Category Archives: writing

The Craft of Reading, a Guest Post from Leenie Brown

This post originally appeared on Austen Authors on May 7, 2019. I loved it so much, I thought I would share it with you here.  As an author and passionate lover of writing and storytelling, I often spend time studying … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, books, Guest Post, reading, reading habits, Vagary, word play, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Nigel Lewis’s “The Cover Plan Conspiracy,” a Deception Created by the Allied Forces in WWII

On June 5 of this week, I posted an article on Exercise Tiger, which was a tragic rehearsal for D-Day. That article brought me to the notice of Nigel Lewis, who has written extensively on the subject. Therefore, I asked him … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, book excerpts, British history, excerpt, Guest Post, history, legacy, military, real life tales, research, war, world history, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Foils of Jane Austen, Part 1, a Guest Post from C. D. Gerard

The post originally appeared on the Austen Authors’ blog on January 26, 2019. Enjoy!    The question of why we love Jane Austen so much has been pondered by many a scholar and reader over the past 200 years.  But … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, books, excerpt, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Guest Post, historical fiction, Industry News/Publishing, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Mansfield Park, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Foils of Jane Austen, Part 1, a Guest Post from C. D. Gerard

A Round-up of Stories in 2019 and Previews of Coming Attractions

Despite a recent diagnosis of diabetes, my 2019 has been going exceptionally well, and the writing has been flowing out of me, of late. In 2018, I caught the flu, which turned into bronchitis and then into pneumonia. I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, Black Opal Books, book excerpts, book release, books, British history, eBooks, excerpt, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, Regency era, Regency romance, trilogy, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Round-up of Stories in 2019 and Previews of Coming Attractions

The Etiquette of “Visiting” and How Jane Austen Used It as a Plot Device

In the 1800s, morning calls or visiting upon a household developed a certain protocol, and those who broke protocol were often shunned. First a calling card was presented to the household’s servant. It was common for those who came to … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Jane Austen, Regency era, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

George Wickham: How Jane Austen Masterfully Uses a Minor Character to Drive the Main Plot

How a Minor Character Controls the Story’s Action: Jane Austen’s Use of George Wickham On Monday, I interviewed our favorite Austen bad boy, Mr. George Wickham. Actually, I held a celebrity intervention, but as an afterthought to that momentous event, … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Britain, Jane Austen, language choices, Living in the Regency, Regency era, word play, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Scottish Smugglers and the Release of “Lady Chandler’s Sister, Book 3 of the Twins’ Trilogy” + a Giveaway

 Most of the smuggling trade was found in England’s southern shires, but that did not mean such was the only area of Great Britain with a sturdy smuggler contingent. The movement of goods from coast to coast was only a … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, book release, British history, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, political stance, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, romance, suspense, trilogy, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Irish Agrarian Societies: Whiteboys and Levellers, Part of the Plot of “Lady Chandler’s Sister: Book 3 of the Twins’ Trilogy”

The Whiteboys and Levellers were mid 18th C and early 19th C secret agrarian societies located in Ireland, more specifically in the southwestern part of Ireland. The Whiteboys got their start in 1762 in County Waterford, when 18 men met … Continue reading →

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In Want of a Wife: A Pride an Prejudice Vagary and “Romance Amnesia”

What we call “amnesia” serves as a major plot device in my latest Jane Austen variation, “In Want of a Wife.” When I began writing the book, I wanted a situation where Darcy and Elizabeth had to learn to trust each other … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, Regency era, Regency romance, research, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

In Want of a Wife: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary and “Romance Tropes”

Tropes are defined as consistent and recurrent themes or motifs.  There are many tropes found in romance, whether historical or contemporary. Mindy Klasky  provides a lovely (no pun intended) list HERE.  In my latest Austen-inspired piece, In Want a Wife, … Continue reading →

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