And our Sue's Clues Mystery Author is: Laura Kinsale is probably one of the most diverse romance authors I've ever read. Of course, that is just my own humble opinion, but I'm sure there are quite a few readers out there who would agree with me. The first Kinsale book I read was FOR MY LADY'S HEART when it was first published - when I had really first started reading historical romance or any romance, for that matter, about 10 years ago. I had joined one of those book clubs. You know, the kind where you get 10 books for $1. It looked interesting. It was a romance. And at that time, I wanted any romance I could lay my hands on. Little did I know it was one of those rare medieval romances that were written in, not entirely but liberally, middle-English. Not the occasional thee or thou one would expect in a historical. No, throughout the story it was beknownst, hath, doth, forsooth and more archaic words that could make a newbie to historical romances head spin faster than she could read. Still, I was fascinated and couldn't help but feel truly transported to another time. Then there was that one minute scene in the story that totally endeared me to this author. It was a scene where Ruck (the hero) noticed the teeny, tiny scars on Melanthe's (the heroine) abdomen and wondered at what could possibly cause such scars. He had noticed her stretchmarks. Later, when she tells him they are the result of having a child, he tells her, basically, that they are the mark of a woman's valor. How can you not love a hero who says such things? There is also FLOWERS FROM THE STORM to consider. I find it amazing an author could pull off a book like this. It's about a Duke who is a mathematical genius and working on a revolutionary math theory with a blind Quaker man. This is how he first meets Maddy Timms, the Quaker's daughter. To write a book about a nobleman falling in love with a Quaker during the Regency period is challenging enough. Laura, however, seemed to take it to a higher level when the Duke suffers an attack that lands him in a sanitarium. His family believes him mad, crazed, unable to speak and acting like a wild animal. Fate sends Maddy to the same asylum where she becomes his caretaker and, in the end, Savior. Kinsale once again takes us to the reality of the time period and the situation. It's one thing to read about a character who is 'mad', but another thing entirely to truly feel the character's struggle and frustration from his point of view; his inability to communicate and comprehend. Her portrayal of a patient's treatment during this time period is historically accurate. While it was considered enlightened during that time, much of his treatment would be considered inhumane during ours. Once again, I was enthralled with this author's ability to capture my imagination through her writing. These are just two of the ten books that were published from 1986-1996. I've read nearly all of them and each one has a unique twist that sets it apart from other books of the genre. Her last book was MY SWEET FOLLY. At her website, Laura will tell you that this is when her Muse deserted her: "I wrote 10 books in about 12 years, and by the time I reached the end of the tenth, I was quite simply writing on nerve and guts alone. I have only the vaguest memory of the plot of MY SWEET FOLLY." After a six-year hiatus, Laura began writing again in 2002. In April 2004, we will be treated to the fruit of this labor - the story whispered in Laura's ear by her Muse when it returned. The book is titled SHADOWHEART. It is about a secondary character her fans will recognize from FOR MY LADY"S HEART, Allegretto. April cannot get here soon enough as far as I'm concerned - I can't wait to get my hands on this book. For those of you who haven't read FOR MY LADY'S HEART, it will be reissued in March 2004. You'll have plenty of time to read it before Allegretto's story is released. And don't let the fact that it is full of that lovely and musical, but sometimes confusing, Middle English dialogue scare you away from reading it. The reissue will contain a glossary to clear up any doubt you may have to the meaning of a word or phrase. Happily, it seems that Laura's Muse is here to stay for a time as she mentions at her site that she has already begun another story. You can visit Laura at her site to learn more about her and her writing. |
