY NO to kidnapping. --- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: The Game
May 11, 2020 07:47 - 18 minutes - 17 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 17 and have an important sports update: baseball is dumb. --- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Carlisle
May 08, 2020 07:47 - 17 minutes - 16.3 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 16 and they think that you should always pack an umbrella. Or at least not laugh at those who do. --- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: The Cullens
May 06, 2020 07:47 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 15 and are blowing the whistle on creepy rocking chair dynamics. If you see something, say something. --- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Mind Over Matter
May 04, 2020 07:47 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBVanessa and Julia have read chapter 14 and they applaud Bella for living her best quarantine life. --- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Confessions
May 01, 2020 07:47 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MBVanessa and Julia have read chapter 13 and they're already planning their Edward/Bella Halloween costumes. --- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Balancing
April 29, 2020 07:47 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 12 and they continue to find Edward's outfits better than his behavior. -- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Complications
April 27, 2020 07:47 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 11 and they finally find out why this book is called Twilight. -- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Interrogations
April 24, 2020 07:47 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 10 and they realize that everyone really wants to smell like vegetables. They also both come to a very important conclusion: using your dog to get a message to your boyfriend is a fool's errand. -- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Theory
April 22, 2020 07:47 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBThis episode, Vanessa is joined by our friend Meredith Goldstein of the Love Letters podcast. Meredith is an actual advice columnist and an actual fan of Twilight, so it's a real treat to have her on. Vanessa and Meredith discuss chapter 9 and recommend some moral philosophy to Edward. -- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Port Angeles
April 20, 2020 07:47 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 8 and they are #TeamAngela. -- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Nightmare
April 17, 2020 07:47 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 7 and beg Bella Swan to do literally anything else but wait by the phone for a boy to call. Bella--take a nap, eat a banana, pet your goldfish and call your mom! -- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Scary Stories
April 15, 2020 07:47 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 6 and they have different takes on the character of Lauren. -- If you're enjoying Twilight in Quarantine, please consider supporting us on Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Blood Type
April 13, 2020 07:47 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 5 and they'd like to teach the residents of Forks some things about consent. -- Note: We've relaunched our Patreon! If you're enjoying our advice for the characters of Twilight, please consider supporting us in our work! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Invitations
April 10, 2020 07:47 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 4 and they're ready to start casting for Twilight the Musical. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Phenomenon
April 08, 2020 07:47 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 3 and, surprisingly, they're actually starting to like this book! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: Open Book
April 06, 2020 07:47 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBVanessa and Julia have read Chapter 2 and they have some questions about the weather patterns in Forks, Washington. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Twilight in Quarantine: First Sight
April 03, 2020 16:00 - 19 minutes - 17.4 MBIs Twilight by Stephenie Meyer the best book of all time? No it’s not. Is it the kind of cotton candy escapism joy we need during these uncertain times? Hell yes it is. You may remember BFFs Vanessa Zoltan & Julia Argy from their all-star advice giving in Season 1. In this mini-season they’re sheltering in place in different cities, but they’re getting on the phone three times a week to read and talk about Twilight. On Twilight in Quarantine, they’ll work their way through the Twilight sag...
Introducing: Love Letters
February 04, 2020 08:35 - 25 minutes - 35.7 MBWe're gearing up for Season 2, but in the meantime enjoy this episode of the Love Letters podcast hosted by our friend Meredith Goldstein. Follow Love Letters on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Epilogue
December 03, 2019 08:35 - 24 minutes - 34.5 MBThis week Vanessa talks about how the Friends-to-Lovers trope reflects the love she has for her real life partner, and how writing her own romance novel has allowed her to discover the importance of trust in her relationships. Meanwhile, Ariana interviews Vanessa about the importance of happy endings, how romance novels have helped her through her own life, and why she and Ariana started this podcast anyway. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Let This Drive a Wedge Between You: Lauren Sandler
November 26, 2019 08:35 - 33 minutes - 45.6 MBVanessa and Julia deal with a Reddit question from a woman whose boyfriend has recently found religion. Should his attempts to convert her end their relationship? To explore this question, Vanessa talks with journalist Lauren Sandler about her research on Christian Romance Novels and their writers. At the heart of their discussion lies the question: how religion can affect romance? They discuss how religion can bring some people closer, and can tear others apart. See acast.com/privacy ...
Extra-Virgin (Like Olive Oil)
November 19, 2019 08:35 - 42 minutes - 59 MBThis week, Vanessa’s friend, Liz, writes on the “Widowed Virgin” trope, telling the story of a Jewish widow who finds sexual awakening after her husband’s death. Vanessa reflects on her own Jewish upbringing, and confronts the familial urge to marry within the religion. Vanessa, whose partner is non-Jewish and German, examines what it means to love someone outside of the community she was raised in. She turns to her brother, who married a wonderful Jewish woman, to discuss how important it...
Delete Your Social Media: JenReadsRomance
November 12, 2019 08:35 - 43 minutes - 59.4 MBThis week Vanessa and Julia discuss a boyfriend’s jealousy of his girlfriend’s dream man. Can someone’s fantasy life be threatening to their relationship? To get answers, Vanessa talks with popular Romance advocate and critic Jen Prokop, of @JenReadsRomance on Twitter, about romance novel covers and why they should (or shouldn’t) change. We also hear a clip from Vanessa’s interview with Nichole Perkins who talks about representation in romance covers, and how they could improve. Send us ...
Treat Today Like No One is Watching
November 05, 2019 08:35 - 52 minutes - 72.2 MBJen wants to write a romance with her daughter as the main character. Vanessa just doesn’t understand why it has to be so...creepy. This week on Hot & Bothered, Jen uses the trope “Fake Relationship to True Love” to explore what her daughter’s future relationship might look like as a powerful, self-actualized woman in the modern world. When it takes a creepy turn, Vanessa wonders what sort of message Jen is hoping her daughter will hear. With the help of The New York Times’ romance columnis...
Stay Safe: Steve Almond
October 29, 2019 07:35 - 33 minutes - 45.6 MBThis week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy tackle one of the most intense Reddit questions yet: a girlfriend considering leaving her boyfriend -- a serial drunk driver. With the stakes high, Vanessa and Julia struggle with how to give the best advice. For advice on advice giving, Julia turns to advice columnist, podcaster, and writer, Steve Almond. Together, they discuss the patriarchal problem of male rage, and what lies between the lines of love advice questions. Send us your own romance...
A Really Solid 60% Guy
October 22, 2019 07:35 - 35 minutes - 49.4 MBElizabeth and Vanessa’s parents both got married fast, and fell in love after. This week on Hot & Bothered, Elizabeth writes about the trope “Marriage of Convenience.” She’s taking this opportunity re-write her parents failing marriage with a happy ending. But the more Elizabeth writes, the more Vanessa wonders if Elizabeth is carrying some of the worst parts of the trope into her own life. She and Vanessa explore: how parents can inform our own idea of love, what it means to settle versus...
Monogamy Isn’t Working: Katie and Pam Mingle
October 15, 2019 07:35 - 32 minutes - 45.2 MBThis week, Vanessa is joined by Katie Mingle from 99% Invisible. They explore this week’s Reddit question written by a woman in a 10 year relationship who’s experiencing feelings for another man. To find an answer, Vanessa and Katie call Katie’s mother, romance novelist Pam Mingle. Together, they revisit a question from earlier in this season: whether love at first sight exists. Pam, Katie and Vanessa consider the difference between romantic love and motherly love, the failures of monogamy...
Introducing The Left Ear
October 12, 2019 07:35 - 2 minutesVanessa introduces a new podcast, The Left Ear, created by Dakota Johnson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mom, Don't Listen
October 08, 2019 07:35 - 38 minutes - 53.6 MBMarissa Martinelli is writing a real sex scene. Vanessa is READY. This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Mistaken Identity.” As Marissa tries to write a good sex scene for her mistaken characters, she and Vanessa explore the vulnerability of explicit sexuality, and wrestle with the freedom and the oppression of coded sexual language. Vanessa turns to writer, romance-novel reader, and co-host of Thirst Aid Kit Nichole Perkins to understand what we talk about when we talk about ...
It’s Eyeballs: Meredith Goldstein
October 01, 2019 07:35 - 30 minutes - 42.3 MBThis week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy marvel over their favorite Reddit dating advice question yet: a girlfriend curious about her boyfriend’s LOCKED DRAWER containing a secret object he refuses to divulge. For insight into the most mysterious relational secrets, Vanessa turns to advice columnist, entertainment reporter, and paranormal romance novel reader Meredith Goldstein. Together, they explore the boundaries of privacy, paranormal intimacy, and what we keep in drawers. Send us yo...
In the Next Exam Room
September 24, 2019 07:35 - 44 minutes - 61.8 MBVanessa and Brigid share everything with each other - their thoughts, their feelings, even their endometriosis diagnosis. This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Friends to Lovers.” In her writing, Brigid reckons with the way love changes in the transition from friendship to partnership. Together, Vanessa and Brigid wrestle with what they share with friends, what they share with their partners, and the intimacy born from shared pain. Along the way, Rev. Dr. Matthew Potts return...
Questionable Man: Amy Hollywood
September 17, 2019 07:35 - 34 minutes - 47.9 MBThis week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy fight over the appropriate unsolicited advice to give a Redditor who just discovered his girlfriend lied to him about her virginity. To make sense of their conflict, Vanessa turns to feminist and religious scholar Amy Hollywood. Together, they explore the religious history and origins of virginity, and the implications of how virginity is portrayed today. Send us your own romance advice questions for future episodes on our website at https://www.ho...
A Helpful Scam
September 10, 2019 07:35 - 45 minutes - 62.3 MBVanessa and her sister-in-law Suzanne agree: love-at-first-sight is questionable at best. Even still, Suzanne wants to explore a love-at-first-sight romance novel while anticipating the birth of her first child. This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Love at First Sight.” Suzanne considers how a parent’s “supposed” to feel upon first sight of their newborn child, and how love grows and evolves over time. Vanessa considers the limitations of love-at-first-sight stories in a worl...
The Conundrum
August 27, 2019 07:35 - 40 minutes - 56.4 MBIt’s no secret Olivia and Molly would love to have a baby. Vanessa thinks she might want a baby, but isn’t so sure. This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope of “Secret Baby.” Olivia and Molly have been patiently hoping and working to bring a baby into their life. In the meantime, they craft their own vicarious happy ending, baby and all. Vanessa considers her ambivalence about having a baby, and invites a chorus of loved ones to weigh the pros and cons of her bringing a child into...
Divorce Him: Emily Nagoski
August 20, 2019 07:35 - 27 minutes - 38.1 MBThat’s right! You work on your writing, we’ll work on other people’s love lives! This week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy offer their support and unsolicited advice to an especially distraught Redditor wondering what to do with a husband who claims he’s no longer sexually attracted to her because of her past trauma. In addition to the obvious answer (divorce him!), Vanessa turns to sex educator and NYT best-selling author Emily Nagoski to better understand the nuances around attraction, s...
We All Hate Kokomo
August 13, 2019 07:35 - 46 minutes - 64.5 MBVanessa has been faithfully holding onto her old love letters. Her friend Sejal, however, has decided to burn her own memorabilia and never look back. Which one is right? This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Reunited Lovers.” Sejal has made peace with her past and seeks a vicarious happy ending for two fictional former flames. Vanessa, on the other hand, is forced to confront the reality of a former toxic lover and what it means to doctor the evidence of her romantic history. ...
No Such Thing as Too Many Romance Novels: Margaret H. Willison
August 06, 2019 07:35 - 28 minutes - 39.7 MBAnother week to work on your next writing assignment? You’re welcome! This week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy offer more unsolicited advice to a romance-fraught Redditor caught between the love she has in her arms and the love she’s read about in books. Torn between fantasy and reality, Vanessa turns to librarian, pop culture expert, and America's Next Top Best Friend Margaret H. Willison to discuss the power of fantasy, and how imagining the love we *could* have helps us get the love we ...
Best Friend Lady Pirates
July 30, 2019 07:35 - 44 minutes - 81.9 MBAriana Nedelman wants to write a romance novel, no matter how much it hurts. Vanessa Zoltan loves her friend Ariana, and doesn’t want her to do things that hurt! This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Enemies to Lovers.” Ariana confronts her own enemy, writing, in hopes she may grow to love it again. Vanessa reckons with letting a toxic enemy near her dearest friend. Additionally, we get some guidance from Professor Stephanie Paulsell at Harvard Divinity School, and our next wr...
Dump Him: Alyssa Cole
July 23, 2019 07:35 - 28 minutes - 65.5 MBHaven't finished the first writing assignment? No problem! We know writing takes time, so you'll have two weeks for each of Julia Quinn's assignments. In the meantime, Vanessa and her friend Julia Argy will buy you some time and turn to Reddit romance questions to offer their unsolicited (but solid) dating advice. This week’s advice? Dump Him. As Vanessa and Julia consider how power and money work negatively in real dating relationships, Vanessa turns to award-winning romance novelist Alyss...
Justice for Dragons
July 16, 2019 08:35 - 47 minutes - 108 MBVanessa Zoltan thinks that happy endings are the best part of romance novels. Bryce Gilfillian is writing his first romance novel and refuses to write a happy ending. This week on Hot and Bothered, we explore the trope of “Updated Fairytale.” Bryce sets out to write the gay fairytale he never had growing up. Meanwhile, Vanessa wrestles with her own princes, witches, and dragons. Along the way we get a little help from Professor of Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University, Maria Tatar, ...
A Heartfelt Valentine
February 14, 2019 11:47 - 5 minutes - 5.32 MBHere is an Anti-Valentine from Vanessa and Ariana. All 20 episodes of Hot & Bothered will be launching weekly, on Tuesdays, starting July 16th. In the meantime, we wanted to wish you a happy Valentine’s Day. Really! Happy Valentine’s Day! Or at least, happy Emma’s birthday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Preview: I Have Two Theories
October 31, 2018 19:54 - 6 minutes - 6.03 MBA closer look at Season One of Hot & Bothered, coming early 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Hot & Bothered Trailer
February 27, 2018 18:33 - 1 minute - 2.2 MBRomance novels are the publishing industry’s dirty little secret. They make up 34% of the U.S. fiction market, yet there's still so much stigma around reading them. Join Vanessa Zoltan in October 2018 as she investigates the joyful, feminist, sacred space of the Romance genre. Every episode, Vanessa challenges one of her friends to write their first romance novel. With the help of N.Y. Times Best Selling Novelist Julia Quinn, we'll be falling in love again and again. Learn more ab...