Category Archives: Great Britain

Dressmakers and Fashion and What Jane Austen Said of Both

Posted on October 14, 2020 by

A woman’s dressmaker, or “mantua maker,” as they were often known during the late Georgian era, were essentially paid to know what was the latest fashion trends. Most of us who are obsessed with the era, know something of fashion … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, England, fashion, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Condemned by the Church of England and the Catholic Church, Yet … Famous Suicides in the Regency Era

Posted on October 5, 2020 by

Suicide was condemned by the Church of England, as well as the Catholic church during the Regency. In the late Georgian Era, one who was named as having committed suicide was to be buried naked, at the crossroads with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, Church of England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, political stance, Regency era, religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jacob Rey (aka John King), a Jewish Money Lender in George III’s England

Posted on September 30, 2020 by

In A Touch of Love, book 6 in my highly popular Realm series, I  ventured into territory many Regency era writers avoid: the question of religious practices during the Regency. Georgette Heyer’s portrayal of Jews during the reign of George III … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, business, Georgian England, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Jews in King George’s England, a Plot Point in my “Realm” Romance, “A Touch of Love”

Posted on September 28, 2020 by

Over the years, the “backlash” regarding Georgette Heyer’s depiction of the Jewish faith in Regency England has become better known (See http://vacuousminx.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/jewish-stereotypes-in-georgette-heyers-novels/ and http://vacuousminx.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/authorial-intrusion-and-reader-response-my-georgette-heyer-experience/ for examples of the reported offending passages and the changes the current publisher of Heyer’s works has made … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Church of England, excerpt, George IV, Georgian Era, gothic and paranormal, Great Britain, heroines, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, marriage, military, Napoleonic Wars, political stance, real life tales, Realm series, Regency era, Regency personalities, Regency romance, religion, romance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Real Life Influences Upon Jane Austen’s Novels

Posted on August 28, 2020 by

As authors of historical fiction, we take great pleasure in a research “tidbit,” which introduces our fictional characters to historical figures. I, for example, have introduced John Loudon McAdam, the father of the modern road, to the readers of A Touch of … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, Regency personalities, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mudeford, an English Spa Favored by King George III + an Excerpt from “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy”

Posted on August 12, 2020 by

With the onset of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, the idea of a European Grand Tour for English aristocratic class lost its appeal. Instead, English men and women turned their sights on popular British destinations, such as Brighton, … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, books, British history, buildings and structures, Dorset, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, kings and queens, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medicine, mystery, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, romance, royalty, spooky tales, suspense | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Witch Bottle and the Writing of “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy” + Excerpt

Posted on August 10, 2020 by

Incorporating Research into a Story Line Today, I thought I would spend some time on how I incorporated my research into Dorset’s superstitions and legends into the text of one of my Austen-inspired cozy mysteries. Enjoy the short history lesson … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, British history, excerpt, gothic and paranormal, Great Britain, Jane Austen, legends and myths, Regency era, writing | Tagged , , , , , ,

The Lesser Key of Solomon, a Grimoire, a Minor Plot Point in “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy”

Posted on August 7, 2020 by

The Lesser Key of Solomon, a Grimoire Although it has nothing to do with Halloween and the images of witches, demons and spirits, The Lesser Key of Solomon (or) Lemegeton does present a mystery of sorts. In researching my cozy, The Mysterious … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, mystery, real life tales, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thief and Killer – Why I Write What I Do

Posted on August 5, 2020 by

In 2008, I took the plunge in the publishing world when one of my AP students challenged me with “If you know how to do this, do it yourself.” Publishing was not on my radar. I was 37 years into … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book release, books, British history, eBooks, George IV, Georgian England, Great Britain, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, mystery, Pegasus Books, Pride and Prejudice, Regency era, Regency romance, suspense, Ulysses Press, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Carriages, Coaches, Landaus, Gigs, Phaetons, and More – How to Write Regency Accident Scenes

Posted on July 27, 2020 by

This is a repeat from a 2019 post by request of two of my author friends. Enjoy! There are many fine posts on the internet regarding the various types of coaches available to those of the Regency, but such is … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, commerce, customs and tradiitons, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments