meredith duran hiatus?
I dont believe in any hierarchy of quality in fiction, but I think each of the others above brought a literary sensibility to their work. Event.observe(window, 'load', function() { Elsewhere in the comments of this post, Piper mentioned that Duran, Kinsale and Ivorys books feel grown up and I took that to mean that the stories and writing are matured, rather than the authors were a particular age or they were writing for a specific audience age. Crazy for publishers to expect and crazy for the authors who manage it. I know Dangerfield wasnt to everyones taste (theres usually more than a little kink in all of her books), but I loved her combination of heat, heart, and humor. I wonder, am I too old for the current style or do I have older sensibilities? Well, at least they are trying to do something different. Yes, you have a point there. I know we will never agree on this point before Doomsday, but art can definitely exist for arts sake without an inherent agenda beyond pleasure. She hasnt stopped writing, but in the Afterword to her last published romance (NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE), she announced she was no longer going to be writing romance; she plans to write in a different genre and publish under a different name (Dangerfield provided neither her new name nor the new genre). I can understand why some authors said enough and gave up. They seem to be! This is fine and Im certain other readers have enjoyed it. How to Fake It in Hollywood How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder is $2.99! The decisions up to you. I try to read against the grain when it comes to age and not assume too much about an author based on any biographical tidbits I pick up from them. Thats interesting about Avon. Years ago, when I first started reading romance, I read a lot of books in the Signet Regency line, and among my favorites there were Nancy Butler and Diane Farr. I listened to audios for both just in the last year. I base this on a range of factors, including my own reading and observations but author interviews and social media accounts and some recent scholarships on representations of masculinity. Those are the ones that end up on the shelves at Target and Walmart, Costco, CVS and other places where people will grab a paperback. Can be contacted via messenger pigeon, 1st cave on left. Sometimes Julie Anne Longs books fill this void for me. Kindle Edition. But still sad for me. So many series would abruptly stop or authors would just disappear off of the shelves with no explanation. Publishing a disproportionate number of Regencies probably keeps them afloat. Sorry for typos. I thought her earlier books especially (Ride with Me and About Last Night) were very romantic and also original in their approach. Meredith Duran. I hear that the pusbliers what diversity if they want that they want that to take place need to allow the longer books because you can do things like have diverse settings more context to explain things and to explore issues that can come up and to have more interesting stories with richer storytelling in general. Now I avoid her books because they just disappoint me. I cant remember if anyone mentioned Connie Brockway but she was an author I used to enjoy reading. Were probably all watching some form of the news right now. ELIZABETH DIE AND LEAVE US WITH NO MORE Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. I know that is one of the big reasons why a lot of authors dont want anything to do with someones unpublished manuscript and I dont blame them. I loved her Russian novels. Great bks. But like you said, it fits a rather narrow range of historical fiction possibilities. Not a chicken/egg but a system of mutual back and forth influence, as it were. J.Quinn. I know we will never agree on this point before Doomsday, but art can definitely exist for arts sake without an inherent agenda beyond pleasure. I. The woman in it goes back to the 1940s. I received an email from her recently in which she shared that health issues were slowing her writing, but she has not stopped permanently.. Also the was the place where Jeannie Lin published her first books set in China, so they are willing to look at different settings. She has a book out by the end of the year, but I just have the sense that it might be her final one, or that her output is going to drastically subside. 2 yr. ago. Many include authors interviewing other authors or fangirling including Bec McMaster interviewing Amanda Bouchet. I do not mind small/e-press but I do not want to self publish my first novel on my own because I want to have an editor because I want somebody else to help me to improve the book and also to help me deal with some of the backlash that may result from the novels setting. Their lyrical writing is full of sensual detail and they really linger over words. Meredith Duran (peach style) See Photos. Are readers suddenly not interested in reading complex books? Its hard not to make food metaphors their stories have a meatiness or a metaphorical fat that seems to be have disappeared from the genre. Its like the old joke, Theres lies. I miss Lynn Viehl, too. Id call it a variation of the young person interviews old person rather than letting the old person tell her own story trope. $j("#connectPrompt").show(); I enjoyed the first two. Where are the next installments of the famous IAD series by Kresley Cole? It is so wonderful. Are the 3,000 word $2.99 stories cheating their customers because the 20,000 word stories are also $2.99? Nina Bangs (pnr, a few years) I absolutely love her writing and am beyond curious to read her take on a Medieval setting. I do like the Veronica Speedwell books but the Lady Julia series seems unfinished to me. There are definitely Amazon scams out there, including plagiarism as you mention. She had outlined the Spymaster books pretty thoroughly before she had even written them because she knew what was happening in Forbidden Rose etc before it was published. I used to look more at e-publisher but many of largest romance geared ones have gone out of bussiness and what is in the bookstores are a sea of ballgowns and simple plots that I can predict what is going to happen before I even open the book and it drives me crazy because I want to read a book and it seems that I can not get one that I can sink my teeth into. I also miss authors like Nonnie St. George and Nita Abrams who seemed to come and go in a flash of brilliance. Elizabeth Hoyt hasnt written much in a long time and based on reviews of her last book, I havent started her new series. Im happy to keep trying out newish authors who are still full of creativity and whose style hasnt worn out its welcome for me. I loved her work. And then I get the sinking feeling either when I read it and am disappointed or when I know not to even try to read it for same. Unlike the Big 5, KDP books go online at a rapid fire pace. Several of you commented how much you miss her work and shared your hopes that she'll return to writing romance. Meredith lives at 1219 North 31st Crt, Hollywood, FL 33021-5006 at present. I love her Darkyn series (among others) and long for the featured stories of some of the characters appearing in the series. I hope she keeps writing though. var showBlogFormLink = document.getElementById('show_external_blog_form'); if (this.auth.status === "not_authorized") { Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time by NPR and All About Romance. I dont think writers necessarily use quantitative data when chasing trends either. Id love to ask a publisher about your theory. Meredith Duran is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thirteen novels. The more books the better! I meant it more in the sense of trends. I know you probably dont read my posts anymore, but there are a few points I would like to address that you mentioned. the ask@AAR: Are 50 Shades of Grey or Twilight dangerous? So I get to explore and perhaps find new reads by old favorites. As a concluding point about romance trends, I think measurements would prove extremely difficult if self-published and indie works are included in studies. Prices dont normally drop on Audible except for special sales, but they do combine duos, trilogies, and even series into one unit fairly often, but it may take a few years. Well at least they are trying to do something different. Her phrasing and word choices are amazing. Julia Spencer-Fleming is whom I miss. $2.99 $ 2. And I miss authors who may be an image of my youth, they might not work for me anymore, maybe: Iris Johansson (I do not like her crime books, same for others that come up), Judith mcNaught, Catherine Coulter, Tami Hoag, Elizabeth Lowell, Suzanne Brockmann, I just remember my enchantment when a new book came out . Maybe our other favorites will, at some point, reimerge! I too wish shed write more romance! The only worry is that Harper Collins bought them out a couple of years ago and they own publish AVON the line that started the endless Regency trend in historical romance. I remember back before the days of the internet being so frustrated when I couldnt find new books by a favorite author or having to look up in the giant books in print volumes to try to see what an authors entire canon was and if I was missing anything. Just look at the top male movie stars from 20 years ago or 10 compared to now. Calhouns radio silence is particularly troubling because she shut down all of her social media accounts and has been completely out of the Romancelandia loop. if (hash === 'blog' && showBlogFormLink) { A lot of authors also wont read fanfiction of their work for fear of being accused of plagiarism. Oh no, we have to introduce a perky, bubbly, wannabe journalist 21st century hip chick who interviews the old lady instead of just telling the old ladys story without this presumptuous and hella annoying filter. Its just generally not what I want. I am currently listening to a 1348 page bookThe Standand am reveling in its detailed storylines and fully formed characters. I dont mind it in contemporary romance or even a time travel, but I really dislike 19th century bluestocking heroines that write like modern bloggers.. Just trim away all the fat and floweryness from your writing, and youll do fine. They often price their books at less than a buck a book and flood the best seller lists. And sometimes, an author just gets sick and tired of running on the treadmill- especially if she has been forced by multibook contracts or need of advances to crank out a book a month. Self-publishing too seems to help allow more authors to write the kinds of books they want. She is not a fast writer but her books are well worth waiting for! Which is crazy when you think about it considering someone else is using their characters without permission in the first place. Several of you commented how much you miss her work and shared your hopes that shell return to writing romance. The blog entries she posted at the time were heart-wrenching. MEREDITH DURAN blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history. I didnt know this. 4.1 out of 5 stars 161. I hope shes well, but its been several years since shes published and I no longer get newslettersso its not looking good. Someone believes something is a trend without evidence and voila, its a trend. We all do it. Impenitent social media enthusiast. Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time by NPR and All About Romance. Through AARs reviews and words of mouth from the people here, Ive discovered wonderful new-to-me authors to fill the HR void. Its always hard for me to decide when to break up with an author Ive followed for years. And there are some authors who have lost the spark for me, I think their previous books were better than what theyre publishing now, and I do try their new stories but they end up always as bad to ok books. I think the thing I miss the most isnt a particular author as much as its a type of historical romance. Three of AAR's publishers are buzzing - literally - about Bound by Your Touch, Meredith Duran's new historical novel to be released at the end of June. Other lovely news: Wicked Becomes You has made both Jennie's and Janine's Top 10 lists for . Its mildly annoying but on a wider scale, when people dont distinguish or cant distinguish, bigger problems ensue in a society. Her sister is S.J. So hopefully well have more from her. Just wanted to say thank you to all of you and keep the referrals coming! Like that line in movie The Devil Wears Prada where Miranda lectures Annie and tells her shes wearing a particular shade of blue sweater because Miranda and a few select others made a decision years ago that that blue would be fashionable and promoted in magazines and high fashion until it trickled down to the level of the market where Annie bought it. Why has the dominant voice in HR become so modern? Yes, agree about Judith Duncan; I loved her books set in the Canadian wide open spaces. I have always loved books with a military setting and Emma Drummond was excellent and she set them in places many of us know little about. What romance author do you miss the most? Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time by NPR and All About Romance. Im willing to wait. Jacquie DAlessandro (8 years) Im also a huge fan of Cecilia Grant and Joanna Bourne, who Id group in the same category. $grfb.init.done(function() { If you are a member, the books on Audible are nearly always the same price regardless of length, which depends on your membership level. And thats a good thing. $7.99 $ 7. I may have come across as a bit harsh, but I actually do like the Harlequin Historical line. Today we're discussing Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran. I can only speak from personal experience Im 32 and except for a few Julie Garwood and Diana Gabaldon books in high school, I got into romance as an adult in my late 20s. See if your friends have read any of Meredith Duran's books. Theyre doing their thing to make a living or to satisfy their current writing muse or whatever the case may be. They didnt work for me in either format, which is a shame. Not saying this to brag, just making a point about the screwy Amazon chart system that favors new work rather than sheer numbers of sales. Weve been internet friends for several years, so I send her emails once in a while, but havent had a reply since last autumn. Plus I was really bummed that shes not going to finish her Silver Daughters trilogy (about three sisters who run a tattoo shop); she had published the first two books and there was a big cliffhanger at the end of book twobut instead of using her final book to complete the series, she published a coda for an existing couple (from ACT YOUR AGE). ?? Not the authors fault. Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and together with her sophomore book, Bound by Your Touch, was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time in . Facebook I was excited when I heard about that mm book myselfthen I deflated when I read the blurb. People named Meredith Duran. Some exceptions, yes. And Im very grateful for AAR because I may have never known that Meljean Brook was back as Milla Vane. Last year one of my favorite writers, Kati Wilde, published a new book that was being released on audio first. As the old Tootsie Roll commercials say, The world may never know. By which I mean, we cant just follow the story of the old woman who lived through Pearl Harbor into the 21st century. There are writers, like Sierra Simone, who tend toward shorter novels, but the level of the writing is complex and dense and interesting, even in her rom-coms. var hash = window.location.hash.substring(1); I believe that publishers must think peoples attention spans are shorter and also that they can get as much money for a book thats thousands of words less than they used to be. You notice almost nobody ever threatens to boycott certain editors (who can typically remain anonymous) or the publishing houses that green lighted and/or encouraged the controversial work in the first place. Ive read some of their historicals, including some by Beverly Jenkins, and thought they covered more time periods and places than Harlequin. Perhaps next you will introduce me to myself. Im audio only now, so I have no objection to the audio experience, obviously. I reread The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown a few years ago and was, again, agog at their greatness. Holy Roman Empire which is modern day Germany which can be tiggering to some people and the last thing I want to do is spend sereval hours day on social media defending myself because someone is pissed off I would rather have the marketing department of a publsiher deal with it. So she is writing but in a different genre, at least for this one. Couldnt make it through the next two. But I read the first book in Thomas series in spite of that and thought it was flat with a plot that didnt interest me. Now that Ive put this all down, it feels depressing. I think beyond even feminist activism behind trends is just the coming of age of more young women who have been raised in a different time and expect different things from their heroes. Its my opinion based on what I have observed and read over the past 35 years or so of being a romance reader in one form or another. (Torie was a genealogist, and she had an entertaining supporting cast.). It seems the stories have gotten simpler and a lot less complex and interesting. I could be totally off the mark here. Amazon scam authors are those who crank out a book a month often price their books at less than a buck a book and flood the best seller lists., Heres where I have to disagree with you, Dabney, or at least offer my take on it. She blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history (and for convincing her that princely love is no prize if it doesn't come with a happily-ever-after). But like music or film or any business the artists with big PR campaigns and money behind them are the ones easiest to find. Laura Florand, especially since she took a hiatus (which I understand, life happens and is complicated, but I want to maaaaybe have a tentative year for that book) before the final book in her La vie en Roses series, which also has a twist Ive been wanting to read about for a while,now. Im still writing some romance but Im also moving over to historical detective stories. On the flip side, new generations of writers emerge every year to follow in their footsteps. In addition to the authors who just disappeared, Id add Judith James and Lydia Joyce. I suppose like all of us, writers too sometimes feel theyre in a rut and want to break out, go in a different direction, shake things up, etc. Is that a 100% accurate assessment of whats popular? Now I just have to get the perfect cover and its off to the races. They are still quite good. I really wish Cecilia Grant had written more romance novels. Oh yes, I can imagine the criticisms that would be leveled at Mrs. Morsi for writing that. Walmart, Target, grocery stories, etc feature light romances and mysteries but that doesnt seem new. We have a national election headed our way in months. And I read Patricia Wrights books. Before Amazon separated Top 100 sales lists from Top 100 free books, the system was even crazier. Certainly she requires no help from a too-handsome dilettante whose main achievement is being scandalous. The other thing that occurred as I studied was that I realized some of the authors I miss the most are ones who are still writing but are writing books that just dont work for me any more for a variety of reasons. Publishers, too often, deal with it, by forcing authors to make alterations, theatrical apologies, or dropping them like a hot potato to make themselves look virtuous. Ive seen too many careers ruined by petty Twitter fights, and I dont think mainstream publishers can or will protect controversial authors from that unless theyve grown financially too big to touch. Cranking out a book a month is hardly unusual on KDP, especially in certain genres like self-help, erotica, and even romance. (I hope this doesnt end up a double post! One big problem that I see with the trends discussions is that they are rooted in a persons opinion based on what a reader observes, as you have stated. In some cases its because they use up their best ideas on their early books and the quality then declines, or I discover them when they already have a backlist which I cherrypick for my favourite tropes without feeling the need to read everything theyve written. I loved her books. ), https://allaboutromance.com/participant/dgrinnan/. An example of a well-written opening line I liked was, Some parties who disliked him much buried Maury in quicklime. Estelle works in romance publishing and has been a guest on the podcast. I started her upcoming one and put it down. Its my personal observation that the books publishers are choosing and pushing are more generic titles with lighter themes set in mostly 19th century England or Europe. Also Julie James . I dont even believe that women are beating up men in romances as a trend today, which was recently posited in a blog here. Those are really not most of the books that I buy or read however. She had a lot of life trials and serious depression. What dont you like about the Charlotte Holmes series? Drummond has to be very old by now (almost 90, I think). $j("#facebookRegPrompt").hide(); Third, you stated, I suspect theres lots of push back out there dark romances, nostalgia for traditional masculinity, etc., all from books I avoid when reading for pleasure. Like you, I am pleased there are more books centering female agency. But at the same time, I wouldnt necessarily regard traditional masculinity as a form of push back. It could very well be an act of nostalgia as you say, but it could also be because the women who write these stories simply prefer those types of characters. If the average romance reader tears through Regencies with titled heroes and bluestocking heroines, thats what theyll keep producing. Thats not meant, by the way, to be an exhaustive list, just ones that I personally know are well read and followed. I may be comparing apples and oranges here, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. //
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