Category Archives: legends and myths

Thief and Murderer. Why I Write What I Do …

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 book release, British history, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, legends and myths, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading habits, real life tales, Regency era, suspense, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Celebrating the Release of “Fated Hearts, A Love After All Retelling of the Scottish Play” and the Gift of a Happily Ever After for Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

Fated Hearts, A Love After All Retelling of the Scottish Play Release Day: December 29, 2020 Thank you so much for having me as a guest today, Regina!  My contribution to the Tragic Characters in Classic Literature Series is a … Continue reading

Posted in book excerpts, book release, British history, customs and tradiitons, England, excerpt, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Guest Post, heroines, historical fiction, history, legends and myths, literature, military, reading habits, real life tales, Regency romance, Scotland, suspense, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Yorkshire Christmas Traditions Playing Out in “Letters from Home” and “Lady Joy and the Earl”

Christmas traditions in Yorkshire date back to the time of the Roman invasion. For example, documentation shows that a celebration dedicated to Saturn, the god of harvest and agriculture, took place somewhere between December 17 and December 25 in York … Continue reading

Posted in book release, books, British history, customs and tradiitons, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, holidays, legends and myths, Living in the Regency, publishing, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, research, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Resurrectionists in the UK – Supplying Bodies for the Teaching Hospitals, Part I – the Release of “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy”

In THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF MR. DARCY, my research brought me to the value of the human body to teaching hospitals. Below, you will find part one of an interesting look at the “business” and the history of recovering bodies … Continue reading

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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

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Priscilla Mullins, Inspiration for the Heroine in “The Courtship of Lord Blackhurst” + a Giveaway

From Mayflower History:  BIRTH:  Perhaps around 1602, likely either at Dorking or Guildford, co. Surrey, England, daughter of William Mullins. MARRIAGE:  John Alden, about 1622 or 1623, at Plymouth. CHILDREN: Elizabeth, John, Joseph, Priscilla, Jonathan, Sarah, Ruth, Mary, Rebecca, and David. DEATH:  Sometime between … Continue reading

Posted in American History, book release, customs and tradiitons, Dreamstone Publishing, eBooks, history, legends and myths, literature, quotes, reading habits, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Myles Standish’s Career + the Release of “The Courtship of Lord Blackhurst” + a Giveaway

As my previous two posts on John Alden and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow have indicated, my most recent tale, “The Courtship of Lord Blackhurst” was inspired by Longfellow’s narrative poem, “The Courtship of Myles Standish.” Other than the knowledge of Standish … Continue reading

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Was Sawney Bean Truly a 14th Century Scottish Cannibal or Was He a Legend? + a Giveaway of “The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy”

Was Sawney Bean Real or a Legend? Alexander Sawney Bean was reportedly the head of a cannibalistic family residing along Scotland’s Ayrshire/Galloway coast during the 14th Century. According to the legend, Sawney was born in a small East Lothian village, … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, giveaway, gothic and paranormal, Jane Austen, legends and myths, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medieval, mystery, publishing, reading habits, real life tales, research, Scotland, spooky tales, suspense, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

James Wilmot on “Who Wrote Shakespeare’s Plays?” + an eBook Giveaway

  James Wilton was supposedly the first to question whether William Shakespeare was the actual author of the plays and sonnets we now attribute to him. Wilmot was an English clergyman, having been educated at Oxford, and scholar from Barton-on-the-Heath, … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, British history, Elizabethan drama, excerpt, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Jane Austen, legends and myths, literature, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, reading habits, real life tales, theatre, Vagary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Revenants, Coming Back from the Dead

Soon, I will stand in my driveway and hand out candy snacks to those brave enough to enter my small cul de sac, where few turn on their lights for the Trick or Treaters. And once more, my thoughts again … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, customs and tradiitons, eBooks, George Wickham, gothic and paranormal, historical fiction, Jane Austen, legends and myths, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, religion, suspense, vampires | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Revenants, Coming Back from the Dead