Wanted: Critique Partner

Hello Romantic World!  I'm putting it out there that I'm searching for a critique partner. 

Wanted: A lover of romance. Someone who feels the pitter-patter of a rushed heart beat when they're reading a historical romance, but gets almost as much pleasure from contemporary love stories. If you're not published...that's great!  If you are published...that's great! 

Must love to read

 and be passionate about writing. 

Must be willing to be frank and honest without being overly insensitive.

If you happen by, just take a seat in the drawing room and leave your calling card  (comment).  I promise I'll get back to you and who knows...this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Most Sincerely,

Romancing the Research

It's been so long since I've been about.  Shameful, indeed!  Where have I been?  Cruising the information highway for answers to a thousand questions.  Like? Well, since you asked...

1.  How large is the typical country estate of a Regency noble?
2.  What did the homes look like inside?
3.  What grew in the garden?
4.  How long did it take to get from York to London by horse?  By carriage?
5.  How many servants did a typical household employ?
6.  What is the etymology of certain words like...buffoon, fop, dandy.
7.  What garden structures were likely to be in gardens/parks/lawns of the Regency nobility?
8.  What if no heirs were born to a noble?  Who inherited the title?
9.  Could the widow of a noble be left with nothing?
10. What were people naming their children in the late 1700s and early 1800s?

The list goes on and on.  I've found wonderful resources for some of the questions I must answer to make my story both accurate and worth reading.  One of the best resources I've found is Jane Austen's World, a blog that is chock full of tantalizing bits about the Regency Era.  I also found Candice Hern's website to be extremely helpful.  She offers more resources that I know will answer my questions. 

I must make a trip to the library, soon.  I'm hoping to find answers to the questions regarding the Regency time period that will enhance my book. 

Where do you go for answers to historical questions?  Do you have a go-to source?  I'd love to know!

Happy Writing!

Tuesday Teaser

Greetings!  Oh I know, lovies, I've been ever so negligent. 

I joined Tuesday Teasers at Jennifer Lowery's blog.  Baby steps....just teensy, weensy baby steps.

What did I submit? Just a wee sentence or two....

Catherine whirled around wielding the pair of sharp shears in her hand, the menacing points aimed toward him.   He jumped back in mock fright, “You might want to latch the leather lock on those shears.”  

Madeleine de Scudery's Quote

I don’t know a lick of French, except for a mouthful of words like oui, monsieur, mademoiselle, madame, au voir, bon jour, merci and that’s about it.  What I do find intriguing about the French language is how romantic it looks on paper or fabric.  I’m also enchanted when good fortune smiles upon me and I overhear French spoken by native speakers.   All this jabbering brings me to the quote in the heading of my blog.

I don’t believe Madeleine de  Scudéry could have been any more on target when it comes to describing a romance novel in simplest form.   The greatest pleasures of the book come from the love heroine and hero strive to hold fast and the worst problems develop because of that love.  I don’t know about you, but I’ll race through a novel that envelopes a world with a pleasurable concept intertwined with a problematic one if they're wrapped around the larger-than-life emotion…love.  Love compels each of us to be better, to be worse... to be. 

Want to learn more about the fascinating Madeleine de Scudéry and her Saturday salon, samedis, where literati gathered to argue the issues of the day? You’ll find a plethora of information on this site.

Have a wonderful Saturday evening,  

A Romantic Journey

I've been on a journey to places only I know and now I'd love it if you'd join me.  After years of writing about everything from how to get pet pee off the carpet to zen gardens, I'm taking the plunge into the fresh waters of creative writing.  My writer's voice lends itself to romantic stories and perhaps that's because I'm a romantic soul.  Yes, I believe there's love out there in all shapes, sizes, colors, patterns, and textures. 

You, dear reader, can expect to find all manner of romance.  Maybe one day it will be a romantic recipe and the next a tale of unrequited love.  I do know this...a blog, MY blog about romance is ready to burst into passionate flames and I so want you to join me.  Put away your cynacism, lay aside your disbelief, and for just a while believe...believe that love encompasses us in strange and wonderful fogs that swirl in and out of our lives. 

I must take care of some business.  I knew I wanted to start Isabella's blog and I knew I wanted it to be dreamy and of course, romantic.  I searched far and wide across the vast Internet landscape until I came upon two good fairies of enchanting backgrounds.  Thank you to Elegia's Background Garden for this hauntingly beautiful background, but before I found Elegia I stumbled upon Cute n Cool Blog Stuff.  itKuPiLLi creates amazing art and she too offers free backgrounds.  I have my eye on one of hers for future possibilities.  So if you have a moment, stop by, take a peek, and be prepared to be delighted.