Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 87

The Journal of Popular Romance Studies, First issue!

The Journal of Popular Romance Studies has published its first issue! If only this journal had been around when I was in graduate school...but no, then I never would have gotten around to writing novels.So far, I've read A Little Extra Bite: Dis/Ability and Romance in Tanya Huff and Charlaine Harris's Vampire Fiction, by Kathleen Miller. Abstract: "This essay examines Tanya Huff's Blood Price

Trusting Authorial Voices

I've recently been thinking about novel beginnings, and how it's common (and good) advice to start with big obvious conflict. However, I don't think that it's always necessary to do that. More importantly, I've been thinking about why that is true for me as a reader, and by extension, as a writer.When I begin reading a new book, I want to trust the author, and the author's voice. I want that

"Vision," Siegfried Sassoon

VisionI love all things that pass: their briefness is Music that fades on transient silences. Winds, birds, and glittering leaves that flare and fall— They fling delight across the world; they call To rhythmic-flashing limbs that rove and race... A moment in the dawn for Youth's lit face; A moment's passion, closing on the cry-- 'O Beauty, born of lovely things that die!'--

Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, "In the Ambulance"

In the Ambulance"Two rows of cabbages, Two of curly-greens, Two rows of early peas, Two of kidney-beans." That's what he is muttering Making such a song, Keeping other chaps awake, The whole night long. Both his legs are shot away, And his head is light;So he keeps on muttering All the blessed night: "Two rows of cabbages, Two of curly-greens, Two rows of early peas,Two of kidney-beans."--Wilfrid

Hooks and Anchors

I recently heard about an article which talked about paragraphing in terms of anchoring and hooking. I didn't find the article, but this is how I would use those terms.At the beginning of a scene, even if you haven't shifted locations or times, you have to set that scene in the first sentence or paragraph. Think of it like an establishing shot in a movie. The camera shows the place, lighting

RWA Conference 2010 Report, Part Two

The cover of The Moonlight Mistress is featured on Naked Romance this week, with some of my thoughts on it as well.And now back to my RWA 2010 report!Friday was my busiest day. I attended the awards lunch and cheered for the Librarian of the Year Jennifer Lohmann and for the Veritas Award recipient, Gwenda Bond. I then spent some quality time in the bar with Gwenda; her husband, writer

RWA 2010 Report, Part One

At last, my report on the 2010 Romance Writers of America Annual Conference! Scroll down or click the "RWA" tag for more posts and lots of photos. That picture on the left is one of the pretty floor mosaics at the Orlando Airport.I arrived Wednesday afternoon. I unfortunately had woken up way too early so was a bit punchy that whole day. My travel, though, was fine; the plane was about an

Picspam of Rupert Brooke

I haven't done a lot of research on Rupert Brooke (1887-1915); he's not my favorite World War One poet by a longshot, and though he died in Greece while in the army (on the way to Gallipoli), he never saw combat. William Butler Yeats once described him as "the handsomest young man in England," though, and I do agree he was very, very pretty.The Rupert Brooke Society.

Feeding the Muse

I don't actually believe I have a "muse," but it makes a catchy title. The reason I don't like to say "my muse" is that it implies the impetus for my writing comes from a mysterious outside source. If that were true, it would be out of my control. I don't think that's a good thing.So for me, "muse" is code for "my brain." So-called "inspiration" also means, to me, "my brain." As a writer,

Die Herzogin, ihre Zofe, der Stallbursche und ihr Liebhaber

Today is release day for The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover in German. Read the German excerpt here.Order Die Herzogin, ihre Zofe, der Stallbursche und ihr Liebhaber. (Published by Mira Taschenbuch Im Cora Verlag, translated by Ira Severin.)"Herzogin Camille ist verzweifelt: Ihr grausamer Ehemann will sie umbringen, damit er sich eine junge, gefügige Frau suchen kann, die ihm