Category Archives: Scotland

St. Agnes Eve, a Plot Point in “A Dance with Mr. Darcy” + Excerpt

Posted on January 20, 2020 by

A major turning point in my latest Austen-inspired vagary, A Dance with Mr. Darcy, comes when Lydia convinces Elizabeth to join in the St  Agnes Eve festivities.  But who was St Agnes? And why would we still celebrate her? Meredith Ringel … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, book release, books, customs and tradiitons, eBooks, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, legends, legends and myths, medieval, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, research, Scotland, Vagary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

New Year’s Eve Tradition of “Auld Lang Syne”~ From Where Does It Come?

Posted on December 30, 2019 by

Tomorrow night, many of you will break out into the strands of “Auld Lang Syne.” The song evokes nostalgia and a sense of belonging. But what do you know of the song’s origin? Of its lyrics?  According to “The History … Continue reading →

Posted in ballads, history, holidays, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Craigievar Castle, the Inspiration for Walt Disney’s Trademark Castle and a Ghostly Experience

Posted on November 1, 2019 by

  Are you still looking for the ghosts and goblins of Halloween? Permit me to introduce you to Craigievar Castle in Scotland, where you might hear ‘Red’ Sir John tell of ancient feuds between the clans and the murder of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, British history, buildings and structures, history, legends, medieval, paranormal, real life tales, Scotland, spooky tales, suspense | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

All Hallow’s Eve During the Regency

Posted on October 30, 2019 by

For this piece, I pulled together bits of information on All Hallow’s Eve from a variety of sources, all of which are cited within the post. I hope you enjoy learning of some of Halloween’s traditions. Tomorrow evening, barring the … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, history, holidays, Ireland, Jane Austen, legends, legends and myths, medieval, Northanger Abbey, real life tales, religion, Scotland, Wales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

A Closer Look at “Vampire Darcy’s Desire”

Posted on October 28, 2019 by

 In late 2009, at the height of the Twilight mania, Ulysses Press approached me regarding my writing a vampiric version of Pride and Prejudice. [Each book in the Twilight series was inspired by and loosely based on a different literary … Continue reading →

Posted in gothic and paranormal, Jane Austen, paranormal, Pride and Prejudice, reading habits, romance, Scotland, vampires | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

A Closer Look at “A Touch of Cashémere, Book 3 of the Realm Series”

Posted on July 3, 2019 by

You may view my post on A Touch of Scandal, Book 1 HERE and A Touch of Velvet, Book 2 HERE (or) visit my website http://www.rjeffers.com to read excerpts from all my books.  As with all the books in the … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, books, buildings and structures, eBooks, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, Napoleonic Wars, Realm series, Regency era, Regency romance, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Common Practice of Primogeniture in Regency England

Posted on May 15, 2019 by

Of late, I have been studying the laws and statutes that comprised the practice of primogeniture in Regency England. In truth, I can only work on the project for a few hours each day for some of the material is … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, Anglo-Saxons, British history, business, commerce, Georgian England, history, Living in the Regency, marriage customs, primogenture, Scotland, titles of aristocracy, Wales | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments