Yes, yes, it’s the 15th. But awhile back, Hubby and I decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 15th, rather than the 14th, and not because the candy’s on sale, though that’s a perfectly good reason. So this year, I’m doing something similar: we’re celebrating on the 15th – with vintage romances.
I recently had an email from a reader, DM, who found a Laurie McBain title she’d loved years and years ago on sale in the bookstore’s romance section – and she was so very happy to be able to buy a new one, as her old copy was long lost:
I just got back from my lunch break sweep through Borders. While snatching up the new Alice Hoffman, the latest Guildhunter & Loose Ends, a familiar and beloved name caught my eye from the new release rack: Laurie McBain. Yes, it was a soft cover edition of “Devil’s Desire.” I thought to myself, this is HUGE. Did I miss something? The bitchery should know this! There’s a whole generation out there who’ve missed out on the awesomeness that was Laurie McBain; the woman who started the hero as not such an alphhole rapist trend. One can only hope that the rest of her books are soon to receive similar treatment. Not that I’ll need to shell out for them I still have all the originals including the carrot topped fleeing virgin covered “Devil’s Desire.” I keep them away from the sun in a box marked “my precious”… Anyway, just wanted to share.
I admit, I never read a McBain, and DM says that among her favorites are Moonstruck Madness and Devil’s Desire. Woo hoo! Books to add to the romance re-read pile.
McBain’s books are being reprinted as part of the Sourcebooks Casabalanca Classics line, which is headed by Leah Hultenschmidt and brings new editions of classic romances to the bookstore. I asked Leah a few questions about the line, and about the books she’s looking to publish as part of Casablanca Classics.
What makes a good classic romance that you think has to be republished to reach a new audience?
We’ve been primarily concentrating on romances that helped define the genre in some way, yet still have an irresistible hero and heroine. They might not fit as neatly into today’s “romance” mold (if such a broad genre can be said to have a mold), but that’s what’s been so exciting about bringing them out again. To me, they’re “The Godfather” of romance—so much has been based on these works and the ideas have been adapted in a number of ways, but the original never feels old.
What are some plot points or characteristics that speak to readers today, and which ones do you think should be avoided?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “I wish they’d like romance like they used to.” These readers aren’t missing the potential does-she-want-it/doesn’t-she? sex scenes, the purple euphemisms or insipid heroines that you sometimes find in early works of the genre. Thank goodness we’ve evolved a lot in that respect—and the really good writers never bothered with them anyway. But there is a scope missing in a lot of today’s books, that epic sense since you used to get in historical romance that page-count requirements and the drive for pacing have often eliminated in the current market.
For example, in Laurie McBain’s TEARS OF GOLD (Aug.), we’re more than 100 pages in before the main characters are even in the same state. I’d not likely let a newer author get away with separating the hero and heroine so long. But in Laurie’s book, it absolutely works and by the time they do come together—HELL-O! The anticipation leaves the reader begging.
And in LEGACY (March), Jeanette Baker does what we’ve been calling a timeslip—a modern-day hero or heroine going through a similar struggle as counterparts in the past. No one actually goes back in time a la Diana Gabaldon (another favorite), but you get a great sense of how a historical conflict is still immensely relevant today.
What authors or books would you LOVE to republish, and which of the books released so far as a Casablanca Classic do you adore the most?
I’ve always been a huge fan of Laura Kinsale, so having those books on the list has been a dream come true for me. Same with Roberta Gellis—her historical detail is stunning.
As for who comes next, I’d love to hear what your readers have to say! Anything out of print at least 5 years but preferably 10 is fair game. And if they’re bestselling award-winners, all the better.
OK, then, let’s tell them what to do. Leah and the Sourcebooks crew have a few sets of the Classics line to give away for your guys. Yay! Books! All you have to do is leave a comment and tell us what book you’d like to see as part of the Casablanca Classics line, a romance from long ago that would rock our house today, and you’re entered to win. If you don’t have a book to suggest but you love the older romances, tell us something you love about them that you don’t see so much in romances published today – good or bad.
I’ll draw five winners, and each winner will receive a set of the following books:
Disclaimer: I’m not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Black socks, they never get dirty. The longer you wear them, the stiffer they get. Open to international entries, though the shipping will probably take awhile. Any resemblance to any persons living or dead will probably be remarked upon on some blog somewhere.
So, tell us: what vintage romance should be back on your shelves, all shiny and new?
One of my early romance novel faves was Stormaway by Simon Dare—set/written just after WW2. It’s just … charming. (And I’ve just discovered that more of his books are available secondhand on Amazon—yay!)
Anne Stuart: Rose at Midnight, Prince of Swords
Christine Monson: Rangoon (because it is good) and Stormfire (because it is so utterly horrifying that every romance writer should have access to it to know where not to go)
Patricia Gaffney: To Have and To Hold
Golon’s Angelique
I know it’s upthread aways, but LizW65 said:
He’s on Project Gutenberg here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search.html/?default_prefix=author_id&sort_order=downloads&query=789
I just downloaded two to try, thanks for the recommendation!
*fingers crossed* This is one awesome giveaway. *sigh* My quest for reading so much romance would be a little more successful!
As to classic oldies being reprinted…it’s not one I’ve read YET but I’d like to see reprints of all of the old Lovespell – Fairy Tale books. They look so cool and (to my teenage mind) would embody an awesome combo of smexy romance and fairy tale settings. I think a few are on ebook but I want hardcore print copies that match the cheese of the original prints, dammit.
I want to see Lisa Kleypas’ “Forever My Love” and “Love, Come to Me” back on the shelves.
So many books I haven’t read! I grew up reading SF/fantasy, and I don’t know the romance classics hardly at all. Other than Georgette Heyer, whose books (newly reprinted) are stacked 2 deep on my shelves and my kid complains that I have “too many.” Impossible!
@Ashley: Jeffery Farnol’s The Broad Highway (his first) is quite possibly my favorite romance novel ever. I remember it was a bit of a shocker when I discovered it in the 70’s (although it was published in 1912)—it was the first romance I ever read that was written entirely from the hero’s POV, and definitely the first in which he was a bookish geek, not the kind of asshat alpha man popular for so long. And Charmian is the most fabulous heroine ever.
I still have all of my original Johanna Lindsey books (with Fabio covers) my favorite of which is still “Tender Rebel” (that sex scene in a chair blew my ever-lovin’ mind as a young romance reader).
Dangerous Obsession by Natasha Peters—one of my very first romance novels.
I was just commenting to friends that I miss the super old Julie Garwood books set in Scotland or medieval England. I adored those novels! There’s something about a naive yet fiery-spirited woman that makes me so happy. 🙂
Of course I draw a blank on titles, but Catherine Anderson had some western style romances that I LOVED! Oh, and I’ve never ready any of the posted books, but am loving the covers!
I’m having an utterly senile-moment sort of day, so forget drawing any sort of a romance title or author out of me, but I miss the epic nature of the old romance novels. They’d take you from the heroine or hero being just a kid to them growing old together – and it wouldn’t be some rush job with a hasty add-on epilogue either. These would be big, meaty stories full of huge emotional sweeps and by the time I finished, I practically could see the two of them buried side by side, I was so convinced they’d be together forever.
I’m very picky about the old skool romances I’ll read because some of them are an exercise in “how much abuse can we pile on the heroine before she breaks” – not a big fan of that. But I’d love to see some of Catherine Anderson (Cheyenne Amber) and Rosanne Bittner (Savage Destiny series) older works in reprint.
I’d love for Conor’s way by Laura Lee Guhrke be re-released. I’ve been looking for it for years because of a recommendation at AAR. It’s like $20 on Amazon.
Also Adele Ashworth’s Winter Garden. It’s the same story. Can’t find it anywhere and it’s expensive on Amazon.
Also some of the older Mary Balogh Christmas regency romances. She sure can write a Christmas romance. Love them, but finding them at the used book store is hard.
Oooh! Victoria Holt springs to mind! Plot, mystery, a twist at the end…and of course the romance she wrote was beautiful. “Secret Woman” was the first of hers I read—-my first real romance novel. I still have it 🙂
I would love to see a great reissue sweep of titles by the late, great Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. My favorite is “Ashes in the Wind”. I became a grown-up romance reader thanks to the wonderful Ms. Woodiwiss! “Ashes” is a soaring Civil War love story which shows the humanity and the tragedy of both sides of the conflict. Cole Latimer is a Yankee surgeon whose compassionate nature and strong physician’s ethics benefit both “the blue and the gray”. Alaina MacGaren is a beautiful young Southern woman forced to pose as a young boy in order to survive. In her disguise as “Al”, the young cleaning boy at the military hospital, she comes to know Dr. Latimer. The beginning of their relationship is that of sparring partners who form a tentative friendship. Once they finally face each other as man and woman, a deep, abiding love begins to grow. Their passion overcomes many doubts and obstacles and finally reaches full bloom. Both of these characters went through a personal growth process as the horror of the War Between the States and its lasting aftermath unfolded. Cole’s disgust and frustration when he was unable to save a life due to military interference was deeply felt. Alaina’s desire to be seen as a lovely young woman instead of a ragged boy was palpable. An unforgettable love story!
One of the things that I loved about great, older, hefty “doorstopper” romance reads is that they were “big”. Not big due to a large font size and wide margins, but big because of the size of the story. They took you places. Took up a chunk of your time while they took a chunk of your heart. You don’‘t forget them. You don’t inhale them like jellybeans from a candy dish. You have to spend time with them, and they’re just as good now as when they were first printed. They were built to last, and they have stood the test of time.
@Magz OMG I totally agree with you! I loved Avon True Romance for Teens. Some of them have been reissued by the authors the ones by Meg Cabot and Beverly Jenkins. That’s 4 out of 12. I wish the other authors would reissue theirs particularly Kathryn Smith, Lorraine Heath, Karen Hawkins, etc.
I looked for May McGoldrick (who wrote one Avon True Romance for Teens, connected to their other characters)when they came out but they are no longer issued and I wish May McGoldrick would be reissued.
Most of Heyer is being re-issued but I have yet to see a copy of her short story collection Pistols for Two. If its comes out it is an autobuy, especially since I have not seen it in three libraries I have checked.
For the people who want Balogh and Kleypas, the bookstores by me seem to carry a lot of their books. Hopefully they will resissue the ones you want.
Laura Kinsale is one of the greatest living writers, period. The fact that she is a “Romance” writer means she doesn’t get the respect or accolades she deserves, and that is a horrible shame.
I’m ecstatic Sourcebooks shares my Laura love!
Anything by Dorothy Dunnet, especially Pawn in Frankencense.
Wow, I don’t think I can pick just one!
What I love about some of the older romances is that the characters don’t jump into bed right away. They actually get to know each other and let the attraction build between them before taking the sexual leap. I’ve always liked reading about the sexual tension between the two main characters.
Another thing I adore about older romances is that some of them are so well-researched. It’s amazingly easy to be drawn into the world created by the author.
I love the slow….very, very slow….build up 🙂
My Lord Monleigh is possibly my favorite romance of all time (though SEIZE THE FIRE by Kinsale and THE WINDFLOWER come close.
I think I have Sharon and Tom Curtis’s entire backlist, including ALL of the Candlelight Regencies. Same with the old Loretta Chase books.
Plus all the Judy Cuevas. I have a treasure trove in my house.
This is what I want for Kindle. Access to these great things, and old treasures like The Lost Queen of Egypt.
Word is before39. I’d written at least twenty five books before i was 39.
Where to begin! Anya Seton has been rereleased, thank goodness. I miss the old Shirley Busbee’s, everything I know about the War of 1812 I learned from ‘Lady Vixen’. I read one of her latest recently and apparently England has 5 people in it, all of them involved in murder. One of my first reads was “My Enemy the Queen” by Victoria Holt, not very accurate, but very titillating for a 10 year old. I second the call for Cynthia Wright, her novels were fantastic!
Please don’t enter me for the contest.
I have old, old copies of Jan Cox Speas ‘The Bride of the McHugh’ and ‘My Lord Monleigh’ and can’t wait for reprints. Mine are close to falling apart and the font is tiny.
Also, anything in the Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnet. I have the first three, but they are all hard to come by. Have been on my Paperbackswap wish list for years
The Windflower – because I have never found a copy at the library to read!
@Vita
The Penguin editions of Lymond from the late 90s are still in print. Ditto King Hereafter and the Niccolo books. What you can’t get are her mysteries, although used copies abound.
It’s amazing how many major romance authors were influenced by the Lymond Chronicles, despite the fact that only the final book in the series meets the RWA definition of a romance, because it is the only one that contains an HEA.
Shirlee Busbee – but only from the late 80’s/early 90’s! That way you can avoid the overly alpha males of her earliest work and her more recent work. I want to read “The Tiger Lily” and “The Spanish Rose” again! Also, I was a sucker for Joan Wolf historical romances and I don’t even like horses!
Add my vote for Patricia Veryan, Carla Kelly, early Loretta Chase.
Some that I haven’t seen—Karen Harbaugh, who was one of the earlier pioneers of what became paranormal romance; a couple of old Patricia Gaffneys (Wild at Heart and Crooked Hearts—this one is distinctive for being incredibly funny); Clare Darcy’s Regencies; and (this is REALLY obscure), Jane Donnelly, a Mills & Boon author who wrote some lovely beta heroes back in the day.
I haven’t read any of the books in the giveaway, or many of the classics, but I would love to! Please enter me in the contest!
And I love the hilarious euphemisms, they really dance around the subject without being explicit!
I would love to re read M.M. Kays romance/mysteries. Most of them were set in Europe right after WW2 the settings were different and most of the stories pretty good.
I loved Victoria Holt books as a teenager – my local library had so many of them and I read them all. I’d loved to see them re-issued!
Just wanted to comment that Laurie McBain is one of the reasons I got sucked into the romance world. Her trilogy of Moonstruck Madness (1977) , Chance the Winds of Fortune (1980) and Dark Before the Rising Sun (1982) are some of the best stories written.
And her stand alone When the Splendor Falls ((1985) has long been at the top of my favorites list. These are some of the few books that I re-read on a regular basis.
As for who I would like to see reprinted – not exactly classic romance, but I have long been searching for Kay Hoopers Loveswept series. I have found all but one of the titles and would still love to find an original, but would take it in a reprint, just to complete the series.
Patricia Veryan! She really knew how to tell a story.
If we’re voting, Laura London all the way!
another newbie here so again no recomendation because i got none but i love these posts because it brings up so many things to go check out 🙂
i also really like SB Sarah’s competition disclaimers. just thought I would add that
Chiming in with the Patricia Veryan love. I don’t own any of her books – I read them all from the library back in the 1980’s and 90’s. I’ve moved away from that library, but I’ve never forgotten Gideon and Peregrine and all of their adventures.
Elswyth Thane’s “Williamsburg Series” !
They were my introduction to romance novels at about age 10. (Only about 15 years ago, because my mom has all the originals!) She wrote from the late 20’s to early 50’s, I think. Fantastically written, well-researched, historicals. The Williamsburg Series follows a family from the Revolutionary War to WWII. I also think the BBC should make a miniseries of them, but that’s another discussion.
I also agree that Patricia Veryan should be re-released.
Marsha Canham’s books…specifically her Arrow trilogy.
I would love to see Georgette Heyer’s books back in print. I found some at a used bookstore a few years ago, but they’re in horrible condition and I’m dying for some that don’t fall apart when I open them!