'Lineage'
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
That's depressing. I haven't read any in a while, but I used to love Carla Kelly, Mary Balogh, and Mary Jo Putney.
All three of them are still actively writing, but none of them are doing traditionals anymore. Carla Kelly was until very recently, but her next book will be through Harlequin Historicals, and MB and MJP have been writing single title Regency historicals (and in MJP's case the occasional contemporary) for quite awhile.
Heck, even Metzger is doing historicals now. I don't know of any of the cream of the crop traditional writers from my youth who haven't moved on.
Carla Kelly was until very recently, but her next book will be through Harlequin Historicals, and MB and MJP have been writing single title Regency historicals (and in MJP's case the occasional contemporary) for quite awhile.
It's good to know they'll still be published - especially Carla Kelly. I actually stopped reading them because most of the writers just didn't grab me anymore and it was too hard weeding through them to find someone good.
ETA: I'm surprised there's not more of a market for these, though. Especially in light of the interest in Jane Austen during the last 10 years.
ETA: I'm surprised there's not more of a market for these, though. Especially in light of the interest in Jane Austen during the last 10 years.
Me too. I think part of the problem is marketing/packaging. Also, I think the Regency historical has gotten so big it's crowded out the traditionals. I'm a little worried about my end of the market, too--I'm afraid the cash cow is getting a bit bloated and might become a victim of its own success. And while I could write about other eras, I really want to sell the wip. If I can't, and if I conclude it's because of market forces and not because I didn't write it well enough, I'd just be heartbroken. It's possible I've fallen a bit too deeply in love with my own creations.
Susan, what kind of story are you doing?
Basically, star-crossed love across class lines in the midst of the Peninsular War. Highborn cavalry officer's widow, niece of an earl and a great heiress, falls in love with a sergeant.
Basically, star-crossed love across class lines in the midst of the Peninsular War. Highborn cavalry officer's widow, niece of an earl and a great heiress, falls in love with a sergeant.
That sounds really good. It's cool that you're having actual problems like the war and class issues in it. So much more romantic.
the quality of the writing isn't up to scratch these days, especially in Kensington/Zebra.
I've been trying to read these. So many of them are throw-across the room worthy it's depressing. I think they'd have a market if the quality was better.
That sounds really good. It's cool that you're having actual problems like the war and class issues in it. So much more romantic.
I hope so--that's how I think of it. But I think there's a certain portion of the reading population that's in it for the lords-and-ladies fantasy (not that there's anything wrong with that), and the market caters to it. Also, some of the contest judges and beta readers who've seen it so far can't see why the class difference between the hero and heroine is such a big deal, which frustrates me because I feel like it's solid and organic to the world I'm writing in in a way that many romance novel conflicts aren't. I mean, these people come from worlds that could never fully accept the other person, so being together is going to mean giving up the dreams and hopes and family security they had before they met. Which I think is a huge deal--I just have to figure out how to sell it.
I've been trying to read these. So many of them are throw-across the room worthy it's depressing. I think they'd have a market if the quality was better.
I'll be sure to speak up here when I run across a good one.
some of the contest judges and beta readers who've seen it so far can't see why the class difference between the hero and heroine is such a big deal
Could some of the problem be that, as Americans, class doesn't mean as much (at least consciously)? A lot of books I've seen that purport to be set in England have very thinly veiled "I'm just as good as you are" American-type attitudes on the part of the characters who are from a lower rank. A lot of people find the whole concept of class as a motivator offensive (unless, of course, their darling daughter suddenly wants to date the mechanic, but nobody admits to that). Americans are supposed to be better than that, and the market is American.