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Monthly Archives: June 2006

Impressions of England & the US

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There are little things that pop into my head when I go back and forth between the US and England. Here are a few of them — and please share any you may have had! (Mine, of course, are affected by the fact that I’ve lived most of my life in Southern California. New Yorkers, for example, will have somewhat different impressions, I am sure.) 🙂

THINGS I SOMETIMES THINK WHEN I VISIT ENGLAND

1. Wow, things cost so much here! (Especially books, restaurant food, and anything involving transportation!)

2. Everyone walks so much here! I should walk more when I’m at home. I really should. And I will, this time. I will really walk more when I get home.

3. The roads are so narrow! How can those drivers go so fast without constantly scraping things?

4. Okay, I have to change my vocabulary over now so I don’t make mistakes. (Mental reminder: wheat bread = brown bread, water = tap water, gas = petrol, pants = trousers, bathroom or restroom = loo or toilet or ladies’, eggplant = aubergine or courgette, I never can remember which one, the other is rutabaga I think, anyway I don’t like either one so it doesn’t much matter…)

5. Walk faster. Walk faster. You used to know how to walk fast. Come on, it will all come back, right?

THINGS I SOMETIMES THINK WHEN I RETURN TO THE U.S.

1. Wow, things are so cheap here! (Especially produce, gasoline, books, and…everything else, pretty much. Except tea, which is cheaper in England.)

2. Waiters are constantly refilling my water-glass! That’s so cool!

3. Why can’t restaurants figure out how to make a decent cup of tea?

4. Wow, everything’s so big! And so empty! And the sky is so blue!

So, what thoughts have you had upon going to England, and coming back to the US? (Or, if you live in England, upon going to the US, and coming back to England?) All opinions welcome!

Cara
Cara King — www.caraking.com
MY LADY GAMESTER — Holt Medallion Finalist for Best Regency of 2005!

Posted in Research | Tagged | 11 Replies

Side Street Books

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I just returned from Long Island, after a weekend visiting first my daughter, then my cousin, topped off yesterday with a wonderful afternoon at Side Street Books in Patchogue, New York.

Side Street Books is a delightful Used and New Bookstore run by a warm and wonderful romance novel enthusiast, Diane Sander, who invited me to come speak to her customers and reading group. It seemed like a great excuse to visit my cousin Margie, who loves historical romance, but it also turned out to be a great afternoon meeting new friends.

There were about fifteen ladies who came to hear me speak, plus one token gentleman, Diane’s husband. My own personal rake, dh Jim put in an appearance, and Margie’s husband, as well. They didn’t last long, because there was a bar next door to the bookstore.

I told the story of “how I sold my first book” (see my interview in the archives) and I then just talked about lots of things. Like, how I almost got a cover model to come with me to the signing–Richard Cerqueira, the “hand” on The Wagering Widow and the very handsome fellow on the spine and inside cover. Unfortunately, he had a conflict. I also talked about how an author gets paid, how film rights work, and re-releases of books, what I did in England, how I developed my “Regency Voice.” All of the women there had read at least one of my books. A REPUTABLE RAKE was one of the reading group’s choices. I gave them each a set of bookmarks, Richard’s and mine, and a little rake of their own, a miniature garden tool. I gave away a Wagering Widow cover flat, signed by Richard, and a Marriage Bargain tote bag.

The ladies brought food. A tasty green salad, fresh fruit salad, and desserts. I had flan that was to die for! I truly felt as if I were talking to a group of friends.

I dropped names as much as I could, other romance authors I know, and did a fair amount of talking about Traditional Regencies, which Diane said are popular among some dedicated customers. These ladies attending the signing were more familiar with Regency Historicals, but I hope I encouraged some of them to try the trads. I saw Amanda’s books on the bookshelf, but I didn’t have a chance to search for my other Risky pals.

The ladies said nice things about my books, asked intelligent questions, and joked around, so that the time whizzed by. I’m hoping to return next year, after I have more books out.

Here’s a picture of some of the ladies and me in front of the store. Note my Marriage Bargain poster in the window.

And, naturally, somebody noticed my Phantom of the Opera watch, giving me the perfect opportunity to talk about Gerard Butler as Phantom. Alas, being so close to NYC, these ladies had all seen POTO on Broadway; some had even seen Michael Crawford in the role, so they were not really listening to me… But I at least planted the seed to go rent the DVD of POTO. Then they’ll know!

Cheers!
Diane (who is now going to unpack and do laundry)

PS I’ll add photos when Blogger lets me!

Posted in Reading, Writing | Tagged | 6 Replies

25 things…

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Today’s post really has nothing to do with writing, I guess. Though I suppose it could be a useful tool when first starting a project and “getting to know” your characters. But someone sent me this questionnaire of “25 things about YOU,” and it was kind of fun to fill out. Here are my answers, and I can’t wait to hear what other people have to say about them, too. 🙂 Or maybe it’s just a way for me to indulge my natural nosiness…

1) If you could build a second house anywhere, where would it be? Maui, of course! Or maybe a cottage in an English village. Can I have both?
2) What is your favorite article of clothing? Well, I have two, actually. One is an ancient yellow fisherman’s sweater. Yellow is a horrible color on me–makes me look like I’m dying of a terrible tropical fever. Plus there is a hole in the elbow. But I love that sweater and will never part with it. My other fave is a black jersey wrap dress that always gives me the comforting idea that I’m thinner than I am. It’s a magical dress.
3) What is the last CD you purchased? Cecilia Bartoli’s Opera Probita
4) What time do you wake up in the morning? 7 if I have to go to work (boo!), as late as the dogs will let me sleep on weekends
5) What is your favorite kitchen appliance? Er–does the phone count, since it’s in the kitchen? I use it to order takeout all the time. Or maybe the microwave.
6) If you could play any instrument, what would it be? This is hard, because I always wished I had musical talent and, well, I just don’t. Ask my parents about those ill-fated piano lessons. But I would love to play the cello
7) What is your favorite color? Pink!
8) Do you believe in the afterlife? Yes. No. Maybe. Depends on what day it is. 🙂
9) What is your favorite children’s book? Another toughie–there are so many. Eloise, I think. I adored that book when I was a kid, and drove my parents crazy demanding they let me move into a hotel
10) What is your favorite season? Autumn. I love the cool, crisp air, the colors, and Halloween
11) Do you have a tattoo? No–I’m afraid of pain!
12) Can you juggle? No, despite the best efforts of this guy selling juggling sets at a Ren. fair last spring
13) Who is the person you would most like to travel back in time and talk to? Why only one??? Shakespeare, maybe? Or Austen! Or the Buddha. Can I have all 3?
14) What is your favorite day of the week? Saturday, of course!
15) What’s in the trunk of your car? Besides the body of the last reviewer to diss my books?
16) If you could have one superpower what would it be? Invisibility! I really envied Harry Potter that cloak of his
17) Sushi or beef? Um–chicken. But if I have to choose one, sushi
18) What is your favorite meal? Fried shrimp
19) When is your birthday? January 15 (gifts accepted all year long, though)
20) Do you watch Oprah? If I happen to be home and it’s on. So, not much
21) Do you watch Survivor? No–not much of a “reality TV” person
22) What is your favorite TV show? Of all time, I LOVE LUCY. Or maybe NORTHERN EXPOSURE. Right now–LOST
23) Do you celebrate Christmas? In a “trapped in family hell” way, yes 🙂
24) What is your favorite movie? Another hard one. You all know how I love movies. Today I’m really liking ROMAN HOLIDAY
25) Vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate, always

Now your turn! Feel free to answer any or all of these yourself, either here or on your own blog. (But if it’s on your own blog, you have to send the Riskies a link!) Happy Saturday…

Posted in Frivolity | Tagged | 6 Replies

Alpha-Bad-Tizing

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He was at least a decade older than me, smoked cigarettes, refused to be photographed, barely got out of high school, dealt some illegal substances, and drove a ’57 Rambler. Oh, and he looked like Willem Dafoe.

So what did I do?

Reader, I dated him.

I love bad boys.

I am, quite possibly, the goodest girl you will ever meet. Besides my sometimes outlandish fashion choices, I always got enough sleep, stayed out of trouble, did my homework, read everything on the suggested reading list, felt guilty when I discovered I’d been given the wrong change. But I am irresistibly attracted to men who seem to walk on the edge of danger, which is how I like my romance heroes, too.

Anne Stuart writes the best bad heroes. Liz Carlyle also has a penchant for less-than-perfect men, and of course anybody who’s written a vampire hero usually walks on the dark side.

The funny thing is, I can’t write them. My heroes seem to be pretty nice, sometimes almost boring, and it drives me insane. Why can’t I create what I love so much? I’ve tried to make them meaner, but it’s very hard.

I’ve just finished the first draft of a new book, and this month’s revisions process will include toughening up my hero, Reeve.

So–do you like bad boys in fiction? Which are your favorite? What are the best ways to show he’s a bad boy without making him kick a puppy or something? And have you ever dated one in real life? Did he live up to your fantasies? Come on, share!

Megan
www.meganframpton.com

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Love me, love my book?

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I can’t imagine why anyone reads books by the well-known adulterer Charles Dickens or that spiteful gossip Jane Austen (no wonder Cassandra burned most of the letters).

Yet I frequently hear, particularly from other romance writers, “Oh, I don’t like Author X. I’m not reading her books.” And it always puzzles me. Sure, not buying an author’s book will deprive her of the few pennies of royalties she might earn through your purchasee. Of course, that begs the question of whether it would be morally responsible to borrow said book from the library, read it illicitly in a couple of expensive java visits at your local Borders, or pay a quarter for a copy at the thriftstore. A further ethical question might be raised if you enjoyed the book—oh horrors—what then? Does it mean you, the reader, are tarred with the same brush, or, rather like earnest clerics researching pornography, corrupted without even knowing it? Chances are you might flip it closed with the satisfaction that Author X is indeed confirmed as a Bad Person—”I knew it when the heroine’s kitten drowned and that sweet lisping child fell into the midden”—and feel your point is proved.

Part of the trouble is there’s just too much information on romance authors. And it’s our own fault. We’re all over the place, chatting away on blogs and websites, and thinning the line between promotion of our books and promotion of ourselves, just being just so darned nice all the time. And if that niceness slips into real opinions and passions, it may raise some hackles. I’m not excusing bad author behavior or authors who are rude to people in public (I think most of us have had experience with those), but it seems you can get away with a lot more as a dead literary lion (most of whom were not Boy Scouts in real life) than as a live genre writer.

Is good writing good writing—whatever?

Janet

Posted in Reading, Writing | Tagged | 7 Replies