Shelf Love: Romance Novel Discourse

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027. Island Fling with the Tycoon by Therese Beharrie with Talia Hibbert Mar 03, 2020

Show notes

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Alexandra Ivy, INTENDED VICTIM. You can find INTENDED VICTIM by Alexandra Ivy wherever books are sold. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com.

Today’s podcast is also sponsored by Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 5 edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, published by Cleis Press. Find out more at bweoftheyear.com/

Shelf Love:

Sign up for the Shelf Love newsletter for bonus content! (Including access to the downloadable PDF book list from the 2019 Superlatives episode that is mentioned in this episode.)

Guest Host: Talia Hibbert

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taliahibbert/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaliaHibbert
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTaliaHibbert/
Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/192280797995525/

We Read Island Fling with the Tycoon by Therese Beharrie

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44648979-island-fling-with-the-tycoon

Talia’s Influences:

Julia Quinn - first, probably a subconscious influence
Conscious influences:
- Rebekah Weatherspoon
- Alisha Rai
- Alyssa Cole

Books/Media

Mulan (1998)
Hook Shot by Kennedy Ryan
A Taste of Her Own Medicine by Tasha L. Harrison

Movies that explore gender performance:

She's the Man (2006)
Just One of the Guys (1985)

Other Therese Beharrie books, and they all take place in one day:

What’s next for Talia:

Work For It in audio is available now!
Take a Hint, Dani Brown (June 2020)

End of Episode Fun:

You can find romance author Ash Dylan online @ashdylanlit on Twitter, at AshDylan.com, and you can buy his novella Ariana, which is about "Rapunzel, but she kills suitors until the right men come along," on Amazon.

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

026. Teach Me by Olivia Dade with Denise Williams Feb 25, 2020

Show notes

Today’s podcast is sponsored by Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 5 edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, published by Cleis Press. Find out more at bweoftheyear.com/

Shelf Love:

Guest: Denise Williams

Website
Twitter
Instagram
Sign up for updates on Denise’s Class and follow along with “Moving Past Bodice Ripping Toward Shredding the Patriarchy: Romance Novels as Tools for Justice” on Denise’s Website

Listen to Denise’s first Shelf Love appearance on Episode 20 where we discuss teaching romance novels to college students, and answer the question: Is romance a feminist genre?

Mentions:

Here’s Aarya Marsden’s elevator pitch recap of Teach Me from her Smart Bitches review:
- “...divorced high school history teachers in their forties, fat Ice Queen heroine who has very good reasons to guard her emotions, single dad hero who is the poster child for the opposite of toxic masculinity, meddling ex-parents-in-law and high school-aged daughter who ship the couple, and Evil School Administrator who gets defeated in the end.”
- Smart Bitches link
RWA Newsletter Lisa Leoni Writing Fat heroines - I don’t think the article is available online, but here’s a Twitter Thread.
Angelina M. Lopez’s Lush Money - “A bonkers idea that’s essentially a telenovela” - folks, when two guests in a row describe the same book in a very similar and tantalizing way, you should just go read it. (See also: Tamara Lush in Episode 25)
- Lush Money on Goodreads
Kennedy Ryan’s Block Shot - powerful heroine with alphahole hero.
- Block Shot on Goodreads
- Also discussed in Episode 24 with Kennedy Ryan
Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women edited by Jayne Ann Krentz - alpha males as a foil to show a powerful woman who is his equal.
Is Tyler from Priest by Sierra Simone a cinnamon roll?
Whoa!mance episode: RWA Reflections - reflections on happily ever after

For more information about the NECRWA Conference in Woburn, MA on April 24 + 25, 2020, check out NECRWA.org
NECRWA’s full statement about the disaffiliation vote.

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

024. Body Image in Romance Novels with Kennedy Ryan and Esme Brett Feb 14, 2020

Show notes

Guest: Kennedy Ryan

Website: https://kennedyryanwrites.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kennedyrwrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennedyryan1/
Shelf Love episode 18: https://shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/season-1/episode-18/kennedy-ryan-minisode-the-ritas-and-breaking-through/
Shelf Love episode 28: https://shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/season-1/episode-28/emergency-contact-by-mary-hk-choi-with-guest-kennedy-ryan-longing-connection-and-friendship-as-foundational-to-romance/

Cameo appearance from previous episode: Esme Brett

Novella mentioned in the episode is out!: Eyes On
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EsmeBrett
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feminist_romance/
Shelf Love episode 4: https://shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/season-1/episode-4/004-brazen-and-the-beast-by-sarah-maclean-guest-esme-brett/

Books mentioned:

Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan
Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

NECRWA Conference info: https://www.necrwa.org/conference/

Resources:

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

023. Katrina Jackson: Communication, Polyamory + Financial Conversations Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

Shelf Love:

Kat on social media:

Twitter: @KatrinaJax

Instagram: @KatJacksonBooks

Goodreads

Listen to: Episode 17 of Shelf Love with Katrina Jackson, discussing An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole

Kat’s new books:

Every New Year: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZS3ZL3P/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
- (Andrea’s Twitter review: “High-heat contemporary m/f. For fans of that Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock movie with the letters in a mailbox. 2 Emotional Idiots (TM) (with believable character development) circle around each other for 18 years annually around NYE. Sex on top of a teddy bear A+”
Grand Theft N.Y.E.: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z268N51/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
- A con woman who is stealing. She meets a rich man who steals her heart so she steals his car.

Notes:

Corey’s Book Corner Interview with Katrina:
- https://coreysbookcorner.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/interview-with-katrina-jackson/
- “I want to create worlds that look like the one I live in, as a queer Black woman, with friends of varying sexual orientations and genders in many different kinds of relationships, it wouldn’t make sense to segregate the stories.”
Rachel Kramer Bussel’s piece in The Washington Post
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/01/10/i-was-afraid-tell-my-partner-i-had-debt-heres-how-weve-handled-it/
- “I was afraid to tell my partner I had $100,000 in debt. Here’s how we’ve handled it.”
Helena Hunting’s Pucked Series
- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C66WZH/?ie=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0
Nicole Falls book that explores finances: Kat thinks she’s remembering Adore You
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J2XKKA0/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
- “Devorah Lee has spent her adult life searching for a guy who has The Zing, but has a penchant for falling for the wrong guy…enter Ellis Taylor — the notorious playboy brother of her ex who’s on a mission to show her he’s Mr. Right.”

Another Shelf Love episode that discusses polyamory: https://shelflove.simplecast.com/episodes/more-to-love-ep-10-extras-polyamorous-romance-hot-tub-no-maam-billionaire-questions

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

022. Thirsty by Mia Hopkins with Tif Marcelo Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

Shelf Love:

Guest Host: Tif Marcelo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tifmarcelo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TifMarcelo
Website: http://www.tifmarcelo.com/

Once Upon a Sunset - out in March 2020: http://www.tifmarcelo.com/once-upon-a-sunset.html

We Read: Thirsty by Mia Hopkins

Tif Marcelo’s Influences:

YA: Jenny Han, Sarah Dessen, Katie McGarry
Heavy Kindle Consumption: Elle Kennedy, Jennifer Armentrout, Colleen Hoover
Currently Reading: Juliette Cross (Wolf Gone Wild)
Later influences: Alyssa Cole, Alisha Rai, Beverly Jenkins, Annie Rains, JR Ward, Lisa Kleypas, Tessa Dare
Romance Class - Mina V. Esguerra’s books

Notes:

Actors on Actors: https://variety.com/vcategory/actors-on-actors/
- Actors interviewing other actors. It’s cool. The audio mention of this got cut but check it out

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

021. Secret Baby in Romance with Kini Allen Jan 31, 2020

Show notes

Shelf Love:

Guest Host: Kini Allen (Smexy Books)

Instagram: @1KiniLei
Twitter: @kinilei1

Listen to: Episode 5 with Kini Allen, where we discuss Time Served by Julianna Keyes

Books/Media

The Cad and the Co-Ed by Penny Reid and LH Cosway (Rugby player and...co-ed)
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34273458-the-cad-and-the-co-ed?from_search=true&qid=VLxIEd8dAE&rank=1
What A Girl Wants (2003)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_a_Girl_Wants_(film)
Bountiful by Sarina Bowen (hockey player and bartender)
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34099086-bountiful
Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (football player and astrophysicist)
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73080.Nobody_s_Baby_But_Mine?from_search=true&qid=7YmoY4JybA&rank=1
Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16119079-forever-my-girl?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=iWi0uTU2Em&rank=1
Never Enough #4 from The Brown Family Series by Lauren Dane
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9273113-never-enough?from_search=true&qid=abky6xMeIi&rank=4
Hold on Tight by Serena Bell
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43835264-hold-on-tight?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=grzhyNVFEh&rank=5
Willing Victim by Cara McKenna changed the way Kini was reading romance (but no secret baby)
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30901481-willing-victim?from_search=true&qid=z2p8yIL8Fo&rank=1

Listener recommendations:

Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson (@a_huszka)
@HannahHeartsRomance begrudgingly admitted to liking Scoring the Player’s Baby by Naima Simone despite not liking this trope.
@Phoenixindacity and @b.andherbooks seconded Kini’s recommendation for Bountiful by Sarina Bowen, and Phoenix also seconded The Cad and the Co-Ed.
@MarisaElaineGettas loves Fumbled by Alexa Martin.

Notes:

Guttmacher Institute Study about abortion: https://www.guttmacher.org/news-release/2017/abortion-common-experience-us-women-despite-dramatic-declines-rates

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

020. Denise Williams on Teaching Romance Novels Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

Shelf Love:

Sign up for updates on Denise’s Class and follow along with “Moving Past Bodice Ripping Toward Shredding the Patriarchy: Romance Novels as Tools for Justice” on Denise’s Website

Denise came back in episode 26 to talk about Teach Me by Olivia Dade and Cinnamon Roll Heroes.

Guest: Denise Williams

Website: https://www.denisewilliamswrites.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicwillwrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicwillwrites/

Miscellaneous:

Impact, not labeling. Jay Smooth, How to Tell People They Sound Racist

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

019. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas with Penny Reid Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

Shelf Love:

Guest: Penny Reid

Website: https://pennyreid.ninja/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReidRomance
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reidromance/

We read:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

https://sarahjmaas.com/court-of-thorns-and-roses/

Books mentioned:

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe (Web comic)
A Well-Timed Enchantment by Vivian Vande Velde
Marriage Games by C.D. Reiss
The Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

Book recommendation requests:

Penny’s 12-year-old-going-on-75 year old son has read All the Books. His favorite books include The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov and he recently enjoyed The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin. He didn’t like Dune. How do we introduce him to the romance genre?
Penny is looking for recommendations for awesome romance books to gift her daughter on her 16th birthday (6 years from now).
Penny is looking for character-driven erotica suggestions, along the lines of C.D. Reiss.

Miscellaneous:

Grief is a spiral
Zeus is toxic
Outgrowing a relationship is OK
There’s strength in being a marshmallow
Would you trade your freedom for a golden cage
Did you know that Ripley in Alien was originally written as a man? (Anyone have a paper on this?)
- “The reason it still resonates with women today in the industry is how real Ripley is, Weaver adds. "So many people in the business would have said, ‘Well now we have to make her more sympathetic.’ And then it’s suddenly this token scene that shows we’re actually feminine after all, and that’s frankly bulls---, because that doesn’t happen in real life. Ripley doesn’t have time to try to be sympathetic, you know?” she added.”

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

018. Kennedy Ryan: The RITAs and Breaking Through Jan 17, 2020

Show notes

This is a minisode, an excerpt from a longer interview. Kennedy Ryan's full interview and book club pick will be released in February 2020.

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

017. An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole with Katrina Jackson Jan 14, 2020

Show notes

Kat on social media:

Twitter: @KatrinaJax

Instagram: @KatJacksonBooks

Goodreads

Kat’s new books:

Every New Year: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZS3ZL3P/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
- (Andrea’s Twitter review: “High-heat contemporary m/f. For fans of that Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock movie with the letters in a mailbox. 2 Emotional Idiots (TM) (with believable character development) circle around each other for 18 years annually around NYE. Sex on top of a teddy bear A+”
Grand Theft N.Y.E.: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z268N51/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
- A con woman who is stealing. She meets a rich man who steals her heart so she steals his car.

Alyssa Cole

Alyssa Cole’s episode: “Alyssa Cole Wants You to Use Your Power, Be An Emotional Badass - Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh”

Kat’s Formative Years in Romancelandia

Ashwin by Kit Rocha: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30291044-ashwin
Anne Rice’s Erotica: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sleeping_Beauty_Quartet

Kat’s influences:

Rebekah Weatherspoon
Alyssa Cole
Beverly Jenkins
Kit Rocha

An Extraordinary Union - first book in the Loyal League Series

History

Kat’s specialty is the African diaspora as a social movement historian.

#FallsOnLove Podcast (with Nicole Falls), where Kat said she doesn’t want to write historical romance.

Historical romance is really white/European.

Familial bonds: love as a particular Black radical organizing impetus

Students’ expectation of African American history = trauma

I think the article I was thinking of about change in social attitudes about LGTBQ people because “love was in place.”

But I think I was also drawing on listening to this Hidden Brain podcast episode about how selling same-sex marriage was key to the strategy for LGBTQ rights.

What this book does: Centers the story of the Civil War on the marginalized POV

Discussions of enslaved people in the book:

Agency existed even without freedom/ability to truly consent (just because people used their limited choices to make their life better does not mean that “slavery was not that bad.”
Janeta’s mother: Melancholy of freedom/separation from her community
PTSD

You are worthy of being loved, not just because of how you serve other people’s needs.

You should read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

WTF was up with working class white people at this time?

Race and Class is the US
Class doesn’t matter (as much as): Race does, in America
This was one of the articles I read as I tried to understand the perspective of poor white people in the south (and why they felt invested in slavery):

Andrew Johnson = The Worst

Reconstruction is the roots of the public education system in America.

Rebel by Beverly Jenkins covers reconstruction/early public education. Discussed in episode 3 of Shelf Love.

The journey each goes through makes them able to enter into a healthy relationship = Kat wants more of this.

Reluctant Spy Partners:

Kat Recommends:
- Beverly Jenkins: Midnight (m/f - historical. The father is a Tory, the FMC is a spy for the Rebels) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7935443-midnight?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jiJfji8PWm&rank=2
Lust + Found Reads
- Hither, Page - Cat Sebastian (m/m - historical)
- Think of England - KJ Charles (m/m - historical)
Felicia Davin recommends:
- Ada Harper: A Conspiracy of Whispers (m/f - scifi/fantasy)

Shelf Love:

NEW! Substack for original writing and stuff | Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Email: Andrea@shelflovepodcast.com

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