4. Black Girl Joy, Not Guilty Pleasure: Romance as Rest, Resistance & Joy

We’ve been on a roller coaster of unprecedented times. Every time I think things are looking better, the world throws more chaos at us. During times like this, I turn to things that bring me joy. For me, that’s romance novels. Romance readers are often criticized, and the genre itself gets criticized. I would call romance novels my guilty pleasure but eventually I realized that I didn’t have to be ashamed of something that brings me so much joy.Today I’m visiting with Kay P, author of the blog Melanin Mindscape, voracious reader of all things black, in all genres. We’ll talk about what “guilty pleasures” actually are and why we feel like we need to hide them. We’re unpacking some thoughts around rest and productivity, the literature hierarchy that puts romance at the bottom, and why we deserve to just enjoy things.Find it on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/CultureLitPodcastCulture Lit is a community in celebration of black women and black love, and a reminder that black women deserve joy, love, success, second chances, and all the beautiful magic the world has to offer.Connect with Kay P: On Instagram: https://instagram.com/melaninmindscapeOn her blog: https://melaninmindscape.com/Connect on Socials:on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becomingoctaviamarie/on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/xooctaviamarieAttribution Link: A Podcast Launch Bestie ProductionMentioned in this episode:If you're enjoying the show, join our community at culturelitpodcast.com.Visit my bookshop!