Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast

My guest today is bestselling author Ashley Poston, whose new book, The Someday Garden, is out this week.The Someday Garden was inspired by The Secret Garden, so we’re going to talk about inspiration, gardening, fandoms, changing genres and having your readers grow up with you as a writer.TW/CW – discussion of grief, and of suicide at almost exactly 1 hour into our conversation.You can find Ashley Poston on her website, AshPoston.com, on IG as @HeyAshPoston, and on Threads @HeyAshPoston.We also mentioned:Diary X (RIP)Cheerful Plants app (when to water your succulents!)AppleAndroidHeated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Parody Musical Boothbay Garden, MaineJardin de Quatre-Vents, Quebec, CanadaThe Butchart Garden, British Columbia, CanadaDo you like to listen to your favorite podcasts on YouTube? We’re there, too! Come on over! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kayleigh Donaldson is back! She is the guest on some of the most popular episodes, and I know what that is: she’s brilliant. We recorded this just before the Oscar nominations were announced, so Kayleigh is making (some pretty accurate!) predictions about Oscar nominations, and explaining what makes this year’s group of films so interesting.Along the way we also talk about vintage Hollywood gossip, character actors who go weird gremlin, and the way actors shape public narrative with their project choices, their fashion, and their cosmetic procedures. And also – Scotland made the World Cup – woohoo!I love talking to people who think about their favorite aspects of popular culture the way I think about romance fiction, and I already know you love when Kayleigh is a guest. Don’t worry, she will be back.Technical note: we had some connectivity issues and delay during the recording, so I don’t have a full video episode for this one, though I do have clips, so watch for them on social media. You might hear some muddy audio, and I apologize. Please know I did all the things I could.CW/TW: At about 2 minutes in, we talk about Elizabeth Taylor’s abusive first husband. We also talk about body and beauty standards in Hollywood.Patreon folks, you have an extended episode inside your Patreon feed with a whole extra hour of discussion about the Beckhams, the industry of celebrity children, and more....You can find Kayleigh Donaldson at her website, KayleighDonaldson.com, on Bluesky, and on Pajiba.com. You can also sign up for her (excellent) newsletter, Gossip Reading Club.We also mentioned:The New Yorker: “Amanda Seyfried’s Epiphanies”Reddit: Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun in Central Park Reddit: Sydney Sweeney and Christy Martin in Sports IllustratedTom and Lorenzo: Sydney Sweeney’s hair on Jimmy FallonThe New York Times: Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom on the “Enduring Invisible Power of Blondeness” (Archive link)The Wrap: Kayleigh reviews All’s FairThe List: Bradley Cooper’s Face and Resulting RumorsThe Wall Street Journal: Club Chalamet/Simone Cromer profileWikipedia: The Leveson Inquiry  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s never too late for Holiday Wishes, right? We had such a record number of interviews for the Holiday Wishes episodes this year, and I truly love doing them. Thank you.But many of you asked about Amanda’s recs and wishes, so to wind up our holiday extravaganza, Amanda and I are talking about the books that we loved in 2025, our wishes for everyone in 2026, and of course we talk about a LOT of other things. One of Amanda’s favorites was about a songwriter and so we discussed our music tastes, which, total surprise, are entirely different. We also look back at the most popular content on SBTB in 2025, and what posts and podcasts had the most engagement.Don’t forget to subscribe to the Smart Podcast Trashy Books YouTube Channel! We also mentioned:YouTube: Electric Callboy – “Elevator Operator”Webtoon: Villains are Destined to DiePodcast: The Sticky Bun BoysIG Reel: “Dating Grok”SBTB: Unhinged Bingo!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year!This week we are talking with Katie, Kate, and Adam – we’ve got book recs, wishes, spreadsheet discussions, dungeons, and some wishes that don’t violate the Hatch Act.There’s also rather appalling poo adventure immediately after my first interview. Pew pew!Check out the complete show notes at SBTB.com!Thanks to your Patreon pledges, we have reached our goal with the F’ICE campaign, and all dynamic ads are now turned off permanently for everyone who listens. Thank you so much!You can gift a Patreon membership if you’re so inclined! A lovely gift for someone you know who loves the show.AND! The Smart Bitches Candle Collection is available now for a limited time – until January 5, and boy, howdy, does Wax Cabin Candle Company ship fast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.