Backlist and Chill

The third and final Patreon-exclusive episode, originally published Nov 30, 2023. Backlist: It's National Novel Writing Month! Hope everyone has had a satisfying and productive NaNo! Since we're hopefully balls deep in some deeply angsty writing project, we decided to take a break from our Melissa Marr season to do something a little silly and light. And by silly and light we of course mean spending almost two hours LOOKING DEEP WITHIN OUR SOULS FOR UNDERSTANDING with the help of Alloy Entertainment and their Real Human Author Tucker Shaw. This month we're reading WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE (published 2001), a book of extremely '00s personality quizzes designed to help teen readers understand their True Selves. So naturally we had to try them out - for ourselves, and some of our favorite fictional teens. Chill: Nothing fancy this week, just kicking back with some Great Lakes Brewing Co. Edmund Fitzgerald Porter (Ollie) and pineapple wine (Cyna). Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. (1h 47m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language.)

The second of our three Patreon-exclusive episodes is here! Originally published Sep 27, 2023. Backlist: This episode has been a long time coming. Our good friend Raeven stops by to chat about Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera, an extremely formative and influential story for us, the podcast, and YA at large. Which is why it's extremely funny and extremely weird that the novel is largely some sort of Abbot and Costello sketch with the plot of the musical going on in the background. This is gonna be a wild one. Chill: We are all drinking variations of Raeven's Backlist fan drink "Ambigously Brown". Ollie's got the closest to the original recipe: a hot cocoa with oatmilk, Abuelita drinking chocolate, Rumchata, and cinnamon, topped with mocha Whipshot. Cyna went iced: coffee with almond milk, chocolate syrup, Abuelita drinking chocolate, and Rumchata. Raeven's is on the go: this morning's coffee mixed with Abuelita drinking chocolate, Rumchata, and spiced vanilla rum, all dumped into a McCafe iced coffee, Pics! Cyna / Raeven / Ollie As Mentioned: You can find Raeven on Tumblr, Twitter, and A03 for some extremely Backlist-relevant fanfic. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. (2h 05m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of stalking, sexual harassment, suicide, and self-harm.)

Hey folks! Before this feed vanishes from the internet entirely, we wanted to share with you our Patreon exclusive episodes, as a last hurrah, and a thank you for listening these last five years. This is the first of three, an episode of a short-lived feature from our last podcast called Play YA, in which we played through YA novels as RPGs. Originally published to the Patreon feed Sep 29, 2022, and recorded much, much earlier than that. A group of teens are being hunted through the woods by an unknown threat after a school camping trip goes horribly awry in our rendition of One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards. This game is powered by a rules-lite version of D&D 5e, and features our good friends Maverynthia, Dave, and another who has stepped back from podcasting and asked not to be credited. This was recorded several years ago, so pronouns and audio setups have changed, but we thought it held up pretty well overall! We hope that you'll enjoy this very silly bonus episode. (3h 14m. Content Warning: Profanity, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of vomiting and vomit...uh, consumption, urophagia, gory injuries, i.e. dismemberment, testicular trauma, compound fractures, flaying (no detailed descriptions), and of course, racism.)

Backlist: We're hopping on the mic for the last time to talk about SOULMATE by LJ Smith, published April 1997. Somehow we've managed to end on what is TRULY the most LJ of all books, in which our Lady of the White Woman Woo-Woo finally manages to explain to us what a Soulmate truly is. Thank you, Lisa Jane. It's been real. Chill: Cyna is drinking red wine diluted with bubbly soda, let's call it a Blush, and Ollie is drinking an Old Soul (St George Absinthe, Canada Dry Blackberry Ginger Ale, regular ginger ale, and lemon) Pics! Cyna - Ollie. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. The Future of the Feed: This feed will remain accessible until July 1st, after which you will still be able to access all episodes, both public and previously Patreon-exclusive, on our Patreon Spotify feed. No need to pledge or even follow, just enjoy! And of course, all episodes are still available to stream on the Patreon app and website. It's been fun, everyone. (2h 23m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of allegorical rape and sexual assault, physical assault and violence against intimate partners.) And check out the Redbubble store if you're so inclined. We'll probably be dropping the season covers on there as stickers in the coming weeks.

Backlist: The penultimate episode of Backlist and Chill is upon us! Today we're chatting about LJ Smith's THE CHOSEN, published February 1997, a kind of fascinating progenitor of the teen vampire hunter/vampire romance. The DNA in this one, you guys! We're all descended from it. Though you know, perhaps SOME more than others. Chill: Cyna is drinking a White Girl Ninja (rum and coke, canned lychee juice, and powdered ginger) and Ollie is drinking a *deep breath* The Heinous Implication of Soulmates in the Night World Via Timmy (St George Absinthe and Fresh Fizz Hibiscus Ginger Ale) Pics! Cyna - Ollie. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time: Soulmate: A finale! (1h 45m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of pedophilia, human trafficking, sexual assault, depression, and suicide.) And hey, if you're interested on jumping onto the ship as it's sinking, become our patron! Still got a whole month left! Don't forget the Redbubble store! It will outlive us all.

Backlist: It's episode one of our final season, and thank god we got a fun one! We're chatting about NIGHT WORLD: DARK ANGEL by LJ Smith, published December 1996, a book that starts out feeling like a bit of a departure, and ends up being the most LJ thing LJ has ever written. Lisa Jane. Can we talk about the cousins? Chill: Cyna is drinking an Ambiguously Brown (coffee, hot cocoa, cinnamon sugar, Rumchata) and Ollie is drinking a Dark Angel (St George Absinthe and A&W root beer) Pics! Cyna - Ollie. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time: The Chosen! (1h 54m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of stalking, child murder, incest, body/medical horror, brief description of a slightly gory medical procedure.) And hey, if you're interested on jumping onto the ship as it's sinking, become our patron! Still got two months left! And hey, don't forget the Redbubble store! It will outlive us all.

Hey folks! We here at Backlist and Chill have a very neutral announcement - this next season of Backlist, season 15, is going to be our last. After 5 years and 13 seasons, it's time to move on. A more detailed exploration of our thoughts and plans are in the episode, but tl;dl - we're not going away immediately! We'll be doing a final season covering the middle three Night World books starting with Dark Angel in March and ending with Soulmate in May. The public RSS will be discontinued shortly after, but we hope to maintain the Patreon feed on a $0 tier, if that's possible. And obviously, all our paid tiers will be dropped following the final episode. If there's anything y'all need to do to maintain access, we'll let you know by then. We want to thank everyone for the support and conversation and community you've given us these past few years. It's been so great getting to know other folks for whom these books have been as foundational and life-altering as they were for us, and to share the love (and misery) with those who were new to them, but game enough to come along for the ride. Thank you for listening, and please - come chat with us before it's too late! See you next season.

Backlist: Bob is back - or is he? We return, arms outstretched, to Fear Street - FEAR STREET SAGAS #1: A NEW FEAR, to be specific, published in March 1996. We hoped for more goofy fun, and we found it in, ah, very limited quantities. Got a rad new photo opportunity for the park, though!  Chill:  If Brandon can cut out early for dinner, so can we! Ollie is drinking Blue Moon Belgian White ale, and Cyna made something awful but pretty with Gatorade. Pics!  Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time:  An announcement. (1h 42m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of gore, misogyny, murder, stalking, emotional manipulation and gaslighting.) Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy!

Backlist: HEY FOLKS, WE GOT A GOOD ONE! Today we're sitting down to discuss Melissa Marr's blessedly competent WICKED LOVELY, originally published June 2007. A book with a DELECTABLE premise that also knows how to handle themes! What a concept! Chill: Cyna is drinking an Aislinn (lavender simple syrup, lemonade, and limon rum) and Ollie is drinking a Reluctant Queen (St. George Absinthe Verte, Tension Tamer Simple Syrup, and Tension Tamer Tea). Pics in the links! Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time: A suprise! (1h 27m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of sexual assault, rape culture, and misogyny.) Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend! And hey, if you're interested in some very silly stickers, check out our brand-new Redbubble store!

The fae are back! It's time to treat yo'self with some Melissa Marr facts, that we worked VERY hard to bring to you. Spoilers: she seems SUPER COOL, and her road to publishing was a fascinating one. So sit back, kick up your heels, and let us spin you the tale of Melissa Marr.   As Mentioned: An early interview with Marr ft. her confounding accent and cute voice.   Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward.   No booze was consumed in the making of this episode - we'll see you in Episode 1: Melissa Marr: Wicked Lovely!   Thanks for hanging around folks, and come chat with us (we're still on TWITTER for some fucking reason, @BacklistPodcast!)

Backlist: It's over, it's finally over! On this joyous day, we gather to celebrate the momentus occasion of having finished this fuckin trilogy! It's all uphill from here, folks. We're reading BLOODTRAITOR by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, published in April 2016. NGL it's SSDD BUT we did come equipped with some jokes this time, to make it a little more bearable for everyone. Now let's all hold hands and jump into this abyss together! Chill: Cyna is drinking The Bitter End (whiskey + blood orange cocktail mix + lemon juice) and Ollie is drinking an Exactly What I Expected (St. George Absinthe Verte + ginger ale). Pics in the links! Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time: It's finally over. (2h 42m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, extensive discussion of rape, trauma, physical, mental, and emotional abuse against children as well as adults, slavery, and torture.) Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend! And hey, if you're interested in some very silly stickers, check out our brand-new Redbubble store!

Backlist: Only book two into this terrible endeavor of ours and already we're struggling for words to accurately describe the MALAISE this series has put us in. This time the """"book"""" in question is Bloodkin by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, tragically published in April of 2015, and we gotta be honest with you folks: not a lot of nice things to say about it.   Chill: Cyna is drinking an ESH (amaretto + lemon juice + honey + lime Bubly) and Ollie is drinking an About What I Expected (St. George Absinthe Verte + black raspberry vodka + diet ginger ale). Pics in the links!   Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward.   Next time: It's finally over.   (2h 22m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, extensive discussion of rape, false rape accusations, trauma, physical, mental, and emotional abuse against children as well as adults, slavery, and torture.)   Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend!   And hey, if you're interested in some very silly stickers, check out our brand-new Redbubble store!

Backlist: Hello, friends! We are back for unlucky season thirteen and this shit is just THE WORST. Today we're talking about Amelia Atwater-Rhodes' fuckin' terrible novel BLOODWITCH, published January 1, 2014. Strap in for some slave empire NUANCE, yall! This was supposed to be the best one, but it is in fact still terrible, and things will only go downhill from here. Luckily, we were able to weather this one, at least, together in person! So please forgive any sort of wonky sound issues, this was very new to us XD Chill: Cyna is drinking a Plaguebearer (amaretto + creme de cacao + oatmilk + grenadine) and Ollie is drinking a Bloodwitch (St. George Absinthe Verte + Bruce Cost Ginger Ale Pomegranite and Hibiscus) Pics of our drinks TOGETHER, GASP! Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time: Fuckin' Bloodkin. Stay safe, friends. (2h 54m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, extensive discussion of rape, trauma, physical, mental, and emotional abuse against children as well as adults, slavery, torture, and suicide.) Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend! And hey, if you're interested in some very silly stickers, check out our brand-new Redbubble store!

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. For the last time. Let's go. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward.  See y'all next time (face 2 face!) for Episode 1: Bloodwitch. Thanks for listening, yall! Come and talk to us on Twitter @BacklistPodcast!

Backlist: We're back with SPELLBINDER, book three of the Night World series, published in October 1996, which is somehow simultaneously the MOST and LEAST LJ Smith of the Night World books so far. At least we got to see Lisa Jane flex her horror muscles again, though! Chill: Cyna is drinking a Love Potion (Wendy's strawberry lemonade + raspberry licour + limon rum + TOO MUCH edible glitter) and Ollie is drinking a brilliantly-conceived Cup of Lethe (spike Arnold Palmer + ginger ale) Pics! Cyna - Ollie. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time: the EXTREMELY CURSED season THIRTEEN begins! Stay safe, friends. (2h 02m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of racism, murder, misogyny.) Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend! And hey, if you're interested in some very silly stickers, check out our brand-new Redbubble store!

Backlist: We're back with THE Night World book, DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (originally published August 1996), in which LJ Smith tries, just really TRIES to write a murder mystery. Like, she did her best. To, ah, varying degrees of success for us. THIS MAY BE A CONTENTIOUS ONE Y'ALL.  Chill: Cyna is drinking a Horny Goat (cranberry juice + limon rum + 7up) and Ollie is drinking a Starry Night (Wollersheim Dancehall Absinthe Blanche (RIP) + blackberry ginger ale) Pics! Cyna - Ollie. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time:  NIGHT WORLD VOL 3: SPELLBINDER Stay safe, friends. (1h 45m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of misogyny, sexual assault, racism, classism, violence, violence against animals/animal death.) Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend!

Backlist: FINALLY we're here! After all these years we've made it to...the Night World. Specifically, NIGHT WORLD: SECRET VAMPIRE, published in 1996. This baby has it all: tenderness, grief, last moments, soft boys, characters. Where has this Lisa Jane been hiding?   Chill: Cyna is drinking a Black Rose(ish) (mixed fruit juice + bourbon + food coloring) and Ollie is drinking a Sex Pixie (Wollersheim Dancehall Absinthe Blanche + pinapple soda + Seagram's ginger ale) Pics! Cyna - Ollie.   Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward.   Next time:  NIGHT WORLD VOL 2: DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS   Stay safe, friends.   (1h 59m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of illness, cancer, death, blood, homophobia.)   Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend!

We couldn't leave it that way with our girl LJ, so we're back, standing at the at the foot of the mountain, her unfinished masterpiece, her magnum opus (if you don't count the new Vampire Diaries I guess), NIGHT WORLD! And for once, LJ has provided us INFO. How did she plot the series? Which of LJ's core philosophical belief is WOVEN into each and every book? Which author does she (probably) have a wildly unreasonable grudge against and why? LISTEN AND FIND OUT! Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward.  See y'all next time (with booze!) for Episode 1: Secret Vampire! Thanks for sticking with us, folks, and stay safe! Come and friend us now, while there's still time! @BacklistPodcast on Twitter, while it still exists.

Backlist: We're back! Hope those who participated in Nanowrimo had a great month. Your co-hosts definitely did! And we are bringing you the third and final installment of LJ Smith's season 11: DARK VISIONS: THE PASSION (published 1995), a book that reads like a first draft Work In Progress the author threw at their publisher at midnight on December 1st after she finished it during her own Nano writing. We're sorry if you went out and read it.   Chill: Both of us start the call outs right with our drinks! Cyna is drinking "The Possessed" (yup, not The Passion) or "Up All Night To Not Go Crazy" (iced coffee, coffee liqueur, Fireball, and cream.) Ollie is drinking "Work In Progress" or a "Dark Psychic Screwdriver" (Smirnoff Ice Smash with ginger ale). Pics! Cyna - Ollie.   Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward.   Next time: Season 12 into! Patrons at the Chillest tier find out early!   Stay safe, friends.   (1h 58m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of self-harm, sexual assault/rape, mental health, ableism, and classism.)   Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend!

Backlist: What happened, y'all? How did DARK VISIONS: THE POSSESSED (published 1995), a book literally designed for sexy, emotionally intimate rendezvous, end up being so fucking boring??? This is Lisa Jane's bread and butter! HOW??? So anyway it's a short one.  Chill: NGL, we may have phoned these ones in, in our defense, so did LJ. Ollie is drinking A Waste of My Time (Wollersheim Dancehall Absinthe Blanche + honey + Nixie Watermelon Mint sparkling water), and Cyna soothed her throat with The Possessed (apple spice chai + Fireball) Pics! Cyna - Ollie. Intro theme - "Let It In" by Josh Woodward. Next time:  DARK VISIONS VOL 3: THE PASSION Stay safe, friends. (1h 17m. Content Warning: Profanity, alcohol consumption, sexually explicit and generally extremely filthy language, discussion of racism and classism.) Psst! Want to get B&C delivered to your inbox days before it goes live to the public? Become our patron at the $2 or higher level and you are in! Already our patron? Then you know what we're talking about! Enjoy, friend!