Wit and Wisdom from Eloisa James and Lauren Willig

 

by Mary Jo

Today, we're resuming our sadly interrupted anniversary celebration, and I have the pleasure of welcoming Eloisa James and Lauren Willig, both of whom have wonderful insights to share with us.  

First up is Eloisa James, who has been a visitor to Word Wenches for both her romance and for her delicious memoir, Paris in Love.  Today she ponders romance and what might lie ahead in our genre:

 

Eloisa James:

I read widely in romance sub-genres, with the exception of scary Romantic Suspenses.  I’m just going to make a more-or-less haphazard list of the trends I’m seeing, skipping Historical because the Word Wenches have that covered.  Please tell me in the comments what I’m missing or where I went wrong!!

 I feel as if Paranormal readers are holding their breaths, waiting for the next big thing.  The writers who established brilliant worlds are still going strong:  Kresley Cole, Patricia Briggs, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, etc.  But I have the feeling that it’s harder to establish a new world these days, especially if it’s a shifter or werewolf or (God forbid) vampire world.

Ilona Andrews is a brilliant bellwether, and while she’s continuing the Magic Burns series published by Tor (a sci-fi publisher), her romances with Avon focus on magic, not shifting.  Her next Avon book, by the way, will be out in 2017, with a re-issue of the first one, followed by 2 books only 90 days apart. Exciting!

 One addendum here has to do with price points:  the top authors are going hardcover (which I, personally, find annoying if understandable).  Patricia Briggs, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh, and now Thea Harrison’s next Tor book are all going out in hardcover.  If you read paranormal, what do you think of this?

 I’ve been reading a lot of male/male romance, which is a refreshing change. The feminist side of me rebels a bit (adulate the male body All Day Long—where are the wenches?) but there are some great writers in the field—Damon Suede, for example (read Hot Head!), Heidi Cullinan, and Tere Michaels (Groomzilla was really fun).  A bunch of New Adult writers are publishing series in which 3 might be heterosexual and a fourth homoerotic, which is an interesting touch and reflects the way my undergraduates are very flexible when it comes to erotic choices.

I still love New Adult, though it’s possible the field is over-saturated.  I’d point to Elle Kennedy, Sarina Bowen, and Kylie Scott as examples of great series (oh, and the Calendar Girls — on the NYT for ages).  What’s great about these, to me, are the heroes: they tend to appear alpha, but are actually beta once they’re in love — which is often true for male/male romance as well. Some authors I think of as writing New Adult (with all its angsty emotion) are now writing slightly older people.  Jay Crownover’s Marked Men series about a tattoo shop is fun, as I learned a lot about tattoos that I didn’t know.

Contemporary romance is flying off the shelves.  I’m really enjoying books about injured characters at the moment.  For example, Mia Sheridan’s Archer’s Voice, where the hero doesn’t speak, is great.  Sports books seem to be huge, from football stories (in which, miraculously, the quarterback never has a concussion, thank goodness) to extreme sports, like Tracy Wolff’s Shredded series and Sarina Bowen’s Shooting for the Stars series.

I’ll end with an author new-to-me:  Mhairi McFarlane.  I laughed hysterically reading It’s Not Me, It’s You.  The whole genre of funny romances (Kristen Higgin as a prime example) is going strong.  I’m half way through Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s new Chicago Stars book coming in the fall — all I can say is, pre-order it now!! It’s wonderful and I particularly love the hero.

So what did I miss?  What book should we all be reading — or what sub-genre did I neglect?

Lauren Willig:

Now for Lauren Willig!  Lauren leaped to renown with her very first book, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, and has been writing successfully ever since while working on advanced degrees in English and acquiring a degree from Harvard Law School in her spare time. Her thoughts:   

Lauren: A wise colleague of mine is wont to say that there’s a sound that romance readers make when they find one another.  It isn’t quite a squee and it certainly isn’t a “woo!”  It’s as native to the romance reader as the harrumph is to the Regency dowager or the little gray cells are to Hercule Poirot: it’s the sound of like-minded souls finding one another.

It’s the sound many of us make, unconsciously, as we read the day’s post from the Word Wenches, nodding along as we read.

My inarticulate-romance-reader-noise moment?  Reading a Word Wench post not so  many moons ago about Mary Lide’s Ann of Cambray.  Ann of Cambray has a special place in my heart.  It was my very first romance novel, given to me when I was six and still reading mostly Nancy Drew and the Babysitter’s Club. 

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing to sneer at in Nancy Drew (except maybe that roadster), but this was something else entirely.  It was history vivid on the page, translated through the lives of individuals, the war between the Empress Matilda and King Stephen made real in the plight of one girl, Ann of Cambray, and her quest to retain her lands—and the conflicts of loyalty experienced by the enigmatic man who held her as his ward.  (And later something more.)  (MJP: It was Wench Susan King who mentioned her love for this story.)

I still love this book.  So much.  I will be grateful, always, to Mary Lide and Ann of Cambray—not just for automatically giving me an unfair advantage years later in sixth grade Medieval History—but for introducing me to what historical romance can be at its very best: an exploration of human nature in adverse circumstances; a chance to live in another world and another time, if only for a few hundred pages; and a stunning awareness that people are people whether they live in a Norman keep or an Upper East Side apartment building. 

I laughed; I cried; and, yes, it was definitely better than Cats.

 But I’d had no idea that there were other Ann of Cambray readers out there until the Word Wenches posted about it.  That’s one of those moments when you know you’ve come home.  (Cue slightly altered version of Cheers theme song.  Book-related lyrics mandatory.  Booze sold separately.)

Recently, in the daily stew that is my Facebook feed, an article popped up, posted and reposted: a scientific study proclaiming that readers of fiction have more empathy.  This is news?  I think anyone over here at the Wenches could have told you that. 

And I’ll take it one step further and say that readers of historical romance have more empathy than most, because we don’t just put ourselves into someone else’s shoes: we put ourselves into different cultures and times, into different manners and mores, into corsets, farthingales, and chitons.

We look past the stereotypes and the broad claims of “people in the nineteenth century behaved like THIS” to what the individual experiences might have been—so many different individual experiences!—and nothing brings out those idiosyncrasies like the particularly idiosyncratic act of falling in love.  Because no two love stories are the same; no two people are the same; no two historical romance novels are the same.  And, only very rarely, are two Word Wench posts the same because they’re doing an anniversary re-post.

 So let’s raise a glass—malmsey, mead, claret, bubbly, or what you will—to the Word Wenches, for bringing out the best in historical romance for ten years and counting!

What was your first historical romance novel?

MJP: Eloisa and Lauren, thanks so much for visiting us today!  We are a tribe, we lovers of history and romance!  A tribe that makes sounds that aren't quite a "squee" when we meet others of our kind. <G>  

Note that both Eloisa and Lauren have asked some interesting questions, so please say what you think!  Commenters on the anniversary blogs will become eligible for book giveaways, so share your thoughts, and perhaps win a book or two!

Mary Jo

Comments

[Patricia Franzino]

One of the first romance novels I read was "Cotillion" by Georgette Heyer. After that hilarious and lovely novel, I read all the rest of her Regency romances. I had to scour old book stores and be put on their list in case one of her books showed up, but I eventually found them all.

[Lauren Willig]

My first Heyer was "The Nonesuch", discovered at the school book fair. (This was the late 80s, so it was one of the periodic reissues, with blurbs from people like Catherine Coulter and Judith McNaught on the covers.) There was a Heyer drought for a bit after that, but I got lucky when I was in England doing my dissertation research and found rows and rows of them in Waterstones....

[Lauren Willig]

My first Heyer was "The Nonesuch", found at the school book fair. This was the late 80s, so they'd been reissued with blurbs from people like Judith McNaught and Catherine Coulter-- and then they disappeared again for far too long. It wasn't until I was doing my research year in England in grad school that I was able to stock up again from the lovely long rows of Heyer books in Waterstones. Riches!

[Rachel Adrianna]

In answer to Eloisa's question: while it is tempting for me to remain in the comfortable world of Regency romance, I love the new-ish series by Donna Thorland (Renegades of the American Revolution) set in the American Revolution. Not sure which sub-genre this would be-- spy romance? War romance? Either way, it works ;)

And for Lauren's question: I think my first historical romance novel was her "Pink Carnation"! And it opened an entirely new realm of literature to me that I am so grateful for... especially since it seems to have made me more empathetic :)

[Mary Dieterich]

The first romances I read were by Barbara Cartland and Victoria Holt. They were usually Gothic romances, which I'm sure is why I still love historicals and mysteries.

I like steampunk romances. Even if it's not full-on steampunk, the addition of all the scientific advancements, gadgets, and gizmos of the Victorian era is a lot of fun.

[Laura Davies Tilley]

What fun posts. They have me thinking back over my first romance reads (skipping first, to first totally hooked: Jo Beverley :D ) to fun moments of realizing you are in the company of like minds (my most surprising was my niece - good fun :D ).
Okay, I think most of that paragraph was one sentence, but my mind was floating, enjoying nostalgia.
Thank you for your great books and posts.

[Rebecca]

My first historical romance novel was Lauren's The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, which I picked up on CD, almost at random, because the cover caught my eye and I like carnations, so why not? I had no idea what to expect, but then I got sucked into that series and have the rest of them in paper book form. I loved the audio of Pink though, they picked a great reader for a great story!

[Brittany]

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation wasn't my very first romance but it is the first one that really stuck with me. It's the first one that I actually remember (because it was such a great story!).

[Pat]

My first romance novel was Mary Stewart's Nine Coaches Waiting. I was twelve, had just had an appendectomy, and our kind neighbor lady gave me the worn copy from the hospital's lending library. I've been hooked for lo! these decades.

[Margaret]

I'm very curious as to which sub-genres will survive the next 20 years. Like many who have commented, I cut my teeth on historical romance writers years ago and to this day, prefer "meaty" stories that offer historical detail and good, strong, character development (thank you again, Jo Beverley, but all the wenches and today's guests offer the same quality). Many of the authors Ms. James cited are ones I read, and enjoy, but while I find I can switch back and forth, none of my children (aged 16 to 26) can abide books with any kind of "meat" to them. They want dialog and a fast-moving plot (and they and their peers will watch Game of Thrones or Outlander but not plough through the lengthy novels). When those of us who learned to love reading before the digital age die off, will good historical fiction die off with us?

[Mary T]

I'm not a big fan of romance sub-genres. It's all a matter of taste though. And thank God we all have a variety of choices. I'm just more of a traditionalist.

The first historical romance that I remember liking as a teenager was CELIA GARTH by Gwen Bristow. When I was young my reading was much more diverse. A lot of best sellers, classics, and just about anything that caught my attention.

I fell in love with romance novels in my late 30s when I was going through a really unhappy, depressed period. I didn't want to waste my time on anything that didn't have a happy or at least hopeful ending. Happened upon a book by Kathleen Woodiwiss and fell in love with the genre. When I retired and had more time for reading I found myself drawn to those books again. This time not because I'm depressed - I just enjoy them so much. I still like mysteries and biographies, but most of what I read is HR.

One of my favorite books by Ms. James is FOOL FOR LOVE. I love books that have children in them. The two children in that book were so well drawn. Between the puking baby and her bratty older sister - well, you couldn't help by love them. (smile)

[Janga]

Eloisa reads much more widely in the genre than I do, but I have been delighted to see some great American historicals recently. I love Donna Thorland's American Revolution novels and Joanna Schupe's Gilded Age Knickerbocker Club series as well as some wonderful American historical fiction with romantic elements such as The Forgotten Room by Lauren and her friends Beatriz Williams and Karen White. I hope they are signs of a new trend.

I think strictly speaking Heyer's These Old Shades was probably my first historical romance. I followed that with every Heyer I could get my hands on, and between the public library and my great-aunts' collections, I read most of them. However, I truly think my love for historical romance was first nurtured by the girls' books of Alcott, Montgomery, Wilder, and Lovelace. The March sister, Anne, Laura, Betsy, Tacy, and Tib were all cherished childhood companions, and their heroes are still some of my favorites.

[Annette Naish]

At one point in my life, I lived in a small town and I got to be the person who worked in what would eventually become a full fledged certified library. But, when we started, we got donated books, I worked for free doing everything from sweeping to cataloging. And I was amazed. So many women came in to check out romance novels. I had never read one and I had no idea what they were thinking. (I hate to admit it, I was a terrible reading snob)

Fast forward about 15 years after a really terrible period and a divorce. I lived in a huge city where I knew no one, and I was alone. I went to my nearest library and found Unitl You by Judith McNaught.

At this point, cue the romantic violins. I understood exactly why all those women were checking out those books. I realized that somehwere, someone was having a HEA, even if it was only on paper.

My biggest regret is all the years I wasted.

In any event, I enjoy many different genres. I am grateful to every writer who has shared their talent with me. For me, there are times I need a pick-me-up and I start rereading Susan Elizabeth Phillips and older Julie Garwoods. I laugh, I cry and have a wonderful time.

[Christine]

I remember reading a ton of Danielle Steel in high school but I think the first was The Ring, after I saw the NBC miniseries. Or maybe it was Message from Nam. Those two were my favorites.

[Christine]

I take it back - Julie Garwood's "For the Roses," after I saw the miniseries starting a young Jennifer Garner and pre-Grey's Anatomy Justin Chambers.

[Sue McCormick]

My first two romance novels were "Jane Eyre" and "Pride and Prejudice" both read for the high school book report requirements. My first historic novels were books for boys by Altshuler —all were books about American History, with boys as the heroes. They are romances in to wider sense, but not of course about love. As I continued reading I met Georgette Heyer, Mary Stuart, Victoria Holt, and Phyllis Whitney. Only in the last 30 years have I reached reading romance as a genre — and my introduction was through our frequently mentioned trio— Jo, Mary. and Mary Jo. I have added others, and have never looked back.

Lauren Willing made a comment in her post that opened my eyes as to why Romance and Science Fiction are my preferred genres: "…that readers of historical romance have more empathy than most, because … we put ourselves into different cultures and times …" That is also what Science Fiction and Fantasy have also always done. Imagined worlds instead of historical ones, but new and different worlds. Almost every SF classic is a sociological study and frequently also a political one. The two genre have more resemblence to each other than I thought!

[Bill Page]

I am not unique, as a heterosexual male whose reading list is heavily tilted toward historical romance. And my tastes lean strongly toward the works of the Word Wenches, both current and dearly departed.
My first historical romance that would be classified as so, I think, was Jude Deveraux's "A Knight in Shining Armor." Years later, during an extended period of unemployment when I had read all of the sci fi and thrillers and westerns on the shelf, my in desperation handed me a copy of "Much Ado About You." "Here," she said, "get out of my hair."
And then I discovered Nora Roberts, but that's a story for another day.
But long before that, I had read every Zane Grey book ever published. Grey called his books romances, and in retrospect they were just that.
Since that fateful day in 2008 when I dove into my first Eloisa James book, I have cut a major swath through the genre, reading my way through the collected works of Georgette Heyer, Grace Livingston Hill, Barbara Metzger, Edith Layton, our beloved Jo Beverly, et al. (Although I have not been able to enjoy the Outlander series as I'm told I should, and for some reason never really got back into Deveraux' novels.)

Having answered Lauren's question (and wasn't HER first book excellent!), I'll address those of our Shakespearean professor:

1. Since 98% of what I read these days in on my Nook, I don't care if some of the subgenre is being published in hard back. (Although it does make it more expensive when I go to a book launch party at, say, Book Culture in Manhattan and buy a copy for the autoher to sign!)
2. What book we should all be reading RIGHT NOW is Lisa Kleypas' "Marrying Winterbourne," followed by Susan Mallery's "Best of My Love," and MJP's "Once a Soldier" your ARC of Grace Burrowes' "Jack," and your ARC of Anne Gracie's "The Summer Bride."

[Alison Y]

I have always read and loved mysteries but, with the exception of Jane Eyre which I read years and years ago and loved, I never thought I would like historical romances.
Then, about 10 years ago on a road trip, I checked out the CD of Amanda Quick's "The Paid Companion" and fell in love with the genre. I have not stopped reading them since. All the Wenches are among my favorites.

[Dana]

The very earliest romantic novel I read was Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I don't usually see it categorized as a romance, but I think it meets most or all of the criteria. I must've been in 4th or 5th grade when I read it, and I moved on to Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Barbara Cartland after that.

It's fun to read this thread and see what books I may have missed out on!

[Linda S]

Plus one to Janga's comment! I loved Alcott, Wilder and, especially, Lovelace. I remember buying Betsy's Wedding in Marshall Field's book department because our library didn't own it. The first adult romance I remember reading was one of Victoria Holt's books - Mistress of Mellyn? It's been a long time....

[Jeanette]

Years, I mean YEARS ago, I began to read Anne McCaffrey and found her in sci/fi. Where do you think she'd be found today? And would she be happy to be there? "Game of Thrones" and "Outlander" may have changed her genre.

[Jeanette]

Two of the romances I hold most dear are "Dunbar's Cove" the story of the development of the TVA during the depression, although I read it at about age 12 so it didn't qualify as HR at the time and "Dark Star" which I have tried to find many times since to find out what was so powerful about that story. I have always been a reader. Always. I was the one who my parents would call up to and tell to shut off the light. A few minutes later, they'd call up the stairs again and let me know they knew I had the flashlight on and was reading with the covers pulled over my head. We grew up on a rural farm with a smart and innovative father who put as many pennies as possible back into the farm. Once a week we'd go to town with my mother and while she bought whatever groceries we didn't raise or can ourselves, she'd drop the kids, all four of us, at the local library of one of two towns close by with such a building. We carried out a box full of books each time, each of us taking whatever limit was imposed. By the time the books were due back, I would have read mine and everyone else's. I read every Zane Grey they possessed. My older grandmotherly neighbor was a reader and she and I exchanged books. Got my sex education that way. She'd ask my mother, "Helen, do you want Jeanette reading this?" My mother kept the books like "Dunbar's Cove" that she didn't want me reading in the lower right hand drawer of her vanity. Don't ask how I know that, I just surprised now that I think about it, that I was able to keep the book without her knowledge long enough to read it. My grandmother was a reader as well. I have her collection of Grace Livingstone Hill. She read Harlequins as well. I found Barbara Cartland and devoured those. Later I found Mary Balough and chased down all of her books via eBay and the internet. Then I discovered the Wenches. I used to buy boxes of books from eBay if they had even one or two of the ones I wanted. Kept and still use a notebook with a page for each author where I recorded which of the list - also from internet - of their books I have and have read. Years ago a Yahoo group had a list of the top 100 HR books. I was in heaven. Now my husband reads some of the same books I do. He wondered how I knew so much English, French and Scottish history. Now he knows. And it's great fun to have another HR reader in the room.

[Mary Jo Putney]

We always remember our first Heyer, don't we? *G* Mine was SYLVESTER. I still love it!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Mary Dieterich, I agree--steam punk is GREAT fun! I'm glad to see American historicals reviving, too. I always found the Revolutionary period really interesting.

[Mary Jo Putney]

NINE COACHES WAITING! Swoon! Mary Stewart was and is magic. What a treat to read that book when recuperating. My first Mary Stewart was THE IVY TREE, which I still love.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Margaret, that's a sobering question. Popular entertainment is always evolving, and that includes reading and historical romance.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Gwen Bristow's novels like CELIA GARTH were books I read and reread from the library. Some are now available as ebooks, which is wonderful.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Romance can be very healing, Annette. And when we don't need healing, it's still wonderful to disappear into a great story.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Sue, I think you've just nailed why there is so much crossover between reading historical romance and SFF. Other worlds...

[Mary Jo Putney]

Bill Page, you are a credit to Y chromosomes. *G*

[Mary Jo Putney]

Jeannette, Anne McCaffrey actually wrote some genre romances and lovely they were, but her SFF was also wonderfully romantic. I loved her books.

[Mary Jo Putney]

+++Always. I was the one who my parents would call up to and tell to shut off the light. A few minutes later, they'd call up the stairs again and let me know they knew I had the flashlight on and was reading with the covers pulled over my head. We grew up on a rural farm ++

Jeannette, I think we were separated at birth!

[Vicki L.]

I really don't know what my first historical romance was... I know I read (and owned) a copy of Witch of Blackbird Pond when I was young. I totally agree with Dana it IS a romance...

When I was a kid I read anything and everything. I started at A and worked my way through Z at the Junior High library and the regular library. Plus read all the Reader's Digest Condensed books that came in the house. And of course, anything my mom had that she'd let me.

I think I was in HS when I started subscribing to that book club where every 6 weeks you got 4 or 6 Historical Romances in the mail. Usually Regencies but sometimes Georgian, Victorian or Edwardian.

Definitely collected all of Georgette Heyer. Read tons of Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Hold, Mary Stewart. I think I found Jayne Anne Krentz through her Amanda Quick books (the one word title ones.).

I never could abide Barbara Cartland for some reason...

What I've found interesting is reading the early JAK books (the ones that started out as series romance/harlequin types) and comparing them to her later books. How the main characters have evolved. The female would start out so strong and sassy and then become so submissive to the male.

Now....they are equal or go back and forth between who is strong and who isn't like in real life.

It has been interesting how many sub-genre's have developed over the last few years...

Totally agree with Bill Page recommendations...I'm waiting to read all of them. Though I was lucky enough to get the Susan Mallery book at the library last week.

I'm waiting for Jayne Castle's Illusion Town to come out.

[Ashley]

Hey everyone, an author that I really loved recently was Tamara Lush. She is a new romance author who published a sexy and well written contemporary novella called Tell Me A Story! I have so many authors that I love and I love the historical genre as well.. there are so many to name. Johanna Lindsey, Julie Garwood, Violetta Rand, Barbara Devlin.... etc!

[Laura Boon]

My first romance was Frederica by Georgette Heyer, and then These Old Shades, followed very shortly afterwards by The Flame and The Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss which was very different and left young teenage me a little wide-eyed. However, not wide-eyed enough to prevent me from surreptitiously nicking The Wolf and The Dove when it became available on my Dad's bookshelf!

[Lauren Willig]

So funny! I remember nicking "A Rose in Winter" from my dad's bookshelf-- and then "Wolf and the Dove" and "Flame and the Flower". That duel scene in "Wolf and the Dove"... True edge of the seat stuff!

[Lauren Willig]

Can I third that about "Witch of Blackbird Pond" being a romance? Such a happy sigh at the end of that book....

[Lauren Willig]

Make that triplets. : ) My parents finally gave up, deciding it was easier to just let me keep the light on and stay up rather than ruining my eyes with the flashlight under the covers. I remember staying up until three in the morning with "The Night of the Hunter's Moon" and then having such a headache the day after.

[Lauren Willig]

Mine was "Nine Coaches Waiting", which is still one of my favorite books of all time. "Soit!" Swoon.

[Lauren Willig]

I've been rather hoping that the popularity of "Outlander" and "Game of Thrones" means that we're seeing a swing of the pendulum towards richer, more complex stories after a run of lighter, shorter works. It would be lovely to see the return of the saga. But I do worry about what iPhones and the internet have been doing to our attention spans-- and the time they take away from book reading.

[Lauren Willig]

Yay! That makes me so happy, Rebecca! Thank you!

[Lauren Willig]

Thank you, Brittany! That fills me with joy.

[Lauren Willig]

I'm so happy, Rachel! And I love Donna's books, too.

[Dana]

Nathaniel was just the best hero, wasn't he? I found myself comparing heroes to him in every book I read after that.

[Dana]

My first Heyer was The Talisman Ring, followed by The Black Moth. I didn't know until many years later that These Old Shades was a pseudo-sequel. I made a beeline to AbeBooks to find a used copy. :-)

[Leslie]

Celia Garth was always one of my favorites- I have, over the years, owned at least 3 copies scrounged from used book stores which eventually fell apart or were not returned when loaned.

[Mary Terry]

I started reading seriously in third grade and haven't looked back. The first romances I remember reading were Georgette Heyer. Before that was sci-fi and fantasy, which I still go back to

[Kareni]

Lauren, count me in as yet another who read voraciously as a child and teen and who continues to do so today. I don't recall my first romance, but I was certainly reading Mary Stewart, Georgette Heyer, and Barbara Cartland by the curricle load.

Eloisa, I still prefer to read paper books, so I'm a tad disappointed when books in a favorite series suddenly appear in hardback rather than paper. I'm familiar with many of the authors you mentioned and read in all the sub=genres you listed. You might add science fiction and fantasy romances to your categories -- I like Grace Draven's Radiance and Michelle Diener's Dark Horse to name a couple.

[Mary T]

I just checked my County library and they don't have a single Gwen Bristow book. That's just sad. Guess I'll go see what is out on Amazon. I have an "itch" to read that book again.

[Sue McCormick]

At a Lunacon (held in New Jersey) where Ann McCaffrey was guest of honor, she said — "Let's face it, I write Romances." Since she was talking to SF fans, she was telling us that she felt all her SF works were romances. But I'm not sure whether she meant Romance in the wider sense or Romance as in love stories.

[bn100]

pride and prejudice

[Michelle H]

Being one of those sadly mislead readers who raised their noses to the air when confronting a dreaded 'bodice ripper,' I wasn't brought around to my current love of HR until a little over 10 years ago. Then in my early 50's. The influences that lead me to HR overlap each other. Jane Austen films becoming popular. The recommendation from a dear friend to read Diana Gabaldon. And Diana Gabaldon's inspiration for her hero, Jamie Frazer reportedly a character from M.C. Beaton. Which lead me M.C.B.'s Regency Romances. And lastly, a sweet little book catalog that started coming in the mail, Bas Bleu, which frequently featured Georgette Heyer.

No matter what you believe about Amazon, through their little recommendation computations I've been so happy to have found more and more writers that write beautifully researched historical details, swoon worthy romance, heart wrenching plots and reread worthy stories.

I always was one of those 'discover an author or genre and read it to death before I burn myself out' kind of reader. But there are so many styles of HR to discover and genres within the genre that I just cannot imagine getting burned out. Besides, I was NEVER a re-reader until Jane Austin, Diana Gabaldon, Mary Jo Putney (The Rake, only mentioning one!!) and Georgette Heyer. And Grace Burrowes, and all the Word Wenches, and so many more. Thank you to you all dear amazing writers!!

[Michelle H]

Jeanette, I love your story. I remember my mother constantly saying 'You'll ruin your eyes!.' :)
I have a question: What was the subject of 'Dark Star?' I found many books on Amazon with that title, and most I'm pretty sure are not the one you mentioned holding so dear.

Love your statement about your husband reading some of the same book now. Mine is coming around lately, too. So much fun explaining Regency terms to him!!!

[Glenda]

Eloisa, I've become a fan of the 'blended' (as some people call them) romances that combine subgenres: historical-paranormal, or historical m/m for example.

Lauren, I have to agree that the Wenches has provided many wonderful articles over the years! I think my first historical romance was either The Thorn Birds or The Far Pavillions back when I was in high school.

[Laura Marie]

My first romance was probably Laura by Vivian Schurfranz. I read it and all the other Sunfire historical romances that my teacher and the school library had, and I think it's a shame that they are out of print now.