So, for the past week or so I was stuck at home with a bad throat infection. I couldn’t talk (except on Twitter!), or eat anything but soup, pudding, and tea (I’m thinking about writing a diet book). Not much fun. But here is what I did get to do:

1) Turn in the Christmas novella!
2) Write an “Undone” short story! (which is getting turned in today, hopefully)
3) Played around with a new “French Revolution vampires” story idea (and if the hero just happens to be tall, blond, and runs a scandalous gambling club in the Palais-Royal, that is entirely a coincidence…)
4) Read some of the books I picked up at RWA
5) Watched movies. Lots of movies. (And North & South again. Nothing restores health like Mr. Thornton’s dark glowering…)

One of those movies was a Bollywood production called Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. I confess to a crazed love of Bollywood films, though sadly I haven’t seen very many, being limited to whatever is on Netflix. I also have to be in just the right mood, with lots of time (these are long movies) and plenty of palak paneer and chicken vindaloo take-away. I love the bright, beautiful costumes (even heroines who are meant to be very poor have sequined saris–and back-up dancers whenever she needs them), the glittery song and dance numbers (which happen at the most giddy random moments), and most of all the unabashed romanticism. These characters have big, wild, passionate emotions, which they express in a big way, with lots of tears, shouts, and music.

In this film, our heroine Nendini falls in love with the cute, nice, but sort of goofball-ish singer Semeer, who also falls in love with her. But her father sends Semeer away and makes her marry cute, nice, but sort of intense lawyer Vanraj (who can’t sing at all). She looks like she’s going to the scaffold all during the ultra-lavish wedding scene, but poor Vanraj doesn’t seem to notice. He later finds out that the reason his new wife wafts around the house like a sad ghost is because she still loves Semeer, who has gone off to Italy to pursue his singing career. Vanraj takes Nendini to Italy to find her first love. It takes a while (and an accident or two, plus at least 5 musical numbers), but eventually Nendini learns the True Meaning of Love, and there’s a big, tearful reunion on a starlit bridge. I admit–it was totally, totally great.

It can be hard to find an American film this open to raw emotion, not to mention big production numbers. On Sunday, to celebrate my return to the land of the living, some friends took me to see the movie 500 Days of Summer. I loved this movie, too. I’m not generally a fan of the so-called romantic comedy genre, but this one doesn’t really fall into that category. It was entirely unpredictable, told from the male POV (Tom is madly in love with Summer, who likes him but says she will never marry), non-chronological, and even had a black-and-white musical number! Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars and says, “Summer remains mysterious all through the film, perhaps because we persist with Tom in expecting her to cave in. When we realize she is not required to in this movie, because it’s not playing by the Hollywood rules, we perk up. Anything could happen. The kaleidoscopic time structure breaks the shackles of the three-act grid and thrashes about with the freedom of romantic confusion.” (Maybe it’s a lesson to us writers to not “play by the rules,” too).

Is it “romantic”? Well–yes, in it’s own crazy way. I guess I was thinking about all this today because it’s the birthday of Percy Bysshe Shelley (August 4, 1792–July 8, 1822). You know, the guy who helped invent “Romantic” poetry and said, “Soul meets soul on lovers’ lips” and “All love is sweet, Given or returned. Common as light is love, and its familiar voice wearies not ever.”

But what does “romance” mean to you?? What are some movies or books you find particularly romantic? And what’s your favorite Shelley poem?

I’m taking a little break today, thanks to our guest, Allegra Gray, whose debut Regency Historical, Nothing But Scandal, is now in bookstores. So, Welcome, Allegra!
Diane

Thank you to the ladies of Risky Regencies for inviting me as a guest blogger! As a new author, I’m having tremendous fun meeting people online–there is such a thriving community of readers and writers out there!

It might amaze some people to know that, even though I write books set in historical times (primarily Regency England) I never found history classes in school to be that interesting. Dry facts about what happened, dates of battles, who was president…none of it stuck in my head.

Except, that is, the vast quantities of history I discovered through reading fiction, watching historical movies, playing classical music, or traveling to historic sites in Europe. All of a sudden, history came alive. It was happening to real people (or people who seemed real) and involved real, tangible things like stone walls and castles and tapestries. Of course I knew that in fiction and movies, the story wasn’t exactly an accurate portrayal of a particular time. But I did wonder, for the first time, what life really was like back then.

Which brings me to writing romance. I’ve always loved stories, and it turns out that even if history class wasn’t that great, there was something magical about being swept back in time by a great story. The way a story does that is through carefully researched details, of course, but what really makes it captivating is keeping those details out of the way and letting the characters shine.

In some of my writers’ groups, we are constantly striving to have perfect historical detail…to the point where we research some things that, were we to include them, readers wouldn’t believe! (Truth is, after all, stranger than fiction). And sure, for those of us who become an expert in a topic, it can be frustrating to see that some authors portray that topic with a little less accuracy. I’m sure that for every one topic I am an expert in, there are ten or twenty that I’m not…but then, I’m not trying to recreate Regency England, only to get close enough to use its rich flavor as the base setting for my story.

As I research certain things (how long did it take to travel from London to Bath? When did the opium trade really take off? Why can’t my heroine be seen alone at a public inn?) the temptation is to work everything I find into the story…but then, my readers would be stuck back in history class. Knowing how fun that was for me (not so much), it makes for a challenge: include just enough history to answer that burning question or reveal that key detail, so that the reader is captivated but not overwhelmed, and so that they too ask the question “I wonder what life was really like back then?”

I’ll end with a question: what was one of the coolest things about history you first got interested in by reading fiction?

Best wishes,

Allegra

P.S. If you’d like to leave a comment (or answer the question above), I’ll enter your name into a drawing and then tomorrow, pick a name and that person will receive a signed copy of “Nothing But Scandal.”

Allegra Gray is a former military officer–turned English professor–turned homeland defense analyst. One thing she has always been, though, is a storyteller. She wrote her first book at the age of 5 (it has yet to be published).

Allegra began her publishing career while teaching in the English department of the U.S. Air Force Academy, but soon discovered that non-fiction, academic work was not enough to satisfy her creative drive.

She turned to fiction, and launched her career as a novelist with the release of a historical romance, “Nothing But Scandal,” from Kensington Publishing in July 2009.

Allegra lives in Colorado and writes novels full of steamy intrigue that interweave her love of history, legend, and romance.

Check out her website at www.allegragray.com

Riskies: Welcome to the blog, Robyn! Tell us about Seduce Me and The Legend Hunters series! (new this month from Grand Central Publishing)

Robyn: Seduce Me starts my new Legend Hunters series, and I’m so excited about it! It’s about Esme Worthington, a spinster who fancies herself a scholar of Pandora’s Box, and Fielding Grey, a treasure hunter for hire. The quest for Pandora’s Box brings them together, then causes them all kinds of trouble in the form of curses and a criminal mastermind. It’s action-packed and sexy, and was a hoot to write. And so far I think most of the reviews have commented that it’s similar to Indiana Jones, which is exactly the feel I was going for.

Riskies: And what was the inspiration behind this story?

Robyn: Archaeology was quite popular among the aristocracy in Victorian England, and I wanted to write a series about these guys who chased myths and treasures. And I wanted to do so in the vein of Indiana Jones, you know that action-adventure romantic feel. The best way I can describe it is to use the blurb I used in my proposal for the series:

“There is a gentleman’s club near St. James Street, a luxurious one with all the accoutrements one would expect from such a fine establishment: fine liquors, exotic cigars, gaming, and a comfortable chair in which to read the daily papers. Solomon’s is by invitation only, and those invitations are not extended without exceedingly careful consideration. Because in this club is a secret room where secret meetings occur. And in those secret meetings some of London’s finest gentlemen gather to discuss their passions: their obsessions. Some are scholars, some collectors, some treasure hunters, but each of them are after the find of the century. Meet the Legend Hunters…”
Riskies: Did you find any interesting research tidbits while planning these stories?
Robyn: When I was brainstorming my list of legends, Pandora’s Box was the first one that came to mind. When we think about the forbidden, and ancient treasures that are intriguing and full of mystery, it seemed the perfect place to start. And it certainly helps that Pandora’s Box has sexy connotations which worked well for a romance, because it created built-in sexual tension, a crucial element to a romance novel. The legend itself was intriguing where you have Pandora being given a box by the gods and inside they put all these curses and terrible things. When Pandora sucumbed to her curiosity and opened the box, she unleashed all these terrors and then slammed the door shut, leaving hope inside. It was this tidbit that shaped my version of the legend with the curses bracelets.
Riskies: I see you have a For Writers page on your website with lots of good advice! What are some of your favorite writing tips?
Robyn: There’s not a lot of magic to writing, it’s mostly just hard work! That’s not to say it’s not fun and cool. But it’s really about making it a priority. If you really want to write, make the time to write. And stick with it. I know with a lot of beginning writers when things become challenging or scary or boring, they tend to quit and start on a new project. But the fact of the matter is that all books become boring or difficult at some point. All writers (no matter how seasoned) struggle with fear–fear that it won’t be good enough, that it’s terrible and your writing sucks, fear that you’ll be so awesome no one will like you anymore (okay, that’s probably less common…) You just have to work through it. The other tip I’d suggest is to find your joy in writing and hold onto it. The business side of writing can be very challenging, and if you’re not careful it can bring you down. Remember what it is about–creating stories that you love, and guard that, keep it close to you. Oh, and of course join RWA!

Riskies: LOL! Very wise words. And what’s next for you?
Robyn: I just turned in book 2 of the Legend Hunters series, and it’s about Atlantis. I’m really pleased with how it turned out–I love the adventure those characters find themselves in. It’s exciting and pulse-pounding and full of danger. It’s schedule to be out in June 2010, but doesn’t have an official title yet. And I’m in the brainstorming process right now for book 3, and so far I’m loving how it’s shaping up, too!

Be sure and visit Robyn’s site for more background on the Legend Hunters! And comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of Seduce Me!

I wasn’t really sure what to blog about today! I’m still working on the same projects I was last week (“Irish book 2,” etc), I couldn’t find anything interesting that happened on this date in history (though I’m sure there must be something somewhere!), and the heat and humidity of August has me stupefied and seeking the arctic AC of movie theaters and shopping malls (tax-free weekend on clothes last week, woo-hoo!). Then I found some interesting websites on famous dogs in history, and since I love dogs I decided to talk about that!

Mary Queen of Scots was well-known for her love of animals, bringing several small dogs with her from France when she returned to Scotland as a young widow. She had greyhounds and spaniels, as well as cages of songbirds. Her most famous pet was a Skye terrier named Geddon, who was devoted to her in her last years and accompanied her to her execution. Her cousin Elizabeth I was also fond of spaniels (her father, Henry VIII, had tried to cut down on the stench of his palaces by banning all dogs indoors except for ladies’ lap dogs–and monkeys). Elizabeth II, of course, is well-known for her love of Corgis. (A friend of mine has one–they are adorable, but they shed like crazy! I always wonder if the queen has someone following the dogs around Windsor with a ShopVac…)

Charles II loved his little spaniels so much that they are now named for him–Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. (He even passed a law saying these little dogs could go into any public place, even Parliament! I’d love to see if that is still in effect).

In later years, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were well-known for their troop of Pugs (11 altogether, including Dizzy/Disraeli, Davy Crockett, Trooper, Winston, etc) who traveled with them equipped with their own jeweled collars and silver, monogrammed water bowls. (Pugs have always had their champions! Prince William of Orange was said to have been saved by his Pug Pompey when the dog barked in the night to warn him of the approach of the Spanish in 1571. His descendents William and Mary brought Pugs with them to England when they assumed the throne in 1688. And an aunt of Catherine the Great, Princess Hedvig Sophia of Sweden, had 16. I cannot imagine the amount of Pug hair there must have been in her palace)

No other British monarch was as well-known for their affinity to dogs than Queen Victoria. Starting when she was a princess and she acquired her first dog, a spaniel named Dash (a gift from her bete noir Sir John Conroy–the puppy didn’t improve her opinion of him, but she adored Dash, and was heartbroken when he died in 1840), she always had a troop of dogs following behind her. She owned about 15 different breeds–mastiffs, border collies, greyhounds, Pugs (Bosco was her favorite Pug), greyhounds, Japanese chins, Skye terriers named Islay and Cairnach, a Scottie named Laddie, etc. Her favorite dogs were Pomeranians. Poms were actually introduced to England by Queen Charlotte, who brought them with her on her marriage in 1761.

Queen Victoria bought her first Pom on a trip to Italy in 1888, a red-sable named Marco (who later won Cruft’s). Her last Pom was Turi, who comforted her on her deathbed.

Dash the spaniel
Princess Vicky with Laddie
Queen Victoria’s Dogs and Parrot, by Landseer
Poms were also beloved by many other figures in history. Michelangelo had one (who watched him paint the Sistine Chapel from the comfort of its silk cushion!), Isaac Newton, Mozart (whose dog was named Pimperl), and Chopin (who did not have one of his own, but loved a friend’s dog so much he wrote “Valse des Petits Chiens” for it).

And Marie Antoinette always had a coterie of little dogs trailing around Versailles behind her, including the Poms! She also adored Poodles, Papillons (including one named Thisbe), and Pugs (such as the famous Mops, an Austrian Pug who was taken away from her on her entry to France–but later returned).

Madame de Pompadour preferred the elegant and tres French Papillon, and had two named Ines and Mimi who went with her everywhere. (I adore this breed, and if I had room in my house for one more dog–which I definitely don’t!–I’d have this one).

As it is, I have a Poodle (who doesn’t shed at all, but who is very bossy and opinionated), and a Pug (who is laid-back and agreeable, but sheds like crazy and eats a lot). I’d love to have footmen and parlor maids to clean up after them and their cat siblings, as Queen Victoria and Marie Antoinette must have!

What are your favorite dogs, either in history or in your own house? And do you have any tips for getting Pug hair off the sofa???

The winners of our Big Blogging Weekend are:

Louisa Cornell (The Notorious Bridegroom)
Caffey (Seduce Me)

Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to us at riskies@yahoo.com