Category Archives: writing

The Royal Academy of Arts + an Excerpt from “A Lively Companion,” a Guest Post from Corrie Garrett

This post first appeared on the Austen Authors’ blog on 3 September 2020. From your Regency readings, you may be familiar with Somerset House and the Summer Exhibition, a lavish and popular yearly art show. A catalog (and therefore entry) … Continue reading

Posted in art, Austen Authors, book excerpts, British history, buildings and structures, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Guest Post, heroines, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Royal Academy of Arts + an Excerpt from “A Lively Companion,” a Guest Post from Corrie Garrett

Preview of My Next JAFF: “The Mistress of Rosings Park”

            Basis of the Tale: The story begins in late June 1813. Darcy and Elizabeth have not yet met. No Bingley, yet. Mr. Collins did propose to Elizabeth, but ended up marrying Charlotte. Elizabeth is … Continue reading

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The Real Life Influences Upon Jane Austen’s Novels

As authors of historical fiction, we take great pleasure in a research “tidbit,” which introduces our fictional characters to historical figures. I, for example, have introduced John Loudon McAdam, the father of the modern road, to the readers of A Touch of … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, Regency personalities, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Real Life Influences Upon Jane Austen’s Novels

Georgette Heyer, Queen of the Regency Genre, a Guest Post from Elaine Owen

This post first appeared on the Austen Authors’ blog on 19 June 2020. Enjoy!  Over the years I’ve heard Georgette Heyer’s name come up in lots of different places, usually in a highly complimentary way: “This story is so good, … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, Guest Post, historical fiction, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Rose By Any Other Name (or) The Naming of Characters in Novels (Mine and Austen’s)

Recently, one of my friends noted I had used a familiar name or two from where I once lived in Ohio. She thought it quite clever of me, but I explained this was a common practice with authors. In fact, … Continue reading

Posted in Ulysses Press, White Soup Press, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Grave Matters, or Death and Dying in 19th Century England

In The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy (originally released in 2013), multiple deaths occur. What were some of the “customs” associated with death and dying in the 19th Century? In the country, “ringing of the passing bell” signaled to all … Continue reading

Posted in book excerpts, book release, British history, Church of England, excerpt, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, mystery, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading habits, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Body Snatchers, Part II – the Release of “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy”

On Friday, we looked at Resurrectionists. Today, we will make a slight distinction with Body Snatchers.  Like what resurrectionists did, body snatching is the secret removal of a corpse from its burial site. As was explained in Friday’s piece the … Continue reading

Posted in book release, British history, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medicine, mystery, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, research, suspense, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Body Snatchers, Part II – the Release of “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy”

A Witch Bottle and the Writing of “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy” + Excerpt

Incorporating Research into a Story Line Today, I thought I would spend some time on how I incorporated my research into Dorset’s superstitions and legends into the text of one of my Austen-inspired cozy mysteries. Enjoy the short history lesson … Continue reading

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Something in the Air: Two Regency Romances

I have combined two of my 2019 long novellas in one volume. Something in the Air features “Courting Lord Whitmire: A May-December Romance” from the Regency Summer Escape anthology with “Last Woman Standing” from the A Regency Christmas Proposal anthology. … Continue reading

Posted in book release, British history, Dreamstone Publishing, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, marriage, publishing, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Myles Standish’s Career + the Release of “The Courtship of Lord Blackhurst” + a Giveaway

As my previous two posts on John Alden and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow have indicated, my most recent tale, “The Courtship of Lord Blackhurst” was inspired by Longfellow’s narrative poem, “The Courtship of Myles Standish.” Other than the knowledge of Standish … Continue reading

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