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The Wenches


  • Mary Jo Putney

  • Patricia Rice

  • Susan Fraser King

  • Anne Gracie

  • Nicola Cornick

  • Andrea Penrose

  • Christina Courtenay

In Memoriam


  • Jo Beverley
    Word Wench 2006-2016

  • Edith Layton
    Word Wench 2006-2009

Word Wenches Staff

Wench Staff Emeritae

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June 2023

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Wenches Statistics

  • Years published: 164

    Novels published: 231

    Novellas published: 74

    Range of story dates: nine centuries (1026-present)


    Awards Won:

    • RWA RITA

    • RWA Honor Roll

    • RWA Top 10 Favorite

    • RT Lifetime Achievement

    • RT Living Legend

    • RT Reviewers Choice

    • Publishers Weekly Starred Reviews

    • Golden Leaf

    • Barclay Gold

    • ABA Notable Book

    • Historical Novels Review Editors Choice

    • AAR Best Romance

    • Smart Bitches Top 10

    Kirkus Reviews Top 21

    Library Journal Top 5

    Publishers Weekly Top 5

    Booklist Top 10

    • Booktopia Top 10

    • Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement


    Bestseller Lists:

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    • USA Today

    • Waldenbooks Mass Market

    • Barnes & Noble

    • Amazon.com

    Chicago Tribune

    • Rocky Mountain News

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Books

« Treasured Timeslips | Main | Planting the Seeds of Knowledge »

Comments

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Nicola Cornick

Well, this gave me the shivers, Christina! I envy you staying in the medieval manor but not the whole haunted bedroom experience!

I've had a number of ghostly encounters in my life. I don't go looking for them and wouldn't mind if I didn't have them but I just seem to be in the right (wrong?) place at the right time. We did live in a haunted cottage for 7 years and became quite fond of the ghost of a cavalier who haunted it. In fact I only had one really terrifying paranormal experience in my whole time there. Most of the other ones have been fairly benign.

It's a fascinating topic, isn't it. My husband, who was trained as a scientist, dislikes anything he can't explain and so the fact that he has also experienced some ghostly phenomena is quite irritating to him. But as you say, when rational people have these experiences it does feel as though there must be something in it...

Christina Courtenay

I wish I'd seen a ghostly Cavalier - that would be just perfect! (As long as he wasn't being scary of course). You were very brave to stay in that cottage for so long. Yes, it's when people who don't believe in ghosts see them that it becomes really interesting. I guess it's in our nature to try and explain these occurrences away but sometimes we just have to accept that science isn't everything, I think!

Annette N

Two experiences - We rented a temporary old house in July in Dayton OH. Upstairs, there was a certain spot, if you crossed the spot, the temperature suddenly became freezing cold. But, most importantly, the feeling in that cold was angry and ugly. It felt as though there were someone standing there ready to pounce. It was a short period of time and during that time I would not allow my children to go into the cold and hateful area.

We bought a 100 year old house. It had been a family home in a small Texas town. It was built in the mid 1800's. We had a friend who lived with us. Moved things. Turned pictures upside down. Made little noises. And one of our cats did not like to be anywhere near him/her. I always felt it was a child who simply could not keep from playing. There was no feeling of anything but fun.

I never saw anyone - no visible spirit. But, I did feel in both cases that there was some entity who was there in that space. Until the cold space in Dayton, I would have said there was no way. But, I believe I would have been wrong.

I hope everyone is taking care and staying well.

Jeanne Behnke

Great blog! I definitely believe in ghosts but I can't honestly say I've had an encounter with any. When I've visited old historical places - especially battlefields - you can really feel the disturbance in the atmosphere.

Christina Courtenay

Thank you! That rental house sounds scary, Annette! Don't think I would have stayed there for very long! But having a mischievous ghost could be fun as long as they don't break anything. Funny how animals can sense these things though - in that house I stayed, the dogs always reacted to the ghost too.

Christina Courtenay

Many thanks, Jeanne! Oh yes, some places really feel haunted, don't they? As I think Nicola mentioned in a previous blog post, Culloden is one such - I found it almost reeked of sadness! And ruins often have an atmosphere lingering as well.

Pamela DG

My husband and I were Civil War reenactors and have had our share of mysterious events when we have slept on battlefields. At Gettysburg, I and a friend were surrounded by orbs, while some men reported they had visitors at their campfires. But the most profound experience I had was at Antietam, I was walking down Bloody Lane when I felt a hand at the back of my neck and I felt a voice say, "You need to leave,Little Lady. I'm taking you back to your father!" Then I was encouraged to go to where my Dad was waiting for me. That spirit stayed with me as I returned home to Central Ohio and left just after I married. I felt him tell me that my husband is "a fine man even though he is a Yankee." I was able to research him and found a likely candidate for who he was in his life. He was from the Shenandoah Valley and his only child was a petite brown-haired girl like me. I have always believed that the afterlife is just on the other side of a thin veil of time.

Pat Dupuy

A handsome, blond, smiling ghost. What's not to like? I've visited a number of reportedly haunted places but have never encountered anything unworldly. I hate to think I'm a ghost repeller.

Donna H.

Another wonderful post! I have had a number of ghostly experiences - we have had visits from beloved pets who have died especially cats. Lovely to see them whisk around a corner or feel them jump up on the bed and curl up to you.
I lived in a bedsit and woke one morning to a man sitting on my couch smiling at me! It was broad daylight, with the sun streaming in and he looked like a real man. He had slicked back hair like Elvis, a white shirt and black pants. I pulled the covers over my head as I thought he was a real person, did not even think of a ghost. When next I looked he was gone and my door was still securely locked. Have no idea who he was and he did not seem to want anything and looked friendly.

Christina Courtenay

Wow, that's an amazing story, Pamela! I would have been terrified if a ghost put his hand on my neck - you were very brave! But so nice that it was someone who wanted to look after you. Thank you for sharing!

Christina Courtenay

As I'm such a chicken, I wouldn't mind being a ghost repeller, Pat :-) But I'd definitely make an exception for that handsome ghost! Such a shame I never saw him.

Christina Courtenay

How scary, Donna! Not sure which would be more terrifying - finding a real person having broken into your house or a ghost looking at you! You are very lucky to have had ghostly visits from your pets though. I have lost two of my little dogs in the last two years and I miss them so much - really wish they'd pay me a visit!

Pat Dupuy

Downloaded your book. Sounds wonderful! I love timeslip stories.

Barbara Monajem (@BarbaraMonajem)

Are the paintings you posted of the actual house or just something similar? They're so lovely!

I have never seen a ghost but I do love imagining and writing about them. :)

carol warham

I've never experienced anything - must be totally insensitive!
I remember as a child my neighbour telling my mum this story.
Her youngest son was a few months old and she left him sitting on the lounge carpet while she went into the kitchen. After a minute or two she heard her mum calling her anxiously. Her mum lived with them for a while. Running back into the lounge she saw the baby was choking on something. It was only after she had helped baby that she remembered her mum had died a few days before!

Christina Courtenay

Thank you so much - hope you enjoy it Pat!

Christina Courtenay

They are of the actual house, Barbara - I love them too, so atmospheric! Yes, it's always fun to imagine what would happen if we did meet a ghost (and much less scary that way :-D).

Christina Courtenay

Oh wow, Carol, how wonderful - you couldn't ask for a better ghost story than that! It would be amazing to know that our loved ones are watching over us and our children even after they're gone and I really hope that is so! Thank you for sharing!

Sue McCormick

In the 1960s we lived in a modern house in St. Louis. There were two spots which were always cold, even in the middle of summer: one in the living room and one just outside it in the front yard. We all felt it, but we didn't sense a prescence. However we did call it our friendly ghost.

On the other hand, I frequently have conversations in my sleep with beloved families members who have died. Of course these may be dreams, but I always feel comforted, because I wake up knowing things are all right with them.

Christina Courtenay

As long as it was friendly, Sue, that's ok! I definitely wouldn't want an unfriendly one in my house. And I like the thought of having conversations with loved ones in your sleep - very comforting indeed!

Teresa Broderick

I love this post! My home place is an old countryside cottage which is roughly a hundred years old. My brother lives in it now. There is a huge amount of activity going on there. Doors are always opening and closing on their own. Sometimes you can feel someone passing you in the hall and there's no one there. My brother has seen a young girl, about ten years old. He woke a couple of nights and she was standing in his room. He talked to her but she just stood there, then disappeared.
My aunt died there when she was nine years old. I believe she was a very solemn little girl.
He says there isn't a bad feeling there and he doesn't seem to mind it.
I say I'd love to see a ghost but I'd probably run a mile if I did!!!

Christina Courtenay

How wonderful, Teresa! I do hope the little girl is your aunt - it would be so nice to know she's still there. I'm glad all these happenings are not scary but hopefully comforting instead. I agree though - I'd run a mile too!

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