Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 127
July 31, 2009
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,
July 30, 2009
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
July 29, 2009
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
July 28, 2009
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
July 27, 2009
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
July 26, 2009
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
July 25, 2009
Moonlight Mistress excerpt - the opening
This is the opening section of Moonlight Mistress, out December 2009 from Harlequin Spice.#There were no trains to Strasbourg.The hand lettered sign on the station wall might be wrong, or something might have changed. Lucilla Daglish clutched her single carpetbag more closely to her skirts, to more efficiently protect her scientific glassware from the anxious crowd, but also for reassurance.
July 24, 2009
More RWA National Conference 2009
Nifty Hotel PicturesI couldn't find a place for these in my posts on the conference, so here they are: a few "artsy" snapshots of the Wardman Marriott.Tomorrow is Snippet Saturday--theme is "openings." I've posted the opening section of Moonlight Mistress.
July 23, 2009
RWA National Conference 2009 Report, Part Three
I loved the hotel gardens, which were filled with beds upon beds of bright red salvia and richly golden marigolds.Friday morning, I got up way too early because I heard one of my roommates saying into the phone, very calmly, that a hose in the toilet tank was shooting water all over the mirror. At least it was clean water...I decided that, if I got cholera, at least I would provide a research
July 22, 2009
RWA National Conference 2009 Report, Part Two
I was most amused to find the hotel had changed one of the mens' bathrooms into a womens' bathroom, and as part of the repurposing, they draped and decorated the urinals with flowers and boxes of tissues, so our maidenly eyes would not be offended.Thursday at the conference seemed to last for a really long time and involve a lot of wandering around the hotel trying to find things and people. I
