Historical Romance Book Club discussion
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On Dit - Describe Your "Fantasy" HR Novel or Series
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Just for fun, I can imagine writing about unrequited love with some angst. I hadn't put too much thought into the details of the plot, so all of this going to sound formulaic and unoriginal. Perhaps my first book would be about a heroine falling in love with her older brother's friend, who comes home with her brother on holidays from school. I may even include a prologue of the H/h's childhood or anecdotes at the beginning of each chapter. Each time I read a book where the H/h knew each other since childhood, I always yearn to read more about them as children and/or growing up together. It would be easier to write about the heroine's unrequited love since I'll be writing with a woman's perspective and experience, however, it would be interesting to write about a hero's unrequited love. I've read several books and found them lacking, but then again, men do deal with unrequited love differently from women. The hero will definitely be an alpha male (unless he's the one with the unrequited love, then he'll be a little bit nicer). He might even be a jerk lol: controlling, possessive, jealous at times.
If I do turn this into a series, then my next book would be a haters/enemies to lovers trope.
For the book cover, I would like a female model in a nice dress, kind of like the Kindle covers on Lisa Kleypas' Wallflowers and Ravenels series.
Or a fully clothed couple. Sorry, no shirtless or chest-showing male models nor shoulder-bearing, backless dresses on female models, please. I want my readers to be able to carry/read my books in public without feeling embarrassed. lol.
I think I would definitely feel embarrassed writing a love scene. I can probably write a few steamy embraces and forbidden kisses but never the entire deed. I'll leave that to the professionals. I can't wait to read everyone else's ideas. I'll add more later if I can think of personalities and backstories for my H/h.
Mod
Lovely :)...would you have a time period in mind?
Mod
Love and Other Scandals
Just Like Heaven
The Highwayman
I've read all three books, but I don't recall the childhood scenes in Love and Other Scandals. I'll have to reread that some day.Edit:
A Whisper of Roses by Teresa Medeiros has a childhood scene in the prologue and a few glimpses into their childhood for the first half of the book. I enjoyed this book very much mostly because of those scenes.
Mod
OK this is fun.I'm happy to stay in England. Gorgeous Georgian maybe? Missy, I like those kinds of covers too. Lady in a gorgeous dress.
is also a type of cover I like, with the building/park in the background as well. A good looking guy in Georgian regalia would be nice too. I don't like the naked torso covers usually (except maybe for the occasional highlander in a kilt LOL). Now, what's my story about? The H is not a debutante - she's probably in her 20s. May or may not be a virgin - I'm not fussed either way. e.g. she could be a widow. But she's a woman of morals and integrity. Not selfish or ttsl. Once she falls in love, sex outside marriage is fine, but they must fall deeply in love and intend to marry by the end of the book.
My H is a very masculine male in his thirties who has sexual experience already, but he's not a manwh*re. Once he falls for the h he never looks at another woman. He belongs to the upper class. (So does the h).
The H and h fall fairly early on on the book, but there are plot complications that prevent them being together. However there are some romantic scenes throughout the book - we don't have to wait forever for them to be together even if it's not permanent till the plot lines are resolved.
I also want some likeable/sympathetic secondary characters e.g. extended family members of the H and/or h.
Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "I think I would like a heroine map maker."Sounds intriguing!
My god! Thanks for this thread Joanna! I actually wanted to make one on this topic! Be prepared for a FLOOD of comments about all the different tropes and premises that I’ve been dying to read haha!
And hey guys, if we’re lucky, an author might drop by and oblige one of our “HR fantasies!” Keep you’re fingers crossed!
@Jan130, 18th C is an absolute weakness of mine (that’s why I’m such a fan of EJ’s Desperate Duchesses series! It’s like Sex and The City meets Dangerous Liasons, like some sort of Georgian soap opera, not pure romance)
And I totally agree on your choice of cover. 95% of all HR covers actually turn me OFF from buying them. I’d much rather see a woman with a historically accurate dress and hair, or a historically accurate parlor scene, or portrait of some sort. I mean, there is an ABUNDANCE of tasteful book cover options that publishers/authors have.
(I’m really sick of seeing the heroine on the cover in a bright prom dress, with her skin-tone a perfect, sunkissed, orange-brown... as if she walked out of a tanning salon. Like, what’s up with that?)
@missy I’m SO greedy for those childhood scenes with the H/h! I wouldn’t mind it if the novel consisted 90% of their youth experiences. It shows such a special, unique intimacy that only the H/h have together.
It seems like novels only grant us a scant few flashbacks, instead of letting part of the novel actually take place in their teens/childhood. That would be so cool! (Please become an author and write this! Haha 😂)
Mod
Sounds intriguing!"
There is a book that published within the last year or two that talks about female mapmakers in history. I want to track it down and read, but I believe that there is historical precedent for it.
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Ps. Be prepared for a FLOOD of comments about all the different tropes and premises that I’ve been dying to rea..."
Looking forward to it!
Looking forward to it, too, Phoebe. I enjoy reading your comments because they’re always long.
Pheobe wrote: "...(that’s why I’m such a fan of EJ’s Desperate Duchesses series! It’s like Sex and The City meets Dangerous Liasons, like some sort of Georgian soap opera, not pure romance)"Whoa, that sounds good! *hustles off to track down the first book*
Pheobe wrote: "95% of all HR covers actually turn me OFF from buying them"
My problem is with the men on the covers. It's not that they're usually half naked. It's their hair and even their faces. Something just always seems a bit off to me. Their expressions often look goofy or something. Maybe it's that they look too made up, too soft, never as rugged or as charismatic as I picture the hero when I'm reading the book. So I'd rather they just leave the men off the covers.
Wow, ladies! You have come up with some pretty developed thoughts, plots and covers. This is a fun topic, but I will have to think this through. I don't have a dream story or series prepared in my mind.I agree about the faces of the male models on book covers looking off. These are not actors who can effectively convince me they are in love from one shot. I would definitely have an elegantly dressed lady on the cover by herself, probably from behind. I would want it to be one of those covers that at a glance you couldn't tell if it was young adult or historical romance.
For fun, let's think about what we would do if were the author.Firstly, I can't put my thoughts in words. I have difficulty remembering words, appropriate to the context. So, if I were to be an author it would take forever for me to finish the book!
What would your first HR book or series be about?
It would be definitely a series. A series about a family, probably one book for each generation, set in Regency or Victorian era. Though I like long series, I often forget the first books by 5th or 6th book. So, I don't want my series to be long. One book would definitely have the arranged marriage trope.
What kind of cover would you like to have for your book?
I prefer Georgette Heyer kind of covers. Those covers with a woman or a couple in a natural setting. And a stepback cover with Semi-naked and naked men. I spent hours ogling Fabio covers. The most important thing is the cover model's hair and eyes must match that of the MCs.
Would you feel embarrassed writing love scenes? Etc.
Definitely. I am afraid I can't write anything beyond a proper (improper?) kiss scene.
Mod
I think I would just have to get the advice of my GR friends on the cover...I don’t seem to be very particular or notice discrepancies.
Love scenes:
I have never tried to write them before, but I have an internal list of words to avoid. I am afraid it would come out sounding very mechanical,but I think I would have to try.
Oh my goodness, so many of these thoughts mirror my own. Especially the book covers. I'm not a huge fan of men on Regency covers. Highland maybe, but no faces. As Jan said, I love a gorgeous dress! But again I'd rather not see the faces. Cath and Mariana --- yes yes yes about the hair and male models. I was just thinking this today while looking at a cover (I can't remember the book) but the Hero's hair was like something from today. I never picture the people like they are on the front. I miss the days of meadows and fields. I will embarrassingly admit that I kind of like the old vintage covers. Maybe not for today, but they're fun to look at.
As for writing a series.... I humbly confess working on one for 3 years. I had to laugh at Missy's suggestion because literally this is from a blurb "Ruining her had ruined him, and if unrequited love hasn’t killed him yet, nothing can." LOL. Sex scenes in many ways are the easiest to write because the characters play themselves. Then again they can take days, weeks, to write because they're so emotionally packed. Embarrassing? Yes. I like denial. Denial's good.
And Joanna I'd love to see that internal list! ;) I think my least favorite word is "rod" LOL 8|
Shannon wrote: "As for writing a series.... I humbly confess working on one for 3 years."How fascinating, Shannon! How many books do you think you'll end up with? And what are they about?
@Joanna, I worry that my love scenes would end up mechanical as well.
Missy wrote: "Shannon wrote: "As for writing a series.... I humbly confess working on one for 3 years."How fascinating, Shannon! How many books do you think you'll end up with? And what are they about?
Well, thank you Missy for thinking it's fascinating and for your interest. It sort of terrifies me and it's a bit isolating which is why I love this group so much. This particular series will be 4 books. They aren't likely to see the light of day until 2020. The stories are all connected through friendship, but the plots are standalone. A fish out of water; enemies to lovers; unexpected romance; marriage of convenience. Those are the themes. Pretty normal stuff.
:D
Mod
Rod is a good (bad) one! I loathe the word “mount” and “weeping” lady parts.
It's also very exciting, Shannon!And Joanna, I don't like the description "sweet nectar" for a lady's *cough-cough*, but what other words can an author use to describe it? (rhetorical question unless you do have some suggestions)
Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Oh my goodness, so many of these thoughts mirror my own. Especially the book covers. I'm not a huge fan of men on Regency covers. Highland maybe, but no faces. As Jan said, I love a..."LOLOLOL....I'm dying! I have never read "weeping" lady parts! We need a list of words we hate. Mount is a good bad one. I also don't care for "laved" it sounds so messy. I think I read "rod" the other day. Mount, rode, rod, laved. Oh heavens.
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Laved definitely needs to be on the list! I think weeping happened once, but honestly I may have seen it a GR update and been in fear of seeing it ever since.
Shannon wrote: "Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Oh my goodness, so many of these thoughts mirror my own. Especially the book covers. I'm not a huge fan of men on Regency covers. Highland maybe, but no..."I've been offline for the last few days, floating down a river. Reading all your comments is hilarious! I am laughing so hard right now.
Missy I totally agree with the throwbacks to childhood! I love it when the H & h knew each other beforehand. My dream romance novel would definitely include a big prologue. Though I’m less about unrequited angsty love and more about best friends to lovers. I loved reading Loretta Chase’s “Lord Perfect” (where two kids become best friends while looking for treasure as their guardians follow them) and then “Last Nights Scandal” (where the two kids, now grown up, fall in love). If I had to write my own dream book, it would probably be along those lines. I wish more books had story lines like that. I really enjoy books that are equally funny and adorable so the book would have to both make me laugh out loud and warm my heart. However, my most recent idea is to create a humorous romance novel series where in each book I use different regency formulaic plots. Or one book where I actively jam in as many as I possibly can. I just think that would be fun to write, though probably much less exciting to read.
I think I could maybe write sex scenes without dying of notification? When I was younger my friends and I once wrote fan fiction about members of US Congress (Although it was a huge joke, I still think it’s in the top ten weirdest things I’ve ever done). If I can do that, I can do anything.
I’m reading this comment and I realize it sounds like I’m some huge creative writer...I’m not at all.
Historical Romance Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
A Whisper of Roses (other topics)It Happened One Autumn (other topics)
Secrets of a Summer Night (other topics)
Scandal in Spring (other topics)
Devil in Winter (other topics)
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Or if you are an author, published or not, how did you approach these questions? What other things did you consider?
This topic was requested by one of our members, and I thought it sounded like a fun discussion also. So let's dish on what we would do if in that position.