Let's Talk and Romance Books (and Sex!) with Christina Braver

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Romance author Christina Braver uses her clinical psychology degree to embed real-life sex education into her novels.

The episode begins with host Cameron Cowan introducing guest Christina Braver, a romance author with a background in clinical psychology. Braver shares her career journey from therapist to tech worker to writer, sparked by a pandemic layoff. She explains recent shifts in the romance genre, starting with the impact of e-readers in the early 2000s, which allowed private reading and boosted popularity. The conversation turns to the 2019 Romance Writers of America scandal involving racism and sexism, which led many authors to self-publish and diversify the genre with LGBTQ, interracial, and other inclusive stories. Braver notes that romance accounts for $1.4 billion in annual sales, surpassing all other fiction genres. They delve into why women often prefer written erotica over visual porn, citing male-centric fantasies and the safety of mental imagery. Braver introduces terms like 'consensual non-consent' to describe certain fantasies. The discussion covers how romance novels can educate readers on sexual health, such as techniques like cunnilingus, and normalize diverse relationships. Braver ties this to her own writing, which addresses issues like endometriosis and sexual shame culture, aiming to promote sex-positive messages. The host shares personal anecdotes about age-gap relationships and growing up in evangelical purity culture, highlighting broader cultural norms. Braver recommends authors like Kennedy Ryan and Helen Hoang for their impactful stories. The episode concludes with Braver sharing her online presence and book availability, emphasizing the genre's role in fostering sexual exploration and education.

As heard by us

Christina Braver links romance tropes, sex education, and the publishing forces reshaping the genre.

Romance publishing, sex education, and the spillover from fantasy into real life sit at the center of this conversation with Christina Braver, a contemporary romance author with a master's degree in clinical psychology.

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Want romance tropes with a side of frank sex-education talk and romance-publishing context?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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