Jodi McAlister

Book cover, Bridgerton and Philosophy

BRIDGERTON AND PHILOSOPHY is out now! Available at all the usual retailers. 22 chapters connecting the show (and books) to philosophical concepts and problems. Loads of quotes and Easter eggs, a fun read (I promise)! #romancelandia #Bridgerton #Netflix #Booksky #Romancebooksky

An Academic Affair The Love Hypothesis meets The Hating Game in a new standalone rom-com from New York Times acclaimed author and romance academic Jodi McAlister.   S...

@jodimca.bsky.social did this about academic tenure and the broken job market here: www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/An-Aca...

as a romance reader, I hold Two (or more) Freaks Fuck It Up Bigtime as the ideal

but I think sometimes as a romance writer, I am pulling my punches and my characters are insufficiently angry with each other

Falling in love shouldn't necessarily make the protagonists better people. It should change them - might make them *more*, heighten or make them more comfortable with parts of themselves - but romantic love is not some kind of moral cure.

The cover of Comeback To Me by Carla de Guzman.

February 22, COMEBACK TO ME, Carla de Guzman.

RomanceClass are masters of the short-form romance, and this one - a romance between a K-pop idol and his ex-fan - is a sterling example.

Find your next read in this dataset of international bestsellers. In most situations when I say “I need the data,” I’m referring to gossip, and it’s less of a “need” than what some would call a “messy curiosity.” But recently, I came across a Substack post analyz…

Stoked to see @jamesfolta.com in @literaryhub.bsky.social talking up a dataset on int'l bestsellers built by @sdileonardi.bsky.social + @beccacohen.bsky.social (I helped). See who the world reads!

One nit: Folta sez "Sinykin is a great follow on Bluesky"—LIES lithub.com/find-your-ne...

Is Wuthering Heights actually romantic? Heathcliff would say no Heathcliff sneeringly rejected the idea he was ‘a hero of romance’ – though the new film claims Wuthering Heights as the greatest love story of all time. Is it?

...and one about whether Wuthering Heights is a romance novel. (Spoilers: no.)

From Bridgerton to Heated Rivalry, what’s the secret to a good book-to-TV romance? More and more romance adaptations are starting to appear – but what makes the translation from page to screen really sing?

In a (vain, probably) attempt to combat the flood of romance-illiterate Valentine's Day thinkpieces, I wrote two of my own this year - one with @profromance.bsky.social about romance adaptations...

Is Wuthering Heights actually romantic? Heathcliff would say no Heathcliff sneeringly rejected the idea he was ‘a hero of romance’ – though the new film claims Wuthering Heights as the greatest love story of all time. Is it?

...and one about whether Wuthering Heights is a romance novel. (Spoilers: no.)

From Bridgerton to Heated Rivalry, what’s the secret to a good book-to-TV romance? More and more romance adaptations are starting to appear – but what makes the translation from page to screen really sing?

In a (vain, probably) attempt to combat the flood of romance-illiterate Valentine's Day thinkpieces, I wrote two of my own this year - one with @profromance.bsky.social about romance adaptations...

The cover of Side Character Energy by Olivia Tolich.

February 15, SIDE CHARACTER ENERGY, Olivia Tolich (🇦🇺).

An absolutely wonderful debut about being overshadowed in your own life - and finding someone who sees you anyway.

On a red background, three stylised black and white frames show a scene from The Thorn Birds, a close-up of the cover of For No Mortal Creature, and a scene from Addition. Text reads AustLit's 25th Anniversary special: Information trail 3 of 25.

On a red background, a grey text box with, in the upper right-hand corner, the cover of The Thorn Birds. Text reads: The Thorn Birds Romance, Historical Fiction - Novel & adaptations Colleen McCullough (1977) #AustLit25 The Thorn Birds is the unforgettable story of the Clearys, spanning three generations; a sweeping family saga of dreams, titanic struggles, dark passions, and forbidden love in the Australian Outback. It is a poignant love story, a powerful epic of struggle and sacrifice, a celebration of individuality and spirit. Most of all, it is the story of the Clearys' only daughter, Meggie, and the haunted priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart—and the intense joining of two hearts and souls over a lifetime, a relationship that dangerously oversteps sacred boundaries of ethics and dogma.

On a red background, a grey text box with, in the upper right-hand corner, the cover of For No Mortal Creature. Text reads: For No Mortal Creature Romance, Fantasy - Novel Keshe Chow (2025) #AustLit25 When Jia Yi finds herself alive again after being killed by an enemy’s sword, she realizes she possesses a rare power: the ability to move between life and death. With her new gift comes the discovery of a mysterious spirit realm teeming with ghosts like herself—and Lin, the boy she once loved before his betrayal tore them apart. When Jia’s beloved grandmother dies under suspicious circumstances, she is forced to follow in an attempt to save her. In the death realm, though, even ghosts have ghosts. To survive, Jia must rely on both Lin and her longtime enemy, the cold and enigmatic Prince Essien. With tensions high and new and old connections blossoming, Jia must confront the ghosts of her past . . . or risk remaining one herself.

On a red background, a grey text box with, in the upper right-hand corner, the cover of Addition. Text reads: Addition Romance, Humour - Novel & adaptations Toni Jordan (2008) #AustLit25 Grace Lisa Vandenburg counts. The letters in her name (19). The steps she takes every morning to the local cafe (920). The number of poppy seeds on her orange cake, which dictates the number of bites she'll take to eat it. Grace counts everything, because that way there are no unpleasant surprises. Seamus Joseph O'Reilly (also a 19) thinks she might be better off without the counting. If she could hold down a job, say. Or open her cupboards without conducting an inventory, or leave her flat without measuring the walls. Grace's problem is that Seamus doesn't count. Her other problem is ...he does. As Grace struggles to balance a new relationship with old habits, to find a way to change while staying true to herself, she realises that nothing is more chaotic than love.

Our third anniversary trail celebrates Australian romance, compiled by Ashleigh Lowry! As always, this is a taste not a best of. The slides, by Monica Clayton, highlight @keshewrites.bsky.social, Colleen McCullough, and Toni Jordan, but check out the full list at:
www.austlit.edu.au/25th-anniver...

From Bridgerton to Heated Rivalry, what’s the secret to a good book-to-TV romance? More and more romance adaptations are starting to appear – but what makes the translation from page to screen really sing?

In @aunz.theconversation.com today, @profromance.bsky.social and I have a piece about adapting romance to the screen. What makes a good adaptation?

Also thiiiiis

This is a terrific article about respecting the romance genre, particularly relevant at the moment given all those stupid valentine's day articles highlighting "best of" lists that are mostly not romances.

Thank you!!

From Bridgerton to Heated Rivalry, what’s the secret to a good book-to-TV romance?

More and more romance adaptations are starting to appear – but what makes the translation from page to screen really sing?

As everyone knows, publishing trends are *never* cyclical and historical certainly won't come roaring back any time soon when, eg, the romantasy bubble bursts...

From Bridgerton to Heated Rivalry, what’s the secret to a good book-to-TV romance?

More and more romance adaptations are starting to appear – but what makes the translation from page to screen really sing?

Is Wuthering Heights actually romantic? Heathcliff would say no

Heathcliff sneeringly rejected the idea he was ‘a hero of romance’ – though the new film claims Wuthering Heights as the greatest love story of all time. Is it?

From Bridgerton to Heated Rivalry, what’s the secret to a good book-to-TV romance? More and more romance adaptations are starting to appear – but what makes the translation from page to screen really sing?

In @aunz.theconversation.com today, @profromance.bsky.social and I have a piece about adapting romance to the screen. What makes a good adaptation?

by me

Spoilers: a) no, b) depends how you define it.

Is Wuthering Heights actually romantic? Heathcliff would say no Heathcliff sneeringly rejected the idea he was ‘a hero of romance’ – though the new film claims Wuthering Heights as the greatest love story of all time. Is it?

With the new movie about to come out, I wrote about whether Wuthering Heights is a) a romance or b) romantic for @aunz.theconversation.com .

[circle of love]
Nora Roberts: ok ladies we've got a new storyteller here tonight
Roberts: everyone say hi to Coral hart
Coral Hart: oh that's not my real name
Hart: i have to keep my real name secret because readers hate anything its associated with
Roberts:

The #1 rule about paying someone to teach you how to make money writing books is don't pay them if they won't even tell you what books they wrote that are making all the money.

Your #Bridgerton friends are back for season 7 (!!) of What Would Danbury Do? . With special guest host @jodimca.bsky.social, we waltz with episode one of season four of Bridgerton, Benedict, Sophie and the lady in silver. On all your favourite podcast providers or bridgertonpod.com

#wwddpod

Truly just a list of nightmares.

Australia in danger of becoming an ‘artless country’ as enrolments in creative courses collapse Research suggests surging costs under Morrison government’s job-ready graduate scheme and axing of dozens of subjects largely to blame

“We’re heading into, within the next five years, a real reduction in the capacities to sustain a creative and cultural workforce … There will be an enormous decline in the amount of creative and artistic activity in Australia.”