I Wish You’d Come Back Revisited
What a difference two years makes. Almost to the day two years ago I wrote a blog about authors, or author styles, I wished would come back to us readers. I wasn’t planning to revisit the blog, but as I was browsing the Overdrive website today I saw something that made my eyes pop: Laura London, aka Sharon and Tom Curtis, will be available on eBook on April 1st.
I’m so excited, I can barely contain myself. I didn’t love all their books, but each one is still a treasure. And maybe we can get up a petition so they’ll finally — FINALLY — write Cat’s book.
Yeah, two years makes a difference. I decided to go back and check up on some of the authors we’d mentioned, as well as a handful of other “old-timers” (forgive me, please):
- Laura London — They’re baaaaaaack! Or at least, they’re accessible.
- Carla Kelly — She still writes for Harlequin, and Cedar Fort has republished most, if not all, of her old Signet Regencies. Yup. That includes Reforming Lord Ragsdale.
- Theresa Weir — It looks like she’s writing New Adult right now.
- Maggie Osborne — She’s not writing any more, but her books are available as eBooks.
- Judith Ivory/Judy Cuevas — According to Anne Stuart two years ago, “she’s alive and well, just concentrating on being a grandmother.” Which is great news.
- Anne Stuart — Still going strong, despite ups and downs from what I can tell. She’s currently celebrating 40 years of publishing, which means 40 days of freebies, discounts, and lots and lots of blogging. Check it out and buy her books!
- Connie Brockway — She wrote the sequel to All Through the Night, called No Place for a Dame, released in December. Yay!
And yup, as readers commented two years ago, there are also plenty of amazing authors to read nowadays, as well as all the oldie goodies. So if it’s still sub-zero weather where you are (minus 4 Celsius in Toronto today), five days before April, here’s some good news to go to bed with.
Cheers!
Jean AAR
Definitely miss Judith Ivory and Laura Kinsale.
I agree with a lot of the books listed above. I also wish – really wish – that Susan Wiggs and Pamela Morsi would write some historicals again. I just saw that Wiggs has a medieval coming out this summer, and I can’t wait to try it!
I miss Julie Garwood’s historical romances.
Katherine Sutcliffe’s, Susan Johnson’s historical romances I miss too.
I wish Lavyrle Spencer would get bored with retirment and writing music and return to writing books. Her books were music to my heart. I especially loved her older historical books. They are still my comfort reads.
My favorites have all been mentioned–well other than Eva Ibbotson but sadly she passed away so we’re not getting her back. Some of the romances she originally wrote for adults were reprinted as YAs and are available as ebooks. I wish some publisher would digitize Madensky Square though.
Madensky Square is digitaly published by Pan Macmillan. Could be an UK publisher.
I so agree with many, if not all, of the above suggestions/wishes. The old Signet regencies….sigh. I would also add Linda Winfree – I loved her books! Where are you Linda?
Marjorie Farrell and Deana James.
I have always wanted “”Wind Flower”” to be put on audible!! And for Cat to have his own story too of course.
I most miss Judith Ivory/Judy Cuevos from the publishing scene, and then probably Laura Kinsale. So glad for the update on Ivory though and that she’s doing well.
OUCH! OLD— timer??? I’ve not even cracked my sixth decade yet! But I do feel as though I’ve had a lovely run over the last 20 years (celebrating 20 years in publishing this past february!) and look forward to another…er, ten
Thanks for the kudos!
Elizabeth Elliott came out with The Dark Knight, Dante’s story. I think Dante is brother to Claudia the h from Betrothed.
I miss some of the authors who wrote for the old Signet trad Regency line: Diane Farr, Elisabeth Fairchild, Nancy Butler, and others. I still have their books and they are definitely comfort reads. There are others too numerous to mention (Anita Mills, Alicia Rasley, many more) whom I also miss.
Diane Farr is now writing YA and releasing digital versions of her historicals.
I loved the romantic suspense of Amy Fetzer. I keep my eye out, but I don’t think she is writing anymore. I keep hoping with all the self publishing that authors who lost their publishing contracts will try going it on their own. But of course I just READ and have no idea how hard it is to write. :-)
The author I miss most is Lisa G. Brown/Dana Warren Smith…please come back! I’m doing another reread of Crazy for Lovin’ You.
Very happy to have Theresa Weir publishing romance again, and I think she has a wonderful voice for New Adult.
I wish Jessica Wulf would write some more. She wrote 6 really good historical romances in the 90’s and nothing else. I also wish that Charlotte Hughes would write some more of the Kate Holly series, I really enjoyed those.
I’m really surprised that McNaught’s books aren’t available electronically (except her last).
I checked out Williamson, and it looks like her last one was 12 years ago (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/penelope-williamson/). I know Megan Chance moved to gothics, or historical fiction or something.
Never heard of Elizabeth Stuart! Will keep her in mind.
I’m sure there are several “”oldies”” I would revisit given the chance if they were available on my Kindle. I just cannot read/hold/see a regular book anymore. Being picky, I know, but even so I would adore having Judith McNaught to reread on my Kindle. *sigh*
Penelope Williamson! A Wild Yearning! Heart of the West! The Passions of Emma and Once Upon a Blue Moon! The Outsider! Enough said!!
This writer is a genius. My most favorite ever!!
Seriously, does anyone have any news about whether she is still writing?
(Side note: her sister Candice Proctor, aka CS Harris, is still writing and is a fabulous writer in her own right.)
P.S. I second Elizabeth Stuart. I’m a huge fan too! Great to hear that others have discovered her buried treasures.
I would love it if Penelope Williamson would return to writing a few romance novels, but hasn’t she turned to writing suspense? I can’t remember the name she uses but I’m sure she’s long since moved to a different genre.
What I wish is that Patricia Gaffney and Kathleen Gilles Seidel would return to romance. They’ve basically both been writing women’s fiction, although I don’t know about anything recently, and I just don’t think it’s as special as their romance work.
I think Kathy Seidel is moving back towards romance. And Penelope Williamson was using the name Penn Something, wasn’t she?
What I remember about E. Stuart is that she said she was a very slow writer and then I believe she had babies (perhaps even twins). Anyway, life got in the way but there’s no reason she couldn’t come back. Her kids should be old enough by now.
The author I would most love to come back is Elizabeth Stuart. whose books Where Love Dwells and Bride of the Lion, are two of the finest books this genre has to offer. Seriously, if you haven’t read these books, you have missed out on some amazing literature. Ms. Stuart did tortured and angst–that is real tortured and angst, not this laughable NA stuff that exists today–better than almost anyone.
Another author, who is more widely known, is Penelope Williamson. Her books A Wild Yearning, Heart of the West, The Passions of Emma, Once Upon a Blue Moon, and The Outsider, are permanent members of my keeper shelf. Again, if you haven’t read these, please go out and search for them today. Several of them have recently been reissued.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have more books to read from Ms. Stuart and Ms. Williamson! Any other fans out there who have more knowledge about whether these two great writers are still writing?
I agree wholeheartedly on Penelope Williamson. Her books always make my “”best of”” lists.
And I agree on Elizabeth Stuart, who I always called my bastard daughter (we’re no relation — I think her Stuart is a pen name). Loved her books. And I’ve only read two of the Penelope Williamson books – I need to find more!