Drunken Georgians

…that the late Georgians were notoriously heavy drinkers? But the upper classes inclined more toward wine than distilled spirits. In 1838, by one estimate, consumption of distilled spirits in England was a mere .53 gallon per capita annually. Contrast that with Scotland at 2.46 and Australia at 5.02. While gentlemen might start their day with […]

The War of the Roses

This is a bit from my novella for A Duke in Winter. The stories in the collection are all based on Shakespeare’s plays. Mine is tentatively entitled The Sixth Henry. You can guess the play. It features a beleaguered new duke and a longstanding feud between two families over roses. Mary is the duke’s sister. […]

So It Begins

A brisk knock interrupted his thoughts. “Enter.” A footman entered, different from the night before. This one studied Gideon with naked speculation and a canny expression. “Mr. Marshall assigned me to be your manservant, you coming without one.” Marshall. The assigning of servants should lie with the butler not the steward. Gideon knew a spy […]

Family is the Very Devil

This one is about half done. The working title is Duke in All But Name. ***** Kendrick Colliery, Wales, August 1818 The rich wood paneling of the mine owner’s office glowed in flickering lamplight. Though barely noon, grey clouds hung heavily over the valley and little light filtered through the window. Gideon Kendrick reread the […]

What’s the Time?

Highlighting the facts behind the fiction with Jude Knight who brings us the origins of time keeping. Most of us know that, once upon a time, everywhere in the world took their time from the sun. Water clocks, candles, and sundials—all attempts to be more precise, were calibrated by the sun. That state lasted far […]

Wise Child

This is probably my favorite scene in The Upright Son. (Except for that big kiss. Maybe I’ll do that one next week.) David has reacted to an accident by forbidding his children to go anywhere near Lady Fitzwallace and her children. So, of course, Marj has headed directly there. ***** He dismounted and waited for […]

At the Guild Hall

I travel. Sometimes I travel by boat, plane, or automobile. Sometimes I travel by book. Sometimes I explore the real world. This week I continued to ramble around York. I followed Doro Bigglesworth and Chloe Tavistock to a lecture at the ancient Guild Hall. They are good friends in as complicated a relationship as the […]

Firm Dates~and other news

April sped by in a whirlwind of writing, group promotion, and upheaval. I’m happy to report that The Upright Son has been handed to the editor and is on schedule to release on June 30. Alas I don’t have a presale date yet. It will be tight, possibly the first week in June. I’m anxious […]

If its Tuesday it must be…

Back in the day there was a movie a few of you may be old enough to remember called If It Is Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, about of group of strangers on a whirlwind tour of nine countries in eighteen days. It sums up how I’m feeling lately. Yes, I know it is Tuesday […]