Whitefield Hall has been substantially rewritten and expanded, and will be out in eBook format in the next 24-72 hours on all major venues. In anticipation of its release, here is a post about companions in the Victorian era. My heroine in Whitefield Hall is a middle-class woman by theContinue Reading
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
When I write historical romance, I take the time to research. All of my books are carefully laced with background material regarding the setting and era in which my characters lived. Thorncroft Manor was no different. The majority of my research in this novel related to the city of PendeenContinue 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
“In the beginning of the present century (19th), it was thought proper for a gentleman to change his undergarment three times a day, and the washing bill of a beau comprised seventy shirts, thirty cravats, and pocket handkerchiefs à discretion.” (The Habits of Good Society 1872) This chapter has beenContinue 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