Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast
615 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 322 ratingsEach week on Smart Podcast, Trashy Books, Sarah Wendell interviews authors, readers, reviewers, bloggers, publishing professionals, editors, and librarians about romance novels, which are among the most popular genres in fiction worldwide. Popular guests include: Ilona Andrews, Robin Bradford, NPR's Barrie Hardymon, Chuck Tingle, Sarah J. Maas, and Rachel Aaron. Amanda Diehl, co-pilot of the SS Smart Bitches, makes regular appearances with maximum silliness, especially during our Romantic Times Rewind episodes, where we take a look at old issues of Romantic Times Magazine (1981-2018). Frequent topics include romance novels, the way the genre is changing, and the brilliant and interesting people who read, write, and produce it, and issues common among romance readers. Plus, we always recommend some books we're reading and really enjoying. Learn more at SB-TB.com/Podcast. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more!
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Episodes
611. Romantic Times Rewind: April 2005 Ads & Features
April 19, 2024 06:00 - 1 hour - 50.8 MBY’all, the April 2005 issue of Romantic Times is a treasure of truly amazing fun. So many of you told me that episode 609, where we looked at the reviews, made you laugh so hard you cried. Well, let me share some highlights of what is about to happen to your eardrums. The Mr. Romance Cover Model Pageant was a Six-episode reality tv show on the Oxygen network, and we missed it when it ran. It’s not all on YouTube but we have a few links! We have the arrival of what I called the “venti size...
610. Writing Super Fun Fantasy with Kimberly Lemming
April 12, 2024 06:00 - 36 minutes - 29.1 MBWhat happens when you write the books you want to read but are having a hard time finding? Many good things. Kimberly Lemming loves fantasy, and started writing her own catnip, which led to the joy that is the Mead Mishaps series.We answer ALL the tough questions, like how many mead mishaps have we personally experienced? How does one make the bananas spin? And why is Galavant the greatest production ever made? Note: in the middle of the episode, the email Kimberly sent that gave me a peek ...
609. Romantic Times Rewind: April 2005 Reviews
April 05, 2024 06:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MBWe’re taking a tour through the new releases across many genres from April 2005, nearly 20 (!!!) years ago. Romance has changed a wee little bit. How much cringe shall we find? Plenty! Other oddities? Mainstream includes YA and Chick Lit. Contemporary includes New Reality. Regency in Format includes Corinthians! And we’re trying to understand a character who wants to “dim the pain of turning 30.” It’s a ride, as usual. Side trips include Sea Breeze, Stridex, and St Ives Medicated Apricot ...
608. Women as Shields and Scapegoats: Talking Kate Middleton with Melissa Blue
March 29, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 42.3 MBMel Blue was my guest when we discussed Spare – which has become one of my most listened-to episodes – so I asked her back to talk about the narratives of PR, why the weird stories around Kate Middleton grabbed attention worldwide, and why so many people were and are paying attention. On one level it’s a story that originated in gossip about rich and powerful people in an archaic power structure being weird. But it’s also a story of misinformation, propaganda, and a complicit media system, ...
607. RT Rewind: March 2016 Ads & Features
March 22, 2024 06:00 - 53 minutes - 42.7 MBWe’re looking at the ads and features from the March 2016 issue of RT Book Reviews! We’ve got cowboy heads growing out of gravel roads, a dude who looks like he’s on fire, and that one guy who is always ripping his shirt off from romance covers. We decide on an in-house definition of “Castle Bangenschloss.” Oh! And a really angry reader wants self pub authors to stop using the same stock images for different covers. It’s wild, y’all. Don’t miss the visual aids that go with this episode! ...
606. Behind the Scenes of Classic Cover Art: Shirley Green and Sharon Spiak
March 15, 2024 06:00 - 49 minutes - 39.3 MBShirley Green and Sharon Spiak are the duo behind many, and I mean many of your favorite romance covers, and are absolutely 100% the duo behind one of mine – For the Love of a Pirate by Edith Layton. The hair. The waves. THE ROCKS. I connected with Shirley and Sharon and got a History Lesson in how cover shoots used to work. We’re talking costume, art direction, photography, and painting skills combined to make some very memorable covers, and how much deliberate emotional care went into som...
605. RT Rewind: March 2016 Reviews
March 08, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 54.4 MBAmanda and I are diving into the reviews from the March 2016 issue of RT Book Reviews. In this episode you will learn about A Tale of Two Biddies. You’ll discover Baby Bothering and God Bothering. And most importantly, are demons really a natural fit for the Regency era? All these questions are more will be answered in this episode! Don’t miss the visual aids for this episode! Music: Purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See ac...
604. Dessert Projects, Romantasy, and Whimsy with Katee Robert
March 01, 2024 07:00 - 55 minutes - 44.6 MBKatee Robert joins me to talk about her many releases this year, about marketing through Kickstarter and direct-to-reader options like Patreon, and about the foundational books in fantasy and romance that got her started. We also talk about current issues, like Findaway Voices and Spotify’s changes to the terms of service for authors. You can find Katee Robert on her website, KateeRobert.com. You can also check out her Patreon. We also mentioned Modern Postcard Bonkers Romance The Bonk...
603. Romantic Times Rewind: April 2006 Ads and Features!
February 23, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 50.4 MBWe’re traveling back to April 2006 in this month’s RT Rewind! We discuss the evolving cover art for the Immortals After Dark series and style changes in illustrated covers. We also talk about Well water adventures Author photo? MUST be leaning A contest made of author prom photos Many predecessors to GoodReads A book from 1991, promoted in 2006, made into a movie in 2022. And a FULL PAGE of Mr. Romance. When I start talking about Redeeming Love, massive trigger warning and content wa...
602. Foundations of Fantasy Romance with Jennifer L. Armentrout
February 16, 2024 07:00 - 43 minutes - 34.8 MBJennifer L. Armentrout joins me to talk about the books she considers the foundation of her fantasy romance reading, and what classical historical romances she adores. Her newest book, Visions of Flesh and Blood is out next week, so we’re looking forward, and back – and way, way back in the past. We talk about a series she’s paused, and why, and what it means to update a book that doesn’t ‘age well.’ What fantasy or historical romances were foundational reading for you? I’d love to know ...
601. Romantic Times Rewind: April 2006 Reviews!
February 09, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 54.9 MBWe’re traveling back to April 2006 in this month’s RT Rewind! We take a look at the reviews in this issue and we’ve got some one-star reviews, and curiously paranormal is part of contemporary? It’s weird. Things I initially pronounce wrong: demesne TW/CW: mention of suicide in book reviews, plus snakes and rat infestations. Link to visual aids! ... Music: purple-planet.com Coupon! LUME: New customers get $5 off Lume’s Starter Pack with our exclusive code. Use code SARAH30 at LumeDeodor...
600. Life is Too Short to Have Sex You Don’t Like, with Emily Nagoski
February 02, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBIt's our 600th episode!! Emily Nagoski is back to talk about her new book Come Together: The Science (and Art!) of Creating Lasting Sexual Connections. We talk about the genesis for this book, which is in part that writing a book is stressful and hard, and while writing Come As You Are, Emily noticed that her own interest in sex was missing. By diving headlong into all the research, she realized that people who sustain lasting sexual connections have a few major things in common, which is w...
599. Romantic Times Rewind: December 2015 Ads and Features
January 26, 2024 07:00 - 47 minutes - 38.2 MBWe’re traveling back to December 2015 in this month’s RT Rewind, and we're taking a look at the ads and features in this issue! We’ve got LONG series from Elizabeth Hoyt, Kresley Cole, and Shannon Stacey, plus SWAT team shifters, Navy SEAL Highlanders, and some memories, some not so great, of the 2016 RT convention in Vegas…at the Rio. And then! We have a supplement that only appears in the digital editions of RT at the time: the Indie/Hybrid News & Reviews Supplement. It’s a wild ride. D...
598. Historical Romances for Horse Girls with Mimi Matthews
January 19, 2024 07:00 - 36 minutes - 29.2 MBMimi Matthews returns to the show to talk about her latest novel, The Lily of Ludgate Hill, which is the third book in her Belles of London series. Among the major themes of this book? PINING. SO MUCH PINING. Which I love. But this is also a book about grief: characters are pining for what was as much as other characters are pining for what could be. So we talk about grief, loss, hope, and about adapting to massive upheaval - and about The Gilded Age television show. CW: We talk a lot abou...
597. Romantic Times Rewind: December 2015 Reviews
January 12, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBWe’re traveling back to December 2015 in this month’s RT Rewind! We take a look at the reviews in this issue and along the way talk about audiobook series, historical romance, Jesus by Volume, and the ever-so-small range of grades in each genre. We also take a side trip into JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. You can find the visual aids for this episode right here! You can find all the Romantic Times Rewind episodes, show notes, and visual aids at RTRewind.com! We also mentioned...
596. Books, Wishes, and Extremely Good Jokes with Sneezy, Sandra, Jenna, Lisa, and Shana
January 05, 2024 07:00 - 40 minutes - 32.6 MBOur final holiday wishes episode - thank you to everyone who makes these episodes such a treat. It’s an honor to connect with all of you! This week, Sneezy, Sandra, Tiffany, Lisa and Shana share recommendations, wishes, and terrible jokes. CW: we start off and end with some talk about anxiety brain gremlins, so FYI. Thank you again for making these episodes so fun! Happy New Year! We also mentioned: Baked by the Baroness (Tapas) Roni Loren's Newsletter TODY App Library Extension for ...
595. Holiday Wishes from Amanda, GarlicKnitter, Alanna, and Claudia
December 29, 2023 07:00 - 36 minutes - 29.2 MBWe've got books, wishes, and wonderful jokes from Amanda, GarlicKnitter, Alanna, and Claudia! We’re traveling around the world with this episode! We’ve got many, many books to tell you about, and also wishes for cozy light and joy. Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
594. Holiday Wishes and Recs from Verity, Elyse, Carrie, and Rich
December 22, 2023 07:00 - 44 minutes - 35.8 MBMore holiday wishes, book recs, TV recs, and bad jokes, with you as my guests! This week, I’m joined by Verity, Elyse, Carrie, and Rich, aka Mr. Elyse, and we talk about So Much Entertainment! Verity and I chat about books, tv, and writing - so if you’re looking for some British tv shows, you’re in a lot of luck. We do start with some critique of the early 2000s language about women, bodies, body shaming, and anti-fat bias. Then I chat with Elyse and Carrie, who review for SBTB, and maybe ...
593. Romantic Times Rewind: July 2004 Ads & Features
December 15, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 54.6 MBIt’s July 2004, and the ads and features are a wild ride. I might say that every month but this month it is especially true. We learn about a bunch of different bookstore that are still in business - and encounter a lot of ads for small presses that are, alas, long gone. There’s a lot of romance history in this issue. Bonus: I solve a HaBO for Amanda! Live! I’m so proud of me. Important: Do NOT miss the visual aids for this episode. My goodness me. Music: Purple-planet.com Coupon! New ...
592. Holiday Wishes and Recs from Agnès, Sue, Jo and Varian
December 08, 2023 07:00 - 35 minutes - 28.3 MBIt’s time for holiday wishes, book recommendations, and absolutely dreadful jokes, with listeners and reviewers as my guests! Each year I invite the review team from SBTB and the members of the Podcast Patreon to connect with me to offer recs, wishes, and, if they wish, a bad joke. These episodes are so popular and are like weekly hugs for your ears and your brain, with some potential hugs toward your TBR, which is definitely about to get a little taller. In this first of our holiday wishe...
591. Romantic Times Rewind: July 2004 Reviews
December 01, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 57.3 MBThanks to Kay Sisk for sending us this issue! We’re taking a look at the book reviews from the July 2004 issue of RT Book Club – yup, the magazine had a different title back then. This issue predates the founding of SBTB, in fact! The genres are different, and so are the books inside. And! We have some one-star reviews! We’re going to talk about Color changing taffeta! Sex in department store fitting rooms! American historicals And heads up for some absolutely incredible amounts of exo...
590. Audiobooks and Romance Tropes with Mara Wilson
November 24, 2023 07:00 - 47 minutes - 38.1 MBRecently, Mara Wilson was talking about her favorite (and least favorite) romance tropes on social media, so I invited her onto the podcast to tell us all about it. You may know Mara Wilson from Matilda or Mrs. Doubtfire, but she’s currently working very happily as an audiobook narrator, most recently for Chuck Tingle's Camp Damascus! Please note: we don’t talk a lot about the films she has been in, because this was recorded while SAG-AFTRA and the WGA were on strike. Special thanks to Basi...
589. Romantic Times Rewind: June 2014 Ads & Features!
November 17, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBWe are back with the June 2014 issue of RT Book Reviews, and we are taking a look at all the advertisements and features – and it’s a ride. We discuss the RT awards, the ads congratulating the winning authors, strange distorted feet, and wolf eyed vikings. No, we don’t know what that means, either. But we do have a question! Amanda, it seems, has never read a Harlequin Presents! Which one should she read for Maximum Presents experience? Music: purple-planet.com Coupon! Coupon! New custo...
589. Romantic Times Rewind: June 2014 Ads & Features!
November 17, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBWe are back with the June 2014 issue of RT Book Reviews, and we are taking a look at all the advertisements and features – and it’s a ride. We discuss the RT awards, the ads congratulating the winning authors, strange distorted feet, and wolf eyed vikings. No, we don’t know what that means, either. But we do have a question! Amanda, it seems, has never read a Harlequin Presents! Which one should she read for Maximum Presents experience? Music: purple-planet.com Coupon! Coupon! New custo...
588. True Crime as Social Change with Sarah Weinman
November 10, 2023 07:00 - 51 minutes - 41.3 MBSarah Weinman joins me to talk about true crime, a genre which I absolutely cannot read! We talk about how true crime “can be a catalyst for social change” and why people, especially White women, obsessed with true crime. Plus we talk about Sarah’s latest books, Scoundrel, which has a surprising (to me) literary angle for true crime, and the anthology, Evidence of Things Seen. We discuss at length looking at the true crime genre as a whole, and exploring what true crime can do better ethica...
587. Romantic Times Rewind: June 2014 Reviews
November 03, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 51.4 MBWe’re heading back to June 2014 to look at the nearly three hundred new books reviewed in RT Book Reviews. Come on a journey with us through historical, contemporary, thrillers, and inspirational, and learn more about cattle fraud. We are obsessed with boilers. Also: apologies in advance for the fact that I cannot say "minutiae," which, my bad. It's a word that never comes out of my brain correctly. My apologies. All the book covers, images, and more are right here at this link. Music: p...
586. Saying Yes to the Dress with Valerie Bowman
October 27, 2023 06:00 - 46 minutes - 37.1 MBIn the May 2014 Ads and Features episode of our Romantic Times Rewind series, the cover feature was all about Valerie Bowman, her latest book - and inside was a mention of her appearance on Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta in 2014! So Amanda and I connected with Valerie to hear all the details! We talk about weddings and dresses and reality tv, including a side trip discussion to the real housewives, Scandoval, and $17,000 sunglasses. Then we invent our own reality shows. This is a goofy, sill...
585. May 2014 Ads & Features: Romantic Times Rewind
October 20, 2023 06:00 - 56 minutes - 46.4 MBWe’re back, traveling in time to May 2014 to take a look at the ads and the features inside RT Book Reviews magazine! Side trips include Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, the immortality of strange stock images on book covers, and the importance of alligator fritters in the marketing budget. You can find all the ads and images on SBTB! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
585. May 2014 Ads & Features: Romantic Times Rewind
October 20, 2023 06:00 - 56 minutes - 46.4 MBWe’re back, traveling in time to May 2014 to take a look at the ads and the features inside RT Book Reviews magazine! Side trips include Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, the immortality of strange stock images on book covers, and the importance of alligator fritters in the marketing budget. You can find all the ads and images on SBTB! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
584. Queer Pirate Decolonization Fantasy with Maggie Tokuda-Hall
October 13, 2023 06:00 - 55 minutes - 44.6 MBTHIS is episode 584 (I said in the intro that last week was 584 but I was wrong. Oops - my bad). Maggie Tokuda-Hall returns as a guest to talk about The Siren, The Song and the Spy, and so much has changed since our last conversation in Episode 406 when the first book, The Mermaid, The Witch, and the Sea released in May 2020. We also talk about racism and her experience with Scholastic regarding her book Love in the Library, and we talk about Baldur’s Gate and queer pirate fantasy. Come f...
584. Romantic Times Rewind: May 2014 with Amanda
October 06, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 65.9 MBIt’s our first Romantic Times Rewind episode, starting with May 2014! We are looking at all 298 (!) book reviews in issue 363 of RT Book Reviews Magazine. Amanda and I are going to pick a book from each of the review collections by genre, from historical to urban fantasy to the Teen Scene. We also discuss the very narrow grading rubric, and the rarity of two- and one-star reviews. Journey back to May 2014 with us! And come find all the fun visuals and books in the show notes at https://bit...
Bonus: Introducing Romantic Times Rewind
October 03, 2023 06:00 - 13 minutes - 10.9 MBTypically on Tuesdays I release bonus episodes for the Patreon community, but this week, everyone gets the bonus because Amanda and I are introducing Romantic Times Rewind, a new series of podcast episodes where we look back at old issues of RT Book Reviews and Romantic Times Magazine. WOO HOO! Amanda and I are going to re-read old issues of RT, and record two episodes each month. One issue will be looking at all the reviews by genre in a particular issue, and the other will look at the fea...
582. COVID Bereavement and Activism with Lorelei King
September 29, 2023 06:00 - 47 minutes - 38.4 MBLorelei King has been a guest on the show before, and you may recognize her name and her voice from her work in romance audiobook narration. This week, Lorelei joins me to talk about her role as a core participant in the official UK government COVID Inquiry, which begins its second phase on October 3. We also discuss her volunteer work on the COVID Memorial Wall in London. A content warning: We’re talking about COVID, and about death, as Lorelei’s husband Vince Marzello died from COVID in M...
581. Death, Candy Corn, and Witches with Amanda and Maria Vale
September 22, 2023 06:00 - 44 minutes - 35.4 MBSeveral years ago, Amanda had coffee with Maria Vale at a conference, and Maria mentioned a book she was working on that sounded really cool. And now, Molly Molloy and the Angel of Death is available to read! So we got together to talk about the book, what it’s like to write something that feels risky, different, and comes with warnings about HEA-expectations. This becomes a conversation about the HEA, how it works, and how it is interpreted by different readers. What are your expectations...
580. Stop and Look at the Stars, with Jennifer L. Armentrout
September 15, 2023 06:00 - 46 minutes - 37.1 MBI had a whopping good time talking with Jennifer Armentrout about her new book, Fall of Ruin and Wrath, about ApollyCon - which is now almost 10 years old! We’re going to talk about the behind the scenes of ApollyCon, her launch title for the new Bramble imprint of fantasy romance, plus she takes questions from some of you about disability advocacy, living with a visual impairment, and what changes she’s seen in publishing. Music: Purple-planet.com You can find Jennifer L. Armentrout on h...
579. Punk Rock Writing with Chuck Tingle
September 08, 2023 06:00 - 44 minutes - 35.9 MBDr. Chuck Tingle is back!My episode with Chuck Tingle from 2016 remains one of my most popular, and I was very excited to have Chuck back on the show while he was in the middle of his tour for Camp Damascus. We’re going to talk about eliciting joy, proving love, the three most maligned genres and why they’re denigrated, and Chuck’s ever-evolving trot as an artist and a person. Thank you to Caroline Perny for coordinating this interview! Music: purple-planet.com LINKS! You can find Chuc...
578. Harlem After Midnight with Louise Hare
September 01, 2023 06:00 - 32 minutes - 26.2 MBLouise Hare is the author of the Canary Club mystery series, and book two, Harlem After Midnight is out this week! Louise joins me to talk about her main character, Lena Aldridge, and how Lena uses every asset at her disposal to navigate both a transatlantic cruise in book one, and Harlem in the 1930s in book two.We also talk about writing in dual timelines and the fun of writing family drama and murder, and most of all writing a character whose most familiar home is whatever stage she is on...
577. Killing Folks with Deanna Raybourn
August 25, 2023 06:00 - 48 minutes - 38.8 MBDeanna Raybourn is back, and we’re talking about some of the unusual methods used to kill folks in Killers of a Certain Age –and there are mild plot spoilers for that book, please be aware. We also talk about the images she receives from fans of her series, and the larger context of why there’s a sense of catharsis reading about terrible people meeting terrible ends. TW/CW: I mention lice when talking about networks of women. And we’re talking about poison, murders, and some serial killers....
576. BookTok, Hockey Romance, and People as Products with Kayleigh Donaldson
August 18, 2023 06:00 - 51 minutes - 41.5 MBPop culture critic and former book blogger Kayleigh Donaldson joins me to talk about BookTok, hockey romance, and the Seattle Kraken. We’re locating this conversation in a larger discussion about fandom, fanfiction about real people, and the ways celebrity culture, fan culture, and romance intersect. I want to mention that we do talk very briefly about Johnny Depp and fandom, and larger issues of misogyny and sexual harrassment. Music: purple-planet.com You can find Kayleigh Donaldson on ...
575. Dragon Called: Part II of a Heaving Bosoms Crossover
August 11, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBTime for another Heaving Bosoms Crossover! The first part of this recap of Dragon Called is up this week at Heaving Bosoms, and here for your listening pleasure is part II. I do a quick recap at the start, so no worries. This book, and episode, are both very NSFW though - heads up for that. *** Important coupon news! To celebrate 5 years of HEAs, Love’s Sweet Arrow is offering Smart Bitches listeners 20% off purchases in store and online throughout the month of August with code SMARTBIT...
574. Historical Romance with Mimi Matthews
August 04, 2023 06:00 - 40 minutes - 32.5 MBMimi Matthews joins me to talk about self publishing historical romance, and about being one of many lawyers who write romance. We also talk about chronic pain and recovery, disability, and the joys of re-reading. Plus, she shares some of her all time favorite historical romances. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
573. Man Titty Fruit Roll Up: Romance Conference Memories with Amanda
July 28, 2023 07:00 - 43 minutes - 35.1 MBIn past years, Amanda and I would be at different romance conferences around this time, and it got me thinking. So we connected to talk about what we miss about romance-focused conferences, and what would our ideal book-focused conference look like? So! Many! Links! To share with you! I wrote about the RT cling-film signage back in 2013 The episode where we are high: Episode 304. You Have a Type and It Might be Mullets: Sarah, Amanda and Elyse at RT Episode 566: . The Blessings of Comfo...
572. Horror Recs for Romance Readers with Agatha Andrews from She Wore Black
July 21, 2023 06:00 - 37 minutes - 30.4 MBAgatha Andrews from the She Wore Black podcast joins me to share some summer horror recs perfect for romance readers! We also discuss her activism in Texas, how libraries are sanctuaries, and the origins of purse bingo as a charity fundraiser. Plus, what happens when Taylor Swift fans and Stoker Con share the same hotel. COUPON! Get 40% off your first order over $30 at http://lumedeodorant.com/sarah! Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more!...
571. Geeky Gen-X Romance with Cathy Yardley
July 14, 2023 06:00 - 39 minutes - 31.5 MBCathy Yardley joins me this week to talk about her new book, Role Playing, which is a Gen-X romance featuring “an unapologetically grumpy forty-eight-year-old hermit” who joins an online gaming guild as Bogwitch and meets a healer named Otter. We talk about writing romance for 20 years and counting, and Cathy shares video game recs and book recs, too! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
570. Sex Positivity with Lana Ferguson and Rachel Lynn Solomon
July 07, 2023 06:00 - 48 minutes - 38.6 MBIn Rachel Lynn Solomon’s newest book Business or Pleasure and in Lana Ferguson’s new book The Nanny, both authors engage directly with sex positivity and honest intimacy through their characters and the plot. I’ll let the authors describe their books, but we’re talking about sex lessons where the heroine is teaching the hero how to be better at sex after a terrible one night stand, about OnlyFans and autonomous sex work, and most of all, about how romance is encouraging people to own their ...
569. Romance in Libraries with Robin Bradford
June 30, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 48.1 MBLibrarian Robin Bradford has a new book: The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Romance! We talk about what reader’s advisory is, and how she teaches libraries to welcome readers looking for romance, and introduce romance to readers who aren’t aware it’s something they like. Robin talks a lot about book covers as marketing devices on Twitter, so of course we talk about the evolution of romance covers, too, plus summer book lists from schools and the media, and different online sources for book disc...
568. Behind the Scenes at the Ballet, with Melanie Hamrick
June 23, 2023 06:00 - 37 minutes - 30.3 MBMelanie Hamrick is a former ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre and has just released her debut romance, First Position. So we are talking about ballet, and about balancing - both on your toes, and in career changes. We also cover how much writing and ballet have in common. We are talking about professional ballet, so there is some mention of disordered eating and extreme body consciousness. Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hoste...
567. Historical Research and Ill Mannered Ladies with Alison Goodman
June 16, 2023 06:00 - 33 minutes - 26.9 MBAlison Goodman’s new book, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is out this week, and you are definitely going to want to read this book - and listen to this episode! We talk about her book, of course, and about writing female-forward action scenes featuring “old maids.” We also talk about her recently completed doctorate, which was in historical fiction research methodology. So come for the Regency spinsters, and stay for the deep dive into research. This is a very fun conversatio...
566. The Blessings of Comfort Reads with KJ Charles
June 09, 2023 06:00 - 43 minutes - 34.8 MBRecently KJ Charles tweeted about how absolutely devouring the Blessings series by Beverly Jenkins helped “save her sanity during the 2020 lockdown.” So I asked if she’d talk to me about it - and to my surprise this is a popular topic at the moment! She recently did a panel about comfort reading, and I’m really excited to take a look at what makes a comfort read, well, comfy. Plus, we learn what a HFY ending is. And brace yourself, we have a LOT of recs. ... Music: purple-planet.com Joi...
565. Once More with Feeling, with Elissa Sussman
June 02, 2023 06:00 - 38 minutes - 31.1 MBElissa Sussman has a new book, Once More with Feeling, so of course I could not WAIT to have her back to talk about the story, the pop culture inspirations for this novel, and her research methods. We also talk about the way stardom and pop stardom specifically has changed since the early 2000s, and how we’re now examining the way we talked about young women and young people at that time. TW/CW: I want to flag that because we’re talking about pop stars in the early 2000s, there are referen...