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Monthly Archives: May 2008

I love new books: the pristine covers, unbroken spines, the sense of anticipation, especially when a friend’s name adorns the cover. But I also love old books, whether novels or reference. I have a bunch at home and regularly check more of them out of the local university library. I’ve found that newer books, while they may contain new information and insights, don’t always have the period focus I like. For instance, I recently found a Victorian history of ballooning which covers the Regency period in much more detail than most modern books on the subject have space for.

I also love old books for less logical reasons. I love their embossed covers, their yellowed pages, the titles that seem to go on and on. I love the fonts, even the ones in which s’s look like f’s. I even love how they smell. They make me wonder where they’ve been and who read them before me.

And a new love is Google Books. Being a certifiable history geek, I am delighted to find treasures that would otherwise remain semi-hidden in special collections in places I don’t have the time or money to visit regularly. Even though I miss the smell and feel, I love to find obscure gems like:

Commentaries on the Surgery of the War in Portugal, Spain, France and the Netherlands, from the Battle of Rolica, in 1806, to that of Waterloo, in 1815, by G. J. Guthrie, 1855. Full of details on how military heroes and their compatriots could have been wounded and what could have been done for them. Gory but useful.

An Account of Five Aerial Voyages in Scotland by Vincent Lunardi, 1786. It’s full of the period ballooning details I need. Lunardi seems to have been quite the charmer:

“In going to the Baronet’s we had to cross over the bridge at Glassart, where about thirty young blooming lasses had ranged themselves on each side to have a sight of this comely Adventurer. All of them appeared well pleased: there was one, however, not the least lovely of the number, whose sensibility led her to express herself more strongly than the rest: ‘How pretty he is! I wish I had been with him.’ Mr. Lunardi was too attentive to let slip an opportunity to say a civil thing to our fair Countrywoman: he patted her cheek, whispering, ‘My Angel, and so do I.'”

How about you? Do you love old books, too? Have you found any obscure gems on Google books or elsewhere? Please share!

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

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(This is a continuation of Monday’s blog! You all asked so many great questions, and now we have your answers…)

What does Grand Publishing not want to see in a historical?

I’m a big advocate of never say never. Other than settings which have proven unsuccessful in the marketplace (England and Scotland are still the most popular settings), we’re open to all plot lines and characterizations. As long as there’s a strong love story with a dynamic hero and heroine, strong conflict and engaging drama, as well as strong secondary characters and intriguing secondary plots, we’re happy to take a look. The key to remember is to stay true to the heart of historical romance–an incredible love story set against a lush, fully-realized historical backdrop that makes readers feel as if they’ve stepped into another time and place.

What are some of the Romantic Suspense books that you have coming out soon? I really lean towards that genre in reading.

We’ve got an exciting array of Romantic Suspense writers on our list. Just out now is Karen Rose’s debut hardcover, SCREAM FOR ME, which is heart-stopping suspense at its finest! In June we’re publishing Susan Crandall’s chilling PITCH BLACK, which is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. If you like military heroes, you’ll love our October release NO ESCAPE by Shannon Butcher and Marliss Melton’s TOO FAR GONE, which hits the shelves in November. And for readers who like a splash of paranormal with their suspense, we have Samantha Graves’s OUT OF SIGHT publishing in August, and Rita Herron’s INSATIABLE DESIRE in November.

I am a rabid reader of historical romances but am equally excited to read about your contemporaries and what you look for in one.

We’re looking for contemporaries that create a fully-fleshed out world inhabited by an extended cast of characters and a setting readers will want to return to time again. Meeting our hero and heroine’s family and friends, getting to know their town and their neighbors, really builds a sense of community in the stories, and it’s this sense of community that readers embrace. Heroes and heroines with challenges and conflicts that reflect readers’ own lives and fantasies is also something we look for.

I am curious. What is it about “voice” that speaks to you? What does it tell you about an author and the possibilities? And what sort of voice gets your attention?

To me a stellar voice is one that leaps from the page. From the first sentence, on the first page, I feel like I can hear the characters speaking to me, telling me their story, guiding me through their setting so that I feel as if I’m walking alongside them. Voice often goes hand in hand with a lyrical writing style–which equates to utilizing varied sentence structure in your writing, and striving for a story that sounds as good when read aloud as it does when read on the page. What voice tells me is that the writer fully knows their characters and setting, and although much hard work and time has gone into writing the story, the words flow effortlessly onto the page.

It sounds as if you are one of those fortu nate people who managed to find their dream job. Does it ever get tiresome or disenchanting? What do you do to recharge yourself when and if that happens?

I am indeed fortunate, and still pinch myself to think that I get paid for doing what I love–reading! In terms of recharging, it’s something everyone needs to do, I think, and I do it with…more books! I love to read narrative non-fiction and practical non-fiction like gardening and cookbooks. I catch up on the latest literary thriller or book club selection, peruse my dusty shelves of novels from the 50s, domestic dramas that hold a real nostalgic charm, dive into my ever growing stack of vintage crafting books, the list goes on and on!

I know I am asking way too many questions, but I am so excited that you are here!

Where do you think the trends in historical might go? Spy adventure novels? Comedy of errors novels? Historical with a touch of paranormal? I read voraciously to keep up with what is out there. I have noticed a number of novels where the hero and heroine leap into bed in the first chapter. “Hello, how are you? Shall we leap into bed? Oh yes, please. Jolly good show!” What is your take on that?

I really think there are no limits as to where historical romance can go–as long as the stories stay true to the traditional tenets of romance. As for the more “sensual” historicals, I feel they’ve been around forever (Skye O’Malley anyone??), and there will always be readers who are looking for a steamier read. What I look for in a steamier read is one in which the “steam” is organic to the story. It makes sense that the characters would choose the actions they take based on where they are in their character arc and what the plot commands. I don’t feel”steam” for “steam’s” sake is as effective.

I really enjoy paranormals and I hope this trend continues. I’m seeing a lot more historicals, too. Are there any subgenres that aren’t selling right now?

We do wonder where all the romantic comedy readers went off to. I suspect that many of them have been enjoying the tales told by trade paperback (formerly known as chick-lit!) writers. I’d like to think there’s enough call for both mass market romantic comedies and trade paperback tales, but at the moment that doesn’t seem to be the case.




Posted in Risky Regencies | Tagged | 1 Reply

Welcome to an impromptu edition of the Risky Regencies JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB!

Today, we’re going to branch out beyond Jane Austen adaptations, and talk about the recent adaptation of CRANFORD.

And in our upcoming schedule: the first Tuesday of June (June 3), we’ll talk about CLUELESS…and the first Tuesday in July (July 1), we’ll talk about the 1980 miniseries of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, the one with David Rintoul and Elizabeth Garvie. Please join us!

So…did you watch any of Cranford? What did you think?

Cast etc are listed here for your discussing convenience:

CAST:

Miss Deborah Jenkyns — Eileen Atkins
Miss Matty Jenkyns — Judi Dench
Mary Smith — Lisa Dillon
Dr. Harrison — Simon Woods
Harry Gregson — Alex Etel
Martha — Claudie Blakley
Dr. Morgan — John Bowe
Miss Pole — Imelda Staunton
Mrs. Forrester — Julia McKenzie
Mrs. Jamieson — Barbara Flynn
Caroline Tomkinson — Selina Griffiths
Miss Tomkinson — Deborah Findlay
Bertha — Hannah Hobley
Jem Hearne — Andrew Buchan
Helen Hutton — Hester Odgers
Lizzie Hutton — Rosy Byrne
Sophy Hutton — Kimberley Nixon
Walter Hutton — Haydon Downing
Reverend Hutton — Alex Jennings
Mr. Carter — Philip Glenister
Mr. Johnson — Adrian Scarborough
Lady Ludlow — Francesca Annis
Captain Brown — Jim Carter
Jessie Brown — Julia Sawalha
Sir Charles Maulver — Greg Wise
Miss Galindo — Emma Fielding
Margaret Gidman — Bessie Carter
Bella Gregson — Emma Lowndes
Malachi Gregson — Andrew Byrne
Mrs. Rose — Lesley Manville
Major Gordon — Alistair Petrie
Mrs. Johnson — Debra Gillett
Job Gregson — Dean Lennox Kelly
Clara Smith — Finty Williams
Mr. Holbrook — Michael Gambon
Kate — Imogen Byron
Bessie — Hannah Stokely
Mulliner — Roger Ennals
Gypsy Woman — Patricia Leach
Farmer Graves — Andrew Westfield
Jack Marshland — Joe McFadden
Assistant Auctioneer — Adam Henderson Scott
Mrs. Goddard — Andy Rashleigh
Peter Jenkyns — Martin Shaw

SCREENPLAY: Heidi Thomas
DIRECTOR: Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson

All opinions welcome!

Cara
Cara King, who has more than two candles

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(Today’s interview questions were graciously answered by Amy Pierpont, Editorial Director of the Forever line at Grand Central Publishing! She has also donated 10 copies of Elizabeth Hoyt’s To Taste Temptation, to be given away to 10 lucky commenters)

Risky Regencies: Welcome to Risky Regencies! First, tell us a bit about the Grand Central program in general. How many romances are released each month? Where do historicals fit in? What settings and time periods are you looking for? What is your submission process? And are there any exceptions to the “agented-only” rule? (We like to start out with lots of questions here!)

Amy Pierpont: It’s great to be here! We release 3 titles per month, with one being a “super release” lead title. There are no hard and fast rules about the number of historicals we publish, but we are also publishing romantic suspense, paranormal romances, and contemporary romances, so we have to be selective!

We don’t definitely rule out any time period, but we do tend to focus on England and Scotland, as we know readers love those settings best.

Our submission process starts when an agent pitches one of our editors who expresses interest and asks that the manuscript be sent. We ask for all our submissions by email because we have Sony eReaders as part of our company’s “green” initiative, which makes things easier for everyone. The editor will read the submission–we try to do so within a month–and if they like it they will negotiate with the agent for the rights.

We try to stick to our requirement for agented manuscripts as much as possible. It really is best for both parties when it comes time to negotiate a contract. However, a couple of informal exceptions come to mind: when we judge contests we may discover a new unagented writer, and when we get a recommendation from one of our own authors about a manuscript by a friend, we do read them. And it’s always exciting when we are able to publish a first book from an author!

RR: What is your own background? What brought you to editing, and to GCP? What’s a typical day like for you? And what’s your favorite/least favorite part of the job??

AP: I’m a bookworm at heart. As a teenager I worked at the local library, where I read every single romance I could get my hands on! My background as a reader of romance (and of horror and gritty suspense!) helped me land my job at Pocket Books, where I happily edited women’s fiction for 12 years. The thrill of working with authors I grew up reading, like Jackie Collins and VC Andrews, was a real dream come true! I also have a healthy appetite for non-fiction, and my first job in publishing and my most recent stint as garden/lifestyle editor at Clarkson Potter allowed me to explore those interests as well. The opportunity to blend my experience as a romance editor and my passion for the genre as Editorial Director of Forever at GCP was an offer I just couldn’t pass up! Forever has a wonderful group of editors and authors, and it’s an honor to work with such dedicated and talented people.

A typical day for me includes a long train ride to and from NYC from Connecticut–I don’t have time to read in the office between meetings for cover art, cover copy, marketing and publicity, production and sales, so it’s a great opportunity to get some reading and editing done. The least favorite part of my job is writing rejection letters. I know how much heart and soul–not to mention blood, sweat, and tears!–goes into writing every word on the page, and when I have to reject a project because it’s not right for our list or the genre, I’m aware that I’m stomping on someone’s dream. I hold out hope, though, that they will find a perfect match at another house. And by far the favorite part of my job is calling an author with good news–whether it’s about acquiring another book, winning an award, or reporting great sales. It’s so rewarding when you’ve had a small part in creating a career for an author.

RR: What are you personally looking for in submissions, particularly historicals?

AP: I encourage all the Forever editors to look first for great storytellers. We’re here to help with subject matter, plotting, and other technical aspects of writing, but the natural talent of knowing how to tell a story is something we can’t teach.

In historicals, there is the added skill of getting the setting and tone correct for the period. It’s a talent I admire, and I can provide some suggestions, but ultimately the ability to immerse the reader in the past is what we depend on the writer for, and why we end up choosing their submission over others.

RR: Is there any kind of book you would love to see but haven’t? What “trends” do you see in romance?

AP: That’s the most difficult question of all! I am always looking for an engaging story that’s told in a fresh and innovative way, and I’m a real sucker for voice. I’ve been known to fall in love with a story that doesn’t have much of a plot simply because the writer is a superb storyteller with a strong voice. Of course, then I work long and hard with the author to make sure there’s a plot to go along with the incredible voice!

Bookstores tell us paranormals are continuing to be strong, and that historicals are on the rise. And the sexier the better; we are looking for super-erotically charged romances. But, like any other business, the popularity of genres seem to be cyclical in nature, so I don’t encourage an historical writer to switch to paranormal just because that seems to be working. There is a real power to sticking to what you know and love to write.

RR: Tell us about GCP’s new covers!

AP: Since coming on board as editorial director, I’ve been working with the art and design team to make the Forever covers sexier than they ever have been! This is the super-sexy paranormal romance Pleasure Unbound by a new author for us, Larissa Ione. And for some books, we have spiced it up by adding our first-ever stepbacks, like the one for To Taste Temptation by historical author Elizabeth Hoyt.

RR: What are some upcoming GCP books we should look for?

AP: This June, look for Pitch Black, romantic suspense from our returning author Susan Crandall, and contemporary romance by Jane Graves in Tall Tales & Wedding Veils.

In July, I’ve already mentioned debut novel Pleasure Unbound, and we’re also excited to be publishing Wendy Markham’s new contemporary romance, That’s Amore, as well as Shari Anton’s wonderful medieval historical Magic in the Night.

In August, we’re publishing the superbly sexy My Wicked Enemy by Carolyn Jewel, the chilling paranormal/romantic suspense Out of Time by Samantha Graves, and the enchantingly romantic A Highlander Never Surrenders by Paula Quinn.

It’s going to be a hot summer! Enjoy!


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