Spoke Media Launches Hot and Bothered
The show treats writing Romance novels as a sacred practice.
Spoke Media is proud to announce the launch of Hot & Bothered, a podcast about the publishing industry’s dirty little secret: romance novels. Join host Vanessa Zoltan as she investigates the joyful, feminist, sacred space of the romance genre. The show encourages listeners to write romance novels as a sacred practice: the first season follows the experience of ten of Vanessa’s friends as they embark on the process of writing their very first. Vanessa is joined by New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn, her favorite romance novelist, to discuss tropes and what it takes to write such a novel, with special guests including Alyssa Cole, Beverly Jenkins and Emily Nagoski. Along the way, we find meaning in the mundane, treat the secular as sacred, and build communities of supportive, creative friends.
Romance novels make up 34% of the U.S. fiction market, yet there’s still so much stigma around reading them, and this show sets out to breakdown that stigma.
“Romance novels are one of the great contributions to the arts and they are constantly undermined and belittled,” said Vanessa Zoltan, creator and host. “They are hopeful, generous texts that bring in billions of dollars and live in the lives of millions of women. I am so excited to make a podcast where fans of romance will be taken seriously and we will be exploring the depths of this beloved genre.”
The show is co-produced by Not Sorry Productions, creators of the popular Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, among others.
“The success of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text taught us that fiction can help us live better in the world,” said Ariana Nedelman, creator and executive producer. “By taking up romance novels as our sacred text in Hot & Bothered, we have the privilege to center those conversations around love, relationships, and feminism. We’re delighted to be sharing the fruit of our work and the fun and sexy stories that our writers produced.”
Through writing and friendship, the show will explore what imagining ‘happily ever after’ means, and how writing can help people explore what is sacred in their lives. The tropes explored this season will include Love at First Sight (example: Romeo and Juliet), Enemies to Lovers (examples: Anne of Green Gables), Reunited Lovers (example: The Notebook), and many more.
“Vanessa and Ariana have created a show that is all at once funny, poignant and joyful,” said Alia Tavakolian, Spoke Media co-founder. “This is the kind of show we need more of and I am glad Spoke gets to be part of making it.”
