How do you commit murder? Well, in the Victorian era arsenic was a good way to do in your rivals, spouses, and enemies. Blythe Court, contains arsenic, and you may wonder if my use is accurate. Hopefully, you know by now I do my research, even if it really doesContinue Reading
“An English lady without her piano, or her pencil, or her fancy work, or her favorite French authors and German poets, is an object of wonder, and perhaps of pity.” (The Habits of Good Society: By Unknown Author, originally published 1872. Copyright 2012 Forgotten Books). Chapter VI is another fascinatingContinue Reading
I am back to poking around one of my favorite books, “Continue Reading
As most of you know, I am somewhat obsessed with researching my family history. My maternal ancestors were English, and my grandparents were born in Manchester during the Victorian Era. I have been transporting myself back to 1900-1914 in Salford where they lived before immigrating to Canada, through Roy Bullock’sContinue Reading
“Suppose then that this first and vital standing order for the toilet be stringent, and that refreshed, and therefore energetic, buoyant, and conscious of one duty being at least performed, the lady leaves her bed and prepares to dress.” The Habits of Good Society What duty? A good night’s sleep,Continue Reading
“But the man who throws his clothes about the room, a boot in one corner, a cravat in another, and his brushes anywhere, is not a man of good habits. The spirit of order should extend to everything about him.” All quotes are taken from “The Habits of Good Society:Continue Reading
What constitutes good society? Well, in 1872, England the requisites of good society are listed in “The Habits of Good Society: A Handbook for Ladies and Gentlemen.” They are: Good breeding is acquired by being taught by nurses, parents, tutors, school fellows, and friends. Education not from just finishing schools, universitiesContinue Reading
“The advantage of the ball in the upper classes is, that it brings young people together for a sensible and innocent recreation, and takes them away from the silly, if not bad ones; that it gives them exercise, and that the general effect of the beauty, elegance, and brilliance ofContinue Reading
One of my hobbies is searching my British ancestry on my mother’s side of the family. Part of my research includes reading British newspapers in search of articles on my ancestors. My third great uncle was a Justice of the Peace, Alderman, and successful businessman, so I’m always looking forContinue Reading
While writing my new novella, Whitefield Hall, I started to Google a few terms—one of which was gambling in the 19th century. Victorian Women by Joan Perkin came up in the search results, so I clicked on the link. Though it had very little regarding the subject, I startedContinue Reading
While writing The Legacy Series, I needed to extensively research the reality of marriage and divorce in the 19th century. It’s fascinating reading when you take romance out of the equation and check back into reality. Truth be told, marriage and divorce was nothing like it is today. Marriages inContinue Reading
While writing my award-winning novel, Dark Persuasion, I spent a fair amount of time researching Victorian courting, engagement periods, wedding preparations, marriage ceremonies, and honeymoons. The entire process felt so romantic to me that I focused quite a bit on the wedding between my heroine and hero. The Wedding TrousseauContinue Reading