Shelf Love: Romance Novel Discourse

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Kat on social media:

Twitter: @KatrinaJax

Instagram: @KatJacksonBooks

Goodreads

Kat’s new books:

• Every New Year: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZS3ZL3P/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
  • (Andrea’s Twitter review: “High-heat contemporary m/f. For fans of that Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock movie with the letters in a mailbox. 2 Emotional Idiots (TM) (with believable character development) circle around each other for 18 years annually around NYE. Sex on top of a teddy bear A+”
• Grand Theft N.Y.E.: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z268N51/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
  • A con woman who is stealing. She meets a rich man who steals her heart so she steals his car.

Alyssa Cole

• Alyssa Cole’s episode: “Alyssa Cole Wants You to Use Your Power, Be An Emotional Badass - Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh”

Kat’s Formative Years in Romancelandia

• Ashwin by Kit Rocha: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30291044-ashwin
• Anne Rice’s Erotica: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sleeping_Beauty_Quartet

Kat’s influences:

• Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Alyssa Cole
• Beverly Jenkins
• Kit Rocha

An Extraordinary Union - first book in the Loyal League Series

History

Kat’s specialty is the African diaspora as a social movement historian.

#FallsOnLove Podcast (with Nicole Falls), where Kat said she doesn’t want to write historical romance.

Historical romance is really white/European.

Familial bonds: love as a particular Black radical organizing impetus

Students’ expectation of African American history = trauma

I think the article I was thinking of about change in social attitudes about LGTBQ people because “love was in place.”

But I think I was also drawing on listening to this Hidden Brain podcast episode about how selling same-sex marriage was key to the strategy for LGBTQ rights.

What this book does: Centers the story of the Civil War on the marginalized POV

Discussions of enslaved people in the book:

• Agency existed even without freedom/ability to truly consent (just because people used their limited choices to make their life better does not mean that “slavery was not that bad.”
• Janeta’s mother: Melancholy of freedom/separation from her community
• PTSD

You are worthy of being loved, not just because of how you serve other people’s needs.

You should read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

WTF was up with working class white people at this time?

• Race and Class is the US
• Class doesn’t matter (as much as): Race does, in America
• This was one of the articles I read as I tried to understand the perspective of poor white people in the south (and why they felt invested in slavery):

Andrew Johnson = The Worst

Reconstruction is the roots of the public education system in America.

Rebel by Beverly Jenkins covers reconstruction/early public education. Discussed in episode 3 of Shelf Love.

The journey each goes through makes them able to enter into a healthy relationship = Kat wants more of this.

Reluctant Spy Partners:

• Kat Recommends:
  • Beverly Jenkins: Midnight (m/f - historical. The father is a Tory, the FMC is a spy for the Rebels) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7935443-midnight?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jiJfji8PWm&rank=2
• Lust + Found Reads
  • Hither, Page - Cat Sebastian (m/m - historical)
  • Think of England - KJ Charles (m/m - historical)
• Felicia Davin recommends:
  • Ada Harper: A Conspiracy of Whispers (m/f - scifi/fantasy)

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

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Show Notes

Guest Norma Perez-Hernandez:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/normajeanesays
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normajeanesees/

Book:

• Sanctuary (Beards and Bondage Series #2) by Rebekah Weatherspoon
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074BDB67R?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_1&storeType=ebooks

Links/Misc:

• Publisher’s Weekly Industry Salary Survey, 2019: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/81718-the-pw-publishing-industry-salary-survey-2019.html
• The book I could not remember from a lit class was: Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented by Thomas Hardy. (Thank you, @ReadingRomance3 for guessing based on a very vague description.)
• People of Color in Publishing
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/PocPub
  • Website: https://www.pocinpublishing.com/
• Latinx in Publishing
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/LatinxinPub
  • Website: https://latinxinpublishing.com/
• I Don’t Feel Your Pain: A failure of empathy perpetuates racial disparities: https://slate.com/technology/2013/06/racial-empathy-gap-people-dont-perceive-pain-in-other-races.html
• Vampire lesbian sorority book by Rebekah Weatherspoon: Soul to Keep, Blacker Than Blue, Better Off Red
  • http://www.rebekahweatherspoon.com/series/vampire-sorority-sisters-2/
• Haven is book 1 of the Beards and Bondage series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078ML3Y6P/?ie=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Guest: B. And Her Books

• Twitter: @bandherbooks https://twitter.com/bandherbooks
• Instagram: @b.andherbooks https://www.instagram.com/b.andherbooks/

Recording engineer and occasional provider of book answers:

• Jess a Flerken (@ladyofcheese https://twitter.com/LadyOfCheese)

Sign up for the newsletter list to get the PRINTABLE READING LIST from this episode:

https://www.subscribepage.com/m4c2v7_inst_copy

The printable reading list includes every book mentioned in this episode plus books from categories that had to be cut for time, including: kick-ass heroines, most over-the-top sex scenes, no on-page sex, and more!

NOTES:

• Jess’s Write This Book - I will be trademarking Shelf Lovelies
• (WTB Inspiration: https://video.bonappetit.com/series/gourmet-makes)

Podcast Episodes Mentioned:

• Boobies & Noobies with Kelly Reynolds:
  • Andrea on Boobies and Noobies: The 8th Day of Boobsmas: https://boobiepodcast.podbean.com/e/regifted-boobsmas-8/
  • Stocking Stuffers episode Boobsmas Day 1: https://boobiepodcast.podbean.com/e/stocking-stuffers-boobsmas-1/
• Whoamance
  • Hummingbird Episode: https://www.whoamancepodcast.com/episodes/2019/12/17/episode-70-triage-trois-hummingbird-by-lavyrle-spencer
• Rombkpod episodes with disability recommendations:
  • Episode 105: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-105/
  • Episode 106: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-106/
  • Episode 107: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-107/
  • Episode 108: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-108/
• Learning the Tropes
  • Episode with Sarah MacLean, “The Gorilla Twins”: Lorraine Heath: https://learningthetropes.podbean.com/e/the-earl-takes-all-by-lorraine-heath-w-sarah-maclean-episode-48/
• Wicked Wallflowers
  • Mia Hopkins episode: https://wickedwallflowersclub.simplecast.com/episodes/mia-67843607

Pinterest:

• Fainting couch romance novels: https://www.pinterest.com/eagabri/romance-novel-covers-with-fainting-couches/
• All B’s Pinterest boards: https://www.pinterest.com/eagabri/

Miscellaneous:

• B’s neighbor: Liz Lincoln https://lizlincoln.com/
• Chuck Tingle: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27804008-oppressed-in-the-butt-by-my-inclusive-holiday-coffee-cups

Contributors:

@Has_bookpushers, Arnold The Scottish Hedgehog, Jess (Wander Awhile), Amanda (Spaamanda_4), Charlotte (@romansedegare), Esme Brett (Feminist_Romance), HEA or GTFO, Kelly Reynolds (@BoobiesPodcast), Bookish Kelly (bookish.com), Marisa (@marisaelainegettas), Jayswell, Lara Van Lelyveld, Kini Allen, Amanda Ball, Angeleke Kaldis, Nathan Burgoine, Angie Girl, Lust n Found reads, Leigh Kramer, Christina.us.uk, Laura Yamin, HEA Apologist, Ms. Bug Bug, Jess (JessReadinBooks), Megan Erikson, Hannah, Catherine (@CatSteinBooks), Renee, Ariana, Nancy (Love.Reading.With.Nancy), Whoamance, Lauren M. Hae, Adele Buck, Jes (YesMissJes), Sofia (SofiainBookland), Queerly Chaotic M (@Mx_m_reads), Maida Malby, Daisy Blaine, Weendizzle, Tej (@Readaholic19), Corey Alexander (TGStoneButch), Suzanne (Cerestheories), Amber (PeskyNoodles), Emma Love, RamblingoutLoud, JL Peridot, Quick N Dirty Romance, Megan Bate, Sarah Penna, Michelle Mars.

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Content from about the 5:00 - 38:00 mark was previously part of episode 7 of Shelf Love.

Guest Information

• Erin Leafe, co-host of Learning The Tropes Podcast
• Twitter: @LearningTropes
• Instagram: @LearningTheTropes

Book Pick

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

Go find more books by Courtney Milan on her website: http://www.courtneymilan.com/

Links

• Alyssa Cole’s Twitter Thread with details on allegations against Courtney and RWA’s actions: https://twitter.com/AlyssaColeLit/status/1209280219175100422
• RWA Ethics Committee Report: https://www.docdroid.net/qj8dh9a/ethics-committee-report-1119.pdf
• Kathryn Lynn Davis Formal Complaint: https://www.docdroid.net/uMizS30/kathryn-lynn-davis-formal-rwa-complaint.pdf
• Suzan Tisdale Formal Complaint: https://www.docdroid.net/UcBKxjo/suzan-tisdale-screenshots.pdf
• Suzan Tisdale Screenshots: https://www.docdroid.net/UcBKxjo/suzan-tisdale-screenshots.pdf

Smart Bitches post/reaction: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2019/12/wtaf-rwa-courtney-milan-banned-suspended-from-rwa/

The Wrap post: https://www.thewrap.com/romance-writers-courtney-milan-suspension-racist-mess/

Information about RWA/official website: https://www.rwa.org/Online/About_RWA/Online/About/About_RWA.aspx?hkey=c3b46e21-4b8e-4265-b7a5-c01fe2bad22c

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Guest: Funmi B.

Twitter: @FunmiReadsHEAs https://twitter.com/FunmiReadsHEAs

Instagram: @When_Funmi_Met_Romance https://www.instagram.com/when_funmi_met_romance/

We read:

Equivalent Exchange by Christina C. Jones
https://www.amazon.com/Equivalent-Exchange-Night-Shift-Christina-ebook/dp/B07YP1GHJT

(Available on Kindle Unlimited)

Content Warning: off-page domestic and sexual abuse

Books mentioned:

• Forever by Judy Blume
• Top 3 Beverly Jenkins Books:
  • Indigo
  • Breathless
  • Captured
• Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev

Other mentions:

• Funmi’s favorite sour beer: Raspberry Crush by Ten Barrel Brewing Company
• Where Should We Begin, podcast with couple’s therapy: https://www.estherperel.com/podcast
• Funmi’s guest post on Ana Coqui’s website about reading romance/Beverly Jenkins: https://www.anacoqui.com/2019/07/guest-post-thank-you-beverly-jenkins-by-funmi-baker.html
• Tasha L. Harrison response to Rebekah Weatherspoon Tweet: https://twitter.com/tashalharrison/status/1196934724524134401
• Stone Fox Meme (Adele Morse): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2291620/Meet-Stoned-Fox-The-badly-stuffed-creature-reborn-Russian-internet-celebrity.html
• Kate Clayborn - Frolic article: “Face Value: ‘Natural’ Beauty, Cosmetic Surgery, and the Woman You’re Not Supposed to Love in Romance Novels” https://frolic.media/face-value-natural-beauty-cosmetic-surgery-and-the-woman-youre-not-supposed-to-love-in-romance-novels/

Trope Town: Therapy/Healing/Growth

• Care for Me by Bria Felicien
• Determining Possession by Christina C. Jones
• Encore for Love by Alexandra Warren
• In His Corner by Alexandra Warren
• Someone Seeking Someone Else by Nicole Falls
• Beard in Mind by Penny Reid (Penny is a guest on an upcoming episode!)
• A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole
• Teach Me by Olivia Dade (upcoming episode book pick by Denise Williams!)
• Fall by Kristen Callihan
• Serving Pleasure by Alisha Rai
• Best of Luck from the Chance of a Lifetime Series by Kate Clayborn (Kate was the guest in episode 11!)
• Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones
• Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
• Work for It by Talia Hibbert
• Hero by Lauren Rowe

Contributors:

B.andherbooks, Spaamanda_4, HannahHeartsRomance

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Guest: Steve Ammidown (Manuscripts and Research Archivist at BGSU Browne Popular Culture Library)

We read: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Website: BGSU Browne Popular Culture Library https://www.bgsu.edu/library/pcl.html

Twitter: @Stegan

BGSU Pop Culture Library Twitter

Books mentioned:

• Aphrodite’s Kiss by Julie Kenner
• Brothers Sinister series by Courtney Milan
• Entwined Destinies by Elsie Washington - first category romance by a black woman featuring black main characters
• Gaywyck by Vincent Virga
• Throwing Stones by Avery Cockburn (Curling Romance)

Can you redeem baddies from book 1 in book 2?

Kini Allen’s episode - Julianna Keyes’ Time Served has an antagonist who is the MC in Book 2, In Her Defense

Alisha Rai, Forbidden Hearts series.

• Book 1: Hate to Want You
• Book 2: Wrong to Need You

Discussed in Episode 1, We discussed Lord Saint Vincent from Lisa Kleypas’s Wallflower series, who is the villain in book 2 (It Happened One Autumn) but the MC in book 3 (Devil in Winter)

Other mentions:

• Editor Vivian Stephens at Dell Candlelight
• Jessica Lynn Van Slooten Ted Talk: Romance Novels Are Feminist
• BGSU Researching the Romance 2020 Conference with Alyssa Cole - April 22-23, 2020
• RWA About The Romance Genre (cites % men reading romance)

Trope Town: Men’s Friendships

• Brothers Sinister Series by Courtney Milan
• Rules for Scoundrels Series by Sarah MacLean
• Double Up by Vanessa North
• Roller Girl by Vanessa North
• FBI/US Attorney Series by Julie James (starts with Something About You)
• Rafe by Rebekah Weatherpoon
• Champions of Desire Series by Christa Tomlinson
• A Tale of Two Cities Novellas by Alexandra Warren

Contributors:

@Readaholic19, Jess (@romtenkey) on Twitter, Kat Jackson, Nathan Burgoine

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Content Warning: The book we discuss features a serial killer and rapist. We also discuss sexual assault.

• Guest: Romance Author Lucy Score
  Website: lucyscore.net
  Twitter: @LucyScore1
  Instagram: @ScoreLucy

Lucy while recording this episode (shot by Mr. Lucy): https://www.instagram.com/p/B4hqadgAwYv/

We read:

• The Obsession by Nora Roberts (2016)
  (CW: on-page descriptions of sexual violence)

Lucy’s books that are mentioned:

• The Worst Best Man
• The Christmas Fix
• Mr. Fixer Upper
• Moonshine Kiss (pining)
• The Price of Scandal (Bluewater Billionaires)
• Newest (out Jan. 2020) - ...Listen to hear the title!

Books mentioned:

• The Bride by Julie Garwood
• Bluewater Billionaires series:
  • The Price of Scandal by Lucy Score
  • The Mogul and the Muscle by Claire Kingsley
  • Wild Open Hearts by Kathryn Nolan
  • Crazy for Loving You by Pippa Grant
• JD Robb In Death Series
• Chanel Miller - Know My Name

Other mentions:

• Bluewater Billionaires Boobies & Noobies episode
• Air Ambulance ER - YouTube
• Turn The Page - Nora Roberts’ Bookstore: https://www.ttpbooks.com/
• Inn BoonsBoro - Nora Roberts’ Inn: https://innboonsboro.com/

Trope Town: artists

• Strictly Professional - Katherine Nolan
• Reckless (Book 1: Renegades) - Skye Jordan
• Chesapeake Blue - Nora Roberts
• Flashed - Zoe Castile
• Pacific Blue - Kristina Luckey
• Serving Pleasure - Alisha Rai
• Beard in Mind - Penny Reid

Contributors:

Kelly Reynolds (Boobies & Noobies), Denise Williams, Hannah is a Palindrome, Fiona West

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Guest: Kate Clayborn:

• website: https://www.kateclayborn.com/
• Twitter: @kateClayborn 
• Instagram: @kateclayborn.author

Kate’s books:

• Holiday novella (out now): Missing Christmas (3.5 in Chance of a Lifetime)
• Love Lettering: Out Dec. 31, 2019
• Chance of a Lifetime Series

Contributors:

• HEA Apologist
• The Ariel Storm
• Mary Lynne Nielsen
• The Romance Mom

Book:

A Midnight Feast by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner

Tweets Mentioned:

• Jen Prokop's thread: https://twitter.com/JenReadsRomance/status/1175892103727128580
• Kate’s subthread: https://twitter.com/kateclayborn/status/1177193605951344643

Books Recommended:

• Listen to the Moon by Rose Lerner
• Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon
• Making it Last by Ruthie Knox
• The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
• The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Mentioned:

• Tillie Olsen: I Stand Here Ironing https://www.shortstoryproject.com/story/i-stand-here-ironing/
• Heroines in white dresses
  Life in the Iron Mills, and Other Stories By Rebecca Harding Davis
• Harper’s Bazaar article https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a12063822/emotional-labor-gender-equality/

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Listen to episode 10:

The Case of the Missing O: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton with Kelly Reynolds from Boobies & Noobies

In episode 10 we read Wallbanger by Alice Clayton. We mention it a little bit in this extra, but just a smidge.

If you want to listen to the Jennifer Crusie episode Jess contributed to, it's episode 2.

The Alyssa Cole book we mention with a forge/swords is A Duke By Default. Alyssa was my guest on episode 8!

Check out Boobies & Noobies to hear more from Kelly.

Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Book: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Guest: Kelly Reynolds from Boobies & Noobies Podcast

• @BoobiesPodcast on Twitter and Instagram

Trope Town Recommendations: Neighbors to Lovers

• Cade by Liliana Hart
• Heat of the Night by Elle Kennedy
• Serving Pleasure by Alisha Rai
• A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
• Broken Knight by L.J. Shen

Miscellaneous:

• Everything's Trash But It's OK by Phoebe Robinson
• Prince of Sin by Cass Ford Episode of Boobies & Noobies <-- a good starter episode!
• Where Should We Begin (Podcast) - "A Small Town Affair" is the episode I reference

Contributors:

@GayDreaming1, Jess, Charlotte, HEA Apologist

____

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Shelf Love:

• NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
• Email: [email protected]