The Historical Romance Sampler

Alison Mckenzie joins the podcast to read from her debut historical romance, THE BLACKSMITH'S BRIDE! We talk about her inspiration for the book (a role playing game based off a Robinhood TV show), why she is fascinated by eras like 1380s in England when change is in the air, and how relationship dynamics can work as great metaphors for political systems. Plus, she shares the romance rule she broke when she decided to publish this book!   00:00 Introduction to the Historical Romance Sampler Podcast 01:32 Reading from 'The Blacksmith's Bride' 13:18 Discussion on the Scene and Tropes 14:01 Origins and Inspirations Behind the Story 17:56 Historical Context and World-Building 20:44 Influences and Favorite Authors 22:37 Love It or Leave It? 28:24 Breaking Romance Rules and Self-Publishing 30:05 Where to Find 'The Blacksmith's Bride'   Find out more about Alison Mckeznie at alisonmckenziewrites.wordpress.com   HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh  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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler) 

It's a special episode on the Historical Romance Sampler this week! Kasia Alba, host of the Raising Baby Authors podcast, joins me to read from Joanna Shupe's THE BRIDE GOES ROGUE and talk all things historical romance. We discuss why Kasia loves the meet cute in Shupe's novel, how Bridgerton hooked her into historical romance, and theorize on why book-to-screen adaptations are so often disappointing. Plus, Kasia plays LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT? to reveal the romance rules she loves! 00:00 Welcome to the Historical Romance Sampler Podcast 00:36 Special Guest: Kasia Alba from Raising Baby Authors 01:09 Reading: The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe 07:34 Discussion: Analyzing the Meet Cute 12:27 Kasia's Journey into Historical Romance 20:07 Game Time: Love it or Leave it 29:18 Closing Remarks and Where to Find More   Find out more about Kasia Alba and the Raising Baby Authors podcast on Instagram at @kkalbabooks or by searching Raising Baby Authors wherever you listen to podcasts! HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh  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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)  

Lindsay Barrett comes on to read SAVANNAH ROYALS, her debut historical romance inspired by the fantasy novel Six of Crows. She shares how was inspired to set her story in Savannah, writing morally gray heroes, and why it was so important to her to explore a polyamorous relationship on the page. Plus, she plays LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT so we can find out how she feels about classic romance rules!    00:00 Introduction to the Historical Romance Sampler 00:33 Meet the Guest: Lindsay Barrett 03:29 Reading from 'Savannah Royals' 15:02 Interview with Lindsay Barrett 15:26 The Origin of Savannah Royals 16:27 Research and Historical Context 18:18 Exploring Dark Romance 19:56 Polyamorous Relationships in Historical Settings 25:05 Love it or Leave it: Romance Tropes 29:56 Where to Find Lindsay Barrett   Find out more about Lindsay Barrett at https://www.lindsaybarrettbooks.com/   HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh      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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)   

The legendary Cathy Maxwell joins the podcast to read from her latest Regency romance, A Touch of Steele! We talk about her journey to writing books, why she considers romance novels to be adventure novels, and what she has learned writing 41+ books. To wrap things up, she plays Love It or Leave It? and reveals why rules are meant to be broken!   00:00 Introduction to the Historical Romance Sampler 01:54 Reading from 'A Touch of Steele' 23:43 Discussion on the Scene and Cathy's Background 29:31 Love It or Leave It: Romance Conventions 33:28 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Cathy Maxwell   Find out more about Cathy Maxwell: https://cathymaxwell.com/   HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh    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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)   

Edie Cay joins the podcast to read from INTO THE BREACH WITH YOU. Edie tells us more about 'Golden Age of Mountaineering', what inspired her to write about women climbing mountains in the 19th century, and what historical romance can do that historical fiction can't (and vice versa).     00:00 Introduction to the Historical Romance Sampler 00:33 Meet Edie Cay: Award-Winning Author 01:23 Reading from 'Into the Breach With You' 23:00 Discussion on the Golden Age of Mountaineering 30:08 Love It or Leave It: Romance Rules 33:20 Where to Find Edie Cay's Books 34:09 Closing Remarks   Find out more about Edie Cay at https://store.ediecay.com/   HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh    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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)

Jane Hadley joins the podcast to read from A FINE LOOKING SOLDIER (Volume 1 of her serialized SECRET SOLDIER series)! We talk about the real-life inspiration of women fighting in the Civil War, writing about gender identity in a historically accurate manner, and what makes something historical romance. Plus, Jane reveals how much she hates rules in LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT?! Find out more about Jane Hadley at www.janehadleywrites.com  HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh    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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)   

Harper St. George joins the podcast to read from her new release, ELIZA AND THE DUKE!  Hear about Harper’s inspiration, her research adventures in London, and her interest in themes like the intersection of class and money in historical romance. Plus, she talks about writing in various historical eras as well as the historical romance rule she loves to break.   00:00 Welcome to the Historical Romance Sampler Podcast 00:33 Meet Harper St. George  05:03 Reading from Eliza and The Duke 14:59 Discussion on Themes and Research 25:03 Love It or Leave It?  27:17 Conclusion and Where to Find More   Find out more about Harper St. George at https://www.harperstgeorge.com/   HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh    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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)   

Blair Fell joins the podcast to read DISCO WITCHES OF FIRE ISLAND. A multi-hyphenate writer of TV, theater, and novels, Blair set this story during the AIDS crisis in 1989 - a distinctive time period that he lived through. We discuss the point at which he realized he had written a historical romance, his creative journey from plays to novels, and how his story about 1989 resonates with today. Plus, he shares the romance rules he loves to break!   00:00 Introduction to the Historical Romance Sampler Podcast 00:33 Meet Blair Fell: Multitalented Writer and ASL Interpreter 01:55 Blair Fell's Personal Connection to 'Disco Witches of Fire Island' 04:49 Reading from 'Disco Witches of Fire Island' 18:13 Discussion on Writing and Personal Experiences 29:04 Love It or Leave It: Rapid-Fire Questions 32:10 Conclusion and Where to Find More   Find out more about Blair Fell at https://blairfell.com/   HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh      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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler)  Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)   

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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler) Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)

Misty Urban returns to the podcast to read from MISS GREGOIRE'S BEGINNING, her entry in the SUFFRAGETTE UPRISING series. We talk about themes of independence, feminism, and the historical context behind her characters. Misty also takes on the challenges of integrating feminist narratives into historical romance.   00:00 Welcome to the Historical Romance Sampler Podcast 02:18 Miss Gregoire's Beginning: A Reading by Misty Urban 15:32 In-Depth Discussion with Misty Urban 27:41 Fun and Games: Would You Rather? 33:42 Where to Find Misty Urban and Her Books 34:32 Closing Remarks and Subscription Reminder   Find out more about Misty Urban: https://mistyurban.com/   HRS is an affiliate of Libro.fm! Sign up for a new monthly membership and get three audiobooks for the price of one with code HISTORICAL! (As an affiliate, HRS may earn a portion of your purchase, for which we thank you!) Check out the official HRS playlist at: https://tidd.ly/4hgCquh 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)   Follow HRS on social media! TikTok (@historicalromancesampler) Instagram (@historicalromancesampler)