Release Day Jitters

Tomorrow is the official release date for Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady, even though it seems to be in bookstores already and is available at online bookstores. The ebook version will be released tomorrow (Kindle owners take note!)

It is impossible to know for certain if your book "works" until comments appear, so I've been biting my nails a bit in anticipation of the feedback that comes with reader comments and reviews.

I've been so lucky that both Judy and Keira gave me mini-reviews in their comments to my blog last Monday. I almost breathed a sigh of relief reading what they had to say. And Judy wrote a lovely review on Amazon, which was very nice of her to do.


Early on I received a 4 star review from RT Book Reviews; that's always a pleasure.

And yesterday a new review appeared on CataRomance. Debby Guyette calls it "one captivating book." Yay!!!

But not all is rosy. Two reader reviewers on Amazon gave the book 3 stars, which is disappointing, because one hopes everyone loves the book, even if that is impossible. At least these readers explained their reasoning and listed both positives and negatives, which I appreciate.

Many of my author friends say not to read reviews, not to pay any attention to them. And it is true that I can quote the less enthusiastic lines from my very first and only Publishers Weekly review of The Improper Wife, but I also remember the PW reviewer thought I wrote "sizzling love scenes." The way I figure it, if I didn't look for reviews, I wouldn't see the positive ones, and I wouldn't know if my book "worked" for anyone.

There is also debate among my friends as to how much people pay attention to reviews. I personally think that they do influence whether or not a person buys a book. I have to admit that I read Amazon reviews before buying a book, unless I know the author or have read something else by that author. I try to assess whether the reviewer has an agenda behind a low review, though. You can mostly tell. And I'm not usually purchasing Romance books when I look at Amazon reviews. I also read RT reviews but typically to see how they've assessed friends' books, not to develop a reading list.

Of course, I no longer feel I'm a typical reader, so it is hard to say how much reviews would affect my book buying habits if I were. Before I was writing in earnest there weren't as many reviews online and I mostly went on reading "kicks." Reading all the Dick Francis books at one point; all the Victoria Holt, Bernard Cornwell, Georgette Heyer, Lois McMaster Bujold, any traditional Regency I could find. A book from the Washington Post Book World might have captured my attention, but mostly my choices seemed pretty random or began with a friend's recommendation.

How do you select a book?

How do reviews influence you? (I'm assuming they do)

Dec 2 I'm blogging with Romance Bandits and giving away a copy of Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady

Dec 6 I'll be here at Risky Regencies, also giving away a copy.

Check my website for the complete schedule.

Thankful

My son (who's 10) wrote this in school on Wednesday, and I thought I would share it with you all. Hope everyone who celebrates had a lovely day yesterday, filled with turkey, and pie, and family.

I’m Thankful For Life

I’m thankful for the rivers,

And all the snakes that slither

Through the trees that I’m thankful for also.

I’m thankful for the bugs,

The wasps, and the slugs,

And I don’t care if they’re gross or slimy.

I’ll make friends with a frog,

Or a serpent in the bog,

And it doesn’t matter if it’s grimy.

I’m thankful for the monkeys

And the lions that are funky

That live in the shiny Savannah,

And when the gibbons swing inters

The look at the chimpanzees,

Eating their yellow bananas.

I’m thankful for the skunks,

And the grey and black punks,

Who are usually known as raccoons.

And the mice who eat rice, and the rats who have lice,

And the capybaras who eat lemon-flavored macaroons.

I’m thankful for fish,

That flip and swish,

In the water and squirt and swim,

And the squids and sharks,

And the seals that bark,

And the swordfish that’s surprisingly thin.

I’m thankful for chickens and ducks,

And pigs, who flop in the much,

And the cows, who always say moo.

I like the horses and mules,

Who make all the rules,

I appreciate the brown turkeys, too.

I’m thankful for mountains,

And volcanoes that spew,

And I even like cells,

And viruses, too.

Parasites are coo,

And crabs ain’t no fool,

And I love all the salmon

In their little school.

I adore kittycats,

And tortoises that are fat,

And I’m thankful for anything that’s living.

Especially my family, and I hope

That everything

In this planet has

A marvelous Thanksgiving.

Me, too.

Megan

Happy Thanksgiving, it's The End!

No, not an early post for Thanksgiving according to the Mayan calendar.

I finished, sort of, my book called ... well, it doesn't actually have a name yet but it's about Jane Austen in Bath, vampires and a French invasion, with guest appearances by the Prince of Wales (later the Prince Regent), Beau Brummell, and Colonel Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington). Guess which one is a vampire. Coming from HarperCollins in fall (?) 2010.

So on Monday night I left work early and went home with my head stuffed full of the last three thousand words or so and started to write.

First phone call: from a worthy organization I told to take my name off their call list.

Phone call #2: daughter wanted to borrow my pretty pie dish (she is the official Thanksgiving pie maker) and I told her it was cracked, probably not a good idea.

Phone call #3: the person who had kindly invited me to attend the local Jane Austen Society birthday event as her guest. This necessitated me making a call to find out what day a possibly conflicting event was on--I am such a social butterfly--and finding out that I could attend neither the Austen event or event #3 that I really wanted to go to.

Phone call #4: from a worthy organization who hung up before I answered.

Phone call #5: my daughter again, asking if it was ok to ask our hosts if she could bring the office Thanksgiving orphan (there's always one) and I said yes, good idea.

Somehow, fielding more phone calls than I usually get in a week, I got to the point where I typed THE END. Yeehah.

Frantic editing and fact checking will follow and then straight into the next book. But I celebrated the end the next day by going to see the Pennsylvania Ballet's Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center, a last minute invite from my daughter the pie baker. Lots of fun!

Happy Thanksgiving, Risky friends (US) and happy Thursday to Risky friends elsewhere!

All About Eve

Sorry, you've been tricked. I am not the glorious and industrious Amanda McCabe, all ready with this totally awesome post about interesting historical figures. Nope.

By the time this posts, it will be the eve of the American holiday, Thanksgiving. Setting aside some of the painful ironies of the historical event, I've always thought Thanksgiving is one of the better holidays out there. It's not a holiday based on a religious or pagan event. Instead, we Americans get to eat great food, cheer for the Cowboys to lose (Sorry, Niner fan here) and spend time with family.

What's always fascinated me about Thanksgiving is how many of us take the Thanks seriously. I've always thought Samuel Pepys habit of taking account of his finances at the New Year was a great tradition. But I never do that. Because I don't want to be depressed.

Figuring out things I am thankful for is way more fun.

Here's my list. In no particular order. I swear.

• My writing friends. Thank goodness there are people out there who understand.
• My son. He's the best thing that ever happened to me.
• My iPhone. come here, little iPhone. Let me pet you....
• European Sipping Chocolate at Viva Cocolat. It's a wicked addiction. If you click through, you can see the black couch and chair where I often sit with my fellow writing-chocoholics and talk about books.
  
• Susan Boyle. I've watched her Britain's Got Talent First Round performance a bazillion times and I'm ALWAYS blown away and thrilled. I have her CD now, and now I can listen all day. Which I did today. Thanks, Susan!
• My agent. Seriously.
  
• Alexander Skarsgard. I am profoundly grateful for the distraction.
• Creative people in general. You folks blow me away, from favorite writers, musicians, actors, directors, artists and on and on. You put beauty into my life, and for that am truly grateful.
• The men and women who came before me and ensured that I live in a world that is better for me than it was for them. Here's a few:
  
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• John Stuart Mill
• Mahatma Gandhi
• Nelson Mandela
• Betty Freidan
• Gloria Steinam
• Rachel Carson
• Hannah Arendt
• Ellie Weisel
• Louis Pasteur
• Alexander Fleming
• Elizabeth Blackwell


• The men and women of our Armed Forces. I may not agree with how we got there, but thank you for serving our country.
• Pumpkin pie.
  
• Readers. Even if you don't read my books. (Really? You don't? sniff)
  
• Joe Montana. I was a San Francisco 49ers season ticket holder while Montana was the quarterback, and let me tell you, I have never ever seen anyone transform an event by just stepping on the field. Amazing. Thank you, Joe!
• Laura Kinsale

How about you?

Childhood Favorites

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Hope you're all ready for Thanksgiving (I'm going shopping for the ingredients for a chocolate-cherry cake later! Wish me luck, I haven't tried this one before). I've been unpacking from my trip last week (the book signing was a big success!), and diving into a new book. I love them at this point, when they're all shiny and new and the characters haven't started acting all stubborn yet.



I also have a holiday contest! Visit my Laurel McKee website before December 16 and enter for a chance to win an ARC of Countess of Scandal (out in February 2010!!)


Speaking of stubborn characters, I found out today is the birthday of one of my favorite childhood authors, Frances Hodgson Burnett! I first encountered her work when I found a battered old copy of The Secret Garden at my grandmother's house, and I love, love, loved that book. I wanted to go live at a crumbling, dark old manor house on the moors and work in the garden. I even loved cranky little Mary, who, unlike those horrible Elsie Dinsmore stories my grandmother tried to push on me, got to be unhappy and contrary (until nature saved her!). I also loved A Little Princess, with solemn, smart Sara and the gorgeous descriptions of her luscious wardrobe (until she was banished to the garret!). These stories created a world I adored and wanted to learn more about. I guess they were my first intro to the British historical.

Frances Hodgson was born in Manchester on November 24, 1849. When she was 4, her father died, leaving her mother with 5 children to raise on her own. Her mother tried to carry on with the family business, running a wholesale company that supplied art materials to manufacturers, but the company soon failed. Through these trials, little Frances was growing up precocious and observant. She wrote her first poem at age 7. In 1864, her family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee to join her mother's brother, but their finances did not improve.

Following the death of her mother in 1867, 18-year-old Frances was left responsible for her 2 younger siblings, and she turned to writing to support them all. Her first story was published in Godey's Lady's Book (Hearts and Diamonds), and she was soon printed regularly in that magazine along with Scribner's, Peterson's Ladies' Magazine, and Harper's Bazaar. She became known for her ability to combine details of real, working-class life with romantic plots and sensibilities. She usually earned $10 apiece for these tales.

In 1873 she married Dr. Swan Burnett, a man she had known since she was 15, and had her first child, Lionel, the following year. Her second son, Vivian, was born soon after on an extended trip to Paris. Her first book, That Lass o'Lowrie's, about a pit girl working in a coal mine, was published in 1877 to great praise. On their return to the US that year the family settled in Washington DC where she began moving in literary circles and entertained lavishly. She was also prolific--she wrote in quick succession Haworth's (1879), Louisiana (1880), A Fair Barbarian (1881), and Through One Administration (1883), as well as a play Esmeralda (1881). But she often struggled with illness and depression despite her success.

In 1885 she published her "breakout book," Little Lord Fauntleroy, said to be inspired by her son Vivian. This book earned her more than $100,000, with a hugely popular theatrical adaptation following. Velvet suits became worldwide craze, much to the lasting horror of little boys everywhere.

In 1887 she traveled to Europe with her sons, visiting London for the Queen's Golden Jubilee and then on to France and Italy. A Little Princess (originally published under the title Sara Crewe) was published at this time. But in 1890 her eldest son died, and she was consumed with grief. She became interested in spiritualism and Theosophy (she wrote about these beliefs in The White People). Her marriage ended in divorce in 1898 and she married her business manager, but this second marriage also ended in divorce less than 2 years later. Her best-known work, The Secret Garden was published in 1911, after she had been living at Great Maytham Hall in England for many years and actually found a hidden garden there.

She lived practically as a hermit, hounded by the gossip press, for the last 17 years of her life in Plandome, New York, and is buried next to her son Vivian in Roslyn Cemetery there.

Aside from the novels themselves, I have an excellent biography of Burnett, Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden by Angelica Shirley Carpenter and Jean Shirley. And just as an example of the fashion porn in A Little Princess: Her dresses were silk and velvet and India cashmere, her hats and bonnets were covered with bows and plumes, her small undergarments were adorned with real lace, and she returned in the cab to Miss Minchin's with a doll almost as large as herself, dressed quite as grandly as herself, too.

Did you love these books when you were a kid, too? What were some of your childhood favorites? And what are you cooking for the holiday???

The Elephant in the Room

Our Risky Regencies blog is not really the place to discuss Harlequin's recent announcement that they were adding a vanity press component targetted specifically to writers who aspire to write for Harlequin. If any of you are not aware of the issue, Keira amassed a great list of sites discussing it on her blog Cognitations and Meditation.

I've been consumed by this issue since its announcement, so there's no way I could blog today without mentioning it. As a Harlequin Historical author, I was particularly upset about this venture's name (Harlequin Horizons--now withdrawn by Harlequin) and its double H logo, because it was distressingly similar to Harlequin Historicals logo. This article was posted by the New Yorker, using a Harlequin Historical cover to illustrate, rather proving the point. If you follow the comments, mine is the one asking the writer to remove the cover. She did and she apologized.

I'm in total support of Romance Writers of America's immediate and tough stance, even though the consequences of the position will affect Harlequin authors like me.

So.... Since we're talking about elephants, let me mention that you might be able to find my December Harlequin book, Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady, in bookstores this week. If you can't find it, ask for it, especially in a Barnes & Noble, where it may be shelved after the Zs in the single title romances. Check out my website and its new content, including Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady's Behind the Book which should be posted today.

How do elephants relate to my December book and the Risky Regencies blog?

Well, the hero and heroine of Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady visit The Egyptian Hall, Bullock's Museum in Piccadilly. Opened in 1812, it contained William Bullock's collection of artifacts, including display after display of "stuffed" animals. You can see in this engraving that there is a "stuffed" elephant on display. Napoleon's carriage, captured at Waterloo, was also exhibited and was very much a success.

Georgette Heyer's Cotillion and Arabella include visits to the Egyptian Hall. Do you remember this scene from Cotillion?

Enlightenment dawned on Miss Charing. She gave an irrepressible gurgle of mirth. "Oh, Freddy, is that what brings you here?"

"Yes, it is, and it ain't anything to laugh at!" said Freddy. "Good God, you don't suppose I'd come to a place like this for no reason, do you? I'd as lief visit Westminster Abbey again!" He levelled his glass, and swept a condemnatory glance round the room. "In fact, liefer!" he added. "I don't say those effigies weren't pretty devilish, but they weren't as devilish as this freak you was staring at when I came in. You know what? - you'll start having nightmares if you don't take care! Lord, if it ain't just like Dolph to choose a place like this for his dashed flirtations! Shows you he's queer in his attic."

"He did not bring me here to flirt with me!"

"Now, don't you tell me he wanted to look at curiosities from the South Seas!" said Freddy warningly. "I ain't a big enough bleater to swallow that one! Just a trifle too loud, Kit!"

"No, of course he did not. Oh, dear, how awkward this is! I wonder what I should do?"

"Well, I can tell you that!" said Freddy. "You can stop making a cake of me. What's more, if you let Dolph go on hanging round you for ever I'll tell everyone that our betrothal is a hum!"

Ah, there's nothing like Georgette Heyer's voice!

What's your favorite Heyer? You know, the one you reread when you need a soothing escape?

(I think I'll go reread Venetia)

Guest Lori Brighton

A great big Risky welcome today to debut author Lori Brighton who will give away two signed copies of her book today! Your comment or question enter you into the drawing.

Like a breath of fresh, rain-washed air after a thunderstorm, Wild Heart awakens the senses and speeds up the heart rate.... A great read! Long and Short Romance Reviews

Lori, tell us the story behind the story: what inspired this book?

This is going to sound odd, but the Disney Cartoon Tarzan. My son was watching the movie a few years back. Around the same time, I saw a documentary on Discovery or some equally educational channel about feral children. I’d seen them both rather close together and thought, hmm, what it would it be like if my hero had been lost in the wild during his childhood? I also tend to like more alpha males and you couldn’t get a male more alpha than one who had survived on his own in a foreign country.

How easy did you find it to build paranormal elements into your setting and what makes your paranormal elements stand out?

I didn’t set out to make it paranormal but it just kept bugging me, insisting to be let in. I’ve had reviewers say that the paranormal element is subtle and blends well, which is exactly what I wanted.

Leo, the hero, lived a sort of animalistic life in the wilds of India. At first Ella, my heroine, was merely going to be an animal lover, but then I realized, why not make it paranormal? What if Ella had powers to control and sense the feeling of animals? Since Leo is more animalistic than most humans, she would be able to sense his emotions. I thought it would make the story more unique and connect Leo and Ella in a way they wouldn’t have been.

I’ve started calling the book “Heroes set in the Victorian Era.”

Did you discover anything particularly unusual in your research that you'd like to share?

Hmmm, I wrote the book such a long time ago, it’s hard to remember! I’ve had to do a lot of research into the Indian culture and history for this first book and even more so for the second book. So the entire culture as a whole was interesting and new to me.

As for Wild Heart, the one thing that sticks out was how hard it was to take away a person’s title. Leo’s cousin is out to get Leo’s rightful title and the fortune that come with it. The problem was how to get that title from Leo without having him die. Come to find out, it was pretty much impossible to get a title taken away from someone, even if they’d done horrible things. The closest I came was my understanding that if someone was insane, a board might be appointed to take on the responsibilities.

Whom did you identify with most closely when you wrote this book--your hero or your heroine? Why?

Leo, my hero, is very alpha, very blunt very much a left brain sort of man and so very different from me. But I’ve also thrown in some unique qualities to soften him, such as his love of art. Art is definitely something I’ve always enjoyed.

But overall, Ella is more like me. I think in most instances the author associates with the same sex character. Not always, but in most instances. And so far I associate more with my heroines than heroes. Ella loves nature and travel, like me. And like most women, Ella is caring, often at the expense of herself.

What drew you to the Victorian era?

I’ve always loved the Victorian era, probably because it’s the era most noticeable in the United States, especially the Midwest where I grew up. Big, old Victorian homes and those gorgeous dresses and ornate furniture. It was a very elegant time period, but also an era when people were expanding on their knowledge and environment. It was a big era of travel, antiquities and natural science. It’s also the first time period in which you have women leaving the home to work, so in that way there’s more freedom. Everything about it intrigues me.

And as I said in another interview—corsets and tight riding breeches, can’t get much sexier than that!

(Mmmm. Ahem.) Is there anything about the Victorian era you don't like or that you have trouble incorporating in your writing?

The truth about general hygiene at the time would certainly take the romance away from the story. So it’s always nice to leave out the fact that they probably only took a bath once a week. Let’s not even discuss women and their lack of shaving their legs and underarms. And can you imagine dental hygiene? Have I ruined it for you yet, because I can keep going…lol.

I think one of the most interesting aspects of the Victorian era is the fact that women were suddenly working outside the home, you have a rise of the middle class. There’s a lack of romances novels that focus upon these working women and the long hours and horrible jobs they had to do just to survive. Perhaps that will be my next heroine!

What is there in Wild Heart that you consider risky? (the Risky question!)

Definitely having the paranormal element is a little risky. I’ve tried combining two of the most popular genres- historical and paranormal. I know most readers want either straight historical, or straight paranormal but I had to take that risk because it felt right and I’m hoping it worked, that lovers of both genres will give their nod of approval.

As for the story itself…there’s also a rather risky scene in a Greek folly and then later in a carriage…but I won’t go into detail ;)

What's next for you?

I have ideas for three new series that I can’t wait to get started on! The problem is deciding which to start first.

As for the next book that will be released, it will be a spin off of Wild Heart. The book isn’t titled yet but it will be out near the beginning of 2011 and will feature a secondary character from Wild Heart as the hero. It takes place in India; it’s very much an action adventure and still contains that paranormal and romance. I’m really excited about it.

Lori will drop by today to chat more about her book, the naughty Victorians, and paranormal romance, so please ask away and your comment or question will enter you into the drawing for a prize.

The Elusive M Factor.

I'm filling in for Megan today so I'm afraid the cool factor will be missing from your Friday post. My apologies in advance.

Some of you may know that I am on Team Eric. But Megan is Team Bill. This picture is a good enough illustration of why that might be. Notice, please, that Bill, er, Stephen, is wearing the official New York uniform of black.


Here's another example of Megan-esque cool. Let's just call it the M-Factor:



As an example of how Megan is cool and I am not, when I Googled for photos of Clive Owens, I typed in Clive Butler because I was confusing Clive with Gerard. Not a mistake Megan would ever have made. Because I don't want you to make the same mistake, here's this:



I think all three of these M-Factor men could play a Regency hero.

Stephen Moyer as Mr. Darcy?

Clive Owen as Captain Wentworth?

Gerard Butler as Rochester? (OK, so that's not Regency. It's because I'm not cool.)

How, where and when would you cast these men in a Regency Story? Feel free to chose a book.

Moyer as Aiden Bedwyn From Balogh's Simply series? Or is he more Wulf? Maybe he's Wulf.

I think Butler or Owens could play the lead of Chase's Lord of Scoudrels.

Go on. Speculate wildly. Call on your inner Megan and cast these men in a Regency Romance.

Ladies Day at Riversdale

I know I should be writing something erudite about the latest Harlequin-RWA debacle but I'm also reading Terry Pratchett and I think it's coloring my perception. Truly, this is something that belongs in Discworld. I am also in the thick of deadline hell and am about to behead Jane Austen so you can see I'm rather distracted.

So I'll tell you instead what I did last weekend, which was to attend the Ladies Day at the federal-era Riversdale House Museum, a wonderful day of activities centered around Rosalie Stier Calvert's love of gardening and typical flower-related activities. Here are all the ladies in costume (once again my maid neglected to clean and iron my gown in time), with a rather beautiful golden glow that looks like candlelight but is in fact a result of the failing battery in the camera.

We made perfume using essential oils and yes, vodka, and mine has a bergamot base because I like the name rather than the smell, but I hope it improves over the next couple of weeks.

One very exciting part of the day was a lecture by Stacey Hampton, an expert on nineteenth-century hairstyles and hair ornaments. She gave us a terrific list of resources, including the website Timely Tresses.


She brought in a selection of Regency hair ornaments from her collection which we were allowed to touch, and she also gave a demonstration, on fake heads, of how to build a Regency hair style.

Also on display where these three beautiful bonnets decorated with flowers, constructed by Riversdale's historian Dr. Ann Wass. You can see in the background the original front doors of the house, a source of great pride for Rosalie Calvert, who boasted that not even Tommy Jeff in the White House had real solid mahogany doors.






In the afternoon we had afternoon tea with scones, neither of which are period, but are just plain good; we made the scones and we also attempted to sugar petals as decorations for the cupcakes, for which we made very runny icing (those egg whites would not stiffen. I spent a long time outside in the cool air with a bowl and a whisk). Sorry about the pic blurred with greed. We had spiced pear compote made with Riversdale's own pears and an interesting Swedish carrot marmalade for the scones.


So that's what I've been up to. What are you up to? And, aargh, it's Thanksgiving next week. Are you ready? I'm off the hook since I don't have a working oven...

Another bit of news. You can buy my next Regency chicklit book IMPROPER RELATIONS in advance at 55% off at bookdepository.com! Still no final cover but I know it will be pretty. The release date is February, 2010.

Are you Fashionable?

I have a book called The History of Fashion in France, or The dress of women from the Gallo-Roman period to the present time, from the French of M. Augustin Challamel by Mrs. Cashel Hoey and Mr. John Lillie.

The Present Time, by the way, for the purposes of this book is 1882. I bought it because the plates are intact and really pretty.

Now, the first thing I find interesting is that this doesn't say translated by so really, you can read this as stolen from M. Challamel because, come on, he wrote the book (in French) and Mrs. Hoey and Mr. Lillie translated it, right?

Well, whatever. Let's gloss over the fact that I own an apparently pirated PRINT book and get right into some interesting stuff.

From Chapter 1, the very first paragraph:

We learn with horror from ancient writers that certain women of Gaul were accustomed to dye their skin with a whitish matter, procured from the leaves of the woad or pastel, a cruciform plant from which is derived a starchy substance, that may be substituted for indigo for certain purposes. Others were tattooed in almost the same manner as the savages of America.

So, Gaulish women dyed themselves blue. Or had tats. To my vast regret there are no pictures of the tats. I wonder which savages of America they mean? Anyway, obviously these women kicked ass and took names while they were doing it: (not that!, sheesh you have dirty minds, you know that?)

But then time passed. . . and France began to practice industry . . .

The cleanliness of the Gallic women, which has been praised by historians, added another charm to their unrivaled natural beauty. No Gallic woman, whatever her rank, would have consented or even ventured to wear dirty, untidy, or torn garments; nor did any one of them fail to frequent the baths which were established everywhere, even in the very poorest localities. The Gallo-Roman woman was admired for her fair complexion, her tall and elegant figure, her beautiful features; and she neglected nothing that might tend to procure her that homage. Cold bathing, unguents for the face and often the entire body were to her a delight, a duty, and a necessity.

Are you seeing the same image I am? Happy peasant women skipping through the fields (watch out for the cow pies!) humming and perhaps even trilling out loud, their clothes pristine and put together with that certain Je ne sais quois.

Honey, mon amour, I cannot feed the children or milk the cows until have I spent three hours with the cold bath and applying unguents. Tra-la-la-la!

And really a COLD BATH? Are you freaking insane? I think that's the work of Mr. Lillie. He made that up. No woman would actually take a cold bath without ending up kicking some ass.

Anyway, on to Chapter XXL - Reign of Napoleon I, because that is our period here at the Riskies.

Under the Empire, which was proclaimed in 1804, the fashion of short waists continued in favour, and even developed into extra-ordinary results. The fair sex adopted "sack" dresses, with the waist close under the arms, and the bosom pushed up to the chin. This was far from graceful, and a woman needed to be perfectly beautiful to look well in such a costume.

Gold, precious stones, and diamonds were lavishly used. Numerous balls were given, and official receptions held, and the dress of the women was handsome, nay, even magnificent. Unfortunately, it was chiefly remarkable for its bad taste. A French-woman seemed to have attained the height of glory when it could be said of her: "Voila une personne cossue!"
[There's a warm, substantial person.]

However, I question the accuracy of the translation. I believe it should be Here is a well-to-do person. But whatever.

Handsome, magnificent gowns in bad taste. Is that awesome or what?

I particularly admire the glib description of Napoleonic extravagance that sounds like someone grabbed their fifth grader's report and cribbed at will (Mrs. Hoey? Was that you?) but then someone brilliant added the thing about bad taste.

So, pretend you're a French lady (or better yet, an English Miss, pretending to be a French lady) and you're at a ball or official reception.

What are you wearing?

Extra credit if it barely hides your tattoo.

Real Heroes

I'm out of town for a few days and on a borrowed computer, so this week's post is short and image-heavy! Enjoy...

After I finished the last deadline, and before I started the next one, I had the great luxury of reading not 1 but 2 romances from my TBR pile! One was Carolyn's Indiscreet, which was wonderful--exotic locale, deep, dark emotion, complex characters. The other (which shall remain nameless, but was not by a Risky!) featured a hero who was such a man-slut (and probably an alcoholic, too; on top of which he was not very bright) I feared the heroine (who seemed like a nice girl) would catch some terrible disease from him. When they married at the end, I thought he would be faithful--until the next woman crossed his path.

To cleanse the palette, I went to my ultimate go-to "cheer up" writer--Jane Austen, of course! I do love nearly all her heroes (except Edmund Bertram, who let's face it is something of a priss. But he does seem perfect for Fanny, and will probably never cheat on her or have his nose fall off from syphilis! And Knightley seems kinda bossy). Darcy, Wentworth, Tilney, etc--reliable, attractive guys all. It's the Willoughbys and Wickhams who are trouble (and not the fun kind, either), and who get kicked to the curb in the end. Here are a few reasons to love an Austen man:









(I know he's not an Austen man, but I couldn't resist including him!)
Ditto this one...

Who is your favorite???

When Heroes Age

Last Friday Nov 13 was (gasp!) Gerard Butler's 40th birthday. If you've read this blog for any length of time you'll know I'm a card-carrying Gerry Butler fan. My first reaction to news that he turned 40 was, "Gee, he's getting old."





I came late to being a Gerard Butler fan, only catching The Phantom Of the Opera on cable about two years after it was released. Read here (scroll down) to see my reaction. I quickly went on to see Dear Frankie, Timeline, even Dracula 2000.


Gerry's film debut was in Mrs. Brown, playing Billy Connolly's younger brother. The role was small but memorable, perhaps because Gerry and Billy ran naked into the sea.


I think lots of women became fans after the movie Timeline. In that movie Gerry played a major role as archeologist, Andre Marek. Or from the TV miniseries, Attila the Hun. It was Phantom of the Opera, though, that really brought in fans in droves. Fan websites sprang up and Gerard Butler conventions were planned. These have become a fairly regular occurance, including a birthday bash this year in Glasgow. Through the conventions and other events Gerry's fans have raised over a quarter of a million dollars for charity. (See the convention I attended here)


But, still, Gerry did not really achieve star status until the movie 300, where playing the Spartan, Leonidis, he showed himself to be a fine figure of a man. That was in 2006 when he was only 37. Somehow 37 doesn't sound nearly as old as 40.



This year Gerry appeared in three movies: The Ugly Truth, Gamer, and, just out, Law Abiding Citizen. Already in the works is the much anticipated movie Burns (tying this in to our time period--or fairly close to it), in which Gerry will play Robert Burns. It is a real labor of love to make this movie of the national poet of Scotland. One wonders, though, will he be too old for the role? Burns only lived to age 37.

All this got me wondering. Is 40 to old to be a romantic hero--in our books, I mean. I know Janet's Dedication featured an older hero, and my favorite Georgette Heyer hero, Demerel from Venetia, was older. But the heroes I write about are usually in their 30s, and most I read about are about the same age.

So, my questions are: What age is too young to be a hero? What age is too old? What age is your favorite for a hero? And the big question, is Gerard Butler now too old?

(p.s. I'm still a card-carrying Gerard Butler fan and always will be. He's my favorite actor, an awesome actor, even if he is 40!)

******* All photos courtesy of GerardButlerDotNet, the officially non-official fan website


Check my website for new stuff and my ongoing contest.

Plodding Along

Recently, I returned to writing a story that is just so much fun, way sillier and more delicious than my usual stuff (closer to my posts here, I suppose). The thing is, I am trying a new way of writing, working with a relatively final synopsis as a plot guidepost as I write rather than flying into the mist.

Have I mentioned I am a curmudgeon when it comes to change? A long time ago, I had this quote hung up in my kitchen, just to remind myself:

"Change is, by definition, unsettling."

So anyway. Changing my process is deeply disturbing to me, yet necessary.

I've got a sort-of working synopsis now, and a first chapter, but am stumped as to where to go from here. Let me lay out my options:

1. Heroine spies totally foxy hero from across the ballroom.
2. Totally Foxy Hero (TFH) is unimpressed with heroine. But bored. And doesn't like it when someone else makes fun of her. So decides, maybe, to make her his project for the Season.
3. Heroine has secret identity. TFH will not discover secret identity until way later in the book, causing the all-important black moment.
4. Heroine has to work on secret identity work.
5. TFH and Heroine have to run into each other, even though he is Man About Town and she is a girl on her third Season.

So what do I do? How do I get them together? I don't want to lay out all the mundane details of her secret identity life--it involves writing, of all boring to describe things--and I want to get them all hot and bothered as soon as possible. I wrote a scene where her Horrid Mother demands Heroine at least try to get betrothed, but it's not sitting right in my brain.

Got any ideas? Apologies for the lackluster post, this and the state of my kitchen floor is about all that's in my head right now. And you didn't need to read about mopping.

Megan

Flying through the air

A first.

I post Mantitty on the blog.

This is none other than Jules Leotard, who on this day in 1859 performed the first flying trapeze act in Paris, thus revolutionizing the circus. His act lasted twelve minutes in which he turned a somersault in mid-air and jumped from one trapeze to another. A pile of mattresses served as a safety net.

Although he's not wearing it here, the leotard, which he invented, is named after him. Not a whole lot is known about his life; he was born in Toulouse, France, around 1839, the son of a gymnastics instructor, and as a baby was calmed by being hung upside down. Although his father wanted him to enter the law, young Jules ran away to the circus. He made his debut at the Alhambra Music Hall, London, in 1861, and his New York debut in 1868. He died in 1870 in Spain of smallpox or cholera.

Inspired by Carolyn's Googlebooks adventures, I went searching for references to Jules Leotard, and found this from Chambers' 1891 Journal of Popular Literature, Science and Arts:

Jules Leotard was a splendid specimen of manly beauty—a perfect figure united to a strikingly handsome face, always grave and reposeful.

The story of the great gymnast's career has seldom been told. A native of Toulouse, in the south of France, young Leotard passed many of his earliest years in the beautiful city of the sunny south. His father kept a swimming-bath, having several skylights that were opened and closed by long ropea. It was young Leotard's office to open and shut these skylights, and he was in the habit of swinging from one rope to the other, doing so with so much grace and skill as to attract much attention from the visitors to the establishment. His first public appearance was as an amateur at the Municipal Fete. It so happened that among the people who witnessed the performance was the director of the Cirque d'Iimperatrice at Paris. This gentleman was astonished at the skill and grace of the young athlete, and also at the novelty of the performance; and the next morning he made his way to the Leotard swimming baths and had an interview with the father. A few days hence and Jules Leotard set out for Paris. On his arrival in the gay city he was taken to a theatrical costumier, and a gay doublet of crimson velvet and gold spangles was fitted over the snow-white tights he had brought from the country.

"Take it off!" he said to the costumier. "I am not going to play the clown."

"Take it off ! mon petit, the beautiful doublet ? See how well you look in it—grand, magnificent, superb!"

"Think you so? I'll never wear spangles like a harlequin."

"Ah ! mon Dieu ! Eh bien ! mon petit, what is it, then, you will wear? You must have a doublet of some kind."

"Have you any black velvet?"

A roll of plain black velvet was produced, and out of this material was made the young aspirant's doublet. And subsequently M. Leotard always wore the simple and elegant dress of a black velvet doublet over snow-white tights ; a dress that served admirably to display the magnificent form of the gymnast. The debut of the young athlete in the Paris arena was a veritable triumph, which was renewed on his first appearance in London. The flying trapeze became the rage, and a whole host of flying trapezists appeared at the music halls, none of whom, however, had the skill and marvellous ease of the master.

And yes, Leotard inspired the song The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, recorded by, among others, Bruce Springsteen.

I think this nineteenth century circus illustration explains why female trapeze acts were so popular.

Have you ever fancied running away to the circus or flying through the air with the greatest of ease, which you can learn to do at Trapeze School in Washington DC or other major cities?

Do you think that facing up to a physical fear--like flinging yourself into the air on a trapeze--will help you overcome other fears? Have you ever done anything like that?

And do you think Manhaunch will ever replace the popular Mantitty on romance covers?

Why, it's the Portuguese lady! ZOMG!!!

Well. I had this brilliant idea of searching Google Books for 11 November and limiting my search to 1800 - 1825. Because I wanted to avoid the poignancy of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918. It makes me sad. Do please take a moment to think about the men and women who have given their lives for the country you're from.

That said, what about November 11 in history prior to 1825?

Oh. My. God. Can you spell B. O. R. I. N. G?

Some dude, I can't even remember his name filed a patent for an improved truss. Then this other fool was going on about the United States, Britain and impressment and his stupid letter of November 11 the previous year (which would have been 1813), Skipped that because there were no sailors at all.

Catalogue of Merino Sheep sold at auction? That just made me hungry and not because I was thinking of mutton which I don't like all the much. Or lamb chops, which I probably do but can't eat ever since the day my mother served us lamb chops made from the lambs which until recently had been gamboling in our field. All five siblings (yours truly included) looked at our plates in dead silence. As I recall, we had Cheerios for dinner instead. I got hungry because the auction yard 2 miles down the road has this awesome hot dog stand, and they have a really spicy polish you can get with cold root beer. Anyway, the sheep auction was actually on November 2, but at 11:00. In case you're wondering.

Then there was this writ of Supersedas (No 11) against a surgeon for gross negligence and carelessness. The court did not grant a new trial. That was in 1826.

One interesting result was from 1808, but Google seems to think there's a copyright issue. WTF? No. Google. There's not. Just why, I would like to know, are so many books that are more than 200 years old, being withheld on grounds of copyright? I thought the whole point of this was that Google got to scan all this public domain stuff so the public could actually see it. This is not an isolated incident and now I'm just [delete bad word] not happy.

There was lightning on November 11 1808 but that is also rendered a mostly useless snippet (said with great scorn) by a spurious claim of copyright. I am unable to tell you where in the UK this lightning occurred.

However, I did learn that owners of fisheries in the Counties of Southampton and Wilts may take salmon from 11th November, to 1 August; but not after 1 August til 12 November following. I have a headache trying to figure when these poor folks could fish for salmon. There's a fine of 5 pounds if you get it wrong.

Library of the late Charles Long, Esq. of Hurt's Hall, Suffolk ...: which will be sold by auction ... on Thursday, November 11, 1813, and five following days (Sunday excepted).

I can't tell you what was in his library because, you guessed it, Google thinks there's a copyright issue and won't show a document that is in the public domain.

At this point, I'm afraid, I was both BORED out of my mind and really, really irritated.

So instead, I searched for demons 1400 to 1825 and that was more fun. But kind of weird. People took their demons very literally. And used extra large fonts like this DEMONS!!! and also like this SATAN and Beelezebub!!!!!

In Act 5 of a Play called The Brothers, a woman was invited to a wedding only to find that the happy groom was her own husband! Check it:

Via. Thus insulted, I can contain myself no longer. Upon what infernal shore am I cast? Into what society of demons am I fall'n, that a woman, whom by an act of honour I would have redeem'd from misery and ruin, should have the insolence, the inhumanity, to invite me to be a spectatress of her marriage with my own husband!

Pat. With your husband I What do I hear? Is Mr. Andrew Belfield your husband?

Via. Ay, do you doubt it ( Would I could say he was not)

Pat.Just Heaven! You then are the Violetta, you are the Portuguese lady I have heard so much of, and married to Mr. Belfield : base and perfidious!

Why, madam, both Miss Dove and myself conceived that 'twas the young adventurer with whom you suffered shipwreck, that --

Fio. What? Lewson, the brave, generous, honourable Lewson

Pat. Lewson? Lewson? I as sure as can be you mean young Belfield; for now the recollection strikes me, that I've heard he took that name before he quitted England. That Lewson, madam, whom we believed you married to, is Robert Belfield, and younger brother to your husband.

Via. Mercy defend me, into what distress had this mutual mistake nearly involved us

Pat. Come then, madam, let us lose no time, but fly with all dispatch to Cropley-castle ; I have a postchaise waiting, which will convey us thither in a few minutes ; but, before we go, I'll step in and direct,

And thank goodness for the postchaise, just waiting there.

Plus how many of you think (as I do) that the brave and generous Lewson wasn't all that brave but was probably all too generous? And, what do you think happens at Cropley-castle? Is she married to Andrew or Robert and who the hell is Lewson?

Boy, they just don't write plays like they used to.

Ninon de Lenclos

A few weeks ago I blogged on the birthday of a "bad girl of history," Pauline Bonaparte. Today is the birthday of another one! Ninon de Lenclos, who was born November 10, 1620. Ninon was a writer, courtesan, and patron of the arts in Louis XIV's France. When she died at the age of 85, Saint-Simon wrote of her, "A shining example of the triumph of vice, when directed with intelligence and redeemed by a little virtue."

She was born Anne de Lenclos in Paris, "Ninon" was her childhood nickname. In 1632 her father was exiled from France for dueling, and when her mother died a few years later Ninon entered a convent. This didn't last very long. She was determined to remain unmarried, but also to devote her life to pleasure of all kinds--not a life suited to a convent! On her return to Paris, she quickly became very popular in the salons, and soon opened her own, which was a center of the literary arts. Moliere was her protege, and on her death she left money for the 9-year-old son of her accountant to buy books--he would later be known as Voltaire.

She also took up the life of a courtesan, with a succession of rich and noble lovers, including the King's own cousin Gaston de Coligny, and the duc de la Rochefoucauld. Saint-Simon wrote, "Ninon always had crowds of adorers but never more than one lover at a time, and when she tired of the present occupier she said so frankly and took another. Yet such was the authority of this wanton, that no man dared fall out with his successful rival; he was only too happy to be allowed to visit as a familiar friend." Her profession and her outspoken opinions against organized religion caused her to be imprisoned at the Madelonnettes Convent in 1656 at the instigation of Anne of Austria, Queen Regent for her son Louis XIV. (When he grew up, of course, this sort of life was much more accepted!). She was soon visited by Queen Christina of Sweden (then abdicated and traveling around Europe), who wrote to Cardinal Mazarin and arranged Ninon's release. (At one point in her life, Cardinal Richelieu offered her 50,000 crowns for one night in her bed. She took the money, but sent a friend instead. Just one of the many anecdotes of her eventful career...)

In 1659, Ninon wrote La coquette vengee, defending the possibility of living a good life in the absence of religion. She became friends with Racine, and also with Francoise d'Aubigne (later known as Madame de Maintenon, secret wife of Louis XIV). She went on writing and hosting her salons until her death in 1705, a very wealthy and famous woman.

There aren't a lot of sources on her life in English, though she appears in many bios of other figures of the period. I have an old volume in translation by Antoine Bret, The Biography of Ninon de Lenclos, and there is one in French by Rogier Duchene. And there is a Dorothy Parker poem, Ninon de Lenclos On Her Last Birthday.


I guess Ninon could be the heroine of one of the popular "courtesan" romances, except she never settled down! :) Do you like courtesan heroines?

And I almost forgot! I have a UK release this month, To Kiss a Count (the third in my Muses of Mayfair trilogy! These will be out in the US in April, May, and June 2010...)

I'll also be at a 6-author booksigning at a Borders in Albuquerque on Saturday the 14th--if you're in the area come by and say hi!

Vintage Harlequin

When Amanda and I went to New York for Book Expo, we also were invited to Harlequin's Art Exhibit, honoring 60 years of Harlequin cover art. Later at the RWA conference, Harlequin announced that there would be office products featuring these covers for sale in the big bookstores. Harlequin would also re-release copies of these old paperbacks.

Those vintage products are here!

There are several to choose from, all featuring different vintage covers, including Spiral Notebooks, Tins of Postcards, Address Books, Matchbook Notepads, Composition Books

And, of course, the vintage books themselves, printed to look just like they did when first published.

You can find them all on eHarlequin. And while you are there, you might want to order Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady. It will be in bookstores Dec 1, but you can get it now at eHarlequin. Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady is a featured book. Buy $15 of these featured books and you get $20 worth of books!

I'm in love with these vintage products! I'm certainly going to order some. They match the totebag Harlequin gave out at RWA, too!

Do you like nostalgic things? What item or items would you want, if you could have any vintage or antique item in the world?