Sarah Ferguson’s first work of historical fiction was inspired by her family’s history and her own “personal journeys”
Source: Sarah Ferguson Writes Novel Inspired by Great-Great Aunt | PEOPLE.com
Category: Articles
Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’ Heats Up Romance Genre – (Press This! WSJ)
A show based on popular bodice-rippers gives an industry often dismissed as tawdry a much-needed embrace. The success of “Bridgerton” couldn’t have come at a better time for the romance industry, which has been struggling to retain its power in the publishing world. Recent years have marked a steady decline in print and ebook sales of romance novels, which went from more than 98 million units sold in 2012 to 41 million in 2020, according to NPD BookScan, whose figures do not reflect sales of self-published titles.
10 Books Like ‘Bridgerton’ To Read When You Need More Romance (Press This! Elite Daily)
Author Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series of novels is as delightful as the hit Netflix show adapted from it. Luckily, many viewers getting into the world of Bridgerton means quite a few new readers will head to their libraries or local bookstores to check out the books that inspired the show.
Source: 10 Books Like ‘Bridgerton’ To Read When You Need More Romance
Books by Jane Austen’s Favourite Poet (Press This! Antiques Trade Gazette)
The Elizabethan manor house in Hampshire is now a visitor attraction. It has acquired this two-volume copy published in 1782 that was very likely to have been read by Austen.
Source: Books by Jane Austen’s favourite poet return to her former home Chawton House
Blame Jane: Romance Novels 2019–2020 (Press This! Publishers Weekly)
What’s so great about Regency romances anyway?
Source: Blame Jane: Romance Novels 2019–2020
Another interesting article – Blame Jane! “The lack of realistic options for writing interesting heroines is where the Regency loses a lot of authors. The choice can feel stuck between anachronism—planting a modern sensibility into an historic setting—and gender politics that leave modern readers cold.”
Bridgerton’s Toxic Romance Fails Its Audience (Press This! Screen Rant)
The article linked below makes the point, “The Duke and I, was first published in 2000 – twenty years ago, well before woke culture, the #MeToo movement, and our growing understanding of consent and healthy gender dynamics.” We are back again to the conundrum that historical romance needs to stay pure to the times in which women lived, or we need to tweak the past so that it doesn’t offend those in the present.
Recently I read a review for the Earl’s Well that Ends Well, a new release by Catherine Heloise, on another book website. I won’t go into the review itself but would like to focus upon a comment left by a reader. Perhaps it brings up a singular thought or one that is currently running through the historical romance genre as readers deal with the past versus the present. Can readers find enjoyment in love stories that deal with toxic relationships and time periods that were oppressive to women? On the other hand, are more progressive readers going to demand that authors write novels in tune with today’s social expectations?
It’s an interesting argument that I think is going to split the genre going forward. There will be readers who want historical norms with romance, and others who want a modern romance version set in a historical setting. I think there can definitely be a blend of strong heroines in books going forward as discussed in a previous post, “Changing Heroines in Historical Romance.” All you have to do nowadays is read book reviews and focus on the five and one-star comments. The split of opinions on the subject is growing.
Talk to me! Do you mind reading about “toxic” relationships? Of course, characters should have flaws and the healing of couples can bring two together into healthy relationships. Do the oppressive eras that women dealt with rub you the wrong way, or are you able to handle it if the female character has a bit of spunk?
The problem with Bridgerton is not in how it portrays society but in how it portrays the relationship between Daphne and Simon. Beneath the veneer of romance, it’s a mutually manipulative and toxic relationship and one that shouldn’t be emulated. Unfortunately, it’s this sort of relationship that Bridgerton chooses to center, and in doing so, the show fails its modern audience.
Source: Bridgerton’s Toxic Romance Fails Its Audience | Screen Rant
True Story of Lady Whistledown’s Scandal Sheets in ‘Bridgerton’ (Press This! Town & Country
A history lesson on the gossip columns. Great read.
“Newspapers were plentiful during the Regency Era, with most of the stories published centering on politics, crime, fashion, infidelity, or royal doings,” says Geri Walton, author of Marie Antoinette’s Confidante and regular writer on 18th and 19th-century Europe.
Source: True Story of Lady Whistledown’s Scandal Sheets in ‘Bridgerton’
Interview with Julia Quinn on Bridgerton (Press This! The Lewiston Tribune)
“Quinn hopes the Netflix series might draw more attention to the genre.” We can hope!
Julia Quinn, the Seattle-based author of dozens of bestselling historical romance novels (whose real name is Julie Pottinger), is on the phone, remembering the moment she learned that her series of books about the Bridgerton family in Regency London was headed to the screen.
Source: Seattle author’s ‘Bridgerton’ novels debut as Netflix series | Arts & Entertainment | lmtribune.com
How much of Netflix’s Regency Romp Bridgerton is Historically Accurate? (Press This! Daily Mail)
The show’s producers claim, “The point was to take that Regency period as a foundation, and not betray it in any way, but we didn’t want to make it a history lesson.”
I find it interesting that some readers will allow authors to take liberties in their stories when they don’t one-hundred percent reflect the norms of the historical eras in which their book is set. A few minor falsehoods are forgiven, and it’s the love story that captures the reader’s attention instead.
Other readers are purists at heart and want both — a historical romance that rings true to the era. I’ve read my fair share of reviewers who complain, using comments such as “the speech was too modern,” “badly written Regency novel, using contemporary slang,” “doesn’t seem Regency to me,” “a woman would never be left alone with a man,” “they would have never acted that way,” “not historical – check your facts,” “you address a duke as Your Grace,” etc. They find these mistakes distracting to the overall central love story.
How much of the series is fact, and how much is simply fiction? Read the fact-checks on just how accurate Bridgerton Netflix Series is below. It’s a history lesson. Of course, that raises a question. Does Julia Quinn write historically accurate novels, or does she allow a bit of freedom in her storytelling?
The point was to take that Regency period as a foundation, and not betray it in any way, but we didn’t want to make it a history lesson.’ So, how much of the series is fact, and how much is simply fiction? Here FEMAIL fact-checks just how accurate Bridgerton really is…
Source: How much of Netflix’s Regency romp Bridgerton is historically accurate? | Daily Mail Online
Category Confusion on Amazon Best Selling Lists
I read an interesting complaint the other day in a group on Facebook for historical fiction lovers. They complained that far too many historical romance books were invading the bestseller list, making it difficult for them to find books. Naturally, I jumped on the bandwagon to explain how publishers and authors choose categories and keywords when uploading a book for sale. I don’t know that it helped any, because the complaints kept coming.
Frankly, I will admit when I look at the bestselling list for historical romance, I get confused. There are plenty of category crossovers as well, causing readers to sift through the top one hundred. As a result, I occasionally read nasty reviews when a reader who expected a certain genre gets a miss-match instead.
What is the difference between the two genres? Historical romance is a sub-genre of romance and is set in a time period set before 1950 (per Romance Writers of America. It used to be World War 2, but time marches on). I’m going to borrow from the Romance Writers of America website the romance definition. “Romance novels should have a central love story, where the main plot revolves around individuals falling in love and struggling to make it work. It should have an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.”
The definition of historical fiction, which is a sub-genre of literature, is set in the past and “characterized chiefly by an imaginative reconstruction of historical events and personages,” according to the dictionary. Of course, those personages can experience romance too, but it’s not the central story. The Historical Novel Society has a rather lengthy article on what defines the genre.
As a writer myself, I can say that I have fallen into the trap of cross categorization. Some historical fiction novels may have romantic elements, so does that make them historical romance or historical fiction? If it doesn’t follow the rule for a happy ending, reviewers will definitely balk and complain it was not historical romance. If your lover gets beheaded at the end, it’s definitely historical fiction.
There are a few good examples of crossing genre lines taking a look at today’s bestseller lists. What the Wind Knows is a good example that is currently in the top selling-categories of historical Irish fiction, cultural heritage fiction, and twentieth-century historical romance. It’s a time-travel trope, heavily laden with historical fiction, with some romance. Diana Gabaldon has repeatedly stated that Outlander is not a historical romance when it clearly stays in the top one hundred best sellers of that category. It currently holds a spot on the bestseller list for historical fiction too. Of course, both books have romantic elements, but they are more clearly historical fiction time-travel, with romantic elements. I like to write family sagas, but they also have romantic elements. They are not historical romance as defined, and make it difficult to choose the right category.
Checking the current list of best sellers in historical fiction on Amazon, Julia Quinn owns quite a few top spots in that genre, when clearly she writes historical romance. There are a few other obvious historical romance books by known authors on the list. Undoubtedly, that is a result of the historical fiction category being chosen by the publisher or author during the book release.
Is there a solution? Not really. As long as Amazon gives publishers and independent authors the ability to choose two categories, the problem will persist. Otherwise, you will continue to find crossover in both lists, including a few sagas, paranormal, and non-historical romance related books.
Of course, if you’re looking for a true historical romance, you can always stick to the titles with a duke, earl, marquess, or other English-titled aristocrats who look like a rogue on the cover. The history between the pages may not be exactly correct (which brings up another subject altogether), but the romance is hot and steamy with a happily-ever-after ending.
Good luck with your searches!
Bridgerton on Netflix Has Very Little in Common with the Books (Press This! Paste)
So my recommendation to you: If you have read the books, try NOT to compare them. You can’t. They are completely different, except for the names of the characters and a vague sense that you are in a historical England. If you want to see the books brought to life on the screen, simply trade in your paperback for a Kindle.
Source: Bridgerton on Netflix Has Very Little in Common with the Books – Paste
NetGalley Has Been Hacked (Press This! The Digital Reader)
NetGalley sent out an email (and put a notice on their home page) informing users that the e-galley service has been hacked on Monday, December 21, 2020. The hackers defaced the NetGalley. . . (continue reading)
Source: NetGalley Has Been Hacked | The Digital Reader
Authors and publishers pay a hefty fee to use NetGalley. If you are not familiar with the website, readers can obtain advance copies of books. It was originally launched in 2008, distributing galley proofs before release. These books are posted by mainstream publishing houses and independent authors. Apparently the hackers accessed the backup file of the NetGalley database. Not good news.
If you are a reader, author, or publisher, you will have received notification of the breach.
Julia Quinn Rules the Top 10 Best Seller List in Kindle eBooks for the Historical Romance Genre
Julia must be extremely happy, as the release of Bridgerton – The Duke & I on Netflix, has soared many of her Bridgerton series books to the top-ten best sellers in the genre.
In fact three of them, are on the entire best-sellers in Kindle eBooks. As of this post, Bridgerton: The Duke and I (Book One) is at #3, Bridgerton Collection Volume 1: The First Three is at #6, and The Viscount who Loved Me: Bridgerton is at #9.
Congratulations, Julia!
Shonda Rhimes’s Bridgerton Rape Scene (Press This! Vox)
Another must read that discusses the reception of the book version in 2003, and how comments have changed in 2020. As reported, “The rape scene is brief and disturbing, but it’s not treated as a rape.”
Bridgerton wants to explore consent while it ignores its own glaring consent issue.
Source: Shonda Rhimes’s Bridgerton has a rape scene, but it’s not treated like one – Vox
Bridgerton is the Shiny Little Stocking Filler (Press This! The Independent)
On a positive note, we have this review. Four out of five stars. Keeping one’s perspective that, “Bridgerton is freed to be watchable fluff, with everyone involved refreshingly aware they are producing a piece of entertainment rather than A History of the English-Speaking Peoples.”
Shonda Rhimes’ historical romance series is all the better for putting entertainment before accuracy
Source: Bridgerton is the shiny little stocking filler we all need this Christmas – review
Penguin Random House to Buy Simon & Schuster (Press This! New York Times)
ViacomCBS agreed to sell the 96-year-old company in a deal that potentially creates a megapublisher. A spokesman for Bertelsmann said Penguin Random House had lost market share in recent years and cited Amazon as a competitive threat to the overall book market. The combination of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would be “below 20 percent,” the company said, citing data from the Association of American Publishers, an industry trade group.
Source: Penguin Random House to Buy Simon & Schuster
What does this mean for readers and authors? Some of your favorite historical romance authors who are under Penguin contracts are Evie Dunmore, Mary Balogh, Amy Rose Bennet, and others. From Simon & Shuster are Julia London, Meridith Duran, and others. The pricey eBook prices from these two traditional publishers of $7.99 and up are no doubt competing with the lower-priced historical romance novels from independent authors on Amazon. The competition for readers is fierce, and the industry is changing to survive.
Bridgertons on Netflix: Costume Designer (Press This! Slate)
Just don’t call them “ugly.”
Ellen Mirojnick on the Featheringtons’ dresses and historical accuracy. Netflix’s upcoming Regency drama Bridgerton promises plenty of sumptuous, tastefully designed gowns—and a few not-so-tastefully-designed ones.
Amazon is Killing Kindle Owner’s Lending Library on 4 January (Press This! The Digital Reader)
Read the news! No more Kindle Owner’s Lending Library
“When I (Digital Reader) reported several months ago that Amazon had shut down the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library, several commenters argued I was wrong because they knew a loophole (find a book which is in Kindle Unlimited, and then borrow it using KOLL).
Source: Amazon is Killing Kindle Owner’s Lending Library on 4 January | The Digital Reader
Georgette Heyer Quiz: Which Regency Romance Should You Read Next? (Press This! BookRiot)
Take this Georgette Heyer quiz to discover which of the author’s 32 historical romance novels you should pick up as your next comfort read. From the 1920s to the 1970s, she wrote 32 historical romances. The British Regency period is ubiquitous within historical romance because of her almost single-handed work.
Source: Georgette Heyer Quiz: Which Regency Romance Should You Read Next?
Authors In Conversation: Vivienne Lorret and Lorraine Heath (Press This! The Nerd Daily)
Read More at the Source: Authors In Conversation: Vivienne Lorret and Lorraine Heath | The Nerd Daily