Chicago North's Spring Fling was an amazing and inspiring weekend; I'm back home and filled with a fire to write. Cant wait to read it! 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. But the roles they play have begun to suffocate them. I am not angry with the authors because they are not the reason this has happened and I am angry at the editors and publishers who have decided that this is what sells without asking what readers really want because if they did it might suprise them. Also, when I was briefly toying with the idea of a book that would consist of an around-the-world chase, she was all for that, and I dont recall England being anywhere on the couples itinerary. Social media has become an indispensable element in any digital marketing strategy. But I want to listen to novels, not plays. Academia.edu is a platform for academics to share research papers. Where are the next installments of the famous IAD series by Kresley Cole? 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. One thing I dislike is a jarring, overly modern voice in historical fiction. I loved her humor. But they arent facts. Thats interesting about Avon. And there are some authors who have lost the spark for me, I think their previous books were better than what theyre publishing now, and I do try their new stories but they end up always as bad to ok books. Id call it a variation of the young person interviews old person rather than letting the old person tell her own story trope. I may be comparing apples and oranges here, but I thought it was worth mentioning. The new books sound wonderful as well! I absolutely love historical romances, and I am anxious to read this one because it comes so highly praised and anticipated. I struggle to find many historical writers fitting this depiction today. I like fluff as much as the next person but there was never anything simple about my feelings reading Duke of Shadows, or The Prince of Midnight and I really miss that in most current HR releases. I loved her books. Which is crazy when you think about it considering someone else is using their characters without permission in the first place. (I have a bad habit of dog-earing pages with breathtaking description or particularly clever dialogue. Im glad to know Joanna Bourne is working on something new. 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. This theme wasn't crafted with conscious intention. I will definitely need to read this book. Laura Kinsale and Judy Cuevas aka Judith Ivory. She does still write essays and things at Word Wenches that I like to read for a taste of her writing. With Bound by Your Touch, I'm pretty sure that the keyword is faith - or, more accurately, whether or not to love someone is to have total faith in him or her. For many years the books that make the big cardboard displays at stores or that RWA and other groups often touted as the best books are not the ones I read (in general). One big problem that I see with the trends discussions is that they are rooted in a persons opinion based on what a reader observes, as you have stated. Great interview! Whenever I switch from an academic paper to fiction writing, I . But that doesnt mean those authors have the same chance of being picked up by the casual Walmart shopper who still reads paperbacks and likes to grab a couple when they do their big grocery haul. And I read Patricia Wrights books. If there is one thing I have learned about publishing, if one person does something successfully you can guarantee the market will be flooded with knock offs. I read historical romance because I like history. I havent noticed anything in recent years by either. I read about half of book 2 with much the same reaction and I quit at that point. 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. Every generation, every decade even, produces different ideas of the ideal man or hero. Charismatic, powerful, and wild, he had the world at his feetand one woman as his aim. } Bound by Your Touch is one of the best the very best historical romances Ive ever read. I hope shes well, but its been several years since shes published and I no longer get newslettersso its not looking good. For the Charlotte Holmes series, I find that I enjoy the audiobooks so much better than actually reading them myself. Id love to read more by Judith McNaught, Deborah Simmons and Lyn Viehl as well. Companies call me in when they need a skilled expert who can blend cultural intelligence, EQ, and subject mastery . This theme wasnt crafted with conscious intention. the ask@AAR: Should older romances (and books in general) be redone? Many CR writers are jumping on the mm bandwagon, its pretty lucrative right now. But having been brought up with older parents I enjoyed the more traditional aspects of the heroine and still enjoyed many books originally published in the 60s or 70s where the heroines were pursuing adventures in their stockings and skirt suits when any modern heroine would be grubbing around in jeans. I couldnt agree more. A business can only take so many chances at once. (No one is forcing this particular price point by decree, but a number of erotica authors have essentially made an unofficial pact to never charge less than $2.99 for smut lest customers start expecting $0.99 jollies that would only earn an author $0.35 per sale.) Eileen Wilks (her Lupi books are UF rather than romance, but its been a couple years). I look at the difference between Almost Heaven and today books and it makes me want weep. Another fan commented on Tor.com in 2019 that Robin has suspended her blog and was working on the sequels to Pegasus. Every day, I hear about AI-generated art, writing, search, etc., and the "They took our jobs! Cranking out a book a month is hardly unusual on KDP, especially in certain genres like self-help, erotica, and even romance. For credit unions, social media presents a unique opportunity to interact with members beyond b I miss Alice Clayton who wrote Wallbanger. It had been optioned by BBC as a series, but I dont think that ever happened. True, she didnt quit writing entirely, but shes definitely shifted her focus from romantic suspense to thrillers with some romantic elements (as opposed to central romance). Its my opinion based on what I have observed and read over the past 35 years or so of being a romance reader in one form or another. To write things as emotionally powerful as her books must take a lot out of you. Via a conversational approach, each episode explores a timely topic related to the science of reading. var hash = window.location.hash.substring(1); I love her writing and have bought the Spymaster series on audio. The link is below, I miss Pamela Morsi. (Granted, your average erotica short is 5,000 words, but KDP still considers a short story a book.). This is last major publisher that does Medieval and they just had a Biltz for just Medieval, Viking and Highlander stores so it seems like they are really trying to expand in that direction. I loved her Russian novels. We have a national election headed our way in months. Im not on Twitter, but I understand Stein has tweeted that she is still writing but went through a bad case of writers block. Although I hadnt read the Desert Dog series by McKenna because I couldnt get into them. I think Ive read one or two books by each and have been meaning to explore their backlist. Apr 22, 2018. From what I have seen usually the shake out is usually 2-4 Regencies, 0-1 Victorians, 1-2 Medieval, Viking or Highlander, and 1 that fits into none of the above and that can range from late Moorrish Spain, to 1920s America, to Egypt, and even one that had a Spainsh Conquistador and Native American Woman even though some may have problem with the premise at least it not another Regency and it shows that the line is willing some risks and yes the author is still writing for the line the author had a book out in March of this year set in Egypt. I wrote Meredith Duran an embarrassingly gushy fan letter, probably years ago (I'm a run-out-on-release-day-and-buy-it sort of fan). Hi Meredith! Wow, what great recommendations for this book. Now, the problem with this rule is that you will find a huge range of $2.99 stories anywhere between about 3,000 and 20,000 words. The Duke of Shadows Meredith Duran 2010-05-11 In a debut romance as passionate and sweeping as the British Empire, Meredith Duran paints a powerful picture of Its pretty different from Bound by Your Touch, but Sanburne makes an appearance in it. Julia Spencer-Fleming is whom I miss. Just wanted to say, I love those titles, especially Written on Your Skin. The latter is not really one of my favorites, I only really liked The Music of the Night but I thought she had a potential that never quite materialized. It also occurs to me in this discussion that I distinguish between authors who have literally vanished and havent been seen in years and authors whose output has significantly diminished and who I tend to think now of as semi-retired. They feel like plays, and I want novels. Many of my favorite and much missed authors have already been mentioned (Laura Kinsale, Jennifer Crusie, Cecilia Grant, Connie Brockway). Thanks for the heads up. Now, for something much more nebulous like trends in literature, a similar principle applies. She is the author of Rules for the Reckless series and over seven standalone novels. On the other hand, it creates a never-ending cycle of the same old stories with just minor tweaks. I can see it. Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. The book Im working on at present is a romp through the pleasure gardens and casinos of 1880s Europe. Great interview, I think it is safe to say that I will be heading out to get The Duke of Shadows. Pamela Morsi is a good example. It seemed like a large number of historical romance authors started writing in genres like paranormal for example and in many cases it was not totally by choice. Do you know of any data or scholarship on this? The entire time I was reading Bringing Down the Duke, I kept thinking, Yeah, this is exactly what I want more of in historical romance! but ultimately, that story hit me more in the head than the heart so Im excited to try the second book in the series. Im always grateful that I find new authors every year. Just by looking at Top 100 lists on Amazon in a particular book category over a set period of time, I can observe current trends. Thanks! Yes, the husband/wife from the trilogy. I do like the Veronica Speedwell books but the Lady Julia series seems unfinished to me. . Duran is not the only beloved romance writer who stopped-at least for now-penning love stories. I also miss Cara McKenna and Charlotte Stein. As for backlash, I understand your concerns, but I think more authors need to tell the constantly triggered crowd to shove it. Jacquie DAlessandro (8 years) Although I suspect narrators covet working for her because of her high profile in CR. Even though I absolutely adored the last Meredith Duran book I read, my experience with her writing has been pretty erratic to date. Impenitent social media enthusiast. If done correctly, it could be a wonderful period mystery series. (Au contraire, I am wholly flattered that you compare James to Nardi! Whether the decision was based on sales (or lack thereof) or the desire for the Next Big Thing, Im sorry I no longer get to read some of these favorites. I used to look more at e-publisher but many of largest romance geared ones have gone out of bussiness and what is in the bookstores are a sea of ballgowns and simple plots that I can predict what is going to happen before I even open the book and it drives me crazy because I want to read a book and it seems that I can not get one that I can sink my teeth into. William Devaliant, Lord Lockwood, was born into a charmed life. What neither can predict is the strange empathy that springs up between them. I hav to say that Im generally wary of claims about trends until I see evidence. Sometimes books between 3-5 hours are priced around $10. The same way I have noticed an over abundance of fluffy mystery series in the mystery section that are based around crafts, benign witchcraft or catering, bakeries and other cozy small businesses. Wicked Becomes You Meredith Duran Author (2010) That Scandalous Summer Rules for the Reckless (Series) Meredith Duran Author Alison Larkin Narrator (2014) At Your Pleasure Meredith Duran Author (2012) Bound by Your Touch Meredith Duran Author (2009) Written on Your Skin Meredith Duran Author (2009) Fool Me Twice Rules for the Reckless (Series) I think that two main reasons that a lot of authors stopped writing. Wednesday's column featured a 2009 interview with historical romance author Meredith Duran. They need to make a living, but I expect a fair value for my money. The formal demands of the two genres are quite different, of course. 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. I also miss Sherry Thomas writing historical romance. And thats a huge problem although is sadly what a large part of the m/m audience seem to want. Thank you for bringing up how authors are often forced to alter characters, major plot points, and word counts in order to fit into an industry standard box rather than telling the best possible original story. Meredith Duran Books. And my name is Lydia so how could I not reply! I miss Lynn Viehl. Yes, its true feminist activism could be behind the trend, but it could also be completely inexplicable as popularity so often is. It's true-she writes historical detail and human emotion like no one else. They are legacies our real children and our childrens children can back, touch and feel and know us in a sense. Plots that have kept fans on their toes, wondering what this sly author has in store for them next! I started her upcoming one and put it down. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Please enter me in the ARC contest. Clearly, you are a long-time romance fan. This is not a comfortable experience for either of them. Her books well very well, and narrators like to be associated with success just like most people do. I suppose I just dont frame my preferences in historical romance through the lens of age. This button displays the currently selected search type. In other words, do you see an end to what many readers see as same-old-same-old? Why do some authors, actors, musicians, artists, and so forth become more popular and well-known than others, even if their work is of a demonstrably lower quality than some of their struggling contemporaries? He smiled. Yes, thats an important distinction. Welcome back. In addition to the authors who just disappeared, Id add Judith James and Lydia Joyce. Plus, I knew about the Egypt romances, Jeannie Lins work, etc. I keep hoping against hope shell start writing again. 50 Shades of Grey ripoffs, Cutesy titles mimicking How to Lose a Guy In Ten Days, anything with a Duke and the floods of YA books inspired by the Twilight series. I have a book that I have started that is set in the Holy Roman Empire during investiture controversy of the late 11th century and I is complicated and I can try to fit into 80k but it would be better to allow the room to write the story a long as I think it needs, I think is might be between 100-125k, and I just want to know if itRead more . 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. Visit meredithduran.com for more. I would love to read a great historical romance set in some time period other than the 19th century for a change! You arent pleased by certain narratives, so you dont have to read them. I dont think writers necessarily use quantitative data when chasing trends either. I dont think there is anything wrong with older or traditional sensibilities if it means wanting more depth in your stories and less ironic heroines. I miss Lynn Viehl, too. Patricia Rice doing contemporary books ugh, etc. She is writing. To make a foolish example, if there is a pothole on my street thats clearly visible, I dont need to wait for an official report from the Department of Transportation to tell me the hole is actually there. They are still quite good. And Phin is at least as compelling IMO. She wrote a couple of SF romances that I loved and it seemed she planned for more that universe that just never materialized. Likewise, Im not pleased by certain narratives, so I dont have to read (or write) them. The later books seemed to take longer. And thats a good thing. Games of Command was such a good book. Self-publishing too seems to help allow more authors to write the kinds of books they want. Its a weird I dont want it to be over thing I sometimes have.) I would love to try a new author. So many series would abruptly stop or authors would just disappear off of the shelves with no explanation. She really liked it! Heres hoping. I meant it more in the sense of trends. I can observe it. After that, whats next for Meredith Duran? For me, the books are about $11. Blind faith, he feels, gives a free pass to those who would abuse and use your love and give nothing in return for it. Is that a bug that can be fixed? But like music or film or any business the artists with big PR campaigns and money behind them are the ones easiest to find. (Torie was a genealogist, and she had an entertaining supporting cast.). P.S: Sandy, I dont live in the U.S. so please do not enter me into the ARC contest. I am currently listening to a 1348 page bookThe Standand am reveling in its detailed storylines and fully formed characters. Does it feel golden to you? 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. 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. Are the 3,000 word $2.99 stories cheating their customers because the 20,000 word stories are also $2.99? $j("#connectPrompt").show(); The same with books for many a reader. MEREDITH DURAN grew up enamored of British history. However theres also room for variety were happy to publish stories from ancient Greece all the way through to World War II, though we have ceased publication of Westerns as of January 2019.. So detailed and slow. 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. You have something special that you offer your readers; refreshing to read passion that seems true to life and flaws that actually drive the novel to fruition. Shes publishing regularly. Meredith Duran is the best selling author of over a dozen historical romances. Who would you cite as the authors who inspired you? I cant even remember the books title all I recall is that on the last page, the hero saw the heroines glittery top or necklace (something glittery, anyway) and realized she was the woman he slept with way back when. I love her Darkyn series (among others) and long for the featured stories of some of the characters appearing in the series. QUITTING WHEN A PERSON HAS SUCH, I so miss Duran. I love her books {Fool me twice by Meredith Duran} especially. We all do it. Judith Ivory and Cecilia Grant are authors I love and miss greatly. She is the author of eleven novels, all published by Pocket Books. Mi cuenta; Carrito; Finalizar compra Hopefully, the authors who have stopped writing will return or new authors will appear on the scene to fill this void. And thats a good thing. Years ago, when I first started reading romance, I read a lot of books in the Signet Regency line, and among my favorites there were Nancy Butler and Diane Farr. She also purposefully writes only middle-aged heroines because she tries to disrupt stereotypes of ageism in our culture. I think that the two of you along with Elizabeth Hoyt and Joanna Bourne represent a true return to a golden age of historical romance. While some of the writers I enjoyed are younger than I am, like Meredith Duran, I worry that that style is not current enough to attract a twenty something market. (Would you be insulted if I told you I thought James was a bit Nardi-esque only without the vomit?) Ho-hum. The articles are there, but the design isnt. That it exists at all can be blamed on Lydia. I hope this is true because I still havent forgiven her for that cliffhanger ending in 2010! The author gets all the blame, none of the credit, and the publishing house can look virtuous by dropping the author like a hot potato when internet riots break out. Thanks for giving me some insight into how Audible works. Written On Your Skin 09-Oct-2014 by Meredith Duran ( 67 ) 3.99 18.93 Meredith Duran returns with another witty, humorous and smart romance. Following the publication of the CMA's recent influencer guidance on endorsements, We Are Social's General Counsel Darryl Taylor has shared a summary of what marketers need to Meredith Duran. Also, their blog, So You Think You Can Write, occasionally posts wish lists for submissions, which tend to skew in the direction you mentioned. And thats a whole other can of worms Im not going to open right now. Then if I keep trying and getting disappointed, I get angry at myself for wasting my own time. Thats not meant, by the way, to be an exhaustive list, just ones that I personally know are well read and followed. 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. https://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2012/05/harlequin-fail.html, https://justpublishingadvice.com/kindle-scams-are-still-making-easy-money/. Was it a reaction to something the way that the pop music resurgence happened after grunge ruled the music charts? Im finishing up the revisions on THE ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY WORST MAN IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND WALES and Im feeling delicious. I reread The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown a few years ago and was, again, agog at their greatness. I received an email from her recently in which she shared that health issues were slowing her writing, but she has not stopped permanently.. She is also known for her atypical and complex story lines. Books, like quilts become like children during the process of becoming. Judith James reissued expanded version of her Restoration trilogy on Kindle and theyre great but her website is now defunct. 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. Jill Sorenson now writes as Jill Cliff. Whether or not this signals a shift in the industry, I dont know. Leave me out of the drawing, since Ive already read and loved both Bound by Your Touch and Written on Your Skin. Through his deepening relationship with Lydia, he begins to soften his stance, but he does hold fast to the idea that love doesnt come freely. Youve got my mouth watering for this book! Bound by Your Touch will set firmly on my virtual keeper shelf. Meredith's passionate and well-drawn characters are original and always exciting to read. I havent been able to find anything about the latter but I wonder if Edith Laytons death led her to stop writing. It seemed like I had waited years for Severines story when it finally came out. wont ever write again but that they are no longer the commanding presence they once were in the genre and that I am pleasantly surprised when I hear of a new book from them.
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