Monthly Archives: August 2017

Jane Austen’s “Invisible” Brother, a Guest Post from Elaine Owen

Earlier, Elaine Owen shared a post with us on people with disabilities during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Today, she tells us something of George Austen, the brother of Jane Austen who did not live with the family because of his disabilities. … Continue reading

Posted in Austen actors, Austen Authors, Guest Post, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Princess Louise’s Charitable Work

 Although Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, and her husband, John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll were often short of funds, the Princess managed to live a life her siblings could not imagine. Campbell, who was still the Marquess of Lorne … Continue reading

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, family, history, kings and queens, Living in the UK, marriage, religion, royalty, Scotland, titles of aristocracy, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Princess Louise’s Charitable Work

Frugality and the Cost of Being “Cheap”

This is a lovely guest post from my friend Jennifer Petkus about Jane Austen, frugality, and being a bit eccentric. Enjoy! I am frugal (cheap), but like many frugal (cheap) people I’m not always aware of the high cost of … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, British currency, Guest Post, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Introducing Deanna Browne and “Demon Rising,” Arriving This Month from Black Opal Books

Today we welcome another of my fellow Black Opal Books authors. Deanna Browne is a debut author, whose love for magic is mixed with a strong creative streak. Check out a bit about her and her first book, Demon Rising.  … Continue reading

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The Wilderness Road, Setting for “The Road to Understanding”

According to Ancestry.com, the Wilderness Road “was only a crude trail; only pack teams could cross the mountains. Pioneers coming from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas before 1796 found it necessary to unload their Conestoga Wagons at Sapling Grove … Continue reading

Posted in America, American History, Appalachia, book release, historical fiction, history, real life tales, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Wilderness Road, Setting for “The Road to Understanding”

The Mappa Mundi, the World’s Largest Medieval Map

Housed in the Hereford Cathedreal, the Mappa Mundi is believed to the be the world’s largest medieval map. England specialized in world maps of the Middle Ages. They were drawn upon cloth or walls or animal skins.  Only those who … Continue reading

Posted in Africa, Age of Chaucer, British history, buildings and structures, Church of England, medieval, real life tales | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Did Anne Elliot Perform Admirably or Was She Too Easily Persuaded?

This is a guest post from my fellow Austen Author, Anna Elliott, regarding her love of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.  Although I (of course) love all Jane Austen’s novels, I must say that Persuasion is my favorite.  Much as I appreciate … Continue reading

Posted in Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, marriage, Persuasion | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Shetland Sword Dance

 Sir Walter Scott wrote in his diary of the Shetland Sword Dance on 7 August 1814. “At Scalloway my curiosity was gratified by an account of the sword-dance, now almost lost, but still practiced in the Island of Papa…. There … Continue reading

Posted in Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Saxons, British history, drama, literature, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Gentlemen’s Clubs, a Guest Post from Brenda J. Webb

This post appeared on Austen Authors in October 2015. However, I thought it worthy of a second look, especially for those of you who devour everything to do with the Regency Era.  Mention White’s, Boodle’s or Brooks’s in a story … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, British history, buildings and structures, Georgian England, Guest Post, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

John Heywood, England’s First Great Dramatist

We know little of John Heywood’s life, other than the year of his birth, which was 1497. Likely, he was once served as a choir boy in the Chapel Royale and then studied at Oxford as a King’s Scholar. He … Continue reading

Posted in Age of Chaucer, British history, drama, kings and queens, playwrights, poetry, political stance, theatre | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments