Category Archives: tall tales

Happy 13th Book Birthday to “The Phantom of Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery”

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

On July 1, 2010, Ulysses Press released The Phantom of Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery. It was the first of my cozy mysteries, and it remains a favorite. In 2019, I received the rights to all my Ulysses Press titles back from the company. I have periodically been rereleasing them with new covers and to new readers.

I would love to share something of the historical tidbit that is the key to solving the mystery, but, what fun would that be for all those who love a good mystery and think themselves capable of spotting the clues early on. Moreover, as I skipped kindergarten (and a few other grades), I never learned to share properly. LOL! The whole “solving the mystery thing” revolves around one key clue all the characters miss. Hopefully, you will you be wiser than they are. Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, British history, excerpt, George Wickham, Georgian England, Georgian Era, heroines, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, legends, legends and myths, marriage, mystery, paranormal, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading habits, Regency era, royalty, spooky tales, suspense, tall tales, Ulysses Press, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

‘Kinder- un Hausmärchen’ + the Release of “Amending the Shades of Pemberley” + a Giveaway

Posted on April 30, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of their collected fairy tales in 1812 under the title Kinder- und Hausmärchen. By 1822, the brothers had published three volumes containing 170 tales total with subsequent editions bringing that number to over 200. Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, book release, books, British history, customs and tradiitons, eBooks, excerpt, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, literature, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading, reading habits, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, research, tall tales, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Allure of ByGone Days…(or Not)

Posted on November 29, 2019 by Regina Jeffers

(In cleaning out some of my school files, I came across these common phrases and their sources. Enjoy!!!) Here are some bygone tales about the 1500s: People married in June. Most had taken their yearly bath in May, so the bride … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain, real life tales, tall tales | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Are You Familiar With These Words and Phrases?

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Spillikin ~ The Oxford Living Dictionaries gives us: [treated as singular] A game played with a heap of small rods of wood, bone, or plastic, in which players try to remove one at a time without disturbing the others, while Wikitionary … Continue reading →

Posted in etymology, language choices, Pop Culture, tall tales, vocabulary, word origins | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Do You Know The Origin of These Words and Phrases?

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Three Sheets to the Wind – Urban Dictionary defines this phrase to mean “to be explicitly drunk; inebriated.” The origin is likely found in practicality: Sheets actually refer to the ropes that are used to secure a ship’s sail. If the … Continue reading →

Posted in Age of Chaucer, Canterbury tales, etymology, history, Jane Austen, real life tales, tall tales, word origins, word play, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments