Category: Risky Book Talk

Posts in which we talk about our own books

Read a Regency Romance!

Updated on August 18, 2014 by diane

Today I’m one of the authors for Read A Romance Month, which is taking the whole month to celebrate romance and to encourage readers to read a romance!

Read A Romance Month is an idea conceived by romance fan, NPR feature writer and Kirkus reviewer, Bobbi Dumas, as a way for romance authors and fans to come together to celebrate the genre they love–Romance!

Bobbi lined up 93 authors to write essays about celebrating romance and who answer some fun interview questions. I’m delighted to be a part of it. You can read my essay here.

One of the interview questions for the authors was to tell about a book that changed our lives. I did not choose one book, but a whole genre–the genre of Regency Romance!

I didn’t discover Regency Romance until after I’d started writing. I’d read a few of the historical romance groundbreakers, like The Flame and The Flower, but when my friend Helen pointed me to the traditional regencies and to Georgette Heyer, I found the world where I belonged!

I can think of three books that stood out for me in that period, although I’d read dozens. I devoured the Signets and Zebras and I still miss those shorter “trads.”

1. The Rake and The Reformer by Mary Jo Putney

The Rake and the Reformer was the first traditional regency I read and I loved it. I loved the characters and the real issues they struggled with. I loved the world they lived in. I was hooked. Mary Jo went on to rerelease this book in a longer version titled The Rake, but I always preferred the story in its original form.

2. Venetia by Georgette Heyer

I loved Heyer’s Regency romps, but Venetia, for me, was pure romance and that was what I loved about it. It was so clear to me how these two characters needed and deserved each other and I loved how Heyer brought about the happy ending.

3. The Last Frost Fair by Joy Freeman

This book gets mixed review on sites where it is rated, but I loved it. It was so very emotional and its hero and heroine needed to go through so much before they found their happy ending. Before reading this, I had no idea that a Frost Fair on the Thames could have existed.

I could also have included the early traditional regencies by Mary Balogh to this list–An Unlikely Duchess and A Precious Jewel, are two that come to mind. An Unlikely Duchess was as madcap as Heyer could be, and A Precious Jewel showed me that an author could be daring in her choice of characters and story lines and still write a successful romance.

When Amanda, Megan, Janet, and Elena, who were all writing traditional-but-risky regencies at the time, asked me to join Risky Regencies blog, I was delighted that they thought my books fit in with theirs, because they were also writing the sort of books that changed my life!

What Regency romances were important for you?

Go to Read a Romance Month for a chance to win a signed copy of A Lady of Notoriety!

Posted in Reading, Regency, Risky Book Talk | 5 Replies

Summer’s going fast!

Updated on August 15, 2014 by Elena Greene

I’m insanely busy, so my apologies for a quick, catch-up kind of post.

I haven’t had a great deal of time for writing, but I’m still doing some story brainstorming. Last weekend, I spent a day at Salt Springs State Park in PA with friends from church. I hiked up a waterfall (no pics of the waterfall as I am too klutzy to dare carry a camera or phone while doing something like that) and also walked along the creek. Later I spent some time working on ideas for another novella, this time a sequel to Lady Em’s Indiscretion, rounding out the trilogy.

I’ve also been working on another Big Project which I’ll tell you all about when the time gets closer.

Now I’m concentrating on getting my oldest ready to head off to college next week. So many emotions! I had a mini-meltdown, breaking into tears as we were leaving Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday. But I’m excited too, and of course happy that my daughters have opportunities not available to ladies in the Regency. (Read more about education during the Regency in this article by Cheryl Bolen.)

A fan has suggested I write a story inspired by these experience, kind of “Yentl in the Regency”. I don’t know. Has that already been done? How’s everyone else spending the end of this summer?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

Posted in Risky Book Talk | 2 Replies

Back and inspired

Updated on August 1, 2014 by Elena Greene

I’ve just returned from a 2 week family vacation: a week in the Bahamas with a little time before and after to visit my husband’s family in Orlando.

Because my oldest is heading off to college, I wanted to have one more big family vacation and splurged on a trip to the Club Med at San Salvador in the Bahamas. No cooking, cleaning or driving once we got there. Just lots of great food, friendly staff and fellow guests, cute French Canadian kids for my daughters to dance with (the resort is very French), snorkeling, and sun like we never see in upstate New York.

Here’s me with one of the Club Med specialty drinks. It’s called an Oasis–kind of a gin and tonic fancied up with blue Curacao and mint leaves. Refreshing and very pretty!

And here’s the view from our room. Besides ogling pretty tropical fish and enjoying the drinks and food (did I mention the chocolate croissants at every breakfast?) I also enjoyed sitting out on the balcony and story brainstorming.

I haven’t gotten very far yet with the series I mentioned earlier; I’m still doing research. But I did finish outlining an idea I’d had earlier for a prequel to Lady Em’s Indiscretion, my sexy novella. This story will feature the couple who own the folly in which Lady Em and her hero had their romantic interlude. I’m also thinking about a story for Lady Em’s brother, so eventually this may become a trilogy of novellas for those of my readers who enjoy a short reads that are a bit hotter than my usual.

So what has everyone else been doing? Any good vacations or accomplishments? Any interesting cocktails you’ve tried recently, or that are your favorites?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

Posted in Risky Book Talk | 2 Replies

What makes a Regency “Traditional”?

Updated on June 27, 2014 by Elena Greene

I’m always interested in the keywords used to describe books. Having already talked about what “sweet” means with regard to Regencies, I’m moving on to “traditional”.

There are various explanations of how traditional Regencies differ from Regency-set historical romance.

Traditional Regencies are short. But some of the older ones were 80,000 words or more, especially those published as Super Regencies.

Traditional Regencies are “sweet.” There are many exceptions, including some books by the Riskies. Sweet historical romance also exists.

Traditional Regencies depict the world of the Regency as described by Jane Austen and/or Georgette Heyer. True to a degree, but neither of them ever included paranormal elements like vampires. Or time travel. Or Greek deities who take a mischievous role in the characters’ love lives.

Traditional Regencies are historically accurate. Not always! I’ve heard there was a Zebra Regency that included photography as if it were in common use. I’ve also read traditional Regencies with errors in titles, fox hunting in the summer, etc…, and many that seem to rely almost entirely on Georgette Heyer for background information. Although we know she did meticulous work, the sensibility in her books is largely Victorian.

One other point is that many authors of Regency-set historical romance do extensive research (I do!) although they may incorporate aspects of the setting that were not seen in books by Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer.

Traditional Regencies are light and witty “comedies of manners”. There were some pretty angsty traditional Regencies, dealing with substance abuse, PTSD and other serious themes.

So even while some of these traits often describe traditional Regencies, it seems to me that the only simple definition is those books published in the traditional Regency lines. Of course, now there are indie authors and specialty lines who publish what are generally agreed to be “traditional” Regencies.

The only definition I’ve been able to come up with that makes sense is that in a traditional Regency, the Regency setting is more consistently emphasized, described in detail (even if the detail may be incorrect or copied from Georgette Heyer), and that the setting often takes on an importance almost as if it were a secondary character.

So what do you think? What makes a Regency “traditional”?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

Posted in Regency, Risky Book Talk | Tagged traditional Regency | 16 Replies

Winner of Lord Langdon’s Kiss and an Excerpt

Updated on May 29, 2014 by Elena Greene

Congratulations to Theresa. You’ve won the paperback copy of Lord Langdon’s Kiss. If you do not hear from me, feel free to email at elena @ elenagreene.com (no spaces).

And because I’m still struggling to get that To Do List I posted last week under control, all I have to offer today is an excerpt. I hope you enjoy it.

He addressed her again, in a lowered voice. “Miss Ashley. I must apologize for my behavior to you on our last meeting. It was a most ill-considered action on my part.”

Her unease gave way to indignation. There was no remorse in his face, only his usual guarded look. How dare he refer to what he had done as an “ill-considered action”?

Then she understood. He feared that she would accuse him of having compromised her. Did he think she would expect reparation, or cause a scandal by disclosing what he’d done? When she thought of all she’d done to avoid causing trouble between him and his brother, she wanted to scream.

Lord Langdon was clearly in need of a lesson.

“I beg to differ, my lord,” she answered sweetly, having brought her temper under control one more time. “In my opinion, trying to ravish one lady the day before proposing marriage to another merits a rather stronger description.”

He looked horrified. She’d guessed correctly; he was appalled by the thought of the trouble she could cause.

“You do not mean—”

“Do not be anxious, Lord Langdon,” she interrupted. “I shall do my utmost to forget the incident ever occurred.”

Lord Langdon’s Kiss is available in ebook form for Kindle, Nook, Apple, and Kobo. It’s also available in paperback at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

Posted in Giveaways, Risky Book Talk, Winners announced | Tagged LORD LANGDON'S KISS | 1 Reply