Infatuated

This week, Emily tells us about philosophical book Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket, while Rebecca shares short story Vincent from collection So We Can Glow by Leesa Cross-Smith. We discuss the writing advice we thought we knew but maybe didn't, take a look at the first love letter ever written, and Emily reads out perhaps the longest rumination on eggs that exists!    Our infatuations: Pois...

This week, we have a special episode for you! We have a SPOILER FILLED chat about The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. We talk about our favourite moments, dream up some Le Cirque des Rêves tents we'd like to see, and Emily talks about some thematic similarities between this this and Morgenstern's second novel, The Starless Sea!    Our infatuations: The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern The Starles...

This week, Emily tells us about a life and death love story in Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune, while Rebecca returns to poetry with I Love You, Call Me Back by Sabrina Benaim. We talk about recurring motifs in our own writing, ask for recommendations for a very specific niche of music, and Rebecca tells us the history behind the lilac flower!    Thank you to Black Crow and Tor for gifting...

This week, Emily tells us about the whimsical Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber, while Rebecca shares very creepy The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. We discuss if we're planners or pantsers when it comes to writing, share a tenuous link between our quickfire favourites, and Emily finds another excuse to read out a flax-golden tale!    Our infatuations: Once Upon a Broken Heart - Stephani...

This week, we're joined by friend of the show and Gothic Lit researcher Hannah Barretto who tells us about her love for Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and the 2009 film adaptation. We discuss why we are still obsessed with fairy tales, talk about formative bedtime stories, and Rebecca realises that Hannah and Emily are the same person!    Find Hannah here: https://tiktok.com/@diaryofaphd     Our infatua...

This week, Emily tells us about queer historical fantasy A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, while Rebecca shares fictional oral history The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton. We talk about the people who inspired us to write, share the meanings of some gemstones, and Emily has a giggle-induced breakdown!    Thank you to Black Crow and Tor for gifting a copy of A Marvellous Light to Emi...

This week, Emily tells us about stories in The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, while Rebecca shares another story about stories with Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. We discuss if English was our favourite subject at school, discover the origins of the name January, and we talk about one of our favourite geeky literary words!    Our infatuations: The Ten Thousand Doors of Janua...

It's the first episode of Season Four! This week, we're catching you up on all our favourites from the season break. We talk about some music we've been listening to on repeat, the TV shows we got hooked on, and those other random things we've been enjoying since December!   Our infatuations: Lore Olympus Volume One - Rachel Smythe Read Lore Olympus online - https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lor...

It's CHRISTMAAAAS! This week, we're bringing you a bonus episode and recounting our favourite reads, listens and watches of the past year. We read out some long passages (even by our standards), discuss our favourite authors that we discovered this year, and share our top artists and songs that we listened to. We also exchange our Christmas presents!   Our infatuations: The Ten Thousand Doors of J...

It's the Season 3 finale! This week, Emily tells us about wintery tale Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, while Rebecca shares the glamorous City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert. We share our favourite moments of the past season, discuss some literary pilgrimages we'd like to make , and we talk about fairy tales we've loved since childhood. Rebecca also reads a Greek mythology-inspired poem!    Our Chr...

This week, Emily tells us about time-bending Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey, while Rebecca shares the weird and whimsical Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. We discuss handwriting, think about which ice cream flavour we'd be, and we get interrupted by fireworks for the last twenty minutes. Emily also sets Rebecca a quiz on Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles books!    Ou...

This week, we're joined by friend of the show Rhiannon Lindsay-Andrews, who tells us about Pretending by Holly Bourne. We share which actors we'd love to see in book to film adaptations, discuss the difference between internal and external stakes when writing character, and we go down a Google rabbit hole of celebrity names. Rebecca also tells us the wild story behind a new favourite album!    Fin...

This week, Emily tells us about a Female Gothic retelling of Peter Pan in Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise, while Rebecca talks about another Female Gothic tale The Heart is a Burial Ground by Tamara Colchester. We explore dark academia as it relates to friendship, discuss which Greek god we'd like to have dinner with, and we learn some turns of phrase that Chaucer coined. Emily also returns to Erin Mo...

This week, we're talking about our five favourite films. We break down our most-watched movies, discuss the filmic techniques that stole our hearts, and share lots of our favourite lines and moments. We also manage to list off twenty honourable mentions each!    Our infatuations: Donnie Darko La La Land Corpse Bride Little Women Baby Driver The Lion King About Time Easy A Scream Breakfast at Tiffa...

This week, Emily tells us about heart-breaking A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, while Rebecca talks about a dark and light academia story in The Ophelia Girls by Jane Healey. We discuss when we started calling ourselves writers, learn the meanings of flowers, and we share some awful literary pick-up lines. Rebecca also reads out a poem which embodies the Infatuated energy!    Our infatuations: A...

It's Halloween! Almost! This week, Emily tells us about Red Riding Hood inspired tale For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten, while Rebecca shares a novel based around the weird and wonderful life of Madame Tussaud, Little by Edward Carey. We talk about our favourites this Halloween season, discuss the origins of the phrase 'spooky season', and we share some snippets of our own writing. Emily also reads a...

This week, we have a special episode for you! Well, for us, really. We're returning to The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern for a SPOILER FILLED chat about Emily's favourite book, now that Rebecca has read it too. We talk about our favourite characters, point out lots of foreshadowing details, and we discuss time and fate and free will. Rebecca also quizzes us to find out whether we'd be an Acolyt...

This week, Emily tells us about The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex, inspired by a real mystery, while Rebecca talks about musically influenced High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. We talk about the importance of world building, discuss which Scooby Doo character we'd be, and hear a wonderfully Scottish poem. Emily also tells us about some space-inspired songs!   Our infatuations: The Lamplighters - Emma Sto...

It's the first episode of Season Three! This week, we're catching you up on all our favourites from the season break. We talk about some albums we've been listening to on repeat, the TV shows we got hooked on, and we discuss sex on at least three different occasions. Rebecca also manages to add eight songs to the Infatuated Mix!   Our infatuations: When Facing The Things We Turn Away From - Luke H...

It's the Season Two finale! This week, Emily shares the dark academia/superpower Villains series by V. E. Schwab, while Rebecca talks about Luster by Raven Leilani. We talk about the writing techniques we've liked and loathed in the books we've read so far this year, discover a cool nature word, and we discuss which fictional character we would invite to dinner. Emily also shares some stories from...

This week, Emily talks about wry The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell and Rebecca shares the speculative Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford. We take on a song-inspired writing challenge, discuss which book character we would want to back us up in a street fight, and Emily shares a tale of a mythical creature from Cornwall. Rebecca also informs us of the person behind those names for groups...

This week, we're joined by friend of the show D Fretter, who tells us about album A Real Good Kid by Mike Posner. We learn D's seven rules for writing poetry, discuss which book worlds we'd definitely die in, and D performs his wonderful new song Moonlight in Barcelona. Emily also shares a ten sentence story written by Erin Morgenstern!   Find D here: Don't Fret with D Fretter - https://podcasts.a...

This week, Emily tells us about the ocean within a house in Piranesi by Susannah Clarke, while Rebecca shares the house party on an ocean in Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. We talk about writing advice we ignore, book worlds we would love to live in, and we learn about our enneagram numbers. Rebecca also shares a little piece of Croatian history!   Our infatuations: Piranesi - Susannah Clark...

This week, Emily tells us about the deeply disturbing relationship in These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever, while Rebecca shares character Kaya's childhood in Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens . We discuss our favourite quotes about writing, learn what a crawdad actually is, and read out love letters to our zodiac signs. Emily also explains why she loves multiple songs titled Wildflower!...

This week, Emily tells us about the unlikely friendship between two mythical creatures in The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker, while Rebecca shares a poetic technique she loves in works by Sabrina Benaim and Louise Glück. We talk about our writing bucket lists, answer an interesting film question, and find out which Crow from Six of Crows we would be. Rebecca also shares a song that bridges...