Word Wenches

The Bargain: "There's something about that story…"

by Mary Jo

This week, Kensington has reissued my early romance, The Bargain, which got me to thinking about the long journey this story has.  It started life as my third Signet Regency, The Would Be Widow.  I was very much a neophyte at the time, and several of my writing traits first appeared here.  

To begin with, I connected the story to my first book, The Diabolical Baron, by making the hero of The Baron the best friend of the hero of the Widow, and a key player in the story.  Without even realizing it, I had started writing a community, and that has served me well as those books turned into a de facto series, and series are really popular now!

Secondly, this was the first book where there was a difficult man who proved unexpectedly interesting at the last moment, so naturally I had to immediately write a book about him. (The man was Rafael Whitbourne, the Duke of Candover, and his book was The Controversial Countess, later revised as Petals in the Storm, about which more anon.  Reggie Davenport in The Diabolical Baron was a similarly problematic character who ended up with his own book: The Rake and the Reformer, now The Rake.  But I didn't write that for another year or two.)

The Would Be Widow is a perfect title for this story: a young woman needs to marry by her 25th birthday in order to secure her inheritance and she doesn't want to marry at random when she has her eye on a man she really wants, and he seems interested in her, too.  It's not long after Waterloo, so she visits a London military hospital to see a friend, and is struck with the brilliant idea of marrying a dying man, which will fulfill the terms of her father's will while soon freeing her to pursue the man she wants.

What We're Reading in April

Which books (and stories, because a few of these aren't in book form) have the Wenches been exploring and enjoying in April? Read on to find out . . . .

Jo Beverley:

Not quite What We’re Reading, but I reckon audio counts. I just listened to this BBC programme based on letters written during World War II: My Dear Bessie. Chris Barker, a solider in Libya, and Bessie Moore, a Morse code interpreter at the Foreign Office in London, have only briefly met, but he starts to write to her and she replies. Most of the surviving letters are from him, as he often had to destroy those she sent him, and the frank passion and longing in them is remarkable. It made me think that in today's steamy romance we sometimes miss the breathless longing that has been a natural part of falling into love and desire throughout the ages. Perhaps we also sometimes fall into the error of thinking our parents and grandparents didn't feel passion "that way." I believe it can be listened to anywhere in the world, and Chris's letters are read by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Patricia Rice:

I’ve been having a bad reading month, hitting too many mysteries with TSTL protags who spend more time worrying over the many men in their lives rather than paying attention to the fact that someone is trying to kill them.

So in the mood for something wildly different, I picked up Swans Are Fat Too by Michelle Granas. Hania, the main character, is a brilliant but obese pianist returning to her family home in Poland for her grandmother’s funeral. The book is her journey, and it’s a fascinating one. I love that—unlike all the chicklit characters who stuff their faces daily and never pay the wages of poundage—she knows she’s fat because she eats too much, recognizes the damage she’s doing as she does it, and works her way through why she can’t stop. Her weight is actually not a big deal but just one small part of her exploration into what life has to offer.

While she’s working her way through her own problems, she’s acquired worse problems in her absentee family who dumps two thoroughly neurotic children on her and disappear. Weave in a hereditary Polish prince who’s writing a bloody history of his country—an allegorical trip for those readers who read the snippets— and a light romance, and I was highly entertained. Hania manages all with grace, decorum, and real smarts—and by the end, I was confident that she’s gained the tools needed to fix herself. It’s currently .99 cents, so it’s worth a try! 

Nicola Cornick:

I’ve had a quiet reading month as I’ve been head down finishing revisions to my latest book but I did have chance to sit down with By The Sword by Alison Stuart. I enjoy Alison’s historicals very much and this is book 1 in a new series set during the 17th century. Usually books with a background of the English Civil War are set whilst the conflict rages and this is a bit different as it begins in 1650, after the execution of King Charles I. Through the vividly drawn characters and background it gives a wonderful picture of a country divided and a time when loyalties are tested to the limit. Kate, the heroine, is drawn in a rich and complex way that I found fascinating. I saw her conflicts and challenges vividly through her eyes and was engrossed.  Jonathan, the Royalist hero, is a very attractive, strong character. Beyond the central relationship, though, there is a family story with a great supporting cast, and some very poignant scenes between parents and their children. It’s a lovely read. 

Give a Lady a Pen and Novel Things Happen!

Cara/Andrea here, musing today about historical heroines, and how it’s a challenge to give them ways to flex their intellectual muscle while still staying true to the temper of their times. The Regency era is easier, as it was a time of great change in all aspects of society. Still, giving a highborn lady a “job” tests an author’s imagination. 



But that’s part of the fun of crafting the concept for a book! And actually, in my latest series I had one of those “ah-ha!” moments that had me off and running. In my “Hellions of High Street” trilogy, the three sisters all have a secret passion for writing. Sinfully Yours, which releases tomorrow, features Anna’s story. She’s the one who writes wildly adventurous—and racy—romance novels under a nom de plume, and as you can imagine, I had great fun with that!  And that there was a real life role model for her added extra enjoyment to shaping her character.

There were, of course, very few professions in 18th and early 19th century Britain in which women could compete on an equal footing with men. The creative arts offered the best opportunities—including writing. In fact, women authors were hugely influential in shaping the course of the novel, especially Ann Radcliffe.



Chick-in-Pants (part 2)

Anne here.

Since the wenches had so much to say about the "chick-in-pants" trope last week, I've broken it into two parts, and this week it's Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, Joanna Bourne and me, talking about it. We've included a few more excerpts, too. Also here's another 19th century portrait of a man who could easily be a woman in disguise. (Sir William Cornwallis Harris by Ramsay Richard Reinagle (attributed to), c.1823.)

Mary Jo says: Much as I loved Heyer's The Masqueraders, the story requires major suspension of disbelief.  Which I do willingly, but she was writing in the age before pheromones had been discovered, which may help with that suspension.  (Actually, an even bigger question in my mind is how Prudence could pour a glass of claret into her sleeve to conceal the fact she wasn't drinking much.  Sure, the shirts were ruffled, but wouldn't there be wine dripping from the sleeve?  But I digress.)

An Author at Hampton Court

Hi. Jo Beverley here delighted to welcome Margaret Evans Porter back to the Word Wenches. Margaret is an award-winning, bestselling novelist with a life-long interest in British history, and she generously shares her investigations.

Today she's blogging about Hampton Court Palace, one of the royal palaces. It plays a part in her first mainstream historical novel,  A Pledge of Better Times. "A sweeping tale of ambition, treachery, and passion For generations Lady Diana de Vere’s family loyally served England’s crown. But after King Charles II’s untimely death, her father firmly opposes James II’s tyranny. Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans—the late king’s bastard son by actress Nell Gwyn—also rebels against his newly crowned uncle’s manipulation.

Political and religious turmoil bring revolution and yet another coronation before Charles returns to from war to claim his promised bride. In palace corridors and within their own household the young duke and duchess confront betrayals, scandals, and tragedies that threaten to divide them. And neither the privileges of birth nor proximity to the throne can ensure their security, their advancement—or their happiness."  

That sounds thrilling, Margaret. I look forward to how Hampton Court plays a part.

Margaret Evans Porter.

As a teenager, entirely unaware of the impact it would have upon my future, I spent a full day Hampton Court Palace. On that initial visit I had my pocket journal, and at some point I recorded my thoughts my chief impression: “Never has history seemed so alive to me.” I was very much taken with the gardens. “I think every flower is in bloom. The roses are as big as my face.” Lunch was a picnic on the grass. I got lost in the maze—temporarily.

 

London Bobbies

Pat here:

As I may have mentioned, I’m working on a new Malcolm/Ives historical series starring the descendants of my Georgian couples. Since I’ve written predominantly in the Georgian and Regency eras, my historical curiosity was whetted for “what happened next.” We all know that Prinny took over after the death of his mad father in 1820 and ruled that decade until his own demise in June 1830. It’s at the point where younger brother William succeeds to the throne that the genealogy for my characters kicked in best—when the combination of mystical Malcolms and scientific Ives have entwined through several generations and are ready to meet the future with a whole new set of gifts.

 

New this week!

Hello Everyone,

 

We have some fantastic news to share with you this week!  First off, Congratulations to Jo Beverley, whose Too Dangerous for a Lady is on the USA Today bestseller list!  In case you need it, her book can be found here http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/045147189X/wordwenches0b-20.

 

Also, be sure to stop by and check out our guest on Wednesday!  Margaret Evans Porter joins Jo Beverley to talk about Margaret's first mainstream historical novel A Pledge of Better Times, set in late Stuart times.

 

We would also like to announce a couple of winners!  As well as Davida winning a book for suggesting the "chick-in-pants" topic (suggest topics to our email, [email protected]), Juanita G.'s name has been drawn to win a book for leaving a comment on that post.  Both winners have been contacted.

 

That is all of our news for today, I hope everyone has been having a wonderful weekend!  Until next time!

 

Melissa

 

Simple Pleasures Then and Now

Nicola here! Today I’m musing on a few of our favourite things and whether our Regency heroes and heroines would have valued the same pleasures that we do.

A recent poll of 2000 people aimed to make a list of all the simple things in life that make us happy. At number 1 was one of my own favourites, a freshly made bed. I confess I iron all my bedding because I enjoy the lovely cool, smooth feel of freshly laundered bed linen so much. I don’t enjoy ironing at all but it’s worth it for that moment when you slide between the sheets (or between the sheet and duvet) and smile with pleasure.

In the past I suspect that the enjoyment of beautifully laundered bed linen must have been the privilege of the rich, those people who had a laundry and maids to deal with all their washing, drying and ironing. If you were the laundry maid you probably fell into your own bed at the end of the day so exhausted that you didn’t even notice the state of the bedclothes!

Chicks-in-Pants (part 1)

Anne here, for April's Ask-A-Wench discussion and this time it's about the "chick-in-pants" trope. 

Reader Davida sent us this message (and thus wins a book): "I would love to read a book where the heroine is forced to dress like a man.  Georgette Heyer's  The Masqueraders is one of my favorites but just picturing one of the Wenches writing a book with a Masquerade in the storyline would be thrilling.  I think the feeling when the hero doesn't understand why he is having feelings for his "friend" is very sexy and exciting." 

We're expanding this question to explore the whole idea of the "chick-in-pants" trope -- which seems to have gone a little out of fashion, possibly because readers feel it's not very believable. But is that the case? The portrait on the right is of a young man -- William Fraser in 1801. Could he not be a woman in disguise?

Over to the wenches.

A Proper Cream Tea

by Mary Jo

Afternoon tea is a quintessential English custom, and one that has been discussed on the Word Wenches before when Anne Gracie wrote a delightful post on the subject.  (And if anything, Australians love their afternoon tea even more than Britons do.  And let us not forget the New Zealanders!)

This blog began at the Virginia Festival of the Book, where Joanna Bourne and I were part of a lovely event for romance readers and writers held at a local Barnes & Noble.  Two of the readers said they'd met Jo Beverley in England, and she'd showed them how to have a proper Devonshire cream tea with clotted cream.  They even showed me a nice picture of the three of them on an iPad.

I mentioned this to the Wenches, not all of whom knew the correct way to have clotted cream and scones because not everyone had experienced it.  And a delicious discussion was stimulated!  (Pun intended. <G>)  In fact, it became so complex that I decided I need to do TWO blogs: one on cream, clotted and otherwise, and one on scones.  (True or false: a scone is just a biscuit.  Stand by for fireworks!)  

Firstly, what is clotted cream? Since fresh milk has a short shelf life, clotted cream is one of the ways developed to preserve cream longer--cheese and butter are other ways.  It's particularly associated with Southwest England, especially Cornwall and Devon.( Photo from Wikipedia.) 

It's made by being indirectly heated, like in a water bath, then slowly cooled.  The thick layer that forms on the top is the clotted cream.  It must have at least 55% butterfat, but averages around 64%.  In the US, that would be categorized as butter, but the flavor is different--rich and sweet with a consistency like soft cream cheese.

The whole purpose of clotted cream is to make cream teas possible.  It's simple, really.  Split a scone and top with fruit preserves (or lemon curd) and a thick layer of clotted cream.  Serve with hot tea.  Delicious!  But already the first controversy appears: does one apply the cream first, or the preserves?  Opinions very and can become quite heated, but I believe that a proper Devonshire cream tea requires the clotted cream to go on first, as if it was butter, with the preserves on top.  Aussie Anne Gracie begs to differ.  <G>

Clotted cream still has a short shelf life so it's hard to find outside the UK, though the Devon Cream Company does produces a small bottle that can last for several months before it's opened.  It can be found in really good grocery stores, on Amazon, and sometimes in a little container served with a transatlantic meal on British Airways. <G>  It's not quite as good as fresh clotted cream consumed in Cornwall, but it's still a nice treat. 

Heaviest sales of clotted cream are during the Wimbledon tennis tournament since cream  teas with strawberry jam are very, very traditional.  It's enough to make one take up tennis watching!

But clotted cream is only the tip of the butterfat iceberg when it comes to the myriad kinds of British cream!  We Americans tend to regard fat with fear and loathing: hence the blue white abomination called skimmed milk.  About the richest cream we can buy is whipping cream, which at around 36% butterfat is about half the intensity of clotted cream, and isn't as easy to whip as a thicker cream would be.

The UK has many more kinds of cream.  Double cream has 48% butterfat content and it can be poured over a dessert like apple pie or a fruit crumble.  It also whips beautifully, and as Jo Beverley pointed out, it become the filling of an incredible range of cream cakes such as these made by this company, Darvell and Sons.  Breeds of cows like the Guernsey and Jersey from the Channel Isles have always been prized for the richness of their milk.  That's a Jersey cow to the left.

In the US, one is more likely to find artificial cream (Twinkies, anyone?) or custard, which are just not the same.  I suspect it's a matter of safety--the US is generally warmer than the UK, and we certainly heat our houses to higher temperatures, which risks cream turning bad.  In a cool English kitchen, this isn't as much of a problem because A) it's cool <g> and B) it isn't going to last long enough to spoil!  

There are a number of other grades of British cream, from extra thick double cream (lightly cooked and a bit like clotted cream but the same 48% butterfat content as regular double cream), single cream, and more.  We Americans must make do with half and half, light cream, and heavy whipping cream.  

When I was a kid, we had milk that was pasteurized but not homogenized and the cream would float to the top.  In theory, you'd shake the bottle to mix it before pouring, but if my father was having coffee, he'd pour some of the top milk into his cup since it was the equivalent of half and half.  Now we can buy boxes of half and half, including--light low-fat half and half.  Which really rather misses the point!

Have you ever had a proper cream tea with clotted cream?  Does this blog make you want to try one, or does merely reading about it make your veins clog?  <G>  

Mary Jo, who thinks that every true Anglophile should try a cream tea at least once.

Driving ... Left or Right

 If you’ve ever been in a car, you’ve noticed there’s a certain widely practiced custom. Everybody sends their car down one preferred side of the road — left or right — depending on what country they happen to be in. Drivers are pretty consistent about this, and thus everybody’s somewhat less likely to ram into another car nose-to-nose.

 Sticking to your side of the road . . . it’s not just a good idea. It’s the law. 

A more complicated view of traffic

 About 65% of the world keeps to the right — this is the US and Canada, and about all of South and Central America, Europe and China.
The other 35% of humanity drive to the left. This is significantly the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, and Australia.

 In one of those weird coincidence-type things, folks who live on islands are mostly left handers.  Go figure

 Are there are ancient usages involved?

one of those Roman streets

There are those who say the Romans drove on the left, taking as evidence wear in a tract leading to a Roman quarry in Swindon. And if we’re willing to look at 1300 as an indication of ancient custom, in that year Pope Boniface VIII set rules for keeping to one side on the bridges of Rome.

Both of those seem to have favored left-hand diving. (Point for England.)

drivers meeting

There is much back-and-forth speculation about whether armed men would be more likely to quarrel if they walked to the left or right of each other. Did army units have to pass each other on the left so they wouldn’t come to blows? Did jousting make folks in mule carts want to copy the style? 

Do you know what I think?

I think before about the Eighteenth Century, folks mixed it up. They walked left, right, and center, and wove back and forth to avoid pot holes in the road. The narrow alleys of the cities were a right disorganized shambles where carts were lucky to pass at all, regardless of who was on the left or right.

I think troops of armed men marched right down the center of the road and everybody else scampered out of their way.

army marching where it chooses

In the Eighteenth Century they got around to making laws for the ordering of traffic. England made a general recommendation that all horse traffic should keep to the left. Russia issued an edict for traffic to keep to the right. In Revolutionary France also, traffic was required to drive to the right.

So why don’t we have a patchwork of left- and right- hand driving across the nations of Europe with everybody nipping from one lane to the other at every border crossing?

We can blame this — and so much else — on Napoleon. When he conquered his way across Europe he brought metrification, robust Burgundies, and right-hand driving with him. Only England, unconquered, stayed left-handed, (and unmetrified.)

Australia followed the left-hand driving custom of England.  The United States and Canada -- who knows why -- chose right-hand.

So ...are you one of those people who enjoy getting behind the wheel and taking off ... or is driving a chore?

One lucky commenter will win a copy of one of my books. Their choice.

Fifty Shades of Black

Cara/Andrea here, I'm musing today on a dark subject . . . as in black! Now, New York fashionistas would have no problem adhering to the complex rituals of 19th century mourning—wearing black is very stylish and an everyday staple of any modern trendy wardrobe. It’s hip and ultra cool to eschew brighter colors for the shadow-dark hue of midnight. But as we all know, black had a different connotation in in the past.

Jo Beverley: Too Dangerous for a Lady!

By Mary Jo

I  shamelessly begged for an advance reading copy of Jo Beverley's new book, Too Dangerous for a Lady.  It's a great read, with romance, suspense, and even medical matters of the time.  Not only is the story a Romantic Times Top Pick (along with new books from Wenches Patricia Rice and Cara Elliott), but it received a wonderful review in Publisher's Weekly:  "Beverley's brilliantly drawn protagonists shine in a  story that puts equal emphasis on intrigue and love."

Too Dangerous is set in Jo's long-running Regency Rogues World.  There's more about the Rogues here.

MJP: Jo, is it true that the Rogues are the longest-running series of Regency heroes?

JB: As best I can tell. The first book came out in 1991, which means 24 years. The characters have covered three years in fifteen books.

 MJP: How do Mark and Hermione fit into the Rogues World?

JB: I completed the stories of the 10 surviving members of the Company of Rogues in To Rescue a Rogue, but I've written spin-off characters along the way. Two years ago I was considering a few characters who are waiting in the wings, but then some of my readers asked  about the families of the two dead Rogues. When I wrote the first book, set in 1814, it seemed unlikely that out of twelve young men none had died in the ongoing war, so  I killed off two. We authors are so carelessly cruel.

Cue Lady Hermione Merryhew, sister of Lord Roger Merryhew. Roger joined the army and was killed in Spain. His older brother has since died so the family title,  Marquess of Carsheld, has gone to a distant relative.

 

On Eggs and Bulbs

Anne here, reflecting on the topic of eggs — specifically Easter eggs —and bulbs. For people in the northern hemisphere, Easter is also a spring festival, but for those of us in the the antipodes, it comes in autumn.

So while my friends in the northern hemisphere are eagerly looking for early spring bulbs, we on the other side of the world are planting them. But more about bulbs later.

Easter eggs — for some, Easter is all about the giving and receiving of delicious eggs, in all their sizes and flavors. For many there's only one kind of easter egg — chocolate — dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate. Some are filled with caramel or peppermint cream or other flavors, but still, chocolate is the main thing.