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About carolyn

Carolyn Jewel was born on a moonless night. That darkness was seared into her soul and she became an award winning and USA Today bestselling author of historical and paranormal romance. She has a very dusty car and a Master’s degree in English that proves useful at the oddest times. An avid fan of fine chocolate, finer heroines, Bollywood films, and heroism in all forms, she has two cats and a dog. Also a son. One of the cats is his.

Deadline mania is in full force. Ack!!!!

So, here’s an assignment for you to address in the comments.

It’s 1814 and you (a tolerable young Miss of 23) and your family are in London for the first time ever. Your father, in a moment of unfortunate inattention, agreed to loan his third cousin all his money on a sure bet to win the Derby. The horse came in last. Papa has now mortgaged the carriage and horses to fund this Season for his beloved daughters.

The family fortune depends entirely upon someone related to you (perhaps even you yourself!) marrying extremely well. Mama and Papa are out of the question as they are already married to each other. You do not have a brother or step-brother and no one is currently speaking to your father’s (fat and ugly) third cousin.

Your younger sister (who you love beyond reason) is the beauty of the family, but she is a bit madcap, cannot carry a tune, and requires close supervision at all times. Well, nearly all times. Your mother walks with a limp.

On your second day in London, you espy the PERFECT man for your sister. Lord Gentlebrook. Gentlebook has pots of money and is conveniently single. He is blond. The only potential downside to this union is that Gentlebrook is a snob about singing (by the way, you sing like an angel) and his Best Friend Forever is the notorious rake the duke of Badhoneur.

Badhoneur has black hair and piercing blue eyes. He, too, has pots of money. Pots and pots and pots of it. He is known to consort with married women. In fact, you believe you saw him wink at your mother (who despite her limp is quite attractive). Badhoneur may well have designs on your sister and you despise him the moment he stares down the front of your evening gown. (You’ve always been a bit shy about your bounteous charms.)

1. Who is the hero?

2. Can you identify the sequel bait?

3. What color is Badhoneur’s horse?

Go.

All About Carolyn’s Book Day

Cover of Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel Yesterday was release day for my historical Indiscreet. Wild Applause!!! You can find out more (including links to buy or find a store) at my website. If you’d like, you can read Chapters 1 and 2 (also at my website).

About Carolyn’s Book, Indiscreet

Marrying for love can be a challenge. . .

Edward, Marquess of Foye, would have been happy to continue his life as an unmarried gentleman rake. His brother’s death changed everything. As the last of his line, Edward must now marry. Heart already broken by a capricious young girl, he vows to find an older woman-seasoned, mature. . .and no threat to his feelings.

Falling in love can be dangerous. . .

Sabine Godard was educated by an Oxford don beyond what was proper. Her studies became her salvation after her past left her unwilling to accept the touch of any man. Though she never intended to fall in love, when she and Edward meet, passion defies logic. Together they explore temptation and sensuality, healing old wounds. . .until events require them to risk everything for their love.

Oooh, a review of Carolyn’s Book!

There’s a lovely review of Indiscreet at Dear Author. There are other reviews here and there, too, you can find review links at my website (see above).

How we met

Indiscreet and I met, oh, several months ago now, it’s kind of fuzzy and to be honest, I just didn’t know the book that well. But we hit it off well enough and over the months as I got to know Indiscreet, it turned out we had a lot in common. There was a period there when we almost broke up, but we got into therapy (adverb aversion, primal scream, the Word Watcher’s point system (+100 points for every unjustified use of a sentence fragment or comma splice, +1 billion for scenes that don’t make sense or have no conflict). After that intensive work, we were closer than ever. I’m so proud of all we went through!

Carolyn’s Book is Analog AND Digital

Indiscreet is available in the analog (paper) version, complete with pretty cover (see above) and an author picture in the back. If you’re all about 1’s and 0’s, it’s also available in various eBook formats. Google alerts tell me there are pirates eagerly setting sail for my book, but if you’re going to make me a sad and lonely former writer, I must tell you I don’t believe the book has been pirated yet. You may have to wait to walk the plank. (Please do.)

If you read Indiscreet, I hope you enjoy it!

Have a Happy All About Carolyn’s Book day. Tell a friend.

Thanks for your support.

I recently read Georgette Heyer’s These Old Shades and I must report that the book was a major fail for me. I know many many others love this book, but I did not. I found the authorial voice to be overtly misogynist to the point where it interfered with my ability to enjoy the novel. I very nearly put it down unfinished.

On the other hand, I also recently read Frederica and I loved loved LOVED this book. I would like to know why no one has made a movie of this delightful couple and their love story. Frederica was a major win for me. I think I like it better than Venetia. In these days of Jane Austen remakes, there is plenty of room for Heyer movies. Where the heck are they? The two German movies titled “Frederica” or “Frederika” do not appear to be Heyer’s book.

For those of you who have read These Old Shades, did you like it, and why or why not? What about Frederica?

If someone were to be wise and make a movie out of Frederica, who should be cast? Obviously, Alexander Skarsgard should play the male lead.

Opine in the comments.

I tried to find an on-line make your own mad lib, but the one I found either didn’t work or was designed for collecting emails and since I don’t have time to write an app myself, here’s a Regency Mad Lib for you to play with. It’s probably more fun if you at least mentally go over the list of words, then if you like (please!!) paste the result into a comment so we can all laugh at those wacky Regency heroines!

The mad lib itself is below the list….

  1.  City or Place or just something geological
  2. adjective beginning with a consonant
  3. verb
  4. body part (male or gender neutral)
  5. adjective beginning with a vowel
  6. age
  7. Month
  8. piece of furniture
  9. item found in an office
  10. complimentary adjective
  11. a man’s first name
  12. another man’s first name
  13. amphibian
  14. adverb
  15. adjective
  16. an older Woman’s name
  17. gerund
  18. Day of the week
  19. male profession – something in trade or service
  20. paltry number
  21. Adverb
  22. Heroine’s name

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My dear Lord [1: City or Place or geological something]hamstone

I write to you of a [2: adjective] event that has resulted in it being necessary to [3. verb] myself at your [4. body part] and beg for assistance. Not money. I would never importune you in such an [5. adjective] fashion. But I am but [6. age] and unmarried. My father’s death this past [7. month] in a [8. piece of furniture] accident has left me an orphan. In going through his [9. item found in an office] I have discovered that your [10. complimentary adjective] person is my guardian. My uncle [11. a Man’s first name] has told me I must marry his eldest son [12. another man’s name], who is, not to put too fine a point on it, a [13. amphibian]. He has made [14. adverb] [15. adjective] advances to me. My Aunt [16. woman’s name] is of no assistance in [17. gerund] my virtue. [18. Day of week] last I overheard her bargaining with the [19. male profession] to sell my person to him for the sum of [20. paltry number] pounds.

I beg of you,

Assist me ere it is too late.

Yours ever so [21. adverb]

[22. Heroine’s name].

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Carolyn’s Result (with her son’s assistance]

My dear Lord Stonehamstone

I write to you of a charitable event that has resulted in it being necessary to donate myself at your nostril and beg for assistance. Not money. I would never importune you in such an obese fashion. But I am but eighty-two and unmarried. My father’s death this past June in a sofa accident has left me an orphan. In going through his quill pens I have discovered that your nice person is my guardian. My uncle Merlin has told me I must marry his eldest son Harold, who is, not to put too fine a point on it, a newt. He has made colorfully robotic advances to me. My Aunt Sally is of no assistance in sqwaking my virtue. Monday last I overheard her bargaining with the groom to sell my person to him for the sum of six pounds.

I beg of you,

Assist me ere it is too late.

Yours ever so peacefully

Casey

Posted in Former Riskies | Tagged | 11 Replies

Dear Readers, I give you this awesome link, which no doubt some of you are already familiar with:

BOPCRIS from the University of Southhampton.

BOPCRIS digitisation projects
Digitisation activities
We provide high quality digital images of texts, pictures and maps from bound volumes, foldouts and single sheet documents. Clients include Jane Austen Chawton House Library, British Library, University of London – The Warburg Institute, British History Online, University of Cambridge, University of Bristol, Durham University, London School of Economics, University of Manchester, Newcastle University, University College London, Oxford University Press, University of Warwick, Southampton City Council and the Archaeological Institute.

You might also consider aiding their efforts to raise money to retain the archives noted here. The Broadlands Archives

Filling more than 4,500 boxes of documents, the Archives include hundreds of thousands of papers relating to Lord Palmerston and Lord Mountbatten. They are one of the UK’s most significant family and estate collections.

There’s also this:

British Pamphlets of the 19th Century

The Plymouth Medical Society Historical Collection

Yorkshire Women’s lives, 1100 to the Present.