166: Mimi Matthews and RULES FOR RUIN

 

Today I welcome Mimi Matthews to the show to discuss her 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. She gives us revenge, subterfuge, a sexy hero named Gabriel who grew up in the slums of St Giles and rules it with the savvy of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent and the renown of The Ghost of St. Giles (IYKYK) We also get a weapon wielding heroine named Euphemia who aims to overthrow the patriarchy, setting her boundaries and taking up space in the world. I loved this book, and I hope you enjoy the episode! 

E165: Happy Mermay! Mermaid Books with Desiree M. Niccoli

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, listed below and linked to my Bookshop when available

I mentioned in the episode that San Marcos is the "Mermaid Capitol of Texas, and I wanted to link here for more information. 

Photo from City of San Marcos webiste

Titles mentioned or featured on the episode: 

• SKIN OF THE SEA - Natasha Bowen
• THE DEEP - Rivers Solomon
• WITCHFUL THINKING - Celestine Martin
• DAUGHTER OF THE TIDES - Kit Rocha
• THE CAPTIVE MERMAN'S PROMISE - Zoey Castile 
• OCEAN BLEEDS SALTY - Azalea Crowley
• PROVIDENCE GIRLS  - Morgan Dante
• TREACHERY OF WATER - Angela J. Ford
• THE RAKE - Kass O'Shire
• A MAGIC DEEP AND DROWNING - Hester Fox
• UPON A STARLIT TIDE - Kell Woods
• THE SIRENS - Emilia Hart
• THE WOMAN IN THE WAVES - Camille Booker
• A SWEET STING OF SALT - Rose Sutherland

 

E164: Queer Gothic with Paulette Kennedy

 

Today, Paulette Kennedy joins me on the show 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. 

Titles include:
- FINGERSMITH by Sarah Waters
- REBECCA by Daphne Du Maurier
- GAYWYCK by Vincent Virga (out of print)
- HOUSE OF HUNGER by Alexis Henderson
- LAVENDER HOUSE by Lev AC ROSEN
- THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY by Oscar Wilde
- GIDEON THE NINTH by Tamsyn Muir
- MOTHEATER by Linda H. Codega
- INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice
- THE LAST WITCH OF EDINBURGH by Marielle Thompson
- THE MADNESS by Dawn Kurtagich

E162: Historical Fantasy with Leslye Penelope

 

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, listed below. I hope you enjoy it!

• The Conductors by Nicole Glover
• Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
• Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clare
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
• Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas
• When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill 
• The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
  
• The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
• The Fervor by Alma Katsu

E161: A Cozy Mystery in Space! Olivia Waite and MURDER BY MEMORY

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.

E160: Cozy Fantasy with Julie Leong

 

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, listed below:

• Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher
• Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood
• The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields
• The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
• The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
• Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
• Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater 
• Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
• A Natural History of Dragons by Mary Brennan
• The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C. M. Waggoner
• The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
• Redwall by Brian Jacques 

E159: The Gothic Novels of Emily Carpenter

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, so get your preorders in now!