Romance at a Glance

Romance at a Glance
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Hosts Bridget and Shani review romance novels and interview some of romance’s biggest authors exploring the breadth of the genre, the sex, diverse couplings, and taboo to create a safe space for listeners to learn, laugh, and pique their naughty curiosity. Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

  1. From Romance editor to debut author! Bianca Gillam | Authors at a Glance

    05/20/2025

    From Romance editor to debut author! Bianca Gillam | Authors at a Glance

    In this episode of Romance at a Glance, hosts Bridget and Shani interview Bianca Gillam, debut author of Bad Publicity, which follows senior book publicist Andy and her tumultuous, enemy-to-lovers relationship with author Jack Carlson. The discussion dives into Bianca's transition from romance editor to author, the challenges of separating the editorial voice while writing, and the process of making her protagonist competent in her job. The novel also touches on themes of grief, and Bianca shares how her own experiences with loss influenced the book. The episode wraps up with a sneak peek into Bianca's upcoming project, 'Off Script.' 00:00 Introduction and Guest Announcement 00:12 Book Overview and Themes 01:03 Author's Journey and Writing Process 01:33 Challenges of Being an Author-Editor 02:15 Balancing Writing and Editing 04:16 Working with Editors 07:18 Querying Process and Finding an Agent 09:48 Transition to Full-Time Writing 17:38 Character Development and Crafting the Protagonist 19:44 The Importance of Edits and Research 20:54 Balancing Professionalism and Personal Relationships 22:46 Insights from Publicists and Celebrity Stories 24:27 Navigating Public Persona and Social Media 25:27 Sales, Marketing, and Book Distribution 28:10 Emotional Impact and Reader Connections 30:55 The Power of Romance Novels 34:34 Upcoming Projects and Future Plans 36:30 Conclusion and Farewell ABOUT BAD PUBLICITY Andie’s first day at her new job could very well be her last when she discovers she has to work with literary darling Jack Carlson. While the rest of the world may adore him and his perfect hair, Andie has despised this man ever since he ruined her life five years ago. But to keep her job, she must execute a flawless campaign. To make matters worse, the centerpiece of this career-defining campaign is a book tour. For an entire month, Andie will have to travel across Europe with the man she’d secretly love to hit with her car. But she refuses to lose this opportunity, especially not because of him. One month on tour with Jack Carlson, visiting some of the most romantic spots in Europe. Deep breath. She can do this. ABOUT BIANCA GILLAM Bianca Gillam is a London-based author and armchair expert on ’80s and ’90s rom-coms whose poetry has been published in a variety of publications. She formerly worked in publishing, where she had the joy of editing a wide variety of brilliant authors; she was inspired by the books she published to write her own. Bad Publicity is her debut.  ABOUT ROMANCE AT A GLANCE Leave us a rating and review on Itunes A lot of additional listening on Patreon! Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires.  As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos to create a safe space for listeners to be exposed to different lifestyles, fantasies, and to pique their naughty curiosity. Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy...

    37 min
  2. The Fight Against Book Bans: A Conversation with Sabrina from PEN America | RAAG on ROMANCE

    05/06/2025

    The Fight Against Book Bans: A Conversation with Sabrina from PEN America | RAAG on ROMANCE

    In this episode of Romance at a Glance, hosts Bridget and Shani tackle the alarming issue of book bans alongside guest Sabrina Baêta, Senior Program Manager of Freedom to Read at PEN America. The episode delves into the growing incidence of book bans in K-12 public schools, with a particular focus on romance novels and LGBTQIA+ literature. The hosts discuss the motivations behind these bans, which often target minority communities and aim to censor literature that addresses sexual experiences, violence, and abuse. Sabrina shares alarming statistics about the books being banned and the increasing trend of 'sideways censorship.' The conversation also highlights the role of Penn America in combating these bans and emphasizes the importance of community action to support librarians and educators. The episode concludes with practical advice for listeners on how to get involved and make a difference in their local communities against the backdrop of this critical issue. About the growing book bans across America Bans Sweep Across Reading Levels and Genres, Targeting Titles about People of Color, Race, Racism, and LGBTQ+ Subjects at High Rates. Analysis Shows Stories about Disabled People, Immigrants, Social Activism and Bullying Are Targets and Debunks Exaggerated Claims about Explicit Sex in Books.   (NEW YORK)-- The removal of books focused on people of color, race and racism, and LGBTQ+ subjects from public schools continues as part of a concerted and dangerous campaign nationwide, according to new analysis of thousands of banned titles by PEN America. These topics are highly targeted among banned books across genres and reading levels—fiction, history, biography, memoir, even picture books.  Of the 4,218 unique banned titles in the 2023-2024 school year, 1,534 or 36% featured fictional characters or real people of color. In analyzing banned history and biography titles alone, PEN America found 44% featured people of color, with 26% of banned historical and biographical titles specifically featuring Black people. The comprehensive analysis is based on PEN America’s documentation of the more than 10,000 instances of book bans nationwide, as school districts banned many of the same titles. The movement to ban books originated in a coordinated network of groups that also largely espouses white supremacist and Christian nationalist ideology.  The targeting of banned titles featuring people of color is happening at the same time as the population of students of color has reached an all time high—now more than half of all American schoolchildren. This is especially concerning as equity and diversity initiatives seeking to achieve more equal representation in schools are under attack by government at all levels.  Coupled with the banning of books about communities of color is the removal of titles about the LGBTQ+ community. During the 2023-2024 school year, 29% of all banned titles included LGBTQ+ characters, people, or themes. Of the banned titles with LGBTQ+ characters or people, 28% specifically featured trans and/or genderqueer characters. Also, more than half of the banned books with LGBTQ+ people or...

    56 min
  3. Eloisa James on Loving your MCs | Authors at a Glance

    04/30/2025

    Eloisa James on Loving your MCs | Authors at a Glance

    We had the absolute pleasure of interviewing historial romance author Eloisa James this week! Her latest book Hardly a Gentleman is out now. By day she's a fancy Professor at Fordham University, and by night she's an even fancier historical romance lead author! We chatted all about her very impressive educational background, creating heros you love and heroines you want to be your best friend, how she writes and researches her stories, how to stay engaged in new stories and banter after writing so long and more. Bridget surprised Shani with this interview and couldn't be prouder of herself :) About Eloisa James I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian. I write novels as Eloisa James and Mary Bly, but when I’m not writing, I'm Professor Bly, who teaches Shakespeare at Fordham. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century. After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Her "double life” as a professor and romance writer is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report. Eloisa has published over 30 historical romances, many of which have hit the bestseller lists. She also wrote a bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, as well as a contemporary novel, Lizzie and Dante. Her books are published in 28 languages and 30 countries, from Slovakia to Sweden. Worldwide, she has approximately 7 million books published in print or electronically. She lives in New York City and Florence, Italy. About Hardly a Gentleman Book 2 in the Accidental Brides Series, a romance about a forced marriage between a feisty heroine and a Scottish laird… neither of whom have plans to marry, let alone fall in love. Desperate after her Season comes to a spectacularly disastrous end, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry jumps into a carriage hired to take a housekeeper to Scotland. The laird of Castle CaerLaven...

    49 min
  4. Blending Romance and Technology with GalateaTV | RAAG on Romance

    04/25/2025

    Blending Romance and Technology with GalateaTV | RAAG on Romance

    In this episode of Romance at a Glance, Bridget interviews Emma Tonner, the Executive Producer at GalateaTV and Chief Innovation Officer at Inkitt. Emma shares insights into how Inkitt leverages AI and data-driven algorithms to turn unknown stories into blockbusters. She discusses the creation and success of Inkitt’s app Galatea, which produces million-dollar ebooks and now converts them into TV series on GalateaTV. The conversation also covers the process of using AB testing, predictive algorithms, and user engagement to craft compelling stories. Additionally, Emma details their approach to producing vertical video content, their innovative methods to keep readers engaged, and how they are staying female-driven with female directors and creators. Finally, the episode touches on Inkitt’s ambition to expand into feature films beginning with Keily. The novel Keily, by Manjari,  was produced as a vertical TV series. The feature film, with the same main actors!, will release this summer. Check out GalateaTV and dip into your bully romance dreams with Keily. Emma Tonner is in her Executive Producer Era at GalateaTV. As Chief Innovation Officer at Inkitt & co-founder of Galatea, she leads at Inkitt Media. Emma is championing the company’s systematic approach to creating blockbusters across emerging platforms. She joined Inkitt as one of its first ten employees, co-founded the Galatea reading app, and rose over the past eight years to become Chief Innovation Officer. Emma’s enthusiasm for romance and cutting-edge technology positions her as the perfect person to guide multiple teams under her towards innovative solutions not only in digital storytelling, but now media. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Romance at a Glance 00:06 Meet Emma Toner: Innovator in Entertainment 00:18 The Power of AI in Storytelling 00:40 Gala TV: From Books to Screen 02:40 Exploring the Technology Behind Storytelling 03:08 The Funnel Process: From Ink It to Gala TV 05:11 Vertical Video: A New Era in Filmmaking 23:59 Casting and Chemistry: The Key to Success 26:48 Navigating YA Romance for Older Audiences 28:05 The Power of Escapism in Storytelling 30:39 Personalizing Reading Experiences 33:10 Expanding Content and Future Goals 34:25 Innovations in Audiobook Production 36:55 From Indie Publisher to TV Content Creator 40:49 Producing Content Across Locations 42:30 Localization and Language Adaptations 48:07 Ensuring Authentic Romance in Productions 49:45 Rebranding and Future Directions ****** Affiliates! Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission!   That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!Get 30 days free on Kindle...

    51 min
  5. Lucy Lennox Spills Self-Publishing Secrets | Authors at a Glance

    04/23/2025

    Lucy Lennox Spills Self-Publishing Secrets | Authors at a Glance

    Pre-order RDM (about Foster Blake!): Get the audiobook + e-book for less than the price of an Audible credit! Finding Lord Landry by Lucy Lennox - on KU and Audible! Out now :) Romance author Lucy Lennox is back on Romance at a Glance, and she’s bringing spicy billionaire boyfriends, chicken palaces, and a Pride and Prejudice variation addiction that puts most Janeites to shame. We chat cruises (too cool for us), Try by Ella Frank (hello awakening), and why the Hero’s Journey says your MC better save a cat before getting squirrelly. Lucy breaks down how KU changed the game, how Patreon keeps her caffeinated, and how writing in a world you’d actually want to visit (shoutout to the Psychology of Fiction “theme park test”) is key to keeping readers obsessed. We deep-dive into self-publishing secrets, writing gay romance in a post-coming-out world, cliffhanger strategy, and how to make audio sales without selling your soul to Audible. Bridget threatens to riot if certain side characters don’t get their own books, and we all agree: cliffhangers at 2am are the devil’s work. Whether you love gay romance, write it, or just wanna geek out over author and audiobook tips, this ep is giving everything. Come for the laughs, stay for the literary strategy—and maybe go back to rereading P&P for the 437th time like Lucy did. Listen to Lucy Lennox and May Archer's Interview Hang with Lucy on Instagram, support her on Patreon. ****** Affiliates! Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission!   That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus. ****** Leave us a rating and review on Itunes A lot of additional listening on Patreon! Welcome to Romance at a Glance, a podcast that uses romance novels to dive into candid conversations about life, relationship dynamics, and sexual desires.  As hosts Bridget and Shani review books and interview some of romance's biggest authors, they explore the breadth of the genre, openly embracing the sex, diverse couplings, and taboos...

    1h 18m
  6. Bookish Chaos, Love Triangles, and Monster Smut ft. @AmandasBookClub_ | RAAG ON ROMANCE

    03/07/2025

    Bookish Chaos, Love Triangles, and Monster Smut ft. @AmandasBookClub_ | RAAG ON ROMANCE

    Bridget and Shani hang out with bookstagrammer Amanda from @AmandasBookClub_, and things immediately go off the rails in the best way possible. Amanda, a self-proclaimed “dummy reader”, aka here for a good time, not a grammar check, is deep in her fantasy romance era—dragons, vampires, Omegaverse, you name it. The trio dives into book club disasters (Viola Davis’ biography? Not the smut they signed up for), romance tropes that own their souls, and The Summer I Turned Pretty drama (Belly is the problem, actually). Also on the table: Loch Ness Monster smut, an absurd amount of orc fluids, and the eternal battle of Stefan vs. Damon. It’s chaotic, it’s hilarious, and it’s the kind of unhinged book chat every romance reader needs in their life We decided: Romance books don't need to be serious; let's embrace the joy of ridiculous plots like vampires and aliens, shall we? Being a mood reader means I might dive into a rom-com one day and a dark fantasy the next, because who needs consistency? We can all agree that if a book has dragons or shifters, it's an instant win in the fun department, right? It's a wild ride trying to escape reading slumps, but sometimes you just gotta reread your faves and hope for the best. Why read serious biographies when you can enjoy a rom-com about being abducted by aliens? Life's too short for boring books! The absurdity of love triangles in books is just that: absurd, but somehow we keep falling for them, don't we? 5 star Audiobook Biography Recommendations Kevin Hart - I Can't Make This Up Tina Fey - BossyPants Amy Poehler - Yes, Please Trevor Noah - Born a Crime Romance and Fantasy novels we recommend! Got Bridget out of a reading slump. 5 stars! I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming Book Bridget and Amanda are HYPED for! Oathbound by Tracy Deonn - out now. This is book 3 in the Legendborn CycleA dragon-shifter romance highly recommended by us! Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken Loch Ness Monster Shifter Bridget recommended to Amanda. Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson Amanda recommended Get in My Swamp by GM Fairy Bridget has read all these books and they're unhinged in the best way. Orc Sworn by Finley Fenn Affiliates LinksYou get a discount and we get a commission :)   That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!Get a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/hz/signup?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1454291293420&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=romanceatag05-20&linkId=9f9e8f975bc74dee559a7eb57ae90028"

    48 min
  7. Hilarious and SEXY Aliens with Tre!! | I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming

    02/28/2025

    Hilarious and SEXY Aliens with Tre!! | I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming

    Enjoy this episode with a delightful guest-host Tre, our new friend from bookstagram, who is here to talk about Kimberly Lemming's latest release, I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com! Tre loves monster romances, and like many of us, discovered Kimberly's books with That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Demon. Things we loved about this book: We chatted through our favorite characters of this alien world, how funny the world-building is. That the romance is in Dory's POV, which allowed us to discover the alien planet at the same time as Dory. How much we love Toto the lion, his nonchalance, his confidence, his wingman skills. How Dory's intelligence and PhD help us as readers understand the world and solve the main conflict of the book (YAY)The aliens in charge being birds that have tech integrated with themselves, and that they did the LEAST research possible in the process. Tamagochi - the involvement of the "love" meter and how the other characters reacted to the information as it came. How all of Dory's quirks are the things that Loc and Sol love about her the most. At the end we talked about some other books Tre is excited about in 2025. Oathbound by Tracy Deonn! Tre is hosting a midnight release party in Atlanta. Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport Lore of the Tides by Analeigh SbranaHooked by Emily McIntireThe Never King by Nikki St. Crowe Follow Tre on Instagram: @xo.treleigh Check out Kimberly Lemming booksI Got Abducted by Aliens and Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (it's a new series Cosmic Chaos!) Synopsis: A hilarious and sexy romance about a woman who gets dropped on a strange planet only to fall for not one, but two, aliens, from the author of I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf. Mead Mishaps series We had the pleasure of interviewing Kimberly Lemming on our podcast last week! You can listen to that interview here, or scroll back an episode in the podcasting app of your choice! Affiliates LinksYou get a discount and we get a commission :)   That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for...

    44 min
  8. Kimberly Lemming | Authors at a Glance

    02/12/2025

    Kimberly Lemming | Authors at a Glance

    Dive into the hilarious world of alien romance! We made new best friends with our incredibly funny new friend and the author of I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com, Kimberly Lemming! What follows is a riveting discussion with hosts Bridget and Shani gushing over Kimberly Lemming, delving into her latest literary creation, "I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com", book 1 of her new series Cosmic Chaos, and making alien/fantasy romance fun! Synopsis: A hilarious and sexy romance about a woman who gets dropped on a strange planet only to fall for not one, but two, aliens, from the author of I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf. Takeaways: In this episode, we discussed the delightful intricacies of Kimberly Lemming's latest book, which is titled 'I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom Com', and how it uniquely blends humor with romance and fantasy elements. We talked about the importance of the protagonist's intelligence, particularly as a wildlife biologist, which is a pivotal trait that influences the narrative and ultimately aids in resolving the central conflict. Throughout our conversation, we explored the concept of alien romance, highlighting how the characters navigate their relationships amidst bizarre circumstances. We touched upon the creative process behind the book's cover art, discussing how the illustrator captures the essence and emotions of the characters, making the visual representation align closely with the narrative's playful and adventurous spirit. An engaging aspect of our discussion was the comedic approach to traditional romance tropes, as the alien characters attempt to decipher human courtship rituals, leading to humorous misunderstandings and scenarios that enrich the story. Lastly, we celebrated the significance of independent authorship and the evolving landscape of publishing, particularly how unconventional titles and narratives are gaining traction and recognition in the literary world. Check out Kimberly Lemming! See her other series Mead Mishaps #1! ****** Affiliates! Get a discount and we get an affiliate commission!   That sweet sweet juice, Magic Mind, that's helping us stress less and be WAY more productive, use our code ROMANCEATAGLANCE20. For 20% off a one-time order or 48% off a subscription!Get 30 days free on Kindle Unlimited just for our listeners!Or listen on Audible like Shani and get up to two free ebooks when you try Audible Premium Plus. ****** Leave us a rating and review on Itunes A lot of additional listening on a href="https://www.patreon.com/romanceataglance"...

    48 min
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Hosts Bridget and Shani review romance novels and interview some of romance’s biggest authors exploring the breadth of the genre, the sex, diverse couplings, and taboo to create a safe space for listeners to learn, laugh, and pique their naughty curiosity. Expect 100% honest reviews, spontaneous singing, life lessons, indecent anecdotes, and bawdy humor.

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  • Creator
    Romance at a Glance
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    224
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Romance at a Glance
  • Show Website
    Romance at a Glance