Welcome Guest Blogger Linda Conrad!
And now a word from our…
Excuse me, y’all. Let me get a word in! My name is Josh Ryan and I’m the hero of Linda Conrad’s June Silhouette Romantic Suspense called Safe With A Stranger. I’m breaking in here because Linda is swamped and I thought this would be a great opportunity to tell my side. So…
If I do have to say so myself, Safe With A Stranger is a terrific book and a great way to begin Linda’s new series called The Safekeepers. In her Dear Reader letter, Linda writes that this trilogy is all about what it means to be a woman. Ha! No chance. This book (and most of the series) is all mine, sugar. It’s the story of my family, the Ryan-Delgado clan from deep south Texas. You see, in spite my very real desperation to forget it, the truth is my family is descended from Mexican witches. And one of them has cursed us!
For much of this first book, I try to find a way to stay out of the trouble. But, geez, what’s a man to do when he finds a woman and her baby on the run? I’m an ex-Ranger and a Texas cowman right down to my boots. No way I could leave them stranded. So damned if I don’t have to step in. Then all hell breaks loose. I end up having to face my old problems in order to protect them. And in the end, the best thing I can do for them is to let them go.
What a story!
Ahem… This is Linda taking back control from a very pushy Josh Ryan. As this is my first opportunity to guest blog here at Cigars, thanks to Sam Hunter, and I’d meant the blog to be about how I found my first romance novels and not so much about my latest release. But what’s a poor author to do when one of her characters insists on talking? Give him his way, I suppose. Sigh.
Anyway, now that I have the floor, I was daydreaming the other day (something I have done all my life) about what characteristics go into making a good romance novel—besides the hea of course. I thought of all the good romances that I have read and began thinking back to my very first brush with a romance novel. Oh, not the really truly first brush. That came when I was twelve and devoured my teenage neighbor’s entire True Romance magazine collection. (shusss) And I’m not counting reading Jane Eyre for my ninth grade English class. No, I’m talking about the first time I read a real romance novel all the way through. I can’t even remember which author it was but I do remember that I sneaked the book from my mom. And except for a few years in college when I was too busy or thought I was too cool, I was hooked on romance from then on.
But I’m curious. Does everyone remember how they got a hold of their first romance? Do you? Did someone give it to you to read? Who? Sister-friend-librarian? Did you sneak it? Buy it? Borrow it? Can you remember which book it was?
It seems a lot of people do remember, and that first brush turned them into voracious readers. I’ve even heard from a couple of readers that they read as many as twenty books a month!
Fabulous! I wish I had the time.
I do want to hear what got you started. Enough to give away a copy of Safe With A Stranger today. (You’ll fall in love with Josh Ryan, I promise) You must be registered at Cigars to be eligible, so lets dish about how you lost your romance novel virginity.
Hugs to you all,
Linda
First romance
I got my first romance books from my Mom and sister-in-law. Harlequin Presents were the first I read by Anne Mather, Penny Jordan and Carole Mortimer. I still love that line today. My first historical was Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
I remember
being romance buddies with my mother's best friend, who read them like drinking water, so all through my teen years, we would share books, etc. My mom read some romances, but mostly she also like True Romance, and those stories -- I think because she worked so much, and had all of us, books were harder -- too long. And she loved her TV and soaps! LOL
Sam
My best friend got me hooked
My best friend got me hooked on Barbara Cartland books when we were in the sixth grade, and I was hooked, especially since I had a huge crush on a high school boy who, IMO, looked exactly like every Duke who graced her covers.
As far as I know, my mom never read a romance novel. But we lived right next door to my grandmother whose bookshelves were filled with steamy historical romances. I think my first romance that went beyond the bedroom door was Love's Tender Fury by Jennifer Wilde when I was thirteen years old. Whew!
Hi Linda!
Boy do I remember. I was eighteen and in Safeway, looking at the book rack. At that time Harlequins had these cartoonish looking covers with men with Ken doll faces (and women with Barbie faces). I thought to myself, I have to read one of these. So I bought it, and read it, and was surprised at how much fun it was. In fact, I was such a category romance rookie that I was surprised at the ending. I didn't know HEA was guaranteed, lol. I started reading between 8-12 a month because I could read them in exactly 3 1/2 hours--the time I was at my job at the theatre box office.
Great to have you here!
My first romance
I was a miserable almost-16 year old who had just moved to the US from England and suffering a long distance drive in the back of a station wagon headed from California to Colorado.
The a/c didn't make it back that far so the back window was open and I could put my feet out. Well, I fell asleep that way.
We stopped, somewhere, and the tops of my feet were sunburnt. Blistered, to be exact. I couldn't even put on flip flops, my feet hurt so badly. The rest of my family went into what looked like a cute, cool little cafe for lunch and I stayed outside.
When my mother brought me my lunch, she also brought me a Harlequin Romance.
I devoured it quicker than I devoured my lunch. It was one of the old ones where the couple (she was Eleanor and he was Kenneth and she worked for his family??) didn't even kiss until the last page.
When I returned to California, I discovered that the local library carried these little books and I could check out 10 at a time!
I soon made friends with a girl, Chrissie, who also liked them. We'd ride our bikes to the library (about a mile away) every Sat morning and both get 10 books. On Wednesday nights, we trade them. So we'd each read 20 in a week. LOL
I've often wished I could remember the name of that first book but it won't come to me. I can see the cover though with the drawing. She had short brown hair and wore a green dress. He was standing in the background. And they may have been on a ship.
But, anyway, that was the start!
ani
Nope, I don't remember...
But I do know it was Mom's fault. I incubated to the sounds of Search For Tomorrow, Another World and Days of Our Lives. By first grade, I was completely immersed in the adventures of Bo & Hope and The Pawn--and very cranky that school dared to intrude on my afternoon schedule. I think Soaps started me off--I'm just wildly addicted to romance!
Dee
PS--Hi Linda!!!
Thanks for making me feel at home!
Hey all! Thanks for the welcome!
Crystlgb, LOL on the Presents. You must be fairly young. I think those authors you remember all still write for Presents (along with a world of others theses days)
Karen---your grandmother? Oy. Maybe that's due to the extreme difference in our ages? Ha! Just love the fact you remember both the title and the author! I should be so lucky someday.
Goddessani, 20 categories in a week!!!! You get the prize.
Hey Jeannie! Thanks for the welcome. Yes, me too. When I found categories, I devoured tons of them. Couldn't get enough of the things.
I guess what I want to know now is how many do we still read? Or have we shifted our tastes more to the single title romance/paranormal/mystery books?
Sam, how about you? You more into reading mystery these days?
My dirty little secret...
well, I guess it's not all THAT secret, LOL - but yeah, I have been submersing in mystery for the last few months, though I've always been a fan. In fact, it was a wake up call, after writing three romance STs that bombed, when I was talking with my agent, and looked at my bookshelf and about 80% of my keepers were paranormal mystery/urban fantasy and books by Sue Grafton, Lisa Scottoline, etc -- and some skirt the genres, which is what I like, too -- paranormal/mystery/romance, etc -- suspense/mystery, etc... what I'm doing now is inevitably hybrid because my romance writing has trained me to think in certain ways, yet writing mystery felt very comfortable for me (probably because I overthink everything anyway, and murder was much more fun than I imagined...). When I was a kid, while I started reading Harlequins around 12 years old, I was reading Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Hardy Boys all along as well... Also, I am a child of the 70s detective drama -- Barnaby Jones, Hart to Hart, Columbo, etc -- and Monk is a current fave, of course. :)
I think readers have always seen bits of suspense in my books, and will see the influence of my mystery writing in upcoming Blazes... :)
So, I still read romance, of course, especially those by friends, but mystery has taken front stage, more or less...
Sam
I still read at least 1-2 categories a week
I keep one in my car (twice a week I have to wait about 30 minutes to pick up my son from driving school).
I keep one in the bathroom.
I keep at least one next to my chair.
I keep a stack next to my bed.
These are the books I turn to when I only have 10-15 minutes to read. Until I reach that point where I just can't put it down. Then it becomes an extra appendage. LOL
So even though I'm reading them in dribs and drabs, I still manage to read a couple a week on average.
And when I get that shiny new B&N card, I head straight for the categories before I buy anything else with it. My money just goes further, you know.
ani
Hi, Linda!
I think I read some of those Sweet Valley High and Sihouette First Love romances in junior high, but my first grown-up romance was lent to me by a friend in high school. It was a historical, with parts of it set in Asia. I can't for the life of me remember what it was, but I've been reading romances ever since. Ani, I borrowed stacks of those Presents and the like from our local library, too! As many as they would allow at a time, and a few more if I could persuade my sister or brother to let me use their cards, too ;)
I stopped reading as much during college and a few years after, but I think reading one of Jennifer Crusie's titles pulled me back in. I enjoy a mix of stuff--less of the mystery, paranormal, suspense (I'm a scaredy cat!); otherwise pretty much everything else--single title, category, anthologies; historical, contemporary, inspirational... bring it on! :)
Hi Linda
my first was by LaVeryl Spencer and I remember there being purple flowers on the cover. I don't remember how I came about having the book though.
I still like contemporary romance.
Neat-ooo !!
To all of you still reading category, I LOVE YOU! (gives jobs to a lot of us - heh heh) I read plenty of mystery and some paranormal too, but there's nothing like a Blaze or Romantic Suspense, or Presents for waiting in the dentist's office.
Hi Dee! (waving madly) Soaps are really inexpensive romances, but you can't take them with you on the plane! LOL
Oh Fedora, I also dropped reading altogether during college, didn't even read a magazine for a couple of years. Jenny Crusie would love to hear one of her books got you back in the fold. Mine was an Intimate Moments by Merline Lovelace-who became a mentor a few years later.
Hey Buddy! I love that you remember the purple flowers on the cover. Neat! Covers are much more important than we realize sometimes.
Categories are terrific!
Linda, as much as I also love longer stories, I don't think I'll ever stop reading category titles--they sure pack a lot in a relatively short span, and there's so much variety that you can pretty much find whatever it is you're looking for. And OOOH! How neat that Merline's book pulled you back and then you had the chance to be mentored by her! I've a read a few of her titles and really enjoyed them!
Julie Garwood
Hi Linda,
My first romance was Julie Garwood's "The Bride." I was introduced to romance by my older cousin's best friend. Julie remains one of my favorite authors.
First Book
The book that got me started reading was Gone With The Wind, loved that book and read it several times. I need to get me another copy because my got away from me years ago.
pretty classy
Hey Jane and Lead bottom! Jule Garwood and Gone With the Wind? Not exactly True Romance or the old Mills and Boon, huh? LOL
Whatever your first blush with romance, aren't you glad you started?
We've got a winner!
Thank you all for a wonderful blog! It's been great fun.
I drew a name and the winner of an autographed copy of Safe With A Stranger is fedora! Hooray!
Email me at LindaConradbooks@aol.com and send me your snail mail address, fedora.
Thanks again everyone, and have a great weekend!
Woo Hoo!!
WTG, Fedora!!
Congrats
Congrats!