Introducing… Smart Bitches After Dark!
We have a logo and everything, so it’s official now!
And you can register if you like! Come on in, the mayhem is delightful!
What’s Smart Bitches After Dark?
So glad you asked!
The short version: we’re creating a special area for SBTB supporting subscribers to have a little extra fun, be a little extra more themselves, and to keep the site open for everyone into the future.
The longer version: Smart Bitches After Dark is an opportunity for community support.
We’ve been hanging out for almost 20 years, and the internet has changed a lot in that time: how we use it, how we talk to each other, where we go to find one another, and how to sustain businesses like this one.
Our goal is to keep the community of Smart Bitches open for everyone, rather than move it all behind a paywall.
We want people to keep discovering romance, the books we talk about, and the wonderful, welcoming community we have here.
In order to do that, we need your help. Enter: Smart Bitches After Dark.
What’s inside Smart Bitches After Dark?
Old Skool Smart Bitches!
We’re bringing back a lot of the features from the archives of Original Recipe Smart Bitches, like open threads, reviews of older romances (especially the absolutely off the wall ones. Remember time travel?!) games, silly contests, recommendations, reader reviews, afternoon tea, and deeper discussions about romance, changes in the genre, and serious topics. We’ll also be doing live events online, including streaming, trivia nights, and happy hour gatherings.
Another thing that’s changed in the past 20 years is how we need safer spaces in which to be ourselves.
We want Smart Bitches After Dark to be that place for us.
Not only do we want this to be a space where you can be even more of yourself, where you can share book recs, get silly and snarky and have a rollicking good time, but we also want to make sure the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books stays open for everyone looking for their next read.
To be clear: we aren’t moving any of the existing shenanigans behind a paywall. We want Smart Bitches to stay open for everyone.
It’s going to be fun, and silly, and fulfilling and fabulous. I hope you’ll be part of it!
With your help, we can keep Smart Bitches and the hot pink palace open for everyone.
Who is this community for?
- Are you the type of person who is sometimes silly, sometimes snarky, and irreverently passionate about books, characters, and trends?
- Are you a longtime romance and/or Smart Bitches reader who fondly remembers old skool SBTB mayhem like Pregnesia and The Playboy Sheikh’s Virgin Stable Girl?
- Are you a newer and happily obsessed fan of romance whose body might maybe flash a little hot sometimes, and who wants to find a community that welcomes your enthusiasm and can perhaps help explain some of the genre’s history, including scandals of yore? Come deepen your fandom!
- Are you tired of hearing about the same 4 books on TikTok and want more personalized and expert recommendations from people with truly encyclopedic knowledge of tropes?
- Are you a reader who values what we do and wants to help keep the site open for everyone?
If you fit any or all of the above (Hi!) and if you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you.
What’s the cost?
$9 a month, or $90 for the year, which includes two months for free. Free, cheezy bread, free!
Where is it?
Right here! You’ll have a place to log in, and twice a week, there will be special content just for the After Dark community.
What if I have an idea for you?
By all means, please email and tell me!
How do I join?
Anything else?
Thank you for reading! We want Smart Bitches to continue into the future as a community-supported celebration of romance and of reading. Smart Bitches After Dark is going to help all of us sustain the site and with it, the connections between people all over the world who come to hang out here.
I’m not sure the form link is working? But I’m in!!
@flchen1: The form should be at the bottom of the post with an email and message input box, which I just tested/submitted with no issues. I don’t believe there’s a click through link to anything!
@flchen1 – All fixed! I had to fuss with it but it’s working now. Thank you!
Can I check all of the above? I am in!!
Currently I’ve evacuated to North Florida to get out of the path of big bad Milton (we live just north of Clearwater) so this was a wonderful post to see coming from my last safe place on the internet.
BTW… I am old enough to fully understand and appreciate the Milton red stapler memes … therefore old enough to also flash a little hot and need a break from the TikToks that think they can rec romance but … just no, please stop. *ugh I’m so tired*
@Emily C: UGH INDEED. I hope you stay very safe and that when you return home, the after effects are as minimal as possible. Having lived through Sandy and the aftermath, I have so much compassion and empathetic exhaustion for all of you. This blows. Please know, though, that you comment made MY day, so thank you for that!
@FLChen – hearing “I’m In!” is making me so happy. Thank you!!
I either couldn’t get the form to work or you have received 3 copies of my now-regrettable (because multiplied, not because it was rude or anything!) comment. Oops?
That’s SO WEIRD. But if it’s ok with you, if you’ve commented that you’re interested, I’ll email you personally when we’re ready for registration and send you the coupon.
What @Deborah said! Unfortunately I can’t seem to get the form to work either, or I’ve repeatedly submitted to no avail, LOL
Well that’s annoying and embarrassing. EEP. I’m going to remove the form, but if you comment here, or email me, I’ll email you personally for early registration!
I would love an invitation!
Thank you so much, @SB Sarah—will eagerly await your email next week!
Aah – yes please!!!
Definitely interested!
I am very interested!
sounds fun.
I’m down~
I’m interested!
Very interested!! I am 100% here for supporting creators & spaces that provide such awesome corners of the internet.
Count me in!
Hello! Please email me!
Yes, please. Definitely interested!
I’m so excited by all the interest – thank you for being so enthusiastic and for wanting to support our hot pink palace!
I’m totally in! I love this site, have for 15 years, and after seeing my favorite fan fiction site fold last year (RIP, K/S Archive), I don’t want to lose another to the pay wall or site closure. SBTB is THE online gathering place for romance readers.
I’m interested! Please send form.
I am interested, although not sure how often I’ll log in for the bonus stuff – I just want SBTB to stay around!
Definitely interested!
I’m interested in joining. I love the site!
Count me in! I love this!
I am commenting for the first time (though I’ve been reading for ages!) because I’ll definitely sign up for this.
Hi Tiffany! Welcome!
And thank you for such a wonderful response, y’all.
Count me in!
Yes, sign me up. I’d love to support the site, which is only fair given the amount of support I’ve gotten from you all through the last 15?! years.
I’m in!
I’ll echo what @Bagel said- not sure how much I’ll be around for after hours shenanigans but happy to support the site to stick around!
I am interested!
I’m interested!
Sounds great, I’m in!
I’m interested. I couldn’t get the form ti work either.
I’m interested
I’m in. Hope there is emailed content – as I never remember to go to. website…..