Romantic Fiction, Reality Shaping and The Work

[iamthatis]

I confess that I haven't been able to bring myself to give these romantic novels a try, though I get the idea of them having indeed a place and a function within our current lives, though I'm not really sure whether my conceptualization of their value is off the mark or not. To me, any fiction literature in general, whether it is romantic, fantasy, horror, science fiction, or any other genre, is a powerful tool for developing certain abilities that will eventually enable us to "transcend" our current limited 3D reality. Possibly, the two main tools to achieve this goal are:

Creative Imagination: our now somewhat dormant capacity to create realities and inhabit them, presumably put in abeyance through interference but maybe also through our personal decision to give preeminence to the Ego sphere. Once the skill is sharpened to a high degree we will presumably get to a level of expertise where we are able to flesh out the image-prompts supplied by the novel (landscapes, characters, events) to such a "realistic" level that they become totally immersive and as legitimate as any other reality. At this point we may be able to reclaim our status of co-creators.

Empathy: forget the all-consuming, ego-centered personal concerns and plunge into the reality of others to the point where we can feel as they feel and we can indeed "merge" with them for a while. This would be a sort of "drill" or practice-run to develop the abilities that will eventually enable us to merge with our multidimensional selves.

That said, I think though you could just as well become a powerful creator of realities with the Creative Imagination tool alone, but developing the Empathy side of the equation will possibly enable us to align with more desirable STO realities.

It goes without saying that literature, whether printed or in audio-book format, is particularly useful to acquire and develop this Creative Imagination tool, whereas movies and TV in contrast, in my opinion, can very well stifle it.

If you read Laura's intro post, though, you'll see that these books are very particular and not 'just any fiction'. They activate the sexual centre and the emotional centre specifically, leading to the release and healing of all kinds of karmic wounds, as evidenced by all the testimony in the thread. I've never before had quite the depth of experience and understanding of human relationships as can be had by reading these books. So I'd say that yes, without simply just trying them out, your conceptualization of their value is off the mark.

 

[Honzap]

I did a search for Stella Riley in this thread and realized there's nothing .

Laura recommended her books last year, and I was lucky enough to give them a try. I thought the first series, a historical romance novel set during the Civil War in England, would take me at least half a year to read. It took me practically less than a month! She's just an EXCELLENT writer, and some of the stories are totally fascinating. The historical background gives them a punch. The author dug up old records and even cites word by word (but in modern English) the court case against the King.

Her non-historical romance novels are also great, and I just finished with the Rockliffe series. In total, some 11 books. I still have some left from other series, thanks God!

It doesn't matter how you feel or how busy or not you are, you can always count on Stella Riley to put you in a different state of mind.

For me, it felt like time travelling through history and healing wounds as you resonate with the dramas that the characters go through as they resolve their issues. It puts things into perspective, too. We surely live in interesting times, but when you re-visit history, you definitely get the sense of being in a time-loop.

Here's her website:

Bookshelf

Welcome to the 18th Century & Georgian England Click on the book to view its description THE SHADOW SERIES THE BRANDON BROTHERS THE ROCKLIFFE SERIES with Novella ROCKLIFFE BOX SETS 1 & 2 Welcome to the 17th Century, English Civil War & the Restoration ROUNDHEADS & CAVALIERS SERIES English Civil...

stellarileybooks.co.uk

Thus far, I read the Roundheads and Cavaliers series, and the Rockliffe series.

I concur Stella Riley is it!

I thought Roundheads and Cavaliers book series was really good. Historical accuracy, story-telling and nice depth too.

But Rockliffe series is another level entirely. Not so much historical referrence this time, but human characters and close study of their personalities... Usually when reading books I can keep my distance. Not with Rockliffe, it drew me straight in and didn`t let go till the end. Wow.

 

[Aliana]

Laura recommended her books last year, and I was lucky enough to give them a try. I thought the first series, a historical romance novel set during the Civil War in England, would take me at least half a year to read. It took me practically less than a month! She's just an EXCELLENT writer, and some of the stories are totally fascinating. The historical background gives them a punch. The author dug up old records and even cites word by word (but in modern English) the court case against the King.

Yes, I heartily agree! I had taken a break from reading the romance novels, until @Laurs mentioned this new series by Stella Riley. I bought the first book in the Cavaliers and Roundheads series and was immediately engaged. They are long as there is much historical detail, but they are fascinating and i loved the characters - particularly Luciano in the first book, as he is so different than many of the male protagonists in the other series. Also interesting, is that the first two books in the series (haven't read the third one) are also mysteries, so there's a bit of a 'whodunnit' in the story as well as romance.

I am rather ignorant as regards English history, so went to YouTube and did a search on the civil war - there are many documentaries / podcasts - some are fairly short and others are longer and more detailed. I found this one, which is longish (over an hour) but i liked his style! Am looking forward to reading her other books.

 

[seek10]

I added few books mentioned after my last update. Here are list of newly added books

BookID	Author	Series	Book #	Book Name
319	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	1	The Heir
320	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	2	The Soldier
321	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	4	The Virtuoso
322	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	3	Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish
323	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	5	Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal
324	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	6	Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight
325	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	7	Lady Eve's Indiscretion
326	Grace Burrowes	The Windham	8	Lady Jenny's Christmas Portrait
327	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	1	Miss Delectable
328	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	2	Miss Delightful
329	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	3	Miss Dignified
330	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	4	Miss Desirable
331	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	5	Miss Dauntless
332	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	6	Miss Devoted
333	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	7	Miss Determined
334	Grace Burrowes	Mischief in Mayfair	8	Miss Dashing
335	Stella Riley	Rockliffe	1	The Parfit Knight
336	Stella Riley	Rockliffe	2	The Mésalliance
337	Stella Riley	Rockliffe	3	The Player
338	Stella Riley	Rockliffe	4	The Wicked Cousin
339	Stella Riley	Rockliffe	5	Hazard
340	Stella Riley	Rockliffe	6	Cadenza
341	Stella Riley	Rockliffe	7	Midwinter Magic
342	Stella Riley	Brandon Brothers	1	A Trick of Fate
343	Stella Riley	Brandon Brothers	2	Under A Dark Moon: Brandon Brothers - Adam
344	Stella Riley	Brandon Brothers	3	The Montesoro Legacy
345	Stella Riley	Roundheads & Cavaliers	1	The Black Madonna
346	Stella Riley	Roundheads & Cavaliers	2	Garland of Straw
347	Stella Riley	Roundheads & Cavaliers	3	The King's Falcon
348	Stella Riley	Roundheads & Cavaliers	4	Lords of Misrule
349	Stella Riley			The Shadow Earl
350	Stella Riley			The Marigold Chain
351	Anne Gracie			The Laird's Bride

Here is the site
URL: Books Reading Project
Please let me know if you have any questions or issues.

 

[Voyageur]

Mary Balogh's new book Always Remember is out. It's book 3 of the Ravenwood series. I'm in middle of it and enjoying it.

Once again, and as an aside - or not because it may lead into something else later, in the Westcott series there is the character, Bertrand Lamarr. In this Ravenswood series Lamarr steps into the story.

Balogh is like that, with the ability to bring people from other family realities into new ones, even many years later.

Re Stella Riley:

Stella Riley in this thread and realized there's nothing .

Laura recommended her books last year, and I was lucky enough to give them a try.

Wonderful, looking forward to reading her work.

There is a comment section at the bottom of the bookshelf page, where Stella replies to the readers’ questions. She shows some backbone in her comment, where she remarks whether she would like the Rockliffe books to be adapted into a tv-series:

It’s very flattering that you think Rock & Co worthy of a TV series but, truthfully, I’m not sure how I’d feel about that. I’ve seen what television has done to Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series. I don’t think I’d like that done to Rockliffe – regardless of the mone

I haven’t seen Bridgerton (the books are brilliant), but it was critiqued for the unnecessary race swapping, and also the overall quality of it was not quite up to par from what I understood. So kudos to Stella for not ”selling her soul”!

My 3 minute introduction to the Bridgerton thing was enough for me. It seems to be quite popular (if only for those who would rather not read, although I don't know), yet I'm with Stella here. Good for her.

Edit:

I added few books mentioned after my last update. Here are list of newly added books

Great!

 

[Maya]

Hi guys, I just wanted to share this awesome page in case you don't know about it.

Sorry if someone already mentioned it before but it was huge discovery for me
since I really don't have enough money to buy so many books at the moment and for sure I'm not the only one here.

I'm finishing The Wescott series at the moment and I must admit I'm in love with them.
I'm so glad that was the first thing to read in this project because it hit home for me big time.

Family. Belonging. Being loved, accepted and cared of. Something I never had in this life so far.
I was going to sleep and waking up with them every day. It's was so comforting and heart warming for me.


And thanks to your recomendation I will continue with some Stella Riley books, so here is the site

[Mod note: Link removed]

Cheers

 

[Liliea]

I confess that I haven't been able to bring myself to give these romantic novels a try, though I get the idea of them having indeed a place and a function within our current lives, though I'm not really sure whether my conceptualization of their value is off the mark or not.

And I confess that now it is very difficult for me to put them down. I started reading them when Laura suggested it as an interesting way of reading to "feel", the truth is that I did not imagine that it would change my life and I am very happy because unlike any historical or fiction novel, this type of novel has the ability to connect with your deep reality on a very intimate level and in a more objective way that a movie can not achieve and I would even say that neither an audiobook. My experience is that after having read many novels -more than 100- I have realized that there is an exercise of resonance in the voices, a connection with the visualization that one builds of the image and a conscious management of the energy of the body that rises to the higher centers. It is almost a type of meditation, less induced but equally spiritual besides being a therapeutic aid, it is a joy for the spirit and one learns that happy endings exist, not only because they are written there, but also because one actually begins to experience them in daily life. About the latter I have had many experiences such as a closer or more intense awareness with nature or going to take the "waters" in places that in my life I never knew existed. All in all it has been a very fun learning experience.

 

[Luftalchimist]

It is almost a type of meditation, less induced but equally spiritual besides being a therapeutic aid, it is a joy for the spirit and one learns that happy endings exist, not only because they are written there, but also because one actually begins to experience them in daily life

Quite enlightening. Thanks for the feedback. I think it is somewhere stated in the Seth material that if you are emotionally invested in an idea, then the events in your life begin to mirror that idea back into your immediate experience and to reinforce the conviction that the idea has merits and "weight" in your life. A sort of feedback loop is established, and if this is so, it is incumbent upon us to try to root out possible negative feedback loops and try instead to bring about positive feedback loops, the ones that will help us grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally.

 

[Maya]

Here is the site
URL: Books Reading Project
Please let me know if you have any questions or issues.

Can you please help me fix or delete it for me ?
I made double entries for 3 books on my list and I don't know how to delete it.
Thank you so much.
I will be more careful next time, now I see how it works.

 

[seek10]

Can you please help me fix or delete it for me ?
I made double entries for 3 books on my list and I don't know how to delete it.
Thank you so much.
I will be more careful next time, now I see how it works.

You don't need to delete the duplicates, thought it shows up as duplicates. The number of books read are shown as unique books (each book is counted as 1 only)

 

[Maya]

You don't need to delete the duplicates, thought it shows up as duplicates. The number of books read are shown as unique books (each book is counted as 1 only)

Ok then, thank you once more !

 

[Liliea]

it is incumbent upon us to try to root out possible negative feedback loops and try instead to bring about positive feedback loops, the ones that will help us grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally.

The term loop seems to me something restrictive and limiting in learning, notice that we have been "educated" with that. And yes, of course it becomes totally necessary to find "the negative loop" (the trauma) and it is in romance novels where, for example, you can locate something that makes you uncomfortable and for "self-preservation" you ignore it, so you must continue reading (other books) until you find yourself confronted with the problem. Analogously to this comes to my memory the musical fragment of Eric Satie about repetitions which, I insist, is not a loop, it is the interpretation that repeats itself creatively (cycle), as are the "series" in the continuation of the reading. The "healing" of this "pain-loop" occurs almost as a principle of alchemy, in the conscious sensation of transmuting an emotional pain into an act of understanding and forgiveness or whatever you decide.

I think if we were to go further, there would come a time when we would use that alchemy in a more everyday way and be able to deal better with forgiveness in the outside world, and yes why not, configure a new reality.

So, it seems that it might be possible to assist in altering reality by undertaking activities that remove fear, intimidation, inhibition and even entering into such realities via positive dissociation. These books, with all the qualities I’ve described above, appear to be a darn good way to do that. It’s not “heavy” literature, but entertainment of a very specific sort that engages emotions and depicts very positive role models and behaviors.

 

[Maya]

The term loop seems to me something restrictive and limiting in learning, notice that we have been "educated" with that. And yes, of course it becomes totally necessary to find "the negative loop" (the trauma) and it is in romance novels where, for example, you can locate something that makes you uncomfortable and for "self-preservation" you ignore it, so you must continue reading (other books) until you find yourself confronted with the problem. Analogously to this comes to my memory the musical fragment of Eric Satie about repetitions which, I insist, is not a loop, it is the interpretation that repeats itself creatively (cycle), as are the "series" in the continuation of the reading. The "healing" of this "pain-loop" occurs almost as a principle of alchemy, in the conscious sensation of transmuting an emotional pain into an act of understanding and forgiveness or whatever you decide.

I think if we were to go further, there would come a time when we would use that alchemy in a more everyday way and be able to deal better with forgiveness in the outside world, and yes why not, configure a new reality.

Since I was a kid I just loved love movies with happy ending just like this novels now.
Just because of that magical change of heart in characters who are in some kind of agony.

'It's painful, it's hard, maybe unfair, maybe people will judge me,.....bla, bla, bla..
But it is also right thing to do. Damn ! I'm doing it, yeah ! '

I always thought what a wonderful place world would be if much more people even try to follow that example.
To be a hero as JP said. It is why we are here.

But also most life I ignored most occasions when my alchemy could take place.
Because I was weak and ignorant and it obviously wasn't the right time yet.
That's why learning is most important thing.

After cycle of enough stupid things if you have at least theoretical useful knowledge about self and the world
and you are lucky enough to get final push by someone's good example ( or some other shock )
And you heart is finnaly plugged in your brain the right way.

And the magic of your transformation is begining to unfold.
That biggest 'aha' moment took place for me 6 years ago while watching video of Roxette song 'It just happens' .
Yes, I know it sounds funny but it is exactly like positive influence of romantic fiction.
It makes you wanna be like that.
Suddenly you know what's right thing to do and you're
unstopable with all the good and kind things you are here to give for the once who need it.

 

[manitoban]

I did a search for Stella Riley in this thread and realized there's nothing .

Laura recommended her books last year, and I was lucky enough to give them a try. I thought the first series, a historical romance novel set during the Civil War in England, would take me at least half a year to read. It took me practically less than a month! She's just an EXCELLENT writer, and some of the stories are totally fascinating. The historical background gives them a punch. The author dug up old records and even cites word by word (but in modern English) the court case against the King.

Her non-historical romance novels are also great, and I just finished with the Rockliffe series. In total, some 11 books. I still have some left from other series, thanks God!

It doesn't matter how you feel or how busy or not you are, you can always count on Stella Riley to put you in a different state of mind.

For me, it felt like time travelling through history and healing wounds as you resonate with the dramas that the characters go through as they resolve their issues. It puts things into perspective, too. We surely live in interesting times, but when you re-visit history, you definitely get the sense of being in a time-loop.

Here's her website:

Bookshelf

Welcome to the 18th Century & Georgian England Click on the book to view its description THE SHADOW SERIES THE BRANDON BROTHERS THE ROCKLIFFE SERIES with Novella ROCKLIFFE BOX SETS 1 & 2 Welcome to the 17th Century, English Civil War & the Restoration ROUNDHEADS & CAVALIERS SERIES English Civil...

stellarileybooks.co.uk

Thus far, I read the Roundheads and Cavaliers series, and the Rockliffe series.

Thanks so much for this recommendation Gaby. After reading over 60 Mary Balogh, it was time for a change. I started the Rockliffe series. (on book 3) and they are great! She does a wonderful job of setting the atmosphere of the times, excellent characters, and the books flow very nicely from one to the next, Very glad I have so many more left to read!

 

[Voyageur]

I started the Rockliffe series. (on book 3) and they are great! She does a wonderful job of setting the atmosphere of the times, excellent characters, and the books flow very nicely from one to the next, Very glad I have so many more left to read!

Same book for me, really love the series and style. Thus far, they are a little different from others. They also have fast paced dialogue and scenes between characters.

As Gaby said "The historical background gives them a punch." With only a few read, can see how she delves in - example the historical Cinque Ports.