Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 82

Types of Masculinity

What does it mean, to be a man? To be masculine? What does it mean to be a man who is the hero of a romance novel?Romance readers, including me, often talk about "alpha" or "beta" heroes as two generalized types. The alpha can be seen as a protector and/or a provider (rich in money or at least in skills) as well as a person with a need to dominate a relationship, or at least romantic

I Am My Own Muse

How's that for a pretentious title? But aren't all writers, really, their own muses? It's sort of in how you talk about it. Some personify, and talk about their "muse" as if it's something/someone outside of them. Others, like me, feel the "muse" is internal, ideas cooked up by the subconscious.When I think about writing and inspiration, I go around and around in my opinions. (It's one thing

Galleys now available for THE DUKE & THE PIRATE QUEEN

The Duke and the Pirate Queen is now available on NetGalley if you're a reviewer who's registered with the site. If you're just curious about the service, here's the FAQ.Excerpt from the opening chapter.Second excerpt.Third excerpt.Fourth excerpt.Amazon link for pre-order.

Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, "Retreat"

Retreat Broken, bewildered by the long retreat Across the stifling leagues of southern plain, Across the scorching leagues of trampled grain, Half-stunned, half-blinded, by the trudge of feet And dusty smother of the AugustHe dreamt of flowers in an English lane, Of hedgerow flowers glistening after rain-- All-heal and willow-herb and meadow-sweet. All-heal and willow-herb and meadow-sweet-- The

Edmund Blunden, "The Zonnebeke Road"

The Zonnebeke RoadMorning, if this late withered light can claimSome kindred with that merry flameWhich the young day was wont to fling through space!Agony stares from each grey face.And yet the day is come; stand down! stand down!Your hands unclasp from rifles while you can;The frost has pierced them to the bended bone?Why see old Stevens there, that iron man,Melting the ice to shave his

Prose Architecture and Experimentation

Back when I wrote a lot more short stories, I used to use each one as an opportunity for experimentation. This was partly because I feel experimentation is one of the best ways to improve your writing, and partly so I wouldn't get bored.I experimented with different aspects of craft and character. I wrote a story in first-person. I wrote stories in second-person present tense. I tried out a

LeGuin Festschrift

The Ursula LeGuin Festschrift, produced last year for her 80th birthday in an edition of one, will be coming out in print for the rest of us October 21, which happens to be Ursula LeGuin's 81st birthday.You can pre-order (at a 25% discount) here.Contributions include fiction from John Kessel, Andrea Hairston, Sheree Renee Thomas, Ama Patterson, and Pan Morigan, and essays and poetry from Richard

How Many Sex Scenes?

I recently read a contemporay romance and got into a brief discussion about the sex scenes.I'd been perfectly comfortable with the amount of sex that was shown. The story focused on the two characters' relationship issues and issues that were them versus society; basically, Love Against the Odds. So far as sex went, they didn't really have any issues. They were physically compatible from the

The Best Part of Marketing

I'm not as dedicated to marketing my books as many advisors recommend, but I invest some effort because I can't resist the idea that I can find more readers. In particular, I hope to find readers who have never heard of me and who wouldn't necessarily search for a Harlequin Spice novel; readers who might not even know the Spice line exists. Specifically, I felt I had to market because I thought

Wilfred Wilson Gibson, "Breakfast"

Breakfast We ate our breakfast lying on our backs, Because the shells were screeching overhead. I bet a rasher to a loaf of bread That Hull United would beat Halifax When Jimmy Strainthorpe played full-back instead Of Billy Bradford. Ginger raised his head And cursed, and took the bet; and dropt back dead. We ate our breakfast lying on our backs, Because the shells were screeching overhead. --