Elizabeth Ellen Carter's Blog, page 30

The Consent of the Governed

We come to the tail end of the United States Independence celebrations and now France gears up for Bastille Day.

Two Republics – France spent nearly 80 years riven by almost constant internal strife, killing many of their own countrymen. The United States held out a bit longer before it erupted in Civil War.

The tension of Paris during the Reign of Terror is the subject of my WIP Moonstone Conspiracy. Here is a snippet:

Daniel immediately stepped forward to put himself in front of Abigail. He thrust his hand out.

“Citizen Rene at your service. I’d be indebted to know news of Paris. I’ve never been there and it’s been what…? Ten years?” Daniel turned to Abigail, “since my wife was there. Not since her sister married Bernard.”

The old man shook his head. “There are executions daily. They renamed Place Louis XV — called it Place de la Revolution. It is now awash with the blood of priests and aristocrats to appease the new god of the Republic.”

- Moonstone Conspiracy

There are fundamental differences between the formation of the two republics, articulated by Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine , which I touch on in this post here.

“And time is a facility we don’t have, my friends,” sighed Pitt. “Mirabeau is France’s last great hope.

“If he can persuade Louis to accept limits to his power and a Parliament like Britain’s, it will be enough reform to satisfy most of the French revolutionaries, and the agitation to spread revolution to our shores will wither on the vine.

“But if he cannot, it means Louis’ head on the chopping block and no turning back the tide of bloodshed.

“And if history is our guide, should France go to war with itself, it will also go to war with England.”

- Moonstone Obsession

Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, was a man ahead of his time and, had he be listened to, there was every chance that Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette might have kept their heads and the Reign of Terror and the associated internecine deaths might never have happened.

But all that’s history right? After vacillating between being a monarchy and a republic France has been a peaceful republic (association with two world wars not withstanding) since the late 1850s. The US has flourished as a republic almost from the beginning and was the 20th Century’s greatest super power (I don’t believe it is any longer, but that will have to be the subject of another post).

Well, today I came across a fascinating review of a new book by American Constitutional scholar FH Buckley, The Once and Future King: The Rise of Crown Government in America,

In it he reveals that if the United States is to claim any especial exceptionalism, it is that it has managed nearly 240 years without falling into despotism as republics are apt to do.

He claims that the most stable and prosperous form of government is a constitutional monarchy – just as British Commonwealth has. It must also be pointed out that it has been more than 325 years since England was riven by Revolution (1688′s Glorious Revolution which is also known as the Bloodless Revolution).

There’s a lesson there, Buckley argues. While “an American is apt to think that his Constitution uniquely protects liberty,” the truth “is almost exactly the reverse.” In a series of regressions using the Freedom House rankings, Buckley finds that “presidentialism is significantly and strongly correlated with less political freedom.”

In this, he builds on the work of the late political scientist Juan Linz, who in a pioneering 1990 article, “The Perils of Presidentialism,” argued that presidential systems encourage cults of personality, foster instability, and are especially bad for developing countries. Subsequent studies have bolstered Linz’s insights, showing that presidential systems are more prone to corruption than parliamentary systems, more likely to suffer catastrophic breakdowns, and more likely to degenerate into autocracies. Buckley puts it succinctly: “there are a good many more presidents-for-life than prime-ministers-for-life.”

Even France as a Parliamentary system of sorts, a semi-presidential system (like Russia) in which the President is the titular head shares executive powers with the Prime Minister.

The advantage of having a completely politically independent head of state as opposed to a electing a partisan politician is explained this way:

“The character of the presidency is such,” the British journalist Henry Fairlie wrote in 1967, “that the majority of the people can be persuaded to look to it for a kind of leadership which no politician, in my opinion, should be allowed, let alone invited, to give. ‘If people want a sense of purpose,’ [former British Prime Minister] Harold Macmillan once said to me, ‘they should get it from their archbishops.’”

Presidential regimes invite executive dominance by combining the roles of “head of state” and “head of government” in one figure. “As heads of government,” Buckley writes, “presidents are the most powerful officials in their countries. As heads of state, they are also their countries’ ceremonial leaders,” and claim “the loyalty and respect of all patriots.” Where parliamentary systems cleave off power from ceremony, presidential ones make the chief executive the living symbol of nationhood: the focal point of national hopes, dreams, fears—and occasionally fantasies.

Agree with the perspective or not, it does make for fascinating reading.

And the lessons of the past that can be learned today is why I love writing historical romance.

Share!

The post The Consent of the Governed appeared first on EE Carter.

The Play What I Wrote*

*It’s funnier if you’re familiar with Morecambe & Wise…

I’ve realised that it’s been two weeks since I last posted. Oh well, so much for the good intentions…

So this post will be a little quickie, so anyone who is remotely interested in what I’ve been up to will go ‘oh yeah, Elizabeth, I remember her… I thought she died years ago or went off and started a new career as a cat trainer or something…’

Anyway… enough rambling.

Moonstone Obsession is now in print! I’d be delighted to sign a copy but if you’re outside Australia it is prohibitively expensive to send, so if you’d rather not part with up to $30 more (depending on where you live) I’d be more than delighted to write you a personal note of appreciation if you decide to purchase a copy. It is available as paperback on Booktopia and Amazon.

My second novel Warrior’s Surrender is still awaiting a publisher. I’m delighted to announce that two publishers have requested full manuscripts. Now is the waiting game and as anyone who knows me in real life knows, I’m not very good at being patient. So it doesn’t look like I’ll have a full length title published this year

Novel number three, Moonstone Conspiracy, (which has just had a hurry along poke from Etopia Press managing editor Nancy Cassidy) is now a first draft. She’ll be pleased to know that she will have it in few months. I’m thrilled to bits with this book and I’ll be posting a proper blurb on my web site shortly.

One thing which will be published this year is a short story, Three Ships, this Christmas themed story will be part of a four book anthology. I’m thrilled to be joined by Susanne Bellamy, Eva Scott and Noelle Clark – they are three truly wonderful women and amazing authors from south-east Queensland.

I’m also in planning mode for full length novel number four! It will be a late Roman Empire historical romance with a working title of Dark Heart. Like all my stories, there will be an intriguing mystery/adventure as well as a delightful romance with a very happy every after.

Thank you so much for words of encouragement!

Share!

The post The Play What I Wrote* appeared first on EE Carter.

Write Stuff

Thanks to the wonderful people at Mashable I know what kind of procrastinator I am.

In fact I’m two of them.

I already knew that I was a compulsive list maker – nothing makes you feel like you’re in control like a LIST! – what I didn’t realise until a couple of weeks ago is that I am The Internet Researcher too.

I was beginning to panic (only mildly, mind) because I had given myself a deadline to finish Moonstone Conspiracy and I was falling way behind.

So when my beloved husband suggested we go camping that panic blossomed into a Def Con 4 only-serious amounts-of -chocolate-will-do. So here we were at beautiful Mt Barney Lodge with our van all set up, with two fully powered lap tops and a tablet. As a last minute inclusion I threw in a note book and a pen.

Then it rained…

There went the idea of disgorging the battery power on electronic devices for fear of humidity doing nasty things to their insides. It meant the only option – handwriting.

And you know what?

It felt good!

Without the distractions of easy access to the internet – now in which arrondissement are Parisian catacombs again? – I managed to write more than 6000 words – nearly a week’s output.

Sure there were some gaps where I would need double checking some facts (the catacombs and limestone and gypsum mines are in the V, VI, XIV and XV arrondissements) and a reminder to confirm some incidental characters’ names) but the real lesson is this.

Just tell the story

Don’t be so caught up in making your first draft perfect. Just tell the story – make it real and logically consistent. Everything else is just stage dressing and props.

Tell me in comments below what type of procrastinator you are and your tips for getting moving again.

Trust me, I’ll be taking more advantage of good old pen and paper from now on.

Share!

The post Write Stuff appeared first on EE Carter.

Real Life Love

Thank you for the laugh Longmire – http://www.worldoflongmire.com/featur...

Book boyfriends: the secret lovers we have between the pages of our favourite romance.

Technically we’re not being unfaithful to the man in our real life, these are fictional characters, after all.

Our hero on the white horse (or white Lamborghini because whoever heard of a romantic hero who’s poor?) who wins our hearts during the course of the romance is the embodiment of all we want in a man – he’s handsome, heroic and chivalrous.

Our hero and the heroine overcome obstacles that stand in the way and then they have their happily ever after – usually marked by a wedding day.

Yet another reason why romance novels resonate so keenly with readers is that in a moment of intellectual honesty it forces us to the truth:

Men and Women are different.

If you had any doubts about that, just get naked and check a mirror.

And it’s more than skin deep.

Anyone who claims those differences are a social construct is quite frankly deluded.

The differences between men and women are biological – right down to our DNA. No amount of making girls play with trucks and forcing boys to play with Braid-My-Hair Barbie  is going to change that.

So what happens after we turn the last page and have to get back to real life? How can this most perfect man we’ve been reading about ever exist outside the realm of our imagination (and the pens of our favourite authors)?

A couple of days ago, I wrote a strongly-worded piece about women who wax lyrical over strong, amazing romance novel heroines and yet fail to apply the lessons of grace and character into their own lives to fall into the stereotype of post-modern feminist whinger/victim.

Well life is tough in the real world and it is just is tough for men as it is for women.

Women in western countries are extraordinarily privileged at every level of their lives.

Governments have Departments/Offices for the Status of Women (thanks for checking, my status is just fine)
we live longer
we are less likely to be victims of violence
we are very much less likely to be killed or seriously injured in workplace accidents
we have the choice to have no children or a brood of babies (and either be a stay-at-home parent with the man as the breadwinner, or have the state play husband)
we can pursue a career of our choice
we control the sexual agenda

Men are the butts of sexist stereotypes – the man-child, the brute, the fool – as much as women ever have been.

Worst still, sexism against the males has become institutionalised. Boys get poor reinforcement from the media (see above), from schools, which in a laudable effort to improve results for girls now poorly serves boys. Boys have reinforced to them that they are all potential rapists.

Gee, thanks a lot society.

[image error]

A great sentiment but I would add one more thing:
“Let’s teach our daughters to appreciate such a man.”

Real life doesn’t work like our romantic world – there are still bills to pay and life to live which makes the euphoric, ‘we’ve just fallen in love’ feeling with the man in our life a lot more difficult to sustain.

So if you want your significant other to be more like your beloved hero, then let me tell me give you a few tips that he won’t give you himself.

He’s not going to talk about his feelings so stop it. Stop it now. He’s not wired that way – he’s going to express himself through actions, so tune into them.
Respect him for who he is. He’s not a joke, he’s not a frustrating dweeb, nor is he your emotional punching bag because you’ve had a bad day (that’s domestic violence). He’s a human being deserving of the same respect you are because he is.
Respect him for what he does. This is key. He may not be the CEO, the billionaire playboy or the Duke. But he is a hard working man doing is very best to provide for his family. Thank him every now and again. Acknowledge what he brings to the relationship.
Be his friend and lover. He needs to know you have his back. He does not want you whiteanting him to your girlfriends.

Lastly, this is my tip to you:

Be the strong, empowered heroine – the one who works in partnership with her man – each bringing their very best to a relationship that will last Happily Ever After.

*Post especially dedicated to my romantic hero – my darling husband of 20 years who supports my writing (by editing, and writing synopses, [God bless him] as well as listening to plots). All of my heroes – Sir James Mitchell in Moonstone Obsession, Baron Sebastian de la Croix in Warrior’s Surrender and the Honourable Daniel Ridgeway in Moonstone Conspiracy are based on various aspects of his character.

Share!

The post Real Life Love appeared first on EE Carter.

Women Should Be More Like Their Romantic Heroines

Emma Peel, not looking like a victim.

Trigger warning: This blog post will make you think.

There has been a lot written over the past few years about the importance of the romance genre in literature.

The thoughtfully written articles cover much of the same ground:

Female empowerment
Life from a female perspective
The importance as woman as heroine

How sad then that in real life, particular in modern feminist thought, that we don’t celebrate women as empowered decision-makers but as victims.

It would be laughable if it wasn’t downright pathetic.

We had the most powerful woman in Australia, the Prime Minister of the country, trade on being a professional victim.

And most recently Hillary Clinton, a wealthy white woman lawyer, former Secretary of State, $200,000 a pop guest speaker, apparently making a tilt for the world’s top job – that of President of the United States, sees herself as a victim too, judging by the extracts from her autobiography.

So, what does this have to do with romance?

As the authors of the great blog pieces mentioned above, romances place empowered women front and centre. They overcome obstacles – some domestic, others arcane – to get to their happily ever after. Or they own their mistakes like Scarlet O’Hara.

The one thing they are not is victims – they are full agents of their success or failure.

Can you imagine what it would be a like to read a novel where the female central character whined that she didn’t get her raise, get her man, get those oh-so-cute-pair-of-shoes, because the world is just a whole bunch of meanies who hate her and don’t want her to succeed because she is a woman?

You’d want to slap her (then you’d be accused of misogynistic violence). Like Tess of the d’Urbervilles, a hapless milksop if there ever was one.

Then why do we accept the same ‘poor me’ victimhood from women in real life?

For wealthy professional women in western countries to blame ‘isms’ – sexism, racism (yeah, I’m looking at you Oprah ‘ the world’s most influential woman’ Winfrey) or whatever-ism – for lack of success or the heat of professional scrutiny does a disservice to women who genuinely struggle for equality of opportunity and inherent dignity.

This is not to say that genuine sexism don’t exist in the world – it most certainly does. Real misogyny takes the form of:

refused education
refused franchise
refused a drivers’ license
forced marriage
forces into prostitution
forced genital mutilation

We should take a leaf out of the books of our favourite romantic heroines – I’ve spoken before about why the wonderful Emma Peel, heroine of The Avengers is my my feminist role model – when they’re faced with detractors and nay-sayers, they worked to prove them wrong, they used their own strengths and did so with purpose and grace.

And as the last page of the book proves  – our heroines are victorious in the end.

Share!

The post Women Should Be More Like Their Romantic Heroines appeared first on EE Carter.

Cough… Oh My, I Own a Blog

::Cough, cough::

Oh my!

I feel like Lara Croft on the hunt for hidden treasure

I knew I had a web site somewhere!

Man alive!

Housework, not one of my favourite activities…

Hmm, it’s time to spring clean.

Good question!

I think this chap can help.

I love a man who loves housework…

I’ve been very busy with real life work – the one that pays the bills (and it’s a job I love too) and I’ve been writing a sequel to Moonstone Obsession.

Warrior’s Surrender, my medieval romance is under consideration with a couple of publishers and I have a new project, a short story for a wonderful anthology with three amazing writers, Susanne Bellamy, Noelle Clark and Eva Scott.

But I’m getting myself organised. There will be many more posts, great guests and more snippets.

The famed purple couch is back and is open for guests.

Chesterfield couch, in royal purple – just perfect for our distinguished guest on tonight’s show.

Share!

The post Cough… Oh My, I Own a Blog appeared first on EE Carter.

Naughty Ninja Quickie – with Sandra Antonelli

Meet Ninja Cookieface!

We Naughty Ninjas are an eclectic bunch and I’m delighted to have then visit my web site for a quickie interview. These talented ladies share a little of their writing styles and fave books. We also get a sneak peek about their latest work in progress!

Today I’m thrilled to have Sandra Antonelli join me!

1. What is your favourite book of all time?

It’s a toss up between DuMaurier’s Rebecca, jane Eyre, and Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch.

2. What is it that has made it a durable classic for you?

The mood, the language, the characters the desire to read them over and over

 

Meet the lovely Sandra!

3. Has that book influenced your decision to be a writer and indeed has it influenced your writing?

I’d say Rum Punch has. I liked that book because Jackie Brown, the lead, is one smart cookie.  If so, how? Jackie is in her forties. She wasn’t a mother or a grandma, or a Miss Marple type mystery sleuth, or some manifestation of what women over 40 are “supposed to” be. Jackie isn’t worried about getting older or hitting menopause. She’s a badass, smartass, and she does what she has to do to live her life and love on her terms. The fiction world needs more Jackie Browns. Romance needs more Jackie Browns, more smart, mature women who aren’t limited to the stereotyped roles usually assigned to them. She is what I keep in mind when I write my novels.

4. What are three characteristics that make a book a ‘keeper’, one that you will re-read?

An engaging story that makes me think. Three dimensional characters with a sense of humour. Natural, witty and snappy dialogue.

This week it’s Take Me I’m Yours. It’s the third in my Los Alamos Series and features Thomas Mitchell, a secondary character from For Your Eyes Only, and Michaela Binney, who played a very small role in the same book.  It’s about a wedding, overnight guests, haemorrhoid cream, exes, family, and the things people put on their refrigerators.

Check out Sandra’s work on Amazon!

Share!

The post Naughty Ninja Quickie – with Sandra Antonelli appeared first on EE Carter.

Naughty Ninja Quickie – with Andra Ashe

Meet Naughty Ninja Madame Ashe!

We Naughty Ninjas are an eclectic bunch and I’m delighted to have then visit my web site for a quickie interview. These talented ladies share a little of their writing styles and fave books. We also get a sneak peek about their latest work in progress!

Today I’m thrilled to have Andra Ashe join me!

1. What is your favourite book of all time?

Ohhhhh how I hate this question.  I think I’m the only writer in the world who doesn’t have a favourite book.  If I actually finish a book it means I’ve loved it.  I honestly can’t say there is one that is a favourite, that sticks in my memory more than any other or that stands out as ‘better’ than any other.  Sorrrry.

2. What is it that has made it a durable classic for you?

Since I couldn’t give a single answer to 1 I’ll answer this with regards to an author rather than a book.  Patricia Cornwell’s ‘Kate Scarpetta’ books stay with me because of her incredible characterisation.  This, combined with intriguing plots, keep me wanting the next in the series, and another, and another.  I was ‘sucked in’ to the first book in the series and it’s so satisfying to be able to read the next ‘instalment’, to see how relationships are developing or floundering and how that affects the central character.  She writes superbly, knows how to spin an intriguing plot and how to make us care about the characters.

 

The gorgeous Andra reveals her secrets!

3. Has that book influenced your decision to be a writer and indeed has it influenced your writing? If so, how?

No, this particular author didn’t influence my decision to be a writer as I came to her quite late in my writing life.  Because of this I think I appreciate her talent all the more and am in awe of her abilities.  I started writing before my teens and I was an avid reader from an early age.  No doubt the two go hand in hand, but I couldn’t say that any author or book kick-started my writing – at least nothing that I specifically remember.  I can’t even remember why I started – I just did.

4. What are three characteristics that make a book a ‘keeper’, one that you will re-read?

Hmmm I think I already answered that in 2 – believable, strong characterisation – good, non-pretentious writing – a plot that is inextricably involved in the characters’ emotions.

5. Tell us about your latest title or current work in progress

My current WIP is a historical erotic romance set in the Regency period.  My first foray into historical territory :

Louisa Bellamy runs a ‘finishing school’ for young men, teaching them how to pleasure women.  New protege, Jonathan, thinks he knows it all and will be a challenge, but not as much of a challenge as his unexpected companion, Nash, who bears a striking resemblance to her dead husband – the man who taught her all she knows about love and pleasure.

Check out Andra’s most recent title on Amazon!

Share!

The post Naughty Ninja Quickie – with Andra Ashe appeared first on EE Carter.

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

When romance authors gather around the water cooler, one of the topics that come up is how, as  a literary genre, romance ‘don’t get no respect’.

I believe it is because there is a great misunderstanding about romance is. It’s not just chic-lit or a love story. Romance does cover those things but it is so much more.

The dictionary definition is revealing

1.

a. A love affair.
b. Ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people; love: They kept the romance alive in their marriage for 35 years.
c. A strong, sometimes short-lived attachment, fascination, or enthusiasm for something: a childhood romance with the sea.

2. A mysterious or fascinating quality or appeal, as of something adventurous, heroic, or strangely beautiful: “These fine old guns often have a romance clinging to them” (Richard Jeffries).

This man is a romantic hero. It’s true! Meet Kevin McCloud from Grand Designs

At its heart, romance is about fascination, passion, dedication – perhaps in some cases bordering on the obsessive, as the object of one’s heart becomes all consuming.

It is also grand in scope – the medieval chivalric romances of the High Middle Ages centred not just on romantic or courtly love between the hero and heroine, but was also filled with adventure, mystery, honour and drama.

It keeps us riveted to the very final chapter, the very final word.

Romance is life itself.

Romance is accessible.

If the blokes in your life don’t believe me, then there is this: Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott is a romance and I would argue that Die Hard is a romance of that same chivalric milieu.

Not convinced? Well there would be a number of manly men who would sit down to watch the British TV series Grand Designs which is, without fear of contradiction, a romance.

Host Kevin McCloud is a romantic hero indeed – you only have to listen to his narration to know that the man has a grand romance with architecture and design by the way he articulates the consuming passion on behalf the owners of the project. Every 55 minute episode  sees all the elements of a romance – a courtship with the building design, the drama of the relationship with said design which threatens to become all consuming, a vision for the finished project despite the obstacles and in many case,s a ‘happily ever after’ too.

Human beings need romance as we need fresh air and sunshine. It is an elemental aspect of our nature. It is inbuilt into our DNA as part of our own Grand Design.

The post What’s Love Got To Do With It? appeared first on EE Carter.

Meet the Ninja Family!

I share my inner most secrets on J’aimee Booker’s web site. She has amazing knack of getting the inner most secrets out of all the Naughty Ninjas!

That’s a secret Ninja skill in its own right.

The post Meet the Ninja Family! appeared first on EE Carter.