Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: Reviews, Interviews, and Discussion About All the Romance Novels You Love to Read

We were supposed to record an episode, but we started talking about romantic suspense instead. We talk about what inspired me to start the RT Rewind series, and start talking about the cover…and then we talked about changes in the mystery and romance genres, writing styles and techniques, the amalgamation of mysteries, coziness, and the vestiges of chick lit - and a whole bunch of other things before we get started on the magazine.So…an extra episode it is! I love talking with people who are fluent in romance and aware of its history, and as a writer of multiple genres for multiple publishers and a past president of RWA, HelenKay has a lot of insight.CW/TW: we talk about true crime, women as victims in media, and crime victims and their families. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are traveling back to February 2015 to take a look at the new releases in RT magazine, and my guest is the cover author, HelenKay Dimon, who also writes thrillers as Darby Kane.This was VERY fun because HelenKay is an author, so she has a different perspective on the magazine, the convention, the reviews, and the way different genres have changed. We cover how HelenKay discovered romance, and how her career has evolved over the years – and of course we talk about all the books.This is a long one because I couldn't cut anything! I hope you enjoy it – please let me know what you think. And if you like the show, please tell a friend or Reddit or a random stranger about it.You can find HelenKay Dimon at her website, and you can find Darby Kane at her website, too!HelenKay is on Instagram sharing book release news, too.We also mentioned:Escape to the Country (BBC tv show)Wikipedia: The In Death Deaths (spoilers ahoy!)And don't forget! If you join the Patreon, you get the full PDF scan of every issue – and very few of these are available online. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexandra Vasti is the author of Earl Crush, Ne'er Duke Well, and the Halifax sisters series, and she joins me to talk about activism in history and about haunted houses, historical lesbians, and historical erotica.A Housekeeping Note: I recorded this several months ago, and due to a bunch of file corruption and restoring backups, this episode fell out of my workflow. My apologies to Alexandra, and to you, for that mishap.You can find Alexandra Vashti at her website, AlexandraVashti.com, and on TikTok and Instagram as @AlexandraVashti – where she posts erotic history reels!We also mentioned:Fonthill AbbeyRictor NortonAnn ListerThe Ladies of Llangollen The British Museum image for “larking,” which is NSFW  Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ads and features from the July 2000 issue of Romantic Times are a treasure trove of wtfery! It's PEAK stepback era.Readers have been introduced to Half.com for selling their old books, and they are very excited about it – to say nothing of People.com and EW.com. We get a peek into the Romantic Times and Lady Barrow BookLover Tours – the prices made me very envious.We also spend some time talking about Monica Jackson, who died in 2012, and is part of the reason why we started addressing the racism in romance many, many years ago.Seriously, the visual aids are a feast this week. It's PEAK stepback era. We've got links. SO many links.THE ROMANCE SWATCH Y'ALL – it's on eBay!PEOPLE in the 90s podcast: FabioSteve Sandalis naked on a cover, bathing in a volcanoYou can buy a signed copy of this book on eBayThere's also the Viking Diaper stepbackWe mentioned the late Monica Jackson, and I read some of her writing at AAR, accessed via the Wayback Machine. You can also read her comments about being a Black romance author at TeachMeTonight. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a bestselling and award winning author of historical inspirational romances decides, after a break of a few years, to write spicy contemporary?If you're Deeanne Gist, you start over from scratch as Dakota Lacoy.Amanda and I were just asking recently what had happened to Deeanne Gist, who wrote some SBTB favorites like Tiffany Girl and Fair Play. Well, as Dakota Lacoy, she's been busy setting up a series of hot contemporary romantic comedies set in Honky Tonk, Texas, a small town with a sordid history and the greatest pun-filled business names.So my guest today is both Deeanne Gist and Dakota Lacoy, and we're going to talk about everything – from writing historical inspirationals to figuring out how to introduce her old readers to her new name.You can find Dakota Lacoy at her website, where you can buy all her books and sign up for her newsletter.Dakota is also on Instagram, too.The illustrator for Dakota Lacoy's website is Axana Zasorina, who is on Instagram.Music: Purple-planet.comTo advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.comOr go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/smartpodcasttrashybooks Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're heading back in time to July 2000 to check out new releases in Romantic Times Magazine!Highlights include:Amanda's memories of reading Daughter of the Forest, one of her all-time favorite booksA surprising number of 2- and 1-star reviewsA heroine obsessed with pirates!Question: Did you read ebooks before the Kindle was released? What device did you use, if any?Visit the covers and the cool eReader at the episode's SBTB page! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivia Waite is my guest this week to talk about Murder by Memory, her new cozy space mystery. We talk about characters, inspiration, tactile memories, and what sport is not on the ship. Then: cozy sci fi mystery recs, especially queer ones. Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember digital first novellas?Websites for an entire fictional town?When Indie publishing was talked about with the same language as MLMs?We're going back to peruse at the May 2015 Romantic Times Magazine Ads and Features. It was a time!We also mentioned:Susanna Kearsley's book page with all the covers The muscular dudes fabricThe Cover Model bagThe Jezebel article on writing Bigfoot erotica Don't miss the visual aids. You'll need your cogs AND your corsets! To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.comOr go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/smartpodcasttrashybooksMusic: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today brings a vulnerable and honest conversation about the prevalence of penetrative sex in romance, and what happens if a writer decides to create a character with pelvic floor pain, for whom that kind of sex isn't possible? Let's find out!Jane Buehler's new book, The Fire Apprentice, is out this week, and we're going to talk about the book, and the series. But we're also talking about the asexual spectrum, body changes from menopause, reactive desire, and kegels!Content Advisory: We are talking about pelvic floor, vaginismus, vulvodynia, asexuality and demisexuality, effective performance of kegels, sexual trauma, traumatic effects of bullying, and the paltry state of scientific research into conditions that affect people with vulvas and vaginas.You can find Jane Buehler at her website!We also mentioned:Our Reg League on books with vaginismusA Reddit r/RomanceBooks thread on similar recs Britain by Narrowboat (YouTube)Cruising the Cut (YouTube)Great Canal Journeys (YouTube)Episodes with Jen Gunter:367. The Vagina Bible, Shoes, and Other Essentials: A Conversation with Dr. Jen Gunter459. Facts, Feminism, and Menopause with Dr. Jen GunterJamiGold.com: Romance Beats vs the 12 Stages of Intimacy Pelvic Floor Biofeedback Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda and I have loaded the time travel machine with snacks and bubbly beverages. We're headed back to May 2015. Some major books were released this month along with some we're very happy to revisit.We've got answers to the following questions:Are there Amish Inspirational romances that have too much sex in them?How many garage freezers would a crime family need?How many stars did A Court of Thorns and Roses get?Don't miss the erotica section – we've got some bangers, no pun intended.There isn't a separate visual aid post for this one. All the images and books are in this post.Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once Upon a Time, Princess Mabel van Oranje, founder Vow for Girls, an organization dedicated to ending child marriage, met Stacey Abrams, author and the former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives.They hatched a plan to unite the romance community with Vow for Girls, which led to Every Girl Deserves Happily Ever After. Today, Princess Mabel and Stacey Abrams are here to tell us all about it.Please be aware we are talking about child marriage in the US and around the world, about childbirth, trauma, domestic violence and gender inequality.We are also talking about inspiration, hope, and determination – if you need a lift right now, you might find it here.You can find out more about Vow for Girls: Every Girl Deserves Happily Ever After online.You can find Princess Mabel van Oranje on LinkedIn and on Instagram.You can find Stacey Abrams at StaceyAbrams.com.We also discussed:The Elders organization founded by Nelson Mandela(PDF) Devolution's Discord: Resolving Operational Dissonance with the UBIT Exemption (1999)The Fistula FoundationMusic: Purple-Planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for the ads and features of the October 2000 Romantic Times magazine, where they're both talking about new releases AND celebrating their 200th issue.What did we learn?We learned about waxing, magazines, and galleys, but not about skin care, gun parts, or boats.We've got Extreme Troy, everyone. Grab a drink and come hang out with us.And don't miss the visual aids!WE HAVE LINKS.The Angelfire site devoted to Cherif Fortin (warning, loads very slowly, it's not your internet connection)The Loose Cravat: Romantic Times vs PlaygirlAn interview with Cherif FortinBertriceSmall.com and the auction that ended in December 2024An eBay listing for the comic “Romance Novel Madness”Waxing galleys! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kimberly Lemming's new book, I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in A Rom-Com is out this week.What's inside? A fantasy world with underfunded researchers and mishandled animal restoration caused by fiscal irresponsibility, academic malfeasance and nepotism.And talking lions and fire breathing aliens powered by garlic bread.Music: purple-planet.comYou can find Kimberly Lemming at her website, KimberlyLemming.com, and on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @KimberlyLemming.  Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RT is celebrating their 200th issue, and we're celebrating, too!We've got the OG Monster Schtupping book, a guy whose arm appears to end in a ham, and some incredible covers. You know I'm going to tell you not to miss the visual aids, but I mean it.There's a series where the focus of every cover illustration is someone's backside? It's wild.You can find all the visual aids here.We also mentioned:Tazo Glazed Lemon Loaf TeaConstant Comment Decaf (Bigelow)Orange and Spice Tea (Bigelow)Marilyn Hagerty, reviewer extraordinaire (Wikipedia)The Rec League: Feminist FantasyMy review of Who's the Daddy by Judy Christenberry Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Candy Tan, who 20 years ago co-founded Smart Bitches Trashy Books with me. Yay!!We're looking back at the founding of SBTB, about her reactions to Bridgerton, and her perennial favorite romances. We talk about different ways that romance has changed since 2005. Then I show Candy the casting photos for the Black Dagger Brotherhood adaptation.You can find Candy @BeautifulDuckweed on Bluesky, on AO3, and on Tumblr.We also mentioned:MrsGiggles.comLayla F SaadThe Reddit thread with all the images of the Black Dagger Brotherhood casting.Music: purple-planet.comCheck out the Fits Everybody Collection at https://www.skims.com/sarah #skimspartner Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Savannah Carlisle is the author of The Library of Second Chances and is a sports business reporter and nonfiction author under the name Kristi Dosh.Her romance centers on a Little Free Library, so of course we are talking about that. We also discuss the difficult economies of small coastal towns, and the ways that memories can be attached to a place. Then we talk about sports romance – and why she doesn't want to write one.CW/TW: At about 18 minutes in, we talk about online harassment Kristi faces and some of the comments fans make about her. If you want to skip that part, move ahead 2 minutes.You can find Savannah Carlisle at her website, SavannahCarlisle.com. She's on Instagram and TikTok @SavvyCarlisle.You can find Kristi Dosh at her website, KristiDosh.com, and on socials @Sportsbizmiss.We also mentioned:The Montgomery BiscuitsThe Jersey DinersThe Rocket City Trash PandasThe Jacksonville Jumbo ShrimpMusic: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna Shupe posted a TikTok on November 11, 2024, in response to angry readers chastising her for writing in her newsletter about her disappointment with the election results. I have included the audio with her permission.She says in her comments that she could teach a whole class about the parallels between the Gilded Age and the current political and cultural climate, which I am calling The Dumpster Age. I reached out and said, I can't offer a class, but how about a podcast episode?Joanna was kind enough to walk us through some of the parallels between then and now that give her some despair, and how infuriating it was to have readers scold and chastise her for expressing in her newsletter a perspective that she already thought was pretty clear from, you know, all her books about the Gilded Age.And, if I can take a moment: this is my 650th episode.Six. Fifty.And at the end of the month, on Jan 31, Smart Bitches will celebrate our 20th anniversary.Thank you. Thank you for valuing my work on the podcast and online, for valuing our perspective on the site when we explore romance and everything surrounding it.Just…thank you. Thank you so much for being here.You can find Joanna Shupe on her website, joannashupe.com. Her newsletter is joannashupe.com/newsletter. She's on Instagram @Joannashupe and on Bluesky.She also writes dark mafia romance as Mila Finelli.We also mentioned:Schoolhouse Rock: “The Great American Melting Pot”Heather Cox Richardson's SubstackJoanna Shupe's original TikTok VideoThe r/RomanceBooks thread about it Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One! More! Time! We've got one last set of interviews with all of you, and we're going out with a banger of a book list. We're talking about Y'all Fest, koalas, how terrifying David Tennant is, bonkbusters, Taylor Swift lyrics as book titles, and pop culture portal fantasies in romance.TW/CW: As part of my conversation with Carisa, who teaches history, we discuss some historical police violence and discussion of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, discussions of depictions of assault. This discussion is about 25 minutes in.We also mentioned:Y'allFest – Charleston, SCThe International Arthurian Society Reactor: “Every King Arthur Retelling Is Fanfic About Who Gets to Be Legendary“VE Schwab on InstagramAn interview with Dora Maisler about the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, from CornellCornell's archive of the Triangle Shirtwaist FireHenry's Thoughts – he's a cat and he ‘reads' booksPopBitchRivals (TV)My Lady Jane (TV)The Rest is Entertainment (podcast)Addicted to Love (Movie)Dad's Army (TV)Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're traveling around the world again, with Sarah Jane, Lilisonna, and Martin to gather recs, and wishes, and terrible jokes. We've got more joyful recommendations for AJ Sherwood's books, more cozy games, more pop culture documentaries, and more cats visiting the show.We've got one more episode featuring listeners in various parts of the world. Record number of people signed up this year. Thank you!We also mentioned:A Little to the Left GamesPowerwash SimulatorStardew ValleyInsider-Gaming.com: “Stardew Valley is Officially the Best Game for Reducing Stress”Dark Side of the 90s (Hulu)Dark Side of the 00s (Hulu)This is Pop, Episode 1 (Netflix)Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're traveling all over the world again, from the west coast of the US to Germany to discuss the price of PopTarts, book recommendations, and wishes for 2025 with Megan, Alanna, Sue, and Rhonda.Thank you for being part of these episodes!You can find all the books at SBTB! We also mentioned:Lost in Austen (tv show) Jae's Sapphic Book Bingo I Heart SapphficGimme the Brain! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Elizabeth Hoyt!! This episode was SO MUCH FUN to record and produce and I am so excited to share it with you.We talk about her latest book, No Ordinary Duchess, writer's block, emotionally constipated heroes, and the special place for sunshiny heroines. Plus we talk about how genres have changed in popularity over the course of her career.Side trips include the magic of writing about people who slowly reveal themselves to one another, K dramas, and a tour through some Georgian social history.But the best part: she takes us through her favorite classic historical romances. I could not have been more delighted and I hope you enjoy it, too.CW/TWDiscussion of weight stigma and anti-fat bias – it's about 1 minute long at 29:40Mention of trauma and death in a fictional work – about 15 seconds at 56:10You can find Elizabeth Hoyt at her website, ElizabethHoyt.com, and do NOT miss her Pinterest collection! Music:puple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're taking a tour around the US with stops in California, Ohio, Maryland, Texas, and Georgia with Carrie, Jenna, Melissa, Lisa, Josephine, and Cara!We've got holiday wishes and a bunch of recommendations. Thank you to everyone who signed up in record numbers to do a holiday recording with me. These are very fun!Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guests this week are, in the words of my home vernacular, yinz n'at.We're traveling all over the country this week and we're talking about fanfic, finding an unending treasure trove of books to read from a new favorite author, and taking time for restorative actions.There is still time to sign up if you're a member of the Patreon community! Head over to Patreon and you'll find the link.We have SO many VERY important links this week.Cat Sebastian's AO3 BookmarksAO3 user youcouldmakealifeAO3 user thesesameoldstreetsThe GR listing for Star Shipped, Cat Sebastian's next book“The One Where They're Stars on HGTV”“Nature and Nurture”Lit Arts Rhode IslandLibrary Extension (Chrome)Thank you to our sponsor for this week's episode: Lume! Use code SARAH15 for 15% off your first purchase at LumeDeodorant.com.And don't miss Designs on You by Jaci Burton, out now! Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the first of our holiday episodes, and my guests are…all of you! Members of the podcast Patreon have signed up in record numbers to do interviews, so in the coming weeks, we'll have recommendations, wishes, and bad jokes galore from folks all over the world.There is still time to sign up – head over to Patreon and you'll find the link.This week, we're headed to South Africa, Washington DC, Taiwan, and Connecticut to talk to Dani, Katie, Sneezy, and Lisa.We also mentioned the following:Theme to CyberSixA Foxy AffairGirls Who Don't DnD (podcast)D&D Stamps from USPS! The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish My interview with author Alison GoodmanMusic: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Vershbow is a freelance journalist who writes a lot about books, reading, and the publishing industry. You might have seen her article about celebrity book ghost writers and about DNFing without guilt.We talk about her experience with social media strategy for authors and publishers, and with writing about publishing. We also discuss how much book publicity has changed, so stay tuned for extremely good advice for managing social media for book publicity.Then, naturally, we turn to reality tv and shopping!We have SO MANY LINKS. Get ready!You can find Sophie Vershbow at her website, on Instagram – and don't forget her dog, Simon!We also discussed:SBTB: When do you DNF a Book and Why, inspired by Sophie's article belowSophie in The Atlantic: When Is It Okay to Not Finish a Book?Sophie in New York Magazine: Who's Really Writing Celebrity Novels?Sophie in Esquire: The Murky Path To Becoming a New York Times Best SellerAll of Sophie's bylines in EsquireSophie in Esquire: Behind the Scenes of Barack Obama's Reading ListsSophie's favorite piece that she's written: The Cousin I Never KnewShopping links!Off FifthNordstrom RackSezaneGapEverlaneCosMarine LayerStaudReformationBeni – browser extension that searches second hand platforms for items on screenRakuten – cash back for shopping through their platform (Affiliate link gets you $30 bonus when you spend $30) Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for the Ads & Features from the November 2015 issue of Romantic Times magazine! Our cover story is…the 10th anniversary of Samhain publishing. We've got articles on series bibles and rugby romance – and a lot of ads when YA covers were all White Girls in Giant Dresses.Come back in time with us – we had a lot of fun chatting about this issue, even though it was a bit of a snooze.Don't miss the visual aids, especially the weird gun cover. We also mentioned:Vox.Com: There's something off about this year's “fall vibes”Jezebel.com: Forget Dinosaur erotica, it's all Bigfoot erotica nowMusic: Purple-planet.comThank you to EveryPlate for sponsoring this episode! Get 50% off your first box at EveryPlate.com/PODCAST and use code trashybooks599 Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucy Jane Wood's debut book, Rewitched, is out, and we connected to talk all things cozy, witchcraft, all the different 90s witches in pop culture, and the big feelings around turning an age with a zero on the end. Ultimately, this is a book about a person who wants to keep her own power – a theme I could certainly celebrate!Lucy Jane is also a TikToker and YouTuber with a sizeable following, so we also talk about her best practices for social media as a creator and author.You can find Lucy Jane Wood online on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.We also mentioned:Saeed Jones on BlueSky: ” The first draft of a piece of creative writing is a radical act. It literally defies capitalism. You're doing it for the LOVE. You're risking possibility.The blank page isn't the canvas. The canvas is the first draft. Get it all down, then get to work. Joyful rigor. LET'S GO!”Lucy Jane Wood on Tiktok: “Meg Ryan Core”Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time to take a look at the new books in November 2015 inside Romantic Times! We've got spanking and small towns, and a magazine that seems more targeted toward aspiring writers than readers. That yielded a mixed bag! But we have some books to talk about so let's get to it!So many small town contemporaries, so many historicals, so many Four Star reviews with word salad. And some cat poo.TW/CW: very brief and nonspecific discussion of abusive relationships in the Erotica section.Please note: I don't have a visual aids post for this episode, but the Ads & Features certainly will! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tara Scott, staff writer at SBTB and co-host of the Queerly Recommended podcast, is in the interviewer's chair, asking Amanda and me questions about Smart Bitches After Dark, our new community support wing. We talk about what After Dark is, and also about the larger enshittification of different parts of the internet, and how we navigate that as a 20 year old blog.Yay blogs!I was really nervous about being interviewed, and I hope you enjoy this behind the scenes exploration of the site, the podcast, and the business of being in business.CW/TW: – I cry later! It's good but if you're driving and you're a sympathy crier like I am, I wanted you to be aware.We also mentioned:“The The ‘Enshittification' of TikTok. Or how, exactly, platforms die.” by Cory Doctorow (Wired) (Archive.org)Odd Girl Out by Ann Bannon (wikipedia)You can find out more and join Smart Bitches After Dark right here! And don't miss out on Tara's show, Queerly Recommended! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for the Ads & Features of the October 1988 (!!) issue of Romantic Times Magazine.Y'all. We've got:Vintage gossip!Blind items that are very easy to guess!Danielle Steel's two blue Mercedes!Fuchsia covers with giant flowers and startled animals!Riverboat gambler romance heroes!And a truly paltry obituary for an extraordinary author.It's 1988. Fuchsia. So much fuchsia.Blanket content warning for romances written in the late 80s. Be ready for some very offensive tropes.Do not, and I mean this most sincerely, skip the visual aids. It's 1988 y'all. The covers are glorious! LINKS. So many good links!“Double Trouble: One or Two Women?” by Gillian Whitlock about the alleged plagiarism of Lucy Maud Montgomery's The Blue Castle by Australian author Colleen McCullough.Sam Lord's Castle, BarbadosSharon Spiak Art listing for Wary HeartsEye Heart Romance's review for Mistress of the Seas by Ruth LanganClothes in Books: “Mary Burchell aka Ida Cook” – the patterns from Mab's Fashions!Mary Burchell's Wikipedia pageA BluSky thread from John Bull on Mary BurchellThe Pudding magazine interactive article about romance covers by Jan Diehm and Sandra Chiu music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freya Marske's new book Swordcrossed is out this week, and she's joining us from the other side of the planet to talk about what she calls, “Fantasy of manners, mercantile edition.” We also talk about writing fanfic and her new favorite show, Interview with the Vampire.Yes, I did mis-number last week's episode – sorry about that.Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time to journey back to the October 1988 issue of Romantic Times!That's right, we're going all the way back to 1988, a time when one of us on the show wasn't born yet. We've got absolutely appalling plots, some extremely luscious covers, and more – like Amanda's engagement!Congrats Amanda and Brian!TW/CW: crappy family tales in the first 4 minutes, and overall, a number of references to enslavement, violence, colonialism, predatory behavior and assault in the reviews.Music: purple-planet.comDon't miss the visual aids!We also mentioned:Jonathan Bailey at the Emmys (Town & Country)Belle Starr (Wikipedia)Water Witching: Fact or Fake? (Farmers Almanac)And you can see Amanda's beautiful engagement ring on her Instagram!  Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Courtney Milan is here to talk about her newest book, The Earl Who Isn't, and about climbing Mt. Fuji! Along the way we talk about training, the shifting style of historical romances, and audiobooks.And we have questions from you!A few moments to be aware of before you listen: we talk a little about her dog Pele, who passed away earlier this year.We also mention briefly the topics of antifat bias in medicine, weight gain, chafing, trauma, workplace abuse, cancer, and sexual harassment.Thank you to Tara, Emily for the questions!Music: purple-planet.comYou can find Courtney Milan at her website, CourtneyMilan.com, and you can sign up for her weekly tea newsletter as well! Support for this episode comes from The Starling Inn, the new novel by Claire Therese! Find The Starling Inn by Claire Therese inside Kindle Unlimited now! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ads and features of the September 2015 issue of Romantic Times are a nine-layer cake of wonderment and weird.Don't miss the visual aids! WE GOT FONTS. And dogs!Side trips include:Janet Dailey and who is writing her books (we don't know)lawyer romanceschanges in cover designa twist cliffhanger in a quiz with no answer key!Plus, this issue of the magazine and also Amanda both have terrific memories of RT 2015 in Dallas.We have So many links!Meet Louisa, the cover model dog! (Instagram)Reformed Rakes' episodes on Janet Dailey Part 1 and Part 2JanetDailey.com – all present tenseTopaz Literary: “Janet Dailey and the Curious Case of the Missing Author”The Contemporary Romance Color of the Year (SBTB)Joyfully Jay“This is the Last RT: Kathryn Falk Announces End of Romantic Times” (SBTB)Thanks to our sponsor for this week's episode: Lume!  New customers get 15% off ALL Lume products with our exclusive code and link. Use code SARAH15 at LumeDeodorant.com Music: Purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer are podcasting powerhouses with shows like By the Book and How to be Fine With Friends.This season they're looking at friendship, the research behind sustaining friendships, ending relationships, and creating new connections with people – and they joined me to talk all about it.You can find their show, How to be Fine with Friends where you get your podcasts – like this one!TW/CW: short discussion of diet culture and diet books just after Kristen introduces herself. When she stops talking, hit your 30 second skip and you should be fine.What are some of the traits you appreciate most about your closest friends?...You can find How to Be Fine with Friends where you get your podcasts, and you can follow the show on Instagram @howtobefinepod.Jolenta Greenberg can be found on her website JolentaGreenberg.com, and on Instagram @jolenta_g.Kristen Meinzer can be found on her website, KristenMeinzer.com, on Instagram @K10meinzer, and co-hosting her show The Daily Fail. Music: Purple-planet.comThanks to our sponsor for this week's episode: Lume!  New customers get 15% off ALL Lume products with our exclusive code and link. Use code SARAH15 at LumeDeodorant.com  Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're going back to September 2015, and I want to ease you into this knowledge, so take a breath, center yourself: that was nine years ago. I don't get it either but apparently it's true?JR Ward is on the cover, and there's all kinds of good stuff inside! Come with us to visit some reviews that are word salad, and some that made me say, a few times, “Way harsh, Tai. Way harsh.”Don't miss the visual aids!Music: purple-planet.comThank you to our sponsor for this week's episode: HelloFresh!For a limited time, kids eat FREE! Go to HelloFresh.com/sarahkids to unlock this exclusive offer. One free kids' meal per box for two months while subscription is active. Visit HelloFresh.com/sarahkids! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris DeRosa is co-host of the podcast Fixing Famous People, and has been a reality tv producer for 11 years. We talk about his career starting with Food Network then moving into unscripted reality tv like the Real Housewives, how reality tv has changed, and how much of the narrative producers have influence over – and what parts they don't.We're also locating RH on the larger timeline of major television programs centering women over 40. I think this episode holds a lot for writers because it's about making the conflict, and the motivations behind that conflict, public and spoken in dialogue. It's a new way of looking at show/don't tell. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alison aka Fashionably Evil is back with us recapping the ads and features from Romantic Times' October 1999 issue!There were leers, horny men, and nipples with personalities, and we explore effective friction and learn about The Douche Chills.The visual aids are amazing this week – don't miss the horny covers!We also mentioned:Daniel Craig's campaign for LoeweThe updated text of Whitney, My Love covered at AAR Our conversation about Crusie's books which capture a specific time periodMusic: Purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Continuing my exploration of reality franchises that are favorites of romance readers, Shana joins me to talk about the Real Housewives franchise: her favorite Real Housewives locations and seasons, and what aspects of this reality franchise appeal to romance readers.We cover relationships, conflict, and the blend of fiction and “reality,” and some of the ethical considerations as well, especially with the Real Housewives of Dubai.Are you a Real Housewives watcher? Which ones? Do you think there's a reason why romance readers are often also Real Housewives watchers? Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have a special guest! Alison, aka Fashionably Evil, won our Romancing the Vote auction to co-host this round of RT Rewind with us! Congratulations!!Alison picked our issue, October 1999, and wow, it's just as weird as we'd hoped.And, as part of the auction, we offered a midroll ad, which we typically don't run. Alison chose to use her midroll to promote a website we love and admire, Scarleteen.com.We start with a discussion of Alison's incredible spreadsheet that she made us (❤️!) and a discussion of historical romance. Along the way: many yikes, many bikes.I want to offer some heads up for racism, human trafficking, mentions of stillbirth, ableism, Islamophobia in the reviews.These will be long episodes this month so journey with us back to 1999.Don't miss the visual aids! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month on the podcast, I wanted look more closely at the intersection of romance and reality tv, particular the Bachelor franchise and Real Housewives. There is only one place to start with that inquiry: with Dr. Jodi McAlister.Jodi McAlister is a scholar of romance and an expert on all things The Bachelor, and she's the author of the Australia-set Marry Me, Juliet trilogy, which you may remember was available digitally in the US as a surprise after a lot of folks, including and especially Amanda, started talking about the books in the series. Shana reviewed the series and the third book, and loved all of them. So we are talking all things Bachelor, about writing a similar reality tv show for her series, and why romance readers globally dig this franchise so very, very much.You can find Dr. Jodi McAlister on TikTok, Instagram, and BlueSky, and on her website, JodiMcAlister.com.au.We also mentioned:Jodi in People Magazine! IASPRThe SBTB Land AcknowledgementShana's review for Not Here to Make Friends and the rest of the trilogy as well. And thanks to our sponsor for this week's episode, HelloFresh!Go to HelloFresh.com/sarahkids to unlock this exclusive offer: one free kids' meal per box for two months while subscription is active. That's FREE kids' meals just by going to HelloFresh.com/sarahkids Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're going back to December 1997 to look at the Ads & Features from Romantic Times.We've got a cover with many, many fonts, several memorials for Princess Diana, and we find out what happens when you win an award and find out while you're on the john. There are profiles of readers and romance reading book clubs, AOL chat rooms about romance for writers and readers, and the price of the Essence of Romance.It's a wonderful time capsule, folks.CW/TW: antifat bias and deathDo not miss the visual aids - the covers alone, my goodness. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christine M. Larson is the author of the new book Love in the Time of Self-Publishing: How Romance Writers Changed the Rules of Writing and Success, published by Princeton University Press. This book is NIFTY - it's about us! I was interviewed for it, and we are going to talk about ALL The Things, from identity-driven ethics of care to RWA to the need for “a collective unified body for creative people.”Come for the vintage Romancelandia gossip, stay for the labor activism! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The book reviews in 1997 may be fewer in number but they are ample in wtfery.Prizefighter younger sons getting kicked out of brothels on their wedding night!Nicknames that follow you around the globe in the 1880s!Regency cats!We've got truly glorious covers, so do not miss the visual aids. They're incredible. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirsty Greenwood's book The Love of My Afterlife is out now, and it's bubbly and charming and funny, with a lot of emotion, so we're going to talk all about it. We also talk about making friends as an adult, and how there's just about every genre inside this book. There's even a heist. This might be why it's the Good Morning America book club pick this month – congrats Kirsty!Then I learned she's a former book blogger so there's recommendations back and forth, all over the place.You can find Kirsty Greenwood at her website, KirstyGreenwood.com, and sign up for her newsletter. You can also find her on Instagram and on Facebook at KirstyGreenwoodBooks.We also mentioned:Book, Music, and LyricsThe Merry Pin craft shop in DC Romancing the Vote Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're going back in time to look at the ads and features of the September 2002 issue of Romantic Times!This issue left us with many questions, such as:What the hell is Tart Noir?Are reviewers elsewhere too mean? (Not us – we weren't online yet!)How much lore is there about pesto?Should you jump into a pile of leaves?Should you soak crawfish tails in milk?Why is an author defending polygamy?What snack is best for reading and why is it not an apple?We had a lot of fun, even if the feature article was a bit of a let down, so please come join us for assorted silliness, and a Shadow Prince with no neck!Don't miss the visual aids – so many screengrabs, so many weird necks! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oriana Leckert is the Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, and works with the many, many authors who are finding community support on Kickstarter. They're hosting a celebration all this month, Heartstrings & Hardbacks: Kickstarter and Romance, so we connected to talk about successful romance projects, strategies that work and don't work on Kickstarter, and the evolution of fandom (a topic I'm always curious about).Oriana has worked in publishing for a long time, and applies her entire employment experience to her current job. She's also the author of a book called Brooklyn Spaces, and it sounds like it was a really cool project.You can find Oriana Leckert on her website, and on Instagram.We also mentioned:Heartstrings & HardbacksMonopsonyEpisode 507. Romance Kickstarters with Lucy Eden and Katee RobertMy post on book title SEO madness Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We asked our Patreon community to vote on this month's issue, and September 2002 won by a wide margin. So let's dive into the book reviews, shall we?There are strange subcategories and overlapping genres, and also color-conscious aliens and amnesia, too. Plus, we talk a bit about one of the best lines Avon ever produced.Don't miss the visual aids, because some of the covers are something.We also mentioned:Avon True RomancesA thread from Ashia Monet on the shift away from story arc to story trope (Twitter)Carrie's review for How to Manage a Marquess, where she talks about soap bubble books Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In June 1989, Kathryn Falk published The Romance Reader's Handbook, a 354 page spiral bound collection of everything a romance reader would need to know. Steve Ammidown leads us on a brief tour of this artifact of romance history.  There's a collection of over 2000 pseudonyms, plus a directory of where to contact authors, lists of bookstores that love romance, and recommended reads. And of course, advertisements from authors inviting readers to correspond with them. This is early social media for authors and readers, and it's a fascinating time capsule. A PDF scan of the pages we talk about is available for downloads at SBTB.You can find Steve Ammidown at RomanceHistory.com, and on Instagram @RomanceHistorian.  Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 611, we talked about the ads and features in the April 2005 issue of Romantic Times, and there was an ad on the back cover for Romance Soundtracks. We could not find anything about them, but Malaraa in our Patreon sure did!We've got samples! We've got MUSIC that you're meant to read with, and Amanda tries to identify the genre/album the music was from.MASSIVE THANKS to Malaraa for finding this treasure trove!We've! Got! Links!Episode 611. Romantic Times Rewind: April 2005 Ads & FeaturesThe Wayback Machine copy of the Book Soundtracks Website – thanks to Malaraa!Pure Moods!Music LeagueThrowback Trivia TakedownMedieval Fantasy MusicMusic: Purple-Planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a review for Never Cross a Highlander, Shana came up with the ACAB scale, or the Alyssa Cole Anti-Slavery Book Scale, which ranks how central the horror of slavery is to the storyline. I asked her to tell me all about it, and Shana, kindly, said yes.Our conversation grows (of course) to include the field of narrative therapy and bibliotherapy, other evaluative rubrics for reading, and the subgenres, professions, settings we can, and cannot, relax into.NB: I had a cold when we recorded, so apologies for my very low voice.You can find Shana here at SBTB, and on Instagram @BlackBabeReads.We also mentioned:Shana's review of Never Cross a HighlanderCarrie's review of Ana María and the FoxMy interview with Erica Ridley about her Winchesters series Music: purple-planet.comSpecial offer from Lume: New customers get 15% off ALL Lume products with our exclusive code and link. Use code SARAH15 at LumeDeodorant.com. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.