Podcasts about american fairytale

Recorded by Jasminne Mendez for Poem-a-Day, a series produced by the Academy of American Poets. Published on October 5, 2023. www.poets.org

We're bringing out the guillotine as we talk about m/billionaire romance books. Join us as we talk about the ethics of the billionaire protagonist vs obnoxious luxuries, private planes, Patek Philippes, and tigers, oh my!Books discussed: Taking on the Billionaire by Robin Covington, The Queen of Dauphine Street by Thea de Salle, and American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera.Follow us on Twitter @mappingtropes and Instagram @mappingthetropes! Email episode suggestions to mappingthetropes@gmail.com.Theme music: Positiv Trumpet by John Yasut. Cover art by Luis Esteban @drawnesteban.

In 'How Johnny the Wham Sleeps in Money All the Time and Joe the Wimp Shines and Sees Things' we get a new story from The Potato Face Blind Man, all about two boys who leave their hometown. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In Part 2 of 'How Googler and Gaggler, the Two Christmas Babies, Came Home with Monkey Wrenches' we learn about the war where the Monkey wrenches come from. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

Today we return to "Rootabaga Pigeons" by Carl Sandburg for two stories over three days, beginning with the tale of two adventurous boys, Googler and Gaggler. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In our final story from Carl Sandburg this week, 'How Bozo the Button Buster Busted All His Buttons When a Mouse Came' we discover who ran out and held up the sky when the sky began to fall. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject. 

Today we get the first of two stories narrated by Sandburg's Hatrack the Horse, 'How Six Umbrellas Took Off Their Straw Hats to Show Respect to the One Big Umbrella'. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

This week we have three new stories about Hatrack the Horse, beginning with 'How the Three Wild Babylonian Baboons Went Away in the Rain Eating Bread and Butter'. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject. 

Our final story this week is a traveling tale of sorts, 'How Six Pigeons Came Back to Hatrack the Horse After Many Accidents and Six Telegrams' is a Carl Sandburg fairytale where we learn about a trip through telegrams. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In Carl Sandburg's fairytale 'How Rag Bag Mammy Kept Her Secret While the Wind Blew Away the Village of Hat Pins' we never do find out what's in that rag bag. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

This week we're starting off with a silly fairytale from Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Pigeons" - 'Shush Shush, the Big Buff Banty Hen Who Laid an Egg in the Postmaster's Hat'. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In our final fairytale from Carl Sandburg this week, 'Many, Many Weddings in One Corner House', we get to revisit the newlyweds the Rag Doll and the Broom Handle from "Rootabaga Stories". Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In today's fairytale from Carl Sandburg, 'Slipfoot and How He Nearly Always Never Gets What He Goes After', we hear the story of a man who does so well for himself until he tries to go just that one little step farther. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

This week we revisit Carl Sandburg with the first of his stories from "Rootabaga Pigeons" - 'The Skyscraper to the Moon and How the Green Rat with the Rheumatism Ran a Thousand Miles Twice'. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

Our final story from Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories" is the most like the stories I used to make up to tell my daughter at bedtime. Lots of details over the course of the tale to make it longer, and then a rushed ending when she started to fall asleep! Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

Today's story from "Rootabaga Stories", 'How to Tell Corn Fairies If You See 'em' is the first tale where Carl Sandburg breaks the 4th wall, by introducing us to both the author and his young audience. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

This week we're completing Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories", beginning with a unique story of creation, shadows, and secrets - 'Sand Flat Shadows'. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject. 

'Never Kick a Slipper at the Moon' is a bedtime story for the children of Rootabaga Country and it's both a warning and a silly story. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

'How Henry Hagglyhoagly Played the Guitar with His Mittens On' is a love story in Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories". Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

Carl Sandburg's 'What Six Girls with Balloons Told the Gray Man on Horseback' is one of those stories that shows us just how well Sandburg captured a child's imagination in his tales. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In Carl Sandburg's 'The White Horse Girl and the Blue Wind Boy' we find ourselves back in Rootabaga Country with a young man and woman with a sense of adventure. Support The Folktale Project by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In our final story from "The Topaz Story Book" we get a story about the bravery and cunning of a young squirrel. Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'The Nutcrackers of Nutcracker Lodge" we get a very vivid warning of what can happen if we put on airs. Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In Anna Skinner's telling of 'Mrs. Bunny's Dinner Party' we meet the fearless Mr. Bobtail. Or maybe he's not quite so fearless after all. Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

'The Pretending Woodchuck' is the perfect story of autumn to get us into the Topaz Fairy Book this November - the misadventure of a young woodchuck named Monax. Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

'The Wooden Indian and the Shaghorn Buffalo' is a rather wistful story and the last of our stories from Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories" for a bit. Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

In Sandburg's 'The Dollar Watch and the Five Jack Rabbits' we get a story of loss that's familiar to every pet owner - even if we didn't get our pets by saving a man from the gallows. Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

'The Two Skyscrapers Who Decided to Have a Child' is a sad story about parenting and the first of three stories to feature the wind as a character in Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories". Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject. 

Sandburg's 'How Bimbo the Snip's Thumb Stuck to His Nose When the Wind Changed' is an American version of my favorite type of story, a progressive tale - and the first with a traffic directing monkey. Keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

Our final fairytale from Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories" this week is a the tale of three boys on an adventure to realize their greatest ambition. Thanks to our new Pateron Patrons Kaitlyn, Haley and Rachel! Help keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

A story about brothers, a fuss, and a snowman named SnooFoo - that's Sandburg's 'How the Hat Ashes Shovel Helped SnooFoo'. Help keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a supporter on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

This week I’m talking with romance fiction author, Adriana Herrera. Author of American Dreamer and American Fairytale, a part of the Dreamer Series, Adriana talks about how her experiences in the field of social work inform her fiction and why she believes in writing unapologetic happy endings for characters of color. In this episode recorded in the Before Times (prior to the pandemic), Adriana and I discuss how reading romance can be a form of self-care and how all of us can revel in our own happy endings/beginnings. To learn more about Adriana and to purchase her books visit: http://adrianaherreraromance.com. For show notes and transcripts, visit http://amenabrown.com/herwithamena.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jess and Trisha talk about the impacts of the pandemic on romance publishing, brainstorm possible ways it will affect future stories, and share favorite romances by Latinx authors.  This episode is sponsored by TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service offering reading recommendations personalized to your reading life; Book Riot Insiders; the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community, and Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! News Publisher’s Weekly did a few articles on the impact of the pandemic on small and indie publishers. But romance sales increased this spring… And a printing backlog is compounding problems. Trisha also mentioned this discussion about COVID impacts on pop culture from Pop Culture Happy Hour. Books Discussed You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria The Infamous Miss Rodriguez by Lydia San Andres His Quiet Agent by Ada Maria Soto American Dreamer, American Fairytale, and American Love Story by Adriana Herrera Let us know if you have predictions about how COVID might impact romance and what your favorite books with Latinx authors and characters are. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we conclude our week with the gold buckskin whincher from Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories" we get a very American version of 'The Monkey's Paw'. Help keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a supporter on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

Today we're following the gold buckskin whincher to its next owner to discover what power it will possess over the cistern cleaner Jason Squiff. Help keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a supporter on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

The podcast is coming back to Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories" with three stories about the curious power of a gold buckskin whincher, beginning with 'The Story of Blixie Bimber and the Power of the Gold Buckskin Whincher'. Help keep The Folktale Project ad-free by becoming a supporter on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/join/folktaleproject.

Jess and Trisha talk about what's great and what can be challenging about book clubs, the role of romances that address social and cultural issues, and some recs for books that do just that. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s blind date with a book giveaway; Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren, available now from Gallery Books; and The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! NEWS AND UPDATES Thanks again to Jackie Horne from Romance Novels for Feminists for her book list on romance history and romance literary criticism! For the full list from Jackie, check out the full show notes for this episode at Book Riot. And check out Sense and Disability and the RomBkPod podcast for great romances that include disability rep! BOOKS Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin Intercepted by Alexa Martin The Bride Test by Helen Hoang The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington Fumbled by Alexa Martin Thirsty and Trashed by Mia Hopkins Roomies by Christina Lauren Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin American Love Story and American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera Goalie Interference by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole Tell us your thoughts about book cubs (and specifically the When In Romance book club) and romances that deal with serious social issues. As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown)

Jeff talks about the upcoming release of Netminder (Codename: Winger #4) and a blog post he’s written that talks about the impact the series has had on one reader. The guys also talk about the FX series Fosse/Verdon. Jeff reviews With A Kick Collection #2 by Clare London with narration by Joel Leslie and The Whispers by Greg Howard with narration by Kivlighan de Montebello. Will reviews American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera. Jeff & Will interview Adriana about the Dreamers series, including the soon to be released American Fairytale. Adriana also discusses the food that goes into her books, writing diverse characters, how her job as a social worker plays into American Fairytale and what’s coming up next in the Dreamer series. Complete shownotes for episode 188 along with a transcript of the interview are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. Here’s the text of this week’s book reviews: With A Kick Collection #2 by Clare London, narrated by Joel Leslie. Reviewed by Jeff.Back in episode 144 I reviewed the audiobook of the first With A Kick collection. Now with collection two, once again the writing of Clare London combines with the narration of Joel Leslie to make a super awesome experience. We’ve got two stories in this collection–Pluck and Play and Double Scoop. In Pluck and Play delivery person Curtis is saved from a homophobic attack by cowboy/singer Riley. It’s an interesting meet cute since moments after Riley dispatches the attacker, he and Curtis fall into some delightful banter. Once they meet, they continually run into each other. Riley occasionally performs on the sidewalk across the street from the With A Kick ice cream shop, which is where Curtis often makes deliveries and hangs out with his friends who run the shop. The difficulty for Curtis and Riley–and I love how Clare handles this–is that they have to decide if the thing between them is just a one-off bit of fun or something more. Riley’s supposed to go back to the States eventually, plus he’s got issues going on with his family. Meanwhile, Curtis is hesitant to let anyone get close to him again after his last relationship was so disastrous. Clare does a wonderful job of finding the moments of tenderness for Curtis and Riley while also dealing with their troubles. I think I’ve developed a thing recently for the bodyguard trope. Riley has a protector streak that I loved so so much. As soon as he finds out what Curtis’s ex is up to, he wants to put a stop to it. The same can be said to for Curtis because he wants to help Riley deal with his family. It’s so clear these two are meant to be together and once they figure how to get out of their own way–and take care of their pasts–to get their happily ever after to they are golden. With Double Scoop, Clare has written my favorite of the With A Kick stories. This one centers on shop owners Patrick and Lee. As the story opens an explosion rocks the shop, injuring Lee and leaving Patrick in a fit of concern for his friend and their business. These two have had an ongoing business and flirty relationship through the series and now they get their moment in the spotlight. Patrick, as the slightly older one, can’t imagine why the younger Lee would be interested in him. He doesn’t feel particularly accomplished, despite the business, or particularly attractive. Lee, however, knows exactly what he wants and keeps going for it even though Patrick doesn’t make easy for Lee to get and stay close. Clare toys with them and the reader in the most delicious way–bringing them together and then causing a rift. It made for a fun yet tense read going back and forth. Luckily the amazing cast of characters that Claire has developed over the series come together to help get the shop reopen and bring the two men together. Their friends know what’s best for them even if they can’t figure out how to make it work. Both With A Kick collections are great for sexy short romances that have the best happily ever afters. You can’t go wrong picking it up on audio either. Joel Leslie does a tremendous job with a large cast of characters, particularly in Double Scoop since almost everyone who’s appeared in the series shows up here. Joel deserves a special shout out for Riley, who is the only American accent and it’s a southern one too. I enjoyed listening to him go back and forth between Curtis’s British and Riley’s southern. So if you’re looking for some fun reads, that will surely make you want some ice cream this summer, pickup With A Kick Collection #2 by Clare London … and grab the first one too if you haven’t already. The Whispers by Greg Howard. Narrated by Kivlighan de Montebello. Reviewed by Jeff.This was a quite an unexpected middle-grade gem that often surprised me with the depths it explored. I’ll caution as I get into this that the end packs a lot of emotional punch and some readers may want to tread lightly on this young man’s journey because it’s heartbreaking while it does conclude in a very satisfying and fulfilling place. Eleven-year-old Riley is missing his mama. She’s been gone for a few months and Riley doesn’t know why. He’s one of the last to see her and he meets regularly with a police detective to try to fill in pieces of what he knows. However, he gets frustrated with the speed the case is moving. He remembers the story his mama used to tell him about the whispers, little blue fairies who live out in the woods. He can’t help but wonder if the whispers might be the key to getting her back. What I loved so much about this book is how strong Greg made Riley’s narrative, keeping true to how an eleven-year-old might perceive the world. Riley already knows that he’s gay. He refers to that is one of his “conditions” that he has to keep secret, and this is not his only one. He also crushes on Dylan who he refers to as the redneck superhero. Dylan’s in eighth grade and he keeps up his superhero status by actually acknowledging Riley, and occasionally defending him against the school bully. Riley convinces his best friend Gary to go on an adventure in the woods to find The Whispers. Again, this trip reveals so much about Riley as he has to deal with a hobgoblin (or was it), the fact that Dylan may not be a superhero (or maybe he is) and the consequences of saying the wrong thing to your friend all the while trying to do the right thing so The Whispers will help him. One of the extraordinary characters in this book is Tucker the dog. Tucker is Riley’s faithful companion, always at the boy’s side to nudge him in the right direction and keep him safe. The dog has an amazing personality that shines through Riley’s narrative. I don’t think I’ve ever read a dog on a page quite like Tucker and I absolutely loved it. It’s a credit to Greg that he had me so invested in Riley that I didn’t try too hard to piece together what was happening. As the plot hurtled toward its conclusion I was constantly surprised and pivoted between sadness and happiness as the revelations came fast and furious. Kudos to Kivlighan as well for capturing Riley so perfectly. It was a very satisfying audiobook experience. This was my first Greg Howard book and I’ll definitely check out his other titles. I do very much recommend The Whispers if you’re looking for a superb read featuring an eleven-year-old who is going through a lot but comes out stronger and wiser on the other side. American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera. Reviewed by Will.When Camilo, a NYC social worker, goes to an absurdly swanky charity event that his boss can’t attend, he’s intent on enjoying the special evening, which includes chatting up the hottie he meets at the bar. After a few drinks and some suggestively flirty banter, he and Mr. hot stuff find a dark corner and make the night truly memorable. The next morning, Camilo’s boss introduces him to Tom, the millionaire who’ll be financing their agency’s major renovation project. Tom also happens to be Camilo’s hot charity gala hook-up from the night before. Aware how awkward the situation is, Tom agrees to keep things strictly professional from now on, but also asks that Milo be the point man on the project, keeping him up-to-date on the renovations. Their weekly meetings begin to look more and more like dates – a meal at a fancy restaurant, a walk through the botanical gardens. Camilo is no fool, but as he gets to know Tom better – he’s certainly not your average philanthropic millionaire, there is more than meets the eye – the pretense of “keeping things professional” begins to hold less and less appeal. When they can no longer deny the attraction, Tom takes Milo back to his place. The sex is amazing (of course), but the afterglow is short-lived when Tom’s ex drops buy with their daughter. Tom shares custody of Libertad, his daughter, with his former husband. Learning of all of this (which Tom failed to mention up until that point) briefly throws Milo for a loop, but it’s hard to resist the precocious the little girl, and Milo falls even harder for the millionaire and his ready-made family. A situation with Milo’s mom has him taking on more work and financial responsibility and, in addition to that, he’s working overtime as the massive renovation project is wrapping up. He’s stretched almost to the breaking point. When Tom offers to help, the fiercely independent Milo insists he has it all under control. Tom quietly takes care of things. It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right? In this case, no. Camilo is furious. As a reader, it’s hard not to feel frustrated by Milo’s stubborn streak. Your boyfriend is a millionaire for god’s sake! Get over yourself! But it eventually becomes clear that Milo is, of course, right. Tom’s intervention robbed Milo of his own autonomy. It’s Milo’s choice whether or not to ask for help – no one else’s. This is a deal-breaker for Milo and it causes a major rift in their relationship. Tom has to find a way to fix things, by doing the hard work and not using his money to solve their problems. This is a romance, so Tom figures things out, and pulls off a grand gesture that is less grand, and more heartfelt and considerately thoughtful – which is exactly what Milo needed. It all wraps up with swoon-worthy family vacation to the Dominican Republic. This interview transcript is sponsored by Dreamspinner PressDreamspinner Press is proud to publish Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth’s new book Murder Most Lovely. Check it out, and all the new mystery and suspense titles from your favorite authors like Amy Lane, KC Wells, Tara Lain, and Rhys Ford, just to name a few, and find a new favorite author while you’re at it. Go to dreamspinnerpress.com for everything you want in gay romance. Jeff: Welcome, Adriana to the show. Thanks for being with us. Adriana: Thank you for having me. I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks. Jeff: So have we, to be honest, since we’ve read “American Dreamer” that we loved so much. So, a good first question is, what was the inspiration behind the “Dreamer” series? Adriana: So, basically, I think I wanted to write Afro-Latinx characters. I’ve said this in a couple of other conversations I’ve had about the book. It was really a specific time, a couple of years ago, right after the election when there was just a lot of negative conversation around the place of immigrants in the U.S. And I just really felt compelled to write a story that I felt can honor my identity which is Afro-Latinx, and the Afro-Latinx immigrant experience. And I think representation has also been an issue for me, with romance specifically. There are stories of people of color in gay romance, but I felt like they were either really surface characters or there was like a real, like, toil story. You know, the person had to go through every kind of horrific thing. So, I wanted to write something that could be nuanced and also show the joyfulness and the beauty of being a person that’s Afro-Latinx and all the amazing things that we come with. So, that was kind of where I was coming from. And I also really, really wanted a book literally full of…just like the gayest, most black and brown book I could write. Jeff: That should almost be a quote on the cover. Will: That’s funny. Adriana: Yeah. I wanted it to be super gay, super black, super brown. Jeff: So, right before we did this interview, Will raved about “Fairytale.” Tell us, in your own words, what that story is about, and kind of how it falls in the series. Adriana: So, it’s the second book in the “Dreamer” series and it’s set in New York City, which is different from “Dreamer” which is set in Ithaca. And it’s about Camilo Briggs who’s one of the best friends of Nesto from the first book. And he’s a Cuban-Jamaican social worker. And he works in the domestic violence field, which is the same field that I work in. And he meets this, like, very hot stranger at a gala and he turns out to be a big donor for the agency that he works for, that Camilo works for. And Tom is an interesting character because he’s a billionaire, which we love in our romances, but he’s also Dominican and white-passing, which is something that I really wanted to explore in a book. What it means to be Latinx but also kind of have the privilege of presenting as a white person, and what that means, and how hard that is to navigate. So, I guess, it’s about… It’s a fairytale, it’s a modern-day fairytale but it’s also, again, like a different side to the Latinx experience. And it’s sweet and fun, and cute and sexy. Will: Yeah, it definitely is. First, before we get to the next question, I want to commend you on the sort of…what I found really enjoyable about not only “American Dreamer” but “American Fairytale” as well is the group of friends, the sense of found family that comes across really strong in this series. I think it’s exceptionally well done. And especially in that first book because, like, right at the beginning, from the get-go, you introduce this, frankly, a really large cast of characters. And I think, with a lesser author, that could frankly get confusing. I know when I read a book, I get confused easily if there are five, six, seven people, you know, names and personalities all thrown at you at once. But each of your characters, each of the friends in that group are so clearly delineated and…especially in that first book, in the opening scene, you give us the briefest glimpses of who they are, and we understand right away where they kind of fit in the group of friends. And of course, they’re all wonderful, and interesting, and funny. They give each other shit like good friends do. I love this group of guys so much. Adriana: Thank you. I have to admit, they’re not my friends, but those four guys are very inspired on my, like, really core group of friends in my early 20s in the DR…when I was still in Dominican Republic. My core group of friends were mostly gay men because my cousin, who’s like my brother, who’s 14 months older than I, is gay. We kind of just like started hanging out with this group of, like, queer kids in the DR. Which in the ’90s was kind of an interesting crowd to be in just because it wasn’t really okay to be openly gay. And we had so much fun. And we did so much, like, crazy stuff together. And I just kind of really wanted to kind of like write a love letter to those friendships and those years. And a lot of them ended up coming to the States at the same time I did, in my early 20s. So, I think they feel so real because they are, like, real. Jeff: These books are getting so much praise. What do you think is resonating with the readers? Adriana: I think people are more open now, or I think there were always those that were open to reading about those different experiences. But I think there’s a particular appetite now for reading more characters that are bringing with them a different lived experience. And I think that might be part of it, like why people are interested in the story. And I think everybody can connect to a striving story, you know. I think Nesto, and Jude, and Camilo, Patrice, Juan Pablo, all of them, they’re just striving to be who they know they deserve to be – for the lives that they’re working for. And I think everyone can relate to that and that struggle of fighting for what you want. Jeff: Did you also intend to make everybody hungry with “American Dreamer?” Adriana: Yes. Yes. Jeff: Was that part of, like, your side plot? Adriana: Yes. Yes, I did. I wanted because…also that’s the other piece, like Caribbean food is very similar but very different in many ways. And I talk about that a lot in “Dreamer.” And it’s the…I wanted to just show people, like, all the different flavors and how we’re all connected. So, I think it’s something that doesn’t really get talked about as much, the wide variety of our flavors. So, I did intentionally want people to be very interested in Caribbean food. I wanted people to Google Dominican restaurants and it sounds like I succeeded. Jeff: I think you did, yeah. I haven’t gotten into “Fairytale” yet. Is there food there also or do we break away from the food a little bit? Will: A little bit. Jeff: A little bit. Adriana: Yeah, a little bit. It’s not as much food. It’s more of…I feel like “Fairytale” is more about, like, Harlem and The Bronx. I have a lot of places in Harlem and The Bronx because again, there are a lot of romances set in New York City. Not many of them are set in Harlem and The Bronx. So, I wanted to go to the places where…like, the diaspora that I belong to, came to. So, I think that’s more… I’m hoping people Google places to go in The Bronx and Harlem with this one. Will: That is a good goal to have, most definitely. Now, with this group of characters, they come from a lot of different backgrounds, what is your process for basically ensuring accurate representation? Is it all from your own personal experience or something else? Adriana: Yeah. So far in this series…and I’m sure that as I write more, then I’m gonna have to go outside of that, but so far in this series, I’ve really gone with origin stories that I know of or from people that are, like, my friends or things like that, like Camilo’s mom, for example, is a Marielita, which was a specific group of Cuban refugees that came at a specific time to the U.S.. And I kind of touched upon that because that’s a very important influx of immigrants that came at a specific time. And they’re all particular experiences that I have been connected to through my friends or family. But I do think writing diaspora is something that people need to be more thoughtful about. So, I try to think a lot about like when did this person come, how did they come, what was the political situation in the U.S. at that time, how they would’ve been received. Like, with Patrice, you know, he’s Haitian and he’s black. His experience and the way he was received would be different than, for example, Camilo’s mom who came as a Cuban refugee and had protected status as she came in to the U.S. So, it’s very…like, there’s nuances there in the context that really needs to be thought about because it really impacts how the person can integrate into American life. Will: And speaking of writing from experience, you have a job in social work and advocacy, did you use your own personal experience when writing about Camilo’s work? Adriana: Yes. So, Camilo’s work and my work…I mean, I really drew from what I do every day to kind of build Camilo’s agency. I mean, kind of like my wish list almost. I wish we could have a guy that just wants to drop $2 million on my agency and tell us, “Do whatever you want with it.” So, I think it was like my fantasy of what it would be like to be in an agency that is just being well-funded, and, like, resources are just there to do the work. So, I think it’s like my own fairytale of what it would be like to work, and just have a millionaire just drop money on us. But, yes, it’s very, very connected to my own work and kind of like my philosophy around the domestic violence field and how the work should go. Jeff: I like how you set the books in our extremely modern times too. And I think in “American Dreamer” as Nesto faces the discrimination of the, who I like to call the evil woman, how he deals with it because I think that it tells a story that not everybody necessarily thinks about all the time. Adriana: Yeah. And I really wanted to contrast, even in the book like Jude’s own reactions to the racism and the obvious discrimination and sabotaging and Nesto’s reactions to it, and the reality that there are different consequences for some people than to others. And that that’s a reality you kind of just have to work with. Jeff: And I loved how he dealt with it too, taking that high road. I just like, “Go, Nesto.” Adriana: Right. I mean, it’s a reality, like, it could have a consequence that was like very, very difficult for him. So, he couldn’t just like get into a thing with this lady. Jeff: Right. “American Dreamer” was your first book. How did you come into writing romance and specifically MM romance? Adriana: So, I’ve been toying with the idea of writing an MM romance for a long time. I’ve been a MM romance reader for, like, a long time. I was at the first GRL (Gay Rom Lit Retreat). I’m like an OG of MM romance. But I was a lot more involved in the community, and then kind of stepped back. I got busy and I just kind of kept reading, but I had it in the back of my mind. I find that what MM romance brought to my life, in terms of dynamics and relationships, and seeing…like I said, having friends all my life that were gay men, and me being so close to so many men who were like looking to fall in love and not being able to see love stories. I remember when I started reading LGBT books, they were very, like, sad, very sad stories like in the ’90s, right? I mean, I grew up in the ’90s. And so just finding your romance was something that was so incredibly wonderful for me. And I thought, “Wouldn’t it be even more wonderful if I could actually find my particular experience and the particular experience of the people who I love in those books?” So, it was kind of like a combination of going to a place…like the type of story that had been really meaningful to me, and then kind of putting my own experience into the space. Jeff: What was it like to write the first book after having read so many? Was it kind of an easy process or was it crazy and hard and took years or…? Adriana: So, it didn’t take me that long, if I’m honest, but I had been thinking about it for a long time. So, before I actually started writing, I kind of did a whole year of reading a lot of craft books, and going to workshops, and trying things. And I actually started a book set in Ethiopia, which is also a gay romance. And I got through a third of that and I was like, “I cannot write this book. I am not equipped to write a gay romance in Ethiopia right now.” And I decided I wanna do this story, this “Dreamer” story. And then that’s when I started it. But it was like a year and a half before I actually felt brave enough to actually write it. Yes. Jeff: I’m so glad that you found that bravery. Who would you say your author influences are? You say you’ve read, you know, MM forever even before it was truly MM, back in the sadder days? Adriana: Yeah. I have a lot of authors that…I mean, I’ve loved a lot of authors from the beginning that I think, I don’t know if I emulate, but I think about a lot in their…kind of how they render a story. Like K.J. Charles, I think, is a wonderful author. I think she just does things that are like phenomenal in writing. E. Lynn Harris was probably the first queer romance that I ever read. I think it’s really sad that he’s not, like, in the canon of what we talk about when we talk about queer romance. So, yeah, but I mean there’s a lot of writers I like. Amy Lane’s early work was super significant for me. I thought her…some of her early books are really some of my all-time favorites. So, yeah, there’s a lot of authors that I kind of go back to and read just to kind of be inspired by the way that they render a story. Does that make sense? Jeff: But what is it about those books that resonated for you so much? Adriana: I think…well, first of all, it was they felt familiar in a way that was like a discovery almost, because I didn’t really ever know any people…a black man who was really exploring the falling in love and the feelings, and the struggle, and the conflicts of trying to make yourself happy, and to find the love that you have…to keep the love that you’ve discovered, right? So, I think his (E. Lynn Harris’) books thought were just so beautifully written, and so tender, and so heartbreaking. It was just wonderful. I think being raised in Dominican Republic where there’s, toxic masculinity on steroids, like, the tenderness of his books really was something that I hadn’t read before. I think it just was kind of like eye-opening to me. Will: Now, so far in your “Dreamer” series, we’ve had Nesto and Jude’s story, and Camilo and Tom’s story. There is, of course…thank God, there’s going to be a third book. Whose story are we gonna get in that one and what can you tell us about that one? Adriana: So, it’s Patrice’s book. Patrice is Nesto’s friend who is a Haitian-American man, who’s a professor. It’s set in Ithaca. He conveniently gets a job at Cornell in the economics department and moves to Ithaca. And he reconnects with Easton Archer who is a character that we meet in “Dreamer” who’s a prosecutor, an assistant district attorney in Ithaca. And Easton is white, so it’s an interracial romance. Yeah. Jeff: When does that one come out? Adriana: That one comes out in October. I just saw a proof for the cover last week…or no, earlier this week, and it is so nice. I love it. I think it’s my favorite one, and I really love the covers for both books so far. I’m calling it my Black Lives Matter romance, although it’s not super intense, but it’s definitely…like the conflict between Patrice and Easton is definitely revolving around kind of having to navigate both of, like, their positions in life. Will: We got a brief glimpse of Patrice and Easton, like you mentioned in that first book. And then in “American Fairytale,” there was a scene with all of the friends together and Patrice sort of like phones in on Skype while they’re, like, dishing about Camilo’s love life, which was very, very funny. So, I’m genuinely looking forward to Patrice’s story. I think it’s gonna be amazing. I can’t wait. Adriana: I know. I’ve been revising it, like I said, and I think it’s a sweet story. And then, there’s a little bit more of two characters that people have been curious about. Ari and Jin, who are employees of Nesto, and they are in their little tiny young person romance. So, they’re like a little cute element for a love story. It’s called “American Love Story.” It’s the title of Patrice’s story. Jeff: Cool. And then you mentioned before we started actually recording the interview that you’re writing the fourth book right now. Any teasers on that? Adriana: So, that one is not an MM. It’s an MF, actually. It’s Juan Pablo’s story. And Juan Pablo is…it’s like a, I’d say, a second chances story. And the heroine is Priscilla who is Nesto’s cousin, who’s a police officer. And it’s called “American Sweethearts.” So, the book starts with a wedding in the Dominican Republic, but I’m not gonna say whose. Jeff: Oh, such a tease. Will: Oh, man. Adriana: Yeah. I’ll tease a little more when I have…I feel like I can’t tease too much on this book because it’s not even halfway done yet. But right now, I’m writing the first few chapters and they’re all in this wedding in the DR. So, everybody is there. Jeff: But I do like how you…we’ve seen with some traditionally MF series where an MM book ends up in the series. And I like how you’re kind of spinning that around too, you’ve got an MM series so far and you’re putting an MF book in it just to, like, broaden that universe out. Adriana: Yeah. So, my kind of little tagline is like, I write romance full of people who look and sound like my people. And there’s a lot of my people who are gay men, like so many of them. But not all of them are. So, I wanted to, in this series at least, have one story where, you know…like both Priscilla and Juan Pablo are queer. Like, she’s pan, he’s bi. But it’s also like a different type of, you know, experience because they’re both engaging in a straight relationship, which brings in…has its own privileges in terms of how it appears. So, I also wanted to explore that a little bit. Jeff: And I think exploring the pansexuality too will be interesting because that doesn’t turn up in a lot of books, at least the ones that cross my radar. And I think it’s nice to see that representation alongside the ethic background representation that you’re bringing as well. Adriana: Yeah, yeah. And it’s something that I think it’s…because of their age, I’m trying to kind of like engage a little bit in even Priscilla arriving to a place where she’s like, “Oh, actually, I’m pan,” as opposed to like, “I thought I was bisexual,” and how she arrived at that. Because I think that’s something that, for people my age, like I’m 40, it’s something that we arrived because we didn’t even have the language for that. Like, 15, 10 years ago, we were like, “Oh, I think I’m gay.” But then it’s like, “Oh, but there’s a whole spectrum of sexuality, gender identity.” And I think there’s so much that we didn’t know – that we know now – that should be coming up in books. Jeff: It’s great that you’re leading the way to kind of get some of that out there, too. Adriana: Yeah. It’s a great time to be writing romance, I think. Jeff: So, besides the “Dreamer” books, is there anything else coming up that you’re looking to write in the coming…I’ll say years since “Dreamer” has you going for the rest of this year probably, if nothing else. Adriana: Yeah, yeah. So, I do have a couple of things that I’m working on. I’m in the process right now of getting out this…I did write the gay romance set in Ethiopia, and I’m in the process of…like, I should have some good news about it soon. And it’s a romance set in Ethiopia, and it’s a Dominican-American relief worker. I did international relief work for a long time. And I lived in Ethiopia for about five years. And so, I really wanted to write a book set in Ethiopia because I have a lot of love for Ethiopia, and my years there were very significant in my life. So, it’s a gay romance. It’s not legal to be in a same-sex relationship in Ethiopia so there are complications. And it’s a Dominican-American relief worker and a colleague who’s Ethiopian, and they fall in love. Jeff: I am so glad you finished that book. You kind of left that off back there when we were talking about it before, because that will be great to see… I have, you know, no experience in any of those spaces. So, to read a romance set there will be an adventure. Adriana: Yeah. It was wonderful to write. Like I said, I have a lot of love for that country. And I think people’s perception of it is like, you know, people starving. And there’s just so much richness and so much beauty and magic in Ethiopia, that I really wanted to just show a different face to it. And I think it’s like a really sweet romance, too. And the setting is interesting. It’s more like a new adult. They’re in their 20s. Jeff: Do you think it will be out this year, maybe? Adriana: I don’t know of this year, but definitely early next year. Like, for sure early next year, yeah. Will: Very cool. Fantastic. Definitely looking forward to that. Now, you’ve given us a lot of amazing information about all of your amazing books, but if our listeners want to learn even more, where can they find out more about you and your books online? Adriana: So, they can go to my website, it’s adrianaherreraromance.com. I’m pretty active on Twitter, and my handle is @ladrianaherrera. And Facebook, I’m also there, Adriana Herrera. So, those are the places…and I’m on Instagram but not as much. Jeff: Very cool. We will link to all of that, plus all the books in our show notes so that folks can easily click on that stuff to find you. Adriana, thank you so, so much for being with us. It’s been awesome talking to you. Adriana: Thank you. It was so much fun and just as amazing as I thought it was gonna be to chat with you guys.

Amena talks with romance fiction author Adriana Herrera. Author of American Dreamer and American Fairytale, a part of the Dreamer Series, Adriana talks about how her experiences in the field of social work inform her fiction and why she believes in writing unapologetic happy endings for characters of color. Amena and Adriana discuss how reading … Continue reading Episode 29: Writing Unapologetic Happy Endings with Adriana Herrera →

Congratulations go out to authors who have been featured on the podcast and were nominated this past week in the 31st Annual Lambda Literary Awards, including Kris Jacen, Christina Lee & Riley Hart and Marshall Thornton. Jeff shares the new Kickstarter for Raven Wild, the third LGBTQ+ children's book from the team behind Promised Land. Jeff & Will review Adriana Herrera's American Dreamers. Jeff then reviews The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg and A Tangled Truthby Max Walker. Jeff interviews Alice Winters about her In Darkness series, including the just released third book titled Deception in Darkness. They also discuss Within The Mind, which kicked off a new series earlier this year. Alice also talks about what got her into m/m romantic suspense and what else she's got planned for this year. Complete shownotes for episode 179 are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. Here's the text of this week's book reviews: American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera, narrated by Sean Crisden reviewed by Will & Jeff This book could’ve easily been titled ‘The Food Truck Chef and the Librarian’, if that doesn’t automatically make you want to one-click this book, then you might as well keep on moving – because nothing I’m about to say is going to convince you to try this phenomenal romance. Nesto is the food truck owner -- who has relocated his business from NYC to upstate NY. He pours every ounce of his passion into the Afro-Caribbean food he serves, until that is, certain other passions are stirred by Jude, the librarian of the story. Their attraction is instant, and their chemistry is obvious to everyone around them.  But our heroes take things relatively slow, despite well-meaning nudging from friends and family. You see, not only are they passionate about one another, Nesto is determined to make his business a success, and Jude is focused on getting funding for a county-wide bookmobile project. They have lives beyond the romantic story arc of the book. Hoity-toity literary snobs would call Nesto and Jude “dimensional characters” because they have depth. All I know is that I care about them because they are real to me, in my heart and in my mind. It’s something that goes beyond words on a page. Several times throughout the story, life throws various obstacles in their path, but every time they rise to the occasion. It would take a scene-by-scene breakdown of the entire story for me to explain how much I loved Nesto and Jude – and how they, through their actions, overcome their obstacles (both romantic and business related). It’s one thing for an author to tell us a character is romantic or heroic -- it’s another thing entirely when we’re shown that romance, that heroism, in the action that occurs in the story. Nesto and Jude are good men. We know this because we experience it time and again in the book and we root for them because of it. A member of Jude’s estranged family is gravely ill and reaches out to him. Jude gives this person a second chance (though they soooo don’t deserve it) and he is inevitably let down by them. Jude is emotionally devastated by this and Nesto is not there for him, even though he promised he would be. Up until this point I felt Nesto was the living embodiment of the perfect boyfriend, but when he badly screws things up – not maliciously or on purpose – he screws up because he’s human, which made me love him even more (as if that were even possible). But Nesto isn’t going to give up without a fight, and comes up with a swoon-worthy grand gesture to win back Jude. It’s a really fucking good one, by the way, and our heroes achieve their final (and very well deserved) happily ever after. I want to recommend episode 341 of Smart Podcast Trashy Books. Sarah Wendell has a terrific interview with author Adriana Herrera and they talk about all sorts of things including the food featured in the book, writing diverse characters, and how her job as a social worker influences the way she looks at romance in the books she reads and writes. It’s really fascinating stuff and I suggest everyone check it out. I also want to quickly recommend the audiobook of American Dreameras read by Sean Crisden. He’s one of my absolute favorite narrators and he does an exceptional job with this book, especially the various dialects of the ethnically diverse cast of characters. If you want to read a kick-ass debut novel, get this book. If you crave genuine diversity in romance, get this book. If you want likeable, relatable heroes to fall in love with, get this book. A couple of additional points from Jeff: Adriana’s cast of supporting characters was incredible. Nesto’s crew of tight friends that helped him realize his food truck dream also kicked him in the butt when he didn’t move forward with Jude. And Jude’s bff also nudged him in the right direction. Speaking of friends, American Fairytale, coming in May, focuses on his Nesto’s friend Milo and I’m looking forward to that. Adriana taps into current events as Nesto faces prejudice from one of Ithaca’s prominent citizens. These are uncomfortable scenes that highlight some of the terrible ways persons of color are harassed. Nesto’s high road approach was in line with his character for sure, but I was with Jude and really wanted to go off on the evil woman. The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg with narration by Joel Froomkin and Anthony Rey Perez reviewed by Jeff I’ve been a fan of Bill Konigsberg since he debuted with Out of the Pocket back in 2008. He’s a major inspiration for me for the types of young adult characters he creates as well as his talent as a storyteller. These two elements blend together perfectly in The Music of What Happens. Max and Jordan are seventeen and opposites in every way--and boy do these opposites attract. Max is chill, pretty much a jock dude. He plays baseball, video games and cracks crude jokes with his buddies. He’s out to his mom and his friends, but not beyond that. Jordan is far from chill. He’s stressed that his mom hasn’t been the same since his dad died, he loves to write poetry and he’s got two great girl friends, who he refers to as his “wives.” Jordan and his mom resurrect the food truck his dad owned because they have to do something to pay the mortgage on the house or they will be homeless. Max comes into Jordan’s life as he goes from food truck customer to chef. Max loves to cook and since he needs a job, he’s willing to help out. Jordan’s mom is all too happy to hand the entire operation over to the boys. You can imagine that this is probably not the best choice. As the two pull together to get the truck working--including some loose interpretation on what organic and locally sourced ingredients means--they learn more about each other. For example, Max discovers Jordan’s poetry while Max reveals himself to be an artist. As their relationship grows and the food truck begins to succeed, Max and Jordan help each other find their best selves. Jordan teaches Max about hooligan do goodery, where you do a random act of disruptive kindness. Max shows Jordan the advantages of working out and how it can help you de-stress. Through all of this they fall in love, even though neither can quite believe they’re falling for their opposite. Both boys have tough issues to deal with though. Max’s father taught him that he must always warrior up, never cry, never show weakness, just smile and agree to get through the hard times. Super Max, as he refers to himself, can’t get him through everything though. A random hookup he had with a college guy haunts him to a breaking point. Jordan’s home life has major cracks too as his mom continues to spiral and he doesn’t know what to do. Jordan doesn’t realize how much is at stake until it’s too late. Bill pulls no punches in this book as he touches on so many things--loss of a parent, a parent's inability to care for a child while their own world is falling apart, rape, the tolls of toxic masculinity and racism to name a few. It’s not all heavy though as Bill also vividly tells the story about the joy of falling in love with the right person and the strength that can be found in family and in good friends. Most of all it’s about finding your true self, embracing it and not hiding it. Kudos to the narrators here. Joel Froomkin (aka Joel Leslie) and Anthony Rey Perez do a terrific job. I’ve long loved Joel’s work and here he’s in excellent form. He taps into Jordan joys, sorrow and fears while also giving great characterizations to his b.f.fs. Anthony’s voicing of Max revealed so much of the character’s self-doubt even while he portrayed Super Max to the world. Like Joel, Anthony brought Max’s friends to full life as well. Each narrator gets major props for handling each boy’s emotional scenes--Jordan with the collapse of his family and Max coming to terms with the fact he’d been raped--with a powerful perfection. A Tangled Truth (Stonewall Investigations #3) by Max Walker, narrated by Greg Broudeaux reviewed by Jeff I’ve loved each of the Stonewall Investigations books but this one with a second chance, friends to lovers romance is my favorite so far. It’s ripped from the headlines story also hooked me. Liam Wolfe is a successful Hollywood director who finds himself accused of embezzlement, harassment and other things he would never do. He has a pretty good idea who’s behind the character assassination but he needs help to prove it. Stonewall detective Mark Masters has his world rocked when Liam walks into this office looking for help. Liam and Mark haven’t seen each other since they were teens growing up in New York City. They’d been inseparable but when Liam moved they’d lost touch. Their friendship picks up as if they’d never been apart and Mark eagerly takes on the Liam’s case to find out who’s behind trying to destroy his career. The case leads Mark all over NYC and out to LA to sort it out. Signs point to a prominent, homophobic producer who has been public that he doesn’t like working with Liam. But as always in a Max Walker book, the truth is shocking. Once again I hadn’t anticipated the twisted way the case would work out. Max crafted a tight, unrelenting mystery. The romance between Liam and Mark was beyond sweet. Their reacquaintance was wonderful as they recounted their past exploits and caught up on the intervening years. Max captured what it’s like for best friends who might be separated for years falling right back in with each other as if no time had passed. The feelings they had as teenagers came back too, and this time they acted on them, even while working through some of the baggage they carried from their teens. Mark and Liam are so freaking cute! The reminiscences they shared were sweet and how those carried forward to their present made me swoon. The visit they make to a childhood diner in particular made me so happy. Liam’s also got some family issues that come up and how he shared those with Mark were bittersweet but served to deepen their relationship. Max doesn’t take it easy on the emotions here. There are some crushing events in this book that weave flawlessly into the overall story. I gasped and cried over some of these and they reflect how good of a storyteller Max is. The Unicorn killer took a high toll in this installment as well, more than we’ve seen in the previous books. That storyline is front and center in the recently released book four, A Lover’s Game. As soon as that audio is released I’ll be all over it to see what happens.