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Monthly Archives: May 2009

Tessa Dare on Were-Stags!

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Today, we welcome Tessa Dare, whose Samhain e-novella, The Legend of the Were-Stag, is out now. Tessa will release a full length book in July, The Goddess Of The Hunt, followed by Surrender Of A Siren in August and A Lady Of Persuasion in September.

And a bit about Tessa:

Tessa Dare is a part-time librarian, full-time mommy and swing-shift writer living in Southern California.

Tessa lived a rather nomadic childhood in the Midwest. As a girl, she discovered that no matter how many times she moved, two kinds of friends traveled with her: the friends in books, and the friends in her head. She still converses with both sets daily.

Tessa writes fresh and flirty historical romance, a blog, and the stray magazine article. To the chagrin of her family, Tessa does not write grocery lists, Christmas cards, or timely checks to utility companies. She shares a tiny bungalow with her husband, their two children, a dog, and many dust bunnies.

Tessa enjoys a good book, a good laugh, a good long walk in the woods, a good movie, a good meal, a glass of good wine, and the company of good people.


Please welcome Tessa to the Risky Regencies!

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The Care and Feeding of Werestags: Writing the ruminant shifter historical hero

Last week, my first e-novella, The Legend of the Werestag, was released into the wild! As I believe it may be the first Regency-set historical romance novella to feature a were-ruminant, I thought I might offer a few words of advice to any historical authors looking to explore this new, exciting sub-subgenre.

Habitat:

Forget Bath and Brighton. For the fashionable Regency gent with ruminant-shifter propensities, the ideal holiday locale is a well-appointed manor house (turret optional), conveniently situated near a dark, misty, cursed forest. As you see from my cover, Swinford Manor fits the bill perfectly.

Attire:

Take a look at the cover for TLOTW, and note carefully the attire of the hero. Not his bare chest, mind, but his attire. You may think that this depicts an anachronistic button-down shirt, since it is open to the waist. In actuality, an open-front shirt is a wardrobe necessity for a were-ruminant hero in any historic era. Why, you may ask? One word: Antlers.

Feeding habits:

As everyone knows, werestags are herbivores and must be provided ample fodder for rumination. The gracious host will provide a cold buffet of vegetables, leafy salads, and whole grains, but in a pinch, bread will do:

Ignoring Brooke’s grumbling objection, Luke swiped a roll from his neighbor’s plate and chewed it moodily.

(Note that in human form, the werestag hero is inclined to not only obsessive mastication, but obsessive brooding. “Chewing moodily,” or ruminating in multiple senses of the term simultaneously, is the mark of a male were-ruminant in his prime.)

Respect the man and his inner beast:

Feeling a little bit silly–and why should she, she talked to horses and dogs all the time–she addressed him. “Can you understand me? My speech, I mean?” When he gave no response, she added, “If you can understand me, nod your head twice. Or tap your hoof, perhaps.”

His neck lengthened a fraction, so that his regal crown of antlers struck an even more impressive silhouette. I am not one of your horses or dogs, his proud bearing told her. I do not nod or tap on command.

The wise heroine (and her authoress) remembers that her werestag hero is a wild creature by nature. The goal is never to subdue his inner beast, but to embrace it.

I’m sure it’s obvious by now, but of course I’m joking. 🙂 My novella is not truly a paranormal shifter story, but rather a straight historical romance. All werestags in The Legend of the Werestag remain just that: the stuff of legends. TLOTW (available as an e-book from Samhain Publishing) was my chance to take my favorite paranormal conventions and play with them within the confines of historical romance. A gothic setting, hair-raising action in a darkened forest, and raw, animal passion, to start. A tortured hero just returned from war, who’s not quite sure he’s fully human anymore, and the heroine determined to prove she’s strong enough to embrace his inner beast. Werestag is also loosely linked to my forthcoming print debut, Goddess of the Hunt (Ballantine, July 28th). You can find excerpts of both books at my website, TessaDare.com.

Thank you so much for inviting me today! It’s an honor.

What sort of shifter hero are you desperate to see in Regency-set romance? A were-hound ranging the moors of Devon? A were-badger paddling the Severn? A were-hedgehog, perhaps? 😉

A lucky commenter will win a free download of The Legend of the Werestag and a signed coverflat of Goddess of the Hunt!

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Sister Story

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This month at the Wet Noodle Posse we’re blogging about sisters and today I’m discussing my sisters there. Last week our Q and A day asked what “Sister” movies were favorites. “Our” Louisa Cornell mentioned Sense & Sensibility.

I watched Sense & Sensibility a couple of nights ago, the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet version, and agree it is a wonderful sister movie. When Eleanor sobs over Marianne’s sickbed, begging her not to leave her alone, I cried, too.

Eleanor and Marianne were such true-to-life sisters, sometimes being hurtful to each other, other times fiercely supporting each other. In Marianne’s grief over Willoughby, she still tries her best to foster Edward’s attachment to Eleanor, not knowing that Lucy is the impediment.

Pride & Prejudice is another “sister” movie. Elizabeth and Jane are very close and, unlike Eleanor and Marianne, no sharp words pass between them. Lizzie, who is the opposite of Lydia, tries to convince her father not to allow Lydia to go to Brighton, showing her concern for even the most frivolous sister.

Jane Austen was very close to her sister Cassandra. Her relationship to Cassandra was perhaps the most important in her life. It is no wonder she writes about sisters.

The wonder is, why don’t I? I’m the youngest of three sisters. My mother was one of three sisters. Her sister had three daughters. Because we moved around a lot, my sisters and I were often our only companions. My year and a half older sister was my closest relationship growing up.

But my books don’t explore sisterhood. Most of my heroines don’t have sisters (Morgana in A Reputable Rake; Rose in Innocence and Impropriety; Marlena in The Vanishing Viscountess). Or the sisters are estranged (Maddie from The Mysterious Miss M and her sister Emily in The Wagering Widow; Lydia in Scandalizing the Ton)

A big exception is the anthology, The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor. In Justine and the Noble Viscount, I get to introduce the sisters who are the “diamonds,” and Deb and Amanda show how their relationships evolve. See my Wet Noodle Posse blog on The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor

Do you think Jane Austen accurately represents sisters in her books?
What other books or movies are good “sister” stories?

Check out my website for more blogs about The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor.

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Always And Forever

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Okay, sorry to be all harsh reality today, but I found out a dear, dear friend is getting a divorce after close to 20 years together. And although it’s devastating to her and her children, I got to thinking about how vital it must have been for the women–girls, usually–in our period to make the right choice when it came to marriage.

Can you imagine? You are courted by someone who waltzes with you a few times, escorts you to supper, gets you a glass of orgeat, and boom! you’re married. You barely know the guy, and now he has control over you, whatever fortune you might have, and whatever offspring the two of you have together.

Just thinking of it frightens me. It’s a very real aspect of women’s lives at that time that it is hard for a modern woman to comprehend. I know I always wonder why Jane Austen accepted an offer only to change her mind 24 hours later, but if Jane was as remarkable a person and a thinker as we all believe, it’s no wonder she didn’t want to leave her fate in some guy’s hands.

Making the importance of that decision resonate–and not seem like some woman’s unrealistic desire to be madly in love, even though that wasn’t the norm–is crucial to Regency authors, and something I struggle with as a modern woman. We’ve discussed birth control here before, and doubtless have talked about marriage and what it means, but my friend’s situation brought it all home again to me.

So what aspect of your life would you never wish to relinquish control of? Do you or your husband handle finances (in my family, it’s me)? Which of your former boyfriends’ habits were dealbreakers for long-term commitment?

Megan

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Why do you buy a book?

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First some vaguely related but blatant self-promotion: I’ve just found out that A Most Lamentable Comedy‘s release has been pushed back to July 23 which is great news because I’ll be a beach read and possibly sign at the 2009 “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing in Washington, DC, July 15.

I’ve been trying to figure out what makes me buy a book and looking back over my buying/reading habits. The last two books I bought were at Heathrow Airport by two tried and true authors, Kate Atkinson and Nicci French (mystery/suspense writers) and not yet available in paperback here. There was a bookstore promotion of 50% off the second book and I had cash to use up.

So I don’t think that really counts. Besides, the real question is why you would take a chance with squandering your hard-earned cash on a writer or book you don’t really know anything about.

Do you think reviews, official and reader comments on such sites as Goodreads help?

Yet another lack luster Regency romance. I don’t know why I persist in reading these.

Awesomely funny book. Fast read, but so enjoyable.

Uh, probably not. Yes, they are talking about the same book (The Rules of Gentility).

Friends’ recommendations? My major going to bookstore and drinking cups of coffee friend and I have polar opposites in reading tastes– so far we agree only on a few, and even fewer that I have recommended. So far our only 100% agreement is Naomi Novik, my recommendation after she and her husband had read all of Patrick O’Brien’s books.

Back cover blurbs? Maybe…

Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets and then teams up with three strangers to kill again.

Yes, I’m cheating. That was a one-sentence summary of The Wizard of Oz, created, with his tongue firmly in cheek, by Rick Polito of the Marin Independent Journal, according to this movie trivia page.

Covers? Oh lord no. Just try doing a google image search on bad romance covers and see what you come up with. (Does the one on the right remind you of an old-fashioned butcher’s shop? I had trouble even defining what part of the male anatomy it was).

I’m somewhat influenced by cover quotes from other writers and also by those helpful signs on Amazon, and in bookstores and libraries of If you liked this… although sometimes I find them wildly off mark.

My suspicion is that we’re manipulated far more by website and distributors than we really like to think. How many times have you wandered into a bookstore thinking you might possibly just buy one book and then find yourself leaving with an armful? Or cranked up your Amazon order to meet the free shipping amount?

What do you think? And share with us the last new author or book you took a chance on, and, if you can, why you did.

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Mothers In All Shapes And Sizes

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Hope everyone had a great mother’s day. I was in Williamsburg where my in laws live (and where Deb, Amanda and I met to plan The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor). I didn’t even glimpse Colonial Williamsburg this time but my mother-in-law and I did make a quick trip to the Prime Outlets and I bought some clothes for the New York trip later this month when Deb, Amanda, and I will be signing TDWM at Book Expo America – Saturday May 30 at 3 pm.

My big To Do List isn’t whittled down nearly enough, so I’m not too happy about sleeping late and sending my Risky Regencies blog so late.

I’m steeped in the Battle of Waterloo for the wip. My hero’s regiment is The Royal Scots and in my research I came across this snippet, first appearing in The Thistle in 1895 but found here in the history pages of the Royal Scots:

Donald Crawford was rescued on the field of Waterloo while nestling as a child in the bosom of his mother who was killed in action. It may be asked what she was doing there, but the poor woman knew of nowhere else to go, and naturally followed the regiment in whose ranks her husband fought and fell on the same day as her.

Fortunately for wee Donald he was seen by a private who was fighting in the ranks and picked him up out of his inanimate mother’s arms, laying him lengthways across his back on the top of his knapsack lodged between his rolled greatcoat and the nape of his neck, and immediately resumed his place in the front rank of the fighting line, where the little boy was as happy as a sand boy.

I regret, at the distance of time, I cannot recall the good man’s name…”

Donald revered the man’s memory with all the affection of a son for his father, and was brought up in the regiment by his guardian, and later attained the rank of Sergeant.

“The incident of his having been picked up on the field of Waterloo, having been brought to the notice of the Duke of Wellington, he ordered him to be granted the Waterloo Medal… as he was under fire during the whole three day engagement.

He wore the medal on his left breast, until he was discharged to pension in the year 1851, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he elected to settle, like so many other time-expired men of his regiment, most of whom did well in colonial life – the child of Waterloo.


Which goes to show that ‘mothers’ come into our lives in all shapes and sizes…

Who besides your own mother provided a mothering role for you at least once in your life?

How’s your To Do List faring?

Here‘s a fun thing. A Riskie blog of mine was reprinted in a bilingual magazine Yareah, issue 7. Look at page 21. Check out my website for more news, reviews, and my contest.

Look for Amanda, Deb, and me at Word Wenches May 15.

Oh, and look here! Scandalizing the Ton and The Vanishing Viscountess are both finalists in the Desert Rose Golden Quill contest (Deb’s An Improper Aristocrat is there, too!)

I’m stopping now…..

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