Sometimes life is miserable.
And we'll get through it. Change takes time but we'll come through
stronger. I think that's fundamentally the message of sagas, and often the
difference between a saga and historical romance, which is what I usually
write. For a historical romance, there might be adversity but that's not the focus,
and there's always a happily ever after (HEA).
My latest book, Once a
Fallen Lady, is more like a Saga in the hard times the heroine faces. Not for
Lydia Taylor are the glittering ballrooms and the expensive silk dresses of
most historical romances. This is a story after it all goes wrong. It
addresses, like a saga, some of the inequalities and grittier parts of life.
When there isn't enough coal to heat the house and the chicken eggs are a
woman's main source of income. It's tough, but she gets her HEA with a man who
loves her.
Sagas, like historical romance, are my favourite genre because
they talk about women and women's lives. House, home, family, and friends are
the axis around which many of our lives spin. I love a book that deals with
that reality, while also taking the reader on a journey to somewhere and
sometime else. That's the magic of historical fiction, I think. People are
fundamentally the same in any time period. The different set of social
constraints and challenges can help us understand our own problems and feelings
better.
And the critical thing is that it all works out. One of the
reasons I technically write romance is there is already too much pain in the
world for unhappy endings. I want to feel the highs and lows of a character's
situation, whilst knowing it will resolve and leave me happy. Books have the
capacity to move me – I'll be happy or grumpy or upset or even crying depending
on what I’m reading. Given the challenges of living in 2020, I need to end on a
high, with a positive affirmation that love can conquer hate, that poverty is
not forever, and that a persistent woman will get a dreamy ending with the
partner of her choice.
Do books affect your mood? Do you cry over books? Do you find
yourself in a good or bad humour after something has occurred in a story? Tell
me in the comments below!
Here's the blurb for Once a Fallen Lady:
He woos her with chocolate, flowers, and novels. She can’t say no
to him, but can’t say yes to love.
Lydia Taylor's roof is leaking, her chickens are out of control,
and she can’t afford the rent. When her daughter falls ill, the last person she
wants knocking at her door is gorgeous school teacher Alfred Lowe. His scowl
makes her feel like he can see through her façade of a respectable widow and
judge all her secrets.
To achieve his dream of his own school, Alfred Lowe needs to marry
a wealthy lady. But from the moment Lydia Taylor fell at his feet, he's been
awkwardly attracted to her. What begins as duty to support one of his pupil's
mother soon becomes much more complicated. Maybe even... love?
But amongst kisses, tears, and savory pies, the past creeps into
the present, casting a long shadow. If they risk love, they could lose
everything they’ve ever wanted.
Give it a try: mybook.to/OnceALady – it’s
available on Kindle Unlimited or just $0.99 for a limited time.
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Many thanks to Rachel for the invitation to join you for Saga Saturday.
Have a lovely weekend!
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