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Solace-Searching

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It’s been a tough week for anyone who a) lives in the world, b) pays attention to the news and c) has compassion.

If you don’t live in the affected areas, there’s not much more you can do now. Presumably you’ve given what you can, and are watching as the devastation begins to get cleaned up.

I am not advocating pulling an ostrich and sticking your head in the sand, but it seems as if now would be a good time to try to lose yourself in a good book. For me, I’ve read so much news, visited so many websites, felt so much sympathy and anger I need a respite. And since I’m not really a ‘Calgon, take me away’ kind of person, I head to the TBR stacks.

Obviously, romance is probably the best kind of book to read for escape. But what kind? Excluding the books published by my co-Bloggers–just because this is not a self-aggrandizing post–my short list includes Lynn Kerstan’s 2-in-1 reissue of Celia’s Grand Passion and Lucy In Disguise, Bernard Cornwell’s A Crowning Mercy and old category romances by Anne Stuart. I can’t handle romantic suspense, vampires, or the intensity proferred by some of my favorite Regency-set historical writers such as Julia Ross and Liz Carlyle right now.

If you’re a romance reader, chances are you’ve got a stack of books togo through. What books and authors are your comfort reads? What’s next on your pile?

Lady Dearing’s Masquerade Cover

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I meant to post this earlier. Anyway, here ’tis!

The heroine looks exactly right; the hero not quite. When you look close (fortunately the image is small) he looks a bit geeky, not at all like Colin Firth whom I used in my mental film of the story. But I do like the open shirt; it is actually right for that scene as I have Sir Jeremy doing some gardening on a hot day. Of course, going without cravat, coat and waistcoat is half-naked for a Regency gentleman. 🙂

And I like the red background. My editor asked me if I’d like pink or red and I chose the latter as more eye-catching and suggestive.

The scene itself was my second choice. My first was the initial masquerade scene, in which he’s in black and she’s in white. I think that would have made for a more bold, graphic effect against the red and also tied in with the title. This one is nice, though a bit pastel-y against the red.

Overall, though, I’m happy with this cover. And a bit stunned to see my name in such large letters!

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

Annoying Article!

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I just read this article in the American Chronicle:

“Our Flirtations with Regencies”, by Sonali T. Sikchi, and I can’t decide whether to be amused or annoyed. No, it’s annoyed.

This thing is full of the most ridiculous broad generalizations about Regency Romances: what could be culled from reading several Barbara Cartlands and assuming the rest are exactly the same.

A few examples:

“…Regencies rarely make even a pretense of incorporating historical events and elements in their stories.”
“The women in the Regency Romance stories are always young girls in their late teens or early twenties.”
“The women gorgeous and unique, sexually innocent and passionate; the men striking and arrogant, sexually experienced and passionate.”
“The stories follow a formula…”

OK, so here are some of my favorite counter-examples, in no particular order:

LOVE’S REWARD, by Jean Ross Ewing (Napoleonic war hero, espionage/intrigue plot)
THE CONTROVERSIAL COUNTESS, by Mary Jo Putney (espionage/intrigue, unconventional heroine)
THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER, by Mary Jo Putney (older heroine who is too tall, with mismatched eyes! alcoholic hero)
THE CAPTAIN’S DILEMMA, by Gail Eastwood (French POW hero)
AN UNLIKELY HERO, by Gail Eastwood (adorable virginal hero)
THE VAMPIRE VISCOUNT, by Karen Harbaugh (paranormal)
KNAVES’ WAGER, by Loretta Chase (unconventional heroine)
SNOWDROPS AND SCANDALBROTH, by Barbara Metzger (another great virginal hero)

In my own September book, LADY DEARING’S MASQUERADE, the plot revolves around London’s Foundling Hospital (gasp–a real historical institution), the heroine is in her thirties and not a virgin, and the hero is sexually inexperienced. (But he catches on fast.)

But the author of this article seems to be implying we’re a bunch of hacks cranking out endless stories according to a prescribed formula. Grrrr….

Do You Remember Your First Time?

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This morning, the buzzer rang at our apartment. Hm, I wondered: more running shoes for my husband? Perhaps a completely unnecessary toy for my son from his super-indulgent grandma? No, it was the first copy of A Singular Lady, my first book that comes out October First (well, actually it comes out Oct. 4, but it reads better the other way, don’t you think?).
Wow.
I’m an author! With a book in print and everything! I started to read the first few pages, not even remembering having written those words. And so many of them! If you’re an author, how did you feel having your first book in your hands (Cara, you’ll have to wait to comment on this one)? If you’re a Regency reader, which was the first Regency title you held that you were totally excited by, where you felt a new world had opened to you?

Me, I’m just plain thrilled.

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