As regular readers of this blog knows, if there is a historical author that languid moi is probably fangurlish for, it’s Madeline Hunter. I haven’t absolutely loved everything she has written (in fact, I was lukewarm on her last two books) but there is something in her writing that always resonate with me, even as I want to strangle the heroine/hero.
Last week, Madeline was kind enough to meet me for coffee and we talked for about 90 minutes about various subjects from 19th Century Macau to the Marquess of Queensbury to the lamented demise of Bantam’s Loveswept line of series contemporary romances to authors and blogs to Iris Johansen’s historicals and to the overall brilliance of Mary Balogh’s traditional regencies, specifically A Precious Jewel. She was pretty much as I expected: straight-shooting and intelligent and introverted.
As for news, well, she wouldn’t tell me much about her next book coming up – The Sins of Lord Easterbrook – beyond what anyone could gleam from the preview of it at the end of Secrets of Surrender. She did add a new excerpt from it on her website which you can find by clicking here.
I did ask her about her next series after this one. She is currently shopping a four book series and she will be staying in the period of the 1820s (sorry, Medieval fans).
I love that cover, and really can’t wait to read that book!
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As I told Madeline, I’m not going to have any expectations. I would think it would be almost impossible to measure up to the expectations since fans have been clamoring for Christian’s book since ROS.
- seton
I totally agree with you about not loving every story she writes, but you cannot deny she is a wonderful writer that looks at darker and more complex issues than the average historical romance author.
I am glad to see you posting again.
I just took a look at your 2008 reads. Doesn’t look like much has thrilled you this year. I’m relieved it’s just not me. What’s up with that?
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I prefer to think it’s me and my ebook reader and not them.
- seton
I’m so happy to see your new post. I check in at least once a week in the hopes of reading your witty, hilarious and spot-on reviews.
MH is one of my favorite authors. I don’t love every single one of her books either, but she usually hits a very deep note in the h/h relationship. She gets past the frivolous and shallow “does he love me?” moments. And I also think she’s a little more realistic than most other authors about how women really dealt with their lives in the 1800’s – the choices they made, etc.
Once again, I’m really happy that you’re back!
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Hey, thanks for the kind words.
I think it’s good to reread Hunter’s books because there are a lot of nuances in most of her novels which a lot of people dont catch the first time. A lot of times when I meet famous creative people, I am usually disappointed because they turn out to be much different than their work led me to expect but there was no unpleasant surprises with MH.
-seton
Yeahhhhhh!!! You’re back. I had a chance to meet her in SF and she is a very interesting person to talk to isn’t she?
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Hey, Kristie!
I felt that I could talk to her about a number of things (well, except college sports, that is.) I am more of a fan than ever after meeting her!
-seton
Yay, you’re back!!!
I am looking forward to The Sins of Lord Easterbrook book, but like you wrote, it’s been built up so much that it’s bound to disappoint someone.