Category Archives: real life tales

Smuggling as a Plot Point in My Latest Release, “Lady Chandler’s Sister, Book 3 of the Twins’s Trilogy” + a Giveaway

 One of the “cottage” industries of the late 1700s and early 1800s in England and Scotland was smuggling. This was not just a single individual stealing a keg or two and then selling it to his neighbors; these were operations … Continue reading

Posted in Black Opal Books, book excerpts, book release, British history, eBooks, England, excerpt, food and drink, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, Great Britain, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, political stance, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, research, Scotland, tea | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Irish Agrarian Societies: the Rockite Movement and the Release of “Lady Chandler’s Sister: Book 3 of the Twins’ Trilogy”

The third book in my Twins’ Trilogy, Lady Chandler’s Sister, leads us along a dark path in British history. The book culminates in early January 1822, which was when the Rockite movement had set its sights on having its demands … Continue reading

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Irish Agrarian Societies: The Ribbonmen, Part of the Plot of “Lady Chandler’s Sister: Book 3 of the Twins’ Trilogy”

Whiteboyism, the subject of Monday’s post, essentially ceased to operate toward the end of the eighteenth century, although it never truly disappeared, for it resurrected its head in the Munster region (Counties Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford) in … Continue reading

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Irish Agrarian Societies: Whiteboys and Levellers, Part of the Plot of “Lady Chandler’s Sister: Book 3 of the Twins’ Trilogy”

The Whiteboys and Levellers were mid 18th C and early 19th C secret agrarian societies located in Ireland, more specifically in the southwestern part of Ireland. The Whiteboys got their start in 1762 in County Waterford, when 18 men met … Continue reading

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Irish Castles in Ruins: Research for My Next Release, “Lady Chandler’s Sister”

In book 3 of my Twins’ Trilogy, entitled Lady Chandler’s Sister, the ruins of an Irish castle play out in the book’s conclusion. Therefore, I spent time looking for the right image before I wrote those final scenes. As with … Continue reading

Posted in book release, buildings and structures, castles, eBooks, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, Ireland, Living in the Regency, publishing, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, romance, Scotland, trilogy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Letters and Diaries of Henrietta Liston, a Regency Lady with an Extraordinary Life, a Guest Post from Eliza Shearer

(This post originally appeared on the Austen Authors’ blog on November 3, 2018. Enjoy!) I recently had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the Jane Austen Society of the United Kingdom – Scottish Branch, featuring a fascinating talk by … Continue reading

Posted in American History, Austen Authors, British history, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Guest Post, history, Jane Austen, marriage, publishing, reading, reading habits, real life tales, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Letters and Diaries of Henrietta Liston, a Regency Lady with an Extraordinary Life, a Guest Post from Eliza Shearer

Albert Young’s Threat Toward and Arthur O’Connor’s Attempt to Kill Queen Victoria

It was twenty-two years after Robert Pate’s ill-fated attempt to kill Queen Victoria before another attempt was made against her. According to Raymond Lamont-Brown in How Fat Was Henry VIII (The History Press, 2009, page 149) Albert Young’s threat against … Continue reading

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Robert Pate Strikes Queen Victoria with His Cane, but Does Not Kill Her

A little over two years passed after William Hamilton’s attempt to assassinate Queen Victoria on 19 June 1849, before Robert Pate made his attempt on 27 June 1850. Born in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on Christmas Day 1819, Pate came from a … Continue reading

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William Hamilton, an Irishman’s Attempt to Kill Queen Victoria

  Thursday, 19 May 1849, William Hamilton, a 22-years-old, orphaned, unemployed Irish bricklayer, fired a pistol at the Queen Victoria, as she drove, yet again, down Constitution hill toward Buckingham Palace. This was shortly after the birth of her seventh child. … Continue reading

Posted in British history, England, Great Britain, history, political stance, real life tales, research, royalty, Victorian era, weaponry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

That’s Right, It’s a Post about Privies, a Guest Post from Sophia Turner

This post originally appeared on Austen Authors on 6 July 2018. It’s much more fun to view the Regency era through rose-colored historical glasses, focusing on the flattering empire-waisted dresses, pretty bonnets, beautiful countryside, well-stocked elegant country house libraries, and … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, British history, buildings and structures, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Guest Post, inventions, real life tales, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments