Deciding What to Write

5/28/09

I think one of the most difficult things about being an unpublished writer is deciding what to write. After all, it takes time to write a novel, and you don't want to write yourself out of the market.

Yet, if people hadn't written outside the market, we never would have ended up with some truly great works, like Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.

It's a catch-22.

So, how do you decide what to write. Do you go with your gut? Or, do you go with the market?

Cracks in the Image: Victorian Tattoos

3/27/09

When you think of tattoos during the Victorian Period, if you think of them at all, you probably imagine carnival acts--the strongman or the bearded lady.

But, wonder of all wonders...

That image isn't necessarily true.

For a time during the Victorian Period, tattoos actually became quite the trend among the British aristocracy and some wealthy Americans. Check out the Encyclopedia of Body Adornment for a bit more information.

The fad, in most cases, is traced back to 1862 when the Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VII, got a Jerusalem cross tattooed on his arm. Accounts even suggest that he got a number of traditional tattoos on his body throughout his life. Interesting stuff.

Check out this site on Tattoo History for more information on tattoos in England.

Other noted tattooed members of the aristocracy include: both of the King's sons and the 7th Marchioness of Londonderry who had a snake tattooed on her leg in 1903.

But the aristocracy wasn't the only group of individuals who had a fascination with the tattoo during the Victorian Period, the middle-class also had a love of the art. Discreet tattoos were all the rage, and it is even rumored that Winston Churchill's mother, who later become Lady Randolph Churchill, had a snake tattooed around her wrist.

Read this for more on women and tattooing.

Victorian Superstitions

3/13/09

In honor of Friday the 13th, today's blog is on that most creepy of subjects--Victorian superstitions.

And believe me, they had a lot.

During the Victorian Period, curtains would be drawn and stopped at the time of death. It was believed if you didn't, you'd have bad luck.

You never wore new shoes to a funeral--also bad luck.

And, all the mirrors in the house were covered in crepe during the funeral and the wake because it was believed the spirit of your dead loved one could get trapped in the mirror. Creepy...can you imagine turning around one day to look at your reflection and seeing Great Aunt Sue?

Plus, there was a real fear that you might bury someone alive! I know the idea seems weird today, but when you don't have the medical technology to be absolutely positive between death and a coma. Well...I think you get the picture. So, the Victorians solved this problem in a logical fashion. They installed a bell in the coffin. Genius, right? A little creepy, but...the idea brings a whole new meaning to "to whom the bell tolls."

On a lighter note...

The saying "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe", in regards to weddings, originated during Victorian times. This concept obviously lost something in translation when it came to the states. Did you know you were supposed to have a silver sixpence in your shoe?

Cracks in the Image: Victorian Erotica

3/12/09

When most people think of the Victorians, they think stodgy, right?

The conservative clothing, the formal language, and the strict rules of society, all lead us to believe that the Victorians were exactly that--stodgy to a fault, and not exactly the type of people you'd want to invite to a frat party.

And for the most part, that was true. The Victorian era was a reaction to the debauchery of the 17th and 18th centuries.

However, there are more than a few cracks in the image we have today--cracks I'll explore in the coming weeks.

So, on to the first crack--Victorian Erotica.

Yes, I said it--Victorian Erotica. And, I do mean erotica, naughty bits and all. Some of the most classic erotic texts available today were written during the Victorian period, and although not always widely available, some of them were quite popular.

Not that the Victorians invented erotica by any means, but before you go off on a tangent about the horrors of sex on the shelves at your local bookstore, take a gander at some of these.

(It should be noted that these texts are erotica and often contain adult material. So, if you're not over 18...Don't click!)

The Pearl
Although many of these stories are obviously written for a male reader, the "Journals of Voluptuous Reading", first published in July of 1879, share numerous tales of sexual exploration--including kissing cousins (who do more than just kiss), and letters from an old maid.

The Perfumed Garden
This instructional work translated by Sir Richard Burton, which first appeared in 1886, shares such noted wisdom as "Prescriptions for Increasing the Dimensions of Small Members and Making Them Splendid".

Rosa Fielding
Rosa Fielding experiences a "thorough" preparation for her wedding before ending up in one of London's most debauched brothels.

Venus in India
First published in 1889, Venus in India describes the sexual liaisons of Captain Charles Devereaux while he is stationed there. The work was so popular there's actually a second volume.

Eveline
First published in 1904 (so it's technically Edwardian), Eveline is the story of an 18 year old Victorian lady who loses her virginity to her brother, and then proceeds to seduce almost every man she comes into contact with. (I have to admit this one shocked even me a bit.)

So, all of this begs the question, were the Victorians nearly as stodgy as we think they were?

Are Mysteries the New Paranormal? And What About That Steampunk?

3/4/09

So, it seems to me that there are a lot of mysteries with romantic elements popping up all over the book shelves. Or at least, mysteries written by romance authors. Most notably, Annette Blair has the Vintage Mystery series that just started coming out.

Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? Are romantic mysteries the next big thing? Did they evolve out of romantic suspense, or is something else up? Did I blink and miss an important market trend?

On a different note, will steampunk romance sell to a mainstream audience? I know I'm looking forward to more of it, but at the same time, my mind revolts. Mainstream steampunk just seems so...unpunk rock.

Let's Talk About Sex

2/26/09

...in romance novels.

As a writer, I've never really thought about how much sex I include in my novels. I just write what feels right. I don't worry about whether or not some family member will read it and get offended. If they don't like it, they don't have to read it.

But, I was reading a Debbie Macomber book a few days ago, and it suddenly occurred to me that a romance novel doesn't actually have to have a full blown sex scene in it. You can be a bestselling author without it, and not write inspirationals! Needless to say, I was shocked, although I don't really know why.

I think the idea surprised me because I've seen a marked increase in sex scenes in a lot of the books I've read recently. For example, I love Christine Feehan's books. I picked up the first Carpathian novel when it first came out, and I've been a fan ever since. Yet, after finishing her latest Drake sister novel, Turbulent Sea, I was a little stunned. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. I'd been waiting for that hero to get his own book for years, but it seemed like one sex scene ended only to start another one ten pages later.

So, what's the story? Are readers expecting more sex in romance novels? Are editors and publishers requesting more? Are authors just writing more sex in their books? Am I imagining the whole thing?

The Victorian Dictionary

2/23/09

So, while I was doing a bit of research about Victorian London today for my book. I came across this awesome site, and I just had to share.

The Victorian Dictionary is a site run by British author, Lee Jackson. He writes historical thrillers, and the information on this site is just fantastic. He's broken everything down into sections. So, it's easy to find what your looking for. Also, the sources in the dictionary were actually written during the Victorian period!