Maya Rodale's Blog: Maya Rodale's Blog, page 29

Real life Heroine: Jane Digby

I named the hero of The Tattooed Duke after…a girl! Sebastian Digby is 1) the Duke of Wycliff 2) pierced and tattooed and 3) an explorer. Rather than laze about London,  Sebastian travels around the world, going from one adventure to the next (Check out the rumors of his scandalous travels). I was inspired by the true life adventures of one Miss Jane Digby.

Jane was a beautiful, intelligent Englishwoman who followed her heart all over the world from the lush English countryside to a hot Middle Eastern desert, living a life filled with princes, kings and sheiks. She was born in 1807 to a rich and powerful family who had turned down an offer to join the peerage. Jane was a hoyden—she loved racing horses and shared her brothers' lessons, even becoming fluent in multiple languages.

Read her whole story in the fantastic biography A Scandalous Life

She had "a season" and married a prominent lawyer, Lord Ellenborough, who was about twice her age. Alas, he turned out to be a philanderer and left his young, pretty wife to her own devices. She had an affair with her cousin. Then she met Prince Felix Schwarzenberg, a visiting ambassador from Austria, and a love affair soon followed (He's the inspiration behind the visiting Prince in A Groom Of One's Own). Scandal ensued. Lord E sued for divorce and Jane was exiled from polite society and left England. She may have lost her reputation, but she gained her freedom.

Prince Felix left her in Paris. She traveled on to Germany, where she was courted by Baron Carl Vennigen. They married and lived in isolation at his German country house until she met a Greek Count. A passionate love affair ensued. Duels were fought. Jane divorced again and hightailed it to Greece.

Eventually she made her way to the Middle East and hired an escort to take her to the desert Oasis of Palmyra. Her escort was Medjuel el Mezrab, a Bedoin sheiks in his late twenties; Jane was in her forties. They fell in love.

In 1854, Jane moved to Damascus, built a house, learned Arabic and adopted many Arabic customs. She and Medjuel were madly in love and wanted to marry, however, he already had a wife and Jane would not consent to being one of many wives. So he divorced his first wife and married Jane in 1855. They set off for a honeymoon in Palmyra.

As Jane Digby el Mezrab, beloved wife of a Bedouin sheik, she traveled the desert, riding high-spirited Arabian horses by her husband's side, earning the love and respect of his tribe and enjoying the grand passion she had always longed for.

She died in 1881, at the age of seventy-four. At the foot of her grave in Damascus lies a large block of pink desert limestone, carried from Palmyra, "where Jane spent the happiest days of her life." Medjual himself carved her name into the rock. He never remarried.

I love Jane's life story. It's full with passionate love affairs, disasters, duels and daring. Lots and lots of daring. As I was reading her excellent biography, A Scandalous Life, I marveled at how much she fully lived and loved.

Question: All things being equal, which hero would you want to read about: An English Lord, A German Prince, A Greek Count or a Bedouin Sheik? Or D) all of the above? 

Must Read Romance Novels

Sometimes it feels like there is nothing to read (kinda like those days when there is nothing to wear). This is NOT one of those times. I read a bunch of delicious romance novels over the holidays and these are the best of the best.

The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James. Typically, I make a fuss about the husband arriving home in time for dinner but one night he arrived home to a cold kitchen and me on the couch with this delightful Eloisa James novel. It is also our habit that he stays up reading whilst I fall asleep with the light on. But this was one of those books where I Could Not Sleep until I had finished it. I am madly in love with EJ novels, especially because of her hilariously witty writing. This heroine was just a naughty delight, too.

A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant. Smart Bitches lured me to buy this book with the mention of all the bad sex in it. A widow, desperate to conceive and to protect her claim on her late husband's estate, makes a deal with the neighboring rake to have sex every day for a month. It starts off awkward and then gets good. Really good. Beautifully written and the character transformations are amazing.

 

[image error]

Trouble At The Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke. Familiar and refreshing all at once. This is a historical (but set in 1904). The hero is a duke and the heroine is a "New Money Nobody" from Mississippi. Y'all know how I love my country music and Southern twang…and my British Rogues. It's the best of both worlds. Even better: plot twists I did not anticipate. Definitely pick this one up!

What are some great books you've read lately? 

A heroine is not perfect (and other observations)

A heroine is not perfect.

She will have flaws—some may be cute, some may be dark—but she will definitely not be perfect, for perfection does not lend itself to adventure or transformation.

A heroine will have adventures. A lot will happen to her in a few hundred pages. She still won't be perfect, though.

One is quite likely to find a heroine in a tree, or a ballroom, or galloping recklessly across the moors. She is frequently found where she oughtn't be.

[image error]She is generous, and may very well give you a piece of her mind whether you asked for it or not. She has a tendency to be outspoken.

Some heroines, however, are shy. This does not rule out witty and wicked thoughts, which the reader is fortunately privy to.

She is very concerned with the welfare of others. In fact, she may even take it upon herself to ensure a particular outcome or event involving others. Some may call this meddling.

She has an interest, be it reading or mathematics, or science or dresses. Perhaps she is good at dancing or singing or horseback riding. Perhaps not. She generally has an aversion to embroidery.

She might be plump or slender, tall or short. She will probably have violet eyes or gold flecks in her eyes (which will sound decidedly less odd when the hero is noticing it in the context of a novel). Her mouth might be too wide, or bow-shaped or regular. It will be oh-so kissable. The hero will find her outrageously attractive, just how she is.

She will have the most fashionable gowns. Unless she does not. She will certainly be divested of her attire by the hero before the end of the book.

She will probably marry a duke or another man of high rank. But she'll be kind to everyone regardless of their station.On the whole, she is extraordinarily kind.

She may possess doubts and fears, but she'll still dare to dream.

She'll save her own self, thank you very much.

What are some other essential traits of a heroine? 

How to be the heroine of your own life

[image error]It is a truth universally acknowledged that a heroine is in possession of certain admirable qualities with just enough quirks and weaknesses to keep things interesting. She triumphs over obstacles, both external and internal, has grand adventures, and she is rewarded with all manner of love and wealth and happiness.

I want to be a heroine.

More specifically, I want to be like the heroine of a romance novel, but in my real life. This is exactly what the status quo does not want (as this video demonstrates).  But I suspect this is exactly what the world needs: more uppity, honest, talented, well-loved and well-pleasured women.

A reader recently wrote to me with the following story that illustrates exactly why we might just want to emulate the heroines of these books we so adore:

One of my classmates walked up to me during study hall, leaned over my shoulder and said, "You know, if you concentrated more on your classwork instead of reading trashy romance novels, you'd get better grades." If I hadn't been given permission and pity quips from romance heroines, I might have stopped reading and done the "dutiful" thing. Instead I looked squarely up at him and told him if he'd learn to mind his own business, he'd have a social life.

It's not about cutting remarks, but about feeling empowered to speak up and being proud of oneself. (And to teach those rogues a thing or two.) And  also seizing the moment, rather than grumbling over witty retorts hours later.

Taking romance novels as my guide, my quest for 2012 is how to be a heroine in my own life.  Everything from how to cause a scene to how to be gracious under pressure. How to deliver a witty retort and how to lift one eyebrow (really, how do they do that? Is it even possible?). How to spot a hero and how to handle meddling busybodies. How to be happy with oneself. How to make every day a happily-ever-after.

Important questions:

What are some heroine characteristics that'd you like to have? 
Can anyone here lift one eyebrow? (Or do you know anyone who can?)

Happy Holidays!

Dear Readers, I am taking the week off from blogging, writing, watching what I eat, tweeting, checking email, etc, etc, etc. This week between Christmas and New Years is my favorite of the year because It's Oh So Quiet and I find its the perfect time to thoroughly clean the house, review the past year and plot for the year ahead. I'll return to blogging here in January. In the meantime, perhaps you might enjoy

•A little excerpt from The Tattooed Duke…

•Why are romance novels revolutionary? Watch the video.

• Penelope's great adventures…

• All sorts of excerpts and extras…

Happy Holidays!

There's no shame in reading romance!

I  nearly spit out my coffee when I watched this video from the 1950′s in which a woman is rated a bad businesswoman because she reads romance novels and likes the idea of romance. For what it's worth I know plenty of talented women executives who also happen to read romance. And I must add: telling off the boss and good in an emergency? Sounds like a romance heroine to me!

Attitudes like that are the reason I made this defense of romance:

 

What are your favorite romance novels featuring businesswomen? 

 

FAQ: What is a Hoyden?

Not quite sure how to describe a hoyden, other than to say I'll know her when I see her in corsets, petticoats and stuck in a tree instead of in the ballroom. Or in breeches. My friend asked me what a hoyden was the other day, and all I could think of was a trouble making chit, who tends to dress as a boy. My dictionary says simply "a boisterous girl" which doesn't quite capture the sparkling, dangerous essence of a true hoyden.

How would you describe a hoyden?

What are some of your favorite hoyden characters?

How to cook for a picky eater

[image error]

On Fridays I'm blogging at my momma's blog, Maria's Farm Country Kitchen where I'm helping her cook up trouble and dish out advice!

I am a picky eater, and it has long been the bane of my mother's existence. Of course, I married someone even pickier than I am! While occasionally vexing (like when I find myself cooking potatoes again), I can't express how wonderful it is to have someone share my persnickety eating habits and understand why I need to eat before parties and ask the waiter a dozen questions.

We, the picky eaters, conferred and would like y'all to know these 8 things…Read the rest at Maria's Farm Country Kitchen!

Celebrity Gossip Pop Quiz!

Yes, it's time again to test your knowledge of celebrity gossip and scandal! Huzzah, kittens! Post your answers in the comments below by midnight tonight and I'll be a winner randomly from those who have perfect scores (US entries only, s'il vous plait). This month's prize is a copy of For Your Arms Only by Caroline Linden, who is totally one of my new favorite authors.

[image error]

1. Which one is pregnant?

 

2. Where is Khloe moving?

 

 

[image error]

 

3. This guy was kicked off an American Airlines flight for reputedly playing which game?

 

4. His daughter is named after which European country?

[image error]

 

5. Who is this?

 

6. Why does he look like Lincoln?

 

 

Hilarious Must Reads

Sometimes, I just need to read something hysterical. Like, snorting with laughter hilarious. Like, laughing so hard and for so long that The Husband finally looks up from his computer screen to ask what the heck is so funny. I read two of those books this year. They are:

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns). Confession: I have never really watched The Office. I had never heard of Mindy Kaling until rave reviews of this book kept popping up everywhere. I love this book. I kind of want to be friends with Mindy now. Mostly, I want to watch her TV show idea, Interspecies Friends. This book is super, super, super funny.

 

Bossypants. First, I love the title of this book. I am jealous because I would want my memoir to be titled Bossypants. Lord knows it would be apt. As I mentioned, this book had me lol-ing alot. But this is also the best self-help/advice book I have ever read because it doesn't try to be preachy or self-helpy. It's full of funny stories and cool, useful tips that Tina Fey learned along the way. Also, I have never really watched 30 Rock. But I think I should.

I now have a new obsession: memoir-ish books by lady comediennes. Any recommendations in this genre? Any hysterical books/TV shows/movies you recommend?