tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post875115676998314584..comments2024-03-28T08:43:04.825-04:00Comments on Seduced By History: Anachronisms and Why I Embrace ThemSeduced by Historyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15196314920956478724noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-82236731060920323192011-01-16T13:10:49.282-05:002011-01-16T13:10:49.282-05:00I am going to add to my comment to Anonymous, that...I am going to add to my comment to Anonymous, that I also think an author, editor and publisher have a responsibility to make sure the blurb on a book does not confuse a reader into thinking the book is what it isn't. I know some blurbs often focus on appealing to as large an audience as possible, and can be misleading as to the nature of the book.Samantha Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15714986331449463732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-54961186350482148362011-01-16T11:32:12.530-05:002011-01-16T11:32:12.530-05:00JenB~ You crack me up. That's what content edi...JenB~ You crack me up. That's what content editors are for, doll. And I think the "sound natural" part is what counts.<br /><br />Teresa~ That's what I like in my historicals, too. A feeling for the time period with a story I can relate to. And yes, a faster pace. I love Austen, but for my modern sensibilities it can bog down.Samantha Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15714986331449463732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-63088120841688750862011-01-16T11:32:01.096-05:002011-01-16T11:32:01.096-05:00Anonymous~ There are a lot of readers like you, wh...Anonymous~ There are a lot of readers like you, who prefer their historical fiction to have a more distinct historically accurate plot and tone. Which is wonderful, don't get me wrong. But the point is, there are books out there for all types of readers. And I think the reader has some responsibility here to find the ones that please them. For instance, I'm sure you can tell from reading the blurb if a book is going to have more anachronisms in terms of plot and tone than you like as a reader. And I hope, if that's the case, you pass them by.<br /><br />I know that my blurbs make abundantly clear what my books are about, and yet I still have readers who complain the plot is anachronistic. I'm truly puzzled as to why they read my book if they already knew they wouldn't care for the plot. ::shrug::<br /><br />As for why we choose an historical setting to discuss contemporary attitudes and behavior, there are several reasons. One is that frequently some aspect of the time period affects or causes the main conflict in our story. And the idea of addressing contemporary issues in literature through period settings is an old and trusted one. Again, I'm going to reference Shakespeare on this one. And finally, yes, sometimes it's as simple as the fact that we love the time period and want to write about the dresses. :-) And for many readers, that's what they want out of an historical romance. Again, different strokes for different folks.<br /><br />I do have to agree with you on the distinction between a Regency couple and a Victorian couple. This is a matter of research, and a writer should know the difference.Samantha Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15714986331449463732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-83115668845910950802011-01-16T09:32:22.684-05:002011-01-16T09:32:22.684-05:00Speaking as a reader, I have to say that I dislike...Speaking as a reader, I have to say that I dislike anachronistic language and attitudes and story lines in historical romances. Not only do I get annoyed when a Regency heroine thinks and acts like a contemporary heroine, but I get annoyed when no distinction is made between the attitudes of a Regency couple and those of a Victorian couple.<br /><br />If an author wants to write about contemporary attitudes and behavior, why write a historical? Just for the pretty dresses?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-29061509689883949362011-01-16T08:30:56.532-05:002011-01-16T08:30:56.532-05:00I would have to agree with most of the comments he...I would have to agree with most of the comments here. I love Gutenberg.org and have read dozens of books from there--but I've probably <i>started</i> reading hundreds of them. The fact is, that the majority of books that are historically accurate because they were written <i>back then</i>--so to speak--are prosy, stilted and darned tedious reading. The balance between historical accuracy, and pleasing a modern audience is difficult for a writer. But, for the most part, I'd rather read a modern historical novel--anachronisms and all--most any day. <br /><br />When I originally wrote my Regency romance novel, A Very Merry Chase, that was the philosophy that guided me. When I finally got around to editing it for publication, I also edited with an eye towards our busy modern life style and an audience that generally demands a faster paced plot and less prosy ramblings.Teresa Thomas Bohannonhttp://www.ladysilk.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-83206217987006881732011-01-16T01:34:57.399-05:002011-01-16T01:34:57.399-05:00My employers are all going to fire me for saying t...My employers are all going to fire me for saying this, but here goes...<br /><br />I wouldn't know an anachronism if it bit me on the butt. I never paid attention in history class, so an anachronism has to be really disgustingly obvious for me to catch on.<br /><br />If a Victorian English heroine peppers her speech with phrases like "Bitch, please!" and calls her parents Mom and Dad, then sure, I know better. But natural dialogue that feels "old timey"? Sure, I'll buy it.<br /><br />And don't even ask me about period dress or titles of nobility.<br /><br />(Seriously. Unemployed in 5, 4, 3...)JenBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07038255852917636476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-61263186072681470922011-01-15T18:19:02.640-05:002011-01-15T18:19:02.640-05:00Pam~ There are writers who seem so true to the tim...Pam~ There are writers who seem so true to the time period that what they write becomes, in readers minds, true historical fact when it is not (Georgette Heyer for instance). I don't really think most historical fiction authors set out to re-envision history.<br /><br />Yes, the contraction issue. LOL Nothing is more aggravating to me than a ms. without any contractions. So stilted! It's fun to turn on the voice reading program on the computer and listen to it.Samantha Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15714986331449463732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-81903771740554331272011-01-15T17:12:42.606-05:002011-01-15T17:12:42.606-05:00This is a very interesting post. Modern historical...This is a very interesting post. Modern historical fiction (literary) uses anachronisms freely. In a way, it's playing with your readers and is part of re-visioning or re-imagining history, if you will.<br /><br />I agree with Portia that a happy medium works best. Use enough period language to give your readers a sense of the time, but don't overdo it. Something that I find really annoying is writers who don't use any contractions. That's not the way people spoke then--in the Regency--and certainly not now. They're in Austen, and even in Shakespeare's time, all but a few contractions were used.Pam Minglehttp://PamMingle.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-51532730654989351462011-01-15T13:44:45.035-05:002011-01-15T13:44:45.035-05:00I'm a true believer in being true to the spiri...I'm a true believer in being true to the spirit of the time period, too, Portia. And I think if a writer really loves the period they are writing, that it will shine through, no matter what.Samantha Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15714986331449463732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-36472980486987739262011-01-15T13:17:46.845-05:002011-01-15T13:17:46.845-05:00I'm fairly forgiving of anachronism as long as...I'm fairly forgiving of anachronism as long as it's not something so glaring it pulls me right out of the story. <br /><br />As for language, I like a happy medium, I think. A voice that gives a flavor of the time period, and sounds true to it in spirit without being too stilted and mannered.Portia Da Costahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03145185188242876124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-86393529639562569732011-01-15T12:52:14.266-05:002011-01-15T12:52:14.266-05:00Exactly. What you said. LOL I started out with the...Exactly. What you said. LOL I started out with the historical romances of the 80's, too. I know a lot of people love to have heavy description of location, etc., in their historical romances and that's great, there are authors out there who do a fantastic job at that and still have wonderful characters. Eloisa James comes to mind. Eloisa James also has delightful, witty dialog, which is probably my favorite thing about her writing.Samantha Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15714986331449463732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353479285769121899.post-71306560844488103002011-01-15T12:39:14.125-05:002011-01-15T12:39:14.125-05:00Yes, I prefer being flexible on anachronisms in hi...Yes, I prefer being flexible on anachronisms in historical romance. The first romances I read were Julie Garwood, and though they're far from erotic, I still fimd them to be quite titillating. Maybe it's because I was more innocent when I first read them, but maybe it's because they're just good adventurous love stories. I also like your spicier telling of history, and more often than not prefer new purchases to be a little more, er, earthy. Probably because I'm older and not so innocent. ;) It is off-putting to read antiquated turns of phrases by contemporary authors, and I tend to skip over new historical romances when shopping. i'm picky ... I want lush descriptions and settings from far away lands, interesting characters who, when I read them, want to feel like I'm listening in the first person as if I was in the same time, perhaps in the same room. The antiquated lexicons seem silly to me, like my 12 year old trying to speak like a Harvard grad student. That langusge is more unbelievable to me than a happy ending.Becky Moorehttp://Www.beckymoore.netnoreply@blogger.com