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Author Archives: diane

About diane

Diane Gaston is the RITA award-winning author of Historical Romance for Harlequin Historical and Mills and Boon, with books that feature the darker side of the Regency. Formerly a mental health social worker, she is happiest now when deep in the psyches of soldiers, rakes and women who don’t always act like ladies.

Happy Birthday to Us!

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This week marks the 6th anniversary of Risky Regencies, the original, riskiest, and forever the friskiest Regency Romance Blog. (Actually, our first blog was August 11, 2005, but we reserve the right – like the Queen – to celebrate our birthday whenever we wish)

All this week we’ll be celebrating…..Us! And we’ll be giving away prizes! Today I’m giving away a signed copy of Regency Improprieties, a UK rerelease of Innocence and Impropriety and The Vanishing Viscountess. Comment for a chance to win.
Throughout Risky Regencies, we haven’t always remained the same. Things have changed and evolved over the years. When Risky Regencies began all the Riskies were writing traditional regencies. Now look at us! That love of Regency remains, but our lives have all evolved into many other areas.
I joined the Riskies April 12, 2006, (You can read that first interview here) and lots has changed for me, certainly!
In 2006, I was introduced as Diane Perkins, who also wrote as Diane Gaston for Harlequin Historical. I had just become a Rita finalist (as Diane Gaston) for A Reputable Rake, the book with my favorite cover ever. My first blog posting was April 17, 2006, called My First Time, about why I love the Regency. I’ve revisited this topic many times over the years, in various ways.
At the time I had also written two books for Warner Forever (as Diane Perkins), The Improper Wife and The Marriage Bargain, and was working on a third. Shortly after that, my Warner life ended and Diane Perkins retired.
Diane Gaston is still going strong, though, with 9 books, 2 novellas, and one short story. Valiant Soldier, Beautiful Enemy will be released at the end of the month and is available right now from eHarlequin.
Last week I challenged everyone to come up with five things that makes them happy. Five things that make me happy about Risky Regencies are:
1. My fellow Riskies. I think our Riskies are brilliant, clever, witty, impassioned, and completely individualistic.
2. Our Risky community. I love our frequent commenters who feel like friends to me. And I love it when someone new finds us.
3. Our Risky guests. We have had an incredible array of guests, from a cover model to an author of gay historical fiction. But our emphasis on new authors especially makes me happy.
4. Our diversity. I love that each of us has our own style, our own particular interests, and our own particular bent on the Regency.
5. The information! I learn so many things at Risky Regencies. All about fashion from Amanda, for instance, and the definition of “Steampunk” from Megan (I’d never heard of it before). Not to mention all the information about the Regency that I learn here.
What about Risky Regencies makes YOU happy?
Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Regency Improprieties!
Posted in Jane Austen | Tagged , | 30 Replies

Happiness in “Our” Time

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There are so many horrific events in the news I decided we need to focus on happiness today.

The Romance genre celebrates happiness. After all, isn’t that what the “happily ever after” ending is all about? We’re such optimists, we romance writers and readers. We believe that love conquers all. We relish stories where the hero and heroine face seemingly insurmontable barriers to happiness, but, through love–and the ability to change–they achieve their happy ending.

The Regency period lends itself very well to the these ideas of love conquers all and happily ever after. The idea of marrying for love was a relatively new concept by the Regency period. Before then, people married for advantage or security or power, but the concept of the individual and individual happiness was a new idea. I think this was partly what made Jane Austen successful in her time period. Her books, especially Pride and Prejudice, juxtaposed the old concept of marriage for advantage with the new ideas of love and personal happiness.

Not only is the concept of happiness relatively new, the concept of beauty changes in the 1700s and early 1800s. More natural beauty became desirable. The formal gardens of the 1600s were torn down to create the “natural” landscapes of Capability Brown. The powdered wigs, brocades, lace, and voluminous skirts of the 1700s gave way to more natural silhouettes. Men’s clothing, influenced by Beau Brummell, became simplified and form-fitting. Women’s dresses, with empire waists and filmy fabrics also showed off the female body from top to toe.

When wars closed Europe for the Grand Tour, it became fashionable to tour the British countryside, searching for the “Picturesque.” Touring the Lake District, visiting ruins (or building faux ruins on your country estate) became the thing to do. Taking pleasure in the natural became a new source of happiness during the Regency.

Who of us doesn’t smile when we see beautiful clothes or a beautiful landscape? Enjoyment of beauty is a part of happiness.

Love, happiness, beauty….that’s my idea of the Regency. And I love escaping “real” life by spending my reading and writing time in such a lovely place.

What part of the Regency makes you happy? What else makes you happy? I challenge you to think of 5 things that make you happy. Then go out and smile at someone today.

Posted in Jane Austen | Tagged , , | 16 Replies

Carolyn’s Read Along

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Short post today because I have spotty internet access!

I started To Wed a Stranger by Edith Layton in order to prepare for Carolyn’s Risky Read-Along. I intended to read a little each day, like I usually do, and I expected to be behind in my reading as I usually am.
But I literally could not put this book down. I can’t wait for the Read-Along to begin!
While I was poking around the internet for information about Edith Layton, I came across this write-up on Wikipedia. Subject: Regency Novel: “Georgette Heyer, Barbara Metzger, Joan Smith, Marion Chesney, Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Nancy Butler, Lisa Kleypas, Stephanie Laurens…. Amanda McCabe and Julia Quinn.”
Our Amanda in such exalted company!!!! Now that’s just where she belongs.

What was the last book you read that you could not put down?

Are you prepared for the Risky Read-Along?
Posted in Jane Austen | Tagged , , | 6 Replies