This Sunday, February 12th, CBS Sunday Morning will be airing a feature hosted by Faith Salie about romance fiction.
They recorded interviews with many people, including Eloisa James, Beverly Jenkins, Bea and Leah Koch of The Ripped Bodice bookstore, and me, and I’m both excited and nervous to see it.
CBS Sunday Morning is on my local CBS station beginning at 9am, but I’m not sure when the segment will air. You can check your local listings to see but it should be available in most markets.
Let me address what might be your concerns up front: I am very optimistic this will be a positive piece about romance. I know, I know, all too often the combination of mainstream media + Valentine’s Day + the romance genre = epic WTFery. But I’m very confident this will be positive, encouraging, and (I hope) funny. Here are all the reasons why.
Faith Salie is a romance reader – a new one, too, so let there be recommendations! – and a frequent panelist on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, if you’re thinking her name sounds familiar. She’s also the host of season two of Audible’s audio show Authorized, which is looking at how writers tackle the topics of love, sex, and romance. In the first episode, which debuted this week, she interviews Eloisa James.
Here’s a quote from Faith’s introduction for Chapter 1 as she describes her own introduction to romance fiction:
These books are feminist. They’re funny. They’re totally engrossing. And most, importantly, they mean so much to so many people. And I’m starting to investigate and appreciate love in my own life because I’m reading these. And if you think that’s corny, you need your corset loosened.
So this season, we’re going to celebrate the romance genre, and lots of other books that take us into the bedroom and between the sheets. And we’re going to ask why some of those books get a bad rap while others get a Pulitzer.
So. I’m here for that discussion, right? if you want to listen to this episode and the new season, the episodes are free if you’re an Audible subscriber.
Often when mainstream media takes a look at romance genre, its readership, or the industry, the angle of the interview can come from one of two positions. Either the feature is from the perspective of a person outside of the romance community, one with a cursory understanding of the way the industry and the community works who effectively says to everyone watching, “You guys, I went into romance land and it’s completely bananas. Let me show you waxed man titty and rabid fangirls. I barely made it out alive! Look at all those silly women. And here’s a picture of Fabio.”
I’ve seen those. I’m sure you have, too.
Or, and this is why I’m confident about this piece, you have someone who speaks from the position of having entered the community recently and discovering how feminist and positive the genre and the women within it can be. It’s a different angle to have someone who wants to dispel some of the tired and bizarre cliches doing the interview and the investigation. The questions I answered were about the community of women, the readers, what we look for in romances, why this genre creates a collective optimism and unshakeable friendliness in the readers and the writers, and why more readers are turning to the HEA in romance right now.
As I said, I’m very optimistic, excited, and also a little nervous to see the finished segment. (After editing the podcast for years, I’m used to hearing myself. Seeing myself is a whole other thing! Eeep!)
I have some pictures, too, of the behind-the-scenes mayhem that goes with taping a television interview on location (in this case, my house).
That’s Faith Salie doing the lighting test. The camera that filmed her is straight ahead of her and there were other light boxes behind and beside us both. All of this was set up in the doorway and in the hallway. The cameras, sound, and lights took a few hours to set up and take down. It was wild.
In the background is the original romance cover oil painting that usually hangs in my office. That’s John DeSalvo in a pink gladiator outfit, and was used on the paperback cover for The Lion and the Lark by Doreen Owens Malek.
In one segment, we talked about different novels within the different sub-genres, and the different ways romances are packaged, from the vintage books at the top right to newer books in the middle of the selection. In the background is some of the camera, sound, and lighting equipment – that’s about a third of what was there.
Also in the background: Wilbur, who was sitting on the stairs, extremely unimpressed and wondering when they would be interviewing him.
The dogs were like, WTF IS HAPPENING. THAT LOOKS LIKE A VACUUM CLEANER TO US. THIS IS NOT GOOD.
That’s me on the left, and Faith Salie on the right. Faith sent this selfie of us holding The Duke’s Wager to Adam Felber, her frequent co-panelist on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, and, more importantly, Edith Layton’s son. (He and his sister Susie were recent guests on a podcast episode where they talked all about their mother’s literary legacy – if you listen, you’ll hear me go on about The Duke’s Wager is one of my favorites ( A | BN | K | G | AB ).)
And a bonus behind-the-scenes photo from Culver City, CA! Fitzwilliam Waffles will be making his national television debut! (This photo is from F-Waffles’ Instagram feed.)
One more thing! A recommendation! I am very much a Not Confident Makeup Person, so I hired a makeup artist to help me before the shooting began.
If you are in the DMV (look at me, all fluent with the local lingo – that’s DC/Maryland/Virginia) I want to recommend Christin Michelle of Conceptual Beauty.
She answered my email inquiry within an hour and was just superb. She specializes in women of color, too, and can do all manner of makeup techniques, too. I’m kicking myself for not getting a picture of her collection, but her palette of foundation colors was incredible – literally every single color. She also told me about how she became a makeup artist, and her resume is seriously impressive.
And, if you’re curious, here’s my face after she finished.
My neighbor couldn’t figure out what was different about me when I went to the bus stop to meet my son. New hair cut? New glasses? Nope, just really good makeup. I looked like me — if I got nineteen hours of sleep and had excellent eye makeup skills, neither of which were or are true.
So if you’re in the DC metro area, and you need a makeup artist for bridal work, photo shoots, print photography, or – and this is way cool – lessons on how to do your own makeup, Christin is so incredibly talented. I can’t recommend her with any more adverbs because they’re not nearly enough.
I hope you’ll tune in to watch the segment on CBS Sunday Morning, February 12th!
This is the coolest thing ever! I am really looking forward to watching this segment. You look so pretty Sarah!
Aw, that’s so kind of you! Thank you!
Wow. Great makeup. You’re still you, just “enhanced” a bit. I’ll be setting my DVR!
How exciting and wonderful! I feel so proud to be represented by Sarah. Maybe would you consider running for elected office next???? 🙂
HAHAHAHAHA! I’d be the worst candidate. I’m to introverted and I’d get grumpy way too fast. But thank you for that compliment – it’s enormously humbling to know that you’re proud. Thank you.
Can’t wait! I loved seeing/hearing all y’all in the Love Between the Covers documentary 🙂
CBS Sunday Morning is often part of my routine. Such positive and optimistic way to start a day. I really looking forward to this. I think this will call for the “special” coffee creamer.
I also enjoyed seeing Sarah in the “Love between the covers” documentary. Everyone featured in the documentary was great! Really interesting stuff, I wish there were more documentaries on the romance genre.
Sarah, I’m sad I won’t be able to tune in (based in London), but perhaps you can post a clip on the site? If possible?
🙂
P.S. I rented “Love between the covers” on amazon video, if anyone else is interested in watching it.
Of all the news magazine shows, CBS Sunday Morning is a jewel, so good on you!
I’ll be watching this (and hoping the segment can be posted on here afterwards as well).
I’m so excited for this! And Pixie Cuts rule!
Fantastic! I can’t wait to see the segment. And your makeup looks great! 🙂
Thank you for all the compliments, you guys! I’m blushing like mad over here. If I can post a link to the segment after it airs, I most definitely will. Fingers crossed it won’t be geo-restricted.
I’m so excited y’all are watching Love Between the Covers, too! I’ve seen it a few times and every time it’s like a big hug, seeing the community reflected and portrayed like that. I hope you’ve enjoyed it!
I just listened to the podcast with Eloisa James and it’s great. I could listen to her talk about romance all day.
I’m also in the DMV and will check out this makeup artist. You look fantastic.
I discovered Ms. Salie when she hosted a radio show which I can’t remember the name of right now so I’m already on board with her interviewing skills. And I think CBS archives those segments so others can see them.
Oh, my usual Sunday morning wake up show just got even better – I’ll make sure the dogs are fed and I’m fully awake.
THIS IS BEYOND AWESOME!!!! Can’t wait to see!
OK, I’ve got the DVR set to record. Fingers crossed.
Darling, you look marvelous! We always catch CBS This Morning! What a great group to be on there.
Btw, that is one of my favorite Edith Layton’s books! A great, great writer.
Looking forward to this episode!
Yay my favorite show, though I’m missing Charles something fierce. Totaling drooling over the arc of Silence Falling…Damn there’s still so many days to wait.
Wow, I just realized, I listen to the podcast all the time but have never seen a picture of you. So the image I had of you in my head is wildly inaccurate. Somehow, from your voice (?), I’ve always thought of you as a tallish blond with a square face and messy bun. Where did that come from? For years! You always sound confident, maybe subconsciously that’s what I think a confident woman looks like.
Well, thanks, I’ll check out the segment and the documentary. And you look great! As you. Not the imaginary Sarah who’s been living in my head.
@Amanda – HA! I’m very much the opposite of that. Short, dark hair, very round face. Regardless of hair color and height, though, thank you for the compliment! Saying that I sound confident is a lovely thing to say!
Thanks for the heads up. “CBS Sunday Morning” has been a long time favorite, but I haven’t had time to watch it the last couple Sundays. I’ll make sure not to skip it this Sunday!
I’ll check this out! You look great and will represent our community proudly. I hope they do it justice. Sharing.
Squee! It’s on!
Looks like a cool site. I’ve been a romance reader for many years.
Hey the segment is online! You can see and read it here!
Welcome, Pat! You’re definitely among friends here!
Always find comfort in cbs Sun morn. THANKGod, found you ladies!! ADDICTED Romance reader here!! You looked great, and I wanted to steal your earrings !? I have a round face and they were PERFECT for you (and me). Where did you get them???? I started out reading harlequin in 60s, Kathleen Woodliss changed my 70s reading, and now into “edgier” romances. Would love to read and exchange book recommendations ! Where do I sign up ???
You were great on the show. Funny, smart, super knowledgable. Was glad CBS did a real piece rather than going for the smirk.
Thank you so much, Sara! I was so happy as well – you said it perfectly. It was real, not a smirk.
Welcome, Grace, and thank you for the compliments! The earrings were a gift, but these are sort of similar. I have a very round face, too, and I love them because they’re so flattering.
As for signing up, you can join our newsletters, or just stop by whenever you’d like to join a conversation or look for book recommendations. And if you’re looking for something in particular, please email me!