As part of genre research, to find my fit, I power-read The
Secret Pearl by Mary Balogh. I have read
this particular book, and indeed this author, many times as I have a weakness
for books that just unfold in front of me and require very little mental
effort. As opposed to most bodice
rippers, Mrs Balogh does not create abrasive feisty heroines, who have feminine
principles that are incongruous with the era in which it is set. Her heroines are trapped by the social norms
of the early 19th Century and I feel that the books are made richer
for that.
This poses the question, does the reader of such fiction
want a heroine indicative of the times or to picture herself in a pretty dress
being crossed in love? Do I read faux
Regency love stories because I really want to read a saucy Pride &
Prejudice? Probably, yes. I do.
Do I want to read about Mr Darcy doing rude things to Elizabeth Bennett? Yes, but not Mr Collins and poor Charlotte
Lucas. That would not be a steamy,
titillating scene.
Vampire Sex Novels are also going through a strong period of
popularity. The JR Ward Black Dagger
Brotherhood series, which is a bit of an endurance test, combines a complicated
eternal battle between good and evil with very graphic sex scenes. Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series is
far more light hearted and combines lots of different creatures of mythology to
create a cast of thousands. And then of
course there is Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels which tell a drawn
out love story and so keeps me buying each of the series because I want to know
which vampire the heroine picks.
These books have no foot in reality, and allow for complete
escapism. There are no difficult
historical facts to work around and in each case the vampires have traits that
allow the author to use them as they will.
Cole’s vampires can teleport, Ward’s don’t drink from humans and Harris’
are integrated with human society. And
that is the joy of using mythology - it is totally freeing to the author. If there are rules to comply with, then you
are immediately trapped.
Is the answer then to write a steamy Regency vampire sex
novel with no regard for historical fact?
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