Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Guest Author Today and Tomorrow: Cynthia Wright, "Bringing the 70’s Bodice Ripping Alpha Male into the 21st Century"



Thanks to Regan for inviting me to be the guest today and tomorrow on her wonderful blog!  I’m honored to be here.

Once upon a time, in 1975, I was a young wife at home with my baby daughter. Although I’d always been a voracious reader of romances, especially those by Georgette Heyer and Daphne DuMaurier, everything changed one day when I spied THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER on the bookstore shelf. Oh my gosh!  Kathleen E. Woodiwiss threw open the bedroom door and nothing would ever be the same. After lusting over heroes Brandon and Wulfgar (THE WOLF AND THE DOVE), I moved on to Rosemary Rogers’s classic SWEET SAVAGE LOVE.

In those days, I was generally accepting of the behavior of those alpha heroes. Was it because the stories were set in other times, when men and women didn’t know about “acceptable” behavior in a relationship?  Was it because those days preceded the Women’s Movement and my own consciousness hadn’t been raised?  After all, I had cut my romantic teeth on GONE WITH THE WIND. When I blazed through that book at 14, all I wanted was my Rhett Butler fix, no matter how “inappropriate” his behavior was! Reading Woodiwiss, I gave all her heroes a pass. In fact, I couldn’t get enough of them!  Sarcastic, harsh, strong, witty, courageous, and incredibly sexy, these alpha males took life and bent it to their will… and that included the heroines who couldn’t help loving them. Not until I met Steve, in Rosemary Rogers’s books, did I find a hero who ticked me off so much that I threw SWEET SAVAGE LOVE across the room and decided to write my own book. That was the beginning of CAROLINE – and career writing historical romances.

I know I’m not the only author from the last century who has resurrected her historical romances as e-books. One of my colleagues refers to us as “troglodytes.” I’ve had to adjust to a lot of things that weren’t around when I published CAROLINE in 1977: Facebook, Twitter, e-readers, blogs, and author websites. Last May, when I decided to dust off my 13 novels and send them to be scanned and formatted as e-books, I didn’t give much thought to revisions. I just loved the idea of those books that are part of me being enjoyed by readers again.

Alexandre Beauvisage, the hero in CAROLINE, was quite the alpha male. His behavior was frequently “unacceptable” and “inappropriate” by today’s standards. But when I created him 35 years ago, I was crazy about the guy!   Imagine my consternation when I received the newly formatted .doc file last June, with an opportunity to edit it before its release as an e-book… and I met Alec all over again. It was like being in a time machine. Sometimes he was blatantly sexist and even verbally and emotionally abusive to the heroine. Never mind the fact that he takes her virginity and tells her to forget about it and he’ll help her find a respectable husband. It was a weird feeling to realize that I could make changes in a book that has been in existence since 1977. What to do?  Leave him alone – or soften his edges to fit the 21st century?

On one hand, I know there are a whole lot of readers who love alpha males. They come right out and say so in their reviews of CAROLINE and my other bestseller, SILVER STORM. (There aren’t many heroes more rakish than Andre Raveneau…and don’t most readers love him and want to be Devon?) On the other hand, there is a 2-star review for the paperback version of CAROLINE with this outraged title: “Alpha Male to the Nth Degree!” The reader went on to list Alec’s sins, and the way Caro seems to let him walk all over her. When I saw it, I thought that it might have the reverse effect and actually attract readers…

As I spent more time with Alec in CAROLINE and Raveneau in SILVER STORM, I warmed to them all over again. Sometimes I would gasp or cringe a little when I read things they said or did (that I had written 3+ decades ago) – and yet, I came to realize that part of the appeal of those books is an opportunity for 21st century women to release modern constraints and travel to another world, in another time, with a man who is powerfully male. And since it’s just a fantasy, we can let go and just enjoy! I realized that it would be wrong to try to change or soften my alpha heroes, even if I could. I could almost imagine them rising up to protest any effort I might make to change them!  However, there were a few moments in CAROLINE and SILVER STORM when I instinctively felt that the hero had crossed an invisible line and I took the opportunity to rescue him from himself in small, seamless ways.

For instance, near the end of CAROLINE, there is a love scene in the woods where Alec literally tears all the buttons off the jacket and vest of Caro’s new riding habit (overcome by passion, of course!). Good grief - he ripped her bodice! Then he commented, “I suppose I’ll have to replace this habit. It’s a good thing I can afford it!” (Never mind that they are married and it should be their money.) In the revised version, he tears the buttons open, not off. And when he makes the remark about buying her a new habit, it’s because he sees that a couple buttons are missing, not all of them!

While editing SILVER STORM for e-release, I read a scene where Raveneau is having his way with an old girlfriend who also is close friends with the heroine. (Of course, he is only doing this because he can’t face his love for Devon….) He doesn’t just kiss her, but does a little bodice-ripping that I felt went just a little too far. In the “author’s cut” e-version, Raveneau still behaves like a jerk, but he doesn’t go quite so far. SILVER STORM, which is rife with pretty “unacceptable” behavior by the hero, has always been my bestselling title… and of course, he sees the light by the last page.

The most controversial element in those 70’s historical romances was the “rape” scene, wherein the hero takes the heroine by force and then she goes on to fall in love with him. Many newer readers of the classic historical romances say they just can’t get past those scenes. (I did have scenes in both CAROLINE and SILVER STORM that involved some sexual abuse by villains and I was relieved to have a chance to take those scenes down a notch. If readers compare the paperback versions of those two novels to the “author’s cut” e-books, they’ll find the biggest changes in those passages.) There weren’t scenes of forced sex between the hero and heroine in my books. Even in the 70’s, that was a line I instinctively didn’t want to cross, and I’m glad I don’t have to make a decision about whether to soften those scenes for the 21st century.

I am dying to know what you think! How do you feel when you read a great historical romance from the 70’s? Should those alpha heroes be left alone, their bodice-ripping ways undisturbed? 

25 comments:

  1. Thanks, again, Cynthia for being my guest. I have to say I'm one of those readers who loves Alpha males and the classic bodice rippers are fine with me--as long as the scene fits the hero and heroine and the author lays enough ground work for the change in the hero's attitude about the heroine when it finally comes. On my first read of Judith McNaught's KINGDOM OF DREAMS, a very popular historical still in vogue today, I thought she hadn't done this very well (though I enjoyed the story). I hated the hero for almost all of the book! Some readers still give 1 and 2 stars for rape/forced seduction scenes. Not me. I say just ignore those readers and look at all the 5 star reviews!

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    1. I love your blog, Regan, and your "candid assessment" reviews. I'm very happy to be here!

      Your comments are excellent. I agree, if we find ourselves disliking the hero, something is wrong. That's definitely not the goal! I also like your term "forced seduction." I'll take your advice about ignoring the negative reviews as long as the majority are 5 star!

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  2. I think you made the right choice. Updating without changing a heroes basic personality definitely gives it a broader appeal. If some scenes make the author cringe, maybe it should be reexamined. It's not like changing history or even changing the plot or intent of the story. I don't have a prob with bodice-rippers at all or extremely alpha males, but there are definitely lines I don't want the hero to cross. I want to love the characters, not long to shoot them :)

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    1. Yes, I agree, Angela... when we feel like choking the hero, it's time to reassess the situation!

      Thanks so much for your comments - I appreciate the feedback!

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  3. What an interesting blog!!! Thanks so much, Cynthia, for sharing your viewpoint!

    I'm very uncomfortable with the forced sex scenes that end with the heroine falling in love with her rapist... Blech!

    But otherwise, I'm all right with chest-pounding historical heroes... :)

    Good luck with your eBooks!!! I hope they find a whole new audience for you!

    Lisa

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  4. I'm so glad you enjoyed the blog, Lisa. Thanks for sharing your feelings about chest-pounding heroes! I love to know what readers think.

    I appreciate your good wishes. The books have found an ever-expanding audience and that is very gratifying!

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  5. I'm SO glad you didn't change Andre and Alec!! They wouldn't be who they are without that sarcastic, sometimes-demanding, alpha personality. As I know, there are times that Caro and Devon rightly stand up to their men with no repercussions! They end up enjoying a true partnership and total love affair. I think secretly many women (and I'll admit--ME) want to be taken care of and maybe have their man be in charge. (Maybe its just me, having grown up on these types novels).

    Anyway--glad Alec and Andre are still the same!

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Gretchen! Yes, I think most of us may share that secret desire you mention... as long as we can trust the man to do his part effectively. These alpha heroes, who can slay dragons when they're not protecting the heroines, are eminently trustworthy! I'm so glad you love Alec & Andre just the way they are... :-)

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  6. I started reading Historical Romance in the 1980's when my children were born. Those Historicals are keepers in just the element that they were written. You can't change your heros or you will change their original character.

    After reading You and No Other in eform I resurrected my original paperback of that same title. Thomas St. Briac has to be your all time favorite as Heros go! Words cannot describe his appeal, and to change him would be blasphamy. He is the Best of the Best. The story of Aimee and St. Briac was a treasure.

    In Touch the Sun, Lion Hampshire is also another favorite. Lion's and Meagan's story was brilliant.

    Love your hero's and thank you for not changing them.

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    1. Ah, Cathleen, I'm so glad you love St. Briac. (He is my secret favorite!) He's a very strong hero, but I think it's his humor that keeps him from going over the top. And I love Lion, too. Both of them don't have that harder edge ("issues" to be resolved) - they just have very different plans for their lives that are interrupted by the appearance of the heroine!
      Thanks so much for your comments.

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  7. Cathleen, I know Cindy will have a great perspective for you (since she is the author!), but I just want to put in my two cents here and agree with you. I love the classics...my blog is a testimony to the "keeper" nature of many of them. I hate to see authors bullied by political correctness into changing their alpha heroes too much. I know Cindy is trying to strike a balance.

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  8. Yes, Regan - I think the "balance" was well put by Angela, who commented earlier. We want to be attracted to the hero, not angry with him (at least not for long). I never changed the basic nature of my heroes, or of any of the scenes in those older books - but occasionally I pulled them back just a little from that invisible line.

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  9. Well, it is wonderful to my thinking that so many successful authors like yourself are bringing their romances to eBooks. There are some who aren't for one reason or another and it's such a loss for new readers who may never buy a used book to discover them. But you can be among those whose works, both past and current, will be enjoyed by generations.

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  10. These were such salient points.. I mean do we want our daughters reading books about how a victim falls for her rapist? The days of Luke and Laura are long gone..

    That being said, I loved Alec, I fell in love with him while I was still in High School and he remains a favorite of mine.. always will. I think Caroline plays a very important part in the growth and maturity of Romance Writing as a genre..

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  11. I agree, Shauni - I thought about Luke & Laura when I was writing this post. We've all come a long way since those days... and the challenge is to find a way to keep novels like CAROLINE intact and enjoyable for all readers, not just those of us who understand the context of the '70s.

    Thanks for your comments!

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  12. All hail St. Briac! He just captured me when it first read "You & No Other" as a teen in the 80's. I just can't seem to resist the funny ones, who can have a laugh at themselves and see the fun in life. So much so, that I have to re-read "You & No Other" almost annually for my St. Briac fix. That is not to say that I don’t love Andre, Alec, Nicholai, Lion…They could slip their boots under my bed anytime!

    Is it easier to write the funny heroes, as opposed to the bodice ripper men?

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    1. All hail, indeed! It was a happy surprise when I returned to the world of historical romance last year and discovered that some readers had never forgotten (or stopped reading) my books - and that YOU & NO OTHER/St. Briac was a particular favorite. I never got this kind of feedback from readers in those pre-internet days!

      I love a hero with a sense of humor, and for me he comes to life in a richer way, so I'll say "yes" to your question. (St. Briac has a serious side, though, and it's even sexier because it's a change from his usual light approach - agreed?)

      Thanks for joining the discussion!

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    2. Oh I agree.. I adored Tomas.. there was just something soooo swoonworthy about him.

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  14. It's interesting to use the classic romances as a barometer of my own evolution as a female. I can wrap my mind around a fellow from two hundred years ago behaving like a caveman, what's harder to face is that forty years ago, I thought that was sexy. I don't expect my daughter to understand--I don't entirely understand the girl I was myself--but I expect my granddaughter will find the whole business funny. That makes me uncomfortable too, when in my dad's life time, women could not vote.
    This topic touches nerves. I suppose that's a good thing.

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    1. It is a topic that touches nerves, Grace, and one that makes us think. I agree with most of what you wrote. And yet, after all my recent analysis of my early books and my feelings about those heroes, I've decided to relax and enjoy. Romantic fiction takes us out of our real lives and into a fun, delicious fantasy...a mini-vacation that is almost free. How great!

      I have The Heir on my Kindle and am looking forward to reading it! Thanks so much for your comments.

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  15. Grace, I think you'd find interesting a short piece of mine I intend to post Valentine's week. Romantic Times Book Review is also going to publish it on their website. I call it "What I Learned About Love From Reading Romance Novels." It's the kind of article you can give your daughter or granddaughter. I think you'd be surprised at how little the heart of girls has changed over time.

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  16. I'm looking forward to reading your article, Regan. Thanks again for having me as your guest. I'll be following your blog in the future!

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  17. Cindy,
    It's been a joy for me and my blog readers to have you...you have a wonderful perspective and a lot to give to readers. We'll be watching for your new eBooks, FIREBLOSSOM and WILDBLOSSOM!

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  18. Late Post From Award-Winning Romance Author, MARSHA CANHAM (see my "Favorite Author" post on her under "Categories"). Marsha encountered some difficulty with the blog posting mechanism but I wanted you who are following this to have it:

    "As a fellow troglodyte, I welcomed the opportunity to go back through my earlier books and update the language and style and take out some of the 70's and 80's behaviors that were expected of romances back then. Fainting, swooning heroines too helpless to ward off the hero's evil intentions toward her. Rape scenes. Forced sex. Oddly enough I took some flak for editing out the rape scene in Bound by the Heart. Readers accused me of trying to be politically correct, when in reality, I was never comfortable with the scene. I thought it lessened the hero, Morgan Wade, and made the heroine out to be a wimp. When the book was originally written, I was new to the business and didn't know how much clout I had, or if I could go against an editor's recommendations as to how a romance *should* be written.

    Flash forward 25 years and yes, that rape scene was the first thing to get penned out, which made *me* much happier. Most of my backlist books have been gently edited and revised,but mostly for flowery language and goofy dialogue. In fact,in The Wind and the Sea, the forced sex scene was deliberately left in because it suited the mood and the characters in that moment.

    Bodice-rippers gave historical romances their start, and as Cynthia said, took us behind Rhett Butler's bedroom door and showed the reader what went on inside. Credit where credit is due. Some of those books were thrilling and magnificent and made lifelong romance addicts out of all of us *s*"

    Regan's postscript: I loved BOUND BY THE HEART--both versions--but I do think Marsha made the right call.

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