Category Archives: real life tales

Meet Francis Grose, Author of the 1811 Dictionary of theVulgar Tongue

Posted on March 18, 2020 by

As my novels are set in the early part of the 1800s, attempting to discover appropriate words to express “dismay” or “disgust” often sends me searching out my online copy of 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, a Dictionary of … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, real life tales, research, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What Did It Mean to Be a “Gentleman” in Jane Austen’s England?

Posted on March 16, 2020 by

The word “genteel” is an adjective, meaning polite, refined, or respectable, often in an affected or ostentatious way. Its roots can be found in the late 16th century (in the sense ‘fashionable, stylish’): from French gentil ‘well-born’. From the 17th century … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, British history, customs and tradiitons, film adaptations, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, marriage customs, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Lost Art of Letters, a Guest Post from Elaine Owen

Posted on March 4, 2020 by

The day after I wrote my post on Mailing Letters in the Regency, the lovely Elaine Owen shared this post on Austen Authors. I thought it appropriate to revisit this topic. This post originally appeared on Austen Authors on 3 … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Guest Post, Jane Austen, reading habits, real life tales, Regency era, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Traveling by Coach During the Regency, an Overview

Posted on February 17, 2020 by

When writing a scene where my characters travel by coach, many issues must be taken into consideration before the scene is complete. Type of coach? Miles between point A and point B? Time of the year? Country roads or turnpikes? … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

We Get Stacks and Stacks of Letters…The Expense of Mail During the Regency Period

Posted on February 5, 2020 by

On the Perry Como Show, which began back in 1955, the chorus customarily sang: “Letters, we get letters. We get stacks and stacks of letters.” However, during the Regency Period, the mail was expensive. MPs were the only ones who … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, political stance, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, Regency personalities, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

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

Posted on January 29, 2020 by

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

Life Below Stairs ~ Part Four ~ The Work Never Ends

Posted on January 24, 2020 by

Up before dawn, the servants of an aristocratic household found the work tedious. Likely, the lower servants worked two hours before he/she was permitted to sit to his own meager breakfast. The kitchen maid began her day with lighting the … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments