In this episode, I interview Erin Baldwin about her debut novel Wish You Weren't Here, a sapphic YA romance about two girls who can't stand each other but are forced to share a cabin at beloved summer camp Fogridge. We talk about writing the enemies-to-lovers trope for a young audience, accurately representing Gen Z teenagehood, and what Erin wishes she didn't have to cut from her final draft.

Purchase your copy of Wish You Weren't Here from BookshopDotOrg here: https://bookshop.org/a/56317/9780593622698

You can follow Erin on Instagram as @erinbwrites and on bluesky at @erinbwrites.bsky.social.

Please subscribe to Rebel Ever After on your favorite podcast app! Support the show by becoming a patron at patreon.com/brosandprose starting at $3/month. You can find free, full transcripts for each episode on my Patreon.

You can follow me (Ella!) on Threads, Instagram and BlueSky @brosandprose for updates about the show and other romance/political shenanigans.

P.S. My queer millennial second-chance romance BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY is available at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel

During the innocent week before the 2024 election, I chatted with Becca Grischow about her debut novel I’LL GET BACK TO YOU, a sapphic Thanksgiving rom-com published by Penguin Books. We discussed Becca’s career as a ghostwriter and what it’s like to finally claim authorship of a book she wrote, including the downsides of being a queer author on TikTok. Plus the importance of writing broke, queer characters, and our bond as bisexual raccoon millennials.

Purchase your copy of I’ll Get Back To You from bookshop dot org here: https://bookshop.org/a/56317/9780143138419

You can follow Becca at @beegriz on Instagram and TikTok.

Please subscribe to Rebel Ever After on your favorite podcast app, and support the show by becoming a patron at patreon.com/brosandprose. You can find free, full transcripts for each episode on my Patreon.

You can follow me (Ella!) on Threads, Instagram and BlueSky @brosandprose for updates about the show and other romance/political shenanigans.

P.S. My queer millennial second-chance romance BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY is available at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel

As we face down a second Trump Presidency, we need the escapism of a good romance novel more than ever. But romance isn't a fluffy distraction from politics — from its first transgressive pages, the romance genre centered the needs, desires and ambitions of women. Now more than ever, we need romances that envision a world where everyone can live their happily ever after.

Fight fascism, form community, and fall in love with Rebel Ever After, a new leftist romance podcast. Join me, sex & culture critic and BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY author Ella Dawson, as I interview my favorite Romancelandia citizens about writing swoony, sexy and progressive romance novels.

In this short introduction episode, I outline my goals for the show, the perspective I bring to these conversations as a host, and how you can support Rebel Ever After as it develops. Full-length episodes will begin soon! You can look forward to interviews with Becca Grischow, Erin Baldwin, and writing team Lydia Wang and Annabel Paulson, among others.

Mentioned in this episode:

Adriana Herrera's excellent thread on romanticizing violent white men: https://www.threads.net/@ladriana_herrera/post/DCE3u53R8PV

Full transcript available at patreon.com/brosandprose! Please subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app, and support the show by becoming a patron.

You can follow me on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky @brosandprose.

My queer millennial second-chance romance BUT HOW ARE YOU, REALLY is available from booksellers across the U.S. at bit.ly/buthowareyoureallynovel