Victoria’s first Regency, in e-book version
Smashwords, Kindle, Nook, iBooks, etc.
Miss Meg Hayward paints trifles to sell, a way to avoid poverty. When her copy of an antique fan is sold as the real thing, she must find it and make amends. Nicholas Wadsworth, the Earl of Wakefield, believes he was swindled by the lovely young artist. How could he know that spending weeks with her at his estate would lead him from anger and humiliation to sympathy and affection?
Seems like ages ago when I published my first regency romance for Kensington Zebra — but it was only ten years ago in 2002. It was the first of my eight novels and three novellas published under the late, lamented brand Zebra Regency Romance. Many of my friends and colleagues published there, or at the equally late and lamented NAL Signet brand.
Most, if not quite all, of the Zebra Regency Romances were “traditional,” that is, not racy or erotic or kinky in the slightest. Also known as sweet and/or traditionalregencies, the last two brands had been part of a booming market for such books some years before — there were many of them, hard and soft cover, with or without a dollop of explicitness, but relying on romantic tension and charming characterization.
Large Print hard-cover version
Thorndike Press, 2003
Times change and those who market romances began to want more and more love-making on the pages instead of behind closed doors. And many writers responded by creating wonderful plots and characters….but some relied more and more on those erotic scenes and less and less on …well, you fill in the blank.
Luckily, many of the traditional writers found other markets for their sweet romances, in the inspirational lines or for young adult readers. Some turned to mysteries and even paranormal plots. After all, it was in 1818 when Mary Shelley published Frankenstein and 1819 when John Polidon published The Vampyre, based on an unfinished story by Lord Byron.
Nevertheless, the entire market for traditional regencies never went away and has certainly been (pardon the pun) re-kindled by e-book editions from many authors. Below is the original cover for The Fontainebleau Fan.
The Fontainebleau Fan, published by Kensington Zebra, 2002
In general, I like the original cover, showing Lord Wakefield and Miss Meg Hayward in the conservatory of his estate. Except his breeches shouldn’t have a fly, and the man’s shirt she is wearing should not be open from neckline to hem. But, as many of you know, the author has little to do with the covers put on their works by most print publishers. Once we have the rights returned to us, we can have the covers we really want.
A Traditional Regency Romance by Victoria Hinshaw
Miss Rosalind Elliott, in possession of a handsome fortune, is understandably suspicious of suitors who pursue her. Instead of admiring her pretty face and enjoying her witty charm, they show more interest in the size of her bank account. To the gossips in Bath, Naval Captain Philip Caldwell seems just another fortune hunter. How can Rosalind and Philip prove them wrong and find true love?
The Eligible Miss Elliott is also available now. James Bolen of EbookHelper created the new covers for me, based on a period fashion print I own. Find him
here. If that Bolen name sounds familiar, think about another well-known writer of regency historicals, the inestimable Cheryl Bolen, who also used to publish with Kensington. Many of her regency novels are available now as e-books and she is also writing for Harlequin’s Love Inspired line. Many thanks to James and Cheryl.
Original cover of The Eligible Miss Elliott, 2003
Below is the cover of the German version…
I will be epubbing four more of my regencies very soon…watch for them.
