Reader Views interviews Linore Rose Burkard, author of “Before the Season Ends.”
Today Reader Views has the pleasure of interviewing Linore Rose Burkard, author of a Regency England Christian romance novel, “Before the Season Ends.” Welcome Linore.
Irene: What inspired you to write “Before the Season Ends”?
Linore: I wanted to read a Regency romance that was Inspirational. Period. I waited for years for someone else to write it, and then I realized that if it was ever going to happen, it was going to be my job! So I did it. I combined the Regency, which I love, with an Inspirational message. I wanted to show the experience of faith for the adventure that it is. Fun and faith are not contradictory terms!
In addition, as a fan of Georgette Heyer, I wanted to see more books like hers; in the sense of moving away from the formulaic plots that have gotten all too common in the genre. As terrible as this sounds, I thought I could bring more “reality” into both the characters and the setting, than what you often get in a lot of the mass paperbacks that are out there. I’m not saying that what’s out there is bad, just that I wanted to be different.
Irene: What do you mean by “formulaic plots”?
Linore: I mean the type of plot where you know what you’re getting by the time you finish chapter one. Perhaps some people like that; I prefer more of a set-up, where the characters get to be real people and they do things in character– not just to drive the plot.
Irene: This book is considered “Christian Fiction.” What is the difference between Christian fiction and other fiction?
Linore: Christian fiction begins with a Christian world view. Not every character has to share that world view, and usually many don’t; but the author has to have it, and it has to come through.
Irene: “Before the Season Ends” is Regency romance. Please explain to the reading audience what that means.
Linore: The Regency in England (1811-1820, politically), was the period when the prince of Wales became regent in place of his father, George III (who was believed to be insane. He wasn’t, but that’s for a different interview!) Jane Austen and Lord Byron are Regency figures; Beau Brummell, Princess Caroline; Napoleon and Wellington; lots of great historical characters! Austen, in my opinion, started the genre with her novels, and Georgette Heyer developed it further and popularized it, perhaps even defined it.
So, as well as being set in that time period, a Regency has many earmarks that are unique to the genre and which must be evident in the story, such as a lot of the language and places that are used. In general, though, a reader can expect that a Regency will be fun, and clean, as far as the romance goes. Regencies are known for being fun, even to the point of wacky fun, and yet still romantic and memorable.
Irene: Why do you believe Regency romance novels are so popular?
Linore: People know they are not picking up “War and Peace” when they go to read one. The Regency, as I said, is enormous fun; the hypocrisy of the social order and its values is just a springboard for all kinds of settings and situations that romance writers can use in really enjoyable ways to create good stories. At the same time, there’s a great deal of improbability in many Regencies which is (in my opinion) a problem of the publishing houses. Editors want to see a handful of formula plots and that’s it. So the Regency genre as a whole has suffered. But they’re still popular because the era is incredibly interesting, the romance is cleaner (which reminds me, too many modern editors don’t realize that we readers LIKE to use our imaginations, thank you). And the stories center mostly around the upper classes, people who get to live the way we all WISH we could. So that is fun, too.
To read the rest of this interview, please visit link below:
Irene Watson is Managing Editor of Reader Views, a book review service based in Austin, Texas. http://www.readerviews.com
Author: Irene Watson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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