The winner of a copy of Julia Justiss’s new release is–Dee! Congrats, and please send us your snail mail info at Riskies AT yahoo.com
The winner of a copy of Julia Justiss’s new release is–Dee! Congrats, and please send us your snail mail info at Riskies AT yahoo.com
How is everyone’s Tuesday going?? Around here it is cold and very, very white. A big snow/ice storm moved in last night, and this morning I had to put on my coat and snow boots to dig my poodle out of a snow bank (she loves to run and roll in the snow, and get so covered she looks like a little icicle!). Now that I’m back inside and cozy with a cup of tea, I remembered that it is Tuesday and my Risky day. Here is a bit about what’s going on this Tuesday:
1) A new cover! This is for my Harlequin Historical “Undone” story, out in April. Set in 1922, it’s a brand-new time period for me, full of beaded gowns, champagne, and fabulous cars, where the heroine uses a Gatsby-esque masked ball to convince the man she’s always loved they’re perfect for each other…
2) I tried to find something relevant to the Regency anniversary, and discovered that on this day in 1814 Byron’s poem “The Corsair” sold out its entire print run of 10,000 in one day in London! The third of 6 “Turkish Tales,” it has a typically Romantic exotic setting in Turkish harems and shipwrecks.
It also served as inspiration to a ballet still performed today, Le Corsaire, which had its premier in Paris on January 23, 1856 with music by Adolphe Adam…
3) February 1 is also the anniversary of a non-Regency event, Elizabeth I signing the death warrant of Mary Queen of Scots in 1587, after a captivity of over 20 years. I’m knee-deep in Mary history at the moment with my WIP (though my story takes place much earlier, soon after Mary’s return to Scotland from France. But I can see the beginning of the slippery slope for her…)
4) The opera La Boheme also had its premier on this day, in Turin in 1896, a performance conducted by a young Toscanini. This is one of my favorite operas, and I just popped in the CD of the new Anna Netrebko version to listen to while I write…
5) And, just for fun, some of the costumes of Downton Abbey! I would kill for some of those hats. What did you think of Sunday’s finale???
So, in summary, covers, 1920s, Byron, ballet, Mary Queen of Scots, La Boheme, Downton Abbey, snow (lots and lots of snow). What do you think of any/all of these??
When I first joined RWA, the standard advice for newbies was to avoid the Dreaded Info Dump in the first chapter and just trickle in details from the characters’ past as needed. And I generally follow this advice, as I did this time.
But I never became No-Info-Dump Purist (or a Goal-Motivation-and-Conflict Purist, or a H/H-Must-Meet-On-First-Page Purist) or really bought into any of the hard and fast rules beloved by some critique groups. The reason is early in my RWA education I also read some amazing books that broke rules. Intelligently, of course.
On one end of the backstory spectrum is Loretta Chase’s LORD OF SCOUNDRELS. It starts with a summary of the hero’s life from birth onwards. I have heard NID Purists protest—maybe they are just jealous. Readers in general and the judges of the 1995 RITA didn’t care. I think the beginning works because 1) it’s fast-paced and entertainingly written and 2) it really does help prepare the reader for Dain’s beastly behavior.
I found the opposite extreme in another favorite, Laura Kinsale’s FOR MY LADY’S HEART. The most heartwrenching details of the heroine’s backstory are held back until near the end of the book. Readers who love this book sense that there is something tragic that caused the heroine to develop such strong and sometimes sinister defenses. When it is revealed, it makes for a very powerful scene.
Anyway, how do you like your backstory served up? Any favorite rule-breaking stories?
I’ve been drifting around online since I got up this morning, trying to find a good blog topic for this cold Tuesday! Having found nothing (or rather, so many things I couldn’t decide) I thought I would borrow ideas from Megan and Janet and just tell you some of the stuff I’ve been thinking about lately….
1) Writing! Like always. Just finished up an Undone short story set at the court of Mary Queen of Scots and diving back into the full-length Scottish story, plus organizing my “ideas folder.” I’m often distracted by bright, shiny new ideas that try to tempt me away from the WIP, so I jot them down in a special notebook to come back to later (not that they always stop pestering me). I’ve also been sorting some new research books I picked up at a booksale last week! Fun fun. Inspired by Diane, I may also do a little genealogical research…
2) The Oscars! I do love Oscar nomination day, which happens to be–today. (See a full list of the noms here). Out of the ridiculously bloated 10 movie Best Picture field, I’ve seen 5, Black Swan, The King’s Speech, The Kids Are All Right, The Social Network, and the vastly overrated Inception. My personal favorite of those is King’s Speech, but I predict Social Network will win (with Colin Firth and Natalie Portman winning Acting honors). I will probably see True Grit soon, but as much as I love James Franco I think 127 Hours would be too intense for me. The noms for Best Costumes are Alice In Wonderland, I Am Love, The King’s Speech, The Tempest, and True Grit. No arguments there, though I might have liked to see Black Swan there. Those Rodarte tutus were awesome.
3) Like Megan, I’ve been thinking about Vampire Diaries! New episodes finally start again on Thursday and I can’t wait. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever to see what will happen next in the twisty plots (or which Salvatore brother will take his shirt off first)
4) Today is the (probable) anniversary of the marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, a secret shotgun wedding complete with baby bump in 1533. Er–happy anniversary? (For more information on this event, check this post in The Anne Boleyn Files, an awesome blog that you should check out anyway!)
5) It’s also Burns Day! Poet Robert Burns was born on this day in 1759, which is celebrated every year in Scotland (and by people who just like his work!). A local pub here does a special dinner for it every year, which I will be attending tonight. In honor of his poem “To A Haggis” it’s traditional to serve haggis, which I will not be partaking in. (Check here for more info, and a recipe for haggis if you’re feeling brave)
6) Reading, of course! I’m in the middle of Carol Carr’s new historical mystery India Black, about a Victorian madam solving a murder. I love it so far, a great heroine and witty writing. I also have a new biography of Voltaire, and some birthday gift cards from Barnes and Noble burning a hole in my pocket as I try to decide how to spend them. Any recommendations??
Now I’m running out to yoga class so I won’t feel so bad about the shepherd’s pie and whiskey tonight! What are you thinking about today? Any favorite Oscar movies or predictions?