Forgive me if I start this post out on something totally Off Topic (as I often do!), but I had to share the link to these Pirates of the Caribbean dolls which someone sent me this week! They are so wonderfully funny and–weird. I’d like to at least have the Orlando doll to keep on my desk, but what I would really love is to have a whole set. Then I could act out scenes from the movie. Maybe the next time I have a few hundred dollars to spare…

And now onto the topic of the week!

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been doing some volunteer work at a political campaign office, getting ready for the Super Tuesday primary on February 5. It’s mostly answering phones, stuffing envelopes, handing out bumper stickers and yard signs–not hugely glamorous. But it’s made me think about Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and her Whig friends in the 18th century. And about how political campaigns have–and haven’t–changed in 200+ years.

“Ladies who interest themselves so much in the case of elections, are perhaps too ignorant to know that they meddle with what does not concern them” –The Morning Post, March 1784.

Georgiana first met Charles James Fox in 1777, when he visited Chatsworth. At 28, he was already marked out as the future leader of the Whigs. Until then his political career had veered between success and failure, and Georgiana spent her time flitting around, partying and racking up debts. But they both wanted, and were capable, of much more. They spent that visit discussing ideas. Fox instilled in Georgiana a devotion to the Whigs, who by the 1770s stood for opposition to the King, mistrust of powers of the crown, and vigilance over civil liberties.

“One day last week, her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire appeared on the hustings at Covent Garden. She immediately saluted her favorite candidate, the Hon. Charles James Fox” –The Morning Post, September 25, 1780

Georgiana began following the debates in Parliament and perfecting her skills as a political hostess. She became the leader of an elite group of political females that included her sister Harriet Ponsonby, the Duchess of Portland, Lady Jersey, Lady Carlisle, Mrs. Bouverie, and the Waldegraves, yet none ever outshown her, or came in for the extent of criticism she did.

In 1780, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (playwright, politician, and lover of Georgiana’s sister Harriet) asked for Georgiana’s help. She arranged for him to stand in the Spencer-dominated borough of Stafford (he was elected, natch). A week later, on Sept. 25, Fox asked her to accompany him as he contested the borough of Westminster. In this case, she only stood on the platform for a few minutes, but the press was Shocked.

“The Duchess of Devonshire’s attendance at Covent Garden, perhaps, will not secure Mr. Fox’s election; but it will at least establish her pre-eminence above all other beauties of that place, and make her a standing toast in all the ale-houses and gin-shops of Westminster” –Morning Post, April 8, 1784

In 1782, the Whigs came to power with Fox as Foreign Secretary. Under Parliamentary rules, MPs selected for office had to re-offer themselves to their constituents, and Fox again asked Georgiana to help him out. He wanted her to lead a women’s delegation, and on April 3 she performed her first official duty for the party. She and the other ladies, wearing Whig colors of buff and blue, spoke under large banners reading ‘Freedom and Independence’ and ‘The Man of the People.’ She was a sensation. Fans bearing her portrait sold in the hundreds.

Her involvement in politics only grew after the birth of her first child (Little G) in 1784. The Duc de Chartres and his French delegation treated her as their official hostess; her influence with the Prince of Wales was well-known. But also in 1784, the Whigs were low in public opinion as they formed a Coalition against Prime Minister Pitt and the King. In March, Pitt called a general election, setting off a storm of campaigning.

On March 17, Georgiana appeared at the opera, to much cheering–and booing and hissing. The Duchess of Rutland, a Tory hostess, stood up in her box and shouted, “Damn Fox!” In reply, Lady Maria Waldegrave leaped up and retorted, “Damn Pitt!” This must have been highly entertaining! The most noise I’ve ever heard at the opera was once when the guy sitting behind me fell asleep and started snoring.

“The Duchess made no scruple of visiting some of the humblest of electors, dazzling and enchanting them by the fascination of her manner, the power of her beauty, and the influence of her high rank” –Horace Walpole

But Georgiana also suffered threats and abuse as she went about her campaigning. By the end of her first week, she was exhausted and hoarse, with blistered feet. Fox was still behind in the polls. Georgiana wrote to her mother Lady Spencer, “I gave the Election quite up, and must lament all that has happened.” The Pittite papers, like the Morning Herald, reported that she exchanged kisses for votes, and scurrilous cartoons appeared. (She sent deputies out to buy up the most offensive of them as soon as they appeared!). Fox did eventually score a victory, and Carlton House saw nights of celebratory balls and dinners.

Until the next election…

Have you ever done any work in politics? And where can I get one of those blue suits Keira Knightley has on in the film still? I LOVE that costume!

Watch for Deb’s debut Regency-set novel, Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss on shelves now! Deb will also appear with Diane and Amanda in an as-yet unnamed anthology in 2009…

Hello, Deb! Tell us about your new book.

First, let me thank you Risky Ladies for having me here! Your books may be risky, but you have created a safe and welcoming corner of cyberspace for lovers of historical romance. You’ve built a lovely community here, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. Thank you!

Now, to answer your question…

Charles Alden, Viscount Dayle, is a rake who has already reformed. The days of his misspent youth ended with the deaths of his brother and father. He has worked hard in pursuit of a political career, but someone seems determined to hold his former life against him. He decides that the only way to live down the wickedness of his past is to secure the dullness of his future and take a properly respectable bride.

Miss Sophia Westby is not the sort of woman he had in mind. His childhood friend is as spirited and unconventional as ever. She’s come to London determined to do something with her skills in design. Reunited with Charles after years of separation, she scorns his new demeanor and longs for the rake’s return.

I know this is a debut book! What was your “path to publication” like?

A long and winding road? Hee hee! Truthfully, being a writer was always a dream, and I always knew if I had the chance, I would want to write Romance. Books and history were my youthful passions, but circumstances required a more practical career path. I reached a crossroads when my son was born with multiple health problems. Once we got him all straightened out and my younger child headed to preschool, all my family and friends expected me to go back to my career. All I wanted was to write! It was my chance to chase my dream. My husband was amazingly supportive, so that’s when I really started to concentrate on my writing. I love Romance. I love the message that it sends out to the world. I couldn’t be happier to be beginning a career as a historical romance novelist.

We couldn’t be happier, either!

Were there any challenges you encountered in researching for this book? Any new or surprising historical information you discovered?

I don’t know that it was new or surprising, but I did thoroughly enjoy learning about Regency design. Advancements in technology began to make interior decorating accessible to many different sorts of homeowners. And I thought it was so interesting to see the famous people and events of the time show up in furniture and decor.

Poor Charles is bedeviled by the press in this book, and made the topic of caricatures and broadsheets. I enjoyed learning about that aspect of the Regency, as well.

Did the Splendors of the Regency tour a few years ago (where Diane and Amanda first met Deb!) help you in any way?

In so many ways! Not the least of which was meeting Diane and Amanda. 🙂 It was a little daunting to go alone on a trip like that, but nothing beats first-hand experience of the places we write about. Even better was experiencing it with a group who shares the same obsession. I will never forget the crowd of us, scribbling like mad in our notebooks and peppering the docents with question after detailed question. I think they adored us for being so interested!

Tell us what’s “risky” about your book?

Hmmmm. I suppose that Sophie’s interest in design could be considered Risky for a Regency miss. There will always be someone who might dispute that if something “didn’t” happen it “wouldn’t” happen. But I say they never met a determined force like Sophie!

I’ve also been told a time or two that you need to write a rake to sell a Regency. Having a hero determined NOT to give in to his old ways might be risky.

Totally off-topic, but tell us about your sons’ fun Harry Potter appearances last year!

Oh, they were determined to go to the Harry Potter Party at the bookstore, celebrating the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! The oldest had been to one in the past, and the younger knew this was his last chance to get there. They dressed up, one was a Dementor and the other Harry, and we had a great time participating in all the festivities! They had live owl demonstrations, Magic Potions shows, fortune telling, the Sorting Hat, etc. They really liked the massive scroll everyone signed to thank JK Rowling for so many hours of reading pleasure. While we were there, a local magazine took our picture and we ended up in the publication. My youngest was especially pleased because he had been telling his elementary class that his mom was a famous author, and now he had his 15 minutes of fame!

Maybe new authors in the making???

What’s next for you?

In March comes the UK release of my second book, An Improper Aristocrat. This one is a rollicking story with plenty of action and intrigue. A deathbed pledge brings the adventurous Earl of Treyford back to England. Instead of the aging spinster he expects to find, Chione Latimer is a beautiful half-Egyptian girl caught in chaotic circumstances. Before long, Trey finds himself where he never wished to be: stuck in parson’s mousetrap, up to his armpits in eccentrics and in the midst of a villainous plot to recover an ancient Egyptian artifact.

Congratulations, Maureen! You’ve won an autographed copy of Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss. Please send your snail mail address to riskies@yahoo.com.

Join the Risky Regencies today as Amanda and Deb Marlowe chat about their March UK releases, The Improper Aristocrat and To Catch a Rogue! Comment on the post to win a copy of each, or if you can’t wait you can buy them at Amazon.uk! Besides being a fellow Harlequin author and fun friend, Deb is another Project Runway fanatic…

Amanda: So, Deb, tell me all about your new book!

Deb: The Improper Aristocrat is my adventure book! A deathbed pledge brings Niall Stafford, Earl of Treyford, out of Egypt and back to England. He’s promised to deliver an ancient artifact to a colleague’s sister, but Chione Lattimer is not what he expects. Instead of an aging spinster, Chione is a lovely, half-Egyptian girl caught up in chaos. Though all he wants to do is get back to his adventures and antiquities, Trey finds himself in the role of protector, and smack dab in the midst of a villainous plot to recover a Pharaoh’s lost treasure.

A: Oooh, I love adventures and lost treasure! What’s your favorite part of the book?

D: Now that is a hard question. I love so much about this book! Chione was a joy to write. She’s had a hard life, and really has to find her own strength. And she has to pound a few hard lessons into Trey’s head along the way! I had a great time coming up with the clues that lead these two on their path to adventure, too.

A: Any good research tidbits you found?

D: The research was the best part! I really enjoyed exploring the Valley of the Kings, the Devon coast, and Belzoni’s Exhibition in London.

A: Tell us about Belzoni!

D: You mean my historical figure crush? Hee hee! I love this guy. One of 13 children of a Padua barber, he was a giant of a man, reportedly 6 feet 6 inches. Run from home by Napoleon’s forces, he traveled England as a strong man and magician before traveling to Egypt to uncover some of her greatest treasures, including Seti I’s tomb, the entrance to the second pyramid of Giza, and the lost city of Berenice. He procured a huge collection of antiquities for the British Museum before he died trying to reach the mysterious city of Timbuktu.

A: And what is the treasure in your story? Or is that a secret??

D: It’s a mystery! The legend of the Pharaoh’s Lost Jewel is thousands of years old. It came back to Europe with Nelson’s army and team of surveyors and architects. Chione’s family has chased the legend for years, but it will take the adventuresome Earl to help her discover the truth.

A: It’s kind of funny, my book also involves ancient treasure! Though Greek, not Egyptian. There must be something archeological in the air this month…

D: Oh, Greek! Where did the idea for your story come from?

A: From a terrific book I read, Peter Watson’s The Medici Conspiracy, about the terrible problem of illegal antiquities. His tale involves modern-day looting and illegal objects in museums, but of course this is not a new problem at all. It was also inspired by a trip to the British Museum to see the Elgin Marbles!

D: Was that on the Splendors of the Regency tour???

A: Yes!! Everyone here will be sick of me saying “On the Regency tour…”, but it really was the most inspiring thing I could have done for my writing. We learned lots about carpets and doorknobs there, didn’t we, Deb?

D: Yes, we did, although we have to thank Diane for that! Riskies, Diane became famous for grilling all the guides on the make and origins of the carpets everywhere we went. Everyone teased her unmercifully!

A: LOL! We learned a lot about paint colors, too…

Anyway, To Catch a Rogue is the first of the “Muses of Mayfair” series, stories of the 3 Chase sisters (Calliope, Clio, and Thalia) whose father is a famous scholar of ancient Greek art and myth. So, naturally the daughters are into ancient Greece, too–though their interest always seems to lead them into trouble. And romance with some unlikely heroes!

D: It feels like I’ve been waiting so long to read about your “Muses”! I can’t wait! But how are their heroes unlikely?

A: Calliope, the heroine of TCAR, thinks that Cameron de Vere, the Earl of Westwood, is the infamous Lily Thief! The Lily Thief has been plaguing London collectors for months, stealing artifacts from their collections and leaving a lily bouquet in their place. Cal thinks Cameron is the thief, and is determined to catch him in the act of stealing the Alabaster Goddess (a beautiful statue of Artemis that has started a craze for hairstyles and sandals in London fashion!). But Cameron isn’t what he appears, either. He decides to turn the tables on Cal…

D: Sounds like another fun mystery! And what about Clio and Thalia?

A: They get their stories, too, of course! In To Deceive a Duke, Clio meets up again with the mysterious Duke of Averton in sunny Sicily (which, of course, is plagued with tomb raiders!). I call Averton my “rock star” duke, because everyone follows him around and gossips about him! And in To Kiss a Count, Thalia finds love with a dangerous Italian count–in Bath! Passion in the Pump Room (also seen on the Regency tour. The Pump Room, that is. Not the passion).

Oh, one quick note! Next year you can buy these 3 stories in consecutive months in the US. But just in case you can’t wait…

Tell us what’s next for you, Deb?

D: The Improper Aristocrat come to the US late in 2008. In October I have another UK release, Her Cinderella Season. In that one, Jack Alden, brother to the hero of my first book Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss, locks horns with a girl who has been raised in the Reformer and Evangelical circles of Regency England.

A: Can’t wait!

BTW, gentle readers, take a look at the two covers in the header. We believe somehow Mr. Brad Pitt snuck onto Deb’s, highlights and all. And my cover is also the inside image of Diane’s Innocence and Impropriety! Who knew people so resembled each other in Regency England???

Let us know any comments, questions, whatever! Early next week we’ll announce a winner for copies of both books.

I know last week I said I would continue with my “romantic and not-so-romantic couples of the Regency” thread, but I discovered that today is the anniversary of the death of John Keats, in 1821. So I decided to talk about that instead. Stay tuned next week for more romantic high-jinks! (Or maybe some hot guys, if I can find one Megan missed…)

Of all the romantic poets, Keats is my favorite based solely on the poetry. His life is not as wild as Shelley and Byron (for one thing he lived for such a short time, to to the age of 26, narrowly beating Shelley for “youngest death”), but his poetry has a beauty and sophistication, a sensual imagery, that is hard to beat.

He was born in Moorgate, London in 1795, the son of a hostler (his father’s pub still stands, and is now called “Keats the Grove”). But his childhood had an early end with the death of his father seven years later. Keats grew up with his mother, grandmother, and 3 siblings, until his mother died of tuberculosis in 1810. John soon found himself entrusted with the care of his younger brother, Tom, who also suffered from tuberculosis. He managed to travel in Scotland and Ireland, where he composed his epic poem Endymion. But this poem, as so many after them, was the focus of much abuse from critics. In 1818, Tom died and John found he, too, suffered from the disease.

He then moved to Hampstead, where he lived next door to Fanny Brawne, his one love. But the relationship was cut short when Keats was forced to leave damp London in 1820 and go to Italy. (Fanny’s comment in her diary in his departure–“Mr. Keats has left Hampstead.” Scandalous!!!).

Italy didn’t help. Keats died in 1821, and was buried in the Protestant cemetery in Rome. He asked that his tombstone read only “Here lies one whose name was writ in water,” but his friends took the liberty of adding “This grave contains all that was mortal, of a YOUNG ENGLISH POET, who on his deathbed, in the bitterness of his heart, at the malicious power of his enemies, desired these words to be engraven on his tomb stone” (one in the eye for those nasty reviewers!).

Shelley blamed Keats’ death on an article in the Quarterly Review; Byron wrote a poem in his honor using the words “snuffed out by an article.” Wallace Stevens describes him as the “Secretary for Porcelain” in his poem Extracts from Addresses to the Academy of Fine Ideas: