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Elizabeth Lane | Tumbling Through Time
January 5, 2013
Last year, after writing thirty-four historical novels and novellas, I finished
my first book for Harlequin Desire. I was sweating bullets all the way. The
book, IN HIS BROTHER'S
PLACE is a brand new release this month. And my respect for authors who
write contemporaries has grown by giant leaps. Let me explain. Yes, historicals take a lot of research. The Westerns I write
are easier than most because the Wild West is bred into my bones. The Mountain
West is home to me. I grew up on my grandparents' stories of what it was like
to be a pioneer, a settler, a cowboy. I wouldn't think of trying, say, a
Regency, which involves a feel for England and enough historic minutiae to fill
a shelf full of encyclopedias. But the West just flows for me. And when I get
to a blank spot in my story, I can always throw in a gunfight, a prairie fire,
an Indian attack or a rhapsodic description of a desert sunrise. A series contemporary, on the other hand...What can I say? A story for a line
like Harlequin Desire is bare bones plot—a hero, a heroine, a compelling
situation and some (lots of) sizzle. There may be a child, as there is in my
story. But there's no arch-villain, no historic setting, no grave physical
danger, no spilled blood, chases, races, or cliffhangers to keep a reader
turning those pages. Just the intense, evolving relationship between a man and
a woman. What a challenge. But then, as I keep reminding myself, isn't that what romance is all about? IN HIS BROTHER'S PLACE,
the Desire I finished in March, is a contemporary Western. Set in New
Mexico, its hero, Jordan Cooper, is a rancher/ investment banker who discovers
that his late brother's fiancée has a son—a son she's kept hidden from the
wealthy family who despised her. My next Desire, THE SANTANA HEIR, will be out this July. Technically
it's not a western, but it does have a ranch and a heroine who's terrified of
horses after a tragic accident robbed her of the ability to bear children. I
confess to loving these shorter contemporary romances, where the focus is on the
emotional conflict. Writing them has helped me discover ways to intensify the
conflict in my historicals. But I have no plans to hang up my boots and saddle. There are two more
historical westerns in the pipeline. The first, THE BALLAD OF EMMA
O'TOOLE (a title I'll fight to keep) is finished and awaiting a release
date. The second, THE COUNTESS AND THE COWBOY, is on hold but will be
finished later this year. For that one, I came up with the title first, then
had to think of a story to go with it. Has anybody else out there done that? How about you? Which kind of stories do you enjoy most, contemporary or
historical? Those of you who write, which do you most enjoy writing? Why? I'll be giving away a copy of IN HIS BROTHER'S PLACE to
one reader who comments today. Have a Happy New Year. Elizabeth
www.elizabethlaneauthor.com
Comments
46 comments posted.
Re: Elizabeth Lane | Tumbling Through Time
I prefer contemporary, as I can read them in about 1.5 hours. Historicals take several hours to read, and some days I just don't have much time to squeeze in a good book.
(Elaine Seymour 2:26pm January 5, 2013)
In His Brothers Place book looks interesting. I love all the books that involves a kid in it. I like contemporary and historical.
(Nahal Momin 2:35pm January 5, 2013)
I prefer historicals normally since I like the escape and the fantasy....
(May Pau 2:40pm January 5, 2013)
I go back and forth between contemporary and historical, but I suppose in the long run I read more contemporary. Both are relaxing and enjoyable.
(Beth Charette 4:19pm January 5, 2013)
I like contemporaries and historicals, but I favor contemporaries these
days.
(Rebecca Whitehead-Schwarz 4:37pm January 5, 2013)
Hello Elizabeth,
I love contemporary romances, Historicals, (especially the medieval ones), romantic suspences. I also have a soft spot for paranormal romances, (ghost theme), and Gothic romances too.
And Congratulation for your first Harlequin Desire!
(Judith Venne 4:45pm January 5, 2013)
I like both. I just don't want to read anything too similar too close together.
(Cheryl McEwen 6:55pm January 5, 2013)
Historical to me makes stort more interesting.
(Lisa Fitzgibbons 7:19pm January 5, 2013)
For me, I actually enjoy reading both. There are some contemporary authors that write, and their stories are like a page pulled from the History annuls. On the other hand, the Authors who write Historicals go through such pains to keep our History alive, that we have to give them credit. I know our Ancestors had such a hard life, that was full of obstacles that we can't even begin to imagine. By reading a true account of one moment of time in their lives makes it come alive again, and embedded in our minds and hearts as a tribute to them. So in this case, it would be unfair of me to choose one over the other.
(Peggy Roberson 8:57pm January 5, 2013)
I love historicals gives me something to enjoy on a vacation!
(Darci Paice 9:22pm January 5, 2013)
I love historicals because the authors use true historical facts when writing the books. These book just makes me want to read more.
(Carolyn Helms 10:56pm January 5, 2013)
I love reading historicals,and contemporary romances. Thanks for a chance to win your book.
(Linda Hall 11:08pm January 5, 2013)
i read both but i like historicals best
(Debbi Shaw 12:14pm January 6, 2013)
I like historicals best but in this case I really want to find out what Jordan's secret is.
(Kathleen Yohanna 12:20pm January 6, 2013)
Oh, Contempory!!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 12:20pm January 6, 2013)
i love the look of your cover...sounds like a great read....
(Kimberly Hoefs 12:49pm January 6, 2013)
I love all romances. I have spurts where I prefer historicals / contempories,
etc. I have recently started reading western historicals for the first time and
there great.
(Chris Coulson 3:45am January 6, 2013)
I read both. I do find the historicals more of a fantasy than contemporaries.
(Christy Comstock 4:08am January 6, 2013)
Historical is my first love.
(Mary Preston 4:12am January 6, 2013)
Historical is always my first choice but my second is comtempory...Love the cover of the book
(Bonnie Capuano 4:20am January 6, 2013)
I probably read contemporary and historicals in about equal amounts,and mysteries as well.
Blessings,
Marjorie
(Marjorie Carmony 6:37am January 6, 2013)
I read a very wide range of genres and have written crime and contemporary romance, currently writing SF alternate worlds. The wider range you read, the more fun you have and the more you learn. Historicals, well researched, teach us a lot about the past. While contemporaries can teach us a lot about the lives of people today - who knew US cattle are so dosed with hormones that they cannot calve naturally and ranch workers have to pull the calves out? This hormone dosing is banned in Europe. So I didn't know it was that bad until I read a modern western recently.
And there is always historical with a twist - such as the Naomi Novik books about the Napoleonic wars where each side also fights with dragons.
But whether reading or writing it is always great characters that hook me and keep me going.
(Clare O'Beara 8:29am January 6, 2013)
I like all romance stories, but historical would be my favorite.
(Mary Smith 9:11am January 6, 2013)
Oh boy, I like both about the same. I do find myself reading in a pattern. If I have just read historical, I pick up a contemporary next, and vice versa.
(Cheryl Castings 10:08am January 6, 2013)
I like contemporary and historical romance. The last couple of months I've been reading more contemporary.
(Rita Wray 10:29am January 6, 2013)
I enjoy contemporary more than historical. I can read contemporary faster; when I read historical I seem to get lost in the historical facts
(Shirley Younger 10:46am January 6, 2013)
I enjoy either as long as they are well written.
(Sue Farrell 10:50am January 6, 2013)
I prefer contemporary, but I do read historicals as well.
(Wilma Frana 11:42am January 6, 2013)
I like both, but prefer historicals. A lot of times I wish there was a time machine for me. Lol! I love the Harlequin lines.
(Cathy Phillips 12:34pm January 6, 2013)
It doesn't matter to me as long as there is a terrific story to be told.
(Anna Speed 12:39pm January 6, 2013)
Oh that book's cover makes me smile!
I enjoy both contemp & historical... depends on my mood at the time.
(Colleen Conklin 12:50pm January 6, 2013)
I like both contemporary & historical - I like variety and
select my next read based on my mood and what has larely
peaked my interest - maybe a news story or a tv show or movie
(Diane Sallans 1:22pm January 6, 2013)
I devour anything I can get my hands on, historical, contemporary, futuristic, etc. And who is to say that you can't write a contemporary with grave physical danger, spilled blood, chases, races, or cliffhangers? Sounds like a romantic suspense should be in your future...just sayin'!
(Tracie Travis 2:37pm January 6, 2013)
I've always been a fan of historical romance genre.I enjoy
being taken to other places and other times..just makes
everything more romantic!
(Celina K 3:03pm January 6, 2013)
I like historical better than contemporary
(Pamela Fox 3:33pm January 6, 2013)
I like to really mix them up...mystery, contemporary,
historicals, any kind of romance is just great with me.
Thanks for the chance to win yours.
(Mary Hay 4:00pm January 6, 2013)
I love contemporary and like the historical with lots of details as to their lives and customs of the time.
(Beth Elder 4:11pm January 6, 2013)
Thank you for your post and giveaway, Elizabeth. I read most romance subgenres, but my favorite is contemporary. I write mostly fantasy and futuristic romances. I still haven't figured out why my interests in these endeavors don't match.
In any subgenre, whether I'm reading or writing, my kind of romance is about what I consider real love, in which the other person's happiness is more important than one's own. I enjoy reading and writing about love in all its beauty, power, and wonder. And yes, sometimes its mystery, if not outright strangeness.
What I definitely don't want to read, and refuse to write, are power fantasies. I know, for countless readers and writers romance is all about power for the woman, redemption for the man, and mind-blowing sex for both of them. My concept of romance is different, and hard to find. So I write my own stories.
Good luck with the release of "In His Brother's Place".
(Mary Anne Landers 4:30pm January 6, 2013)
I'm about half and half. Truthfully, if it's a good book, it
really doesn't matter what time period it takes place in.
(Deidre Durance 4:36pm January 6, 2013)
It has been awhile since I reviewed one of your books. I read all type except paranormal and sci-fi
(Jane Squires 5:52pm January 6, 2013)
Your cover speaks volumns. It is wonderful.
(Robin McKay 6:14pm January 6, 2013)
I love both historical, especially the medieval and Regency periods, and contemprary romance books.
(Carol Woodruff 7:24pm January 6, 2013)
I enjoy both historical and contemporary. There are days where one of them will fit my mood or when I have a bad day.
(Kai Wong 7:37pm January 6, 2013)
I like both contemporary & historical romance.
(Sharlene Wegner 8:49pm January 6, 2013)
My favorite genres in order are are historical romance, paranormal, and then contemporary. I love all kinds of romance!
(Monica Vargo 8:58pm January 6, 2013)
I love Harlequin books. I have been reading them for 30 years and Desire
is one of my favorites, along with Superromance. I can't wait to read yours.
The cover is so cute!
(Susan Falkler 11:52am January 9, 2013)
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