Amanda and I are traveling to May 1994 and taking a look at the book reviews in this edition of RT Rewind! We’re answering many questions, including: Why does five stars mean something is a classic, but one star is acceptable?What do CS, RM, VR, and F stand for inside Contemporary and New Reality?What grade did Dreaming of You receive? There’s so much Fabio, a telepathic cat, blaming tornadoes for murder, and a lot of time travel. But my gosh, golly, gee whiz, do not miss the visuals for...

Len Pennie’s book of Scots poetry poyums is out in the US this week, and you might have seen my post about her book launch earlier this week. Len is my guest today and we’re going to talk about: Poetry!Healing from trauma and abuseThe subversive revolution of teaching a word a day in a minoritized languageUsing humor to overcome the “cultural hangover of linguistic oppression”More poetry!TW/CW: discussion of intimate partner violence and domestic abuse, depression, stalking. Music:...

Y’all, the April 2005 issue of Romantic Times is a treasure of truly amazing fun. So many of you told me that episode 609, where we looked at the reviews, made you laugh so hard you cried. Well, let me share some highlights of what is about to happen to your eardrums. The Mr. Romance Cover Model Pageant was a Six-episode reality tv show on the Oxygen network, and we missed it when it ran. It’s not all on YouTube but we have a few links!We have the arrival of what I called the “venti sized”...

What happens when you write the books you want to read but are having a hard time finding? Many good things. Kimberly Lemming loves fantasy, and started writing her own catnip, which led to the joy that is the Mead Mishaps series.We answer ALL the tough questions, like how many mead mishaps have we personally experienced? How does one make the bananas spin? And why is Galavant the greatest production ever made? Note: in the middle of the episode, the email Kimberly sent that gave me a peek at...

We’re taking a tour through the new releases across many genres from April 2005, nearly 20 (!!!) years ago. Romance has changed a wee little bit. How much cringe shall we find? Plenty! Other oddities? Mainstream includes YA and Chick Lit. Contemporary includes New Reality. Regency in Format includes Corinthians! And we’re trying to understand a character who wants to “dim the pain of turning 30.” It’s a ride, as usual. Side trips include Sea Breeze, Stridex, and St Ives Medicated Apricot...

Mel Blue was my guest when we discussed Spare – which has become one of my most listened-to episodes – so I asked her back to talk about the narratives of PR, why the weird stories around Kate Middleton grabbed attention worldwide, and why so many people were and are paying attention. On one level it’s a story that originated in gossip about rich and powerful people in an archaic power structure being weird. But it’s also a story of misinformation, propaganda, and a complicit media system,...

We’re looking at the ads and features from the March 2016 issue of RT Book Reviews! We’ve got cowboy heads growing out of gravel roads, a dude who looks like he’s on fire, and that one guy who is always ripping his shirt off from romance covers. We decide on an in-house definition of “Castle Bangenschloss.” Oh! And a really angry reader wants self pub authors to stop using the same stock images for different covers. It’s wild, y’all. Don’t miss the visual aids that go with this...

Shirley Green and Sharon Spiak are the duo behind many, and I mean many of your favorite romance covers, and are absolutely 100% the duo behind one of mine – For the Love of a Pirate by Edith Layton. The hair. The waves. THE ROCKS. I connected with Shirley and Sharon and got a History Lesson in how cover shoots used to work. We’re talking costume, art direction, photography, and painting skills combined to make some very memorable covers, and how much deliberate emotional care went into some...

Amanda and I are diving into the reviews from the March 2016 issue of RT Book Reviews. In this episode you will learn about A Tale of Two Biddies. You’ll discover Baby Bothering and God Bothering. And most importantly, are demons really a natural fit for the Regency era? All these questions are more will be answered in this episode! Don’t miss the visual aids for this episode! Music: Purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See...

Katee Robert joins me to talk about her many releases this year, about marketing through Kickstarter and direct-to-reader options like Patreon, and about the foundational books in fantasy and romance that got her started. We also talk about current issues, like Findaway Voices and Spotify’s changes to the terms of service for authors. You can find Katee Robert on her website, KateeRobert.com. You can also check out her Patreon. We also mentioned Modern PostcardBonkers RomanceThe Bonkers...

We’re traveling back to April 2006 in this month’s RT Rewind! We discuss the evolving cover art for the Immortals After Dark series and style changes in illustrated covers. We also talk about Well water adventuresAuthor photo? MUST be leaningA contest made of author prom photosMany predecessors to GoodReadsA book from 1991, promoted in 2006, made into a movie in 2022. And a FULL PAGE of Mr. Romance. When I start talking about Redeeming Love, massive trigger warning and content warning, just...

Jennifer L. Armentrout joins me to talk about the books she considers the foundation of her fantasy romance reading, and what classical historical romances she adores. Her newest book, Visions of Flesh and Blood is out next week, so we’re looking forward, and back – and way, way back in the past.  We talk about a series she’s paused, and why, and what it means to update a book that doesn’t ‘age well.’  What fantasy or historical romances were foundational reading for you? I’d love to know...

We’re traveling back to April 2006 in this month’s RT Rewind! We take a look at the reviews in this issue and we’ve got some one-star reviews, and curiously paranormal is part of contemporary? It’s weird. Things I initially pronounce wrong: demesne TW/CW: mention of suicide in book reviews, plus snakes and rat infestations. Link to visual aids! ... Music: purple-planet.com Coupon! LUME: New customers get $5 off Lume’s Starter Pack with our exclusive code. Use code SARAH30 at...

It's our 600th episode!! Emily Nagoski is back to talk about her new book Come Together: The Science (and Art!) of Creating Lasting Sexual Connections. We talk about the genesis for this book, which is in part that writing a book is stressful and hard, and while writing Come As You Are, Emily noticed that her own interest in sex was missing. By diving headlong into all the research, she realized that people who sustain lasting sexual connections have a few major things in common, which is...

We’re traveling back to December 2015 in this month’s RT Rewind, and we're taking a look at the ads and features in this issue! We’ve got LONG series from Elizabeth Hoyt, Kresley Cole, and Shannon Stacey, plus SWAT team shifters, Navy SEAL Highlanders, and some memories, some not so great, of the 2016 RT convention in Vegas…at the Rio. And then! We have a supplement that only appears in the digital editions of RT at the time: the Indie/Hybrid News & Reviews Supplement. It’s a wild...

Mimi Matthews returns to the show to talk about her latest novel, The Lily of Ludgate Hill, which is the third book in her Belles of London series. Among the major themes of this book? PINING. SO MUCH PINING. Which I love. But this is also a book about grief: characters are pining for what was as much as other characters are pining for what could be. So we talk about grief, loss, hope, and about adapting to massive upheaval - and about The Gilded Age television show. CW: We talk a lot about...

We’re traveling back to December 2015 in this month’s RT Rewind! We take a look at the reviews in this issue and along the way talk about audiobook series, historical romance, Jesus by Volume, and the ever-so-small range of grades in each genre. We also take a side trip into JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. You can find the visual aids for this episode right here! You can find all the Romantic Times Rewind episodes, show notes, and visual aids at RTRewind.com! We also mentioned my...

Our final holiday wishes episode - thank you to everyone who makes these episodes such a treat. It’s an honor to connect with all of you! This week, Sneezy, Sandra, Tiffany, Lisa and Shana share recommendations, wishes, and terrible jokes. CW: we start off and end with some talk about anxiety brain gremlins, so FYI. Thank you again for making these episodes so fun! Happy New Year! We also mentioned: Baked by the Baroness (Tapas)Roni Loren's NewsletterTODY App Library Extension for...

We've got books, wishes, and wonderful jokes from Amanda, GarlicKnitter, Alanna, and Claudia! We’re traveling around the world with this episode! We’ve got many, many books to tell you about, and also wishes for cozy light and joy. Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More holiday wishes, book recs, TV recs, and bad jokes, with you as my guests! This week, I’m joined by Verity, Elyse, Carrie, and Rich, aka Mr. Elyse, and we talk about So Much Entertainment! Verity and I chat about books, tv, and writing - so if you’re looking for some British tv shows, you’re in a lot of luck. We do start with some critique of the early 2000s language about women, bodies, body shaming, and anti-fat bias. Then I chat with Elyse and Carrie, who review for SBTB, and maybe...

It’s July 2004, and the ads and features are a wild ride. I might say that every month but this month it is especially true. We learn about a bunch of different bookstore that are still in business - and encounter a lot of ads for small presses that are, alas, long gone. There’s a lot of romance history in this issue. Bonus: I solve a HaBO for Amanda! Live! I’m so proud of me. Important: Do NOT miss the visual aids for this episode. My goodness me. Music: Purple-planet.com Coupon! New...

It’s time for holiday wishes, book recommendations, and absolutely dreadful jokes, with listeners and reviewers as my guests! Each year I invite the review team from SBTB and the members of the Podcast Patreon to connect with me to offer recs, wishes, and, if they wish, a bad joke. These episodes are so popular and are like weekly hugs for your ears and your brain, with some potential hugs toward your TBR, which is definitely about to get a little taller. In this first of our holiday wishes...

Thanks to Kay Sisk for sending us this issue! We’re taking a look at the book reviews from the July 2004 issue of RT Book Club – yup, the magazine had a different title back then. This issue predates the founding of SBTB, in fact! The genres are different, and so are the books inside. And! We have some one-star reviews! We’re going to talk about Color changing taffeta!Sex in department store fitting rooms!American historicalsAnd heads up for some absolutely incredible amounts of exoticism,...

Recently, Mara Wilson was talking about her favorite (and least favorite) romance tropes on social media, so I invited her onto the podcast to tell us all about it. You may know Mara Wilson from Matilda or Mrs. Doubtfire, but she’s currently working very happily as an audiobook narrator, most recently for Chuck Tingle's Camp Damascus! Please note: we don’t talk a lot about the films she has been in, because this was recorded while SAG-AFTRA and the WGA were on strike. Special thanks to Basil...