Celebrating Women’s History Month at Read-A-Romance!
Since some of my favorite books are set in a variety of historical time-periods, I thought it would be fun to check in with some great authors in romance and women’s historical fiction, and explore their connection to history. Since the female perspective in history and fiction has been ignored so often, for so long, I find it heartening to see so many books representing romance and/or women’s history, telling such mesmerizing stories against the backdrop of some of the most intriguing and pivotal moments in time. I hope you find these essays as fascinating and fun as I do. You can find the full author calendar here.
Did you miss Read-A-Romance Month in August? Be sure to check out all the great “Joy of Romance” essays at the 2015 Calendar and if you’d like, you can follow RARM on Facebook.
The Power of No
Vanessa Riley here,
This month, we celebrate the many facets of women. We are warriors, mothers, lovers, idea evangelists, and 
daughters of causes. Many of my fellow columnists will describe these special powers endowed to females such as an alluring-empathetic hearts, love-hugging arms, or life-bearing uteri. Who other than a woman can achieve so much?
Nonetheless, I want to focus on a very potent power, the ability to say no. When the word no leaves a woman’s lips, everyone should stop, lean in on tip-toes and listen for the next part of her message. Some aspect of life should change with each no.
Hopefully, you are nodding. You might even be thinking of that all important no, the ability for a woman to avoid unwanted advances. Decades ago, someone set flowers aflame attempting to burn up this concept, therefore violating a woman’s sacred right not to be violated. Today’s romance authors have restored the right to choose, gifting the world with heroines who have the ability to abstain with grace and power, to save herself, clubbing her attacker to oblivion, or more importantly showcasing her yes, her taking control and liking it.
But this is not the no I’m discussing. What about the ones that made Rosa Parks say no to taking a seat in the back of the bus, that led Joan of Arc not to discount God’s calling, or Hatshepsut not to accept a woman’s traditional role in order to become one of Egypt’s most prolific building pharaohs.
These no’s are special and have been embodied by some of my favorite authors in their unforgettable heroines:
No to despair and yes to dreams.
“No. I was hoping for a fresh start. There was nothing for me in Denver. I’d like to own a restaurant, and from what I’ve been reading in the newspapers, California seems the place to try.”
― from Eddie Carmichael, Forbidden
by Beverly Jenkins – www.beverlyjenkins.net
No to allowing one’s truth to be twisted.
“Who then?” they persisted. I tried to think through the drugs, through the distant pain, but there was no honest explanation I could give them—none they would believe. “An accident,” I repeated.
― from Dana, Kindred
by Octavia Butler – octaviabutler.org
No to giving up one’s peace or stealing the peace of others.
No matter how much Grace worked Belinda’s nerves, being disrespectful was never an option. “No, we don’t have to, Grandma. Let’s go up to the house. I have tea.”
― from Belinda Toussaint, One to Love (Kimani Hotties)
by Michelle Monkou – www.michellemonkou.com
No to focusing on things that do not matter.
She shook her head to rid herself of those dark thoughts. No, she wasn’t going to spend a single second walking down memory lane, not when there was so much going on in the present. Not when she’d worked so hard to forgive Blue. The scene unfolding before her was verging on madness.
― from Sarah Dalton, The Way Home (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 1)
by Belle Calhoune – www.bellecalhoune.com
No to forgetting one’s worth.
No matter what this scoundrel thought he had gained, and no matter what manner of shocking intimacy she had forgotten, she would never have done this. “Do you know who I am?” she demanded, trying to intimidate this man who sent her heart bounding in fear but her body inexplicably leaning toward him.
― from Lady Georgette Thorold, What Happens in Scotland
by Jennifer McQuiston – www.jenmcquiston.com
No to owning someone else’s reality.
“No, siree, no dime-novel notions of love for her. Love requires a focused plan, she thought to herself with certainty. Cool, calm, rational thinking, not a moment in time where one lovesick glance seals your fate.”
― from Katie O’Connor, A Hope Undaunted
by Julie Lessman – www.julielessman.com
No to accepting a man who’s not worthy of one’s love or goodwill.
“I have every reason in the world to think ill of you. No motive can excuse the unjust and ungenerous part you acted there. You dare not, you cannot deny, that you have been the principal, if not the only means of dividing them from each other—of exposing one to the censure of the world for caprice and instability, and the other to its derision for disappointed hopes, and involving them both in misery of the acutest kind.”
― from Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I write these type of heroines, too. My Regency ladies are diverse in their backgrounds, social status, and race, but they are all on journeys to discover their personal power. They know how to say No, too.
No to being afraid.
No more pain or sorrow.
No more being a burden.
No more wrestling with second place to anyone or anything.
The fretting ended today, and she wouldn’t be a coward about it either.
― from Amora Norton, Unveiling Love: Episode II, A London Regency Romance Serial, by Vanessa Riley.
This month, we celebrate women. I encourage you to believe in today’s romance heroines. Derived from the things affirmed and the wrong paths abandoned, celebrate their power, their journey. Then remember, your no’s are as important as your yes’s.
Vanessa recommends:
Any of the above authors. They all write powerful women who can say No.
Tell us about a moment when you felt a deep connection to history.
This may be hard to believe, but some have found my love of 18th and 19th century European history, particularly Regency history, a little odd for this southern girl. However, when I learned of Dido Elizabeth Belle (1761–1804) the daughter of an enslaved African woman from the West Indies and a British naval officer, I think I found home. Dido was black, free, and an heiress. She lived the life of a wealthy woman with education and culture. She married the man she loved. Her life is a testament to love and being accepted regardless of race. My novel, Unmasked Heart, is my homage to Dido Belle.
Do you have a specific place or sound that makes you feel connected to history? Why?
My porch. It’s an old fashion portico that overlooks trees and wild gardens. It reminds me of the natural spaces that surround an English manor. I do a lot of writing from my porch.
What is your (or a) favorite historical era or event?
My favorite historical era is the Regency. Shocking isn’t it. The English Regency was a time of fashion, architecture, politics, war, and social change. Everything about it is catnip.
Is there a moment in your research when some specific historical moment or event came to life for you? Tell us about it.
Not to beat a dead horse for I suppose that would be cruel and smelly, but my moment occurred when I discovered the portrait of Dido Belle and Elizabeth painted by Johann Zoffany in 1779. Seeing Dido portrayed as beautiful and lively and equal to Elizabeth made my Jane-Austen-loving heart skip beats. It also eased the pain of well-meaning folks questioning my love of this time period or my right to showcase women of color living life’s of triumph. I should make the painting into a t-shirt, but I hate to wear those.
And for fun ~ Tell us about your Favorite Historical Crush. ;o) (This can be either a historical or fictional crush.) Why?
I don’t have a crush, but I do have a fascination for Sir John Lindsay, a military man reaching the rank of Rear Admiral and Dido Belle’s father. Ok, I said military man and admiral. That should be enough, but he is also a man of courage and conviction. He fathered a by-blow, an illegitimate bi-racial child, but unlike others who’d done the same, he goes after the child and insists she’s raised properly and leaves her an inheritance to keep her protected throughout her life. A man who shoulders his responsibilities is very sexy.
Vanessa is generously giving away e-book copies of Episodes I-II of Unveiling Love. The e-book series giveaway is open to domestic and international contestants. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below or on the Facebook post you’ll find here (or both – Share the Love!) ;o) by 11:59 pm PST March 18, 2016. Good luck!
Vanessa Riley worked as an engineer before allowing her passion for historical romance to shine. A Regency era (early 1800s) and Jane Austen enthusiast, Vanessa brings the flavor of diverse peoples to her stories.
Learn more:
Vanessa’s site: christianregency.com | Facebook | Twitter
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The post HerStory: Vanessa Riley – The Choices in Romance appeared first on Read-A-Romance Month.