ViacomCBS agreed to sell the 96-year-old company in a deal that potentially creates a megapublisher. A spokesman for Bertelsmann said Penguin Random House had lost market share in recent years and cited Amazon as a competitive threat to the overall book market. The combination of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would be “below 20 percent,” the company said, citing data from the Association of American Publishers, an industry trade group.
What does this mean for readers and authors? Some of your favorite historical romance authors who are under Penguin contracts are Evie Dunmore, Mary Balogh, Amy Rose Bennet, and others. From Simon & Shuster are Julia London, Meridith Duran, and others. The pricey eBook prices from these two traditional publishers of $7.99 and up are no doubt competing with the lower-priced historical romance novels from independent authors on Amazon. The competition for readers is fierce, and the industry is changing to survive.
Ellen Mirojnick on the Featheringtons’ dresses and historical accuracy. Netflix’s upcoming Regency drama Bridgerton promises plenty of sumptuous, tastefully designed gowns—and a few not-so-tastefully-designed ones.
Read the news! No more Kindle Owner’s Lending Library
“When I (Digital Reader) reported several months ago that Amazon had shut down the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library, several commenters argued I was wrong because they knew a loophole (find a book which is in Kindle Unlimited, and then borrow it using KOLL).
During the second world war, people found solace in the formulaic narratives of historical romances and during the pandemic they could once again provide readers comfort.
As if Shonda Rhimes’s empire wasn’t big enough, it’s now spread to Netflix with her debut show, Bridgerton. This is coming at just the right time for those who can’t get enough historical period dramas – and for those who will have a missing piece in their heart once The Crown ends.
Looking for another historical period drama after ‘The Crown’ ends? The new Netflix series ‘Bridgerton’ could be the one.
Take this Georgette Heyer quiz to discover which of the author’s 32 historical romance novels you should pick up as your next comfort read. From the 1920s to the 1970s, she wrote 32 historical romances. The British Regency period is ubiquitous within historical romance because of her almost single-handed work.
Reposting a review on Lenora Bell’s new book Love Is a Rogue: Wallflowers vs. Rogues (Wallflowers Vs Rogues) coming out October 27, 2020. Read the review here at the Source: Review: Love Is A Rogue by Lenora Bell | The Nerd Daily “Basically, Love is a Rogue has it all with laughter, romance, and all the emotions. Whether this is your first venture into historical romance or you’re a long-time fan of Lenora Bell, this book will make your heart flutter!”
Read more about the new Netflix Bridgerton series coming later this year based on Julia Quinn’s series. Here are the cast and an interesting article, commenting on the casting versus reality in the historical romance genre. Talia Hibbert makes a good point. Read below.
“No-one cares that the historical romance genre is built on a throne of lies, because it’s bloody romance! The clue is in the name! These! Stories! Are! Romanticised! They are, like all fiction, mere constructs of reality based on the author’s perception of their audience’s desires. And that’s okay! Except, apparently, when it comes to people of colour.”
This year on the popular book section of YouTube, known to many loyal viewers as BookTube, there has been a resurgence of historical romance novels – the very same romance novels with the covers people would make fun of because of their dramatic stepbacks and titles.
Audible will no longer offer the Audible Escape subscription as of November 1, 2020, which provided romance fans with access to hours of romance. Of course, the titles will still be available to listeners through Audible subscriptions.
The reason for the change – unknown. I surmise it may be because of Audible Plus, which allows members to listen to anything in the catalog “as much as they want, whenever they want,” which would include romance. The two packages are probably considered rolled into one now.
Head on over to Jane Austen’s World for another informative blog post.
I find Jane Austen’s daily routines inspiring, don’t you? She was well-rounded and enjoyed a variety of activities to keep her body, mind, and spirit healthy and balanced. She wrote newsy let…
Recently while researching for my next novel, I did a little searching about the use of handkerchiefs. Apparently, they had a language of their own just like fans. This is definitely another interesting tidbit to add to your reality shelves while reading historical romance. Have you found any books referencing the handkerchief flirt? Enjoy.
Flirting or coquetry remained an art form throughout the Georgian, Regency, and Victorian Eras, and handkerchiefs and flirting language became all the rage.
Reposting – worth the read if you love Georgette Heyer.
Inquiring Readers, I discovered that Susanna Fullerton, President of the Jane Austen Society of Australia and Austen author, is as much of a fan of Georgette Heyer as I am, perhaps more. This delightful article compares and contrasts the writings of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer.
Okay, love the series or hate the series, I’ll be the first to say it. If it hasn’t happened yet, it probably never will. A small group of fans wishes it to be so, but I don’t see the cast or producers pushing for any second season. It is what it is. A sad and unnecessary ending to a love story that left audiences blubbering tears, stammering mad, and downright depressed for months afterward. It’s time to move on remembering Jane Austen’s words below.
Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and then. Pride and Prejudice
If you haven’t read the book, it is pretty much word for word to the script of the series. Perhaps Kate Riordan, who finished Jane Austen’s manuscript, will write a sequel to heal the mourners.
Oh, my gosh. Quite hilarious. This is why as historical romance authors we do not get too detailed with the beauty routine of ages past. Hold onto your bonnets, ladies, while reading this article. Priceless.
Read about the pandemic-driven industry publishing woes. “Books that were bumped from spring and early summer are landing all at once, colliding with long-planned fall releases and making this one of the most crowded fall publishing seasons ever.” You thought the market was crowded before? As authors, visibility is a challenge that is even greater.
Capacity issues at the two largest printing companies are among the factors creating havoc for authors and publishers.
Amazon is at it again. Great for consumers! Terrible royalties for authors. They are launching a new “unlimited subscription.”
No doubt this is going to push up the price of production for audiobooks for everyone, while Amazon pockets more money. I should attempt to get a piece of the pie and buy a few shares of their stock. However, it’s priced at $3,307 for one share as of the close of the market today. Oh, well. If we’d only known how far Amazon would reach to the sky, we could have all retired having purchased stock when it was $18 a share. Who knew?
Anyway, check it out! Follow the link below. You can listen to more books every month if you’re tired of screens and paper for a mere $7.95.
A Glimpse Behind the Veil for Readers
Oh, by the way, the most expensive audiobook that I commissioned cost me $3,000 to produce using a talented narrator who charged $300 per finished hour. That price includes narration for seven-plus hours (for a book approximately 70,000+ words), studio production, and final audio uploaded to Audible. Hmm, do you think I made the investment back? No. Audiobooks are an expensive side for many independent authors. Not all of my books are on audio, only a few, and my return has been minimal.
Beyond these recommendations, I’m sure I’m NOT into these new type of covers for historical romance. They incite no character imagination as far as I’m concerned, and I wonder if it’s a new trend. Give me the bodice ripper covers any day.
As a note, these are all coming from traditional publishing houses such as Berkley, Kensington, Hachette, and Zebra. Is this an attempt to save money in some fashion? Is it a conspiracy to do away with cover art? They remind me of contemporary books along the line of cozy mysteries.
I hope this trend dies because half of the joy of historical romance novels are the gorgeous covers that inspire. They are art forms. Jon Paul Studios has been the go-to for many of these publishers in the past. Check out his website and the pictures you can purchase.
What are your thoughts on this new trend? Yea or nay?
ViacomCBS agreed to sell the 96-year-old company in a deal that potentially creates a megapublisher. A spokesman for Bertelsmann said Penguin Random House had lost market share in recent years and cited Amazon as a competitive threat to the overall book market. The combination of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would be “below 20 percent,” the company said, citing data from the Association of American Publishers, an industry trade group.
