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

After we recorded our interview about My Oxford Year, author Julia Whelan asked if I ever did more spoiler-heavy analytical conversations about books after they’re published. Well, we do now! In this episode, we do a deep-dive into the book, the themes and Easter eggs hidden within it, and the structural and stylistic decisions that went into the creation of the story. If you haven’t read it and you think you might want to, beware of all the spoilers herein. We talk poetry, and the reasons to tell a story with a big twist. We talk about the ways information is hidden in first person present tense narratives, and why trust is a big component of making that narrative choice work. We talk about grief and the challenge of perseverance when facing and departing from loss, and how writers have communicated grief. I also have questions from folks on Twitter, and from the Patreon community as well. There’s a lot of nerdy literary talk, so if you’re a book nerd, welcome! Come join us! The water’s fine. Thanks to folks who supported the podcast Patreon, and to folks on Twitter who asked thoughtful questions: Sarah Rider, Ellen Grafton, Cat McGuire, Hayley Ann Gienow-McConnell, and Megan Larsen.

First: my apologies. In this recording, Victoria sounds terrific. I’m somewhere underwater, and predominantly on the right side. Egads. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but I apologize in advance. But hey, this conversation is so interesting because of what she has to say! Victoria Helen Stone, also known as romance author Victoria Dahl, has a new book out, Jane Doe [bookmention slug="jane-doe"]. I read it in one sitting - it was terrifyingly good. Her heroine, Jane, is a self-acknowledged sociopath, and hanging out in her head was quite an experience as she gets revenge on someone who did irreparable harm to her best friend. In this interview, we talk about shifting from romance to revenge thrillers - or as Stone calls them, Emotional Suspense. We also discuss: The catharsis of addressing double standards and processing rage through her writing. The enjoyment of burning shit down. The use of genre terms such as “women’s fiction,” “chick lit,” “psychological thrillers,” and “book club fiction.” The empowerment of women taking control, including when they lose control. The freeing experience of writing Jane Doe, a sociopathic heroine who has zero self-doubt, and being inside the head of a person who is determined to exact complete and total revenge. Among her recommendations, we talk about safe spaces to explore kink in romance fiction, and her frustrations with the horror genre. Stay tuned to the end of the interview where she drops this fascinating idea: “Romance and horror are the flip sides of the same human drive to survive.” CW: We talk about gas lighting, harassment, school shootings, entitlement, the foundations of emotionally abusive relationships, and then have an in-depth discussion of sociopathy.

Alisha Rai and Melonie Johnson joined me for our live show at RWA 2018, where we played a very limited edition game, Cards Against Romance Tropes. We start with my learning that Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series is being adapted for Netflix by Shonda Rimes. Then we start the games! Alisha Rai is captain of Team Kale, and Melonie Johnson is captain of Team Donut. It’s a little echo-y, which is my fault. Apologies. Special thanks to: The staff at RWA, especially Steph Fry and Carol Ritter, who gave us a room with a speaker. Gabi and Kris from the Sheraton Denver Downtown who brought wine for the audience during the start of the show. Alisha Rai for captaining a team and bringing books as prizes Melonie Johnson for captaining a team and especially for being part of the team who created the game in the first place (and gave me one to take home). And of course, thank you to everyone who attended and joined in the game! You’re the greatest!

Amanda tweeted that she’s terrible at watching tv, which is something I’ve said about myself many, many times. When I asked her about it, we started a long conversation about series, storytelling in pieces, trusting the storyteller and fearing enjoyment. We talk about investing time, energy, empathy, and attention in tv shows, and watching series with another person who holds us accountable. We also touch on the difficulties in selecting things to enjoy when there is so much to watch, and so much to choose from. I also try to find answers to some questions, including: Why does Amanda often stop watching and reading series she is really enjoying - in the middle without finishing? Why is watching a movie easier than beginning a series in books or in tv? What makes a viewer or reader fear the end of a series? What is it about hype that is a turn off? How much did LOST fuck up Amanda’s ability to enjoy a tv series? Some of us are bad at keeping up with a series, and I’m definitely one - and it seems, so is Amanda, both in tv and in book form. Eventually, we figure out what shows scarred us for life as romance readers in terms of trusting the storyteller, and where our trope catnips and trope destroyers come from. Please note: I spoil the heck out of the 1987 Beauty and the Beast tv show. Do you like tv shows? Does being a romance reader affect how you see television series, book series, or your interest in sticking with either? What shows have scarred you for life? Email us! sbjpodcast@gmail.com

Today I’m chatting with Jessica Luther, author of the book Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape. She’s also one of the hosts of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down. Jessica’s writing covers the intersection of sports and sexual and gendered violence. I’ve been following Jessica on Twitter for a very long time, as we connected over loving the romance genre years ago. Since then, her career has been incredible, and I was so happy she was willing to talk about it with me. Among the topics we discuss: The reasons she initially concealed her identity on Twitter, and her decisions to write under her own name. Her experience as a writer who has become a visible public face leading the reframing of sexual assault, sports, and women’s rights. Being witness to history during Wendy Davis’ historic filibuster in the Texas state capitol in the summer of 2013. The power of Twitter and live social media in connecting people instantly and personally during events around the world, turning us all into witnesses. Knowing when to step away and not invest emotional How romance fiction keeps her going when writing, researching, and covering such painful, difficult but vitally important topics. And of course, she recommends books because romance fans are the greatest of people. CW: 40:05 - 51:47 - discussion of sexual violence and suicide in football, and the results of her research into behind-the-scenes accounts of assault and sexual, gendered violence in college and professional sports.

Today I’m chatting with Darcie Wilde, author of the Rosalind Thorne mystery series. Rosalind is the heroine of the series, and in the first book, A Useful Woman, she finds herself in reduced circumstances after her father ruins the family and runs off, taking Rosalind’s sister with her, and leaving Rosalind to care for her mother and figure out a way forward for herself. Rosalind’s story is heavily based in Regency history and in research, and - this is the fun part - a lot of gossip. During our conversation, we discuss the role of genteel employment for women in society who couldn’t overtly be seen working for payment, and we talk about the ways in which Lord Byron was a complete and utter heel. We also cover the scandals that surrounded Almack’s, the court, and Regency society, and the ways in which court politics are immutable in every era. And we discuss the presence of people of color and marginalized groups in Regency London, and in the series. The character and story of Rosalind Thorne presents a fascinating venue through which to examine and explore the history and experiences of people in precarious positions, especially because so little has changed in so many ways. If you’d like to hear gossip about people who are long dead, including the patronesses of Almack’s, this episode should be very dishy indeed.

It’s time for part two of my recordings from Romantic Times 2018. We’re chatting about RT while we were still there over lunch and wine - ah, the delays of extensive editing. We have several meandering conversations - and some bits you may have heard in our live show, too. We talk about books, our pets, books, publisher news at RT, and random other things. We cover why the hitman plot works for Elyse but not for Sarah, and why Elyse thinks m/m spy and adventure stories are popular. I ask Amanda and Elyse, who are younger than I am, about their impressions and understanding of category romance. We talk about gothic, horror, and suspense - though keep in mind, I’m as full of crap as anyone when it comes to discussing trends. And of course, we talk about what was with the doll in Amanda’s mom’s walk in closet.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like when we hang out in a room together, well, this episode is for you. And if you need a lot of silly laughter, this is definitely the episode for you. While we were at Romantic Times BookLovers Convention in May, we recorded two podcasts, which I should not ever do again because it makes the editing quite a challenge. This is Part one, which is Incredibly Silly. We recorded after dinner one night, s o we’re Sleepy and Goofy (and perhaps also Doc and Dopey - I’m definitely Dopey). We talk about books we are interested in or have seen at RT, and then we get really silly. Our discussion includes: 1. Why does Amanda have a weakness for Val Kilmer? 2. How does Amanda rank the Hemsworths in order of physical density? 3. How does Amanda rank the Real Housewives franchises in terms of quality? 4. How bad of a style icon was Anita Blake? 5. How many Alfreds were there in the Batman film franchise? 6. What fanfics are Elyse and Amanda’s favorite? 7. Which Backstreet Boy was Amanda and Elyse’s favorite? 8. Can Amanda and Elyse find a villain hero that interests me? (Spoiler alert: nope). This is what happens when Sarah, Amanda, and Elyse get really silly, and stop making sense. And given that this has been A Rough Week, we hope you enjoy our completely bubbly, goofy, discussion.

TISSUE WARNING: this episode might make you cry. I got teary while recording it. Today I’m talking with author Laura Bradbury about her memoirs, her new novella project, and her liver transplant. I met Laura at the Surrey International Writer’s Conference in British Columbia, Canada, several years ago when they had me as an international guest. Laura had just published her first memoir, My Grape Escape, and was honored with an award during the conference. Her speech was incredibly memorable and inspiring. At the time, she was hoping for a transplant, and as she tells us during the interview, her view on life, and her view of her own fears changed drastically when she was told she had a vicious, incurable autoimmune disorder. She lost her fear of writing, and wrote that first memoir. Then she wrote another, and another. Now she has a series - the Grape series - chronicling her life from her decision to be an exchange student to France at age 17, and how her story changed drastically after that. We talk about overcoming fear, having the courage to write, and what it means to write down your own history, and your own romance. Her memoirs are very much romances with her husband, but also with language, food, and of course wine. We also talk about her liver transplant, and how her life has changed in the year since she received a new liver from a living donor. As Laura puts it, “There is so much heroism and good in people.” This week was my birthday, and I turned 43. I love this conversation because every day is a gift, not just for Laura, but for me, and for you, too. So I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and that it helps you take another look at whatever fears may be holding you back.

Fresh from the fresh hell that is the Javits Center, Amanda and Sarah chat about Amanda’s adventures at BEA, better known as Book Expo America, and BookCon, which happened last week. Sometimes I can record, edit, and produce an episode in a few days, and I’m lucky to be able to do that this week. We talk about what BEA and BookCon are, what the differences are between them, and what or, more specifically, who each one is for. Amanda talked about some of her experiences at BEA and her experience at BookCon, the wonderful and the execrable. We answer some fun questions, such as: What’s the difference between BEA and BookCon? What comics and books did Amanda learn about this year? How much does Sarah dislike the Javits? Will cats interrupt the podcast? What bookish Brooklyn-based vendor did Amanda fall in love with? And why is Sunday the best day of BookCon? We also talk about a book Amanda loved so much, she’s pretty sure it’s her best book of 2018. Yes, it’s that good.

This week I’m chatting with author Lucy Parker, who wrote some of my recent favorite contemporary romances (you might have heard me talk about Act Like It once or twice?). She’s just signed a new contract for new books in this series, so of course I ask for details. I also came to this interview armed with questions from the Patreon community, and their questions are terrific.  We also talk a lot about her newest book, Making Up, which came out on 28 May, and we discuss how she develops characters, what her process is like, and what characters she loves to write. CONTENT WARNING: at around 22:30, we discuss abusive relationships, gas lighting, and emotionally manipulative romantic partners, all of which are part of the discussion of Making Up. The duration of that part is about 30 seconds, so you can skip over it if you would like to. We talk about mental health, anxiety, and toxic masculinity , and we answer some questions, including: Who are the characters in her new books? What’s her favorite type of plot? Hint: she’s written it once and it’s part of her next book in the London Celebrities series. Who is - and is NOT - a heroine of one of her upcoming novels? What actors or characters influenced her characters so far? And of course, we talk about what she's been reading and enjoying recently. 

It's our 300th Episode! Robin Bradford, Amanda, Elyse and I hosted a live recording of the podcast at RT 2018, and now it’s here for everyone’s enjoyment as our 300th episode! If we were tv we’d be well into nonstop TNT syndication. A few things you should know: First, there was wine, because people are noble and good. Second, there are three parts. In Part 1, we talk about what the closing of RT means for Robin and other librarians, and what we’d enjoyed at RT thus far. We also talked about boob money, ongepotchket, and what we were looking forward to that week. In Part 2, I do a four question interview with Sarah Penna from Frolic Media, a new destination for romance and pop culture fans. I’m on their advisory committee, and folks at RT had already met them at the opening night party. And then, in Part 3, we embark on a high-stakes, very competitive game of Romance Feud, built on the survey I posted a few weeks ago. Team Amanda battles Team Elyse with excellent audience volunteers, and a great deal of silliness. The live show was so much fun. Thank you to everyone who came, to Amanda and Elyse for being excellent team captains, and to Eva, Frannie, Robin, and our excellent friends who brought us wine and glasses.

Today I’m speaking with Ana Grilo and Thea James, who are better known as The Book Smugglers. They’re bloggers, writers, authors, and editors - and at the helm of Book Smugglers Publishing. We talk about how they got their start, and the role the Lost forums played in bringing them together (along with a few blogs you may have heard of). Among the topics we cover: What they look for in science fiction and speculative fiction Making the transition from blogging and reviewing to acquiring, editing, and publishing  How they went from book smuggling to becoming book surgeons Their favorite tropes in speculative fiction and fiction Plus we discuss their Kickstarter, learn about the behind the scenes experience of a successful campaign, and how they were able to pivot the emphasis of the Kickstarter based on real time feedback and analysis - if it sounds exhausting, it really was. There is a little bit of popping in the audio - sorry about that! Transatlantic recording and fussy internet demons. I’ll do better to appease them.

Today I’m chatting with Talia Hibbert, author of Wanna Bet, A Girl Like Her, and other books that have been receiving a lot of positive exclamation points online. She’s been writing while finishing an English degree, so we talk about what led her to writing romance, and how her great grandmother inspired her to write what she’d been longing to write. “I wanted to be brave like her.” Among the topics we cover: - Challenging the status quo by telling stories - The incredible allure of heroes in pursuit - The even more incredible allure of pining heroes - in pursuit - Why she writes emotionally fluent heroes - The subversive power of writing large heroines who “have the temerity to find themselves attractive” We also talk about her writing a heroine on the autism spectrum, and what led to the development of that character. Talia’s stories of what inspires her books and characters will appeal to all of you who enjoy a series of superhero actor gif-sets.

297. Song of Blood and Stone: An Interview with Leslye Penelope