Fanny Price's hair

Billie Piper's hair, when she played Fanny Price in Mansfield Park, caused a lot of comment, because she had loose, flowing locks instead of a bun. How much more of a furore would have been caused if she had worn her hair as Fanny seems to have worn it, I wonder?



In Chapter 24 of Mansfield Park, William stretches out his hand to Fanny's head and says:

“Do you know, I begin to like that queer fashion already, though when I first heard of such things being done in England, I could not believe it; and when Mrs. Brown, and the other women at the Commissioner’s at Gibraltar, appeared in the same trim, I thought they were mad; but Fanny can reconcile me to anything.”

Given that Mansfield Park appears to be set in 1808, and given that Jane Austen wrote, in a letter to Cassandra on 24 January 1809, “I should have liked to have seen Anna’s looks & performance–but that sad cropt head must have injured the former,” there is a very strong probability that Fanny's hair actually looked like the picture at the left.


Amanda Grange

Loveday Intro Pt 5

BE PERSUADED

The joy of the Jane Austen Season on the television must have been an inspiration to many writers. The beautiful settings and authenticity to detail vividly portrayed the period bringing it to life. I am sure PERSUASION tonight starring Sally Hawkins as the self-sacrificing Anne Elliott who is reunited with her lost love, the dashing Captain Wentworth, played by Rupert Penry-Jones will continue to captivate us all. It is the psychology and motivation behind all the characters depicted in Jane Austen’s novels that make us care so passionately for them.

Psychology and motivation are the guiding factors for my Loveday family novels. Their hot-blood may lead them to break with convention when driven by their motivation but allowing the reader to understand what drives them is the key to a plausible plot. THE LOVEDAY HONOUR deals with all aspects of honour. As Edward Loveday declares in the open sentence, ‘If a man does not have honour, he has nothing.’ The premise of the story was how each member of the family could uphold their honour when faced with their most serious challenge yet.

Japhet Loveday has been tried and convicted of highway robbery. His new wife, Gwen, is desperate to clear his name, but Japhet has made some powerful enemies and her efforts may not be enough to save him from the gallows. Edwards also faces a dilemma. His wife is still reeling from the shock arrival of his illegitimate daughter, Tamasine, and cannot bring herself to forgive him. Will Edward be forced to make a choice between his new-found daughter and his wife? Meanwhile Tamasine herself has fallen in love with Rupert Carlton, but when the truth of her parentage is revealed, it causes a vendetta between the two families that threatens to destroy their relationship. Will loyalty and honour eventually triumph? And at what cost to the family’s future?

Packed with passion and intrigue, THE LOVEDAY HONOUR – the fifth book in the Loveday series – has been reviewed as a compelling and entrancing read.

Kate Tremayne

Persuasion

I wonder how many of us are eagerly looking forward to the film tonight? It isn't one of my favourite of her books, but I can watch anything like this and enjoy it. I have a double video of Emma, which is one of the funniest things I have ever watched and we play it every few months. It never fails to make us laugh. Mine is the BBC version, and I still believe they do the classics the best, though I am enjoying this season. We do not get enough of these films on TV in my opinion.
Anne Herries
www.lindasole.co.uk
http://redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com

If I have been quiet...

... it is because there has not been much going on to talk about! However, I received my author copies of the large print version of my Regency romantic comedy Perfidy and Perfection and so you can see the cover here. Like it? I do.

I've been working since before Christmas on a tale set in Cornwall at the end of the 18th century involving smugglers. I've also been revising an adventure story I hope to have ready sortly, and I'm really struggling to think of a title for, so the smugglers have been set aside for now until that is complete. In July Linford Romance will be publishing the very first complete novel I ever wrote, The Restless Heart and I'm looking forward to see what the cover is like, as their cover for Fateful Deception was wonderful.

Kate Allan
My website

Northanger Abbey

I am very much enjoying this series of Jane Austen's books. I thought Mansfield Park was romantic but it did differ from the book quite a bit and was not quite up to the standard of previous films. However, this book has not been filmed so often and there wasn't a really good one to compare it to so perhaps that is why I found it so enjoyable. The scenes that depicted Catherine's wild dreams were very good indeed, and I liked the hero. He portrayed a nice balance between the teasing hero and the serious gentleman. So I would give this one nine out of ten, even though the purists might not. It was very watchable and I look forward to seeing the others in this series. I wonder if they will attempt Pride & Prejudice? I think that will be difficult because there have been several versions and the BBc series would be difficult to match in a short film. That is still the outstanding production in my opinion.
Anne Herries

Jane Austen and Baseball?

Did anyone else catch the reference to cricket and baseball which occurred near the beginning of the excellent tv adaptation of Northanger Abbey?

Baseball?

I can't pretend to be an expert on the recreational pursuits of the age but it didn't quite ring true to me. Was it a reference to an early form of rounders perhaps, did the British really adopt baseball before the Americans, or was it merely a slip of the script-writer's pen? Does anyone know?

Wendy

Northanger Abbey, with Felicity Jones and JJ Feild

Tonight sees the second of ITV's Austen adapations, Northanger Abbey, starring Felicity Jones as Catherine and JJ Feild as Henry.

The script has been hanging around for eight or nine years.Written by Andrew Davies, who wrote the phenomenally successful screenplay of Pride and Prejudice, which starred Colin Firth, it was originally written for Weekend Television. Then Harvey Weinstein of Miramax Films optioned it, added drafts from other writers such as Martin Amis, but eventually abandoned the project.

This just goes to show how expensive it is to make period dramas, and how difficult it is to get them on TV, because if Andrew Davies, with a huge hit behind him, couldn't get his work on TV, then what hope for anyone else? But the wheel turned. Attitudes at ITV changed. People changed. And Austen was 'in' again.

The new adaptation stars Felicity Jones, who will play 17-year-old Catherine Morland. Andrew Davies said he was "completely blown away" by Jones's audition tape. "She is absolutely delightful to look at. She is possibly slightly too pretty for Catherine. With all that radio experience, she had absolutely wonderful diction. Every word is crystal clear. I'm really thrilled we've got her. I think she's a terrific discovery."

It sounds promising. But we'll just have to wait and see . . . .

Chawton House Library

With all the excitement around the current crop of Jane Austen adaptations, this seems like a good occasion to visit Chawton House Library, which is set in the home and working estate of Jane Austen's brother Edward Austen Knight. Chawton House Library is a wonderful resource for Regency authors as it has a unique collection of books focussing on women's writing in English from 1600 to 1830. As well as having online biographies of authors such as Maria Edgeworth (Castle Rackrent) and Ann Radcliffe (The Romance of the Forest)the website also provides full transcripts of some of their collection. I used it when I was writing my Bluestocking Brides Trilogy. My heroines were all members of a Regency reading group and I wanted them to be reading something authentic, so I chose The Enchantress by Mrs Martin. I was able to read the entire text online and draw on it in my research. Check out the library at http://www.chawton.org/index.html and at the same time you can catch up on the history of the estate and its connections with Jane Austen.

Nicola

Mansfield Park with Blake Ritson and Billie Piper

Opinion seems to be divided about ITV's Sunday night showing of the new Mansfield Park with Blake Ritson and Billie Piper.

General criticisms in the media seem to be that it was too short - agreed! - and that the beginning felt rushed - also agreed! - but with a 90 minute running time, these things were inevitable.

Billie Piper's acting and casting have come in for a variety of opinions, with some people thinking she was excellent and some thinking she was miscast, but overall, here on the blog, we liked her.
"I think it is one of JA's better books and enjoyed the tv adaptation," says Wendy. "It's very easy to criticise the costumes and such but shouldn't we stop worrying about details and simply enjoy being entertained? When all's said and done, isn't that what every tv programme and books strives to do? Having said all that, I did think that anyone unfamiliar with the book would wonder what Mrs Norris was all about. The adverse effect she had on Fanny's upbringing wasn't apparent from tv. I hated Fanny's hair and agree that she ran around too much - she was supposed to be the ultimate poor relation, after all - but I still sat spellbound for two hours"

Blake Ritson seems to have been liked by all for his portrayal of Edmund. He captured Emdund's upright qualities without making him seem preachy or a drip.
Melinda found it a bit static but says, "I think this is a very difficult book to put on screen - it is the story of two nice people, so not a lot of scope there.Maybe Ken Russell could have done better."

Ken Russell making Mansfield Park? Now there's a thought!

And for those who can't get enough of Fanny and Edmund, why not try Edmund Bertram's Diary? The hardback (left) is already out, and the paperback (right) comes out in August 2008. Experience the story through Edmund's eyes!



















There are further books in the series, with Mr Darcy's Diary, Mr Knightley's Diary and Cpt Wentworth's Diary already out, and Col Brandon's Diary coming out in 2008.





More details on Amanda Grange's website.

Jane Austen Season

As everyone and his dog - or perhaps that should be Pug - reflects on the continuing popularity of Jane Austen, we thought we'd take a look, over the next few weeks, at some of the things that give her books long lasting appeal.

Humour

The books are some of the funniest ever written, and even if they hadn't been love stories, they would still have stood the test of time, as other humorous books such as Three Men in a Boat have done.

Here are some of my favourite lines:

From Mansfield Park:
"the expectation of his return must be a very anxious period to my mother; and if we can be the means of amusing that anxiety, and keeping up her spirits for the next few weeks, I shall think our time very well spent, and so, I am sure, will he. It is a very anxious period for her.”
As he said this, each looked towards their mother. Lady Bertram, sunk back in one corner of the sofa, the picture of health, wealth, ease, and tranquillity, was just falling into a gentle doze.

From Persuasion:
“We do not call Bermuda or Bahama, you know, the West Indies."
Mrs. Musgrove had not a word to say in dissent; she could not accuse herself of having ever called them any thing in the whole course of her life.

From Sense and Sensibility:
"We do not live a great way from him in the country, you know, -- not above ten miles, I dare say."
"Much nearer thirty," said her husband.
"Ah! well! there is not much difference."

And from Pride and Prejudice:
"I thank you again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart."
"You are uniformly charming!" cried he, with an air of awkward gallantry; "and I am persuaded that, when sanctioned by the express authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will not fail of being acceptable."


What are your favourite humorous lines or moments?

Amanda Grange

Our recent books

New books

It seems ages since I manged to get in but at last I am here. I had to leave the post halfway through as we had an appointment, but finished it when I got back. I have been so very busy of late, writing a lot of Regency novels. The last of the Hellfire Trilogy comes out next month and another trilogy starts in June, though I'm not sure if that is hb or pb. The next series is about three sisters who have to leave the Vicarage that was their home because Papa has died. It looks as if their prospects are bleak until one by one they find the men they will love. I have also written two of a series called dynasty, which is set at the time of the end of the War of the Roses. The first is called Forbidden Lady and comes out in America next month - they are publishing them there first for some reason!

What with making guest appearances on blogs because of the short list for the RNA Romance Prize and working on a new review site for authors of romance, I have been like Anne in the story - my feet hardly touched the ground! Love to you all, Anne Herries
www.lindasole.co.uk
www.redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com

Guest blogger - Jean Fullerton

We're delighted to welcome Jean Fullerton to the blog. Anyone who loves the Pirates of the Caribbean films will love Jean's new book, Cutlasses and Caresses.

Over to you, Jean.

"Thank you! I have always loved stories about pirates and the romance of the open sea in a sailing ship. Of course there are the men. I mean what wouldn’t you love about a man in long black boots, tight breeches and an open fronted shirt? More seriously, the idea for Cutlasses and Caresses came from an article in the BBC History magazine.

All the settings of my books are real. I put a lot of time and effort into researching all aspects of my stories. One of the joys of being a historical writer is that I get to delve into the past. For instance, although Cutlasses and Caresses is a work of fiction, I have based it very much on fact and spent a great deal of time researching the details to weave around Nathan and Prudence’s story. It's a romp set in the Pirate capital of Port Royal, Jamaica, during the volatile 1680’s, and it centres around the sensual romance between Prudence Stone, a minister’s niece in search of her kidnapped fiancé, and Nathan Frazer, who is in the Caribbean for a very different reason . . .

Port Royal which is where most of Cutlasses and Caresses is set, actual existed and was just as debauched and lawless as I portray it. The brothel, The Two Puddings, where Prudence stays is fictitious but the Mermaid tavern also mentioned was notorious for its riotous behaviour and in a town like Port Royal that was no mean feat! If you go to Jamaica today, however, there is not much left of it because on the 7th July 1692, a year after Cutlasses and Caresses, is set, 90% of the town disappeared under the sea as a result of a massive earth quake. Some said it was the hand of God punishing the town for its wickedness.

You can read the first chapter of Cutlasses and Caresses on my website by clicking here and you can buy it from Triskelion by clicking here

I also have a chat group. To find out more, click here

Thanks, Jean! Cutlasses and Caresses sounds like a must read for anyone who loves pirates or a well researched historical romance.

The Journal of A Regency Lady 13

May 29 1812
It has been some days since I wrote in my journal. My feet have not touched the ground since I told Mama that I was to marry Lord Belmond. She was so happy and so relieved that I was glad I had made my decision. Indeed, I had not quite decided until he came that day, but now that it has happened I am pleased. After all, I liked him very well before he became engaged and he has explained all that. So now I shall be Lady Belmond very soon and then we shall join his regiment, though we are not to go abroad as soon as we had expected for he has had orders to report to Lime Regis where his men are are presently stationed.

It does not matter. I am in such a whirl for Mama was determined that I should be married at home and we set out almost at once. Paul was so pleased to see me and I was pleased that he looked so much happier and well again. He told me privately that he thinks he shall resign his commission for he still limps a little and does not believe he could ever be a soldier again.

'I want to marry and have a family, Anne,' he told me. 'I came close to dying and I do not wish to leave this life without knowing the joys of having a wife and child.'

I believe Mama is almost reconciled to the idea of his marriage. For myself I am pleased that he has found peace and happiness after his illness, which I feared would change him forever.

'You must do as you please, dearest,' I told him. 'I know Mama was doubtful but she will learn to love your wife, as I shall.'

Paul tipped his head to one side, his eyes narrowed as he looked at me. 'What of you, Anne? Are you truly happy? I think you were badly hurt last Christmas...'
'Yes, I was hurt,' I admitted, 'and when Harry first asked me I was not sure it was the right decision, but now I think we shall suit very well.'

My brother frowned for no one knew me better. 'That does not sound as if you are madly in love? It is what I should hope for you, sister.' His gaze narrowed. 'Did you not find anyone else you preferred?'

I hesitated for a moment. 'There was a gentleman I liked but...' Paul's brows rose. 'He did not ask me to marry him. I thought he meant to but his regiment was called to some riots in the North and I heard nothing more from him.'

'You would not marry just for the sake of it? Mama did not push you into this, Anne?'

'No, of course not,' I began but then we both heard Mama calling to me. 'Mama is calling me for yet another fitting.'

'We shall talk more later,' Paul said. 'If you are not sure you should not marry him, Anne.'

I smiled at him and shook my head. I had given my word and could not break it. Besides, I was almost certain that I loved Paul.

But Mama is calling me once more. I shall write more this evening...

Sorry to everyone that I have been so long since the last episode. I didn't realise how long it was until I tried to find the last bit. I will try to get in more often now that I can get in again. Anne

Give it up?

Recently, I've come across an author who has decided to give up writing fiction.


While I respect her decision, that's something I could never do, but it does give me an idea.


I will always write. I wrote for years without even considering publication, it didn't matter. It wasn't part of my life.


When I did write with publication in mind, I had a different attitude.
I'm asking people to pay good money for my work, so all the self
indulgence had to go, and I had to have a more professional attitude.
That meant looking at markets, producing a book regularly, a proper
working day.


I still love it, and I think all the discipline has actually raised my game. I'm certainly happier with the way I'm writing.


But could I give up writing? Hell, no!


However, I've seen writers in despair, because they can't find an
agent, can't find a publisher, can't find a home for their work. So my
advice would be to give yourself a holiday from that.


Just write. Remind yourself why you do this, how much you love it.
Forget markets, forget the business and just give yourself permission
to write, something you care about that doesn't fit anywhere, or do
anything except maybe hone your craft a little, and free up your voice.


You never know, you might end up with your first published book! But
it doesn't matter. If you don't, you have reminded yourself just why
you put yourself through this torture, what is at the heart of your
writing, why you do it.


And if you find yourself writing nothing, don't despair. Perhaps that
was the break you needed and you'll come back refreshed, or even find
yourself turning in another direction.

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LOVEDAY Intro Part 4

One of the greatest joys of writing the Loveday series is to receive so many emails from readers. They are a constant joy and never more so than on a day when one of the Lovedays have got themselves into a scrape from which I wonder if they can ever redeem themselves with honour and integrity. For a writer to learn that readers empathise with the characters and feel their pain and anguish is great motivation for an author to push themselves that one step further to make each story unique and memorable.
In the series Adam is the main hero but the moment his rakehell cousin Japhet stepped onto the page I knew this was a man women would adore and through love hope to reform. The fourth book in the series THE LOVEDAY SCANDALS was given a new look to the covers and with the background of Bodmin Moor this is one of my favourites. THE LOVEDAY SCANDALS brings Japhet to the fore but his wild escapades threaten his life. In a gritty family series there can be no fairy tale endings and each Loveday must face the consequences of their actions…

Having lived and worked in London for several years, I loved the opportunity to research the 18th century gaming hells, underworld, theatre and life in Newgate.

The novel begins with Adam still at sea and his twin St John banished to Virginia. The family struggle to survive in the face of fresh scandals and shocking revelations. Japhet has fled to London to forget the heartache of his love affair with Gwendolyn Druce. He finds himself drawn into the dangerous world of the city’s gambling dens and, when he runs out of money, turns to highway robbery. As his life spirals out of control heengages in a passionate affair with actress Celestine Yorke, but when Gwen arrives in London Celestine’s ardour turns to obsessive jealousy. She has her suspicions that he is a highwayman. When blackmail fails to keep him at her side, there is no greater fury than a woman scorned. The gallows await any found guilty of highway robbery. How can our hero realistically escape the noose? Certainly not without sacrifice and dire circumstances.

Meanwhile Edward and Amelia’s marriage is rocked by the arrival of his illegitimate daughter, Tamasine, who has come to claim her rightful place in the family. Can the Lovedays rise above the turmoil which seems set to finally tear them apart?

Kate Tremayne

Dance for a Diamond

I am away for the weekend so I am having to submit my blog a few days early, but I was so excited about this I just couldn't wait to share it and ask everyone's thoughts on the cover.

Dance for a Diamond has just been published in large print version by Ulverscroft, and I am delighted with the cover they have used. It sums up my heroine, Antonia Venn, perfectly: lively, petite, soft brown hair and a passion for dance. Dance for a Diamond is set at the time of Waterloo, with a dark, brooding hero and a heroine who desperately wants to be independent. They both have to learn to trust again before they can achieve their happiness. This is one of my favourite books to date, a lovely feel-good novel – and I'm not just going on my memory of writing it, I loved this cover so much I was tempted to read it all over again!

Let me know what you think.

Melinda Hammond

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at bonnets

Jane Austen is coming in for a lot of attention at the moment. A new film supposedly about her life, Becoming Jane, is out at the cinema. 3 new TV adaptations are about to hit our screens, and newspapers are full of Austen, too.

Celia Brayfield attacked Austen recently, provoking a spirited defence from Libby Purves in the Times Online, which will surely delight the heart of any Austen lover:

"Celia Brayfield accuses Jane Austen of focusing on “young women’s fancies” while ignoring the French Revolution, Napoleon, and the Chinese woman pirate Zheng Yi Sao. She berates Austen for not being Mary Wollstonecraft, for failing to “look out of the window” at poverty and recording a sexist society.

Being a middle-class girl in the 1800s, clinging on to the lower rungs of the financial ladder, was frightening. Daily life was arduous — all that sewing was not a hobby but household maintenance and the construction of clothes. In the country, livestock must be tended and a woman’s retreat to the drawing-room in a clean dress was often well earned. The older generation, especially if moneyed, held a power over the young unimaginable to our generation.
Beyond the walls of home the prospect was alarming: no social security, no pensions, no dole, no health service, antibiotics or reliable contraception; terrifying childbirths, no careers for single women without a slide down the social scale towards poverty."

Whilst cheering Libby Purves, I couldn't help thinking, Why and how has our society come to despise enjoyment for enjoyment's sake? Even if Jane Austen wrote about nothing but bonnets, what would be wrong with that? Pleasure is a necessary part of existence. Without it, life would be a dull affair; moreover, we would never be able to lift our spirits enough to do anything about the things that trouble us.

So long live Jane Austen, in whatever form people choose to appreciate her - social historian, woman of her times, comic genius or romantic novelist.

As Oscar Wilde almost said, We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at bonnets.

Amanda Grange

Jane Austen season

There's a new Jane Austen season starting on TV in the UK this week, which is good news for Regency fans.

Mansfield Park is the first to air, on Sunday 18th March, with Fanny Price being played by Billie Piper and Edmund played by Blake Ritson, whilst Tom is being played by James D'Arcy.


Northanger Abbey is next, on 25th March, with Catherine Morland being played by Felicity Jones and Henry Tilney by JJ Feild.

The it's on to Persuasion on 1st April. Captain Wentworth is being played by Rupert Penry Jones and Anne Elliot by Sally Hawkins

And to finish, ITV are showing a repeat of Emma on 8th April. This is the TV version from 1996 with Kate Beckinsale as Emma and Mark Strong as Mr Knightley.

And if you're in the US, the dramatisations will be shown on PBS in the autumn - November, we believe.

We can't wait to see them!

Lord Thurston's Challenge

Yesterday I received the rough for my next book, LORD THURSTON'S CHALLENGE, which comes out in July 2007. It is by the same artist as for my last two books, David Young. I love it -what do you think?
The story is set in an ancient Tudor mansion and I sent various photographs of suitable buildings and he selected the one he liked. I'm lucky to be allowed so much input with my covers. In my contracts it clearly states that Hale have absolute control over them and some Hale authors have covers with cross-eyed, green faced women!!
A writer I met yesterday said that her publisher not only allow her no say in the cover designs they also change the titles of her books. The latest one was changed and now has the same title as another recently released chick-lit novel.
I'm in the process of re-vamping my website- the new version will be up soon. I'll let you know when it's on line.
Fenella Miller
THE MESALLIANCE Robert Hale, 9780709082248, is out and can be bought from Amazon. Don't forget to go in to your local library (UK only) and order the book. They might not stock it unless you do.

Lady Hartley's Inheritance in Large Print

I recently had the pleasure of seeing my first novel published by Thorpe in large print. I love the cover! My heroine appears capable and determined, as well as serene and beautiful. But they have also managed to capture the vulnerability she tries so hard to coneal from the world. Shame about the colour of her hair, though. I describe it as being the colour of burnt corn but both Thorpe and Hale seem to have got that one wrong.

Let me know what you think of the cover.

Wendy Soliman

Devil's Prize

From Jane Jackson.

Hello, I'm just dropping in with a progress report. Things have been a bit hectic since I last posted. But as life has calmed down a bit, I thought I'd take this opportunity to bring you up to date.

My current historical adventure romance, Devil’s Prize, is now three quarters finished. It’s strange and wonderful to leave my comfortable home with all its modern conveniences each morning and at the click of a mouse plunge back into the C18th.

1795 was a desperately hard time for the Cornish people. England was at war with France and press gangs roamed towns and villages looking for young – and not-so-young – men to replace those killed or wounded aboard naval ships of war.

A poor harvest meant food was in short supply. Starving miners who gathered in Falmouth and Truro to prevent American wheat landed in Cornwall from being shipped up to London were shot.

Coastal towns and villages relied on pilchards for food, oil for lighting, and income from the casks of salted fish exported to Italy. But sometimes the shoals didn’t come. Forgotten by a government preoccupied with the war, many Cornish turned to smuggling simply to survive.

Superb seamen, braving moonless nights and winter storms, Cornish smugglers treated the fair trade as a battle of wits between themselves and the Customs Service and displayed remarkable skill in avoiding the Customs cutters at sea and the Riding Officer and his dragoons ashore.

Virtually everyone in the community was involved, from the vicar who allowed casks to be hidden in his church, to the village women who concealed bladders full of cognac beneath their voluminous skirts.

Naturally, no duty was paid on smuggled goods. So, furious at being denied money it needed, the government passed increasingly severe laws to try and stop the trade. For example, being caught with a blackened face while engaged in smuggling was punishable by hanging.

Some of the landowner justices who put up the money for cargoes of contraband dealt lightly with their local smugglers, but sentenced those of rival gangs to death or transportation.

This is the background to Devil’s Prize, a story of danger, intrigue, heroism, hardship and a love that survives against all odds. I can’t wait to get back and find out what happens next!

Jane Jackson.

Darcy's Diary, the audiobook

I'm really excited about this, because Darcy's Diary is now available as an audio book. I haven't heard it yet - this news is hot off the press - but it's read by Gordon Griffin, who has had excellent reviews for his readings, so I'm really looking forward to it. It's on 6 Audio Cassettes and it's 8hrs long.



The easiest and cheapest way to buy it seems to be by ordering it direct from the publishers - click here - or you can order it from bookshops in the UK. Amazon have it, but it seems to be a lot more expensive on their website.

If you order it from a bookshop, or request it from your libary, it might help to know the product code - it's SOUNDS3504 - and the ISBN, which is 978-1-84559-661-3.

Happy listening!

Amanda

Reviewers' Choice Awards

We're delighted that six of our blog members were nominated for Reviewers' Choice Awards from Single Titles and Cataromance

The books nominated were:


Duty's Destiny by Wendy Soliman
The Chain Garden by Jane Jackson
Mr Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange
A Dissembler by Fenella Jane Miller
Deceived by Nicola Cornick







The Society Catch by Louise Allen
Lord Greville's Captive by Nicola Cornick
The Viscount's Betrothal by Louise Allen








We're even more delighted that the winners in each category were our very own Louise Allen with The Viscount's Betrothal and Nicola Cornick with Deceived

New chapter of There Must be Murder online

The Jane Austen online magazine is running a serial, There Must Be Murder , which is an exciting sequel to Northanger Abbey.

You can read more about it, as well as the first two chapters, by clicking here

Regency Ladies and their Finery

The beautiful clothing that upper class ladies wore during the Regency is one of the many things that attract me to the period, even though it must have been a bit of a chore having to change three or four times a day. All those laces, corsets, petticoats and what have you to think about!

When I describe gowns in my books, such as the one illustrated here, I can imagine the feel of the silk whispering about my heroine's ankles, and the soft rustle of her petticoats as she moves. I would have done well in that period myself since the high-waisted fashions would have made a good job of concealing my virtually non-existent waist!

In my latest book, The Social Outcast, my young heroine defies convention at every opportunity. She wears men's breeches in order to ride astride her horse and even climbs trees to rescue kittens in distress. But she also loves her growing collection of dresses, revelling in the feel of her first ball gown, even if she shocks everyone by wearing it without a corset!

Read more in The Social Outcast, published by Robert Hale ISBN 978 0 7090 8239 2

Wendy Soliman

A matter of opinion!

Yesterday my copies of the Large Print version of A SUITABLE HUSBAND arrived. I have never liked the original Robert Hale cover - the woman's head is far too large for her shoulders. As you can imagine I was looking forward to seeing this book with a different cover.
I prefer the Thorpe version, but think both characters could as well be heading out for a ball in the 21st century as the 19th!
What do you think? Do you prefer the Hale cover, which has authentic costumes on an out of proportion figure? Or perhaps the well drawn couple, in what could be mistaken for modern dress?
Don't forget A SUITABLE HUSBAND can be ordered form your local library in the UK or purchased form Amazon UK or USA.
Best wishes
Fenella Miller

Research at Coombe Abbey

A few days ago, Melinda Hammond posted a fascinating item about the inspiration we all get from historic buildings. Last weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to stay in one such place, Coombe Abbey, in Warwickshire. It is somewhere I have always wanted to visit for my research and to be able to stay there was a dream come true!

As the name implies, Coombe was once a religious foundation and some of the original Norman buildings, including the cloisters, are still standing. We were given a suite in the sixteenth century part of the building and had a marvellous time exploring the house and the estate.

Of particular interest was the eighteenth century church where the Craven family worshipped during the Regency period. It is absolutely charming. One fact that I found fascinating was that the Earls of Craven had their own private chapel, where they sat for the services. I had heard of important families having their own pews in church but never a private chapel. This was tucked away on the north side of the church, had its own entrance and was designed so that the family were hidden from the view of the rest of the parishioners! I could imagine them driving up to the church in their carriage, entering through their own private door and the congregation craning their necks to see the Earl and his guests, rather in the manner of that scene in the film of Pride and Prejudice when Mr Collins in preaching and Lady Catherine and her guests attend the service!

Best wishes

Nicola Cornick

Mr Knightley's Diary - large print

I'm just dropping in to say that the large print version of Mr Knightley's Diary is now out, so if you prefer a larger print size, or you know someone who does,then this is the version to go for. I absolutely love the cover. It's a portrait of Commander Hugh Clapperton painted by Sir Henry Raeburn.

It's available from BBC books and you can order it by clicking here

The normal print version can be ordered from Amazon UK by clicking here

Here's an extract for February:

Tuesday February 23rd

The weather was worse this evening, and it was with difficulty that I managed to walk to Hartfield after dinner, but I did not want to neglect my friends. I found Emma and her father sitting with Harriet. Harriet's presence was welcome as it meant that Emma and I could play backgammon without worrying that her father would be bored, for Harriet could read him Isabella's latest letter again: little George had a cold, the baby was growing rapidly, and Henry was making good progress with his reading.

'I called on Miss Bates this morning,' Emma said.
'And you are wanting me to praise you for it,' I remarked.
'No. If I want flattery, I know I must look elsewhere!'
We began to play.
'And did you find Miss Fairfax at home?' I asked her.
'I did. She had just returned from the post office. If I had called half an hour sooner I would not have seen her.'
'And did you still find her reserved?'
'Yes. I found it very difficult to have a conversation with her. She listened politely to everything I had to say, and she answered every question I put to her, but she volunteered nothing.'
'Perhaps she had nothing to volunteer.'

'Nothing to volunteer, when she has been away from us for two years? What of all her news? Talk of her friend and her friend's wedding? Of the Campbells, and her life with them? Of her time at Weymouth, and her adventure on the boat? I am sure that could occupy half an hour at least.'
'I thought she had told you something of her friend's wedding a few days ago?'
'She did, but only when I asked her outright for information.'
There was something in her tone which gave me pause.

'What mischief are you brewing now?' I asked.
She looked at me innocently.
'You are a very suspicious man, Mr Knightley. What makes you think I am brewing mischief?'
'Experience,' I remarked.
'It is sometimes very inconvenient to talk to someone I have known all my life,' she said playfully. 'It is also very unfair. It gives you an advantage. You know all about my childhood freaks, and I know nothing about yours.'
'That is because I never had any!' I returned.
She laughed.

'What is it, my dear?' asked her father, looking up from the letter.
Mr Knightley says he had no childhood freaks.'
'I am sure he did not,' said her father. 'I have known Mr Knightley all his life, and he has never suffered from freaks. A better man it would be hard to find. Why, even as a boy he was very well mannered. I remember him saying to me, when I had had a cold: "I am sorry to hear you have not been well. I hope you are recovered?" and he was only five years old.'
I did not remember this evidence of my childhood virtues, but I said: 'There you are,' to Emma nonetheless.
'I believe I will ask John about you and find out the truth, the next time I see him,' she returned. 'I cannot believe you led a blameless childhood. I am sure you had your share of mischief.'

'As he is unlikely to visit us before the summer, I am not afraid.'
'Summer will come,' she said, 'and I will be waiting!'



Amanda Grange

Guest blogger of the month - Anne Whitfield

We're delighted to welcome Anne Whitfield to the blog as our guest blogger of the month.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a guest blogger and to talk about my latest historical release, The Gentle Wind's Caress. I set my historicals in either Victorian Australia or Yorkshire. My family and ancestors are from Yorkshire and I'm Australian, so I get the best of both worlds. This mix gives me a wide scope for settings and plots.

The Gentle Wind's Caress is my fourth historical release, but my first UK and hardback release.


The novel is set in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire -- Hebden Bridge and Heptonstall. I fell in love with the countryside, the steep gorges, rolling moors, the villages, rivers and canal.
The bleakness of the area in winter and the lushness of it in summer called to me, demanded that I work with all that it offered.
I felt the characters belonged there and that their story worked because of their surroundings. It helped to make them what they are.

I wrote the first draft of The Gentle Wind's Caress in about 5 months (family life had a way of interrupting me!). The story flowed so well, as though I'd known the characters for years, and perhaps I had subconsciously. :o)

My uncle, who lives in West Yorkshire and works in Calderdale, sent me a great deal of research material, it was wonderful. He found videos of country walks of that area, historical maps, books, photos, articles, etc. My niece even stopped there on her honeymoon to take photos for me.
You see, it has been 20 years since I was last in England and my memories are dimming a little. But this year I'll be travelling back, and reaffirming my link with England and Yorkshire.


The Gentle Wind's Caress blurb -
1876 - On the death of her mother and sister, Isabelle Gibson must fend for herself and her brother in a privately-run workhouse. To escape a life of drudgery and near-rape at the hands of the matron’s son, Neville Peacock, Isabelle agrees to marry Farrell, a moorland farmer she has never met. But Farrell is a drunkard and a bully in constant feud with his landlord, Ethan Harrington. When Farrell bungles a robbery and deserts her, Isabelle and Ethan are thrown together as she struggles to run the farm. Both are married and must hide their growing love. Despite the secrecy, Isabelle draws strength from Ethan and his best friend, Hamish MacGregor, as she faces the return of her long lost father and Neville Peacock. And when Farrell returns to claim his wife, tragedy strikes, changing all their lives forever.

I'm currently working on another Yorkshire set historical titled, Woodland Daughter. I'm writing in the Edwardian era for the first time and enjoying it very much.

In September this year, my second book published in hardback by Robert Hale Ltd UK will be released. A Noble Place is set in Australia 1851.

For more details about my books, you can visit my website by clicking
here

I love hearing from other writers and readers.

Thanks for having me here.

Anne.~

Thank you, Anne. We wish you every success with your books.

Miss Charlotte Smith's Diary - Part 13

This is a Regency satire of Bridget Jones's Diary.

For parts 1-12 see the links on the sidebar to your left.


1 o’clock
Melissa and I celebrated me getting the job by sneaking down to the kitchen and retiring to my room with a bottle of cooking sherry.

Half past 1
‘That’s strange,’ said Aunt Jane when we joined her in the dining-room for lunch. ‘Eliza’s safely in the country, but the cook tells me she’s missing a bottle of cooking sherry.’
Melissa and I said, ‘Really?’ politely.
‘It must be the new footman,’ said Aunt Jane. ‘I will have to tell Cook to keep an eye on him.’
Mouth watered as white soup, baked fish, roast beef, roast potatoes and three different kinds of vegetables were brought in. Was hungry after a morning of strain and took an enormous plateful.

‘Charlotte!’ said Aunt Jane, shocked.
Looked guiltily at my plate. Was enough for three people on it.
‘What about your tooth?’
‘Ah.’
Deathly silence.
‘It wasn’t bad at all,’ said Melissa. ‘Just a . . . ’
‘Yes, just a . . . ’ I said, taking over from Melissa.
‘A . . . ’ she helpfully chimed in.
‘Sore gum.’
‘A sore gum?’ said Aunt Jane.

‘Yes. A sore gum,’ I said. ‘Very painful but will soon heal, as long as I eat plenty of sustaining food. I’ve been doing the wrong thing over the last few days, starving myself. I should have been feeding myself instead.’
‘Oh, well, if Mr Prindle says so,’ said Aunt Jane.
Helped myself to gravy and said firmly, ‘He does.’

3 o’clock
Climbed aboard stage coach for journey home. Was long and uncomfortable but did not care. Am escaping Mama and Susan.
Spirits fell. How am I going to tell them?


January 24th

‘Mama. Susan. We have not seen eye to eye lately, and I think it is better that I leave. I have got a job as a companion. It has an attractive salary and other benefits, and I do not intend to return.’
‘What . . . leaving us?’ asked Mama, her hand flying to her chest. ‘Never to return?’
She started to cry. Then I saw Susan’s shocked countenance and knew that Susan had suddenly realized she was going to be tied to a couch for the next six months and I was going to be out Exploring Life, Having a Good Time and Finding a Husband Better than Hers . . .

‘Charlotte. Charlotte!’ Mama’s voice cut into my reverie. ‘Stop daydreaming, and finish hemming that handkerchief.’
Looked at the handkerchief in my lap and put it aside.
‘I’m sorry, Mama, but no more hemming handkerchiefs for me. I’m going to be a companion.’
‘You’re going to do no such thing.’
‘It’s all arranged.’
‘No daughter of mind is going to be a servant,’ said Mama.
‘Oh, let her,’ said Susan. ‘Once she finds out how awful it is to run around after an old woman all day, she’ll be glad of my attic.’


Amanda Grange

This time of year is one of great anticipation: from March onwards lots of the stately homes of England throw off the Holland covers and open their doors to the public. These historic buildings are an important source of inspiration to writers, the houses and castles are full of atmosphere, guides and guidebooks contain lots of interesting snippets to trigger a new storyline and many of the gardens are evocative of past times. Attingham Park (above) is now owned by the National Trust and is a beautiful eighteenth century mansion with (to quote from the guide book) Regency interiors: sheer bliss to wander through this beautiful house or around the deer park and let the imagination run riot. In contrast, one can take a trip to Coalbrookedale and experience the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution – in its own way Ironbridge is as picturesque and fascinating as any Georgian mansion, and sums up the achievements of the pioneering engineers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The area now is a beautiful leafy valley, but just in case one is minded to forget just how dirty and smoky the area used to be, there is a tar tunnel to be visited, where the natural tar still trickles from the walls. It's dark, damp and claustrophobic and yes, hard hats are compulsory for visitors!





Melinda Hammond

Loveday Introduction Part 3

THE LOVEDAY TRIALS is the third book in the Loveday series.

By book three of the series it was obvious that the trilogy already planned was emerging into a series as the three sets of Loveday cousins became engaged in so many exciting adventures. Although each book must stand on its own as a complete story I now wanted to embrace all the family within the theme of each book title.
The third book in the series THE LOVEDAY TRIALS is about the trials of adversity faced by the family and also the court trial when St John is arrested for the murder of an enemy. Historically it was a turbulent time with lots of scope for the men to participate. It was great fun to write and it has been described as the Scarlet Pimpernel meets Hornblower meets Poldark.

As the Lovedays’ finances recover from near ruin, it is clear their trials are far from over.
Adam returning to Trevowan with Senara – now his wife – and their baby son, finds himself at loggerheads for the first time with his father. Edward refuses to accept his son’s choice of bride, and as a result Adam finds it impossible to continue working in the Loveday shipyard so dear to him. To support his family he works as an English spy in a France still in the grip of the Terror, whilst Senara strives to be accepted by the Loveday family and local community.
St John, meanwhile, is in trouble again. His involvement in the murky world of smuggling has made him some dangerous enemies – not least the corrupt and evil Thadeous Lanyon, who suspects him of being in league with the notorious smuggler and Lanyon’s arch enemy, Harry Sawle. Lanyon thinks nothing of killing anyone who crosses him – so when he himself is found murdered, and Sawle has an alibi, St John is arrested. He must face trial and, if found guilty, will be hanged.
This scandal adds to the growing dissent and rivalry that troubles the Loveday household. Even Edward must face a secret from his past that threatens to rock the stability of his own marriage.
Can the Lovedays pull together as they have done before? Or will these new trials finally tear them apart?
Intrigue, passion and tensions abound in THE LOVEDAY TRIALS making it an unforgettable read.

Kate Tremayne

A poem for Valentine's Day

What better than some Byron for the most romantic day of the year?
I love this setion from Don Juan so much I used it in Stormcrow Castle. As the book opens, Helena has received an offer of marriage from a respectable man, but she wants more than financial security from marriage. She's looking for a man who can make her heart quake - and she finds him at Stormcrow Castle.


A long, long kiss, a kiss of youth, and love,
And beauty, all concentrating like rays
Into one focus, kindled from above;
Such kisses as belong to early days,
Where heart, and soul, and sense, in concert move,
And the blood 's lava, and the pulse a blaze,
Each kiss a heart-quake,-- for a kiss's strength,
I think, it must be reckon'd by its length.

By length I mean duration; theirs endured
Heaven knows how long-- no doubt they never reckon'd;
And if they had, they could not have secured
The sum of their sensations to a second:
They had not spoken; but they felt allured,
As if their souls and lips each other beckon'd,
Which, being join'd, like swarming bees they clung--
Their hearts the flowers from whence the honey sprung.

Amanda

The Social Outcast

My third Regency-set mystery-romance will be published by Robert Hale at the end of this month. The birth of a new book is always an anxious time, especially since on this occasion I've introduced a heronine with a rather unfortunate background, and I'm impatient to learn what people make of her.

Eloise might be young but she's still wise enough to appreciate that being the daughter of a merchant banker will cause society to look upon her with an unfriendly eye, even if some doors might reluctantly be opened to her because of her father's extreme wealth. The fact that she is generally known to be illegitimate, though, puts paid to any such expectations and she knows that she is destined to be a Social Outcast.

So why does the heir to a dukedom go to the trouble of singling her out, and why does her neighbour and friend, the infamous Harry Benson-Smythe, look upon her high-born admirer with suspicion, and jealousy? Who is behind the disappearance of three local girls and why can't Harry, who is already engaged to another lady, get Eloise out of his head?

If you want to know the answer to these questions, you know what to do! The book can be ordered from Amazon ISBN 978 0 7090 8239 2 or, if you're in the UK, why not borrow it from your local library?

Do put me out of my misery and let me know what you think of Eloise.

Wendy Soliman

Pencils, Chairs and Books..

Did you know that the pencil was not invented until 1832. This must have made writing lists more complicated. Dipping a quill into an inkpot and scratching away would have been far more time consuming and difficult than the pencil and pad we use today. I suppose a seamstress recorded measurements on a slate - I'll have to do more research on this subject.
Writing letters was the way many wealthy women passed their time and is one reason we know so much about this era. They might have done so sitting in a chair like this.
This month I have two books out - A SUITABLE HUSBAND, is released by Ulverscroft in L.P. and THE MESALLIANCE, is published by Robert Hale.
The Hale book arrived this morning. It's hard to believe that this is joining six other titles on my bookshelf as I only sold my first Regency to Hale in April 2005.
Don't forget all my books can be borrowed from your local library (if you live in the UK) and can also be ordered from Amazon in both the UK and USA.
Fenella Miller

The First Aviator

Whilst researching my current book, a historical set in the Edwardian era, I discovered that the true father of aviation was in fact a Regency gentleman called Sir George Cayley. He pioneered the study of aerodynamics over a century before the first powered flight. I had no idea that experiments in flight had started as early as the Regency – I had heard about the balloonists of the period, but not of any other flying machines. Apparently Sir George, who was a Yorkshire landowner, designed not only a helicopter but also an airship and a glider. In 1799 he tested the glider with his 10 year old son aboard (!) and it flew for a short distance. Later in the nineteenth century he designed an even larger glider, which was flown by his coachman. The man apparently retorted that he had been employed to drive a coach and horses, not to fly, but he is recorded in history as the first adult aviator!

Valentine's Day is approaching!

With Valentine's Day coming up, we thought we'd give our slide show a Valentine's look!

The Journal of A Regency Lady 12

The Journal of a Regency Lady 12
May 13 1812

Dear journal, I have thought long and hard about what I should do, and I have decided that I shall accept Lord Belmond's offer. I know it will please Mama, and I believe it will make me happy to be his wife. After all, there was a time when I believed I was desperately in love with him, and perhaps I shall be again once I have accepted the situation. Harry says he loves me. I must take his word and forget the past. If there was another I liked very much, I think I must forget him. He has made no attempt to write to me and I know Mama expects me to take my chance of a good marriage. So I have decided that I shall.


May14th
My feet hardly seem to have touched the ground since I told Lord Belmond that I would be happy to accept his offer. He kissed me and it was very pleasant, and then he gave me a beautiful diamond ring. We showed it to Mama and she was delighted with everything. She says we shall leave London tomorrow and go home to make preparations. Harry told her that he wished to marry me and take me with him to his regiment, and to my surprise she agreed. I really thought that she would ask us to wait, but she did not. Harry is to purchase a special license and he has requested an extra week before he joins his regiment in Spain – and so I shall go with him. Mama was determined that we should have a beautiful wedding, and she rushed me off to the seamstress, who is to alter a ballgown she was making for me so that it is suitable for my wedding. I shall wear ivory silk with pink beads and a pink bonnet with a white veil to wear in church. I cannot believe it is all happening. I keep thinking that I shall wake up and find it is a dream.

Where do we get our ideas from?

To be serious for a moment, March this year sees the 200th anniversary of an important landmark in British history: Abolition of the Slave Trade. As a writer of romantic historical fiction, the horrors of the past never predominate my books, but neither can they been forgotten. The late eighteenth century was an exciting time. Britain had just lost America, France was about to erupt into bloody revolution and the press indulged in a freedom of speech that would horrify most of us today.

Researching the past throws up many ideas and opportunities for writers – even writers of "entertainment" rather than heavy political works.
I wove the story of Dance for a Diamond around the new dance craze, the waltz, that was sweeping Europe in 1815, but it's main character, Antonia, comes perilously close to ruin when she is alone and defenceless in London. Gentlemen in Question is set at the time of the French Revolution, when England was gripped by spy mania, a premise that led me to weave a tale around Maddie's fears and suspicions about her cousin and Beau Hauxwell. The presence of a dangerous villain in the story allowed me to take Madeleine on a mad dash across the English countryside in an exciting adventure. My latest novel, The Belles Dames Club, is set in England in 1786, when Britain was beginning to feel uneasy about its lucrative slave trade. . There was a growing awareness in the country that something had to be done. Universities were debating the matter, anti-slavery poems were read in fashionable salons and there was a boycott of sugar, which actually reduced sales by one third. Britain was developing a conscience. However, slavery was big business, most of the oldest families achieved at least part of their wealth from slavery.




The Belles Dames Club is in essence a light-hearted adventure-romance, but it is set against a realistic back-drop, which adds contrast and colour to any historical novel. . The ladies of the club attend a meeting where they hear one of the leading campaigners, Granville Sharp, describe the plight of the slaves, and they see some of the implements used to subdue the slaves during their long voyage across the Atlantic, such as shackles and thumbscrews. Their growing frustration at the horrors of the trade make the ladies ready to take drastic action, and sets the scene for some lively adventure.

And just to finish off…..on 25th March 1807, the Abolition of the Slave Trade bill became law. This did not stop the British slave trade, and it could be argued that for some time the plight of the slaves became even worse, but eventually, in 1833, the British Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act.

We are all aware that the past (and present) can be uncomfortable, but that does not mean we should not allow ourselves a little escapism. Enjoy your reading!

Melinda Hammond

Loveday Introduction Pt 2

LOVEDAY INTRODUCTION Pt 2

The second book of the Loveday series is THE LOVEDAY FORTUNES.

As the civil unrest in France gathers force, ripples of conflict are also reaching across the Channel, for the Loveday family are fighting their own battles. Charles Mercer – Edward Loveday’s brother-in-law – has been found dead, the reputation of his eminent bank now in tatters. His investors’ money risked on a failed venture. Charles has left the Lovedays fighting emotional traumas and financial ruin.

But risk comes as second nature to the Lovedays. Adam finds refuge from the pressures of keeping the family shipyard solvent in his passionate relationship with the gypsy-bred Senara – whom he is determined to marry despite his father’s threats of disinheritance. He also risks his life captaining his own ship Pegasus to rescue French émigrés from the terrors of the growing revolution. His twin, St John, angry at having to curb his spending, decides to throw his hand in with the Sawle brothers – the smugglers who rule Penruan by intimidation and violence. And the vengeful and scheming Meriel Sawle, now St John’s wife, has her own vendetta to settle.

When the family learn their French aunt and their cousin Lisette, who is married to an aristocrat, are in danger, Adam, St John and the rakehell Japhet Loveday unite to face the dangers in France and save them.

As changing fortunes – both personal and financial – put strain on a family already buckling with internal tensions, each one of the Lovedays must sacrifice personal ambition and unite like never before to overcome such a crisis. But to some of them sacrifice does not come easy….

This is the cover for the eighth Loveday book to be published in hardback by Headline in May. I am delighted with it.

Also in January Isis Publishing published the audio cassettes of THE LOVEDAY LOYALTY available from their website.

Kate Tremayne

For more info about my books check out my website. click here