Hello and welcome to the introductory episode of Unbound , the podcast that explores the intersection of pop culture and the steamy world of romance literature . Join us as we celebrate the voices and stories often left in the shadows and unravel the threads of joy , passion and heartache that keep us coming back to the page and the screen .
I'm Adrena Herreraera and I write hot romance books .
And I'm Nikki Payne , and I write romance books based on the books you were forced to read in the ninth grade . Welcome y'all to Unbound , a podcast where we dive deep into the unexplored terrains of romance subgenres through a BIPOC lens . We're unearthing stories and intertwining them with the broader cultural context of their time .
Each series focuses on a specific subgenre and we unravel its nuances and its evolution . Our inaugural series y'all how the West Was Won . It's a journey through the rugged yet romantic world of cowboy romance . Yeehaw , thank you . Thank you , it was high time we got a yeehaw . Here's what's in store for episode one of how the West Was Won .
This episode is going to focus on the two Wests that we've constructed the historical and the mythic one and their influence on romance novels . We're going to discuss the creation of the frontier myth and its romanticization in American culture . We're going to talk about the Western as a genre and how its themes are the perfect landscape for romance .
We're going to talk about iconic media like Bonanza Little House on the Prairie . If anyone's ever been babysat by their granny , they know these stories and how they reflect these myths of the West . We're also going to dive into some complex themes in Western romance such as man against nature and the savage trope .
We're going to analyze a lot of media iconic 1970s pop culture media films like Two Mules for Sister Sarah and Blazing Saddles and Buck and the Preacher , and how they also intersect with the blaxploitation film era . It's all connected , y'all Tinfoil hats , western tinfoil hats on .
I just have to give a shout out to Shirley MacLaine and Clint Eastwood because that movie Two Meals for a Sister Share I watched that thing dubbed in Spanish and it still hit . Okay , come on , come on , I can't , all right . So for our episode number two , we're going to do a deep dive into the inimitable oeuvre of the one , the only , beverly Jenkins .
Episode two will be Beverly Jenkins rewriting the West and we're going to have discussions about two of her most iconic books , topaz and Forbidden , which are two of our favorites I think of Ryan Fontaine at least once a week , and we will discuss Jenkins' use of real historical figures and events in her work and her subversion and masterful employment of the themes
of the Western .
Episode three y'all . We're on some gay shit Queering the West , lgbtq plus stories of the Western . Episode three y'all . We're on some gay shit Queering the West , lgbtq plus stories of the frontier . We discuss why the Western is , was and always will be pretty damn gay .
So some of the things we're going to discuss is the historical presence of queerness in the Western and the impact of intentional LGBTQ plus representation in the genre . We're shouting out specific works that highlight these narratives , like Rebecca Weatherspoon's stories of Black gay cowboys and Sarah Black's Marathon Cowboys .
From Brokeback Mountain to Amo Dovar's upcoming Strange Way of Life . We'll touch upon some Westerns that were gay and didn't even know it . I'm looking at you , rio Bravo .
The fringe , the chaps , the very , very tight Levi jeans . Come on , it's been gay , it's been real gay . They knew what they're doing . Yeah , for episode four , we're going to a part of the West that was actually Mexico . So we're going to do Vaqueros , Sabrina , Sol and Beyond .
So we're going to talk about representation of Latina characters in Western romance , the undeniable influence of Mexican culture in the Western , the West , West Mexico , and the rich and prolific presence of vaqueros in Mexican film and telenovelas featuring icons like Pedro Infante , Maria Felix and Dolores del Rio , who were actors who were actually able to cross over to
Hollywood in the 50s and 60s . We are going to do an analysis of Sabrina Soto's portrayal of Mexican-American cowboys in her Rancho Lindo series and we will briefly discuss one film in particular Salt of the Earth from 1954 , which perfectly captures the undeniable connections of Mexican life and the American West .
Oh , this media . We're going to be movie buddies . In episode five , we're talking about modern cowboys . Cowboys today do they exist ? Are they real ? Our discussion points we're going to talk about how authors like Mia Hopkins and Rebel Carter have updated the cowboy narrative .
We're going to talk about the relevance of these modern cowboy stories in the current landscape of Western romance .
And , along with our serial episodes , every season of Unbound will have topical and superstitial episodes discussing broader issues in the romance genre . Some of the topics for this season include an episode dedicated to Beyoncé's renaissance , the album the tour , our many feelings about it .
An episode where we talk or squeal about Queen Charlotte , farmer George and why that love declaration reset the culture , cleared our skin and lowered our interest rates . We'll talk about politics and romance , the do's and don'ts of being a Black or Brown hero in a romance , and so much more .
So please join us , bike weekly on Unbound and be part of our conversation .
Now it's time for your part . Your thoughts and stories are the lifeblood of this exploration , so we invite you to engage with us , share your insights , your favorite moments and the romance narratives that have touched your life . Find us on all major podcast platforms and follow us on TikTok , YouTube and Instagram for updates and behind the scenes content .
We'll have a reading list , a listening list and a watching list for you to follow along with us as we go west , but this time nobody's catching dysentery . And don't forget to tune in for our very first episode , where we'll really get into sex in the West , Was it ?
dusty Sandy or the chap still on , I'm into it .
Until next time . Keep your hearts unbound .