Jane Ashford stops on over to share some invaluable advice for historical romance authors.
1. Research is invaluable. History is full of fascinating events and cool tidbits about the time you are portraying. Take advantage. You couldn’t make up some of that stuff. The readers tend to care about accuracy, too.
2. Forms of titles. So you can call a duke your grace, not my lord. Get the scoop for the UK at Debretts www.debretts.com
3. The value of a telling detail to add to a reader’s interest. For example, Negus consists of heated port wine with lemon and sugar and a dash of nutmeg. Don’t just dump in the information, however. Your hero and heroine could concoct it together, and the process could show elements of their characters and relationship.
4. Historical style is a little different. You need to balance modern clarity with the rhythms of the past. Stately but not cluttered? A touch of period slang is a delight, as Georgette Heyer definitively demonstrated.
5. The mores and behavior of past centuries can be downright offensive. I think we can have some leeway when writing an entertainment. Maybe a sensitive medieval knight was rare, but he’s the one I want to read about.
6. Remember that not everyone was an aristocrat. There are all sorts of fascinating stories to tell.
7. Finally, the details may change from century to century, but love is the important thing. Make your reader long for the HEA.
Who needs a knight in shining armor when there's an earl at your side...?
Gwendeline Gregory doesn't know what to think when she encounters the dashing Alex St. Audley, Earl of Merryn. She's in over her head in London Society, trying to fend off a scoundrel who will stop at nothing to ruin her. On the brink of a devastating scandal, the earl arrives just when she needs him most. But are his motivations trustworthy? And can he avert ruin for both of them?
Earl To The Rescue is a re-issue of one of Jane Ashford's previous works
This giveaway is over. The lucky winner is posted in the comments.
Jane Ashford, a beloved author of historical romances, has been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, and Spain, as well as the United States. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Follow her at www.janeashford.com.
