{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6a2c4836252d86e84648db56/6ab3eaaa864264ef3e4574a2?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"#12 V.L. Bovalino: Nostalgic YA Fantasy, Queer-Normative Worldbuilding, and the Art of Yearning","description":"<p>The Everygirl Book Club interviews best-selling author V.L. Bovalino about The Second Death of Locke and her new novel, The Thief and the Traitor Bride, which follows Nore Gordon, a spy forced onto a mission with her estranged husband. In “Read Receipts,” Bovalino shares her current reads, recent 5-star reads, and upcoming books she&#39;s excited for. She discusses formative influences like Kristin Cashore’s Fire, inspirations ranging from Game of Thrones to The Queen’s Thief, and how her PhD on secondary-world worldbuilding shaped her approach to storytelling. Bovalino recounts her publishing journey, explains the “year of the lady knight,” recommends immersive romance-forward fantasy and historical romance, and talks craft choices including Nore’s non-warrior strengths, shifting perspectives on Grey and Keir, and queer-normative worldbuilding.</p><p><br></p><p>00:53 Surreal Success Stories</p><p>02:27 Read Receipts Segment</p><p>02:43 Current Read Gothic Fantasy</p><p>08:59 Formative YA Fantasy</p><p>13:09 Influences and Romantasy Roots</p><p>16:24 PhD Worldbuilding Deep Dive</p><p>21:31 Early Drafts and Evolution</p><p>23:00 Publishing Journey Highs and Lows</p><p>28:57 Lady Knights </p><p>32:53 Reader Prescriptions</p><p>44:24 Nore As Unusual Heroine</p><p>51:03 Grey And Keir Reframed</p><p>55:21 Queer Normative World</p><p>01:02:31 Tropes With Fantasy Twist</p><p>01:05:37 Building Politics And Magic</p><p>01:15:39 Book Three Tease And Stakes</p><p>01:18:49 Crafting Romances With Yearning</p><p>01:22:49 Subgenre Debate And Farewell</p><p><br></p><h2>Books Mentioned</h2><ul><li><em>The Second Death of Locke</em> by V. L. Bovalino</li><li><em>The Thief and the Traitor Bride</em> by V. L. Bovalino</li><li><em>The Knave and the Moon</em> by Rachel Gillig</li><li><em>The Knight and the Moth</em> by Rachel Gillig</li><li><em>Once Was Willem</em> by M. R. Carey</li><li><em>A Deadly Education</em> by Naomi Novik</li><li><em>Ninth House</em> by Leigh Bardugo</li><li><em>Hell Bent</em> by Leigh Bardugo</li><li><em>The Saint of Bright Doors</em> by Vajra Chandrasekera</li><li><em>Rakesfall</em> by Vajra Chandrasekera</li><li><em>This Is How You Lose the Time War</em> by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone</li><li><em>Fire</em> by Kristin Cashore</li><li><em>Graceling</em> by Kristin Cashore</li><li><em>Bitterblue</em> by Kristin Cashore</li><li><em>Winterkeep</em> by Kristin Cashore</li><li><em>Seasparrow</em> by Kristin Cashore</li><li><em>The Selection</em> by Kiera Cass</li><li><em>Matched</em> by Ally Condie</li><li><em>The Queen&#39;s Thief</em> series by Megan Whalen Turner</li><li><em>Red, White &amp; Royal Blue</em> by Casey McQuiston</li><li><em>Shadow and Bone</em> by Leigh Bardugo</li><li><em>King of Scars</em> by Leigh Bardugo</li><li><em>Rule of Wolves</em> by Leigh Bardugo</li><li><em>Uprooted</em> by Naomi Novik</li><li><em>The Winternight Trilogy</em> by Katherine Arden</li><li><em>Natasha&#39;s Dance: A Cultural History of Russia</em> by Orlando Figes</li><li><em>War and Peace</em> by Leo Tolstoy</li><li><em>For My Lady&#39;s Heart</em> by Laura Kinsale</li><li><em>The Raven Scholar</em> by Antonia Hodgson</li><li><em>Empire of Sand</em> by Tasha Suri</li><li><em>Realm of Ash</em> by Tasha Suri</li><li><em>Six Wild Crowns</em> by Holly Race</li><li><em>The Beheading Game</em> by Rebecca Lehmann</li><li><em>The Other Boleyn Girl</em> by Philippa Gregory</li><li><em>The Paradise Problem</em> by Christina Lauren</li><li><em>The Everlasting</em> by Alix E. Harrow</li><li><em>The Isle in the Silver Sea</em> by Tasha Suri</li><li><em>The Princess Knight</em> by Cait Jacobs</li><li><em>Heated Rivalry</em> by Rachel Reid</li><li><em>Twilight</em> by Stephenie Meyer</li><li><em>The Hunger Games</em> by Suzanne Collins</li><li><em>Percy Jackson</em> series by Rick Riordan</li><li><em>Bridgerton</em> series by Julia Quinn</li></ul><p><br></p><h2>Join The Everygirl Book Club meetings</h2><p><strong>September 24: It’s Different This Time</strong></p><ul><li><a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-everygirl-book-club-september-discussion-and-author-qa-tickets-1997156302262\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">RSVP here</a></li></ul><p><strong>October 25: And He Shall Appear</strong></p><ul><li><a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-everygirl-book-club-october-discussion-with-live-author-qa-tickets-2000192185671?aff=oddtdtcreator\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">RSVP here</a></li></ul><p><strong>December 3: Conform</strong></p><ul><li><a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-everygirl-book-club-november-discussion-and-author-qa-tickets-2000190200734?aff=oddtdtcreator\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">RSVP here</a></li></ul><p><strong>January 7: Under Story</strong></p><ul><li><a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-everygirl-book-club-december-discussion-and-author-qa-tickets-2000189479577?aff=oddtdtcreator\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">RSVP here</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Enjoy the episode? Like and follow The Everygirl Book Club Podcast, leave a rating and review, and share the episode with a fellow reader. Then, join the conversation on Instagram<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theeverygirlbookclub/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> @theeverygirlbookclub</a> for monthly book picks, book recommendations, reading challenges, and more.<a href=\"https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5zYHY6Y11qaxoO5HvrV1TDHXW4rHxps3_N1LljK6Ne6OUdA/viewform?usp=dialog\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Fill out this form</a> to submit your own reader prescriptions or request specific discussion topics.</p>","author_name":"The Everygirl Book Club"}