I believe if I read the interview right she was all but forced by her editor to write contemporary and I understand if the voice does not sound right because the voice fits a historical not going make the contemporary sound right. She actually wrote on her blog the other day that she doesnt think she is a romance writer anymore. June 14, 2022; did steve urkel marry laura in real life . Cant wait to read it! ), https://allaboutromance.com/participant/dgrinnan/. Is that a bug that can be fixed? I also miss Cecilia Grant, who hasnt shown up on Twitter for quite a while. I have fond memories of Zemindar. As of this writing I am two and a half years into a PhD program and still relatively fresh off of a stint in corporate America, which means that like most members of Dexys in the 1980s, I know a thing or two about trying to make something worthwhile in an environment where nobody around you knows what they're doing and you're constantly . The landscape was part of the story in many ways, so much so that I felt like I was right there, in the book. I read historical romance because I like history. Even though I absolutely adored the last Meredith Duran book I read, my experience with her writing has been pretty erratic to date. The decisions up to you. What neither can predict is the strange empathy that springs up between them. J.Quinn. 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. So it comes as no suprise that I have been eagerly awaiting Bound By Your Touch and Written On Your Skin. Sourcebooks allows up to 100,000 words. Its one thing if writer such as Elizabeth Darrell DIE and leave us with more of their excellent story telling skill, but just to quit on us..so sad. Great interview, I think it is safe to say that I will be heading out to get The Duke of Shadows. And although Ruthie Knox was never in my Pantheon of favorite writers, Ive enjoyed a number of her books and I dont think shes published anything in a while either. How interesting, I did not know this. I didnt know this. Some exceptions, yes. Blind faith, he feels, gives a free pass to those who would abuse and use your love and give nothing in return for it. Im also a huge fan of Cecilia Grant and Joanna Bourne, who Id group in the same category. Thats just a sin. Unfortunately, while authors do break out in self publishing, its the ones that get contracts with big publishers that make it into most of the casual readers hands. Thank you so much to the organizers -- a ton of work, I'm certain, but they made it look effortless! Plus some new to me authors to explore. She is the author of twelve novels, all published by Pocket Books. Wicked Becomes You Meredith Duran Author (2010) That Scandalous Summer Rules for the Reckless (Series) Meredith Duran Author Alison Larkin Narrator (2014) At Your Pleasure Meredith Duran Author (2012) Bound by Your Touch Meredith Duran Author (2009) Written on Your Skin Meredith Duran Author (2009) Fool Me Twice Rules for the Reckless (Series) I hope shes well, but its been several years since shes published and I no longer get newslettersso its not looking good. I make quilts because at some point during the process of stitching I know/realize this is the essence of what will be left of me for several generations. The flooding of the best seller lists has more to do with Amazons wonky algorithms than scam authors. P.S: Sandy, I dont live in the U.S. so please do not enter me into the ARC contest. James Durham, Viscount Sanburne, seems to live in a golden world. Why has the dominant voice in HR become so modern? It's possible that no one writes him better than Meredith Duran, whose books are as dark and dangerous as the heroes they feature' The Washington Post 'Meredith Duran unceasingly delights . $$('.authorBlogPost .body img').each(function(img) { Thats not meant, by the way, to be an exhaustive list, just ones that I personally know are well read and followed. She really just vanished! DOS was great I loved that part of it was set in India, and now Hong Kong. But that he even had that thoughtwell, right from the beginning, I knew that he would need to have a very powerful reason to entertain such black thoughts, and it wasnt long before I realized that reason. The beauty of self publishing is that you can really find anything -and lots of it nowadays. The more books the better! I think I looked recently and her author website had vanished. They didnt work for me in either format, which is a shame. Another fan commented on Tor.com in 2019 that Robin has suspended her blog and was working on the sequels to Pegasus. She has gotten a lot of positive reviews. Not already mentioned: Lily Monroe is a precocious thief working for her uncle in return for her sister Fiona's medical treatment. Im nodding my head at the notion that light-hearted, fluffy romances with one-dimensional characters are popular. Just wanted to say, I love those titles, especially Written on Your Skin. Visit meredithduran.com for more. I love everything shes written, but I can understand her taking a break. MEREDITH DURAN grew up enamored of British history. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()). How much do publishers and editors shape public taste? All interesting variables to think about, but such a study probably wouldnt be practical. Her books well very well, and narrators like to be associated with success just like most people do. She wrote a couple of SF romances that I loved and it seemed she planned for more that universe that just never materialized. Was there a marketing survey or research that said shorter, lighter romance books sell better and in larger amounts than more serious convoluted ones? I miss Linnea Sinclair as well. I dont think there is anything wrong with older or traditional sensibilities if it means wanting more depth in your stories and less ironic heroines. the ask@AAR: What are the very best love scenes in romance? There are wonderful books out there Getting Schooled by Emma Chase comes to mind as an example that have multiple characters of multiple ages, and both genders, flashbacks, several different settings, humor, drama, even pathos, that are utterly perfect as both audio and print books. I love the exotic setting of Written on Your Skin.. Cyber dating abuse represents a new form of dating violence that has been gaining worrying dimensions. I also object to shorter books or books that are broken into installments. They feel like plays, and I want novels. She has one left to go in that series. Im glad to know Joanna Bourne is working on something new. Bound by Your Touchhas one of my favorite set ups of therake hero and the spinster heroine. Meredith Duran is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thirteen novels. I have been looking at this book for a month or two, then apparently all of my GR friends read it at once, because there were updates everywhere. I miss Liz Carlyle and Susan Carroll both of whom wrote meaty, complex books. This seemed both a sad and very intriguing comment. But when I tried one of her contemporaries, it just didnt work for me. I also dont necessarily agree that compared to the past, heroines today are sarcastic and fluff. I love her writing and have bought the Spymaster series on audio. Which is crazy when you think about it considering someone else is using their characters without permission in the first place. Thank you for the updates. I like Anne Calhouns books and often wonder if shell return. And as others have said, there are some authors who are still writing but whose work isnt what it once was, and I miss them, too. At thirteen years old, she made a list of life goals that included writing romance novels, trying sushi, and going to London to see Holbein's portrait of Anne Boleyn. Thanks, Dabney. Since 2007 no full length book like the ones I mentioned has been released. Im going to review it for AG, so well see. To enter for your chance to win, simply comment to this post by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on Thursday, June 11th. showBlogFormLink.click(); Although I suspect narrators covet working for her because of her high profile in CR. I know you probably dont read my posts anymore, but there are a few points I would like to address that you mentioned. I am trying to be part of the solution. Good for you. Christine Warren (a couple years, but her pending release keeps receding) Maybe that helped with the relative speed then (even though she was never the fastest writer) or she had some already written. And thats a good thing. I couldnt agree more. I havent been reading romance long enough to miss a particular author, but I can definitely understand why a number of them disappear. I think that the two of you along with Elizabeth Hoyt and Joanna Bourne represent a true return to a golden age of historical romance. It sounds interesting and different. I cant remember if anyone mentioned Connie Brockway but she was an author I used to enjoy reading. Cant wait to get my little paws on this one. Whatever route you decide to take, good luck to you! Meredith Duran is an English author of romance and historical fiction books. It's the music - and any devotee of the book, a fictional oral history of a Seventies rock band, will have strong feelings about exactly how it should sound. Im curious to know more about why light fiction focusing on light-weighted female characters is a trend., 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., This! If she comes back to romance she'll be better than ever. I keep hoping against hope shell start writing again. I suspect the many fans of the author and narrators, many of whom have never read/listened to m/m before will be squeeing to the hills. The same with books for many a reader. But that doesnt mean those authors have the same chance of being picked up by the casual Walmart shopper who still reads paperbacks and likes to grab a couple when they do their big grocery haul. From a business standpoint, it makes a lot of sense. (Torie was a genealogist, and she had an entertaining supporting cast.). There isnt a single one of her books I havent enjoyed. She is planning to return to writing again. I decided to skip the Christmas book as it wasnt grabbing my attention. 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. Her other books include RITA award winner Fool Me Twice and her February 2017 release, A Lady's Code of Misconduct, which was called one of the best romances of the year by BookList and Amazon, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus, the latter of which opined: This book weaves its spell so thoroughly that the most fortunate reader will be the one who has time to read the entire thing in one sitting. Her next release, THE SINS OF LORD LOCKWOOD, hits the shelves on February 27, 2018. I think Sarah Addison Allen still writes but she has suffered some family losses. But the concern is, sadly, reasonable. Many CR writers are jumping on the mm bandwagon, its pretty lucrative right now. Sure, they talk a great deal about diversity, originality, and whatnot, but their HR catalog tends to neatly fit the status quo- with some exceptions, of course. I listened to audios for both just in the last year. So theres that to start with. My main concerns are always the same: to make sure that these characters capture a readers interest; that their romance is gripping and develops believably; and, last but not least, that the world in which they live seems engaging, absorbing, and real. No one is forcing them to read your book, and the fact they can sit around all day just itching to be offended by something tells you something about their characters. While Im sure there are some scammers in the bunch, a number of these authors are legit powerhouses who can work at a punishing pace while chasing after dollars and cents. This book (the heroine in particular) is less angsty than anything Ive ever written, and Im having a lot of fun figuring out how to tell an emotionally intense tale that is also full of laughter. You see, James was the anchor of this book. I hav to say that Im generally wary of claims about trends until I see evidence. I know this series is a success for her, so shes going to continue it for quite a while I imagine. A lot of authors also wont read fanfiction of their work for fear of being accused of plagiarism. Via a conversational approach, each episode explores a timely topic related to the science of reading. Impenitent social media enthusiast. It seems that these days most single titles are arround 80k and that means that you can not do as much with the plot as you used be able to do. I love Roberta Gellis. Is this some strange new perversity thats surfacing in him, that leads him to fixate on a stiff-necked, over-educated bluestocking? It demands and entails respect. The romance genre has attracted much more attention over the years as a worthy subject for scholarship and critical debate, as it should given how much money consumers spend on these books and how many readers are reading them. Report abuse. I follow her Facebook page. $j("#connectPrompt").show(); Joyce Millman started her writing career in 1981 as a music critic for the Boston Phoenix. Just by looking at Top 100 lists on Amazon in a particular book category over a set period of time, I can observe current trends. So, Im getting pickier, avoiding the Lauren Blakley-type writing, and doing a lot of relistening because Im not finding much that appeals. And if lighter romances focus on sarcastic and fluffy heroines as youve noted, what is going on in our culture to make them suddenly popular and profitable? Books, like quilts become like children during the process of becoming. I miss Judith Duncan the most, closely followed by Paula Detmer Riggs, Helen Bianchin, and Laura Moore. However, I worried that her devotion risked coming off as obstinacy, or, worse yet, as stupidity.And my greatest nightmare is writing a TSTL heroine. Plus, they have some queer romances which the Harlequin category romances do not. I stopped reading historicals a few years ago because I couldnt get into them anymore. Relational trend spotter. Sigh. It takes me out of the story. Im still writing some romance but Im also moving over to historical detective stories. I suppose I just dont frame my preferences in historical romance through the lens of age. T.Dare.L.Kleypas. Eggletina Wow! The heroine was only a couple of years older than me but I could tell by the clothing choices and social manners of the heroine that the writer was much older. Is too much to ask that I can a book that I want to read and yes even write because I am trying to be a part of the solution. ghurt110 AT bellsouth DOT net. I have not read Ms Duran yet. Courtney Milan wrote a novella last year that I enjoyed and she just posted about a new novel coming out by this years end, and so shes still around. And yet, when I first returned to romances over a decade ago after a long break, I found the genre at large teeming with light-hearted books with fairly one-dimensional characters. I remember when Chick Lit really burst into the contemporary book scene years ago and how much it was derided. I hope after reading this interview, you will be, too. Refresh and try again. And another who I periodically check on is Katherine Allred. Whether or not this signals a shift in the industry, I dont know. Pamela Morsi is a good example. Approximately 34% and 17% of middle-aged men and women, respectively, meet . How can the romance community be improved or changed for you? I am really looking forward to Meredith Durans new books especially as several AAR staff have good things to say about them. I miss Cara Mckenna, Charlotte Stein, Eve Dangerfield and Emma Holly :(. Kinsale is on Twitter but never mentions writing that I can see. Im happy Joanna Bourne is still working on her next book, however slowly. He smiled. Just wanted to say thank you to all of you and keep the referrals coming! At thirteen years old, she made a list of life goals that included writing romance novels, trying sushi, and going to London to see Holbein's portrait of Anne Boleyn. I find hard data very hard to come by on sales figures just through my internet searches. Now I avoid her books because they just disappoint me. James, meanwhile, is thoroughly amused by how much the spinster intrigues him. I dislike her Charlotte Holmes series very much and I wish shed at least alternate between that and HR novels. There is the book that will be out in December and one more after that. So discouragedI very read comments below.I miss writers, too. Reply . I bought it and didnt get a chance to read it during the Christmas season so I kind of forgot about it. There is no need to dumb things down for the audio audience; we can keep up just fine. Amazing that I hadnt read anything of hers before. the characters acted very oddly, and she still hasn't grasped the clarity of writing that I normally expect. I must say I miss Laura Kinsale- though her missing status isnt so recentI understand that her research, writing and resolutions all took much out of her-but WOW, so did they take much out of me, as the reader. If a romance writer gets sick of writing romance (I can think of one who turned to horror for a while) you let her go. Helpful. 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). I absolutely love her writing and am beyond curious to read her take on a Medieval setting. I also didnt know until this discussion here that Julie James had stopped writing. But I want to listen to novels, not plays. Ill be really interested to hear what you guys think of Written on Your Skin, which is my favorite of Merediths books so far. Privacy Policy. Thankfully, self-publishing doesnt bear the stigma that it once did. What resulted was. Some authors though endure and write consisently well or even better as they age. So this isnt a blanket condemnation by any means, but its an issue for romance listeners to be aware of I think. (Granted, your average erotica short is 5,000 words, but KDP still considers a short story a book.). Its just generally not what I want. // logged into Facebook user but not a GR app user; show FB button See if your friends have read any of Meredith Duran's books. var hash = window.location.hash.substring(1); Id love to win a copy. Every day, I hear about AI-generated art, writing, search, etc., and the "They took our jobs! I was definitely aware of some of the chances Harlequin takes, like the conquistador and native romance you mentioned. Or should I just scroll and ignore? I have reservations I wont go into here, and quite honestly, think LB is simply jumping on a band wagon. 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. the ask@AAR: Should older romances (and books in general) be redone? Anyway, Im inclined to believe that the MeToo Movement is shaping authors today and producing a new generation of authors who are centering female agency in contrast to past customs. Once readers know the bios of an author, it can be tricky to interpret their writing through that lens, however accurate or inaccurate it might be. is meredith duran still writing. All great insights about casual shoppers picking up paperbacks at the store. From exotic sandstone palaces. And thats totally fine, but there arent authors who have replaced the type of writing they represent. Audible sets these prices, I know that. Sandra Antonelli, a romance author who is reviewed here, wrote her doctoral dissertation on ageism in romances and blogs about it frequently and has lots of great insight on the issue. Health Behavior: Theory, Research and Practice provides a thorough introduction to understanding and changing health behavior, core tenets of the public health role. Hannah Howell NOT finishing her Wherelock series with a story on Mordred. I get a quick flash of it, and then it reverts to scripts and gobbledegook. This article from 2012, not necessarily from a reputable source and maybe outdated, offers an interesting perspective about why former Harlequin Intrigue author, Ann Voss Peterson, broke ties to self-publish: https://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2012/05/harlequin-fail.html. But I do think that this debate underpins the basic conflict between the hero and heroine, and I hope it comes through, if only because Lydia might seem awfully stubborn if you dont take her conviction seriously. William Devaliant, Lord Lockwood, was born into a charmed life. Ever hopeful, he decides to explore the question by pursuing her. I received an email from her recently in which she shared that health issues were slowing her writing, but she has not stopped permanently.. I tried with work because at least I thought I had chance though I think that it may have been too long and complicated for the word count. Did Amazon have something to do with it? She does still write essays and things at Word Wenches that I like to read for a taste of her writing. Do you know of any data or scholarship on this? Deborah Smith has written some books I loved (Gentle Rain and When Venus Fell are my absolute favorites!) Hi Meredith, Ive also been waiting for your new book ever since The Duke of Shadows. I think people are getting more skeptical of mainstream publishing somehow signifying a benchmark for quality. I will try it again, however. Every year I discover at least 2-3 new favorites. I see a lot of authors will post what and who they are currently reading or their influences and I think its brave in this day and age as people can be quick to draw conclusions. Havent read any of her books, but I thought her story about why she quit writing for Harlequin, even though she enjoyed it, was interesting. 50 Shades of Grey ripoffs, Cutesy titles mimicking How to Lose a Guy In Ten Days, anything with a Duke and the floods of YA books inspired by the Twilight series.