Word Wenches

The "Polite Visitor."

Nicola here. I imagine that a lot of people are, like me, missing their visits to historical houses and heritage sites, and can’t wait for a time when we can all go out and enjoy them again. Country house visiting has, of course, been a hobby for tourists for hundreds of years. One of the best descriptions of it in fiction comes from Pride and Prejudice, when Lizzie Bennett, in company with her aunt and uncle, visits Pemberley on their trip to Derbyshire. They are shown round by the housekeeper, giving Lizzie the chance to reflect on the house she could have been mistress of if only she hadn’t turned down Mr Darcy. The fact that Lizzie thinks that Mr Darcy is from home only to discover he’s just arrived, adds a wonderful, romantic twist to the story.

It’s fun to think that in normal times we can gawp at grand houses in the manner of our ancestors although these days a lot of places provide more entertainment for the visitor than you might have got in the eighteenth century with shops, tea rooms, exhibitions, talks and lots of activities for children. Heritage sites compete for our business in contrast to the past when it was considered an honour to be allowed to visit the home of the Duke of Wherever.

The Passage of Time

Christina here. Before the pandemic, I think it’s fair to say that most of us were very aware of time and it was very important to us – even ruled our lives. We were setting alarms to get up in the morning, checking train or bus schedules to get to work by a certain time, having our lunch at a precise time, plus there were appointments to keep and tv programmes to watch. Being late was something we tried to avoid and we probably glanced at our watch (or the time display on our mobile) regularly, sometimes obsessively, during the day. My days weren’t quite so strictly scheduled as I’m self-employed and work from home, but when I still had my dogs (now sadly deceased), their stomachs had time-keeping down to a fine art. They structured my time and they would never have let me get away with not taking them for a walk at the same hour every day. In other words, I lived by the clock.

However, after nearly a year in lockdown, I’m finding that the concept of time is becoming very fluid. It’s almost as though we’re living in a dream, where everything is unreal or even surreal. There are no appointments, no specific times to keep, no rush or urgency about anything. The days simply float into one another seamlessly, with nothing to distinguish them from one another. Mostly I have no idea what day or date it is, and I find I don’t care because it doesn’t matter. The only day that registers even vaguely is Sunday, and that is only because I have a weekly chat scheduled then with two friends. And Sunday seems to come around approximately every second day!

What We're Reading: February

Susan's yard last week.

February! A great time to snuggle up and read, no matter where you are -- and the Wenches, scattered around the globe as we are, have had snowstorms, icy blasts, balmy west coast days, and hot southern hemisphere days too while we've done our February reading. We've had some Valentine chocolates, and hot cocoa or iced drinks to comfort that summer/winter vibe--all while contemplating our towering TBR stacks even as we face down deadlines, edits, and all the things that Life can throw at us. No matter what that may be, we always have great books to share.  

Andrea -

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Lauren Willig’s new book, Band of Sisters, which releases on March 2, and absolutely loved it. Based on a true story, the novel follows the adventures of the Smith College Relief Unit, a band of 18 young recent women graduates—led by an charismatic women professor and two women doctors—who volunteer to head to the front in war-torn France during WWI to help the villagers in several small towns rebuild their lives. Little do they know what lies ahead . . .

We see the story through the eyes of two best friends in college, who have drifted apart in the couple of years after graduation. Kate is a scholarship girl, ekeing out a living in a teaching job she dislikes, while Emmie—whose mother is a well-known Suffragette—is from a wealthy and privileged family. Kate is more pragmatic, while Emmie is cheerfully idealist . . . and when they arrive in France both soon find their expectations and their resolve tested in ways that defy their imagination. From literally putting together the trucks they need to drive from a pile of parts in crates to buying agricultural supplies and 70 chickens for laying eggs—which turn out to be roosters!— the challenges are both hilarious and poignant. And as Kate and Emmie try to deal with the complexities of their friendship, they and the other women find themselves tested on a far great scale as they realize how many men, women and children are counting on them for survival. The front lines are perilously close, with the danger of attack looming over them every day. The stresses build, the girls bicker . . . but somehow hold everything together.

Willig had access to the original letters written by the real-life Smith College Relief Unit and many of the actual incidents they went through are portrayed in the novel. It’s a wonderful and inspiring story of how “ordinary" people find it in themselves to be heroes. There’s both humor and heartbreak, and in the end it’s a cheer-aloud celebration of the power of friendship and hope against all odds. I highly recommend it!

Christina -

Many years ago, my niece asked me to read Just Listen by Sarah Dessen in order to help her write a paper for school about it and I was totally blown away. That book introduced me to YA and it is still one of the best I’ve ever read. Recently I picked up another Sarah Dessen book – The Rest of the Story– and really loved that as well. In fact, the characters have stayed in my head all week and just won’t let go – to me that’s the sign of a truly great book.

Emma Saylor Payne’s mother, a drug addict and alcoholic, died when she was 12 and since then she’s lived with her dad and grandmother. She hasn’t seen any of her mother’s relatives since she was 4, but she remembers the stories her mother told of the magically beautiful lake where she grew up. When Emma is unexpectedly sent to spend the summer there, she has to reconnect with a grandmother, aunt and cousins she never knew she had, and it turns out to be a summer she’ll never forget. Finally, she gets to hear the rest of her mother’s story, the truth about her past, and it changes her perception of everything, including her dad. Emma’s mother came from a working class environment, whereas Emma’s dad had a more privileged background. At the lake, there is a poor area on one side, and a resort for the rich on the other – and the two don’t mix. Except they did when Emma’s parents met. Now she finds there are two sides to her heritage and she has to reconcile them – one family calls her Emma, one calls her Saylor. Which one does she want to be? And then there is Roo, the boy she apparently met aged four and formed a bond with, one she’d forgotten and yet hasn’t, because she feels an instant connection with him. Roo is the kind of boy I wish I’d met at that age. He is just so wonderful I fell in love with him along with Emma.

I don’t know if Wench readers like YA, but if you do, I’d highly recommend both of those (and all Sarah Dessen’s other books as well). They don't just deal with romance, but with real life issues and problems, and there is no sugar-coating whatsoever. The stories are visceral and just pull you in completely. 

Nicola -

Nicola here. I’ve just finished The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, which I thoroughly enjoyed. A number of Wenches have enthused about her Ruth Galloway series and I adore those too. This book seems to follow something of a trend in the UK of “cosy crime” stories involving older people in retirement homes. It’s funny and Elly Griffiths’ characterisation is wonderful as always as a disparate group of sleuths set out to try and solve a series of murders. It’s also set in the publishing world so there is a road trip to the Aberdeen Literary Festival and lots of cute asides about writing and publishing. If you like crime without too much gore, blood and forensics you might enjoy this although the policewoman in the book makes the point that “there’s nothing cosy about murder.” Absolutely. There’s also a very sweet, unlikely romance in it as well, which had me rooting for the couple. A really engrossing mystery and a great read.

The Duke’s Runaway Bride by Jenni Fletcher had me at the title. It’s the third in the Regency Belles of Bath mini-series but works fine as a standalone story, though I’ll be going back to catch up on the first two books in the series. Beatrix, Duchess of Roxbury, ran away from her arranged marriage shortly after the vows were exchanged and assumed a new identity in Bath. She had her own, excellent reasons for doing this and after a while, writes to her husband asking for an annulment or a divorce. However Quinton Roxbury isn’t inclined to agree; his family is mired in scandal already and he can’t face another one. Quinton and Beatrix strike a bargain, and in the process, learn a lot about each other and themselves… What I particularly liked about this book was the way that the couple communicated openly with each other. It felt grown up and realistic. They started to understand each other and you could see how their emotional relationship developed from there. It was very satisfying and enjoyable.

Anne -

Anne here. One historical romance, one historical novel, and a whole bunch of crime novels for me this month. The historical romance was an oldie — a reread of Georgette Heyer's The Talisman Ring, which I hadn't read in years. I think I enjoyed it more this time around than I had in the past, and laughed out loud —and was in awe of— some of the sparkling dialogue exchanges.

The historical novel was Carla Kelly's new book,  The Necklace.

Not Carla Kelly's usual kind of romance, this is a powerful historical novel, grim and devastating in parts, uplifting in others. Hanneke, the 17 year old daughter of a dutch herring merchant is traded in marriage to a Spanish nobleman -- her rich dowry in exchange for valuable fishing rights. Hanneke is given no choice in the matter. She doesn't even get to meet Santiago Gonzalez her husband-to-be.  In Spain she learns that her dowry is to be used to help raise an army to drive the Moors out of Spain. But Hanneke is strong willed and courageous and watching her negotiate the horrors and trials of 13th century Spanish warfare made for a gripping read.

Next was a light, enjoyable Regency-era mystery series, which a friend recommended to me. Book #1 in the series is Death Comes to the Village, by Catherine Lloyd.

Major Robert Kurland has returned to his home in Kurland St. Mary to recuperate from injuries received at Waterloo. Lucy Harrington, the spinster daughter of the widowed rector has helped care for him — she won't allow him to give up on himself.  When late one night Robert glimpses a suspicious incident from his window, he confides in Lucy — and the investigation of the mystery commences.

They're a fun couple — the gruff, often bad-tempered invalid, and the dutiful but spirited and intelligent spinster. An enjoyable read, and I'm now on book #3 in the series. (Also available in Audible)

Another fun mystery series I began this month is the Amanda Pepper series by Gillian Roberts.  Book #1 is Caught Dead in Philadelphia  by Gillian Roberts.

These books were first published in the 80's, won awards, went out of print and are now republished as e-books. In the introduction the author explains that she decided not to try to update them to current times — and I think the books are better for it. It's quite interesting to see how much things have changed — our heroine is barely computer literate, there are no mobile phones, etc. And yet her attitudes are refreshing and don't feel at all out of place with our times. There is a romantic interest too, in the person of gorgeous Southern-accented police detective CK MacKenzie, and that rings true to today as well, without being in any way anachronistic. As well as a good and engrossing mystery, there is wonderful humor, and I chuckled a number of times at the clever turns of phrase and the wry observations of the heroine. I thoroughly enjoyed this series. The first book was 99c which tempted me to try it, and I'm now up to book #6.  (Also available in Audible)

Finally another crime story, contemporary and gritty in places — Ahead of the Game by JD Kirk. The latest in his Scottish crime series, I had it on pre-order and gobbled it down as soon as it arrived. I love this series and have the next book on preorder. This is book #10, but if you haven't read him, start with book #1, because the characters and relationships develop through the series. Good crime and dry Scottish humor.

Pat -

BEGINNER’S LUCK (Chance of a Lifetime Book 1) Kate Clayborn

The series opening is three friends jointly winning the lottery, so it’s no spoiler to say Ekaterina (Kit) Averin has enough money to quit her job but doesn’t want to. What she does is buy what she’s always wanted—a home, one near work that needs complete restoration, where she can meet the neighbors and settle in. Kit’s childhood was a series of impoverished apartments in whatever city her alcoholic father landed them in. Now she’s in charge of her life and she wants to settle down, make friends, work where she’s comfortable, and not change.

Until the day corporate Ben walks into her life, offering a fancy job in Houston. Ben’s lived the settled life in this rural nowhere and has no wish to return. His father owns the salvage yard where Kit buys the hardware she needs for her new house. Ben’s painful memories of his messed-up youth are in this hick town. He wants to recruit Kit, make his boss happy, get him and his friends out of their corporate non-compete job, and start his own company—anywhere else but here. (I’m not sure the book ever mentions where “here” is)

This is an unapologetic romance about two different people with different goals who manage to find their souls again, to reach out and dare to love. I’m not a big fan of contemporary romance but the characters, their friends and family, were drawn with such beautiful humanity that I fell in love with them. If you’re into the magic of love, laughter, and tears, give this one a try.

Have you done much reading lately, in snowy or warm weather? What would you recommend we try as we head into March? 

Islands of Dreams Revisited

by Mary Jo

Once again I'm madly busy, having finished going over a copy edit of Once a Laird this evening and in the middle of writing an overdue Christmas novella.  So as I look out at snow and ice, I decided to post a 2011 blog of the warm and sunny Caribbean.  Most of the world has been deprived of travel this last year, but that's starting to change. Here are some islands to dream on!

 

The Most Mysterious Book in the World

Andrea here, musing about . . . mysteries. I’m in the beginning stages of plotting my next Wrexford & Sloane mystery, and starting a new story always makes me reflect on conundrums and why the urge to solve them seems to be coded in our DNA. Whether it’s finding the perpetrator of a crime, learning the identity of a nameless portrait or cracking a code, we seem to driven by a certain primal curiosity to find answers . . .

Now it so happens that I was recently chatting with some librarians and the subject of bibliographic mysteries came up. And one of them mentioned the biggest of them all—The Voynich Manuscript, a 15th century codex (codex is defined as an ancient manuscript in book form) that has bedeviled all attempts to decipher its mysterious text to this day. So . . . as books and mysteries are two subjects near and dear to my heart, I thought it would be fun to take a quick look at the history of this beguiling codex—many call it the most mysterious book in the world— and why it has stumped all experts cryptographers, linguistic experts, bibliophiles and problem solvers who have taken a crack at it.

Historicals are dead?

Anne here. Late last year a new writer asked me about the market for historicals. She'd been told that historicals were passé, that nobody smart was writing them any more. (The timing of the question is significant, because things have changed since then. But more of that later.)

It's not a new idea. When I first started writing historical romance, so many people warned me off the idea. "Historicals are dead," they told me confidently. "Nobody's buying them any more, not publishers, not readers."

I found that hard to believe. I've always loved historicals of all kinds — not just romance — but when I started writing with the aim of being published, that was the general consensus.

But I'd grown up reading Georgette Heyer and others, and I found it hard to believe that there would be no market for the kind of stories I loved. Besides the book I was writing (Gallant Waif) was itching to be written, regardless of whether any publisher would want it. So I kept writing.

I wrote to the major US publishers, asking them if they'd be interested in my "Regency" and they all wrote back saying they weren't publishing Regencies any longer. So it seemed as though "people" were right. (But again, more of that later.)

Pancake Day

Nicola here. Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, a date that is a particular favourite of mine for two reasons, firstly because my husband and I had our first date over a pile of homemade pancakes on a Shrove Tuesday long ago and secondly because, well, I just love pancakes. Here is a picture of yesterday's feast!

In the Christian tradition the 40 days of Lent, which begin today, are a time of prayers and fasting, abstaining from a whole range of foods, including meat, eggs, fish, fats and milk. Shrove Tuesday itself was the day you were summoned to church to be “shriven” and confess your sins before Lent. The shriving bell would be rung to call people to confession.

Shrove Tuesday therefore was the very last day you can indulge in treats for 40 days. After that, all edible temptation has to be removed. So the making of pancakes was a great way to use up eggs, butter and other stocks of food that would be out of bounds for the following 40 days.

Apotropaic Magic Needed

Ha, caught your attention, did I? Maybe if I could make a good luck charm, I might produce pithier subjects than talking about my current plight.

I love the detailed historical blogs the other wenches produce here so regularly, but right now, I would have to research a detail to research. I’ve completed the School of Magic series for the moment, and for weeks, I've been staring at a blank screen. The isolation of this plague really has eaten my brain, and without travel or other people to stimulate my Muse, my head was vacant. I had no clue where to go next. (OK, I want to go to Italy, but that’s irrelevant at the moment!)

Ask a Wench for February: The Perfect Romance Convention

Joanna here, thinking how nice it would be to get away from all this rain.

Which leads to how the Wenches from time to time go to Writers’ Conferences where they attend sessions that help make them better writers and give talks that help other writers do the same, but mostly they hang out in coffee shops and gossip with friends because that’s what folks do at conferences.

So ... what would be the most interesting spot for a conference if you could pick any time and place whatsoever?

Some thoughts on this.

 

Pat:  Oh my, this poses entirely too many choices. I’ll simply go with the first one that pops to mind—

Ranelagh. Maybe Mozart is playing
(Click on the image for a close up_

Ranelagh Gardens in its heyday, about 1765 when the likes of Mozart played in a rotunda painted by Canaletto.  Vauxhall would be another choice, but I like warmth, and the rotunda was heated.

Neither of them are available today in all their glory, so it would be a great joy to see how they looked as our characters wandered about, rubbing elbows with dukes and princes in the case of Ranelagh, and with maids and merchants if we choose Vauxhall.

We could have sessions with genuine lords and ladies and ask them all those eternal questions on how they wish to be addressed (do you really wish to be addressed as Your Grace, Duke? Or would your closest friend address you by the name you had growing up, Kingsley, as in Marquess of?). I would not presume to give a talk on the address question, but I would be happy to speak to The Future and Women’s Rights in Our Novels, if asked.

Cover Tales

By Mary Jo

Book covers are an enduring subject of  interest and debate for both authors and readers. Receiving one's first book cover is a moment of high anticipation. 

Is the cover attractive? Does it accurately represent the type of book it is? 

Do the models look anything like the characters within the covers? 

Does the heroine have three arms?  (Yes, that happened, and no one noticed until the book came out. <G>)