Into the Mind of Jaimey Grant

~General Updates~ Regency Wednesday, RNC, InD'Tale, Cover Reveal

2013-05-03T20:48:00.000-04:00

Regency Wednesday...

Before I get into the big updates I have to confess that I am deeply sorry but Regency Wednesday will be postponed for the next several weeks. I have eleventy-billion things to do before the Romance Novel Convention in August (Vegas, baby!!) and I'd rather choose to temporarily suspend my weekly Regency-themed posts than continue to feel guilty for forgetting to do them.

Romance Novel Convention...

Click the image to find out more about the
Romance Novel Convention!

I had a recent issue and seriously considered asking for a refund for the Romance Novel Convention. Things have been [adequately] resolved now, though, so I will hold my tongue and plan, plan, plan to have the BEST time there. Perhaps I'll even get to meet some of my fabulous readers! ♥

The First Annual

Romance Novel Convention

presented by international cover model

Jimmy Thomas

Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada

August 7-11, 2013 (Wednesday-Sunday)

All-Inclusive

(registration, 5 days/4 nights hotel, all classes, events, and meals)

In other RNConvention news, the first annual RONÉ Awards will be held Friday, August 9 at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino. InD'Tale Magazine is hosting this event. The voting is open now so click on over to www.indtale.com to cast your votes for your favorite indie romances.* ♥♥

InD'Tale Magazine...

The 10th and FINAL installment of The 11th Commandment has officially been published! That means I can now compile the entire collection into one convenient volume and offer it up for reader consumption. This edition will be released June 1 with the help of TreasureLine Publishing.

That also means there's a new serial Regency just around the corner. I came up with something that really plays on my dark, slightly morbid tendencies, and I hope it turns out as entertaining for you to read as it does for me to write! The announcement of my new story was done with a...

...in the May issue. Without further ado, here's the lovely threads for my next serial project:

This new story is about a resurrectionist or body-snatcher—someone who steals bodies from graves and sells them to the various medical schools for the purpose of dissection. The really cool thing about this story is that the body-snatcher is female. And there's a doctor. And he's hot, of course. ♥

I think that's it for now. If you have any thoughts on my new cover, my new serial, the Romance Novel Convention, InD'Tale Magazine, or love and life in general, please leave a comment.

*Voting requires website registration (free). If you'd like to vote without registering, the site has instructions on how to do that. Romance Novel Convention ad, RONÉ ad, The 11th Commandment cover, and Death Becomes Her cover/ad were designed by Laura J Miller of An Author's Art (me, lol).

As always...

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ FFXIII-2 ~ Parallel Worlds

~Regency Wednesday~ None-Such

2013-04-18T14:18:00.000-04:00

I missed the boat yesterday. Too much happening and no time. I think that's a common complaint amongst authors, especially indie ones. All whining aside, here's the post that should have went up yesterday. It's just a simple definition post again, from the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Enjoy!

NONE-SUCH.

One that is unequalled: frequently applied ironically.

*Taken verbatim from the Kindle edition. Get your copy HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen (Nashville Cast) ~ Fade Into You

Redemption is FREE April 13-17

2013-04-13T09:10:00.000-04:00

Have you been hoping Redemption would be free so you can add it to your e-library? Now's your chance and it will be your ONLY chance to get the revamped version FREE. I'm not enrolling this one in KDP Select so getting it from Amazon will cost $2.99. If you stop by Smashwords between April 13-17 and use code TY54M in your cart, however, you can grab the format of your choice absolutely free. Take advantage while you can! Click HERE to go to the site.

*To take advantage of this offer, click HERE, add the book to your cart, enter code TY54M in the space provided in the cart, click apply, then checkout. Make sure it lists your cart total as $0.00 before you click checkout, or you will be charged the regular price of $2.99. ♥

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Staind ~ Safe Place

~Regency Wednesday~ Hobby-Horse

2013-04-10T10:32:00.000-04:00

I've never mentioned a hobby-horse in any of my books and I'm not sure I ever will. I'm not even sure I can recall the mention of such a contraption in the 1000+ Regency romances I've read over the years. Still, this gave me a chuckle when I stumbled across it in the 1819 edition of Ackermann's Repository.

I'm not going to type out the description for this plate, but the clipping below should be readable. Interesting stuff.

*To see this article in its natural setting, check out Ackermann's Repository, February 1819, p. 109.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Matchbox 20 ~ 3AM

~Cover Reveal~ Redemption Gets New Threads

2013-04-09T13:27:00.000-04:00

Many of you know my older Regency romances have been picked up by TreasureLine Publishing, so I've been working on giving them new coats, as well as better formatted interiors. Heartless was the first to get that, though it took me over a year to accomplish it. I haven't taken nearly so long with Redemption, though the cover is something I've been working on for quite a while.

Before I get to the point, let me refresh your memory....

◄This was the very first cover I made for Redemption, way back in 2008, when CreateSpace's self-published books department was still pretty new and the number of Kindle books was about 40,000. My graphics program was one of the earlier versions of Microsoft's now defunct Picture It! program. The photo was one I took myself.

This is the remade cover it got a year or so later. Not much difference, though an improvement, if only a slight one. I believe at that time I was still using Picture It! for my graphic design needs and it's the same photo I used in the first version of this cover. ►

And this is the new cover, one that I hope will be the last cover for this book. I've come a long way in cover design, haven't I? LOL This one was made using Corel's Paint Shop Pro and some stock photos I acquired from Dreamstime. ▼

If you'd like to read more about this book, you can visit my Redemption page on my website.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Joelle (FFXIII-2) ~ Plains of Eternity

~Regency Wednesday~ Half-Mourning

2013-04-03T09:35:00.000-04:00

Half-mourning was about halfway through the mourning period, the point when the one in mourning stopped wearing black and switched to gray or lavender with black trim or accents. Half-mourning was considered a transition to wearing colors again.

Again, this affected ladies more than gentlemen, simply because the gentlemen wore black much of the time anyway.

For details on wills, funerals, or mourning, you can check out two of my previous Regency Wednesday posts: Funerals and Wills; Mourning. Both include links to other sites for more details on these subjects.

For detailed descriptions of the fashions shown here, see the matching Google Books clipping below.

↓

*Images and description clipped from Ackermann's Repository, Jan 1819, p. 52.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Daughtry ~ Breakdown

~Regency Wednesday~ 1819 Window Draperies

2013-03-27T15:22:00.000-04:00

How's this for a special treat? While perusing Ackermann's Repository (Dec 1819) I stumbled across this charming plate for Regency window draperies.

FASHIONABLE FURNITURE.

PLATE 35.—THREE DESIGNS FOR WINDOW-CURTAINS.

AN ingenious artist will communicate to the commonest theme an inexhaustible variety of design: in doing this he must, however, give liberty to his ideas, which, if well instructed in the first instance, will never take their flight beyond the limits prescribed by fitness and true taste. The imagination so controuled is properly distinguished from fancy, which wantonly oversteps all limitations, and trespasses alike on the most sacred and on the profanest grounds of theory and practice; and hence the distinction between the works of an artist and of an amateur, as well in the higher departments of art, as in that of mere upholstery.

The annexed subject presents features of perfect novelty, without a departure from its guiding principles. The centre draperies, in two colours, are composed for a Venetian or Palladian window: they are supported by a bow-like ornament, and by pilasters, to which the curtains are connected; the sub-curtains are also festooned by the bow, and guarded by a lateral transom, that passes from pilaster to pilaster.

The designs on the right and left are light and elegant: they should be composed of silk, and the sub-curtains of transparent materials richly embroidered: so executed, the delicacy of their combinations makes them suitable to a cabinet or boudoir.

For these designs we are indebted to Mr. Stafford of Bath.

*Image and description clipped from Ackermann's Repository, Dec 1819, p. 365. Typed description is taken verbatim from the above magazine clipping.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ FFXIII-2 ~ Endless Paradox

~Regency Wednesday~ Mourning

2013-03-20T20:38:00.000-04:00

To go along with last week's post on funerals and wills, this week's post is about mourning customs and mourning attire.

The mourning period differed depending on which relative died. The longest period of mourning was reserved for a spouse, 12 months. Half that time (6 months) was spent mourning a parent or a parent-in-law. Half again (3 months) for a brother or sister, uncle or aunt. Six weeks of mourning was for a sister-in-law (brother-in-law too, I assume), aunt or uncle (I wonder if this was for an aunt or uncle by marriage, rather than blood; one source suggests closeness to the aunt or uncle as a possible reason for the repetition). For three weeks one would mourn the loss of an uncle or aunt (now I'm just confused), an aunt who remarried, or a first cousin. Two weeks was considered the proper length of time to mourn a first cousin (not sure on the redundancy here), and one week of mourning was acceptable for a first and second cousin, and husband or stepmother's sister.

It sounds as though the mourning periods were a bit flexible when it came to more distant relatives.

During this period of mourning, black was worn and the one grieving wouldn't attend entertainments. According to several sources, crêpe or silk bombazine were the materials of choice for their matte finish. Jet or black amber jewelry could be worn, also acceptable due to their matte finish. Dying gowns black or trimming clothing with black were common practices for mourning, especially if one couldn't afford to purchase new mourning clothes. Ladies went about in black until a period of half-mourning, or second mourning, was reached. Then grays and lavenders were acceptable.

Gentlemen typically wore black anyway so they weren't held to such strict rules when it came to mourning attire. Black gloves, cravat, shirt, or an armband were the norm.

In my Regency serial, My Lady Coward, Maria must don mourning. (She hates jet.) She would have had to mourn for six months, though her grief went much deeper than simply observing proper etiquette.

In The 11th Commandment, the serial Regency I'm writing for InD'tale Magazine, the story opens just after the death of the Duke of Jarvis. His widow returns to England for the reading of the will and she was so rushed to arrive and get the visit over with that she didn't have time to have mourning clothes made. She settled for the darkest colors in her wardrobe, though, out of respect.

My fictional character, the Duke of Derringer, wears all black all the time. More than one of his acquaintances commented on him going about in constant mourning.

*Images clipped from the December 1817 edition (starting on p311) of Ackermann's Repository. Further reading can be found at Jane Austen's World: Regency Mourning; Regency Reader: Reader Questions: Funeral Rites; Donna Hatch: Regency Mourning Customs; Victoriana Magazine: Regency Mourning Fashions; Austen Authors: Mourning and Burial Practices in the Regency.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Hinder ~ I Don't Wanna Know

In the Editing Cave

2013-03-19T09:52:00.001-04:00

Martin Hlauka (Pescan) [Attribution],
via Wikimedia Commons

I spent the weekend in the editing cave. It wasn't until I crawled out that I remembered just how bright the real world can be. ☺

What was I editing, you wonder? I was working on Intrigue, another of my full-length Regencies. It is connected to the others, #5 according to the list on my website.

So now you are probably wondering why I publish my books out of order. It's been a source of annoyance for some of my fans, I know.

The answer to that is simple, really. I don't write them in order. I never have. I write them as I'm inspired to and that doesn't always happen in a chronological fashion.

That said, I'm hoping Retribution will be the next one I complete (#10 according to my list), though I also want to get Temptation out there soon (#4 on the list). I have a ton of work ahead of me so I better get back to it.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Chicago ~ Will You Still Love Me

~Regency Wednesday~ Funerals and Wills

2013-03-13T08:49:00.000-04:00

Most of you know I've been writing a serial Regency romance for InD'tale Magazine called The 11th Commandment. The story focuses on a woman, Katherine, who committed adultery, was caught, and sent to Scotland to live alone. The first part features her return to London after her husband's death for the reading of his will. (If you didn't know about this serial and want the story, click on over to InD'tale's site and subscribe. You only get messages when the issue is delivered and subscriptions are FREE. You can find past issues in the site's archive, after you've registered and logged in.)

OK, let me get to the point of mentioning this. For this story I had to delve a bit into the death angle of the Regency world, a topic that isn't written about very often. I found some great info in regard to wills on Courtney Milan's site and a bit about funerals at Regency Reader.

Later research revealed that things I'd only guessed at, such as Katherine being present at her husband's burial and whether or not she'd have made it back to London in time to see him before he was buried, I've since been able to confirm. (There are times that you just gotta wing it 'cause the deadline's looming.)

Just a few things I've learned and links to where I found the info:

Katherine would not have been at the burial, as women rarely attended the burial. See the post at Regency Reader titled Regency Reader Questions: Funeral Rites.
Katherine would not have made it back from Scotland in time to see his body before the burial. They didn't embalm bodies then and I believe my particular characters would have wanted him in the ground fairly quickly to avoid the overpowering smell. The bit on embalming can be found in an article titled Regency Death and Burial at Historical Hussies.
For Katherine to become engaged within a year of her husband's death would be a huge scandal, especially since her husband was a duke. OK, I already knew that. That's kind of a "duh" when mourning for a husband was typically 12 months.

As for the reading of the will, I assume that took place after the burial. I have not been able to confirm this but it makes sense to me that they would want to lay the deceased to rest before reading the will. I could be wrong on this bit and would love it if someone who knows better can either confirm or deny my assumption.

That's it for now. Next week's post will be about mourning attire. Such cheery subjects I've picked!

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ FFXIII-2 ~ Countless Partings

Rachel Rossano's "Duty" Blog Tour

2013-03-11T11:50:00.000-04:00

I forgot to mention that I hosted Rachel Rossano on my book reviews blog two additional times after her original post on heroic attributes. Following on the heels of that topic was The Makings of a Strong Heroine and then we did a delightful interview where we learned some very important things about Rachel, such as how she deals with negative reviews and the importance of characters' names in her novels.

Please stop by and give the articles a read (linked above ↑), and leave a comment if you are so inclined. It was great fun having Rachel and helping her get the word out about her fabulous new novel.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Alex Clare ~ Too Close

~Regency Wednesday~ Scoundrel

2013-03-06T13:12:00.000-05:00

I really have to learn not to overbook my time. That said, here's a simple slang definition [or two] for your edification. Also, I will prepare something different for next week's Regency Wednesday post. I promise. ♥

SCOUNDREL.
A man void of every principle of honour.

THATCH-GALLOWS.
A rogue, or man of bad character.

*Taken verbatim from the Kindle edition of 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Get your free copy HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Smeagol Sings Mad World (see youtube video below▼, LOL)

~Regency Wednesday~ Nubbing

2013-02-27T14:37:00.000-05:00

Tragedy has struck the Grant household in the form of a tomcat getting into the chicken coop. Not a very important tragedy in the grand scheme but rather heartbreaking for this small family.

That said, I'm having trouble keeping my mind on any one thing for long so here's another slang definition, courtesy the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue:

NUBBING.

Hanging. Nubbing cheat: the gallows. Nubbing cove: the hangman. Nubbing ken: the sessions house.

*Taken verbatim from the Kindle edition. Get your free copy HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Daughtry ~ What I Want

~Regency Wednesday~ Scratch

2013-02-20T08:55:00.000-05:00

I managed to overbook my time this week so here's a simple definition from my trusty (and amusing) 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. You can grab a free copy HERE. Enjoy! ♥

SCRATCH.

Old Scratch; the Devil: probably from the long and sharp claws with which he is frequently delineated.

*Taken verbatim from the Kindle edition, linked above.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Alanis Morissette ~ You Learn

Book Blog Tour Stop at Romance, Old School

2013-02-19T12:51:00.000-05:00

I'm participating in a blog tour for author Rachel Rossano's new book, Duty. This is a fabulous story and I urge you to check out this tour. I've got her for three days (not back-to-back), starting with today. (CLICK HERE to see a list of the tour dates.)

Today's topic is heroic attributes.

Do you have an opinion about heroes, especially romance heroes? Please stop by my book reviews blog (CLICK HERE) and let us know!

*Links open in a new tab or window depending on your browser settings.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Frances Maya (FFXIII-2) ~ Serah's Theme - Memories -

~Regency Wednesday~ Hyde Park

2013-02-13T12:24:00.000-05:00

It's Wednesday again, my lovelies, and you know what that means....

~REGENCY WEDNESDAY~

That's right. Here is a lovely Regency tidbit for your edification. Enjoy!

Hyde Park was where one went to see and be seen during the late afternoon hours while enjoying a Season in London. It was one of the few places a young, unmarried lady could go with a gentleman, unchaperoned, provided they did not go in a closed carriage.

In My Lady Coward, Maria accepts an invitation to go driving with the Duke of Derringer. She doesn't realize that her reputation would suffer just being in his presence, even if they went in an open carriage as propriety dictated.

*Image clipped from Hyde Park: Its History and Romance by Mrs. Alec-Tweedie (1908), p.312. Google eBook can be found HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ P!nk ~ Private Show

A Heartless and Cowardly Giveaway

2013-02-12T15:04:00.000-05:00

Want a chance to win a Heartless/My Lady Coward eBook bundle? Then head on over to Clean Romance Reviews where you can enter for a chance to win. Three (3) of these bundles are up for grabs. Enter any time between now and Feb 20.

Why this pairing, you may wonder? My Lord Derringer makes an appearance in My Lady Coward as the willing pawn in Maria's desire to make her husband jealous. This takes place years before Heartless, when he's still young and heedless, disregarding the rules as set forth by Society. Oh wait, he's that way in Heartless too. :OP

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Joelle (FFXIII-2) ~ Starting Over

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Gertrude's Grace

2013-02-09T12:54:00.001-05:00

Gertrude's Grace is part of an anthology of Regency short stories that I have planned for publication this year. The following excerpt is taken from the rough draft of the opening scene. Enjoy!

“Omph!”

Lady Gertrude Shiveley's backside connected with the floor. Her pink muslin skirts flew up, revealing a pair of plump legs in pale pink stockings.

Masculine chuckles and feminine giggles followed on the heels of her ignominious downfall. Gertrude winced, the fall itself causing little damage but her pride bruised beyond repair.

And just when she thought she couldn't possibly feel worse, she glanced toward the drawing room door. The newest arrivals stared at her, faces frozen in shock. Amongst them was Eric, Duke of Chatterton. His sister Lady Tilly stood beside him, her gloved fingers over her lips while her eyes danced with silent laughter. Gertrude wanted to crawl under the sofa and die.

As Lady Gertrude sat on the floor trying to muster the courage to rise and face her guests, Lord Chatterton set aside his hat, gloves, and walking stick, and approached. He silently held out a hand to the fallen young lady.

Gertrude gazed up into the angelic countenance above her. He was so handsome, she mused, her mind on his pleasing features rather than his offer of assistance. His eyes were the same grass green as her own, clear and fringed with thick, dark lashes. He was beauty personified, a Greek Adonis, the type of gentleman who gave Lady Gertrude Shiveley wide berth for fear of her legendary clumsiness.

Except.... he wasn't avoiding her, as he reminded her with a little shake of his proffered hand.

Thank you for stopping by to read this snippet of a work-in-progress. Please take a moment to check out the other Sweet Saturday offerings: http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ FFXIII-2 ~ Heart of Chaos

~Regency Wednesday~ Court Dress

2013-02-06T09:08:00.000-05:00

Court dress is mentioned in many Regency romances, though I've never personally worried much about including that particular aspect of the Regency upper classes in my own books. However, it was a part of many a debutante's first Season, in which she was presented to the Queen of England.

The clipped image below is of the Marchioness of Townshend in full court dress in 1806.

The issue of La Belle Assemblée this was taken from includes a biographical sketch of Lady Townshend. If you'd like to read about her, you can find the Google eBook HERE. She is featured on page 16.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ FFXIII-2 ~ Lightning's Theme - Unprotected Future -

~Regency Wednesday~ Library Fashion, 1814

2013-01-30T08:41:00.000-05:00

Clothing wasn't the only fashion important to Regency Society. For this week's post you'll find a fashionable set of furniture for the discerning Regency lady or gentleman's library. Personally, I wouldn't mind having this myself. ♥

PLATE 6.—FASHIONABLE FURNITURE.

THE chaste and elegant library table represented in the annexed engraving, is of a convenient form and moderate size, and is suited to an apartment of small dimensions: at the same time it exhibits that breadth of parts and greatness of design, which characterize most articles of modern furniture, and give a dignity heretofore unknown. The recess beneath renders it also extremely commodious for a writing-table, which was not the case with library tables formerly constructed. The chair is designed with equal attention to elegance and convenience, and made to correspond. They may both be formed of mahogany, with rings and ornaments of bronze; the shelves of the table will divide, so as to admit either a row of folios and octavos, or two rows of quartos.

*Image and text clipped from Ackermann's Repository, 1814, p. 54. Full eBook can be found HERE.

I had to look up the last few words in this description. I had no idea what they meant by folios, octavos, or quartos, though I did assume it had something to do with size since they mentioned them while discussing how many would fit. Simply: big books, medium books, and small books. lol

I imagine this is the type of table my heroine from Temptation would use as she pens her books. Something to consider...

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Creed ~ Beautiful

~General Updates~ InD'Tale, RNConvention, Writing

2013-01-28T17:21:00.000-05:00

Time for another catch-up post. Here are a few general updates in my world.

InD'Tale:

The new issue of InD'Tale Magazine is out! Part VII of my serial Regency is in this issue, just waiting for your perusal. I haven't read the mag yet but I've heard some GREAT things about this particular issue.

◄◄◄◄ And check out this stunning cover! I ADORE it! ♥ If you haven't subscribed or your email went astray, click the image to go to the site. And don't forget to vote in the cover contest while you're there. ;O) Voting for this particular round ends tonight (1/28)!

RNConvention:

If you are an author planning to attend the RNConvention in Las Vegas, NV, this August, then take special note of the new promotions page on the site. You might want to consider taking advantage of one or more of these options.

Writing:

I've been a busy little bee in my writing cave, tackling my planned anthology of Regency-era short stories. Included in one of these volumes will be a short story for Michaella, the sister of Heartless' heroine, Leandra. You remember Michaella, right? She went through so much in Heartless that I felt she deserved her HEA more than most.

That's all for now! Until next time....

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Final Fantasy XIII-2 ~ An Arrow Through Time

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Intrigue

2013-01-26T08:12:00.000-05:00

Time for another Sweet Saturday Sample and today's excerpt is taken from Intrigue. This is the prologue, and I apologize for the utter lack of actual "sweetness" in this excerpt. Intrigue is the next of my Regencies in line to be published and is going through edits. This portion may or may not end up included in the final draft.

A brief blurb (which also may end up totally reworked):

Espionage was no pastime for a lady. Yet, that's exactly what Lady Brackney finds herself embroiled in, up to her pretty white neck. To make matters worse, she accepts the proposal of a complete stranger just to save herself.... and her son.

Without further ado, Intrigue...

The carriage lurched to a halt amid curses and neighing horses.

“Stand and deliver!”

The lone passenger, a striking woman in her early thirties, sucked in a breath and screamed. Her voice reverberated in the small space, threatening to permanently damage her own hearing.

With a prayer trembling on her lips, she stepped down from the conveyance, her movements shaky and unsure. She stood, cowering and miserable, as the thieves rifled through her reticule and rummaged through the carriage.

As the moments passed, she began to relax, thinking maybe, just maybe, her prayers had finally been answered.

The sound of approaching hooves put paid to any such notion. Her stomach sank to her sensible halfboots as a man on a horse charged into the fray, brandishing a pistol and threatening the bandits with any number of dire consequences should they refuse to cease their theft.

A scream rose up in the victim’s throat, a cry of anguish and warning, quickly swallowed, hastily suppressed. If the boy simply let them take what they wanted and go, everyone would be safe.

As three other armed men stepped from the trees, the young man on the horse was made quickly aware that he was in over his head. He tossed his pistol aside as ordered and leapt down, more than willing to part with a few meager possessions in exchange for his life.

And that of the lady, too, of course.

When his pockets were emptied, one of the bandits made the young man kneel, adding humiliation into the mix. A gun was placed to his head.

The lady’s breath caught in her throat, unease making her stomach clench in pain.

She stepped forward. The bandit with the gun looked at her, his eyes dead in his gaunt face. She hesitated only briefly; she did not want anyone hurt. If she could stop this, she must try.

Just as she opened her mouth to protest, a shot rang out. She watched helplessly as the body of a boy not much older than her own son fell lifeless to the ground.

*Image clipped from Half-Hours with the Highwaymen (1908) by Charles G Harper, illustrated by Paul Hardy, the author, and from old prints, page 155; Google eBook can be found HERE.

I'm not entirely sure what to say after that so I'll just say THANK YOU for stopping by and taking the time to read this snippet of my current WIP. Please take a moment to peruse the other Sweet Saturday Samples by following this link: http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Toad the Wet Sprocket ~ Listen

~Regency Wednesday~ Winter Fashion, 1814

2013-01-23T09:02:00.000-05:00

For today's Regency Wednesday post, I've selected a fashion print from the January 1814 issue of Ackermann's Repository. This is probably much closer to what a lady might have worn to the Frost Fair held on the River Thames in February the same year. (Wish I'd found this magazine for that post. lol)

You may recall my post on the Frost Fair of 1814. I complained in that about my inability to find a fashion print for the time and selected one from La Belle Assemblée, 1807. I don't know why I didn't think to search for Ackermann's prints. My apologies.

PLATE 4. —PROMENADE COSTUME.

A PLAIN cambric robe, with long gathered sleeve and high arched collar, trimmed with net lace or muslin. A Spanish lapelled coat of fine orange Merino cloth; full epaulette ornaments on the shoulders: the whole lined throughout with white sarsnet, and trimmed with a raised border of white velvet or swansdown. A small, provincial bonnet of the same material as the coat, ornamented with a full curled ostrich feather. White spotted ermine or Chinchilli muff. Gloves grey or light blue kid. Half-boots of orange-coloured jean, or velvet.

*Image and text clipped from Ackermann's Repository, 1814, p.56. Full eBook can be found HERE.

This is the first time I've seen "Chinchilli" as a possibility for the muff. I had chinchillas when I was young and they make delightful pets. It's also the first I've seen half-boots made of dyed jean. All in all, researching this post was far more enlightening than I anticipated.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Vertical Horizon ~ Shackled

A Heartless Cover Contest

2013-01-22T14:55:00.003-05:00

InD'Tale Magazine hosts a cover contest several times a month, selecting the covers of books that were submitted for review. Heartless made the cut this week. If you'd like to vote for Heartless or one of the other three covers, click HERE to go to InD'Tale's site and cast your vote. It's quick and painless and takes only a second or so.

You don't have to vote for Heartless but I would ♥ it if you did!

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Fiona Apple ~ Slow Like Honey

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Redemption

2013-01-19T08:36:00.000-05:00

Redemption is one of my first published books. It met the world back in '08. At just over 30k words it's not really considered a novel, but it is packed with a novel's intensity. After reaching the decision to rework all my older books (new covers, new formatting, a bit of editing), I also decided to add a bit to Redemption, if I can—sometimes stories/characters don't cooperate.

All that said, here's a scene from the current edition, before anything has been reworked. Twin brothers Miles and Darius Prestwich haven't seen each in years. This snippet is taken from the middle of chapter one. Enjoy! ♥

Instead of returning to the drawing room on the first floor, Dare decided to do a little exploring. He eased his way past the open doors of the room containing Bri and hurried down the rest of the stairs. He supposed Miles was about somewhere and if he knew his twin at all, he was willing to bet he was in the study poring over paperwork.

Dare shuddered. He hated paperwork. In fact, he could barely read and that suited him just fine. He had no use for books or newspapers and less use for writing.

Miles, on the other hand, had a flair for making sense of chaotic offices, studies, and libraries and simply thrived on literature. He usually had his nose in some book or other or his hands in papers that made no sense to anyone sane. Another shudder snaked through Dare’s body at the mere thought of organizing anything.

Making another turn, Dare faced a closed door. He was willing to bet he faced the study, as it was farthest from the noise of the street and house traffic. He pushed it open and walked in.

Miles looked up with a guilty flush, thinking it was Bri who had caught him daydreaming. He frowned when he saw his wandering twin.

Dare grinned, his face looking even more handsome than normal. “Please, Miles, your excitement over seeing me again after all these years is unbecoming in a man. Restrain yourself.” He crossed his arms over his chest and advanced into the room, gazing about in interest.

Miles frowned even more heavily at his brother’s levity but remained silent for the moment. Then he noticed Dare’s choice of garb. “What the devil are you wearing?”

Dare looked down with an expression of feigned wonder on his face. “Oh, dear father in heaven! I’m wearing clothes! I left my room naked. Where did these come from?” He pulled at his shirt, making it billow out away from his muscular chest. His look of bafflement was something to behold.

Miles almost smiled at Dare’s playacting. Instead, he gave him a stern look. “You are dressed far too casual for London and our cousin’s house, Dare. What if someone calls on Bri and sees you dressed like that? You could ruin all of our social cache in just one sitting.”

“What if, shwat if,” remarked Dare carelessly. “I will wear what I want until I am forced to go about in Society. And if the ladies who visit will be frightened by my dress I will simply hide until they go away.”

“Will you cut your hair?”

That wiped the grin off Dare’s face. “Why should I?”

“You look like a pirate, Dare. All you lack is the eyepatch.”

A gleam of interest lit Dare’s expressive face. “Indeed. I’ll look into that.”

♥Thank you for stopping by and reading this older snippet!♥

Please take a moment to check out the other

Sweet Saturday Samples

posted this week.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Lee Ann Womack ~ A Little Past Little Rock