It’s been a while–we won’t dwell on how long–since I paid attention to this blog. It’s a perfect illustration of how real life can get in the way of writing, and real life has been a wild ride lately. But I’m feeling energized again, despite the pandemic and the general screwed-up state of the country–I Read More
Tag: Writing History
Victorian Food: A Nice Useful Cake
Last week I was finally able to watch the 2017 season of The Great British Bake-Off. (Online, of course, as PBS seems not to have the ability to broadcast it in the US since the show said goodbye to the BBC.) It was as brilliant as ever, and though I loved Mary, Mel, and Sue, Read More
Historical Book Blast Friday: Romance on the High Seas
It’s been awhile since I’ve done a book blast, so I am pleased to get back in the game with the new boxed set featuring my friend and NEORWA sister, Chloe Flowers. Just released, Romance on the High Seas is a fabulous collection of pirate stories by best-selling authors. Chloe will also give a pirate bandana and Read More
Why So Many Dead Bodies?
I’ve been sick for a few days with a nasty head cold. Sitting in bed with the dogs and my iPad for company, I’ve been thinking about a question readers sometimes ask me: why do so many people die in your books? In truth, not that many people die in my books, but there are definitely Read More
Trying New Things
So for the last couple of months, I’ve been querying literary agents for my new series. Although I’ve had some interest, I’ve racked up quite a few rejections. The most recent one, a kick in the teeth disguised as a pleasant form rejection, arrived Friday night. Although some writers prefer personalized rejections, I actually prefer Read More
Over the Sea to Skye
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may remember my last post, in which I mused about which of several settings I should choose for the next book. Perhaps subconsciously influenced by this year’s RITA historical finalists–many of which seem to have involved dukes and Scotland–I did opt to send my duke Read More
Victorian Food: Divided by a Common Language
One of the things I’ve encountered in British recipes–both old and new–is an entirely different vocabulary. Spelling is also an issue: I just spent ten minutes looking for pudding molds in Mrs. Beeton before I remembered it’s spelled moulds in the UK. There are different terms for so many things in baking, and finding out what they Read More
New Blog Series! Victorian Food
So lately I have been watching the early seasons of The Great British Bake-Off. Of the five seasons aired so far, only the last three made it to network TV in the US, but the first two are available on YouTube, and they are so worth the watch. Each episode contains historical snippets about particular Read More
Book Blast Friday: Cover Reveal!
Happy Friday, everyone! I’m sure you’ve all been waiting with breathless anticipation–or possibly not–but finally, the time has come to reveal my beautiful cover for my third book featuring the Tenwick family. Tempting Mr. Jordan is set six years after my first book, Stirring Up the Viscount, and features Jonathan Tenwick’s younger sister, Julia, all grown up. After four unsuccessful London seasons, Read More
Victorian Fashion
I am not a fashion maven. I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, unless I’m wearing Chico’s Travelers Collection, which look stylish but feel like pajamas. (Need I say more?) I have one favorite pair of shoes for each season and I wear them until they fall apart, at which time I spend hours online Read More