In the "About The Hinterlands" section of her website, our girl Karen Mercury rhetorically wonders about the romantic potential of her novel's premise. Human sacrifices? Graveyards? Benin City???
I see a distinct lack of swashbuckling in books -- perhaps the Regency/Austen style setting does not lend itself to high action -- and I'm not alone. Just read the first paragraph of this review by Jayne of Dear Author. An unusual setting helps define the potential for action and romance in a novel. By my taste, Karen's premise is certainly not out of bounds, romantically speaking, and offers a refreshing alternative to tea time and pistols at dawn. (I'll get around to reading it sometime this year -- promise!)
So, our Friday Discussion Question is: what makes a great romantic setting? Why do some places fire up your imagination and others leave you cold?
I see a distinct lack of swashbuckling in books -- perhaps the Regency/Austen style setting does not lend itself to high action -- and I'm not alone. Just read the first paragraph of this review by Jayne of Dear Author. An unusual setting helps define the potential for action and romance in a novel. By my taste, Karen's premise is certainly not out of bounds, romantically speaking, and offers a refreshing alternative to tea time and pistols at dawn. (I'll get around to reading it sometime this year -- promise!)
So, our Friday Discussion Question is: what makes a great romantic setting? Why do some places fire up your imagination and others leave you cold?
