I favor mysteries for light reading – Brother Cadfael (Ellis Peters), Adam Dalgleish (PD James), Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy Sayers) and, of course, Agatha Christie and Dick Francis. But I have to confess that after poet Robert Bly told me his daughter Mary was writing romance novels under a pseudonym, I read one and now I am hooked on Eloisa James.
Mary grew up in rural/small town Madison, Minnesota. The first time I met Mary Bly she was a teenager. She appeared in the door looking like an angel – creamy skin, bright eyes and a halo of curly auburn hair. Then off to Harvard she went, on to Oxford and finally getting a PhD from Yale. She now is an associate professor and Director of Graduate Studies and the head of the Creative Writing Program in The English Department at Fordham University in New York City. She also teaches Shakespeare.
In addition to her excellent academic credentials, however, Mary has been writing romance novels for several years. She “came out” of the romance closet in February 2005 with an op-ed piece in the New York Times.“...The contempt for romance reflects a deeply unproductive divide in American culture that keeps some people from reading novels that they would enjoy...it takes guts for an intellectual to pick up a romance novel at Borders...so let’s quit this out-of-date mockery of the genre...we all long for stories with narrative drive, stories that talk about relationships, and stories that aren’t riddled with violence or death.”
Bly has written a number of articles defending the romance novel genre, including ones for New York Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly and the Oakland (California) Press. She was interviewed on NPR shortly after her New York Times op-ed piece appeared.
So far Mary Bly as Eloisa James has published 8 romances novels set in Regency England (1800-1820). When I read Eloisa’s novels, I am charmed by her bright, crisp style of writing, her lively characters, her gentle sense of humor, the witty dialogue and the “move right along” plot.
I bought Eloisa’s newest book “Pleasure for Pleasure” at Snyder’s Drug in Duluth’s Holiday Center Mall. I’m looking forward to a reading pleasure -- for pleasure.
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Comments: 2
BTW, if you like historical mysteries, may I recommend the Sister Fidelma mysteries to you (Peter Tremayne) and Karen Harper's Elizabeth 1 series.. both are excellent. Sharon Penman, Alys Clare and Candace Robb are also masters.
I live in the Twin Cities, and since we're about to get sleeted/snowed in, good books are a must for the next few days! Thanks for the background on Eloisa!
Eloisa is in the Twin Cities for the holidays and she bemoaned the brown in an email, but don't keep all the snow for yourself down there...we need some up north, too!