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My First (Austen) Time

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Victoria and Abigail McCabe wish Jane Austen Happy Birthday!

My first Austen was Emma! I read it when I was about 9 or 10, and like all my reads at that time was supplied by my grandmother. She went to lots of garage sales and thrift stores as well as regular bookstores, and lots of people gave her books, too. So there were always boxes of wondrous paperbacks stacked in her hall closet, oodles of Heyers, old Fawcett Regencies by authors like Joan Smith and Marian Chesney, Cartlands, and classics. When we visited her in the summer, I would hide in that closet to get away from my wild cousins and read, read, read!

An old copy of Emma was in one of those boxes, and as I was currently on a 19th century England obsession, I was delighted. I had just finished Jane Eyre and loved it. Emma was a very different book, with a very different heroine, but I loved it, too.

At the time, I knew little about Austen and her stories and didn’t realize that: 1) there was a ‘mystery’ in the story (I took it for granted all along that there was something going on between Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill, and Emma was silly for not seeing it. On the other hand I was shocked–SHOCKED–by the appearance of Bertha-in-the-attic in Jane Eyre, so was not a very perceptive child), and 2) that I was not supposed to like Emma.

Austen herself wrote, “I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like.” But how could I help but like her?? She was “handsome, clever and rich”; everyone in the story seemed to like her; and she seemed well-meaning and good-hearted, even if her schemes didn’t often work out very well. She had perhaps “a disposition to think too well of herself,” but at age 9 I liked her self-confidence, her popularity and sense of belonging, and the cozy little world of Highbury. I guess I still like those.

Later on, I was surprised to find that Emma was unique among the Austen heroines in that she had no financial concerns (unlike poor Jane Fairfax!). Her worries were more subtle. She was an intelligent woman who wanted to do good, even though she was not sure how to achieve that to the best ends. She had little to engage that intelligence, so perhaps it was mostly boredom (plus a lot of that self-confidence!) that led to her misguided machinations? She really had no power to change her location or routine, which, as a shy and dreamy 9-year-old who wanted to be Jane Eyre, I identified with strongly!

After Emma, I ran to the library and grabbed the other books, quickly consuming Pride and Prejudice (plus a video of the Rintoul/Garvie series), Sense and Sensibility (I liked the sisters in that one!), Northanger Abbey (Catherine was my favorite heroine at that age), Persuasion, and Mansfield Park. I didn’t much like Persuasion and MP then–I was just too young for them, I think, much like Wuthering Heights, Middlemarch, and Madame Bovary (no, my parents didn’t pay much attention to my reading habits!). Persuasion is now possibly my favorite book of all time, but I do have a soft spot for Emma. Thank you, Miss Woodhouse, for starting me on this journey!

I like both the ’96 film versions of Emma (Paltrow and Beckinsale) though they are very different from each other, and neither is quite the story in my head. I’m not sure such a thing is even possible! I’m just grateful for all the Austen books and films out there to fill my rainy days. They always brighten things up.

Happy Birthday, Jane! From all your fans here at Risky Regencies.

(And check out High Seas Stowaway on Eharlequin for special savings this week. What could be better in a cold December than warm, sandy beaches and hunky sea captains??)



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First Impressions…of Jane Austen

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Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!!!!

This week, we’re supposed to be talking about our first Austen…but I’ve done that before here at Risky Regencies, so I thought I’d thrown in a little twist…and tell you what my first (and later) reactions were to my first several Austen novels and movie adaptations…

The first time I read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, I was thirteen, and I utterly loved it. (That part has never changed, though I do understand certain parts better now.)

I believe the first Jane Austen movie I ever saw was the Greer Garson/Laurence Olivier PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, when I was a teenager. I liked it well enough, and for a while it even messed with my own memories of the book, leaving me with a vague belief that the book involved a lot of archery, and that Lady Catherine wasn’t all that bad in the end… 🙂 (When rewatching this at various times years later, I think I most admired Olivier’s interpretation of a shy Darcy.)

The second Austen adaptation I saw was the Rintoul/Garvie PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, also when I was a teenager. I liked it all right, but it didn’t excite me, and I definitely thought it inferior to the book. (The second time I saw it, I loved it. The third time, I was less enchanted, but really loved Garvie.)

Then, freshman year in college, I read NORTHANGER ABBEY. I was initially disappointed that it wasn’t more like PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, and wished there were more romance, and less satire. I really didn’t care for the implication that Tilney liked Catherine better for being ignorant! (I have loved this book more and more on each rereading…perhaps because I now read it for humor, while picturing Bath, and I ignore what I don’t like.)

Then I saw the 1986 BBC NORTHANGER ABBEY, and hated it! I thought Peter Firth was creepy, and the overemphasis on the Gothic bits just silly. I’ve always thought those were the weakest parts of the novel, so the idea to make them even more prominent just seemed wrong to me! (The second and third time I saw it, years later, I think I admired the costumes and Bath scenery more…but Firth and the Gothic bits have always seemed wrong to me.)

Next, I read SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, and was annoyed at how Marianne just ran on and on, and how Brandon didn’t have the sense to fall in love with Elinor. (This has remained my least favorite Austen…and I confess I’m always surprised when I run into anyone who puts this in their top two! I just see major weaknesses in it…)

So…those were my first impressions (and later reactions) to my first three Austen novels, and first three Austen adaptations. How about yours? Have your opinions on some of your early Austens (novels or adaptations) changed? Or have re-readings or re-viewings just confirmed you in your tastes?

All answers welcome!

Cara
Cara King, who hopes you all show up the first Tuesday in January to discuss the first Gruffudd Hornblower adaptation!!!

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Talking Unusual Historicals Part Two

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Today Michelle Styles and Michelle Willingham will join us to continue the discussion on UH (Unusual Historicals)! Comment for a chance to win a signed copy of one of their books…


Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife
With the war drums echoing in her ears and the sharp northern light glinting off the sharpened swords, Sela stood with trepidation on the shoreline. The dragon ships full of warriors had come, ready for battle and glory.

But it wasn’t the threat of conquest that shook Sela to the core. It was the way her heart responded to the proud face and chiseled body of Vikar Hrutson, jaarl, leader of the invading force–and Sela’s ex-husband!

“A perfect combination of highly-charged tension and tender intimate moments” –Medieval Book Reviews

Risky Regencies: Welcome to the blog, Michelle (S)! First of all, tell us what historical periods are the settings for your books? What are some other settings that interest you (either as a reader or writer)?

Michelle S: I have done a number of different settings for my books. Ancient Rome, the beginning of the Viking era (790s), the North East of England both in the early Victorian period and during the Regency have all formed the backdrop of my books. It gives me the opportunity to indulge in research.

Currently, because I just finished Lady Worsley’s Whim by Hallie Rubenhold which is a non-fiction book about a sex scandal that touched the ton in the 1780s, the late Georgian/early Regency periods hold a fascination. But I have promised my editor several early Victorians first!

As a reader, I simply love a good story. It is more if the blurb interests me or not, rather than reading for a specific time period. The great thing about reading in an Unusual Historical period is that I get to experience different themes and time periods.

RR: What draws you to Unusual Historicals? What are soem advantages and drawbacks?

MS: I love history, and the whole thought about how people lived and the social constraints they faced fascinates me.

The advantages to writing in unusual periods or settings is that the field is more open. You can find themes that maybe not everyone has already explored, and it gives me the opportunity to tell a number of different types of stories. For example, Viking warriors versus Regency rakes versus early Victorian railway men. The opportunities to research should not be underestimated! Also, it means I can allow my imagination to take flight.

The disadvantages are the vast majority of the historical romance public prefer their romance in Georgian/Regency/Victorian garb, so the market is smaller. This can be that people want a familiarity with their stories, or it could be that the period captures the imagination more than others. Also by switching time periods, I know that there are some readers who refuse to read certain periods. For example, some might prefer Rome and hate the Vikings. And there are some who will read the Unusual Historical but won’t touch a Regency or Victorian.

However, I really do think the freedom that writing in a wide range of periods brings far outweighs its disadvantages!

RR: Tell us about your research mehtods/favorite sources.

MS: I love doing research–both doing the physical research, which involves going to the places where my book is set or learning various different crafts and skills. In the name of research I have fallen off horses in Iceland, gone down sewers in Rome, and ridden replica trains in Northumberland.

I love finding new research books, as well. One of my great joys is belonging to the Literary and Philosophical Society in Newcastle, which was founded in 1795 and is one of the last remaining private libraries in Britain. Its reading room dates from 1825 and is largely unchanged. The Lit and Phil is where George Stephenson first demonstrated his safety lamp for miners and where Swan gave the first demonstration of the electric light bulb. They allow you to take out books as long as they are post 1850.

One of the advantages to writing Unusual Historicals is that my editor actively encourages a historical note at the back and I’m able to list my favorite sources. For my Viking novels, my favorite source is some of the Icelandic sagas which are basically the primary source for much of what we know of the Vikings. I have also found Women in the Viking Age by Judith Jesch to be really useful.

I have found the book review section of the Spectator to be really useful in highlighting books on social history. This was how I discovered Consuming Passions by Judith Flanders, which is all about the growth of consumer consumption, and now Lady Worsley’s Whim.

RR: What are some Unusual Historicals you would recommend to readers?

MS: Harlequin Historicals publishes a number of unusual historicals! I enjoy Michelle Willingham’s medieval Irish knights. Nicola Cornick has done an Edwardian, The Last Rake in London, as well as an English Civil War story, Lord Greville’s Captive. And I am looking forward to reading Amanda McCabe’s latest, as I do love a good pirate story! Kensington is beginning to offer more unusual historicals. I am looking forward to reading Carrie Lofty’s take on the Robin Hood legend, What the Scoundrel Wants.

The YA book Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw started off my love of historical romance many years ago, and so I suppose you could say it gave me a taste for the unusual.

RR: What’s next for you?

MS: Next out in the UK in April ’09 is Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife, which is the second part of my Regency duo. My latest Viking and my next Victorian are sitting on my editor’s desk. The Viking has been through 2 sets of revisions, so my fingers are crossed! And my editor has just agreed that I can write the son of the hero in IMCW, so this will be a fun challenge.

You can visit Michelle Styles’s website here, and go to eharlequin for more information on VWUW!




Her Warrior Slave
Kieran O Brannon is no ordinary slave–defiant, daring and dangerous, he is untamable! Iseult MacFergus is drawn to this powerful man with the strength of a warrior and the honor of a king. She trusts him to help her find her lost child…

Kieran sold himself into slavery to save his brother’s life, but Iseult, with the face of an angel, gives him hope that he can again be a free man. Determined to find her child, Kieran may finally have his freedom–although now his heart is tied to Iseult’s forever…

“…has so much emotion, danger and romance packed in its pages that it will be hard to put down” –CataRomance

Risky Regencies: Welcome, Michelle W.! It’s so great to have you back here at the blog. Tell us what historical periods are the settings for your books. What are some settings that interest you?

Michelle Willingham: I write primarily Irish medieval books, but I’ve also written a Viking short story for the new Harlequin Historical Undone line (The Viking’s Forbidden Love Slave). I love any setting with alpha heroes that make your toes curl!

Medieval Ireland wasn’t a setting I had seen very often, though I was always a big fan of Scottish medievals. When I began researching the period, I found many similarities between the cultures. The mystical Celtic past and the intensity of Ireland drew me in when I visited the country. After walking through some of the castles, I knew I had found the perfect place for a romance.

RR: What draws you to Unusual Historicals? What are some advantages and disadvantages that you see?

MW: I enjoy the variety of unusual historicals, especially when I’m not familiar with the customs or history of the setting. In my own writing, I enjoy introducing readers to some festivals such as Lughnasa or Bealtaine (Beltane). It’s fun to learn about them and see where the research takes me. Irish superstitions fascinate me. I think the only thing you have to watch out for is that the setting can never dominate the story–it always has to be about two people falling in love.

RR: Tell us about your research methods! What are some favorite sources?

MW: I love to consult the experts! When I was researching medieval woodworking, I posted my questions on a listserve of Irish archaeologists, and they put me in touch with a professor at the University College Dublin. Aidan O’Sullivan taught me some fascinating facts about woodworking when I was researching Her Warrior Slave; namely, that medieval woodcarvers had to work the wood while it was still “green” and unseasoned, since their tools weren’t sharp enough to carve the wood. Another archaeologist took me to a few ancient ringfort sites when I was researching Her Irish Warrior on a trip to Ireland. It was amazing, crawling through the brush to find thousand year old mounds. The photo shows you what I saw, though it’s a little hard to tell there’s a 12 foot deep ditch surrounding the ringfort, amid all the ivy and undergrowth.

RR: What are some unusual historicals you would recommend to readers?

MW: On the Night of the Seventh Moon by Victoria Holt was a favorite while growing up (set in the Black Forest and the Austro-Hungarian Empire). I also liked The Princess by Jude Deveraux, which is set in a fictional country during World War II. Helen Kirkman’s Anglo-Saxon settings are wonderful. If you haven’t read Amanda McCabe’s Shipwrecked and Seduced (another Undone short story), that Caribbean setting is really fun, too!

RR: And what’s next for you?

MW: I am currently finishing up Warrior’s Woman, Ewan MacEgan’s book in my MacEagen Brothers mini-series. If all goes to plan, that will be my next US release, while Wedded to the Enemy, a Victorian story, will be part of a duet in 2010. My hope is to wrap up all 5 of the Irish brothers and then explore some new sides to Victorian England!

You can read more of the MacEagen brothers at Michelle’s website!

And be sure and join us next week as we celebrate Jane Austen’s Birthday, with more fun and prizes!



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