In this special episode of the Historical Romance Sampler podcast, Olivia Waite joins to discuss the issue of book bans in the United States and their implications for romance readers. Olivia, a queer historical romance author and romance fiction columnist for the New York Times Book Review, shares her insights on how these bans target predominantly queer and BIPOC stories. The episode also explores historical perspectives on censorship and highlights current opportunities for activism. To top it off, Olivia recommends several historical romance books that deal with themes of resistance and political change.

00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Olivia Waite

01:37 Understanding Book Bans in the US

07:01 The Impact of Book Bans on Romance Readers

11:07 Historical Context of Book Bans

13:28 Historical Romance Recommendations

20:05 Modern Activism and How to Get Involved

25:53 Olivia Waite's Current Projects

27:30 Conclusion and Farewell

Find out more about Olivia Waite at https://www.oliviawaite.com/

Get involved in fighting book bans in your community! Check out Every Library (https://www.everylibrary.org/) or American Library Association (https://www.ala.org/bbooks) for more resources.

Find out more about your host Katherine Grant:

Instagram (@katherine_grant_romance)

TikTok (@katherinegrantromance)

Facebook (@Katherinegrantromanceauthor)

Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19872840.Katherine_Grant)

Bookbub (https://www.bookbub.com/authors/katherine-grant)

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Olivia Waite Talks Book Bans