Why Regency Novels Continue to Fascinate Readers

 

In honor of February, the month of Valentine’s Day, I decided to dedicate my current blog to romance fiction.

 

I find Regency novels particularly fascinating.  I’ve read hundreds of novels in the genre. In this regard, I am like many other devoted readers. Regency romance has endured for a long time, and I believe will continue to be popular.  For example, the Bridgerton romance series on Netflix has drawn a vast audience. Bridgerton, based on a series of eight novel written by Julia Quinn and adapted for Netflix, has proven to have strong appeal.

  For those who are not familiar with Regency, let’s define it.  When we talk about the Regency era, we mean the brief period lasting between 1811-1820 in England. However, for the sake of the novels, the era begins at the tail end of the Georgian period in about 1800. It includes the scope of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, a period of turmoil, social unrest and political revolution.

 The novels of Jane Austen set in that era have caught the imagination of both readers and writers for centuries.  Her Regency romances like PRIDE AND PREJUDICE entertain because they rely heavily on character and the humor of human foibles. A much later author, Georgette Heyer, was one of the writers who created her own novels set in the Regency era. These romances have also influenced many readers and writers. Her novels even introduced their own unique vocabulary.

Some of the outstanding modern writers of this genre are Mary Jo Putney, Jane Ashford and Mary Balogh, each known for depth of characterization. Modern day Regency romance is longer and more sensual than the earlier novels. 

Today’s Regency romance fans are often very particular about historical references. They want complete accuracy in such matters as clothing, dialog, mores of the social scene and conventions of the era. To this effect, I did extensive research, reading and collecting numerous histories of this era as well as biographies of people who lived in those times before I wrote my own sensual Regency romance TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS. For example, Mr. Brockton who is my heroine’s benefactor runs a posh gaming establishment where many thousands of pounds exchange hands each night. It is frequented by the cream of the ton. His character is based on an actual person who went from fish monger to millionaire and then lost it all again. At the time I initially wrote TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS, I was working as a librarian with access to a multitude of reference sources. My research proved both enjoyable and relatively easy.  Now the internet offers so much valuable information on the Regency era which makes research more convenient.

The latest edition of TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS is available in all e-book formats and paperback as well. You’ll find this romance novel and others I’ve written on the Luminosity website:

https://luminositypublishing.com/en/book/tea-leaves-and-tarot-cards/

Here are some snippets from the book reviews:

"Jacqueline Seewald's Tea Leaves and Tarot Cards delivers an unusual and intriguing heroine together with fast-paced historical romantic-suspense. Seewald is very much at home in her early 19th century setting."  - Jayne Ann Krentz (Amanda Quick)

“TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS is rich in secondary characters across the spectrum of society...TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS has a lot to offer with its original characters and imaginative plot.” - Romance Reviews Today

“It is clear that Seewald's goal is to offer a deeply felt, emotional romance.” - Library Journal

“This is a delightful lighthearted regency frolic.” - Genre Go Round Reviews

Currently, I am hard at work on the sequel to this novel entitled THE LOST LADY. 

Do you read romance? Why or why not? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction?

 

 

How and Where to Get Your Novel Published

 

First, write your novel. Let the words and ideas flow through to completion.

Second, forget your novel for at least a month. Work on other things.

Third, put on your editor’s eyes and reread your work. Consider: is your book too short? Usually, 60,000 words is novel length. Is your novel the length of WAR AND PEACE? Publishers aren’t looking for one volume epics either. 

When I finish writing a piece, I always think it’s great. When I read it with fresh eyes, I’m amazed to find mistakes. I don’t mean grammar or spelling since I was an English teacher for many years. I mean things like telling instead of showing or using too many adjectives or adverbs or exclamation points. These are mistakes that will mark you as an amateur. 

All right, let’s assume you’ve finished your novel and you believe it’s to die for, with fully developed characters and a unique plot. You’ve written a solid synopsis and query letter.

Where to from here?

Time to check out one of two things:  literary agents and/or publishers who accept novels like yours with no agent. Do your research. 

You can do a lot of this online. Also, use publications such as WRITER’S MARKET or THE WRITER’S HANDBOOK. You can read them at your local library or buy your own.

You can also join writers’ organizations. You’ll get help and you won’t be alone. You can attend conferences which will provide further entrée.

Is it easy to get a novel published?  Not particularly. But you can very likely get a start with e-books if you’re a beginner. Personally, I believe you should aim higher. I am not a fan of self-publishing unless you are willing to invest a lot of money, time and effort into internet publicity. I also believe you should avoid vanity presses. You should never pay to have your work published. Money must flow to the author not from him/her.

Many agents are looking for new writers who offer a fresh perspective. Why can’t that be you? Also, some publishers are still open to submission from new writers who don’t have agents. Check them out as well. Investigate that they are legitimate and not scammers. Then send out your query letters.

To get you started, check out:

Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity (publishedtodeath.blogspot.com)

This site is excellent for providing current information from agents and publishers. You need to see which of them will be a good fit for your work. For example, if you write adult romance, you shouldn’t query a children’s books publisher since that would be a waste of time and effort.

My latest novel, my 21^st from a reputable publisher, is a combination of mystery and history. HEART OF WISDOM was published by Level Best Books—which does not require agent submission: 

Give it your best shot, and don’t get discouraged by rejections. We all get them! As for me, I’m working on a new novel

Best of luck with your writing!