Word Wenches

What We're Reading

by Mary Jo

Our Word Wench WWR posts are always popular, and our July reads start with Nicola Cornick:

Nicola here. My favourite read this month was Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson, which is set in London in the 1920s in the glittering and criminal world of the Soho clubs. I picked it up because the story, about the Croker family and their entertainment empire was inspired by that of the infamous nightclub owner Kate Meyrick, several of whose daughters married into the aristocracy, including the Craven family. The book perfectly captures the complicated and glamorous world of 1920s society. The character of Nellie Coker, the matriarch, is compelling, as is the plot in which the police on one side and Nellie’s enemies in the criminal fraternity on the other, are all aiming to bring her down. Her eldest son, Niven, is a great romantic hero. My major grumble was that the romance strand was left hanging, which was very frustrating for those of us who like happy endings! I’ve enjoyed some Kate Atkinson books more than others but this was one of my favourites.

US link here: UK line here.

I also picked up The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware and thoroughly enjoyed that too. Harriet Westaway, struggling to make ends meet and even to survive in Brighton after her mother’s death, receives a letter that seems to answer all her prayers. The Cornish grandmother she never knew has left her a fortune. But Harriet’s grandparents died 20 years before… didn’t they? Desperate for the money, she decides to chance it and see if she can get away with the fraud, which brings her into the Westaway family circle and a whole host of secrets waiting to be revealed. This is a gothic thriller with all the trappings – a creepy old house, an equally creepy old family retainer and various weird relatives hiding all sorts of secrets. I found it a page-turner and went on to read another of Ruth Ware’s books, The It Girl, straight after.

US link.  UK link

 

 

Down the Rabbit-hole

Anne here. I sent the wenches down a rabbit-hole last week. It was for something quite small, really, but I thought it might give you an idea of the kind of rabbit-holes we wenches regularly dive down in the quest for historical accuracy.

I was writing a scene where the heroine, who’s hot and tired is alone and on foot in the countryside. She is cooling her aching feet in a little stream, when she meets a handsome itinerant, who comes to fill a bucket and a small pot in the stream.

The water in the bucket is for his horse, and he mentions that the small pot is for making a cup of tea. She’s just thinking that she’d kill for a cup of tea, when he offers her one.

That’s it. Barely worth a mention, you think. Only at first I called the small pot a billy-can, or a billy, which is what we use in Australia. Throughout my childhood, every barbecue we had in the bush, Dad would “boil the billy” which means he’d make tea for him and Mum and any other adults. Not coffee, and tea wasn’t for the kids — we drank pure, clear creek water. Pretty much any Australian would know what “boil the billy” meant. It  looked like this (though many billies have a lid and some are even fancy and enamelled.)

There are even old-fashioned tins of tea called Billy Tea. They're now collectors' items. And in the song Waltzing Matilda the swagman was waiting 'till his billy boiled. You rarely see swagmen these days — they were lone itinerants and they carried their "swag" — their possessions— on their back, but the billy always hung free, ready to make a cuppa. 

So I happiy continued with the scene. . . and then started to have second thoughts. Would it be called a billy at that time in that place?  Such things we historical writers have to consider. Hmm... So I looked up the OED (Oxford Englsih Dictionary) which tells when and where a word first appears in print. And sure enough, “billy” in the sense I was using it was an Australian/NZ term first seen in print in 1849. Curses!

So, what to call it? I asked the brains trust — ie the wenches. And they jumped right in. Here are just some of their responses — I'm sparing you the whole discussion.

An Interview with Diane Gaston

By Mary Jo

Diane Gaston and I are both long-term members of Washington Romance Writers and sister Regency addicts, so it's a pleasure to welcome her to the Word Wenches!  Yesterday was the release of her newest book, The Lady Behind the Masquerade. Diane, will you tell us something about the story?

Diane Gaston:

The Lady Behind the Masquerade,  Book 2 in a two book series, A Family of Scandals, tells the story of Marcus Wolfdon, “Wolf,” who is the younger brother of Eliza, the heroine of Book 1, Secretly Bound to the Marquess.

When old enough, Wolf fled his parents’ drama and chaos that had permeated his whole childhood to dedicate himself to diplomatic life. After Napoleon’s final defeat, Wolf is posted to Paris where he meets a mysterious French woman in a gambling establishment and shares a profound, passionate encounter with her, only to have her run off with all his money.

Diane's book covers

Hi!  Mary Jo here. 

Since our blogging platform didn't let me include book covers with Diane Gaston's post, I'm going to see if I can show them here. MJP

 

 

En Garde—Meet the Chevalier de Saint-Georges!

Andrea here, under frantic deadline, so I am re-posting an older blog that is worth revisiting due to an exciting new movie that released last month. Read on!
 
I’m musing on how our fresh perspectives on history continue to weave such exciting new threads into the tapestry of the past. I love learning about extraordinary people whose stories never got told in the traditional narratives, especially when it’s someone whose life intersects with the Regency era. So I was absolutely enthralled by an article in the New York Times on Joseph Bolougne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. (image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Alaskan Tour

Kenai fjord

Pat here: We’ve just recently returned from a cruise along the southern Alaska coast line, admiring glaciers and national parks, watching for wildlife, and resisting miles of jewelry. Mostly, I was looking for an easy trip involving little more than eating, drinking, and sleeping. We accomplished all that, although air travel is still a real pain, even from Southern California. If you ever have a choice, choose the Vancouver airport over Seattle!

Meeting Readers

Christina here. Authors are mostly solitary creatures, holed up in our lair with just our characters for company, and snarling at anyone who interrupts us when we’re in the writing zone. But sometimes we need to get out and see people, and one of the very best things is meeting readers. Having someone buy your books or tell you that they enjoyed one of your stories is lovely, and although getting messages like that on social media is always appreciated, meeting readers face to face is even better. So when I got the opportunity to join a big book signing event at London’s ExCel exhibition centre recently, I jumped at the chance. It was something I simply couldn’t miss!

RARE (Romance Author & Reader Events) book signing events are organised by two indomitable ladies, and they move around to venues in various different countries around the world. It’s been held at places like Melbourne, Paris, Berlin and Edinburgh, and there are lots more to come. The aim is to bring together as many authors and readers as possible for one-day book signings, but it has also created a romance reading community. There’s a dedicated FaceBook group and RARE can also be found on Instagram. Some of the readers travel huge distances in order to attend, and they are very enthusiastic and loyal. It sounded fantastic, and I couldn’t wait to take part.

The Warrior Poet/M&M Hero

Susan here – in last week’s blog on the topic of grumpy heroes, I mentioned the Warrior Poet heroic type. Years ago, Mary Jo and I, along with friend and writer Eileen Charbonneau, did workshop panels that explored the Warrior Poet hero—we also called him the M&M hero. Our multi-media presentation included a panel discussion, images, music, gift baskets—and chocolate, of course! 

The term “Warrior Poet” originates with an archetypal hero found in ancient Irish society and literature. Traditionally the Fianna, the elite warrior heroes of Irish legend, were trained as both warriors and poets. Poets as well as warriors went through rigorous training and discipline, building power and skill and knowledge. The warrior-poet who combined strength of body and mind was a powerful hero indeed.

The Warrior Poet has a long tradition, from ancient through medieval to modern. Odysseus, Arthur, Lancelot, Galahad, so many more--they are part of the DNA of storytelling, and have helped form our fascination and love for complex, challenging, ultimately rewarding heroes.

In romance fiction the term “Warrior Poet” describes the range of this hero’s qualities, and M&M helps clarify him further – he’s not Grumpy, Alpha, or Beta, but like an M&M, he has a hard shell wrapped around a rich, delicious interior, full of substance and love. He can be crusty on the outside, but he’s not grumpy all the way through. Beneath the hardened emotional shell, he can be a soft-hearted guy with a deep capacity to love. His redeeming qualities soon become evident. As a hero and a match for the heroine, he has huge potential.

Newsletter Winner

Anne here.

As you may know, every month one of the Wenches gives away a book to someone who subscribes to our monthly newsletter.

This month the giveaway book is The Laird's Bride. It's a Scottish novella, set in the early Regency era, with a convenient marriage. (You can click on the cover image to see some of the reviews.)

A hot-headed vow to marry the first woman he sees, a meeting in a muddy bog, a hasty marriage between strangers, and a bride who demands to be courted — after the wedding.

And the winner is Julie H. 

She has been notified by email.

If you haven't yet subscribed to our monthly newsletter, please do, and if you have friends who might be interested in receiving it, why not suggest it to them?

Thanks to all of you who do subscribe.

anne

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Ask A Wench - Who's Grumpy?

“Why, Grumpy… You do care.” Snow White discovers Grumpy’s compassionate side.

Nicola here, introducing this month’s Ask A Wench and a topic that has caused much discussion among the Wenches lately. (Photograph: Wikimedia Commons: Alex Patel).

“Adjectives to describe heroes have changed over the years.  "Grumpy" seems to be popular these days.  What does this mean to you? Are there other such adjectives you've liked or hated for heroes?”

Christina here and I don’t actually mind grumpy heroes, if they have a reason for being that way. Recently, I’ve read quite a few contemporary stories and the grumpy heroes usually tend to be billionaires, which seems a bit odd. I mean, if you have enough money to buy anything you could possibly want, what’s there to be grumpy about? Mostly they’re tired of being pursued for their money, rather than their personality, which is fair enough. But if they’re just grouchy in general, they need a good kick up the backside so hopefully the story has a heroine who can administer that. Or they have been working too hard and the heroine injects some much-needed fun into their lives. If anyone has to be grumpy, I’d prefer it to be Grumpy Cat! (Photograph: Wikimedia Commons: Gage Skidmore).

I’ve seen “loner” and “damaged” a lot to describe either a historical hero who’s scarred from a recent war, for example, or a present-day hero who might be some sort of modern war veteran. This, to me, implies psychological scars, which can be difficult to sort out, but a kind and caring heroine is all they need.

“Brooding” is another adjective used to describe heroes, and this one I don’t like. It just conjures up images of a scowling man who is taciturn and stand-offish. Those are not attractive traits. Reminds me of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, a hero I could never take to or understand.

If an author wants to hook me with their blurb, all they need to do is tell me their hero is a “bad boy” and I’m there. (OK, that's two words, but still ...) Now that is something that will draw me in every time!

Mary Jo:

Writing book blurbs is challenging because one wants to capture the essence of the plot, the characters, and the feel of the story.  Words must be chosen very carefully.  Characters can be brave, kind, resourceful, tormented, reserved, warm-hearted, witty, charming, fierce, stubborn, and many other possible describers.

But I have to say that describing a hero as "grumpy" is at the absolute bottom of my list of adjectives.  To me "grumpy" is someone who is bad-tempered for no good reason.  Probably immature, irredeemable, and certainly not good company. 

 To me, this picture of a warthog pretty much defines, "Grumpy."  Not at all romantic except perhaps to another warthog!

(Picture: Wolfgang-Hasselmann, unsplash.com) 

Anne: I don't mind the term 'grumpy' for heroes. To me it's shorthand for a hero who's 'hard to crack' and that signals a fun journey to romance. I generally assume a grumpy hero has been pursued for his money or position or used in some way, and as a result has become cynical and maybe even a little embittered about women. Whatever the reason, he doesn't believe in love. And isn't that a challenge we all enjoy?

But 'cynical' or 'embittered' or 'damaged' are not attractive-sounding adjectives to put in a book blurb, whereas grumpy sounds temporary enough that the hero can change, which is what we want. Perhaps he was even a romantic in his youth, but something happened to change him into the man he is now. So as a reader, I want the heroine to chip away at his hard, protective shell, and make him believe in love again. 

It's a description often used in contemporary romances, but there are plenty of historical romance heroes of the 'grumpy' sort. Quite a few of Amanda Quick's heroes could fit in this category — Seduction, Scandal, to name a couple. And maybe Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels. Possibly Darcy in Pride & Prejudice. Julie Garwood's Saving Grace?  Mary Balogh has a few. Even my hero in Gallant Waif was listed as a "hot grumpy hero" in this list on Goodreads. 

So, I take the 'grumpy' description with a pinch of salt and expect a 'hard to crack' hero and a fun romance. It doesn't always happen, but I'm certainly not turned off by the term.

(Picture: Charlesdeluvio, unsplash.com) 

Andrea: We Wenches had an hilarious ”pre-game” discussion on this question as we composed our answers, so I hope you are all having as much fun with this as we did! 

“Grumpy” is not a word that would leap to my mind when thinking of adjectives for a hero. However, I don’t see it as an irredeemable flaw. I'm thinking of Roy Kent in Ted Lasso, who came across as a total grump, snapping and snarling at everyone. But viewers were given backstory hints that his demeanor was a protection for his inner vulnerabilities. And I found it delightful to watch several of the people around him—including his 8-year-old niece—slowly wear down his defenses. That he ultimately learned to laugh at himself and not to be afraid of expressing his feelings made for a very feel-good story of friendship and love.

Yes, there are some people who can’t be redeemed.  Self-absorbed, selfish men who have no empathy or sense of humor will never be heroes in my book. But men who have been hurt before, or are struggling with inner self-doubts make wonderfully complex characters and it’s fun to create a heroine who can stare dwon thie scowls and draw them out of their shell.

(Photo credit: Gerda DaRif)

Pat: I can’t top a grumpy warthog or cranky cat, so I went to the source—Merriam Webster, which says “grumpy” means “moodily cross: surly.” Synonyms are a bit harsher: choleric, cross, peevish, grouchy, cranky. . .” 

Right now, I’m reading a book where the heroine is “snarky,” which to me, is far worse than “grumpy.” One can be grumpy when getting up in the morning before coffee. Snarky takes work. But in this book, the heroine has very good reason to be “peevish and grouchy.” It’s a wonder she’s still alive and hasn’t killed anyone yet.

I will totally accept grumpy heroes or heroines—if they have good reason to be so. If they’re just perpetually irritable, I’ll probably quit the book. (actually, if they’re billionaires, I’ll probably quit the book because who cares about their problems? I never liked Prince Charming either) I want likable characters, even if they’re likable despite themselves.

So the hero who has been badly burned by those he loved or trusted has every right to snarl at a heroine who chirps about true love making the world go ‘round. If she keeps on chirping despite his attempts to put her off, he can even bark loudly. I’d sure the heck do so. Okay, maybe I like grumpy because I am grumpy!

(Image by TitusStaunton from Pixabay)

Susan: The word grumpy can be misleading and subjective. Grumpy can have different meanings for everyone (it kind of reminds me of Grumpy in Snow White, who turned out to have a heart of gold, aww!). This discussion of grumpy heroes touches on the basic question of what qualities make a story hero a heroic and appealing character. Is a "grumpy" hero a man who is reserved, cautious, protective--yet basically emotionally mature and emotionally attractive - or is he a guy who might be selfish, spoiled, petty, and irredeemable? Is the grumpy sort worth the heroine's time and energy (and worth the reader's time and energy as well)? This "grumpy" descriptor works two ways - he's either a negative or a positive character and influence in the story. This grouch is either heroic at his core, or he is further down the scale toward non-hero. 

A gruff hero has substance and heart, and can lead to transformation and great reward for hero and heroine in the story. But a grumpy guy who is just difficult and not all that fixable -- maybe he's better off as a villain.   

Years back, Mary Jo Putney and author Eileen Charbonneau and I did a few workshops on a hero type we called the Warrior Poet -- the WP. We also called him the M&M hero, the tough guy with the outer shell that's hard to crack, yet he's yummy and loving inside (we handed out M&Ms to our workshop attendees!). Today we might call this guy a little bit grumpy or gruff. Beneath that hardened outer emotional shell, the restrained emotion and invulnerable facade, the WP/M&M guy can be soft-hearted with a deep capacity to love. That has tremendous potential in a romance hero. And it’s up to the heroine (and the writer) to bring out the best in him and help him get past what makes him so cautious and protective to help him discover his innate capacity to love. The story variations on this theme are endless.

This is my favorite hero to write, and I've played with variations on the Warrior Poet/M&M/Oscar the Grouch type many times. Open up almost any of my books and you'll find a guy who's a bit grouchy, standoffish, wry -- but he deeply loves his family, his principles, he has tremendous integrity that he doesn't put on display. He's got a lot of secrets, with reason. But he's there in a flash for the heroine, and through her, he learns to crack that shell, open that door, and grow as a warrior, a poet, and a guy who loves M&Ms.  (Photo by @wings_in_light found here)  

Nicola: So there you have it - our thought on "grumpy" and other sorts of heroes and heroines. For me, like Susan, the first thing I think of when I hear the word "grumpy" is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I didn't like the original Grumpy, heart of gold or not! Gruff seems a much more acceptable term to me for that tough, taciturn exterior that hides a heroic heart. But it's all in the interpretation and that is always subjective.

What are your thoughts on "grumpy" and the other words that are used to describe heroes? 

Let's Party!

Andrea here, madly scribbling away on Wrexford & Sloane Book 8, which is due in mid-August. Yes, yes, I know, Book 7 isn’t out until the end of September, but deadlines are set WAY in advance of publication . . . and I need to switch on jet propulsion to get to the finish line on time. (Oh, wait, there was no jet propulsion in the Regency era! Do you think my editor will accept the excuse that steam engines are to blame for not huffing and puffing hard enough? Heh, heh.) (image courtesy of Yale British Art Center)
 
Getting back to the plot-in-progress, as the action was heating up, I needed somewhere a little different for a meeting of several conspirators. Neither a fancy Mayfair mansion nor a gritty slum was quite right. So I began perusing my historic map of London and the solution quickly jumped out at me . . .

Epilogues

Anne here. 
Recently several readers commented to me that they wished I had written an epilogue for my Scottish novella, The Laird’s Bride, and one asked me why I hadn’t, because I normally do. And you know what? I had no answer for her.

I think it was partly because I had expanded a short-ish story into a longer novella, and I don’t think I’ve ever written an epilogue for a novella. It certainly wasn’t because I don’t like epilogues — because I generally do. I suspect it simply never occurred to me—I wrote that story years ago. But now it has been suggested I keep wondering what kind of an epilogue would suit that book. I’m not going to write one, by the way, so don’t expect it. Once a book is published that’s it for me — it’s finished.

But I can see what those people were getting at. I reread a couple of Georgette Heyer novels recently, and oh, there are a few where she ends them so suddenly it’s almost like a bucket of cold water, shocking me out of her story world and leaving me wanting more. I know what’s going to happen, that the central couple are going to be happy etc, but I want to see it and feel it and enjoy it.

A lot of people — writers as well as readers — really don’t like epilogues in a romance novel. Some people (shock horror) don't even read them!  Me, I love ‘em. If I’ve loved the book, I want to spend just a little more time in that world with the characters. I love seeing the happy couple some time after the ‘I love you’ declaration. I want to be convinced that it will be happy ever after for them, that their love will last. And grow. A good epilogue is the icing on the cake.

A Taste of the Baltic

Nicola here. Last month I was fortunate enough to go on a cruise of Medieval Baltic Cities of the Hanseatic League with Fred Olsen cruises. We chose this particular cruise because the destinations were fascinating; I’ve been interested in the history of the Baltic region for decades and a number of my distant ancestors came from that area. This was the perfect opportunity to get a taste of the Baltic. Mary Jo has also blogged about her Baltic Cruse experience but a big difference for us was that these days the itinerary doesn't take in St Petersburg. Instead we got a couple of stops in other places.

Our cruise departed from Rosyth in Scotland. We got off to a good start because as soon as we arrived at the cruise terminal, I spotted the ruins of Rosyth Castle somewhat incongruously fenced off on the edge of the naval dockyard. I had to hop out for a photograph and to discover more about the castle. It turned out that it was originally a tower house rather than a full-scale castle and had been built in the 15^th century on an island in the Firth of Forth that was accessible only at low tide. It was built for Sir David Stewart and remained in that family until the late 17^th century. As time went on, the castle was unoccupied and the stone used for other building projects. In the 20^th century, land reclamation on the Forth river bank led to it being marooned within the dockyard. It’s a shame that it has never been restored but it was a treat finding it here at the start of our holiday. The pictures shows a drawing of the castle by Thomas Pennant. The image is available from the National Library of Wales, Public Domain.

From the ruins of Rosyth Castle our cruise took us across the North Sea, calm as a millpond in exceptional warm and dry weather, to our first stop, which was Gdansk in Poland. On the way we were treated to several lectures introducing us to the history of the Hanseatic League, an organisation that was founded by German merchants to protect and promote commercial activities in Central and Norther Europe. The League had an incredibly complicated history – inevitably the story involved trading rivalries, wars, piracy and politics. The map shows the main cities that developed as part of the League. (Attribution: Doc Brown, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.)

We explored Gdansk on foot, strolling the pavements and old alleyways to admire the architecture. Although the city has some original buildings that survive
from the medieval period, a lot of it was destroyed in the Second World War and has been rebuilt in the earlier style which has created a stunning landscape of streets, squares and waterways which has got a fairytale feel about it. When we had walked around for several hours and needed a rest we took to the skies on a big wheel so we could see a different view of Gdansk from the air!

Our next port of call was Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland. Visby was one of my favourite places on the entire cruise, the best place I’d never heard of before the trip. A walled medieval city with lots of twisty narrow streets and ruined churches, it also had a beautiful cathedral, a beach and a stunning botanical gardens. It's a world heritage site and one of the best-preserved medieval city in Scandinavia, but even more importantly, Visby also had the best cinnamon buns that I have ever tasted! We walked all the way around the city walls, admiring the castellated towers along the way, and exploring the twisty medieval alleyways. It was the sort of place where you felt you could easily have stepped back in time! I later discovered that there is a series of crime novels by Swedish author Mari Jungstedt that are set on Gotland and in Visby which I thought I might look out for.

Meanwhile, back on the ship there was the opportunity for tea-testing, wine-tasting, lessons in Martini mixing and more talks, book club meetings, spa visits and, of course, sitting on deck and looking at the view. Bliss!

Riga in Latvia was next on our itinerary, where, as well as the medieval history there was also some very fine art nouveau architecture to admire. I didn't take to Riga quite so much as I did the other places; it seemed very busy and noisy to me and the centre of the old town didn't impress me as much as some other places. That said, this was the one day when I wasn't feeling 100% (possibly I had overeaten the night before at the "all you can eat" buffet) plus it was very hot for walking around. One thing I loved, though, was the parks, which were absolutely beautiful and a haven of green space and cool water amidst the busyness.

 

Estonia was a country I hadn't known much about until this cruise and we visited two places, Saaremaa and Tallinn. Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia and I found it absolutely gorgeous. The capital, Kuressaare, has the most glorious moated castle that you can imagine as well as the obligatory attractive old streets. Here we had a tour guide who was not only very knowledgeable and interesting on the historical buildings and other sites on the island but also gave us an insight into what it had been like growing up on the island in the Soviet era.  This was fascinating and made me realise how easy it is if you come from somewhere like the UK to take your freedom and self-determination as a country for granted. Her talk really made me think about how precious our freedoms are and how we should always remember that.

We had been told that in the town hall in Kuressaare was ho,e to an extraordinary painted ceiling from the 17th century that was well worth seeing. Unfortunately we wandered into the wrong building and a bemused receptionist with perfect English had to re-route us to the correct place. Once we had found it, though, we had to agree that it was an amazing picture which had apparently been found in an old house during the 20th century, restored and relocated to the town hall. There are lots of mysteries about who commissioned it and what it means - definite inspiration for a story! Here I am admiring from the best position - lying on the floor!

Visiting Saaremaa also gave us the opportunity to take a walk in the countryside which, again, was absolutely beautiful. The port was near an old fishing village where all the old cottages had been converted into modern, upscale homes on the sea shore. I should also mention the culinary speciality we enjoyed on this part of the trip - Estonian Rhubarb Crumble Cheesecake. Yum! 

Part 2 of our Estonia trip was to the capital, Tallinn, which is a place I have wanted to visit for many years. Tallinn is also a World Heritage Site and one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. It's also a very popular destination so we were lucky that we arrived very early in the morning and so were able to explore the old streets and amazing buildings before it got too hot and too busy. Everything about Tallinn was just magical from the old castle on the hill to the city walls and the ancient buildings. History bliss!

It wasn't all medieval stuff on the cruise, however. Whilst we were in Stockholm I mixed my old history fix with some a bit more modern but still retro - the Abba Museum! This is a fabulous interactive museum of all things to do with the iconic Swedish pop group which I remember so well from my childhood in the 1970s. It was great fun to sing along to their songs in a karaoke but that video definitely isn't for sharing!

We were coming to the end of our trip and after a wonderful sail through the Stockholm archipelago, we were heading towards the German town of Warnemunde, which had an old-fashioned seaside vibe about it. We took a bit of a rest day here, with some time on the beach, shopping along the waterfront and climbing the old lighthouse for a great view out to sea! This was another place where the once-basic fishermen's cottages have been transformed into something rather more fancy as boutique hotels and residences!

And then it was our last day, with an early morning visit to Copenhagen in Denmark. Copenhagen is right up there at the top of my list of places I'd like to visit again. The old trading area of Nyhavn looked very picturesque in the sunshine and we wandered along all the waterways, ending up at the Little Mermaid, one of the most famous tourist sites in the city. In fact the Little Mermaid is so Instagram famous these days it's impossible to get close to her for a selfie because of all her fans! It was a little weird to see that; a small statue surrounded by people all wanting their photo taken with her. 

One of my favourite castles of the trip is in Copenhagen, Rosenborg, which looks exactly like a fairytale castle should and is at the top of my list of things to do on a return visit. And I suppose that is one of the few downsides of a cruise. You only get a few hours in each place you visit, enough to get a taste of somewhere but not enough time to immerse yourself in the history, culture or other aspects of a country. But sometimes a taste is just what you need to whet your appetite for more! Not only am I planning a return visit to a number of destinations but I'd also love to do another cruise sometime. The ship was small enough to feel friendly and very comfortable but big enough to offer all sorts of amenities - and great food, and it's a very relaxing way of seeing something of the world.

Is there anywhere in the world you would particularly like to visit? How do you prefer to travel? Air, sea, road trip or armchair?

Seeing the elephant!

This is an oldie but goody post from 2016 because I was just in the mood for lions and elephants!

by Mary Jo

 September 8th, 2016, late in the evening, I pressed "Send" to email the manuscript of Once a Rebel to my editor. And the next morning we flew to Africa.  I wrote 7K words that last day in order to have a semblance of an ending.  I do not recommend this. <G>

But the safari in Botswana was wonderful.  Nothing like going off the grid when you've just finished a book!  I'd had no particular awareness of Botswana until I read the first No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith.  Born in what is now Zimbabwe, McCall Smith was a law professor at the University of Botswana for many years, and his love and understanding of Southern Africa is profound.

 

by Mary Jo

 September 8th, 2016, late in the evening, I pressed "Send" to email the manuscript of Once a Rebel to my editor. And the next morning we flew to Africa.  I wrote 7K words that last day in order to have a semblance of an ending.  I do not recommend this. <G>

But the safari in Botswana was wonderful.  Nothing like going off the grid when you've just finished a book!  I'd had no particular awareness of Botswana until I read the first No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith.  Born in what is now Zimbabwe, McCall Smith was a law professor at the University of Botswana for many years, and his love and understanding of Southern Africa is profound.

 

Stepping Back in Time Again

Christina here and I’ve been out and about again doing some research for the story I’m working on. As I think we’ve mentioned before on this blog, there really is nothing better for an author than being able to actually see or experience something for real. One of the best places to do that is at an outdoor museum, where they have reconstructed old buildings and environments so that the visitor can really experience what it would have been like to live there. Going to places like that feels like stepping back in time. Last week I found an excellent one – Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire here in the UK – and took a day trip to see it. Well worth a visit!

Butser features experimental archaeology with reconstructions of buildings from various different periods of early history in Britain. It was started on a different site in 1972 with the aim of setting up a working ‘ancient farm’ so that archaeologists could test out their theories as to how people lived and farmed in the Iron Age. There are different varieties of ancient crops grown, and they have rare animal breeds. The focus is on education and research, and loads of people visit every year, especially school children coming to learn about the past.