I must admit, I'm a Georgette Heyer virgin. I know, I know...how could I have never read a single book by the fabulous Ms. Heyer? I started wondering that, too.

So last week I decided it was time. I browsed a couple of Heyers, and decided on These Old Shades.

The first two sentences had me:

"A gentlman was strolling down a side street in Paris, on his way back from the house of one Madame de Verchoureux. He walked very mincingly, for the red heels of his shoes were very high . . ."

And now I'm hooked. Where I have been and why had I not discovered this wonderful author earlier? I have no explanation. But I'm glad I finally met her.

Today the stock market took another tumble. Book sales are sluggish to say the least, and wonder what the economy will do to the publishing business in general. Not good for authors. The bookstores I've visited lately have not been busy.

So I retreat into the delighful pages of TOS. Along the way, I started wondering why do I read and write historicals--historical romance, specifically?

Yes, I love the escape, but as my crit partner put it (and she is very pop-culture hip--you would never guess she is such a devoted Regency fan):

In historicals, there are behaviors and expectations for civility. Today nothing is taboo. I want gentility and manners and consequences if you don't have them.

I paraphrased the above, but I think she's right. I love historical romance--a story where merely "Leaving the company of one man (who sits beside you on a settee in a drawing room) to talk to another was not the custom of the time. . ."-- would set the gossip rags on fire.

Why do you read historical romance? And if anybody want to give me the "best of Heyer" book rec's I'm all ears. I can't wait to start the next one!