Highlighting Historical Romance: Jessica Cale

Today we sit down for a cozy chat with Jessica Cale, author of some outstanding romances set in during the English Restoration. Be sure to read down and enter her Rafflecopter giveaway, too. Did you base your characters on real people? Yes and no. Alice and Jack developed naturally throughout the series, and they are […]

Highlighting Historical Romance: Barbara Monajem

Lord Quickthorn’s Bargain, Barbara’s novella in the anthology Passionate Promises (released last week), centers around a holy or fairy well. Today she shares what she learned about them ______________________________________________ I’m pretty sure the idea first came to me while reading a folklore book, An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, & Other Supernatural Creatures by […]

Monday Motivations: Folks

I come from storytelling folk. Both of my parents were great raconteurs, their stories always began wonderful and often got better in each retelling. Of course, they also delighted in correcting each other’s version of the story. I was never sure if they each thought theirs were more accurate or just more entertaining. My dad […]

Highlighting Historical Romance: Allison Merritt

Today we feature Allison Merritt , who’s story, A Duke Worth His Salt, is based on the French fairy tale “The Dirty Shepherdess..”  This novella is included in the boxed set, Once Upon A Regency. About the Story Lady Eleanor never doubts her father’s love, but when he suffers a head wound and forgets his […]

Monday Motivations: Kind Words

Ok, I admit it. I’m a sucker for kind words.  The authors I know do what they do for a wide variety of reasons.  I realized long ago that I tell stories so people will read them. Nothing keeps me going like finding out someone has read one of my books and liked it. I […]

But Education is a Dangerous Thing

I outlined my passion for women’s education in my last post. Why did society not only overlook but actively oppose women’s education? For one thing, it was not uncommon for parents to fear that an excess of education ruined a girl’s chances of a good marriage. The church fretted about the decline of the family […]

Passion Feeds Creativity

Every writer’s work is fueled by their passions. One of mine is educational opportunity for women. Historically it didn’t exist.  I’ve written extensively on the subject in this blog in the past.** I had the good fortune to attend an excellent girls’ high school and wonderful women’s college, both of which pushed excellence and valued […]

The Belles’ Holiday Wassailing Tour: Course #6

Welcome to the sixth stop on the Belles Holiday Wassailing Tour. Surely you are still in a party mood, even after five previous stops!The Duchess of Murnane and her brother, the Earl of Chadbourn, the hero of A Dangerous Nativity welcome you to Eversham Hall. The duchess fears she is indisposed and not up to […]

Here We Come a-Wassailing

Waes Hael one and all—good health to you! Wassail is a drink involving ale, sugar, eggs, spices and sometimes wine. Sometimes it is called Lambs wool.  Wassailing is also the custom of going house to house with Christmas greetings, more or less what we would call caroling, with hopes of being invited in for a […]