Lady Eleanor's Secret

Out in LP February 1st 2013

I'm delighted to tell you that my final large print, full length Regency novel, will be released on February 1st 2013.
This will be the last one because I no longer write for Robert Hale or Musa/Aurora so there will be no more titles to go into large print.
I shall still have novellas for Linford as I'm still writing for People's Friend and My Weekly Pocket Novels.
In fact I've just sold my twelfth novella to MWPN this week, Tregorran House, but no doubt the title will change before publication.
I'm about to have my website updated by the wonderful Jane Dixon-Smith -so look out for changes in the next few weeks.
A Marriage of Convenience is now live and already selling well.
best wishes
Fenella

Can you believe a review?

.Can you believe a review?

There has been a lot posted about the importance of getting plenty of reviews for a book. I've just printed off a five page list of review sites from "Fabianspace" and I'm sure this isn't the only site that will offer you contact details of reviewers.

If you want to promote your free book with KDP some sites insist that you have a minimum of five 4* reviews before they will accept your listing. Writers are always talking about reviews they have received both good and bad.

I review for the Historical Novel Society and try to only take books that I think I would like. As I am doing this professionally I have to be honest and if I don't like the book any reason then I will say so. However, if I really don't like the book and can find nothing positive to say about it I will return it to HNS for someone else to do the review.

I make sure that my comments are never directed at the author but the book and I never put in a spoiler. I wonder if the reviewers realise how much damage they can do by posting a 1* or 2* review?

I would like to share with you some of the recent reviews I've received for my books on Amazon. I think they illustrate my point better than anything I could write.

“I have only started this book so can’t pass comment on the whole thing. So far I'm finding the story engaging but I'm distracted by the poor grammar. Someone surely must have proofread this before it was published? It’s  = it is its = possessive form of it. This is basic. If you can ignore errors and random , then give it a go.” 3*

I checked this manuscript and there was one instance of the incorrect use of the possessive apostrophe out of 55 uses. I use Dragon software – I know this is no excuse for poor proofreading - and occasionally the incorrect form is put and I don't pick this up.

Was it fair of the reviewer to say that my book was poorly written when there was only one of the grammatical faults the reviewer mentioned? Is it going to put off a potential reader?

"I like Regency romances and this is a good, interesting and, well written and it held my attention all the way through. The price is pretty incredibly really. Recommended." 4*

This is the same book.

"At first I didn't like the hero but as the story progressed he won me over and showed himself to be a decent guy deep down. The heroine  and her siblings are delightful and resourceful.

My tolerance for indifferent writing is usually quite high, but I couldn't get through this book. The writing style seemed to consist of a long load of short descriptions and the story itself was not

interesting enough to get through the monotonous long sentences.

The plot is okay and the book could have been much better if the author had developed the characters. The lack of character development means that the plot developments are hardly credible and leaves the reader annoyed rather than pleased at the end of the book. I like historical romances but this author is a Z lister rather than an A lister."1*

"Good plot and characters. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy romances. No more words to say the end."4*

Again these reviews are for the same title.

"The writing is stiff and stilted. There were numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Neither the hero or heroine had much depth of character or behaved in an admirable manner, particularly the heroine. For roughly the first half of the book she hates the hero and then suddenly realises that she is in love with him with no real interactions between the two that shows how that love grew, although physical attraction has been indicated. I managed to finish the book will not be reading any other lots books by this author." 1*

"I disagree with some of the other reviewers. I enjoyed the antics and tribulations of the odd couple in this novel. They were entertaining, romantic and funny.

Unusually, the heroine was so care of her two younger siblings (as their parents died). This means she is mature, extremely organised and somewhat bossy. The scarred hero who is just home from the war is frequent in regency novels but Ms Miller has an unusual twist on this character. At the start of the novel he was very depressed. He was not taking care of himself, his home or estate. He was drinking and locking himself in dark rooms. He did not want to interact with anyone. He was aghast when the heroine and her siblings arrive to live with him (as they had nowhere else to go).

I felt it was extremely well written. The author uses descriptive language impressively. She betrayed the gist of the period in an informative and readable manner. The characters dialogue is well written and memorable. They use language appropriate to their time, education and class – with no irritating modern phrases." 5*

Once more these reviews are for the same title.

This brings me to the point of the post. Should a writer or reader take any notice at all of the reviews?

A review is just the opinion of one reader - and few books are going to suit everyone.

I think it's a shame that so much emphasis is put on reviews. The Amazon algorithms highlight books with more than 12 five-star reviews and these titles are then included in various promotions.

I know there are hundreds, if not thousands, of books on Amazon with more than 12 five-star reviews have been put up by families and friends. Amazon is also removing reviews written by Indie writers for other Indie writers as they say they are invalid.

Another strange fact is that is that all but one of my negative reviews have been written and posted on Amazon.com. It must be a cultural difference.

What do you think? Have negative reviews caused you stress?  Do you buy/not buy because of reviews?

Best wishes

Fenella J Miller

A Marriage of Convenience

Next book - available 18th January 2013

'A Marriage of Convenience' was published by Robert Hale in 2005 under the title 'The Unconventional Miss Walters'. This book was the first of nine that I sold to Robert Hale and it is the only one of my books that received the accolade of "editor's choice" in the Historical Novels Review. Here it is: it remains my favourite review as it was my first and my best.
"19-year-old Eleanor Walters is obliged by the terms of her guardian's will to marry an older man, her cousin Lord Leo Upminster, whose uncontrolled temper and rapid changes of mood she finds both bewildering and frightening. However, his dark, handsome looks are undeniably attractive.Ellie is certain that Leo has married purely out of a sense of duty and therefore she insists on a marriage of convenience, denying any intimacy to her husband. Frustration and a series of  misunderstandings cause mounting tension, despite Eleanor's growing affection for Leo. However, she is forced to run away from him after becoming the unwitting victim of malicious gossip. She decides to take refuge in a lonely country estate with near disastrous results following the outbreak of riots in the area.
Miller's detailed picture of the social unrest that followed the Napoleonic wars, and the appalling hardship in the country caused by lack of employment, absentee landlords and unscrupulous agents provides a realistic background to the story. Eleanor's dilemma, her growing maturity, and social consciousness are sensitively portrayed; moreover, the limitations imposed on her actions, including her plans to renovate dilapidated housing on the estate, reflect the social realities of the period. The author clearly has a detailed knowledge of fashion history, fabrics, interior furnishings, and other items everyday use and I was particularly fascinated by these minor details that add special colour and interest. Miller's characterisation is wholly convincing, making the novel a particularly engaging and entertaining read that I thoroughly recommend."
I hope this is enough to encourage you to download the book when it is available later in the month.

A Regency Christmas

A Regency Christmas  

Jane Austen has several references to Christmas celebrations. Here is a quote from Persuasion:

"On one side was a table occupied by some chattering girls, cutting up silk and gold paper; and on the other were tressels and trays, bending under the weight of brawn and cold pies, where riotous boys were holding high-revel; the whole completed by a roaring Christmas fire, which seemed determined to be heard, in spite of all the noise of the others."

The holiday season began on December 21^st and ran until 12th night, January 6^th :

 (Imagine having to spend so long with your families and friends nowadays. I'm sure only in the wealthier households would Christmas celebrated so thoroughly.)

December 21^st is the winter solstice: on this day in the Regency a Yule log was brought in and then burned throughout the holiday. Servants would deck the Halls with boughs of holly (where have I heard that before?) and other greenery; some households considered it unlucky to have any greenery in the house before Christmas Eve. There was of course no Christmas tree as they didn't become fashionable until the 1850s.

Christmas Eve:

Friends and family would meet at the appointed house and settled in to enjoy themselves. Possibly guess would be invited to dinner and there might be dancing in games afterwards.

Christmas Day:

Everyone would have attended church in the morning and put a little extra in the poor box for the next day. Later the Regency well they would enjoy a turkey dinner (Christmas goose was a later tradition). Families tended to stay together on Christmas Day there would not been a large party after dinner.

(Imagine a Christmas Day with no television or Queen’s speech!)

Boxing Day:

Boxes (this is where the name comes from) of food and clothing were given out the tenants and it was also a tradition to give the servants a holiday bonus content of the church. Box would be distributed to the needy. There might be a foxhunt from somewhere in the neighbourhood.

December 27^th to 30^th :

there would have been parted and gatherings at home or nearby houses every night. Gentlemen would dance all night and then get up early to enjoy sporting activities but the ladies can have their beauty sleep and then spend the afternoon touring the countryside in an open carriage.

New Year's Eve:

A Regency family would see in the New Year at midnight with drink and song. The racier couples might find themselves embracing under the mistletoe.

January 2^nd  - 5th:

yet more social gatherings and family activities. If it was cold enough there might be sledging ice skating during the day and balls and parties in the evening.

January 6^th , Twelfth night:

this was the traditional day exchanging gifts, gifts could be given at any time throughout the holiday season not even over several days there might be a large ball somewhere in the neighbourhood twitched the children of the house would be invited along with the grown-ups.

January 7^th :

The decorations would be taken down (it is still considered unlucky to leave them up any longer) and your guests and family will return to their own home.

Worst Christmas?

Although it's the season to be jolly and all that, I thought I would share with you a story of my worst Christmas. I'd love to hear some of your anecdotes on the same subject.
My parents divorced when I was about five years old and both remarried so my brother and I had two sets of parents. Unfortunately none of them wanted to be called 'Mum  or Dad'. We had to call them by their first names which was very unusual in those days.
One Christmas when my brother and I were in our early teens they decided we would all spend Christmas together – yes that's right – both sets of parents and my brother and I under the same roof. My mother and stepfather (with whom we lived) provided a turkey, cake and mince pies  whilst my step mother and father were supposed to provide the alcohol and everything else.
You can imagine the atmosphere – my brother retreated to his bedroom and left me to be piggy in the middle  and keep the peace. Christmas lunch we got one slice of turkey and no gravy - my step mother and father didn't like gravy so we had to do without as well. We never saw the pudding, mince pies or cake.
After that the turkey and trimmings vanished and I remember we had to find our way to Chelsea (we were in Kilburn) where my step uncle and his wife were staying with his in-laws in order to get something to eat.
Can anyone top that?

The Duke's Dilemma

This is the large print cover.

This is the original cover.

Out 8th December 2012

I'm delighted with my cover, done as always by Jane Dickson-Smith, and think this new one complements the other five perfectly. What do you think? This book will be out on Amazon weekend just in time for Christmas.
The original cover (it was originally published as "The Ghosts of Neddingfield Hall" by Robert Hale ) and shows a perfect winter's day - very seasonal with the knee deep snow. The LP cover is not one that I especially like -although all the other coves from Ulverscroft/Linford are excellent. Which do you prefer?
I wanted to re-release this title in time for Christmas because it has a winter landscape – ideal for this time of year.I was tempted to ask Jane for a more festive feel to the cover but decided against it – do you think I made the right decision?

Hannah's War & Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley

Available again on Amazon £1.99

Available on Amazon  £1.99

I'm just letting you know that I've re-published Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley and it's available on Amazon. I took it down form Regencyreads and forgot to put it back.

Hannah's War is the second of four WW2 books I've written and is a companion to Barbara's War which was published last month.
I hope you find time to read them both.

Here is the blurb.


World War II brings divided loyalties and tough decisions in this page turning drama from Fenella Miller.
 Hannah Austen-Bagshaw’s privileged background can’t stop her falling in love with working-class pilot, Jack, but Hannah has a secret. Torn between her duty and her humanity, she is sheltering a young German pilot knowing she risks being arrested as a traitor. Hannah’s worst fears are realised when Jack finds out what she has done and their love begins to unravel.
Will her betrayal be too much for Jack to forgive?
Fenella