Another pet peeve of mine is when an author feels the need to make a historical story more relevant by employing that wonky dual perspectives trope between old person reflecting on life and young person reporting about it. Maybe shes done with IAD? And I REALLY miss Sherry Thomas historical romances. Last year one of my favorite writers, Kati Wilde, published a new book that was being released on audio first. Im curious to know more about why light fiction focusing on light-weighted female characters is a trend. I dont think writers necessarily use quantitative data when chasing trends either. But I was referring just to the first 10 pages of their most recently published work, which tends to skew toward the more common HR settings. Julia Spencer-Fleming is whom I miss. Always at the center of the crowd, widely adored despite his own best efforts to scandalize, he can do as he pleases and face no consequences for it. I havent read anything by this author, but I just looked her up since she is on Sherry Thomas blog. I dont necessarily believe that books are shorter today if you take into consider self-publishing, for instance. I hav to say that Im generally wary of claims about trends until I see evidence. It had been optioned by BBC as a series, but I dont think that ever happened. I follow her Facebook page. I listened to audios for both just in the last year. Joanna Bourne is not a young girl and tends to write about quite young heroines, but their voices are anything but immature so its not about the age of the protagonist either. But looking at Avons recent catalog, I can see youre point about endless Regency. The first 10 pages of their catalog is mostly Regency, some Westerns, some contemporary, and a smattering of other options. Im getting worried that Loretta Chase might be nearing retirement. are fine. Great bks. Oh no, we have to introduce a perky, bubbly, wannabe journalist 21st century hip chick who interviews the old lady instead of just telling the old ladys story without this presumptuous and hella annoying filter. Romantic Times calls it a "fascinating, Hi, yall! However, I worried that her devotion risked coming off as obstinacy, or, worse yet, as stupidity.And my greatest nightmare is writing a TSTL heroine. From a business standpoint, it makes a lot of sense. So many series would abruptly stop or authors would just disappear off of the shelves with no explanation. But still sad for me. Lydia, on the other hand, is the proverbial outsideran acknowledged spinster, overshadowed completely by her two beautiful sisters.She clings to the rules that James delights in breaking, if only because they seem to offer her safety. ), Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon, The Time Traveller's Guide to Regency Britain by Ian Mortimer, Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela by Felicia Watson, One Authors Silver Lining: A Guest Post and a giveaway by Mary Oldham. MetPublications is a portal to the Met's comprehensive publishing program featuring over five decades of Met books, Journals, Bulletins, and online publications on art history available to read, download and/or search for free. I think I can make a coherent argument for why new feminist activism is producing books that focus on toxic masculinity and issues around consent over the past few years, and I think I can make an argument for why diversity is a force in the romance genre today. Im sure there are studies about the falling word count somewhere, but I, like others here, have definitely seen it without having to read a bunch of dissertations on the subject. For me, unless its an auto-buy writer, I just wont pay $11 for a short novel or novella. I havent tried Mia Vincy yet and I absolutely loved the Julie Anne Long historical I read so there are good alternatives out there, I only wish my type of HR ruled the roost. James has spent the last few years deliberately attempting to wreck his own life; Lydia has spent these years focusing all her passion into her scholarly work. Inspiration is exactly the right word for it. Well at least they are trying to do something different. The problem is, trends are often just a product of cultural resonance without any rhyme or reason. . What a wonderful interview thanks for giving us a peak into your ideas, influences, and future plans. Loved all their books. Im definitely with you on this issue. lagos lockdown news today; is meredith duran still writing Now it seems that 80k is about the max and the has not helped the books. Their maximum word count is 125,000, which is far higher than Harlequin HR. Bound by Your Touch will set firmly on my virtual keeper shelf. It features my favorite combination of heroine and hero: The somewhat stuffy stick in the mud and the charming, dissolute rake who is unerringly gifted at de-stuffing. Ive seen most authors write much older or younger than themselves very successfully. Gosh, that seems crazy to me. For me, the books are about $11. Ive never read anything by Meredith Duran but would love to start! Willread. why are intercalated discs not in skeletal muscles; ignore him when he treats you badly; what do you need for a smog check nevada Have you considered submitting it to Carina Press? I find hard data very hard to come by on sales figures just through my internet searches. (Harlequin definitely plays it safe by putting queer romances under their Carina Press imprint.). For credit unions, social media presents a unique opportunity to interact with members beyond b I. Also, I recently discovered Carla Kelly. I love the exotic setting of Written on Your Skin.. One thing other thing Ive noticed from reading a bunch of Kindle Unlimited books is that a lot of copycat authors try to mimic some authors humorous internal thoughts or banter poorly. Amazon scam authors are those who crank out a book a month often price their books at less than a buck a book and flood the best seller lists., Heres where I have to disagree with you, Dabney, or at least offer my take on it. Ivory had such a unique voice and I havent found anyone like her. Covering theory, applications, and research, this comprehensive book has become the gold standard of health behavior texts. It might also account for stories that, about a decade ago, would have been one big volume now being broken down into duets or trilogies. Of course not. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. So sad to hear she's not writing anymore! In the late 1990s it was standard that a historical Romance would be at a minuium of 100k with few execptions and many were even longer than that if the story justified it. Ah, I didnt know that she was no longer writing. Since 2007 no full length book like the ones I mentioned has been released. I hope shes doing ok. Just look at the top male movie stars from 20 years ago or 10 compared to now. Im going to have to get more bookshelves I think. ELIZABETH DIE AND LEAVE US WITH NO MORE And thats a huge problem although is sadly what a large part of the m/m audience seem to want. I have never really deeply enjoyed any book by Barbara Metzger, they were always just ok to me, while Layton has a few amazing ones, her Love trilogy, her regencies she has this beautiful voice and I like her depiction of characters and motivations- though they tend to think a lot, you have to like that :-). Wow, what great recommendations for this book. I also suspect the fact that the narrators have a long-running, frenemies bromance going on on Twitter has a lot to do with the reasoning behind this book. I have been looking at this book for a month or two, then apparently all of my GR friends read it at once, because there were updates everywhere. The Duke of Shadows is one of my favorite re-reads and I have to say it did remind me of the meaty romances from a few years ago (I sure do miss those deep, detailed books). The 31-year-old model and author wore a backless top shaped like an anthurium, paired . However, I would like to know if she is on a permanent hiatus in relation to the IAD series or if she plans on actually release more books. I remember when Chick Lit really burst into the contemporary book scene years ago and how much it was derided. I have been in awe of Meredith Duran ever since I read Duke of Shadows. Cant wait to get my little paws on this one. At the same time, I might not think about age too much when I read because I would consider myself in an in-between age range where I feel like I can relate to both younger and older protagonists/authors. Great interview! https://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2012/05/harlequin-fail.html, https://justpublishingadvice.com/kindle-scams-are-still-making-easy-money/. Sometimes success brings a whole new batch of troubles, and any artistic decision you make can affect the income of hundreds or thousands of people. He moves on from his maudlin reflection very quickly, because he generally tries to take nothing very seriously, least of all himself. She is the author of Rules for the Reckless series and over seven standalone novels. At the same time, the plots are both slow and dense. I did try to find more about her some time ago and I dont think she wrote another book, at least under this name. I base this on a range of factors, including my own reading and observations but author interviews and social media accounts and some recent scholarships on representations of masculinity. I miss historical romances where the protagonists are truly complex or deeply flawed, the premise isnt afraid to stretch the genres boundaries, and the details are thoroughly grounded in the historical setting. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Fool Me Twice. I could be totally off the mark here. But I read the first book in Thomas series in spite of that and thought it was flat with a plot that didnt interest me. Ive never listened to them. So great to meet you! The first words I wrote for BBYT now comprise the first scene in Chapter One, in which James is intoxicated on some unnamed drug and staring down at his flagstones, deploring how white they are and thinking theyd be a bit more bearable if he took a header off the balcony. I thought her earlier books especially (Ride with Me and About Last Night) were very romantic and also original in their approach. I just read a 500+ page romance in July from Mariana Zapata, but I know shes self-published. And availability often shapes most peoples choices. The articles are there, but the design isnt. I also miss her. Bourne has definitely been working on a new book because she had posted a few things about it over the years its a Medieval setting, which is quite a departure from her Regency spy works. Hopefully, the authors who have stopped writing will return or new authors will appear on the scene to fill this void. 38985 books suggested | I don't feel so good.. Im very excited to read this authors books! Error rating book. Ive seen too many careers ruined by petty Twitter fights, and I dont think mainstream publishers can or will protect controversial authors from that unless theyve grown financially too big to touch. I agree with everything you have written here. But I think its fair to say that she liked it! Chicago North's Spring Fling was an amazing and inspiring weekend; I'm back home and filled with a fire to write. Journal of Popular Romance Studies, Journal of Popular Culture, and The Social Science Journal routinely publish data and scholarship on the romance genre with peer-reviewed research on trends if you are interested in reading this type of writing. I also didnt know until this discussion here that Julie James had stopped writing. I love Roberta Gellis. And then I get the sinking feeling either when I read it and am disappointed or when I know not to even try to read it for same. Meredith Duran returns with another witty, humorous and smart romance in this Rules for th Your Wicked Heart (Rules for the Reckless, #0.5) by Meredith Duran | Goodreads Jump to ratings and reviews The skill they bring, or not, to writing about 2 men is what will be the determining factor for me. The Duke Of Shadows was an absolutely wonderful book and is one that I have re-read several times. Im curious. Those kind of questions keep me up at night. Their lyrical writing is full of sensual detail and they really linger over words. So she is writing but in a different genre, at least for this one. Her first m/m romance is out in a couple of weeks with two powerhouse and incredibly popular narrators but it sounds like its the same old plot. Crazy for publishers to expect and crazy for the authors who manage it. Its mildly annoying but on a wider scale, when people dont distinguish or cant distinguish, bigger problems ensue in a society. 2011 The Duke of Shadows. I loved her humor. Im becoming disillusioned with the romance novels being published today. As I said (before I read your comments here) Im basing my observations on big publishers and the books getting the PR money and push. Not already mentioned: They are still quite good. My observations have been based on the books that are getting the contracts and the big PR from established publishers. This! !" concerns from creatives. The formal demands of the two genres are quite different, of course. His wedding to Anna was meant to be his greatest triumph. Thanks, Dabney. I dont mind it in contemporary romance or even a time travel, but I really dislike 19th century bluestocking heroines that write like modern bloggers. I have not read Ms Duran yet. Thanks! Im audio only now, so I have no objection to the audio experience, obviously. (I know she shut down her blog, but before she did, I believe if I remember correctly she mentioned that it was not profitable for her to publish and she could make more money and be under less stress as a ghostwriter. Its been great finding new historical authors to add to my favorite list the past two years. $$('.authorBlogPost .body img').each(function(img) { I would like to win this. Somehow, though, the books do manage to acquire themes. Thats my take on it, anyway. From exotic sandstone palaces. Now a doctoral student in anthropology, she is happy to report that all three goals have become her favorite things to do. Some have switched into a different sub-genre that doesnt appeal, some keep writing but their writing has changed and it isnt clicking for me, and some I think the change is in me, where once the books hit the sweet spot, now might seem problematic or have deal breakers. Laura Kinsale and Judy Cuevas aka Judith Ivory. Still, going to make my way into another Duran book next. Then if I keep trying and getting disappointed, I get angry at myself for wasting my own time. But that he even had that thoughtwell, right from the beginning, I knew that he would need to have a very powerful reason to entertain such black thoughts, and it wasnt long before I realized that reason. I keep hoping they will reappear also, but its been a very long time. Couldnt make it through the next two. This is probably the last Duran book I'll buy, even if the glowing reviews . The link is below, I miss Pamela Morsi. And since there are few things we love more around here than the chance to put great books in the hands of readers, she was kind enough to offer an ARC of Bound by Your Touch to one lucky reader. I was thrilled to see the news of Loretta Chases next book but at the same time, Im nostalgic for a year (like the early 2010s) when Duran, Grant, Thomas, and Chase each had a book coming out & they were the commanding presence in historical romance. Kris, you are spot on in your assessment regarding some of the major problems in mainstream publishing today. Hi Meredith, Via a conversational approach, each episode explores a timely topic related to the science of reading. I have owned a copy of Judith Ivorys BLISS for many years but have never read it. Wow. I think Sarah Addison Allen still writes but she has suffered some family losses. Shes on Twitter and never mentions writing. I make quilts because at some point during the process of stitching I know/realize this is the essence of what will be left of me for several generations. . I believe I recall reading some years ago that Edith Layton and Barbara Metzger were very good friends. Hannah Howell NOT finishing her Wherelock series with a story on Mordred. Id call it a variation of the young person interviews old person rather than letting the old person tell her own story trope. Patricia Rice doing contemporary books ugh, etc. I tend to become disenchanted with authors long before they stop writing. intelligent, complex, sexy, smart and really goodwho even remotely writes like her? Its hard to say. Meredith Duran - Historical Romance Novelist Coming February 27, 2018 BACK FROM THE DEAD, AN EARL SEEKS VENGEANCE. I help organizations walk their DEI talk on the person-to-person level. What I find particularly remarkable about the authors youve named is that they each have such a distinctive voice that if you put an unlabeled excerpt of each of their books in front of me, I would know instantly who had written what. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()). Walmart, Target, grocery stories, etc feature light romances and mysteries but that doesnt seem new. I bought it and didnt get a chance to read it during the Christmas season so I kind of forgot about it. Bound by Your Touch is one of the best the very best historical romances Ive ever read. My main concerns are always the same: to make sure that these characters capture a readers interest; that their romance is gripping and develops believably; and, last but not least, that the world in which they live seems engaging, absorbing, and real. I think in some novels the age of the author slips in somewhat even if they are writing someone younger. (Torie was a genealogist, and she had an entertaining supporting cast.). On the one hand, Meredith Duran's writing is stunning. and our She was the Pulitzer Prize-finalist TV critic for the San Francisco Examiner, and a founding staff member of Salon. Bound By Your Touch sounds great. She and Mary Ann Hudson are still at it there. Hi Meredith, Ive also been waiting for your new book ever since The Duke of Shadows. I read contemporaries, non-fiction, myteries pretty much everything but the staple of my reading diet is historical romance. At thirteen years old, she made a list of life goals that included writing romance novels, trying sushi, and going to London to see Holbein's portrait of Anne Boleyn. I dont mind it in contemporary romance or even a time travel, but I really dislike 19th century bluestocking heroines that write like modern bloggers.. I remember reading a gothic type romance with time travel elements back in the early 90s when I was much younger. My miss list includes names already mentioned Meredith Duran (who I hope is merely on hiatus) Cecilia Grant, Laura Kinsale I miss Sherry Thomas historical romances ,(although Im enjoying Lady Sherlock) and I miss the days when Courtney Milans romances were actual romances rather than exercises in didactics. I also think that perhaps the lack of meatiness may, at least now, have something to do with the fact that most authors in the genre are putting out at least two books a year. When I read comments like this, Im immediately thinking of how different my own reading experiences must be to others. If the average romance reader tears through Regencies with titled heroes and bluestocking heroines, thats what theyll keep producing. I try to read against the grain when it comes to age and not assume too much about an author based on any biographical tidbits I pick up from them. Thats interesting about Avon. Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time by NPR and All About Romance. I really enjoyed The Duke of Shadows, so I will definitely be looking for this story. I hope that the influnce of Harlequin Historicals rubs off on to the AVON books and not the other way around because I really would hate to see them turn into Regency only publisher. I know that not all books can be epics, nor should they be. Maybe our other favorites will, at some point, reimerge! And what a waste of narrators! img.scaleToMaxWidth(385); } else { Your Wicked Heart. It might have shades of Stevie Nicks, a touch of Joni Mitchell, a dash of The Eagles' soft rock . I miss Cara Mckenna, Charlotte Stein, Eve Dangerfield and Emma Holly :(. Amazing that I hadnt read anything of hers before. Every day, I hear about AI-generated art, writing, search, etc., and the "They took our jobs! I know Dangerfield wasnt to everyones taste (theres usually more than a little kink in all of her books), but I loved her combination of heat, heart, and humor. Its just hard to see them go and take their unfinished stories with them. I suspect the many fans of the author and narrators, many of whom have never read/listened to m/m before will be squeeing to the hills. Still didnt work for me.). I do agree that self publishing is churning out a lot of very different types of novels and trying out Kindle Unlimited over the past month has opened my eyes to so many more authors, novels and genres that werent on my radar before that large numbers of readers are consuming. Heres an interesting article about some other scams including suspiciously prolific authors and book-stuffing: https://justpublishingadvice.com/kindle-scams-are-still-making-easy-money/. Her last novel, Shadows, was published in 2013. Refresh and try again. Id really like to know what it is that you find hard to cope with and also what the Amazon scam authors are as I havent a clue what this means. Among self-published erotica authors, the standard is $2.99 for a short up to novella length. Are the 3,000 word $2.99 stories cheating their customers because the 20,000 word stories are also $2.99? Im not a big fan of contemps, but its practically impossible to miss the fact that Lauren Blakely has a gazillion audiobooks out per month or that, from reading the synopses, theyre all pretty much the same book! She has a book out by the end of the year, but I just have the sense that it might be her final one, or that her output is going to drastically subside. Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick "Burrowes's fresh, gorgeous writing held me riveted from start to finish." Meredith Duran "Enchanting." RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars Anna, Duchess of Cleves - Heather R. Darsie 2019-04-15 A fresh look at Anne of Cleves' life as a German noblewoman, and the Continental politics that affected her marriage. I really enjoyed The Duke of Shadows and cant wait to read Bound by Your Touch! I dislike her Charlotte Holmes series very much and I wish shed at least alternate between that and HR novels. June 14, 2022; did steve urkel marry laura in real life . Now, either these authors have stopped writing in this genre, have retired altogether, or write at a much, much slower pace. Its like the old joke, Theres lies. I had been keeping up with the blogs about it. Id love to ask a publisher about your theory. What resulted was Bound by Your Touch. Thank you for the updates. Several of you commented how much you miss her work and shared your hopes that shell return to writing romance. Im not saying listening to a book is an inferior experience to reading it, but I do think there are different elements at play for a listener versus a reader. There are too many variables to make that claim, not to mention Amazon isnt the only game out there (believe it or not). I cant remember if anyone mentioned Connie Brockway but she was an author I used to enjoy reading. Julia Spencer-Fleming released a new book in April Hid From Our Eyes. Ti Ph Printing l n v hng u v dch v cung cp my in vn phng, mc my in. The talented and time-challenged Meredith Duran (she was also preparing for the oral defense of her dissertation at the time we were putting this together) patiently answered a few of my questions. One main difference though is that they are based out London and that may mean that their view on what is historical is different than in North America. Why not create her own heroine, or choose a character from another famous book or series that hasnt been copied so often. Cookie Notice I cant wait to read it (whether I win or not). I voted for it in several categories in the latest AAR best books poll. I rememberthat there was even a category line that was 85k, I think it was Harlequin SuperRomance, and even the Trad. I think my most missed are already mentioned. (Not the ones here obviously). And I distinctly remember reading one of their blog posts saying they can never get enough Regency. Where are the next installments of the famous IAD series by Kresley Cole? I reread The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown a few years ago and was, again, agog at their greatness. Charismatic, powerful, and wild, he had the world at his feetand one woman as his aim. Jun 29, 2022. ogden clinic cardiology . IVE READ EVERY COMMENT And, without giving too much away, what readers can expect from your August release, Written on Your Skin? I think people are getting more skeptical of mainstream publishing somehow signifying a benchmark for quality. On the other hand, it creates a never-ending cycle of the same old stories with just minor tweaks. BTW, I dont know what happened to the site, but its not rendering properly any more. Is too much to ask that I can a book that I want to read and yes even write because I am trying to be a part of the solution. Plus I was really bummed that shes not going to finish her Silver Daughters trilogy (about three sisters who run a tattoo shop); she had published the first two books and there was a big cliffhanger at the end of book twobut instead of using her final book to complete the series, she published a coda for an existing couple (from ACT YOUR AGE). Nowadays my fav hr authors are Julie Anne Long and Mia Vincy. I may be comparing apples and oranges here, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
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