“WORD OF MOUTH”
This week Ana hosts the podcast with guest author Tasha Suri as they introduce our January theme of Sci-Fi & Fantasy Romance and discuss the power of word of mouth marketing
EP 217 HOST
> ANA COQUI (she/her) A lifelong genre reader, Ana grew up reading fantasy, sci-fi & mystery novels in Puerto Rico, before finally wandering into the romance section of the library in search of HEA’s after bawling through one too many dystopian novels. When she is not reading, knitting, writing about romance for Love in Panels or running #RomBkLove on Twitter as @anacoqui, Ana is a school librarian
EP 217 GUEST
> TASHA SURI (she/her) Tasha Suri is an award-winning fantasy author, occasional librarian and cat owner. Her books include the Books of Ambha duology, and the upcoming Indian-influenced fantasy The Jasmine Throne. When she isn’t writing, Tasha likes to cry over TV shows, buy too many notebooks, and indulge her geeky passion for reading about South Asian history. She lives with her family in a mildly haunted house in London. You can visit Tasha’s website at https://tashasuri.com, or follow her on Twitter @tashadrinkstea and on Instagram @tashasuri
EP 217 DISCUSSION
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
NOTE: These notes include affiliate links to Bookshop.org and Amazon.com to support the RBP transcript project
NOTE: This episode was recorded in mid-December during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020
> Title: Empire of Sand (The Books of Ambha #1)
Author: Tasha Suri
Relation to theme: Mughal Empire-inspired fantasy setting
Representation: South Asian, queer author, South Asian-inspired MCs
Content Warnings (from reader Leigh Kramer): forced marriage, threatened rape or sexual assault, drugging, violence, abuse of power
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/host-ana-s-recs/
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3k3cV1n
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39714124-empire-of-sand
NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP #209
LISTEN NOW: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-209/
NOTE: This book is marketed as SFF with romantic elements
> Title: Realm of Ash (The Books of Ambha #2)
Author: Tasha Suri
Relation to theme: Mughal Empire-inspired fantasy setting
Representation: South Asian, queer author, South Asian-inspired MCs
Content Warnings (from reader Leigh Kramer): death of loved ones, massacre, violence, grief, use of opium to go the realm of ash, hero is drugged with opium, assassination
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/host-ana-s-recs/
Kindle: https://amzn.to/390J8Eh
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44297804-realm-of-ash
NOTE: This book is marketed as SFF with romantic elements
> Tasha’s next book, The Jasmine Throne, from the new Burning Kingdoms series, is due in June 2021
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54435003-the-jasmine-throne
> Shoutout to @ArdentlyAarya for introducing many of us to Tasha’s writing!
> Tasha mentions Marjorie M. Liu’s Dirk & Steele series, which is a blend of paranormal and fantasy romance
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/series/41078-dirk-steele
> Tasha and Ana both cite Nalini Singh as a romance gateway author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/71688.Nalini_Singh
NOTE: RBP did a special interview with Nalini Singh this fall
LISTEN NOW: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/bonus-nalini-singh/
> Tasha mentions Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters #1) by Juliet Marillier which is a retelling of the Seven Swans fairytale
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11289310-daughter-of-the-forest
> Tasha mentions Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente which is historical fantasy with romantic elements
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10237040-deathless
> Ana mentions Uprooted by Naomi Novick which is a Beauty and the Beast retelling that decentralizes the romance
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36681425-uprooted
> Tasha mentions Master of Crows by Grace Draven as similar to Uprooted but possessing a better balance with the romance
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12381358-master-of-crows
> Title: Kushiel’s Dart (Phèdre’s Trilogy #1)
Author: Jacqueline Carey
Relation to theme: Fantasy setting
Representation: White author, queer MC, bi rep
Content Warnings: sexual violence, character death, s&m, graphic violence, sex work, torture
Bookshop: unavailable
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3bSJAX0
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11818109-kushiel-s-dart
NOTE: This is primarily historical fantasy with romantic elements, and the central relationship is spaced out over multiple books
> Title: Silver in the Wood (The Greenhollow Duology #1)
Author: Emily Tesh
Relation to theme: Retelling of the Green Man folktale
Representation: White author, queer MCs
Content Warnings: character death, graphic violence, general horror creepiness, heavily implied abuse/murder
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/host-ana-s-recs/
Kindle: https://amzn.to/35NToO3
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43562824-silver-in-the-wood
NOTE: This book was previously mentioned in RBP #120
LISTEN NOW: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-120/
> The second book in the Greenhollow Duology is Drowned Country
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49928905-drowned-country
> Ana mentions The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison which may finally receive a sequel soon?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17404280-the-goblin-emperor
> Title: In the Vanisher’s Palace
Author: Aliette de Bodard
Relation to theme: Beauty & the Beast retelling
Representation: Asian-French author, queer MCs
Content Warnings: abuse, trauma, coercion, the general awfulness of dystopia
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/host-ana-s-recs/
Kindle: https://amzn.to/39GQegd
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41724928-in-the-vanishers-palace
NOTE: This book was previously mentioned in RBP #120
LISTEN NOW: http://lustandfoundreads.com/rombkpod/ep-120/
> Title: Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters #2)
Author: Juliet Marillier
Relation to theme: Seven Swans fairy tale retelling
Representation: White author, white, cishet MCs
Content Warnings: sexual violence, graphic violence, pregnancy/childbirth, domestic violence
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/host-ana-s-recs/
Kindle: https://amzn.to/394pGGv
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11796524-son-of-the-shadows
NOTE: This is primarily historical fantasy with romantic elements
> Title: This Is How You Lose The Time War
Author: Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
Relation to theme: Time travel plot
Representation: Author of color, queer MCs
Content Warnings: war, violence
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/host-ana-s-recs/
Kindle: https://amzn.to/35SkrYG
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43352954-this-is-how-you-lose-the-time-war
> Tasha highly recommends the audio book for This is How You lose the Time War, narrated by
Cynthia Farrell and Emily Woo Zeller
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42996336-this-is-how-you-lose-the-time-war
> Ana also recommends the audio for Tasha’s book Empire of Sand, narrated by Soneela Nankani
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42785926-empire-of-sand
> Tasha recommends Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell which is due for release in Feb 2021
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53320169-winter-s-orbit
> Title: The A.I. Who Loved Me
Author: Alyssa Cole
Relation to theme: Android MC
Representation: Black, queer, neuro-divergent author, Black MC, Asian MC
Content Warnings: past accident
Bookshop: unavailable
Kindle: https://amzn.to/390NnQd
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53467163-the-a-i-who-loved-me
> The A.I. Who Loved Me originated as a full-cast Audible Original and is highly recommended on audio
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52255365-the-a-i-who-loved-me
> Which Sci-fi & Fantasy romance favorites did we miss? Tag us @RomBkPod or share with us in the comments
Happy Reading!
EP 217 MUSIC CREDIT
Music: “Lift Off” by Jahzzar
From the Free Music Archive
CC BY-SA 3.0
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT FORTHCOMING
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