Word Wenches

SAD

Pat here:

Since moving back to the Midwest from sunny Charlotte, I’ve been slammed again with what most people call the winter blahs. We live between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and gray and brown is the color of winter. This winter has been particularly horrible, with weeks when the temperature never rose above freezing and days of foggy gloom. I could look up how many sunny days we’ve had in January but it would just depress me more. I’m very thin-skinned and going outside involves wrapping up in untold layers of clothes and coats and hats and gloves. I even cover my nose because it turns bright rosy red in the cold.

And I’m totally aware that this is not healthy for me. We need the sun on our skin. Here’s the government link so you know I’m not just making this up:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15585788
And here’s a rather frightening little ditty pointing out what happens if we don’t get enough sunshine: http://www.naturalnews.com/003069.html

Most of us physically crave sunshine for a reason—it’s good for us. And when we don’t get it, we not only don’t get Vitamin D, we’re likely to become victims of Seasonal Effective Disorder or SAD. Take a look at the symptoms listed: (https://health.google.com/health/ref/Seasonal+affective+disorder)
•    Afternoon slumps with decreased energy and concentration
•    Carbohydrate cravings
•    Decreased interest in work or other activities                                    
•    Depression that starts in fall or winter
•    Increased appetite with weight gain
•    Increased sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness
•    Lack of energy
•    Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
•    Social withdrawal
And if that sounds like you, you probably have more than a case of the winter blahs. So find thee some sunshine, some sun lamps, or a good doctor. 

Personally, I like to use my blahs as an excuse to curl up in front of the fire with hot tea and the books I’m judging for the RITAs, but I wouldn’t turn away a cruise to a tropical isle right now either. (probably the reason I wrote my Mystic Isle books!)

Once I finish with this box of books, though, I’ll need new reading material because winter is a hundred years long. What is everyone else reading? Anything good?

Or better yet, how do you get rid of the blahs?

Karen Harper: Honorary Word Wench

by Mary Jo

Karen--It's been such a pleasure to have you here again!  As is our wont, when we remember, guests are designated Honorary Word Wenches, so you may now style yourself as Karen Harper, HWW. 

In addition, we like to give lavish virtual gifts, since lavish cost no more than simple when they're virtual. <G>  For you, I thought of Hever Castle, seat of the Boleyn family and home of George, Mary, and Anne Boleyn.  In particular, it being harshest winter just now, I decided to gift you with a Hever Castle rose garden, photo courtesy of Graham Bould,  (Creative commons on Wikipedia.)

Feel free to stroll among the roses as you contemplate future historical novels!

(1) Guest Stephanie Laurens (2) Book Winners

On Wednesday, February 3, Jo Beverley will host an interview with award winning author, Stephanie Laurens.  Stephanie started out as a research scientist, but somewhere along the way she decided to write a book, and that changed her life forever.  Join us on Wednesday and see what Stephanie has to say about her decision to switch careers to become a writer.

We had a number of book winners in January, including the following:  Cynthia, Carol Thompson, and Maureen Emmons won books from Jo.  Elaine Ransil won a book from guest Lauren Willig.  Clare Cronin won a book from guest Amanda McCabe/Laurel McKee.  And Linda Henderson, Nancy Mayer, Gillian Layne, Edith Isaaks, and Lee Benning all won books from guest Laura Kinsale. And last but not least, our two newest winners are Barbara Elness and Shelia January, who won books from Karen Harper.  Congratulations winners!

Karen Harper & the Queen

by Mary Jo

 We Wenches are delighted to have Honorary Word Wench Karen Harper return as a guest!  Karen has had an amazing career, writing everything from historical romance to romantic suspense to historical mystery and mainstream historicals.  Over the years, she has continued to grow as a writer, leading her readers into fascinating new territory. 

Karen has no less that three books being released this month.  Besides the romantic suspense Down River, the trade paperback of her wonderful Mistress Shakespeare is just out. 

But today, she's her to tell us about her new Putnam hardcover, The Queen’s Governess. She offered us a choice of blog topics and we all wanted to hear more about Kat Ashley, the Queen’s governess herself. 

The Tale Begins:

Karen Harper:

In my previous historical novels focusing on Elizabeth Tudor, I have used her governess and friend, Katherine Champernowne Ashley, as a secondary character or a mere walk on.  In my nine-book series THE QUEEN ELIZABETH I MYSTERY NOVELS, she was a crime-solver with others in the queen’s inner circle. 

But my curiosity about “Kat,” as Elizabeth called her, got the best of me, and I began to research the queen’s governess as a central character.  I found she was Elizabeth’s mother figure and, during Elizabeth’s early years, her protector. 

Although Kat Ashley appears in records and writings once she became Elizabeth’s governess, her beginnings are obscure.  Perhaps that’s why—as far as I can tell—no book focusing on her has been written before.  Although Elizabethan spelling was not standardized, even the spelling of Kat’s maiden and married names is argued, so I had to make a decision on that.  Her married name, Ashley is sometimes written Astley, but since the fifteen-year-old Elizabeth spelled the name of her beloved friend and governess as Kateryn Ashiley, I have let the princess decide on the h sound instead of the t. 

Which of several Champernowne families in Devon Kat came from is unclear, though it is narrowed down in a letter she wrote to Thomas Cromwell.  Henry VIII’s henchman was Kat’s early sponsor at court.  Now that is intriguing, and Cromwell plays a major part in my novel, just as he does in the current bestseller Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.  In the letter of 1537, Kat asks Cromwell for money to buy clothing for Elizabeth and indicates that her own father was still alive then.  She writes Cromwell that, “I am loath to beg for moneys from my own father, who has as much to do with the little living he has as any man.”  This also suggests her father is not well-to-do, which eliminates some families. 

Life in the Tudor Court

However, once Kat gets to court, evidently brought there by Cromwell to at first serve (or spy on) Anne Boleyn, Kat’s times with the Tudors are much easier to follow.  It was also very convenient for me that Kat had a great love story, marrying John Ashley, a Boleyn cousin.  John was a great horseman and author:  his book The Art of Riding, was popular for centuries.  As far as I can tell, his instructions about humane training make him the original horse whisperer.

I was especially drawn to Kat as a main character because Elizabeth herself testifies to how much this woman, her early tutor and mother figure, (Anne Boleyn was beheaded when Elizabeth was three) meant to her.  When Kat and John Ashley were in the Tower, threatened with torture and stringently questioned about Elizabeth’s role in the Tom Seymour treason plot, Elizabeth wrote to Edward Seymour, the Lord Protector of the young King Edward IV, “As for Kat Ashley, I request that it would please Your Grace and the rest of the Council to be good unto her.  First, because that she hath been with me a long time and many years, and hath taken great labor and pain in bringing of me up in learning and honesty.” 

By the way, those interrogations in the Tower are recorded in detail, which is why we have so much information on Tom Seymour’s attempts to seduce Elizabeth when she was living with her step-mother, the Dowager Queen Katherine Parr at Chelsea Manor.  Several years later, after the Wyatt Rebellion against Queen Mary Tudor, Kat was sent to the noisome Fleet Prison while Elizabeth, again suspected of treason, was sent to the Tower. 

So The Queen's Governess is faction—fiction based on fact—on any research I could find about this dynamic woman who helped to make Elizabeth Tudor the great queen she was.  It is a mother-daughter story too, both loving and contentious when Kat took a stand against Elizabeth’s great, illicit passion for Robert Dudley.  Yet in the end, I like to think that Elizabeth put it this way:  “Anne Boleyn gave me life, but Kat Ashley gave me love.” 

The most brilliant woman of her age, Elizabeth the queen, wrote the following which shows she realized how key Kat was in her life:  “We are more bound to them that bringeth us up well than to our parents, for our parents do that which is natural to them—that is bringeth us into the world—but our bringers up are a cause to make us live well to do it.”  When Kat died, years after Elizabeth claimed the throne, it is recorded that her passing was “deeply mourned by the queen.” 

Like the queen when Kat died, at the end of novel, I hated to let her go.

MJP: Karen’s earlier historical novels are The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales.

Karen has generously offered to give away copies of both The Queen's Governess and Mistress Shakespeare to two lucky people who leave comments between now and Saturday midnight. 

Karen, thanks so much for visiting us again!  I hope to see you again in the future--

Mary Jo

On a Lordly Libation

Cara/Andrea here,

If you’re like me, you’re still a wee bit groggy from all the holiday indulgences in rich food and potent libations. Thus my New Year’s resolutions included vows of a Spartan diet, with the only bubbly allowed being sparkling mineral water. But let’s face it, life can be a little dull without butter, cream, chocolate . . . and a sip of spirits to celebrate our special little moments.

Now, speaking of drinks, some of you may remember that a few months ago, I promised to reveal the secret of the world’s best martini. Let me preface this by saying I am by no means a connoisseur of fine spirits—wine is my usual choice. But when I was staying at Duke’s Hotel in London, I was told that its bar was famous for its martini. So how could I resist! (It was, after all, a research trip!)

For anyone who loves history, walking into Duke’s Bar is in itself a seduction of the senses. The two sitting rooms are intimate in scale, with plush carpeting, creamy wood trim and muted lighting that creates the feeling that you’re steeping into the private parlor of a friend—a very posh friend. One with oodles of taste and oodles of Old Money. Painting and prints of historic dukes adorn the pale taupe walls, their regal visages presiding over the well-heeled crowd. Wellington. Devonshire. York . . .

And then there’s Alessandro. The Duke of the Drinks trolley, he is resplendent in his elegant white dinner jacket and dapper black tie. His voice is low and liquid, and somehow I feel impossibly chic as I take a seat in one of the soft leather chairs, imagining myself swathed in silk, satin and pearls. When he hears that I know precious little about his specialty of the house, he smiles and offers to educate me.

But first, a bit of history on gin, which according to Alessandro is the preferred spirit for a true martini. (He gives a long suffering sigh at the mention of vodka—though Ian Fleming was a regular at Duke’s, Alessandro claims he enjoyed “shaking things up” and so made James Bond a bit of a rebel with his vodka martini.)

Gin, which derives from the Dutch word genever, is a grain-based spirit infused with juniper, and is said to have originated in Holland sometime during the early 17th century. (Though some claim it was prevalent in Renaissance Italy.) During the Thirty Years’ War, English soldiers picked up the habit of indulging in a little “Dutch Courage” before battle, and when they returned home, they brought with them a taste for gin.

William of Orange, who came to the English throne in 1689 after the “Glorious Revolution,” encouraged its consumption, as he wished to discourage the import of brandy and other spirits from Catholic countries such as France. The drink became popular—a little too popular. By the 1730s, drunkenness among the poor was a huge problem, as depicted by Hogarth is his print “Gin Lane.” Of the 15,000 drinking establishments in London, over half were said to be gin shops. (Gin, which requires no aging, is a relatively cheap liquor to produce.) Some pubs had a plaque shaped like a cat on its outside walls. Known as ‘Old Tom,’ this contraption served as a precursor of the modern vending machine—a person would insert a penny into the cat’s mouth and place his mouth around a tube between the paws. In return, the barkeeper would pour a shot of gin through the tube.  ‘Old Tom’ gin is a style that still exists today, and like many 19th century gins, is sweeter than other modern blends.

The government passed a Gin Act in 1739, which failed to control the trade and ended up being repealed in 1742. To circumvent taxes, many makers called their spirits “medicinal” draughts and marketed them with such names as Cuckold’s Comfort and My Lady’s Eye Water. In the 1750s, the government did manage to regulate the production and distribution somewhat, but gin remained a drink of the lower classes. However, with the advent of new distilling techniques in the mid 1800s, gin became a lighter, more refined spirit—known as ‘London Dry’—and became popular with the ladies in Victorian times.

 As the British Empire spread around the globe, gin went with it. It became a favorite drink in places like India, where it was mixed with quinine “tonic’ water—an anti-malarial botanical—to mask its bitter taste. In America, gin’s low cost and ease of production made it a staple of the Prohibition era. Along with whiskey and rye, it’s cleaned up its image considerably since then and today, of course, it’s a basic ingredient in countless cocktails.

‘London Dry’ is the most common style of gin. There is also ‘Plymouth’ gin, which is a full-bodied blend flavored with citrus peel, orris and angelica root, cardamom and coriander, as well as juniper. (Only one distillery, Coates & Company, is allowed to call itself ‘Plymouth’ gin.)

Now back to Alessandro. He decided to make me a ‘classic” martini, for which he chose Plymouth gin. Rolling over his vintage wood and brass drink cart, he uncapped a bottle fresh from the freezer—that’s part of his secret for making the perfect martini. A spritz from an atomizer is all the vermouth he adds to the glass—which is also frozen. (Churchill, who took his drinks seriously, is said to have remarked that merely waving a vermouth cork over the gin was enough.) 

He proceeded to cut a long strip of lemon peel—a bit over two inches—which he carefully pinched, skin side to skin side, over the drink to release the oils over the surface. Then he rubbed the peel along the rim, and gently placed it in the gin. As the glass warms, he told me, the essence of the lemon oil would slowly infuse the drink. “It’s really quite simple,” he remarked.

Simple but sublime. I may never become a regular martini drinker, but I smile knowing that I’ve tasted the best in the world. Thank you, Alessandro.

How about you? Do you have a favorite drink? And have you ever had a special bar experience that made you feel like a swanky film star?

Inscriptions - an extra story...

 Anne here. I've always loved books, and not only for the stories and knowledge inside them. I'm fascinated by the extra, unique story found just inside the front cover - the inscription. 

 

This fascination started because, as the youngest of four, most of the books I read were very clearly labeled as Not Mine -- in other words my older sisters and brother had put their names inside the front covers. Or some parent or relative had written something like "To darling NotAnne, happy birthday with all our love, Auntie Jean, Uncle Stan, Diane and Ian." Which still meant that no matter how much I loved the book, it was still able to be wrested from me and removed from my stash of favorite books.  

(By the way, I looked through a few old books to see if there was anything worth scanning for this post, and found this, where my sister Jill had staked a claim, only to be written over my my oldest sister Jan. Notice who ended up keeping the book, LOL - but shh, don't tell them.)

I was into "keepers" early in life. Maybe it came from having stories and poems (AA Milne, especially) read or recited to me over and over as a littlie, always wanting my favorite stories repeated. But most kids are like that, I think. I never changed. I still have comfort reads and if I've loved a book I want to own it, so it will be there for me to lay my hand on whenever I need to.

So I learned early to look inside the front cover of books to check out who to watch out for. My fear was always that I'd have a book taken from me before I'd finished it. This often happened. I was a good ten years younger than my siblings -- still am, strangely -- and often when we went visiting there was nobody of my age to play with. But I was pretty easy to keep quiet -- put me with a book or an animal and I was happy. Often it was a book, and oh, the anguish when it came time to leave if I'd fallen in love with a book and hadn't finished it...

Some of my parents' friends had specially designed bookplates inside their books. I thought that was very posh, and wanted so much for us to get them, too, but we never did. I remember making some one time and carefully gluing them into a book -- and getting into such trouble for it. (Admitting nothing here, but I'd probably glued my bookplate over some brother or sister's name.) Obviously I wasn't the first little girl who made her own bookplate. Gorgeous, isn't it?

 

Some of our books had bookplates inside -- award bookplates. Both my parents, but Mum in particular won lots of prizes, often in the form of a book, leather bound and precious, with an ornate bookplate inside. Dad's prizes tended to come as cheap editions of classics, all his little rural school could afford, but just as prized by us all. Sometimes the school or church had printed bookplate, occasionally there was a handwritten inscription from a teacher, which I think is even lovelier, though not as decorative. 

Inscriptions make books so much more special, I think. I have a collection of books from relatives long gone, poetry books that my grandfather gave my grandmother, romantically inscribed, and signed, always, "from your loving Billy." He'd learned the love of Scotland, poetry and Robbie Burns at his father's knee and passed it down through the generations. There's one I'll never forget, inside a book of Burns poems: "To my darling little Rosie, from your loving Billy, as I leave for hell in Flanders..." Newlyweds, parted by war.

 When I was thinking about this blog, I looked through some of the old family books, and found a stamp I'd never noticed before inside one of them: Chas Dunn Lending Library, Belgrave. That's my great-great grandfather, and I never knew he'd operated a lending library. The only photo I have of him is when he was running a feed and grain store, which later turned into a grocery store. So there's a story right there, from that one little stamp.

 One of my treasures is this little book my mum found for me in France when I was eight and we were touring Europe in the school holidays — it was  the year we lived in Scotland. As usual, I'd run out of things to read. I was so excited to see second-hand book stalls stretching forever along the Seine River — until I discovered all the books were in French! But my wonderful mother kept looking until she found one small book in English, about Guy of Warwick, a brave knight who committed great acts of bravery in order to win the heart of the cold Lady Phyllis. I was a picky romance reader even then, for even at eight, I thought Guy deserved someone a whole lot nicer than Phyllis. But I still read it over and over. The inscription says, "Anne, for something to read in Paris," and the date, which was Bastille Day.

When I was fifteen, we moved into a big city for the first time, and I had to travel by train and tram (trolleycar) to school, going through the centre of the city. Naturally my friends and I grew to know the city centre really well, but my favorite activity was done alone -- it was too uncool to do with friends. I haunted Berry's Antiques, and oh the treasures! Books for a few cents. Whenever I had any pocket money I'd to go there on the way home from school and comb through the tables and tables of books. Six or seven of the Georgette Heyers I bought there have the same name written on the inside cover, Violet Edith Reed. She must have been an old lady who had died when I bought them, but the inscriptions on these books recall a young girl who eagerly awaited Georgette Heyers' latest book each birthday or Christmas... "To Violet, from your friend Enid. Happy Birthday", To darling Violet, Merry Christmas from Mummy and Daddy."  I feel such a kinship with Violet Edith Reed, and still gladly cherish her books -- even the one she borrowed from her friend Enid and never gave back...  

I love how inscriptions span the barriers of time and open a tiny window into someone's life and connecting us across the generations. With this in mind, I always try to write inside a book I'm giving to someone. It used to be easy, but strangely, since I've become an author and often have to sign books, I now struggle to decide what to write.   I recently discovered a blog (thanks, Janice,) Forgotten Bookmarks, where a used and rare book dealer posts, in his own words -- "the personal, funny, heartbreaking and weird things I find in these books." The  inscription on the right is from his blog, and looking at it, I'm amazed what the author wrote. I think it might free me up in future.

So what about you? Do you have books with inscriptions that touch you, or remind you of a time past?  If so, share a favorite with us. Or is it something that's dying out, now that books are so cheap and disposable? 

Laura Kinsale, HWW!

Laura,

It is our custom at Word Wenches to induct authors we've interviewed into our gallery of Honorary Word Wenches, and to offer a virtual gift (because virtual gifts fit the Wenchly budget better <G>).

For you—the Order of the Golden Hedgehog! Wear with pride, but be careful of the spines.

Since Hubert was almost your collaborator for this post, he receives the Order of the Golden Bull. Don’t let him eat it.

Many thanks for visiting Word Wenches, and we look forward to your next book and next mascot!  

Mary Jo & the Word Wenches 

(1) Guest Karen Harper (2) Bookmark

Returning guest Karen Harper will be interviewed by Mary Jo Putney on Friday, January 29.  Karen's newest book is entitled The Queen's Governess, and tells the tale of Katherine “Kat” Champernowne Ashley.  Karen will be discussing Kat, who was waiting woman to Queen Anne Boleyn, and after Anne's death became governess to Anne's daughter, Elizabeth, who would go on to become England's greatest queen. 

Cara/Andrea has designed another lovely bookmark for downloading and printing.  This one is for the new anthology, Chalice of Roses, which includes stories by Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, as well as Barbara Samuel and Karen Harbaugh.  For more about this anthology, see Jo's poste entitled About Chalice of Roses. To print the bookmark, go to the Additional Pages sidebar on the right and click on Printable Bookmarks #8.  That will take you to the bookmark, where you'll be able to print it out.  

Return of a Legend: An Interview with Laura Kinsale

by Mary Jo

 Anyone who has been reading historical romance for a while will surely recognize the name of Laura Kinsale, one of the most innovative and influential writers in the genre. 

Laura’s sweeping plots, dark, complex heroes, and marvelously rich and supple prose made the release of a new Kinsale An Event to readers of historicals.  She was also one of the first genre romance writers to make the New York Times list.

These days, Laura prefers to write at her own pace, so Lessons in French is her first new book in several years.  Definitely An Event.  <G>  Her new publisher is Sourcebooks, and they are happily reissuing a number of her backlist titles as well. 

Lessons in French is written in Laura’s lighter “hedgehog humor” vein, because she isn’t known just for wonderful writing, but for the variety of animals that wander into her stories.  The range of critters goes from the memorable hedgehog of Midsummer Moon to Napoleon the rockhopper penguin in Seize the Fire, with lots of stops in between.. 

Today. Laura Kinsale is going to write about Hubert, the mottled short horned bull that plays such a prominent part in Lessons in French.

Plus, Sourcebooks is providing five copies of the book to commenters on the blog, so feel free to chat away! 

And now, meet Laura Kinsale and Hubert!

The Legend Speaks!

It was probably along about my third book that I realized that an animal played a significant role in each one.  From that point on, I began deliberately to create a different animal character for each book.  If you browse the book pages on my new website, you'll see that I have a "mascot" for every title.  Some play a large role in the plot, some are more symbolic.

The mascot for Lessons in French is truly a force of nature and a vivid character in his own right.  Hubert the bull is at the heart of the story. He's the heroine's pride and joy. 

A Cattle Tale

I'll admit that I come by my acquaintance with cattle honestly.  My mother's family has raised Herefords in Texas for over 150 years.  Though I didn't live there, I used to spend every summer on the farm when I was a kid.  Whenever I got the chance, I went to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.  (My grandmother attended every single year.  For her 90th birthday, they spotlighted her while they sang the national anthem.  We were so proud!)  

I loved strolling through the stock barns, where there were hundreds of bulls and steers raised by 4-H members, lovingly brushed and polished and hair-sprayed from nose to pom-pom tail in readiness for their turn in the arena.  Those kids love their animals, so it was easy for me to create a heroine in Callie with an equal passion for her prize bull.

The shampooed and pampered critters of the stock barns are usually quite well-behaved, but it never pays to forget how a large animal can cause destruction even if it doesn't mean to.  And when one is frightened, or angry, they are truly dangerous.  (Next time you fall in love with a cowboy hero--count his fingers.)   Hubert may seem tame, but there's more to him than meets the eye...and there's a lot of him to meet the eye!

The white-faced cattle my family has always raised got their name from the English county of Hereford--the setting for Lessons in French.  (In Texas, you say, "Her-ferd."  In England, it's "Hair-eh-ferd.")  As with many domestic animals, the official breeds of cattle we know today got their start in the agricultural societies of the early 19th century, when the gentry and the farmers--and even a few aristocrats--began systematic efforts to improve their livestock. 

A Lady's Passion

This is the vocation that Callie, an earl's daughter, has inherited from her father.  She's a lot more comfortable in muck boots than ball gowns.  After being jilted three times, she finds her cattle far more appealing than gentlemen.  That is, until her old flame, the elegant French aristocrat Trevelyan returns.  He's not as big as Hubert, but he can cause just as much trouble. 

Put the two of them together, Trev and Hubert, and the market street of Hereford will never be the same.

Laura Kinsale links:
http://www.laurakinsale.com/books/detail/lessons-in-french/
http://www.laurakinsale.com/books/
http://www.fwssr.com/?page_id=212 (stock show)

Laura will be away from her computer most of the day, but she’ll be back later to respond to comments.  Remember, Sourcebooks will give five copies of Lessons in French will be given to lucky commenters!

Mary Jo, whose fictional animals tend to be more mundane, not to mention more feline. <G>

About Chalice of Roses

Jo here, talking about the anthology Chalice of Roses, which has stories about the Grail.

The reviews have been great, including this one from Library Journal. "Based on legends surrounding the mystical Holy Grail, this quartet sweeps readers across time periods with emotionally compelling, often lyrically written tales of courage, sacrifice, love—and roses. A young woman of ancient lineage is destined to bring peace to 12th-century England when she finds her protector, and together they call forth the chalice in Beverley’s “The Raven and the Rose”; a Guardian must use her powers to keep the Grail safe during World War II in Mary Jo Putney’s “The White Rose of Scotland”; a debutante is charged with keeping the Grail out of Napoleon’s grasp in Karen Harbaugh’s charming “The English Rose: Miss Templar and the Holy Grail”; and an American grad student studying in England becomes involved in a strange fey tale involving the Grail in Barbara Samuel’s “Eternal Rose.” VERDICT: This beautifully crafted anthology by some of the genre’s best is graced with flawless writing, touches of humor, and magical, creative plots.”

I'll start with a bit of history -- business history. Most romance anthologies are put together by an in-house editor. There's a theme or link and she then looks for writers to do the novellas. (A novella is a story of about 10-20,000 words, though they can be longer.) I have to say that sometimes the blend of stories doesn't make a lot of sense, and sometimes the stories don't stick tightly to the theme.

In SF&F, a writer or two invite submissions and select stories, and generally their vision of the collection is stronger, as with another anthology I'm involved with -- Songs of Love and Death, edited by Gardner Dorzois and George R R Martin, whose names will be on the cover when it eventually comes out. The SF&F people are often bewildered by the romance genre system and keep asking why the editor isn't named. If you click on the cover of Irresistible Forces you'll see the editor, Catherine Asaro, named.

So, some years ago, four romance writers had an idea for a collection of linked novellas and decided to put it together themselves and then sell it. Thus was born Faery Magic. A few years later they did Dragon Lovers, and now, Chalice of Roses. The author are Barbara Samuel, Karen Harbaugh, and two of the Wenches -- myself and Mary Jo.

I asked the other members of the Faery Four contributors to give me a short description of the historical basis for their story.

Karen Harbaugh

Whose story is set in the Regency. "As with most conquerors, Napoleon Bonaparte sought to maximize his power in whatever way he could.  Whether he believed  the Holy Grail and the Spear of Destiny had actual powers or not is not precisely known, but what is certain is that the city fathers of Nuremburg, Germany were terrified that Napoleon would seize the Spear when he marched his armies toward that city in 1796, and so sent it out of his way, and that after the Battle of Austerlitz in the winter of 1805, Napoleon did indeed seek to get his hands on it, but it was smuggled out of the city and he did not succeed.  Napoleon's conquest of Italy actually brought the "emerald" grail (there is more than one, apparently) into his hands, but it turned out to be Egyptian glass and broke (could it be that someone substituted a glass cup for the real thing?)  I like to think that my hero, William Marstone, had a part in smuggling them into England, but the Spear and
the Grail seem to have a habit of appearing wherever it might affect the course of human events."

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

Mary Jo Putney

Whose story is set in WW II. "There is a metaphysical tradition that says Hitler was fascinated by  ancient artifacts of power, and that he sent his people to search for such  items so he could use that power.  INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE  LOST ARK uses that tradition, with the Ark of the Covenant as the object,  while INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE goes after the Grail itself.  

So, since we were doing a Grail themed anthology and the Nazis make such  resonant villains, I decided to use World War II as a setting.  Other  historical bits I threw in were Rosslyn Chapel; a Canadian tradition of  Grail connections in the area of Halifax (that courtesy of Jo!);--and why did  Rudolf
Hess, deputy fuhrer of the Third Reich, really fly  to Scotland, claiming he wanted to negotiate for peace with the Duke of  Hamilton?  History has such lovely material to play with! 

I used the world developed while I wrote my Guardian trilogy because I  wanted an excuse to return there.  The World War II research was  interesting, and also tricky because it's within living memory.  In fact,  after I turned the story in, I wrote a blog on the research:  It was great fun!"

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

Barbara Samuel

Whose story is set in the present day. "The historical pins in Eternal Rose came from my fascination with the old epic poem The Romance and the Rose, in which a rake is turned into a rose bya jealous fairy.  I've always loved the period of courtly poetry--forbidden love and bargains made by lovers, and secret trysts.  The setting of a small village in England comes from visits we make to my partner's mum's house in southern England, where there is a field I walk, and the tree that stands in the middle of it.  A white horse lives close by, and it all feels tremendously ancient and enchanted.  My story is contemporary, but in mood draws heavily from the period of courtly love."

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

And now me.

Whose story is set in the middle ages. "As the Grail is strongly connected with war and peace, I set my story among one of England's civil wars, the period in the 12th century called The Anarchy. Henry I, whose early reign features in some of my medievals, had a son and heir, but the young man was tragically lost in a shipwreck when returning from France. Despite his attempts to beget another son, in the end he compelled his barons to swear to support the succession of his daughter, Matilda. The trouble was, she was married to a foreign prince, so when the time came most of the barons supported the rival claimant, Stephen of Blois, who was at least a man. Thus began war, chaos, and suffering which in the end the Grail is summoned to end.

In my research I discovered that the term grail wasn't used for the holy cup at this time -- it was still a common word for a dish -- and so in my story it's the Graal, an interestingly pre-Christian term connected to the Horn of Plenty."

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

So as you see, we all have a different take on this deeply rooted mythical story.

“...four formidable authors stretch their imaginations...each unique voice
calls upon historical incidents and paranormal elements to contribute to an anthology
that lifts the human spirit.” 4 1/4 stars, Top Pick! Kathe Robins Romantic Times Book Club

The book has been out for a few weeks, and if you've read it we'd love your comments.

What does "the Grail" mean to you? Do you connect it most strongly to the Christian element of the cup used at the Last Supper, or is it a more general mystical entity?

What are your favorite Grail-related stories, in print or screen?

Do you enjoy anthologies, and do you prefer them to have a fairly tight theme?

We'll be picking four winners from among the comments on this blog and each will get a copy of Chalice of Roses from one of us, so have at it!

Jo -- and Davy.

Cabbages and Kings

Pat here:

There are days when the writing business makes as much sense as Lewis Carroll, and when pondering grammar rules, it’s best to keep his advice in mind: "Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."   Or, that’s grammar. 

Other wenches write about their fascinating historical research and travel explorations. I’m stuck in snowy St. Louis with the internet and no lovely English villages, working on a (shudder) copyedit, so you get grammar rules today. The appalling part of grammar is that everyone expects writers to know the rules, but there are actually dozens of styles of grammar and no two rules are exactly the same, which is what I ran into with the hyphen usage in THE WICKED WYCKERLY. 

Generally, I leave the copyeditors to do their own thing when it comes to punctuation, because I refuse to pay for the Chicago Manual of Style online and figure the pro’s know better than I do.  (I used up my free trial offer, but anyone else working on a manuscript who hasn’t, should give it a try. It’s a fun headache.)  But my Earl of Wyckerly is a bit eccentric, and when he started talking about his       cheese-rolling prize and the CE took the hyphen out, I backed up and said wait a minute…

And then I noticed a hyphen had been added between the adverb/adjective in "most important advantage" and I balked entirely. I was vaguely aware that I needed to hyphenate some adverb/adjective compounds, but I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a hyphen after most. Which meant I had to actually hunt rules, ugh.

For anyone wondering why some descriptions are hyphenated and some aren’t-- keep wondering. The range of qualifications is insane. But basically, if the compound adjective is a unit or one idea¸then it’s hyphenated: first-class, second-degree, one-man, two-year-old and yes, cheese-rolling.  But "most important advantage" does not constitute a single unit or idea because it could be an important advantage without the most---the compound could be separated without harming the meaning. Or that’s how I’m explaining it to myself.

If anyone else has a better explanation, or a worse grammatical pet peeve, here’s the place to deposit them. I won't bother the wenches with more of my copyediting inanities because I did so over on patriciarice.blogspot.com . If you really want to suffer, mosey over there.

And if you’d rather stick your head in the sand and forget grammar with me, then give me your favorite Lewis Carroll quote. I can’t decide between “When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.'” and 

"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

But that’s today and tomorrow is another day.

Guest - Laura Kinsale, & 2010 Calendar

LAURA KINSALE - JAN 22

This Friday, January 22, Laura Kinsale will be Mary Jo's guest.  Laura will be talking about her much-anticipated new book, Lessons in French.  The book has it all:  a heroine who's been jilted three times, a hero who's a French Duc but who's hiding from the law, and a huge prize winning bull named Hubert (a scene stealer if ever there was one).

KAREN HARPER - JAN 29

Then on the following Friday, January 29, Mary Jo hosts returning guest, Karen Harper.  Next Sunday we'll have a further announcement regarding Karen's return visit.

We've made a few additions to our calendar.  Here's the rundown of confirmed dates so far:

Jan 22 - Laura Kinsale (host, Mary Jo)

Jan 29 - Karen Harper (host, Mary Jo)

Feb 3 - Stephanie Laurens (host, Jo)

Feb 15 - Ask-a-Wench (host, Anne)

Feb 19 - Leslie Carroll/Amanda Elyot (host, Susan)

Feb 26 - Andrea's debut as Cara Elliott (host, Anne)

Mar 15 - Ask-a-Wench (host, Nicola)

Mar 10 - Michelle Willingham (host, Nicola)

Mar or Apr - Miranda Neville (host, Cara/Andrea)

May 17 - Louise Allen (host, Nicola)

Ask A Wench -- about age.

No, not about our ages, though I don't think any of us are bashful there. About the ages of our characters. Jo here, with Charlie pretending to be old.

Maureen Emmons,sent in this question: "Is there an age range you prefer your heroine and/or your hero to be in?"

Because I've picked your question for this month's Ask A Wench, Maureen, you get a book from me. You can look over my booklist on my website and as long as I have a spare copy, it's yours. Fresh off the presses, I have the Chalice of Roses anthology, and The Stanforth Secrets, the second of my classic Regencies, that are now being reissued. This one will be out in February. E-mail me your choice, Maureen, and your mailing address.

I added to the question, What are your feelings about age difference, either way?

Cara/Andrea: "Age difference is an interesting question. When I first started writing, my editor at the Signet Regency line had a rule: a ten year difference at most. After that, she felt the relationship became unromantic as the hero became too much of a father figure. (She was, of course making the traditional assumption that we would make the hero be older than the heroine.)   Like any rule, it begs to be broken! My feeling is that if a writer can make the story work, I'm willing to accept any age difference. I've read a couple of books where writers have reversed the traditional model and had the heroine be older-and loved them.

That said, I've tended to create heroes and heroines who are fairly close in age. And I tend to favor heroes who have had a little experience in life, as for me that makes them more interesting to work with. Actually, the same with a heroine. I had great fun in my upcoming book doing a secondary love story between a couple in their 60s-70s, which I had never tried before. I really enjoyed the challenge of creating a chemistry between them in which sexual tension was not the main ingredient."

Anne: "The ages of my hero and heroine are usually restricted somewhat by  market considerations -- most people want their heroes and heroines to  be in their twenties -- or so I've been told. So I pretty much stick  to that. My youngest heroine has been 19, and most of my heroes have  been in their late 20's. I don't like too large an age gap between  them, especially if the heroine is quite young -- 7 years is a rule of  thumb. I don't have a problem with a young heroine, and I quite enjoy  an innocent heroine occasionally. To quote Lindsey Davis's Falco,  "Innocence causes all kinds of misunderstandings, and that's even  before you get tangled up with your conscience."  But really I like  variety.

I often have a secondary romance in my books and they're usually where  I have fun with couples that probably wouldn't 'take' as main heroes  and heroines. I've paired maidservants and grooms, battle-scarred  soldiers with uptight spinsters and wild gypsy girls, I've matched  friends of the main couple, and middle-aged divorcees with mysterious  older men and older women with younger men. I especially enjoy giving  an older woman a second or third or fourth chance at love and several  of my older women have revealed a bawdy side to them."
 

(Too young to wed, perhaps?)

Nicola: "I don't really have strong preferences about the age range of hero and heroine. For me it's all down to the individual characters and whether I can believe in them. That said, I prefer heroines not to be too young and I also prefer heroes to be in their later twenties or older because a bit of life experience forms character. So I've just contradicted myself there. Hmm. well, perhaps I should say, then, that I wouldn't automatically rule out any book on the grounds of the age of hero and heroine.

In terms of age difference I came in for a lot of criticism when I wrote a book with a heroine of 19 and a hero of 32 but again I don't have strong preferences as long as the relationship seems equal and believable and isn't venturing into January (rather than May) to December territory. I've written a heroine who was eight years older than the hero in The Confessions of a Duchess and reall enjoyed exploring the issues that raised."

Mary Jo: "I like my characters to have some  mileage on them.  Innocence is so boring. <G>  My heroes are  usually in their early to mid-30's, and the heroines are as old as I can make  them--mid-20's most often.  I've never done one under 21 that I can  remember. 

I'm not wild about a wide age  difference, especially if the man is a daddy-ish age.  But--good writing  will carry me along, and I'm willing to believe that there are true, powerful  loves can grow between people of any ages." 

Pat: "I like to fit age to story. An ingenue of 17 won't have the same kind of story as a widow of 30, so my characters may range from adolescence to 40 and maybe more.  As to age differences between the hero and heroine--I think greater differences are more easily written in historicals than contemporaries, simply because of the fantasy factor. But that requires another blog!"

As for me, well, I like 'em young. As you see, some writers think youth boring, but I find the high energy and idealism of youth interesting to write about, and sort of slide away from anything too world-weary. That's the great thing about fiction, though. Something for everyone!

Nearly all my characters are in their twenties, with no huge age differences, but I have done two stories where the heroine is older than the hero -- Christmas Angel and the novella, The Demon's Mistress. In both cases, the heroine is a widow. I wonder if that's usually the case with older heroines.

I have done young heroines. Imogen in my medieval Dark Champion is sixteen. I did think it unfair that one reviewer criticized her for acting young! I suspect it was a criticism of me for writing one so young. FitzRoger is only 24, however, so the age difference isn't huge.

In a novella, Forbidden Affections, the heroine is 16 and the hero 30. That's raised some comments, but it just seemed right for the story, and she's certainly not your typical 16. And in the medieval The Shattered Rose, I have a flashback to the arranged marriage of the hero and heroine when they were both 16. That was fun to write.

So, what are your tastes and opinions. Does the age of the characters influence your book buying, or your enjoyment of romances?

Jo

Exploring Georgian Ireland with Laurel McKee!

Nicola here, following Cara/Andrea's wonderful interview with Lauren Willig this week with another great guest!  Today award-winning historical author Amanda McCabe/Laurel McKee is stopping by and I am thrilled to welcome her back to the blog! I started reading Amanda's Regencies a number of years ago and was immediately struck by the elegance of her writing and the marvellously evocative atmosphere of her books. We met for the first time a few years ago in the impressive surroundings of the Georgian Pump Rooms restaurant in Bath for a traditional afternoon tea, discovered a mutual heroine in Anne Boleyn, and had a wonderful chat. The photo shows Amanda really getting into the spirit of things in Regency Bath! Today Amanda is here as Laurel McKee to talk about her new series, The Daughters of Erin. Amanda, welcome back to Word Wenches! Please tell us all about your exciting new trilogy!

I’m so excited to be visiting the Wenches again, and especially excited to be talking about this book! It’s one that’s very close to my heart, and the first to come out under my “new” name, Laurel McKee. “The Daughters of Erin” are the three Blacknall sisters, Eliza, Anna, and Caroline, who are born into an old Anglo-Irish family in the Georgian era—but they are definitely not content to stay in the privileged, narrow roles set out for them! They’re passionate about their homeland and their family, and about finding men who can match that passion. Anna’s story, “Duchess of Sin” will be out in December 2010 (we get a glimpse of an Irish Christmas there!), and Caroline’s tale, “Lady of Seduction,” will be released in 2011.

There’s a strong “Romeo and Juliet” type theme to the first book, Countess of Scandal, with Eliza and Will on opposite sides of the fight for Irish independence. What did you find to be the challenges and opportunities of writing a book where the hero and heroine are on opposing sides in a monumental struggle?

There’s definitely a strong, built-in conflict there. Eliza is a supporter of the United Irishmen, writing seditious pamphlets, hiding fugitives in the basement of her large townhouse, even doing a bit of spying. Will, her childhood sweetheart who joined the British Army and left Ireland as a young man (and is now back in Dublin, hunkier than ever!) is sworn to uphold British rule. They both have very strong convictions. But there is also the challenge of overcoming such deep obstacles to give them their happy ending together, without one of them giving up what they feel to be right!

Tell us a bit about the historical background to your new trilogy. I love the setting and found it both refreshing and fascinating to read a book set in late eighteenth century Ireland.

The books are set against the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland and its aftermath, a time of very high emotions and great danger on all sides. I had such an interesting time researching the stories, and found fascinating tales of people from the time period, especially heroic women. (I have a long list of sources on my website, but a couple I really enjoyed for this aspect was Mrs. Thomas Concannon’s “Women of ‘98” and Janet Todd’s “Daughters of Ireland: The Rebellious Kingsborough Sisters and the Making of a Modern Nation”).

What drew you particularly to writing about Georgian Ireland?

I’ve wanted to set a book there for a very long time! Georgian Ireland was a beautiful place, with some of the most gorgeous architecture anywhere in the British Isles as well as a flourishing artistic and theatrical scene, but it was also considered a rather crude, rude place, full of people who loved to party and pick quarrels with their neighbors. What could be more fun? LOL! It was also a period where many people, especially educated people from old Anglo-Irish families were discovering Irish history and culture (a rather idealized, “Celtic” idea of the history and culture) and were beginning to think of themselves as “Irish.” The Hibernian Society was formed at this time to advance such studies, and a tremendous number of books and journals were being published. It’s also a time of violence and upheaval, setting into motion the ferment that wouldn’t end until after the Easter Rising of 1916 and independence in the 1920s, which makes it an intriguing—and complicated background to romance! Plus the clothes are great. That’s always a very important consideration for me!

You yourself grew up in a family of Irish descent –was there anything that you know of your own family history that has that inspired your writing?

LOL! My own family was not nearly so exciting as the Blacknalls, I’m afraid. They were farmers and middle-class merchants, who mostly immigrated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though I like to think they might have been involved in the doings of ’98. (In the course of my research, I did find a man named McCabe who was hanged in Antrim in the aftermath of the rebellion! Maybe he was an ancestor?). I did grow up hearing lots of Irish fairy-tales and myths from my grandparents (those stories are really pretty violent and gory, but I loved them!), and listening to old folk songs and jigs. I hadn’t realized it until I started writing “Countess of Scandal,” but all that contributed to the background of the story and the mind-set of the characters.

You’ve also written in other historical periods, including most recently the Elizabethan era for your book for Harlequin Historicals, The Winter Queen. I know that we share a historical heroine in Anne Boleyn! What is it that appeals to you about the Tudor period?

Where to start?? Well, the clothes, of course! And the architecture and literature. (When I was working on my degree, I specialized in Elizabethan poetry. Not at all helpful in finding a real-world job, but excellent if someone needs the symbolism in a sonnet analyzed!). Many of the things I love about Georgian Ireland I also love about the Tudor period—the sheer, raw energy and passion for life (which leads both to reckless romance and hot-tempered quarrels, I’m afraid), the way the arts are such a part of life (both periods had a huge love for the theatre), the strong role women played in society. They both make such colourful settings for stories and characters.

Which real life historical sites have you used as settings in your books?

I used quite a bit in “Countess of Scandal”! The characters attend The Queen’s Birthday ball at Dublin Castle (the seat of the English government), and a play at the Crow Street Theater, and they also visit the less-savory part of town, an area known as Porto Bello. The Blacknalls’ estate, Killinan Castle, is based in part on the grand house at Castletown, which was owned by Lady Louisa Conolly, one of the famous Lennox sisters. She married one of the richest men in Ireland, and Castletown became her great passion. A tour of the house is a must when you’re in Ireland, it’s unbelievably gorgeous! (Another of the Lennox sisters was Emily, Duchess of Lennox, owner of nearby Carton, which is now a luxury hotel/spa, and Leinster House, which is now a government building in Dublin. One of her 22 children was Edward Fitzgerald, great hero of the Rebellion—we “meet” him in my book, too!)

If you could travel anywhere in the world for your research (no expense spared!) where would you like to go and what would you like to see and do?

Wow, I can go wherever I want!!!  Let’s see.  I would love to go back to France.  I went last year and was able to see only a tiny fraction of what I wanted.  I would go back to Versailles and explore the less-seen areas of the palace that are closed to tourists as well as more of the extremely extensive gardens, as well dig through the archives.  Then I would move on to England for an Anne Boleyn tour of Hever Castle, the Tower (with access to more hidden areas), etc.  I guess it would be a Doomed Queens vacation (which I am geeky enough to think sounds ideal!!)

Do you have a favourite amongst your books? And a favourite hero and heroine?

Eeek, that is very hard! It’s usually the last one I finished that’s a favourite, since it is done and over, and the hard work is past so I can start to like the characters again. I do have a great fondness for Anna Blacknall and her hero the Irish Duke of Adair, who will appear in “Duchess of Sin.” She was a heroine of hidden depths who kept surprising me, and he—well, he’s a black-haired Irishman with a yummy accent and a tattoo of Celtic knotwork. Of course I liked him!

Who are your favourites authors/writing influences?

Too many to list, I think!  There’s Austen and the Brontes, of course. I started reading them when I was very young and I’ve never gotten over it. The same with Shakespeare—it’s amazing how many of our plots and characters seem built on his, and the timeless truths about human nature we can learn from him. (Though my editor would kill me if I tried to slip past some of the inaccurate historical and geographical aspects of his plays, LOL!). In romance writing now, I adore Laura Kinsale’s books (she’s just not writing fast enough for me!), Liz Carlyle, Eloisa James, and your books, Nicola. (Especially your wonderful heroines!). And I just read Gail Carriger’s “Soulless,” which was so much fun! I’m intrigued by the steampunk genre, but I don’t think I’m smart enough to write it.

Thank you *blushing*! What is the best part about being a writer for you?

Working in my pajamas! I know lots of writers say that, but it’s so true. There’s nothing I love more than a day at home, when I can just get up, have some tea, and start working on a story (if I can stay away from the temptations of the Internet!). I love “meeting” characters and discovering more aspects of them as the story goes on. They do seem to take on a life of their own, which is wonderful—until they refuse to do what I want them to and carry away the plot.

Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Write, write, write! That’s the best advice anyone ever gave me, and the hardest, and it’s so true. The more you write the better you get at it, and the more likely you are to finish a publishable manuscript and get it sent off. The books don’t write themselves, and they are a lot of hard work. I still have to tell myself this every day. (Also, attending conferences, listening to other writers and editors, and educating yourself on the craft and the business is very helpful! I couldn’t do without my yearly RWA fix)

I know that 2010 is a very busy year for you! Can you give us a preview into the next books in the trilogy and other future projects?

Well, “Countess of Scandal” is out in February (available for pre-order now!) and “Duchess of Sin” will follow in December. In my Harlequin Amanda McCabe world, I have a back-to-back trilogy coming out in April, May, and June! “The Muses of Mayfair” follows the adventures of 3 daughters of a famous antiquarian in Regency England as they find love amid archaeological shenanigans and stolen artefacts. “To Catch a Rogue” (Calliope’s story) is out in April; “To Deceive a Duke” (Clio’s story), May; and Thalia’s book, “To Kiss a Count”, will round things out in June. There will also be a connected “Undone” short story out in March, “To Bed a Libertine,” where we see a real Greek Muse come down to Regency England and wreak some havoc! I loved writing these stories, being a thwarted wanna-be archaeologist myself. Right now I’m working on the third “Daughters of Erin” book, Caroline’s story “Lady of Seduction,” and a Regency for Harlequin which is connected to the “Diamonds of Welbourne Manor” anthology I did with Deb Marlowe and Diane Gaston.

I'm thrilled that we have so much to look forward to from you, Amanda. Thank you very much for giving us an insight into what promises to be a fascinating trilogy, and as someone who has bee privileged enough to read Countess of Scandal already I can only encourage everyone to get to a bookshop and snap it up - this book is a real gem! There's lots more information about the Daughters of Erin series on the Laurel McKee website and Amanda is giving away a copy to one lucky person who comments between now and midnight Friday. Amanda, thank you!

In the Pink with Lauren Willig

Cara/Andrea here. Today my good friend Lauren Willig has kindly consented to stop by and chat about books and history with us. Lauren is a real Renaissance Woman (and I don’t say that lightly, as you will soon see!) She’s a bestselling author, a historical scholar, a litigation lawyer, and—starting today!—a Instructor at Yale University, where she and I will be teaching a seminar on Historical Romance.

She has a new release coming out tomorrow, the sixth book in her NYT bestselling “Pink Carnation” series, a wonderful, witty set of novels revolving around a group of dashing Napoleonic-era spies (and the delightfully quirky modern grad student who is determined to make history by solving the mystery of their true identities.) So without further ado . . .

BEYOND THE BALLROOM—EXOTIC INDIA

CE: Your new book, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, takes us from your usual settings of England and France to India. What made you decide to set the story there?

LW: Six years ago, two unsuspecting professors hired me as a teaching fellow for a class on the Second British Empire.  At the time, I was working on the first book in the Pink series, which was set in 1803.  I was very struck by the fact that the Battle of Assaye took place that same year.  Hmm, I thought, that would make a good basis for a sequel (because, clearly, history arranged itself that way just for my convenience).  I made a note of it and then promptly forgot about it until two years ago, as I was trying to figure out what was going to happen to my wild child heroine, Penelope Deveraux, constantly in disgrace, constantly pushing the boundaries.  Why not have her push some geographic boundaries as well?  (To be honest, I was getting a little bored with Almack’s Assembly Rooms.  It’s not that I don’t like ratafia, but, well, you know….)

In the previous book, The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, Penelope got caught canoodling one time too many and found herself packed off to India to give the scandal of her marriage time to die down.  The Betrayal of the Blood Lily opens with Penelope’s arrival in Calcutta with her ne’er do well husband, Freddy Staines, who has been appointed Special Envoy to the Court of Hyderabad.  Between the Maratha war raging in the north, political complications at the court of Hyderabad, a spy known only as the Marigold, and the fascinating and infuriating presence of one Captain Alex Reid, Penelope has no idea what she’s gotten into….

CE: Were there any special challenges in researching such a different world?


 LW: This is the first time I’ve researched a book where I don’t speak the key languages and where I haven’t been able to personally visit the site of the story.  For all my previous books, I’ve done on the ground primary source research.  Due to the timing of monsoon season and my own linguistic limitations, that was barred to me.  On the other hand, this wound up working rather well.  The story I was telling is seen through the eyes of an Englishwoman recently arrived in India.  Since I can’t speak Farsi, Urdu, or Hindi, the documents that were available to me were the journals, memoirs and travel narratives of those Englishmen and woman who lived there during the period, who would have had experiences similar to those of my heroine.  For Penelope’s viewpoint, what I needed to find wasn’t the reality of Indian culture at the time, but Indian culture as an English visitor would have perceived it.  I relied heavily on journals, such as that of Maria Graham, who traveled through India in 1809.  Her reactions provided an excellent guide for Penelope’s.  Likewise, my other viewpoint character, my hero, is an Englishman raised in India, sent off to be educated in England, and then returned to England to work in East India Company’s arm and then diplomatic corps.  For him, I had the memoirs of James Skinner and the correspondence of men like James Kirkpatrick, Resident of Hyderabad, who were similarly situated between two worlds.  I was also fortunate in having very detailed secondary works about the interactions between British and Indian culture at my disposal, most notably William Dalrymple’s White Moghuls and Maya Jasanoff’s Edge of Empire.

CE: Were there any historical discoveries that surprised you?

LW: I was also amazed to discover that there was, in fact, an active French presence in India at the time.  French generals throughout India planted liberty trees, led troops into battle under the tricolore, and cooked up elaborate schemes to unite the French forces in India against the British so that the French influence might reign supreme in the East.  In 1802, General Perron, in the nominal employ of the Maratha chieftan, Scindia, went so far as to write Bonaparte for French troops to deploy against the British.  He got them, too, a whole boatload of them, although they were sent packing before they reached their destination.  Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General (Arthur Wellesley’s older brother) used the French threat as part of his rationale for incursions against local rulers, radically expanding the scope of British oversight in India, which, until then, had been largely limited to the three Presidency towns: Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay.  Although I did know that the Duke of Wellington had begun his career soldiering in India, I had never realized before that the Napoleonic Wars had been instrumental in the creation of the Raj.

CE: Did you meet any new (or not so new) historical figures who tickled your fancy?

LW: Oh, goodness, where to begin?  This book bristles with characters who would be impossible to believe if they weren’t true.  Among others, there’s the Begum Sumroo, a former dancing girl who rose to be ruler of her own principality.  She led her own troops into battle and continued to exert her fascination over men well into her declining years.  At the court of Hyderabad, where the bulk of the story takes place, we meet the mad young ruler, Sikunder Jah, who entertained himself by strangling his concubines with silk handkerchiefs; the courtesan, Mah Laqa Bai, who was considered one of the foremost poets of her day, and so renowned for her wisdom that she was awarded a seat on the ruler’s council of advisors; Mir Alam, a Machiavellian prime minister, once buddy buddy with Wellesley, but now slowly rotting away with leprosy and intent on revenge; and an English resident (basically ambassador), James Kirkpatrick, who had “gone native”, secretly contracting a marriage with a Hyderabadi noblewoman, a fact that pleased neither the Hyderabadi court nor Lord Wellesley, who launched an extremely detailed investigation into the love affair.  All of them play large roles in the book.  You just can’t make this stuff up. 

A HISTORY HOYDEN

CE: Speaking of research, you have an amazingly impressive academic background. Tell us a little about what attracted you to study history?

LW: My father is a lapsed historian, so I grew up on bedtime stories about Eleanor of Aquitaine and Sunday afternoons watching old Errol Flynn swashbucklers—with the appropriate scholarly interpolations, of course.  I quickly graduated to historical romance novels and the fat, historical epics so popular in the mid-80’s.  I longed to sweep through the corridors of Whitehall with Elizabeth I, to indulge in conspiracies to save King Charles from the scaffold, to whap importunate gentlemen on the wrist with my fan at the court of George II.  In short, I wanted to live in any century but the one I inhabited.  Leg warmers were just so… unromantic.  I wanted to bring these worlds that I loved so much to life—and what better way to do that than to write historical fiction? 

As an undergraduate at Yale, I majored in Renaissance Studies, on the theory that immersion in the history, art history, literature and political philosophy of a culture was the best training for writing about it.  But I still didn’t feel quite steeped in history enough, so off I toddled to the Harvard history department to pursue a PhD in English history, on the theory that graduate school would truly prepare me to write Absolutely Accurate historical fiction.  It didn’t work out quite that way (I made the disillusioning discovery in grad school that, if historians agree on anything, it’s that there’s no such thing as Absolutely Accurate anything), but it was certainly an interesting journey….  

CE: You write wonderfully entertaining books set in the Regency era. However your expertise is in other periods as well. Give us an idea of what other eras appeal to you.

LW: If I had to pick a century to live in, it wouldn’t be the Regency, much as I love it (sorry, folks).  My scholarly work was in the seventeenth century, my books are set in the early nineteenth, but, at heart, I’m an eighteenth century kind of girl.  I particularly love the early eighteenth century, amid all the intrigue directly before and immediately following the Hanoverian succession, as politicians conduct vigorous debates in the new coffeehouses, dissolute rakes form Hellfire Clubs, Alexander Pope writes his Rape of the Lock, Jacobite pretenders hatch conspiracies, fortunes rise and plummet in stock market bubbles, and clever women swish about court in wide-skirted gowns, directing policy behind the leaves of their fans.  It’s a rich, tumultuous, bawdy period, with so much going on in politics, in literature, in philosophy.  Not to mention that I’ve always wanted to be best buddies with Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II, who is one of my absolute favorite historical characters.  You know you’re a history nerd when….

CE: Any plans to write in those time periods?

LW: My undergrad work was primarily on mid-sixteenth century Scotland (I wrote my senior thesis on the Queen-Regent, Marie de Guise, mother of Mary, Queen of Scots), and that’s an area I’ve always planned to revisit.  I still find Marie de Guise a fascinating and canny character, and, having spent some time living in Edinburgh, I’d love to go back.  My doctoral work is on the English Civil Wars, which is another period I’d like to write about some day.  Talk about swashbuckling and deeds of daring-do!  Um, and, yes, I do have rather a crush on Charles II, so the Restoration is also on the agenda for a book one of these days.  Part of the problem, though, is that I’m still too close to all of those periods academically, so it’s hard for me to get away from the footnotes and let the characters take over. 

CE: Is that doctoral dissertation on your list of future writing projects. What is it about?

LW: My dissertation, grandly titled, “Give Caesar his Due: Royalist Conspiracies during the English Civil Wars, 1646-1649” tracked the machinations of the displaced partisans of King Charles following his imprisonment in 1646 up through his decapitation in January of 1649.  I do seem to have a thing about Royalist spies, whether they’re wearing knee breeches or plumed hats.  There’s just something about men in cloaks and spurs clustered in the back room of a tavern, raising their tankards in a clandestine toast, “For the King!” 

THE JOB OF WRITING

CE: In addition to your Masters degree and dissertation work, you also have a law degree from Harvard—any similarities between law and creative writing? (she asks with an evil smile.)

LW: My first week at the firm, the partner for whom I was working (I was in the litigation department) sat me down and said, “We write stories; you write stories; now you will write stories for us.”  I’m not sure I’d quite agree with that—there was a lot less dialogue in my briefs than in my books—but there are some surprising overlaps between practicing law and writing historical fiction.  A lot of what goes into writing a brief is historical reconstruction, going through piles of documents, taking limited pieces of evidence, and trying to spin them into a convincing and persuasive story.  That’s just what we do when we write historical fiction.  We’re reconstructing a narrative from limited sources.  It’s also all about persuasion, about pulling the reader in and drawing her along with you.  In both cases, if you strike a false note and lose the reader’s trust, it’s all over.  The nice thing about writing fiction?  No more Westlaw! 

CE: I think all of us who write face the difficult task of balancing all our different roles in life and figuring out how to manage our time. Obviously, you’ve been tremendously successful in that department. Any hints you can give us?

LW: Time management is one of those things I still wrestle with, but I think what it comes down to in the end is being aware of your own work patterns.  When I started at the law firm, people gave me all sorts of earnest and well-meaning advice about waking up early every morning and writing for two hours a day.  Two problems: (1) my brain refuses to kick in until sometime after noon, and (2) I am incapable of writing in two hour chunks.  I made myself miserable for about a month, wrote the worst prose I’ve ever produced (and, yes, that includes the imitation Barbara Taylor Bradford novel I tried to write in eleventh grade) and then came to the blinding realization that, hey, I’m a fits-and-starts writer; I’ve always been a fits-and-starts writer.  Therefore, I was better off giving up on the two hour a day plan and locking myself up at home on weekends when I could write for forty-eight hours straight.  Learning how you work most productively and finding creative ways to implement that around your other obligations—without beating yourself up about what you could, would, should be doing—is about fifty per cent of the battle.

CE: At the RWA Conference last summer, you gave a great talk about making historical stories come to life. One of the things you mentioned was how an author can take advantage of all the specialized knowledge out there without becoming a doctoral candidate. We have a lot of readers who are just embarking on writing careers, so it would be great if you would offer some of you “inside tips.”

LW: Thank you!  There are a wealth of resources out there for writers of historical fiction, all the more so now because of the advent of the internet.  My favorite way of getting into a time period is to start with biographies.  That way, you get an individual eye’s view of life at the time—and you can shamelessly follow up on that biographer’s footnotes to work your way back to secondary sources about the period as well as contemporary diaries, journals, and letters, many of which (depending on the time period in which you’re working) are available in print form and can be accessed on-line, purchased through a used bookseller, or ordered through inter-library loan.  While we’re still on books, it’s also useful to have a shelf of quick references next to the computer (or, if you prefer websites, bookmarked on your browser).  My go-to guides vary for each book, but my standard next-to-the-desk texts for quick reference are The Oxford Dictionary of British History, The Companion to 18th Century Britain, The Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars, and several books of historical maps, uniforms, and costume.

Museums, historic houses, and antique shops are a wonderful way of getting a sense of what your world would have looked like.  If you can visit in person, so much the better, but if you can’t make it there, many have photos from their collections on-line, or glossy catalogues that often seem to turn up nicely discounted at used bookstores.  There are also, I’ve discovered, societies for just about anything.  When I needed information of seventeenth century freemasons for my dissertation, I contacted a group that specializes in research on the freemasons.  They sent me back a five page long essay on the topic.  Not everyone will be quite so generous with their time, but I’ve found professors, specialist societies, other authors, and museum curators are extremely kind in sharing their expertise if emailed and asked nicely.  And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  All that being said, it’s also important to remember that we write fiction.  At some point, tempting as it is to track down just that one last detail, you have to press the “off” button on the research, sit down with that empty Word file, and just write.

CE: Your heroine Eloise has some very funny encounters in archives. Are there any humorous (or embarrassing, heh, heh, heh) real-life research incidents that have happened to you . .  . er, ones that you will share, that is.

LW: You mean other than spending forty-five minutes trying to figure out how to use the water cooler in the cafeteria of the Public Records Office?  Oh, embarrassment.  I did have some great moments, including getting hopelessly lost on the campus of the University of Nottingham, where I had been locked in the library all day with a seventeenth century journal.  Blundering around in the dark, looking for the bus stop (which was, of course, entirely in the opposite direction) I cleverly managed to lose my footing and roll down a hill.  The fact that I was wearing three inch heels and had somehow contrived to wander off the path onto a steep incline covered with wet and slippery leaves might have had something to do with it.  Fortunately, no one saw.  Or, if they did, I’ve blotted it out of my memory. 

Thanks so much, Word Wenches, for having me over!  It’s been a great pleasure to chat with you.

Note: Lauren has kindly consented to give away a copy of her new book to one lucky person who leaves a comment here between now and Wednesday.

Things in Store for 2010

The Wenches have been busy! We've lined up a full slate of guests and Ask-a-Wench dates in the months to come, so be sure to check out the Announcements sidebar on the right to see who's up next.

In the meantime, we have two guests this coming week.  Lauren Willig (picture on right) will be Cara/Andrea's guest on Monday.  Lauren is a historical romance writer and author of the Pink Carnation series.

On Wednesday, Nicola's guest will be Ammanda McCabe (picture on left), historical romance author.  2010 will see the release of the first book in her new Daughters of Ireland trilogy, set against the backdrop of the 1798 Rebellion.

Here's a rundown of confirmed dates for guests so far:

Jan 11 - Lauren Willig (Cara/Andrea, host)

Jan 13 - Ammanda McCabe (Nicola, host)

Jan 15 - Ask-a-Wench (host, Jo)

Jan 22 - Laura Kinsale (host, Mary Jo)

Jan 29 - Karen Harper (host, Mary Jo)

Feb 3 - Stephanie Laurens (host, Jo)

Feb 15 - Ask-a-Wench (host, Anne)

Feb 19 - Leslie Carroll/Amanda Elyot (host, Susan)

Feb 26 - Andrea's debut as Cara Elliott (host, Anne)

Mar 15 - Ask-a-Wench (host, Nicola)

Mar 10 - Michelle Willingham (host, Nicola)

Mar or Apr - Miranda Neville (host, Cara/Andrea)

May 17 - Louise Allen (host, Nicola)

We'll be adding to our slate of guests as dates are confirmed, and will keep you updated. Don't forget to check the Winners sidebar, too.  Your name could appear there at any time!  Meanwhile, here are our latest winners:  Maureen Emmons, Carol Thompson, and Cynthia won books from Jo Beverley.  Lindsay Hoffman won a book from Mary Jo Putney. Congratulations, winners!

Fairy Godmother Wenches!

Delia, just born

Susie Felber, daughter of Edith Layton (and an occasional and most delightful guest at Word Wenches!), recently gave birth to her second child, a beautiful daughter, Cordelia. Congratulations to Susie and her family! As many of you know, Edith Layton, Wench Extraordinaire, passed on in June, 2009, and never got to see little Delia (though she did suggest her future granddaughter's charming name)...

So today the Word Wenches would like to act as Delia’s fairy godmothers, welcoming her and bestowing upon her a veritable bounty of good wishes, blessings and magical qualities…

(Sleeping Beauty by Margaret Tarrant)

Patricia Rice:

I wish her the good fellowship of friends and family and the capacity to love them for their flaws!

(Rossetti, La Ghirlandata)

Mary Jo Putney:

I wish for Delia to have masses of thick, wavy goddess red hair like her mother and grandmother, so that whenever she enters a room, everyone will look at her in awe and delight. Just like her mother and grandmother…

Anne Gracie:

I wish her a brilliant sense of humor so she will always find something to laugh about. And if we're talking fairy godmothers, I wish her no rats, no mice, no horridly uncomfortable recyclable glass footwear and no dull princes, but a true hero of her own. (Arthur Rackham, Ashenputtel)

Nicola Cornick:

I'd like to wish Cordelia the Irish Blessing which I have always thought so beautiful:

May the road rise up to meet her

May the wind always be at her back

May the sun shine warm upon her face  

Cara Elliott/Andrea Pickens:

 I gift to Cordelia a magic Wench pen, so that stories of love and laughter flow from her grandmother and mother to her. It's made of rich amber and gold, colors that reflect the wonderful warmth of Edith and Susie. May she always treasure that creative spirit.

Jo Beverly:

I wish for Delia the gift of good friends wherever she goes.

 Susan Fraser King:

I wish for Delia the gifts of kindness, creativity and a deep love of books. And may she always have great hair, great shoes, a little sass, perfect timing and uncanny luck!

(illustration, Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale)

Sherrie Holmes, Wench Whipster and Webmistress:

May Delia have fresh flowers every day, birdsong in her window every morning, a warm spot in the sunshine every afternoon, the soft chirrup of a good luck cricket on the hearth at sunset, and the scent of roses wafting in through the bedroom window every evening.

The Wench Fairy Godmothers have spoken!

Delia now has a bounty of wishes to take with her wherever she goes--and we wish her (and her brother and family too!) one more gift... that of complete happiness. (Grimshaw, Fairy)

If you would like to add a fairy blessing for Edith’s new granddaughter, please do!

~Susan

p.s. please check out Susie "Mamita" Felber's blog and also see her blog today at Belabumbum.com for beauteous pix of Delia (Susie too). And read Susie's hilarious (and truthful) commentary at Belabumbum on being mom to a very little one. 

Old Christmas Day

 Anne here. Cara/Andrea's post brought us to the end of our Christmastide daily posting and, like many people, we're taking down our decorations (and reindog horns)  and going back to our regular schedule. However I just want to slip in one last little sliver of Christmas, because in some traditions the 6th January is the last day of Christmas.

In fact in some parts of the UK, the 6th January is still occasionally called "Old Christmas Day" because for many years it was the day celebrated as Christmas Day.

Christmas Day on 6th January? Why?  

As with many things, it all started with the Romans. Before the rule of Julius Caesar, calendars were based on the cycles of the moon. Julius Caesar and his astronomers introduced a new, more accurate system based on the sun, and introduced the leap year.  (Caesar also named a month after himself - July. Later Augustus did the same thing. Claudius and Nero also tried to have months named after them and while they succeeded for a short time, their months didn't last.)

However the astronomers' calculations were slightly out and they overestimated the length of the year by eleven minutes and sixteen seconds. Over time this built up and by the sixteenth century, the calendar was out by ten days, so in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII deleted the extra days and reformed the calendar. Catholic countries throughout Europe adopted the Gregorian Calendar.

 Not, however, Protestant countries, who stuck to the old system rather than follow the edict of a Pope. Finally in 1751 England bowed to common sense and passed the Calendar Act. In order to bring England into line with the rest of Europe, the government simply deleted eleven days in September, and thus the dates went 1st, 2nd, 14th, 15th, etc.  

As you can imagine, it was highly controversial, and in some parts of the country people rioted, demanding they have their stolen eleven days returned.

Thus, before this reformation, Christmas Day was celebrated on the equivalent of the Gregorian 6th January, and some, considering it a God-given holy day, and not to be messed about with by foreign popes and governments, continued to celebrate it on the 6th January.

Orthodox Epiphany   

For those in the Eastern Orthodox church, the 6th January, the Feast of Epiphany, when the three wise men are said to have found the newborn Jesus, is a more important date than Christmas. (I couldn't resist including this vintage Australian Christmas stamp on the right.)

 In many countries on this day there is a ceremony in which a cross is thrown into the water and the young men dive for it. It's hugely popular in Melbourne, where I live, where it's usually hot, but I recall a snowy winter in the mountains of northern Greece many years ago where they had to break ice in the local river. Brrrr. Luckily it wasn't deep. Guess which of these pictures was taken in Australia and which in Bulgaria.

 For some of us the holidays are just getting started, but for many others it's back to work. What are you up to at the moment? And how was your Christmas?

Bring In The New

Cara/Andrea here, musing on the new year and what new things it will bring.

For many of us, yesterday marked the return to our normal routines. The merriment and revelry of the holidays behind us, we get back to work, armed with resolutions—both large and small—to make some changes for the new year. Perhaps it's  learning a new skill, or making time for a passion that we've always wanted to pursue. Maybe it's carving out a small interlude of relaxation from everyday stresses or vowing to hit the gym on a regular schedule. Something about the concept of "starting fresh" encourages  us to look at ourselves and see if we can "shake things up a bit."

 For 2010, I'm taking on a new challenge that both exhilarating and  little frightening. I'm going to be doing something I've never done before, which is teaching a college seminar on the Regency Romance Novel. I've already started doing my "homework", re-reading old and modern classics, and making notes of themes and topics for discussion with the students. It's been fascinating seeing what new things I see in a familiar story, given the new perspective. (More on that in a future blog) And it will be even more fascinating to see the books through the eyes of the students, and hear their thoughts and feelings. Just as the seasons keep being reborn, books are constantly being reinterpreted by new generations of readers. To me that's part of the magic of stories.

I look forward to reporting in occasionally during the coming months on how my challenge is going.

Now, how about you? Have you taken on a new challenge for the year, be it large or small, mundane or offbeat? Is this the year you are going to do something you've always wanted to do, like learn photography or take a cooking class? If there were one "dream"  change you could make to your regular routine, what would it be?

Happy Birthday Isaac Newton!

Nicola here, dropping in to wish Sir Isaac Newton, one of most visionary of scientists, a very happy birthday. Google is celebrating the day with a rather cute header that displays a falling apple!

One of the interesting things about Newton's birthday is that the actual date is disputed. Pinpointing specific dates was something of a problem in the days before official records of births, marriages and deaths were kept consistently. Whilst some records state that Newton was born on 4th January 1642, others give Christmas Day as his birth date. At any rate, Newton was born at Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire and last summer I had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful little manor house. It was a gorgeous sunny day and people were picnicking in the orchard underneath the famous apple tree!

Newton came from a farming family but swiftly discovered that he was not cut out for the farming life. When he was put in charge of the flock of sheep they all wandered off because he was too busy scribbling  mathematical calculations to keep his eye on them. Apparently even as a child he would amuse himself by doing simple experiments and making models to try and understand things like wind speed and force. From an early age he showed unusual interest in a number of mathematical and scientific problems, as well as developing an understanding of astronomy.  He studied at Grantham School and at Cambridge University, a considerable acheivement for a boy from a relatively poor family. Later he returned to Woolsthorpe in 1665-1666 because of the threat of plague in Cambridge, and it is during that period that he did some of the most intense and inventive work of his life. He also wrote the Principia, his treatise on the Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosopy, at this time.

One of the nice things about visiting Woolsthorpe now is that there is an interactive science centre where you can learn about Newton's discoveries about light and gravity by trying out hands on experiments. For a complete science Luddite like myself it was lots of fun because it explained complicated theories in words of one syllable. For my husband, a scientist by training, it was even more fun because he could play! My favourite aspect of the house, however, was Newton's graffiti. He was known to have made a habit of using various walls in the house as 'doodling pads' and fragments of this writingcan be seen scrawled in several places!

The aspect of Woolsthorpe that struck me the most, though, was the rural isolation and the silence. It made it easy to imagine the twenty four year old Newton working away on all his mind-blowing new scientific theories in such a peaceful setting. On the other hand, the contrast with a city like Cambridge, buzzing with fellow academics and new ideas, was extreme. As someone who lives and works in a tiny village I sometimes find the isolation lonely and oppressive and yearn for a few people to talk to and bounce ideas off. It made me wonder if Newton found it more conducive to work in the solitude of Woolsthorpe or the bustle of Cambridge.

We may not all be Newtons, but we all need certain conditions to work at our best. Where do you have your best ideas? Do you need peace and quiet or do you find that working with others inspires your work? Or is it a bit of both?

A Message From Sherrie

Happy New Year!  That's my two dogs above, begging for attention as I write this.  I hope 2010 brings you your heart's desire, and that the next decade brings you miracles and happiness. 

FORTY YEARS OF ROMANCE

I've been a romance reader for over 40 years, and like many of you I started out with the greats:  Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, Phyllis A. Whitney, and many others.  As the face of romance changed over the years, so did my reading. In time, I discovered the Wenches' books and devoured them like a shipwrecked sailor with a newfound cache of buried rum.  Never in a million years did I expect to be on a first-name basis with the biggies of romance, let alone work for them.  Managing the Word Wenches blog site is just a small part of what I do for the Wenches.  There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work to keep the blog machine running smoothly.  Yet every day I have to pinch myself just to make sure I'm not dreaming.  I love my job.

I've made many wonderful friends through this blog—both Wenches and blog visitors.  I’ve been exposed to new (to me) authors because of the guests we've interviewed.  I consider this one of the best places to go for just about anything, be it writing advice, research tidbits, book recommendations, history . . . you name it. 

THE GRATITUDE PROJECT

In August of 2009 I bought a notebook and promised myself that each day I would write down at least three things I’m grateful for.  The Word Wenches are listed on page 1.  I’d like to expand that to include the commenters who visit this site regularly.  All of you have enriched my life in more ways than you can ever know.  Thank you!

WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?

What are you grateful for this holiday season?  Is there a person in your past who had a positive influence on your life?  Have you come through a recent crisis unscathed?  Or is it something on a less profound (but no less important) level, such as the companionship of a pet or a really comfortable pair of shoes?  How about a surprise that made you smile?  That happened to me last June when I was slicing a green pepper.  I looked at that first slice and burst into laughter, for it looked just like da Vinci's Vitruvian Man (see pictures) What about you--what are you grateful for?  Please feel free to share.  (In the meantime, some of you asked for my Hot Fudge Pudding Cake recipe, and I'll put that in comments, to keep this post from getting unwieldy.) 

  

Dreaming of the Sea of Cortez

Nicola here, commandeering the luxury yacht Wenchly Winds to escape the frost and snow of the UK at New Year and sail in far warmer waters. On board Wenchly Winds I would like to re-create a trip of a lifetime and invite you to join me.

This time last year I was preparing for a wonderful holiday, a whale watching cruise in the Sea of Cortez followed by ten days in the US exploring the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley.  We flew out to Los Angeles in February and took the train to San Diego. This in itself was a treat for me as I had never been on a "double-decker" train before and really enjoyed the view from the top deck! I loved San Diego and we spent a wonderful day down by the harbour. My dh was thrilled by the USS Midway Museum and I have to admit that I enjoyed it more than I had expected! But the treat for me was exploring the Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship. What a beauty she is!

Later that day it was time to board our very own, somewhat smaller vessel, Searcher, and set out on our own adventure so in my dreams, this is where I board Wenchly Winds and set a course south down the coast of Baja California. The next morning we make our first stop, dropping anchor in the bay off Islas San Benito. We go ashore and walk to the old lighthouse. The island is very arid and we have to imagine the lush tropical vegetation that springs to life after the rains. There are seals sunbathing on the rocks and seal pups playing in the surf.

In the Laguna San Ignacio we moor amongst the grey whales and go out in little boats to sail amongst them. In the old days of whaling the greys were very hostile to man (and who can blame them!) and were known to break a small boat in two with a single smack of their tail. These days they must be able to sense the awe and wonder with which we approach them because they are extremely friendlly, approaching the little boats so that we can touch them and even bringing their babies over to "meet" us. This is the most moving part of the entire trip - touching a baby whale is an extraordinary experience and sailing amongst them whilst they play beside us, diving under the boats and sticking their heads out of the water to peek at us - spy-hopping, as it is called - is so much fun. We are reluctant to leave the lagoon but there are other whales to see, blues whales and humpbacks. On one memorable and very stormy day off Los Cabos we see four humpback males vying for the attention of a single female, leaping out of the water, breaching, jumping higher and higher in an effort to impress her!

We also sail amongst the uninhabited islands of the Sea of Cortez, to Isla Saint Jose with its red sandstone cliffs and Isla Santa Catherina where we see the famous wavy barrel cactus and other stunning desert plants.  It is blissfully warm and sunny every day and I take a book and curl up on deck to read up on the rich history of Baja California...

This year we are planning a winter trip to... The New Forest in the South of England. I'm sure it will be beautiful with lots of history and wildlife to explore. But for now I will sit here and imagine that I am sailing in Wenchly Winds on the Sea of Cortez with the sun pouring down and the cool sea breezes and the dolphins swimming ahead of the yacht and calling to each other as they go.

If you could choose to be anywhere in the world now, with friends or family, or visiting places you have always wanted to see, where would you go?