Traditionally, syllabub was made by milking a cow into a bowl of ale or cider.  This gave a frothy top to the liquor and so it was partly eaten, partly drunk.  Gradually in the 17th century, milk and ale were replaced by cream and wine, whipped together, which produced a creamy froth on a liquor base.  During the 18th century, the proportion of cream was increased so that no separation took place and the resulting ‘everlasting syllabub’ existed alongside the separated version throughout the 1700s.

- Hannah Glasse The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy.

Most of us haven’t got a cow readily available to milk *g* so here’s the recipe I use for an Everlasting Syllabub – and extremely delicious it is too!

1/2 pint double cream

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon brandy

1 tablespoon sherry

2 oz. caster sugar

Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Whisk until light but not too thick.  Place the mixture into small glasses and refrigerate until required.  Serve with almond biscuits.

High Life (1764) - Thomas Rowlandson

Lyme Regis – ah Lyme Regis! How can a place wiggle its way into your heart and stay there, no matter to where it’s compared?

Most years, since I was five, I’ve gone to Lyme. Sometimes for a full-blown holiday, sometimes just a long weekend, occasionally only for the day. This summer I managed a quick stopover, just for the night. I was desperate to get there, as I missed a trip last year due to having the puppy. I was concerned about how he’d cope with such a long journey but also how anywhere we stayed would cope with him (and his chewing and mess!)

It was busy. The weather was warm and, after the long and bitter winter we’ve endured, people obviously wanted to get on the beach and make the most of the sun. Even though I prefer Lyme in its quieter months, I still got pleasure from being there. The sky seems more brilliant, the air milder and, for a landlocked midlander like me, it’s exhilarating to be by the sea.

But why has it such a hold over me?

It’s just a seaside town, albeit one with rich literary connections. Jane Austen famously set her pivotal scene in Persuasion on the seawall; Tennyson loved it, as did Beatrix Potter, and John Fowles encapsulated its charm in The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Even so, it’s still just a seaside town, with a harbour, the usual smattering of amusements and beach huts. And there are some drawbacks! Some shops and restaurants have been known to close for lunch, even in the high season, the locals aren’t all that friendly. As for parking – it’s a nonsense – and expensive when you eventually find a space. Nearby Seaton works so much harder to attract the tourist.

But it still has a pull. If I haven’t been there for a while, I get twitchy. I need my Lyme ‘fix’.

Over the years, I’ve watched as different groups have ‘discovered’ it. For a while, it was populated by surfing dudes, with seal-like wetsuits and bleached hair. When the pound was weak, the French, Dutch and Germans came over on the ferry connection. For a while, ‘Chelsea tractors’ towed expensive motor boats out of the harbour. And it’s always had its fans with the family holiday buckets and spades brigade.

But I’m selfish. I like it best early in the morning in autumn, when the crowds have gone, the tide is high, and I can walk on my beloved Cobb, dodge the sea spray and dream I’m Sarah Woodruff. Then the air is clear, the views across to Portland Bill are good and I have it to myself.

For more information on Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast see:

www.lymeregis.com

www.lymeregis.org

Special guests will be Heyer expert Vic Sanborn of Jane Austen’s World and Deb Werksman, acquiring editor of Sourcebook Casablanca and the catalyst in re-introducing Heyer to a new generation of readers in the US.

Thirty fellow Heyer enthusiasts will be joining in the festivities, contributing book reviews of all her romance novels – look out for my review of Lady of Quality on 31st August.

It’s going to be fun so make sure you pop over to Austenprose.com and follow this bang up to the mark event as it happens!

Here’s a full listing of what’s coming up:

Georgette Heyer Event Schedule

Sun Aug 01

Event intro

Deb Werksman Interview

Review of Georgette Heyer’s Regency World, Laurel Ann – Austenprose

Mon Aug 02

The Black Moth, Aarti – Book Lust

Powder and Patch, Lucy – Enchanted by Josephine

Wed Aug 04

These Old Shades, Keira – Love Romance Passion

The Masqueraders, Helen – She Reads Novels

Fri Aug 06

Devil’s Cub, Meredith – Austenesque Reviews

The Convenient Marriage, Laurel Ann – Austenprose

Sun Aug 08

Regency Buck, Susan Holloway Scott – Two Nerdy History Girls

The Talisman Ring, Ana – An Evening at Almack’s

Mon Aug 09

An Infamous Army, Elaine Simpson Long – Random Jottings of a Book and Opera Lover

The Spanish Bride, Kelly – Jane Austen Sequel Examiner

Wed Aug 11

The Corinthian, Danielle – A Work in Progress

Faro’s Daughter, Joanna – Regency Romantic

Fri Aug 13

The Reluctant Widow, Jane Greensmith – Reading, Writing, Working, Playing

The Foundling, Claire – The Captive Reader

Sun Aug 15

Arabella, Kara Louise – Delightful Diversions

The Grand Sophy, Meg – Write Meg

Mon Aug 16

Interview with Vic – Jane Austen’s World

Friday’s Child, Vic – Jane Austen’s World

Wed Aug 18

The Quiet Gentleman, Deb Barnum – Jane Austen in Vermont

Cotillion, Alexa Adams – First Impressions

Fri Aug 20

The Toll-Gate, Laura – Laura’s Reviews

Bath Tangle, Deb Barnum – Jane Austen in Vermont

Sun Aug 22

Sprig Muslin, Laura – Laura’s Reviews

April Lady, Becky Laney – Becky’s Book Reviews

Mon Aug 23

Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle, Laurel Ann – Austenprose

Venetia, Laurel Ann – Austenprose

Wed Aug 25

The Unknown Ajax, Brooke – The Bluestocking Guide

A Civil Contract, Elaine Simpson Long – Random Jottings of a Book and Opera Lover

Fri Aug 27

The Nonesuch, Marie – Burton Review

False Colours, Kristen – BookNAround

Sun Aug 29

Frederica, Nicole – Linus’ Blanket

Black Sheep, Katherine – November’s Autumn

Mon Aug 30

Cousin Kate, Chris – Book-A-Rama

Charity Girl, Dana Huff – Much Madness is Divinest Sense

Tues Aug 31

Lady of Quality, Elizabeth Hanbury – Elizabeth Hanbury Blog

Event wrap-up

Sat Sep 07

Giveaway winners announced

Promenades, assemblies and balls were all in the spirit of the era, but dressing up in exotic costumes with the added frisson of excitement brought about by disguise, gave masquerades and masked balls a touch of glamour.

The first person to introduce masquerades into England and stage them commercially was the Swiss impresario Count Heidegger. John James (Johann Jacob) Heidegger was manager of the King’s Theatre, Haymarket and became known as the ‘First Minister of Masquerades’. He later held the title of ‘Master of the Revels’ to George II. From 1710, when there were no stage performances, Heidegger transformed his theatre into a ballroom and charged a penny a ticket. The auditorium and pit were floored over and 500 candles lit the scene.

In this circa 1724 painting by Guiseppe Grisoni, richly costumed masked guests promenade between two side tables of food.

It’s worth noting that the moment of unmasking could lead to pleasure as well as disappointment. Fanny Burney wrote in 1770: The old witch in particular we found was a young officer. The Punch who made himself as broad as long was a very handsome man, but what surprised me was the shepherd whose own face was so stupid we could scarcely tell whether he had taken off his mask or not … ‘

Masked balls in the houses of the nobility were events in the social calendar and highly anticipated. When the Duke of Richmond was taken ill and a masked ball had to be postponed, it caused, according to Horace Walpole, ‘a sad alarm in the kingdom of white satin and muslin.’

Teresa Cornleys, a singer from Vienna, became known as the Heidegger of her age shortly after her arrival in London in 1756. Madame Cornleys as she became known dominated the masquerade scene for nearly 50 years. Following Vauxhall and Ranelagh, she developed subscription masquerades at Carlisle House, thus encouraging a fashionable clientele. They became incredibly popular and in 1770 the House of Commons was adjourned to allow people to attend. Lord Galway’s daughter caused a sensation by appearing in a dress embroidered with jewels, said to be worth £60,000. Lord Shelburne went dressed as a Turk, the Duke of Grafton as a jockey and the Prime Minister Lord North as a Harlequin. Captain Watson, a Guards officer, appeared as Adam but in his clinging, flesh-coloured tights he appeared naked and was forced to leave!

Favourites choices for ladies’ costumes were Diana the Huntress, a shepherdess, Melpomene and a Vestal Virgin. At Ranelagh and Vauxhall, there was even a dressing room for last-minute disguising.

John Raphael Smith’s painting ‘Promenade at Carlisle House, Soho Square’ is thought to show society beauties Harriet Montagu and Maria Townley, with the figure at the doorway the artist himself.

But things went downhill for Madame Cornleys. In 1771, she was fined £50 for holding a masquerade without a licence and was declared bankrupt the following year. The main cause of her downfall was the opening of the larger, more attractive assembly rooms in Oxford Street – The Pantheon. The Pantheon put on masquerades in open competition to Carlisle House and although Madame Cornleys staged comebacks, she was eventually forced to sell. Carlisle House was demolished in 1788.

The Pantheon was designed by the then almost unknown James Wyatt. Estimates of the building costs vary, but it was at least £30,000. The architecture echoed some of the features of it’s Roman namesake and Mr. Burney stated some years later that it was ‘regarded both by natives and foreigners, as the most elegant structure in Europe, if not on the globe… . No person of taste in architecture or music, who remembers the Pantheon, its exhibitions, its numerous, splendid, and elegant assemblies, can hear it mentioned without a sigh!’

At the outset, standards and social tone were high. When it opened on 27 January 1772, up to fifty pounds was paid for tickets for the first night which attracted over seventeen hundred members of high society including all the foreign ambassadors and eight dukes and duchesses. During the first winter there were assemblies only, without dancing or music, three times a week. In subsequent seasons the entertainments included a mixture of assemblies, masquerades and subscription concerts.

In the 1780s the popularity of the Pantheon declined. After the destruction of the King’s Theatre by fire in 1789, it was converted into an opera house on a twelve year lease. James Wyatt was once again the architect. After only one complete season of opera the Pantheon was burnt to the ground in 1792.

By 1795 the structure had been rebuilt in a similar but not identical form and it was leased as a place of assembly to provide masquerades and concerts. The principal room of this reincarnation was not a rotunda but consisted of “an Area or Pit, … and a double tier of elegant and spacious Boxes, in the centre of which is a most splendid one for the Royal Family”. The Pantheon reopened with a masquerade on 9 April 1795 but the revived assembly rooms were a failure.

From 1798 to 1810 the shareholders reverted to the original custom of managing the Pantheon themselves but the popularity of the entertainments continued to decrease and it suffered the same decline in standards that affected Carlisle House.

It became the haunt of ‘a motley crowd of peers and pickpockets, honourables and dishonourables, demireps, quidnuncs and quack doctors.’ Ladies wore increasingly risque costumes while men were clad in loose-hooded cloaks and half-masks (known as dominos). Behaviour grew more licentious and this print (right) by Rowlandson gives a clue to the riotous evenings that were taking place by the early years of the 19th century.

In 1811–12 the building was converted into a theatre, but this was aslo unsuccessful and the career of the Pantheon as a place of public entertainment came to a close in 1814, when it was turned into a Bazaar. The site is now occupied by Marks & Spencer.

You normally write novels, what inspired you to write a collection of short stories?

I’ve always loved reading short stories so it was a natural progression to write them. Midsummer Eve at Rookery End seemed a good way of introducing readers to my writing, and I liked the idea of stories being connected by a theme on which I could hang a number of plots.

I’ve never subscribed to the ‘I’ve just got into it and then it’s all over’ point of view on shorts. In my opinion a well-written, carefully crafted short story brightens any day. It can also act as a palate cleansing sorbet between novel-sized courses.

Short stories are fabulous when you are pushed for time and need a quick fiction fix. Contrary to perceived wisdom, they seem to be enjoying a revival in popularity if, indeed, the demand for them ever went away. There is no doubt the format suits today’s hectic lifestyle and desire for immediacy. Coupled with more small presses and publishing platforms springing up, conditions seem perfect for short stories. Let’s see more of them.

Of course, I love novels too. One form of storytelling is not worth less than another, they are just different.

Was it easier writing short stories?
The end is always in sight so that’s a big plus. It’s a cliché, but every word counts in a short story which makes for lean, elegant prose and a great read.
Also, it is often a better format for concepts that would feel overstretched in novels.
The main difficulty is amount of plot and characterisation. You have to get enough in there to engage the reader, but you can’t go overboard on detail because of the word count. It’s a fine balance, but if you can get it right – woohoo!

Why did you pick Midsummer Eve out of all the possible festivals in the year?

Midsummer Eve was one of the favourite times in the year for love divinations. The origins of these divinations are unclear, but they were widespread in England by the 17th century. Popular ones included girls throwing hemp seed over their shoulders at night in the hope of seeing the form of their future husband, and ‘Midsummer Men’ which involved placing orpines side by side in pairs to represent a man and his sweetheart. If one plant inclined towards the other, it indicated love. If it reclined, it indicated aversion.

The idea of a midsummer Regency ball to celebrate these ancient customs, and romance in general, seemed a very appropriate one and Rookery End provided the perfect stage for three tales of midsummer love and passion.

You have written wonderful heroes in your short stories. Which is your favourite and why?

Oh, this is so tough!

Let’s see …

Sir Benedict’s been badly hurt in the past and a damaged hero is always appealing.

The Marquess of Shaftesbury is a rakish bad boy and who doesn’t want to see a rake tamed by love?

Sir Tristan is handsome, urbane and decisive, the ideal man to turn to in a crisis…

Each is wonderful in his own right so I can’t pick a favourite and, interestingly, neither can readers – votes flood in for all three! I will say the Marquess was great fun to write. Taking him from rake to hero in 7,000 words was an intriguing challenge ;0)

And the heroines. Which is your favourite and why?

They are all passionate, determined and resourceful, but by a whisker I’d say Verity from A Scandal at Midnight.

As a lady forced to eke out a living as a governess, Verity Brook is trapped between two worlds: her lowly position excludes her from the ton yet she’s treated with suspicion by other governesses and companions because of her background. Then, when she tries to avert a scandal at the Midsummer Eve ball, she falls for a man who is utterly out of her reach.

You sympathise with the awful situation Verity finds herself in while admiring her pride and indomitable spirit.

But to find out if she gets the happy ending she deserves, you’ll have to read A Scandal at Midnight ;0)

Much of the action takes place outside of the ballroom. Was that deliberate?

All I knew at the outset was I wanted some scenes to take place in the garden – a garden on Midsummer Eve is a magical place for romance. As I went along the action evolved to incorporate more of Rookery End estate, and beyond. It worked well, giving me far more scope than if I had kept the characters in the ballroom.

What sort of research did you do for MSE?

Researching Midsummer Eve customs was great fun, but I spent most time drawing up a list of favourite features from my favourite historical properties. I used this list to create an imaginary, awe-inspiring country house and garden – Rookery End is the result.

The Regency period is a very popular one with readers. What attracts you to write in that time period?
The Regency has become synonymous with elegance, wit and refinement, but it was also a time of innovation in science, technology and the arts, and an age of excess and extravagance. Many crises and events – the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, the Industrial Revolution and the continuing ill health of the King – helped to shape society’s manners and mood. Regency society was on the cusp of reform at all levels. I’ve loved it since I was a teenager and for me, this dramatic, exciting and paradoxical era provides the perfect backdrop for romance.
Oh, and I should also mention the Regency fashions. There’s something very attractive about a hero in a well-fitting coat, elegantly-tied cravat, thigh-hugging buckskins and polished top boots …

Are we going to see more of Rookery End?

Yes.
I don’t want to overstretch the premise, but I think there is room for one more story ;0)
And who knows, Rookery End might appear in future productions.

If you wrote your autobiography, what would you call it?

I’m a fan of the Marx brothers and this quip from Groucho would do nicely:

‘A likely story – and probably true.’

Finally, who are your favourite authors?

Georgette Heyer, PG Wodehouse, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, the Brontes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Roald Dahl.
There are many romance authors whose books I enjoy, too numerous to list here.
When I want a complete change, I’ll pick up a Tom Sharpe, Clive Cussler or John Grisham novel, or some non-fiction. I’ll read anything by Simon Schama, Ian Kelly, Richard Holmes or Dan Cruickshank.

Jenna
x

—

Welcome to our second annual “Summer Treasure Hunt: Dig for Clues and Win” Contest! Last year, some author friends and I put together a month long contest where we gave away a prize a day for the entire month of June. The contest was so successful that my friends and I have decided to do it again…only this time we’ve gathered together enough prizes to last through the first week of July! Again, we have something for everyone: romance, fantasy, mystery, suspense, historicals, contemporaries, young adult and middle grade fiction; children’s picture books; and a variety of non-fiction titles. We also have some exciting non-book prizes: a hand crocheted book tote and cell phone case; a book/jewelry combo; a Mary Kay cosmetic assortment; a The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe DVD; and (you aspiring writers won’t want to miss this one!) a free edit/critique for the first 50 pages of an unpublished novel by a three-time published author!

How can you enter to win one of these awesome prizes? Just follow the rules below!

SUMMER TREASURE HUNT RULES:

You can send in an entry for each day’s prize, or only for those prizes that strike your fancy. The rules are simple:

(1) Go to the website or blog indicated for each day, find the answer to the question for that day, then email the answer with your name and AND MAILING ADDRES to jdipastena@yahoo.com. I promise you will not wind up on any mailing lists. This is only to facilitate the receipt of your prize. All entries will be deleted at the end of the contest.

(2) Please send a separate entry for each day and type the day you are entering in the subject line. (Such as: Summer Treasure Hunt, June 1; Summer Treasure Hunt, June 2, etc).

(3) Deadline for each day: Midnight PST

(4) The winner will be contacted and announced on the day following the deadline.

All winners will be “drawn” by WWW.RANDOM.ORG.

You do not have to wait until the designated day to enter. You can start sending in your entries right now, or begin entering at any point along the way. And check back here each day between June 2nd-July 9th to read the names of the winners.

If you have any questions, feel free to email Joyce DiPastena at jdipastena@yahoo.com.

And now…let the treasure hunt begin!

June 1
SPONSOR: Donna Hatch
PRIZE: Queen in Exile, (fantasy romance), autographed by author
QUESTION: The princess must rely upon her magic to save whom? (Hint: Look under “Bookshelf” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.donnahatch.net
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 2
SPONSOR: Laurie Lewis
PRIZE: Awakening Avery (women’s fiction), autographed copy
QUESTION: Avery’s signal that she isn’t handling her husband’s death very well comes to her when she tosses what into what? (Hint: Look under “books &reviews, then click on the cover to Awakening Avery and read the first chapter)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.laurielclewis.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 3
SPONSOR: E.A. West
PRIZE: Riley’s Mission (PDF: romantic suspense)
QUESTION: Where does Jade sit after she sees Aziz Khadoul? (Hint: Click on “Books” tab, then on “excerpt” link for Riley’s Mission)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://eawest.mcphitty.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 4
SPONSOR: Jenna Dawlish
PRIZE: Sprig of Thyme (Victorian romance), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the name of the hero in Jenna’s first novel Love Engineered? (Check out “The Library” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.jennadawlish.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 5
SPONSOR: Rachael Renee Anderson
PRIZE: Divinely Designed (contemporary LDS romantic comedy), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the title of Rachael’s second book, being released in August? (Hint: scroll down to Rachael’s “Goodreads” titles on the right hand sidebar))
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://rachaelreneeanderson.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 6
SPONSOR: Linda Kay Garner
PRIZE: Some Secrets Hurt (picturebook), autographed copy, plus a handmade cuddling blanket. This picture book is for all ages. It is simple enough to be understood by a very young child, meaningful enough to appeal to teenagers, informative enough to be helpful to parents, and powerful enough to reach out to a wounded adult.
QUESTION: The only thing worse than finding out that your child is being sexually abused is ____ ____ ____? (Hint: Listen to 5 minute KSL TV interview on the right side of the website or dowload the free Parents’ Guide)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://somesecretshurt.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 7
SPONSOR: Danielle Thorne
PRIZE: (New/Sealed) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Widescreen DVD)
QUESTION: In Danielle Thorne’s novel, Turtle Soup, what is the name of the marine biologist who inspires Sara Hart to name her deli Turtle Soup? (Hint: read the blurb for Turtle Soup on Danielle’s website homepage)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://daniellethorne.jimdo.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 8
SPONSOR: Larry Hammersley
PRIZE: Lab Partners (sweet 1950’s romance), ebook
QUESTION: What are the first names of the hero and heroine in the short story Lab Partners? (Hint: Check out “WIP Report” post for April 4, 2010)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://larryhammersley.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 9
SPONSOR: Linda Weaver Clarke
PRIZE: Melinda and the Wild West: (historical romance, YA and adult), autographed copy
QUESTION: What was Melinda doing when she first met Gilbert and why did he act flustered and then abruptly turn and briskly stride away? (Hint:. Click on “Sample Chapters” tab, then on the book title for Melinda and the Wild West to read a sample chapter.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/
OPEN TO USA AND CANADA ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 10
SPONSOR: Angela Morrison
PRIZE: Taken by Storm (Penguin/Razorbill 2009), YA romance, autographed hard cover
QUESTION: A legendary LDS author of over 30 books for teens called Taken by Storm, “An amazing story written with a clear, refreshing and creative voice.” Who was it? (Hint: check “Taken By Storm” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://web.me.com/angelamorrison/Angela_Morrison/Welcome.html
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 11
SPONSOR: Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
PRIZE: Trapped (romantic suspense with a hint of paranormal fantasy), autographed copy
QUESTION: The first trap Emi Warrin encounters is a mysterious letter. To where does it lure her? (Hint: Read the book summary under the Trapped tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://rondahinrichsen.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 12
SPONSOR: Anne Patrick
PRIZE: Journey to Redemption (inspirational romantic suspense), free download
QUESTION: What did Royce use to do for a living in my upcoming release, Out of the Darkness? (Hint: Look under the “My Books” link for Anne’s new release, Out of the Darkness)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 13
SPONSOR: Rebecca Talley
PRIZE: Altared Plans (contemporary LDS romance), autographed by author
QUESTION: What is unique about my youngest son? (Hint: Watch the YouTube video Extra C posted on the right side of Rebecca’s blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 14
SPONSOR: David J. West
PRIZE: Heroes of the Fallen (historical fiction), autographed hardcopy)
QUESTION: What is the name of my favorite author? (Hint: Scroll through David’s June blogs. He promises you’ll find the answer!)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://david-j-west.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 15
SPONSOR: Jennifer Stewart Griffith, author of Choosing Mr. Right and Delicious Conversation
PRIZE: FREE edit and/or critique of first 50 pages of a novel
QUESTION: What is the Japanese word for the hairstyle worn by sumo wrestlers? (Hint: Check out Jennifer’s favorite sumo blog, Sumo Beautiful. Look for Hama Bijin’s April 13th post)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://sumobeautiful.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES as long as the manuscript can be emailed to Jennifer and is in English
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 16
SPONSOR: Rebecca Irvine
PRIZE: Family Home Evening Adventures (non-fiction book of FHE lessons), free e-book on CD
QUESTION: What is the title of the first book written by Rebecca Irvine? (Hint: Read “about me” on Rebecca’s blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.rebeccairvine.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 17
SPONSOR: Marilyn Bunderson
PRIZE: The Mark (YA Fiction), autographed copy with a bookmark
QUESTION: In a deleted scene from my book, The Mark, Jon loses a bet to Shae. What does he have to do to pay up? (Hint: Found in post titled “Deleted Scenes From The Mark” dated April 15, 2010)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://mrbunderson.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 18
SPONSOR: Heather Justesen
PRIZE: Winner’s Choice: The Ball’s In Her Court (contemporary inspirational) or Rebound (contemporary romance), autographed by author
QUESTION: How much did the FBI agent expect John’s bail to be set at? (Hint: Click on “My Books” tab, then “read more” about Rebound.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.heatherjustesen.com/
OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 19
SPONSOR: Nichole Giles
PRIZE: The Sharp Edge of a Knife (inspirational historical, based on a true story), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the correct title of the humorous anthology I coauthored? (Hint: Look in the right hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.nicholegiles.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 20
SPONSOR: Karen Adair
PRIZE: Trendy blue/brown crocheted book tote with matching cell phone case (Check out Karen’s “Diva Strings” website for examples: http://www.divastrings.com/index.html)
QUESTION: Where did Karen learn how to type and what speed did she finally top out at? (Hint: Check Karen’s “Bio” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.kbadair.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 21
SPONSOR: Lynn Parsons, co-author of the soon to be released non-fiction book, (dis)Abilities and the Gospel
PRIZE: A pair of hand-knit socks
QUESTION: What are three of the topics I list on the parent page of my website? (Look on “Parent Page” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.lynndparsons.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 22
SPONSOR: Kinzie Monroe
PRIZE: Reservations for Two (inspirational romance), autographed CD
QUESTION: What was Maggie doing when she and Carson first met in Reservations for Two? (Hint: click on the “Excerpts” link on Kinzie’s blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://kinziemonroe.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 23
SPONSOR: Michele Ashman Bell
PRIZE: Summer in Paris (YA romance), autographed copy and Eiffel Tower bookmark
QUESTION: What is Michele “dreaming of”? (Hint: found on sidebar above picture of Eiffel Tower
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://micheleabell.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 24
SPONSOR: Jaimey Grant and JaysDesign Jewelry
PRIZE: A signed copy of Redemption, a Regency romance by Jaimey Grant, and a 19″ hand-knotted strand of freshwater pearls ($45 value) handmade by Jay T Lyons of JaysDesign Jewelry
QUESTION: Artist Jay T Lyons did a sketch for the cover of an upcoming Regency romance of mine. What is the sketch of and what is the title of the upcoming book?
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://sites.google.com/site/jaimeygrant/jaytlyons
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 25
SPONSOR: Christine Thackeray
PRIZE: Lipstick Wars (LDS Women’s Fiction), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the name of the angel who needs a vacation in my recent pamphlet, “Could You Be an Angel Today? (Hint: Play the book trailer for “Could You Be an Angel Today” on Christine’s home page)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.christinethackeray.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 26
SPONSOR: Bonnie Harris
PRIZE: Mary Kay Satin Lips Set, Travel Size Satin Hands Set and a set of mineral eye colors
QUESTION: What is the name of my African Gray and African Desert Tortosie? (Hint: Read “About Me” in the left hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 27
SPONSOR: Teralee Deighton
PRIZE: Cup of Comfort for New Mothers (personal essay anthology)
QUESTION: Name the editor of Cup of Comfort for New Mothers
WEBSITE/BLOG:
http://www.adamsmediastore.com/category/cup-of-comfort-series?r=COC_Bookstore
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 28
SPONSOR: C. LaRene Hall
PRIZE: Martha’s Freedom Train (middle grade historical), autographed by both author and illustrator
QUESTION: How many short stories has C. LaRene Hall published in the humorous anthology, Mormon Mishaps and Mischief? (Hint: Look in the left hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.clhall.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 29
SPONSOR: Sarah M. Eden
PRIZE: Courting Miss Lancaster (Regency romance), autographed copy
QUESTION: In his “I Need Friends Friday” interview, what reason does Edward Cullen give for not sleeping at night?
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.sarahmeden.com/2009/11/i-need-friends-friday-edward-cullen.html
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 30
SPONSOR: Marcia Mickelson
PRIZE: Reasonable Doubt (LDS Suspense), autographed copy
QUESTION: In what country was author, Marcia Mickelson born? (Hint: Click on “About Marcia” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.marciamickelson.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 1
SPONSOR: Kimberly Job
PRIZE: I’ll Know You by Heart (romantic suspense), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the title of my current work in progress? (Hint: Look under “My Books” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 2
SPONSOR: Joan Sowards
PRIZE: Haunts Haven (an LDS ghost story), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the name of the town in which the story of Haunts Haven takes place? (Hint: Found on sidebar synopsis of story)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://joansowards.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 3
SPONSOR: Margaret L. Turley RN
PRIZE: Save the Child (Reality Fiction), autographed copy
QUESTION: Where can you listen to an audio interview with Margaret L. Turley about her book, Save the Child? (Hint: Click on link at the bottom of Margaret’s bio on her “About the Author” page)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://margaretturley.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 4
SPONSOR: Joyce DiPastena
PRIZE: Illuminations of the Heart (sweet medieval romance, a 2009 Whitney Award Finalist), autographed by author
QUESTION: Who were gifts usually given to on Epiphany during the Middle Ages? (Hint: Click on “Stolen Christmas” tab and read excerpt from “An Epiphany Gift for Robin”)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.joyce-dipastena.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES:
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 5
SPONSOR: Cindy R. Williams
PRIZE: Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today (Arizona Glyph Award Finalist and Southwest Book Awards Finalist), a snuggle, giggle children’s picture book
QUESTION: There is a picture of Cindy holding two dragons on her website, http://www.cindyrwilliams.com/ The names of the dragons are in the caption below the picture. What are their names? (Hint: Look on the “Book” page)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.cindyrwilliams.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 6
SPONSOR: Gail Pallotta
PRIZE: Love Turns the Tide (inspirational romance with suspense), free e-book on CD, with a pendant necklace and matching earrings
QUESTION: Who comes to Cammie O’Shea’s rescue after she has a break-in at her unit in Destin, Florida? (Hint: Scroll down to: MORE ABOUT THE BOOK)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.gailpallotta.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 7
SPONSOR: Danyelle Ferguson, co-author of the soon to be released non-fiction book, (dis)Abilities and the Gospel
PRIZE: a 30 page manuscript edit
QUESTION: Name three of the “special needs” addressed in (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. (Hint: Click on the “Books” tab for (dis)Abilities and the Gospel).
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.danyelleferguson.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 8
SPONSOR: Karen E. Hoover
PRIZE: Sapphire Flute (YA Fantasy), autographed copy
QUESTION: How many bloggers have posted their reviews of The Sapphire Flute? (Hint: Check out the list under “Sapphire Flute Blog Tour” in the right hand side bar and count ‘em up)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://karen-hoover.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

Valentine’s Day still has me thinking…

… about the lost art of letter writing. It was sparked off by a line in Christina Jones’s book Moonshine. The sixteen year old Elvi is hopelessly lost in first love and can’t text her beloved for fear of having her phone confiscated. How she longs to contact her boyfriend but knows a letter would take ages to reach its desired destination. How, she wonders, did people ever manage in the ‘olden days’ before texts, emails and mobiles?

As someone who managed – quite well thank you very much – to communicate with boyfriends before the great age of technology, I thought back to the love letters I’d received. Not being overly sentimental and a keen mover of house, I haven’t kept much of my past. No school reports thank goodness (‘Georgia tries her hardest’ was the usual damning comment) no Valentine’s cards, no wedding invitations or orders of service. I’m afraid they get thrown, or rather, recycled. The only letter I kept for ages was an invitation to a friend’s Hindu wedding as it was simply the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen – a symphony of expensive gold and red. Gorgeous. No – the only sentimental bits of paper I’ve kept are a few love letters written to me by a boyfriend who when, as our college term dates didn’t coincide, had to leave for home before me. He wrote every day. Every day! There’s romance for you. Hard to believe that I could inspire such devotion. But I did. And how did I repay it? Erm … I’m afraid I dumped him for another in the second year, all six foot two of ardent blonde youth of him too. Foolish girl! But his letters were good. Nothing slushy, just a sort of diary of his day and how much he missed me. I suppose nowadays we’d text but back in the ‘80s (hard for those of Elvi’s generation to believe I know) we had no cell phones, no laptops and the only landline phone at college was on a shared hallway where everyone could listen in. Hardly ideal for young love. So, we wrote letters! Compared to the great love letters in literature I’m sure they were nondescript but it still gave me a thrill to peer into the ‘H’ pigeonhole in student halls for the familiar blue envelope.

It’s still a joyous experience to hear that little plopping sound as the post lands on the doormat. There’s always the promise it might bring an invitation to something nice, a letter from an old friend or a post card from somewhere lovely. Or even just a silly card from someone who’s thinking of me.

So although we have these swathes of wonderful gadgets (and I’m as much of a technophile as the rest of you, can’t wait to get my first ipad or whatever they’re called) I wonder if we reserve snail-mail for those really important things?

After all, you can’t put a Valentine’s text up on the mantelpiece and gaze longingly at it, can you?

Cue applause, cheering and general merry-making.

But hold on … what exactly is Oak Apple Day? Well, it commemorates when Charles II rode into London on 29th May 1660 and restored the monarchy to England.

Charles II was said to have hidden in an oak tree in 1651 after the Battle of Worcester. He escaped from the Roundhead Army by hiding in an oak tree in the grounds of Boscobel House. Oak leaves and oak apples became a symbol of his restoration to the monarchy and Parliament declared 29th May a public holiday.

“Parliament had ordered the 29th of May, the King’s birthday, to be forever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King’s return to his Government, he returning to London that day.” – Samuel Pepys’s Diary 1st June 1660

2010 therefore marks the 350th anniversary of Oak Apple Day (or Royal Oak Day as it is also known).

The day was originally celebrated with special church services, bonfires, dancing and general merry-making. Houses and churches were decorated with oak boughs, but the dominant custom which came to symbolise the day was for people to wear sprays of oak leaves (preferably with a gall or apple attached).

This was done by almost everyone, high and low born, male and female, adult and child, throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. A traveller through Hertfordshire recorded in his diary in 1789 that ‘every horse, carriage and carter was adorned with oaken boughs and apples, in memory of this once famous day’.

School children were given at least half a day off school and anyone who did not wear the emblem could face some form of punishment, such as pinching (hence the origin of the alternative name Pinch-Bum Day) or whipping with nettles (Nettle Day).

Although the public holiday was abolished in 1859, Oak Apple Day continues to be celebrated in some parts of England.

Castleton in Derbyshire hosts a garland custom every 29th May. It’s custom that has been celebrated in Castleton for hundreds of years, originally possibly as a fertility rite, but today it is said to commemorate the restoration of Charles II. Villagers dress in Stuart fashions and chose a King and Queen for the day. They lead a procession through the village and the King wears a 3 feet high garland of flowers made from a wooden frame to which small bunches of wild flowers and leaves are tied.

Northampton still commemorates Charles II and his escape after the battle of Worcester. The town is also grateful to Charles II for giving the citizens one thousand tons of timber from the Royal forests of Whittlewood, after a great fire almost razed the town in 1675. A garland of oak-apples is laid at Charles II’s statue on All Saint’s Church each year on Oak Apple Day.

In Worcester, the ‘Faithful City’, Oak Apple Day is commemorated by decorating the entrance gate to Worcester’s Guildhall with oak branches and leaves.

In a celebration with its roots in Oak Apple Day, the Shropshire village of Aston-on-Clun carries out a unique tree-decorating custom on the last Sunday in May (Arbor Day). A pageant and fete are held and the famous black poplar tree that stands in the middle of the village is decorated with gaily coloured flags. The story behind this custom is that when local landowner and squire John Marston married Mary Carter in May 1786, the tree was decorated to welcome the newlyweds to the village. The couple were so pleased with the gesture that they set up a trust to pay for the care of the tree and the flags.

Other events to mark Oak Apple Day take place in Upton-upon-Severn, Marsh Gibbon, Great Wishford and Membury in Devon.

There are a host of other local dialect names for Oak Apple Day, including: Shick-Schack Day, Shig-Shag Day, Yak-Bob Day and Bobby-Ack Day.

Right, I’m off to find my spray of oak leaves and apples before I get whipped with nettles *g*

Photo of Worcester Guildhall Oak Apple Day copyright Phillip Halling, reproduced under Creative Commons licence.

A snobs’ tunnel sounds like something the aristocracy would have used, but it was actually the opposite – a specially constructed tunnel which allowed servants to move around without being seen by their masters.

At Hanbury, the snobs’ tunnel goes under the Cedar Walk so servants could walk between the main house and areas of the garden (such as the ice-house) unobserved.

Here’s the entrance…

…and the exit viewed from the rear of the house. You can see the tunnel in the centre of the picture just behind the bush.

Seems an astonishing amount of effort and expense just to keep servants out of sight!

Hanbury Hall was home to the Vernon family. Edward Vernon purchased Hanbury in 1631, but it was his grandson Thomas Vernon who began serious rebuilding after he inherited in 1679. The architect was possibly a local master stonemason William Rudhall. The rebuilding was completed in 1701 and if you look at the entrance front, you can see Hanbury has many key features of a William & Mary house:

Symmetry
Two stories with dormer windows in the attic
Side Pavilions
A central triangular pediment
A cupola (viewing tower)
Family coat of arms (above entrance door)
Corinthian pilasters either side of the entrance.

Hanbury Hall contains the Thornhill Murals in the entrance hall and staircase. When Sir George Vernon left Hanbury to the National Trust on his death in 1940, these murals saved the house for the nation – the National Trust recognised their value and took on the house for future generations to enjoy. The murals, depicting scenes from Greek mythology, were painted by Sir James Thornhill, a master painter whose fame was sealed by his work on the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Thomas Vernon wanted a beautiful garden to go with his new house and in 1700 he commissioned George London to design it. London had been apprenticed to John Rose, the Royal gardener at St. James’ Park who had in turn been trained at Versailles. It’s likely that this connection inspired London to create a Baroque-style garden like that at Hanbury Hall.

The avenues and parterre at Hanbury are perfect examples of this. Much of London’s design was swept away in the 1770s by Emma Vernon, who favoured the more natural landscapes of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, the pioneer of the picturesque movement, but in the 1990s, the National Trust began a project to restore the gardens, based on an estate survey of 1730. The restoration is on-going with the focus on the re-planting of park features such as the Semicircle and the avenues.

Along with the snobs’ tunnel, the ice-house, the mushroom house, the soon-to-be-restored dairy, magnificent 18th century orangery (above) and orchard are all worth well worth visiting.

I also learned details of a fascinating family story from the 18th century. The outline is definitely something I’d consider using in a novel and it just goes to show that fact is always stranger than fiction.

And I can’t help wondering, for the purposes of fiction, what intriguing scenes might have taken place in that dimly-lit snobs’ tunnel … ;0)

Well readers, this country mouse went up to the Big Smoke to attend the Romantic Novelists’ Association Summer Party to hear the winner of the Joan Hessayon New Writers’ Award announced. Sad to report that it wasn’t me but very glad to say it went to Lucy King for her book Bought: Damsel in Distress. Check out more details at:
www.lucyking.net
Congratulations! I must also mention my fellow nominee, Monique DeVere and her novel Divorce Etiquette. Best wishes to both writers on their future ‘scribbling’ careers!
It was a glorious evening and for a while I stood on the balcony of the Institute for Mechanical Engineering, where the event was held, and looked over St. James’s Park and Horseguards Parade, watching the buildings turn pink in the sunset. It was great to be back in the capital – it’s such an exciting city – but not so good to be stuck in the traffic. Forgetting it takes forever to drive anywhere in London, I was a good thirty minutes late for the party!
Have to admit to feeling very nervous but was treated with great friendliness by all I met. Special thanks to Melanie Hilton who was very kind. I was extremely star struck when meeting my favourite writer Katie Fforde (goodness only knows what she thought of my gabbling). The same thing happened when I met Sarah Duncan just as I was leaving. I’ve recently read her wonderful novel A Single to Rome and loved it. More nervous gabbling ensued, and I’m afraid by that time the tongue had been further loosened by champagne.
If you’re thinking of, or have written a romantic novel, I recommend The Romantic Novelists’ Association and especially its New Writers’ Scheme. For a very reasonable membership charge you can access useful advice and friendly support. For more information about the RNA and the Summer Party look here:
www.rna-uk.org
Most importantly though, I must thank my ‘posse’ who came from far and wide to support me. Huge thanks to Phillipa Ashley, Jenna Dawlish, Nell Dixon and Elizabeth Hanbury. It was great having you there! Cheers, writing chums 