Category: Uncategorized
-
Such I Was: Excerpt and Giveaway!
After three years of effort, my current work in progress, Such I Was, is nearly complete! I have shared one or two excerpts from it before, but I would like to share a passage below. And at the end, there will be a giveaway! In this variation of Pride and Prejudice, after Jane follows Bingley…
-
When is it Alright to Write Already?
Many Facebook posts are cyclical. Topics rise and fall as interest does, appearing fresh and current about every three or four years. Social media has been alive and kicking for slightly more than two decades, so themes that were broached in 2005 will appear again in 2010, 2015, and so on. One recent moldy oldie…
-
Hidden in Plain Sight: Homosexuality in the Regency Era
The Regency era (1811–1820) is often celebrated for its glittering assemblies, sharp wit, and romance—at least in fiction. In reality, beneath the polished manners and candlelit ballrooms, there existed a far more dangerous truth for those whose affections strayed from the heterosexual norm. Homosexuality, particularly between men, was not simply frowned upon; it was illegal,…
-
Does Chatsworth Make an Exemplary Pemberley for Fitzwilliam Darcy?
When I first decided to do a post on Chatsworth, the home of the Dukes of Devonshire, I didn’t realize that Wikipedia had a very large amount of information concerning the ducal home. As you can see by the picture for this post, Chatsworth and the land surrounding that has belonged for 477 years to…
-
What a difference we made
It is interesting to see how we look at animals today and what the animals were used for 200 years ago. Animals which we think of as pets today were bred for specific reasons, for specific jobs. Cats were domesticated far longer than many other animals. There is documentation of African wild cat remains being…
-
Tidbits from Austen-Land and Alice McVeigh
Hi friends in Austen-land!!!! Have had to learn – at my age! Am over sixty – a brand-new cello concerto written by a London composer, so I’m behind with everything. Luckily for me, Regina’s on the ball!!!! First, a brilliant offer: https://booksweeps.com/giveaway/historical-fiction-book-giveaway-sweepstakes/ Second, another brilliant offer, organised by our own Amanda Kai: https://authoramandakai.wixsite.com/home/post/ilovejaff2026 Third, check out my latest…
-
February with Darcy
It’s a bit early for Valentine’s Day, but I thought I would share the February scene from my 12 Months of Darcy collection. This grew out of my wondering how suspicious Wickham was about Darcy’s intentions towards Elizabeth. Enjoy! FEBRUARY “Look!” cried Lydia from the drawing room window. Kitty joined her and bounced on her…
-
Rare Books, Rare Writing
Last time, I spoke of two books that give me joy in the New Year. Read about the first, Sarah Emsley’s The Austens, here. The second, by Rebecca Romney, is Jane Austen’s Bookshelf. Both works are part of the onslaught of at least twenty-five major Austen-related productions for the year 2025, the 250th anniversary of…
-
A Visit I Will Forever Remember Making: Part 1
There are times when everything goes according to plan. And times when what was unplanned makes one’s journey more memorable, as happened in my adventure this past September 2025. Having always centered vacations around theme parks for my daughter and golf for my husband, aka Marine (former), this past year he asked where I most…
-
My Husband, Mr. Darcy, and Me: An Anniversary Trip to England
This summer my husband and I are planning a trip to England to celebrate our 35th anniversary. Huzzah!!! Now, to be clear, my sweet husband is not a Jane Austen fan. I doubt he could name all six of her novels, or perhaps even two of them. But he knows the plot of Pride and…