Word Wenches

Heyer Walk With Pictures, Part 2

Anne here, continuing the delightful walk through Georgette Heyer's London, conducted by my friend, author Sophie Weston. The first part of the tour is here.
But first, a photo of the scales on which Byron used to weigh himself. It was mentioned in the previous post, but the photo came to me later from a friend. Notice the lead weights neatly stacked beside the scales.

St James’s Palace  (below)
Even today Ambassadors present their credentials to the Court of St James's. During the Regency, the King lived mostly secluded at Windsor or Kew and the Queen restricted her Drawing Rooms, so there were few opportunities for debutantes to be Presented. Even so, Jenny from A Civil Contract managed it and so did Arabella, who was much impressed by Princess Mary.

The Prince Regent’s marital difficulties prevented him from formally running an alternative Court at Carlton House and when the Hanoverian Jubilee was in full swing in 1814, he received the Crowned Heads in St James Palace – getting seriously annoyed when the Czar, for whom rooms had been refurbished especially, refused to stay there. He preferred to join his sister, Grand Duchess Catherine, already ensconced in the Pulteney Hotel. Oh the lure of the flushing loo!

Heyer Walk with Pictures, Part 1

Anne here, with a special treat from my friend and Honorary Word Wench, Sophie Weston aka Sophie Page, whose To Marry A Prince is a favorite of mine and Mary Jo's, and Nicola's. (See the interview here.)

A life-long London resident, multi-published author and former chair of the Romantic Novelists Association, Sophie also developed for her friends and colleagues a personally conducted "Georgette Heyer Walk."  I was fortunate enough to experience it myself some years ago, on a damp and chilly day, and most of the photos are mine.

Sophie and her friend, historical novelist Joanna Maitland, have just set up a site called Libertabooks.com for writers and reader to meet and share enthusiasms -- think an angst-free book club but with fringe benefits as readers start to voice what they want from it — and you're all invited to drop by. With 49 novels published by other people, Sophie is also embarking on self-publishing. 

Welcome back to the Word Wenches, Sophie. Let us commence your delightful Georgette Heyer walk.

Sophie: My Georgette Heyer walk is a work in progress, based around Piccadilly, still one of the busiest streets in London. In 1815 there were also horses leaving deposits which boys who kept the crossing had to be tipped to brush out of the way. So when Miss Wraxton did ‘not wish to drive through the streets’, The Grand Sophy had a good point when she replied ‘What, and walk along Piccadilly unattended? You cannot mean it!’

Men, however, strolled everywhere. Byron, would leave his marital home at 13 Piccadilly Terrace; pass the Pulteney Hotel (with flushing loos!) where the Czar and his sister stayed during the Hanoverian Centenary celebrations in 1814, followed by Venetia's glamorous mother; pass the Dandies' club (Watier's 1813-1819) at No 81 and reach his publisher John Murray at 50 Albemarle Street in less than 10 minutes. [photo on left: John Murray's] 

Juliet Marillier

Anne here introducing our latest guest, Juliet Marillier, whose name might be familiar to you, either from your own reading or because I've recommended her novels in a number of posts. I'm a huge fan, and I'm not alone: here's her goodreads page.

Juliet writes historical fantasy— her stories weave folklore/fairy tales into history in, for example, places like ancient Ireland at the time just before Christianity makes its first appearance. She's an internationally bestselling, award-winning author. She's won the American Library Association’s Alex Award, the Aurealis Award (numerous times), the Sir Julius Vogel Award and the Prix Imaginales, among other awards. She's also a passionate dog-lover with a small tribe of rescue dogs. This is Juliet with one of her dogs, Harry.

Today I'm interviewing her about her latest book, the second in the Blackthorn and Grim series. I haven't yet read it (it's still in transit), but I opened Dreamers Pool (the first book) the other day — meaning only to glance through it and refresh my memory. Instead I found myself rereading it from cover to cover again, and being transported, moved, and entranced just as much the second time around.

Anne:  Welcome to the Word Wenches, Juliet. Most of your books involve the re-imagining or re-exploring of fairy tales, woven into an ancient Celtic background, with an added touch of magic. Why do fairy tales appeal so strongly?

Mary Balogh, on covers

Hi, Jo here welcoming bestselling author, Mary Balogh, back to the Word Wenches. I've been delighting in Mary's new covers, and so I'm happy that she wants to talk about the subject. Of course, we're looking forward to your views and comments, and one lucky commenter will win a copy of Mary's book, Only a Kiss. If you already own that one, then you can choose another title.

Mary's recent complete series is the Survivor's Club, about a group of men and women who shared a difficult time during the Peninsula War. The first book is The Proposal, and its cover history illustrates what Mary is going to address.

 

 

 

Over to Mary.

Until recently I would have said that I never choose a book by its cover. After all, the cover is the one thing over which the author probably had very little input or control. Covers are designed within publishing houses according to the current theory of what will sell. In the historical romance genre, for example, if it seems that men with bare, waxed, over-developed chests and the generic white shirt or headless women or women with billowing skirts are what readers are looking for, then chances are that is the sort of cover writers will be landed with whether they want them or not-or whether the picture is historically accurate or not. At present the billowing skirt seems to be in vogue even though the book itself is very likely to be Regency and Regency fashions, in my opinion, are more gorgeous and romantic and sexy than the fashions of any other era.

I do my reading on a Kindle and make most of my book choices by browsing on Amazon. Like most other readers, I choose largely by author and within certain genres. In those cases covers do not have any bearing upon my choice. I will buy the book regardless. But I am always searching for new authors and I like to dabble in new genres just to see if there is anything to take my fancy and broaden my reading horizons. And I have made the discovery that yes, indeed, I am very much affected by covers. I will not buy a book solely upon the appeal of the cover, but that is what makes me stop to take a closer look. There are no doubt countless books I would enjoy enormously and countless new authors whose backlists I would devour voraciously if I could but find them. But it is the cover that draws me-or repels me.

NAKED: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold

by Mary Jo

One of the pleasures of large book signings is that an author usually ends up sitting next to strangers.  Over the course of two or three hours, much fun and talk occurs.  This happened to me at the Romance Writers of Australia conference when alphabetical order placed me next to Eliza Redgold, a delightful author and academic who looks like one of our romance heroines.  <G>  In July, St. Martin's Press released her new novel, Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva.  

The cover is stunning and the book kept me enthralled for much of the long flight home from Down Under, so I invited Eliza to visit the Word Wenches. Happily, she said yes.

MJP: To begin with, who is Eliza Redgold?

ER: Eliza Redgold is based upon the old, Gaelic meaning of my given name, Dr. Elizabeth Reid Boyd.  English folklore has it that if you help a fairy, you will be rewarded with red gold. I was born in Irvine, Scotland on Marymass Day and currently live in Australia.

MJP: Naturally, as soon as I read that, I had to go online to find out what Marymass Day is!  The holiday commemorates a visit Mary Queen of Scots made to Irvine, and there is a parade complete with the Queen and the four Marys who were famously her attendants.  Eliza, from what I found online, the festival is in August but the date isn't fixed?

Barbara Hannay — The Secret Years

Anne here, interviewing my friend, Barbara Hannay about her newest book, THE SECRET YEARS. Barbara is an award-winning, bestselling author. She's written many short series romances for Harlequin, and has won several major awards, including RWA's RITA, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award and Australia's Romantic Book of the Year Award (twice) — but in recent years she's moved into longer, more mainstream fiction.

I mentioned her book Moonlight Plains last month in What We're Reading, but her new book is something else again. It's been listed as a book of the month on iTunes-books, and Penguin Australia has given it one of their coveted "Guaranteed Great Read" medallions on the cover. The reviews are also glowing, and since there is a strong WWII thread in the book, I thought wenchly readers might enjoy meeting Barbara and finding out more about THE SECRET YEARS.

THE SECRET YEARS is set across two eras; World War II England (and other places) and modern-day Australia. As the blurb says, it "spans three generations of secrets, romance and heartbreak."

Anne: Welcome to the Word Wenches, Barbara. There are two intertwining stories in THE SECRET YEARS — a contemporary and a historical story, but since this is a historical blog, let's start with the historical one — your hero Harry and your heroine, George, aka the Honourable Georgina Lenton. Tell us about Harry and George.

Introducing Kate Forsyth

Anne here, introducing Dr Kate Forsyth, who I first met at a Romance Writers of Australia conference, where she was speaking. I hadn't read her, so before the conference I bought one of her books, Rhiannon's Ride, loved it, and immediately glommed everything she'd written. She's a multi-award-winning author who's written for kids, young adults and adults, and is currently writing historical/fantasy fiction inspired by fairytales.

Her book BITTER GREENS, a reworking of the fairy tale, Rapunzel, was awarded the 2015 American Libraries Association prize for Best Historical Fiction, and was listed as Library Journal (US) Best Historical Novel, as well as many other awards.  THE WILD GIRL is about Dortchen Wild, who grew up next door to the brothers Grimm and told them some of their most powerful and compelling stories. It's already garnering some wonderful reviews, including a starred review from Booklist.

The Brides of Waterloo

Nicola here! Today it is my very great pleasure to welcome to the Word Wenches three fabulous Regency authors who have collaborated on a trilogy to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Louise Allen, Annie Burrows and Sarah Mallory are the best selling authors who have joined together to write linked books to celebrate the heroes who fought and the women they loved. The trilogy is based on the real-life story of the artillery unit led by Captain Mercer who held one of the most hotly contested sections of the British line, and the love stories unfold in the authentic setting of Brussels society and the field of Waterloo before, during and after the battle.

Now it’s over to Annie to tell us about the background to the Waterloo Brides! Welcome to the blog!

Thanks for inviting us to your blog to talk about our brand new mini-series from Harlequin "Waterloo Brides".

When Sarah Mallory and Louise Allen contacted me, asking if I'd like to join in the project they were planning, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of that iconic battle, I barely hesitated before saying Yes!

For one thing, I absolutely adore writing military heroes - actually, I have to confess I adore reading them, too.  If a book has a navy SEAL or an ex marine hero, I fancy him straight away.  Even before I learn if his eyes are blue, or brown or anything else about how he looks.  He is obviously going to be a Real Man.  He has sacrificially served his country.  Has probably done brave deeds, possibly suffered injury, and will therefore be that irresistible mix of warrior hero, and tortured soul.  At once brave, yet broken.  Needing the love of just the right woman to make him whole again.

So - did I want to write a military hero?  You bet I did!

We warmed up to the series itself by creating the world of Randall's Rogues.  Sarah saw the hero of her book, Colonel Randall, as the creator of a unit of trained artillerymen - the troublemakers from various regiments who are on their last chance before getting hanged.  Or, as Louise Allen put it - a kind of dirty dozen in breeches.

The artillery were, in fact, answerable to the Board of Ordnance, and frequently annoyed Wellington by doing their own thing on the battlefield and on campaign, which was perfect for our purposes!

Before long, Randall's Rogues had not only a motto (Semper Laurifer), a mascot, (a huge, black shaggy dog) and a full complement of men (I could include the spreadsheet here with the names of their staff sargeants, farrier, and smiths!) but also, for aesthetic purposes, a uniform with blue jackets.

And then Louise Allen and I went along to a re-enactors event, to learn as much as we could about camp life (since her heroine is a camp-follower), and because they promised to fire a cannon.

It is one thing reading about the noise of cannon, quite another experiencing it.  The noise of just the one being fired was incredibly loud.  It no longer surprises me that people could hear the cannon fire from Quatre Bras as far away as Antwerp.

 We also saw examples of what a soldier of the time would have carried in his pack. It may surprise you to know (well, it did me, anyway) that soldiers of that time were expected to be clean-shaven, and were supplied with a mirror and razor for the purpose.  You can just see a shaving brush in the picture of kit.

The typical kit for a junior regimental officer would have had to fit into one haversack and two portmanteaux.  In his haversack were clasp knife, fork, spoon, tin mug, and any provisions he might be carrying.  The rest of his belongings were carried in two small portmanteaux, slung on each side of a mule.  In one of these was a uniform jacket, two pairs of trousers, waistcoats (white, coloured and flannel) a few pairs of flannel drawers and a dozen pairs of stockings.  In the other were shirts, cravats, a fitted dressing case, three pairs of boots, two pairs of shoes and a number of handkerchiefs.

All the men were expected to wash regularly and wear clean shirts.  Between the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo, many took the opportunity to shave and change their shirts.  Last time I met up with Sarah, we had a long discussion about whether this explained the appeal of soldiers over civilians at that time.  The rank and file not only had regular pay, and a pension if they were invalided out, but also washed more often and wore clean linen.

Shirts were one thing, the jackets another.  Made of wool, they must have been very hot to wear.  When I asked one of the re-enactors about it, he explained that wool was actually very practical.  It would soak up sweat, and then dry out rapidly when removed and hung out to air.

 In these two pictures you can see two ways the soldiers used to air out their damp jackets - in the first, they've used their stacked weapons as a makeshift clothes horse.  In the second, where the highland regiment are preparing for drill, you can just see, outside each tent, a sort of wooden cross - which had been put up specifically for hanging their jackets on.

Cheap dye could pose a problem, however.  In the rain, it could wash out and stain the trousers, which were often white, so that the unfortunate individual in a cheaply produced uniform would end up wearing shades of pink.

Taking care of the uniforms, and keeping their menfolk smartly turned out, in clean linen, provided plenty of work for the camp followers.

 And yet, in spite of learning about the hard work that went into keeping the soldiers looking smart, the perils of wool on a hot day, and cheap dye in the rain, I still think there is something inherently romantic about a Regency soldier's uniform.

Thank you to Annie, Louise and Sarah for giving us such a fascinating insight into their research. They will be dropping in to chat so if you have any questions for them on the Waterloo Brides series or what it was like to write linked books or anything else, post a comment! To get the (cannon) ball rolling we’re asking you who is your favourite fictional military hero?  One reader who comments will receive a signed copy of "A Mistress for Major Bartlett" by Annie Burrows.

Guest Tracy Grant on Mystery, Mayfair . . . and Governesses

 

Cara/Andrea, Today I'm delighted to welcome back my good friend Tracy Grant, who has come to give us a little historical backstory to the latest book in her marvelous Susanna and Malcolm Rannoch historical mystery series. For those of you who have not yet read Tracy's books, well, you're in for a treat! Set in the late Regency, they feature wonderfully nuanced, complex stories involving the world of espionage—where personal and professional loyalties are often tangled, and moral choices test the concepts of love, family and friendship. Her characters are beautifully rendered and her research of all aspects of the era is impeccable. I've been lucky enough to read an ARC, but rather than say any more, I'll now hand the pen over to Tracy and let her tell you more! Welcome, Tracy!

A Blue Plaque for Georgette Heyer

Anne here, reporting an event that took place in London a few days ago, when Georgette Heyer's house in Wimbledon was given a prestigious English Heritage blue plaque. I wasn't there (sob!) but my friend, Dr Jennifer Kloester, Georgette Heyer's biographer (and an honorary Word Wench) flew over for the opening, and has kindly supplied the photos and much of the information for this blog.

The English Heritage blue plaque scheme, founded in 1866, and thought to be the oldest of its kind in the world, identifies and celebrates "the architecture of London's streets and the diversity and achievements of its past residents."

According to Jennifer Kloester, "An English Heritage Blue Plaque is a prestigious thing. They are awarded to those people who are deemed to have made a contribution to the nation's history. Georgette Heyer has now been admitted to the ranks of those authors who have made a significant contribution to the creative and cultural life of Britain."

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.

 

Travelling the roads of Regency England with Louise Allen!

Nicola here, and today I am thrilled to welcome Louise Allen back to the Word Wenches! As well as being a hugely popular and award-winning author of historical romance, Louise is a lover of London history and especially the Georgian period, and is the author of Walking Jane Austen's London. Today Louise is talking about how her research has led to her writing two other non-fiction books that are a must for both authors and history-lovers alike: Stagecoach Travel and Following the Great North Road. I can recommend both books very highly indeed and it's a great pleasure to hear from Louise about the background to the books.

Over to Louise:

One of the joys of writing historical romance is the research – and, of course, it is one of the worst temptations as a displacement activity. You look up which inns served the stagecoach route to Bath for one sentence in the novel and the next thing you know it is four hours later, you’ve bought a book of stagecoach timetables (expensive), an 1812 route map (even more expensive) and you are side tracked into wondering what the food was like at the inns in Newbury.

Renee Huff on Tokens of Love

by Mary Jo

I met jeweler and jewelry historian Renee Huff at last year's Romantic Times conference in New Orleans, where I fell in love with (and bought!) an unusual Victorian necklace from her.  She's fascinating to talk to, so I prevailed on her to visit us last summer.  (Renee's Etsy shop, Jeweled Legacy, can now ship internationally, if you'd like to browse the wide range of things she carries.) 

Now with Valentine's Day almost here, she's visiting again to talk about historic love tokens.  Renee, tells us about Snakes of Love!

Renee Huff:  It's almost St Valentine's Day. What do you get your Georgian or Victorian era sweetie?

You might get them something with a serpent. The snake has gotten a bad reputation in more recent times, but in the old days serpents were the symbol of Eternal Love and Union, based largely on the ancient symbol of the Ouroboros. It was such a prevalent image that when Albert proposed to Victoria, the engagement ring was a gold serpent. If you were secret lovers, the snake would be less obvious- perhaps woven in the background or disguised as a design element like a bail or the bezel holding in a stone. (MJP: Find the snakes in these gorgeous earrings!)

Clasped hands in what was referred to as the Fede style- from the Italian Mani in Fede, or Hands in Faith were also popular. Eventually they would be modified into the Luckenbooth brooch- a romantic crowned heart with the initials of the two lovers entwined, and the Claddagh--the hands cradling a heart with a crown on top.

Flowers weren't just for nosegays and tussie-mussies. Blooms, whether reproduced in gold, silver or gems, retained their meaning in jewelry as well. Roses, daisies and orange blossoms spring immediately to mind as they have remained in use, but other blooms were also common. Pansies for think of me, Ivy for fidelity, Lily of the Valley for sweetness, acorns for a long life (together), Violets for modesty and of course Forget-Me-Nots for true love.

 Forget-me-nots were frequently made with Persian Turquoise and eventually turquoise took the same meaning regardless of design. It was Prince Albert's favorite stone, and enjoyed great popularity during his lifetime.

Speaking of stone meanings, Garnet symbolized loyalty, fidelity and faithful love. The rich red of garnet was associated with the Goddess of Love and all matters of romance. Many engagement and wedding rings were made with garnets for faithful love and pearls for purity. Pearls were very valuable, a miracle of nature, and I will try not to sidetrack on the staggering expense of large, round matching pearls. Even small pearls were valuable, and parures of 'seed' pearls were considered appropriate gifts for young ladies.

Gemstones were also used to send acrostic messages. The first letter in the name of each gem spelled out things like 'Regard' or 'Dearest'. They looked a lot like our 'Mother's Rings'- a band of gemstones that didn't necessarily look harmonious together. Some of them are hard to distinguish-- love was most often simply Lapis, Opal, orange-red specimens of Vanadinite or Valentinite, and sometimes Emerald, but not always.  

Or you could sideline the gems and give them an imperishable part of yourself- your hair. Rings and watch chains were braided, hidden compartments held coiled locks or woven designs, and hair work designs were set under crystal on every kind of jewelry imaginable. Dresser sets had a dish with an open top, called a hair receiver, to save those precious strands.

The one thing you won't see much of in courting jewelry during this time is diamonds. Diamonds symbolized wealth and maturity. It wouldn't be until the late 1890's that diamonds start to be associated with marriage, but that's a story for another day!

Mary Jo again. I knew that the Victorians were fond of using the hair of loved ones for memento jewelry, and I've seen some elaborate examples, but I never heard of the 'hair receiver' on a dressing table!

It's not jewelry, but I just got some advance reading copies of my September book, Not Always a Saint, so as a Valentine bonus, I'll give a copy to one person who comments between now and midnight Thursday. 

Our historical romance heroines often have or receive jewelry with special meanings, particularly if it comes from the hero.  Do you have any special love tokens that you cherish?  I'd love to hear!

 

Renee, thanks so much for visiting us again. 

Mary Jo, sighing happily over the lovely pictures of bright shinies

     

 

 

 

Guest Amanda (McCabe) Carmack Talks Tudor!

Cara/Andrea here, Today I'm delighted to welcome back my dear friend Amanda McCabe, a favorite with many of our readers for her scintillating Regency romances for both Signet and Harlequin. But today she's wearing her Tudor velvets and jewels as she tells us a little about her historical mystery series, written as Amanda Carmack, set in the court of Queen Elizabeth. (Those of you who haven't read them are in for a treat!) Amanda loves historical detail as much as we do, so without further ado, I shall let her fill you in on some of the fun details behind Murder In The Queen's Garden, her latest release.

Amanda here, Kate Haywood and her adventures are, of course, a work of imagination (even though she often feels like a real friend to me, after I've been lucky enough to follow her through three books!).  But one of the fun “perks” of writing, I've always found, is the research.  The chance to jump into a time hundreds of years in the past, discover the people and places and events, and try to make it feel “real” again—I love all of that.

The Art of Creating a Deliciously Desirable Hero

Cara/Andrea here, I'm delighted to kick off our regular blog schedule for the new year by welcoming back my good friend and Honorary Word Wench Miranda Neville. Nt only does Miranda craft delightfully smart and sophisticated Regency romances, but as those who have read her books know she also draws on her expertise in period history and art to create a wonderful ambiance of the era. In her latest book, which released just last week, she found inspiration in an unexpected place . . . so without further ado, I shall hand over the pen and let her tell us all about it!

Miranda here,
For The Duke of Dark Desires, I used a remarkable creation of the Regency period. One of London’s best art collections is also relatively unknown, probably because it’s inconvenient to reach by public transport. Dulwich Picture Gallery opened in 1817 and is the oldest public art gallery in England. It houses an extraordinary collection of Dutch, French, Italian and Flemish Old Masters including Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael, Poussin, and Fragonard, as well as English masters like Gainsborough and Lawrence.

The existence of this great museum in a fairly obscure part of south London arose from the career of a pair of eighteenth-century art dealers, Noël Desenfans and Sir Francis Bourgeois. Commissioned by the King of Poland to assemble a ready-made collection of masterworks, the paintings were left on their hands when Poland (not for the first time) succumbed to more powerful neighbors. Failing to find a buyer elsewhere (both the Tsar of Russia and the British government turned it down), the collection was bequeathed by Bourgeois to his old school, Dulwich College, with the stipulation that it be displayed to the public.

Not only was it the first public gallery in England, it was also the first purpose-built gallery in the world. Sir John Soane, one of the most interesting architects of the day, designed the building, including revolutionary roof-lanterns that provided natural top light ideal for viewing art. Adjacent to the gallery space, slightly macabrely, is a mausoleum for Bourgeois, Desenfans, and the latter’s wife.

Before he inherited the title, Julian Fortescue, the hero of my latest book, had to work for his living so he followed his passion and became an art dealer. Though still considered trade, it wasn’t unusual for gentleman to do a little genteel wheeling and dealing, tracking down European treasures to meet the voracious appetite of wealthy Englishmen for works of art. (Sir William Hamilton, Emma’s husband, is a famous example.) Revolutionary Paris offered rich pickings as aristocrats fled the country.  Such a story is at the crux of the plot of The Duke of Dark Desires. I also incorporated elements of the Dulwich history into the book, as well as the long, fruitless effort to establish a national collection, which succeeded only with the foundation of the National Gallery in 1824. Best of all, I was able to raid the art galleries of the world to assemble Julian’s collection.

I don’t want to give the impression that The Duke of Dark Desires is a treatise on art history. This is the short blurb:

Julian Fortescue never expected to inherit a dukedom, nor to find himself guardian to three young half-sisters. Now in the market for a governess, he lays eyes on Jane Grey and knows immediately she is qualified--to become his mistress. To find the man responsible for the deaths of her family, Jeanne de Falleron enters the Duke of Denford's house as governess Jane Gray. As she discovers more clues about the villain she seeks, she's faced with a possibility more disturbing than her growing feelings for the duke: What will she do if the man she loves is also the man she has sworn to kill?

I’m always pleased when I can tailor real historical events to fit my novels and I especially enjoyed the inspiration of the Dulwich Picture Gallery. I will be thrilled if I encourage a few people to visit this gem. Incidentally, there’s an excellent café!

I am a keen museum goer and I love discovering new ones. Do you have a favorite “lesser known” museum or historic site? Perhaps there’s a hidden gem in your area. If so, I would like to know. One commenter will be chosen at random to win a copy of The Duke of Dark Desires.

Through the academic lens

Hi, Jo here, delighted to welcome Dr. Catherine Roach to the Word Wenches. Catherine is Professor of Gender and Cultural Studies at the University of Alabama. I attended her fascinating at the Romantic Novelists Association conference last July and invited her to be a guest on the blog. I'm so pleased she agreed, because her feminist angle on romance novels made me think, and what's more, she's a romance novelist herself.

Her talk was about the core claims of the romance storyline -- the underlying beliefs of the romance reader and the messages contained in the books, and I thought many of them are particularly powerful in historical romance.

However, I'll begin at the end, with Catherine's final paragraph in her paper, as it sets up the discussion. "The romance story. An analysis of the human condition. A prescription for happiness. A blue print for how to live the good life. An illusion. A recipe for disaster. An addiction. A universal truth. Esteem enlivened by desire. The bonding of two into one. The brainwashing of individuals by power structures with something to gain. You decide. Me, I think it's some of all of the above. And more."

Talking Tudor Fiction with Suzannah Dunn

Nicola here. Today I have the very great pleasure of welcoming best-selling British historical author Suzannah Dunn to the Word Wenches. I first came across Suzannah’s books when she was writing contemporary novels and she became an auto-buy for me. When I discovered that she had turned to writing Tudor-set historical fiction I was very happy indeed! The May Bride is her new book and tells the story of Jane Seymour and Jane's friendship with her dazzling sister-in-law Katherine Filliol. It’s a multi-faceted book with mystery, history, romance, intrigue and family relationships intermingled in a fascinating whole.

Suzannah, welcome to the Word Wenches! The May Bride has Jane Seymour as its narrator but it is as much the story of Jane’s sister-in-law Katherine Filliol as it is of Jane. How did you come across Katherine Filliol’s story? Why did it appeal to you?

I can't remember when I first came across it - it seems always to have been there, off to one side but
sort of disappearing whenever I turned to try to look at it, if you know what I mean.  It was never - anywhere - more than a mention, more than a footnote.  And that fascinated me.  Because how could something so big, as it were, have almost disappeared?  Edward Seymour was - became - a Big Tudor, he was Lord Protector for several years of the boy-king Edward V1's reign: ie effectively, he ruled England for those years  (which were years of great change, years which made much of the England that we recognise today).  How did he come to have such a hideous scandal in his private life - and by the way, he was such an unlikely person to have had a hideous scandal in his private life, which also fascinated me - and we know next to nothing about it? (Answer:  Edward was nothing if not efficient, and he was very efficient in keeping this under wraps...)

 

Regency Masquerades

by Mary Jo

Such a deal!  In Regency Masquerades, six talented Regency veterans have released a box set containing six full length Regency novels, including the RITA winning Gwen's Ghost by Alicia Rasley and Lynn Kerstan.  (This might be the only RITA won by a writing team and the book is great, with Alicia and Lynn writing different characters so the story is integrated seamlessly.)  AND they're offering the set for a special introductory price of 99 cents to reward their long term readers!  
 
So here, forthwith, are Alicia Rasley, Allison Lane, Brenda Hiatt, Lynn Kerstan, Elena Green, and Gail Eastwood:


Alicia: What's In a Mask?
Romance readers love masquerades.  A masquerade implies intrigue, elegance, illusion, and even naughtiness.  A masquerade can be used to create alter egos and secret lives.  But the real fun comes when the mask slips, revealing all that the players have been hiding.  That's when love steps up to accept, forgive, and forge new identities and alliances.
 
In this boxed set, we have assembled six novels, each with some variation of the ever-variable theme of masquerade. Whether it's disguise or deception, the characters have reason to mask themselves in some way. As you read, see if you can tell how each character unwittingly chooses a "mask" that reveals the true self… and somehow aids in true love.

Joan Wolf, here at Word Wenches

Joanna here, interviewing Joan Wolf, who writes such wonderful Historical Romances.  The Guradian, The Arrangement, A London Season, Double Deception are just a few of my favories.

A little history . . .  Joan Wolf grew up in the Bronx, New York and took her Master's Degree in English and Comparative Literature from Hunter College. She taught high school English for nine years in New York City, including Creative Writing.  Valuable for her future writing no doubt.

So hello, Joan.  Pull up a chair and let me ask you some questions about your books.  For instance, 

You've written books set in a number of time periods -- Regency, Biblical, Dark Ages, Medieval, Prehistoric, Contemporary.Can you tell us a little of how you build that 'sense of the past' into your stories?  

Research, research, research.  Of course, some periods are easier to research than others.  The regency is easy.  Even medieval times are fairly easy.  The Dark Ages?  Well, they weren’t called the dark ages for nothing.  Very little is written about the centuries (5^th – 9^th)  where I set my trilogy: The Road to Avalon, Born of the Sun, and The Edge of Light.  I read the literature we have from that time – Beowulf and those wonderful Anglo-Saxon poems.  And The Anglo Saxon Chronicle has a list of dates that were useful, but that’s about it.  There was even less for the pre-history series, Daughter of the Red Deer, The Horsemasters and The Reindeer Hunters.  I spent a lot of time in the Yale library reading about primitive people and how they lived, plus there was some good information about the tools used by Cro-Magnon man.  The rest came from my imagination.

That all-important writer's imagination. Sometimes it sees further than the facts.

Okay --  I know you're a horse person and horses appear in many of your books. Do you have a favorite horse you've known and loved?

What Wenches Recommend - July

Nicola here, fresh back from the RWA conference in San Antonio, Texas, where I met up with several of the other Wenches plus other friends old and new, and had the best time!

This is the July What We’re Reading. This month though, we’ve decided to shake it up a bit and call it “What Wenches Recommend.” This could be anything from books to food to places to visit or anything you like. So once you’ve seen a few of our favourite things this month, let us know your recommendations too! 

 First up, an old favourite from Pat:

I've not had a lot of good luck with books this month, but found a complete collection of the Jeeves and Wooster series with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. We'd not seen all of them so really enjoyed catching up on missed episodes. If you haven't read the original P.G.Wodehouse stories, give some of them a try first so you can see how beautifully they carry out these characters!

https://www.amazon.com/Jeeves-Wooster-Complete-Hugh-Laurie/dp/B001V7UXG2/wordwenches0b-20

https://www.amazon.com/Jeeves-Omnibus-Illustrated-P-Wodehouse-ebook/dp/B002TX6ZKU/wordwenches0b-20

Interview with Emma Campion!

Today we are delighted to welcome Emma Campion, author of the newly released A Triple Knot--a novel of the mysterious and dazzling medieval beauty, Joan of Kent--and its previous companion novel, The King's Mistress. As some of you may already know, Emma also writes medieval mysteries as Candace Robb.

Candace, who would become Emma in 2008, was born in the 20th century in North Carolina to parents who had just recently moved from New York City. From a very early age she had a sense of really belonging nowhere, so she could choose. An auspicious beginning for a writer. She grew up through ambitions to be a tap dancer, a singer, a ballerina, a journalist covering the Viet Nam War, a professor of medieval and Anglo-Saxon literature, the author of fantasy and science fiction novels, the author of historical novels, the author of historical crime novels—and that’s how she came to write The Apothecary Rose, the first Owen Archer mystery, which eventually led to changing her name, changing her mind about Alice Perrers, and writing, as Emma Campion, The King’s Mistress. That book, as well as the 10th Owen Archer mystery, A Vigil of Spies, led to the current novel about Joan of Kent, A Triple Knot (originally titled The Hero’s Wife, then Rebel Pawn). Breathlessly, that’s Emma’s story.

A Triple Knot is garnering lots of lovely praise. Joan of Kent, ward of her cousin King Edward III, is destined for a politically strategic marriage. Betrothed to the heir of a powerful family, Joan is haunted by her father's execution and distrusts her royal kin--and so she pledges herself to one of the king’s own knights. Furious, the king forces Joan into another politically auspicious marriage--one that she and her beloved will struggle a decade to dissolve.

“A Triple Knot is a brilliant, tender portrait of a passionate woman in dangerous times,” says Chris Nickson, author of the Richard Nottingham novels. And Diane Haeger, author of The Secret Bride, says: “With a deft eye for detail and a wonderfully authentic evocation of time and place, Campion has delivered what is certain to become a classic.”  

I was fortunate to read an advanced copy of A Triple Knot, and loved it. Campion's 14th century is vivid and authentic, with characters that are as convincing as the setting--and Joan, sometimes glossed over in the hstory books as the Fair Maid of Kent and little more, is complex yet sympathetic. It's an exciting, compelling read.  

And after reading it, I quickly invited Emma/Candace to visit the blog! Here's her interview:

Susan: Emma, welcome to Word Wenches! I loved A Triple Knot, and appreciated how very well you combined your love and knowledge of English medieval history with a gift for storytelling to explore the story of Joan of Kent, first cousin to Edward III. Writing about “the fair maid of Kent” (a later moniker but possibly founded in truth, with the story of Joan's garter slipping down, the king's comment to save her embarrassment--Honi soit qui mal y pense, essentially "shame to him who thinks badly of it" --and the subsequent Order of the Garter) -- must have been a real challenge. Joan's life combined fairytale with soap opera – but not a lot is known about the circumstances and motivations in her life.

How did you approach the historical facts to create such strong, detailed historical fiction?

Emma: I began with the facts that went right to the heart of the matter (I’ll mention only one of the three, so as not to spoil the story for those who don’t know it): Joan of Kent chose to be buried beside Thomas Holland rather than Edward, the Black Prince. I collected all I could find about Joan, Will Montagu, Thomas Holland, and Edward of Woodstock, and began to move them around in my head against the backdrop of what I knew about King Edward III, the queens Isabella and Philippa, the Montagu and Holland families, the years leading up to the Hundred Years War, the foundation of the Order of the Garter, the Black Death, etc., trying to connect the dots by considering motivations and who was where when—essentially, sleuthing.

The biggest challenge, once I was convinced that Thomas and Joan were telling the truth about their betrothal when she was so young, was finding a motivation for their decision to foil King Edward’s plan for her marriage into a Gascon family with the influence and the military might to turn the tide in Gascony. Joan was so very young and Thomas so dependent on the king’s favor, I knew they acted out of desperation, a sense of imminent danger. Discovering the record of a planned betrothal that is never mentioned again was just what I needed. Then it all began to come together. My test was always, how did they feel about this? I let their hearts lead me.

Diane Gaston

Anne here, introducing my guest for today, Diane Gaston. It's not Diane's first visit to the WordWenches, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Diane made a splash in the regency world when her first book was picked up by Mills and Boon (Harlequin Historicals UK) with a riskily-premised courtesan heroine — and started a trend. Since then she's written 18 books and won many awards, including the top award for romance writers, the much-coveted RITA. Her latest book is A Lady of Notoriety, and it hit the shelves this week—and isn't that a stunning cover?

Anne: Diane, you described A Lady of Notoriety to me as both a book-of-the-heart and the third book in a two-part series. Would you care to expand on those two intriguing statements? (As someone who's written a four book trilogy and a five book quartet, I do understand.)

Diane: Ha ha, Anne. First let me say what a delight it is to be here again with the Word Wenches! When I planned The Masquerade Club series, it was intended to be two books, because I thought up two heroes – the hunky gambler/soldier/bastard son, Rhys, of A Reputation for Notoriety, and the incredibly handsome Xavier Campion, the “beauty” in my Beauty and the Beast story, A Marriage of Notoriety.

To my surprise, though, a character emerged in A Marriage of Notoriety who simply begged for a story of her own. Daphne, Lady Faville, played the “Gaston” (no relation) role in the Beauty and the Beast book. She was somewhat of a villainess in A Marriage of Notoriety, but she intrigued me--a beautiful, wealthy woman used to getting her way through her looks alone. Could she learn to be something other than a selfish, self-centered person? Could she be redeemed? Luckily I had a hero left over from the series, Hugh Westleigh, the younger son.

Regency Romantic Adventure with Alison Stuart!

Nicola here, and today I am thrilled to be interviewing author Alison Stuart on the blog. I've been a fan of Alison's books for a while and when I heard that she was forsaking the 17th century to write her first Regency I was intrigued by this change of era. Having had the pleasure of reading Lord Somerton's Heir I can confirm that it has all Alison's trademark adventure and action as well as intriguing characters and passionate romance. So, over to Alison!

AS: Thank you so much for inviting me to join the august company of Word Wenches today!

NC: It's a pleasure to have you visiting the blog, Alison. Please tell us a little about Lord Somerton’s Heir.

AS: I think my publisher (Escape Publishing) summed up the story of LORD SOMERTON’S HEIR rather succinctly in a recent promo piece: “A Regency romantic suspense about a widow who wants to move on, a war veteran with an unexpected inheritance, an estate in desperate need of a Lord, and an unexpected attraction that complicates everything.”

LORD SOMERTON’S HEIR is about the characters and in Sebastian and Isabel I found two damaged people seeking forgiveness and redemption.  Dark shadows haunt both characters and a mysterious death stands between them. Sebastian and Isabel have to work hard for their HEA! There is also a cast of secondary characters that I had a lot of fun with, particularly Sebastian’s batman, Bennet, who is guaranteed to lighten the mood.

Guest Alison Stuart

Good day! Here's another date for your reading calendar:  on Wednesday, May 14, Wench Nicola Cornick interviews author Alison Stuart. How best to describe Alison's books? In her own words, they include history, mystery, romance, and ghosts . . . sometimes all in the same book!

Sparky Tabasco, the Word Wenches mascot, invites you to come by for a visit this coming Wednesday. She promises you won't be disappointed! (And since Sparky's been reading Wench books since she was a kitten, she has very good taste)

How Research Gave Me the Home I Didn't Want and the World I Needed

Pat Rice here, asking you to welcome Patricia (Pooks) Burroughs and her new historical fantasy, THIS CRUMBLING PAGEANT, released just last week.

Award-winning screenwriter and best selling novelist Patricia Burroughs loves dogs, books, movies, and football. A lifelong Anglophile, she treasures her frequent travels in the British Isles researching The Fury Triad, the epic fantasy that has taken over her life and heart.  She and her high school sweetheart husband are living happily ever after in their hometown of Dallas, Texas.

And here's Pooks---

All I needed was a place for my magical family in This Crumbling Pageant to live. I knew it was a manor house of some sort, that they were wealthy, that they didn’t live in London.

The Fury family is known for its extraordinary music, its powerful magic, and its historic role as kingmakers. But the Furys have their secrets as well, none so dangerous as Persephone—the daughter whose Shadow magic spills from her, unchecked. Unless her powers are concealed, she’s not only ruined in Society, but marked as a target for those who would use and abuse her magic.

GUEST PATRICIA BURROUGHS

Hey, who's that coming down the road? A guest, you say? Patricia Burroughs, you say? Awesome!

Mark your calendars for tomorrow! Wench Pat Rice will be interviewing fantasy author Patricia Burroughs. Patricia (or Pooks as she is known) is a native Texan with a vivid imagination. That imagination is put to good use in her fantasy books. Join us for the Pat and Pooks show on Monday, May 5, and find out about one author's fantasy world!

 

Patricia Burroughs

Guest Author Ella Quinn

Cara/Andrea here,
Today I have the pleasure of hosting longtime Word Wench reader and now multi-published author Ella Quinn. (Four books out in eight months—she’s making me feel like a slug!) For those of you who haven’t had the fun of meeting Ella at one of the various writer conferences around the country, she is a font of interesting information, no doubt in part because of her “backstory”—here’s just one of the facts from her official bio: After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make St. Thomas, VI home.

I always love hearing how authors made the journey to becoming a writer, so I asked Ella to talk a little about what inspired her to pick up the proverbial pen, so, without further ado . . .

Thanks for visiting with us today, Ella. And congratulations on your recent move up to PAN (Published Author Network) at RWA. That’s always quite a thrill. Here at the Wenches, we’re always interested in hearing about the journey of becoming a writer, so . . . when did you first decide “I am a writer!”

Ella: When finished my first book. I’ve never believed in being an “aspiring” anything.  

What drew you to the Regency as a genre?

Ella: My muse. I’d been wanting to write something, but I kept hearing, “Write what you know.” Unfortunately for me, I have no desire to write about what I’ve already done.  Then I read an author interview where the author said, “Write what you read.” The next thing I knew, I had a mental video of an angry Regency lady.

If you’re like me, you love researching all the fascinating aspects of the era. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve discovered—and did you weave it into one of your stories?

Ella: I do love research. I thing the most interesting discoveries were the ones I suspected, but didn’t know for sure. The fact that over 50% of births in the upper class took place in less than nine months of marriage was fascinating. Also, that almost everything was custom made. That gave me a great ideas for everything from carriages to tea.

You’ve lived all over the world, and are currently residing in the Caribbean. (Lucky you!) In your first book, The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, your hero had spent time in the West Indies, and your latest book, Desiring Lady Caro, which came out this month, is set in Venice—so I’m guessing you use “local knowledge” in your books? Do you like to do “boots—or sandals—on the ground” exploring?

Ella: I do use a lot of local knowledge, but I have to be careful; many things have changed in two hundred years. I love going exploring.  Although,  when I rope my husband into it, he’s not so pleased. A couple of years ago, when I was writing Desiring Lady Caro, I made him go back from our ski vacation in Salzburgerland by way of  Tirol and through the Fernpass just so I could refresh my memory of the old inns and road. For the next book, Enticing Miss Eugénie Villaret, I had to rely on Alison Stuart’s trip to Martinique for information, but I did go to Tortola to talk with the historian and find a church I needed.

Please tell us a little about Desiring Lady Caro.

Ella: Caro was injured by her then betrothed when she tried to break it off with him. Her mother quickly sent her to Venice to her godmother, Horatia, where Caro carved out a new life but shunned men.

Huntley is coming under pressure to marry, but decided to take a sort of Grand Tour before he did. In the process, he decides to visit his aunt, Horatia. He’s interested in Caro from the beginning. When a Venetian marquis starts harassing Caro they have to flee Venice to protect her, then circumstance force them into marriage, and he knows he has to find a way to make their marriage work.

Sounds wonderful! How about sharing a short excerpt?

Ella: My pleasure.

Caro tossed and turned before finally slipping into a restless sleep.

Hands grabbed her roughly and soft, wet lips pressed hard to her face. Her stomach revolted and she thought she’d be sick. She moved her head from side to side in a fruitless attempt to avoid the wetness. She tried to push him off, but he grabbed the bodice and ripped her gown, shoving her against the wall. Biting down hard on his lips, she tasted the sharp tang of blood. He muffled an oath, and his fist came at her. When she fell, her head hit the floor. She tasted more blood—hers. He got between her legs and she was still struggling when there was a sharp pain. She screamed, and screamed, and screamed.

Caro bolted up and cried out as Nugent reached her. “There, there, my little lady. It’s not but a bad dream. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Her maid cradled Caro and rocked her back and forth, as she’d done all Caro’s life. Sobs mingled with mewing sounds. “Nugent, when will it stop?”

She gently stroked Caro’s head. “I don’t know, my lady, but the dreams will go away in time.”

Finally, Caro’s heart stopped beating so quickly and she was able to calm herself. A knock came on the door, and Maufe said, “I have warm milk for her ladyship.”

“I’m coming.” Nugent tucked Caro back under the cover called a feather bed. “I’m just going to the door, and I’ll be right back.”

Caro nodded and lay staring up at the overhead bed hangings.

Her dresser returned and handed her the milk. “From his lordship. It has honey and cinnamon, like he used to have.”

“Please thank him for me.”
Nugent looked as if she would say something, and then shook her head. “I will.”

When Caro was finished, her dresser took the empty cup and set it on the small table by the bed. “You sleep now.”

She did. And this time, she dreamt of a kind man with brown hair, who made her laugh and fed her chocolate.

Now, let’s switch hats for a moment, as all writers must do these days. Even the most experienced authors can often feel daunted by the demands of promoting their books, but you’ve been very savvy at marketing, even before your first release came out. I know a number of our readers would love to hear what you think are the key things for a new author to do to establish a “name?”

Ella: I’d had a business before, so I knew marketing was going to be part of being a writer. The first year I was writing, I also did a great deal of research into the marketing aspect, and picked the things that seemed to be the most important. For example, one author I spoke with said her agent told her an author should have at least 2000 Twitter followers, and an active blog or website. I focused on getting the Twitter followers, I now have over 10,000 and setting up a blog with interesting posts.  Because I didn’t want to blog every day, I frequently reblog from other peoples posts. That’s a win-win for both of us. I honestly wasn’t keeping track of how many people were following my blog until one of my guest authors asked how I’d gotten 7,000 followers. I also became active on Facebook. So, by the time my first book released, I had a fairly large media platform.  Around a month before the release, I hired a media savvy assistant who was able to get me on several large reader blogs.

What’s the best advice you ever got about writing?

Ella: Treat it as a business, and don’t take rejection personally.

What do you like least about being an author?

Ella: At the beginning, the glacial pace. Although, to be honest I had an agent eight months after I started writing and my publishing contract eight months after that. Now, there really isn’t anything I don’t like about it. I even like the social media aspect because I enjoy interacting with other authors and readers.

So, Ella's question for all of you is, Do you like to interact with your favorite authors on social media, and what types of things do you like authors to do? One lucky reader who leaves a comment here between today and Tuesday evening will be chosen at random to win a copy of Ella's laatest release, Desiring Lady Caro.

Guest Ella Quinn

Tomorrow, April 21, Cara/Andrea interviews Regency author Ella Quinn. Among the topics she'll be discussing is her latest release, Desiring Lady Caro, book #4 of The Marriage Game series. Desiring Lady Caro takes place in Venice. Ella is well qualified to place her Regency characters in exotic settings, as she has lived in the U.S., Canada, England, Europe, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. She currently resides in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Join us tomorrow for a discussion on romance and exotic locales!

Guest - Emma Jane Holloway

Hi, Jo here interviewing my friend Emma Jane Holloway on A Study in Silks. 

Jo: Emma Jane, first a bit about you. I'll quote your bio. "Ever since childhood, Emma Jane Holloway refused to accept that history was nothing but facts prisoned behind the closed door of time. Why waste a perfectly good playground coloring within the timelines? Accordingly, her novels are filled with whimsical impossibilities and the occasional eye-blinking impertinence—but always in the service of grand adventure."

You've certainly created a grand adventure here, Emma Jane. It has royalty, balls, magical machines, cunning devices, a murder mystery, and Steam Barons. Yes, it's steampunk, and it's great fun to read, especially with two potential heroes for the wonderful Evelina, one from her humble past, and the other from her new life in high society. Many of the Wench readers won't be familiar with steampunk. Can you give us a brief introduction to it?

GUEST EMMA JANE HOLLOWAY

On Wednesday, April 9, Wench Jo Beverley is hosting steampunk author, Emma Jane Holloway, whose Baskerville Affair trilogy includes Sherlock Holmes, the London social season, mechanical magical critters, and corrupt Steam Barons. And love. What more could you ask for? How about a prince, sorcerers, ballrooms, and yes, bad dogs in Dartmoor!

Join us this coming Wednesday, and please feel free to dress up in your best steampunk duds! (Because Sparky Tabasco is a polydactyl, she's having trouble getting into her fingerless lace gloves--those big thumbs keep getting in the way!)

See? All thumbs!