Now that Ive put this all down, it feels depressing. julie James, I miss her contemporary romances. Yes, shes still writing. Or, its based on a few like-minded participants on a forum agreeing that something is a trend. For me culture is dialectic in that ideologies and belief systems give rise to cultural products and customs, which then influence culture in return. Self-publishing isnt for everyone, but I think its a great option when the alternative is to leave a fantastic story rotting on a hard drive. I can wait it sucks, but I can, but it would be kind of her to inform the readers, whatever her decision is. The death of her (much older) husband Peter Dickinson in 2015 was a huge blow and I wonder if she will ever recover. 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. 2014 Isdronningen: Letsindighedens love 4. Somehow, though, the books do manage to acquire themes. Historical romances that are so rich in actual historical context, period authentic dialogue and descriptions of a period's way of life are few and far between. I love her books {Fool me twice by Meredith Duran} especially. I found it too slow moving. What a walk down memory lane! Im curious to know more about why light fiction focusing on light-weighted female characters is a trend., 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., This! I cant speak for audiobook sellers and producers since Im not in that game, but you definitely see something similar with erotica e-book pricing scales. Congrats on the upcoming releases. This is fine and Im certain other readers have enjoyed it. Why has the dominant voice in HR become so modern? London will still adore him in the morning. A lot of authors also wont read fanfiction of their work for fear of being accused of plagiarism. 2012 A Lady's Lesson in Scandal. facebook, twitter, etc. 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. And as others have said, there are some authors who are still writing but whose work isnt what it once was, and I miss them, too. $j("#generalRegPrompt").hide(); And thankfully I am pretty much done with historical romance because the state of that subgenre today would make we weep. I found myself skipping too many parts or throwing them in irritation. 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. Ill have to look for Duke of Shadows too. The articles are there, but the design isnt. How can the romance community be improved or changed for you? Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and together with her sophomore book, Bound by Your Touch, was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time in . All interesting variables to think about, but such a study probably wouldnt be practical. I imagine that there are people in their teens or 20s who want deep, lyrical, meaty romances and people in their 70s or 80s who prefer fluffier wallpaper historicals. I am anticipating an m/f story rewritten with two men, to be honest. Kris, you are spot on in your assessment regarding some of the major problems in mainstream publishing today. Im very interested to see what those publications you list above are reporting on regarding romance novels and reading. $j("#connectPrompt").show(); I seem to recollect a family tragedy set her back several years ago. They often price their books at less than a buck a book and flood the best seller lists. But publishing eventually wore her down, as it does a lot of people. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()). Such lovely tales about ordinary people doing ordinary things. And I read Patricia Wrights books. In addition to the authors already mentioned, I miss Ruthie Knox. Then if I keep trying and getting disappointed, I get angry at myself for wasting my own time. Relational trend spotter. If a song doesnt get airplay or publicity or put on a soundtrack then most people wont know about it. 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. In exchange, Phin promises to help her if ever he is able. Impenitent social media enthusiast. To be honest, I only wish that I could think in terms of goals or themes when writing! Is that a 100% accurate assessment of whats popular? When we first meet James, hes quite cynical; he believes the concept of faith is intrinsically flawed, implying as it does that ignorance is a virtue. Its just hard to see them go and take their unfinished stories with them. The skill they bring, or not, to writing about 2 men is what will be the determining factor for me. Theres always a bit of a grieving process for me as I let a favorite author go. This is a shame because I love mystery novels and Sherry Thomas. Meredith Duran. I also miss authors like Nonnie St. George and Nita Abrams who seemed to come and go in a flash of brilliance. Ive never read anything by this author either but am eager to start love the covers too! I meant it more in the sense of trends. I think the great talent Barbara Metzger has/had is that she can make me laugh. And another fan of Zemindar! As for the self-published authors, it can definitely get tricky. Longer doesnt always mean better or denser or more interesting or more critical, etc. From what others here have commented about what publishers are pushing for lately and how the word count of books are in general diminishing, it seems lots of other people have noticed significant changes in the market. When was the last time you heard somebody say, Oh, Im not going to read that book. It sounds interesting and different. I think McKenna said writing wasnt fun anymore and took a job in another field (I know her children are still fairly young too, so perhaps the decision to stop writing was also driven by family concerns). And Im very grateful for AAR because I may have never known that Meljean Brook was back as Milla Vane. At the very least, shed probably have to change the title. Whether or not this signals a shift in the industry, I dont know. The flooding of the best seller lists has more to do with Amazons wonky algorithms than scam authors. 2011 The Duke of Shadows. Personally, I am not interested in her YA series. The more books the better! ELIZABETH DIE AND LEAVE US WITH NO MORE Likewise, not sure if Patricia Wright is still alive. is it okay to take melatonin after covid vaccine. I enjoyed the first two. I love her writing and have bought the Spymaster series on audio. I miss Liz Carlyle and Susan Carroll both of whom wrote meaty, complex books. Now I avoid her books because they just disappoint me. I remember back before the days of the internet being so frustrated when I couldnt find new books by a favorite author or having to look up in the giant books in print volumes to try to see what an authors entire canon was and if I was missing anything. To write things as emotionally powerful as her books must take a lot out of you. Im so looking forward to Bound By Your Touch and Written on Your Skinalong with anything you happen to publish. Even over Sarah MacLean and more than Judith McNaught, who I have loved for 20 years. Was it a reaction to something the way that the pop music resurgence happened after grunge ruled the music charts? I must say I miss Laura Kinsale- though her missing status isnt so recentI understand that her research, writing and resolutions all took much out of her-but WOW, so did they take much out of me, as the reader. And if its what their readers want, more power to them. That it exists at all can be blamed on Lydia. James was always clear to me. Even though I absolutely adored the last Meredith Duran book I read, my experience with her writing has been pretty erratic to date. (I did try to read it again a couple of years later, but nope. I miss LaVyrle Spencer and Muriel Jensen and, although I think shes still writing but never fast enough, Kathleen Gilles Seidel. 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. Not the authors fault. Cyber dating abuse represents a new form of dating violence that has been gaining worrying dimensions. Its so different from the generic alliteration were seeing so much lately, and a bit edgy too. but for several years she has only been publishing short stories and smaller books part of series. And Phin is at least as compelling IMO. She is not a fast writer but her books are well worth waiting for! Elsewhere in the comments of this post, Piper mentioned that Duran, Kinsale and Ivorys books feel grown up and I took that to mean that the stories and writing are matured, rather than the authors were a particular age or they were writing for a specific audience age. Im curious to know more about why light fiction focusing on light-weighted female characters is a trend., Arent we all? One momentous night, he makes a very grave mistake, and Mina risks her life to save his own. This trend is actually quite easy to observe if you look through the Harlequin Historical Romance online catalog. Meredith Duran is the author of ten previous novels, including The Duke of Shadows (winner of the Gather.com First Chapters Romance Writing Competition); Wicked Becomes You (included on the Woman's World List of Best Beach Reads for Summer 2010), and the USA TODAY bestseller and RITA Award Winner Fool Me Twice. I hope shes doing ok. Still love them, but esp THATC. What he doesnt anticipate is that shell choose to collect on that promise at the exact moment he finally wins his freedom or that his salvation from a very dark past might lie in the arms of a woman whos even better at deception than he is. Cranking out a book a month is hardly unusual on KDP, especially in certain genres like self-help, erotica, and even romance. 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. She is also known for her atypical and complex story lines. I havent noticed anything in recent years by either. This is not the only example. Perhaps next you will introduce me to myself. London will still adore him in the morning. I hope so! Im audio only now, so I have no objection to the audio experience, obviously. 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. This book (the heroine in particular) is less angsty than anything Ive ever written, and Im having a lot of fun figuring out how to tell an emotionally intense tale that is also full of laughter. Meanwhile, we have to have alternative chapters that focus on Miss Bubbly-Wannabe-Journalist because shes in the 21st century and therefore the young reader can. Just trim away all the fat and floweryness from your writing, and youll do fine. I lovedDuke Of Shadows and today is my birthday, so winning would be an great present! While I have found some newer historical romance authors like Julia Bennet who write engaging and unique stories and have a voice I enjoy- I also find them harder to come by. So it comes as no suprise that I have been eagerly awaiting Bound By Your Touch and Written On Your Skin. I also agree that basing trends on what I choose to read or what attracts me is a very narrow lens. They need to make a living, but I expect a fair value for my money. But the concern is, sadly, reasonable. 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. You're a doctoral student in anthropology! A few are able to work at that pace while retaining quality, but most arent. Thank you so much to the organizers -- a ton of work, I'm certain, but they made it look effortless! From exotic sandstone palaces. There isnt a single one of her books I havent enjoyed. Is American national culture going to be able to critically assess the results? 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. Among self-published erotica authors, the standard is $2.99 for a short up to novella length. I look forward toreadingMerediths. She hasnt stopped writing, but in the Afterword to her last published romance (NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE), she announced she was no longer going to be writing romance; she plans to write in a different genre and publish under a different name (Dangerfield provided neither her new name nor the new genre). 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. And the number of authors mentioned on this page who have been cited as saying its hard for them to make a living writing what they like is very concerning. I loved her work. 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. Heres hoping. Still there is lack of evidence on success of physiologists or breeders at increasing the assimilatory or metabolic efciencies of the major cereal crops (Evans 1993). She had outlined the Spymaster books pretty thoroughly before she had even written them because she knew what was happening in Forbidden Rose etc before it was published. It wasnt about Torie, and that makes me sad. The only worry is that Harper Collins bought them out a couple of years ago and they own publish AVON the line that started the endless Regency trend in historical romance. I am perhaps a little naive about the online community as I dont get involved with social media, e.g. I absolutely love her writing and am beyond curious to read her take on a Medieval setting. Its hard not to make food metaphors their stories have a meatiness or a metaphorical fat that seems to be have disappeared from the genre. And my name is Lydia so how could I not reply! The RWA implosion back in January will almost assuredly spark scholarship on the state of diversity in the genre soon, if it hasnt yet. Sure, they talk a great deal about diversity, originality, and whatnot, but their HR catalog tends to neatly fit the status quo- with some exceptions, of course. 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. I started her upcoming one and put it down. Approximately 34% and 17% of middle-aged men and women, respectively, meet . Clearly shes quite supportive of risk-takingThe Duke of Shadows was far bloodier, not to mention considerably farther-flung, than most historicals. I am currently listening to a 1348 page bookThe Standand am reveling in its detailed storylines and fully formed characters. I dont believe in any hierarchy of quality in fiction, but I think each of the others above brought a literary sensibility to their work. Havent read any of her books, but I thought her story about why she quit writing for Harlequin, even though she enjoyed it, was interesting. goodreads-bot discontinued Additional comment actions. And I REALLY miss Sherry Thomas historical romances. Definitely something to add to the TBR list. It often feels like a money grab on the part of these CR authors, and I resent that. Also the was the place where Jeannie Lin published her first books set in China, so they are willing to look at different settings. They seem to be! One more: Eve Dangerfield. I hope they finally get their story because I found them interesting. Not just twice, somehow it all repeats again and again weirdly as I said, no big deal, just a small annoyance. 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. Joyce Millman started her writing career in 1981 as a music critic for the Boston Phoenix. 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. The heroine was only a couple of years older than me but I could tell by the clothing choices and social manners of the heroine that the writer was much older. No. 2013 At Your Pleasure. Im going to review it for AG, so well see. Thats my take on it, anyway. I know you probably dont read my posts anymore, but there are a few points I would like to address that you mentioned. Great bks. The more books the better! 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. After reading som eof these comments, I would like to get back into it again with something good enough to draw me in. So theres that to start with. and re-read her books often. Stein published a book this year! They are still quite good. I know that not all books can be epics, nor should they be. I really wish she would return to writing historical romances, I adore her books in that genre, and have re-read them so many times. She wrote a couple of SF romances that I loved and it seemed she planned for more that universe that just never materialized. Emily Ratajkowski has worn an experimental top shaped like a plant to the Loewe show at Paris Fashion Week. Thats just a sin. What worries me on a macro level is that peoples opinions or generalizations are accepted as fact (and even facts are debatable!). 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. I think there would be a lot of problematic content for todays readers, however the wonderful writing & good stories/characters shine through. Thanks for making the reading so special. I reread The Roselynde Chronicles occasionally. Perhaps not always to be taken seriously but good always for a smile. Academia.edu is a platform for academics to share research papers. But I think it says something that Harlequin no longer accepts submissions for their lackluster line Dare, which never allowed erotic content despite advertising itself as Harlequins hottest line yet. If Im feeling reluctant to start writing, the best medicine is to read prose that excites and surprises me. 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. She posts the most delightful vignettes weekly. ), 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. Book Overview In a debut romance as passionate and sweeping as the British Empire, Meredith Duran paints a powerful picture of an aristocrat torn between two worlds, an heiress who dares to risk everything.and the love born in fire and darkness that nearly destroys them. No one is forcing them to read your book, and the fact they can sit around all day just itching to be offended by something tells you something about their characters. so maybe I have missed something somewhere. June 14, 2022; did steve urkel marry laura in real life . is meredith duran still writing. The formal demands of the two genres are quite different, of course. Or should I just scroll and ignore? She wrote back a very personalized, kind letter, which made her my hero AND my favorite historical romance writer. !" concerns from creatives. Ugh I really hope this story structure goes out of style And while I dont have a distaste for time travel per se, I dont like when its clearly used as a way to make what should be a straight-up historical story relevant for a younger reader by throwing in a 21st century protagonist who doesnt really need to be there. Also, I recently discovered Carla Kelly. Theyd be impossible to keep up with. Im going to have to get more bookshelves I think. It might have shades of Stevie Nicks, a touch of Joni Mitchell, a dash of The Eagles' soft rock . Why not create her own heroine, or choose a character from another famous book or series that hasnt been copied so often. 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. I miss Alice Clayton who wrote Wallbanger. T.Dare.L.Kleypas. I think all it takes is one person to successfully break out with something different to set off a new trend like 50 Shades, Twilight, Outlander and numerous other books that inspired whole genres. 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. And what a waste of narrators! Although I hadnt read the Desert Dog series by McKenna because I couldnt get into them. There are beloved authors from years ago who have switched genres or retired but I know those old favourite books would bore me now. I hope shes well, but its been several years since shes published and I no longer get newslettersso its not looking good. This is probably the last Duran book I'll buy, even if the glowing reviews . Every year I discover at least 2-3 new favorites. Thanks for the very informative interview and hope all goes well with the defense. They end up at the front of displays in the few big chain bookstores left. Im so bedazzled at being associated with those authors that I am tempted to say the whole world looks golden right now! From there, sections written in his POV flowed like water.
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