Word Wenches

Author Book Publishing

Pat here:


While Amazon and Macmillan and Apple publicly tear at each other throats, and Google and Authors’ Guild wrestle over the goldmine of literary cyberspace, authors are quietly setting up bookstores on the sidelines, building the publishing industry of tomorrow.

Yes, readers can already find author-published e-books on superstore websites like Fictionwise and Amazon, the big forums encouraging authors to venture into e-publication.  Except authors pay a high premium at these sites for the simple privilege of placing a title there, often 70% of sales.

Others of us have decided there is no reason we should pay 70% of our hard-earned money to do what we can do ourselves. Equally, there is no reason for readers to have to pay the inflated price for that 70% cut. So we are gathering together to experiment with author co-ops like bookviewcafe.com, or distribution centers like AwritersWork.com.  Essentially, what we’re doing is eliminating the middle man. We’re taking titles that have already been edited, revised, and proofed, sold in paper, then returned to us, and we’re reformatting and selling them as e-books for lower prices than the big guys offer.

What we’re learning is that it’s not as cheap to sell e-books as we’d hoped, but we can still make more money doing it ourselves while keeping prices substantially lower.   (image to right is my attempt at creating a cover for an anthology of historical novellas.)

Take a look at the two sites I mentioned. Bookviewcafe.com is mainly fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal. Today is the grand opening of Awriterswork.com, and for the moment, they’re romance-oriented, but the diversity for a start-up is promising.  Drop by and tell them hi and welcome them to cyberspace!

The variety of authors on these sites is phenomenal, and the prices are below anything Amazon is currently offering on comparable quality. And much of the material is not available elsewhere—pretty good for a cutting edge frontier store!

BVC is already publishing some original fiction. AWW has some original nonfiction, as well as newly released backlists, plus anthologies of novellas and short stories that have never appeared in the same editions before. (As much as we wanted to put up each story for 99 cents, we learned it cost as much to put up a short story as a full book, so it was cheaper to collect the stories.) If you find a favorite author on any of these sites, you only have to sign up for a newsletter to learn of their next release. Can you envision a future where you may never have to go to a bookstore again? (image left is a combined attempt by several authors at creating new cover art for Merely Magic)

I know the print model is still out there. Print-On-Demand books are already on the way for BVC and may be in AWW's future. But as e-readers and netbooks and iPads become prevalent, more and more books will find their way into the hands of readers via technology. We’re hoping readers will discover it’s cheaper to buy direct from the source, but right now, it’s a brave new world out there, and we don’t know what will happen.

Obviously, I’m fascinated with change and not everyone is. But if you can’t buy some of these books anywhere else, why not take a look around?  Now’s the time for readers to speak up and steer the future toward the next generation of publishing, so what directions would you like to see us try?

Cara Elliott

   Anne here, taking time out today to interview wench Andrea Pickens in her new incarnation as Cara Elliott.   As Andrea Pickens, she collected a swag of awards for her much beloved Signet Regencies, including a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her Regency Historical "spy" series, starring the swashbuckling students of Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Select Young Ladies, also did very well, and she won the 2008 and 2009 Daphne Du Maurier Award for Best Historical Mystery/Suspense and a 2008 Holt Medallion Award of Excellence. 
  
Cara Elliot’s career launches with a trilogy about three unconventional female scholars who formed a bond of friendship through the weekly meetings of their Scientific Society. Each has an expertise in a certain field of science--and each has a slightly shady past that comes back to haunt them. The first book, TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL, hits the stands March 1. 
Anne:  So, Cara, why the new name?

 Cara: Well, I wish that I could regale you with some romantic story of being kidnapped by the Duke of Elliott, who found my wit and beauty utterly irresistible. However . . . 

The reason is a bit more pragmatic. As my publisher and I talked about this new series, they asked if I wouldn’t mind adding even more “heat” to my stories. I thought the idea was a good one, and we all decided that why not do something do something dramatic to mark the new direction. My last series was about a trio of swashbuckling females spies, so I liked the idea of peeling off the buckskin breeches and sliding into a slinky little silk dress. (Hey, don’t we all like getting a “makeover” from time to time!) 
 
 Anne: How is Cara Elliott different from Andrea Pickens?


 Cara: The books are, in a word, sexier than my past books. But I like to think that I’ve still kept the emotional depth and complexity that is really at the core of my writing. I love making my characters come alive through dialogue and humor, and I feel the added physical intensity adds yet another dimension. Now, don’t get me wrong, they are definitely NOT erotica, but upping the heat creates some fun fireworks between the heroes and heroines  

 Anne: Will Andrea Pickens still write books?  
 Cara: Never say never! But right now, I’m working on a new Cara Elliott trilogy.

(And since you are asking about books, I’ll also offer our readers an exclusive look at my very first book. As you can see, spelling has never been one of my strong suits. My family teased me for years about “horeses.”)

Anne: It's gorgeous, and "horeses" is quite a logical spelling, so pooh to teasing families.  I love the premise for the new series. I'm a big fan of "opposites attract" books and in each book of this trilogy you pair a serious, scholarly heroine with a bad-boy hero. In the first book your heroine, Lady Ciara Sheffield is a reclusive widow known for her scientific scholarship, in the second book, the heroine is an expert in ancient antiquities and the third heroine has spent most of her life sailing to exotic ports around the globe, acquiring an expertise in botany.
These sound like serious, clever and interesting women. It's such a refreshing change. What made you choose to write about this kind of heroine?

Cara: I really like writing about people who are both strong and vulnerable. The idea of creating women who were very confident intellectually, but very unsure of themselves emotionally was very intriguing. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and how we learn to balance those conflicting elements is, to me, an integral part of the human experience 

And I also felt that unconventional heroines fit the Regency era very well. It was a time of tumultuous change. Radical new ideas were clashing with the conventional thinking of the past. People were questioning the fundamentals of society, and as a result they were fomenting changes in every aspect of life. For example, you had Beethoven composing emotional symphonies, Byron composing wildly romantic poetry about individual angst, J.M.W. Turner dabbling in impressionistic watercolors and Mary Wollstonecraft writing the first feminist manifestos.  (That's her portrait on the right.)

I remember seeing a museum exhibit several years ago called “Romantics & Revolutionaries,” which featured a selection of Regency portraits from the National Portrait Gallery in London. I was riveted by the women represented. They were artists, poets, scientist, explorers—but what they all had in common was the courage to defy convention and pursue their passions. I knew right then that I wanted to write a series that would somehow capture their spirit.

Anne:  It sounds wonderful. Tell us about your hero Lucas Bingham, the Earl of Hadley -- what drives him. Did you fall in love with him as you wrote?

Cara: I have to admit, I have a real soft spot in my heart for Lucas, and he ended up being one of my favorite heroes. He’s a charming rake who cheerfully admits to having no interest in anything but sybaritic pleasure. But at heart, he’s far more sensitive than he cares to admit, and as his best friend Jack says, he simply needs a challenge to bring out his better nature.

Anne: I'm fond of a charming rake, myself, and  I'm looking forward to meting your Lucas. Did you have to do much research for these books?

  Cara: Why I picked scientists is beyond me—I was absolutely hopeless in math and science in high school! (But hey, that is one of the joys of writing fiction—you get to be the fairy princess or the brilliant chemist.) That said, I certainly didn’t want to embarrass myself by showing my ignorance, so I really did do some research on medicinal plant substances, which figure in the story. Some ornithology also comes into play, so again, I found myself doing some basic reading on the subject. (The history of bird-watching in England is quite fascinating.) But I assure you that I’m not going to be applying to vet or med school anytime soon.

Anne:  Huntress reviews called it "a magnificently compelling read!"  What do you love about this book?

Cara: Well, I know it may sound like a trite PR sound bite, but I really do love the chemistry between Ciara and Lucas. They are both wary of showing emotion, for vastly different reasons, and how they teach each other to overcome their past doubts and fears was a story that I found very challenging and rewarding to write.

I also like the secondary love story, which involves a much older couple. All too often we only see heroes and heroines who are in their 20s or 30s. But love is important at any age!

Anne: I'm with you there -- I love secondary romances, too.  Along with all your writing projects, you are also co-teaching a seminar on historical romance at Yale this spring. So, tell us a little about what it’s like to go back to school. (That's Cara/Andrea and Lauren Willig at Yale in the pic below.)

  Cara: It’s been an amazing experience—I’m learning as much as our students. I’ve read the books on our syllabus for pleasure, but re-reading them with an eye to creating the weekly lesson plans and discussion questions has made me see the stories and characters in a whole new light. I have to analyze what I like and don’t like—and why. So it’s made me look at the art of writing a romance in a very rational, critical way. And it’s been interesting to see my own reactions to classics like  Woodiwiss’s “The Flame and the Flower” and Mc Naught’s “Whitney, My Love.” 

 

The class discussions have been so interesting too. Co-teacher and fellow romance author Lauren Willig and I are finding it absolutely fascinating to hear what the students think about what makes a hero and heroine, and what is the nature of love. Their ideas are fresh and original, and I’m constantly reminded of how wonderful it is to be around the energy and enthusiasm that comes from a spirited exchange of opinions. It’s exciting. And inspiring. I‘d say that we have a great new generation of romance readers—these kids are smart enough to know a good thing when they see it!

Visit Cara's website for more information.

 Anne: All the very best, Cara, on the launch of this series. It's been great to hear about the background. I can't wait to read the book.

Cara: Thanks, Anne, I've enjoyed the interview.

One lucky person will win a copy of Cara's new book by leaving a response to the following:
Cara enjoys creating offbeat heroines who aren't afraid to pursue their intellectual passions? Any brainy female from history—be it scientist, poet, artist, musician, etc—who has caught your fancy?  

A kiss is just a kiss?

By Nicola

Amongst all the Valentine's Day related articles in the papers last week I noticed one in the Sunday Times that I could not resist blogging about. Entitled "What Happened to the Big Screen Kiss," it was written by a film critic and claimed that the cinema kiss was officially dead. His contention was that there had not been a great cinema smooch since the days of Gone with the Wind, From Here to Eternity and Casablanca.

The history of the cinema kiss

The first screen kiss made its debut right back in 1896 in a 21 second film called, appropriately enough, The Kiss. In it May Irwin and John Rice re-enacted the kiss from their 1895 Broadway stage play The Widow Jones. It was filmed by Thomas Edison and became the most popular film produced that year by Edison's company. Inevitably it was denounced in some quarters as disgusting and scandalous, which no doubt aided its popularity! After that it did not take long for the kiss to become the star attraction in films. The 1920s was the great age of the silver screen smooch with actors such as John Barrymore, Rudolph Valentino and Theda Bara giving it their all.

Between the 1930s and the 1960s the screen kiss flourished in every shape and form, sweet, sexy, dangerous, flirty. This was the period that gave us such classic kisses as the kiss in the rain in Breakfast at Tiffany's and the swirling 360 degree kiss between Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway in The Thomas Crown Affair. So what happened to the screen kiss in the 1970s? Is it true that with the shedding of sexual inhibitions the heterosexual screen kiss was seen as too tame, replaced by the shocking images of films such as Last Tango in Paris? Is that when the screen kiss lost lustre, never to recover? ? Did the kiss seem corny in comparison to erotic explicitness?

Leading men don't measure up

One of the most shocking claims in the article was that none of today's leading men are great screen kissers. Hugh Grant was dismissed as a "nibbler" who aims and lands his mouth on the small area above the upper lip and below the nose, then settles down for a nice nibble like a rabbit. This is hardly a romantic image. Neither George Clooney not Brad Pitt were rated as halfway decent in the smooch stakes. Is this too harsh? Or is it not the fault of the actor but simply that the kiss will never regain its power because it has lost its ability to shock? There was a time when all screen kisses were moments of huge dramatic and sensual tension. Eyes met, hearts melted, lips locked and audiences swooned. Now the kiss is usually the romantic prelude not the main event. It has even been suggested that the rise of the vampire owes something to the urge to bring back the romance of old. The bite is the new kiss, erotic but innocent at the same time.

All this got me wondering firstly if it was true - are screen kisses less memorable and romantic now that they used to be - but also, is this apparent trend reflected in books as well as on screen? Has the kiss been sidelined in the rush to get the hero and heroine between the sheets? I'd hate for either of those ideas to be true. I'm an unashamed romantic who still relishes the build up of sensual tension on screen or on the page and for whom The Kiss is still The Moment.  My favourite movie kiss moments from (relatively) recent years include Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver in The Year of Living Dangerously (and I love that poster too!), Mel Gibson and Sophie Marceau in Braveheart, Mel Gibson and Julia Sawahla as Rocky and Ginger in Chicken Run...  Yes, there is a Mel Gibson theme here. Also Laura Linney and Rodrigo Santoro in Love Actually and George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer in One Fine Day. And I could certainly make a case for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Mr and Mrs Smith.

Sweep me away between the pages

With books I think the author has to work even harder to create a "sweep me away" moment on the page in a medium that isn't visual like cinema. The Literary Review offers a "Bad Sex Award" for appalling descriptions of sex in books and this can encompass desperately off-putting kisses as well. A reference to a kiss tasting of sawdust and fish-slime will forever stick in my mind. But some kisses in books still hit you right there with the intensity and emotional punch, the kiss being so much more than "just" a kiss.

So please reassure me I'm not alone in believing that the kiss is still vitally important in both the movies and on the page. It doesn't have to be the romantic prelude. It can still be the unforgettable moment.

What are your favourite movie kisses? Do you think that a kiss on the page can have as much impact as a kiss on the screen? Or do you think the article was right and the kiss is no longer the star attraction?

The Stanforth Secrets

Hi, here's Jo, blatantly promoting my book of the month -- The Stanforth Secrets -- but with, I hope, interesting stuff.

My first published book was Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed. (Still available.)

For my second, I decided to use my home area as a setting.

I was born and raised in Morecambe, Lancashire, but that's a Victorian sea-side town. Back in the early 19th century it was a fishing village called Poulton, and nearby Heysham was a bit larger and a great deal more historical. (That's pronounced Hee-sham, by the way, and Morecambe is Morcum.)

There's an excellent historical account here, going back to pre-historic times. As a child I was only aware of the Anglo-Saxon heritage, in particular the hog-back stone -- a Norse burial stone, which used to be outside the very old church, available for climbing on. And yes, I confess, I did.

(You know, when I look at this picture again, it looks a lot like a penis to me.... )

The stone has now been moved into a more protected environment, but not everything can be. I liked this description from the above site about a New Stone Age burial site.

"The ancient race used the Long Barrows :- one is in the allotments just to the North of Heysham School, and stretches like a whale with its nose to the Pole Star right up to Crimewell Lane opposite Mount Zion House. The only way to get to it lies through the garden behind the fish shop."

More ancient remains.

There are also graves carved out of the rock. Even as a child that seemed a really hard way to form a grave, but they have the clear shape of a human body. This photo, from this site also shows the area's beauty.

In addition, you can see the ruins of Saint Patrick's chapel. Yes, one of Heysham's claims to fame is that St. Patrick established a mission there and built a church about 444 AD.

Let's return to that hog-back stone.

One version says it marked the burial place of  Thorold the Viking, killed in the Battle of Brunanberh in 937 AD. The important bit for The Stanforth Secrets, however, is that it was discovered and dug up in 1800, so it was still hot news in 1811, when my book is set. In fact, it weaves into the murder and mayhem that lie beneath the secrets there.

I think it was my editor's idea for this book to be a romantic suspense. Of course at that stage of my career I was a little engine who could. I think I did a reasonable job, but the process convinced me that my writing style and who-dunnit didn't mesh, especially with a setting involving servants. Not only did I have to figure out where the various family members were at suspicious moment, but where all the servants were too!

Let's look at covers.

The original edition was a hardcover from Walker Books, who were then using very plain dust jackets. That was preferable to this odd rendition on the Avon paperback. Yes, the rough character details are more or less right, but Chloe looks like a Japanese teenager suddenly overcome by a poisoned daisy!

The new one is much better even if she's going to catch a nasty cold going outside like that.

I hope you enjoy -- or have enjoyed -- the twists and turns as well as the romance. Forbidden love. Perhaps "survivor guilt." Passions that must be restrained, in part because of the decencies of the time, but also because back then I wouldn't have been allowed to let them get too heated.

Unlike in Chalice of Roses, out last month.

Or Tempting Fortune, out next month in the UK. Brothel scene in that one.

And The Secret Duke, out in April.

By the way, I've just put up an excerpt. At the end, there's a period portrait which to me might be Ithorne in his more ducal mode. Sober, thoughtful, book in hand.

Oh, talking of character pictures, I found this one that I thought could be Chloe considering the predicament she finds herself in. You'll see that it's not wildly different to the woman on the cover except that her hair is up.

 So, what do you think of the character pictures?

Do you like to know that a setting has particular importance for an author, or doesn't that matter to you?

Anyone got spring yet? That's the scene from my kitchen window here in Whitby!

I'll give a copy of The Stanforth Secrets to one lucky comment-maker here.

Cheers,

Jo

Leslie Carroll, HWW!

Leslie, thank you for visiting Word Wenches with a great interview! It's our tradition here to declare our guests to be Honorary Word Wenches (thus bestowing the right to put HWW after your name). With that honor comes a virtual gift -- that way we can afford anything that suits our fancy and suits our guests, and virtual gifts fit the Wenchly budget so nicely. 

For you, we've chosen this 18th century French chateau  in Dordogne, France! We know you would find a writer's heaven here, and we'd all love to visit for an afternoon party avec chocolat, as we all lounge on les chaises longues with which you would no doubt furnish your new place!

Again, thanks for an enjoyable interview, and please feel welcome to return to Wenches anytime!

Susan & All the Wenches

 

Cara Elliott Makes Her Debut

This coming Friday, February 26, Andrea Pickens makes her debut as Cara Elliott. Cara's new series rolls out this month with To Sin With a Scoundrel, which is Book #1 in her Circle of Sin trilogy.

Anne Gracie will conduct the interview, and Andrea/Cara will explain how the name change came about, as well as talk about her Circle of Sin books.  Commenters will be eligible for a drawing for a copy of To Sin With a Scoundrel.  Mark your calendars, and be sure to drop by and say hi to Andrea when she makes her debut as Cara Elliott.

Interview with Leslie Carroll

 
Today the Wenches are delighted to welcome Leslie Carroll as our guest! Native New Yorker, actress and multi-published author of contemporary and historical fiction (as Amanda Elyot) as well as nonfiction, Leslie is well known and respected for her highly praised work, as well as crazybusy these days, so we're grateful to her for taking a little time to answer some questions posed by Susan King. Without further adieu, Susan now opens the curtains and turns the stage over to Leslie ... 

SK: Hi, Leslie! Welcome to Word Wenches! Your newest nonfiction release, Notorious Royal Marriages, has an intriguing premise. Tell us something about the book. The research for this, and its earlier companion, Royal Affairs, must have been extensive!

LC: First, Susan and Wenches, thanks for having me here.  I’m so excited to sort of be a wench for a day.
In the early spring of 2007, I had two novels—one contemporary fiction and one historical fiction—in the publishing pipeline, and I was preparing to get married the third weekend in May.  My agent called to tell me that my historical fiction publisher was interested in having me write a nonfiction book about scandalous royal affairs.  Actors learn to never say “no” when someone asks if you can do something, because “No” doesn’t get you the part.  So SURE I drive a stick shift! OF COURSE I can ride a horse!  Skydiving?  NO PROBLEM.

So naturally I said yes, wondering how I was going to pen what would be my nonfiction debut in the incredibly narrow five-month window I was given to research, write, and deliver what became ROYAL AFFAIRS: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked the British Monarchy.  Consequently, I had three books in three different genres hit the bookstores during the first half of 2008.  Did I say it was also my first year of marriage?  When most people would have been honeymooning, I was writing a book on adultery!

The logical follow-up to ROYAL AFFAIRS, which stars many of history’s most famous royal mistresses, was a look at some of the same real-life stories, along with several exciting new ones, from the legitimate side of the sheets.  Hence the birth of NOTORIOUS ROYAL MARRIAGES: A Juicy Journey through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire, which looks beyond Britain to the European Continent as well.

I read about 60 books (in their entirety) and a couple dozen lengthy articles (e.g. from the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography) for each of my nonfiction titles. My editor guided the easy, breezy tone of the books, because she sees my niche in the historical nonfiction market as “Making History Fun.”  I am a stickler for accurate and extensive research, and that is also a key component of the Royal books.  The Chicago Tribune evidently got it, because their review of NOTORIOUS ROYAL MARRIAGES said that I write “with wit and verve” and that “Carroll’s fascinating account of royal marriages is an irresistible combination of People Magazine and The History Channel.”
 
SK: You’ve written some wonderful, in-depth historical novels that focus not only the time and cultures ranging from ancient Greece to Austen’s England, but explore authentic characters for their times as well. When writing historical fiction and then historical nonfiction, what sort of similarities and differences do you find between the two? 

LC: When I got my first nonfiction contract and began to do my research I thought to myself, “Uh-oh, I don’t get to make stuff up for a living anymore.”  Kidding aside, I discovered that sometimes relying on “just the facts, ma’am” can be very liberating, precisely because you don’t have to make stuff up!  However, I also discovered that biographers writing about the same historical figure sometimes disagree in their retelling of certain events, whether vital or minor.  Not having primary sources (which can be equally unreliable) at my disposal, it can become quite a guessing game to unravel the true story.  As the late great senator from New York State, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, once said “you’re entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts.”  So, sorting out which historian or academic got it right, can be a challenge.

I’ve written contemporary and historical novels as well as historical nonfiction, but they’ve all had something in common: relationships.  They are all stories about men and women finding (or losing, or having to cope with not having) love.  And many of the stories involve the interrelationships among family members as well; not just the relationships between spouses and lovers, but among a given subject’s grandparents and parents, children, and siblings.
 
SK: Your acting background must come in very handy when creating character and plot. What do you bring with you from the stage to the keyboard?

LC: I like to get into the characters’ heads, whether they are fictional ones, or historical figures featured in my novels or nonfiction.  My acting background and experience have taught me to look for motivation, which is key in writing as well.  Actors also learn to discern the validity of what other characters say about the one you are portraying: do they have an agenda of their own that motivates their words and actions and therefore are they a reliable source when it comes to depicting your character. Not only do I do I apply that technique when I am creating fictional characters, but it has helped my research into the historical personages as well.  Academics and historical biographers often recite a set of facts or actions with little to no analysis of the whys. And some historical figures have been figuratively tarred and feathered by history and by their chroniclers.

I think as an actress and not as an academic and I look deeper, probing their psyches, their family history and background and how that impacted their lives, to gain a deeper understanding of why these people did what they did, and that’s something I try to impart to my readers.  As a case in point, I read countless books on Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste (the future Louis XVI) and put myself in the place of these two young and very much maligned royal figures, the way an actor would if he or she were to play them on stage or screen.  During my research as I connected the emotional and psychological dots of their lives I had several “Eureka moments” where suddenly, so much fell into place! 

SK: Having written contemporary, historical and nonfiction, do you secretly prefer one to the other?  
LC: I do, actually, but I’ll never tell!  When actors are asked which role is their favorite, they’ll often reply that it’s the role they’re doing!  Reading between the lines, they may be saying, “the one I’m currently getting paid to perform.”  All kidding aside, I spent so many years in soul-killing survival jobs that being able to wake up each morning, pad over to my computer with a glass of very strong iced coffee, fire up the hard drive and spend the rest of the day doing what I love, whether it’s researching and writing nonfiction or fiction (of any stripe) is an honor, a gift, a privilege and a joy. 
 
SK: In your experience, what do you love about being a writer, and what do you find more challenging?
LC: To answer the first part of your question: How many people do you know who get paid to follow their bliss?  I get to make things up for a living (when I’m writing fiction, of course), and spend hours a day playing with people from another time period.  How cool is that?  I do find it challenging to write concurrently in more than one genre because the research alone for the nonfiction titles is extremely time consuming.  And juggling multiple deadlines can sometimes be a challenge.  Also, because my historical fiction is written in the voice of my heroine (narrated from her first person POV), the tone is of course very different from my nonfiction.
 
SK: Recently at Word Wenches, we revealed our work spaces, paper piles, sticky notes, clutter and all. Can you share a little about your own office space? How does the set-up enhance your writing?

LC: I’m a typical Libra, which to me means that my surroundings always need to be aesthetically pleasing.  I’m very picky about my office space.  Since I often spend as much as 17 hours a day in here, it needs to be warm and pretty and resemble a lady’s salon more than an office space, yet the room still needs to have a place for all my computer equipment and bookcases (and in our NYC apartment there isn’t enough room for all of my books, so half my library is in storage).  I painted my office a deep shade of pinkish coral, and the white crown moldings are set off by a red toile wallpaper border. 

I’ve also got a red toile window-shade and a modern “Recamier”- style chaise that belonged to my maternal grandmother, which I re-covered in red toile (notice a theme here?).  My sister and I used to call it “the little red bed” when we visited our grandmother’s Upper East Side apartment as kids and it’s where we’d take a nap.  It was always covered with some sort of red fabric until she moved to L.A. and re-covered it in a hellacious peach and turquoise weave.  Both of my grandmothers were very important in my young life and my home office features furniture that belonged to each of them.  And my husband’s Persian rug accents the hardwood floors.  So I feel like I am creating in a room filled with the karma of people who love(d) and support(ed) my artistic endeavors.

SK: What current trends in historical fiction do you find exciting and interesting?

LC: I have to admit that I don’t keep up with these things.  I adore historical fiction and it’s my favorite genre to read for pleasure, when I can scrounge a moment to enjoy it.  But I haven’t kept my eye on trends (other than the publishers’ current penchant for putting headless women on covers—can we please give that a rest—everyone’s books all look the same now!).  There are so many wonderful novels out there and every time I see one mentioned on a historical fiction blog, I think “I want to read that!!”  I have noticed that editors are finally beginning to take a chance on some less well-known historical women, so that’s a relief.  I love Anne Boleyn, but there are other fascinating women out there!

SK: What’s next for you? Are you planning more nonfiction, or perhaps another novel?  

LC: At present I am putting the finishing touches on my third nonfiction title, ROYAL PAINS: A Rogues’ Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds, which I believe will be released by NAL in March 2011.  And I am also researching and writing a historical fiction trilogy for Random House on the life of one of Europe’s most notorious queens.  Stay tuned!

Thanks, Leslie, for such insightful answers. We'll race to the bookstore to look for your newest nonfiction book, and it's very exciting to know that you're writing more historical fiction as well! Best of luck with everything -- please feel welcome to visit us at Word Wenches anytime!

If you'd like a chance to win one of Leslie's books, be sure to leave a comment on this blog by midnight, February 21 -- Leslie will choose a name at random from among the commenters!

Snow: The Next to the Last Train from Shanghai

by Mary Jo

Maryland, where I live, recently got clobbered by two major snowstorms in less than a week.  Snow records were broken in many places, and even a week after the second storm, there are city streets that haven’t been plowed (can’t be in some places) and the hard working road crews have run out of places to put snow. 

(The picture below was taken by Susan King, who lives less than an hour a way from me.  That teeny, tiny little bump in the middle is her mailbox. <G>) 

Ordinarily I don’t mind a really good storm.  I work at home and the larder is always well stocked, and being snowed in with nearest and dearest, both two and four-footed, is quite cozy as long as the electricity and internet are on. 

This time, alas, we were scheduled to take our annual winter vacation from Saturday, February 6 through Saturday, February 13th—and the first big storm was scheduled to hit late Friday and go through Saturday. 

I didn’t know this, being busy with revisions on my first YA novel, but on Wednesday afternoon before the storm, the Mayhem Consultant called to say he’d seen the weather forecast, and maybe could we leave Thursday, the next day?

I shrieked when I thought about everything that would have to be changed—airline tickets, cat care, car rental, a place to stay for two nights—but as soon as I clicked the revisions off to my YA editor, I hopped over to the airline site, and mercifully managed to find two tickets for Thursday evening that wouldn’t break the bank.

Escape in the nick of time!

I spent the next day rearranging everything else and throwing some clothes in a suitcase, and on Thursday evening off we went.   Since the snow was starting on Friday, I thought of our escape as the next to the last train from Shanghai.  <G>  A flight attendant said that Southwest had already canceled all Baltimore flights for Saturday, and not a single flake of snow had yet fallen. 

But the flakes started falling thick and heavy—and the crowd went wild!  As we sat cozily in recliners in Florida, we got to watch The Weather Channel geeks going into orgasmic raptures about the oncoming snow.  THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Above is Susan's picture of her back deck.)

Sadly, the weather geeks are running out of cool names for storm systems. Winter Wallop having been used in the past, this time they went for Winter Powerhouse, which we didn’t consider their best effort.  For the second storm three days later, they went for February Fury, which is a little better.

Punsters everywhere were coming up with terms like Snowmagedden, Snowpocalypse, and Snoverkill.  (That last was for the second storm, and indeed, it was overkill. <G>) 

Weather as entertainment

All of this is part of our modern phenomenon of weather as entertainment.  The Weather Channel epitomizes this.  It has been called “MTV for senior citizens.”  <G>  It has made media stars of meteorologists like Jim Cantore, who has covered so many hurricanes that I understand he is called the “Angel of Death” along the southeastern coasts. 

Weather has always been a major part of the human experience—life or death at most times in the past, and sometime even now, such as when a hurricane slams a vulnerable population. 

Weather is what two people talk about if they are strangers but want to display benign intent.  Where I grew up, comments like “Cold enough for you?” or “Hot enough for you?” depending on the weather, were a way to communicate without taciturn Yankees actually having to say much. <G> (The pictures of the deer were taken directly behind my house.)

Weather talk is also bonding.  Back when I had a Real Job and worked in an office, serious weather produced all kinds of war stories when we got to work:  “I never would have made it if I hadn’t gotten behind a salt truck!”  “I got on the Beltway and my car immediately spun 180 degrees and almost hit the center wall.  Thank heaven no other cars were coming!!!”  (That last one happened to me once, and very hard on the nerves it was.) 

Weather as a social function

This week in Baltimore, some blocks of people did joint shoveling sessions to clear their streets.  Snow drifts were good places to stash a beer.  Columnist Kathleen Parker talks about how snow makes men crave a really big shovel. <G>

These days, satellite forecasting has made the weather prediction business far, far more accurate than it used to be.  If weather.com tells me that light snow will start falling about noon, I’ll probably be able to glance out the window at noon and see the first flakes.  With two days warning of a blizzard, there is time for the local populace to clear the supermarket shelves of every loaf of bread and roll of toilet paper in town.

As weather events go, a big snowstorm is relatively benign, especially for those of us who don’t work in essential occupations like health care and public safety.  Ice storms are a different matter. They break trees, bring down phone and power lines, and turn even short drives in white-knuckle terror if it’s necessary to go out.  (The mountain scene above was taken from the cog railway that runs up Pike's Peak.)

Having grown up in the lake effect snow belt of Western New York, I always assumed that masses of snow all winter and drifts higher than my head were normal.  Being raised with that kind of weather seems to imprint us with a certain appreciation of winter storms even if,as adults, we move to more moderate climes.

After the second storm last week, my brother (who lives outside of Washington, DC) cheerfully e-mailed that though the first storm dropped over 30”, it was very soft and gentle. But the second storm had winds and white outs that reminded him of our childhood home.  It was a storm worthy of being called BLIZZARD!  I realize that to most people this may sound more than a little perverse, but I understood perfectly. <G>

The pros of snow

Because snow and ice do have one terrific attribute:  they’re beautiful.  Walking in a snow storm is silent magic, particularly at night, when the whirling flakes catch every bit of life and make the world glow.  Ice may be a dangerous nuisance, but after an ice storm, when every twig and pine needle is encased in crystal, the beauty is awesome.  A really good snow storm can slow us down to nature’s pace for a few hours or days, and that’s good.  (Picture to the left is behind my house.)

Snow stories

So—what snow stories do you have?  Hair raising adventures, or a willingness to never see another flake again, ever?  If you live in one of those parts of the world that know no snow, do you love to visit it?  As a child, did you envy kids who could build snowmen?  Share your snow tales!

Mary Jo, showing a picture of Grady the Gray Guy when he discoverd a deck full of snow some years ago.

Ask A Wench: Critique Groups

 Anne here, with February's Ask-A-Wench feature, where a number of wenches  answer a question from a reader.  Maggie Robinson asked this question and so wins a book from me.

 I'd like to know how critique groups work and your opinion of their value. I live pretty far away from the nearest RWA chapter, so I've just been typing in the wilderness. I'm not ready to have my babies butchered by strangers, and my friends are not romance readers (plus, they're my friends. And I want to keep it that way). How many of you depend on critique partners? Who goes it alone? 

As a former English teacher, I know I'm pretty quick with the red pen. As an avid reader, my eyes glaze over at the first sign of clichés, even though I know there's no new plot under the sun. I wouldn't want me for a critique partner! Any advice?

Pat Rice speaks:  

My immediate answer is--does she critique for free and can I send her my drafts? <G>

My more considered answer--I don't belong to a critique group. It's extremely difficult to find partners who possess the same level of knowledge and who relate well enough to your ideas to make the story better instead of nitpick.  That said, I did form an online group with other novelists where we read each other's material and attempt to give feedback on whether the material works. There are online sites like http://www.critiquecircle.com/ where this kind of exchange happens for those who don't belong to a circle of published writers. 

Good luck!

 Cara Elliott is a "go-it-alone' writer. She said:

I've never been a member of a critique group-they just don't fit my personality or my creative process. I prefer to wrestle with my story and characters on my own, for in the end, the final book has to feel right to me, and not a committee. That said, a fellow author, whose work and voice is similar to mine, and I occasionally read each other's WIPs and brainstorm certain scenes. But it's mostly for small things.

The thing to keep in mind is that writing is such a subjective process and each of us does it in a different way. What works for one person won't for another. So you have to do what makes you feel comfortable. The key is to choose things that encourage and motivate you to write-so if you do try a critique group, don't be afraid to drop out if it isn't a positive experience. You have to trust your instincts. If your book isn't written from your own heart, it likely won't resonate in the hearts your readers. 

Mary Jo agrees:

As with so much of life, the answer is "it depends."  Critique partners can be really useful at giving feedback and helping us develop as writers.  But the wrong critiquers can make you insane and be very destructive to one's creativity.  So it's good to know what you want from a critique partner: overall feedback as to how the story is working?  Technical writing skill?  Proofreading?  Marketing feedback?  (You may not always want the same kind of critique. 

These days, most aspiring writers are online, and RWA has online and specialty chapters that can help a writer find a hospitable critique partner or group.  One would need to take the time to get acquainted with the potential partner, chatting back and forth about tastes. preferences, and goals.  Even this is no guarantee that it's a good match, but it is worth a try. 

I've never been a part of a critique group, but I've always had early readers, and now I have one writer friend in particular who reads my stuff, and I read hers. We've both been in the business for a long time and basically like each other's work, so we can often come up with useful feedback.  Sometimes, a writer just needs to know that the story is working.  Good luck at finding the kind of feedback that will benefit you!

 Nicola tried it once. 

"I go it alone, without a critique group or critique partner. I did belong to a critique group about 10 years ago but some people were reluctant to offer any kind of constructive criticism in case they hurt anybody's feelings and others were so tactless that various members left in a huff! I think there's a real art to offering positive and helpful feedback and a good crit group or a good critique partner could potentially be very useful. I do critique manuscripts for the RNA's New Writers' Scheme and always try to be constructive. What I do have is a writer friend with whom I exchange ideas. Although we don't read each other's work in draft we will run everything past each other from plot glitches to character motivation. We meet every month or so at this hotel on the River Thames so it's also a treat as well as a working meeting!"

Anne says be careful what you wish for.

As for me (Anne) I've done it both ways. When I first started writing romance I joined a critique group. The people who ran it were madly enthusiastic and very opinionated about the "right way" to write. When I handed around my first piece I was given back a list of 20 things I was doing wrong -- there were none right. The only reason I wasn't crushed was that I had a letter from an editor about the same piece, saying  she "liked my first three chapters very much”, that I wrote ” with verve and emotion” and that “the main characters came to life beautifully.” She'd requested the full manuscript.   

I did learn some technical aspects from the critiques, but after four meetings I was the only one in the group still writing (apart from the organizers.) I probably would have given up, too, except for that letter from the editor.

I later met with two of the people from that group and they started writing again. We met and critiqued for a couple of years, and it was brilliant -- we loved each other's writing and respected our different voices and gave honest, encouraging and constructive feedback. Alas, those two turned to other pursuits, and now we're just friends, not critique partners.

These days I get support when I need it from other published authors -- two in particular. I swap scenes with one of them on a regular basis, and the other sometimes gives a final read through and feedback before I send off the final manuscript. I do the same for her. I also will brainstorm a plot or a talk over a knotty problem with writer friends. 

So be very careful of critique groups and who you're handing your babies over to. I think if you show your work too soon, it can destroy your fledgling writer's voice. Writing techniques and conventions are easily come by, but your writer's voice is precious. If you can find a good critique partner, however, it's magic. Writing can be a lonely job, and it's good to to talk over the nitty gritty stuff with someone who really understands. But always remember, it's your book, your vision and your voice.

Anyone else here been in a critique group? Have critique partners? A good or bad experience with critique? Tell us about it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

To lovers of romance everywhere...

Happy Valentine's Day

from the Word Wenches

Wishing you love, roses,

chocolate and happiness today!

(1) Guest Leslie Carroll - Feb. 19, and (2) Newsletter Contest

LESLIE CARROLL - FEB 19

Leslie Carroll wears many hats.  She is an actress, a freelance journalist, and a multi-published author in three genres. Leslie will be Susan King's guest on Friday, February 19.  She writes historical nonfiction and contemporary fiction under her own name, and historical fiction under the name of Amanda Elyot.

NEWSLETTER CONTEST

Those of you who subscribe to our newsletter already know about the contest we're running in order to get feedback.  The contest is still open and the winner--chosen from those who submit suggestions/comments regarding the newsletter--will receive a $10 gift certificate.

We'd like your feedback regarding newsletter content.  What do you want to see in the newsletter?  Is it too long?  Too short?  Boring?  Interesting?  What do you like?  Dislike?  Would you like to see pictures in the newsletter?  Do you use the links to view Wench books or Wench posts, or are the links a waste of time?  Do you even read the newsletter?  (And if you hit the delete button without reading it, tell us why.)  Do you like the short blurbs in the Current Books section?   Be specific, and don't worry about hurting feelings.  We want your feedback.  Please share your thoughts by clicking on "comments" at the end of this post.  The winner's name will be posted next Sunday, the winner chosen from the commenters.

To subscribe to the newsletter, click here, or click on the link in the sidebar to the right, under Word Wenches E-newsletter.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I'd like to take this time to extend Valentine's wishes to my bosses, the Wenches, and to all the blog readers who visit this site.  Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  May your life be filled with romance.

Lost & Found— A Love Story

Cara/Andrea here,

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, it got me to thinking about all the little things that connect us to the ones we love. This Sunday, we will exchange special gifts, and most likely overindulge in chocolate (there is a good reason that the Aztecs considered it the food of the Gods!) However, amid all the flutter of heart-shaped cards and rose-colored corsets, I began musing on some of the unexpected gifts we get in life, all the more beautiful for their appearing out of nowhere.

So, here’s a short love story.

I was an only daughter, so my mom and I had a special bond, and a shared love of art and books brought us even closer together. As a child, I was already captivated by historical stories, and loved reading about medieval jousts and  knights in armor. So it’s no wonder that from an early age, I was fascinated by her beautiful gold signet ring. Engraved with her family’s crest, it had been a gift from her father on her eighteenth birthday. I loved that ring . . . and she used to smile at me and say, “Someday it will be yours.” Over the years, there were various birthdays where we planned to have one made for me, but somehow we never got around to it.

It’s been nearly two years since my mom passed away, and that signet ring is one of my treasured mementos. It sat in my jewelry box for a long time, a bit too small to fit on my finger. Then, this past summer I finally decided to have it re-sized so that I could wear it. I chose to take it to a small shop in New Haven. CT,  a bit of a drive for me, because I remembered my mother telling me that the proprietor was a artisan goldsmith who had done a lovely alteration on one of her other rings. I didn’t want to trust my heirloom to just anyone, so off I went.

Derek was there that afternoon, and he listened patiently as I explained my ring's sentimental value and asked him to take great care with it. He looked it over for a moment, and his brow rose a notch. “I remember your mother,” he said. A pause. “She got very mad at me.”

I blinked.

“Yes,” he went on. “She commissioned me to make a ring similar to one she had bought in Turkey. She brought me detailed sketches, and I made a prototype. But then somehow I lost it.” Another pause. “She was not pleased.”

Now, my mother did have a strong personality. And if you said you were going to do something, she took you to task if you didn’t come through.

“So she ended up canceling the order,” he finished.

I smiled. “Well, let’s let bygones be bygones. She thought you were a wonderful craftsman.”

A funny expression crept over his face. “Wait here for a moment,” he said, and then disappeared into the back of his shop. Sounds of rustling and rummaging floated out from behind the half-closed door. Several minutes later he reemerged and opened his hand to reveal a wink of silver. “I found this the other day—it’s the ring your mother designed.”

Staring down at his palm, I blinked again.

“It’s not finished yet,”  he murmured. “But if you want it, I can go ahead . . .”

Did I want it? In a heartbeat!

So now I have another ring connecting me to my mother, all the more special because I never expected it. As  I turned to leave the shop, another woman who was perusing the cases came up to me and said that she couldn’t help overhearing us, and thought it was one of the nicest stories she had ever heard.

I smiled and told her that I was a romance writer . . . But that not even I could have made it up.

So, that’s my love story. How about you? Any unexpected moments in your life  or little love stories that have made your heart sing?

Dangerous Creativity

(We briefly interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for this announcement because I'm an idiot and forgot to mention it below: Bookviewcafe.com will be launching MERELY MAGIC and my arrival tomorrow by giving away chapters. Stop by and say hi!)

Creativity can be a marvelous thing, but sometimes, it’s danged dangerous.

I’m a house person. I love adapting houses to my needs and tastes, and over the years I’ve become extremely creative in what I can do.  Right now, since house prices are so stagnant, I’m frustrated that I can’t make the major improvements I want. I often take these frustrations out on my poor characters, but the obstinate ones I’m creating for DEVILISH MONTAGUE  refuse to do their own decorating. They’re into shabby chic, apparently. (I think this next series may be exhibiting symptoms of my frustration—both books so far have the characters stuck with derelict houses!)

Anyway, this weekend I grew sick and tired of snow and taxes, and even the lovely reading list I’ve developed wasn’t keeping me entertained. So I decided—roll of drums, please—to finally get rid of the annoying shiny brass on the light fixture in my office. (I forgot to get a "before" pic but here's one I just ran across and here's what this person did with hers: scroll way down http://tinyurl.com/ye7rpql)

I know there are people who love shiny brass. But I hate shiny anything. I hated it in the 70’s when the only lamps I could buy when I had my first nest to feather were all brass.  At the time, I hunted and found antique brass, which I can tolerate. But this isn’t the 70’s any longer, even though my house dates to that period, and it’s time for a change.

I’ve been slowly replacing faucets and shower doors and whatnot with nickel. We’ve added new light fixtures in several places with glass instead of metal of any sort.  But the bedroom ceilings all have the same light fixture with a big bold glaring brass rim.

So I bought nickel metallic spray paint. I know. I told you, I’m dangerous. One does not spray paint indoors with the window closed. One definitely does not spray it at the ceiling. But I had some odd notion that I could simply remove the rim, take it to the garage, and have at it. Nope. That sucker is wired into the ceiling, rim and all. Annoying monster. Have paint can, will paint. (But have dh's camera doesn't equate with good photos. I can't find the zoom.)

So I carefully taped newspaper all over the ceiling around the—round—fixture. I don’t advise that either. Impossible to tape square sheets of paper to make them round. But even my sensible husband can’t stop a steamroller once I get rolling. He simply removed the bulbs and taped off the outlets and turned off the electricity so I didn’t kill myself in obvious ways. Given that I had to stand on my desk to reach the fixture, there were lots of less obvious ways to do it—like tripping over paperweights and speakers.

So I spray painted the brass. That metallic paint is pretty cool stuff. But when it dried and I tried to put the glass bowl back on, I realized I hadn’t painted the stupid brass knob that holds it on. And some of the rim near the ceiling didn’t get painted, so there was a lovely brass stripe around the outside. I kind of liked the brass ridge, so I scraped the whole edge and now I have a brass and nickel fixture. And I’m still alive to tell of it, but only because my husband and the gods who look after idiots took care of me.

Anyone else have exciting creative endeavors? Or know how to turn antique brass door handles to nickel?

Bookplates

 Anne here. Last time I blogged about my fascination with the inscriptions found inside the covers of books, today I'm talking about bookplates, and by extension, personal libraries.

I've always loved the idea of bookplates. I have several small packets of bookplates that I've never used, probably because they're not enough to label even a shelf full of my books. For me the appeal is mainly the look of them, and to label the books as mine, but I do love the notion of a private library -- traditionally bookplates bear these words "Ex Libris ..."  Latin for "from the library of..." In fact some people refer to bookplates as "ex-librises"  

As a child I developed my notion of the ideal private library from novels by people like  Georgette Heyer and Agatha Christie — private libraries in great houses, with hidden nooks and window seats in which you could curl up with a book, or great leather-covered wing armchairs and huge desks, and there was always a fireplace before which you and your dog could sprawl and read. And hundreds, thousands of books, all with an identical bookplate inside the front cover —with your name in it.

 History of bookplates

    The central purpose behind a bookplate is to clearly label ownership of the book. The idea has been around for centuries — archaeologists found small ceramic plates attached to papyrus scrolls, saying that they belonged to the library of Pharaoh Amenophis III. But most bookplates are printed.

     The oldest known printed bookplate is German, made around 1450, when books were rare and very expensive. It's called "the hedgehog bookplate"  because it had a features a hand- colored, woodcut illustration of a hedgehog and a banner in German that reads, "Hans Igler--that a hedgehog may kiss you." In other words steal Hans's book and you'll get prickled. 

Bookplates are a reflection of their owner

Some bookplates are beautiful, elegant works of art commissioned from artists, some are simple and basic, even stern, but all reflect, in some way, the personality of the owner.  

Here are some of my favorites:  

 Jack London was most famous for his book, The Call of the Wild, about a dog who ends up leader of a wolf pack.

 Noel Coward's needs no explanation. 

Nor does the bookplate designed by Ruth Saunders for Robert O. Foote.   

 

Willard S. Morse has much the same problem as I do, with overflowing piles of books.

Bookplates today

Bookplates fell out of fashion as books became more common, less expensive and easier to replace. Artists still design bookplates today. Some are a kind of limited edition print rather than an actual bookplate, but real ex-libris for use in books are still commissioned, collected and studied widely. 

Books walk...

I personally think there's still a place for bookplates. I don't know about you, but when I've read a book I love I have this dreadful habit of pressing it on someone and urging them to read it. I can't seem to help it — I want to share the joy. But so often I never see the book again.  Books walk! (And sometimes they're kidnapped, she mutters darkly.) And somehow, people can easily overlook a mere written name inside. But a bookplate, now that's  serious...

If a book is a keeper — and let's face it, I generally don't recommend books I haven't loved — I want it back. I reread favorite books. But dozens of my beloved books have "walked" and I really hate it. So now I stick small bookplates inside the covers of any books I lend and want returned . Nothing too fancy -- it's  just a clear label with a picture of my dog and "Anne's book, please return."

Making your own bookplates

It might not be as fancy as a specially printed design, but it's very easy to make your own bookplates on computer. I first made some in response to a request from a bookstore owner who wanted signed bookplates she could stick inside the covers of my books. I make a different design for each book using clear printable labels. 

There's a source here of free bookplates for children

And here's another site for make your own bookplates

So what about you — do you like bookplates?  Use them?  What would your own personal bookplate look like?

And have you had a problem with books that walk? What did you do about it?

Lauren Willig, Honorary Word Wench

Lauren, we were absolutely delighted that you stopped by to visit with us in January. It's a Word Wench tradition to thank our esteemed guests with a suitable present—and since the gift is a virtual one, price is no object. So, in keeping with the recent trend to bestow a small country retreat on our HWWs—I mean, a girl needs a quiet place to write, right!—I am giving you the Taj Mahal. Feel free to invite all your Indian friends from "Betrayal of the Blood Lily" for a long weekend. The Wenches would love to join in too! We'll bring the curry. But please, no snakes!

(1) Stephanie Laurens, HWW (2) Book Winner

HWW:

Stephanie, thank you so much for dropping by for a visit. It's traditional for the Wenches to give our guests virtual gifts as that allows us to be extremely generous.  Since you like to write about military men, Jo thought a magnificent suit of 16th century armour would be just the ticket to grace your entry hall.  (Unfortunately, with no hero inside.)  You are now an Honorary Word Wench, with all the privileges that entails.  You may put the initials HWW after your name, to impress and confound the uninitiated.

BOOK WINNER:

Don't go away, folks.  Ann Kerbs, you have won a book from Stephanie.  Please contact Jo Beverley with your mailing address (and cc Sherrie, please).  Congratulations, Ann!

Birth Order: Truth or Myth?

By Nicola

A few days ago we were having dinner with friends when the conversation turned to a mutual acquaintance. "I find her very difficult to like," one friend said. "She's very spoilt..."

"Self-absorbed," another agreed. "She doesn't share, she's opinionated and she never listens to other people's views..."

And then the killer line. "Of course, it's not surprising because she's an only child..."

There was a silence for a moment and then my husband said: "Nicola is an only child."

Another silence. Then lots of people talking at once: "Oh well, you're the exception that proves the rule..."

It was lucky they said that because otherwise they would have been wearing the delicious apricot and vanilla pudding I had made rather than eating it, and if that's spoilt behaviour then I put my hand up.

It wasn't the first time I had come up against prejudice against only children but it was the most blatant example and it certainly made me think. As a writer I have sometimes used birth order when I've been fleshing out my characters. The heroine of my next book, Whisper of Scandal, is the eldest of three girls and makes a spectacular escape from caring for her younger sisters by running off with an out-and-out cad. In one of my early books there was some vicious sibling rivalry going on between two sisters.

Generalisations about birth order include:

The most responsiblity is given to the eldest child. They develop strong leadership qualities. However they also have to bear the brunt of strong parental supervision and heavy parental expectations. Most family photo albums apparently feature twice as many pictures of the eldest child as of their siblings, particularly when they are babies or toddlers. They are the trailblazers. Famous firstborn children include Winston Churchill, EM Forster, Danielle Steel,  - and David Copperfield.

The middle child or children can get squeezed out. They are born into a competitive atmosphere and often behave in the opposite way to the eldest. If the eldest is a high-achiever they may be a trouble-maker, choosing to make their mark in unconventional ways. if the eldest is academic, they will turn to another area in which to excel. They can also be the peace-maker and the one with the most friends. Famous middle children include Princess Diana, Henry VIII and Bill Gates.

The youngest is supposedly indulged and spoiled, the baby of the family who can get away with all the things that their siblings could not.  I found it quite difficult to find a list of famous youngest children when I was searching, which was a bit puzzling. The whole birth order thing seems to be skewed to proving its own point ie that it's the firstborn who become famous.

So what do you think? Are you an only, a firstborn or one of a big family? How has that affected you? What about twins? And are theories like birth order useful tools for a writer in developing character or simply too stereotypical?

Nicola

Out Now in the UK: Loves Me Loves Me Not with a copy to be won on my website!

Amanda McCabe: Honorary Word Wench

By Nicola

Amanda, it has been our very great pleasure to host you as a Word Wench guest and we would now like to invite you to join the ranks of the Honorary Word Wenches, with the style Amanda McCabe, HWW! To mark the occasion we have a virtual gift lined up for you. Mary Jo recently gave HWW Karen Harper the Hever Castle rose garden which inspired me to find another appropriately Boleyn-related virtual gift for you. I settled upon Anne Boleyn's Gateway at Hampton Court Palace, complete with 500 year old clock. So when you visit Hampton Court you will be able to stand beneath the arch and proudly announce that the gateway is yours!

Guest -- Stephanie Laurens

 This is Jo, delighted to welcome our guest, Stephanie Laurens.

Welcome Stephanie. It’s a real treat to have you visit us at the Word Wenches, especially when you have a new novel out – the second part of the Black Cobra series, The Elusive Bride.

Stephanie, I’m tempted to fill this blog with a account of your very interesting life, but I’ll satisfy myself with saying that though you live in Australia, and have done so for most of your life, you’ve traveled widely and lived in a number of countries, including England. And that you were a very successful research scientist before writing a romance novels. I’ll let people read the rest of the story on your web site here. I recommend it.

Your first novel,Tangled Reins, -- that one you wrote for your own entertainment because you’d run of out new ones to read  -- was published in 1992. How do you think your writing has changed between then and now, and what do you think has remained constant?

Stephanie: The stories themselves have remained constant, but the telling has altered and evolved. My first novels were written for Harlequin Mills & Boon in London, and so reflected more the British sensibilities over how historical romances were told. They contain more detailed description, a less close point of view, and the love scenes are less explicit.

Yet even in the 8 novels I wrote for the British market, my style clearly continually evolves toward what it would become when I crossed the Atlantic and started writing for the US market. The truth is, my “telling” is constantly evolving, just as the readership constantly changes its expectations of how it wants its stories told.

Jo: You began your love of romance with Georgette Heyer, as I did, though in my case it was Powder and Patch and in yours These Old Shades. (That's my original copy of P&P. The age is obvious, if for nothing else, for the line on the cover "A gay romance of the 18th century.")

Both those are Georgian, however, not Regency, but my first book was Regency, as was yours.  Is there a reason you didn’t plunge into the 18th century in 1992?  Also, you have an interesting chronological listing of your stories, from 1776 to 1835. How do you choose exactly when you set your books?

Stephanie: Hah – because of your question I just realized why. The first 8 novels, being written for the British market, were Regencies because that was the time frame everyone wanted, and so did I at the time. However, subsequently, many of my heros, with few exceptions, are warriors returning from war and having to learn how to fit into civilian life.

Captain Jack, the first six Cynsters, all the Bastion Club guys fit that pattern. So mostly I’m writing in the years following Waterloo – 1816 for the Bastion Club, 1818 onward with the Cynsters. Captain Jack was 1812, but that was because he was called back to serve undercover in England. Those books are the anchors for the majority of my works, so the timing of other books is dictated by them.

Jo: An excellent reason. You live in Australia. Do you find this affects your writing or publishing? If so, how?

Stephanie: If the writing is affected at all, it’s for the better, because there’s far less writerly distraction around. It’s relatively easy to disappear into my cave and not emerge until the book is done. As for publishing, the only effect is that you have to plan your phone calls to editor and agent to allow for the time difference. That’s about it.

Jo: If you had to move and live somewhere else, where would it be?

Stephanie: Ooh, a difficult one. I could honestly move to anywhere that had peace, tranquility and some degree of striking natural beauty, and good availability of fresh food. And I suppose for my husband it would help if it had a café culture and good coffee! Beyond that, an internet connection is all I need, and that’s pretty universal these days.

Jo : If you could take just one of your fabulous heroes out to dinner, which would it be?

Stephanie: Royce, Duke of Wolverstone (from Mastered by Love), or the hero coming up a few books from now, who thus far is known to readers as Neville Roscoe (from The Edge of Desire). I know that’s not his real name and I know a little about him, but he’s a highly mysterious character and I want to—need to—know more!

Jo: So you, too, discover your characters as you write! I'm tempted to pursue that, but I want to know more about Black Cobra and your latest novel, The Elusive Bride.

Stephanie: The Black Cobra Quartet came about through wondering what happened to the rest of the heavy cavalry troop who fought with the Cynsters at Waterloo.

The answer that popped into my mind was that five of them went to India, and were officers in the British Army there, which at that time was under the command of the Governor-General of India, who was appointed by the East India Company and was essentially in control of all company activities there. From that, the story of the scion of an English noble house setting up a villainous cult for his own gratification grew—and of course our heroes were drafted in to stop him.

How they achieve that is the story told in the quartet. It’s been something of an experience writing four books that more or less run concurrently, and The Elusive Bride is the second volume, in which Major Gareth Hamilton journeys home via Arabia, Egypt, Malta, Tunisia, and France to complete his decoy mission and reach England, running a gauntlet of Black Cobra cult attacks along the way.

Jo: That sounds like great fun!

Stephanie: It’s very much in the vein of Errol Flynn meets Jane Austen—lots of dashing derring-do grounded by a healthy dose of feminine common sense.

Jo: Errol Flynn meets Jane Austen. Now that, I'd like to see. :)

Thanks for a wonderful interview, Stephanie.

Everyone, you can learn more about The Elusive Bride by clicking here. There's an excerpt and a fun video trailer.

 Now, over to you. This is your chance to respond to Stephanie's comments above and ask new questions, and one commenter will be picked to win a very special book, one of Stephanie's hard-to-find hardcovers, The Promise In A Kiss.

Which of Stephanie's heroes would you like to take to dinner?

Which of her heroines do you think could be a friend?

How do you think it'd go if Jane Austen encountered Errol Flynn?

Happy commenting!

Jo

Out now, The Stanforth Secrets.

My second novel, set in my native area, Morecambe Bay, Lancashire.