August 28, 2008
A JQ Welcome to Gayle Callen … er, Julia Latham!
Written by Jaunty Guest in Jaunty PostHello! Thanks so much to the ladies of the Jaunty Quills for inviting me to blog. As you can guess, I’m here to talk about my new book, writing, and anything else you’re interested in! I see they had me listed as Gayle Callen, but since my newest release, SECRETS OF THE KNIGHT, was written as my pen name, Julia Latham, you can call me Julia, too!
I thought I’d write about the first book that turned me into a romance reader—and an eventual romance writer. I used to read a lot of science fiction and fantasy when I was younger. And then when I was 15 and attending a slumber party, a friend brought a copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss’s SHANNA. The cover blew me away—Ruark sitting on a tree stump, his back to us, his face buried in Shanna’s neck as she’s draped over him, gorgeous tropical flowers all around. Everyone else went to sleep, and I stayed up all night and read that book. And I was hooked. Shanna was a bad girl, no doubt about it, and needed to grow up and be tamed. Ruark was the noble hero, done wrong by her and by a villain—but do I even dwell on the villain plot? No. It was the romance that swept me away, how she could deny her attraction for him, yet still be seduced by him. Who wouldn’t be seduced by him? He’s still my favorite hero. And when Shanna was forced to play his mistress on the pirate island! Loved that. I can quote you lines of dialogue, because I’ve surely read it 40 times. It’s not the same kind of book as those being written today. Kathleen has a very poetic style that isn’t in fashion now. But SHANNA is the book that brought me to this wonderful world of romance.
Of course I had to read her backlist. THE WOLF AND THE DOVE was the first medieval romance I ever read, and I LOVED the era. No wonder my first six published books were medievals. I’ve really enjoyed returning to the era now that I’m also writing as Julia Latham. There’s something about knights in armor, swords, and castles. In SECRETS OF THE KNIGHT, my newest heroine, Diana, is a swordswoman, and she’s the one with all the power when she imprisons the hero in her dungeon. Now that was fun to write…..
What was the first romance you ever read, and why did you love it?
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Emily McKay Says:
Hi Gayle/Julia. It’s great to have you here!
I love medievals too. In fact I just ordered a few on line.
The first romance I read was a Harlequin Romance that my mom got free in a box of Hefty Trash Bags. I was the “reader” in the family, so she gave the book to me. I was 11. That was the first of many, many books.
Gayle Callen Says:
Hi Emily! Wow, Harlequin was giving away books in a box of trash bags? That’s a very different partnership–but it obviously worked, because it recruited a new reader!
Julia Latham Says:
Whoops, forgot to call myself Julia!;)
Shana Galen Says:
My first book was a Jude Devereaux–something about velvet in th title. It didn’t blow me away. But my second book was The Secret by Julie Garwood. Oh, man, was I hooked.
Great to have you here, Julia!
Emily McKay Says:
Yes, that was a *long* time ago. It must have been about 1982. I’ve often wondered who came up with that marketing campaign.
Btw, I really enjoyed your One Knight Only. Is this newest book in the same series?
Margo Maguire Says:
I think I read Rosemary Rogers (was that her name?). Can’t remember the name of the book, but it was a loooong time ago. It didn’t hook me on romance. That didn’t happen until Woodiwiss in the early 90s.
Julia Latham Says:
Thanks, Shana!
And yes, Emily, it’s the third in my League of the Blade series. I actually took the villain from the first book and showed his redemption. Of course, part of that involved being imprisoned in a dungeon by the first female member of the League!
Julia Latham Says:
Margo, was it Wicked Loving Lies? Or Sweet Savage Love? Love the titles! I read several of those, but the hero was way too alpha–rape scenes. Ugh.
Margo Maguire Says:
Julia - you know, I don’t really remember. All I recall is being surprised that books like those existed! (I was in high school at the time).
Serenissima Says:
Hi Julia/Gayle,
My first romance was THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. I must have been 11 or 12 years old back then…
I was so hooked, that next I read her SHANNA, which I loved as well. Those are the only books by her, that I have read in Finnish translations. Her other books I have read in English about 10 years ago, when I got hooked on romances again. 
Gayle,
I read your THE VISCOUNT IN HER BEDROOM during the summer. I really liked it a lot.
Quilt Lady Says:
My first romance that I read was Gone With the Wind. Loved that book and I couldn’t tell you how many times I read it. The reason I loved it is because if had my all time favorite hero in it, Rhett Butler.
Dorothy Says:
Gayle/Julia…so nice that you could join us here. I love your books!!
I can’t remember the very first romance I read. I think it might have been ‘Christy’ by Catherine Marshall. Wow…I am really showing my age, eh?? I read Harlequins in the early 80’s when I was stationed with my ex in Northern Maine. But the book that got me back to romances was ‘The Wedding’ by Julie Garwood. I love medievals and this one hooked me for good.
–dorothy
Laura T Says:
Wow! Julia….
That is ooooone hoooooot cover!!!
My first romance was The Raider by Jude Deveraux. Followed that same day by Love a Dark Rider by Shirlee Busbee.
I’ve been hooked ever since!
Valarie P Says:
The first true romance I read was SHANNA by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I was 13 when the book came out and I remember my sister was visiting and she bought the book, but told me I was too young to read it, talk about waving a red flag, naturally I had to have it. She kept that book hidden from me and it was a couple of years later that I found it used, read it and was hooked. From that book I never again read the Victoria Holt type books that I was reading up to then and I devoured everything I could find and have been hooked on romance ever since.
Fedora Says:
Hi, Gayle/Julia! To be honest, I can’t remember the very first romance I read–I did read a bunch of YA stuff, including ones from the Silhouette First Love line. The first “grown-up” one I read was lent to me by a friend from geometry class, and I no longer remember the title or author. I devoured everything at our library after that, and did take a bit of a reading break after college. Jennifer Crusie’s Crazy for You re-hooked me, and I’ve been a romance-reading fiend ever since…
Julia Latham Says:
Hi Serenissima! Flame and the Flower was probably the third of hers I read! Yes, I know, forced seduction, but he got his comeuppance in the end. Sigh…
Glad you liked Viscount! Thanks for letting me know!
Quilt Lady, I read Gone with the Wind, too! Ah, Rhett Butler–what a man!
Dorothy, I think I read The Wedding. Julie Garwood’s medievals really helped me fall in love with the genre.
Laura, glad you like the cover! The cover gods have smiled on me at Avon!
Valarie, isn’t it amazing when someone tells us we can’t read a book–we want it! Shanna was worth waiting for.
Fedora, I love Jennifer Crusie! What sassy heroines and to-die-for heroes. That lady can write.
I’m really enjoying these first-book revelations!
RobynDeHart Says:
My first was A Rose in Winter by Woodiwiss and I knew as I was reading it, that it was what I wanted to write myself. It’s like something just clicked inside me. I think I was 17. Shortly after that one I read Spencer’s Morning Glory and to say I was hooked would be an understatement. Great blog, Gayle, and thanks for joining us today!
Julia Latham Says:
Thanks, Robyn! Oh, Morning Glory! I haven’t read that one in years. I should go track it down…
Jane Says:
Hi Julia,
My first romance was Julie Garwood’s “The Bride.” It remains one of my all time favorite books. The hero, Alec, also made me fall in love with books that featured a Scottish hero.
Julia Latham Says:
Hi Jane! Oh, that’s a familiar title, and I think I read it, but I can’t remember! I just went to check her site–it’s so cute. Each of her books seems to come out of the bookshelve when you run your mouse over it. The view from the window changes slowly as if you’re looking out on a real day. Very cool.
Shirley Karr Says:
Hi Gayle!
My first romance was a pair by Barbara Cartland and … well, I didn’t try the genre again for ten years.
My aunt gave me a stack of old Georgian novels by Slyvia Thorpe, which I read over and over. After I stayed up all night to read The Rake and the Reformer by Mary Jo Putney, I admitted I was hooked on romance novels.
Julia Latham Says:
Shirley, I must confess, I’ve never read Barbara Cartland–but Mary Jo’s The Rake and the Reformer is one of my favorites! Talk about a tortured hero. And the alcoholism seemed handled so realistically. Great book.
Kathryn Says:
Shanna! I had read the odd Harlequin Romance, but Shanna was the first full blown romance that swept me away, and I was a teenager too when I read it. And, yes, I loved the pirate island scene and setting and the fight between Shanna and the barmaid. Great post and good reading memories!