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.

JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB: Master and Commander

Updated on September 2, 2008 by Elena Greene

Welcome to the September meeting of the Risky Regencies Jane Austen Movie Club!

(And I apologize for our last-minute cancellation last month — I’ll blame it on my cat, as soon as I think how.)

Today, we’re discussing the feature film MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD.

Have you seen it?

If so, what did you think?

For those of you who’ve read some or all of the O’Brian books, did the movie satisfy you? Annoy you? How?

For those who aren’t familiar with the Aubrey/Maturin books, how did the movie work for you? Did it make sense?

To aid the discussion, the major credits follow, with some “you may have seen this actor before in this” in italics…

DIRECTOR: Peter Weir

SCREENPLAY: Peter Weir and John Collee

Based on the novels of Patrick O’Brian

CAST:

Russell Crowe: Capt. Jack Aubrey

Paul Bettany: Dr. Stephen Maturin, Surgeon

Bettany will play Lord Melbourne in the upcoming THE YOUNG VICTORIA. He was also Prince William of Orange in SHARPE’S WATERLOO.

James D’Arcy: 1st Lt. Tom Pullings

Does the handsome first lieutenant look familiar? James D’Arcy played Tom Bertram in the most recent MANSFIELD PARK adaptation, and Nicholas Nickleby for television in 2001.

Edward Woodall: 2nd Lt. William Mowett

Woodall played Robert Martin in the Gwyneth Paltrow EMMA.

Chris Larkin: Capt. Howard, Royal Marines

Max Pirkis: Blakeney, Midshipman

Jack Randall: Boyle, Midshipman

Max Benitz: Calamy, Midshipman

Lee Ingleby: Hollom, Midshipman

Richard Pates: Williamson, Midshipman

Robert Pugh: Mr. Allen, Master

Richard McCabe: Mr. Higgins, Surgeon’s Mate

McCabe also played a naval man in the Root/Hinds PERSUASION — he was Captain Benwick. He was also Mr. Brocklehurst in the 2006 JANE EYRE, and will appear as Sir James Hare in the upcoming THE DUCHESS.

Ian Mercer: Mr. Hollar, Boatswain

Tony Dolan: Mr. Lamb, Carpenter

David Threlfall: Preserved Killick, Captain’s Steward

Billy Boyd: Barrett Bonden, Coxswain

Boyd, of course, was Pippin in the LORD OF THE RINGS movies.

Bryan Dick: Joseph Nagle, Carpenter’s Mate

Joseph Morgan: William Warley, Cpt. of Mizzentop

Morgan was William Price in the recent MANSFIELD PARK.

George Innes: Joe Plaice, Able Seaman

William Mannering: Faster Doudle, Able Seaman

Patrick Gallagher: Awkward Davies, Able Seaman

Alex Palmer: Nehemiah Slade, Able Seaman

Mark Lewis Jones: Mr. Hogg, Whaler

John DeSantis: Padeen, Loblolly Boy

Ousmane Thiam: Black Bill, Killick’s Mate

Thierry Segall: French Captain

So . . . what did you think???

All answers welcome!

Cara
Cara King, who isn’t even master and commander of her cat

Women Who Run With the Wolves

Updated on August 27, 2008 by Elena Greene

I was going to tell you all about my travels but I’m still getting my life and household back in order. After our 10-day trip, I took my kids on a weekend camping trip with a group from our UU church, then had my parents visit for an overnight, followed the next day by my husband’s cousins from Chicago. The sink is still full of dirty dishes and I can’t even find our camera to upload our Monticello pics!

So I’ll talk to you about a book I’ve been reading on and off this summer: WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. I first read about it on a writers’ listserve and recently my friend Therese Walsh urged me to read it.

Having been a sensitive girl, raised full of Catholic guilt, I used to try hard to be “good”, to not make waves, to not seem too different, yet the mold that was prepared for me never quite fit. Over the years, and especially with motherhood, I’ve grown stronger and more assertive. This book is a powerful aid, an exploration of myths regarding the Wild Woman archetype and an exhortation to transcend the boundaries imposed by a judgmental society and dark elements in one’s own psyche.

One chapter that especially spoke to me at this point was 9, on “Homing: Returning to Oneself”. Estes writes that all women need to occasionally return to themselves and practice intentional solitude.

“There are many ways to go home… My clients tell me these mundane endeavors constitute a return to home for them… Rereading passages of books and single poems that have touched them. Spending even a few minutes near a river, a stream, a creek. Lying on the ground in dappled light… praying. A special friend. Sitting on a bridge with legs dangling over. Holding an infant. Sitting by a window in a cafe and writing. Sitting in a circle of trees… Beholding beauty, grace, the touching frailty of human beings.”

Through a summer spent with kids and visiting with friends and family, I’ve managed a few stolen moments to “go home.” I’m feeling the need for a longer stay there, though, along with a bit of guilt for wanting to be alone. I know it’s good for me, but it’s nice to read Estes’s reassurance.

“It is preferable to go home for a while, even if it causes others to be irritated, rather than to stay and deteriorate, and then finally crawl away in tatters.”
“It is right and proper that women eke out, liberate, take, make, connive to get, assert their right to go home. Home is a sustained mood or sense that allows us to experience feelings not necessarily sustained in the mundane world: wonder, vision, peace, freedom from worry, freedom from demands, freedom from constant clacking. All these treasures from home are meant to be cached in the psyche for later use in the topside world.”
“It is better to teach your people that you will be more and also different when you return, that you are not abandoning them but learning yourself anew and bringing yourself back to your real life.”

For me, going home includes walking, journaling, swimming and writing. How about you? How do you go home? Has anyone else read this book? If so, what did you think?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

Cara at the World Science Fiction Convention

Updated on August 26, 2008 by Elena Greene

The first week in August, as soon as I returned from the Romance Writers of America conference in San Francisco, I flew off to Denver to attend the World Science Fiction Convention, a gathering of authors, artists, fans, agents, editors, costumers, musicians, and more, all to celebrate science fiction and fantasy. Whee!

The Guest of Honor this year was Lois McMaster Bujold, who’s won award after award for her science fiction and fantasy novels (and who’s one of my favorite authors ever.)

First, I read through the program to see which panels and events I didn’t want to miss.

On the first day I attended a reception held in Bujold’s honor, called Summerfair on Barrayar.

(In Bujold’s science fiction books, Barrayar is a planet recovering from centuries of a semi-medieval existence (complete with lords, duels, horses, and arranged marriages), and joining a much more sophisticated, modern galaxy in which — gasp! — starship pilots are often women, and sometimes hermaphrodites or clones.)

Some of us came in costume — and there was dancing. (Both are shown in this photo taken by the official Worldcon photographer, Keith McClune. Todd is the ghem lord in the makeup, and I’m the Vor lady on the left.)

The next day was Bujold’s Guest of Honor speech — and she made lots of interesting points about science fiction, fantasy, and romance.

Bujold also was on plenty of panels, and had two signings and two readings. (More on those later!)

One of her panels that I found particularly interesting was a discussion between her, SF author Lillian Stewart Carl, and fantasy writer Patricia Wrede (Regency fans may know her as the author of the Regency-set MAIRELON THE MAGICIAN books or as the co-author of the SORCERY AND CECELIA series.)

Pictured here (photo also by Keith McClune) with moderator Peggy Rae Sapienza, they talked about how they had come together as a critique group back when only one of them was published, and how they’ve stayed friends through all the ups and downs of their three very different careers.

By the way, Bujold herself has a Regency link — her A CIVIL CAMPAIGN is dedicated to Georgette Heyer, among others, and is a romantic comedy in the true Regency style (with science fictional twists, of course!)

When I wasn’t worshipping at the altar of Bujold, or buying way too many books and pieces of elvish pottery, I could often be found attending the panels of a bright young fellow named Todd Brun.

Here are two more Keith McClune photos:

(1) photo of Todd explaining quantum computers…

and

(2) photo of the rapt audience.

(Rapt.)

(Completely.)

(Some in cool costumes.)

(Or with other accoutrements.)

(Don’t you wish you’d been there?)

Todd was on several panels…

including one in which he explained how to build a time machine in your basement.

(See how serious he looks?)

(Because time machines are serious things.)

(You wouldn’t want to mess up and accidentally delete the human race or something.)

Todd, of course, is hard to equal…

But I must say the high point of the convention for me was when Lois McMaster Bujold read the first several chapters of the next Vorkosigan book!!!!!!!!

Even her editor hadn’t yet laid eyes on it.

And it won’t be published for something like two years.

And we got to hear it!!!!!

Here she is…

reading from her manuscript…

Ah.

What more could a fangirl ask?

So…that was me at Worldcon.

How about you? Have you ever been to a SFF convention, a fan convention, or similar? Have you ever read any Bujold (or Wrede or Carl)? Ever bought any elvish pottery? (I LOVE this stuff. The artist, Peri Charlifu, does AMAZING work.)

All answers welcome!

And be sure to visit us next Tuesday, when we’ll be discussing the film MASTER AND COMMANDER as part of our Jane Austen Movie Club!

Cara
Cara King, author of My Lady Gamester and fangirl extraordinaire

Posted in Risky Regencies | Tagged Uncategorized | 23 Replies

I’m back and celebrating!

Updated on August 22, 2008 by Elena Greene

Hello! I’m back from a wonderful, wonderful vacation (more on that later) and now bravely facing the overgrown lawn and garden, hundreds of emails and mountains of laundry–along with celebrating the 3rd anniversary of the Riskies and our amazing makeover. 🙂

Being near the end of the week, I’m at risk of echoing what other Riskies have already said, but I can only say that the most delightful thing about this blog and our lovely community is the shared passions for history, the Regency, romance and the writing journey itself.

Looking back at this year, I’ve enjoyed writing all sorts of posts. Here are some of my favorites.

In Heroines and Heroes, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, I blogged about the actors I use for inspiration for my characters and how they did or didn’t translate to cover art. I hope you all found the insight into that process entertaining!

I always love to share research tidbits, especially in matters military, such as in Roughing It. This is the perfect place for it…where else can one debate the potential hotness of the Duke of Wellington without being thought a complete lunatic? (Of course since visiting Monticello I’m considering the potential hotness of Thomas Jefferson, but that’s another post.)

Sometimes I like talking about topics related to romance, such as How much should we care? (about romance being dissed in the media) or Tortured or trite? (on romance conflicts that involve PTSD, addition and other serious trauma). I always love to hear all your viewpoints, even if (perhaps especially if) they don’t match my own. I like having my world expanded and you all have helped to do that one way or another. Thank you!

Many of you have already told us which sorts of posts you enjoy and what you’d like to see more of, but do please feel free to add more! And let me know which sorts of posts of mine you enjoy most.

To a commenter chosen at random, I will send:
– a copy of LADY DEARING’S MASQUERADE
– plus your choice of one of my earliest releases, either LORD LANGDON’S KISS or HIS BLUSHING BRIDE (an anthology with Regina Scott and Alice Holden).

Remember, prizes will be awarded at the end of this week so feel free to visit earlier posts as well.

Thanks again for making this such a delightful community!

Elena
http://www.elenagreene.com/

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Elena Greene | 20 Replies

Cara’s Risky Year in Review

Updated on August 19, 2008 by Elena Greene

Welcome to Day Two of the Risky Regencies THIRD ANNIVERSARY celebration!

For our last anniversary, we talked about which posts of the previous year we were proudest of or had the most fun with…and I had such a good time that I’m going to do it again.

So to be eligible for my prize (which is detailed below), just tell me which of the following posts you like best (or least!)

Northanger Abbey

(Part of our “Jane Austen Week” discussion…)