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…
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
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!
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
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!
Michelle S, thanks so much for the rec of “Lady Worsley’s Whim”! I ordered it from Amazon.ca and am eagerly waiting for its arrival (hope it gets here before the Christmas break at work)
I really enjoy books set in the Victorian period so I’m looking forward to all those that Michelle Styles promised her editor. 🙂
Great interviews!
Wow, the two Michelle’s make me feel like a slacker in the research department! I love the little tidbits I have picked up from both of your books. The little bits of history I never knew or perhaps knew a bit about, but find out more when I read your books. While I prefer to write in the Regency period (and maybe a little after) I love to read about other time periods. Had my musical ability not been discovered so early I very probably would have majored in History in college. I would love to explore all of the time periods you two write in, but as I don’t have time I’ll just have to let you do the research and me reap the benefits when I read your stories.
Do either of you have an absolute favorite time period and if so, why?
Ammanda —
I do hope you like LWW! I found it absolutely fascinating. This week I finished Rubenhold’s other book — The Covent Garden Ladies which looks at the development of Harris’s list as well as the life and times of Charlotte Hayes who was a notorius courtesan and the first great *abbess* of a Georgian brothal. She was one of the women responsible for bringing upmarket bordellos to London.
Ana — I am so glad you like books set in the Victorian period. I happen to really like the late Regency/early Victorian period.
Louisa — you asked what my favourite period is and I think it would be that one 1815 – 1851. After the Great Exhibition, of course, Britian starts to lose its industrial edge and the US really comes up inte world. It is the start of consumerism on a large scale and the rise of standrad of living. But I also love the dresses and the men’s clothes. There is also a wealth of information.
I majored in economics at university with an emphasis on economic history as I had certain disagreements with the history department. But it means that I get to look at hisotry from another perspective.
What a great interview, I really enjoyed it. Your books sounds like a fantastic read. I’m putting it on my wish list.
Do you have a favorite time period that you like to write about?
I really enjoyed your Undone Michelle E and I love reading about unusual periods.
Do you find that the less well no eras give you more scope for imagination than say the regency?
Virginia — One of the great things about being able to change time periods is that you don’t have to become bored or blase about the time period. That said, at the moment, I like the early Victorian period.
AnnL — Yes, wasn’t Michelle W’s undone great?
And I am not sure about less well populated time periods giving freer range to the imagination, they just allow for different exploration of themes…I know my voice changes slightly when I change time periods and I have to be aware of the requirements of the period. For example — Viking Warriors are allowed to be much more uber alpha than Regency males or at least alpha in a different sort of way.
Thanks for the interviews, and all the interesting books you recommended! I do love Regency and Medieval, but sometimes I just long for something different…Now I have many more books on my wishlist!
Welcome, Michelle and Michelle 😀
I love the idea of unusual historicals with author notes at the end, either pointing the reader to historic information sources or clarifying a particular historical point used in the story (or both!).
I love history, and while I understand the comfort of reading a story set in a well known time period, I love when the writer uses the setting (both time and place) in the story, to highlight conflict, character development, etc.
Best of luck to both of you!
Eva S — yes, sometimes, it is just pleasant to have something that is different, but can I assure you that with Unusual HIstorical, the romance does remain paramount so there is the same satisfactory ending…
Azteclady — sometimes I wonder if Michelle W and I aren’t known as the Michelles at the editorial office. *g* But our voices are very different. The great thing about historicals in general is that it encompasses so many possibilities.
I only started reading historicals about 6 months but you two ladies are on my ready to buy list. l dont even have to read the back cover, your books are always a treat.
Hi to the two Michelles!
I love the unusual time periods and the romance readers in my family do too. We’ve loved both of your books and many of the ones you guys mentioned, too!
I hope we can look forward to many more from the both of you!
Thanks for coming by! Like a lot of us, I love historicals in all eras, and I am going to make sure I read yours.
And since my ongoing obsession, also like a lot of us, is North and South, I like reading about the Victorian era.
waving to Deb who writes lovely historicals with intriguing settings.
And waving to Avi J who is just lovely…
Ah North & South. I adore both the tv series and Mrs Gaskell (Mrs Gaskell rocks) Simon Clare who is the brother of the heroine of A Question of Impropriety owes a lot to Richard Armitage, not the least that the editors let me do a self made hero in a Regency. QI and Impoverished Miss are proper regencies…
Last year’s Glaaskell’s offering Cranford was brilliant and featured Philip Glenister who helped inspire the hero of Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife.
Welcome, Michelles! Congrats on your success in tapping unusual time periods…and adding to my TBR list. 🙂
Hi to all! Sorry I’m late, but I had a booksigning this afternoon and just got back in. I’ll be stopping by all evening, so if you have any questions, ask away!
Louisa–I actually don’t have any particular favorite time periods. I love reading anything with a compelling hero. 🙂
Virginia–I actually like the variety of different time periods. I just finished an early Victorian book for Mills and Boon that will be out in 2010, but I definitely love the medieval and Viking eras. 🙂 Something about a hot Viking is something else!
Ann and Michelle S.–thanks for your compliment on the Undone! 🙂
One of my favorite books that Michelle S. wrote was “The Gladiator’s Honor.” Loved those characters. 🙂
Ann L–I found that the lesser known periods, e.g. medieval and Viking, definitely leave a lot of room for imagination. In fact, in early Ireland, often the only records were oral, so there are some parts of history that need an imagination to fill in the gaps. 🙂
But primary sources are wonderful for 19th century eras. And I find that I never run out of ideas–there’s so much to choose from!
Thanks for stopping by, Eva and Azteclady! 🙂
AviJ–what was the historical that started you off on the genre?
Hi Deb and Megan! Thanks for joining in today!
Question for Amanda and the Michelles (or any other writer out there): Are there any time periods you are nervout to tackle because it makes it harder to envision a happy ending?
It seems easier if the setting is a time/place of relative peace, or the ending coincides with an end of a war or other dark period, etc… Though come to think of it, Barbara Samuel managed a HEA during the Plague, so I suppose anything is possible.
Hi, both Michelles,
I’m late in saying hi, just back from my son’s graduation. He’s really a college graduate now!!
I love the unusual time period you and Amanda write in and am daunted by the knowledge you all have. Michelle Willingham, ideas just don’t flood in here for me!!!
by the way, Ann Lethridge (Waving hi)has an Undone coming in January. Thanks for stopping by, Ann.
I love historical romances, and it really doesn’t matter the locale or time period. Favorites are Regencies, Vikings, Medievals, and the Old American West. I admire writers of historical romances because you ladies have to come up with a good story AND do research into the time period.
“One of the great things about being able to change time periods is that you don’t have to become bored or blase about the time period.”
I totally agree! (I also agree that it’s easy to get obsessed with a time period sometimes, LOL)
“Are there any time periods you are nervout to tackle because it makes it harder to envision a happy ending?”
I try not to think of that too much, because it seems every period has SOMETHING bad coming along! (Renaissance settings always have wars and plagues, stuff like that. And even Regency is hard because I hate to think of the heroes getting old and wearing Victorian fashions like muttonchop whiskers, LOL). I think WWII would be a hard one for a romance. And the French Revolution story I have in mine is more historical fiction than romance, though I’m sure there would be some way to make it an HEA…
Then again, they could be Victorian men who look like Richard Armitage–sigh. (I think N&S is probably my very favorite of all the “romantic historical novel” movies)
Hi, Michelle & Michelle.
I’m wondering … are there any time periods you’d like to tackle, but haven’t yet, because the research would be really difficult or time-consuming?
Elena–I’d say that I could never write a book with the Holocaust as a backdrop. It’s too wrenching of a time period. When I used to teach history, that was the hardest lesson I ever had to teach. I had five classes of students, and by the fifth class, I was emotionally drained. That’s not to say that a talented author couldn’t carry it off, but it likely wouldn’t be me. 🙂
Diane–congratulations to your son! That’s just wonderful. You must be incredibly proud. And your book ideas are just fine!
Cheri2628, thanks for stopping in!
Greta–I’d love to write a German Regency or medieval. But I’m a little wary of the setting because I’d have to dredge up my old German language skills to try and tackle the research. It scares me to think of how much I’ve forgotten!
Hi Michelle & Michelle! Great interviews! I love history – all periods actually – so your books are right up my alley. Your books sound excellent! I have read some of the ones you mentioned. The research alone sounds so exciting!I would also be interested in reading a story set against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War and the French and Indian War. Such fascinating historical time periods. Thanks for blogging today. I really enjoyed your posts!
Deborah–did you ever see “Last of the Mohicans?” That was a VERY sexy setting, I thought (I’m pretty sure that was French and Indian War, but I haven’t seen it in a few years).
Welcome to the Riskies Michelle and Michelle! I went down a Roman sewer in York once but I don’t see how I’d ever work it into a book.
Michelle W. the book was Nicola Cornick’s The Last Rake in London. So glad I got it because I never realized how fantastic the historical line is.
Hi to the two Michelles! I love reading unusual historicals with different time periods. Your books sound wonderful! Thanks for the great interviews!
Is there any time period I wouldn’t tackle? Like Michelle W, there are a few time periods that I don’t think I could do justice to but more because of my own lack of interest in the subject matter rather than a lack of a HEA. China just before Mao makes my eyes glaze over and yet I know a lot of very interestng things were happening.
With WW2 you are looking at epics…I know Cynthia Freeman wrote some about the holocaust and Roselind Laker did one about Norway. I read used to read both authors in the early 1980s.
Anyway, it is lovely to see so many people here and that Michelle W was able to take over as it were as I live in the UK and am on a different time zone.
MichelleS and MichelleW, welcome to the Riskies. Ammanda, what a fabulous interview!!
Jean Auel introduced me to Neanderthals, Lisa Kleypas to the early Victorian, Georgette Heyer to the Georgian/Regency, Julie Garwood to the medievals, Sherry Thomas to the late Victorian, Nicola Cornick to the Edwardian, and Ammanda to the non-traditional time periods as well as different settings/places. Now, I’m ready to read a historical set anywhere and any time. Bring it on, I say.
Right around the time of my pregnancy, I was exploring a PhD in History at the local university. Since then, I’ve taken a few classes, but not yet initiated a formal study. That is still something I want to explore someday. But first, get the first story published.
Ammanda, I went back to your interview on Saturday and commented there.
Hi Janet! A Roman sewer in New York? Yikes. I’ll bet you could work it into a suspense plot somehow.
Avi J–Nicola writes some amazing books. You’ll love her work!
Margie–thanks for being here!
Michelle S.–yes, I’m not sure I could do China, though there are always people who surprise me with the settings.
Keira–I loved Jean Auel’s books!
Michelle W, I would definitely read a medieval German book!!!
And I agree about China–I know almost nothing at all about it. But if a story set there sounded intriguing, I would read it. 🙂
I agree Jean Auel’s books are great.
With HOng Kong, James Clavell did a good epic years ago called Taipan. You also have the whole Nevil Shute A Town Like Alice which takes place during WW2. Some of it is because it is so technical.
But I do like reading about different cultures and places. It makes it easier to read something in a romance sometimes, and at least know that I will be getting a good story…
Chiming in here late (as usual.) Great discussion! Can’t wait for the High Seas romance in January (and Carla Kelly has a ship captain one coming out then too.) One of the reasons I am so grateful that readers have HH is that it’s about the ONLY place you can find historical romance that isn’t medieval/Regency.
Of course, (obviously)I love those periods–but what I most love about historical romance is having the author create a world for me peopled with interesting characters and enriched by a complex, moving, satisfying love story. Someone on another blog somewhere (I think is was the eharlequin open house) said that in many ways, historicals are like futuristic/fantasy novels in that the author builds a world for you. I love to visit worlds about which I don’t know much–like medieval Ireland or Renaissance Italy or early Rome.
Thanks, ladies, and keep those “unusual historicals” coming!
I loved A Town Like Alice, Michelle, and, Julia, I couldn’t agree more about HH releasing all kinds of historical time periods and settings!
MichelleS, I thoroughly enjoyed Taipan. It was so outside my experience to date…
I have knowledge of bits and pieces of Mongolian and Chinese history, but it’s so scattered and so little of it is about the day-to-day stuff that in terms of understanding the culture and the societal norms, it’s virtually useless.
Congrats, Cheri and Deborah!