Ann Lethbridge's Blog, page 23

2012 In the Rear View Mirror

It is always a good thing to look back. After all, as someone who loves history, I know the past can help with the future.

I think that 2012 was a bit of a watershed for me. I have begun to feel like a Writer. Oh, yes, I was a writer before, but now I feel as if I have the chops to go with the title. Not that I would ever say I had mastered the craft of writing. It is an ongoing process. A skill that must be practiced, examined and honed. I am always reaching for a better book.

However, I have a little more confidence in my approach to my writing. This year I was a finalist in three important writing contests.  I received some wonderful (and some not so wonderful) reviews from reviewers and from readers. I stretched my wings a little bit. Tried some things that were new for me.

Case in point is the book displayed on the left.  This was a first for me. A story that had to fit in with the stories of seven other authors. Between us we had to create an overarching plot, yet end up with a book that could be read alone or as part of the series.  Particularly interesting was the upstairs downstairs feel of the series.  The conflict and tension that causes.  Needless to say in all the projects I undertook, I tried to make sure I had fun. And hopefully readers had fun right along with me.

During the past twelve months I traveled to some amazing places in England and I will be sharing these with you along with other tidbits about the Regency and what is happening in my author world.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you and your family a Healthy and Happy New Year. Looking forward to lots more chit chat and rambles in 2013.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all the best for the Holidays and a healthy and happy New Year.

The winner of my part of the Annual Harlequin Historical Authors Contest was..... Amanda from Luton.  Congratulations Amanda!

And many thanks to all who entered.  I am looking forward to meeting you all on-line in the New Year.

Buckland Abbey Part VI

If you are wondering why I have been absent for a while, it is because I had gone over my allowed limit of photos and have been trying to figure out how to proceed.  I am not yet sure I have solved the dilemma, but at least I have made a bit of room for myself.
Continuing on with our tour of the Georgian part of the house we end up where I always find myself the most fascinated.  The servants areas.
 This is one of the staircase that would have been used by the servants as they dashed about making their employers happy.  Compare it to that beautiful winding polished wood staircase in an earlier blog.

As you know, I have just finished an upstairs downstairs Downton Abbey series with a group of other authors and in one of my scenes, my hero, a chef, must go by way of the servants' stairs to meet my heroine in the library, while she travels there by way of the grand central staircase. While we would not tolerate it today it makes for a very interesting dynamic.

Here we have some of the bells used to call the servants to various rooms and little spaces at the bottom of the stairs used for storage. The flagstone floors are typical in the corridors and rooms used for servants areas, whether on ground floors or in basement.

Note the plain wall sconces, a single candle with a polished metal plaque to reflect the light. One can imagine how gloomy it would be at night or on a rainy day.  And then we have a glimpse at the kitchen along with a rare view of my patient party who accompany on these trips. Most of the time they avoid the camera lens but as you can see I caught them here.  So next time we will take a peek around the kitchen.

Until then, Happy Rambles

The Next Big Thing

Sarah Mallory, http://onebellesstrategem.blogspot.co.uk/ author of Book Five in the Castonbury Park Continuity Series, The Illegitimate Montague, Harlequin and Beneath the Major's Scars , has invited me to take part in a chain blog event entitled THE NEXT BIG THING - a series of questions and answers about what's happening next in my writing life.


What is the title of your latest book?
Lady of Shame is the most recent book. It is book for in the Castonbury Park Continuity Series and it came out in print in the UK and digital her in North America in November 2012.  It is out in print in North America under the title Ladies of Disrepute, which contains both book three and book four under one cover published by HQN.

I do hope that you can figure out what the heck I mean. I am putting both covers here for you to see.


How did you come by the idea?
The Castonbury Park Series has an upstairs downstairs theme, much like Downton Abbey, and I really liked the idea of a woman looking below stairs for her romantic interest. It would have been so scandalous for the daughter of a Duke during the Regency. I chose a French chef for my hero, because I liked food having an important role in the relationship.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters if it was a movie?
Keira Knightly for Claire and Daniel Craig for Andre, who was a soldier, before he was a chef and has a bit of a rough edge to him.

A one sentence synopsis of your book?
A ruined woman attempts to avoid seduction by a handsome chef while trying to salvage her reputation

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It usually takes me about three months to research, plot and write the first draft of a book.

Who or what inspired you to write the book?
In this case, I was invited to participate in the Continuity Series. The idea for a chef hero came from a course I had recently taken on Regency food. Claire walked on stage one afternoon when I was driving to the store.

What else would you like to tells us about this book?
Romantic Times said "Liberated heroines and intriguing, unconventional heroes will delight modern-day readers. The sensitive love stories, colorful backdrop and large cast of characters only add to the enjoyment." Four Stars.

To follow the chain, don't forget to check out the next to authors participating in The Next Big thing on December 11:
 
Mary Sullivan A few years ago, Mary picked up LaVyrle Spencer’s Morning Glory and became hooked on romance. Mary discovered Harlequin Superromance and knew she wanted to write these heartfelt stories of love, family, perseverance and happy endings, about very human heroes and heroines graced with backbone, strength of character and hope. Her next book is In From the Cold out in February 2013. www.mary-sullivan.blogspot.com
And
Maureen McGowan is the author of the Young Adult novels: Deviants (The Dust Chronicles #1), Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer and Cinderella: Ninja Warrior. Maureen left a career in finance to pursue her love of fiction. Aside from books and writing, she’s passionate about art, dance, films, fine handcrafted objects and shoes.
Raised in various Canadian cities, her previous career moved her to Northern California and Philadelphia for a number of years. She now lives and writes in Toronto, Canada. http://www.maureenmcgowan.blogspot.com/

Buckland Abbey Part V

What else might you find in the well-equipped drawing room.  A musical instrument.  In this case there is a square piano. A small elegant piece of furniture.

This one is dated 1778 and is a forerunner of a modern piano. The strings being struck rather than plucked, although it retains some of the the harpsichord sound.

The little box on the right hand side has some levers which allow the production of different tones.










Leaving the drawing room we go down the magnificent staircase we saw earlier. How about this for a window seat. You could almost sleep in this embrasure, or get up to all sorts.



And what about these interesting features. One a part of the old abbey above a doorway, the other an odd shaped passage leading from one part of the house to the other.



More to see next time.

Buckland Abbey Part IV

I promised you something interesting from our Georgian Drawing Room last time.

This is a card table. Duh! But as you can see when not in use it folds up and the green baize is tucked away inside.

The game set out here is Pyramid Solitaire, which I thought was interesting, because I personally was not familiar with it and will no doubt stick it in a book at some point.

But naturally one needs to know the rules and here they are!

And that is all I have time for, since my internet is creeping along today and it is taking for ever.

Until next time, Happy Rambles.

News

I can see from my stats, that my readers are all about the fashion. Which is great! But there is so much other stuff that I find fascinating in the Regency. But I do promise you a fashion post soon, as I have a heroine to dress.

If you are a fan of Downton Abbey - as I am - I want to remind you that book four of the Castonbury Park series: Lady of Shame is in stores in print (and e-book) in the UK for November, and also available for preorder in North America as an ebook.  This is such a lovely series and the covers look outstanding all together on my bookshelf, don't you think?

If you are here in North America and prefer to read a print book, despair not!  The Castonbury Park Series will be coming to a store near you.

The first two books will be out in December under one cover, and the second Ladies of Disrepute, which includes my story, will be out in January.




And just to wet your appetite for the whole series:

Those covers are really amazing aren't they? And there is lots of upstairs downstairs scandal as well as an overarching mystery.

Here is a little bit about my story:

Lady Claire must put pride above prattle if she is to shake off the no-so-respectable reputation of her youth. Swapping rebellion for reserve, she returns to her imposing childhood home, Castonbury Park, seeking her family's help.  Penniless Claire needs a sensible husband...and fast.

But when the dark gaze of head chef Monsieur Andre catches her eyed, he's as deliciously tempting as the food he prepares.  Claire knows he is most unsuitable... even if the chemistry between them is magnetic.  Risking her reputation for Andre would be shameful - but losing him would be even worse.

Until next time, Happy Rambles

Buckland Abbey Part III

Last day we took a look at what has to be a beautiful staircase added in Georgian times.

 Here we have the dining room fitted out by Sir Francis Henry Drake, 5th Baronet, in the 1770's leaving only the Tudor Fireplace and a small reminder of the monastic church in the form of a carved corbel figure of the ox of St Luke.
The table is a six-leaf concertina dining table on eight gardrooned (convex curves in a series) legs also known as a naval table.  The chairs are also mahogany from the mid-18th century in the style of Thomas Chippendale


 And here are the sideboards.

The one on the left Sheraton style mahogany, the one on the right bow-fronted mahogany banded in kingwood with a pair of very fine knife boxes on top.

I have a couple more things to show you in the drawing room, but will save them for next time, because I found them so interesting.



Until next time, Happy Rambles.

Buckland Abbey Part II

Much of Buckland is devoted to the history of one of it most famous owner, Sir Francis Drake and quite a bit of that is of more recent provenance. 

However, what got me all hot under the collar was that some of the Georgian remodelling remains in tact.

This picture shows  the Georgian staircase installed around 1769. The view is taken down the centre of it and showing all four floors.  Not a bad bit of photography, though because one never uses a flash it is a little bit dark. So I have deliberately left it full size, so that you can have a better idea of it.

As you may be able to see, there are three turned balusters for each tread.  The very top landing led to the servants quarters.

 More improvements were made in 1794 by Francis Augustus, Lord Heathfield and many of the doors have hinges and door handles from this time.

Next time we will take a look at the Georgian Dining Room. Until then Happy Rambles