Author Archives: diane

About diane

Diane Gaston is the RITA award-winning author of Historical Romance for Harlequin Historical and Mills and Boon, with books that feature the darker side of the Regency. Formerly a mental health social worker, she is happiest now when deep in the psyches of soldiers, rakes and women who don’t always act like ladies.

Income Tax and the Regency

Updated on April 18, 2013 by diane

**Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC

Myretta entertained and educated us about some of the odd taxes that existed in and around “our” period. But today is Income Tax Day here in the US, so I went looking for some connection between income tax and the Regency.

There was an income tax during part of the Regency, it turns out.

An income tax was first introduced in 1799 by Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, in order to pay for weapons and equipment for the impending Napoleonic War. It was a graduated income tax, levied at 2 pence a pound in incomes over 60 pounds, increased to 2 shillings per pound on incomes over 200 pounds.

The tax was on income from land, from public securities, from trade, professions, vocations and employment, income from interest, foreign income, and casual income (gambling winnings).

Although Pitt hoped that the tax would raise 10 million pounds, its actual amount for 1799 was 6 million. Later tax on dividend income was added.

Pitt’s income tax was abolished in 1802 when Henry Addington took over as Prime Minister (Pitt had resigned over Catholic Emancipation) and the Treaty of Amiens temporarily ended hostilities with France. Addington reintroduced the income tax a year later when the war started again. It was abolished in 1816, one year after the Battle of Waterloo.

There is another connection between Income Tax and the Regency. The first income tax proposed in the United States was during the War of 1812, which, of course, was with with England during “our” period. Ironically, the US income tax proposal was based on the British Tax Act of 1798. It was never levied, however, because the war ended before it came up for vote.

So….Have you complete your taxes yet? Or are you going to be in line at the Post Office minutes before 12 Midnight?

We did our taxes early this year. We sent them off yesterday!

(**I couldn’t find an Income Taxes image, so enjoy a glimpse of DC’s Cherry Blossoms!)

Posted in Regency, Research | Tagged income tax | 4 Replies

Lavinia Kent and Georgianna: The Last Real Duchess

Updated on April 18, 2013 by diane

Welcome back my friend Lavinia Kent! Lavinia is known for her hot, smart, sexy and intelligent Regency Historicals for Avon. What the Duke Wants, for example. Or her very creative Real Duchesses of London ebook short story series.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lavinia’s Real Duchesses series! But I’m not alone. Here are a few of the Amazon reviews:

“…she managed to capture intense emotions and give great characters even in a really short novella, so kudos!” — Stella (Ex Libris), Of Kathryn, The Kitten.

“Another fun, fresh addition to what is shaping up to be a fantastic set of novellas that feature tests to the bonds of friendship, cattiness, laughter, and the overpowering result of true love.” — Lisa Wolff, of Linette, The Lioness.

“The marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes in romance and Kent’s Elizabeth, The Enchantress is a magnificent marriage of convenience tale.” — Yvonne.

Lavinia has continued the Real Duchesses of London series with a brand new novella — Georgianna: The Last Real Duchess and she’s giving away a Kindle download of the novella (or a copy of a signed copy of an earlier book) to one lucky commenter.

Here’s the Amazon blurb:

Lavinia Kent returns to her iconic Real Duchesses of London series of novellas to tell the story of Georgianna, the last Real Duchess. When Georgianna’s husband. Lord Richard, unexpectedly becomes a duke, the two are brought together and then torn apart as each tries to find a place in their new lives. Georgianna had married for love – only to discover her husband’s mistress. Now the two find themselves sharing residence at the ducal estate. Are circumstance and passion enough to bring the two together? Can Richard reveal the love he has barely admitted to himself? Can Georgianna forgive him for all the hurt and lies?
Will one night of passion become a lifetime of love?

Welcome back, Lavinia! Tell us about The Real Duchesses of London series and about Georgianna, The Last Real Duchess.

I had so much fun writing this series. I loved the idea of writing about a group of strong women who would support each other during hard times. The first four novellas are definitely tied together in an overarching story.

Georgianna is more of a stand-alone story, although the other duchesses do appear.

I had originally hoped to write her story as full-length novel, but time and circumstance got in the way. I had a hard time cutting some of the earlier scenes to create something tighter, but I think in the end I succeeded in creating a novella about emotional trust.

You created quite a challenge for yourself. Both writing short novellas AND planning a series. How did you manage it?

The first four were relatively easy – except for the time pressure involved in writing a novella a month. They left me feeling a little burned out. I discovered that I get so attached to my characters when writing, that I needed more time to make the transition to the next hero and heroine.

I found writing Georgianna to be more difficult because I wasn’t following my original plan, but I still wanted to write a compelling love story.

What is risky about Georgiana, The Last Real Duchess?

Georgianna has to learn to trust a man who has completely betrayed her. Everything she believed when she fell in love and married turned out to be a big lie. She must make the decision to take a great risk, rather than live without love.

Did you come across any interesting research while writing the novella (or the series)?

I had a lot of fun researching political cartoons when I was working on the earlier four books of the series. I enjoyed thinking about the different ways information has been distributed over time. We take so much for granted today about how quickly information spreads. It was interesting to consider how differently a scandal would spread during the Regency.

For Georgianna, I researched funerals, but none of my work made it onto the page when I shortened the story. I’m saving it for later.

What’s the connection between the caricature of the Real Duchesses on your website and Risky Regencies?

The fabulous Janet Mullany’s daughter drew the original sketch for the caricature. I loved it, and it helped make the characters really come alive in my mind.

You’ve recently embarked on an indy published series. Tell us about it. How can readers find the books?

The series is called The Desire Series and consists of three books: Hint of Desire, Price of Desire, and Taste of Desire. This series is a prequel to my books for Avon. The hero of my first book, A Talent for Sin is the younger brother of the hero in Taste of Desire.

The series is currently on available on Amazon for Kindle, but I am working on increasing formats.

What’s next for you?

Ahh, the most difficult question of all. Currently, I’m working on (and about to finish) a prequel novella for a brand new regency series. This series is completely unrelated to any of the books I’ve already written.

If all goes as planned, this series will be darker and more erotic than my current books.

I’m also working on a steampunk romance that requires more world building than I’ve ever done before. It features a wonderful hero, and I’m working hard at getting him out of my head and onto page.

Thank you for having me at Risky Regencies. I love having the chance to visit.

And now my question for readers – one of whom will win either a Kindle copy of Georgianna: The Last Real Duchess or a signed copy of one of my earlier books.

At the end of the prequel I’m currently writing, the hero sends the heroine a gift. I’m debating whether he should give her a beautiful enameled hand mirror or kitten. There are reasons why each would be appropriate.

The hero has never actually seen the heroine’s face, and in the next book he will recognize the heroine because of the gift.

So, mirror or kitten? Help!

Posted in Giveaways, Interviews | Tagged Lavinia Kent, Real Duchesses of London | 16 Replies

Venus de Milo

Updated on April 18, 2013 by diane

Today marks the 193rd anniversary of the discovery of the Venus de Milo on the Aegean island of Melos. In 1820 Melos was under the rule of the Ottoman Turks.

The famous statue, broken into several pieces, was discovered by a farmer who’d been removing stones from and ancient wall. He showed his discovery to two French ensigns whose ships were in port. One of the ensigns, Jules Dumont d’Urville, later told the Comte de Marcellus, secretary to the Marquis de Rivière, the French ambassador in Constantinople, who convinced the ambassador that he should purchase the statue and present it as a gift to restored King Louis XVIII.

Marcellus traveled to Melos only to discover that the statue had been sold to a provincial pasha but the local officials were convinced that France had the earlier claim. Marcellus paid the officials 250 francs and the farmer, 750. The Turks also fined the officials for not holding the statue for the French, but Rivière reimbursed them in return for a quittance so that the claim on the statue could not be disputed. (Although it later was disputed by the Germans who claimed they owned the land upon which it was discovered. That dispute continued into the twentieth century)

The Venus de Milo arrived in Paris and was presented to the king in March, 1821, although he was too obese to see it and did not see it for another year. Its restoration was under the supervision of the Comte de Forbin who had been named director of the Louvre in 1816. The Venus de Milo became a source of pride for France, a worthy rival to the British Museum’s acquisition of the Elgin Marbles and some compensation for the loss of the Apollo Belvedere and the Venus de’ Medici, both returned to Italy after Napoleon’s defeat.

More controversy ensued as to the age of the statue. Was it a masterpiece of the Classical Age or an example from the later, less prestigious Hellenistic period? The latter won out eventually and the Louvre dates the statue from around 120 BC.

Another dilemma was whether the arms should be restored. All that was discovered of the arms was a fragment of a hand holding an apple. Ultimately Forbin decided not to restore the arms.

The Comte de Forbin led a rather exciting life. An artist, in the early 1800s he was the lover of Napoleon’s sister, Pauline. When she tired of him, he was sent to war, distinguishing himself in battle
and winning a Legion of Honor. He also had an affair with Madame Récamier. Both women are immortalized in the Louvre. Pauline in a statue of by Canova; Récamier in a portrait by David.

Jules Dumont d’Urville, one of the ensigns who was originally shown the Venus, rose to become a rear admiral and a renowned French explorer, botanist and cartographer. He explored the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. He is mentioned by Jules Verne in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Dumont d’Urville and his whole family died in the flames of the Versailles train crash, France’s first railway disaster.

Have you seen the Venus de Milo? What is your favorite statue, ancient or not?

Posted in Research | Tagged Venus di Milo | 6 Replies

April Fools

Updated on April 18, 2013 by diane

What is the origin of April Fools Day?

No one knows for sure, but it is speculated that it came about when the French calendar was reformed in the sixteenth century, moving the start of the year from March to January 1. Some people who clung to the old calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year from March 25 to April 1, had tricks played on them. The pranksters would stick paper fish on their backs. Thus they were called Poisson d’Avril, ‘April Fish,’ the name the French call April Fools even today.

April fools jokes have continued through the years. Near “our” time period a clever one was pulled off.

In 1860 a postcard was sent to several people admitting two to the Tower of London to view the annual ceremony of washing the White Lions on April 1. The invitees were instructed that they would be admitted only at the White Gate.