In this special author interview, Bella and Jason sit down with the effortlessly charming R.A. Basu to talk about her debut novel, TO BARGAIN WITH MORTALS—“a stunning reflection on politics and purpose, blood and allegiance—and what we do with the histories we inherit.”

Join us as R.A. spills the chai on the chaotic journey her book took to publication, including the incredible lengths publisher Emma Skies went to acquire it. She also shares how her original inspiration began with Jimin from the K-pop sensation BTS, and how she drew upon her own South Asian identity to infuse the story with cultural depth. Plus, R.A. shocks with a (in hindsight, fairly obvious) revelation about the TV series House, M.D.

You can grab your copy of TO BARGAIN WITH MORTALS now wherever books are sold!

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned R.A. in this episode:

• Burn the Sea by Mona Tewari
• Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
• Jade City by Fonda Lee

Guest:
R. A. Basu is an Indian Canadian author from Ontario who works in digital development by day and binge reads novels by night. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing on the Nintendo Switch, fighting for her life in a Pilates class, or looking for the best matcha in her city. She is represented by Allegra Martschenko at BookEnds Literary Agency.

You can find her on Instagram @rabasuwrites

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We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Order books and ebooks through our link HERE and audiobooks

You voted, and we listened! Your choice for our Halloween After Dark pick is SING ME TO SLEEP by R.M. Virtues—a dreamy tale of a sleep demon who falls for the woman he was meant to haunt. ⁣

This episode has everything: tipsy hosts, personal encounters with sleep paralysis (we’ll let you guess if any demons were involved), and a passionate discussion about the need for editing in self-publishing. Plus, a moment so tense that Emma and Jason almost come to blows.

Remember, listeners, you brought this upon yourselves! Happy Halloween!

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features discussions of an adult-themed book, contains explicit language, and is intended for mature audiences only. Listener discretion is advised.

Buy the Book!
Amazon.com (unfortunately, the only place to purchase)

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• Drag Me Up by R.M. Virtues
• Desperate Measures by Katee Robert
• Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson
• Angels Before Man by Rafael Nicolás
• Savage Blooms by S.T. Gibson
• A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
• Evocation by S.T. Gibson
• An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

We’re celebrating spooky season with THE LIBRARY AT HELLEBORE by Cassandra Khaw—a fantasy horror about a group of magical students who seek refuge in the school’s library when the faculty go on a ravenous rampage.

Listen as Laura and Emma try to keep track of the many characters and their unique abilities, discuss the idea of monstrosity—specifically how women are made monstrous by monstrous men—and… Jason is there, too! Plus, Emma wonders whether this book is truly part of the dark academia genre.

Happy Halloween!

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
• The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Moiya McTier
• Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
• The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
• Critical Role: Bells Hells - What Doesn't Break by Cassandra Khaw
• The Poppy War by RF Kuang
• A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
• A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid
• To Bargain With Mortals by R.A. Basu
• Sing Me to Sleep by R.M. Virtues

Support SWR!
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