Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 126

Montreal day one

Made it to Montreal only two hours late (plane had mechanical problems at previous origin point). Our hotel has goldfish! In a giant pond with little bridges you can walk on!C. and I looked at lots of architecture then spent a really long time at the Basilica of Notre Dame wandering around and admiring it while listening to a rehearsal of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. It's full of dark,

Off to Montreal for Worldcon

Today, my friend Charlotte and I are flying to Montreal for several days of sightseeing before we attend Worldcon.It's a first trip to the city for both of us, and there are quite a few things we hope to see, not to mention visiting a whole list of great restaurants.The Biodome sounds marvelous, and I am dying to see the ring-tailed lemurs that are there temporarily. They also have penguins!We

Edmund Blunden, "Premature Rejoicing"

Premature RejoicingWhat's that over there? Thiepval Wood.Take a steady look at it; it'll do you good.Here, these glasses will help you. See any flowers?There sleeps Titania (correct--the Wood is ours);There sleeps Titania in a deep dugout,Waking, she wonders what all the din's about,And smiles through her tears, and looks ahead ten years,And sees the Wood again, and her usual Grenadiers,All in

Edmund Blunden, "Thiepval Wood"

Thiepval WoodThe tired air groans as the heavies swing over, the river-hollows boom;The shell-fountains leap from the swamps, and with wildfire and fumeThe shoulder of the chalkdown convulses.Then the jabbering echoes stampede in the slatting wood,Ember-black the gibbet trees like bones or thorns protrudeFrom the poisonous smoke--past all impulses.To them these silvery dews can never again be

Erotic Journeys and Bodice Rippers

I've been thinking more on the reasons some books are categorized as erotica and some as romance when the number or frequency of sex scenes, and the "heat level" thereof, is very similar. I don't believe the degree of explicit language is always a factor; styles in prose language vary by author and, I think, by what's in style at the moment.One difference that came to mind is that in erotica,

The Research Book Dilemma

My name is Victoria, and I am a book hoarder. If I were still an impecunious graduate student, the lack of funds to buy books would be a constant pain, but as an adult with a job, my struggle is more with not buying books. It's all so interesting, you see. And even if I can't read the books right now, well, what if I broke my leg? And was bedridden? I would need some books to keep my spirits

Cecilia Tan Guest Post - "Why Writing Romance and Erotica Is Like Being Good in Bed"

Please welcome my guest, Cecilia Tan!#Why Writing Romance and Erotica Is Like Being Good in Bedby Cecilia TanI was debating with a friend recently on what the "real" difference is between "literary" fiction and "commercial" fiction. What's the difference between a literary novel that has a love story in it and a romance novel that is well written in a literary style? We know the publisher markets

The Book of Awesome

Today I bring you The Book of Awesome.The Book of Awesome is why you should have friends. A short while ago, I was bemoaning the fact that I had read the Hornblower books and the Aubrey-Maturin books, and was writing a sea adventure, but didn't really understand how sailing ships actually worked. Sherwood Smith, whom I've known online for several years, said, "You need Seamanship in the Age of

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Ultra-Brother!

Why does the coolest brother in the romance series usually turn out to be such a dud?I began to make a list of all the series of historical novels featuring brothers as heroes, but then realized that would be an entire essay in itself; also, I didn't really want to put any particular author on the spot. But romance readers know the kind of series I mean.There are brothers, usually a minimum of

Siegfried Sassoon, "Their Frailty"

Their FrailtyHe's got a Blighty wound. He's safe; and then War's fine and bold and bright. She can forget the doomed and prisoned men Who agonize and fight. He's back in France. She loathes the listless strain And peril of his plight, Beseeching Heaven to send him home again, She prays for peace each night. Husbands and sons and lovers; everywhere They die; War