Shelf Love Podcast

If you listen to romance podcasts, please spare a few moments of your time to help a romance scholar understand the appeal of this glorious art form.

See Laura’s post below with the details!

Do you listen to podcasts about romance novels? One of the romance scholars (Dr. Precie A. Schroyer) is inviting you to take part in a research study: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Just gave up on two advanced reader copies of romance a few pages in because both displayed a galling and breathlessly incorrect understanding of how W2 salaried jobs work & current norms in the labor market.

It’s called verisimilitude! I’m willing to suspend my disbelief to an extent, but come on…

I’m so sorry.

I Want You (to Want Me) So Badly Why do we fantasize about being desirable to the powerful rather than fantasizing about a utopia of equality?

"Romance novels aren’t meant to explore a utopia — they’re a fantasy of succeeding in a world with the same challenges, power imbalances, and constraints as the one we live in." #romancelandia

shelflovepodcast.substack.com/p/i-want-you...

I Want You (to Want Me) So Badly Why do we fantasize about being desirable to the powerful rather than fantasizing about a utopia of equality?

Why is being desired by someone with power the ultimate fantasy?

In today’s Shelf Love post I unpack how desire + power shape our stories, and why we don't fantasize about utopia. #romancelandia

Read now

open.substack.com/pub/shelflov...

They’re so tough. The toughest. The best. The bestest. Big strong macho men command: they do not express anything about themselves. What they want shall be and is.

These are rich texts, baby. Compelling, horrifying, cringey, joyous and unselfish conscious. Camp, baby. Camp, Honey.

She have the heroine think something then repeat the exact same thing aloud a second later. She will come up with problematic cultural “reasons” to explain all sorts of horrific behavior and demonize non-MCs for the same behavior. She will do all of this bravely and without a second’s hesitation.

What you have to understand about Kristen Ashley is she will write Daenerys/Khal Drogo GoT fanfic, she will create a new language, and she will also describe in great detail the fabulous outfit, makeup, and hairstyle the heroine wears to an execution. #romancelandia

So glad to hear that the holiday fairies came through to provide some holiday cheer!

Black and white cat examines a "tower of tracks"

Tiny bats at the balls in the tower

Dear Holiday Fairies and @shelflove.bsky.social,

Tiny loves the present y'all sent!

A white graphic bordered with colorful confetti dots in green, orange, yellow, red, and purple. At the top is the Romancelandia Holiday Fairies logo with a small yellow magic wand. Large pink text reads “Sprinkle Fairy Dust, Babes!” Below it, purple text says, “Share with your author besties, book friends, book clubs, coworkers, and anyone who loves Romancelandia” At the bottom, light pink text says “Learn more:” above a purple box displaying the link “bit.ly/holidayfairies.”

Text graphic explaining that Romancelandia Holiday Fairies is a mutual aid effort to help community members purchase gifts during the holiday season. Romancelandia Holiday Fairy logo at the top. Learn more: bit.ly/holidayfairies

Text graphic describing how the Holiday Fairies program works: wishlist submissions open Nov 27, and gift-givers can browse and send items. Romancelandia Holiday Fairy logo at the top. Learn more: bit.ly/holidayfairies

Sprinkle the fairy dust, babes! It’s #Romancelandia Holiday Fairies season! 🧚‍♀️🎁

Share the link, grant a wish, or just hype up the magic.

RHF is a mutual aid effort for the romance reader community to support anyone who needs help with gifts this season.

Join us: bit.ly/holidayfairies

thank you to the @shelflove.bsky.social holiday fairies!

A colorful graphic promoting Romancelandia's Holiday Fairies event. It features two women’s portraits, Andrea (@shelflovepodcast) and Gretchen (@booksblurbsandbrews), alongside the text “Meet the Fairies.” The image has a rainbow border and invites viewers to learn more via a link.

A portrait of Andrea, the "Head Fairy" for Romancelandia. It lists her attributes: a romance scholar, data nerd, and dystopian romance lover. Andrea is a Capricorn, lives with a family including a tiny dog, an old cat, her husband, and an adorable child. Her favorite movie is 10 Things I Hate About You. There are decorative arrows pointing to different aspects of her personality.

A portrait of Gretchen, the "Admin Support Fairy" for Romancelandia. It highlights her love for gift-giving, tacos, audiobooks, and dark mafia romance. Gretchen is a Libra, disabled and proud, and her favorite color is fuchsia. There's a note that libraries are cool, and she loves Olivia Dean’s music.

A colorful graphic promoting Romancelandia's Holiday Fairies event. The image has a rainbow border and invites viewers to learn more via a link.

Meet the Fairies behind #Romancelandia Holiday Fairies, a gifting initiative for our Romance loving community! 🧚‍♀️✨
Andrea & Gretchen are here to sprinkle some fairy dust on your festive season along with all of you! 📚🎁
Learn more and get involved:
shelflovepodcast.com/holiday-fair...

Graphic with colorful polka dots and a green box explaining the Romancelandia Holiday Fairies program. Text reads: “A community-driven gifting initiative. Friends in need share a wishlist. Fairies swoop in to buy what they can. Every gift matters. Learn more: bit.ly/holidayfairies.”

Graphic with green background explaining how to create and submit a Romancelandia Holiday Fairies wishlist with steps and a link to bit.ly/holidayfairies.

Graphic with green background explaining how to browse and shop Romancelandia Holiday Fairies wishlists with simple steps and a link to bit.ly/holidayfairies.

Graphic with green background encouraging audience to share with their networks, stating that they are shareable graphics at the link bit.ly/holidayfairies.

Did you hear?? ✨

#Romancelandia Holiday Fairies is a simple, community-driven initiative, back for its 6th year:

→ Friends in need share a wishlist
→ Fairies swoop in to buy what they can

Every gift matters.

All the info & wishlists can be found at bit.ly/holidayfairies

It would be amazing if #Romancelandia came together to buy these wishlists out.

No worries, but if you want to update, send the info to holidayfairy@shelflovepodcast.com and we will update it!

Should be fixed now. Thanks for flagging.
🫶

Let me check!

Giving directly to humans on giving Tuesday, 10 stars.

I try to buy one item off at least one wishlist every year, and even though I don’t have a lot, it feels good to make someone’s holiday a little better.

With all the Black Friday sales, it’s a good time to check some of these out if you would like to make someone’s holiday a little better this year.

A festive graphic with a white background covered in scattered multicolored polka dots in green, orange, yellow, red, and light purple. At the top, there is a small illustration of a yellow magic wand with sparkles above the words “Romancelandia Holiday Fairies” written in red and navy blue text. Below, in large bold navy blue letters, the main message reads: “Submit your wishlist!” At the bottom, it says “Learn more:” followed by a yellow banner containing the link “bit.ly/holidayfairies.”

The Romancelandia Holiday Fairies wishlist form is officially open!

Romancelandia Holiday Fairies is a no-gatekeeping, community-led gifting initiative for anyone in Romancelandia who wants support.✨

Submit / learn more: bit.ly/holidayfairies
#romancelandia #romancebks

Awesome! Wishlist recipients are instructed to set their lists up so that items remove from the list once purchased, so hopefully yes!

Thanks for letting me know! It’s possible the wishlist hasn’t been set up right. Can you dm me the wishlist name?

Can you help? Please share if you would. Thx!

"I will be eternally grateful to you for what this opportunity grants me. It allows me the chance to gift to my children and use that money for groceries and necessities for the bathroom. I'm able to craft and give them some sense of normalcy. Santa will happen in our house because of you and others like you, who adopt families like mine that are isolated, weary, scared, and needed someone to shine a light for us. You gave me back hope and showed me that humans are still kind."

A note from one recipient. With @shelflove.bsky.social's stewardship this has grown beyond what I ever imagined, and has touched hundreds of people.

And Romancelandia is vast & welcoming. Even if you don't usually go here, romance readers will invite you in & work for your HEA.

It's our thing.

If you are having a rough year and are worried you can't get gifts for the people in your life, you can sign up here and submit your wishlist.

If you are someone who has a little bit extra and wants to give someone else joy? Find one & buy them something!

shelflovepodcast.com/holiday-fair...