Bleeding, Leeches and Mesmerism

Highlighting Historical Romance with Elaine Bach on Regency medical practice. In The Perfect Partner which takes place in England in 1817, the protagonist, Lady Diana Ashton, is involved in a tragic carriage accident. Her earl brother, Colin, employs a barrage of doctors and nurses to care for her. Medicine at the time included things like “bleeding a […]

Keeping in Step

If you don’t participate in the Belles’ Brigade (the Bluestocking Belles’ street team on Facebook) you missed an interesting discussion last Saturday. The topic for Saturday Brunch was group projects—how a group of highly creative friends goes about creating a collection of stories to publish. Let me summarize it. As you can see, keeping everyone […]

Paradise is a Garden

Highlighting Historical Romance with Jude Knight’s thoughts on inspiration in a garden Creative inspiration is an amazing thing. Artists — storytellers in particular — are often asked where their ideas come from. The answer ‘everywhere’, though true, is unhelpful. What questioners really want to know is ‘why did this idea strike you at this time’. […]

Life During the Great Depression

Highlighting Historical Romance with Patricia Kiyono on the Great Depresson and its impact on ordinary folks. The years in American history known as the Great Depression had a lasting effect on the people who lived through it. Though my father wasn’t one to complain, he mentioned a few things about his childhood that told me […]

Chicago Movie Makers

Highlighting Historical Romance with D.C. Reep who shares the history of silent movie makers in Chicago As a lifelong movie buff, I was naturally drawn to a story about early movies and the people who worked in them. The characters in this novel are fictional, but movie making in Chicago was a bustling business at […]

Should Women Own Land?

Highlighting Historical Romance with Colleen L Donnelly on women and property laws. A lover of old buildings, especially houses, I jumped at the chance to purchase a one-room schoolhouse ages ago and turn it into a home…a project, actually. Twelve-foot ceilings, wainscoting that reached higher than my head, nine-foot windows, uninsulated walls, no plumbing or […]

The Heart of a Writer

After two weeks of driving and visiting, I’m back at my desk today. A highlight was lunch with old friends from Central Ohio Fiction Writers. It was a joy to catch up on everyone’s work, and share with people who love the craft! One topic of particular interest—approaches to starting a new book. Every writer […]

Automation in Manchester

Highlighting Historical Fiction with Vicki Hopkins and thoughts on labor unrest in Victorian Manchester. The fear of men losing their jobs because of automation has continued since the dawn of the industrial revolution.  Even in our lifetime, robotic counterparts are replacing human workers and jobs are being lost. Can you imagine the fear this must […]

Come Along!

I’m heading for the Historical Romance Retreat in California. Oh come along. You know you want to! Too far to drive? Can’t afford to fly? Too late to register? Follow along online. Watch for my daily updates on Facebook and Instagram. For today, I’m packing. I’m taking five costumes, and they were strewn all over […]

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 […]