tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post3680137504240905465..comments2024-03-22T05:18:29.555-04:00Comments on Romance Bandits: Old-Fashioned LoveLoucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-36640959322935510012010-09-12T22:03:00.098-04:002010-09-12T22:03:00.098-04:00Thanks to everyone for the wonderful recommendatio...Thanks to everyone for the wonderful recommendations! I am sure I'll find some new "keepers" from the list I've compiled. My husband says I have to go to bed now and I know the alarm will ring too soon in the morning. So nighty night!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-39923039973418763302010-09-12T22:00:46.019-04:002010-09-12T22:00:46.019-04:00Ooh, Janga, thank you for the suggestions! I haven...Ooh, Janga, thank you for the suggestions! I haven't read Willett, but she's going on my list. I love MaryJo Putney, so I'm sure I'll love any book she recommends. I'll also look for <i>The Shape of Mercy</i>. It sounds like it will be wonderful!<br /><br />You guys know there is nothing more thrilling than finding new authors - especially ones with back lists. I think I'm in for many treats to come!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-45621873730299418932010-09-12T21:46:42.579-04:002010-09-12T21:46:42.579-04:00Caren, have you tried Marcia Willett? Her books ar...Caren, have you tried Marcia Willett? Her books are not as long as Pilcher's, but I think the two have much in common. Mary Jo Putney recommended <i>A Week in Winter</i> on the RRA list back in 2002. I read it and haven't missed a Willett since.<br /><br />I was talking with someone about Pilcher last week and said I always pull out <i>Coming Home</i> and <i>September</i> for a reread when I want a long, satisfying book.<br /><br />Have you read Susam Meissner's <i>The Shape of Mercy</i>? It was A Rita finalist in the romantic Elements category in 2009. It's a wonderful read that blends the historical and the contemporary, an inspirational but blessedly free of tractarianism and didacticism. It was one of my top reads of 2008.Jangahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15128188159653860806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-11956745698352848362010-09-12T20:15:12.278-04:002010-09-12T20:15:12.278-04:00Helen, if you enjoy slower-paced stories with lots...Helen, if you enjoy slower-paced stories with lots and lots of exposition, then I think you'll like any of the books that have been recommended today. I am sure that you had years, like most of us, when you were raising a family and working with little time to read. I think I missed enough books to fill a decade or two and I plan to try to catch up! *g*<br /><br />If you get to read any of them, you should drop me a line and let me know how you enjoyed them!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-29775407182203550122010-09-12T20:13:06.946-04:002010-09-12T20:13:06.946-04:00PJ, I'll definitely look for it. I recall when...PJ, I'll definitely look for it. I recall when it was on all the bestseller lists. I think that was when I had young children and read <i>nothing</i> but instructions on the formula can. *g*Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-12038582514761463192010-09-12T17:06:14.303-04:002010-09-12T17:06:14.303-04:00Well done Natalie have fun with him
Caren
What a...Well done Natalie have fun with him<br /><br />Caren<br /><br />What a great post unfortunatley I am not going to be able to help with any recomendations as I don't remember reading any of these books or similar but you have wet my appetite for them and I will be adding these to my must have list.<br /><br />Have Fun<br />HelenHelenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03984438742736003285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-74597055754766953142010-09-12T16:39:27.693-04:002010-09-12T16:39:27.693-04:00Caren, you shouldn't have any trouble finding ...Caren, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it. Amazon has it in stock in trade size and most libraries have it in their inventory.pjpuppymomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18234101901405553621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-19656265574820014562010-09-12T16:34:23.726-04:002010-09-12T16:34:23.726-04:00PJ, I'm so excited. I feel like ...And Ladies ...PJ, I'm so excited. I feel like <i>...And Ladies Of the Club</i> is a thick, juicy steak just waiting for me to take a bite! It's kind of like Christmas, having a great book just waiting for me to crack the cover. Must get my hands on a copy!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-40843793241121435612010-09-12T16:29:47.080-04:002010-09-12T16:29:47.080-04:00I put Santmyer's novel on my "must read&q...<i>I put Santmyer's novel on my "must read" list I have been composing today. Having just finished Rosamunde Pilcher's Coming Home, which was 977 fabulous pages, I am undaunted by the length. *g*</i><br /><br />Hope you enjoy it, Caren! I loved it so much that I've actually read it twice ~ once when it was first published in 1984 and again about five years ago. <br /><br />I read Pilcher's <i>Coming Home</i> back in '96 when it was first released. Such a good read!pjpuppymomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18234101901405553621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-9516535064060014572010-09-12T16:17:16.113-04:002010-09-12T16:17:16.113-04:00PJ, what a great story about Helen Santmyer! Thoug...PJ, what a great story about Helen Santmyer! Though she had a long and varied work life, she never lost sight of her love of writing. Managing to write while she held all those other jobs is amazing. Of course, so was graduating from college for a woman in 1918! An amazing woman.Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-69510033381334929022010-09-12T16:12:02.843-04:002010-09-12T16:12:02.843-04:00PJ, I didn't read John Jakes but loved the min...PJ, I didn't read John Jakes but loved the miniserioes "North and South" (not to be confused with the movie starring Richard Armitage!). <br /><br />I put Santmyer's novel on my "must read" list I have been composing today. Having just finished Rosamunde Pilcher's <i>Coming Home</i>, which was 977 fabulous pages, I am undaunted by the length. *g*<br /><br />I'm also going to go read her story. I saw a post recently by a granddaughter of Rosamunde Pilcher's. She said Rosamunde is exactly like her books. Warm, loving and a dedicated letter-writer. Mrs. Pilcher is about to turn 86 (on Sept. 22) and still writes long, newsy letters to her family and friends. I hope to be like that someday!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-51695590955224037922010-09-12T15:53:11.848-04:002010-09-12T15:53:11.848-04:00Fo, I think I'll have to make sure Mary Wesley...Fo, I think I'll have to make sure Mary Wesley is on the radar as well. Will add <i>Harnessing Peacocks</i>. The name alone is intriguing!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-46637820739980691632010-09-12T15:52:14.142-04:002010-09-12T15:52:14.142-04:00Anna, I was waiting for someone to mention Dorothy...Anna, I was waiting for someone to mention Dorothy Dunnett. There's another author I have never read and have meant to. Must put her on the short list. I really need to visit the library soon and pick up some lengthy tomes. I'm in a slow down mode these days. <br /><br />I think it's because time is flying so fast and my older daughter is a senior this year. It will be over before I know it!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-23460323162946216032010-09-12T15:38:00.451-04:002010-09-12T15:38:00.451-04:00Congrats, Nat!
Caren, what a lovely blog. Like...Congrats, Nat! <br /><br />Caren, what a lovely blog. Like so many others, I've gotten into the habit of "fast reads" as opposed to the long, leisurely stories that I used to enjoy. I loved reading the sagas that would span generations and, frequently, 800 or more pages. Books by Michener, John Jakes and James Clavell were frequent companions. <br /><br />One of my all-time favorite books is <i>...And Ladies of the Club</i> by Helen Hooven Santmyer. It requires a time commitment (1184 pages) but is worth every single minute. The author's story is every bit as interesting as the book and proof that it's never too late to pursue your dream.<br /><br />http://www.orrt.org/santmyer/pjpuppymomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18234101901405553621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-58531351092999631982010-09-12T15:27:20.174-04:002010-09-12T15:27:20.174-04:00Caren, to back up Christine's suggestion, Mary...Caren, to back up Christine's suggestion, Mary Wesley wrote a beautiful romance called Harnessing Peacocks that I think you'd really like.Anna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-9582381687009879832010-09-12T15:26:21.276-04:002010-09-12T15:26:21.276-04:00Wow, Caren, what a lovely post. I've got to sa...Wow, Caren, what a lovely post. I've got to say you had me at hello with that gorgeous photo from A Room with a View to open. Such a romantic movie! <br /><br />I loved the Julia Grey books - I got the second one as a freebie at RWA in Washington and then glommed the others. Nicholas is a lovely hero! <br /><br />It's nice to go back to old-fashioned reading now and again, isn't it? I must say my favorite books of all time are the Francis Crawford books by Dorothy Dunnett. This tale of a tormented but brilliant man in mid-16th century England, Scotland, France, Russia and the Meditteranean is mindbogglingly wide in its scope and packs the most enormous emotional punch. You're on the edge of your seat for all six volumes. And each volume is hundreds of pages long. What a writer! And there's a couple of wonderful romances in that span too to make my heart beat faster. I sometimes wonder whether those books would be published today and you know, the world would be a much poorer place if they hadn't been!Anna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-20706603677173808522010-09-12T15:22:48.242-04:002010-09-12T15:22:48.242-04:00Hey, Nat, congrats! Well done! He's been bounc...Hey, Nat, congrats! Well done! He's been bouncing between America and Australia lately so he might be a bit jetlagged!Anna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-2624975842091624132010-09-12T14:59:02.165-04:002010-09-12T14:59:02.165-04:00AC, would you believe I have never read Belva Plai...AC, would you believe I have never read Belva Plain? She's been around forever, but I never picked one up. I think I would enjoy her, though. So many books, so little time! I am getting GREAT suggestions today. I should be set for the LONG decades ahead when my house will be quiet and my evenings free!<br /><br />Okay, Jo, stop snickering. It's my fantasy that my kids won't move back home after college and that my grandchildren will never live with me on a permanent basis. Oh, and that I won't say YES to every volunteer opportunity that heads my way. It's a dream, but it's one I'm clinging to!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-48948747223615346552010-09-12T14:51:48.940-04:002010-09-12T14:51:48.940-04:00Hey Caren,
That is GOOD NEWS that so many people i...Hey Caren,<br />That is GOOD NEWS that so many people in your workplace are now reading! That is one thing I LOVE on a cruise. So many people are sitting around 'lost' in a book. :-) I have a fantasy that one of these days I will see someone sitting on a chaise by the pool reading one of MY books.<br /><br />I totally agree with you that you can NOT get the emotional depth and character development in shorter, faster paced novels. And that fantasy novels seem to have more of this lately than romance or women's fiction. :-(<br /><br />Forgot to mention one of my fave "big books" to linger over is "Evergreen" by Belva Plain. Those characters never fail to break my heart!<br /><br />ACLoucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-20429168320852419172010-09-12T14:44:26.888-04:002010-09-12T14:44:26.888-04:00Jeanne, if you like Victorian tales, some good old...Jeanne, if you like Victorian tales, some good old Gothic creepiness and eccentric secondary characters in a murder mystery, I think you'll love Deanna Raybourn. She quickly became a favorite of mine!<br /><br />You know, I had the same thought when I was writing this post. Mystery and sff seem to be havens for long, rich stories. Especially sff. The longer, the better there. Mysteries seem to be a natural fit for longer, more intricately crafted tales. I'm not sure if it's a function of the type of story being told or the type of reader drawn to them. My frustration is that I can't seem to find just a plain old women's fiction or romance that is given the same leeway.<br /><br />I know editors buy books they love, so maybe part of the issue is the Short Attention Span syndrome afflicting the young editors!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-793363592738508842010-09-12T14:38:16.201-04:002010-09-12T14:38:16.201-04:00Jeanne, Anne of Green Gables is getting off the bo...Jeanne, <i>Anne of Green Gables</i> is getting off the bookshelf and onto my night stand forthwith! *g* I'm jealous that you have Jennifer Connelly's book in your TBR. I have a feeling one of my many Regency writer friends probably has it lying about. I think I'm going to e-mail them right now to see if someone can bring it to me when we meet for dinner tomorrow!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-65922062009098817982010-09-12T14:36:00.930-04:002010-09-12T14:36:00.930-04:00Aunty Cindy, do you think everyday life is just to...Aunty Cindy, do you think everyday life is just too busy for people to slow down and linger over a book? I often think so. Though I have found, over the three years my department at work has been in our new building that reading seems to be contagious. <br /><br />We have a smallish break room that only seats about 24 people at a time. There are a number of us who eat lunch there almost daily. At first, I was the only person reading on a daily basis. Then, other books started popping up when people sat down to lunch. Now, even the guys who used to just read the paper and talk have started reading novels. <br /><br />It's been nice to see, especially with all the scare talk about the large percentage of US citizens who never read a book after they graduate. I keep expecting people to come in with e-readers, but so far I haven't seen any.<br /><br />I'm sure, eventually, I'll have an e-reader with my favorite tomes on it! Meanwhile, I'll keep schlepping my fat books around with me. Though I read plenty of shorter ones, they just don't last long enough to satisfy me!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-32317438613081710222010-09-12T14:30:23.731-04:002010-09-12T14:30:23.731-04:00Louisa, thank you for suggesting Mary Balogh. She ...Louisa, thank you for suggesting Mary Balogh. She was an author I read even before I started writing. I don't think I've read <i>A Precious Jewel</i>, though. If it's your favorite and a definite re-read, it's going on the To Be Acquired list for sure!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-52742378876501503792010-09-12T14:28:35.450-04:002010-09-12T14:28:35.450-04:00Catslady, I know what you mean. We should have bou...Catslady, I know what you mean. We should have bought those books by the pound! I read LOTS of Taylor Caldwell and James Michener back when I was a teenager. I had endless (read "long, dreadfully dull") summers to fill. I would go to the library and check out stacks of books and haul them home in bags. <br /><br />Once I graduated to those long, dense books, I was in Heaven. It was wonderful to lose myself in those worlds and leave hot, humid middle TN behind. *g* <br /><br />I haven't read Clavell and Follett, though my husband has. They don't usually sound like my kind of books. I haven't heard of Delderfield, so I'll be sure to look those up!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-75709146648745103642010-09-12T14:24:46.191-04:002010-09-12T14:24:46.191-04:00Jo, I know the world is moving faster and there se...Jo, I know the world is moving faster and there seems to be a real push in all aspects of marketing to make us believe this is how life is meant to be - as if there is no alternative. <br /><br />I find myself, however, wanting to slow down more. It may be a function of how hard the economic downturn has been on my family or it may just be my personality (old-fashioned at heart, you know). I do like to linger longer, though. I like to sit and talk with friends for hours. I enjoy long walks, especially with a friend or relative. I prefer face-to-face conversations rather than e-mail or even the phone. I love to get letters written in longhand and, inspired by Rosamunde Pilcher herself, I've decided to make an effort to <i>write</i> more letters and cards in longhand.<br /><br />I don't think I'm alone in enjoying a slower pace, no matter what the marketers want me to think. It may be a diminishing percentage of people, but I think there will always be people who occasionally enjoy stories that are deep and long rather than shallow and short. And, though I'm sure some will disagree with me, you cannot get the depth of character, time and place in a breakneck-paced, short novel. <br /><br />There is a time and place for those in my life, but I want options. I want my longer, deeper, richer stories. I hope someone in New York agrees with me and publishes some!Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.com