Our family had a very musical weekend. On Friday night we drove to Deland, where we were thrilled by an evening of the Stetson Concert Band, an absolutely superb group of young musicians. My middle grandgirl, Riley, is one of three euphonium players and, alas, always hidden in the back where we can't see her. But here's my pic of the band in the beautiful Stetson performance hall.
And on Sunday night I drove in the opposite direction, all the way down to Girl Scout Headquarters in Orlando where The Citrus Singers were giving a concert for parents, followed by pizza and potluck salads. (I made my Everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Salad.*) The girls were superb. Impossible as it seems, I swear they get better every year. There was also a very special event. Every year the Cure Bowl football game, which raises money for healthcare, is played in Orlando. And Sunday night a representative of the Cure Bowl, the Cure Bowl mascot, and a videographer, came to GS HQ to thank The Citrus Singers for TEN years of singing the National Anthem before the game. Nearly everyone posed for a picture with the charming Cure Bowl Bear.
*Recipe next blog
Below, Mike, Riley, and Susie with the Cure Bowl Bear. Mike is the sound tech for the CS's performances. Riley, who was in the Citrus Singers from the very beginning, was called in to substitute for a girl who was sick. Susie, of course, is the long-time director the group.
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| Citrus Singers, Cure Bowl Rep & Mascot |
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| Mike, Mascot, Riley, Susie |
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| Even the Grammas got into the act |
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TAKE CARE WHEN BUYING BOOKS
I have been buying books for my Kindle since 2011. No complaints. Yes, sometimes when trying out a new author, I'd find their style just wasn't for me, and I usually sent the book to Archives well before I finished it. But recently, instead of carefully reading the blurb for a possible buy, I allowed myself to be led astray by the initial ad on Facebook, which features no more than the cover and a glowing review line. (Yes, if you click on the ad, you get the entire blurb, and I did that, but . . .)
Notes added after writing original paragraph above:
1. When I clicked on a Facebook ad this morning, instead of a blurb, I got an excerpt which immediately told me this was a book written for the middle school/youth market and, in this case, not my cup of tea. But there was no doubt an excerpt was far more helpful than a hot review or a blurb in making my decision.
2. A FB ad for a book on a similar theme caught my eye, but after several previous negative experiences (see below), I dithered for days over whether or not to try it. I re-read the blurb, came close to passing it by, then said, "Oh, what the heck" and ordered the download. And wow! By page two my eyes were popping. I had actually discovered a gifted author writing in a genre I enjoyed. I mean, an author who could craft sentences that ranked right up there with the best. Oh joy!
Which, of course, means that when trying a new-to-you author, you never know what you're going to get. My warning stands. Do not be blinded by the hyperbole in those gleaming social media ads. Here is what happened to me before I found the one gem amid the dross:
MYSTERY. I bought a mystery with a rave review, only to discover that although the detectives were clever, the plot acceptable, the setting well done, the story fell into a sub-genre of Mystery in which I have absolutely no interest. I finished the book, but I was bored, bored, bored.
ADVENTURE. Very well written—if you like non-stop derring-do, over-the-top violence, grisly death. And a plot that was tortured to the point of nonsensical. I finished the book, but with more-than-a-few stops for a gargoyle grimace. Sorry, not my cup of tea.
REGENCY. After more than a quarter century writing Regency-set novels, I tend to stick to authors I know can be relied upon to get the era "right." Then again, as someone who has judged Regency contests and edited other people's Regency novels, I feel obligated to try out newcomers to the market. And two ads caught my eye. Except—oh, horrors . . .
Book One had everything right—characters, plot, setting, history of the period, but it was simplistic to the point of making me squirm. It was written to elementary school reading level, which included little use of Regency vocabulary and the lengthy sentences Regency aficionados so enjoy. I did, however, finish the book while making a mental note not to buy any more Regencies in this vein.
Book Two—where do I begin? Book Two had everything wrong. A dozen times, I almost threw up my hands and called it quits, but I kept reading just to discover what egregious faux pas came next. What kinds of faux pas? you ask.
The least offensive - Americanisms galore, plus "Tell" instead of "Show, ("Show, don't Tell" being one of the basic rules every author must learn, particularly Romance authors.)
More troubling - a plot that shattered "suspended disbelief" into a thousand shards. From every viewpoint, unacceptable. With no understanding of the manners and customs of the time.
Worst of all - a complete lack of understanding of the period; the author's sole research, apparently, viewing Bridgerton.
I hasten to say, I enjoyed Bridgerton, as I think many Regency authors did, because we see it for the fantasy it is. We enjoy it as a fairytale, while recognizing that, outside of the costumes, settings, and well-drawn characters, it is a wholly inaccurate depiction of the Regency era. FANTASY, not FACT. Even the "real" characters are not portrayed correctly. No one—repeat, NO ONE—should use Bridgerton as an accurate portrayal of the Regency era. It just ain't so!
I understand that those who came to the Regency solely through episodes of Bridgerton will not be bothered by the lack of authenticity, but long-time aficionados of the Regency period demand authentic ambiance: proper vocabulary, correct history, an accurate depiction of the manners and mores of the time, and portrayals of the non-fictional characters in the book that do not violate who those people actually were.
Grace note: Clearly, I feel strongly about getting the Regency era "right." But after devoting many, many hours to research before and during the time I wrote umpteen books set in that period, I am offended when an author uses Regency fantasy instead of fact as a setting for his/her book. (Oh, all right, I admit an agent once turned me down because I was aiming my books at the "top two percent of readers." Which is likely true. Sigh.)
Okay, rant over. I'll get down from my hobby-horse and let you look forward to the next season of Bridgerton.
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This week's featured book—my very first Regency for Signet. I still remember where I was standing in the kitchen of my house in Venice, FL, while talking to the editor. Wow!
Originally published in 2003 under the highly inaccurate title of The Indifferent Earl, because Signet's marketing department didn't think The Courtesan's Letters would play well in the hinterland! When I got my rights back c. 2011, I made sure the e-version reverted to the original title.
Miss Abigail Todd, the very proper headmistress of an academy for
young ladies in Boston, arrives in England to settle her grandmother’s
estate, only to discover that her ancestor was la grande Clarisse, the
most notorious courtesan of her day. And, to her even greater horror,
she herself is the perfect image of her grandmother. Clarisse has left a
series of letters detailing commissions Abby must carry out in order to
obtain her inheritance (an amount far greater than anticipated). In
order to do this, she must accept the assistance of Jared, Earl of
Langley, grandson of the man who was Clarisse’s devoted lover for forty
years. Has Clarisse created these letters because of love, nostalgia,
mischief, vengeance . . . or is she perhaps more interested in
matchmaking? The most likely answer: all of the above.
Author’s Note: The Courtesan’s Letters is suitable reading for
Ages 14 & up. Under the Signet title of “The Indifferent Earl,” it
was nominated for a RITA award by the Romance Writers of America and was
awarded “Regency Romance of the Year” by Romantic Times magazine.
Reviews:
"This story flows like fine champagne, full of sparkle, zest and energy."
Teresa Roebuck, Romantic Times
"The dialogue sparkles, the plot evolves at a brisk pace, and a
diverse cast of secondary characters adds depth and texture to this
well-written tale."
Susan Lantz, Romance Reviews Today
"I was completely and utterly seduced by this book. . . . The plot
is exquisite, a sparklingly innovative, perfectly executed piece of
craftsmanship. . . . It is books like this that restore our faith in the
Regency genre. . . ."
Celia Merenyi, A Romance Review
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