Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast

Updated: 21 Feb 2025 • 714 episodes
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Each week on Smart Podcast, Trashy Books, Sarah Wendell interviews authors, readers, reviewers, bloggers, publishing professionals, editors, and librarians about romance novels, which are among the most popular genres in fiction worldwide. Popular guests include: Ilona Andrews, Robin Bradford, NPR's Barrie Hardymon, Chuck Tingle, Sarah J. Maas, and Rachel Aaron. Amanda Diehl, co-pilot of the SS Smart Bitches, makes regular appearances with maximum silliness, especially during our Romantic Times Rewind episodes, where we take a look at old issues of Romantic Times Magazine (1981-2018). Frequent topics include romance novels, the way the genre is changing, and the brilliant and interesting people who read, write, and produce it, and issues common among romance readers. Plus, we always recommend some books we're reading and really enjoying. Learn more at SB-TB.com/Podcast. Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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It’s time for the ads and features of the October 2000 Romantic Times magazine, where they’re both talking about new releases AND celebrating their 200th issue. What did we learn? We learned about waxing, magazines, and galleys, but not about skin care, gun parts, or boats. We’ve got Extreme Troy, everyone. Grab a drin

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Kimberly Lemming’s new book, I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in A Rom-Com is out this week. What’s inside? A fantasy world with underfunded researchers and mishandled animal restoration caused by fiscal irresponsibility, academic malfeasance and nepotism. And talking lions and fire breathing aliens powered

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RT is celebrating their 200th issue, and we’re celebrating, too! We’ve got the OG Monster Schtupping book, a guy whose arm appears to end in a ham, and some incredible covers. You know I’m going to tell you not to miss the visual aids, but I mean it. There’s a series where the focus of every cover illustration is someo

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My guest today is Candy Tan, who 20 years ago co-founded Smart Bitches Trashy Books with me. Yay!! We’re looking back at the founding of SBTB, about her reactions to Bridgerton, and her perennial favorite romances. We talk about different ways that romance has changed since 2005. Then I show Candy the casting photos fo

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Savannah Carlisle is the author of The Library of Second Chances and is a sports business reporter and nonfiction author under the name Kristi Dosh. Her romance centers on a Little Free Library, so of course we are talking about that. We also discuss the difficult economies of small coastal towns, and the ways that mem

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