Megan with the Revising Snafu

Hello Friday, goodbye September!

Next week I begin revising--yet again--my Regency-set historical. I don't dread slashing my words, I'm really very cavalier in relation to my creations (son aside; I'm not as cavalier about his welfare), but I do feel at sea about how exactly to begin. Because the story as I've told it is as I wanted to tell it, but it seems it doesn't work for all people. So I have to figure out how to make it more universally compelling, and that is a task, indeed.

But that's boring writer stuff. In non-boring writer stuff, I am very excited to see two upcoming HUGE films: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the English language version) and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. I read both books in anticipation of the films, and from their respective trailers, it looks like both rock the house.

The cast for TTSS is phenomenal: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, John Hurt, Ciaran Hinds, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy (swoon), Mark Strong, and Toby Jones. How can it be bad? No, wait, it could be. But advance word from the UK, where it's already playing, says it's not.

I like the fall since the summer blockbuster films have all run their course, and we can get down with some more substantive movies.

So inbetween sweating character motivation and such, I'm going to be heading to the movie theater. Happy October!

Megan

A recycled post: What would yoube?

Sorry about this. I thought I'd take a look and see what was up at the Riskies, lateish in the afternoon, and realized it was Thursday, my day to blog. It doesn't feel like a Thursday, you see. I'm at work...

So here's a recycled post from a couple years ago which raised some interesting discussions then and might yet do so again. And next week, absolutely new content, I promise--an interview with a vampire.

I spoke at a workshop a few weeks ago with some other historical writers, and when we asked for questions, a woman asked this:

If I’d lived two hundred years ago, what would I be?

Chances are, we told her, you wouldn’t be a member of the aristocracy, or own land or wealth. If you lived in America, more than likely you’d be someone’s property. Adam Hochschild, author of Bury The Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves calculates that at the beginning of the English abolitionist movement, approximately two-thirds of the world’s population was in some form of slavery or bondage.

So…you’re living in England during the Regency. You’re not Lady Something or the Hon. Miss Something-Else. You’re not even a gentleman’s daughter. You have to earn a living.
If you were born in the country, you might be able to stay there--always assuming you weren't forced out by foreclosure--or you might seek a job in a mill or factory in one of the rapidly growing industrial cities.

Or, you might go into service. Here’s another amazing statistic: in the eighteenth century, one-third of all the population (with the exception of the aristocracy) was in service at some time in their lives—usually until their mid-twenties. About one-third of London’s population was servants. Some people, working in the houses of the rich, rose in the ranks to enter the servant elite as butler, housekeeper, or lady’s maid; even though this illustration is from the mid-eighteenth century, you can see how well-dressed this lady’s maid is. Servants earned room and board, plus "perks"—for a ladies maid or valet, cast-off clothing they could wear or sell—or "vails," tips from visitors usually given to footmen. The maidservant illustration is from the mid-nineteenth century, but gives you an idea of what it was like being at the beck and call of a bell, and negotiating stairs in a long skirt, possibly carrying something worse than a tea service. Becoming a servant for a few years gave you upward mobility; hopefully you’d have saved enough to leave, marry, and own your own business—a shop, maybe—and have a servant or two of your own.

But life was uncertain and who knows where you might end up (another interesting statistic, although one I find difficult to believe: one third of the female population of London during the nineteenth century were prostitutes). You might find yourself reviewed in Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies, a sort of Michelin Guide to whores for the discerning gentleman.

Your best bet, really, as we told the woman smart enough to ask this interesting question, was to marry as well as you could.

So what what would you be?

If you want to be a contest winner, visit my website, sign up on my mailing list to enter my contest, and read various excerpts including one from JANE AUSTEN: BLOOD PERSUASION.

Interview with Candice Hern

Please Welcome Candice Hern to the Riskies!

I've known Candice for a long time. She was a member of my local RWA chapter for quite a while. In fact, and she does not know this, but way back when I had enough nerve to actually show up to a local chapter meeting, that particular meeting involved all the published authors standing up, introducing themselves, and talking about what they hoped to most accomplish with their writing.

The fact that some 15 or so multi-published authors stood up and said they wanted to improve their writing and their writing process is the subject of another blog. Candice stood up, introduced herself and talked about her books a bit and I sat there thinking, wow. I want to be like her because it was obvious she was smart and passionate and knowledgeable. Over the years my impression of her was solidified. She's a wonderful writer who is very generous with her knowledge about the industry and the Regency.

In addition to talking about her success with self-publishing, she's been gracious enough to have a giveaway. So read all about Candice and her books and check out the book give away.

The Interview

Q: What the hay have you been up to? I know you've done some anthologies, but I can hardly tell you how excited I was when I saw you were self-publishing your backlist. You have a lot of fans of your Traditional Regencies and your Regency-set historicals, so YAY! Can you tell us about your decision to self-publish?


I spent almost 3 years away from writing while I was occupied with family matters. That's a long time to be out of the game. (I did manage to write 2 novellas that were contracted, but that last one was difficult. It was due only 3 weeks after my father passed away, and the previous months had been spent dealing with his illness. I was still away from home and my mother was not well. But I somehow got the thing written.)

When I finally had my life back and could write again, I knew that big publishing gap would be a problem in selling another book. At about that time, two of my friends were e-pubbing their backlist books and doing extremely well. I had the rights back to my old Signet Regencies, and thought it would be smart to get those out there as ebooks, get some sales under my belt, before trying to sell a new book. And I am SO glad I did!


Q: How has your self-pub experience been? I know from my own experience that there is some pretty pent-up demand for certain Romances that have gone out of print and are now hard to find. My suspicion is that the Traditional Regency is an entire genre that has an eager readership that (maybe) isn't large enough for print publishers, but is more than large enough for self-publishing. What's your take on that?

I have found that many readers have been starving for good old traditional Regencies. When all the NY publishers dropped their Regency lines, the audience didn't go away. They simply had no more books to buy. One of the reasons, in my opinion, that those Regency lines were dropped was because publishers wanted steamier and steamier historicals, which were selling like gang busters. But I think there has always been an audience that preferred a sweeter romance. Yes, it's a smaller audience, but it is devoted.

I have also found a ton of new readers in the UK, where our old Signets were typically not sold. The UK readers have been fantastic, spreading the word to other UK readers, tweeting about my books, etc.


Q: Can you tell us about your backlist plans? What's out there so far?

All six of my Signet Regencies are now out there as ebooks (A PROPER COMPANION, A CHANGE OF HEART, AN AFFAIR OF HONOR, A GARDEN FOLLY, THE BEST INTENTIONS, and MISS LACEY'S LAST FLING).

I also have the rights back to my Merry Widows trilogy (IN THE THRILL OF THE NIGHT, JUST ONE OF THOSE FLINGS, and LADY BE BAD). Those are not traditional Regencies, but sexier Regency-set historicals. I will be publishing those as ebooks over the next few months.


Q: Tell us about your first book, A Proper Companion

The first book I epubbed was A PROPER COMPANION. It was the first book I ever wrote. Emily works as a companion to an elderly, but feisty, dowager countess in Bath. The dowager's favorite grandson, Robert, has just announced his engagement to a beautiful girl from a family she finds unacceptable (they're social-climbing mushrooms). Since it is clearly not a love match, the dowager has no scruples about doing her best to see the betrothal fall apart, so she and Emily go to London so she can interfere. She also decides to do a bit of match-making for Emily, who is very well-born, but penniless. Of course, Robert and Emily are very attracted to each other. But he's engaged, so what can they do?

Buy A Proper Companion (various formats)


Q: That book was originally published in 1995. Do you have any funny or scandalous stories about that book? If not, can you make one up?

As I mentioned, A PROPER COMPANION was the first book I ever wrote. It became published, in 1995, as the result of winning a writing contest sponsored by an RWA chapter. It's full of first-book issues -- the hero and heroine are both gorgeous, both perfect. There's way too much description of fashion. And I hadn't quite mastered the idea of point-of-view. Actually, it seems I figured it out about half-way through, but the early chapters were full of head-hopping.

When I decided to self-publish it as a ebook, I had to have the physical book scanned as the original files were no longer available. In proofing the scans, there was SO much I wanted to change, especially those POV problems in the early chapters. But it would have meant serious re-writing, which I didn't want to do. So I only tweaked it a bit, made a few changes to dialog tags and such, things I've gotten better at over the years. No major changes, though. It's still 99.9% the same as the original.


Q: Why do you love the Regency? And do you have a picture (or link) to your favorite Regency-era gown?

I have been a collector of Regency-era stuff for years. (You can see some of that stuff on my website, here: http://www.candicehern.com/collections/index.htm). As a serious collector, I had studied the period well, the context in which my collections were made, and over time developed a sizable reference library. I grew to love the period as a sort of bridge from the pre-industrial age to the modern age.

But I will confess that it was the fashion that hooked me from the beginning. I was always fascinated by this period of loose skirts that skimmed the body, squashed between two periods of giant hooped skirts. Only 20-25 years of beautiful classical lines. Here one of my favorites, a Full Dress from Feb 1815:

I also truly believe it is in large part the fashion that makes the period so popular to readers. I think it is much easier for a reader to imagine herself as the heroine, wearing these beautiful Regency gowns, than it is to picture herself in Victorian crinolines or Medieval double-horned headdresses. Regency dress is somehow more accessible to us. Heck, I remember (dating myself here) wearing empire-waisted grannie dresses in the late 1960s. But never in our lifetimes have we worn anything close to crinolines and stomachers. We can relate to a Regency gown.


Q: Tell us about Miss Lacey's Last Fling.

The last of my Signet Regencies, MISS LACEY'S LAST FLING, is my riskiest Regency. I knew it would be my last, as I saw the lines folding elsewhere and knew the writing was on the wall for Signet. I also knew that my next book would be a Regency-set historical, ie a sexier book. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and add a little sex to my Regency. It's nothing too steamy (it's still a trad, after all), but there is actual sex in the story. It's about a young woman who believes she only has about 6 months to live. Since she's never actually LIVED (as Auntie Mame would say), she decides to pack in a lifetime of experience into a few months. Including a little nookie.

I really loved writing this book. It was inspired by that old TV show (dating myself again) "Run For Your Life" with Ben Gazzara. He was a man with some disease or other that was going to kill him, and he decided to spend his last days doing all sorts of things he'd never done. I thought, what if this story was set in the Regency, what would he do? Better yet, what if the person dying was a woman? What would she do? So, my Miss Lacey makes a list. And in what she believes are her last months to live, she becomes full of life, passion, adventure. When it came time to create a hero for her, I decided, as I most often do, that he had to be her opposite. So, what is the opposite of someone who wants to live life to its fullest? How about a man who's bored with life and tired of living?

Anyway, it's a fun book and I am rather proud of it. (It won the Bookseller's Best Award for Best Regency of 2001.)

Buy Miss Lacy's Last Fling (Various formats)

Q: You're an avid collector of things Regency. Can you tell us about a recent or favorite acquisition?

This week I bought 10 new French fashion prints -- from 1812, 1813, and 1818. But a recent favorite acquisition is the original watercolor painting that was used for the same French publication as this week's prints: Le Journal des Dames et des Modes. It's a painting by Horace Vernet, who designed a lot of the French fashion prints. I was pretty stunned to find it at a local print and drawing sale.

Q: I've heard rumors that you're working on a brand new book. Is that true? If it is, what can you tell us about it?


All those years I wasn't writing, I was sitting on a proposal for a new historical series. It's about two aristocratic widows in financial difficulties who start a business for young ladies. You've heard of wedding planners? These are Season Planners. They help girls without the right connections to navigate the social season. Each book is about one of their clients, each of whom presents seemingly impossible obstacles, eg a merchant class background, a trio of dead fiances, a mother who's a famous courtesan, etc. A nephew of the two Season Planners is a young man based on Beau Brummell, who will help to turn a few sow's ears into silk purses.

This series, as I mentioned, was planned as a series of sexy historical romances. When I saw how much more money I could make by self-publishing it, I decided it made more sense to continue self-publishing rather than try to get a contract for peanuts through a NY publisher. Then, when I got such fabulous feedback from my e-Regencies, I decided to turn this series into traditional Regencies. One of the best things about self-publishing is that you can do whatever you want. I don't have to worry that there are no more Regency lines anymore. I can create my own line. And that's what I'm going to do.

The first book is called THE SOCIAL CLIMBER, and I hope to release it in time for Christmas shopping! You can see the cover and read an excerpt on my website, here: http://www.candicehern.com/coming.htm


Q: What's next for you?

I have to finish THE SOCIAL CLIMBER! Then, if there's time, I want to try to write a Regency Christmas novella. After that, the next book in the Season Planner series.

Ohh!! A book Giveaway!

For your chance to win a copy of Candice's most recent book, the anthology IT HAPPENED ONE SEASON, with novellas by Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D'Alessandro, and Candice, leave a comment for Candice!

The Rules:

Void where prohibited, no purchase necessary. Winner will be chosen at random on Thursday, so leave your comment by midnight, Wednesday!

Cocktails

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I was out last night, hanging out in the bar of my favorite local restaurant (Ludivine, if you happen to be in the Oklahoma City area! Go there--it is fantastic...), and we started speculating on what the first cocktail might have been. So we had to get someone's phone out and Google it. Here is what we found:

There were things like punches and syllabubs that had recipes from the Renaissance era, but the earliest known printed use of the word "cocktail" was on April 28, 1803 in The Farmer's Cabinet: "Drank a glass of cocktail—excellent for the head...Call'd at the Doct's. found Burnham—he looked very wise—drank another glass of cocktail."



The earliest definition of a cocktail can be found in The Balance and Columbian Repository out of Hudson, NY: "Cocktail is a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters—it is vulgarly called a bittered sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said, also to be of great use to a candidate: because a person, having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow any thing else."

The first bartender's guide could be 1862's How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant's Companion by "Professor" Jerry Thomas.

One of my favorite drinks, especially now that the weather is turning cooler, is a chocolatini--this looks like a good recipe here...

What are your favorite cocktails???

Lavinia Kent Winners!

The winner of Lavinia Kent's Real Duchesses of London, Kathryn the Kitten and Linette the Lioness, is ...... Cathy P.

Cathy, email us at riskies@yahoo.com with your mailing address if you want the print version; with your email if you want the ebook versions.

The Winner of Lavinia's What A Duke Wants T-shirt is.......Bookchick.

Bookchick, email us at riskies@yahoo.com with your mailing address.

Thanks, everyone, for making Lavinia feel welcome.

The Riskies

Bloody Progress

On Sept 25, 1818, the first human to human blood transfusion took place when James Blundell, a popular lecturer at Guy’s Hospital on obstetrics and the diseases of women, treated a severe postpartum hemorrhage by extracting four ounces of blood from the arm of the patient’s husband and transfusing it into the bloodstream of the patient.

When we write (or read) our Regency Romances, we might not realize how limited medical knowledge was at that time. Vaccination for smallpox was relatively new and Pasteur had not yet proven his germ theory of disease. Furthermore, bloodletting was still extensively used. Bloodletting as a treatment for hemorrhage was still in favor in the late 1800s, so it is somewhat remarkable that Blundell decided to use blood transfusion for his hemorrhaging new mother.

Experiments in blood transfusion began as early as the 1600s. Jean-Baptiste Denys, physician to King Louis XIV of France, transfused the blood of sheep or calves into several patients. In London around the same time, Richard Lower was conducting similar experiments. That any patients survived is thought to be due to the small amounts of blood transfused. By 1670 blood transfusions were banned and further exploration abandoned.

When Blundell began his work with transfusions it had been discovered that transfer of blood from one species to another was harmful. He experimented with animals, discovering that blood must be transfused quickly and that the air must be let out of a syringe before transfusion. Blundell also went on to devise many instruments for blood transfusion which are still in use today. By his death he accumulated a fortune that would be the equivalent of 20 million pounds today.

Funny that I should be writing about the history of blood transfusions today, when I just mentioned this topic last week. Mary Jo Putney’s depiction of blood transfusion in Shattered Rainbows predates Blundell’s achievement, but uses all the knowledge that was available at that time in history to make the scene entirely credible.

What medical innovation do you most take for granted in today's world?

Tonight I’ll be announcing the winner of Lavinia Kent’s Real Duchesses of London novellas and her What A Duke Wants T-shirt.

If you’ve read my Valiant Soldier, Beautiful Enemy and wonder what happens to Claude, it is almost time to fine out. Oct 1 is the release day for my eShort Story, The Liberation of Miss Finch.

Lavinia Kent Tells What A Duke Wants

Welcome back my friend, Lavinia Kent, who has had a busy couple of months with the release of her Real Duchesses of London novella series from Avon Impulse (which I loved!). Lavinia is here today to tell us about her new book, What A Duke Wants.

Here's some buzz about What A Duke Wants:

“Refreshing in the strength of its heroine and the uncertainty of its hero, What a Duke Wants will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.” —Joyce Greenfield of Eye on Romance

“Kent does an excellent job mixing romance, mystery and history, keeping her readers enthralled with plot twists and revelations. Another winner!” — RomanticTimes Book Reviews

Lavinia is giving away a great gift to one lucky commenter, chosen at random. The first two novellas in the Real Duchesses of London series, Kathryn the Kitten and Linette the Lioness. Winner has a choice of the ebook versions or print. And, as if that were not enough, the winner also will receive a What a Duke Wants T-shirt.

1. Tell us about What A Duke Wants.

What A Duke Wants is the story of a duke who doesn’t want be a duke and lady who ran away from society long ago. It is a story of mistaken identity and true love, with just a hint of Cinderella thrown in.

My hero, Mark Smythe, the new Duke of Strattington, is on his way to London for George IV’s coronation. Mark is preoccupied with learning how to be a duke, as he had never expected to inherit his uncle’s title. When he meets a young baby nurse, Miss Isabella Smith, he is delighted that she does not recognize him, and enjoys the freedom her company offers him. When he is with her, he can simply be himself – not the Duke.

As they travel toward London, stopping at the same inns each night – with only slight planning on Mark’s part – they slowly form a deep attachment and the beginnings of a great passion.

But, of course, no romance can be that simple. I am leaving out the blackmail, accusations of murder, Isabella’s running away for a second time, a masquerade ball, a disapproving older brother, a scandalous sister, a loyal best friend, two more dukes, hot, sensuous interludes, and dancing with a very cute kitten. To learn more you’ll just have to read the book. I have an excerpt posted on my website, http://www.laviniakent.com/excerpt_duke.html. It has the best first line I’ve ever written, so I do hope you’ll take a peek and check it out.

2. How is What A Duke Wants connected to your other books?

What A Duke Wants is connected to my other books in two ways. Isabella is the runaway younger sister of the heroine of my first book, A Talent for Sin, and Mark is the brother of the hero of my second, Bound by Temptation.

It also features Annie, Lady Richard Tennant, one of my Real Duchesses of London. Annie is one of Isabella’s childhood friends and, after a chance meeting, becomes the only one Isabella can confide in. I actually wrote What A Duke Wants before The Real Duchesses of London, so unfortunately I couldn’t work in appearances by any of the other duchesses.

3. What is risky about What A Duke Wants?

I think the most risky thing about What A Duke Wants may only make sense to another writer. I let my characters do what they wanted. I am not a big plotter. I normally know the beginning and the end and the big points in the middle, but for this book I knew exactly how the story was supposed to go and when things were supposed to happen.

And then Mark walked onto the page and he had some very different views about what his character would do. He was fine with making a few bad choices, but he hit a point where he thought it was time to do the right thing – and he did.

It meant that I had to rewrite half the book, because otherwise the happily-ever-after would have happened on page 250. And while I might have enjoyed imagining 150 pages of domestic arrangements, I can’t imagine readers would have found it nearly as entertaining.

I do think the book is much better than it would have been if I’d had my way.

4. Did you come across any interesting research when writing the book?

I did a lot of research on the king’s coronation for this book. I was fascinated by exactly how elaborate it was. He spent $24,000 pounds (in 1821) on his coronation robes alone. They were made of crimson velvet with gold stars and lined with ermine. The total length was 27 feet and it took eight pages to carry all 855 lbs. And I am not even mentioning the crown he had made (12,314 hired diamonds – he purchased the Hope Diamond for the affair), the raised platform stretching to Westminster, the gold canopy – or the fact that he barred his wife from the whole proceeding.

The other piece of research I did was on nursing (or feeding bottles). I wanted my heroine to be responsible for caring for a baby, but not to be a wet nurse (for obvious reasons). I was fascinated to discover exactly how babies were fed. Although there were some bottles with nipples (often of animal skin) a very common design (and the one I chose for my heroine) looks almost like a small neti pot or even a teapot. It had a long thin neck and a small hole on top. A thumb could be placed over the hole to hold back or release the milk. They were made of glass or ceramic.

I do have to confess that I avoided thinking too much about exactly what was fed to the infants – cow’s milk was by far the healthiest of the alternatives.

5. You recently released your Avon Impulse ebook short stories, The Real Duchesses of London. Can you tell us a little about them? (what I want to know is if Annie will get her story???)

I’ll start out by reassuring you that yes, Annie will get her story. I knew Annie’s story long before I knew any of the other duchesses’ and it may have been as hard for me to hold back as it is for readers to wait. I am not sure exactly what form it will take, but I do have very special things planned for Annie.

I’ve always loved connected stories and, as a guilty pleasure, have become addicted to Bravo’s Real Housewives. I am particularly fascinated by the Beverly Hills’ Housewives and the lavish style of their lives. Who else lives in 29,000 square foot mansions and has a closet full of gowns? Who spends a large part of her life looking beautiful and getting ready for parties? I was laughing to myself about these questions when I realized I was very familiar with the type – I’d been reading and writing about them for years – only in the Regency. And so were born The Real Duchesses of London. (Shameless Plug – Avon has lowered the price of each to $.99 in honor of the release of What A Duke Wants --- but only for a limited time.)

I had great fun writing the collection of four novellas written to be released digitally (although they can be ordered in paperback format) over this past summer. It was wonderful to see how quickly books can be published in this new world. My Duchesses (not all are actually duchesses) are a group of good friends who are brought together by a series of nasty cartoons that begin to appear in store windows across London. Each Duchess has a secret revealed, and must work to find true love. The novellas feature scandal, cat fights, true friendship, hot dukes (or earls), reconciliation, a proper number of steamy scenes, and, of course, happy endings.

6. What's next for you?

That’s a hard question right now. I am working on a few things – e-pubbing some older works, writing a YA with my son, a hot steampunk, and then there’s Annie's story. I am at that most delicious of moments when I have a banquet spread before me – and now I have to choose.

Hmmmm, choices, choices . . .

How do you decide what to read (or write) when you have so many choices?

Thank you all for having me. I always love visiting the Riskies.

(Diane, here. Don't forget to leave a comment or ask Lavinia a question for a chance to win the first two Duchesses novellas and a "Go To Bed With A Duke Tonight" T-shirt)

Love Al Fresco and Giveaway!

Like many other historical romance authors, I have a fondness for outdoor love scenes and put one in my new Regency novella, LADY EM'S INDISCRETION. Maybe real Regency folk didn’t spend as much time cavorting around gardens as the fictional ones. But they could have, and based on human nature, I bet some did.

Some of my favorite fictional spaces for outdoor romance: mazes, bowers, and what appears to be another of my fetishes (along with the chaise longue): the classical folly. One of my critique buddies asked when a Grecian temple is going up in my backyard. Maybe after I buy a chaise longue. :)

I enjoyed the use of Stourhead Gardens as the setting for the famous rejection scene in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, with Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadyen. They don’t quite kiss, but I find this scene very sexy.



As for favorite outdoor love scenes in fiction, I have many. There was a fun scene in a fountain in Laura Kinsale's MIDSUMMER MOON. I loved the ending of ILLUSION by Jean Ross Ewing (aka Julia Ross), in which the hero ties up the heroine in chains of daisies.

What are some of your favorite romantic outdoor scenes, whether from books or films?

From comments on this post, I’ll draw five names to receive a Kindle edition of LADY EM’S INDISCRETION. If you win, you can also suggest a friend who will receive one as well. Comment through Friday (one entry per person) and I'll announce the winners next Saturday.

Elena
www.elenagreene.com
Elena's Facebook Page

Happy Fall!

Good morning, all!

Fall is here--officially, at least--and this season, perhaps more than any other, seems to signal a time to get cracking. So cracking we will get!

I am embarking on yet another revision of my Regency-set historial on Monday, with hopes of making its characters' motivations make more sense (the suggestion was also made to take out some of the sex, since there is lots of it, but I'm not doing that). I'm also going to make yet another (see the pattern?) effort to step up my gym-going, since I always feel better after I exercise, even without the 'need to lose ten pounds' incentive.

Fall is warm, cozy sweater time, the reintroduction of hot tea into the daily beverage intake, and root vegetables. Yay!

What is your favorite part about this season?

Megan

Beer, books, bosoms and Baltimore

So I was all set to do this stupendous post about my corset. I visited the staymaker last Saturday armed with my camera and found the batteries had died. So much for that, but my staymaker is indeed hard at work making me a front-lacing corset, and I should say that it is a garment made of stout cotton for my equally stout body, without any ooh la la factor at all, as is the linen shift that I will wear with it.

By one of those strange internet associations I went searching on google for the term "liberty bodice." Bet you don't know what a liberty bodice is. Aunt Ada Doom in Cold Comfort Farm sends Judith to find hers when she decides to make a family appearance (great book and excellent movie with a terrific cast including Rufus Sewell as the earthy stud Seth).

The Way to Healthy Development
Free and unrestricted exercise is necessary to healthy growth and development. That is why most mothers choose the "Liberty" Bodice for their children. It gives firm yet gentle support, allows perfect bodily freedom, and transfers the weight of underclothing and "pull" of suspenders to the shoulders. The most hygienic garment made. Wears well and washes splendidly.

Yes, it was the late 19th-early 20th century unisex equivalent of a training bra, probably a direct descendant of the stays that were worn by children in the Georgian period and possibly also worn by elderly women, like Aunt Ada Doom, who'd decided to give up the discomfort of a corset (and by this period they would be uncomfortable). This article about a museum exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of the garment, states the factory went out of business in the 1960s. Wow. You do have to wonder, though, about what sort of garments would be termed unhygienic.

Here's a pair of children's stays from the mid 18th-century, made of wool with boning and back lacing. Stand up straight, child! Yes, our manly heroes probably wore something like this (and a gown!).

So, tearing myself away from underwear reminiscences and explorations, let me move on to the beer. That, with books, is what the Baltimore Book Festival is all about, and it takes place this weekend. I'll be there for a few hours beginning at noon on Saturday, reading from Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion, talking about historical romance (and serving tea!) and talking about Jane Austen. Stop by and say hello! I'll also be raffling off this fine basket of Austen-vamp related items, which includes tea, a teapot, a gorgeous red and black silk scarf, and various other delectable odds and ends.

If you're green with envy and hundreds of miles from Baltimore, I'm giving away very similar prizes in my most recent contest. If you receive my newsletter, you don't need to do anything at all: you're already entered for the drawing (you should have received an issue yesterday if all goes well). If you don't yet receive my newsletter (and why not? It's infrequent, mostly harmless, and occasionally amusing) sign up on my website and you'll be entered for Austen-vamp prize #2. While you're there you can also read an excerpt from Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion and check out my Blog Tour. I'll do the contest drawing and announce the winners on October 27.

Do you have a book event in your town? What would your dream line up for a book event be?

The Big Tease

Next Wednesday I will have a very special guest here. Who you ask?

Candice Hern.

I'll be grilling her mercilessly so be ready with questions. It's going to be a fun day.

Updated To Add:  Oh my gosh, I have seen Candice's answers to my questions and you guys!!! It's so awesome. Be here next Wednesday September 28, because it's an awesome interview.

One of These Things Doesn't Belong

In other news, I finished the copy edits for my Regency historical Not Wicked Enough and am now back at work on the book to follow, Not Proper Enough.

Here's a few teases about Not Wicked Enough. See if you can guess which one is false: (hint, YES, one of them IS A LIE!)

1. There is treasure in the book, shamelessly based on the recent finding of The Staffordshire Hoard. Lots of glittery gold!
2. There is a flaming pencil.
3. My heroine was a brunette until my publisher sent the cover. Now she's blond.
4. The heroine offers to give the hero a recipe for coffee made from acorns.
5. There are TWO ladders at windows.
6. Hot sex in a turret.
7. There are puppies. Lots and lots of puppies.
8. The hero is a terrible dresser.
9. The heroine is a Regency Fashionista
10. At one point the exasperated heroine asks the hero if he expects every day to be savaged by wolves. (The hero does not think this is very funny)

Hildegard of Bingen Etc

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Hope you are having a great week. Mine is not so fun, since I just got back from a lovely vacation in Santa Fe (eating green chile enchiladas, drinking margaritas, laying by the pool, looking at art...) and now have to settle down to work again. But it's nice to be diving into a new book and thinking about blogs again. :)

When I was trying to find subjects for today's post, I found out St. Hildegard of Bingen died September 17 in 1179. I've always thought she was a fascinating woman, and I love listening to CDs of music, so I thought we could take a quick look at her life (even though she is waaaayy earlier than Regency!)

Hildegard was born in (probably) 1098, the 10th child of a noble German family. Overcome with children, they gave her to the Church when she was 8, which proved to be a blessing in her life. She was highly educated for the times, learing reading, writing, and music as a child. She grew up into a composer, philosopher, writer, healer, and visionary (she was plagued by ill health all her life, and had mystic visions during her sicknesses). She was elected abbess of her community in 1136, and founded at least one other nunnery.

70 to 80 of her compositions survive, along with some of her books (the best known is probably Know The Way), a morality play called Play of the Virtues), and books about the healing properties of herbs. She corresponded with popes, emperors, and people like Bernard of Clairvaux, and went on long preaching tours beyond her abbey. When she died, the nuns of her community claimed to see two bars of light appear in the sky and cross over her room.

Of her visions, she wrote:

But I, though I saw and heard these things, refused to write for a long time through doubt and bad opinion and the diversity of human words, not with stubbornness but in the exercise of humility, until, laid low by the scourge of God, I fell upon a bed of sickness; then, compelled at last by many illnesses, and by the witness of a certain noble maiden of good conduct [the nun Richardis von Stade] and of that man whom I had secretly sought and found, as mentioned above, I set my hand to the writing. While I was doing it, I sensed, as I mentioned before, the deep profundity of scriptural exposition; and, raising myself from illness by the strength I received, I brought this work to a close – though just barely – in ten years. [...] And I spoke and wrote these things not by the invention of my heart or that of any other person, but as by the secret mysteries of God I heard and received them in the heavenly places. And again I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me, 'Cry out therefore, and write thus!

This is just a quick glimpse of her fascinating (and ahead of her time) life! I really like Fiona Maddocks's biography Hildegard of Bingen: Woman of Her Age (2001). There are some great links to sources on this page and this one too...



Who are some of your heroines this week??

Meeting Mary Jo Putney

Today I’m going to the Library of Congress to hear Mary Jo Putney speak to the Library of Congress Professional Association’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Forum about her new YA series featuring a group of young mage’s from an alternate Regency world. I gushed about the first book in this series, Dark Mirror, here last May. The second in the series, Dark Passage, is out this month.

Mary Jo has been an important influence in my own writing. Years ago, my friend Helen (who happens to be the present Coordinator of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Forum) insisted I read The Rake and The Reformer, the book I credit with sparking my love of Regency Romance.

The Rake and the Reformer, 1989, (Re-written and released as The Rake in 1998) still appears on readers’ Favorite Regencies lists, as it would on mine. I loved the strong characters and emotions in that book, as well as the treatment of the very contemporary issue of alcoholism.

After reading the Rake and the Reformer, I promptly searched for, and eventually found, Mary Jo’s first Regency, The Diabolical Baron, and discovered Reggie, the hero of The Rake and the Reformer as the villain. (I used that device myself in The Wagering Widow and my own “Rake” book,A Reputable Rake.)

I went on to read every Mary Jo Putney book I could get my hands on. I loved her complex characters and her creative inclusion of things, like blood transfusion in Shattered Rainbows and opium addiction in The Bargain.

Another early influence from Mary Jo was her essay in Dangerous Men, Adventurous Women, “Welcome To The Dark Side.” This whole book was a revelation to me and I loved Mary Jo’s scholarly take on the appeal of a dark hero.

I admire Mary Jo for her willingness to try new things, to switch from her very popular Regencies to Contemporaries and Fantasy and now her YA fantasies. What’s even better, she’s returned to the Regency again with her Lost Lords series, as creative as ever.

Once early on in my writing life, Mary Jo spoke at the Library of Congress Science Fiction and Fantasy Forum about world building and I attended. I was so honored to be included when the Library employees took her to lunch—I had an “in” then, too. My husband was friends with the woman who was then the coordinator.

I’m expecting to go to lunch this time, too, and, I promise you, I’m equally as thrilled!

Which Mary Jo Putney book is your favorite?

Healthy Escapes

My children started school on Sept 7th. That morning, they waited for the bus in the pouring rain. The bus was late. I brought out an umbrella. When the bus finally came, the umbrella wouldn’t close, so I took it, sure that it wouldn’t still be raining when the kids returned. I was wrong. It continued to rain throughout the day and into the night. I woke up at some point, realizing the power had gone off. And it was still raining. I couldn't fall back asleep. I remembered the flood of 2006, supposedly a “hundred year flood”. But this time, I felt the uneasy sense that something more terrible was happening.

Sadly, my gut was right. It was another “hundred year flood” but this time it was much worse. My family and I are among the lucky ones. Our hillside neighborhood became an island as the main road below us flooded. We lost power for five days (which is why I wasn’t around last Saturday) and are still having to boil our water, but our house is fine. Meanwhile, entire neighborhoods have been ravaged. We know many people whose homes have been seriously damaged and some who lost them entirely.

I strongly believe in facing reality. For many in our area, this means doing the work it takes to recover. For lucky ones like me, it means helping. Yesterday I joined a church group to help a member clean up. It felt good to be with my friends and it felt good to be useful.

But sometimes the reality just gets too overwhelming. There are times when one has to escape, at least for short time.

During the first days of the crisis, my family and I were safe and dry, but isolated, with only the radio to keep us informed of the unfolding tragedy. I tried to keep things as normal and cheerful as possible. We spent a lot of time reading, writing and crocheting. I figured out how to grill things I’d never grilled before (scalloped potatoes au gratin, even). We played Scrabble by candlelight.

Now that we're past the crisis and into the long recovery, my friends and I are still feeling very anxious. One of us recently posted a reminder on Facebook that we all need to take breaks to have a cup of tea, do a puzzle, listen to music or escape into a good book. It’s one of the reasons I write. Creativity is healing. We all need art, songs and stories to sustain us.

When life becomes too sad and scary, what are your healthy escapes?

Elena

www.elenagreene.com

Fall Kindle-ing

First solipsistic things first*:

I hope soon to be able to post some good news about writing and all, but I can't just yet. So a discreet yay! from me will have to suffice.

In other news, fall has hit the East Coast hard, necessitating long sleeves and closed-toe shoes (can I just say how much I hate wearing socks? No clue why, I just do).

Meanwhile, I've finished the behemoth that is the fifth book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga (if you watch HBO, you know it as Game of Thrones). This book is the sole reason I finally agreed to go digital, and got a Kindle for my birthday last month. And I do not regret it! Instead of making my shoulder ache by schlepping around a 1000+ page book, I got to carry a slim electronic device. Which, when I finished the book, also had other books I could immediately access.

I've lent it to the spouse for his subway reading, and have returned to print books, but I miss that sucker already (The Kindle, not the spouse. Him I don't miss so much, seeing him every day and all).

It's really exciting to see how many Regency-era novels are available in Kindle that were previously only a) crazy pricey or b) tattered and falling apart on the keeper shelf. Including our own Elena Greene's Lady Dearing's Masquerade!

So while I prepare to launch back into writing, I'm having some fun perusing what I can get for my new friend. I am guessing most of you have already made the digital leap; what do you like best about e-reading?

Megan

*This pic is of Idris Elba, who is up for an Emmy this Sunday for his performance in Luther, the second season of which starts airing on BBC America Sept. 28th. A good actor, and easy on the eyes.

Link-O-Regency

I meant to blog about this site earlier: RegencyRedingote which is one of the most amazing Regency-related history blogs I've come across. I feel dumb for not finding it sooner.

this post on chalking Regency ballroom floors is what brought me to the site. I had no idea this took place, but on reflection, it makes perfect sense.

During the Regency, ball-givers often had elaborate images chalked onto the ballroom floor in order to keep the dancers from slipping on the surface. Usually, they used white chalk, as ladies complained about colored chalk staining their slippers. But of course this makes sense!

Think ballet. I took ballet for years. Classes were almost always on a wooden floor and whether you were wearing flats or toe shoes, the soles were leather and we were, well, dancing. There was always a box of rosin in the corner for us to step in to give a little more grip if the floor were recently cleaned or your slippers were new or just because.

So yes! Chalk on the ballroom floors makes perfect sense. And it makes sense as well that people would get fancy about it.

Floral designs were very popular for chalk designs, often larger images of the same varieties of flowers which had been used to decorate the ballroom. Arabesques were also fashionable, and in fact, it was a series of complex arabesque patterns which were chalked on the ballroom floor at Carlton House on the night of the grand fête. Mythological and fanciful motifs might also be seen, such as nymphs, mermaids, centaurs, satyrs, sea gods and/or classical heros. Heavenly bodies, such as the sun, the moon, stars, planets, comets and shooting stars were also popular motifs. For those who had the right to bear them, their coat of arms might be chalked on the ballroom floor. At one ball during the Regency, the guest of a gentleman who had had his coat of arms chalked on the ballroom floor that evening is reported to have quipped that his host was dancing on his arms as well as his legs. Floral patterns were most common for engagement or wedding balls, though if either the bride or the groom had a coat of arms, that might be chalked on the floor, often in the center, surrounded by flowers. If the bride and groom both came from families with coats of arms, the coat of arms of the bride might be quartered with those of her new husband in the design which was chalked on the floor for their celebratory ball. The dance floor was frequently chalked for masquerades, oftentimes with figures in keeping with the theme of the masquerade. There are suggestions that the more risqué masquerades had equally risqué drawings chalked on their floors for the titillation of the dancers.

RegencyRedingote.com

This article, which is quite long and detailed, belongs on your list of wonderful information. The entire site belongs there. The author of the site is Kathryn Kane. Here's her bio:

Historian with a particular interest the English Regency era. An avid reader of novels set in that time, holding strong opinions on the historical accuracy to be found in said novels.

En Vacances (And Books!)

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I am off on vacation this week (the first time I could get away all summer!), and having a great time shopping, eating, swimming, and above all--reading! So this will be a short post--longer next week, I promise...

I've been reading Linda Urbach's new historical novel Madame Bovary's Daughter, about what happens to poor Bertha Bovary after the death of her parents. It's a great concept, and I know there have been several novels out lately concerning minor characters from classics (especially Austen novels!). I think I would love to see what happened to Adele from Jane Eyre...

What character's story would you like to read?

What is a Regency?

First of all, I noticed that there are several Georgette Heyer ebooks under $2.00 at Amazon Kindle: Venetia, The Black Moth, Fredericka, These Old Shades, The Quiet Gentleman...and more!

This past week on the Beau Monde loop we've been having a discussion about what makes a book a Regency. Likely this is a topic that only matters to writers, but I thought I would toss it out to the Risky Regencies community anyway.

I said that a book is a Regency if it is set in the "Regency World." To me, the Regency world encompasses the British places, people, and events from roughly 1790 to 1830. The books are written from a British/Regency perspective even if the setting is not in Regency London or Brighton or Bath or a country house. The story could be set in British India, Europe (Napoleonic War settings - my Three Soldiers Series), or even America (War of 1812, for example), but it involves the British perspective, about British characters and involved in British social, political or economic concerns. Mostly the stories take place in Great Britain and are about the social world of the privileged, although some of my Regencies have been about characters who are not of the aristocracy, but whose lives are more peripherally involved.

There's not just one kind of Regency book.

There used to be traditional Regency romances, such as the Signet and Zebra lines. These books were heavy on the social Regency, the manners of the time period. The Regency setting was paramount in the traditional Regencies. There are still traditional Regencies being published. Harlequin Historical publishes some, but, alas, those Regency lines are gone.

Then there are Regency Historicals or Regency-set Historicals, those other romances set in the Regency. These can be light and quirky or deeply emotional. They can have paranormal elements. They can be adventures or mysteries or relationship books.

Should we call other types of books Regencies? Historicals (non-romances) set in the Regency, usually trade paperback or hardback sized? Books like Patrick O'Brian's? Just how far should our definition of Regency fiction go?

What do you think? Does it matter to you?

To read my thoughts about 9-11 see Diane's Blog. We'll never forget.

Karen Doornebos interview and giveaway

Our guest today is debut author Karen Doornebos whose book, Definitely Not Mr. Darcy, takes on a subject we talk about quite often here--seeing what modern characters would get up to in a Regency setting. Her publishers have kindly agreed to give away three copies of the book (isn't that a great cover?)

Doornebos gives the historical romance novel a hilarious update in this delightful debut… The amusing secondary characters, sidesplitting faux pas, and fiery romance will make Doornebos an instant hit with readers. Starred Review from Publisher’s Weekly

Doornebos brings readers a fresh take on Jane Austen’s world. Mixing reality television with Regency-style romance, this tale combines a fun plot with witty dialogue, charming characters and a strong-willed heroine. It will leave you laughing in delight and reluctant to put it down until the last page is read. 4 1/2 out of 5 Stars from RT Book Reviews

Janet, how honored I am to step into your parlor here to talk to you about my debut novel, Definitely Not Mr. Darcy. How nice of you to pour me a cup of tea! Thank you for having me…

Most gracious of you to accept and wherever I am, tea is too! How did you come up with the idea?

Funny you should ask this! I was at a writer’s conference sharing the first draft of my book when another writer said, “Regency reality show? That’s been done! It’s called ‘Regency House Party’.”

After I freaked, I thought, well, I better check this thing out. And I did, and of course it was completely different from my book! Still, I did credit the “House” series in my Acknowledgment Page, as I credited “The Bachelor” TV show.

I loved the “House” series and I did use “Regency House Party” for some of my research.
I enjoyed the program, it informed some of my research, but it didn’t inspire the book.

Here’s what did inspire the book: After college graduation I lived and worked in London for six months as an employee communications writer, and I always knew I would write something about my beloved England.

But it wasn’t until my husband and I went to a Victorian (not Regency) health spa in California in the late 1990s (yes, that was in the previous century!) that the idea hit me—literally. The spa had these old, outdoor stone baths with water from the hot springs, and it sounded so romantic, so relaxing—but when we put our swim suits on to head to the baths, a waft of rotten egg smell hit us. My husband informed me the smell was sulphur from the springs.

Now, I’ve always been a Jane Austen fan, but on that vacation the idea hit me: what if a Jane Austen fan gets to “visit” the Regency era—but it stinks!! That was where the idea began.

You've managed to have three heroes! Congratulations. Tell us about them.

First we meet George Maxton, the show producer, and he’s hot. All three of the men are hot in their own way. George’s appeal is not only his cropped auburn hair, his snug-fitting jeans and the way he wears his sunglasses, but the fact that he is so NOW. He’s all plugged into his iPhone and his iPad, he talks really fast, and he’s just completely modern.

Soon enough we meet two other heroes, and I can’t divulge their names! But, one has blond hair that falls into his brown eyes. He wears glasses and he’s very attentive and witty. The other is dark-haired, dark-eyed, and buff. He always seems to know exactly what to say to make our heroine happy… Both of these gentlemen look very fetching in their breeches, boots, and cravats.

One of the memorable aspects of the Regency House Party TV show was how bored most of the women are (although I think that was one of the worst inaccuracies of the series). How did you handle this?

Nobody in this reality show is ever bored! There are tasks and challenges galore and I dreamed up every Regency fantasy I would want to enjoy myself, and that included:
• Archery
• A mock fox hunt
• A tea party
• Making her own ink
• Learning fanology
• And a ball, of course!
Chloe Parker, my main character, procrastinates her needlework much to her detriment and her piano playing isn’t up to snuff.

Tell us about your research.

I used so many sources for my research—I couldn’t even begin to count them, however, here are some of the coolest:

• Jane Austen’s letters (Deirdre Le Faye will be having a new edition coming out in November!)
• A Jane Austen Encyclopedia
• Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine
• Tons of websites, including: The Jane Austen Centre in Bath

If you were in a Regency reality show, what would you miss the most?

Plumbing! I’ve lived my entire life without men in breeches, boots, and cravats (unfortunately) but I couldn't survive without plumbing!

What would you enjoy the most?

Come on, I would enjoy the gentlemen! But, if I had to choose something else, it would be: the tranquility that must come from being unplugged.

Which is your favorite Austen?

Book: Pride and Prejudice, my first love, but Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Sense and Sensisbility and Emma rank very close in that order.
Adaptation: 1995 A&E Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. Need I say more? You know where I stand! I also happen to ADORE the 1995 BBC version of Persuasion. 1995 was a very good year for me and I relive it via DVD as much as possible.

I love that version of Persuasion too! What's up next for you?

Great question! I’m promoting my first book right now, have a second one in the works, and I’m putting together proposals for a third…Jane Austen Action figure is on my desk, at the ready!

So ladies ... share your favorite Regency fantasy/favorite Regency hero with Karen, and you could win a copy of Definitely Not Mr. Darcy!

Regency Boardwalk?

First, a mea culpa: I am so, so sorry for not posting last Friday. I was away, and internet access was nonexistent.

But where were you, Megan, that you couldn't share your wisdom with us?

I was at the Jersey shore. Now, before you go making cracks, let me tell you that the town I was in is a dry town, founded by Methodists, and a far cry from Snooki et al's stomping grounds.

It had, in fact, a lot in common with Regency romance novels:

--In Jersey, social gatherings take place at the boardwalk; in the Regency era, it's Almack's.
--Drunkenness is frowned upon.
--Teens parade in front of each other for potential romantic coupling.
--There are very few places people can go to engage in PDAs. You have to get creative.
--Old ladies are constantly judging.
--You take the waters at the beach in Jersey, in Bath in Regency novels.

And now the summer is over! I hope everyone had a lovely one. I am happy to be back to my routine, although I do miss the lobster patties pizza.

Megan

Winners and Finnish 101

I am pleased to announce the winners of the Smelling Like Badgers Contest. As you may remember, I held a contest last week for suggestions for Regency pastimes that might suit the modern sensibility. The results were interesting and bizarre. Thanks for playing, everyone.

The winners are:

Lorraine, who suggested playing the bagpipes which is an image I can't get out of my mind. Every time I return to my WIP I start thinking of a possible opportunity for someone to whip out a bagpipe.

Jane, who suggested a visit to the museum to ogle the nude male statues.

Lorraine and Jane, please visit Bingley's Teas -- I love their Jane Austen-inspired line, shown above, which are actually packaged to look like books and you'll find all sorts of teas including herbal-- and then email riskiesATyahooDOTcom with the blend you'd like and your snailmail. And I shall order forthwith!

Talking of Jane Austen, there's a wonderful article, actually a review of two new books, in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Just Like A Woman. The books are Why Jane Austen? by Rachel M. Brownstein and William Deresiewicz's A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me about Love, Friendship, and the Things that Really Matter. Have you read either of them? I really want to read Deresiewicz's which is an account of how a guy learned to love Austen.

And finally in this post full of trivia--that, kittens and the obvious is what the internet is for--we're now going to have some serious academic study. Translate:

Han muutti minut sammokoksi

It is of course Finnish for "She turned me into a frog" (or, as Google Translate quaintly puts it, "He moved me to a frog") the opening line of my novella Little To Hex Her from the Finnish version of Bespelling Jane Austen. I received a handful of copies in the mail the other day which was quite exciting as I've never received any of my books in translation before.

Have you read either of the two new books above about Jane Austen? Are you planning to attend the JASNA Conference (AGM) in Fort Worth next month (aargh! next month! Must email my mantuamaker immediately!)? Amanda and I will be there and we'll give a full report.

Supersizers Go Regency Plus Dresses

I was going to do this awesome dress thing (see below) when I came across this. Oh. My God. I busted a gut. Here it is in six parts. I've only embedded the first, but have given you links to the other 5.

You MUST watch this. Really.



Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Here's the pretty dresses

Although many of these gowns and photographs should be familiar to anyone who has studied Regency fashion, did you know there's an entire YouTube Channel for this?
Swoon.

Redux

Eeek! I totally forgot it was Tuesday, I have been frantically trying to finish up these revisions to turn in before I leave on vacation next week. So I am taking a cue from Carolyn and revisting an oldie post--from June 28, 2008.....






I admit it, I had no idea what to write about today. It is summer, after all. I've been spending time dangling my feet in the kiddie pool I bought for my dogs, drinking lots of iced tea and writing, writing, writing! Reading, reading, reading! But what Janet said on Thursday was right--we Riskies do seem to love anniversaries. So, I did a search to see what was going on in the world a hundred or so years ago.

This is what I found: On this day in 1859, the first official dog show in the UK was held in Newcastle. The only breeds shown that day were Pointers and Setters. A show later in the year, in Birmingham, added Spaniels to the mix, and in 1860 hounds were added (thus paving the way for this year's Westiminster winner, Uno the beagle). The first London dog show was in 1860, in Chelsea, with the official Kennel Club founded in 1873. (The Victorians did love their show dogs!).

I have 2 dogs of my own, a very bossy miniature Poodle mix (who loves to swim in her kiddie pool and bark a lot) and a much more laid-back Pug (that's her in the pic!). Pugs were quite popular in the Georgian/Regency period, but their history goes much further back, to the Chinese Han and Tang Dynasty around 150 BC. Their path to Europe isn't certain, but the earliest reference to them there comes around 1572, when a heroic little Pug woke his master, William of Orange, just in time to save him from Spanish raiders. In 1713, there was a portrait titled "Louis XIV and His Heirs," with the appearance of a little fawn Pug (not named, and presumably not one of the heirs!)

English artist William Hogarth owned a series of Pugs and often painted them, especially his favorite "Trump." In 1740, the sculptor Roubiliac modeled terracotta statues of Hogarth and Trump, which were later produced in porcelain by the Chelsea pottery factory.

Many famous historical figures have been owned by Pugs. Madame de Pompadour, Marie Antoinette, George III and Queen Charlotte, Empress Josephine, Voltaire, George Eliot, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace, and Queen Victoria. Some of her Pugs included Venus, Olga, Fatima, Pedro, and Bosco (who has his own monument at Frogmore). My own dog is named Victoria in her honor.




And speaking of Queen Victoria, this is also the anniversary of her coronation! This happened in 1838. It is also the anniversary of Catherine the Great of Russia's seizure of power from her crazy husband, in 1762. She might have owned Pugs, but I'm not sure. If not, she should have.

Do you have dogs (or pets of any sort?) Are they enjoying their summer?