Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast

Lea Vale is the author of Blue Sky Black, a dual-timeline recent history romance that takes place, in part, on 9/11/2001. We talk about writing recent history, especially recent traumatic history, into romance, we also discuss the power of the HEA, and we chat about her NHPR show, Check This Out!

So I want to be clear here that we discuss 9/11 on and off throughout the episode. Both of us witnessed the attacks on New York and the aftermath, so that perspective might be difficult or upsetting to listen to. We don’t get too much into the particulars, but we do discuss what is and what isn’t present in different accounts. Please look after yourself.

You can find this episode on YouTube as well.

Music: purple-planet.com

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It’s time machine time! We’re going back to June 2007 to look at the Ads & Features in Romantic Times magazine. This one’s got some gawdawful letters to the editor and some equally heinous responses, and we are prepped for battle.

First, we talk about cereal. As you do.

And I have a Content Warning! At about 20 minutes into our conversation, we start talking about this awful letter to the editor. Please be advised there is some rank homophobia on display here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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By listener request! My guest today is author and professor Jodi McAlister. You might remember Jodi from her appearance in episode 626 when we talked about her Marry Me Juliet trilogy, set within a fictional version of The Bachelor.

Now she’s in the middle of a new trilogy she’s calling Love Notes, and we’re going to discuss the latest book, A Study in Sparkling. We’re going to discuss learning a TON about wine, and about writing romance set within the terrifying world of academia. Then I come to find out she’s done recent published research on erotic audio dramas, and about the bonkbusters of the 80s.

Special thanks to Josephine for requesting this interview and asking such thoughtful questions!

You can find Jodi McAlister at her website, jodimcalister.com.au.

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We’re going back to 2007 to take a look at the new releases in Romantic Times Magazine, and we’re so glad you’re joining us! We’ve got kooky books, taxidermy, chick lit, and a new entry into the character name hall of fame. Strap in, it’s getting weird.

At about 38 minutes in, Amanda’s track started having some kind of digital echo. I did as much as I could to adjust it, and I'm so sorry for the quality.

Music: purple-planet.com

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Adib Khorram’s new book, Isn’t He Romantic, is out this week, so of course I wanted to ask many questions about it.

This is the third in a trilogy about three queer Iranian American friends, and our conversation touches on some of the themes of the book, such as aging and ageism in the gay community, reclaiming fun games from your youth, and about trends in m/m romance currently.

You can find Adib Khorram on his website, AdibKhorram.com!

We also mentioned:

• Podcast: Adib on the Culture Study podcast discussing heartthrobs
• YouTube: Adib on The Gaily Show
• Interview: Adib on the APALA site
• Stonewall Sports!
• We Need Diverse Books
• Romancing the Craft
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Young the Giant: Victory Garden

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We’re back in the time machine to check out the ads and features from the February 2012 issue of Romantic Times.

We’re talking about Anastasia, Madame Toussauds, and how close some cover models get to showing some hog.

THEN! Then, we have about a half hour of live cover snark. I’m wondering if this video will be taken down by the Y’Tube, because these covers are…unclothed.

What was the thing you were obsessed with when you were younger? Was it mythology, Anastasia, or something else?

Do you love historical pettiness? What’s your favorite example?

Don’t forget you can find this episode on YouTube – for now!

And, you can feed the YouTube werewolves if you Lycan Subscribe to our channel!

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My guest this week is Dylan Allen, and Lucy Wilson-Tagoe, who are conveniently the same person. Dylan Allen is a bestselling author of contemporary romance, while Lucy Wilson-Tagoe’s newest book To Catch a Sinner, is out now.

It’s a mystery and a romance set in DC that focuses on art repatriation and the cultural minefield therein. So we’re going to talk about art, writing, the DC of her imagined world in the book, and about the romances that shaped her writing. We also talk about her choosing a new pen name and why that was so meaningful for her.

You can find the links and books we mentions in the show notes at SBTB.

You can find this episode on YouTube if you’d like to watch our conversation.

You can find Lucy Wilson-Tagoe at her website, LucyWilsonTagoe.com, and on Instagram.

You can find Dylan Allen at her website, DylanAllenBooks.com.

We also mentioned:

• Dylan Allen’s interview with Jillian Stein of Blue Box Press (YouTube)
• The National Museum of African American History and Culture 

music: purple-planet.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month we’re going back to September 2012 to take a look at the new books in Romantic Times magazine.

We’re talking about a very male hero, letting teens be teens, and hooray, there are dozens of terrible men to add to the pile. We also talk about our favorite Garth Brooks songs, and our go-to karaoke songs. (What’s yours?)

At about 25 minute in we talk about something rather morbid – books bound in human skin, of which there are very few for obvious reasons.

You can find us on YouTube if you’d like to watch this episode!

And you can find all the books we mentioned at SBTB!

Music: purple-planet.com

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Jess Rothschild is a podcaster and journalist, one of the founding writers at Autostraddle, and her latest project is a documentary podcast called Finding Fire Island, about the history of Fire Island, Cherry Grove, and the Pines. Her prior work includes The Cult of Soul Cycle, and I love BOTH of these productions. Jess has been writing online longer than I have, and we talk about internet history, the process of making a podcast documentary, and what it’s like to have all your neighbors tell their most juicy, gossipy stories to you. For work. 

Finding Fire Island is a unique historical record, and I hope you’ll listen or watch. 

Please be advised that you can’t talk about gay history in the US without talking about the AIDS epidemic and the loss of so many people, so this episode is a little poignant at times. 

You can find Jess Rothschild on Instagram @JessXNYC.

Links ahoy!

• Finding Fire Island
• The Cult of Body and Soul
• Hulu – Black Twitter: A People’s History
• Hot Takes and Deep Dives – Jess’s podcast
• Caitlin Whyte – Jess’s Sound Designer
• Them
• Autostraddle
• Dads & Daddies

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We are back in the early 90s, when the mullets were epic and the covers were sumptuous. Come on back to July 1992 with us as we explore the ads & features of the 100th issue of Romantic Times Magazine!

This issue contains some FASCINATING retrospective looks at romance, cover art, and more, and I think it is one of the primary sources cited for some of the more common stories I’ve heard about romance.

Were you a Borders, B. Dalton, or Waldenbooks reader, or another bookshop entirely?

Don’t forget – you can watch this episode on YouTube with the visuals on screen, or look for the visual aids at SBTB!

We also mentioned:

• The sandals from Keen I mentioned in the outro.
• Lucynka’s posts on SBTB about pulp romance
• Marysville Public Library: Nora Roberts Go Fish (Facebook video)
• Lake Villa District Library: Nora Roberts Challenge (Tiktok video)

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