Yesterday was National Tea Day, and it of course got me looking at period tea resources.

One of the things I found was a small pamphlet from 1785 called The Tea Purchaser’s Guide; or the Lady and Gentleman’s Tea Table and Useful Companion in the Knowledge and Choice of Teas (seriously, they loved long titles in the eighteenth century). It was written by one G. Kearsley of No. 46, Fleet Street, formally of the East India company’s Service “particularly in the Tea Department” (price one shilling).

It has sections on types of tea, judging tea quality, and the making to tea, all of which is great fodder for scenes in books where you need someone to be doing something nonconsequential while events unfold. So while the hero might expound upon snuff, the heroine (or indeed the hero, as men like tea, too!) can talk about tea, or have a calamity where the housekeeper has purchased adulterated tea, or talk about the blending of tea (of which he also gives advice).

I found his opinions about black verses green tea interesting as well. Black tea, he maintains, is injurious to those with coughs, asthma, or other issues with their lungs. In particular, he believes bohea (the lowest quality black tea) will particularly add to your suffering if drunk while ill with any such issues. Green tea on the other hand he says is “of great disadvantage to shattered constitutions, and those that are worn down by long and continued fever.”

What I find most interesting though is his lumping tea in with drugs and warning people not to consume too much of it.

So happy tea drinking! Is there any tidbit of tea history you’d like to share? Please let us know what your favorite obscure tea fact is in the comments. Or just talk about your favorite kind. Mine is Numi’s Basil Mint Pu-Erh, which they have  sadly discontinued. I went a little nutty when they did and bought 20 (100 tea bag) cases. It will be a sad, sad day at my house when those bags are gone…

The topic on my mind today is excerpts. The reason? A new FREE sampler just released –A Taste of Traditional Regencies— put together by four of my Bluestocking League sisters and me. We’ve made it available in all e-formats through all the major ebook outlets, so we hope you’ll accept this gift from us! ‘Tis the season, and all that…. Maybe you’ll discover a new author to love. (I’ll put the links at the end of this post.) Don’t forget that even if you don’t have an e-reader, you can download Kindle for PC for free from Amazon and read on your computer!

The five of us range from “oldies but goodies” to fairly new authors –even if you’ve already read my updated version of The Captain’s Dilemma, I bet there’s at least one of us you haven’t tried. The “theme” of this collection is first books in a series, or of connected books.

The excerpts in the sampler are extended multi-chapter segments. Mine goes into the start of Chapter 6. We figured if we were giving readers a “taste”, we wanted them to really get a taste! But I would love to know –what do you think about excerpts, in general? Does it frustrate you to get that far and have to buy the book to finish the story? Would you rather get a “whiff” instead of a really good taste –i.e. just a short excerpt, a page or less? A few paragraphs? Or do you prefer to get deeply into the story?

Then I wonder, do excerpts really lead you to purchase books? Has reading an excerpt led you to discover a new author you loved? And then, what makes a good excerpt? For short ones, is it a scene that crackles with great sexual tension? A glimpse of an intriguing character? A cliffhanger incident? Or…?? What do you think?

This is a shorter post than I usually write –I’m pressed for time this week, and wouldn’t be surprised if you are, too, with the holidays approaching! But could you take a moment to respond to some of these questions? The feedback would be wonderful! And don’t forget to grab your free sampler.

Also, I want to remind you that we Riskies put together a sampler a while back, and it is still available to you, right here on our website. Look up there in the bar across the top. See where it says “Sampler”?   We didn’t make it available on the regular ebook outlets, as “A Taste” is, but there it is, with eight of us offering samples of our work for free.  Maybe this month you don’t have time to read whole novels, anyway? Stories are more lasting than chocolates, right? Try a sampler and maybe add something new to your wish list.

My next post will be on New Year’s Day, so I want to take a moment now to give you my very best wishes for the holiday season, no matter what you celebrate! I love sharing the blog with you –it always feels like sitting down to tea with a group of great friends. May your holidays be blessed with family, friends, and the warmth of loving hearts. Sending out hugs to you all!

Links for the Free Sampler: A Taste of Traditional Regency Romances, excerpts from Regina Scott, April Kihlstrom, Gail Eastwood, Camille Elliot, and Vanessa Riley.

Amazon: http://tiny.cc/073t6x

B&N: http://tiny.cc/3s4t6x

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/594638

iBooks: http://tiny.cc/6u4t6x

Kobo: http://tiny.cc/804t6x

 

It Happened One Christmas is one of my favorite holiday things–a Regency Christmas Anthology! Even better, it features three novellas by my fellow Harlequin Historical authors–all award-winners:  Carla Kelly, Georgie Lee, and Ann Lethbridge.

These ladies have generously offered to give away one copy of the anthology to one lucky commenter, chosen at random. Winner will be announced by Monday.

Praise for It Happened One Christmas:

“…three wonderful Regency authors showcase the joy of yuletide in novellas that shine with the magic of the season.” —RTBook Reviews

Tell us about It Happened One Christmas.

Georgie: In The Viscount’s Christmas Kiss, Lily and Gregor both learn to overcome their past missteps while dealing with crazy family members during Christmas.

Ann: Instead of a wicked stepmother in Wallflower, Widow…Wife, I thought it might be interesting to have a wicked stepson. Adam, our hero is grumpy, and not ready for the two little girls whom Cassandra has rescued from their charming but villainous stepbrother. Adam, drawn in by the spirit of Christmas he thought long forgotten, finds himself thoroughly embroiled and enchanted.

Carla: Christmas Eve Proposal is one of several Christmas novellas for Harlequin and my story takes place during the Napoleonic wars.

What was it like to write an anthology? Did you coordinate your stories or collaborate?

Ann: I love Christmas so I was pleased to be invited to participate in the Anthology. Each story stands alone, but it was lovely to be in a book two other others whom I enjoy reading.

Georgie: I wrote The Viscount’s Christmas Kiss during Christmas last year and through the beginning of the New Year. It was fun to celebrate Christmas with a story and to keep the holiday spirit going through January.

Carla: I have always enjoyed the added challenge of writing short stories. I also have a Christmas anthology with just my three stories In it, called “Regency Christmas Gifts”. We did not connect our stories in any way.

Did you come across any interesting research in writing your stories?

Carla: I developed a much deeper appreciation for the Royal Navy’s warrant officers, those men who were specialists in their fields. My character Benneit Muir was one of those. The sailing master on a Royal Navy frigate was the senior warrant officer who literally ran the ship, from location of ballast in the hold, to the set of the sails. His job was to be master at speed and maneuverability. A good sailing master could make or break a ship. My father was a warrant officer in the US Navy, and his specialty was aviation electronics, or avionics.

Georgie: I enjoyed researching how people in the Regency celebrated Christmas and then weaving some of their traditions, like Christmas dinner and a servant’s ball into my story. It was also fun to read about how excited students were to be on vacation and to go home for Christmas, just like today.

Ann: My heroine has fled from her home and must support herself and her stepdaughters, and what speaks of more Christmas than the warmth of candlelight? When Cassandra left home, she brought with her a swarm of honeybees and is making candles to sell at the market when the hero kisses her the first time. Researching the keeping of bees and the making of candles during this time was fascinating even if little of the actual research found its way into the story.

What was risky about your stories in It Happened One Christmas?

Georgie: Gregor takes a risk by apologizing to the woman he wronged while winning her heart. There is also a risky Christmas Eve kissing beneath the mistletoe scene where the hero and heroine almost get caught.

Carla: The Napoleonic Wars were still in full force in my story. It’s always risky to give your heart away under wartime circumstances, both for Ben and for Amanda. Even now, people do it, and I respect their courage.

Ann: No, not the bees! After a disastrous marriage, Cassandra takes a big risk in trusting Adam with her secrets. He could easily take the legal position of the day, laws established by men of course, and return her and the girls to their brother.

Tell us something about Christmas in the Regency and how it is shown in your stories.

Georgie: The Christmas carols Hark! the Herald Angels Sing and The Twelve Days of Christmas were both sung in the Regency era and I used them in my story. The Twelve Days of Christmas was really great for when I needed a long Christmas carol to keep the family distracted while the hero and heroine enjoyed a stolen moment together.

Ann: Being British, I realized that many of my family traditions go back to these times, for example making Christmas Pudding and decorating the house with holly and ivy. Though Christmas trees did not become standard in Britain until later in the century, they were traditional in European countries, so like Victoria adopting Prince Albert’s tradition, some other families must have done so as well. Also we know that Charles Dickens speaks of a decorated table top tree in his childhood home and he was born 1812, right at the beginning of the Regency, so I incorporated a German tree lit with real candles in my story.

Carla: The full-blown Christmases that we enjoy today were much less in evidence during the Regency. Ben and Mandy get together during a church service, which, along with a good meal on Christmas day, and perhaps a few presents constituted Christmas.

What is next for each of you?

Carla: Typically, I write two books a year, plus several novellas. Writing is an enviable (at times) job, from which one never need retire.

Georgie: My next book is A Too Convenient Marriage coming out February 1, 2016. It is book two in my Business of Marriage series.

Ann: My next book ties into an earlier book (More than a Mistress) is More Than a Lover and comes out in May 2016. You can find out about all my books at http://www.annlethbridge.com and if you sign up for my newsletter, you will receive a free short story e-book.

The three of us are delighted to offer one lucky winner a copy of It Happened One Christmas.

Please tell us about what you like about Christmas or the Holiday Season. Does your family have any unusual Christmas traditions or funny stories that Happened One Christmas?

Wishing you all the joys of the season and a happy and healthy New Year.

Carla, Georgie and Ann

Bios

Award winning author Georgie Lee was born and raised in San Diego where she also attended college, majoring in television and film production. She began her professional writing career at a local cable TV station writing marketing videos, promotional spots and public service announcements, some of which still haunt the airwaves.

Blinded by the dazzling lights of Hollywood, she headed north to Los Angeles where she earned her MA in Screenwriting, met her husband, and settled into a career in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry. 

A lifelong history buff,  Georgie  hasn’t given up hope that she will one day inherit a title and a manor house. Until then, she fulfills her dreams of lords, ladies and a season in London through her stories.  When not writing, she can be found reading non-fiction history or watching any movie with a costume and an accent.
http://www.georgie-lee.com

Award-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. Carla is best known for her Regency Romances, those novels of manner and wit, made popular more than two centuries ago by Jane Austen. Carla has made certain types of Regencies her own, particularly novels and stories about people who are not lords and ladies. Many of them are hard-working and hard-fighting members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in the Channel Fleet, and the British Army on the Spanish Peninsula.

Carla’s interested in the Regency Era is mainly fueled by her scholarly interest in the Napoleonic Wars on land and sea. She credits her own upbringing with some of this interest. As the daughter of an officer in the U.S. Navy, she crossed the 180th Meridian as a child, and has the certificates to prove that she is a member in good standing of The Domain of the Golden Dragon, since the age of 13 months.

Carla’s other major historical interest is the U.S. Indian Wars (1854-1890). She began her writing career writing short stories about the people who lived in army garrisons throughout the American West. She wrote these stories as a direct result of working as a ranger in the National Park Service at Fort Laramie National Historic Site. Currently, she has gone back another century to write a series about a brand inspector and his wife in the 18th New Mexico. Other novels set in the West are forthcoming, probably along with more Regencies. http://www.carlakelly.com

Ann Lethbridge is an award winning author who has over 30 stories in print and e-book published around the world. She is particularly proud of her 2009 win of the Daphne DuMaurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense for The Rake’s Inherited Courtesan her very first novel with Harlequin.

An army brat, born in England, Ann lived all over Britain in her youth and grew up with a deep appreciation of history. The turn of the millennium seemed like a great time to try something new and the stories in her head were looking for an outlet. Given her love of all things Georgette Heyer, regency romance seemed like a no brainer.

The stories are still calling, the ideas pushing their way forward at the most inopportune moments, and she is ejoying every minute of it. Ann loves to hear from readers and you will find her on facebook, twitter and her website. For all the links go to http://www.annlethbridge.com

I’ve had the most miserable cold recently and it got me thinking about what treatments my characters might have used for my condition (this research also falls into line for my WIP, since I want to have some scenes of the heroine in the stillroom). First things first, did they call it a cold? Yes, the OED assures me they did, as far back as the 16thC. What I had might also have been called rheums or catarrh or influenza depending on the actual symptoms.

Recommendations for treatment include doing nothing (and avoiding sudden changed in temperature), bleeding (of course), the administration of “blisters” to the chest (for lung congestion; this sounds worse than bleeding), and sometimes modern-esque treatments which can be found in the period treatises as well.

In Modern Domestic Medicine (1827), there are lots of recipes and treatment suggestions, some of which sound truly terrifying (like ammonia-based liniments) and some of which sound like basic modern homeopathy (honey for a sore throat).

Anyone have any favorite sickroom romances? I mean, aside from the Restorative Pork Jelly of Frederica?

 

In the spring of 1986 I absorbed a museum exhibit that ranks as the best in my experience. The Treasure Houses of Britain was seen by almost one million people during its six months at Washington’s National Gallery of Art. Like most of the visitors I was amazed, impressed, “gobsmacked” not only by the sheer opulence of the treasures but also by their artistic merit. The memory of that exhibit is as fresh in my mind today as it was when I first wrote on the subject years ago.

According to the National Gallery of Art (DC) website more than “700 objects were gathered from more than 200 homes representing collecting and domestic arts from the 15th to the 20th century.”

Above is one of seventeen period rooms that were constructed to display the objects. It is obviously the most ambitious project ever undertaken by the NGA. Gervase Jackson-Stops chose the art work and the exhibit was structured to showcase each period of collecting by the great families of England.

It was at this exhibit that I first saw the work of master woodcarver Grinling Gibbons. The piece on display was a carving of fish and game, not my favorite subject matter, but the delicacy of the carving amazed me. The work was done in the days before dental drills and dermal tools made intricate carving more accessible. Gibbons work shows an attention to detail that defies the imagination of my contemporary “hurry up and get it done” approach to the craft projects I have undertaken.

Grinling Gibbons was born in Rotterdam in 1648. It’s possible his father was an Englishman who worked with Inigo Jones, who introduced Italianate Renaissance design to the English. Grinling Gibbons came to England in 1667 his talent obviously developed in the nineteen years before he arrived. He was discovered working “in a poor and solitary thatched hut in Kent” by diarist John Evelyn who introduced him to King Charles II through the intercession of Christopher Wren.

His work can be found in dozens of houses and public buildings throughout Britain, including Petworth, Blenheim, Kirtlington Park and also at Windsor, and many of Wren’s London churches. Gibbons and his “workshop” added immense detail and beauty to St Paul’s, London. Arguably the greatest example of his work is found at Petworth in the Carved Room, a small segment of which is shown above. Ignore the paintings  (yes, I know that’s not easy) and look at the work in wood that fills the wall like we use wood paneling today.

Gibbons and his workshop worked in mediums besides wood, but wood best suited the detailed handiwork for which he, himself, is best known. To the right is a detail of his work in wood.

Last year when I visited Biltmore in Asheville North Carolina I noticed a fine wood carving over the mantle in one of the rooms. I’ve been meaning to call the curator and find out if it was by Gibbons. I might do that tomorrow and I will let you know what I find out.

Are you familiar with Gibbons? But, more important tell us about an exhibit that made you stop in your tracks in awe and appreciation.