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
655. RT Rewind: October 2000 Ads & Features [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:13
It’s time for the ads and features of the October 2000 Romantic Times magazine, where they’re both talking about new releases AND celebrating their 200th issue.What did we learn?We learned about waxing, magazines, and ga…
654. Dialogue and Shenanigans with Kimberly Lemming [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:12
Kimberly Lemming’s new book, I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in A Rom-Com is out this week.What’s inside? A fantasy world with underfunded researchers and mishandled animal restoration caused by fiscal irres…
653. RT Rewind: February 2000 Reviews! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:14
RT is celebrating their 200th issue, and we’re celebrating, too!We’ve got the OG Monster Schtupping book, a guy whose arm appears to end in a ham, and some incredible covers. You know I’m going to tell you not to miss th…
652. Smart Bitches Turns 20 with Candy Tan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:36
My guest today is Candy Tan, who 20 years ago co-founded Smart Bitches Trashy Books with me. Yay!!We’re looking back at the founding of SBTB, about her reactions to Bridgerton, and her perennial favorite romances. We tal…
647. Finding Home: Recs and Wishes from Megan, Alanna, Sue and Rhonda [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:20
We’re traveling all over the world again, from the west coast of the US to Germany to discuss the price of PopTarts, book recommendations, and wishes for 2025 with Megan, Alanna, Sue, and Rhonda.Thank you for being part…
646. Swashbuckling and Historical Romance Classics with Elizabeth Hoyt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:49
My guest this week is Elizabeth Hoyt!! This episode was SO MUCH FUN to record and produce and I am so excited to share it with you.We talk about her latest book, No Ordinary Duchess, writer’s block, emotionally constipat…