Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast

Not all contemporary romances are romcoms, but many are, and Melonie Johnson joins me this week to talk about both, and about her new romcom, Too Wrong to Be Right.  She too wrote a character who works in the funeral industry, so we talk a bit about that, too! The talk about different burial options and discussion of the funeral industry starts at 14 minutes in. We also touch on burnout in th...

I connected with author Helena Greer, who wrote Season of Love, which you might have heard me talk about, because I liked it a LOT. And I also connected with Sam Brody, the acquiring editor at Hachette who worked on the book with Helena! So we talk about behind the scenes details of writing and editing, and how this book came to be. There are a few audio skips or what I think of as sound bubbles,...

Welcome to Part II of our Heaving Bosoms Crossover! Some of our most popular episodes in our archive are our crossovers with Heaving Bosoms, and we have a new one for you! If you tuned in to the Heaving Bosoms episode this week for Part I, you’ll know that we are discussing and recapping The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Originally published in 2009, this book inspired So Much...

Melissa Blue tweeted that she wanted to talk about  Spare .So did I! So, we did! We talk about the book itself, but we also look at the book from our perspective as romance readers and writers, and also as a larger narrative about dismantling propaganda. As Melissa points out, narratives constructed around Meghan and Harry echo narratives we’ve seen about other people, especially women, in pu...

Emily Nagoski has a new podcast, Come As You Are ! If you’ve read her books, you know what this is about. We dive right into questions of consent and enthusiasm, the way the ace/aro community has developed conversations about sexuality within the field of sex education, and how the pandemic has affected sexuality. So much of her show and this conversation center on how to address sexual satisfacti...

This episode was recorded on Monday 23 January 2023. On Thursday, 26 January, the HarperCollins Union announced that HarperCollins has agreed to enter mediation . In this interview, we go over the breakdown in negotiations that led to the HarperCollins Union strike, and the demands of the union. Thank you to Barb, Bransler, Clay, Agnes, and Susan for the questions and to the Patreon community for...

Ali Hazelwood has a new anthology in print, Loathe to Love You, and she joins me to talk about becoming a full-time writer and the development of the novellas in this anthology. And then I hit her with a series of silly questions. Woo hoo! Bring on the mayhem. Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy are the authors of a new, dishy, and fascinating book, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies . We’re going to talk about public apologies, celebrity mishaps, and the psychology of what creates a good apology. If you’ve been thinking of making amends, or are writing a good grovel, this is a perfect episode for you. … Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on A...

Nobody brings just one book to the recommendation party! Our first podcast of 2023 features Amanda and me talking about her favorite books of 2022, and a new 2023 title, too! Plus, we discuss her discovery of the unique joys of cozy horror.  Plus, Melonie Johnson also shares her wishes, books, and wins. Thank you for being part of our year end episodes! Happy New Year! Hosted on Acast. See ac...

Happy Almost New Year’s Eve! Today Martin joins me from Norway to talk about his wins and wishes for you this year, and the books that made his year better, and why. Then Cara joins us to share what author got her out of a massive reading slump. Settle in for a nice global holiday visit that will definitely lift your spirits. Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

Shana and Maya join me to talk about the books that absolutely rocked their world this year, and because Shana was reading Seressia Glass’ The Love Con , we take a nice detour into “what we would do if we were in charge of reality television shows.” From GBBO to Project Runway, we have some thoughts! Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tara and AJ and I connected to talk about books, wins, and wishes, and took a great side trip into why the term “quiet quitting” is hot garbage, and how to achieve contentment and peace by being as mediocre as possible. If you’re feeling burnt out, you might find a lot to love in this conversation. We also discuss AJ’s new favorite genre: gay longing in spooky landscapes. … Music: purple-planet.co...

More holiday fun! I hope you’re enjoying these year-end recaps as much as we are! This week, Carrie and Sneezy from the SBTB review team join me to talk holiday wishes, year-end wins, and their favorite books of 2022. We also hear from Claudia, Darlene Marshall, Sandra and Katherine with their picks, too, so hold on to your holiday TBR. ... Sleep better with Blissy and use SARAH to get an addition...

It’s time for the first of several end of the year episodes! This year I’ve invited the staff reviewers at SBTB and our podcast Patreon community to tell me their holiday wishes for everyone, a book that made their year better, and their big win for 2022. This week: Sue, JFHobbit, Maria Vale and Lilisonna share their picks - and of course, no one brings just one best of book! ... Music: purple-pla...

My guest today is Nikki Payne, debut author of Pride and Protest , a contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice , set in DC between an activist DJ and a CEO developer. Nikki is also a tech anthropologist, so this conversation hits on some major current events like what’s happening at Twitter, and how Jane Austen was an anthropologist (and shade queen) as well. ... Connect with your partner ever...

Ready, set: CLICHÉ. Amanda and I are facing off in a romance cliché battle! What does that even mean? I know, my brain is a very silly place. Can you out-cliché the two of us? The Heat will be on! What's your favorite or least favorite romance cliché? Tell us all about it! … Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Becca Title is my guest this week as we celebrate the grand opening of Meet Cute , a romance bookshop in San Diego! We talk about the process of opening a bookstore, the lawyer-to-romance pipeline, and the establishment of one of the greatest murals I’ve ever seen. Then we squee at each other about books. Obviously. ... Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...

I didn’t know this, but author Freya Marske has been so eager to be a guest on my show, and today, it’s happening! Her latest book, A Restless Truth , is out this week, and if you like queer magical historical mysteries with murder, this series is for you. We talk about magic having a physical cost, and how she highlights the classism and sexism of a magical system controlled and maintained mostly...

Amanda and I are back for cover mayhem! We’ve got crimes against Tom Hardy, questionable titles, and lots of visual silliness. There’s background barking of support from Zeb, inquiries as to the union terms of the shifter cover wolves, and questions about the futility of truly ever knowing who it was that let the dogs out. Thanks to David T. Cole for helping me figure out how to add images. You sh...

One weekend, Alisha Rai got married. Then, two weeks later, her new book came out. So let’s talk about all the things! We cover her wedding, the parties, and how part of her wedding was at a celebrity’s mansion (but we had no idea until the end). And of course, we talk about her newest book,  Partners in Crime.  We discuss portraying mental health struggles and coping mechanisms, as well...

This is a weird one - enjoy! Amanda and I have brought zany questions to answer, and we’re going to cover insults, ghosts, pets, and more. But we want to hear YOUR answers, too! Especially the one involving Grimace. ... Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Station Eternity   by Mur Lafferty is the first in the Midsolar Murders series, and is out this week! Amanda and I both really liked  Station Eternity , so we were very excited to ask a bunch of questions! We talk about the absence of grief in the aftermath of murder in some mystery series, how aliens in Lafferty’s world perceive humans (spoiler: wet) and how a sentient ship is both cree...

Kyla Zhao is my guest this week ahead of the release of her debut novel, The Fraud Squad , coming out in January! Kyla’s book was inspired by her time working for high society magazines like Tatler and Vogue in Singapore. We talk about cultural differences, Trader Joe’s, and how her book was her antidote to doom scrolling in 2020. ... Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

Reading romance can lead to many things, including…dyeing wool! Today my guest is Nakia of  Wild Star Fibers,  who created the Romancelandia collection of yarn. Knitters and readers unite! We’re going to talk about what books inspired the Romancelandia collection, and how she translated tropes to color combinations. I will have links to her shop in the show notes and she will be putting...

Tara Scott joins me to talk about the television show  A League of Their Own ! You might have seen her review, and maybe you’ve seen folks talking about it online – it’s wonderful. So we’re gonna squee about it, and no worries – no spoilers. Heads up – there is some discussion of the consequences of being arrested for being queer at that time period, and that discussion begins at about 24 min...