I have a confession: After all this time I forget which of my novels a particular event happened in. Shhh…. Don’t tell anyone I told you! Perhaps you can answer these questions off the top of your head, but I’ll never know if you cheat and open the books. Heck, I had...
How does a used-candle seller establish one of the most successful and prestigious businesses in British history? Well, if your name is William Fortnum and the candles in question belonged to the royal family, you are well on your way to business success. It all came about like this. William Fortnum...
I know it is WAY past time for an update on what is happening with me and, more importantly, the status of Darcy and Elizabeth: Hope of the Future. All of your queries on Facebook, my website, and via email have not gone unnoticed, trust me. The enthusiasm is marvelous...
Women of the ages past may not have had the wealth of opportunities that women today do, but those who strived for more found a way to make themselves known. Celebrating females of the Regency who stepped beyond the typical roles of the day, today’s post is about famed French...
When it comes to Regency fashion it is difficult to know where to start. Arbitrarily starting on the outside, let’s talk about the garments worn by the ladies of the day for warmth. With the fashion of the time favoring lightweight fabrics with almost no underclothing, women were literally freezing...
Every country has a history of bizarre laws enacted at one time or another. Some were perhaps initiated for a semi-logical reason at the time, at least according to someone’s point of view. Most, however, were stupid from the get-go! And it is surprising how many of these illogical and/or outdated...
Ale has been brewed in England since Roman times if not earlier, and for more than a millennia after every house would have brewed its own ale as a matter of course. Inns brewed their own distinctive beverage, a signature drink as it were! Queen’s College, Oxford brewed its own ale...
Last week I gave a short history for three of the seven listed Wonders of the Ancient World. You can read that post here: Wonders of the Ancient World, part 1. Time to highlight the remaining four. 4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus It appears that the Temple to honor the Ephesian goddess...
Ah, the basic ingredients we take for granted! Flour for cakes and breads that did not depend on adding yeast, today on every grocery store shelf, was once unheard of. Here’s the scoop– Prior to 1845 the only raising agent used in bread was yeast, which spoiled rapidly. This meant that...
I am an avowed, proud Star Wars geek. Yes, I was one of those who stood in line on opening night, gasped in shock at “I am your father!”, and was blindsided by the Luke and Leia sibling reveal. I have read most of the fan fiction novels, and while...
Now, I know this is unrelated to Georgian or Regency England, but I found it fascinating so have decided to devote this week and next Monday to the topic. What do you consider the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world? There are varied lists, although most commonly mentioned are the seven listed...
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs. Although most of the buildings we now call follies are a part of English garden and...
I am very happy to welcome an author pal from Down Under. Yep, all the way from Australia, Suzi Love is in the house! Suzi’s knowledge of Regency history, fashion, and everything in between is phenomenal. It is a pleasure to introduce her to those who may not know of...
The concept of dining away from home is now so engrained and advanced that we drive up to tiny windows for our food. For many people, a night of “fine dining” is hitting the Cracker Barrel or Applebees! Luxury dining to the average person is a rare occurrence saved for...
Another new addition to my Novel and Movie Image Gallery: the Darcy Saga Characters. Once again turning to Google and especially Pinterest for the wealth of copyright-free portrait paintings of people from the past, I have carefully chosen someone for each character in my novels. Based on my internal vision,...
