Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast cover image

Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast

Latest episodes

undefined
Sep 15, 2023 • 46min

580. Stop and Look at the Stars, with Jennifer L. Armentrout

I had a whopping good time talking with Jennifer Armentrout about her new book, Fall of Ruin and Wrath, about ApollyCon - which is now almost 10 years old!We’re going to talk about the behind the scenes of ApollyCon, her launch title for the new Bramble imprint of fantasy romance, plus she takes questions from some of you about disability advocacy, living with a visual impairment, and what changes she’s seen in publishing.Music: Purple-planet.comYou can find Jennifer L. Armentrout on her website, on Instagram, and her Facebook Group JLAnders.We also mentioned:Retinosis PigmentosaThe Wilmer InstituteDragon DictationAnd, I request a humble favor: If you have a moment and your thumbs are not busy, would you be so kind as to leave a review for the show? I used to have a few on Apple Podcasts and now they are all gone! Apple is a mystery - but reviews help other folks find the show. So if you enjoy the podcast and you want to help me reach more nifty people, please review us. Thank you! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Sep 8, 2023 • 45min

579. Punk Rock Writing with Chuck Tingle

Dr. Chuck Tingle is back!My episode with Chuck Tingle from 2016 remains one of my most popular, and I was very excited to have Chuck back on the show while he was in the middle of his tour for Camp Damascus.We’re going to talk about eliciting joy, proving love, the three most maligned genres and why they’re denigrated, and Chuck’s ever-evolving trot as an artist and a person.Thank you to Caroline Perny for coordinating this interview!Music: purple-planet.comLINKS! You can find Chuck Tingle on his website, ChuckTingle.com, and on Tumblr (!!) at DrChuckTingle.Tumblr.com.It's been a long time since I've linked to Tumblr. Ah, good times.We also discussed his prior episode, Episode 206. Proving Love: An Interview with Dr. Chuck Tingle.Finally, a humble request: if you are so inclined, would you please leave a review for the show? I used to have some on Apple Podcasts - and now I have none? I would appreciate your time and comments so very much. Thank you. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Sep 1, 2023 • 33min

578. Harlem After Midnight with Louise Hare

Louise Hare is the author of the Canary Club mystery series, and book two, Harlem After Midnight is out this week! Louise joins me to talk about her main character, Lena Aldridge, and how Lena uses every asset at her disposal to navigate both a transatlantic cruise in book one, and Harlem in the 1930s in book two.We also talk about writing in dual timelines and the fun of writing family drama and murder, and most of all writing a character whose most familiar home is whatever stage she is on.It is a little tricky to do an interview for the second book of a mystery series, so to give you a bit more context, this is the cover copy for Harlem After Midnight:Harlem, 1936: Lena Aldridge grew up in a cramped corner of London, hearing stories of the bright lights of Broadway. She always imagined that when she finally went to New York City, she’d be there with her father. But now he’s dead, and she’s newly arrived and alone, chasing a dream that has quickly dried up. When Will Goodman—the handsome musician she met on the crossing from England—offers for her to stay with his friends in Harlem, she agrees. She has nowhere else to go, and this will give her a chance to get to know Will better and see if she can find any trace of the family she might have remaining.Will’s friends welcome her with open arms, but just as Lena discovers the stories her father once told her were missing giant pieces of information, she also starts to realize the man she’s falling too fast and too hard for has secrets of his own.…Music: purple-planet.com...A humble request from me, your podcast host and producer: If you have a moment and your thumbs are not busy, would you be so kind as to leave a review for the show?I used to have a few and now they are all gone? It is a mystery - but reviews help other folks find the show., so if you enjoy the podcast and you want to help me reach more nifty people, please drop us a review if you're so inclined? Thank you! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Aug 25, 2023 • 48min

577. Killing Folks with Deanna Raybourn

Deanna Raybourn is back, and we’re talking about some of the unusual methods used to kill folks in Killers of a Certain Age –and there are mild plot spoilers for that book, please be aware. We also talk about the images she receives from fans of her series, and the larger context of why there’s a sense of catharsis reading about terrible people meeting terrible ends.TW/CW: I mention lice when talking about networks of women. And we’re talking about poison, murders, and some serial killers.Music: purple-planet.com...A humble request from me, your podcast host and producer: If you have a moment and your thumbs are not busy, would you be so kind as to leave a review for the show?I used to have a few and now they are all gone? It is a mystery – but reviews help other folks find the show., so if you enjoy the podcast and you want to help me reach more nifty people, please drop us a review if you’re so inclined? Thank you! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Aug 18, 2023 • 52min

576. BookTok, Hockey Romance, and People as Products with Kayleigh Donaldson

Pop culture critic and former book blogger Kayleigh Donaldson joins me to talk about BookTok, hockey romance, and the Seattle Kraken. We’re locating this conversation in a larger discussion about fandom, fanfiction about real people, and the ways celebrity culture, fan culture, and romance intersect.I want to mention that we do talk very briefly about Johnny Depp and fandom, and larger issues of misogyny and sexual harrassment.Music: purple-planet.comYou can find Kayleigh Donaldson on Twitter @Ceillidhann, and on Pajiba.com. Her newsletter, The Gossip Reading Club, is excellent.We also mentioned the Dundee Stars hockey team in Dundee, Scotland, and I mentioned Klout, which was a way, way old memory of online weirdness.And here are the articles she mentioned that she wrote:Paste Magazine: "The Hottest Romances of the Season are All Happening On Ice"Paste Magazine: "Why is Adam Driver the Hero of Every Romance Novel Now?"Pajiba.com: "Krack My Back: Booktok, the Seattle Kraken, and Why You Shouldn't Turn Real People into Your Playthings."Important Coupon News!To celebrate 5 years of HEAs, Love’s Sweet Arrow is offering Smart Bitches listeners 20% off purchases in store and online throughout the month of August with code SMARTBITCHES. All orders over 100 dollars will receive a free gift with purchase. Enter code SMARTBITCHES at checkout online or mention it in store to receive your discount. Code applies only to in-stock products. Free gift will be selected by staff when filling your order.Ritual is all about hot data and stone cold facts. Get to know your nutrients on a deeper level with 30% off during your first month. Visit ritual.com/SARAH to start Ritual or add Essential For Women 18+ to your subscription today. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Aug 11, 2023 • 1h 15min

575. Dragon Called: Part II of a Heaving Bosoms Crossover

Time for another Heaving Bosoms Crossover!The first part of this recap of Dragon Called is up this week at Heaving Bosoms, and here for your listening pleasure is part II. I do a quick recap at the start, so no worries.This book, and episode, are both very NSFW though - heads up for that.***Important coupon news!To celebrate 5 years of HEAs, Love’s Sweet Arrow is offering Smart Bitches listeners 20% off purchases in store and online throughout the month of August with code SMARTBITCHES.In addition, all orders over 100 dollars will receive a free gift with purchase. Enter code SMARTBITCHES at checkout online or mention it in store to receive your discount.Code applies only to in-stock products. Free gift will be selected by staff when filling your order.***New customers GET $5 OFF a Lume Starter Pack with code SARAH30 at lumedeodorant.com/sarah.***Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Aug 4, 2023 • 41min

574. Historical Romance with Mimi Matthews

Mimi Matthews joins me to talk about self publishing historical romance, and about being one of many lawyers who write romance. We also talk about chronic pain and recovery, disability, and the joys of re-reading. Plus, she shares some of her all time favorite historical romances.  Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Jul 28, 2023 • 44min

573. Man Titty Fruit Roll Up: Romance Conference Memories with Amanda

In past years, Amanda and I would be at different romance conferences around this time, and it got me thinking. So we connected to talk about what we miss about romance-focused conferences, and what would our ideal book-focused conference look like?So! Many! Links! To share with you! I wrote about the RT cling-film signage back in 2013The episode where we are high: Episode 304. You Have a Type and It Might be Mullets: Sarah, Amanda and Elyse at RTEpisode 566: . The Blessings of Comfort Reads with KJ Charles Episode 371. Amanda and AJ Have Major Book Hangover from Gideon the NinthThe Unofficial Romantic Times IndexBack issues of RT sometimes appear on eBayMy review of A Most Agreeable MurderSteamy Lit ConFall in Love with New EnglandApollyconBrookline Booksmith  Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Jul 21, 2023 • 38min

572. Horror Recs for Romance Readers with Agatha Andrews from She Wore Black

Agatha Andrews from the She Wore Black podcast joins me to share some summer horror recs perfect for romance readers! We also discuss her activism in Texas, how libraries are sanctuaries, and the origins of purse bingo as a charity fundraiser. Plus, what happens when Taylor Swift fans and Stoker Con share the same hotel. COUPON! Get 40% off your first order over $30 at http://lumedeodorant.com/sarah!Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
undefined
Jul 14, 2023 • 39min

571. Geeky Gen-X Romance with Cathy Yardley

Cathy Yardley joins me this week to talk about her new book, Role Playing, which is a Gen-X romance featuring “an unapologetically grumpy forty-eight-year-old hermit” who joins an online gaming guild as Bogwitch and meets a healer named Otter. We talk about writing romance for 20 years and counting, and Cathy shares video game recs and book recs, too! Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode