Classic Romance Revival Website is Live

If you like romance with lots of story and lesser amounts of sex, come over to the Classic Romance Revival (CRR) website (http://www.classicromancerevival.com/).

We're a group of all-genre romance authors who concentrate on love and story in our romances. The hero and heroine's commitment to love and cherish each other, which is the essence of true romance, is the central feature of our stories.

Our books may contain various amounts of heat, ranging from Sweet with nary a kiss, through Sensual with escalating amounts of sexual tension, to Sophisticated with some sex, but we never write erotica.

I'm one of CRR's Affiliate Authors, and you'll find my two novellas on the website. My Lady of the Stars falls into the Sophisticated category, and Pumpkinnapper is in the Sensual category.

CRR also has a blog (http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog/) and a yahoo loop (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/classicromancerevivalauthors/).

Come to one, come to all, and enjoy the finest in Classic Romance with a modern twist.

Thank you all,
Linda

My LASR Spotlight This Week

From Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28, I have a spotlight at Long and Short Reviews (LASR). Address here: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/index.htm

I've written five essays. LASR will post one a day from Monday through Friday. So, although this post is Shameless Promotion, you'll have five blog entries to read this week.

Comment on each day's post, and/or answer LASR's daily question (see above address for how to answer) for a chance to win a PDF copy of Lady of the Stars.

Here are my essays:

Monday: I Write Regency
Tuesday: What I Like in a Romance
Wednesday: Gee, This Writing is Hard Work
Thursday: Titles
Friday: A Nice Guy



And, last but not least, on Saturday August 29, I'll be blogging at Lindsay's Romantics on my heroine.

Hope to see you.

Thank you all,
Linda

One Lovely Blog Award

I've received the One Lovely Blog Award from Lindsay Townsend. Thank you, Lindsay.

I'm now passing it on to Maggi Andersen, LK Hunsaker, and Jen Black.

Congratulations to all.

Linda

Blogging at Happily Ever After on "Kitchens"

I'm blogging today at my group blog Happily Ever After on "The Romance of the Rooms".

My room is the kitchen, where Richard and Caroline of Lady of the Stars first saw each other and fell in love.

Link here: http://happilyeverafterauthors2.blogspot.com/2009/08/kitchen-romance.html

Thank you all,
Linda

A Tale of Two Books

This weekend, I read two romances, both set in the Regency. One I liked, one I didn't.

The book I didn't like was written by a very popular author, whose books I adore. This author creates strong heroines taking unconventional paths that, in some respects, defy society's norms.

Not in this one. The heroine was indeed strong, but the unconventional path she was forced to take, not one she chose, plays into the current trend of sex, sex, and more sex. Boring.

I also disliked the hero. A rich, powerful, handsome nobleman, at almost thirty, he's still devastated by the untimely deaths of his parents and brother when he was a child. The author expects me to feel sorry for him. While his loss is sad, he has more than his share of life's good things as compensation. Deal with it, man, and do something useful. No sympathy here.

The book I liked is Phantom, a Regency paranormal, by Lindsay Randall. I don't generally like Regency paranormals. Usually, there's too much paranormal and not enough Regency. Not Phantom. Regency blends seamlessly with paranormal in a gripping, fast-paced action tale of a man doomed to house a demon from midnight to dawn and the love of his life who helps set him free.

The heroine, Robyn, is a woman who fights against being forced into a betrothal to an evil man. The hero, Dax, is exactly the kind of hero I like--a man who's suffered a great deal for crimes not his own, and his struggle against the injustice has made him a better man. This story, written in Ms. Randall's lyrical and highly descriptive prose is a joy to read. I'm glad I found it.

The first book is on the best-seller lists. Sadly, I see no other books by Ms. Randall listed in Borders and Barnes and Noble. I hope such a wonderful author, and one I've just discovered, doesn't fade away.

Thank you all,
Linda

A Nice Guy

I like nice guys.

My hero is decent, intelligent, and reliable. He works hard at something useful. He builds things and people up, and doesn't tear anything down. He's kind, brave and true.

Lest he sound too much like an overgrown Boy Scout, he can use his fists if necessary, but usually doesn't have to. Why? Because he's so intelligent he can outsmart even the craftiest villain. "Nice guy" does not necessarily translate as "wimp".

My hero is an ordinary man, but the circumstances of his life have dragged him through the fire. This fire, which would have destroyed a lesser man, forged him into a better man, indeed, a hero.

So, here's my hero, Richard of Lady of the Stars, my Regency time travel novella. He's furious with Caroline, who appears out of nowhere one night in 1817 England and literally knocks him over. Then she argues that his cottage is hers. While he plans to hand her over to the authorities come morning, he, decent man that he is, allows her to stay the night. And so, our story begins.

As for intelligent, Richard is a mathematician. He works as a teacher, so he does something useful. He's had his troubles, and he protects the heroine when harm threatens (telling you how would spoil the story).

And last but not least, because all romance is part fantasy, he's also drop-dead gorgeous. See picture.

But all these qualities can belong to any decent man. What sets Richard apart? In the climax of the story, he faces a choice. His heroism shines through not only by what he does for Caroline's love, but also by what he's willing to give up for it.

What a hero.

Thank you all,

Linda