After our involuntary podcasting hiatus, we're back with a vengeance. Gabby has taken over the podcast, because in this episode we talk about a topic I know nothing about -- One Direction fandom. Specifically: Larry Stylinson. We also talk about fanfic, fan spaces, K-Pop, and Filipino love teams.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Gabby
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 29/06/2018 IASPR
Romance readers read aloud from some of their favourite books. Plus, Rudi, Gabby and Kat talk about politics in romance, debate the merits of Passion, and generally meander through random topics.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 25/03/2018 Sydney
Author Jennifer Hallock explains her IASPR paper on chronotopes in historical romance, and why our familiarity with Regency romance might be hindering us from appreciating romances set in other historical settings. We talk about the additional work that authors of diverse historical romance have to do to construct their stories, and some of the challenges that Jennifer faced when writing her own books. (And a bonus for fans of Father Andres: We talk about his defrocking!)
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 2/07/2018 IASPR
Book Thingo blogger Rudi, Gabby and Kat talk about the All About Romance Top 100 Romances list. Used by many readers for author discovery, this year's list has generated a lot of discussion particularly around diversity. We mention books and authors we would have liked to see on the list, our feelings on removing rankings, and whether we have a false sense of diversity in the readership.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 9/06/2018 Sydney
Carla de Guzman talks about her books, including her upcoming release for #romanceclassFLAIR, plus-size heroines, travelling, living the tita life, food in fiction, and musicals. We also have a very intresting discussion about romance authors in community with other creative people in the arts, followed by some reflections on unravelling some of the cultural baggage in Filipino romance.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 4/08/2018 Sydney
Rudi, Gabby and I talk about books the that introduced us to the romance genre, books that made us fall in love with the genre, and books that we recommend to people who might not read romance but maybe might want to try it. If we missed anything, feel free to expand, reframe, or spin off from our definition using the hashtag #rombklove.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 17/05/2018 Sydney
Usually we would post the show notes on the blog, but it's misbehaving, so we're mirroring the info here, just for this special episode.
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Guest: Rudi Bremer & Gabby | Host: Kat Mayo | Audio producer: Rudi Bremer | Recorded: 17/05/2018 Sydney
The alternative title for this episode is: Not your mother’s romance. This is what Rudi would prefer to call it, but in the spirit of #RomBkLove 2018, I (Kat) have gone with the boring but easily recognisable title. This pretty much sums up the dynamic for our Book Thingo blogger roundtable podcasts. Of which this #RomBkLove prompt will be one!
When Ana Coqui from Immersed in Books invited us to participate as hosts in this year’s #RomBkLove month, Rudi, Gabby and I decided that we would do something a little different. We thought we’d record a podcast where we talk about gateway books, and leave most of the book lists for you, our fellow readers, to post either here on the blog (the shownotes page, if you’re reading this on a podcasting app), or on social media. By day 23, we figured you might be overwhelmed with reading lists, and this is a chance for us to catch our breaths and remember why we fell in love with the genre, and books that helped to get us there.
If you haven’t heard of #RomBkLove, you can read Ana’s introduction post here. It’s a month-long celebration of romance books, and each day is focused on a theme, which hosted by one or more readers either on their own platform or on Ana’s blog. Most of the conversation happens on Twitter, but I know others are also playing on Instagram and Facebook, so feel free to get into it via the social media platform you’re most comfortable with — just remember to use the hashtag #RomBkLove if you want us to be able to find your comments. Ana is also busy archiving the discussions for each day — a Herculean feat given the increasing popularity of this event — and using the hashtag helps her find reader discussions online.
For todays’ theme, gateway books, we broadly define the theme to be about books that introduced us to the romance genre, books that made us fall in love with the genre, and books that we recommend to people who might not read romance but maybe might want to try it. If we missed anything, feel free to expand, reframe, or spin off from our definition.
I’m excited to hear about your gateway books into romance. Before we recorded this podcast, I hadn’t realised how differently Gabby, Rudi and I slid into reading romance fiction, and I suspect you have some very interesting stories yourselves!
Guests
Rudi Bremer — Book Thingo blogger and audio producer extraordinaire: @rudi_bee
Gabby — Book Thingo blogger and writer of An open letter to the Sydney Writers’ Festival: @penneclearwater
Gateway books and authors
- Mills and Boon
- Sweet Dreams
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Secret Obsession by Charlotte Lamb
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Faking It by Jennifer Cruise
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Until You by Judith McNaught
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James [ reviews ]
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Devil’s Bride by Stephanie Lauren [ review ]
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase [ review ]
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn [ podcast ]
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh [ review | podcast ]
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Untamed by Anna Cowan [ review ]
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat [ podcast ]
Other books and authors we mention
- Stasia Black
- Sweet Valley High
- Baby-Sitters Club
- Jacqueline Wilson
- Lisa Kleypas
- Christina Dodd
- Susan Elizabeth Phillips
- Johanna Lindsey
- Julie Garwood
- Bryce Courtenay
- HelenKay Dimon
- Jane Austen
- Clementine Ford
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Forever by Judy Blume
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Nicholas by Elizabeth Amber
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
- BD | BT | Amz | Aud — Summer Skin by Kirsty Eagar [ review ]
Links
- Wattpad
- Goodreads
- All About Romance — Annual Reader Polls
- fanfiction.net
- Chachic — Fellow romance book blogger [ podcast ]
- Backstreet Boys
- NSync
- iTunes | Amazon — Kissing’ Cousins (Film)
- iTunes | Amazon — Pride and Prejudice (TV)
- iTunes | Amazon — Clueless (Film)
- Amazon — Empire Records (Film)
(Bryan is the one on the bottom left.)
Missed a previous episode? You can find a list of all the Book Thingo podcast episodes here and catch up. You can also email your feedback and suggestions to podcast@bookthingo.com.au.
Nalini Singh talks about her hugely successful Psy-Changeling books, and gives us a sneak peek into what she's writing next
Managing editor Kate Cuthbert talks about her reputation for dropping dirty words at literary panels (and why she loves the C-word), why we rarely see politics in romance fiction, how much luck plays in a book's success, and rom coms as the new chick lit. Kate is currently researching the use of rural places in Australian popular fiction, so I ask her the question every PhD candidate dreads (but don't worry, she has it under control!). She also shares her thoughts on some up and coming authors that you might want to check out.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 22/03/2018 Sydney
Long-time friend of the podcast Sarah joins Rudi and Kat to talk about non-traditional romances. What's the appeal of sexy times with multiple partners? What makes for a satisfying threesome HEA? And why is there always that guy who makes sandwiches for everyone when they're done?
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 21/03/2018 Sydney
Romance reader Jothee Belikov talks about going to a strip show in Sydney, being part of the #romanceclass community, and how Twilight opened up the world of reading for her.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 17/9/2017 Sydney
Romance reader and Book Thingo blogger Vanja Joannidis talks about why she wants strong heroines in romance, her thoughts on Fifty Shades (in which she coins the charming term 'ghost loads'), happy endings as empowering fiction, and her search for billionaire heroines in romance and romances featuring married couples.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 10/02/2018 Sydney
What better way to celebrate Valentine's (Galentine's) Day than to read from our favourite romance books! We invited our listeners to send in a reading from a favourite book, and we're so excited to present...you! These are your favourite scenes from your favourite books, and today we're celebrating our shared love for romance fiction!
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 2/02/2018 Sydney
Author and academic Jodi McAlister talks about the GenreWorlds project, studying popular fiction in Australia, her experience as an emerging author of young adult paranormal fiction, upcoming shows in the Bachelor franchise, and what she has learned about royal-themed romance.
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 22/12/2017 Sydney
Librarian and academic Vassiliki Veros talks about her research on how libraries collect romance fiction, and how metadata in catalogue records can affect library practice around these books, including authors' ability to claim their lending rights. She talks about why she loves Mills and Boon romances so much, and we have a friendly disagreement over what constitutes a happy ending in romance. We also discuss serendipitous book discovery, and I find out what librarians REALLY think of sex in the stacks!
Shownotes: http://bookthingo.com.au/podcast
Feedback: podcast@bookthingo.com.au
Host: Kat Mayo
Audio producer: Rudi Bremer
Recorded: 16/12/2017 Sydney