Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast

I’m joined by Morgan and Isabeau from the Whoa!Mance podcast! They are celebrating three years of podcasting, and their latest exploration of romance has been to look at category romances. I thought it would be fun to take a deep dive into a brand new contemporary romance, so we all read Awakened by the CEO’s Kiss by Therese Baharrie.This episode is a low-spoiler discussion of the book, and of all the interesting and subversive things that it does. We cover kiss tension, books that give you chest tingles, and more. You can listen if you’re read it, or if you haven’t, but you might really like this book so we recommend it either way!...Music: purple-planet.comFind Whoa!Mance: https://www.whoamancepodcast.com/Shownotes: https://bit.ly/469WhoaMance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda and I are chatting about our favorite romance-laden RPGs, and our favorite characters to romance in Stardew Valley, Dragons Ages (all of ‘em), Witcher 3, and more. We compare romance options, discuss favorite pairings, and yup, we really like Dragon Age. Moral of this episode: Don’t Bring Your Tits to a Gunfight.This is the TikTok we chortle about: https://bit.ly/TkTkDrAgShow Notes: https://bit.ly/468VideoGames...Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tara joins me to talk about how reading lesbian romances helped them realize their sexuality after having grown up in a very conservative religious environment.Side trips include Robin Hood in many varieties, Don’t Stop Believing, and movies to watch while kinda stoned.Romances help people understand a lot of aspects of themselves, and I love hearing about how reading has helped Tara live more authentically.TW/CW: we talk about growing up queer in a conservative church environment, the specter of conversion therapy, and the discovery of mass graves at Indigenous residential schools....Music: purple-planet.com...SHOWNOTES: https://bit.ly/467TaraScott Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s part three of what I called “AMA with AMAnda and Sarah.” We’re chatting about our favorite recipes, cooking blogs, and cookbooks, favorite french fries, seasonal re-reading, contemporary cozy mysteries with romantic elements, trends, and adventure romance recs. Plus, how to snowboard while holding an onion.Thanks to Bransler, Cheri, Norette, Manda, and Laura B. for the questions!SHOW NOTES? Yes, show notes! https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/466-recipes-seasonal-reading-and-adventure-romance-with-amanda-and-sarahYeah, that URL is long. Here's a shorter one: https://bit.ly/466AMAnda2...Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back! With more of your questions! We’re going to talk about tv shows we recommend, book recs of course, mayonnaise of course, summer treats, and middle school favorites.Thanks to Laura B, Karelia, Christina B, and Phoebe for the questions!...Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arielle Zibrak is the author of Guilty Pleasures, a new book in the Avidly Reads series from New York University Press. She’s also a former editor of romance fiction, and a professor of 19th century popular fiction. Her new book - which is terrific - examines the concept of the “guilty pleasures” and seeks to unpack and answer the question, “What is it about ribald romance novels, luxurious interior design, and frothy wedding dresses that often make women feel their desires come with a shadow of shame?”This is one of those conversations that made my brain go all jiffy pop with bunches of ideas. I hope you enjoy it as well!You can find Avidly Reads: Guilty Pleasures wherever you get your books, and I’ve got links in the show notes, too....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re going to talk about food safety law, and the history of women who probably poisoned their husbands. Allegedly.Mikki Kendall, on Twitter as @Karnythia and the author of Hood Feminism, is an eager historian into the mysteries of what women got away with, and so we cover poison clusters, dying of fever, and the poisons hanging out in your back yard. This conversation was inspired by two Twitter threads, and I’ll link to both.As Mikki said in an email after we recorded, “we have evidence of poison clusters with inorganic poisons from autopsy reports & you can look at death record indexes when hunting for clusters of odd deaths.”CW/TW: Food safety, horror stories, actual murder, questions about what’s in vaguely labeled food, and discussions of signs of intimate partner and child abuse....Music: purple-planet.comShow notes with book info: https://bit.ly/463MikkiKendallTwitter thread about food safety law: https://twitter.com/Karnythia/status/1395581960785911808?s=20Twitter thread about MURDER: https://twitter.com/Karnythia/status/882012566070939648 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I asked the Patreon community what they’d like to ask Amanda and I, and howdy damn, I got some really thoughtful and fun questions! In this conversation, we’re talking about astrology, apps, allergies, and all the book recs. If you like hanging out while we chat, this episode is for you. Thanks to everyone in the Patreon community for their questions!...Music: purple-planet.com...Show notes, links and book recs: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=podcast&p=100162 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine and I chat with Lois McMaster Bujold (!!!) about The Assassins of Thasalon. If you like the Penric & Desdemona books as much as we do (which is a LOT) you’ll love this episode!We cover the origin story of Penric and Desdemona, how her retirement partially rests on self publishing, and how much manga she’s reading and watching - with recommendations.Thank you to our Patreon community for the transcript, and to Laura G., Francene, Jamie, and Agnes for the questions!...Music: purple-planet.comFull show notes with links to books: http://bit.ly/461McMasterBujold Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and actor Preslaysa Williams joins me to talk about her new book, A Lowcountry Bride, which she calls “a love letter to Charleston.” We discuss the beauty and pain of complicated history, the process of writing this book over ten years, and the weirdness of seeing your younger self in animated gifs.Find the books and show notes: ...Music: Purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tara and I exclaimed at each other about Dr. Jen Gunter’s latest book, The Menopause Manifesto, so we figured we should exclaim at her, too. In this conversation, we cover the book, the facts and science about menopause, and the history of how predatory patriarchal bullcrap has influenced how we think, talk, and learn about menopause. We also talk about pseudoscience, getting health advice from Facebook and Instagram (bad idea jeans), and curly hair!TW/CW we talk briefly about weight changes during menopause, and how people in medicine treat people based on weight (not good). That section is at about 27:00 in and lasts for two minutes....Music: purple-planet.com...Check out Tara's review of The Menopause Manifesto: http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/the-menopause-manifesto-by-dr-jen-gunter/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is author Hudson Lin (she/her) whose new book Hard Sell is out 25 May! Hard Sell is a trope-tastic queer romance between Daniel and Tobin, who have a secret affair while working opposite sides of a business deal. Lin and I talk about the writing process and how she portrays Daniel’s professional burnout in the story (no spoilers, I promise). We also discuss why Lin thinks romance is a revolutionary genre, and how it’s disruptive to existing power structures. Plus: book and Netflix recs galore! Show Notes: http://bit.ly/458HudsonLinMusic: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colin Dobson-Fox is the co-host and producer behind one of my favorite YouTube channels, Foxes Afloat, which recently reached over 100k subscribers (a very big deal in YouTube Land). Colin and his husband Shaun live aboard a narrowboat in the UK, and produce weekly vlogs of their travels, and their lives, including Colin’s life with autism and with mental illness.This is a bit afield of my usual interviews, but I was fascinated by Colin’s editing process as he takes over 40 hours of film and edits to a 15-30 minute vlog. So this episode is partly about editing and shaping a story of their own lives week to week over the past three years, but also about being a public figure in a small piece of the internet. We also talk about how his relationship with his husband Shawn started (don’t miss that part) (Seriously, goodest part).Vlogs (and blogs, and podcasts, and writing) are as much about crafting the story as they are about shaping and editing that story, and the overlap between what the Foxes do and what I do was too tempting not to explore. I hope you enjoy my quiet fangirl squeeing and our conversation....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sing along with us! Reach into the deep vault of your memory, and sing TV themes as we attempt to stump one another. We also start by talking about cat vomit because of course we do. We cover all the great children’s tv themes, teen crushes, songs that come with instant Pavlovian responses, and more. So if you were craving some bizarre and enjoyable silliness, this is your episode. (We hope you sing along!) Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3QVu4uQWfueMK0uPhUnNan?si=ecdd25bbf2e84023...Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Vanessa Riley, whose newest book, An Earl, The Girl, and a Toddler is out now! We talk about reframing history, interrogating the fantasy of historical romance, and the overlap between mechanical engineering and writing romance. We also talk about the narrators for her books, including Bahni Turpin and Adjoa Andoh (aka Lady Danbury on Bridgerton!). And we discuss air fryers - you know, all the essentials....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda and I talk food, Key West, more food, writing bilingual characters, family drama, food, baseball, and writing with Priscilla Oliveras. Her latest book, Anchored Hearts, is out now, and there is SO much to discuss. This book made Amanda full on sob, and we have a really good time talking to Priscilla about it (don’t worry - no spoilers!).If you caught my goof last week, that was episode 453, not 463. I’m ahead of myself....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Uzma Jalaluddin joins Amanda and me to talk about Hana Khan Carries On, which caused one of us some Bad Decisions Book Club membership. We discuss the book (no spoilers, don’t worry!) and the fabulous podcasting heroine, Hana, who’s got a You’ve Got Mail kind of relationship with the owner of a rival Halal restaurant. We cover representation, gorgeous cover art, and writing about characters finding and using their voices. It’s so much fun - Uzma is a wonderful guest.But first! We have a special health bulletin of sorts. This week I interviewed Dr. Jen Gunter for her upcoming book The Menopause Manifesto. Her book is out in June, and our interview will be released in May, but because of new information about how the COVID vaccines may be affecting menstrual cycles, I asked her about the information available now. That brief conversation starts the episode as I know many of you may be scheduling appointments for yourselves and others. The upshot: the vaccine may affect menstrual cycle and cause irregularities, and it’s important to know so you’re prepared. You can read more in Dr Gunter's latest newsletter:https://vajenda.substack.com/p/the-covid-19-vaccine-and-menstrualAnd you can learn more about Dr. Kate Clancy's study here: https://redcap.healthinstitute.illinois.edu/surveys/index.php?s=LL8TKKC8DP...Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[bookaside slug="a-wicked-conceit"] The latest book in Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby series is out, and she’s my guest this week to talk all about it. If you haven’t read this book yet, there are no spoilers, so fear not! And if you haven’t read the series, this might tempt you to try it (it’s great) because we’re going to talk about history. A Wicked Conceit has several relevant parallels to life right now. History totally went through the mimeograph machine on this one - remember those? Please note: during our conversation we talk briefly about Lady Darby’s first marriage, which was abusive, and about trauma response and memory, but we don’t go into specifics.Thank you to Brittanie Black, Anna’s publicist at Berkley, and to Angela James for some of the questions this week....Music: purple-planet.com...The show notes know that your efforts are deeply appreciated!http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/452-historical-pandemics-and-ye-olde-social-media-with-anna-lee-huber Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victoria Helen Stone has a new book out! The Last One Home is a dual-timeline domestic thriller in the genre of “Earl Had to Die.” In this conversation, we discuss her moving from writing romance as Victoria Dahl to writing domestic suspense and thrillers, growing up in poverty, and the power of nostalgia. Then Victoria figures out a key reason why “Earl Had to Die” books about revenge are so very satisfying.There are some spoilers for Jane Doe and Problem Child herein, so be ye warned!...Music: purple-planet.com...Show notes hot diggity! http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/451-more-earl-had-to-die-victoria-helen-stones-the-last-one-home Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I am joined by Shani and Bridget from the Romance at a Glance podcast! We talk about their current season, where they’re focusing on dark romances, and about podcasting.Then, we talk about a book. For this episode, we all read Draekon Mate: Exiled to the Prison Planet.Check this blurb: “Crashed spaceship. Prison planet. Snarling, lethal predators. Two big, hulking, bronzed aliens who turn into dragons. The best part? The dragons insist I’m their mate.This isn't the space vacation I thought it would be."We talk about the key elements for sex planet alien fucking books, consent and kink, fantasies, dragon sex, and more.Please note: this episode is much higher on the NSFW scale than usual....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a follow up to last week’s podcast, I share the broadcast of Amanda and I making peanut butter and mayo sandwiches, inspired by folks who have shared strong opinions.Yes, we eat PB and Mayo sandwiches. Live on air. I’m sorry.But we also talk a LOT about cookies so if you’re hungry, maybe have snacks before you press play?We also cover:Good roommate code of behaviorThe culinary roles of the Wendy’s FrostyMayo as condiments for fries? (YES)Potato chips IN the sandwich? (YES)We answer these Very Important Questions:What are the regional mayos near us?What peanut butter brands reign supreme?How many mayos are in our fridge?How much does Amanda love pickles?Should we add pickles to the mayo and PB sandwiches?Which Girl Scout Cookies (regional and national) are the very greatest ones?And we have one of The Funniest Neighbor Stories I have EVER heard.Seriously, if the year marker of the Quarantimes has got you a little down like it has me, and if you need more silly-laugh and food mayhem, you’ve come to the right podcast episode. Visuals for this episode are in the show notes....Music: purple-planet.com...Visual aids in the show notes! https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/449-pb-mayo-sandwiches-and-girl-scout-cookies-with-amanda-and-sarah Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Need a break? How about highlights from another Stereo broadcast with Amanda and me! We started by asking what keeps folks feeling happy (pizza FTW), but when we bring up mayonnaise, things go way off the rails. Way, way off the rails. We are going to cover crucial debates and fundamental food opinions such as: the egg-continuum of quiche to pie whether a food is a soup or a quesadilla is red velvet the Very Worst Dessertwhy are there vegetables in all these baked goodsand, grand finale, the species and genus of food inside another food. Seriously, if you need to silly-laugh, you’ve come to the right podcast episode....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[bookaside slug="a-court-of-silver-flames"] Sometimes I’m fortunate enough to do an interview with an author I’ve never met, but with whom there’s an instant connection. That happened for Amanda and me last year when we interviewed Sarah J. Maas in Episode 395..And now, Sarah J. Mass is back, nearly one year later to the date, to talk about her new book, A Court of Silver Flames, and about sexytimes, the magic romance house, rage, mental health, and re-reading books through the pandemic. There are so many little love letters to romance in A Court of Silver Flames, so of course we talk about the most lovely parts of being a romance reader, too.Special thanks to Elizabeth, Manda, Jennifer, Rachel, and Becca for questions, and to our Patreon community who was so enthusiastic when I announced this interview. Your support helps make the transcription of extra-extra long episodes like this one possible, so thank you.TW/CW: Please be aware: Between 47:30 and 01:05:00, we discuss assault, attempted assault, and resulting rage against patriarchal misogynist bullshit. We also talk about menstrual silliness, and what we call our periods.Many of the Patreon community told me that last year’s episode with Sarah was one they’ve re-listened to, as it’s inspiring and comforting and firm in its support of mental health care, therapy, and medication. This one is no different, and we hope it becomes one of your new favorites.Extra special thanks to Sarah J. Maas for hanging out with us....Podcast After Party! Tune in Tuesdays at 730pm ET on Stereo! Live broadcasts and you can record messages for us to play during the show! Download Stereo now at stereo.com/smartbitches!...Music: purple-planet.com...The Shownotes admire how you look after yourself and those around you: http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/447-hanging-out-with-sarah-j-maas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caroline Perny, Publicity Manager at Tor, joins us to talk about what books are coming out in 2021. We recorded in mid-November, so we start by talking about carbs, which is a perennial subject, and about genre descriptors, which are perennial as well.But the books? OH we have a LOT to tell you about. If you like sci fi, fantasy, speculative,We talk about books from 2020 that you might have missed, and what’s coming out this year, so get ready.Which books are you looking forward to? And what virtual events did you enjoy in the past year? I’d love to know!...Podcast After Party! Tune in Tuesdays at 730pm ET on Stereo! Live broadcasts and you can record messages for us to play during the show! Download Stereo now at stereo.com/smartbitches!...Music: purple-planet.comSHOWNOTES think you look FABULOUS today: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/446-fantasy-and-sci-fi-in-2021-with-caroline-perny-from-tor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every Tuesday night at 730ET, Amanda and I are live on Stereo (download and join us at stereo.com/smartbitches!) and this is one of our broadcasts!This is a live recommendation extravaganza: witches, baking, mysteries, older heroines, and great audiobook suggestions. Plus we daydream about what we’ll do when the world opens up, and I share my theory of the universal expression of human love....Podcast After Party! Tune in Tuesdays at 730pm ET on Stereo! Live broadcasts and you can record messages for us to play during the show! Download Stereo now at stereo.com/smartbitches!...Music: purple-planet.comShownotes: http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/445-hot-locksmith-action-dumplings-and-murder-book-recs-from-amanda-and-sarah Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rose Lerner has a new Audible exclusive audiobook out this week, The Wife in the Attic. It’s a f/f retelling of Jane Eyre (I just heard a whole bunch of you one-click to buy) and fear not, the ebook will be released later this year. In this episode, Rose and I chat about the differences between Gothic and historical romances, and why (and when) Gothics surge in popularity. We also talk about the subgenre I’m calling “Earl Had to Die,” and about Rose’s adoration of the Raffles books.Plus, stay tuned for a sample of The Wife in the Attic!...Podcast After Party! Tune in Tuesdays at 730pm ET on Stereo! Live broadcasts and you can record messages for us to play during the show! Download Stereo now at stereo.com/smartbitches!...Music: purple-planet.com...The show notes appreciate you and think you're doing just great: https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/444-the-wife-in-the-attic-all-things-gothic-and-more-with-rose-lerner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda and I are back! We’re chatting about dubious coverage of romance around Valentine’s day - and the outstanding article that Amanda was quoted in that appeared on Forbes.com, written by Rachel Kramer Bussel. (Yes, I'll link to it, no worries!).Then we answer a reader recommendation letter from Kate, who is looking for snowed in romances! Plus food, video games, and a typical number of breakthroughs....Bonus bonus woot woot! Stay tuned after this episode for a fantastic and rather expansive sample of the audiobook of Erica Ridley's new historical romance, The Duke Heist! …Like the episodes with us? Tune in Tuesdays at 730pm ET on Stereo! Live broadcasts and you can record messages for us to play during the show!Download Stereo now at stereo.com/smartbitches!...Music: purple-planet.com...Show Notes ahoy! http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/443-snowed-in-romance-recs-with-amanda-sarah Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erin Galloway and I are talking about some of the books that are coming out this year from Berkley. We’ve got competency p0rn romances, bodyguards protecting brilliant women, and hilarious mysteries - plus we take a side trip into illustrated cover art and how the appearance of romance changes.We apologize in advance for the damage to your TBR!...Don't miss our new podcast after party with Amanda and me! Download the Stereo App at http://www.Stereo.com/SmartBitches! Tuesdays at 7:30pm ET, live via Very Cool Avatars, Amanda and I will be hanging out with you. We hope you'll tune in to add your voice to our goofy conversation. We promise silliness, mayhem, and a lot of laughter!...Shownotes, links to books discussed, and more: https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/442-a-2021-books-preview-with-erin-galloway-from-berkleyMusic: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[bookaside slug="toxic-desire"] It’s a special, extended length episode: Amanda and I are joined by Melody and Erin from the incredibly delightful podcast Heaving Bosoms! I guested on their show and they joined us to return the favor.We read Toxic Desire by Robin Lovett, and we had a LOT to talk about. Spoilers abound! But with forked tongued aliens sporting aphrodisiac venom fangs and gold body armor crash landing on a toxic sex gas planet, that’s not a surprise.Thank you to Melody, Erin, and Amanda for making this episode so much fun! ...Shownotes? Heck yeah, shownotes! Find all the books and links at: https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/441-bosoms-and-bitches-a-nsfw-discussion-of-toxic-desire Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I have been so excited to share this interview. Devon Price is the author of Laziness Does Not Exist, which outlines the three main ways in which “the Laziness Lie” deceives us into denying ourselves rest and care. As I said in my review, this is a book with something for everyone: it addresses historical roots of laziness lie in colonialism and capitalism, and looks at productivity myths, diet culture, gender and sexuality, activism fatigue, parenting, relationship management, and self-abuse.Also, Dr. Price has a chinchilla and you must hear us talk about its name....Music: purple-planet.com...Links to the books we mention in the shownotes: https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/440-laziness-does-not-exist-with-dr-devon-price Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shana, Claudia, and Carrie, gather to talk books, re-reading, knitting, comfort reading, switching genres, books set in California, figuring out what books are five star reads, and the different ways to be kickass.Happy New Year, and thanks for listening!Find all the books we mention in the shownotes at: https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/439-later-2020-with-shana-claudia-and-carrie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are still gathering in groups across many time zones to say goodbye to 2020, and to look back at the books, shows, and other essentials that got us through 2020. Bad internet in South Africa got in the way of Lara joining us, but she sent a question for Amanda, Kiki, and me to answer. We talk about nonfiction that made us cry-laugh, audiobooks, TikTok, puzzles, and Cyberpunk clothing glitches. Side trips include depression, anxiety, and treatment, plus Poopsie Sparkly Critters and Cutie Tooties.There is a LOT of laughing in this one so join us for total silliness. Happy New Year!Link to the shownotes: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/438-later-2020-with-kiki-and-amanda Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The SBTB team is still gathering in groups across many time zones to say goodbye to 2020, and to look back at the books, shows, and other essentials that got us through 2020. In this episode, Catherine Heloise joins us from Melbourne Australia, Sneezy is in Taiwan, and Maya is in California, and we’re going to cover books, movies, and manga we loved, our favorite tropes, a little bit of discussion on social anxiety, and how to look back at what we’ve learned this year.If you’re listening to this on the 25th of December, happy Chinese food and a movie day! Stay safe and warm and may your takeout be excellent. And if you’re celebrating Christmas, Merry Christmas to you and yours.This is our last episode of 2020, wow, and I wanted to thank you for listening, for all your email and encouragement. It means a lot to know I’m keeping you company while you quilt, walk the dogs, dye yarn, shelve books, clean, cook, and go about your life. I’m honored to be here with you, so thank you, and happy new year to all of us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The SBTB team is gathering in groups across many time zones to look back at the books, shows, and other essentials that got us through 2020, and to look ahead to 2021. Everyone brings a question to ask, so in this episode, Ellen, Elyse, Tara, and I talk books, Quarantimes, zoom exhaustion, and coping methods - and I stumble upon a potential new, unexplored fanfic.…Looking for a new podcast to try? May I suggest Boobies & Noobies?Boobies & Noobies is the weekly podcast that asks novice romance readers to think outside the box.Find Boobies & Noobies wherever you get your find podcasts or at https://boobiesandnoobies.com! ...Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[bookaside slug="the-way-we-wed"] We are talking fashion today! My guest today is Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, fashion historian, person behind the @WornOnThisDay Twitter account, and author of the new book The Way We Wed. In her book, she looks at the history of wedding fashion, and at the clothing history of the people surrounding marrying couple. We also talk about why some clothing and the fascination with clothing endures, and what changes the Quarantimes will create for fashion, clothing, and trends....Music: purple-planet.com...The links to images we discuss are in the show notes at this URL: http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/435-fashion-history-and-romance-with-kimberly-chrisman-campbell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[bookaside slug="second-chance-on-cypress-lane"] My guest today is Reese Ryan, YouTube host and author of the new book, Second Chance on Cypress Lane. We talk about her book, the levels of food p0rn found inside, and about her career - she released four books in 2020! FOUR! Her books for Harlequin Desire have some gorgeous covers (check them out in the show notes!) and her stories have delicious themes across several genres. It's a really fun conversation.Show notes for this episode: https://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/434-fried-food-family-drama-and-jazz-sexy-small-towns-with-reese-ryan...Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda and I are talking with VE Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, a book we both enjoyed tremendously. We talk about the 10-year process of writing it and the power of telling an immortality tale about a person who walks through history as a woman. We touch on queerness, achievement, erasure, representation, and also discuss death, loneliness, grief and immortality. About halfway through we take a deep dive into death rituals and experiences with grief and loss, with some specifics at about 42:00-43:00, so be aware if that’s not a topic you can engage with right now. (Take care of you, ok? Thank you.)Stay tuned to the end for a special surprise when Amanda’s roommate finds out who Amanda’s chatting with....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle Hazen is a romance author and a wildlife tortoise biologist, a semi-nomadic career (the biologist part) (and also the author part) that informs much of her writing. We talk about saving baby animals, writing about trauma, life in the desert doing biologist work, and romance tropes that work really well in the desert....Music: purple-planet.com...Looking for a podcast to try? Have you checked out Tea & Strumpets?Tea & Strumpets is a lively and engaging podcast dedicated entirely to Historical Romance! Join hosts and friends Zoë and Kelsey each episode as they discuss all the steamy (and sometimes tepid) details of the Regency Romance genre. And since the regency technically only lasted 9 years, generally we're talking post-wigs but pre-telephone! Find us wherever you download podcasts, or at RomancePod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back with more questions from our Patreon community! We have questions about books, romance covers, and of course, food. Strong opinions? Yes! Silliness! Also yes!Thank you again to the Patreon community for providing the very silly, very much needed questions....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the help of the Podcast Patreon community, Amanda and I are answering silly questions to help get us all through Hellweek.If you're like me, and a little stressed/overwhelmed/chin-deep-in-existential-dread, a little silliness goes a long way. So Amanda and I are bringing you a temporary respite with an extremely silly Q&A with half the Patreon’s incredible questions - the other half will be in a future episode. Think The Most Goofy AMA You've Ever Heard. Is there background construction noise AND dog barking? Of course! We’re talking candy, bedside tables, time travel, cheese plate perfection, and more - with extra silliness. We hope it gets you through....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Dr. Hilary Levey Friedman, Brown University professor and author of the new book Here She Is: The Complicated Reign of the Beauty Pageant in America. I had a chance to read the book and was so eager to discuss it, in particular because of the ways in which public conceptions of beauty pageants overlap substantially with public conceptions of romance. We talk about pageants, history, popular culture, and several surprising elements of the culture of Miss America - for example, the number of former pageant contestants who go into politics and public service....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Amanda and I are talking with Gretchen McCulloch, author of Because Internet and host of the podcast “Lingthusiasm.” If you like listening to a really smart person with intricate knowledge of what’s going on beneath the mundane, this is an episode for you. We start by fangirling about Courtney Milan and creative use of language in some of her favorite novels, and then we talk about internet language. We also talk about how the use of language as a tool for socializing is something we’re all redefining. The words we use, and the spaces in which the words, happen are changing rapidly, and now are even more different.This is a longer episode because we talk about So Many Things. Amanda and I both read and really enjoyed Because Internet, and it was a treat to talk to the author about her book, and about how language and socializing are evolving....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We received an email from Megan, who wanted to know about the possibility of building a rating system for sex in books. TL;DR, we don’t think it’s entirely feasible given how subjective heat levels can be for different readers, but the idea gives us a lot to talk about.We also talk about Prime Day this week, my younger child’s bar mitzvah, which was last weekend, virtually, from our backyard, and different levels of friendship.What about you? What would your sex rating system look like? What elements would you want to highlight? Think it’s doable? Email us! We love hearing from you....Music: purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Valentine’s Day!Amanda and I are chatting about everything from bookstores and trade romance to her Reylo fanfic. Our conversation is inspired by a question from Jasmine, who is part of our Patreon. She wanted to ask us about sci-fi and space romances, and ask for recommendations. Amanda’s much more fluent in space romance than I am, but we absolutely have recs, suggestions, theories about required elements, and potential reasons why space is SO appealing right now.This episode is brought to you by Best Women's Erotica of the Year, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, and published by Cleis Press.Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to part four and the final episode in my series on RWA: One Month Later. We’ve heard from C Chilove, Laurel Cremant, and Diana Neal, the officers of CIMRWA, from past RWA president HelenKay Dimon, and from Jessie Edwards, Marketing and PR Manager for RWA.Today, I’m speaking with Courtney Milan.There’s a lot to process, and this is a somewhat emotional interview wherein we talk about what happened, her reactions, and what’s next for her. We also talk intermittently though non-specifically about the physical manifestations of trauma so please be aware going into this episode if that’s something difficult for you to listen to.I’ll be taking this Friday, February 7, off, and I’ll be back on February 14 - Valentine’s Day - with Amanda. See you then!Music: https://www.purple-planet.comYou can subscribe to Smart Podcast, Trashy Books at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you catch your favorite shows! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to part three of my four-episode series, RWA: One Month Later. Today, we’re hearing from RWA.Jessie Edwards, Marketing and PR Manager for Romance Writers of America, joins me to answer questions about loss of trust, steps being taken to address member concerns, filling leadership positions, and what comes next for RWA, for the national conference, and for the membership.Check your podcast feed tomorrow, February 3, for the other episodes in this series, including an episode with the officers of CIMRWA, and a conversation with RWA past president HelenKay Dimon. Tomorrow, February 3, you’ll hear from Courtney Milan.Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to part two of a special four episode series on RWA: One Month Later. We’ve heard from C Chilove, Laurel Cremant, and Diana Neal, the officers of CIMRWA, and today I’m speaking with RWA past president HelenKay Dimon.I interviewed HelenKay in late September 2019 about the end of her term as president. Now we’re looking back on the past month since the RWA decision against Courtney Milan was released.We cover a lot in this episode, and there are a number of questions - ones we don’t know the answers to. We might never know. But as someone who oversaw prior ethics committees, and who served on the board as President, HelenKay knows a lot of what is supposed to happen, what might have happened here, and what may have gone wrong.Check your podcast feed tomorrow, February 2, for part three of this series on RWA: One Month Later, when I’ll be interviewing Jessie Edwards, Marketing and PR Manager for RWA. Then, on February 3, you’ll hear from Courtney Milan.Music: https://www.purple-planet.comYou can subscribe to Smart Podcast, Trashy Books at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you catch your favorite shows! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to episode 388, and the first of a four-episode special event: RWA: One Month Later.I recorded this episode on the 23 of January, one month to the date when a decision from Romance Writers of America was delivered to Courtney Milan informing her that due to an ethics complaint, she was being barred from leadership for her lifetime, and suspended from RWA for one year. If you were online, you might have seen some mention of it.In that month, a LOT happened. And while some major changes have taken place, there’s also a lack of movement, and a lot to discuss. So I wanted to create a time capsule of sorts to capture where we are right now, and more importantly, feature the stories and perspectives of those who were most intimately involved.Because of the timeliness of these episodes, I’m doing a special miniseries: I’m releasing this episode on 31 January. Tomorrow, February 1, I have an interview with past president HelenKay Dimon, and then, February 2, I have a conversation with Jessie Edwards, RWA’s Marketing and PR Manager. Finally, on February 3, I have an interview with Courtney Milan.Today, I’m speaking with C Chilove, Laurel Cremant, and Diana Neal, the officers of CIMRWA, the Cultural, Interracial, Multicultural Special Interest Chapter of Romance Writers of America. They created a petition to recall the sitting president of RWA - twice - in the two weeks after the decision about Courtney Milan was made public by Alyssa Cole. Their petition was ultimately successful and led to the resignation of Damon Suede.I am so excited for you to meet the officers of CIMRWA. We’re going to hear about what happened from their perspective, and hear what a great team they are. They are incredibly inspiring to listen to as they support one another. AND THEN we end with KDrama AND book recommendations because obviously.Don't forget, there are more episodes coming. Check your podcast feed on February 1, 2, and 3 for the next episodes in this special series on RWA: One Month Later.Music: https://www.purple-planet.comYou can subscribe to Smart Podcast, Trashy Books at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jen Lois, Professor of Sociology at Western Washington University in Bellingham, and Joanna Gregson, Professor of Sociology at Pacific Lutheran University, sit down with Sarah to discuss studying the community of romance from a sociological perspective. We talk about the sneers and the leers that romance writers and readers are subjected to, and the gender dynamics of the community. You’ll also hear Joanna’s cat purring near the end, which is totally excellent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah sits down with Dr. Joanna Gregson and Dr Jen Lois, two professors of sociology who are doing a years-long study of the sociology of the romance writing community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.