Author’s Blog

Medieval Women

Highlighting Historical Romance with Rue Allyn Medieval Women: Slaves to Convention or Independent Thinkers (Part one of three) Medieval women were fascinating creatures. The stereotypes that leap to mind include the Great Lady (queens and noblewomen), the yeoman wife, the nun and the downtrodden peasant. Regardless of status, the idea is strange to many fiction […]

Win Some; Lose Some

September is upon on us and temptation looms to declare it Fall and begin posting pumpkins. Summer, however, is hanging around a while longer. We went to a baseball game yesterday and toasted in the sun over beer and peanuts while our team just could not work up the energy to win. Rather than pumpkins, […]

Japan in Upheaval

Highlighting Historical Romance with Patricia Kiyono on upheaval in Japan In the mid-nineteenth century, the country of Japan was in a state of unrest. Traditionally, the shogun, not the emperor, held the most power, and beneath him were the feudal lords, or daimyo. Emperor Komei had begun to take a more active role in political […]

Piles, Packing, Progress

This is not my work room, but it does represent how I felt this weekend with piles everywhere. Among other things, my workroom has boxes of print materials—bookmarks, postcards, not cards, and cards—mine and those of friends. My inventory of books in print sit in boxes hither and yon. Conference bags full of swag, kept […]

Eye Care in the 19th Century

Highlighting Historical Romance with Pamela Gibson on eye care in the Regency era While researching ophthalmology in the Regency period for Scandal’s Child, I discovered a medical practice in its infancy. A relatively unknown science at the beginning of the 19th century, the field was rife with quacks and charlatans. Much changed with the end […]