Recently, I honestly forgot why, we were chatting about the greatness of Laura Kinsale. Or lack of greatness? Or it might have been Shannon C’s lack of knowledge of Laura Kinsale’s greatness.
I don’t recall much more than going on and on and on about my lurve of Seize the Fire, Shadowheart, and The Hidden Heart. Along with how happy I was that I was introduced to romance with the book Shadowheart.
I am difficult. I know – you find this shocking – but if I had been reading romance for a while and discovered that the ‘smart romance‘ was Laura Kinsale and only her or her, Judith Ivory (I still think this is a big reason I can’t read her) and err oh someone else. And all the praise that is can be tossed on her at times in ways that makes it seem that if you hate her writing well… that is ok… romance needs stoopid readers too. ::pats head:: Hey it turns people off, I know shocking.
Of course, I also hate a trend as well. No seriously, if I walked in now, it would take a shit load of work to get me to pick up J.R. Ward. And uh, I loveses me some Ward. I admit d-i-f-f-i-c-u-l-t.
The point of this long winded post is Laura Kinsale is reprinting some of her out of print books with SOURCEBOOKS (not that I can find the info on the site).
And my personal fave is going to be back in print as of October 1, 2008 and without the horrid cover! [Ed.: a cover you can see if you float your cursor over the cover above.] WOOT! I must email mishy. Oh and it looks like it is on Fictionwise and has been there for a while (if you go by the release date which uh 2001?), Seize the Fire:
Olympia St. Leger is a princess in desperate need of a knight in shining armor. Sheridan Drake, amused by Olympia’s innocence and magnificent beauty, but also intrigued by her considerable wealth, accepts the position of white knight. Unaware that Sheridan is a notorious scoundrel, Olympia willing allows herself to submit to his protection and potent embrace. Theirs is a love born in deception. But as they weather storms on the high seas and flee from nefarious villains, the love sparked by lies begins to burn uncontrollably. Taking shelter on a desert island paradise, the princess and dark knight battle overwhelming odds to keep their adoration burning bright.
Read an excerpt.
via the Smartest Bitches.
Everything she wrote, I sucked up, and read and re-read. I am definitely a Laura Kinsale fangirl. She writes spots off most writers today, of whatever genre.
And she hasn’t currently got a publisher, which makes me cry. I know she’s written one, and being Kinsale it will be great, but I can’t read it.
What kind of weird world is it when somebody with the sheer talent and dedication of Ms Kinsale hasn’t got a publisher?
I haven’t read Seize the Fire but look forward to trying it. Was incredibly impressed with Kinsale’s book, Flowers from the Storm. Would never have believed someone could write a romance with a challenging hero in the form of a victim of cerebral hemorrhage and a heroine who is a Quaker. That book has an honored spot on my keeper shelf…and it is my second copy since my first one wore out with re-reading.
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Seize the Fire is your fave? Wow, you really are a sucker for pain.
I stopped reading that book when they were rescued off the South Pole, or whatever cold and desolate place where they were eating penguins or whatnot. Because they were rescued by a religious nut and religious nuts freak me out.
And then, when I was chatting with Janine, she filled me in on the rest of the book. Oy, the dark, the pain, the angst, the bloodshed. Waaaayy beyond what my little heart can take.
BTW, Syb, if you love teh dark, have you tried The Duke of Shadows yet? The darkest thing to come along since Kinsale, word on the street has it.
ETA: Holy @#$%. I just read the blurb. Desert island paradise? Talk about false advertising. That bleak, frozen rock they were stuck on? My backyard is the Hanging Garden of Babylon then.
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Sherry – HA! Eating penguins? Yikes!
Admittedly, SEIZE THE FIRE is not for those who enjoy a light read. By the end of the first couple of chapters, the rose-colored glasses have definitely come off! But I think that’s part of Kinsale’s appeal. It’s her style of writing and her realistic approach to what is commonly a far-fetched, blissful world of drably-written happily-ever-afters that makes her so appreciated. Granted, not everyone’s lives are so action-packed or marked with intrigue or gloriously handsome, tragic heroes–but once you’ve read about so many perfect men, it becomes tiresome. After all, who knows a truly perfect man, one who loves his mama and kids and pets and has no temper and has never done a single dishonest deed in his life? Sheridan Drake was helplessly flawed and jaded and damaged by what he had been forced to do in combat–things that changed who he was forever. I also love the fact that her heroines are not perfect, either. Olympia was a chubby little thing, wasn’t she, by today’s standards? (`Course, he didn’t seem to mind–not all guys like only skinny girls, after all) And so incredibly naive, to be almost painful.
I have been reading Kinsale since I was seventeen years old and have re-read everything that woman has ever put on paper at least three times. If you want a rose-colored world, then there are plenty of books out there on the subject. If you want your heart broken and remade over and over again all within the space of a single book cover, you read Laura Kinsale. She’s definitely a keeper.
I recall no penguin eating… LOL
I soooooooooo have to reread this. I know I took it down to read.
Ack long comments. Haha I also spurred on a number of Kinsale discussions with “to buy or not?” I liked Duke of Shadows (if Sherry and I are talking about the same book). Smart books have their place and deserve a lot of love. And books that require thinking – like the one I just posted about. But then I like the fluff too. 🙂
Just so no internet rumors get started, there is no penguin eating in STF. ;P The penguin is a pet.
Seaweed and mussels, yeah. And a goose or two.
SEE! I knew my memory sucked but wasn’t THAT bad. A dinner on penguin would have stuck in my head if for no other reason I would have wondered why the author was pissed at Penguin.
Seaweed I remember too and I don’t recall it being seriously dark. It was one of the first romances I read (Shadowheart was the first) so seriously I must reread it. Plus I have decided the soon to be reviewing Wendy 2.0 must read them.
Laura – HA! Good news. Thanks for clarifying!
But you have to admit, it’s pretty humorous how rumors start.