What I Like in a Romance

Story! Lots of story!

Did you think I was going to say sex? Sex has its place in romance, but sex is not at the top of my list of requirements.

First of all, my preferred type of story is historical. I don't care for contemporaries because they're too much like real life. When I read, I want a vacation from the everyday. The past contains fantasy because we can't go there and see what it's like. I used to read pure fantasy, but the magical elements have worn thin.

My love for historicals is subdivided, though. Most of the books I read are set in the Regency, that period in England history about two hundred years ago. Lords and ladies, gorgeous clothes, and a time far enough in the past for a little fantasy, but not so far as to be unrecognizable. If I venture out of my comfort zone, I'll read a book set in the next closest eras, Georgian and Victorian. Occasionally, I'll read a medieval or two, and maybe an Edwardian, but I rarely travel farther.

Next, I want something in addition to the romance. I like mystery, adventure, or suspense added to the mixture. Although the relationship is paramount, I want it to develop in a larger context. What else do these people do?

I also want likeable characters. Both my hero and heroine must be decent people. No bad boy heroes or doormat heroines for me. My hero and heroine must be equally matched in strength and intelligence. At the end of the story, I expect them to walk into the sunset together, not one following the other. I also like my hero to use a little muscle against the villains. I like kick-butt heroines, too, but they're harder to do in historicals.

I also like humor. Real life can be depressing. As the newspaper saying goes, "If it bleeds, it leads". Not for me. I want a laugh. The funny possibilities of a story lock into my mind, so I appreciate humor.

And then there is the Happily Ever After. The real world has so few happy endings. If I invest several hours reading a book, I want that happy ending. I rarely read fiction other than romances.

And last, but not least, there is sex. I want romances full of love, and sex is part of love. Some is fine, but I don't care for pages and pages of it.

So, there you have what I read, and also what I write: a funny Regency with decent heroes and heroines involved in a story full of love with another story in addition to the romance. Sex is nice, but not necessary.

And of course, a Happily Ever After.

Romance, you gotta love it.

Thank you 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

Blogging at Happily Ever After on "I Love Libraries"

I've a special post on the Happily Ever After group blog on I Love Libraries.

Also, on Friday, June 5, I'm part of the Classic Romance Revival's Blog Carnival. All of the CRR authors will post a special blog on that day. Mine is Gazebos: How to Find a Time Portal, and it tells how I created the time portal in Lady of the Stars.

Thank you all,
Linda

Blogging at Happily Ever After on Ducks

For a change of pace, I'm blogging on my favorite animals, ducks, at Happily Ever After.

http://happilyeverafterauthors2.blogspot.com/2009/05/ducks.html

Take a look at some of the hunks of the avian world.

Thank you, all.

Linda

Too Much Blogging?

In my October 12, 2008 post, I talked about Loretta Chase's departure from the Word Wenches blog.

Ms. Chase, popular author of Your Scandalous Ways, left because she needed more time for writing.

Two weeks ago, Edith Layton said she was leaving the Word Wenches blog. Just this past week, Susan Holloway Scott/Miranda Jarrett, also announced her departure from Word Wenches. And, on March 17, Cara King of Risky Regencies announced she was leaving her blog.

All three ladies left these very popular blogs for the same reason Loretta Chase did--blogging took up too much of their writing time. Do I detect a trend? Will authors now leave their blogs because blogging takes up too much time?

These ladies are all established authors, so a little less blogging probably won't hurt their sales. Yet, even I, newbie that I am, feel the drain blogging takes. I've been skimping on this blog because I've been blogging at Romantic Synonymous and Happily Ever After. Blog posts take time and energy I could spend on writing something new.

Six months have passed since I wrote that blog about Loretta Chase. I know more now that I did then. I've already decided I won't do any more guest blogs, except for very special reasons. I have one more, on May 13 at Allie Boniface's blog, that I scheduled last November. Then I concentrate on my new story and see how well everything works out.

Thank you all,
Linda

A-Blogging We Will Go

I've joined the Neverending Story on Judah Raine's Romantic Synonomous blog. The Neverending Story is a round robin, where each participating author writes the next chapter in this sweet/sensual contemporary.

I'm up for the first time on March 26. I've never done this kind of thing before, and I don't usually write contemporary. But I'll give it a try.

Also, tomorrow I will be posting on my group blog, Happily Ever After. The title, if I can get the whole thing in the title box, is Gorgeous Men in Tight Breeches & Ruffled Shirts. And I have pictures! Hope to see you there.

And I've changed the layout of my blog. Let's see how this one works.

Thank you all,
Linda

Blogging at Romance Write-up With Judah Raine

Judah Raine is one of the Happily Ever After authors, and she's featuring the rest of us on her blog, Romance Write-up With Judah Raine. I'm lucky to be the first. Here's my interview.

Judah lives in South Africa, and is the author of Still Running at Siren-Bookstrand. Her The Look and The Thick Black Line will be coming out soon, also from Bookstrand. Check her out at her website.

Thank you all,
Linda

I've joined the group blog Happily Ever After

I've joined the group blog Happily Ever After. I'm in company of thirteen other others who write in a range of genres and heat levels with the common link of "celebrating the male/female relationships in romance, and what makes them wonderful reads."

HEA is a brand new blog, which started only after the new year. Author Lindsay Townsend (A Knight's Vow) asked me to join after I met her on one of the promotion loops. She had a release of her latest book, Blue Gold, on January 6, and my Lady of the Stars release was on January 7. We both had author days on different loops on January 7, so we helped each other out by cross-posting to each other's loop.

Tomorrow is my first post on HEA. The title is Daffodils and Pink Roses, and talks about why men give women flowers.

Thank you, all,
Linda

"Lady of the Stars" - Post Release

Well, Lady of the Stars' release day finally arrived. And there my book is, up on the Wild Rose Press site.

Today I'm #10 on the Wild Rose Press's sitewide This Month's Bestseller List and #2 on the Short Stories This Month's Bestsellers List.

Now, I'm not sure how many copies I had to sell to get on either list, but it does feel nice to see my book there. I know for sure I sold two copies. Amazing how far two copies can get you. **grins**

I even got a review from WRDF. From the review: "The most important part of a romance- the romance- was marvelous. ... A story that left me smiling."

Also, I'm part of The Wild Rose Press Winter Sony eReader Giveaway Contest. Anyone who buys a copy of Lady of the Stars from The Wild Rose Press website from January 15 though March 15, 2009 has a chance to win a Sony eReader. Check this link for how to enter.

In other news, I'll be guest blogging at Helen's Heroes, Helen Hardt's blog, tomorrow, January 12, and on Friday January 16 at Christina Phillips' blog. For each blog, I'll give a PDF copy to one of the people who leave a comment.

And last, but not least, I joined the group blog Happily Ever After. The blog members write in all genres, the linking factor the celebration of male/female relationships in romance, and what makes them wonderful reads.

Thank you all,
Linda