Welcome and introductions

[Skye]

Hi Kaya; nice to have another person in this group, and evidently, there are many of us who loved the Victoria Holt, Dorothy Eden, Phyllis Whitney and Mary Stewart books.

[Skye]

Donna wrote: "Hi, I'm Donna. I'm a second generation Gothic novel fan. My mom got me hooked when I was in 7th grade. She filled a Christmas stocking with Phyllis Whitney paperbacks for me. My senior paper was on..."

Hi Donna; my mother was the person who got me hooked, too, and one of my all time favorite novels was Rebecca; amazing book and I also adored Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.

[Skye]

Melissa wrote: "Hello I'm Melissa. I grew up on ghost and scary stories and started reading horror novels by middle school. In my later high school years I started reading more romances and after discovering paran..."

Hello Melissa, you know its been so long since I've read any and they are hard to find, nowadays, too, but they were wonderful, and there were so many gothic-type writers at one time.

[Skye]

Clark wrote: "I read "Dragonwyck" and just loved it. I had to watch the movie when I found out that Vincent Price was the leading man. I enjoyed the movie but I think most of the enjoyment was watching Vincent P..."
Clark, Dragonwyck was an amazing book and Movie.

[Skye]

Bonnie wrote: "Hello. My name is Bonnie. I'm 29 and I started reading Gothic Romance when I was in high school and found my mom's copy of Dorothy Fletcher's The Last Contessa. When I was a kid, I was always more ..."
Hi Bonnie, we are growing as a group, and that's great. Yes, there were many: Susan Howatch began as a gothic writer, and I discovered Joan Aiken, Dorothy Daniels, Marilyn Ross, Barabara Michaels and Jennie Melville.

[Mary]

My favorite classic gothic authors include Daphne DuMaurier. Everyone knows (and loves) REBECCA, but some of her lesser known novels are almost as good as that one. I enjoyed FRENCHMAN'S CREEK, MY COUSIN RACHEL, and JAMAICA INN, which was recently made into a movie--for the third time!

[Renee]

Mary wrote: "My favorite classic gothic authors include Daphne DuMaurier. Everyone knows (and loves) REBECCA, but some of her lesser known novels are almost as good as that one. I enjoyed FRENCHMAN'S CREEK, MY ..."

Hi Mary! I made the same discovery yesterday in fact about Daphne's lesser-known novels. I think of her as having written only three - Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel (which I liked better), and Jamaica Inn, which I've not yet read. I was thinking about trying one but couldn't decide which. Now that you've mentioned Frenchman's Creek, perhaps I'll choose that one. Have you ever, or do you plan to write any Gothic books yourself?

[Skye]

I read Frenchman's Creek before I read Rebecca.

[Mary]

Mostly I write mysteries set in the Roaring Twenties, but I recently tried my hand at a Gothic romance/mystery. My agent loved it; various publishers were complimentary, but everyone agreed that "gothic don't sell." So it was roundly rejected. I self-published it (my first self-published book!) last year as STOLEN MEMORIES.
Re: DuMaurieu. Have you read her short stories? There's a collection of them published many years ago. The only one I was familiar with was "The Birds"--the Hitchcock movie made that famous--but the others are good too. Very different from one another.

[Renee]

Mary wrote: "Mostly I write mysteries set in the Roaring Twenties, but I recently tried my hand at a Gothic romance/mystery. My agent loved it; various publishers were complimentary, but everyone agreed that "g..."
No I haven't read her short stories. I'm actually reading Elizabeth Blackwell's, In the Shadow of Lakecrest right now, which is supposed to be rather "Rebecca" like. Your gothic looks interesting too. For those of us who read it and write it, I hope the, "gothics don't sell" opinion isn't true. When I find a good gothic book, it often isn't labeled as such, maybe that's the reason. Perhaps they feel the gothic label will narrow the field of potential readers too much. That's a shame. I remain forever true to the genre.

[Skye]

I just put Blackwell on my TBR list, Renee, and Mary, many of us adore gothics.

[Renee]

Skye wrote: "I just put Blackwell on my TBR list, Renee, and Mary, many of us adore gothics."

You will love it, Skye! I've got it on audio too so I'm making good progress on it. It's exactly the kind of book I enjoy. I'm also looking very forward to reading While Beauty Slept.

[Skye]

I will check out B and N for both.

[Skye]

Renee; have you read Grerythorne?Greythorne

[Renee]

Skye wrote: "Renee; have you read Grerythorne?Greythorne"
Wow! Thank you so much for pointing it out. It's looks so good! I'm going to get it right away and maybe squeeze it between Elizabeth Blackwell's two titles. So much to read, and so little time. Have you read it, Skye?

[Skye]

It comes highly recommended, Renee from one of my book blogs.

[Renee]

Skye wrote: "It comes highly recommended, Renee from one of my book blogs."

I just bought it! I spend hours looking for books like this and often come away convinced that all there is to choose from is steamy sex scenes and vampires. I'm not putting those books down, they just aren't for me and when you do a search for "Gothic Romance" that's what comes up. I never would have found this one if you hadn't pointed it out. Thanks again, Skye.

[Skye]

I am so glad; it's supposed to be wonderful!!!!
I don't like graphic sex scenes, vampire books or gory murder scenes, but I do like crime, suspense and police procedurals, too.

[Renee]

Skye wrote: "I am so glad; it's supposed to be wonderful!!!!
I don't like graphic sex scenes, vampire books or gory murder scenes, but I do like crime, suspense and police procedurals, too."
Me too. I especially love historical crime, as in Lizzy Borden and little old ladies who poison people's tea.

[Skye]

LOL, I like historical crime, too, and Arsenic and Old Lace.

[Skye]

:)

[Rosetta]

Hi everyone, I'm Rosetta. I've always loved Gothic Novels, especially Mary Stewart's & Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt.

In fact, I'm writing a Gothic Romance set in Whitby and Romania & am having trouble trying to shoehorn it into one of the 'modern' genres!

My Goodreads Challenge is to read & review 48 'new' books in 2017, so I hope to include lots of Gothic examples amongst them.

[Marian]

Hello:)
My name is Marian and Im from Ontario Canada..and by looking at all the authors here,is making me go through all my books here at home and Im literally excited.Hi Skye!!

[Skye]

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Welcome Marian!!! so happy to see you.

[Skye]

Rosetta wrote: "Hi everyone, I'm Rosetta. I've always loved Gothic Novels, especially Mary Stewart's & Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt.

In fact, I'm writing a Gothic Romance set in Whitby and Romania & am havi..."

Hi Rosetta. welcome.

[Marian]

Thank you Skye!!!Its nice to be here:)

[Skye]

We all seem to love the old time gothic books, and I know you do.

[Marian]

And the thing is Skye..I AM enjoying these books and like you,I do have a few of some of the authors you ladies have mentioned.

[Skye]

Great and of course, Rebecca, etc. is all part of this type of book.

[Skye]

I bet Bliss House would fit in, too.

[Marian]

Geez,I guess it would,wouldnt it.But I still like..all the old time stuff..nothing like that anymore.What do you think Skye?Maybe there are some new Gothic writers out there???

[Skye]

Lately, I have been leaning to the books written in the past. Starting Bride of Pendorric by VH really shows how wonderful a writer she is; I mean excellent.

[Marian]

I love the ones in the past myself as well.I just never gave it to much thought I guess if there are many or any gothic writers of now adays.

[Skye]

I adore Mary Stewart and Barbara Michaels. I used to read them as a young girl, then I began to reread some when my kids were very little.

[Marian]

I just looked Skye,and I have a handful of Mary Stewarts books and Barbara Michels...have 15..I loved her books as well:))))

[Marian]

Skye,you mentioned an author..Virginia Coffman..Im afraid I don't remember her name.What was her writing like?

[Skye]

As I recall, she's very good and wrote a series entitled Moura.

[Skye]

Marian wrote: "I just looked Skye,and I have a handful of Mary Stewarts books and Barbara Michels...have 15..I loved her books as well:))))"
Good grief!!!! Which ones?

[Marian]

I am going to have some more coffee Skye,and then I shall put them down here for you:)

[Marian]

For starters Skye,I have Be Buried in the Rain,Black Rainbow,Sons of the Wolf,Someone in the House,Into The Darkness,The Wizards Daughter,Gregallows,The Master of Black Tower.

[Skye]

WOW, I adored Greygallows, what a finding, Lady Marian!!!!!
I am going to make some coffee now, too.

[Marian]

The Dancing Floor,Vanish With the Rose,The Grey Beginning,Wait for What Will Come,Witch,Search The Shadows,Prince of Darkness,Wings of the Falcon,Here I Stay,Houses of Stone.

[Bobbie]

Skye wrote: "I adore Mary Stewart and Barbara Michaels. I used to read them as a young girl, then I began to reread some when my kids were very little."

Skye, I just have to say that I love your name. My son is married to a Scot, and we visited the Isle of Skye last year. I think of that every time I see your name.

[Skye]

Thank you, Bobbie! That's a nice compliment!

[Skye]

Marian wrote: "The Dancing Floor,Vanish With the Rose,The Grey Beginning,Wait for What Will Come,Witch,Search The Shadows,Prince of Darkness,Wings of the Falcon,Here I Stay,Houses of Stone."

Marian, where did you find them?

[Marian]

Oh gosh Skye,I started collecting them in my younger years I would imagine.I just loved them!!And read all of them as well.I need to see what other books she has out there.And re-visit her books:)

[Rin]

My author name is Rin. I don't have much experience with reading Gothic novels as much as I do writing them. At least, one. Through writing my gothic romance, I came to love the gothic genre and wish to read more about it.

[Sabrina]

Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "Hi, I'm Pamela and I was winged on gothic romance. I can't remember the name but the very first book I ever picked up outside of school was a gothic romance."
Hi All ! I decided to join this group because the first books I read as a teenager were Gothic romances. My mother was a big fan of authors such as Victoria Holt, Dorothy Eden, Phyllis Whitney, Jane Aiken Hodge and others. I was hooked from the start, and reading them today really brings the past back. Not only that but the 60's and 70's were (in my opinion) a great era for clean yet exciting novels that kept you guessing to the very end. I think many contemporary authors could learn a thing or two from the Gothic novels of yesteryear !

[Annette]

Hi Sabrina,
Phyllis Whitney is one of my favourites. I modeled my Stanning Brae on her The Golden Unicorn. Also, I agree with your point that it is clean keep you guessing novels some could learn from. I write under the pseudonym Yarr Stoddart ( derivative of family names) and am currently writing Blairmhor on my face book page as fan wanted a free Gothic having posted is there anymore like Tallensfjord? my second Gothic.

[Skye]

Sabrina wrote: "Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "Hi, I'm Pamela and I was winged on gothic romance. I can't remember the name but the very first book I ever picked up outside of school was a gothic romance."
Hi All ! I de..."

Sabrina: the '60s and '70s were both wonderful decades, I also loved Joan Aiken Hodge!!