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Everything* I Know I Learned From Romance Novels

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Some non-genre readers scoff at us fanat–that is, engaged readers of genre fiction. Romance, for example, they deride as being fluff, female porn, and the ever-loathed term “bodice ripper.”
But I have learned a lot–A LOT– from romance novels. For example:

One Saturday, the spouse and I were listening to NPR, and they had one of their quiz shows (no, I don’t remember the title. If I did, I would have said!). They were playing Dictionary, where someone finds an obscure word and the contestants have to make up definitions, and the real definition is included, and the other side has to vote on which definition is the right one.
The word was “delope.” I knew, of course, that it meant to shoot your pistol into the air during a duel because I . . . drumroll please . . . read historical romances.

I was up on the whole War of the Roses controversy because I devoured Anya Seton‘s Katherine. I also knew the prose Wat Tyler chanted during the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt because of the same book (“When Adam delved and Eva span/Who was then the gentleman?).

I’ve always used the phrase “mutton dressed as lamb” to indicate an older woman wearing garments better suited for a younger one, and now my Swank Husband (and his NY-editorial friends) all use the term too. I routinely ask my husband “Do I look muttony?” before going out.

“Hard-pressed” refers to the forced conscription of men into the navy during wartime.

I know all of Henry VIII’s wives in order: Katherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Catherine, Katherine (that is from memory, I think I got all the ‘Katherine’s done properly) because of reading historical romance.

).While watching Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World, I leaned over and told my husband Admiral Lord Nelson had lost an arm, too, so Capt. Aubrey’s next revelation to the young injured cabin-boy made me look extra-cool (or geeky. You decide

I know all about how important it was to be seated above the salt at a banquet table. I am a big fan of salt, btw.

I know there’s more, but I think I’ve blathered enough–what facts have you learned from reading romance?

Megan
www.meganframpton.com
*Well, not everything, but a lot of things.

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Regency Heroines’ Quiz

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This week, we’ve been wowed by the Research Nerds (Cara and Elena), Amanda’s cooking larks, and Janet’s quest for inspiration. Today I woke up with a vicious, pre-flu headache, which necessitates my bringing the tone down a bit for today’s post. Discussion follows the quiz:

Bluestocking
Oh dear, you are Bookish, aren’t you? You are a highly intelligent and witty bluestocking, whose beauty is hidden behind spectacles. Your dress sense is eccentric and a little unfashionable, and you consider yourself plain. You have very little use for men, who find your knowledge of Shakespeare, interest in politics and forthright speech formidable. You are undoubtedly well-off. The only reason for your presence in a novel of this kind (which, I might add, you would not dream of reading, although you have occasionally enjoyed the works of Miss Austen), is your mother, who is absolutely determined that you will make a good marriage. Rather than defying her directly, you are quietly subversive, dancing with anyone who asks you, but making no attempt to hide your intellectual interests. The only person who can get past your facade is the man who is witty enough to spar with you, and be amused at your blatant attempts to scare your suitors away. While you will, no doubt, subject him to a gruelling cross-examination to find out whether his respect for your intelligence is real or mere flattery, you may be sure that he is your match, and that you, he AND your mother will all live happily ever after,

The Regency Romance Quiz: What kind of Romance Heroine are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Okay, so probably a lot of romance readers would get the same result. Most of us are, by definition, bookish. But is that the kind of heroine you like to read about? For me, the answer is a resounding ‘yes.’ I love the intellectual, forthright, opinionated heroines who aren’t afraid of saying what they know. I don’t mind reading about feisty women, but they also have to be intelligent, not just spirited. Amanda Quick’s heroines are usually this type of bookish miss, and I love them. Loretta Chase’s heroines are often a good deal smarter than the hero (or at least it seems that way). Many traditional Regencies feature governesses, companions, scholars’ and vicars’ daughters, and I like reading their transformation as they develop a passion for love as well as for books.

So–which personality types do you most like your heroines to have? Do you consider yourself a “highly intelligent and witty Bluestocking?” And which heroines best demonstrate the qualities you like the most?

Thanks for sharing!

Megan
http://www.meganframpton.com

Posted in Frivolity, Reading, Writing | Tagged | 8 Replies

Miss Austen? Misses Bronte? Mr. Borges?

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Next week–February 9th from 12:30-2:00, to be exact–I’ll be signing books, along with
Eloisa James, at Waldenbooks in Rockefeller Center in New York City. It’s my first bookstore signing, and I’m pretty psyched (and yes, I will be wearing all black. I mean, did you expect taupe and teal?).

Which led me to think about meeting authors, and what you’d say to them, or if you even like meeting authors (or musicians, or artists, or actors), or if you prefer to keep your distance. And if you did meet someone whose work you admire–an author, specifically–what would you ask?


If I could ask Jane Austen a question, it would be: ‘Can I be you?’ No. Maybe not. How about ‘Do you like people, or do you just like making fun of them?’ Or ‘Were you trying to be so obvious in naming Mr. Knightley?’

If I met the Bronte sisters, I’d have to ask just what they felt about their brother, and were they really as nutty as their writing makes them seem.

If I met Jorge Luis Borges, I’d ask him–oh, I dunno. It wouldn’t be possible to ask him how his mind works, so I think I’d just gawk (I thought of Borges because in addition to Groundhog Day, yesterday was also the date of the founding of Buenos Aires, and Borges was Argentinean).

So–do you like getting to meet creators in person? Which authors would you most like to meet, and what would you ask them? Whom have you met already?

And, if you are in NYC next week, come say hi!

Megan
www.meganframpton.com

Posted in Reading, Writing | Tagged , , | 10 Replies

What’s Next?

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Thanks to everyone for joining our Risky Regencies Blog Party last week! It was a lot of fun to get to know all of you.

(Of course, now I’m lying on the couch with a big bag of ice on my forehead and there are empty teapots and scone crumbs scattered everywhere.)

This week, the romance review website All About Romance ran Robin Uncapher’s column on 2005’s Buried Treasures (books, that is). Janet’s and my books were mentioned as traditional Regencies that were Buried Treasures, which is cool. Here’s what they said:

Traditional Regency
One could easily argue that any traditional Regency is a buried treasure, but we offer these two as buried treasures.

Dedication by Janet Mullany
Blythe Barnhill liked this unusual, “hot rated” traditional Regency about a 37-year-old woman and a 43-year-old hero who is a grandfather.
A Singular Lady by Megan Frampton
I liked this witty trad about an impoverished but very resourceful young woman who decides to marry for money and accidentally falls in love with an earl whom she mistakenly believes is poor. The chemistry between leads is excellent. The author is fond of literary references and readers who get a kick out of reading about very smart people will like this book. Megan Frampton is a former AAR reviewer.

Given that the traditional Regency has died a traditional death at traditional
publishers, it’s great to know people are still reading them, and what’s more, liking them. The column is run in conjunction with AAR’s Annual Readers’ Poll. Likely this will be the last year to vote for the best traditional Regency, so if you’ve read any you’ve enjoyed–the six Riskies’, or someone else’s–head on over and vote. And thanks for the kudos, AAR!

We talked about the demise of the trad when the news first became official, and I know some of the Riskies talked about our next projects. But what about you? What genres would you like to see more of? Which would you like to see less of? What trends do you like in romance? And, of course, what trends are you not so fond of?

I’ll answer, too: I’d like to see more medievals and more hybrid genres (medieval Romantica? Western suspense (“someone’s been killin’ all the cowpokes!”). I’d like to see fewer paranormals, unless it’s a hybrid (the straight vamp’n’wolf thing is getting tired, to me at least). I like the trend of writers taking more risks with their characters–Janet’s is a perfect example, with a heroine who’s experienced and likes it. Laurie talked a bit about the ‘imperfect’ heroine, and I like that trend a lot. It’s more interesting to read about real people (and as we all know, real people ARE imperfect). The trends I don’t like are . . . hm. Probably characters who jump from A to (Thinking About) Bed in a matter of moments; even the most sexually-focused people have other thoughts that rattle around their brains. That’s a habitual complaint, however, so isn’t exclusive to this year.

What are your thoughts?

Megan
www.meganframpton.com

Posted in Reading | 5 Replies

Sleep On It

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Inspiration comes from so many places.

Mother’s Day is tomorrow, and as usual, what I want for Mother’s Day can be summed up in one word:
Sleep.

Now, I know I can be a bit…obsessed about getting more sleep. I never get enough, and I always want more. But there’s more to it than that: I’ve found that I am able to work things out while I sleep, which means that when I am stuck in terms of writing, I take a bath and then a nap, and usually the answer comes to me while I am unconscious.

My friend described the brain process like a funnel–you’ve got all this stuff jammed up in the top part, then something shakes loose, and it comes pouring down. Being asleep lets stuff shake loose. So you’ve actually assembled the elements before you go to sleep, it’s just that it shakes loose while your mind is free to wander.

I’m working on the second book for my Loveswept releases, which means I am finding myself with the urge to nap–for work purposes, of course!–quite often. Just this morning I had some plot epiphanies, which were pretty cool, and this weekend my Mother’s Day gift will be writing time, so I’ll get a chance to implement them in the book.

When does your best creative time occur? How do you shake things loose?

Megan
PS: I’ll be relaunching my website next week, with a cool new design! Woot!

Posted in Writing | Tagged , | 5 Replies