Smart Bitches Trashy Books | All of the romance, none of the bullshit.

Sam Wollaston of the Guardian wrote up two programs that aired this weekend on BBC4, one a drama weaving together three Mills & Boon plots, and one a profile of a writer who hopes to write one, entitled, How to Write a Mills & Boon. The best part of the article?

The programme is a success too - for one because Stella Duffy, as well as throwing herself into it whole-heartedly, is very good company (not many novelists make good TV). But also because of all the amazing Mills & Boon ladies she meets along the way: the editor, the established writer who’s teaching the course in Italy, the aspiring writers, the fans. They’re all brilliant, clever, funny, women. Modern, even. But they also understand that romance - and cuppy-kissing - lives on.

WORD UP. Now I want BBC America to carry this program (sorry “programme") so I can see it, too.

[Thanks to Briony for the link.]

Part two of my liveblogging of my reading of this Historical Undone.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

Ok, their estate in Yorkshire? Peacock Oak. Poor Alex WALON, I hope that’s not an endorsement of his endowment, or the sexual preferences of his brother.

Melicent’s mother apparently feels “sick as cushion,” whatever that means, and is a pain in the ass. Melicent is hiding downstairs writing. Writing the scandalous gossip? Nope. Architectural guides. Seems she’s also a technical writer. What a woman of excellent depth of talent!

And of course she doesn’t recognize her husband when he arrives, partially because it makes for a moment of tension, and partially because she was expecting the doctor for her hypochondriac pain in the ass mother. Yet again - characters are either the height of awful or noble and emo. But not so emo that I want to kill them.

The three winners of the Harlequin Historical Undone contest are:

28: Lil’ Deviant
48: Chantel
93: Tae

Meanwhile, my world is so hectic today, I think I’m going to take a romance lunch break, load a Historical Undone on the Kindle and read while I eat. I’m looking forward to my break immensely! 

Paradigm for a new hero: voting is sexy! Voter turnout? HOT. Waiting in line to cast your vote? Oh, I might have to fan myself. Voting makes you uber cool. So if you’re in the US, there’s a little election going on, so head on down and vote. Unless you’re like me, and you voted three weeks ago.

Now: it’s silly time! Enough other sites are going to be uber-reloaded to keep up with voter stats and news, so let’s get goofy. First up? A link from Jo: Jennie Breeden, author of The Devil’s Panties, read Twilight and pretty much nailed many of the subtexts that made me nuts.

Also the whole, “No, *I* care more, “ “No, I care more” crap in the middle.Go on with your bad self, Ms. Breeden.

ETA: There’s more!

According to CNN, Anonymous anger rampant on the internet.

In other news, water is still wet.