Happy Saturday, everyone! I am off to our annual Friends of the Library book sale this morning (500,000 books all piled up, just waiting for me! And super-cheap, too). But first, a couple items. I’ve been doing research this week on 18th century fashions, and posted some of the gorgeous images on my own blog. And I’ve finally set up my own Facebook page, so “friend” me, if I haven’t already tracked you down! And I just added a Risky Regencies page yesterday, so while you’re at it come and sign on as a Fan…

And, of course, tomorrow is the Oscars. My predictions–Actress, Winslet (she is way past due!); Actor, Penn (maybe Rourke); Supporting Actress, Cruz, the only really good thing in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, except Barcelona itself (or maybe Davis–she only had one scene in Doubt, but it was an amazing one); Supporting Actor, Ledger; Picture, Slumdog Millionaire (a good movie, IMO, but not a great one, not a Best Picture for the Ages, but still the best of this lackluster line-up). And Costumes, I’m going to guess The Duchess.

Plus Hugh Jackman is the host. I would watch for that if nothing else.

Now on to today’s RR topic! A few weeks ago, Julia Justiss guest-blogged about smugglers. I’ve never written a book featuring smugglers, though I’ve thought about it. But I do love me some anti-authority characters, both as a reader and a writer (and in real-life historical figures, too!). I’m always attracted to characters who follow their own natures and hearts, even when it has the potential to get them into trouble. Who refuse to conform, to compromise their own essential characters.

At the moment, I’m wrestling with this in my WIP. It’s the first book in my “Irish trilogy” (out from Grand Central Publishing in February 2010!), set amidst the 1798 United Irishmen uprising. In this story, it’s my heroine, Eliza, who is anti-authority–despite being a countess (and thus not really “outsider,” as Megan talked about yesterday), she believes fervently in Irish independence, and has been writing “seditious” pamphlets and aiding fugitives. Back into her life comes her girlhood sweetheart, William, the gorgeous man she never forgot. But he is a major in the British Army. He sees the injustices of life in Ireland, but believes they can only be solved from the “inside,” reforming politics–not overthrowing it, as Eliza and her friends think. Neither will budge–which will prevail? (And when will they stop being stubborn and do what I tell them???)

Any which way, the dilemmas of these two strong people have me tied up in writing knots…

Who are some of your favorite anti-authority characters? (Or types–smugglers, pirates, rebels, bluestockings?). Any Oscar predictions or favorites? And now I am off to book-shop, yay! I will let you know if I make any great finds today.

Today, of course, is February 14, Valentine’s Day! The Big V-Day. The day of pink and red, of flowers and chocolates. The day of over-priced “special menus” in restaurants, served by surly waiters who definitely don’t want to be there helping you make the day Very Special. But the flowers and chocolates (and champagne!) make that okay…

Speaking of flowers, I have a very cute old book that belonged to my grandmother about the “language of flowers.” Floriography (a means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages) was especially popular with the Victorians, who loved all things sentimental. But this idea goes back to antiquity, and was well-known in Medieval and Renaissance art (all those saints with their symbolic blossoms). So, I took out this book and tried to put together bouquets for various romantic couples. Here’s what I came up with…

Emma and Mr. Knightley Arbor vitae (everlasting friendship); Daffodil (chivalry, respect, uncertainty); Gorse (love in all seasons); Heliotrope (devotion); Honeysuckle (devoted affection); Lavender-colored roses (love at first sight–literally in their case); Lavender (devotion)

Elizabeth B. and Mr. Darcy Buttercup (riches); Mint (suspicion); Oats (music); Blue poppies (mystery, attaining the impossible); Red tulips (declaration of love); Light pink roses (desire, passion, joy of life); Wheat (wealth and prosperity)

Cathy and Heathcliff Amaranth (immortal love); Bird’s foot trefoil (revenge); Lobelia (malevolence); Mallow (consumed by love); Marigold (pain and grief); Love lies bleeding (hopelessness); Black poppy (death, hatred, farewell); anemone (forsaken, sickness). Wow, they sound like they’d be fun on Valentine’s Day…

Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester Acacia (secret, chaste love); Purple carnations (my heart aches for you); Oak leaf (strength), Oxeye daisy (patience); White poppy (consolation); Eglantine rose (a wound to heal); Elderflower (compassion); Snowdrop (consolation or hope); Blue and white violets (faithfulness/modesty)

Catherine Morland and Mr. Tilney Purple and white lilacs (first love/youthful innocence); Mullein (good nature); Cherry blossom (a good education); Forget-me-not (true love); Red and yellow mixed roses (joy, happiness, excitement)

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? Any favorite romantic couples you’d like to send flowers to? And hey, what are your own favorite flowers? (I love pink roses and gardenias…)

Happy Saturday, everyone! First, a few tidbits: As Megan said yesterday, she and I are on Twitter (thanks to Keira’s urging, and my own never-ending quest to find ways to waste time online). Come and “follow” us, though most of my updates consist of “drinking tea and looking at stuff on Etsy while meant to be working.”

For the last, er, year or more, I have done no updates to my own blog, but am going to start doing at least a few, if only to keep myself up-to-date on what’s going on in my book world! Book releases, vacations, maybe what I’m reading that day. Visit me here!

MAC cosmetics is coming out with a genius new line of Hello Kitty goodies! I have a pink lipgloss called “Nice Kitty” on order…

And, most important, I have a new alter ego! Her name is Laurel McKee (Laurel being my middle name, McKee a random Irish name I liked), and she will be writing my “Daughters of Ireland” series with Grand Central Publishing! She’s hoping to have her new website unveiled St. Patrick’s Day, with the first book out February 2010. It’s going to be fun having a split personality!

And author Ann Radcliffe died on this date in 1823. She could be called “Queen of the Gothic novel,” as many of the standard elements of her plots can still be found in novels today, such as innocent heroines, dark, mysterious heroes, dramatic settings, and wicked villains. (And she was the most popular writer of her own day, influencing Keats and Scott among others, and forming the centerpiece of Catherine Morland’s literary obsessions in Northanger Abbey).

She was born in London in 1764, the only child of William and Anna Ward, and married William Radcliffe at age 22. (Radcliffe was a lawyer, and later editor and owner of The English Chronicle). Ann was said to be shy and reclusive, so not much was known about her private life, which gave rise to many rumors. (She had gone mad as a result of her terrible imagination and been sent to an asylum! She had been captured as a spy in Paris! She ate rare pork chops before bed to stimulate nightmares for her novels!)

J.M.S. Tompkins writes that in all Radcliffe’s novels “a beautiful and solitary girl is persecuted in picturesque surroundings, and, after many fluctuations of fortune, during which she seems again and again on the point of reaching safety, only to be thrust back again into the midst of perils, is restored to her friends and marries the man of her choice.” Sounds like the Victoria Holt stories I was addicted to as a teenager!

Her best known works include A Sicilian Romance (1790), The Romance of the Forest (1791), The Italian (1796), and of course The Mysteries of Udolpho. She also wrote a travelogue, A Journey Through Holland and the Western Frontier of Germany (1795) and various poems, which were published by her husband after her death along with the historical romance Gaston de Blondville.

More information can be found (mostly on the books, since the details of her life are still obscure–though I doubt the pork thing) in Deborah Rogers’ Ann Radcliffe: A Biography-Bibliography (1996).Have you ever read any of Radcliffe’s works? Have any favorite modern Gothic authors?? I’m thinking a Mysteries of Udolpho-theme Halloween party would be lots of fun…

Have you ever read any of Radcliffe’s books? Have any favorite modern Gothic authors? And what might you wear to my Halloween party???

When I was a kid, my parents had a beautiful coffee table book about Great Archaeological Sites of the World. I was totally fascinated by it, spent hours poring over photos of the Valley of the Kings, the Parthenon, Newgrange, Scandinavian bog bodies, etc. Somehow I became convinced there was Viking treasure in our backyard (because the Vikings could have sailed a longship into the desert of Albuquerque, right?), and set up my own dig in our backyard. My parents weren’t too happy I tore up our precious patch of grass, but our dogs were able assistants in the digging process. They even unearthed some bones, though they sadly proved to be old Nylabones they themselves buried and not the remains of Viking warriors.

I’ve never quite lost that fascination with archaeology and the ancient world. So, I was very happy to meet the heroines of my new Regency series, “The Muses of Mayfair.” The Chase sisters are the daughters of a renowned scholar and antiquarian, who named his children after the Greek Muses. Calliope, Clio, and Thalia aren’t content with just inspiring people, though–they’re passionate scholars in their own right. And their romances take place against the backdrop of antiquities and archeological skullduggery.

In Book One, To Catch a Rogue, we met the eldest Muse Calliope, who suspected Cameron de Vere, Earl of Westwood, of being London’s infamous Lily Thief and determined to catch him out. A bit of a nuisance when she fell in love with him, then…

Book Two, To Deceive a Duke, is Clio’s story, and is out in the UK this month! Clio is the most fiery and independent of the Chase Muses, and her love for the mysterious Duke of Averton is just as unpredictable. They parted on, shall we say, less than amiable terms in To Catch a Rogue. Now they meet again on an archaeological dig in sun-blasted Sicily, where Clio is set on saving a fabulous collection of Hellenistic silver (based on the famous Morgantina Hoard). Is the duke on her side, allied with her against a host of dangerous villains? Or is he, too, out to steal the silver–and destroy her in the process?

Book Three, Thalia’s story To Kiss a Count (set in Bath) will be out later this year. And all 3 will be released in the US, in consecutive months, in 2010! I am so excited about that.

To win a copy of To Decieve a Duke, go to Nicola Cornick’s website and check out our joint contest! TDAD can also be ordered from Amazon.uk and Harlequin Mills and Boon.

What were some of your favorite childhood passions? Have any favorite archeological sites? And what color satin dress do you think Thalia will show up in on her cover? (I also call this series “The Bridesmaid Muses,” since they appear to have escaped from a pastel-hued wedding party! I vote for pale blue…)

Hello everyone! First of all, I know everyone joins me in sending our love to Elena and her family, along with best wishes for her husband’s speedy recovery. I’ve big shoes to fill, but I’m honored the Riskies have invited me to guest blog today. It’s always such fun to be part of the lively exchange of ideas here!

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about not just the written word but the spoken word. I wasn’t one of those kids who went out for school plays, so when my editor at Grand Central Publishing asked me to do a podcast on why I love the Regency era, I was more than a little nervous. And then, on top of that, I was asked to be part of a romance reading in New York City next week. Gulp. Speak aloud? Read from my books? The sweat was already trickling down my spine.

Writing the podcast was easy–then I started to practice saying it aloud. The first attempt came out as a croak. The second herky-jerky stumbling. Finally, I was able to get through it without too many hitches. But now, that reading awaits, and I’ve started another round of practice. For those who haven’t tried it, reading aloud isn’t easy! Oh, mumbling the words doesn’t take much effort, but to capture the mood and nuances of the story, to make the characters come alive, is a daunting challenge. It made me realize how, with CDs, DVDs, TV, I-pods, and the Internet to keep ourselves amused, reading aloud is pretty much a lost art.

Of course, that wasn’t so in the Regency. Just look at the novels of Jane Austen to see countless examples of how the practice was woven into the fabric of everyday life. Fanny Price, like so many poor relations and paid companions, was expected to keep her aunt’s boredom at bay by reading to her. The Bennet sisters had to sit through Mr. Collins’s pompous readings of religious texts.

We’re also constantly reminded of how one of the main sources of evening entertainment for a family was reading a novel together after dinner, with each family member taking a turn. Poetry was also popular–though I imagine not many parents allowed their daughters to recite Byron’s Don Juan aloud!

The more I thought about it, the more I realized the oral tradition of storytelling has been part of the human experience since the dawn of civilization. Starting with the ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, which dates from around 2000 BC, where we see the archetypal theme of “hero and quest”–ha, you see, romance was at the root of our imagination even then! This continues with Beowulf and epic Greek poems like The Illiad and The Odyssey.

The Middle Ages saw the rise of the troubadour tradition, which combined epic poetry and song. The French courts developed the idea of Courtly Love, and Eleanor of Aquitaine brought this tradition to England when she married Henry II. During this time we also see the rise of the Arthurian legends. Love, honor, jealousy, sex, betrayal–the romance is heating up!

Dante, Milton…I could go on and on, but fast-forward to today, where the idea of going and listenting to someone reading aloud seems something of an oddity, a quaint, old-fashioned throwback to the past. I suppose that audio books are the closest thing we have to the oral tradition.

But back to my own experience. After practicing until I’m blue in the face, I have come to two realizations. One–I made a wise career choice in steering away from the performing arts. Two–much as I want to like listenting to stories, I still prefer to read them. I’m one of those people who just doesn’t follow a narrative well by listening. It seems to go in one ear and out the other. My mind wanders–I forget what I heard–a particular voice isn’t my idea of the character. I need to see the words on the page (yes, I still prefer books to e-readers!) to go at my own pace, to hear my own voices for the characters.

What about you? Do you enjoy both? Can you absorb both?

What are some favorite stories for hearing aloud?

Andrea will be reading, along with Hope Tarr, at 7:00 pm on February 2, at Madame X, 94 West Houston Street! More details here