Today I welcome Sarah Beth Durst to the show to discuss her newest book, THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE. It’s a delightful cozy fantasy novel with sentient plants, a winged cat, and some subtle commentary on who has the right to learn and the importance of libraries in our communities. We also discuss a bit about craft and genre blending, if you’re interested in writing a cozy fantasy yourself. All links and shownotes available on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome Sangu Mandanna to the show to discuss her newest book, A WITCH’S GUIDE TO MAGICAL INNKEEPING. It’s a wonderful book full of whimsy, self-reflection, and the most unusual ghosts I’ve ever read. This book wasn’t just a pleasure to read, it was so well written that I asked as much about craft as I did about her cozy fantasy elements. We also discuss the autism representation in her book, so I hope that has as much meaning for you as it did for me.
Today I welcome two of my favorite people back to the show to help me celebrate my birthday. Stephanie Gagnon, from Books in the Freezer, and Rachel Harrison join me for this special episode full of Goth Girl Summer book recommendations. Please excuse the number of F-bombs I drop. If you have little ones around you, put your ear pods in, then have a great time with us. All links and shownotes available at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I wanted to celebrate Libraries and Librarians since they have taken a large hit in this political climate. They are a treasure to our communities, which is why so many books feature libraries and librarians. To do this, I welcomed back Jocelyn Codner and Jenny Adams, whom you all may remember from my Literacy episode last Fall. For the first 20 minutes, we discuss the state of libraries and celebrate a few victories, as well as share ways you can support your libraries. The rest of the episode is dedicated to book recommendations that feature libraries across genres. I’ll list these in my show notes with links to my Bookshop if you want to support my show as well as independent bookstores nationwide. Show notes available at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome Riley Sager back to the show to discuss his new book, WITH A VENGEANCE, a fun midcentury train mystery that was so captivating I couldn’t put it down. We discuss his inspirations for the book, as well as the process. Riley Sager is also on tour right now, so check his website for tour dates in your area. If you can’t make it out to see him, you can get WITH A VENGEANCE, as well as Riley’s other books, in my Bookshop if you want to support my show as well as independent bookstores nationwide. All links and show notes are in my bookshop at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome Katy Horan to the show to discuss her new book, MURDER BALLADS. She painted each powerful illustration in the book and spent years researching these folk songs, which often depict young, beautiful, murdered women floating ethereally down a river. We discuss her process and background and, for my own curiosity, focus on songs by Johnny Cash, PJ Harvey and Nick Cave, and Nirvana’s famous Unplugged performance. All links and show notes are on my website at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome C. J. Cooke to the show to discuss her new book, THE GHOST WOODS, and since I loved this book so much, we discuss books from her backlist too, including THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES and THE BOOK OF WITCHING. I’m fascinated by her gothic writing and consistent themes of witches and motherhood. I do want to take a moment to apologize for the way my voice sounds in this episode. I had an issue with my microphone connecting to my new computer, but that issue has been resolved on other recordings.
All links and show notes for the episode are at www.sheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome Mimi Matthews to the show to discuss new book, RULES FOR RUIN. It’s a fantastic historical romance that’s Peaky Blinders meets Great Expectations. I love all of Mimi’s books, but this is my favorite historical romance from her, and it’s one I’ll definitely reread. You all might remember my chat with her in one of my first episodes, where she came on to discuss her gothic novel, JOHN EYRE, my other favorite book from her that is a mix of Jane Eyre and Dracula. All links and show notes available on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome mermaid aficionado and longtime friend, Desiree M. Niccoli to discuss mermaids across genre fiction. I had her on for a previous MerMay episode a few years ago, soon after the release of her book CALLED TO THE DEEP. Today she created a fun mermaid quiz, which we do at the end of the show, and we discuss the rise in mermaid fiction since our last episode. We also give several book recommendations. All links and show notes available on my website at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome Paulette Kennedy to discuss Queer Representation in Gothic. Her new book, THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE is out today, and like all of Paulette’s Gothics, it includes queer characters. We chat about how queerness was once subtext, and how it’s evolved over time, and we give some great book recommendations that reflect this evolution. I’ve added any of these titles that are still in print in my Bookshop if you want to support my show as well as independent bookstores nationwide. All links and show notes are available at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome Erika T. Wurth to discuss the beloved genre plot device of “Portals,” which she uses in her new book, THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904. We chat about the difference between a “Portal” and a “Time Slip, " her love of science fiction and fantasy, and we give some great book recommendations which I have in my Bookshop if you want to support my show as well as independent bookstores nationwide. All links and show notes available on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Thanks for listening!
Today I welcome an author I’ve long adored to the show, Leslye Penelope. We discuss Historical Fantasy and define the basic parameters of the subgenre. We discuss her work within that context, and we give some great book recommendations. All links and show notes available at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome Olivia Waite to the show to discuss her new book, MURDER BY MEMORY, a cozy sci-fi mystery. Olivia is known for her sapphic historical romances, so this is a new fiction genre for her, but one that suits her voice well. We chat about knitting and how the fiber arts relate to science, her journey through genre, and what’s next in this series. Links available in show notes at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome Julie Leong to the show to discuss the wildly popular subgenre, Cozy Fantasy. We chat about Julie’s book, THE TELLER OF SMALL FORTUNES, as well as the history of Cozy Fantasy, our earliest experience reading the subgenre, and we offer some wonderful book recommendations.
All links and show notes at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome Emily Carpenter to the show to discuss her new book GOTHICTOWN, as well all her previous gothic novels. We chat about her books in context with beloved gothic tropes, characters and settings, like isolation, creepy towns, and the American south.
GOTHICTOWN is on sale March 25th.
All links and show notes available at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome journalist, professor and true crime podcaster, Kate Winkler Dawson, to the show to discuss her new historical true crime book, ALL THE SINNERS BOW: TWO AUTHORS, ONE MURDER, AND THE REAL HESTER PRYNNE. We discuss the 1832 murder of Sarah Maria Cornell and how that murder inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write The Scarlett Letter, as well as the research into both the murder and the writing of FALL RIVER, the first American true crime book written about this murder in 1832.
Links and show notes available at https://sheworeblackpodcast.com/
Today I welcome Heather Fawcett to the show to talk about her Emily Wilde series. These beloved books are about a Cambridge professor who specializes in the study of fairies. This cozy fantasy trilogy has been at the forefront of this subgenre since the first novel, “Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries,” came out a few years ago. The third book, “Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales,” was released February 11th and has Emily studying the faery realm as their queen. Links to the books and show notes are available on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome Liz Parker back to the show to talk about Cottagecore Movies. I really needed a break from the world, so I wanted to do an episode that felt like a warm hug. This also came just in time for Liz’s upcoming book, THE OTHER MARCH SISTERS, which she co-wrote with Linda Epstein and Ally Malinenko, from the point of view of the other March sisters in LITTLE WOMEN. It comes out February 25th, and you can preorder it now in my Bookshop. All show notes and links available on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome Kimberly Lemming to the show to talk about her work, including a new science fiction romcom series that begins with I GOT ABDUCTED BY ALIENS AND NOW I’M TRAPPED IN A ROMCOM. We also discuss her previous cozy fantasy romcom series that began with THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND SAVED A DEMON. We chat about maintaining her voice across genre, and what folks are seeking when reaching for these distinctive titles. Please note that there is a sound fluctuation for the first ten minutes of the show, so please excuse that and enjoy the chat because Kimberly Lemming is a smart and fun delight that I know you’ll enjoy.
All links and show notes atsheworeblackpodcast.com
Today I welcome Hailey Piper to the show to discuss Gothic Fantasy. Hailey knows this genre blend well, as the author of several books that do this work, including her new book ALL THE HEARTS YOU EAT, and her upcoming 2025 release, A GAME IN YELLOW. We chat about elements that define this subgenre, our earliest interest in Gothic Fantasy, and we give some recommendations. All titles and links will be in show notes on my website at sheworeblackpodcast.com
Thanks for listening!
