642. Books Journalism and Social Media with Sophie Vershbow

642. Books Journalism and Social Media with Sophie Vershbow

Author: Sarah Wendell November 22, 2024 Duration: 1:03:45

Sophie Vershbow is a freelance journalist who writes a lot about books, reading, and the publishing industry. You might have seen her article about celebrity book ghost writers and about DNFing without guilt.


We talk about her experience with social media strategy for authors and publishers, and with writing about publishing. We also discuss how much book publicity has changed, so stay tuned for extremely good advice for managing social media for book publicity.


Then, naturally, we turn to reality tv and shopping!


We have SO MANY LINKS. Get ready!

You can find Sophie Vershbow at her website, on Instagram – and don’t forget her dog, Simon!

We also discussed:




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If you’ve ever felt a little defensive about loving romance novels, or just want to dive deeper into the books you can’t put down, Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast is your perfect companion. Host Sarah Wendell approaches the genre with a critic’s sharp mind and a fan’s enthusiastic heart, creating conversations that are as thoughtful as they are joyful. This isn’t just author interviews, though you’ll hear brilliant voices like Ilona Andrews, Sarah J. Maas, and the wonderfully unique Chuck Tingle. The scope of the podcast is deliberately wide, bringing in reviewers, librarians, editors, and publishing professionals to examine every facet of the romance world. You’ll get honest talk about tropes and trends, the business behind the books, and why these stories resonate so powerfully with millions of readers. Regular appearances from Amanda Diehl add another layer of camaraderie and insight. Listening feels like being part of a smart, welcoming book club where no opinion is dismissed and passion is a given. It’s a celebration of a genre that dominates fiction, explored with humor, intelligence, and genuine curiosity. Whether you’re a longtime devotee or a curious newcomer, this podcast offers a rich, engaging, and deeply human look at the stories we love.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 1:16:20
My guest this week is podcast community favorite Alisha Rai! We start off catching up on our history of podcasting together, our life changes, and the challenges of making children wear coats.Then it’s enemies to lovers…
711. RT Rewind: July 2000 Ads & Features [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:03
We are back in the time machine, heading to July 2000 to check out the Ads & Features from Romantic Times Magazine!We’re going to talk about Geocities websites, author research, and Hands.Lots of Hands.This one is a litt…
709. RT Rewind: July 2000 Reviews [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:58
We're back in the time machine, heading to July 2000 - for real this time - to check out the reviews in this issue of Romantic Times magazine!We’ve got anthologies, Carpathians, and several books where we’re pretty sure…
707. RT Rewind: June 1997 Ads & Features [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:38
Amanda and I are traveling back to June 1997 to discuss:Touring inside author’s homes and whether we think it’s kinda intrusive and uncomfortableNeverending reader hate for “the F word”The fans used to blow back cover mo…
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Duration: 1:15:52
Kate Quinn’s new book, The Astral Library, is out this week and I was so excited to not only get an advanced copy but an opportunity to interview Kate Quinn.We talk about the inspiration for this very magical book, and a…