Category Archives: reading

“Hansel and Gretel” and the Release of “Lady Christiana and the Colonel,” Arriving 18 November 2026

 “Hansel and Gretel” first achieved widespread popularity following its publication by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 in their collection Children’s and Household Tales, which made it a perfect reference for a story set in 1813 England. The Brothers Grimm’s story … Continue reading →

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What is the Meaning of “Just Deserts”? + the Upcoming Release of “Lady Christiana and the Colonel,” Arriving 18 November 2026

My regular editor is very good at finding phrases that I have forgotten to check when writing my stories. Some are appropriate for the time period. Some are not. What about “Just deserts”? The phrase “just deserts” means receiving the … Continue reading →

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Did Men’s Trousers in the Regency Era Have a Waistband? + the Upcoming Release of “Lady Christiana and the Colonel,” Arriving 18 November 2026

I know this is probably a crazy idea for a post, but before I wrote the scene I needed to know if men’s trousers in the Regency era had a waistband. So here goes… Yes, men’s trousers in 1813 did … Continue reading →

Posted in aristocracy, book release, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, hero, heroines, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, reading, Regency era, Regency romance, research, word choices, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Did Men’s Trousers in the Regency Era Have a Waistband? + the Upcoming Release of “Lady Christiana and the Colonel,” Arriving 18 November 2026

Chemicals Used for Fertilizers in the Regency + the Upcoming Release of “Lady Christiana and the Colonel,” Arriving 18 November 2026

On Monday, we had a brief discussion on the use of the four-crop rotation in England, a movement that changed England forever and brought it greater success around the world. During the Regency era (roughly 1811–1820), “chemical” or artificial fertilizers … Continue reading →

Posted in book release, British history, commerce, customs and tradiitons, Georgian Era, Great Britain, hero, heroines, historical fiction, Industrial Revolution, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, reading, Regency era, Regency romance, research, science, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chemicals Used for Fertilizers in the Regency + the Upcoming Release of “Lady Christiana and the Colonel,” Arriving 18 November 2026

Four-Crop Rotation System, a Major Step Forward for the Regency Era + the Upcoming Release of “Lady Christiana and the Colonel,” Arriving 18 November 2026

One of the major plot points in “Lady Christiana and the Colonel” is Mr. Darcy’s use of a Four-Crop Rotation of his fields. I have used this point in previous Austen variations, having Darcy learning the system from his Scottish … Continue reading →

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“Darcy’s Passions” Excerpt – As Elizabeth’s Betrothed, Darcy Dines at Longbourn

Back in 2012, I was part of a project where a group of authors revisited Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and retold scenes from the points of view of the other characters. This excerpt revisits the later part of Austen’s classic. This is … Continue reading →

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Mary Reynolds, One of the First Recorded Incidents of Multiple Personalities

Mary Reynolds (1785–1854) was a 19th-century Pennsylvania woman considered the first, and perhaps most famous, American case of multiple personality disorder (now Dissociative Identity Disorder). Beginning in 1811, she experienced profound, alternating shifts between a melancholy, quiet personality and a … Continue reading →

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Question from a Reader: Is “Debutant” the Correct Word for a Girl Making Her Society “Debut” in the Regency Era?

Okay, to the best of my knowledge the term “debutant” was later than the Regency Era. The word “debutante” is of later vintage than the Regency. She would be referred to as “coming out”, per Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, where … Continue reading →

Posted in aristocracy, British history, customs and tradiitons, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Living in the Regency, reading, Regency era, Regency romance, research, terminology, tradtions, Victorian era, word choices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Question from a Reader: Is “Debutant” the Correct Word for a Girl Making Her Society “Debut” in the Regency Era?

Dance Sets at a Ball or a Country Assembly in the Regency Era?

Though I thought I had covered the idea of dance sets in last Fridays piece on “Dance Cards,” evidently there was still some confusion, so I will try this again. QUESTION FROM A READER: My understanding is that in balls, … Continue reading →

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Iron Plates Used in Regency Era Coaches + the Upcoming Release of “Lyon on the Inside” from Dragonblade Publishing, Arriving 24 June 2026

In one of the final scenes of Lyon on the Inside, as well as the series, our hero and heroine are captured by the “murderer” who has taunted Lord Macdonald Duncan’s family for nearly a year. Lord Aaran Graham, our … Continue reading →

Posted in book release, books, British history, Dragonblade Publishers, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, hero, heroines, historical fiction, history, Living in the Regency, publishing, reading, Regency era, Regency romance, research, romance, series, suspense, travel, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Iron Plates Used in Regency Era Coaches + the Upcoming Release of “Lyon on the Inside” from Dragonblade Publishing, Arriving 24 June 2026