Smart Podcast, Trashy Books Podcast

281. Alyssa Cole and Alisha Rai: Romance and the Resistance from Politics and Prose

Hooray! Thanks to Politics and Prose on the Wharf, I have the audio of the November 29, 2017, panel with Alisha Rai and Alyssa Cole, Romance and the Resistance. We talk about their favorite scenes in one another’s books, and which character is an homage to Alisha’s dating life (heads up for the Alisha Rai Dating Story Fans, we have a great one in here). We also discuss joy, romance, and the ambition of happiness as elements of resistance, how to persevere with happiness when things around you are bleak, and what happens when you Google “sexy grilled cheese sandwiches.”

About 35-40 minutes in, I didn’t repeat a question, and I apologize, but I kind of remember it: what do you do when people in your life discourage you from reading romance, or won’t take your recommendations because they look down on the genre? Then, around 50 minutes in, there’s a question that I didn’t repeat about quirks that Alisha and Alyssa may or may not notice in their writing.

Sorry about that!

And finally: around 22 minutes in, Alyssa talks a bit about how the rape of black women inspired some of the forms of activism behind the civil rights movement.

Read the transcript

↓ Press Play

This podcast player may not work on Chrome and a different browser is suggested. More ways to listen →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

Other links you should have!

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows!

Thanks to our sponsors:

More ways to sponsor:

Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)

What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at [email protected] or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!

This Episode's Music

Peatbog Faeries LIve at 25 album cover - a red lit stage with hands in the air from the crowd in the foregroundOur music is provided by Sassy Outwater. Thanks, Sassy!

Y’ALL. NEW PEATBOG!

To celebrate 25 years together, the Peatbog Fairies have a new live album, Live @ 25, and Sassy says I can include songs from it for your listening pleasure. WOO!

This is Marx Terrace Live by the Peatbog Faeries. You can find this album at Amazon and iTunes.

And you can learn more about the Peatbog Faeries at their website, PeatbogFaeries.com.

Transcript

Click to view the transcript

This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic Knitter. Many thanks.

Transcript Sponsor

Our transcript this week is sponsored by Judy, a listener overseas and generous supporter who loves the transcripts and asked if she could sponsor one. She tends to overspend on romance novels and perfume — what could be better?  She values our efforts to make the transcripts available.  And thanks to Garlic Knitter for crafting our transcripts each week.

Thank you, Judy! You are wonderful to be a sponsor, and I’m so happy to know that you enjoy the transcripts.

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Smart Podcast, Trashy Books is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at Frolic.media/podcasts!
Categorized:

Uncategorized

Add Your Comment →

  1. Betsydub says:

    Thank you, Sarah, for coming through on this podcast! I was so disappointed in not being able to stream it live or listen to it soon after the fact. But now here it is – a beautiful present delivered just in time to celebrate MLK Day on Monday and all of the Women’s Marches (Part Deux) next Saturday. Things – dare I say it – are looking up for the near future.
    (And much thanks, obviously, to Alisha and Alyssa, Politics & Prose on the Wharf, and Garlic Knitter)

  2. Demi says:

    Thank you, this is so what I needed to see today.

  3. Michelle says:

    What a great conversation! I squealed when I saw Alyssa Cole and Alisha Rai were on the podcast this week.

  4. lorenet says:

    I’ve heard several people comment about the Women’s March on Saturday, but when I look to register for the event in Las Vegas, it is on SUNDAY, JANUARY 21.

  5. lorenet says:

    Just saw this posted on FB: WOMEN’S M4RCH 2018 has been scheduled for Saturday, Jan 20 and Sunday, January 21. We hope to see y0u at NYC, LAS VEGAS and other all around the world.

  6. Betsydub says:

    I’ve been looking around, and so far, the most comprehensive list I’ve found of marches & rallies planned for the weekend of Sat. & Sun. 1/20-21 is on Wikipedia (just search for “Wiki Women’s March 2018). The article has a list of events by state and country, with corresponding links.
    And for those wondering “what does this have to do with romance books?”, I submit that, just like in our favorite books, in real life, we are all willing to put in the hard work and do what it takes for our HEA. We WILL get there.
    Oh – also, feminist(dot)org has an up to the moment list of events with links.

  7. Briana says:

    Binged Wrong to Need You and Hate to Want You this weekend and loved them both! Thanks for a great interview and podcast.

  8. Hazel says:

    Thanks very. much for this transcript of a thought-provoking conversation.

  9. Heather S says:

    Wait, a Muslim heroine? CATNIP ALERT!!!

  10. Heather S says:

    Also, Good Reads recently posted on their FB page “You know you’re a romance reader when…” and invited people to finish the sentence. Naturally, there were all the men making shaming comments like “you hang your head in shame and go look for a good sci-fi book instead”, “you’re okay with light reading”, comments about being single and having cats (as if there is something wrong with that), and others that reduced the genre to being solely for sexual gratification. I wished I could jump through the screen and give them a barrage of romances to the face. -.-

  11. Such a great listen! I love that happy endings are rebellious. Bring on the rebellion.

Add Your Comment

Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

↑ Back to Top