Word Wenches

Duchesses!

Nicola here. I was very interested in Wench Andrea’s blog a week or so ago about Dukes, and the reality of dukes and dukedoms as opposed to what we see on film and read about in books. This prompted me to think about duchesses, particularly as a new podcast called “Duchess” started recently. It’s a show that explores the inspiring women who are running the stately home of Britain. In it, Emma Manners, the Duchess of Rutland, travels the country and talks to a variety of women about their lives caring for historic houses. It’s quite an eye-opening listen (if that isn’t an odd metaphor!) Despite the very modern approach of some of the chatelaines, there were times when I felt I could have been listening to someone talking in the 19^th century, particularly when the made reference to “taking care of the staff.” It’s all part and parcel of running a modern estate.

One of the messages that came over clearly from all the participants of the show was that life changes forever when you marry and take on the care of one of Britain’s most historic buildings. Of course you get to live in the most amazing setting and enjoy all the treasures of a grand pile, but you are sharing your home with visitors and need some privacy some of the time.

Meet Sue Moorcroft

Christina here and today it is my very great pleasure to have my friend and fellow UK author Sue Moorcroft as my guest – welcome to the Word Wenches, Sue!

Thank you, Christina. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Sue writes contemporary romance and her latest book, Under the Italian Sun, is out on Thursday this week. I had the great honour of reading an ARC and I can safely say it’s absolutely fabulous and the perfect spring/summer read! Please tell us a little bit about this story.

Thank you so much for your kind comments! I’m delighted you enjoyed Under the Italian Sun.

Zia’s search for her unknown father and the truth behind why she apparently has two mothers carries readers off to a rocky plateau above an Italian vineyard. Zia’s relationship has ended and her best friend Ursula’s on a break so it seems a good moment to leave England behind and try to discover why Zia’s family has apparently been keeping secrets about her past. She finds a woman who shares her name and Piero, who’s fighting to keep his home.

Chesapeake!

Cruising the Chesapeake

by Mary Jo

A vacation!  A real vacation!  The Mayhem Consultant and I are recently returned from a 10 day cruise of the Chesapeake Bay with a Revolutionary War theme. 

The cruise was with American Cruise Lines, a small ship cruise company that operates entirely within the US, including having ships built in Maryland and an all-American crew.  In these uncertain times, all passengers and crew had to be fully vaccinated and other safety protocols were followed.  We all obeyed because a real vacation was so lovely.

 

A "Booktown" Getaway

Anne here. Last weekend I was able to get away out into the country for the first time in over a year. The occasion was a book event — not about my books; this was a crime fiction event in a "booktown".

The place was the small former gold-rush town of Clunes, in central Victoria — two hours from Melbourne, and an hour or so from the city of Ballarat, which was built on the profits of the gold rush that took place here in the 1850's.

Clunes was one of the first places in Victoria where gold was discovered. By 1860 it had a population of more than 6000. It was prosperous enough for substantial community buildings to be built in the 1870's — churches, schools, a hospital, a free library, as well as local government buildings like the Town Hall and Court House. The main streets were even lit by gas. (The photo below is of the primary school.)

But the gold eventually ran out and the population dwindled, falling to a low of just 691 people in 1971. And like most small country towns, it needed to find a new way to survive.

Clunes, being a pretty little town with a well-preserved 19th century heritage, has always had its fair share of tourists, but the community has gone one step further and decided to become a "booktown." And it's obviously working, as these days Clunes has a population of around 1700 people.

What is a "booktown" you ask? It's a town that focuses on books. In the case of Clunes that means lots of shops that sell books — new, second-hand, and antiquarian, plus a focus on encouraging literary events, and a number of "pop-up" book stalls that come for the events.

Sweatpants Chic!

Andrea here. One thing I’ve noticed during the pandemic shutdown is how many more people I see outdoors exercising—from running, biking, golfing, tennis . . . or just walking the dog or enjoying a leisurely stroll. With so many of our normal activities curtailed (thank heavens things are beginning to open up again) getting outside and moving has been a welcome interlude amid all the hours spent indoors at home.

Seeing all the physical activity got me to thinking about athletic clothing. You know—sneakers, sweatpants, t-shirts, synchilla vests, running tights, and all the other accouterments. And it struck how much the gym look has become our new normal. Admit it—when was the last time you put on a pair of pants with a waistband and zipper? (My answer is a little frightening!) I can’t remember the last time I saw a man in business suit . . .

What We Are Reading

Christina here with this month’s round-up of Wenchly book recommendations! The recent beautiful spring weather, and the fact that lockdown has been easing in many places, has meant that the Wenches have been able to go out and about a bit more, but we have still been doing quite a lot of reading. Below we have another eclectic selection for you – from fantasy to romcom to Shakespeare (well, sort of) and more – and we hope that you will join in as always with your own recommendations!

Anne:  Two very different books have hit the spot for me this month. The first is An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris, the first in her "Gunny Rose" series. Set in an alternative "America" where a combination of the 'flu plague of the early 20th century, the assassination of the US president, the escape from Imperial Russia by the Tsar and all his court, fleeing The Red Army, and general "wild west" style lawlessness in some parts of the country have resulted in the break up of the former USA and the formation of "new" countries or territories.

Lizbeth Rose is a 19 year old "gunny" – a brilliant sharp-shooter whose job it is to guard people and shipments from outlaws, would-be-slavers and thieves, and there are plenty of them. Add in a paranormal thread, where some of the Russian refugees (now running a territory called the Holy Russian Empire – California to the Canadian border) can perform magic, and you have a cracking good yarn.

There's quite a lot of shooting and killing, but isn't the kind of graphic violence I shrink from. Only baddies are killed. And Gunny Rose is a very appealing character – loyal, principled, and she's never failed a client – yet. And of course there's a handsome Russian wizard on a secret mission who keeps getting in her way. The first book in the series is called An Easy Death, which is what people traditionally wish gunnies when they head off on a mission. I've since read the other two in the series and can't wait for #4.

Ireland Revisited

The Emerald Isle: Another classic travel blog

 by Mary Jo

Ironically, yesterday the Mayhem Consultant and I returned from our first vacation in a year and a half: a cruise of the Chesapeake Bay.  But I didn't have the time to write a proper blog, so I'm recycling an older blog about a week we spent in Ireland, because who doesn't want to visit Ireland???

The Mayhem Consultant and I sailed from New York to Southampton on the Queen Mary 2 purely to enjoy the leisure and romance of a transatlantic crossing.  But once we reached England, we certainly weren’t going to waste being in Europe! 

We’d vaguely planned to go to Ireland some day.  I’d spent a week there many, many years ago when I was living in England, and the MC had never visited Ireland at all.  Clearly, it was time. <G> 

Neither the MC nor I have any known Irish blood, but no matter.  We loved Ireland for its beauty, wonderful friendly people, and deep sense of history. Rather than ramble on indefinitely, here’s a few bits and pieces, with a modest selection of pictures.  (Ireland is a very photogenic country!):

Travel the easy way:

We decided to try something new: instead of hiring a car ourselves, we’d hire a car with a driver/guide to take us around.  No stress, and a driver who not only knew the fun, off the beaten track places, but could tell us the history.  We worked through an agency recommended by a friend of a friend, and the Ireland Chauffeur Travel company turned out to be a good pick.  We worked out an itinerary, rooms were booked, and it worked as smoothly as silk. 

We were particularly lucky with our guide, John Daly, Besides being capable, welcoming, and knowledgeable, he’was a certified tour guide with a special expertise in Irish history.  Hog heaven for a historical novelist! 

 by Mary Jo

Ironically, yesterday the Mayhem Consultant and I returned from our first vacation in a year and a half: a cruise of the Chesapeake Bay.  But I didn't have the time to write a proper blog, so I'm recycling an older blog about a week we spent in Ireland, because who doesn't want to visit Ireland???

The Mayhem Consultant and I sailed from New York to Southampton on the Queen Mary 2 purely to enjoy the leisure and romance of a transatlantic crossing.  But once we reached England, we certainly weren’t going to waste being in Europe! 

We’d vaguely planned to go to Ireland some day.  I’d spent a week there many, many years ago when I was living in England, and the MC had never visited Ireland at all.  Clearly, it was time. <G> 

Neither the MC nor I have any known Irish blood, but no matter.  We loved Ireland for its beauty, wonderful friendly people, and deep sense of history. Rather than ramble on indefinitely, here’s a few bits and pieces, with a modest selection of pictures.  (Ireland is a very photogenic country!):

Travel the easy way:

We decided to try something new: instead of hiring a car ourselves, we’d hire a car with a driver/guide to take us around.  No stress, and a driver who not only knew the fun, off the beaten track places, but could tell us the history.  We worked through an agency recommended by a friend of a friend, and the Ireland Chauffeur Travel company turned out to be a good pick.  We worked out an itinerary, rooms were booked, and it worked as smoothly as silk. 

We were particularly lucky with our guide, John Daly, Besides being capable, welcoming, and knowledgeable, he’was a certified tour guide with a special expertise in Irish history.  Hog heaven for a historical novelist! 

Sea Fever!

Nicola here. After long winter months of bad weather and lock down, the idea of going to the beach for some fresh sea air to blow away the cobwebs was irresistible and so last week we took a trip to Norfolk (UK) and to a little seaside village called Sea Palling on the East coast.

Maybe it’s because I’ve always lived a long way away from the sea that I often have a longing to see the ocean. A lot of us love it, I know; there’s something so soothing about the surge and fall of the waves and so refreshing about the sea breeze and the big open skies. It feels as though it’s doing you good.

Good St George's Day

"May I come in, St. George?" said the Boy politely, as he paused at the door. "I want to talk to you about this little matter of the dragon, if you're not too tired of it by this time." -- Kenneth Grahame, The Reluctant Dragon

Happy Saint George's Day! April 23 is Saint George’s Day in England, where he has long been regarded as England’s chivalric patron, synonymous not only with dragon-slaying but chivalry too.

Susan here - with another look at this fascinating warrior-saint and his iconograpy, a prototype of the dragon-slaying, rescuing, protective warrior-hero. Every Saint George's Day, I'm all into it. Why? I did my art history doctoral dissertation years back on the iconography of the hero in medieval art as personified by St. George. How did an ancient martyr of the Church (who never saw a dragon in his life) become the most recognized symbol of chivalry and knighthood in England and practically everywhere? I tracked that question by studying the images and iconography of the hero in medieval art — St. George being the best known of an interesting collection of military saints and dragon-slayers. Images and mementoes of knights and dragons still decorate my home and office, and the research for that project taught me a lot about the nature of the hero ... which came in very handy when I started writing novels.

The original George was a 4th century Christian martyr in central Turkey, most likely a soldier who served under Emperor Diocletian. George defended his religion and suffered the consequences, for he was arrested, dragged by horses and beheaded (among other gruesome tortures); documents in the Vatican apparently referring to his death are dated 23 April, 303; that became his feast day. There were other military saints, like Julian and Mercurius (and the Archangel Michael, in a class by himself), but St. George rose to fame after he supposedly appeared in the sky over a crusading French army and saved the day.

The story spread and grew, and before long his legend was conflated with other myths, such as Perseus and Andromeda, and other slayers of monsters/rescuers of damsels. In England his feats became connected with pagan rites of the cycle of birth, growth and resurrection—and the dragon-slayer so venerated in medieval England was born.

His image is well known to us today, and he is depicted in countless examples of medieval art. His cult grew by leaps and bounds as chivalry gained deep footing in medieval society. He was declared patron saint of the famed Order of the Garter in 1348, and his red cross on a white ground was included in countless heraldic emblems; later it was incorporated into the British Union Jack. By the time St. George appeared in the wildly popular Golden Legend, a collection of saints’ tales, his fame was assured.

As knighthood and chivalry flourished, George—being  a saint, after all—served as the pinnacle of those ideals. He exhibited all the best qualities of chivalric behavior, especially toward women -- he was polite, considerate, and romantic yet chaste. Partnered with the Virgin Mary or with the princess saved from the dragon in art and literature, George was the perfect medieval knight, revered, prayed to, emulated.

“St. George the English knight/Over your ffomen geve you myghte” went a popular English prayer, and “St. George!” was a common war cry for English soldiers and knights.

The French response to the English rallying cry, particularly during the Hundred Years War, translates to “It would stick in my throat if I cried ‘St. George,’ because I’m a good Frenchman.” 

As for dragon-slaying and chivalric behaviors, George was not the first, but he was the best known—the mythic type of the dragon-slayer so familiar to us today owes a great deal to the storytellers who embellished his story over the years. In parts of England every April 23, while the holiday isn’t a big deal anymore, there are mock dragon-fights by reenactors and kids line up to take a whack at paper dragons with a lance to rescue the princess.

Chivalry isn’t dead by a long shot, and the values he represented centuries ago still endure. St. George and his myth helped foster and keep that alive for a very long time – and today romance writers and other fiction authors (sci fi and fantasy, for instance) find ways to carry on the tradition of great romantic, chivalric heroes, dragon-slayers in so many guises, in countless stories. 

Here's a quick few of my favorite dragon-slayers or dragon-keepers (let's be equitable!) in books and movies: 

Saint George and the Dragon, Margaret Hodges

The Dragon and the George (great series!), Gordon R. Dickson

Anne McCaffery, The Dragonriders of Pern series

Christopher Paolini, Eragon (series)

Mary Brown, The Unexpected Dragon

Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin (Daenerys Targaryen is an incredible character and mother of dragons) 

Dragonslayer, fabulous movie

There are so many others ... 

Who are your favorite dragon-slaying or dragon-keeping heroes and heroines in myths, books, movies?

Arsenic and old wallpaper

Anne here. There I was, blithely writing a scene of my hero standing in his newly refurbished bedroom, and briefly describing what it looked like to set the scene. I'd already fallen down a general wallpaper rabbit hole — there are so many gorgeous wallpapers from that period. (Here's a National Trust site that has some beauties.)

But my hero is rather a plain man, and the gorgeous Chinese wallpapers I fancied were not the kind of thing he'd want in his bedchamber — perhaps in more public rooms in the house, but not where he slept.

So I gave him a nicely masculine room, with a green bamboo patterned wallpaper, and I had him pulling back his curtains — plain dark green with a kind of watermark pattern (which is male-speak for damask) — and looking down into the garden below. . . but as I continued writing, getting to the actual meat of the scene, a little voice started nagging at my brain.

Something about the color green and arsenic. So naturally I hit google . . . and fell down another research rabbit hole.

You see in the 18th and 19th century all kinds of experiments with chemicals and dyes were going on, and in 1771 a Swedish chemist called Carl Sheele used copper arsenite (which contains arsenic) to create a bright green dye. In 1814, Wilhelm Sattler, a German industrialist, improved on it by using arsenic and verdigris for a better green. The pigment could also be mixed to create bright yellows and rich blues.