Podcast appearances and mentions of leah koch

Some of you Detective Bobs have already caught on to this, but: We're starting something new! It's officially time to give you the scoop on our romantic fiction entertainment company, 831 Stories…and the first book we're publishing, Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff. It comes out September 10…which means right this second is the perfect time to pre-order it.    Special thanks to Bea and Leah Koch, behind The Ripped Bodice, for kick-starting this journey! Our podcast episode with them from 2019 for a taste.   The authors and titles that made us fall hard for romance include Robinne Lee's The Idea of You, Talia Hibbert (The Brown Sister Series—and our 2021 podcast interview here), Tia Williams's Seven Days in June, Tessa Bailey (start with It Happened One Summer…or our recent chat), Abby Jimenez (loved Yours Truly), Lyla Sage's Rebel Blue Ranch series, and Yulin Kuang's How to End a Love Story.    We also think about what Sanjana Basker shared about romance on the Care So Much podcast all the time.   Sign up for the 831 newsletter, follow 831 on Instagram, and pre-order Big Fan. We cannot WAIT to share it with you.   What was the romance novel that got you into the genre? Tell us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!   Show your hair the love with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month's subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO. Find your new fall shoes from Marc Fisher and use the code ATHINGORTWO to receive 20% off your purchase. YAY.

Leah returns to talk about Holiday World's extended schedule! Check out the podcast version: https://linktr.ee/attractions_group Follow us on X: http://www.x.com/attractions_grp Check out Don's blog: http://www.themeparksbydon.com Want to make podcasts like ours? Check out our referral link through Streamyard to find out how! https://streamyard.com/pal/c/5805020313944064

Leah is a fourth generation owner of Holiday World and currently serves as the Director of Communications. In 2024, the park will debut Good Gravy! Check out the podcast version: https://linktr.ee/attractions_group Follow us on X: http://www.x.com/attractions_grp Check out Don's blog: http://www.themeparksbydon.com Check out Holiday World's web site: http://www.holidayworld.com

Book sales — in general — are down, but one genre is bucking that trend: romance. Romance novel sales surged a whopping 52% in 2022. So what's behind the popularity? How did romance become the reigning champion among fiction genres in America? To find out we talk with Leah Koch and Bea Hodges-Koch, owners of The Ripped Bodice, a single-genre bookstore focused on romance novels.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Book sales — in general — are down, but one genre is bucking that trend: romance. Romance novel sales surged a whopping 52% in 2022. So what's behind the popularity? How did romance become the reigning champion among fiction genres in America? To find out we talk with Leah Koch and Bea Hodges-Koch, owners of The Ripped Bodice, a single-genre bookstore focused on romance novels.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leah Koch, owner of The Ripped Bodice, joined Newsline with Brigitte Quinn to speak about her shop.

Leah Koch (@TheRippedBodice) walks Matt and Gillian through the steamy world of romance novels and shares how her passion for the genre blossomed into opening a romance-focused bookstore, The Ripped Bodice, with her sister, Bea. What's Making Us Feel Cozy Matt: What's My Line with Eleanor Roosevelt  Leah: Chicken, Leek, and Rice Soup from Smitten Kitchen  Gillian: The Traitors Leah's Book Recs Something Wild and Wonderful by Anita Kelly Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest All Things Cozy Book Club February Pick Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn Soothing Sounds "Lend You A Hand” by Mya Byrne "Oceans Niagra" by M83 Cozy in the Library The Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson Candle Review The Lovers by 54 Celsius Support All Things Cozy by joining our Patreon and following us on Facebook and Instagram.

We have a new feature, Conversations with a Colleague, to share today! In this episode, Leah Koch, who is one of our newest Two Writing Teachers co-authors, joins Stacey to talk about student-led small groups, as well as goal setting with primary writers. Here are several Two Writing Teachers blog posts and past podcast episodes that deal with the topics discussed in this episode:A Few Tips for Small Group Instruction: Expanding the Reach With Small Group WorkIdeas for planning Small Group InstructionIncrease the Number of Teachers in the Room with Student-Led Small GroupsIncreasing Student Agency as Writers: A Digging Deeper DialogueSmall Groups, Big Engagement: Expanding the Possibilities and Potential Student Agency, Self-Assessment, and Small Group InstructionThe Power of Goal-SettingPlease subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.You may contact us directly if you're interested in having us consult with your school district. Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for advertising inquiries or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

Episode 79: Kim sits down with Holiday World's Leah Koch and discuss a wide range of topics on Holiday World, facing fears, and how riding roller coasters has change her life. Follow Holiday World on the following media pages: Website: https://www.holidayworld.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolidayWorld  Instagram: @holidayworld Twitter: @holidayworld Follow Coaster Challenge on the following Media Pages Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CoasterChallenge  Instagram: @coasterchallengepodcast IGTV: @coasterchallengepodcast D Tube: Coaster Challenge Facebook: Coaster Challenge Twitter: @CoasterChallen2 Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/coasterchallengeusa   Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coasterchallenge/   Linkdin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coaster-challenge-593567193/   Myspace: Coaster Challenge Website: www.coasterchallengeusa.com  

Phoebe and Ashley sit down with Leah Koch, one of the co-owners of one of the first and only bookstores that specializes in carrying only Romance novels.

As I began the week interviewing Leah Koch from The Ripped Bodice, it fits that today's episode should be with a romance author.Melissa Sercia is an award-winning Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance author with a passion for philosophy, mythology, and all things supernatural. She is the author of the Blood and Darkness and Beautiful Dark Beasts series'.Melissa lives in California with her man and her cat. When she's not building dark fantasy worlds and slaying demons, you can find her in the kitchen cooking with a glass of wine in her hand.Melissa SerciaMelissa Sercia BooksWuthering Heights, Emily BronteA Tale of Two Cities, Charles DickensLady Chatterley's Lover, D.H. LawrenceAnna Karenina, Leo TolstoyWater for Elephants, Sara GruenAnne Rice BooksMark Dawson's SPF FoundationSupport the show (https://paypal.me/TheBookshopPodcast?locale.x=en_US)

In today's episode, I'm closer to home. Just a 90-mile drive and I'm in Culver City, home of The Ripped Bodice, where I chatted with co-owner Leah Koch. Here's a short blurb about this romance-only indie bookshop! The Ripped Bodice, owned by sisters Leah and Bea Koch, is the only exclusively romance bookstore on the West Coast. The store is proudly Woman and Queer Owned and features a vast and diverse selection of romance fiction. In addition to books, The Ripped Bodice carries a wide selection of gift items focusing on supporting independent, woman-owned businesses.The Ripped BodiceMad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency, Bea Koch Payback's a Witch, Lana HarperFrom Bad to Cursed, Lana Harper Nora RobertsSupport the show (https://paypal.me/TheBookshopPodcast?locale.x=en_US)

We sit down with Leah Koch, co-owner of the Ripped Bodice bookstore in Culver City, Los Angeles to put our thumb on the pulse of 2021 romancelandia. Together we discuss the history of the Ripped Bodice, traditional vs. independent publishing, the fallacy of publishing trends, how booktok (book side of tiktok) has influenced the world of romance, and how Leah finds the next big romance books. We also have a serious discussion about how romance and romance publishing is failing us, the consumers. So buckle in sparkly romance nerds, it's time for some real talk with some good laughs along the way.Content Warning: language use and some shame upon Nicholas Sparks and James Patterson...sorry not sorry.What is Booktok?Ripped Bodice informationInstragram @TheRippedBodiceTiktok @ TheRippedBodiceTwitter @ TheRippedBodiceRead, Romance, RepeatBooks/Authors we talk aboutMad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency by Bea Koch (signed edition!)The minotaur book...sorry guys, please don't open this link in view of other people, for your own credibility Heroine Complex by Sarah KuhnJennifer ProbstRebekah Weatherspoon Take a Hint Dani Brown by Talia HibbertGet a Life Chloe Brown also by HibbertThe Kiss Quotient by Helen HoangThe Roommate by Rosie DananWitch Please by Ann AguirreSaint by Sierra SimoneOther romance bookstores!Love's Sweet ArrowEver After (Australia)

Hello friends,Today we continue the conversation with fabulous sisters Leah and Bea Koch, co-owners and founders of The Ripped Bodice, the romance-only bookstore in the Los Angeles area. They also work with Sony Pictures in the development of romance-to-screen adaptations. Bea Koch is the author of Mad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency, which was published during the pandemic. In the first part of our conversation we talked about Regency women, romance, racial diversity in romance publishing, history, and so much more. And our conversation continues - in this edition, Leah and Bea talk with me about feminism and the romance genre and what it all has to do with Austen and with our lives today. Also, we got their favorite Jane Austen novels, some of the interesting retellings they love, and some of their favorite films and characters from Austen and the Regency era. Enjoy this excerpt from our conversation. Plain JaneLet me ask something: You two are young and feminist, and bring ... in some ways, diversity, and also, you're very, very well educated. You've got fancy degrees … But you love romance. You love romance reading, you've always loved romance reading. So what draws you to romance? And also, do you feel like you are a typical romance reader? Are you an example of readers of romance? Leah Koch  Very much. .. I think you have to spend - pre-pandemic - an hour in our store to sort of just see the parade of humanity that that comes through. I think that's something really valuable that the store offers that's just really different. I mean, obviously, not everyone's going to sit in the store ... people-watching. But I just feel like for so long there was this notion that romance readers are white women in their 60s - and not that they don't read and love romance, we have many wonderful customers of that age - but  … to me the biggest thing that's wrong about the stereotypical romance reader is age. We really see 12 to 90 …  just the entire entire age spectrum, whether that's young people getting interested in young adult books and sort of reading their first books that have kissing in them, or … one of the things I hear all the time is, “I just graduated from whatever, high school, college graduate, law school ...Now I get to read for myself again, and I'm going to return or start romance.”Bea Koch  I hear that all the time. I think it's what's so amazing is to hear what's bringing people to romance now is what brought us to romance as young women. And that is that these books center internal thoughts of the characters. And as young women as young people - I'm sorry, this is not a gendered thing, but I will speak from my own experience as a woman - you're told your emotions are too much all the time. Don't be so loud. Don't be so emotional. Don't fall in love. That's the wrong thing to do. You're getting all of these signals from society that you're too much. And romance is about all that too much being like the best part. Yeah, emotion is the best part of a romance. And I always think of the movie Inside Out. Sorry, like, I'm off on another tangent! But when I saw Inside Out as an adult - it wasn't available to me as a child - I was like, “What an amazing movie for kids to have now, to be able to talk about all their emotions and really feel like that's important.” And to me as a young woman, my romances - [and] the relationships my friends were having - that was my whole world. And so to find a whole genre where that was the most important thing and was so central and never denigrated, it made romance so important to me. And I love to hear new generations finding it for that same reason.Plain Jane So you're bringing me now to a little bit of Jane Austen. So something that Jane Austen did that's so powerful is to center this interior life, feelings of a woman. She also made damn sure to make it a very intelligent woman  - her heroines are the smartest people in the room. And Jane Austen is always there letting you know how whip smart they are.Bea Koch … They are surrounded by other women and we get to see dumb women and other smart women as well. Something I always love about Austen is I think you can see her own love for her sister in her writing. And in the way the sisters - of course, like Pride and Prejudice sisters - but in all her books, sisters and friendships play out. I think we even see it in romance. Of course, the central love story is so important. But many of my favorite romance novels focus just as much on the friendships surrounding the couple and the way love changes not only your relationship with your partner, but your relationship with your sister and your best friend. And if you're building your family and bringing all these people in, and I think the idea that Austen still to this day connects to people in that way and makes you feel instantly like those sisters our are your sisters, and you're in that drawing room with them and feeling their squabbles and their love for each other and how they'll be there for each other even when one makes a mistake. It's just so universal. Not only the love between Lizzy and Darcy but the love between Lizzy and Jane and - Leah's favorite - Mary.Plain Jane Leah: Who's your favorite? Mary?Leah KochMary [laughing]Plain JaneYou love Mary? Because you know, I actually kind of like Mary because she's the one - she's sitting and reading all the time. And she is a rebel in her own way. She refuses to be pleasant. And if she wants to be self righteous then she can. Why do you love Mary, Leah?Leah Koch  She's so annoying … she's such an a*****e. I always picture her as Goth, like she would be like dressing Goth now. ...Plain JaneLove. It. She's Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice.Bea Koch  I think Leah always associated with Mary because … of course, I'm always like, “I'm such a Lizzy.” Like I totally am. And then there's this other kind of version of which is Leah, which is like, “[I'm] the rebel. I'm not the cool one to be.”I think the idea that Austen still to this day connects to people in that way and makes you feel instantly like those sisters our are your sisters, and you're in that drawing room with them and feeling their squabbles and their love for each other and how they'll be there for each other even when one makes a mistake. It's just so universal. Plain JaneOkay … now that we're on to Jane Austen. What is the relationship between Jane Austen and romance novels where you're concerned? Because, you know, scholars will tell you, Jane Austen was part of the Romantic period, Bea as you point out helpfully in your book, but was kind of anti-romance in some ways in her writing. She wanted women to think for themselves and she wanted us to carry our brains like armor, you know. So what how would you describe that relationship? She's influenced a lot of Regency romance. Would you say she has been foundational to Regency romance? Bea Koch  I would certainly say she's foundational to Regency romance - I think not only in her actual stories, but literally the history of Regency romance is a pastiche of true fact and fiction. [Georgette Heyer's] role, I think, in the history of Regency is really much more complicated than Austen because of some of the anti-Semitism and other stuff in her work. But she was an obsessive scholar of Austen and her research notebooks are her doing all this research on a lot of stuff she read about in Austen. Leah Koch  Isn't there like a phrase that you said never existed but people think is real?Bea KochYes, there is. There are a couple things from Georgette Heyer's work that contemporary romance novelists have referenced as though it is a true Regency fact. But it was made up in the 1930s by Georgette. And it's called, I want to say it's like the Bunbury Incident.Leah Koch  That sounds right. Yeah.Bea Koch  So I learned about this. When I was at Yale, I took a class about historical romance novels with two amazing authors. Plain JaneI wanted to ask you about this. You studied romance novels at Yale!Bea KochIt was one of the most amazing experiences, truly, of my life … But I found I was like, “Oh my gosh, I'm not the only person reading this. And I'm not the only person who really sees that there's something here that should be studied, like in an academic way!” And so yes, we read - I think it's a Loretta Chase - that references something from a Georgette Heyer, that didn't actually happen in the Regency. … It's like a wink and a nod to romance readers saying … this history is its own. That's not unproblematic. Georgette Heyer has serious anti-Semitism in her work, which as a Jewish woman, deeply offends me and makes me uncomfortable including her in the hierarchy, in the … bloodline, of romance. But the way these sources play on each other I think is so important in understanding our history, and how we got to where we are now.Leah Koch It's exactly what you just said, Janet. We're still having this discussion. Now. We still have it once a week, which is, “Can a book be feminist if it ends with, you know, the woman getting together with a man?” And obviously, romance novels now include people of many other genders who do not end up with just man and woman. But for now … we hear from people all the time, that are like, well, if she needs a man to be happy, then how is this feminist? And I feel that like, that was the exact question that Jane Austen was exploring, and romance novels still explore. And I think we have a lot of different answers to that question, depending on how annoying the person who's asking it is being![W]e hear from people all the time, that are like, well, if she needs a man to be happy, then how is this feminist? And I feel that like, that was the exact question that Jane Austen was exploring, and romance novels still explore.Bea Koch I think that goes back to that question of devaluing our life, right? Like, “romance is not important. And if you're writing about romance, you're not writing about what's important.” Which is so interesting because to me romance is the most important thing. And if you're not writing about romance, what are you writing about?Plain JaneI feel like Shakespeare was writing about a lot of things, but he was also writing about romance. I think there's some sexism involved in that. And double standards involved in that. That we've all been influenced by. Those of us interested in reading and in literature are constantly having to deal with this devaluation of, basically, our lives and our experiences, and what matters to us and what makes the world go round.Leah KochIn some ways, [in] feminism, I feel like there's often these wild swings, from “only focus on your career … partners and children don't matter,” and then we wildly swing the other direction with, “If you want to stay at home and have eight children, that's what you should do.” And we seem to have a lot of trouble finding a place in the middle. And I think modern romance novels, I think certainly attempt to do that. And I think good modern romance novels tend to be very holistic in their approach to the central characters' lives. So I think now, you know, and obviously in the past as well, but when you look at the bestsellers coming out of our store… the characters have a very interesting career, or it's in a really interesting setting. And it's just a very holistic approach that for some reason seems to freak people out - that you can both have an interesting career and if you so choose, fall in love at the end of it, and you don't have to go off and have a babies. But if you want to, you can, and then they will all get their own books.—-Thanks for listening, friends. Talk back to us! Are you a reader of romance that doesn't fit the stereotypical mold? What romance books and authors have you discovered and love? Did you enjoy this conversation, or have a comment or question for Leah and Bea? Let us know - comment below, or email me at AustenConnection@gmail.com. You can also find us on Twitter at @AustenConnect on and Insta at austenconnection. Stay in touch! Yours truly,Plain JaneTo hear more conversations, check out The Austen Connection archives, or find the podcast on Apple. If you enjoyed the conversation, feel free to share it!And to get all the conversations dropped right into your inbox - for free - subscribe! Get full access to The Austen Connection at austenconnection.substack.com/subscribe

Dear friends,Our second podcast episode is out! And it's a treat. In this conversation with superb sisters Leah and Bea Koch, co-owners and founders of Los Angeles romance-only bookstore The Ripped Bodice, we get into the questions about what Jane Austen has to do with romance (a lot, friends), diversity and equity in the romance business from representation to pay, and real women of the Regency era. (Spoiler alert: They're mad and bad! ) In next week's conversation we'll get Leah and Bea's favorite romance tropes and themes … not to mention some of their favorite Austen retellings. So stay tuned! Those of us who are romance readers know that the romance industry is a billion-dollar industry with a huge demand in readers - including many of us in the Austen world, and also including Leah and Bea Koch themselves. The sisters say they have always loved romance novels. They also have serious academic degrees in their fields, and they work with Sony Pictures to find books that can be adapted for the screen. So for these sisters, as for the industry itself, romance is serious business.Bea and Leah have also noticed that like much else in our culture, the romance industry has a diversity problem - so they have produced an annual State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report - gauging the numbers of books being published by BIPOC authors in traditional romance publishing.Besides running a business through the pandemic, Bea Koch also published a book exploring little-known Regency women from marginalized backgrounds in her book Mad & Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency. I caught up with Leah and Bea Koch by Zoom a while back. We talked about how the Regency era has been whitewashed not only in romance storytelling but in so much of our cultural discourse. And when it comes to Regency stories, history, romance, how these stories are presented historically and how they might more accurately reflect the actual racial diversity of the era - they have some thoughts!They began by talking about how challenging the pandemic year had been. But there was an upside - people from all over the world were joining their bookstore events, virtually. Here's an excerpt from our conversation. Plain Jane  So, Leah, it sounds like ups and downs, as you say [during the pandemic]. But one positive might be the community - people are searching out community, people are searching out books. Have you found increased interest or just sort of connecting?Leah Koch  Yeah, well, and I think possibly one of the only silver linings is the real sort of expansion of our community on a global sense. Because I think before people were still excited about the store, but it was sort of like, “Oh, maybe when I go on vacation to California someday, I would get to come.” And I think we every once in a while did a live streaming event if the author really wanted to, but it just wasn't something that we did a lot. So now anyone can come to a Ripped Bodice event because they're all virtual. So if you live in Singapore, you can attend the virtual Ripped Bodice.Bea Koch  And I think we're excited about - now that we've learned all that - using that to make us more inclusive, moving forward so that more people can attend our events in different ways and figuring out ways to make that exciting.Leah Koch I agree, I don't see virtual events just completely going away. I mean, we will return to some amount of in-person because it's fun. But yeah, that's been really nice to sort of include more people that way. And you know, make make them feel like they're at the store, sort of from people's living rooms.Plain JaneYeah, that's great. I know, as a reader, I've really appreciated those kinds of events. Bea, you also, in addition to getting married during the pandemic, you've also published a book during the pandemic: Mad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency. And you explore Regency romance, actual heroines, actual Regency women. And you find that they're more radical and lively and more challenging and more colorful, and diverse in all kinds of ways - as was the Regency world - than people tend to think. Why did you take undertake to broaden out our idea of the Regency with this book?Bea Koch I mean, my love of the Regency comes from Romance novels. And I am a “trained historian,” you know, I'm putting that in quotes - because, what is a trained historian? I went to school for it, and I studied it for a long time. But I think, like so many people, I have a real love of history from fiction. And what I was really searching for, as I wrote my book, was a way to talk about the fiction element that I loved so much: What it gets right, and then also, where it could expand. And one of those areas, of course, is in featuring more women who are not white, Christian, cis-het women. And there are so many examples of people like that in the Regency who were thriving. And I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to highlight some of them in the book. There are the names that I think will be very familiar to fans of the period, and then maybe names that [you] may think, “Oh, I've heard of them, but I've never quite explored their story.” So it's really fun to dive into some of those.Plain JaneWell, who are some of those women who stand out for you? Leah Koch  As a reader of the book in many iterations, but in its final iteration, someone I knew nothing about before I read the book was Mary Seacole. So that's my suggestion. Tell us about her.Plain Jane Well, why Leah? Why Mary Seacole?Leah Koch I just had never heard of her before. I mean, if you spend enough time around Bea, you will know a lot about queens. And I think there's a real  - correct my history if I'm wrong - but obviously there's a very British focus to the Regency. But it did involve people from other countries.Bea KochYes, I think the Regency gets a little confusing for people. The Regency refers to a specific ruler and time in England when Prince George took over as Regent for his Father [from 1811-1820]. His father had succumbed to, potentially, a blood disorder and was exhibiting signs of what they called madness. So his son had to take over and there's a [approximately] 10-year time before he actually becomes King that he is the Prince Regent. And that tiny little 10-year period is this time that holds such huge sway in our imaginations for so many reasons. And I love that you brought up Mary Seacole, Leah, because I think she's a great example of the way history can shine a spotlight on one woman. And in doing so, unfortunately, we lose the tales of the women around her. And so ... Florence Nightingale is a name that so many of us are raised with - this brave, young, privileged white, Christian woman who went to the frontlines of the war and started modern nursing as we know it. Right alongside Florence Nightingale was a woman named Mary Seacole, who had been trained by her mother who was also a doctor and she owned a boarding house, where she practiced her medicine - traditional techniques. And Mary Seacole wrote an autobiography later in life, explaining her training through her mother, her search for education, her whole life and then her own journey to the Crimean War. And her contributions to the war effort, even going so far as to ask Florence Nightingale if she could join her battalion of nurses and being turned down. ...Mary Seacole was British Jamaican. And Florence Nightingale was white and her battalion of nurses was all white. Mary Seacole was the first woman of color we have evidence [of] that … asked to join and was rejected. And in her autobiography, Mary Seacole writes very movingly of her experiences with racism, and she names it very clearly, what she's experiencing. And then later historians kind of whitewashed Mary Seacole's experience: “Oh, she couldn't possibly have been experiencing racism. … She didn't have the same training or she didn't have the same standing as Florence Nightingale's other nurses.”She didn't let that stop her. Mary Seacole still went to the front, she still served as a nurse, and was beloved by the troops to the point where when she returned from the war, destitute … the troops organized to raise money for Mary Seacole for her to live on after. So to devalue her contributions, not only to the war, but to the soldiers themselves, I think is is really sad. And there have been moves made to kind of reintroduce Mary Seacole into the story. And it won't surprise anyone to hear that some of those moves have been met with consternation by various factions, who see the elevation of Mary Seacole as a way to devalue Florence Nightingale, which I don't agree with. I think two amazing women doing great things can exist. One could have exhibited racist behaviors, one could have experienced racism; they both could have contributed to the field of modern nursing. And we need to discuss history with a little more nuance and awareness [that] all these different things can be true at once. For Mary Seacole to exist does not mean Florence Nightingale did not exist or did not contribute to the field of modern nursing.Plain JaneYou know, it is interesting: There is this reluctance to “bother” History. But your book, Mad and Bad, is very lively, very vibrant, and it's contributing to this contemporary conversation about history. In Mad and Bad you talk about so many real women of the Regency that are Jewish, that are LGBTQ identifying in the Regency era, [that] are multiracial, and are living outside the bounds or the strictures. They're scientists as well. And they're thinkers and they're writers. I guess the question is: You mentioned whitewashing - what has contributed to this whitewashing? And you probably feel like you're just scratching the surface here. What do you want to see happening as we go forward, when we talk about the Regency and when we write romances and talk about romance novels?Bea Koch  I mean, “scratching the surface” is a perfect example. It's when I was doing the research for this book, there are 10 chapters on the cutting room floor … There could be so much more to be said about so many different women. And I think the popularity of the Regency in romance is something that is not going to change. And so what I would encourage is current creators who are engaging with that world: Do some research and understand that this whitewashed version we've been told is not the full story. And, in fact, in the stories that haven't been told, there's so much that would be just like catnip to modern audiences. I think about some of the stories in my book, and some of the stories that I didn't even get to talk about in the book. And the way they could be adapted into film or TV shows, I just think there's so many stories. And the idea that the Regency has been done and done, because we've seen so many versions of white and purely white casting adaptations, is just leaving so much history behind.And so what I would encourage is current creators who are engaging with that world: Do some research and understand that this whitewashed version we've been told is not the full story.Plain Jane This is such an exciting and interesting conversation right now. … Let's unpack a little bit of these discussions that are going on: You say that so many of these are good screen stories. I agree, and [you two] are the people who turn these into the screen sometimes! So I want to talk about that role of development that you have in a minute. But let me first just ask: So what do you think of Bridgerton? And the diverse casting going on there? And what do you think of the [Georgiana] Lambe character, and Sanditon? What do you think of contemporary adaptations? And what are you seeing with all this right now? Leah KochI think we're, we're just at the beginning. … I think I don't want to get too into a discussion of how Hollywood functions, because we'll fall asleep and be here for three years. But, you know, things just take so much longer to come to the screen that I think the average person realizes. So when somebody sees something like Bridgerton have a lot of success, and they're like, “Oh, great! Everything I see for the next year is going to be a romance novel.” Well, unfortunately, it's going to take a little bit longer than that. But I would say, it's a toss up for me. I enjoy seeing interesting adaptations of work. … I tend to fall more on the side of being interested in sort of newer creators. And in particular, you know, giving Black people the chance to tell Black stories and queer people the chance to tell queer stories. But I think both can coexist.Bea Koch I agree that we're just at the beginning. And it is certainly where we've always wanted. Since we opened the bookstore, we made no secret that we were looking for particularly historical stories that were more diverse. Because that's what our audience was asking us for. And that's literally why I wrote Mad and Bad. People would come into the bookstore, and I would recommend a romance novel to them and explain, “Oh, it's inspired by X, Y, or Z woman.” And then they'd say, “Oh, do you have a biography about her? I'd love to learn more about her.” And it just seemed like in romance, there's this real interest in the real history of the time, and in understanding that it has pushed boundaries forward in so many ways. And there's also so much more we need to do. So we can continue to ask for more historical romance novels that are not set in Regency England, 19th century, great. … there's so many stories to be told. I'm always surprised that we don't see more of that traditionally published. There is quite a bit that's independently or self published. But, I don't know, I would think that the publishers would really see that there's a huge market for interesting historical stories that haven't been told before from a different perspective.Plain JaneAll right, let's hope along these lines. The Ripped Bodice has started publishing the State of [Racial] Diversity in Romance Publishing report. Why did you so quickly jump on this report? What made you feel like it was needed and that this was something you had to do?Leah Koch Just to be clear, it is [on] racial diversity. We always want to make sure we're clear about that. Because we don't look at other ... forms of diversity. It has a quite narrow, focused goal. And I think we started because of exactly what we just said: It was really what our customers were asking for. And I think it was a very big change, for us to go from being enthusiastic romance readers to professional romance readers. That is essentially what we do. You just have such a larger picture … you might not be looking as widely at all the different publishers and sort of how the imprints function within them and who's doing what. It's just not something that most regular people pay all that much attention to. So when we entered the professional realm it was so obvious, so fast, that the supply was not meeting the demand. [I]n Romance, there's this real interest in the real history of the time, and in understanding that it has pushed boundaries forward in so many ways. And there's also so much more we need to do.And … I felt like for a long time, and to be clear, there has been improvement in the last five years. But I feel like when we first opened, that anything that someone would ask for, there'd be like … one. So it'd be like, “Do you have anything with a Black heroine and an Asian hero?” We'd say, “Yes, great, here.” And then they'd come back and be like, “Okay, what's next?” And we'd be like, “That was it.” That's just one specific example. We felt like there was still this mantra from the publishers, and … it's kind of contradictory. It's on one hand, “This isn't as big of a problem as you're making it out to be.” And then on the other hand, also, “We're working on it. We are improving…”. And we felt like they weren't improving or weren't improving fast enough. Bea Koch I think we also realize that this is such a large, complicated conversation, and so many people are having it on so many levels. And our question was, “What is the piece of information that we can add to the conversation?” And to us, it seemed like, what we could do was count the number of books that each publisher - each major publisher - puts out by women of color, and by white women, which is just a part of the [process], that we've always viewed the report as a part of the conversation. This is a way to present these numbers, and then talk more deeply about what we're all doing to change those numbers. If that's something that we say we want to do, which many publishers continue to put out statements saying, “Yes, we really want to focus on this. This is something we really care about.” And then when it comes time, to really have the conversation about how best to do that - maybe, I'm sure those conversations are happening internally - but they also don't seem to be moving the numbers as quickly as maybe some people thought they would. So we're just suggesting that we might need to try other things.Plain JaneYeah, it's like a very, very simple but yet powerful way of just drawing attention to something. And like you say, sparking conversation; giving people something to look at and just counting. Journalists know, counting can be a very powerful thing.Leah KochRight? It's really, it's really simple. It's literally two numbers. … And we hope that's just the beginning. ...Plain JaneYou both said, you've seen the needle moving a little bit. And I looked at the report, and it looks like there are some publishers like Kensington and St. Martin's Press, maybe? Maybe Carina? [that] have increased the numbers of BIPOC authors? What are these publishers doing in order to do that? If anything?Leah Koch It's a good question. First of all, you'd have to ask them. I think it's a variety of things. Carina specifically has different people in charge than it did several years ago. So, a lot of times, that's what you need. Bea Koch I think Kensington is always an interesting one. People always kind of ask us about that. And all we know from Kensington is that they really are a part of the conversation. They always engage with us about the report.Leah Koch They're super open. … I think it was last year, Publishers Weekly did a piece. And I think last year Kensington was either number one or number two. And they'd interviewed one of their editors. And she was like, “We have so much more work to do.” And that was, like, the number one person and then the number like 15 person is like, everything's fine. You know, a question I've always personally struggled with and don't know the answer to. Kensington has a lot of dedicated lines for Black authors, and just more generally authors of color. And people feel really differently about that. I think there's some people who who like it and some people who don't like it.Bea Koch … Harlequin for years had a separate line, called Kimani, where they published all their Black authors. They got rid of Kimani and said that they [merged] all their Black authors into their regular lines, which we've seen many Black authors appearing in regular Harlequin series.I don't know how Kimani authors felt about that particular change. And I think those are the people who really are most important to talk to. I think it's important to ask  - not that anyone is required to say this - but this is a business. We're talking about money: Were you paid more to write for Kimani, or were you paid less? When #publishingpaidme came out, we saw very few white romance novelists share how much they are paid. … There's a huge part where we're encouraged to remain silent. “Don't talk about money.” Especially for women. “It's rude. It's vulgar.”Why? … I mean, I could go on and on and you've heard it all before. But if we're going to have a conversation about equity, It's probably helpful for people to have this information. And for people to continue to say, “I'm not going to share that for X, Y, or Z reason, when it felt like our Black colleagues were asking us to share that. It was a choice. I don't know. … I wish more people had agents, they felt like would back them up and that kind of thing. Because as authors, we're so siloed and isolated ...Plain JaneAnd I think that's been being encouraged, you know, throughout our culture right now. And so you two,] are tapping into a lot of these things. And just applying them in a very powerful way to the business of romance.---Thanks for listening/reading, friends - and guess what! There's more, with Bea and Leah Koch. In next week's podcast episode and letter (which if you are a subscriber, will arrive right in your inbox) - we'll talk with Bea and Leah about feminism, romance, LGBT and other Austen retellings, and complicated love interests.Until then, have a romantic, wonderful week,Plain JaneTo get this conversation and every conversation, dropped right into your Inbox, subscribe to the Austen ConnectionIf you liked it, share it!More reading and references:The Ripped Bodice website: https://www.therippedbodicela.com/The book! “Mad & Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency”: https://www.therippedbodicela.com/product/mad-and-bad-real-heroines-regency-bea-koch-signedRipped Bodice State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing report: https://www.therippedbodicela.com/state-racial-diversity-romance-publishing-reportJ Stor Daily on the Regency era: https://daily.jstor.org/why-are-so-many-romances-set-in-the-regency-period/ Get full access to The Austen Connection at austenconnection.substack.com/subscribe

It's no secret that bookstores are my favorite places on earth, and The Ripped Bodice in Los Angeles is extra extra special to me. Today I have one half of the sister duo who owns the shop, Leah Koch, with me to talk about "Vision in White" by La Grande Dame of romance novels, Her Royal Highness, Nora Roberts.   Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon   Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram   Guest: Leah Koch of The Ripped Bodice Bookstore Bookstore/Instagram/Twitter   Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!   Make sure you check out The Ripped Bodice's Annual State of Racial Diversity in Romance Report.   Leah spoke a lot about her sister/business partner's love of Historical Romance. Be sure to check out Bea's fantastic book Mad & Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency.   Discussed in this episode:   Vision in White by Nora Roberts (Book 1 of the Bride Quartet) Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts (Book 2 of the Bride Quartet) Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (Book 3 of the Bride Quartet) Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Book 4 of the Bride Quartet) The Newberry Library, Chicago Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer Now I'll Tell You Everything by Phillis Reynolds Naylor (Book #25 of the Alice Series) The Ripped Bodice Subscription Box I Kissed a Girl by Jennet Alexander Whiteout by Adriana Anders Uncharted by Adriana Anders Powell's Bookstore Portland Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo Ripped Bodice Patreon (Note: All of this week's links lead you directly to the Ripped Bodice catalog, where they can sell you any book, not just romance. Thank you for keeping an indie bookstore in business! )

It's no secret that bookstores are my favorite places on earth, and The Ripped Bodice in Los Angeles is extra extra special to me. Today I have one half of the sister duo who owns the shop, Leah Koch, with me to talk about "Vision in White" by La Grande Dame of romance novels, Her Royal Highness, Nora Roberts.   Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon   Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram   Guest: Leah Koch of The Ripped Bodice Bookstore Bookstore/Instagram/Twitter   Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!   Make sure you check out The Ripped Bodice's Annual State of Racial Diversity in Romance Report.   Leah spoke a lot about her sister/business partner's love of Historical Romance. Be sure to check out Bea's fantastic book Mad & Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency.   Discussed in this episode:   Vision in White by Nora Roberts (Book 1 of the Bride Quartet) Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts (Book 2 of the Bride Quartet) Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (Book 3 of the Bride Quartet) Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Book 4 of the Bride Quartet) The Newberry Library, Chicago Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer Now I'll Tell You Everything by Phillis Reynolds Naylor (Book #25 of the Alice Series) The Ripped Bodice Subscription Box I Kissed a Girl by Jennet Alexander Whiteout by Adriana Anders Uncharted by Adriana Anders Powell's Bookstore Portland Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo Ripped Bodice Patreon (Note: All of this week's links lead you directly to the Ripped Bodice catalog, where they can sell you any book, not just romance. Thank you for keeping an indie bookstore in business! )

Leah Koch and her sister Bea raised $91k on Kickstarter to open the nation's only exclusively romance bookstore, The Ripped Bodice. Four years later, it's more successful than ever (even during a pandemic), and Leah is sharing their story on our podcast. It turns out, owning a bookstore isn't really like "You've Got Mail," but Leah and Bea still have a lot of fun. They throw regular book readings, book clubs, and comedy shows at their storefront in LA, and are dedicated to highlighting authors of different races, backgrounds, and gender identities. Each year, they put out their "State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report" to showcase the state of the industry when it comes to racial diversity of romance authors. Leah tells us why they've developed this report, what they've learned over the years, and why they continue to hold their industry accountable for diversity and inclusion.  Leah and Bea also have a development deal with Sony Pictures, where they consult on interesting stories that would make great television shows.  00:08:40: What is Leah's job and where does she work? What common questions does she get when people find out about her job? 00:11:03: What's the story of The Ripped Bodice - how did they go from Kickstarter campaign to four years and counting of a successful business? 00:18:01: What lessons about retail and event planning has Leah learned in her job? What's it like being an owner of an independent book store?  00:29:26: What are some of her favorite titles? Which ones does she recommend to people new to the genre? 00:36:22: What kind of events does The Ripped Bodice host?  00:56:29: What are the rewards and challenges of Leah's job? 01:00:00: What is the "State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report" and why does The Ripped Bodice put it out every year?  01:10:30: Leah talks about their work with Sony Pictures and the type of projects they're developing for television.  01:17:34: Back to the Future: What advice would Leah give to her younger self? What's the biggest business mistake she's made (it involves accidentally locking people into the store)? 01:24:10: Listener questions: advice for aspiring booksellers? Are there any good romance novels with transgender protagonists? and our Lightning Round.

Kate and Doree discuss Coronavirus, Kate’s self-care practices around the anniversary of her mom’s death, and Doree’s current makeup and skincare faves. Then they’re joined by Leah and Bea Koch, owners of the romance bookstore The Ripped Bodice. They chat about their uniquely different skincare routines, how the increasing diversity in both authors and protagonists is leading to a more inclusive romance genre, their work bring romance to TV, and Bea’s new book Mad & Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency Era.We love to hear from you! To leave a voicemail for a future episode, call 781-591-0390. You can also email the podcast at forever35podcast@gmail.com.This episode is sponsored by: AERA - Go to aeraforhome.com for 20% off diffusers and free shipping with the code FOREVER35.BANILA CO - Try Banila Co’s original cult classic cleansing balm designed with make-up lovers in mind at BanilaUSA.com and use code FOREVER35 for 10% off your purchase.STITCH FIX - Get started today at stitchfix.com/forever35 and you'll get an extra 25% off when you keep all items in your box.HONEYBOOK - Get 50% off your first year when you go to honeybook.com and enter promo code FOREVER35.MOLEKULE - For $75 off your first order, visit molekule.com and enter FOREVER75 at checkout.HONEY - Use code FOREVER at joinhoney.comHELLO FRESH CANADA - For a total of $70 off your first 3 weeks of HelloFresh, go to HelloFresh.ca/forever70 and enter code FOREVER70.Theme music by Riot. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're tacklinng our first ever romance novel for The Stacks Book Club, just in time for Valentine's Day! Today we discuss The Hating Game by Sally Thorne with co-owner of The Ripped Bodice, Leah Koch. Get ready for a conversation about tropes, therapy, and diversity in publishing. How romantic.There are spoilers on this episode.SHOP AT THE RIPPED BODICE You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2020/02/12/ep-98-the-hating-game SUPPORT THE STACKSAudible - Get your free 30-day trial and free audiobook download at audibletrial.com/thestacksAmazon - Shop through this link to find all the books discussed on today's show to help keep The Stacks free. Connect with Leah & The Ripped Bodice:

We're getting in a little romance this month, with co-owner of The Ripped Bodice, Leah Koch. The Ripped Bodice is the first Romance centric bookstore in The United States. Leah sheds light on what its really like to own your own bookstore, breaks down the criteria of romance novels, and suggest a few titles for people who are new to the genre.SHOP AT THE RIPPED BODICE You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2020/02/05/ep-97-leah-koch SUPPORT THE STACKSBook of the Month - to get your first month for $9.99 click hereAudible - Get your free 30-day trial and free audiobook download at audibletrial.com/thestacksAmazon - Shop through this link to find all the books discussed on today's show Connect with Leah & The Ripped Bodice: The Ripped Bodice | The Ripped Bodice Twitter | The Ripped Bodice Instagram

First Draft Episode #213: Renee Ahdieh Renee Ahdieh, New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn, The Rose and the Dagger, the Flame in the Mist duology, talks about her latest series, which kicks off with The Beautiful, out October 8. This episode was brought to you by Freedom — upgrade to Premium and use code FIRSTDRAFT for 40% off a yearly or Forever plan! Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Renee says The Flame in the Mist contains nods to Disney’s Mulan and the classic marital arts film 47 Ronin When it comes to pitching books by Sabaa Tahir (listen to her First Draft interview here), Traci Chee, or Sarah Nicole Lemon (listen to her First Draft interview here), Renee has you covered. Not so much, she says, when it comes to pitching her own books. Though Renee loves physically strong female heroes like Katniss, from Susanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, she says the hero of the Flame in the Mist series has “strength of the heart.” The Beautiful series is an homage to Anne Rice’s seminal Interview with the Vampire series (omigod don’t miss the movie version, optimistically titled Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt). She read The Queen of the Damned first. Renee loves Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, too. Each book in The Beautiful’s four-part series will have a different main character, but they will all take place in the same world. Renee borrowed this narrative structure from the world of regency romance novels; in particular, Renee cites Sabrina Jeffries’ Hellions of Halstead Hall series as an inspiration. I came across this in getting recommendations from Bea and Leah Koch, who run The Ripped Bodice bookstore in Culver City, Calif. (listen to their First Draft interview here)! Renee loves mysteries, like the TV series Columbo and Agatha Christie’s Poirot In addition to Anne Rice’s many vampires novels and Twilight, Renee was also inspired by Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse books (which were adapted into the True Blood HBO show) (and I recommended fellow YA author Morgan Matson watch the series - hear me and Morgan chat in her First Draft interviews here and here!). Renee says almost every book series she loves is a version of Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare or The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Duma, and she’s also obsessed with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Renee and I gush over Mirage by Somaiya Daud, but I have a bone to pick with her vis a vis robots Google is funding efforts to delay or end death! Science is trying to restore activity to a deceased brain! Dogs and cats are being cloned (Barbara Streisand did it)! Life is wild! Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of the Strange the Dreamer series and the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, gave incredible worldbuilding advice on her episode of First Draft! I want to hear from you! Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998. You can also email the podcast at firstdraftwithsarahenni@gmail.com.  Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, New York Times bestselling author and host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone’s an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too;  Michael Dante  DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie’s Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works. Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It’s free! Rate, Review, and Recommend How do you like the show? Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you! Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post! Thanks again!

Finally back in a decent studio, Amy, Javier and Carin are joined by 'baby lawyer,' Leah Koch, she wishes she was that kind of Koch. In local news, we have a First Dog and Ilhan Omar's personal life continues unfold in the public eye. Why distinctions are very important when looking at this situation of campaign finance and infidelity. The Terrorist Watch list, how to get on and off of it, nobody really knows. And of course, spanks and thanks. 

Your weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs. Show Notes: Holiday World Website: www.holidayworld.com Disability Emojis: https://cnn.it/2Zi68qY Olympic Robots: http://bit.ly/2ZkPpmP VR cops: http://bit.ly/2Zj7lON VR OT: http://bit.ly/2Zkb6Ub——————————If you have an AT question, leave us a voice mail at: 317-721-7124 or […] The post ATU429 – Holiday World and Play Day with Leah Koch appeared first on Assistive Technology at Easter Seals Crossroads.

Bea and Leah Koch, two sisters who co-own The Ripped Bodice, the only brick and mortar bookstore in the U.S. to sell exclusively romance titles, who were named 2017 RWA Steffie Walker Booksellers of the Year by the Romance Writers of America and recently struck an overall deal with Sony Pictures. I loved what Bea and Leah had to say about being activist booksellers, retraining romance readers, and becoming advocates for representation and change in publishing. Bea and Leah Koch, owners of The Ripped Bodice, Show Notes Women and Children First (bookstore in Illinois) The Ripped Bodice Kickstarter Preeti Chhibber (of Scholastic) Word bookstore’s Romance Book Club Greenlight (bookstore in Brooklyn) Ashley C. Ford (author and editor running the Green Light romance book club) The Ripped Bodice State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report (2016 and 2017) (The New York Times artiicle detailing the report’s findings, “In Love With Romance Novels, But Not Their Lack of Diversity”) Vivian Stevens (editor of romance novels) Beverly Jenkins (romance author) RWA (Romance Writers Association) The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (listen to Associate Director of Event Programming for LATFoB, Maret Orliss, here)

With Happy Halloween Weekends ending October 28 and the 2019 Announcement just hours old, the #PodSquad digs in to share all sorts of behind-the-scenes tales about Santa's Merry Marketplace and more. Edgar Allan Poe, Jeannie C. Riley, sloths, birds, bacon, Spoopy, the creator of Fettuccine Alfredo, and a sweet girl named Norah. Recorded 10/12/18 #HoWoPo Hosted by: Paula Werne, Matt Eckert, Lauren Crosby, and Leah Koch 00:00 – Intro and Welcome the #PodSquad 02:51 - Amusings 48:30 - Non-Stop Norah 57:01 - Upcoming Holidays 1:08:00 - #HoWoPo Feedback 1:44:34 - 25 Degrees of Separation Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/HWPitunes Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/HWPspotify Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/HWPstitcher Subscribe on Google Play Music: http://bit.ly/HWP_gpm Subscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/HWP_u2be Subscribe on iHeartRadio: http://bit.ly/HWP_ihr Subscribe on TuneIn: http://bit.ly/HWPtunein RSS Feed: http://bit.ly/HWP

For the first time, the podcast goes Paula-less as accountant Tiffany Leonard joins the #PodSquad. Homemade Halloween costumes, buffalo chicken sandwiches, coffee hacks, pierogis, and the merits of casual versus holiday bacon. Also badgers. Recorded 9/28/18 #HoWoPo Hosted by: Leah Koch, Matt Eckert & Lauren Crosby Special Guest: Tiffany Leonard 00:00 – Intro and Welcome the #PodSquad 04:59 - Amusings 22:44 - Upcoming Holidays 42:24 - #HoWoPo Feedback 54:55 - 6 Degrees of Going Rogue Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/HWPitunes Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/HWPspotify Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/HWPstitcher Subscribe on Google Play Music: http://bit.ly/HWP_gpm Subscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/HWP_u2be Subscribe on iHeartRadio: http://bit.ly/HWP_ihr Subscribe on TuneIn: http://bit.ly/HWPtunein RSS Feed: http://bit.ly/HWP

A lively conversation with Bea & Leah Koch, co-owners of The Ripped Bodice in Culver City, CA. We discuss their successful Kickstarter campaign, the Romance industry and genre, their thoughts on diversity, publishing, Fabio and much more. 

Romance novels and feminism? The two may seem like strange bedfellows, but for Bea and Leah Koch, the book lovers behind America’s sole romance-only bookstore The Ripped Bodice, the connection is real.

VP James joins the #PodSquad to talk through off-season track improvements for The Voyage, plus other roller coaster news. Matt and Leah turn us green with envy talking about their IAAPA Expo experience, plus the group learns about yak hair. Recorded 12/1/17 #HoWoPo Hosted by: Paula Werne, Matt Eckert, Leah Koch, Lauren Crosby & Eric Rentz Special Guest: James Olliver 00:00 – Intro and Welcome the #PodSquad 01:36 - Coaster Tracker 29:36 - Amusings 34:23 - Welcome Back 1:04:54 - Upcoming Holidays 1:13:25 - #HoWoPo Feedback 1:31:41 – 33 Degrees of Separation Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/HWPitunes Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/HWPstitcher Subscribe on Google Play Music: http://bit.ly/HWP_gpm Subscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/HWP_u2be Subscribe on iHeartRadio: http://bit.ly/HWP_ihr Subscribe on TuneIn: http://bit.ly/HWPtunein RSS Feed: http://bit.ly/HWP

Epigraph For the third year in a row, the Drunk Booksellers drove all over Seattle (and the surrounding regions) for Indie Bookstore Day. We asked booksellers at each of the 21(!!!) stores we visited to tell us what they're recommending in the current political climate. We also collected recommendations from past guests and #SEABookstoreDay Champions! (For an epic TBT, check out our episodes from Seattle Bookstore Day Year One and Year Two.) Chapter 1 In Which Your Fearless Hosts Wake Up Far Too Early, Take a Ferry, Drink an Obscene Amount of Caffeine, and Get Our First Round of Bookseller Recommendations Emma, Eagle Harbor Book Co. American War by Omar El Akkad Madison Duckworth, Liberty Bay Books Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff Ron Woods, Edmonds Bookshop The Nix by Nathan Hill Robert Sindelar, Third Place Books Exit West by Mohsin Hamid Annie Carl, The Neverending Bookshop Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Ruth Dickey, Seattle Arts & Lectures The Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward Chris Jarmick, BookTree Dark Money by Jane Mayer Red Notice by Bill Browder   Laurie & Marni, Island Books Why We March: Signs of Protest and Hope It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis What We Do Now: Standing Up for Your Values in Trump's America ed. Dennis Johnson The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu Hallelujah Anyway by Anne Lamott     Larry Reid, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery American Presidents by David Levine Amber, Seattle Mystery Bookshop Golden Age mysteries by authors like Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Daly   Chapter 2 In Which Kim and Emma Make it Back to Seattle-Proper and Still Have... a Lot of Bookstores to Visit Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa Georgiana Blomberg, Magnolia's Bookstore Bobcat & Other Stories by Rebecca Lee Lara Hamilton, Book Larder Soup for Syria by Barbara Abdeni Massaad Madison, Secret Garden Books Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (2nd mention!) I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith Tom Nissley, Phinney Books Ghettoside by Jill Leovy Billie Swift, Open Books: A Poem Emporium Whereas by Layli Long Soldier In the Language of My Captor by Shane McCrae Trophic Cascade by Camille T. Dungy The Boston Review's Poems for Political Disaster If You Can Hear This: Poems in Protest of an American Inauguration by Bryan Borland Resist Much / Obey Little: Inaugural Poems to the Resistance Water & Salt by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha Into Each Room We Enter Without Knowing by Charif Shanahan Sea and Fog by Etel Adnan    Pam Cady, University Bookstore Make Trouble by John Waters Christina, Third Place Books Ravenna Against Equality: Queer Revolution, Not Mere Inclusion ed Ryan Conrad Garrett, Ada's Technical Books No Place to Hide by Glenn Greenwald   Chapter 3 In Which Guests from Episodes Past Return to Give Their Recommendations Pete Mulvihill, Green Apple Books (episode 8) Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Make Trouble by John Waters (2nd mention) Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel White Tears by Hari Kunzru The Dark Dark by Samantha Hunt    Leah Koch, The Ripped Bodice (episode 13) Prime Minister by Ainsley Booth & Sadie Haller A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet   Paul Constant, The Seattle Review of Books (episode 14) Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America by Ari Berman Chapter 4 In Which the Seattle Bookstore Day Champions Tell Us What They're Reading Katie The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee     Ed The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs (which totes has a white cover) (also mentioned: The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein)   Courtney, Three-Year Seattle Bookstore Day Champion(!!!) Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (for the Book Club for Courtneys)   Kristianne, Shelf Awareness The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch Kendra American Gods by Neil Gaiman Tony Hillerman Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis  (check out Michael Lewis's episode on the Freakonomics podcast) Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H. Thaler Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein      Epilogue What are you reading in the current political climate? Let us know at @drunkbookseller. Non-book political media that Emma recommends: The New York Times (support journalism, y'all) What the Fuck Just Happened Today? Wall of Us Flippable Indivisible Guide - A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda Kim's listening to: Pod Save America Pod Save the World With Friends Like These Another Round You can find us on: Twitter at @drunkbookseller Litsy at @drunkbooksellers Facebook Instagram Email Newsletter Website Emma tweets @thebibliot and writes bookish things for Book Riot. Kim tweets occasionally from @finaleofseem, but don’t expect too much. Subscribe and rate us on iTunes!   Kim went on a v weird youtube rabbit hole while procrastinating from editing, but had enough self control not to add this track to the end of the episode. You're welcome.  

Epigraph On this episode we discuss ALL THE ROMANCE BOOKS with Bea & Leah Koch, owners of The Ripped Bodice—America’s only Romance bookstore. The Ripped Bodice is celebrating their one year anniversary this month!     This episode is sponsored by Books & Whatnot, the newsletter dedicated to books, bookselling, and bookish folk; check out the newsletter archive here. Follow Books & Whatnot on Twitter at @booksandwhatnot. We now have an email newsletter! If you want to get our show notes delivered directly to your inbox—with all the books mentioned on the podcast and links back to the bookstore we’re interviewing PLUS GIFs—sign up HERE. Introduction In which we feel real fancy, learn more about geography, and can’t stop asking for recommendations. We’re drinking French 75s and feeling classy as fuck. We’re Reading Bea is reading Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose (out June 27). And she recently finished An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole, which she thinks will be a great gateway romance (out March 28) about a female spy posing as a slave. Fun fact, Alyssa Cole lives in Martinique, and Kim and Emma’s geography lessons continue. Leah is reading Kiss Me That Way by Laura Trentham and Flirting with Disaster by Victoria Dahl. Emma is reading Hot Dog Taste Test by Lisa Hanawalt—a graphic foodie memoir that is weird and delicious. She also just started Kim & Kim by Magdalene Visaggio, which is a comic about punk rock bounty hunters in space. Kim is reading Love Is Love a graphic anthology written in response to the Orlando shooting curated by Marc Andreyko; an important, but difficult read. All proceeds for the book go to the victims, survivors, and families affected by the Orlando Pulse shooting. Which is to say, everyone should buy this book. She’s also reading The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch (out April 18) a futuristic space Joan of Arc story, which hits weirdly close to home in its political content. We’re Excited About: Bea and Leah have so many frontlist romance novels to tell you about: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole (more than worth a second mention and out March 28) Full Mountie (#3 in the Frisky Beavers series) by Ainsley Booth & Sadie Haller (out April 4) First in the Frisky Beavers series is Prime Minister “and is basically about if Justin Trudeau weren’t married and liked kinky sex.” Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy (author of Dumplin’; out May 9) The Thing About Love by Julie James (out April18)  Julie James will be making an appearance at Ripped Bodice on her author tour! The Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (#3 in The Ravenels series, with the kids of characters from her Wallflowers series) Emma is excited for Tender by Sofia Samatar (writer of A Stranger in Olondria and out April 11 from Small Beer Press) and Next Year, for Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson, which is the only book about polyamory she has read so she asked for more recs... SIDETRACK: Polyamory Recommendations Laid Bare by Lauren Dane (#1 in the Brown Family series) Maya Banks Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai Back to frontlist... Kim is looking forward to The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Whereas: Poems by Layli Long Soldier The Mother of All Questions by Rebecca Solnit Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Chapter I [19:00] In which we discuss Bea & Leah’s Romance Origin Story, Talk Vaginal-Looking Covers, and Get ALL THE ROMANCE RECOMMENDATIONS Bea loved historical fiction (and historical fashion) and introduced Leah to The Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn (which is great for people who want to test the waters of regency romance) First in the series is The Duke and I Leah ultimately came to love contemporary romances and became a hardcore romance fan with the help of Nora Roberts—The Bride Quartet series is one of her favorites First in the series is Vision in White Also mentioned: Julie James, whose newest book is The Thing About Love (mentioned earlier and out April 18) and Susan Elizabeth Phillips whose newest book is First Star I See Tonight Where to Start with Contemporary: First, what level of heat are you looking for? Super graphic and dirty? Or cloaked in metaphor? Not Quite As Dirty Nora Roberts It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars #1) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. You know, the one with the boobs on the cover: Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn (for geek fandom readers) Really Dirty Recs Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Series #1) by Christina Lauren Vampire Romance Recommendations (because we love Buffy) Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) by J.R. Ward (super dirty) Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs (Jane Jameson #1) by Molly Harper (funnier romance) The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires (Half Moon Hollow #1) by Molly Harper Famous people make appearances as vampires—people like Dick Cheney Witchbian Romances (because we love Willow) Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Vampire Sorority Sisters #1) (lesbian vampire sorority) Dance Upon the Air (Three Sisters Island Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts Dark Witch (Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts Lunatic Fringe by Allison Moon (Kim rec: werewolf lesbian feminist) Two Sexy Nonfic Picks Girl Sex 101 by Allison Moon Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski Side note: Send us a pic of your favorite vaginal cover (via email or Twitter)! Like this: Non-Paranormal Queer/Diverse Recs Rebekah Weatherspoon (also has non-vampire lesbian romances) For Real by Alexis Hall (author of some gorgeous MM romances) Damon Suede writes super hot romances, which are frequently about firemen; his newest title is Lickety Split (out March 17) The Prince’s Psalm by Eric Shaw Quinn (a Biblical gay romance) First Position by Melissa Brayden (lesbian ballerinas) I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (MM YA) Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown (FF YA) The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian (gay regency) K.J. Charles (also writes gay regency, but they’re not all dukes) Wanted, A Gentleman is one of her newer titles The Spare and the Heir (Lords of Time #5) by Jenn LeBlanc (gay victorian) LeBlanc is also a photographer and illustrates many of her romances with super hot photos. Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai (mentioned earlier as poly rec) Trade Me by Courtney Milan (Cyclone #1) (contemporary romance with POC characters) The Countess Conspiracy (Brothers Sinister #3) by Courtney Milan Beverly Jenkins writes African American historicals Breathless (Old West #2) is her newest release Daughters of a Nation by Alyssa Cole, Piper Huguley, Lena Hart & more (an anthology of stories about black suffragettes) Silk, Swords, and Surrender by Jeannie Lin The Tang Dynasty series by Jeannie Lin (about the ancient Chinese Tang dynasty & recommended if you liked the Netflix show Marco Polo. This series is even better with intrigue and sword fighting) Butterfly Swords is the first in the series Originally posted by l231 Chapter II [36:50] In which we chat about The Ripped Bodice, the romance community, and what it means to be feminist. -Fifty Shades of Gray, why they don’t sell it (it’s not a good representation of BDSM), and how they help customers find their next read after Fifty Shades -Ripped Bodice looks like a very fancy lingerie dressing room (yes, they have a fainting couch). The store is separated into 5 Zones, which are decorated to reflect their genre: Historical, Contemporary, Paranormal, Erotica, and Everything Else -Sidelines: bookish things, but also things that will appeal to romance readers like stuff about feminism. Solid rec for Juniper & Ivy’s nerdy wood laser cut pieces.  “Part of being a romance bookstore is being unapologetically feminist and sex positive” Chapter III [48:35] In which Bea goes hardcore practical for her Station Eleven pick, people are kinda boring (in a good way), and we talk sexy nonfiction. Bea’s Station Eleven pick is Robert’s Rules of Order by Henry Robert. Leah is bringing “the most comprehensive survival guide [she] can find.” Originally posted by batesmotel On a desert island, Leah is bringing Happy Ever After Nora Roberts (#4 in the Bride Quartet) and Bea is bringing A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare. On their Wild adventure, Bea would bring one of Alison Weir’s “crazy tudor histories” and Leah would bring The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg Anne Boleyn, a King’s Obsession (one of Weir’s newest books out May 16) Bookseller Confession: “Your tawdry thing that you think is super scandalous is really boring...” The Dirtiest Romance You’ve Read Olivia Cunning’s Sinners on Tour series First in the series: Backstage Pass J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series First in the series: Dark Lover Impossible Handsell Self-published titles with god-awful covers and non-fiction i.e. Come As Your Are by Emily Nagoski and Playing Well with Others: Your Field Guide to Discovering, Exploring, and Navigating the Kink, Leather, and BDSM Communities by Lee Harrington and Mollena Williams The Romance Books Every Bookseller Should Recommend Daughters of a Nation by Alyssa Cole Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan Also, have more than two romances and don’t laugh (or sneer) at your customers who are buying romance novels. Come on. Originally posted by yourreactiongifs Favorite Bookstores LA Bookstore: Diesel Childhood Bookstore: Women & Children First Not-Yet-Open Bookstores: The Queens Bookshop and Books Are Magic European Bookstores: Persephone Books (London) and Shakespeare & Co. (Paris) Favorite Literary Media The romance/life blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and their podcast Smart Podcast, Trashy Books Book Riot Girls at Library Heroes and Heartbreakers Romance Twitter—follow all your favorite authors on Twitter Epilogue [1:02:20] The Ripped Bodice can be found so many places on the internet the store’s website Instagram Twitter Facebook You can also sign up for the Ripped Bodice newsletter on their website—they’ve got events, recommendations, and a thing called Fitzwilliam’s Corner (that’s Fitzwilliam Waffles; he’s their dog, he is awesome, and he has his own Instagram).   You can find us on Twitter at @drunkbookseller and everywhere else as DrunkBooksellers (plural). Emma tweets @thebibliot and writes bookish things for Book Riot. Kim tweets occasionally from @finaleofseem, but don’t expect too much. BONUS CONTENT We always have more content than we can fit into one hour and this time said content was extra interesting. So for all the people who read our show notes and/or subscribe to our newsletter, here are a few more recommendations from Bea & Leah Romances That Are Library/Bookstore-Adjacent Broken Resolutions (Lovestruck Librarians #1) by Olivia Dade Taking the Heat by Victoria Dahl (Girls Night Out #4) Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh (Rock Kiss #1) (librarian falls in love with a rockstar) Romances About Publishing/Writing  The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (publishing romance) Temptations of a Wallflower by Eva Leigh (#4 Wicked Quills of London) (historical where the woman writes erotica) How to Woo a Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffries (#3 Hellions of Halstead Hall) (main character writes gothics)  

Escape into the loving embrace of a romance novel – although don’t think you’ll be able to escape gender politics while you’re in there. Bea and Leah Koch, proprietors of America’s sole romance-only bookstore The Ripped Bodice, consider the genre; and publisher Lisa Milton scrolls through the 109-year history of the imprint that epitomises romance novels, Mills & Boon. For more information about this episode, visit http://theallusionist.org/covers-i. Find me at http://twitter.com/allusionistshow and http://facebook.com/allusionistshow. The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia.fm from PRX.org.

It's Banned Book Week and the guys start off with a reminder of the event The Novel Approach is hosting which they will be sharing on the podcast's Twitter and Facebook feeds, as well as talking about the most challenged books of 2015. Jeff talks about the revival of the musical Falsettos which begins on Broadway this week. Bea & Leah Kock, owners of The Ripped Bodice bookstore in Culver City, stop by for an interview about how they started the only all-romance bookstore in the U.S. They also discuss how they stock the store, who their customers are, the events they have and much more. Complete shownotes for episode 51, and the chance to enter the Big GRL Blog Tour Giveaway, are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.