Category Archives: Great Britain

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

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

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Real Life Influences Upon Jane Austen’s Novels

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

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

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 , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Witch Bottle and the Writing of “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy” + Excerpt

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

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

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

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

Exercise Tiger, a Tragic Rehearsal for D-Day

Most of us know something of D-Day. On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the … Continue reading

Posted in American History, British history, Great Britain, history, Living in the UK, military, war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Burntwick Island, Setting as Character in “Losing Lizzy: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary”

On Friday, we had a closer look at Deadman’s Island, and its part in the setting for Losing Lizzy: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary. Like Deadman’s Island, Burntwick can be found in the estuary of the River Medway in Kent. … Continue reading

Posted in book release, British history, eBooks, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading habits, real life tales, Regency era, research, spooky tales, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Deadman’s Island, Setting as Character in “Losing Lizzy: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary”

Deadman’s Island, located at the mouth of The Swale, opposite the town of Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey, off the north Kent coast, plays a major role in my new JAFF story, entitled Losing Lizzy: A Pride and Prejudice … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, book release, British history, eBooks, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Pride and Prejudice, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, suspense, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Tax Day During the late Georgian and Regency Periods

Today is tax day in the U.S. I paid mine in March. My tax receipts are sometimes 5 inches deep in paper. As a self-employed author and retired teacher, I save receipts for lodging, mileage, advertising, home office, technology, insurance … Continue reading

Posted in British currency, British history, buildings and structures, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Inheritance, Living in the Regency | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments