Today I am so pleased to welcome Joanna Chambers to Joyfully Jay. Joanna has come to talk to us about her latest release, the historical anthology Another Place In Time. She has also brought along a crazy amazing giveaway! Please join me in giving Joanna a big welcome!
Why I love M/M historical Romance
I’m a romance reader, first and foremost. I am always looking for the perfect love story. Always looking to see characters develop through finding love. That’s the story I want to read, and I like to see it play out against all kinds of settings: contemporary, sci fi, paranormal—and of course, historical. And for me, one of the joys of romance is that each of these sub-genres offer different pay-offs to the reader.
I’ve always tended to prefer internal conflict—hurdles posed by how the characters see themselves and their place in the world—to external conflict—hurdles posed by the things that happen to them. In truth, I like a bit of both, but for me, it’s the internal hurdles that really make my heart sing. I want to see characters actually transform, rather than merely overcome odds. That’s what satisfies me most, as a reader.
Historical romance is particularly suited to this kind of story. Partly that’s because of historical views of homosexuality, of course, but there are lots of other elements that contribute to this—class divides, national divides, war—it’s no accident that so many historical romances are set in times of great change. It’s one of the reasons—I think—that the Regency period is so popular. Because the Regency wasn’t all about Almacks and cravats–it was a time of war, social change, social mobility (Yes! Much more than your ‘Trad Regencies’ might suggest actually). It’s a period during which Britain was leaving the old agricultural oligarchy behind and moving towards a mechanised, industrial, more democratic world—slowly, yes. Too slowly for the characters of the novel to really appreciate—but we readers know things the characters don’t about what will come, later.
The other thing I love about historical romance is how many cool things you learn about. I’ve read about life on the high seas in the eighteenth century (Elin Gregory, Alex Beecroft), the stews of London in Regency times (Ava March), and the workings of a bank in late nineteenth century America (Tamara Allen). I’ve read about early British monasteries (Harper Fox) and classic country house parties in Edwardian England (K J Charles). I’ve read about fighter pilots in the First World War (Josh Lanyon) and the Second World War (Aleksandr Voinov) and I’ve read about post-war America (Z A Maxfield). To be a dedicated historical romance reader is to embark on a lifelong study of history—and it’s a study that needs you to be discerning and careful—you develop quite an instinct for what is reliable and what is not, what is bunk and what is researched. My husband is constantly amazed by my knowledge of history during University Challenge and games of Trivial Pursuit and I can honestly say that 70%+ of that knowledge probably came from romance novels.
The main reservation romance readers seem to have about M/M historical romance is the availability of plausible HEAs—and I understand that all too well because it was a hurdle for me as a reader. I avoided M/M historicals for quite a while for precisely that reason—but I overcame that reservation (thank you, Alex Beecroft!) And you know what? The pay-off in a M/M historical may sometimes be qualified but it is also huge. The pay-off is above and beyond a white picket fence for your MCs. It’s beyond you-and-me-always-and-forever. It’s bigger and it’s better.
It’s hope—for a better world.
Blurb
Welcome to another place in time…where one can be swept away into lands and eras long forgotten.
Included in this anthology:
“Office Romance” by Tamara Allen
The post-war economy is at a standstill, much like Foster Wetherly’s life until he’s forced to do battle with irritatingly confident—and competent—fellow ex-doughboy Casey Gladwin for a position in their shrinking department at Manhattan Security Mutual.
“Introducing Mr. Winterbourne” by Joanna Chambers
Lysander Winterbourne appears to lead a charmed life. Handsome, amiable, and a renowned sportsman, he is the darling of London society. As far as Adam Freeman is concerned though, Lysander is just another spoiled aristocrat.
A wealthy mill owner, Adam has no time for the frivolous world of the ton, but when his younger brother becomes engaged to Althea Winterbourne, he reluctantly agrees to be introduced to society–with the Winterbourne clan’s golden boy as his guide.
Resigning himself to a few days of boredom, Adam is surprised to learn that there is much more to Lysander than his perfect surface. But will Adam have the courage to introduce Lysander Winterbourne to his own secret self?
“The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh” by KJ Charles
Lord Gabriel Ashleigh is a ruined man. Last night he lost everything at the card tables to his brother’s worst enemy, notorious gambler Francis Webster. Tonight, he’s going back for one more game. Ash thinks he has nothing left to lose. But Francis sets the stakes, and they’re higher than Ash could have imagined…
Two Regency bucks. One game of cards. Everything to play for.
“Unfair in Love and War” by Kaje Harper
Many men lost brothers overseas in the summer of 1944. Warren Burch was one of them. For months he still clung to his big city life in Philadelphia, but finally he’s made the difficult choice to return to his home town. Warren’s polio-stricken leg won’t let him serve, so the least he can do is be there for his mother, when brother Charlie never again will. Arriving home means a whole new life, constrained by the rhythms and prejudices of a small town. Fortunately, it’s made more interesting by the mysterious and attractive young man next door.
“Carousel” by Jordan L. Hawk
When a child goes missing, is it a simple case of a young runaway, or are more sinister forces at work?
“Carousel” is part of the Whyborne & Griffin series and takes place between the events of Stormhaven and Necropolis. It can be read as a standalone.
“Deliverance” by Aleksandr Voinov
This is a re-vamped, re-edited, improved version of “Deliverance”. It’s about William Raven, a templar, who thought he’d escaped his past. (Same character as in The Lion of Kent.)
Along with a foreword written by Alex Beecroft, enjoy these original short stories that make up “Another Place in Time”.
All proceeds from the purchase of this anthology will be donated to AllOut.org in celebration of LGBT History Month, October 2014.
Authors
Tamara Allen
Joanna Chambers
KJ Charles
Kaje Harper
Jordan L. Hawk
Aleksandr Voinov
Foreword by Alex Beecroft
Giveaway
Joanna and the gang have an insane tour wide giveaway going on. The grand prize includes a backlist ebook from ALL of the authors participating in the anthology (one each from Tamara Allen, Joanna Chambers, KJ Charles, Kaje Harper, Jordan L. Hawk, Aleksandr Voinov, and Alex Beecroft)…7 books in total!, A $50 Amazon giftcard, A $50 donation in the winner’s name to AllOut.org (all proceeds from the sale of this anthology will also be donated to this charity). Follow the Rafflecopter link below to enter.
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I’m reading it right now and I can only recommend it. All the stories are soooo good!
I love historical novels – and really like all these authors.
I’m reading this now. I’ve finished the first 3 stories. Joanna Chambers’ story was fantastic. It was like a whole novel in about 50 pages.
🙂
As a fellow lover of hostoricals (and of the many authors you mentioned), I kept nodding my head to the points you made. I said elsewhere recently that you develop a sense of when authors know their time and place. There’s an authenticity that comes out in the text. I’m sure I could be fooled since I’m not a history expert by any means, but it always feels like historical writers want to get it right for the love of the story. I also feel like I gain so much real life knowledge from fiction. It might not be something I sought out before reading, but I learn about it through the story. It’s also fun reading historicals and having that information about the future that the characters don’t, maybe makes us feel that much smarter. 😉 It’s sad that people miss out on historicals because they have these preconcieved ideas about how it’ll be stuffy, or depressing, or outdated, or whatever negative connotation they have about ‘stories about old things.’ In truth, a skilled author makes you forget you’re not part of that age, makes you care and engaged in the time of the story. I think readers who stay away from historicals don’t know they’re missing out on time travelling at its easiest! 🙂
I couldn’t agree more!
Oddly enough, the *only* historicals I’ve liked have been m/m…
One author I haven’t seen mentioned here is Lee Rowan. I don’t know if she’s still actively writing (haven’t seen anything in a long time), but Ransom is absolutely swoon-worthy! An absolutely beautiful m/m historical romance.
Davina, I just bought Ransom last month from Dreamspinner, but hadn’t heard of it before. I checked out Lee’s website and apparently all the books in the series will be rereleased through DSP after edits are finished. There’s a schedule of them here: http://lee-rowan.net/. From that I took that there wouldn’t be anything new until 2016. Glad to read your high praise for Ransom. I’m looking forward to it even more now.
Ooooh! New to me – always glad to get another recc!
Historicals are one f my favorite genres of romances. They usually capture my interest more than any other type of m/m story. The biggest hurdle for me getting into the genre was the HEA but I usually enjoy the endings in these stories more and am more willing to suspend disbelief with a historical story I love.
Yes, the HEA is trickier, i agree, but the pay off is bigger for me too, for that reason.
I’ve always loved historicals. Of course, years ago, they were all M/F. I’m in awe of those that write historical because of all the research required.
Every genre has its challenges. My latest is a paranormal and the worldbuilding takes up a similar amount of time to historical research, for me anyway
I did get this one and I love the stories.
**Sigh** If my TBR list gets much longer, I’ll get crushed under the weight. Thank god for eBooks or the floor in library would probably crash into our basement. But since I like historicals AND its for a good cause, I suppose one more book to the TBR pile won’t hurt. 😉
Yay!
Wow – I love all of these authors. This sounds great.
I am reading this now. Awesome anthology with some of my favorite authors.
Historicals are my favorite, for all the reasons Joanna writes above. I’m in heaven with this anthology – so many fabulous, favorite authors. Happy to see more readers giving the genre a try – and loving it! 🙂
I love historicals. It’s a way to put things into perspective, in a way that simply reading a history book cannot. It makes everything more personal. Joanna and Tamara are new to me but I’ve read stuff by all the other authors in this anthology.