Finally! After almost a week of computer malfunctions where it took me an age to access a website and when all my e-mails went awry, all seems back to normal on the PC front. Lots of exciting things have happened since I've been online. The RITA Nominations have been announced and I'm thrilled to see favourite category writers such as Marion Lennox, Barbara Hannay and Fiona Harper shortlisted. I love Barbara's Outback novels and Marion Lennox is a huge favourite of mine - and I'm thrilled that one of the titles shortlisted - The Surgeon's Family Miracle - is a Medical Romance! I love reading Medicals and it's fabulous that this great line is getting such great recognition - especially as it's not available in US shops. Fiona Harper has quickly become a favourite of mine even though she's only written two books so far. I've had the good fortune of reviewing her novels for Cataromance and I awarded them both 5 Stars because her books are funny, charming, romantic and original as well. Fiona finalled twice for Best First Book and Best Traditional Romance and has already won both the CataRomance award and the RNA new writers award so I'm so pleased for her! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of these writers and in my book, you're all winners! I've made a point to read a Jackie Braun book as I've not read any of hers yet. I believe she's been shortlisted before and as I love the Romance line, I'm sure I'll love hers! I'm pleased to see a novel from the new Modern Extra line nominated by Barbara Dunlop. I haven't read this book, I love reading Modern Extras (This month, I read Kate Hardy's In the Gardener's Bed and it was terrific!)so I'm sure it's an excellent read!
I've read some of the other writers shortlisted for other awards. I'm hoping that the excellent Susan Mallery wins for Irresistible, which is shortlised for Best Contemporary Single Title Romance. Susan writes for Silhouette and Single Titles for both Pocket and HQN and she's wonderful. I'm also pleased to see Mary Jo Putney nominated for Long Historical and I can't wait to find out just who is going to win the Best Short Historical RITA as it seems that the biggest names in historical romance are nominated! I'm not familiar with Betina Krahn, Anne Stuart, Laura Lee Gurkhe or Lorraine Heath, but I love Christina Dodd's quirky characters, Eloisa James' intelligent historical romances and Lisa Kleypas's sensuous historicals (which remind me of M&B Presents) so I look forward to seeing who wins that award.
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with some of the writers nominated in other categories except for JD Robb, Julia Quinn and Elizabeth Boyle (And I'm still baffled as to why her Regency is shorlisted for paranormal!), but I wish them all the best of luck!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Hot Buttons
Voracious romance readers often encounter a book which pushes their buttons. Some reader loathe royalty books, secret baby plots or books which feature adultery - and let us not get started on the forced seduction tales which incur many a reader's wrath. Now, I know that reading is a subjective activity and that we've all had different life experiences which mould our character and which may make us intolerant of some subjects, but personally speaking for me the only books which annoy me are the ones which I think are shoddily plotted with one dimensional characters which fail to come alive on the page and books which fail to elicit a single emotion from me barring one of annoyance.
I'm often annoyed by readers who state that they will only read books if the heroines are virgins or by writers who write in a similiar style to a particular author which I think is such a narrow approach to reading as these readers are missing out on some fabulous reads.
One of my all time favourites books is Going the Distance by Christina Jones, who also happens to be one of my all time favourite writers. Now, in this book, Maddy falls in love with a married man (a divinely gorgeous man called Drew)who happens to be married to Caroline. Now if you've not read this book, most of you will probably say that it's a very unromantic set up. Well, let me tell you, GTD is one of the most romantic and funniest books I've ever read and Christina is such a talented writer who handles the subject matter so well that I'd defy you not to fall in love with both Maddy and Drew and I'm positive that throughout the book you'll be cheering them on towards their happy ending.
Having a narrow approach to romance reading means that ultimately the reader will lose out on reading some great reads. I mean most women would balk at the idea that the hero of a romance novel dresses up in women's clothes - but does that stop us from fancying Mr. Rochester?
I'm often annoyed by readers who state that they will only read books if the heroines are virgins or by writers who write in a similiar style to a particular author which I think is such a narrow approach to reading as these readers are missing out on some fabulous reads.
One of my all time favourites books is Going the Distance by Christina Jones, who also happens to be one of my all time favourite writers. Now, in this book, Maddy falls in love with a married man (a divinely gorgeous man called Drew)who happens to be married to Caroline. Now if you've not read this book, most of you will probably say that it's a very unromantic set up. Well, let me tell you, GTD is one of the most romantic and funniest books I've ever read and Christina is such a talented writer who handles the subject matter so well that I'd defy you not to fall in love with both Maddy and Drew and I'm positive that throughout the book you'll be cheering them on towards their happy ending.
Having a narrow approach to romance reading means that ultimately the reader will lose out on reading some great reads. I mean most women would balk at the idea that the hero of a romance novel dresses up in women's clothes - but does that stop us from fancying Mr. Rochester?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Pride & Poppycock
I love Jane Austen's books. I loved her novels long before her novels became synonmous with Colin Firth glaring fiercely in tight breeches as he jumped into the river. As a Regency fanatic, I love the way she evokes the mores of her society, the spirited heroines, the gorgeous heroes, the social commentary and the wonderful humour which never fails to make me chuckle.
I'm just as aware that her novels are not everyone's cup of tea. Some find her insipid, others find her too shallow and superificial and others just don't like her. And that's fine. I'm a firm believer in different strokes for different folks and as I said before, it'd be a pretty dull world if we all liked the same things.
To not like someone's book is fair enough, but to blame her for the fact that women writers aren't being taken seriously as Celia Brayfield claimed in last Monday's Times, is just ludicrious. The fact that Jane Austen was writing was considered to be 'unladylike' and one can only imagine what her relations would have said if she wrote about politics and wars. Jane Austen could only write what she knew and I think that she did quite a good job, actually.
I can't help wondering whether this was a cynical marketing ploy on Ms. Brayfield's part to generate publicity for her own novels. You can say what you like about Jane Austen's writing, but it's hardly her fault that she became an industry. It's not her fault if her books are so well-loved and so universally adored that TV execs keep commisioning mini-series based on her books.
Perhaps, the most worrying part of that article is a comment a reader left where she said that she wishes Hollywood would leave Austen's books well alone as they're unhealthy for our daughters. Well, what Jane Austen taught me as a young girl was to be strong, intelligent and resourceful and to never just settle, but to always seek to marry your true love - that's a pretty good philosophy, don't you think?
I'm just as aware that her novels are not everyone's cup of tea. Some find her insipid, others find her too shallow and superificial and others just don't like her. And that's fine. I'm a firm believer in different strokes for different folks and as I said before, it'd be a pretty dull world if we all liked the same things.
To not like someone's book is fair enough, but to blame her for the fact that women writers aren't being taken seriously as Celia Brayfield claimed in last Monday's Times, is just ludicrious. The fact that Jane Austen was writing was considered to be 'unladylike' and one can only imagine what her relations would have said if she wrote about politics and wars. Jane Austen could only write what she knew and I think that she did quite a good job, actually.
I can't help wondering whether this was a cynical marketing ploy on Ms. Brayfield's part to generate publicity for her own novels. You can say what you like about Jane Austen's writing, but it's hardly her fault that she became an industry. It's not her fault if her books are so well-loved and so universally adored that TV execs keep commisioning mini-series based on her books.
Perhaps, the most worrying part of that article is a comment a reader left where she said that she wishes Hollywood would leave Austen's books well alone as they're unhealthy for our daughters. Well, what Jane Austen taught me as a young girl was to be strong, intelligent and resourceful and to never just settle, but to always seek to marry your true love - that's a pretty good philosophy, don't you think?
Friday, March 9, 2007
A Busy Week
First of all, I'd like to thank the wonderful Kate Walker for mentioning this blog on her own blog as well as for dropping by, Anne McAllister, Michelle Styles, Lee Hyat, Margaret McDonagh and Lidia for leaving comments and welcoming me to blogland. I'm so sorry I've not been able to reply sooner, but it's been a week from hell with a family crisis to start off my week and a million and one things to do afterwards!
Whenever I had a spare minute, I'd see what was happening in blogland and needless to say, this week I was shocked, appalled and aghast by what was happening over on the I Love Presents blog. Apparently, a bunch of readers thought it amusing to stir things up and ruin for other genuine fans what I'm sure is going to be a favourite blog for many readers by making asinine comments about books which they haven't read and by attacking personally writers whom they've never met.
Now, I'm well aware that we are all different people with different beliefs, morals and opinions and that we've all got our likes and dislikes. We won't all like the same books nor will we all like the same authors - and thank God for that as wouldn't it be pretty boring if we all did? I don't object to a reader who has read a book from cover to cover and made constructive criticisms about said book, but what I do object to is readers who haven't read a book making stinging remarks about it when they haven't got a clue whatsoever. Everyone's entitled to express their opinion, true, but there's a world of difference between expressing one opinion and being nasty and bitchy about it and sadly, it seems that there are some readers who opt for the latter.
I've never written a book myself, but I do know that novel writing requires patience, skill, passion and intelligence so it makes my blood boil when I see readers cowardly insulting authors' books on a public messageboard or readers'forum whilst they are hiding behind an anonymous screen name. What's even more galling to me is when readers make assumptions about writers. I once read a post by a reader who said that as Sadie Author had written a couple of books about adultery then she must be an adulteress! The same poster called another author immoral because she included a spanking scene in her book! Aren't we supposed to be enlightened and intelligent women who can tell the difference between fact and fiction? I mean look at Ruth Rendell or Minette Walters, in their books they have characters tortured and viciously abused and then brutally murdered - so do they have bodies cluttering up their attics? Of course not! Do Science Fiction writers have spaceships in their garages next to their cars? No, they are just imaginative and intelligent; qualities which some readers are in desperate need of, I think!
Have a lovely weekend!
Whenever I had a spare minute, I'd see what was happening in blogland and needless to say, this week I was shocked, appalled and aghast by what was happening over on the I Love Presents blog. Apparently, a bunch of readers thought it amusing to stir things up and ruin for other genuine fans what I'm sure is going to be a favourite blog for many readers by making asinine comments about books which they haven't read and by attacking personally writers whom they've never met.
Now, I'm well aware that we are all different people with different beliefs, morals and opinions and that we've all got our likes and dislikes. We won't all like the same books nor will we all like the same authors - and thank God for that as wouldn't it be pretty boring if we all did? I don't object to a reader who has read a book from cover to cover and made constructive criticisms about said book, but what I do object to is readers who haven't read a book making stinging remarks about it when they haven't got a clue whatsoever. Everyone's entitled to express their opinion, true, but there's a world of difference between expressing one opinion and being nasty and bitchy about it and sadly, it seems that there are some readers who opt for the latter.
I've never written a book myself, but I do know that novel writing requires patience, skill, passion and intelligence so it makes my blood boil when I see readers cowardly insulting authors' books on a public messageboard or readers'forum whilst they are hiding behind an anonymous screen name. What's even more galling to me is when readers make assumptions about writers. I once read a post by a reader who said that as Sadie Author had written a couple of books about adultery then she must be an adulteress! The same poster called another author immoral because she included a spanking scene in her book! Aren't we supposed to be enlightened and intelligent women who can tell the difference between fact and fiction? I mean look at Ruth Rendell or Minette Walters, in their books they have characters tortured and viciously abused and then brutally murdered - so do they have bodies cluttering up their attics? Of course not! Do Science Fiction writers have spaceships in their garages next to their cars? No, they are just imaginative and intelligent; qualities which some readers are in desperate need of, I think!
Have a lovely weekend!
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Author Branding
The wonderful Barbara Hannay had a thought provoking post about Author Branding a few weeks ago which really got me thinking. The word 'brand' in itself suggest a semblance, a similiarity and a regularity which I think is at odds with the books which say, M&B writers like Barbara or Liz Fieling write.
True, you've writers like Betty Neels, probably one of M&B's bigger successes, who was famous for her gentle tales of Danish doctors, but then you've got the other famous M&B writer Penny Jordan, who in the last 12 months alone has written books featuring Sheikhs, Greeks and English aristocrats. In mainstream, you've only got to look at Nora Roberts or Jayne Ann Krentz who write a huge variety of tales ranging from paranormal to romantic suspense to historical to family saga. So, does an author have to be a "brand" to be successful? I can't help but think that the answer is NO! Writing books about say, Greek doctors, might immediately make readers think as soon as they spot your name on the book shelf, "Oh, there's Sadie author, the Greek doctor writer!", but it won't achieve the success of Penny, Nora, Liz, Barbara or countless others because as a reader, I don't care if I'm reading a book set on the moon, what I want is an engaging story which will move me and with these authors I always get this.
Have a lovely week!
True, you've writers like Betty Neels, probably one of M&B's bigger successes, who was famous for her gentle tales of Danish doctors, but then you've got the other famous M&B writer Penny Jordan, who in the last 12 months alone has written books featuring Sheikhs, Greeks and English aristocrats. In mainstream, you've only got to look at Nora Roberts or Jayne Ann Krentz who write a huge variety of tales ranging from paranormal to romantic suspense to historical to family saga. So, does an author have to be a "brand" to be successful? I can't help but think that the answer is NO! Writing books about say, Greek doctors, might immediately make readers think as soon as they spot your name on the book shelf, "Oh, there's Sadie author, the Greek doctor writer!", but it won't achieve the success of Penny, Nora, Liz, Barbara or countless others because as a reader, I don't care if I'm reading a book set on the moon, what I want is an engaging story which will move me and with these authors I always get this.
Have a lovely week!
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