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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.

A Wellington Poor Excuse For A Blog Redux plus the Olympics

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Today I’m swamped with a writing deadline and a minor family delay and to top it off, I’m also a guest at USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog (Stop by and say hi–please!!!).

So I’m going to cheat a little here at Risky Regencies and give you a redux of a blog I wrote in 2009.

But I can’t start the week without saying a “WAY TO GO” to London and the UK for a fabulously done Olympics! I didn’t get to watch as much as I would have liked, but I kept up with the highlights and am proud of our USA team (especially the women) and of the British team, coming in THIRD in medal count. That is amazing. Something to add to that British pride so greatly showcased throughout the whole Olympics.

Back to my old blog….When in doubt (or on deadline) who can you turn to but Wellington? I mean, he saved the day from Napoleon, didn’t he?

Here’s the text of the 2009 blog:

As a certified Wellington Groupie (Kristine Hughes is the founding member) and in continuing honor of the Waterloo Anniversary, I thought I would simply share some of my Wellington-related photos and thoughts.

When I first fell in raptures about Wellington (or dear Artie, as Kristine calls him), it was at Stratfield Saye, Wellington’s country house. Of all the houses we saw on that 2003 trip to England, Stratfield Saye seemed the most like it was a home. It was a home. The present duke’s son and his family live there, but you could still feel the first Duke in every room. An outer building housed the funeral carriage that carried the Duke’s body through London. A recording played of all his honors, as had been read out during his funeral. I realized that this had been a truly great man.


On that trip we also got to go up to the top of the Wellington Arch in London, and of course we toured Apsley House, also known as Number One London. Apsley House felt more like a museum than a house and well it should. It was filled with wonderful art and artifacts.

Also in London we visited Lock and Co, a Hatters shop that has been in Mayfair since 1676. On display there are Wellington’s and Nelson’s hats, instantly recognizable.

I don’t claim to be an expert on Wellington. I’ve just read one biography (and can’t remember which one it was), but I think of him as a man with great integrity, courage and honor. As a boy he didn’t show much promise, but his mother sent him to a military academy in Europe (near Waterloo, I think) and he found his strength. As a military man he understood how to use his resources, he was clever, and he was brave. He rode the battlefield during Waterloo, was everywhere he could be and ignored the danger to himself. He cared about his men. One of my favorite Wellington quotes is: “Nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.”

He was not a good husband, although he felt honor-bound to marry his wife, because she thought they were betrothed and had waited for him while he served in India. He had many dalliances throughout their marriage and one has to wonder how his wife felt as this man grew in greatness and increasingly left her behind. His sons could not match his success. Who could? I like this quote from his son after the Duke’s death, “Imagine what it will be when the Duke of Wellington is announced, and only I walk in the room.”

The Duke was a man who was very sure of himself and his opinions. I suspect he had a big ego, but he also had a sense of humor. In the display at Lock and Co. was a little caricature of Wellington, making fun of the term Wellington boot for the style of boot he favored. At Stratfield Saye there was a room papered with hundreds of caricatures of the Duke, which I thought was akin to a writer papering a bathroom with rejection letters. The boot one was was there, too.

What is your opinion of the Duke of Wellington? Pro and Con. Any favorite quotes or vignettes of his life?

Back to 2012…Or what was your favorite Olympic moment?

A Not So Respectable Gentleman? is still on sale! Get it while you can and enter my new contest!

Next week I promise something original….

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Summer Malaise

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The Riskies are dropping like flies! First Elena’s sinus infection, now Megan.

Megan is under the weather today but will be, we trust, back on her feet by next week. Meanwhile, send some remedies for the various summer bugs that are abounding.

What will make Megan feel better?

What book should be her “comfort read?”

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To The Sea – Brighton’s Royal Pavilion

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When my children were young, this was the time of year we would always spend a week at the beach. My In-laws then owned a condo at North Myrtle Beach, SC, and every year we would vacation there. It was a great condo, right on the beach, on the third floor and facing the ocean. It had three bedrooms and two full baths, plus a screened in balcony. We went there so many years that it felt like home and North Myrtle Beach was nearly as familiar as our neighborhood.

During the Regency, the Prince Regent also owned a “beach house.” His house was at the beach resort town of Brighton and he, too, “vacationed” there.

The Prince first visited Brighton in 1783 at aged twenty-one, in the company of his fast-living uncle, The Duke of Cumberland, partly to escape the constraints of his father’s court and partly for health reasons. His physicians thought sea-bathing would ease the swelling of glands of his neck. By 1786 he purchased a modest Brighton residence and shortly thereafter he hired Henry Hollard to build him a grander residence, a neo-classical structure with a central domed rotunda surrounded by Ionic columns. His residence was nearby the villa where he’d installed Mrs. Fitzherbert, his secret wife.

The Prince’s presence in Brighton was a boon to the town’s economy. Soon the fashionable world followed him to Brighton, and more elegant residences were built for them. Brighton remained the fashionable place for the elite to spend their summers. During these years the Prince hired architect P. F. Robinson to expand the beach house. He also purchased the land around what was named the Marine Pavilion. The stable he had built between 1803 and 1808, in the Indian style, soon dwarfed the pavilion. There was nothing to do but make his beach house even grander.

By this time (1815) the Prince had became Prince Regent, and he hired John Nash as the architect to redesign the exterior. The Prince Regent wanted the house built in an Indian style, like the stables. Nash had never traveled to India, but he was inspired by drawings in William and Thomas Daniell’s four volume Oriental Scenery and the result is the building as it appears today.

The interiors of the Pavilion were designed by Frederick Crace and Robert Jones and their rooms are a remarkable sight to see. I was lucky enough to visit the Royal Pavilion in 2003 and walked through those rooms. These images can’t quite do them justice. The house was completed in 1823. By that time the Prince had become King George IV.

The Royal Pavilion, in my opinion, is the perfect beach house, because it is decorated in a style you’d never live with at home. It just skirts the boundary between beautiful and tacky (but lands mostly on the beautiful side).

Amanda, remember that the Royal Pavilion does weddings! You could be married in the Grand Saloon and have your wedding sit-down in the dining room!! I’d so totally come for it!

Where is your favorite beach vacation? And do you think Amanda should be married in Brighton at the Royal Pavilion?

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Extreme Weather, 1814 Style

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Today the news will be filled with weather reports, as we in the US discover if Tropical Storm Isaac turns into a hurricane and if it will hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, where Katrina did such devastating damage in 2005.

For my blog today, I went looking for extreme weather during the Regency period. And I found it! What amazing synchronicity.

Almost 198 years to this day, a storm figured in the burning of Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812.

On August 19, 1814, British warships sailed up the Patuxent River. The British army disembarked in Maryland and defeated the American forces at the Battle of Bladensburg.  The British marched on to Washington, D.C. on August 24, while government officials and residents fled the city, including, at the last minute, the First Lady, Dolley Madison, who rescued the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington.

Unfortunately for the British, there were no representatives of government left in the nation’s capitol to surrender, so, after eating a dinner meant for Dolley Madison’s party in the White House, the British admiral gave the order to burn the public buildings of the city. The White House and Capitol were still burning on August 25 when a severe thunderstorm struck. It is thought that a  tornado tore through the city, catching the British troops by surprise. Several soldiers were killed in the storm’s destruction, and the storm stopped the further spread of the fire.

Afterward the admiral asked a Washington lady, “Great God, Madam! Is this the kind of storm to which you are accustomed in this infernal country?”

“No, sir,” the lady replied. “This is a special interposition of Providence to drive our enemies from our city.”

The British left hours later, returning to their ships, which had also suffered damage in the storm.

There is a more detailed account of the storm here.

Interesting note for those of us who love books. The Library of Congress which was then housed in the Capitol, was destroyed by the fire. One year later, Thomas Jefferson sold his personal library to Congress to replace the lost books. More about Jefferson’s library here.

Are you in Isaac’s path? If so, stay safe. Do you have any storm memories? I remember driving in every direction after Hurricane Agnes, looking for a way to get home that wasn’t blocked by water.

I’ll select yesterday’s winner after midnight tonight. So there is still time to comment on guest Laurel Hawkes’ blog for a chance to win.

If you are near Raleigh/Durham, NC, on Wednesday Aug 29, I’m going to be doing a reading from A Not So Respectable Gentleman? at Lady Jane’s Salon. I’d love to see some Risky readers there!

Posted in Regency, Research | Tagged | 8 Replies

A Promise of Possibilities (Endless Possibilities Book One) by Laurel Hawkes

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Diane here. I don’t think we Riskies have hosted an Inspirational author before, but I’m delighted to introduce my friend, Laurel Hawkes (aka frequent Risky commenter “Judy”). I met Laurel through a mutual friend. Actually both Laurel and her friend were readers who became friends of mine. As such I’ve been very lucky to watch as Laurel has gained her courage, developed her writing skills, and reached this great moment–her debut.
 
A Promise of Possibilities is an Inspirational Historical set in the Regency period. 
 
A Promise of Possibilities was released by Desert Breeze Publishing, an ebook publisher, so there aren’t the usual reviews. Here’s what one Amazon reviewer said of Laurel’s book (and you’ll see why I selected this one 😉 ):

I love Regency romances and in particular Diane Gaston, Anne Gracie, the earlier Lisa Kleypas …and this debut novel by Laurel Hawkes is amazing in its depth of characterization, its complexity (by that I mean its gritty realism — the ugliness, and beauty, of real life as opposed to the shallow plots found in so many romances), and in the heart-wrenching situation of its heroine and hero. I’d rather not give the plot away, that would be spoiling it– read the blurb!

Laurel will be giving away one ebook copy of A Promise of Possibilities to one lucky commenter. 
 
Now, without further ado, meet my friend, Laurel Hawkes.
 
Thanks, Diane, for asking me to be a guest at Riskies. I never in my wildest dreams believed I’d enjoy such an honor. 
 
Welcome, Laurel! Tell us about A Promise of Possibilities. 
 
In England, 1816, spinster Elizabeth Thorn has been more slave than servant as her father’s housekeeper. The courageous war stories shared by author Paul Silver inspire her to correspond with him. But after years of heartfelt letters, he stops replying… 
 
Jonathan Silverton blames himself for the brutal death of his best friend. When he moves to the countryside and unexpectedly meets his correspondent, he chooses not to reveal his secrets. But he cannot deny his desire to marry her, while hoping she’ll never discover the truth. Shattered trust and faith may tear them apart…until they each learn a vital lesson.
 
Yes, I know, it’s the blurb, but I worked hard on it, had some help from some amazing writers, and I’m proud of it. LOL!
 
What gave you the idea to write this book?
 
Funnily enough, my friend Constance Wagner enjoyed my Lord of the Rings fan fiction and thought I should try a historical romance. My first response was a no, because I didn’t believe I could. I thought about her request for a half hour and emailed her again telling her I’d give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen?
 
A Promise of Possibilities is your debut book. Tell us about your journey to publication, especially how writing fan fiction (like another mega-best-selling author) led you to this moment.
 
I actually started with writing short essays, telling the story of the Lord of the Rings “Through Frodo’s Eyes.” I wanted to explore Frodo’s journey from a personal perspective. A dear friend wrote her own romance for Frodo, wishing he’d had an HEA. I offered to edit, and the next thing I knew I was writing my own bits. I told her she’d have to write the romantic parts and the dialogue because I couldn’t. It became a running joke once I discovered how much I enjoy writing both. I started writing contemporary romances, with no real plan for publishing, and then I was asked to write APoP with an eye toward publishing. I kept taking the next step.
 
A Promise of Possibilities is an Inspirational Historical Romance. Tell us how an Inspirational Historical differs from an Historical.
 
The characters’ faith plays a significant role in the story. Both the heroine and the hero explore how God fits into their lives and their relationship.
 
Your bio says that someone told you that you would never succeed as a writer. How did that affect you and how did you overcome it? 
 
I believed them and put writing on the shelf. Years later, in 2002, I was profoundly affected by the LOTR movies. I felt very much like Frodo’s story was my own in many ways. I started making significant changes in my life. The first was realizing how cut off from my feelings I’d been. Because of my love for LOTR, I became involved in the community and discovered a lot of amazing people. We shared ideas, silliness, and our writing. Some of them are truly gifted writers, with no desire to move beyond the fandom writing. I had a few ideas floating around in my head, and risked sharing them. They were incredibly supportive. The next thing I knew, I was writing all hours of the day and night. There are people in my life with whom I don’t share my writing. I’ve been blessed with a lot of people who have been wonderfully supportive. I joined my local RWA chapter, Desert Rose, in 2007, still not truly believing I’d ever publish, simply taking the next logical step and the next step.
 
Your bio says you lived in Thailand and England. How was it you lived in those very different countries?
 
I was a missionary in Thailand, an amazing experience. When I returned home I attended travel agency school. We had a field trip planned to Mexico. I landed in the hospital, unable to travel. The cost to Europe wasn’t much more. I stayed the summer with family friends, taking a bus tour to Scotland and hopping across the channel to Holland and then France.
 
What is next for you?
 
A Promise of Possibilities is the first of three books in the Endless Possibilities Series following the Thorn siblings. Matthew’s story, Hidden Possibilities, releases in March 2013, and James’s Unexpected Possibilities releases in October 2013. I also have a contemporary series, The Silver Locket Sisterhood, with the first book, Luck in Love, coming out in November 2012.
 
When I find an author I love, I’ll read anything they write, no matter the genre. Obviously, I’m writing in two different genres and toying with a time travel idea. What about you, do you read only one genre or do you delve into other genres as well?
 
Thanks again for inviting me to Riskies.
Thank you for being our guest! And, Readers, don’t forget. Comment for a chance to win an ebook copy of A Promise of Possibilities. 
Posted in Giveaways, Interviews | Tagged , | 31 Replies