Regency is a term which applies to short time in Great Britain beginning in 1811 when time King George III was declared legally mad, or insane, and his son and heir was named Regent to rule in his stead. Many experts believe that George, also known as “Mad King George” III had porphyria which affected his sight, his hearing, and eventually his sanity. He’d suffered with bouts of madness for years but his final collapse into insanity might have been triggered by the death of his favorite daughter, Amelia, who died of tuberculosis.

His eldest heir, George IV, the Prince of Wales (also known by the derogatory term of Prinny) was declared Regent of England. During the Regency Era, Prince George did little more than indulge in parties and debauchery, leaving the running of the country to his mother the queen, and to Parliament. Some people believe the nursery rhyme, Georgie Porgie is about Prince George.

Though this portrait shows George IV as a war hero, he never involved himself in any of the wars that took place during his life. He was too busy playing and spending money for any such nonsense as leading a country. He loved to plan and throw parties, which is one of the reasons why he was so much in debt.

The death of King George III officially ended the Regency Era in January of 1820, but King George IV’s coronation didn’t take place until a year and a half later because he wanted to plan out every minute detail of the grand affair.  He made his coronation the most ostentatious event of the century, designed to outdo Napoleon’s coronation.

Here is a picture of the coronation banquet. I found the picture on Wikimedia Commons. It surpasses the imagination, doesn’t it?

There are some more lovely picture of the coronation here.

Though the beginning of the reign of King George IV officially ended the Regency, its influence lives on in the hearts of millions of Jane Austen fans, and those of us who continue to read and write Regency Era novels and Regency set romances.

For inquiring minds who want to know; I’m working through yet another revision of Christian’s story, book three in the Rogue Hearts Series and my newest Sweet Regency Historical Romance.  There have been three major plot changes since I wrote the first draft over two years ago. Christian’s story has been much tougher than Jared’s to write. I’m not sure why. In fact, it’s been harder than that last three titles I wrote. Maybe I got lazy and didn’t think it through as much as I should have before I began. Maybe Christian is just too private a person to really let me inside his head.

The working title of Christian’s story is  A PERFECT SECRET, which may or may not remain now that my editor and I have changed yet another major part of the plot.

Flexibility has been the name of the game. I have almost burned this thing so many times! But my editor and critique partners assure me it’s a story worth telling, so I’m trying to be humble enough to consider their well-meaning and spot-0n advice so this can be the best story possible, and hopefully my best novel yet.

I am working on what I trust is really the last major revision and hope to complete it soon.  Then the detailed editing begins. Print date will be determined by my publisher. And we all know how speedy the world of publishing is

Thanks for your patience and I hope to have news for you soon. I also hope it will be worth the wait.

In my Regency Romance, The Guise of a Gentleman, my Regency lady, Elise, faced down a group of bad guys. Since I’d done my research, I knew if she were to defend the man and boy they were trying to kill, she’d only be able to get off one shot because of the time and difficulty loading guns. So, at first, I’d decided to either have her ride with two loaded guns or have a groom riding with her.

Then I found just what I needed:  proof of the existence of a double-barrel flintlock which could fire two shots, without having to reload. Huzzah!!!

Most Flintlock pistols were from 10 to 16 inches long, from butt to barrel muzzle. They would weigh from one to four pounds, depending on the caliber and the number of barrels. There were a number of double-barreled pistols during the Regency, but they were generally big and heavy. There were two types, the over and under, with a revolving lower barrel, but only one hammer, so that the pan had to be primed before firing again. Ladies’ pistols were generally six to eight inches long.  A bullet for that small of a gun would be not much wider than this: / /. Still, being shot by even that small of a bullet would make an attacker think twice, wouldn’t it?

The real problem was that the flint, the amount of powder, and the mechanisms is such a gun had to be accordingly small, which made them firing them successfully more difficult.

So, some genius gun maker started making guns with two barrels. Since guns were all made by hand, each one could be custom made to meet the buyer’s specifications.

I found multiple pictures of small or woman’s pistols as small as six inches long which would have been too small to hold a ramrod. The ladies’ pistols weighed between 12 oz to one and a half pounds. There is a picture of one that is really nice here.

Here is a close up example of another gun–not a ladies guns, of course, but it shows the two triggers needed to operate the two barrels.

 I found the picture on Wikimedia commons here.

I also found a pic of a replica of a Double-Barrel Flintlock Pistol used by Napoleon. It was a side-by-side double-barreled flintlock pistol and the original bore his insignia on both sides of the grip. It was made by Gribeauval, Napoleon’s personal gun maker in France circa 1806. The barrel is listed as being just under eight inches long and weighing roughly 2 pounds . You can see a nice picture of this replica here.

As far as rifles, they were also available, probably by special order, with two barrels like this one.

This double-barrel gun is listed as as Coach Gun, but no date is listed. Still, it’s another beautiful example of what they looked like, even two hundred years ago.

Almost all flintlocks were smoothbores. Some were rifles, with spiral rifling inside the barrels. They were difficult to load because the bullet had to be seated against the rifling groves to actually spin the ball, so it was hard to ram home. They wrapped cloth or leather around the ball because the cloth made it easier to get down the rifling of the barrel.

So, if you wondered if my brave heroine, Elise, really could have used a double-barreled gun to save the hero and the boy from the cutthroats about to kill them, the answer is yes!

The Guise of a Gentleman, winner of the Golden Quill Award

“Combining Jane Austen with swashbuckling adventure, The Guise of a Gentleman is a fine specimen of pirate romance!” NY Times bestselling author Jennifer Ashley

The widowed Elise is a perfect English lady living within the confines of society for the sake of her impressionable young son. Her quiet world is shattered when she meets the impulsive and scandalous Jared Amesbury. His roguish charm awakens her yearning for freedom and adventure. But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret.

But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret. A gentleman by day, a pirate by night, Jared accepts one last assignment before he can be truly free. Elise gives him hope that he, too, can find love and belonging. His hopes are crushed when his best laid plans go awry and Elise is dragged into his world of violence and deceit. She may not survive the revelation of Jared’s past…or still love him when the truth is revealed.

Today, my guest is historical romance author, Linda Weaver Clark. Welcome, Linda. I’m so happy to have you here today. Tell, me, Linda, Love at first sight.  Is it possible?

Linda: Yes, it is possible. My parents didn’t meet the traditional way. They met through letters. As they wrote, they began to have feelings for one another and decided to meet. She didn’t know what he looked like and visa versa. I asked my mother what it was like and she told me how she felt when she first saw my father. She said, “When our eyes met, my heart leapt at the sight of him and a warm glow filled my soul.” My father said that he fell in love with her at that very moment. Wow!

Edith and the Mysterious Stranger: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho is a historical romance inspired by my parents’ courtship. I even inserted some of my father’s love letters because they were so romantic. This is the second book in a series of historical romances. Can people really fall in love through letters or at first sight? Absolutely!

Donna: That’s so romantic! I just love stories like that. So tell me more about your newest books .

Linda: I wrote sweet historical romance series called “A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho” and a mystery/adventure series called “The Adventures of John and Julia Evans.” This series does have a bit of romance, also. I think it’s because I have a bit of romance in my soul. All my romances are “sweet” so they are suitable for both teens and adults.

Donna: Why did you choose to write in the romance genre?

Linda: I love historical fiction because I learn so much about the past. It’s fun to imagine myself in that time period and living the simple life without phones, cars, and Internet. I like to imagine what it’s like to be romanced back then, to ride a horse and buggy and feel the breeze on my face, to know your neighbors and not be too busy for them, etc. My husband is a lot of my inspiration behind my male characters.

I also like mystery/adventure stories because I love going on adventures and living on the dangerous side for a while. Haha! Of course, there has to be a bit of romance in each of my books because that’s part of me.

Donna: You also have a mystery series out. Tell me about it.

Linda: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans is my last series of books, which are mysteries. This series was inspired by one of my favorite TV shows long ago called Hart to Hart, which featured a married couple investigating and solving crimes staring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. The couple was madly in love–-I laughed at the humor and sighed at the romance. I wanted to create something similar with a little suspense and adventure. In this series, Julia is a reporter for a daily newspaper and John is a professional knife maker. Just like Hart to Hart, because of her curiosity, Julia gets herself into a bunch of trouble. Before long, she finds herself and her husband up to their necks in danger and running for their lives. There is one difference. John and Julia Evans have three college-age daughters. I feel this makes the couple have more appeal to a larger audience.

My interest in the ancient American Indians is what got me started with this series. First, I’m teaching people a little about the ancient American Indians, artifact theft, the Mayans, Montezuma’s treasure, etc. The last book, Desert Intrigue, surrounds the legends of Superstition Mountain and the lost Dutchman’s goldmine. Second, I’m teaching people that we can still have romance in our lives, even after 20 years of marriage. We must keep our marriage alive with a bit of teasing, playfulness, forgiveness, and romance. In this series, we find out what a marriage can be like if we give and take a little. In fact, I patterned John and Julia’s marriage after my own. I even add a few true experiences in my book, just to bring a bit of humor into my story. The books are Anasazi Intrigue, Mayan Intrigue, Montezuma Intrigue, and Desert Intrigue.

So tell me about your newest published book in this series.

Linda: Desert Intrigue (ISBN: 978-1470084219): When Julia’s brother announces that his dude ranch is haunted, she believes that someone is trying to sabotage his place and force him to sell. The mysterious happenings have to do with Superstition Mountain, the lost Dutchman’s goldmine, and the great Thunder God. Is it possible that the legend of the Thunder God is actually true? After a terrible thunderstorm, everyone begins to wonder. John and Julia quickly head to Mesa, Arizona and discover a few mysterious events. Will they find out who is behind these disasters before Uncle Kelly’s dude ranch is ruined?

Donna: What are you working on now?

Linda:  A novel called The Rebels of Cordovia. As a teenager, I remember hearing the stories of Robin Hood and I was spellbound by each story. I watched every movie that came out about Robin Hood and how he cared for the people. I thought about how awesome it would be to live during that time period just because of Robin Hood. As I thought about it, I decided to create something similar but centuries after the legend of Robin Hood. But this time, I wanted two major groups of rebels fighting for the rights of the people. A man and a woman would be their leaders and they would be expert archers and swordsmen. After creating the characters, I began writing the story.

In this battle for freedom, a tender love story begins to blossom. Daniel, a rogue and a leader of the Freemen, doesn’t realize that the sweet feminine woman he has met and is falling for happens to be the leader of Robin’s Rebels. Realizing the importance of uniting all the rebel groups, Daniel tries to recruit Robin’s Rebels but they refuse. Now he has to find a way to convince them. When he finds out the leader is actually a woman, what will his reaction be? It should be out sometime this summer.

Donna:  Ah, sounds like my kind of tale!

Donna: That sounds great! Okay, here’s the power round:

Donna: Favorite food?

Linda: Roast beef, red potatoes, and fresh peas

Donna: Favorite dessert?

Linda: Cheese Cake: any berry flavor

Donna: Jeans and T-shirt, or designer clothes?

Linda: Jeans and T-shirt

Donna: Guilty pleasure?

Linda: Watching Jane Austen movies (They are so long.)

Donna: One word that describes you?

Linda: Simple

Donna: Favorite flower?

Linda: Iris

Donna: Favorite sport?

Linda: Baseball

It’s been great getting to know you a little better, Linda, and to learn about your newest books.

Linda’s Website is www.lindaweaverclarke.com

Blog: http://lindaweaverclarke.blogspot.com

Author bio: Linda Weaver Clarke travels throughout the United States, teaching and encouraging people to write their family history and autobiography. She has taught in 17 states and given over 300 workshops. She is from Color Country in southern Utah and the mother of six daughters.

Clarke is the author of the historical romance series A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho: Melinda and the Wild West - an awarding winning novel, Edith and the Mysterious Stranger, Jenny’s Dream, Sarah’s Special Gift, and Elena, Woman of Courage.

The Adventures of John and Julia Evans mystery series includes Anasazi Intrigue, Mayan Intrigue, Montezuma Intrigue, and Desert Intrigue. She has also written two non-fiction e-books: Reflections of the Heart and Writing Your Family Legacy.

All her books can be read by both young adult and adults.

This is going to sound too good to be true, but I have 2 author-sponsored tickets to the fantastic Arizona Dreamin’ for only $35 each (reg price $79). This is THE girls night out of the year! And you can get it for half price for you and a friend if you move fast.

Email me at donnahatch29@gmail.com if you want them! Check out the website http://www.arizonadreaminevent.com/p/may-31-june-2-2013.html

Hurry! These will go fast!

Today my guest is the incomparable Regina Scott. Regina is not only one of my favorite sweet Regency authors, but she’s also a member of my Georgian/Regency writers group called The Beau Monde. (She’s a great dancer and incurable flirt, too, but I’ll let her tell you about that!)

Welcome, Regina! I’m so glad to have you as a guest on my blog today. Tell me, how long have you been writing?

Regina: Well, I’ve been writing since I was about eight and realized that all those great books were actually written by people and I could be one of them!  But this month marks the 15^th anniversary of my first published novel, The Unflappable Miss Fairchild.

Donna: Oh, how fun! Happy anniversary! Speaking of your first book, what was it like when you first got “the call?”

Regina: I was working at a major national laboratory at the time, the head of public relations for the environmental technology division.  My husband called me at work while he was home for lunch and held the phone up to our answering machine so I could hear John Scognamiglio of Kensington Publishing ask me to give him a call.  I was so excited, I ran around the corner in the office, where my critique partner worked, to tell her what happened. She said, “Go home.  You aren’t going to be any good at work until you take that call.”  She was right, of course!  So I raced home, called New York, and accepted a two-book deal.  Then I tried calling my husband to tell him I was going to be published, and he was in a meeting and couldn’t be disturbed.  I tried calling my parents—no answer.  I tried calling my best friend—no answer.  I tried calling my valiant critique partner who was holding down the fort at work—got her answering machine.  Finally, I called my grandmother and blathered like an idiot for several minutes.  When I took a breath, she said, “Is this a good thing?”  “Oh, yes, Grandma,” I promised her.  “This is a very good thing.”  And it turns out I was right!

Donna: Now that’s a memorable call story! So tell me, what do you find fulfilling about writing your Regency romance?

Regina: The fact that there is an entire community of writers and readers devoted to Regency-set romances.  We angst over whether we’ve gotten it just right and rejoice with each other when we do.  And we put on an awesome party each year at the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. 

Donna: It is wonderful to have a group of like-minded history nerds, isn’t it? So what motivated you to write your current book?

Regina: The Everards popped into my head nearly 6 years ago now, with all their faults and foibles.  I loved that Jerome, Richard, and Vaughn were so devoted to each other, so determined to learn the secret of their uncle’s death.  They were these big, proud, talented, accomplished men, yet they were humbled by their sixteen-year-old cousin.  I can’t quite believe that The Heiress’s Homecoming marks the end of the series!

Donna: That’s great! Tell us what is more difficult for you–writing the book or promoting the book? Any tips for success?

Regina: For me, promotion is hardest, no doubt!  I was raised never to toot my own horn, and it still feels very unnatural.  One thing I’ve found, however, is that I have to do what works for me.  I’m a bit of an introvert, so while I can be (I hope!) charming in an interview because I can type at my leisure, I am an absolute mess when it comes to public appearances.  And it took a long, long time for me to be comfortable using Facebook.  So my advice is to do what you feel comfortable doing.  If you’re not having fun, neither will anyone else!

Donna: Great advice. I’m an introvert, too, so I totally understand what you are saying. What you are working on now?

Regina: I’m currently working on a new series about four magnificent estates near the Derby peaks of Regency England, four handsome owners who show no signs of marrying and begetting sons to inherit, and four sets of staff worried for their futures.  What more logical than for the cooks and butlers and housekeepers to band together, play matchmaker, and serve up a delightful dollop of marriage for their masters!  The Master Matchmakers will debut in August with The Courting Campaign, in which the new nanny wages a campaign to soften her widowed master’s heart for his daughter, and ends up losing her own heart in the process.

Donna: That sounds delightful! I can’t wait to read it. Okay, changes directions here a little bit now, What’s the craziest, bravest, or stupidest thing you’ve ever done?

Regina: Well, it’s certainly crazy, and it took a lot of bravery the first time!  I had attended the Regency author chapter’s party at the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. Ladies in lovely Regency satin and lace were dancing with . . . other ladies, because their husbands either didn’t come with them or were too scared to get out on the floor!  I thought it would be funny to come the next year dressed like a man, so Sir Reginald Scott was born.  The problem is, he’s more popular than I am!  Last year, I was president of the chapter and leading the annual meeting when I opened the floor for questions.  The first question?  “Will Sir Reginald be at the soiree this evening?”  J

Donna:  I, too, have fallen for the charms of the irrepressible rogue Sir Reginald. Okay now here’s the power round:

Favorite food?  Fresh raspberries

Favorite dessert? Apple turnovers with walnuts and raisins or my soon-to-be daughter-in-law’s vegan chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting

Jeans and T-shirt, or designer clothes?  Designer clothes, from a vintage clothing store, though you’ll usually find me writing in a velour jogging suit

Guilty pleasure? Honey walnut prawns—sooo many calories, sooo good!

One word that describes you? Eager

Favorite flower? Lavender

Favorite sport? Fencing

Donna: Please tell us a little about your new book.

Regina: To keep her cherished childhood home, Samantha Everard must marry by her twenty-fifth birthday. Yet she refuses to marry on a whim, even to save her fortune. When she returns to Dallsten Manor to say goodbye, the last person she expects to see is her handsome, disapproving neighbor William Wentworth, Earl of Kendrick.

Will is certain the scandalous Everards are nothing but trouble. He shouldn’t care about Samantha’s predicament, but her feistiness and kindheartedness intrigue him—as do the secrets surrounding her. Soon his greatest wish becomes to persuade Samantha that her true home is with him.

Donna: Ahhh! Definitely my kind of story! You can learn more about Regina and her books here:

Website: www.reginascott.com

Blogging at:  www.nineteenteen.blogspot.com but glad to guest blog whenever asked

Author bio:

Regina Scott fell in love with the Regency period the day she picked up an Elizabeth Mansfield novel and was so swept away she had to be called three times to come to dinner.  Since then, she’s written 24 works of Regency-set fiction, from traditional Regencies to single title historicals and inspirational romance.  She currently writes for Love Inspired Historical and will have three books out in 2013.  Connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorreginascott.

Regina’s books can be found at the following places:

Harlequin http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html;jsessionid=7535C22625DA53DB839624FFA96A7728?iid=27826

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Heiresss-Homecoming-Love-Inspired-Historical/dp/0373829566

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-heiresss-homecoming-regina-scott/1112815366

A Bookstore Near You http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780373829569?aff=

The Book Depository (free shipping)  http://www.bookdepository.com/Heiresss-Homecoming-Regina-Scott/9780373829569

Kobo http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Heiresss-Homecoming/book-DDRwT1XHA0qVeltsVMBdtg/page1.html?s=sLW_Ol0CG0i_x-DtQvNtHQ&r=1

When I attended the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona Campus last weekend, I knew there was one booth I just had to visit–the booth that sells these great little magnetic Book Buttons.

I love them! Because they are magnetic they are perfect not only for holding my place without fear of the bookmark falling out, but it holds the exact line where I left off. I bought some last year–some to keep and some to giveaway. Since they were so popular with my blog followers, I decided to do it again. I have some in several shapes, so watch my blog because I just might be giving more away in the future. Maybe

Yep, there’s a catch. You have to prove to me that you are a book lover because only a bona fide book lover should have an awesome bookmark. But don’t worry, it’s easy. Just tell me the name of one of your favorite books. One of my many favorites is called The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale.  What is one of your favorite books?

Enter in the Rafflecopter contest below and I will do a random drawing.

Ready? Set, go!

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

As first a reader and later a writer of Regency Romance novels, I discovered there was a specific order for guests to sit at a table during dinner. The host sat at the head of the table, with the highest and 2nd highest ranking ladies on either side of him. The men not related to the hostess sat on either side of her at the foot of the table—usually husbands of the women sitting by the host. The lower ranking people sat in the middle of the table, unless the host and hostess sat in the middle and the lowest ranking sat at either end.

Early in the century, in some places it was still customary for have ladies sit on one side of the table and gentlemen on the other. Later in the century, hostess’s whim determined seating assignments, like formal dinner parties today, and gentlemen often escorted their table partners into the dining room. There is a letter from a Regency lady complaining about the “new” way of going into dinner two by two, “like animals going into the ark.” Later in the Regency, it became customary for men and women to sit by each other.

I also read a reference that it was considered rude to speak to someone seated across the table, but either that wasn’t true, or has been ignored by the movie producers and novelists of our day.

Quite a few records indicate there were more men than women present, and that people chose where they wanted to sit. That may have been the hostesses’ prerogative, especially if the dinner took place in a relatively small dinner at a country house.  The formal seatings and settings were for formal occasions—generally in town, meaning London. I imagine that’s when having an even number of men to women became important.

I often refer to seating in my Regency romance novels and have the heroine note who is escorting her to dinner in relation to her rank, and sometimes in relation to where the hero is sitting. It can be a fun way to increase the tension, or merely another detail in painting a vivid Regency feel.

I found my image here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:37_quai_d%27Orsay_salon_des_beauvais_1.jpg

In my Regency romance series, “The Rogue Hearts,” beginning with The Stranger She Married and The Guise of a Gentleman, I created a family with the surname of Amesbury. People often ask me where I got that name.

I posted this a few years ago but I thought it’d be good to post again for any new readers.

I first heard the name Amesbury when a neighbor married a young man whose last name was Amesbury. The moment I heard Amesbury, something perked up inside me.

My  neighbor said dreamily, “Doesn’t that sound like the name of an English lord?”

I wholeheartedly agreed. Years later, when I wrote my Regency romance novel, The Stranger She Married, there was no question that Amesbury would be Cole’s surname. And since Cole has four brothers, there will be four heroes with that same wonderfully romantic and noble surname.

I did some research on the origin of the name.  I found that it is, indeed, British with a long and distinguished history. Here is a great website with info about the Amesbury family name here: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Amesbury

“This name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is a locational surname deriving from the place in Wiltshire called “Amesbury”. The placename is first recorded circa 880 in the “Saxon Charters” as “Ambresbyrig”, and means “Ambr’s fortress”, derived from the Old English pre 7th Century personal name “Ambr”, after the Old Germanic name “Ambricus”, thought to mean “immortal”, from the Greek “Ambrosios”, with Old English “burg” or “burh” meaning a fort or fortified place and often referring to a Roman or other pre-English fort.”

My heart nearly stopped when I read this:

“The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Christian Amsburie…dated 7th August 1578, Bitton, Gloucestershire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Good Queen Bess, 1558 – 1603″

Hmmm. Christian Amesbury. Odd coincidence, that, since he’s one of my Amesbury brothers, the youngest and the hero of my next book in the series which I am currently editing. Don’t you just love serendipity?

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Amesbury#ixzz1Ukjz5tPG

Since today is the last day of February, the month of love, I’d like to list a few things I love. This list is by no means exhaustive, just the first few things that popped into my head:

Books I love:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte,  Cotillion by Georgette  Heyer, Baby by Patricia Maclachlan, The Shannara Series by Terry Brooks, This is All I Ask  & The More I See You by Lynn Kurland, The Dead Don’t Dance by Charles Martin, Dangerous Favors by Joyce DiPastena, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier,  The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Slayers by CJ Hill

Movies I love:

ALL the BBC Adaptations of Jane Austen books, Ella Enchanted, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Ever After, Enchanted, Somewhere in Time, While You Were Sleeping, You’ve Got Mail

Food I love:

Chocolate, cheesecake, pasta, Mexican (but only if it’s pretty mild) and pretty much anything cheesy or creamy and fattening

What are some of your loves?