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Hot and Bothered

Hot and Bothered

Author: Not Sorry Productions

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Hot and Bothered is all about the power of romance culture. We analyze romance novels and movies to better imagine our own happy endings. Episodes release weekly on Tuesdays.


CURRENT SEASON: Hot and Bothered (Movie Edition)

We make Hot and Bothered because we are interested in the way that love stories have impacted our lives and culture. For our fifth season of the show, we’re turning our attention to romantic films. Vanessa and Hannah McGregor dig into the canon of romantic films, from Titanic to Twilight to When Harry Met Sally, (just to name a few). Every other week they do a close scene analysis of how each movie ends, always asking the question ‘what does this movie believe about love?’



SEASON 4: Live from Pemberley

In Live from Pemberley, we continue our deep-dive into the classic texts of romance literature. This season we take a close look at the most famous Romance novel of all time: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Every episode, Vanessa Zoltan and Lauren Sandler read through the book, talk with experts, and ask themselves the question ‘is this still a story for our time?’


SEASON 3: On Eyre

Vanessa Zoltan and journalist Lauren Sandler embark on the English class you always deserved, diving deep into Jane Eyre through the themes of power and desire. Discussions range from ideas of class and colonialism to sex and gender as Lauren and Vanessa explore the roles of oppression and inequality, empowerment and rebellion in the text. Major “Eyreheads” and first-time readers alike are invited into Lauren and Vanessa’s conversation as they grapple with this complicated work—and as they try to figure out if Jane Eyre is a book they want to pass on to their daughters, and to future generations.


SEASON 2: Twilight in Quarantine

You may remember BFFs Vanessa & Julia from their all-star advice giving in Hot and Bothered Season 1. In this season they’re sheltering in place in different cities, but they’re getting on the phone three times a week to read and talk about Twilight. On Twilight in Quarantine, they work their way through the Twilight saga one chapter at a time, giving brilliant well-informed advice to Stephenie Meyer’s characters along the way. Advice like: “have you considered talking to each other about your feelings?” and “maybe you shouldn’t kidnap people.”


SEASON 1: Writing Romance

Season one of Hot and Bothered follows ten first-time romance writers as they try to write their own romance novels. Each episode explores a particular romance trope and why we love it so much. Along the way, Julia Quinn, writer of the Bridgerton series, gives weekly assignments so listeners can follow along in the process. Season one was made in collaboration with Spoke Media.


Hot & Bothered is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/



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234 Episodes
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We're between seasons of Hot and Bothered, but that doesn't mean we've stopped reading Romance novels. On the contrary, recently Vanessa has been binge reading The Pennyroyal Green Series by Julie Anne Long. And because Romance novelist are the nicest kind of people, we were lucky enough to get Julie on the phone. We asked her all of our questions about her books, how she got started writing, and regency romance. Enjoy this mini-episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're following our interview with Julie Anne Long last week with someone else who Vanessa is obsessed with: Justine Eyre, the woman who reads Julie Anne Long's books.Justine Eyre is a classically trained, multilingual actress who has narrated well over 400 audiobooks and received an Audie Award and multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. We talked to her about her process of preparing to record a book, the joys of romance, and whether listening to an audiobook counts as 'reading.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're between seasons of Hot and Bothered, so to keep you company we're bringing you interviews with our favorite writers and thinkers. This week, we're bringing you the wonderful writer and bookstore owner Emma Straub. Together we talk about how women's books are marketed, her love of writing hopeful endings, and why it's important to surround yourself with young people.Her book, All Adults Here, is recently out in paperback. Go check it out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we're excited to share a conversation with Nichole Perkins about Romance Thrillers, the pleasure of competency, and her podcast This is Good For You. Stick around after our conversation to hear an episode of This is Good For You all about baking bread. And if you like the show, be sure to subscribe wherever you find your podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next week, we're launching our new series On Eyre. But before we jump into 19th century England, we wanted to spend some time introducing you to our new co-host Lauren Sandler. Lauren's recent book This is All I Got: A New Mother's Search for Home is recently out in paperback. We talked to her about the process of writing her book and the similarities she see's between Jane Eyre and the continued vulnerability of women on the margins . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hot & Bothered Trailer

Hot & Bothered Trailer

2018-02-2701:28

Romance novels are the publishing industry’s dirty little secret. They make up 34% of the U.S. fiction market, yet there's still so much stigma around reading them. Join Vanessa Zoltan in October 2018 as she investigates the joyful, feminist, sacred space of the Romance genre. Every episode, Vanessa challenges one of her friends to write their first romance novel. With the help of N.Y. Times Best Selling Novelist Julia Quinn of the Bridgerton series, we'll be falling in love again and again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A closer look at Season One of Hot & Bothered, coming early 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Heartfelt Valentine

A Heartfelt Valentine

2019-02-1405:37

Here is an Anti-Valentine from Vanessa and Ariana.All 20 episodes of Hot & Bothered will be launching weekly, on Tuesdays, starting July 16th. In the meantime, we wanted to wish you a happy Valentine’s Day. Really! Happy Valentine’s Day! Or at least, happy Emma’s birthday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Justice for Dragons

Justice for Dragons

2019-07-1648:171

Vanessa Zoltan thinks that happy endings are the best part of romance novels. Bryce Gilfillian is writing his first romance novel and refuses to write a happy ending.This week on Hot and Bothered, we explore the trope of “Updated Fairytale.” Bryce sets out to write the gay fairytale he never had growing up. Meanwhile, Vanessa wrestles with her own princes, witches, and dragons.Along the way we get a little help from Professor of Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University, Maria Tatar, and receive our first writing assignment from our own fairy godmother, #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Bridgerton series, Julia Quinn.Follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and send us your romance advice questions for future episodes to hotandbotheredrompod@gmail.com. Next week: Love advice and a conversation with award-winning romance novelist, Alyssa Cole. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dump Him: Alyssa Cole

Dump Him: Alyssa Cole

2019-07-2329:482

Haven't finished the first writing assignment? No problem! We know writing takes time, so you'll have two weeks for each of Julia Quinn's assignments. In the meantime, Vanessa and her friend Julia Argy will buy you some time and turn to Reddit romance questions to offer their unsolicited (but solid) dating advice. This week’s advice? Dump Him.As Vanessa and Julia consider how power and money work negatively in real dating relationships, Vanessa turns to award-winning romance novelist Alyssa Cole to explore why it is she likes the power imbalances in Cole’s love stories - as well as feminism, bailing on dates, and the restorative pleasure of masseuses on planes.  Send us your own romance advice questions for future episodes on our website at https://www.hotandbotheredrompod.com/advice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Best Friend Lady Pirates

Best Friend Lady Pirates

2019-07-3044:442

Ariana Nedelman wants to write a romance novel, no matter how much it hurts. Vanessa Zoltan loves her friend Ariana, and doesn’t want her to do things that hurt!This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Enemies to Lovers.” Ariana confronts her own enemy, writing, in hopes she may grow to love it again. Vanessa reckons with letting a toxic enemy near her dearest friend.Additionally, we get some guidance from Professor Stephanie Paulsell at Harvard Divinity School, and our next writing assignment from writer’s-block-busting, #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Bridgerton series, Julia Quinn.Follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and send us your romance advice questions for future episodes to hotandbotheredrompod@gmail.com.Next week: More love advice and a conversation with your new best friend and cultural critic Margaret H. Willison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Another week to work on your next writing assignment? You’re welcome! This week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy offer more unsolicited advice to a romance-fraught Redditor caught between the love she has in her arms and the love she’s read about in books. Torn between fantasy and reality, Vanessa turns to librarian, pop culture expert, and America's Next Top Best Friend Margaret H. Willison to discuss the power of fantasy, and how imagining the love we *could* have helps us get the love we deserve. Send us your own romance advice questions for future episodes on our website at https://www.hotandbotheredrompod.com/advice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We All Hate Kokomo

We All Hate Kokomo

2019-08-1347:411

Vanessa has been faithfully holding onto her old love letters. Her friend Sejal, however, has decided to burn her own memorabilia and never look back. Which one is right?This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Reunited Lovers.” Sejal has made peace with her past and seeks a vicarious happy ending for two fictional former flames. Vanessa, on the other hand, is forced to confront the reality of a former toxic lover and what it means to doctor the evidence of her romantic history.Along the way, Rev. Dr. Matthew Potts weighs-in on how much of forgiveness is forgetting, and we get our next writing assignment from #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Bridgerton , Julia Quinn.Follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and send us your romance advice questions for future episodes to hotandbotheredrompod@gmail.com. Next week: More love advice and a conversation with mind-blowing sex educator and NYT best-selling author, Emily Nagoski.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
That’s right! You work on your writing, we’ll work on other people’s love lives! This week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy offer their support and unsolicited advice to an especially distraught Redditor wondering what to do with a husband who claims he’s no longer sexually attracted to her because of her past trauma.In addition to the obvious answer (divorce him!), Vanessa turns to sex educator and NYT best-selling author Emily Nagoski to better understand the nuances around attraction, sexual connection, and how to live confidently and joyfully in our bodies.Don’t forget to check out Emily’s new book, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle https://www.amazon.com/Come-You-Are-Surprising-Transform/dp/1476762090 Send us your own romance advice questions for future episodes on our website at https://www.hotandbotheredrompod.com/advice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Conundrum

The Conundrum

2019-08-2742:46

It’s no secret Olivia and Molly would love to have a baby. Vanessa thinks she might want a baby, but isn’t so sure. This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope of “Secret Baby.” Olivia and Molly have been patiently hoping and working to bring a baby into their life. In the meantime, they craft their own vicarious happy ending, baby and all. Vanessa considers her ambivalence about having a baby, and invites a chorus of loved ones to weigh the pros and cons of her bringing a child into the world.Additionally, we get our next writing assignment from #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Bridgerton series, Julia Quinn.Next week: More love advice and a conversation with one of Vanessa’s favorite novelists, romance superstar Beverly Jenkins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Helpful Scam

A Helpful Scam

2019-09-1047:131

Vanessa and her sister-in-law Suzanne agree: love-at-first-sight is questionable at best. Even still, Suzanne wants to explore a love-at-first-sight romance novel while anticipating the birth of her first child. This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Love at First Sight.” Suzanne considers how a parent’s “supposed” to feel upon first sight of their newborn child, and how love grows and evolves over time. Vanessa considers the limitations of love-at-first-sight stories in a world full of bad men. Along the way, Vanessa’s friend Sasha weighs-in with her own high-risk, high-reward experience with love at first sight, and we get our next writing assignment from #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Bridgerton series, Julia Quinn.Next week: More love advice and a conversation with feminist and religious scholar Amy Hollywood.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy fight over the appropriate unsolicited advice to give a Redditor who just discovered his girlfriend lied to him about her virginity.To make sense of their conflict, Vanessa turns to feminist and religious scholar Amy Hollywood. Together, they explore the religious history and origins of virginity, and the implications of how virginity is portrayed today. Send us your own romance advice questions for future episodes on our website at https://www.hotandbotheredrompod.com/advice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the Next Exam Room

In the Next Exam Room

2019-09-2446:061

Vanessa and Brigid share everything with each other - their thoughts, their feelings, even their endometriosis diagnosis.This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Friends to Lovers.” In her writing, Brigid reckons with the way love changes in the transition from friendship to partnership. Together, Vanessa and Brigid wrestle with what they share with friends, what they share with their partners, and the intimacy born from shared pain. Along the way, Rev. Dr. Matthew Potts returns to shed light on how we ask for care from our partners, and we get our next writing assignment from #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Bridgerton series, Julia Quinn.Next week: More love advice and a conversation with advice columnist and entertainment reporter Meredith Goldstein.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Vanessa and friend Julia Argy marvel over their favorite Reddit dating advice question yet: a girlfriend curious about her boyfriend’s LOCKED DRAWER containing a secret object he refuses to divulge. For insight into the most mysterious relational secrets, Vanessa turns to advice columnist, entertainment reporter, and paranormal romance novel reader Meredith Goldstein. Together, they explore the boundaries of privacy, paranormal intimacy, and what we keep in drawers. Send us your own romance advice questions for future episodes on our website at https://www.hotandbotheredrompod.com/advice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mom, Don't Listen

Mom, Don't Listen

2019-10-0840:14

Marissa Martinelli is writing a real sex scene. Vanessa is READY. This week on Hot & Bothered, we explore the trope “Mistaken Identity.” As Marissa tries to write a good sex scene for her mistaken characters, she and Vanessa explore the vulnerability of explicit sexuality, and wrestle with the freedom and the oppression of coded sexual language.Vanessa turns to writer, romance-novel reader, and co-host of Thirst Aid Kit Nichole Perkins to understand what we talk about when we talk about throbbing members. We also get our next (steamy!) writing assignment from #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Bridgerton series, Julia Quinn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Comments (26)

Janet Lafler

If Wickham had been born to money, he would have become Henry Crawford.

Jun 4th
Reply

Janet Lafler

"Don't you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You wouldn't marry a girl just because she's pretty, but my goodness, doesn't it help?" (from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)

Jun 4th
Reply

Janet Lafler

The straightforward questions that Lizzie refuses to directly answer are "is there any foundation to this rumor?" and "has my nephew made an offer to you?" These are questions that she could not answer without telling Lady Catherine about his proposal, which would be a cruel thing to do to Darcy and a violation of his trust. The question "are you engaged to him" is a simple question that can be answered without opening a whole can of worms. I think that's why she answers it.

Jun 3rd
Reply

Janet Lafler

It's also the case that marriage at 16 wasn't all that common in Britain at the time. The average age of marriage for women was 22-ish. Of course there was a lot of variation, with the highest and lowest status people marrying rather earlier.

Jun 2nd
Reply

Janet Lafler

I'm not sure why I'm continuing to listen to this podcast, since I disagree with so much of their interpretation of the text. But I do want to point out that not everybody thinks it's best for Lydia to marry Wickham. According to Mrs. Gardiner, Darcy's "first object" had been "to persuade her to quit her present disgraceful situation, and return to her friends as soon as they could be prevailed on to receive her, offering his assistance, as far as it would go." 1/

Jun 2nd
Reply (3)

Janet Lafler

Elizabeth doesn't read the letter and immediately accept everything in it. It's not until she sees Darcy's changed behavior at Pemberley and hears Mrs. Reynolds's praise that she really warms to him. Later on, Darcy acknowledges that the letter was written in a spirit of bitterness and says "I hope you have destroyed the letter. There was one part especially, the opening of it, which I should dread your having the power of reading again." So nobody, including Darcy, thinks it's a perfect letter.

May 31st
Reply

Janet Lafler

While we're being psychotherapists, what about Munschausen Syndrome by proxy? Maybe Anne de Bourgh is sickly because her mother likes it that way.

May 28th
Reply

Janet Lafler

I object to the use of the term "hot" in this episode. I know it's jokey, but I think it misrepresents what is going on.

May 25th
Reply

Janet Lafler

I don't understand why you're all insisting that Mr. Collins is the Bennet sisters' first cousin. There's nothing in the text to support that idea. Mr. Bennet refers to Mr. Collins as "my cousin," not "my nephew," and he never says whether he and Collins are first or second or ninth cousins twice removed.

May 25th
Reply

Janet Lafler

I've seen a few romances that push back against or upend the "mean girl" trope, though. The "enemies to friends" arc, or the vapid-seeming, privileged girl who turns out to be kind and/or have some unsuspected talent.

May 24th
Reply

Nm

It is not soccer Conall plays, it is Gaelic football a sport native to Ireland and sometimes just referred to as football. Please remove the soccer reference or edit to correct at the end.

May 10th
Reply

ID22733912

Yay! I’m so excited you are able to create the next season! I really enjoy the conversations you and Lauren have. Thanks for making such a wonderful show!

Jan 29th
Reply

Sarah Houck

CANT WAIT for more Twilight. This is the content I am here for. So glad that Vanessa is putting her talents to good use on fun new projects.

Jul 8th
Reply

Margaret Watson Pace

I think both of the hosts are really witty, and fun to listen to. but I can't listen anymore. Really their commentary is just mocking someone else's work. No matter how cute your format is and how funny you are, it's just so negative.

Jul 4th
Reply

victor l

8

Sep 13th
Reply

Amy3422

Vanessa continues to be funny and intelligent even outside of HP & the Sacred Text.

Sep 9th
Reply

Andrew Permafide Greaves

"like.........like............like" this podcastis annoying, i thought they were going to teach how to write and im 7 mins in and its just relationship help

Sep 7th
Reply

Richard Villegas

ehhhh

Sep 5th
Reply

E J

"...... treat the secular as the sacred,..........". Wow. They are not even trying to hide it anymore..........

Sep 4th
Reply

Tonya Wilkes

Finally! I love the format, the lessons and do excited to get the assignments each week. I think it's wonderful to interrupt the norm. I can't wait for the next show.

Jul 16th
Reply (1)