Author Archives: Elena Greene

About Elena Greene

Elena Greene grew up reading anything she could lay her hands on, including her mother's Georgette Heyer novels. She also enjoyed writing but decided to pursue a more practical career in software engineering. Fate intervened when she was sent on a three year international assignment to England, where she was inspired to start writing romances set in the Regency. Her books have won the National Readers' Choice Award, the Desert Rose Golden Quill and the Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence. Her Super Regency, LADY DEARING'S MASQUERADE, won RT Book Club's award for Best Regency Romance of 2005 and made the Kindle Top 100 list in 2011. When not writing, Elena enjoys swimming, cooking, meditation, playing the piano, volunteer work and craft projects. She lives in upstate New York with her two daughters and more yarn, wire and beads than she would like to admit.

Adventures in Book Signings

Updated on January 29, 2013 by Elena Greene

Over the course of six books, I’ve had all sorts of book signing experiences.

I’ve had a number of fantastic signings at the Waldenbooks at my local mall. The best two were during holiday weekends (Memorial Day and Labor Day) and the weather was miserable, driving crowds into the mall. I set out a dish of chocolate, smiled at everyone who passed (trying to be friendly but not too pushy) and sold a load of books.

Then there was the time the store asked me and another local author to do a “local authors” event. And scheduled it for the same June weekend as all the local high school graduations. The mall was deserted except for weirdos. Exactly two people approached us. The first a dotty elderly lady who, watching my husband play with my children nearby, expatiated at length that she always suspected men of being child molesters (ugh!). The second, a grungy character who told us he’d never met a woman who could write a book. (We weren’t sure he knew a woman who could read a book.)

Anyway, I didn’t think anything could top that one until I tried to set up a signing for my current book. The local Waldenbooks staff had turned over, but the new contact for book signings seemed friendly and cooperative. Then, about three weeks before the signing, I brought in the draft of the press release I was going to give to the local papers. Only then was I told that the district manager had forgotten to order the books and couldn’t possibly get them in on time. With over three weeks to go.

But wait. It gets better. After Waldenbooks turned down several suggestions I had for getting the books (my publisher would have supplied them), I gave up on the signing. Then, several weeks after the scheduled date, I found out from a friend of a friend that Waldenbooks had set up a table, put out my books and the staff were wondering why I didn’t show. So I missed my own signing!

But all ends well. I talked to the Waldenbooks manager and discovered that someone was supposed to call me to tell me the signing was back on. As it turns out, the manager was very nice, very apologetic about the mix-up and eager to set up a rescheduled date.

In the meantime, egged on by my ski buddy Mary, I started looking into other alternatives. I’m now set to do a signing and Regency Tea at Riverow Bookshop, an independent bookseller dealing in new, used and rare books (including some reference books that make me drool) during the Holiday Showcase in the historic town of Owego, NY.

So now I have two signings set up. If anyone can make it, here are the details:

Nov 12, 1-3PM at Riverow Bookshop, 187 Front Street, Owego, NY.
Nov 12, 4-6PM at Waldenbooks in the Oakdale Mall, Johnson City, NY.

Wish me luck!

Elena 🙂
LADY DEARING’S MASQUERADE, an RT Top Pick!
www.elenagreene.com

Banbury Cakes (sort of)

Updated on January 28, 2013 by Elena Greene

I’ve always wanted to try out a Regency recipe. I rather rashly promised to do a book signing (at an old-fashioned bookshop in a historic town) with the theme of a Regency Tea, so this seemed like a good opportunity to experiment. In LADY DEARING’S MASQUERADE, I had a housewifely 9-year-old make something called Banbury cakes, so I decided to try making them myself.

Here’s the original recipe, from THE COMPLETE SERVANT, by Samuel and Sarah Adams, first published in 1825. (A neat reference, with guidance on the duties of every servant imaginable, and some interesting recipes. I found a nice 1989 reprint from Southover Press.)

Take a pound of dough made for white bread, roll it out, and put bits of butter upon the same as for puff paste, till a pound of the same has been worked in; roll it out very thin, then cut it into bits of an oval size, according as the cakes are wanted. Mix some good moist sugar with a little brandy, sufficient to wet it, then mix some clean washed currants with the former, put a little upon each bit of paste, close them up, and put the side that is closed next the tin they are to be baked upon. Lay them separate, and bake them moderately, and afterwards, when taken out, sift sugar over them. Some candied peel may be added, or a few drops of the essence of lemon.

Here’s my very loose interpretation. Puff pastry dough would be more accurate but I opted to make something more like a filled cookie, as I thought it would transport better.

3 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz jar blackcurrant preserves
1 tsp brandy

1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.
3. Add egg, milk and vanilla and beat well.
4. Add dry ingredients, mix thoroughly.
5. Cover and chill for about half an hour or until dough is easily rolled.
6. Mix blackcurrant preserves and brandy for filling.
7. Flour surface and rolling pin well (dough is very sticky) and roll out fairly thin (a little thicker than 1/8 inch). Cut out 3 or 4 inch rounds, as desired. Put a little filling (not too much so you can close it) in the center and gently crimp the edges together. (Don’t worry if a few break or some filling oozes out. Just be careful to, um, destroy the evidence!)
8. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes, until golden in center and lightly browned on the edges.
9. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

This makes about 24 large (using 4 inch rounds) or 36 small (3 inch rounds).

As I said, not quite accurate, but rich and buttery, the currants adding a nice tartness. My kids even liked them, so I hope visitors to my booksigning will, too.
And I do solemnly promise Mr. St. James that there will be no iced or fruit-flavored beverages served!

Elena 🙂
LADY DEARING’S MASQUERADE, an RT Top Pick!
www.elenagreene.com

Posted in Regency, Research | Tagged baking, Banbury cakes, cooking | 13 Replies

Obsessions

Updated on January 25, 2013 by Elena Greene

While I was down with the flu, I was finding it very hard to just rest. I am so unused to lying around and doing nothing! So some of the time I did some crochet and I’ve continued to do bits of it during odd moments, like waiting for my daughter to get out of her play rehearsals, etc… It’s an obsession.

I blogged about Regency Crochet a few years ago. At that point I was unable to discover much evidence of ladies crocheting during the Regency, although it was possible. It was around that time that tambour work (embroidery that resembles crochet on fabric) evolved into what the French called “crochet in the air”. Crochet didn’t become popular in England until the time of Victoria. (Check out that old post if you want to see some examples of truly hilarious modern Bad Crochet.)

Anyway, today for fun I tried googling “Regency crochet”.

I found a book called “Austentatious Crochet: 36 Contemporary Designs from the World of Jane Austen”. Some of the patterns use crochet technique effectively; some I’m not so sure about as they use swathes of single or double crochet (boring!) to do what might be done with ordinary fabrics. For instance, I think I would redo the cover pattern by just adding the crochet embellishments to a knit top.

There’s an example of another pretty item that uses crochet more effectively, Lizzie’s Lace Mantelet, on the Ravelry website.

Sense & Sensibility Patterns has some crochet patterns mostly inspired by periods other than the Regency, but cute, like these Edwardian style earrings designed by Jenny Chancey.

At the Jane Austen Centre website, I found a pattern for crocheted gloves. Now these look fun to make although I wonder if they would stretch as easily as the pattern claims. I have longish fingers and gloves often feel a smidge small to me. If I do this, I’m going to check them against my hands frequently and add rows if I need to.

The Jane Austen Centre also has a page on the art of tatting. That’s something I would very much like to try sometime. It says it can be addictive and I don’t doubt it would be for me! I have a plain fabric reticule made to go with my Regency gown and it would be fun to decorate it with tatting like the one below.

Anyone else enjoy handicrafts of any sort, to make or to wear? What should I work on next (besides finishing the mess-in-progress)?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com
www.facebook.com/ElenaGreene

Posted in Frivolity, Regency, Research | Tagged crafts, crochet, tatting | 8 Replies

Regency crochet?

Updated on January 25, 2013 by Elena Greene

Hello, everyone. I actually have a regular post, which I’d planned to do before my husband suffered a stroke in January. But first, since I know many of you are kind enough to be interested, I’ll give a brief update.About a week ago, we celebrated Rich’s return from the rehab center with a banner and an ice cream cake. He is strong enough now that I can care for him safely at home, and he is rising to all the challenges of moving about in a real world environment. He’s managed the 14 steps up to our 2nd floor and though it tires him, it’s good therapy. Until he is able to travel more easily, Rich will get physical and occupational therapy from a home care agency. I’m in the process of arranging for a good speech therapist to come to our home (I can’t seem to light a fire under the one from the agency) but hope to have that problem resolved soon.

I am really enjoying taking an increased role in Rich’s recovery, though it does leave little time for anything else. Writing feels like a terribly distant dream at this point. However there are small miracles to celebrate. I never thought I’d be so excited by a man just wiggling his big toe! LOL

Now to my post. Last December, I started crocheting a scarf for a friend, similar to one she’d admired in a store. After Rich had the stroke, I continued to crochet in hospital waiting rooms, by his bedside while he was sleeping, etc… Keeping my hands busy helped me stay calm during a chaotic and scary time.

Earlier, I’d wondered if Regency ladies crocheted, so I did some research into it. I found some interesting information in the “History of Crochet” by Ruthie Marks.

Although sources differ, some believe crochet originated with tambour work, a form of embroidery that uses a hook to create patterns on a background fabric. Originated in the East but reached Europe around 1860. Sometime around 1800 tambour work evolved into what the French called “crochet in the air”.

So crochet would have been a relatively new craft for a Regency lady. I’ve found little to suggest it was widely popular until Queen Victoria began to crochet. She made eight scarves for selected British soldiers during the South African war.

During the Victorian and Edwardian periods, crochet grew in popularity, reaching heights of virtuosity demonstrated in this example of crochet lace from Clones, Ireland.

Since then, crochet has evolved in various directions from the ugly

to the weird

to the downright eyeball-searing.

These images come from What Not to Crochet, a blog I check out when I’m in desperate need of a good laugh.

No wonder crochet has gotten something of a bad name. Yet there are some artisans out there creating beautiful designs, such as Sophie Digard, several of whose designs are pictured below. Though I no longer have time to crochet, someday it would be fun to attempt something as intricate and lovely. But by then I should be back to WRITING.

Anyone else enjoy crochet? Is there something special you reach for when you need to center yourself? Sites you visit for a good laugh?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

P.S. A friend just tipped me off about a post at Dear Author announcing a new release from Laura Kinsale! Hurray!

Posted in Regency, Research | Tagged crochet | 20 Replies

Decisions

Updated on January 23, 2013 by Elena Greene

I just reached the 70,000 word point in my balloonist story and it occurred to me that I might actually finish this thing sometime in the not distant future!

This is the story that called to me most strongly when I started writing again after the crisis of my husband’s stroke. Since it was a time of creative recovery, I decided to just enjoy the process and not worry about what I was going to do with the result. The industry was (and still is) changing a lot and once the work was finished, I could think about whether to return to traditional publishing or go indie with it. I was happy that there would be options.

Now that the time for a decision is getting closer, I’m reviewing those options more closely. I don’t think there’s one clear answer at this point that works for every writer. I think there are a lot of factors that work into that decision and would never criticize anyone else’s choices. I just have to decide what seems best for this story.

There are good reasons to try the traditional publishing route, leaving self-publishing as a fall back. It’s still a very meaningful accomplishment to get through the gates of traditional publishing. I suspect that for many readers, it’s one potential predictor of quality that helps them with purchasing choices. Traditionally published books have been professionally edited. Traditional publishing is still the way to get into brick-and-mortar bookstores. Traditionally published books are eligible for established contests, like RWA’s RITA. It’s easier to get professional reviews for traditionally published books.

On the other hand, my balloonist story might do better as an indie book. For one thing, it is a bit out of the normal stream and lacks some of the elements that seem very common right now. No duke, no courtesan—again, no criticism against duke/courtesan stories, this just isn’t one. Yet I believe in this story and think there is a potential audience for it. The modest success I’ve achieved independently publishing my reissues may help. Perhaps the readers who enjoyed these reissues will take a chance on a new story?

This book will also go through my talented and long-suffering critique partners, as my other books have done. Said talented and long-suffering critique partners have tended to leave little for my professional editors to do. So I think the quality of writing would not suffer if I go indie.

For those readers who prefer a paper book, I would plan to have a Print on Demand version available. It is easier to price ebooks competitively, but I would still strive for that with a POD version. Lastly, I have enjoyed the indie process. Managing the business end was a little scary at first, but now I enjoy having the immediate visibility into my sales, the ability to develop my own strategies, and greater control over cover art.

Of course, this is my decision to make, but I am interested in what you think. How do you think readers make their buying decisions when looking at traditionally published versus indie books? Am I asking myself the right questions?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com
www.facebook.com/ElenaGreene