Category Archives: real life tales

The Top 10 Worst Passwords – Is Yours Among Them?

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Okay, I admit that one of my previous passwords is on this list. I have long ago changed that password to something a bit more challenging; yet, this list demonstrates how easy it is to become complacent over creating a … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry News/Publishing, real life tales | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Can Reading Jane Austen Make You Smarter?

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Stanford Report, September 7, 2012 This is your brain on Jane Austen, and Stanford researchers are taking notes Researchers observe the brain patterns of literary PhD candidates while they’re reading a Jane Austen novel. The fMRI images suggest that literary … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry News/Publishing, Jane Austen, real life tales | 6 Comments

What is in a 17th Century Witch Bottle?

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

In writing my next novel, “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy,” I have been exploring many of the superstitions and beliefs of 18th Century England. In doing so, I have looked at fairies, the Cerne Giant, and witchcraft. One of … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, gothic and paranormal, legends and myths, real life tales | Tagged , | Comments Off on What is in a 17th Century Witch Bottle?

Death and Dying in Regency England

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

As with any good (or bad) mystery, there are several deaths in my next Jane Austen adaptation/sequel, The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy. However, death and funerals were not on the order of present day “farewells.” If one has ever … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, gothic and paranormal, real life tales, Regency era | 9 Comments

The Nomenclature of Nineteenth Century Address

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

How did one keep all those numerous titles straight when he addressed the members of the aristocracy and the titled? Here are some of the MANY differences of which one needed to be aware: “Lady” – used for the wife … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, real life tales, Regency era | Comments Off on The Nomenclature of Nineteenth Century Address

A Lesson on Victorian Prison Reform

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Victorians were worried about the rising crime rate: offences went up from about 5,000 per year in 1800 to about 20,000 per year in 1840. They were firm believers in punishment for criminals, but faced a problem: what should the … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, real life tales | Comments Off on A Lesson on Victorian Prison Reform

Ed Gein: The Real-Life Norman Bates

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Of late, I’ve spent a lot of research hours on grave robbing, especially as it was practiced during the early 1800s. The need for medical schools to rob graves of “fresh” corpses to use as cadavers is common knowledge, but … Continue reading →

Posted in gothic and paranormal, legends and myths, real life tales, writing | Tagged | Comments Off on Ed Gein: The Real-Life Norman Bates

Stir-Up Sunday: Do You Know How to Celebrate with the Christmas Pudding?

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Stir-up Sunday is an informal term in Anglican churches for the last Sunday before the season of Advent. The term comes from the opening words of the collect for the day in the Book of CommonPrayer of 1549 and later (a translation of … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Jane Austen, legends and myths, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Stir-Up Sunday: Do You Know How to Celebrate with the Christmas Pudding?