In memory of Elizabeth Mansfield

Readers of Regency novels say that Elizabeth Mansfield was the heiress to the literary crown of Georgette Heyer, the high priestess of Regency novels. But Elizabeth only smiled at the appellation. After all, she was the writer who admitted, "I received a Master's degree in English lit, but I secretly read Georgette Heyer in the bathtub." She believed that the love story has been with us ever since people began telling stories, and it will continue to be with us until the world ends.

"I was born and grew up in New York City," said the freshfaced blonde, who was born on March 13, between the years of the Depression and World War II. "I teach freshman students in a local community college one day a week. I used to teach full-time, but now I have too many deadlines to meet. At the moment I'm teaching Jewish-American literature of the twentieth century. Writing is so quiet; I need to teach to get me but of the house arid talking," she added with a grin.

"It started with a prize," said Elizabeth, "The Irene Leache Memorial Award for Best Essay. Georgette Heyer had died the year before, and I noticed that she was given just a couple of paragraphs on the bottom of The New York Times' obituary page. I realized that the editor just didn't know who she was; if he had, he would have given her front-page attention. After all, many thousands of American women were faithful readers of her books. As a result I called my essay The Last Secret Vice. It was about romance fiction in general and Heyer in particular. When I won the competition-a college president who was as dignified, intellectual and unromantic as it is possible to be-said that the essay made him wish, for the first time in his life, to read a romance. -If an essay can do that,' he said, 'it deserves an award.'" Flushed with pride, and with the helpful friend's suggestion to "try a Regency novel too," an idea for a Regency began buzzing around in Elizabeth's head.

Paula Schwartz, who wrote under the pseudonym Elizabeth Mansfield, died from ovarian cancer on December 21, 2003 at 2:20 PM, at home, surrounded by family members. It was her wish that the online community not be informed of her illness until after her passing.

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/19380475/

In memory of Elizabeth Mansfield

Readers of Regency novels say that Elizabeth Mansfield was the heiress to the literary crown of Georgette Heyer, the high priestess of Regency novels. But Elizabeth only smiled at the appellation. After all, she was the writer who admitted, "I received a Master's degree in English lit, but I secretly read Georgette Heyer in the bathtub." She believed that the love story has been with us ever since people began telling stories, and it will continue to be with us until the world ends.

"I was born and grew up in New York City," said the freshfaced blonde, who was born on March 13, between the years of the Depression and World War II. "I teach freshman students in a local community college one day a week. I used to teach full-time, but now I have too many deadlines to meet. At the moment I'm teaching Jewish-American literature of the twentieth century. Writing is so quiet; I need to teach to get me but of the house arid talking," she added with a grin.

"It started with a prize," said Elizabeth, "The Irene Leache Memorial Award for Best Essay. Georgette Heyer had died the year before, and I noticed that she was given just a couple of paragraphs on the bottom of The New York Times' obituary page. I realized that the editor just didn't know who she was; if he had, he would have given her front-page attention. After all, many thousands of American women were faithful readers of her books. As a result I called my essay The Last Secret Vice. It was about romance fiction in general and Heyer in particular. When I won the competition-a college president who was as dignified, intellectual and unromantic as it is possible to be-said that the essay made him wish, for the first time in his life, to read a romance. -If an essay can do that,' he said, 'it deserves an award.'" Flushed with pride, and with the helpful friend's suggestion to "try a Regency novel too," an idea for a Regency began buzzing around in Elizabeth's head.

Paula Schwartz, who wrote under the pseudonym Elizabeth Mansfield, died from ovarian cancer on December 21, 2003 at 2:20 PM, at home, surrounded by family members. It was her wish that the online community not be informed of her illness until after her passing.

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/19380475/

Dead of Winter by Lucius Parhelion

"So Richard Wallace was dead, to start off with... Of course, I didn't know yet that he'd be back."

Since the story starts with these sentences, I will not spoil anything saying that the main heroes of this really strange Christmas romance are a young student living in Pasadena in the '50 and the ghost of his hometown lover Rich. All was against their love: first being openly gay in the '50 was not an option; second Rich was 20 years older than Al and with a big secret hidden in his past; third Al now lives in Pasadena and Rich still in Bradlow, and Al has no money to come back home. So when Al receives the news of Rich's death some days before Christmas, he accepts an odd three day job to gain some money to go to Rich's wake: spending the weekend in a supposedly haunted house to prove that it's all a myth.

Al and Rich's relationship is strange, and I mean that it was strange even before Rich's death. True, from Rich's point of view he can't help to refuse Al's love: he ran away from another scandalous affair and he can't allow himself to be involved in another one. But also Al's behavior is strange; he didn't plea for love, he explained his love as a matter of fact, feigning little interest in Rich's reply; probably there are two obviously reasons: first he fears Rich's refusal and second, in the society of the time, all their life are undertone, lead without drama, always trying to be as unnoticeable as possible.

Anyway, this not so short story (47 pages with small types) is more an Halloween type of story than a Christmas romance, but I like the style of this author, since it's really a style: dry, somber, almost in black and white.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=750

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Dead of Winter by Lucius Parhelion

"So Richard Wallace was dead, to start off with... Of course, I didn't know yet that he'd be back."

Since the story starts with these sentences, I will not spoil anything saying that the main heroes of this really strange Christmas romance are a young student living in Pasadena in the '50 and the ghost of his hometown lover Rich. All was against their love: first being openly gay in the '50 was not an option; second Rich was 20 years older than Al and with a big secret hidden in his past; third Al now lives in Pasadena and Rich still in Bradlow, and Al has no money to come back home. So when Al receives the news of Rich's death some days before Christmas, he accepts an odd three day job to gain some money to go to Rich's wake: spending the weekend in a supposedly haunted house to prove that it's all a myth.

Al and Rich's relationship is strange, and I mean that it was strange even before Rich's death. True, from Rich's point of view he can't help to refuse Al's love: he ran away from another scandalous affair and he can't allow himself to be involved in another one. But also Al's behavior is strange; he didn't plea for love, he explained his love as a matter of fact, feigning little interest in Rich's reply; probably there are two obviously reasons: first he fears Rich's refusal and second, in the society of the time, all their life are undertone, lead without drama, always trying to be as unnoticeable as possible.

Anyway, this not so short story (47 pages with small types) is more an Halloween type of story than a Christmas romance, but I like the style of this author, since it's really a style: dry, somber, almost in black and white.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=750

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Fruit and Cheese by Madeleine Urban

A very nice little Christmas tale, 29 pages.

Eli works as salesman in a chic deli. One night, few days before Christmas a man enters the shop asking for Fruit and Cheese for a party of ten. He is brisky and detached, but Eli in a way, sees also a bit of shyness in him. Luke, the man, is obviously wealthy, limousine and classy dress, but he seems also alone; he is not handsome in a classic way, but Eli is drawn by him, by his aurea and maybe by is unexpressed help request.

In the days after, Luke comes back time again time, always asking Luke to collect chic food treat for small parties, and probably the reader is expectiing from Luke to invite also Eli, but the request never arrives and Eli always looks with perplexity the limousine go with Luke inside. But Christmas is near...

I really like this short story, a mix of Cinderfella and Christmas Carol, with Luke in the guise of a modern Scrooge. Above all I like that what draws Eli to Luke is not a physical thing, Luke is not an handsome prince charming, but probably is something deeply, a need to comfort and cuddle a man who seems to have all and instead probably has nothing.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.htm

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Fruit and Cheese by Madeleine Urban

A very nice little Christmas tale, 29 pages.

Eli works as salesman in a chic deli. One night, few days before Christmas a man enters the shop asking for Fruit and Cheese for a party of ten. He is brisky and detached, but Eli in a way, sees also a bit of shyness in him. Luke, the man, is obviously wealthy, limousine and classy dress, but he seems also alone; he is not handsome in a classic way, but Eli is drawn by him, by his aurea and maybe by is unexpressed help request.

In the days after, Luke comes back time again time, always asking Luke to collect chic food treat for small parties, and probably the reader is expectiing from Luke to invite also Eli, but the request never arrives and Eli always looks with perplexity the limousine go with Luke inside. But Christmas is near...

I really like this short story, a mix of Cinderfella and Christmas Carol, with Luke in the guise of a modern Scrooge. Above all I like that what draws Eli to Luke is not a physical thing, Luke is not an handsome prince charming, but probably is something deeply, a need to comfort and cuddle a man who seems to have all and instead probably has nothing.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.htm

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Around the World: Festung Hohensalzburg

My short trip to Salzburg was an impromptu one, a long week-end with my cousin. We drove from Padua to Salzburg and there we found out that it was a very bad winter, with snow and rain every day. I took a few pics but not much I like. This one is among the few that I like, thanks to the "pink" fog that almost gives a fairy tale atmosphere to the fortress

 
by Elisa, 1998, Salzburg

( Festung Hohensalzburg )

Around the World: Festung Hohensalzburg

My short trip to Salzburg was an impromptu one, a long week-end with my cousin. We drove from Padua to Salzburg and there we found out that it was a very bad winter, with snow and rain every day. I took a few pics but not much I like. This one is among the few that I like, thanks to the "pink" fog that almost gives a fairy tale atmosphere to the fortress

 
by Elisa, 1998, Salzburg

( Festung Hohensalzburg )

Winter Garden by Vic Winter

All the anthology is 38 pages long, so you can understand that the 4 stories in it are really short, but despite this they are really sweet and truly romantic.

The Cabin: Richard and Davey are long-term lover, but their relationship is on stake. Davey is slowly recovering from a breakdown but the worst is gone, and Richard now can leave him without worry for his good health. Only that Davey doesn't want for Richard to go: it's not clear what are the troubles between them, probably the long illness of Davey put an heavy weight on their relationship and they lost the real point to be together, not for duty but for love. Davey hopes that, spending a week in his isolated cabin will help them to find again the right reason to be together.

The Mountain Troll: Jacob knows than a troll is living on the mountain, even if no one has ever seen him. But he is there and his traditions help the village to maintain their own tradition, if the troll disappear, also their village will disappear, lost to the modern society which slowly is eating them away. So when the troll stops to accept the offers from the village, Jacob decides to go find the troll, and he is very surprised when he discovers that the troll is an handsome man, Trogarth. And so for Jacob will not be an hard sacrifice to be the chosen "virgin" to placate the troll's hunger in order to preserve the village's harmony...

The Polar Bear Snowglobe: This is really only a scene which proves that, when you are in love, you are willing to do everything for your lover, even take a dip in a frozen lake...

The Winter Garden: Peter had great dreams when he was young, and all his dreams had an happily ever after. But when Peter is eighteen years old, and still too young to be alone, his parents didn't accept him being gay and he found himself without an home and without the necessary skills to provide for himself. Three years later, Peter is an homeless and the winter is severe, and he has no shelter... in his loneliness he sees a light, that draws him to a wonderful winter garden and to Gabe, a beautiful young man. But Gabe and his winter garden are real or he is finally in heaven? If for having his happily ever after, Peter needs to die, he is willing, if it means having Gabe forever...

I really like all the stories in the anthology, but my favorite is the first, The Cabin. It has a real feeling, for me it's the only one with a real happily ever after. The Mountain Troll is nice, and I can imagine that Jacob and Trogarth will have a long happily life together, but there is still the problem of Jacob's aging. Instead I really didn't understand the end of The Winter Garden; I didn't catch if Peter died or not, if Gabe was an angel or not... it's a nice tale, and I decided to give it a "normal" end, with an happily ever after, but really I didn't understand it.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=386

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Winter Garden by Vic Winter

All the anthology is 38 pages long, so you can understand that the 4 stories in it are really short, but despite this they are really sweet and truly romantic.

The Cabin: Richard and Davey are long-term lover, but their relationship is on stake. Davey is slowly recovering from a breakdown but the worst is gone, and Richard now can leave him without worry for his good health. Only that Davey doesn't want for Richard to go: it's not clear what are the troubles between them, probably the long illness of Davey put an heavy weight on their relationship and they lost the real point to be together, not for duty but for love. Davey hopes that, spending a week in his isolated cabin will help them to find again the right reason to be together.

The Mountain Troll: Jacob knows than a troll is living on the mountain, even if no one has ever seen him. But he is there and his traditions help the village to maintain their own tradition, if the troll disappear, also their village will disappear, lost to the modern society which slowly is eating them away. So when the troll stops to accept the offers from the village, Jacob decides to go find the troll, and he is very surprised when he discovers that the troll is an handsome man, Trogarth. And so for Jacob will not be an hard sacrifice to be the chosen "virgin" to placate the troll's hunger in order to preserve the village's harmony...

The Polar Bear Snowglobe: This is really only a scene which proves that, when you are in love, you are willing to do everything for your lover, even take a dip in a frozen lake...

The Winter Garden: Peter had great dreams when he was young, and all his dreams had an happily ever after. But when Peter is eighteen years old, and still too young to be alone, his parents didn't accept him being gay and he found himself without an home and without the necessary skills to provide for himself. Three years later, Peter is an homeless and the winter is severe, and he has no shelter... in his loneliness he sees a light, that draws him to a wonderful winter garden and to Gabe, a beautiful young man. But Gabe and his winter garden are real or he is finally in heaven? If for having his happily ever after, Peter needs to die, he is willing, if it means having Gabe forever...

I really like all the stories in the anthology, but my favorite is the first, The Cabin. It has a real feeling, for me it's the only one with a real happily ever after. The Mountain Troll is nice, and I can imagine that Jacob and Trogarth will have a long happily life together, but there is still the problem of Jacob's aging. Instead I really didn't understand the end of The Winter Garden; I didn't catch if Peter died or not, if Gabe was an angel or not... it's a nice tale, and I decided to give it a "normal" end, with an happily ever after, but really I didn't understand it.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=386

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle