tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post5941925025948778541..comments2024-02-03T17:37:27.803-08:00Comments on Cogitations and Meditations: GIVEAWAY & All Things Jo BeverleyKeira Soleorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-22615951497850618852010-05-02T20:25:21.440-07:002010-05-02T20:25:21.440-07:00I've only lived in 3 countries: Canada, German...I've only lived in 3 countries: Canada, Germany and France. I've traveled as much as possible, though my travel in Germany was restricted pretty well to the West. I've been in east Germany only once since the wall came down. The other trips were always just in transit to Berlin. Actually, I was born in what became the Russian zone shortly after I was born and that's one of the places I went in 1995. <br /><br />I've seen the most where I lived of course. France from the north to the Pyrenees, Atlantic to Monaco; Germany: Hamburg, where we learned of the JFK assassination, to Swiss and Austrian borders; Canada: Quebec City to Victoria and as far north as Edmonton. I've also been in Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Italy (to Sorrento); Spain: Santander to Malaga; UK: London to Bath to Colluden Field in Scotland; Ireland: Dublin & area.<br /><br />So that's it except for US, Mexico and Dominican Republic.<br /><br />Have a wonderful trip to London, UK I presume. Otherwise, you might be coming to see me.Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-64839859206986179172010-05-02T10:12:10.526-07:002010-05-02T10:12:10.526-07:00Ranurgis, I've traveled through England, Scotl...Ranurgis, I've traveled through England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Estonia, and France and Germany (as I already mentioned). We hope to visit London this summer--let's see.<br /><br />Where have you lived in Europe?Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-26027537555758401852010-05-01T20:08:12.544-07:002010-05-01T20:08:12.544-07:00I can't remember what the guy's name was, ...I can't remember what the guy's name was, but we 3 women came to think of all chauvinistic, boorish men by his first name. We also mostly thought of American tourists as behaving in such an unmannerly way. This guy was German.<br /><br />I guess from my side it might not be that much of a coincidence that we went to the same places since I lived in Europe for 10 years, all of the 70s, which I sometimes call my lost decade for what happened in my homeland, Canada. <br /><br />But it certainly was a coincidence that these 2 places played a part in your trip as well. Was it your only trip to Europe?Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-43537035539219816822010-04-28T20:35:32.071-07:002010-04-28T20:35:32.071-07:00The guy from your France tour sounds like a patter...The guy from your France tour sounds like a pattern card for a cad. What a pity to have a trip of a lifetime spoiled by such a jerk.<br /><br />What a coincidence to read you talking about Loire and Stuttgart in your one trip. Did you do Paris, too? The reason I ask is because that was exactly my itinerary on that trip to Europe. I had a wedding to attend to in Paris, Loire was for us, and Stuttgart was to see a friend.Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-74760633327741428962010-04-28T15:27:24.704-07:002010-04-28T15:27:24.704-07:00I've been thinking of you too especially since...I've been thinking of you too especially since I started FORBIDDEN, Francis, Lord Middlethorpe's story today. I think you wrote you hadn't read it. I'm not certain I have it myself, but I got a Large Print copy from the library. I don't strictly need LP but it's easier for me to read. I'll see if the library has a copy of DEVILISH available; mine is, like most of my books, in storage. Once I get everything sorted out--it'll probably take years--I'll be selling any doubles that I have. I do have a few but not DEVILISH and probably not FORBIDDEN.<br /><br />BTW, I took my Loire tour in 1973 or '74. Did we ever have a boorish guide, more just driver, who knew no French and tried to insist that HE had a right to a single room and that, instead, I, as the third woman, should bunk with our male Australian. But we 3 girls stuck together and one of them is still one of my best friends. He also decided to go to Le Mans for the big race and drove so crazily that he busted the windshield of our VW bus. He also stopped all traffic on the bridge at Blois because HE wanted to take a certain picture; spent lavishly so that I had to pay our last nights' accommodations.To top it off, he decided to take a "short cut" on the way home, ran out of gas in a lonely corner of France and we had to wait until we were rescued from Stuttgart. Certainly an adventuresome journey. It took me a while to get my money back. But we 3 girls certainly hope he never got another chance to "guide" or drive another group after the blast of pages we mailed to the Tour Group. And remember, there were no cell-phones at the time. Even the French telephone was highly unreliable.<br /><br />Well, that's not the only adventure I had.Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-19687488932965559752010-04-28T13:30:41.065-07:002010-04-28T13:30:41.065-07:00Ranurgis, if you get the chance, do read DEVILISH....Ranurgis, if you get the chance, do read DEVILISH. That's Rothgar's story. <br /><br />We did a tour of the Loire Valley's chateaux a few years ago, but chose not to see Azay-le-Rideau then. Now I regret the oversight.Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-64942380252457809302010-04-27T15:10:55.713-07:002010-04-27T15:10:55.713-07:00Hi, Keira, I didn't get to look at your reply ...Hi, Keira, I didn't get to look at your reply until today. I've been awfully slow on the update/uptake/ whatever, recently.<br /><br />I don't know if you remember that the "Temple" in AN UNWILLING BRIDE was modeled on Azay-le-Rideau in the Loire region in France. We just saw it from the outside but given Jo's description of the Temple's inside, I would have loved to have seen the inside of Azay.<br /><br />Yes, I'm a member of the Yahoogroup but have very rarely commented there. So today I saw the link and have gone to the blog to see Jo's entry there. Unfortunately, I've still to meet all these heroes, so I can't really relate to them, though I guess there's a peripheral appearance of Rothgar in My Lady N.Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-1716132324447695242010-04-26T21:55:33.789-07:002010-04-26T21:55:33.789-07:00Jo, fabulous to see you here. Welcome!!
Your RT ...Jo, fabulous to see you here. Welcome!! <br /><br />Your RT blog about your favorite heroes is now up on the RT site at http://is.gd/bIWLb. Couldn't find the poll though.Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-45060153701198984672010-04-26T08:26:23.172-07:002010-04-26T08:26:23.172-07:00Hi, this is Jo. Keira, thank you so much for doing...Hi, this is Jo. Keira, thank you so much for doing this, and thank you everyone for commenting.<br /><br />I've been away in Cornwall and other places south-west and with limited internet, so I haven't been here yet.<br /><br />I don't know what's happened with the RT spot, but I've fired off an e-mail.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />JoJo Beverleyhttp://www.jobev.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-74913441974397889332010-04-25T10:00:33.071-07:002010-04-25T10:00:33.071-07:00Janga, as I've said before, recommendations fr...Janga, as I've said before, recommendations from you are always welcome. In fact, any JoBev rec is welcome by anyone. :) <br /><br /><i>Forbidden</i>, mentioned by Janet above, is one I haven't read it. <br /><br /><i>Forbidden Magic</i> and <i>Hazard</i> are do get shoddy treatment, don't they? Just take a look at the Amazon reviews. And I liked both very much.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to the reprinting of <i> Emily and the Dark Angel</i> later this year. Then I'll have collected all of her re-released Regencies.<br /><br />I had to hie myself off to BookDepository to get Bryght's book. Despite the atrocious cover, that's the only copy available for a reasonable price.Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-74079774652717789632010-04-25T09:56:55.109-07:002010-04-25T09:56:55.109-07:00Ranurgis, lovely to see your comments here.
I cou...Ranurgis, lovely to see your comments here.<br /><br />I couldn't find the RT blog and poll either. I believe the redesign launch of the site was delayed a bit, but I don't know what they did with the post and poll.<br /><br />Are you a member of JoBev's Yahoo group? <br /><br />How marvelous that you've been to Azay-le-Rideau and so can actually relate to story to the place. It would make for a marvelous personal connection to the books were I to actually see the places the stories took place in. Perhaps there needs to be a JoBev Travel Adventure. :)Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-60196665385607149732010-04-23T21:08:04.242-07:002010-04-23T21:08:04.242-07:00Hi, Keira! Sorry to be so late commenting, but I c...Hi, Keira! Sorry to be so late commenting, but I couldn't miss the chance to say that I enjoyed your tribute to one of romance fiction's best and most consistent writers. <br /><br />I started reading Jo's books with Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed, and I recently read The Secret Duke, which I reviewed for The Romance Dish. As I said there, I've never met a Jo Beverley book I didn't like. Rereading the traditional Regencies that have been reissued has been a particular treat since I haven't read them in a while. Emily and the Dark Angel is my favorite in that group. Hazard and Forbidden Magic are two of the European historicals that I love that are sometimes overlooked. I add those to my recommendtions. :)Jangahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15128188159653860806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-1948153618588055162010-04-21T00:21:56.722-07:002010-04-21T00:21:56.722-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-41890421983214548172010-04-21T00:20:35.153-07:002010-04-21T00:20:35.153-07:00Keira, I've gone to Jo's Wikipedia page an...Keira, I've gone to Jo's Wikipedia page and am wondering which items you thought were "de trop." Actually I've added a few more novellas to that list. There are 15 in all if I counted right.<br /><br />I think I have doubles of a few books but I'm not certain which. That's another thing to discover when I get into my storage unit and correct box.Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-77696467038112824582010-04-20T22:04:11.135-07:002010-04-20T22:04:11.135-07:00P.S. I know I no longer qualify for a prize but th...P.S. I know I no longer qualify for a prize but that's all right, Keira.Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-454776066428833462010-04-20T22:03:28.151-07:002010-04-20T22:03:28.151-07:00Aah, I finally found a way to get here. I'm al...Aah, I finally found a way to get here. I'm also still trying to find the spot on RT (online, isn't it?) where I can vote for the heroes. <br /><br />And, yes, I've read about a dozen items by Jo: all the "Regency" romances (but about 12 years ago), the first 3 Rogue books, and a couple of short stories. I've read the Rogues in about the last week or so. I wanted to join the yahoogroup discussion but my copies of the books have been in storage for the last 5 years, our library had only the 2nd, and I had to wait several weeks to get 1 and 3 from another regional library. But what can I say than that I love them. <br /><br />I haven't yet read any of the Medievals and only MLN of the Mallorens. In the middle of last night I had to check Wikipedia to see what Azay-le-Rideau looks like. I know I've seen it and am wondering if it was the chateau of which I took a reflection in the water. I'll have to wait to find my slides of France again to verify that.<br /><br />I too have a hard time naming my favorites, perhaps because I can't really remember the shorter ones too well and have to digest the first 3 Rogues a little more. I don't have the Secret Duke yet, and am not certain I have absolutely all the others (can't visually verify that either.)<br /><br />I've been very impressed by all the Rogue books and in one I like the heroine best, in another the hero, another the story, etc. I'll let you know when I decide.Ranurgishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445062481206549137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-7444661089919445762010-04-20T12:42:40.427-07:002010-04-20T12:42:40.427-07:00Janet, oh, how wonderful, my dear. Just read your ...Janet, oh, how wonderful, my dear. Just read your tweet and e-mail to me. Thank you for your generosity.<br /><br />Hah, will you know it. Just last night, I finished reading NOTORIOUS. Cyn's a dream, and I really like Chas. Well, except for the two TSTL moments when I was exasperated with her (wish she'd stay put), but they were adequately explained/dealt with by Chas and Cyn in the story. It's rare when I like both the hero and heroine equally. Even in this first Malloren book, you get a sense of how heroic both Rothgar and Cyn are, each in their own way, but just as important. Rothgar's introduction here makes his DEVILISH all the more delicious.Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-24638838995554197262010-04-20T12:17:21.964-07:002010-04-20T12:17:21.964-07:00Ingrid, welcome to the blog. I envy you having Jo ...Ingrid, welcome to the blog. I envy you having Jo Beverley's entire list of books unread yet. Truly, what a treat!!Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-78223860441912380012010-04-19T12:57:33.959-07:002010-04-19T12:57:33.959-07:00Lovely blog, Keira!
I was looking for recommendat...Lovely blog, Keira!<br /><br />I was looking for recommendations on what to read and came across this... I must confess that I haven't read anything by Jo Beverley before, but now I've just ordered "An Arranged Marriage". And I might get some more...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00231827962458048085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-27106382903401494402010-04-19T06:42:04.169-07:002010-04-19T06:42:04.169-07:00An Unwilling Bride: I can't count the number o...An Unwilling Bride: I can't count the number of times I've re-read it. Never has there been a couple more mismatched and more meant to be together. I thank the stars everytime I read it. Unbelievably, because's it's dark, like so many books by JoBev, it's riddled with humour.<br /><br />Second, Notorious Lady -- for Cyn, for Chas and for the first formidable glimpse of Rothgar. Plus it's so sensuous ... that Cyn is just temptation incarnate.<br /><br />Lastly, Forbidden. Serena's fatal beauty, capable of firing an arrow into the heart of a man. The conversation at the ball between her and Nicholas and Lucien. The horse race and Francis asking Blanche for advice on his love life.<br /><br />That's it. I could go on forever: great blog Keira!!Janet W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07595674854480061508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-21590525100858450342010-04-18T21:48:39.212-07:002010-04-18T21:48:39.212-07:00Beck, welcome to the blog and thanks for commentin...Beck, welcome to the blog and thanks for commenting. <br /><br />That's a superb idea for a JPRS article or even an IASPR piece. I don't have an academic background in literary criticism, so I lack the high-falutin' vocabularly and mainly the analysis skills. But perhaps, they'll also take survey-type papers from lay people. Definitely worth following up. Thank you!<br /><br />Heh, on books hiding. I had that moment earlier today when I went up to her page on Wikipedia and found two other medievals listed that I'd never heard of. Clearly someone had made mistake, but I didn't end up searching frantically on Google for a few minutes.Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-11640506226394734422010-04-18T21:37:16.513-07:002010-04-18T21:37:16.513-07:00I have been a Jo fan for some time and I believe t...I have been a Jo fan for some time and I believe that I have read everything. If i have missed something it has done a darn great job of hiding from me.<br /><br />Keira, the way you talk of her writing makes me think I wish I had thought of that! I think an analysis of her writing would be a great piece for IASPR! I do feel that I am not capable doing here credit in that kind of work, but you do appear to be able to do so!beckwith49https://www.blogger.com/profile/13866694325232118584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-22680592156041208802010-04-18T20:12:26.817-07:002010-04-18T20:12:26.817-07:00I definitely plan on being there.I definitely plan on being there.Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-14002047191121632392010-04-18T19:54:31.610-07:002010-04-18T19:54:31.610-07:00I've missed you too, Keira! Hope you'll b...I've missed you too, Keira! Hope you'll be in Nashville!pjpuppymomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18234101901405553621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34763566.post-88951520718275737792010-04-18T18:28:47.043-07:002010-04-18T18:28:47.043-07:00PJ, hi!! It's so lovely to read your comments ...PJ, hi!! It's so lovely to read your comments here. Our paths haven't crossed much in Romancelandia of late. <br /><br />You're absolutely correct in this: <i>" I don't think I could even come close to naming a overall favorite. Each story has something special to offer to the reader."</i> JoBev's stories are so intricately woven with complex emotions, they all hold your attention from the first to the last page on every re-read.<br /><br />Dare's story is such an emotional story!Keira Soleorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14440213826734580889noreply@blogger.com