We’re going back to May 2016 to look at the Ads & Features in Romantic Times magazine. The kilts are kilting and the abs are ab-ing, and we’ve got some questions. How do we feel about the terms “book boyfriend” and “pre-con”? How much of the 2016 conference depended on Twitter to announce pop up signings and special limited time events? And do you remember how important Twitter was to a conference? How many different … Continue reading 689. RT Rewind: May 2016 Ads & Features →

Grab your carry on, your snacks, and a blanket, because we’re hopping in the time machine again to go back to the May 2016 issue of Romantic Times to look at the new releases and reviews! This issue caused some big questions. Coke or Pepsi? Backstreet Boys or NSYNC? Did you worry about spontaneous combustion? Should I read the Midnight, Texas trilogy by Charlaine Harris? How many erotic romance titles in this issue contain the … Continue reading 687. RT Rewind: May 2016 Reviews and New Releases →

It’s the 90s so the Ads and Features from the August 1996 issue of Romantic Times are a treasure trove of confusion. We’ve got: A tour of Jude Deveraux’s Grade II Listed Home in Suffolk Barbara Cartland perfumes How should emoji faces be written? Nose or no nose? What is the appeal of “nursing him back to health” plots? And RT is going to answer the eternal question that has plagued womankind throughout the ages. … Continue reading 685. RT Rewind: August 1996 Ads & Features →

We’re going back to August 1996 – that’s a bit of distance – to take a peek at the new releases and the book reviews in Romantic Times magazine. We’re back in the era of time travel, a scifi imprint named Avonova, and probable worms. NSFW worms. As usual, we learn astonishing amounts of unexpected information from this magazine. For example: we’re both obsessed with the 1996 movie Twister and we have many thoughts on … Continue reading 683. RT Rewind: August 1996 Reviews →

We’re back! Amanda picked this month’s issue and so we are journeying back to July 2016! We tackle vague reviews that tell us no things. I try to coin a new portmanteau! We come up with the most unhinged romance bingo squares ever – tell us if we should use them! We have some plot summaries that are a RIDE, folks. Hop into our newly refurbished time machine – we needed a bigger drinks fridge … Continue reading 679. RT Rewind: July 2016 Reviews →

This is a delightfully unhinged issue. We’ve got a plethora of old-skool covers, weird language about China and Taiwan, Poconos hot tubs, and Elizabeth Lowell is thrown under the bus – twice? Are you one of the most privileged readers in the world? I crave satisfaction in this matter! A few housekeeping notes: In July, I won’t be doing any RT Rewind episodes. This is partly because I have a BUNCH of interviews I am … Continue reading 673. RT Rewind: May 1995 Ads & Features →

Amanda and I are traveling back to May 1995 – yes, thirty years ago. I know, me too. We’ve got weird reviews, outstanding side character names, a debut of a much-loved historical romance author, and a few side trips into pet names and fanfic ships in traditional publishing. We’re talking about the past and the present at the same time, which is one of my favorite things to do when discussing romance fiction!

At the suggestion of some listeners, I split the Ads & Features into two parts, in part because it was very long, and also because there are 5 Fridays in May. Woot! You can find Part I here  (or in your favorite podcast app). Part II of the Ads & Features from February 2015 features HelenKay Dimon just dropping all sorts of information left and right. We talk about: How many romantic suspense covers look … Continue reading 669. RT Rewind – February 2015 Ads & Features Part II →

We are traveling back to February 2015 to take a look at the new releases in RT magazine, and my guest is the cover author, HelenKay Dimon, who also writes thrillers as Darby Kane. This was VERY fun because HelenKay is an author, so she has a different perspective on the magazine, the convention, the reviews, and the way different genres have changed. We cover how HelenKay discovered romance, and how her career has evolved … Continue reading 665. RT Rewind – February 2015 Reviews →

The ads and features from the July 2000 issue of Romantic Times are a treasure trove of wtfery! It’s PEAK stepback era. Readers have been introduced to Half.com for selling their old books, and they are very excited about it – to say nothing of People.com and EW.com. We get a peek into the Romantic Times and Lady Barrow BookLover Tours – the prices made me very envious. We also spend some time talking about … Continue reading 663. RT Rewind: July 2000 Ads & Features →