Why I Love Historical Romance
Oct 13th 2009
Julia LondonJulia London & On Writing!
Next week, A Courtesan’s Scandal comes out (October 20!!). It’s the last book in the Scandalous series, and like every series I have ever written, I am sad to see that world go away, but I am excited about building the next world. I love writing contemporary, but the allure of the historical never fades for me. Recently, I did an interview and that was one of the questions: What do you love about historical romance?
What’s not to love? Where do I start? First, there is the clothing. I love it. I love looking at it, I love writing about it. This, from a woman who has about four hundred pairs of shorts and probably that many pairs of flip-flops. But in my books, it’s like dress-up–I can’t wait to see what my characters are wearing, and you, dear heroine, will not be disappointed with my selections. Not to mention there is something very sexy about a man who wears a suit well. Mad Men, anyone?
Second, there is the grandeur. Jane Austen started it, what with all her hypotheses of men with fortunes in search of wives. We’ve talked about HGTV here. Those stately Georgian mansions are like HGTV on steroids. Did you see where Simon Cowell had his big birthday party this past week? In my books, not only do you get to live there, but you are the master of that domain.
Third, there is all that smoldering lust beneath puritanical civility. I love that stuff! No jumping into bed–you have to seethe with wanton desire and worse, the actual culmination of sex has to be plotted and teased out of social situation after social situation where the rules and mores of the time are thrown up as roadblocks that my intrepid heroine (you) must hurdle to get the ultimate prize: A handsome, wealthy, cannot-live-without-you duke. (and servants. Don’t forget the servants).
Fourth my books are all about the commitment. There was no leaving him if he turned out to be a bastard; you were most likely stuck with him. There was no way of really knowing if he was a bastard or not, either, as one did not get to test the waters by living with a gentleman with whom one had only an understanding. That means in historical romance, you, the heroine, must experience heart-stopping, knee-knocking love, or else why take that risk? The game of seduction and mating and marriage was playing for keeps. And please, don’t anyone toss any historical facts out there. It’s my fantasy. It’s the way I see my historical world while I am dressed in my fine gown, sipping the wine my butler has provided me from French crystal stemware, and dreaming of another night in the duke’s lush featherdown bed.
What do you love about historical romance? What is it about romance novels in general that keep you coming back for more? If you had to explain to a stranger why you like them, what would your top two answers? And goddesses, while I am out of town next week, and my book comes out, will you promise to remember and pick it up if you are inclined to wear pretty dresses and play house while you smolder with lust and yearn for commitment? Thanks! I knew I could count on you!
33 Comments »
33 Responses to “Why I Love Historical Romance”
Pesky on 13 Oct 2009 at 5:42 am #
I will of course pick up your book. Have I not picked up all of the ones in the past?
(The answer since you don’t know me is yes)
Why do I like Historical Romance? Huh…the clothing, the simplicity of what was going on at the time, the fact that is was the age of discovery. Oh, and people spoke well. They actually were taught to have a conversation, to interact with one another. What I didn’t like, still not fond of class/caste society, but the books I like don’t seem to dwell on that aspect, the person that does is well…the town gossip, the horrid people no one likes, generally the villian.
There was a comedian that pointed out a book about civil war soldier’s letters home and how evocative they were. My Dearest: As I sit here under the reaching breadth of the yew, I am watching the sunset as it unfurls ribbons of red and gold that remind me of the curls that rested on your cheek when I bid you farewell. My heart yearns for a time when we can be together again… Then came the question…where did those letter writing skills go go: Dear Judy, Hot as heck over here, almost as hot as when I was banging you on the beach before we left…Nuff said.
Lori Handeland on 13 Oct 2009 at 5:51 am #
I’ve always been interested in history, which is what originally drew me to historical romance. I also love it because it seems pure fantasy as the times are so unfamiliar.
I come back to romance for the guaranteed happy ended we can get nowhere else.
If asked to explain, I would say that as well as I enjoy reading and supporting a genre written, edited and read by (for the most part) women.
ALready have the book on my list, Julia. I’ll be at Borders first thing!
JudyPatooty on 13 Oct 2009 at 7:32 am #
I love historical romances for all of the reasons you listed! I’m a history buff and just love having the chance to immerse myself in that whole atmosphere.
I can’t guarantee that I’ll be all dressed to the nines when Amazon downloads my pre-ordered copy of your new book onto my Kindle next week, but I’ll definitely be thinking of smoldering lust and commitment!
Claudia Dain on 13 Oct 2009 at 8:13 am #
Let me give this a try…I like the long ago and faraway quality of it. I like the peek into different cultures and mores. I like the bigger stakes; marriage was for life and political fall outs resulted in somebody being executed.
Hey, that’s three!
Can’t wait to buy A Courtesan’s Scandal, Julia! I’m sad the series is ending!
dbrown3400 on 13 Oct 2009 at 8:40 am #
Of course, my cute UPS guy will deliver my pre-ordered copy of A Courtesan’s Scandal. Never fear. It will go on my Goddess shelf, Duke Division.
History was my major in college, so I get caught up in the many periods in historical romances, especially the Regency period. There was just so much going on during that time that interests me. And I love the glamour: the gowns, the exotic foods, the carriages with their fancy crests and the pomp and ceremony. I’m just as interested in the stories from the other side of the coin: the librarian who meets her hero, no matter who he might be. It’s an escape into another world and I love it.
Karen Rose on 13 Oct 2009 at 8:42 am #
The history is always interesting, but there is a notion of the naughty – being sexual when just showing your ankles was frowned on.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 8:49 am #
Remember medieval romances? (Madeline was a queen among us in that regard). I loved those too. I wonder why they aren’t in vogue like they once were. What I like about the late Georgian and Regency periods is that its still faraway as Claudia says, but the conveniences were much more civilized.
What about historical westerns? Why did they fall out of fashion? I love a good cowboy. Yummm
Claudia I am sorry the series is ending, too, but I am really excited about the next one. It’s a quartet: The secrets of Hadley Green. (Hadley Green being a village, BTW).
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 8:54 am #
Pesky, you are so right about the loss of writing and really, communicating. If you guys haven’t checked it out yet, this month I am giving away an inscripted Tiffany necklace inspired by the handwritten letters of yore.
elsiehogarth on 13 Oct 2009 at 9:36 am #
I am a History Buff so naturally I love Historical Romances. All of them Regency, Medieval, Georgian etc.
I really like stories that have family interaction with all the children; when the hero and the heroine are humorous; when the hero realizes that the heroine is the one for him and tries everything possible to make her see it; I love the clothing(even though I’m sure it took forever to put on and take off), the food; the House Parties; even the times of wars etc. What’s not to love about Historicals.
FYI: Go see the movie Bright Star. It’s fantastic. It’s the story of the poet John Keats and his 3 year romance with girl next door Fanny Brawne. It’s a wonderful period piece by Jane Campion.
Nicole Jordan on 13 Oct 2009 at 9:43 am #
Of course I will pick it up, Julia! I love your books.
And you described perfectly a lot of what I love about historicals. Except the jumping in the sack part. My hr and hn tend not to wait too long, lol.
Wish you great success with the pubication of ACS!
Suzanne Enoch on 13 Oct 2009 at 9:51 am #
You described why I love writing historicals so well, Julia. And the fantasy bit, especially. After all, in a Romance no one has morning breath or dandruff or body odor or ever goes to the bathroom. *g*
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 9:52 am #
Elsie, the best part was that you had someone to help you take on and put off, and even better, hang the clothes up. Oh, be still my heart!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Bright Star. Since I mailed off a book yesterday, I just might treat myself to it!
Nicole, thanks, you’re so sweet. As for jumping in the sack, I was comparing to contemps, where they seem to get there a little sooner rather than later. I KNOW yours get their fast, LOL. Love that part of your books — you are a master at it.
Claudia Dain on 13 Oct 2009 at 9:58 am #
I’ve heard raves about Bright Star! I keep meaning to see it, but the PR for it is almost non-existent so I keep forgetting about it. Isn’t that a sad comment on my attention span?
Karen Hawkins on 13 Oct 2009 at 9:59 am #
Yup, definitely getting this one. I’ve only been waiting for it breathlessly since the last one. I MUST have it!
In historicals, I love the romance of a time faraway. It’s almost like a ’softening’ because you can ignore all of the ugly realities and focus on a simpler time when there were no tvs or ipods or cellphones and people had to TALK for fun. That’s hard to imagine today . . .
I just love the richness of it, too.
When I read contemporaries, I love the potential reality of it, the ‘this could happen to me’ and the ‘I’ve SO been there!’ moments.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 10:04 am #
So why do you guys think medievals lost footing? They had the same, faraway, soft focus thing, I thought.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 10:06 am #
Suzanne, I like that part, too, not having to think about crude bathrooms. It’s definitely all fantasy, because if I ever had to live with those bathroom conditions, I’d take to my bed a lot.
Sweet Jane on 13 Oct 2009 at 10:22 am #
I love historical romance as well. It’s hard to explain why. Sometimes when I’m in between books, or looking for new books to buy, I’ll choose a contemp over a historical ’cause historicals impress me — too much feeling, and not enough to relate to, it seems. But then everytime I’ll start a historical novel, I get swept away and more often than not, end up loving it terribly.
First off, I’ve always loved History in general. Finding out about past lifestyles, past opinions, past preoccupations. I am obsessed somehow with what makes the unity of the human race in spite of changing times and civilizations. And I like that there is something for us in the past, something that may not be very much advertised or obvious nowadays but still works for us contemporary women and people.
Like many girls, I’ve always liked european historical costuming. I like ancient architecture as well, and ancient customs: riding horses, fighting with swords, that kind of thing. And I like the way historical romance finds the perfect compromise between old values like honor, duty and sacrifice, and more modern ones like peace, social justice, and of course pleasure.
Gwynlyn MacKenzie on 13 Oct 2009 at 10:29 am #
History fascinates me, so I’m well acquainted with its truths; filth, disease, lack of sanitation, arcane medical practices more suited to butcher shops and S&M parlors, ignorance, superstition, seething undercurrents beneath a patina of civility, etc. (Resisting the urge to rub my hands together with glee, here. So much GOOOOOD story stuff!)
Personally, the allure is twofold.
1) I don’t live there. Chances of the events within the novel actually happening to me or mine (within that context) are slim to non-existant since the era has been here, done its thing, and gone. If the nasty stuff annoys, alienates, or just plain skeeves me out, I can ignore it, gloss it over, or just use it, grimace, and forget it.
2) There’s a Cinderella quality to the experience. Ballgowns, tiaras, handsome ______ (Prince, duke, marquis, earl etc. Fill in the blank as it suits you.) What female hasn’t hankered after the fairytale with its it’s Happily-Ever-After?
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 10:42 am #
Sweet Jane, that’s insightful about the tenacity of the human race.
And Gwynlyn, you’re right, too. There is so much good stuff to be mined.
I tell people all the time that contemps are harder to write because it is harder to suspend disbelief. In historicals, it feels like anything is game.
Pesky on 13 Oct 2009 at 11:06 am #
I’m not sure Julia, I’ve always liked medievals. It seemed like they were everywhere and then there were none. That would be an answer you authors might be able to answer. I always figured that the books that were purchased for print went with what was on the bestseller list at the time. Garwood still does a lot of medievals.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 12:29 pm #
Does she, Pesky? I thought most of them were reprints — but I really don’t know. Who else does medievals?
Kim on 13 Oct 2009 at 12:55 pm #
This is kind of silly but one of the big reasons I love historicals is because of the history. I love the true history that is weaved into them. I never would have become obsessed with Versailles and Marie Antoinette if not for Rosalind Lake and To Dance With Kings. There are so many times I’ve read a historical romance novel and then went on to study the backdrop on my own. I love that they inspire me to learn!
And then all the reasons you said, Julia
Oh, I love medievals! Jude Deveraux wrote some awesome ones in her day.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 2:48 pm #
I don’t know its the slow load or what, but why I like historical romance isn’t a very scintillating topic, it seems. Sorry!
Next week, I will be blogging about Jon and Kate, as in, how do we make it go away?
Janae on 13 Oct 2009 at 3:04 pm #
I love history; devoted 4 years of my life to in college. I prefer European historicals because there’s nothing glamourous about a log cabin, using a wagon as transportation, worrying about Indian attacks, and living in the boonies with no culture. There’s something inherently compelling with the titled aristocracy. I love medieval historicals – Jude Deveraux and Julie Garwood got me thru hs and college – thru about 1840-50. I think that my cutoff is affected by my knowledge of what London and England was like at that time – slums, lamps lit during the day because London air was so dirty, etc. The glamour is gone, so the appeal is gone for me.
I wish we hadn’t lost the language. My favorite part of studying history was the research. I loved reading the letters written during the Civil War. I’d forget to take notes because I’d get lost in the language.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 3:30 pm #
Janae, I feel the same way. My brother has a stack of letters my grandfather wrote my grandmother during the first world war, before they were married. The penmanship and thought construction was sublime in those letters. Its really so shorthanded now. More info in less time to more people.
I’ve even gotten some fan emails written in texting language which is disconcerting. I have to concentrate.
Cail on 13 Oct 2009 at 4:02 pm #
Nicole, I seem to remember a sex scene on like page 1 in one of your books! Can’t remember which, but one of the older ones.
I love historicals so much. I can’t completely put why into better words than the rest of you have. There is just something to them that does it for me.
I miss writing letters also. I still write letters to my DH. We spent most of our teenage years communicating via the post, so I can’t seem to abandon it.
Pesky on 13 Oct 2009 at 4:40 pm #
You’re right, I though her last historical was placed farther back in history, but I took a look at it and it’s not.
Pesky on 13 Oct 2009 at 4:40 pm #
You’re right, I thought her last historical was placed farther back in history, but I took a look at it and it’s not.
Pesky on 13 Oct 2009 at 4:42 pm #
Hmmmm…so good it posted twice?
Donna Fletcher, she still does Medievals.
Sabrina Jeffries on 13 Oct 2009 at 5:49 pm #
I like historicals because you can have things in them that wouldn’t fly in contemporaries–kidnappings, marriage of convenience, marriage by proxy, pirates, highwaymen ….
I really like pirates and highwaymen.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 6:11 pm #
I’m not familiar with Donna Fletcher…I will have to check her out!
Patricia Barraclough on 13 Oct 2009 at 9:12 pm #
Historicals allow us to visit a time and place we could never go. Plus if we did live in that time period, we would probably have been the servants, not the heiress. What fun would that have been? There are modern romances of course, but in many cases, we can relate to the situation and characters.
Since this is your day to post, Julia, I want to say I just finished SUMMER OF TWO WISHES. Not an historical, I know, but a situation not many will find themselves in. Really enjoyed it. Was a military wife during Viet Nam, and just such a situation was something many of us considered. What a difficult situation to deal with for everyone. You handled it very well.
Julia London on 13 Oct 2009 at 10:10 pm #
Thank you, Patricia! I really appreciate that.