678. The Osmanification of Fiction Covers with Kayleigh Donaldson
Aug. 1st, 2025 06:00 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
Then, Kayleigh Donaldson said she had many thoughts about them.
One of the worst things you can do is be one of my favorite people to listen to and then tell me you have thoughts about something I posted on SBTB. I WANT TO HEAR THE THOUGHTS. Good thing I have a podcast, right? So here we are.
We’re going to talk about the Osman Aesthetic in cozy mystery, where it comes from, why it works, and what’s happening next.
TW/CW: mentions of a book that contains on-page sexual assault and discussion of That Writer being a TERF, plus the effect of her politics on Scotland. That discussion is at 35:30 and you’ll want to skip forward about 1 minute.
Note for Patreon folks: our bonus episode next week is going to be over an hour of Kayleigh and I talking about pop culture, concepts of masculinity and femininity in celebrity personae, and more.
…
Inspired by other Patreon folks, including Chris DeRosa at Fixing Famous People, I’ve made some of the Patreon content free so you can sample what we’ve got.
- Do you want to do a crossword puzzle from the May 1995 issue of RT? The crossword puzzle is available for free on Patreon right now!
- Would you like to read an issue of RT Magazine? The December 1997 issue is now available for your perusal.
- Or would you like to try one of our bonus episodes? Join Amanda and me as we look back at our 2024 predictions about romance and publishing.
This collection of special previews is available now to all listeners, and there’s a link in the show notes to dive in. And if you like our free samples, join us in the Patreon community where there’s bonus content and more.
Listen to the podcast →Read the transcript →
Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:
You can find Kayleigh Donaldson at her website, and on her newsletter, The Gossip Reading Club. You can also find her writing at Pajiba.com and at The Daily Beast.
We also mentioned:
- The Thursday Murder Club adaptation on Netflix, premiering 22 August 2025
- Death in Paradise
- The Rest is Entertainment podcast
- The Dundee Stars
If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.
More ways to sponsor:
Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)

What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.
Thanks for listening!
Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
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Pet sitting services rely on basic trust, except some pet sitters think temporary care means permanent ownership with a side of elaborate lies.

The suburban pet thief shows impressive creativity by treating cat theft like a magic trick, making beloved pets disappear into disguised crates while convincing owners their animals suddenly hate them and prefer strangers.
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This convenience shopper had one goal in mind when she went to the grocery store: To acquire a carton of eggs and go home. Mission-oriented and focused on her task, she charged into the grocery parking lot with gusto, not realizing that her life would be furrever changed by the tiny kitten thrust in her arms. Sometimes, Fate has a different plan for us, even when we are just on a strike mission to the grocery store to get a dozen eggs.
Full feline indeed.
Jul. 31st, 2025 07:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
21 Purrfect Pictures of Cats Scoring Sweet Treats for Tolerating Their Hoomans
Jul. 31st, 2025 05:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
If anyone deserves a sugary reward, it's our feline overlords. These cats have put up with a lot from their hoomans. Unsolicited belly rubs, endless photo shoots, and dramatic reenactments of TikTok trends they never signed up for. So it's only fair they get a sweet treat or two for their patience.
These candy-loving kitties have truly earned their stripes (and gummies, and marshmallows). With expressions ranging from "treat me, peasant" to "I'm only here for the snacks," they remind us who really runs the household. And let's not forget the emotional labor: comforting us when we cry, knocking over our water bottles to keep us hydrated, and holding down the fort while we're out earning money for more treats.
So scroll on and celebrate these sweet-toothed superstars who've mastered the art of putting up with hooman nonsense . All in exchange for a little sugar and a lot of admiration. They've earned their sweet treats, one purr at a time.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
22 Meowgical Memes of Purr Orange Cat Energy
Jul. 31st, 2025 04:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
Orange cats. Agents of chaos. Sweet little weirdos. Affectionate goofballs with zero impulse control. Ask anyone who's lived with one. These cats are a vibe all their own.
They'll scream at a wall, then flop dramatically like they just ran a marathon (they didn't). They'll launch themselves at your ankles, steal your snacks, and then curl up like nothing happened. It's like living with a clown who also happens to be kind of a genius… but mostly just very loud.
The collective theory is that all orange cats share one brain cell, and honestly, that checks out. But for every unhinged moment, there's also a melt-your-heart one. They're expert snugglers, professional headbutters, and surprisingly needy for attention in the most endearing way.
They're not the most graceful, or the most logical, but they are 100% themselves at all times. And that's what makes them iconic. Orange cats might not make your life easier… but they will definitely make it more interesting.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
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Moving in with a partner is a major step, but for this devoted cat guardian, it's coming with a serious furball of a challenge. She has four rescue cats she's deeply bonded to, and while her boyfriend, who has a cat of his own, has always been understanding, the thought of living with five felines isn't exactly his idea of domestic bliss.
The couple has had mature, thoughtful conversations, and while she knows her boyfriend would accept all four if she insisted, she doesn't want to put him in an uncomfortable living situation. It is, after all, his home too. So now she's wrestling with the idea of possibly rehoming one or two cats. Not because she wants to, but because she's trying to find a compromise that respects both her relationship and her furry family.
Still, it's not an easy decision. These cats were abandoned before and started as fosters, and their bond is strong. She's committed to them for life, which makes even considering this option feel heartbreaking. It's a real test of love, loyalty, and just how many cats one couple can cuddle under one roof.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
20 Purrfect Cat Memes Fur Your Afternoon Paws
Jul. 31st, 2025 01:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
Well done hooman, you have made it passed the middle of the week and soon the weekend shall begin to beacon you towards the fun and freedom that you have been so dearly and deeply craving. But until that time comes, there is still work left to be done and deadlines left to meet, which is a tall order considering your boss has probably been breathing down your neck all week like a cat who was supposed to be fed at 5:00 and the time is 5:01.
So we figured that we would lend a helping paw and give you good reason for a rest, which is why we made this list of purrfect cat memes fur your afternoon paws. A collection of calming, comforting and wonderfully wholesome house cats who want nothing more than to bring peace to your mind, and fluff to your eyes.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
I Can Has Adventure – What Heroic Tool Will Duchess Dander Don This August? YOU Decide!
Jul. 31st, 2025 12:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)

You have spoken, noble denizens of Cheezburgia – Duchess Dander is a fiery, lionhearted adventurer, her fur aglow with brilliant orange and her eyes gleaming a sharp, determined green. The people have shaped their heroine, and now she stands at the threshold of fate.
But no hero ventures forth empty-pawed… Every great quest demands a tool worthy of legend – a signature handheld heroic instrument, a companion to carry through danger and destiny alike.
Meet us at our Facebook forest clearing and vote:
- Will Duchess Dander don the graceful precision of a rapier? 🗡️
- Will she wield the keen aim of a bow? 🏹
- Or will she master the mystic power of a meowgical scroll? 📜
Then, go to our Instagram path and make a minor choice:
- Comment "Pendant" for her to have her father's silver paw-shaped charm.
- Comment "Bell" for her to have her mother's enchanted collar bell.
Only the realm's wisest oracles (that is, you) can decide. And don't forget – next week, Duchess Dander's Summer Adventure officially begins!
Read below to learn more about the Kingdom of Cheezburgia:
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Being able to admit your love for your cat is one of the most important things in feline-hooman relationships. Sure, the cat might never reciprocate your expression of admiration. But at least they will know that they own your soul and can do whatever they want with that, most commonly to solicit extra food from us. But the problem exists when we bring another hooman into the picture. Now, if they are feline fanatics as well, then there should be little to no issues, in fact possibly the opposite.
But if they are not feline obsessed, then you have to be ultra careful what you say around them. For all too often we slide into gushing over our cute cat children, telling them that they are the smartest, sweetest, most beautiful creatures on the planet. But if someone who is ambivalent towards cats hears you say that to your cat instead of them, then you are in for some trouble. Which is exactly what happened in this titillating and tantalizing cat story.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
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Top o'the meowrning to you, feline fam. Some people are just lucky, you know? Like, some people always find money in their jeans pockets or get every green light on their way to work. Others of us are stuck waiting 10 minutes just for the light to change. And this luck goes for being in good standing with the Cat Distribution System as well. We praise the CDS pretty much daily, and yet, we have only been visited by the CDS once in our lives. Although we remain feline faithful, we might never be as lucky as the purrson in this post.
They did the good deed of rescuing two stray cats from the streets, but the kitty cosmos had another plan for them. Overnight, the number of cats they rescued went from 2…. to 12! We love cats and we will always help a cat in need, but we've never raised 12 cats at once before. You need to be a real expurrt to get through that situation with your sanity still intact!
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
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We hope, feline fam, that one day we will never have to post about something like this ever again.

We truly hope for that world, where there will be no more people who think it's okay to just dump a living animal in a random parking lot and leave with no consequences. We hope that there will be no more cats that could face life on the street, needing homes. But today is not that day, and we have a long way to go before we get there.
Today, instead of wishing for change, we're going to celebrate the present. Thanks to a friendly fellow cat lover, the kitten in this post now has a loving family and will never have to expurrience a life of hardship. They caught two people dumping him in a Petsmart parking lot, and they swooped in to save the kitty and the day. Unfortunately, the two escaped, but all that matters is that this cute kitty is okay. Thank you, hooman!
Horror, Sherry Thomas, & More
Jul. 31st, 2025 03:30 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
Pride and Protest

Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne is $1.99! We featured this on a previous Hide Your Wallet. Payne has another contemporary, Jane Austen retelling: Sex, Lies and Sensibility.
A Phenomenal Book Club pick for November 2022!
A woman goes head-to-head with the CEO of a corporation threatening to destroy her neighborhood in this fresh and modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by debut author Nikki Payne.
Liza B.—the only DJ who gives a jam—wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly—but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she’ll settle for getting him out of her head.
At first, Dorsey writes off Liza Bennett as more interested in performing outrage than acting on it. As the adopted Filipino son of a wealthy white family, he’s always felt a bit out of place and knows a fraud when he sees one. But when Liza’s protest results in a viral meme, their lives are turned upside down, and Dorsey comes to realize this irresistible revolutionary is the most real woman he’s ever met.
A Study in Scarlet Women

RECOMMENDED: A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas is $1.99! Both Sarah and Carrie read this book and enjoyed it.
Sarah gave it a B+: I haven’t shut up about this book since I finished it. My outbound text messages are mostly hollering, squeeing, and long strings of vowels about this book.
I’m so excited this book exists. I’m so excited that I got to read it. I’m so excited there will be more.
Carrie gave it B: I can’t WAIT to find out what Charlotte, Livia, and Mrs. Watson are up to. I hope it involves them being protective of each other, empowering, and smart. The excitement is palpable!
USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down…
With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.
Crash Landing

Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid is $1.99! This is a second chance romance where the main couple is stranded on an island. I was meh on this one; lots of danger boner adjacent scenes. Example: right after crashing, the heroine is already thinking about how hot the hero is. GIRL, YOU HAVE A HEAD INJURY AND YOU JUST CRASHED ON AN ISLAND.
A funny and heartwarming debut romance about two exes forced to reunite when a plane crash leaves them stranded on a deserted island.
Piper Adams is completely, totally, one hundred percent over Wyatt, the former love of her life. At least, that’s what she tells herself. After he broke her heart, she stopped taking risks and focused instead on building a perfect—and perfectly safe—life. But bumping into Wyatt at the airport on the way to her best friend’s destination wedding wasn’t part of the plan. Neither was a canceled flight nor Wyatt’s offer of a ride on the tiny plane he’s flying to attend the same event. Desperate to make it on time, she accepts his offer, but things go from awkward to full-blown nightmare when their plane crashes in the Caribbean, stranding Piper on a deserted island with the last person she ever wanted to see again.
At first, rule-following Piper clashes with adventure-driven Wyatt, but as the days tick by, she can see the boy she once loved has grown into a man. A man who makes her laugh, knows his way around a fire, and is annoyingly hot shirtless. A man she could love again. As the chemistry still simmering between them boils over, Piper begins wishing Wyatt was more than just a survival partner. But for their love to survive a second chance, she’ll have to not only trust Wyatt again, but also learn to trust herself and find the courage to let go of her carefully curated life for the chance at something far greater—if they can survive the island long enough for rescue.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism

RECOMMENDED: My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix is $2.99! Carrie reviewed this and gave it a B+:
This particular horror story is a love letter to the 1980s and to the power of friendship between women. The ending is very awesome. But also very gross, so be prepared.
Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act . . . different. And as the strange coincidences and bizarre behavior start to pile up, Abby realizes there’s only one possible explanation: Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not about to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend. With help from some unlikely allies, Abby embarks on a quest to save Gretchen. But is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?
Hey, This Cake Tastes Like Cardboard!
Jul. 31st, 2025 01:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
We've all been there: you order something special, wait weeks for it to arrive, and then discover the hard way that you're allergic to latex. Dang it.
My point is, we've all faced disappointment. And itchiness. But mostly disappointment.
Case in point: Eagle-eyed wreckporter Leigh attended a graduation party last month where the cake turned out to be, well...a little dry.
First the hostess commented how hard the cake was, as she couldn't get a balloon pick to stick into the cake
Then they tried to cut it.
Emphasis on tried:

Hey. Waaaaait a second. Is that...?

IT IS!
It's a frosted cardboard box!

This would be a brilliant prank, of course, if it hadn't come straight out of the refrigerated display at their local big-chain store bakery (you can see the price tag in the first photo). OOPSIE. I guess now we know where all those display cakes end up!
A big thank you to Leigh W. for forever redefining "box mix."You know, between this and that time Amy found a pair of scissors in her birthday cake, I'm starting to see why some folks prefer homemade.
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Even though cats, as pets, are low-maintenance relatively to some other animals, there is still a whole lot that you need to know about them. Just like any other pet, cats have their own quirks. For example, you have to figure out how to get your cat to drink more water because sometimes, cats just don't feel like doing it. You have to learn some practical ways to enrich your cat's environment, because even though cats don't like doing too much, boredom can still be an issue with them. You need to learn your cat's language - to communicate with them in a way that they understand.
And you have to know, of course, that if you let your cat out, that will come with a whole other set of challenges. Like… your cat going to visit your neighbor sometimes. And if that neighbor is nice and likes cats, that cat might end up liking your neighbor too and visiting more often, and no, you cannot throw tantrums when that happens.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
26 Heartwarming Feline Family Photos Fur an Afternoon of Pawdorable Awws
Jul. 31st, 2025 02:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
While the working week winds on, there are certain things that we begin to miss more and more. It begins with your hobbies, they are always first to go. Then comes your time with friends, after all, who has the will power to crack jokes after a day at the office. And finally, your family. After almost a whole week of barely being home, and bashing your head against the wall, it can be really tough to feel as though you are far from your family, the only unit who can catch you when you fall.
So we rallied up some of our feline fam, and set about creating this collection of heartwarming feline family photos to give you an afternoon of pawdorable awws, equivalent to paging through your firstborn's photo album. So sit back, relax and get ready to have your emeowtional reserves restored with these wholesome cat photos.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
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Cat parents know: when it comes to our feline family, we'll go to the ends of the earth. Whether it's clearing space in a tiny apartment, budgeting for their favorite food, or braving a passive-aggressive group chat just to adopt two bonded fluffballs - we do it all out of love. Because once a cat chooses you, they're not just a pet. They're comfort. They're companionship. They're home.
So when life throws frustrating obstacles (like surprise fees or broken promises), our first instinct is still to fight for them. Not because it's easy, but because we can't imagine life without our cats. This couple here was ready to give a lucky cat a loving forever home. They had the resources, the heart, and even the green light… until one bitter twist tried to claw it all away. But if you've ever loved a cat, you already know - cat people don't give up that easily.
Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all - subscribe here.
SBTB 2025 Summer Romance Bingo Check-In
Jul. 31st, 2025 08:00 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
Hey all! We’re about halfway through our SBTB 2025 Romance Bingo card!
By now, you might have knocked out a few easier spaces, but if you’re having trouble, we’re here to help!
I’m doing my best to just get a single bingo this year and if you’re curious about my own card, here it is:
If it’s hard to see, here’s what my squares are:
Cover without any people: King of Wrath by Ana Huang
Scene or plot with inclement weather: The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George
Book that received a B+ or higher on SBTB: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George
First book in a series: Hooked by Emily McIntire
Left at the altar: Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger
Main couple who are 30+: Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino
Class differences: Carnal Urges by J.T. Geissinger
Below are some resources or recommendations you can use to fill more specific squares. And of course, I encourage you to brainstorm in the comments.
For trope-specific squares, check out our Book Finder! Most of these tropes have tags in the Book Finder. Using the Book Finder will show you any books we have ever mentioned on the site:
(note: it only shows 150 entries and we have over 13K books in the finder, so definitely play around with tropes/archetype to find titles that skew more toward your tastes.)
- Friends to Lovers
- Renovation Romance
- Western Romance
- Sports Romance (you’ll have to do some more digging for specific sports)
- Time Travel
- Reviews by Grade
- Neighbor/Roommate
- Paranormal Romance
- Small Town
- Spy/Assassin
- Why Choose
- Characters Over 30+
- Class Differences
Other resources and tips:
- Goodreads has lists of popular books published in a certain month
- On GR, you can also list your TBR pile by pub date, which may help you find books in your birth month.
- Abroad Romances list
- Immigrant Main Character list
- Left at the Altar Contemporaries
- Popular Left at the Altar Romances
How is your bingo card looking? Are there any squares you’re struggling with? Let us know so we can help!