Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast

650. “I’m Going to Keep Daring” - Romance and History with Joanna Shupe

Jan 17, 2025

Joanna Shupe, an author known for her Gilded Age historical romances and dark mafia narratives, dives into the parallels between the Gilded Age and today’s social issues. She shares her thoughts on the political despair reflected in her writing, discussing readers' reactions to her views. Shupe also explores power dynamics in romance, links historical and modern wealth disparities, and emphasizes the necessity of diverse narratives in storytelling. Her insights highlight the ongoing relevance of history in contemporary societal challenges.

57:37

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Episode guests

Joanna Shupe

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Joanna Shupe highlights the critical connection between literature and political discourse, fostering a dialogue about systemic issues through historical romance.

The podcast discusses reader backlash towards Shupe's political commentary in her storytelling, revealing the ongoing conflict between fiction and political consciousness.

Shupe emphasizes the transformation of historical romance through increased representation and diversity, signalling a shift towards more inclusive narratives in the genre.

Deep dives

The Impact of Silence and Bookish Politics

Writing can be a reflection of political views, as Joanna Shoup emphasizes the intersection of literature and current events. After expressing her concerns about the parallels between the Gilded Age and modern societal issues, she received backlash from readers who felt her views intruded upon their reading experience. Shoup firmly states that silence in the face of injustice equates to acceptance, arguing that her political opinions are woven into her storytelling. She illustrates how the political dimensions inherent in historical romance not only inform her characters and plotlines but also resonate with broader societal themes.

Intro

4min

Echoes of the Gilded Age

24min

Exploring Power Dynamics in Historical and Dark Romance

2min

Reflections on the Gilded Age and Modern Society

4min

Wealth and Disparity: A Gilded Reflection

8min

Redefining Historical Narratives

14min

Reflections on Romance and Political Themes

5min

Joanna Shupe posted a TikTok on November 11, 2024, in response to angry readers chastising her for writing in her newsletter about her disappointment with the election results. I have included the audio with her permission.She says in her comments that she could teach a whole class about the parallels between the Gilded Age and the current political and cultural climate, which I am calling The Dumpster Age. I reached out and said, I can’t offer a class, but how about a podcast episode?

Joanna was kind enough to walk us through some of the parallels between then and now that give her some despair, and how infuriating it was to have readers scold and chastise her for expressing in her newsletter a perspective that she already thought was pretty clear from, you know, all her books about the Gilded Age.

And, if I can take a moment: this is my 650th episode.

Six. Fifty.

And at the end of the month, on Jan 31, Smart Bitches will celebrate our 20th anniversary.

Thank you. Thank you for valuing my work on the podcast and online, for valuing our perspective on the site when we explore romance and everything surrounding it.

Just…thank you. Thank you so much for being here.

You can find Joanna Shupe on her website, joannashupe.com. Her newsletter is joannashupe.com/newsletter. She’s on Instagram @Joannashupe and on Bluesky.

She also writes dark mafia romance as Mila Finelli.

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