Category Archives: Uncategorized

Do You Know the Origins of These Words and Phrases?

Iron Curtain – This phrase was coined after World War II by Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain to describe the rise of Russian influence over Eastern Europe. Churchill found the rigid censorship of the citizenry and the closing … Continue reading →

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“Fertile” Fortunes: The 19th Century’s Importation of Guano

Living in one of the Southern states in the U.S., the season when I do not “fight” the battle of bird droppings on my Buick Lacrosse does not exist. It is a fact of life that I pay for the … Continue reading →

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North Carolina Homecoming Bar Soap Paired with My Contemporary Austen, Honor and Hope

Honor and Hope: A Contemporary Romantica Based on “Pride and Prejudice” Honor and Hope: A Contemporary Pride and Prejudice [romance; contemporary romance; classics; Austenesque; football; winery] Liz Bennet’s flirtatious nature acerbates Will Darcy’s controlling tendencies, sending him into despair when … Continue reading →

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Jane Austen’s Relevance

Jane Austen’s Current Relevance As we celebrate Jane Austen with the relaunch of Austen Authors, I thought it prudent to examine what makes “our” Jane so popular. Austen’s influence proves that the past is always in the process of being … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, modern adaptations, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Fake Reviews on Some of Your Favorite Book Lists…What Do You Think?

Faux Books and Reviews??? What Do You Think? Below is an excerpt from a fabulous article on a phenomenon I have witnessed on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in the form of “fake” reviews for books. I have a writer … Continue reading →

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Merry Christmas!

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Do You Speak Jane Austen? Part Two

Do You Speak Jane Austen? Part 2 A laugh, a fist pounding on a desk top, a raised eyebrow – these are all signals to punctuation of the spoken word, but what of the written word? We start with the … Continue reading →

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From Where Does That Phrase Come?

This first one is for Brian, who spoke of a preference for the word in one of my recent posts. Codswallop ~ Unknown, attested from 1959 episode of UK TV series Hancock’s Half Hour. The writers (Galton and Simpson) state that … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, language choices, legends and myths, Uncategorized, word play | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Birthday Wishes of Love and Joy for This Little One!

My most precious grandson turns 3 today. He has stolen my heart as surely as his father did (nearly 30 years prior). 

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Happy Birthday to Our Precious Girl!

This little girl is one today, and we are celebrating! 

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