Eliza Knight's Blog, page 61
February 3, 2012
Lord Byron: Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know by Rosemary Gemmell
Today on History Undressed, I'd like to welcome guest author Rosemary Gemmell, who writes under the name Romy Gemmell. She's written a wonderful article on the most titilating of subjects--or rather a historical figure who most people know by name: Lord Byron!
LordByron: Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know
ByRosemary Gemmell
"I have been more ravished myself thananybody since the Trojan War."
This is, perhaps, a fitting epitaph forthe man whom Lady Caroline Lamb once called: Mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Bornin 1788, during the elegant Enlightenment period, George Gordon, 6th Lord Byronepitomised the romance of Regency England. The publication of the first andsecond canto of his epic poem ChildeHarold's Pilgrimage, in 1812, introduced Byron to the eminent literaryworld of the time. And this young nobleman embodied the very essence of theromantic villain-hero that has graced the pages of fiction ever since. Themelancholy hero of the poem, Childe Harold, embarks on a solitary pilgrimageround Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Aegean after turning away from a life ofpleasure, and is widely believed to be a self-portrait of Byron.
Son of profligate gambler Captain JohnByron and Scottish heiress Catherine Gordon, Byron's early life was spent inAberdeenshire, when his father fled to France soon after the birth where hedied three years later. Byron's mother, who was descended from James 1 ofScotland, took him to her hometown where she began educating her son before hetook his place at Aberdeen Grammar School. The firstten years of Byron's life were surrounded by relative poverty as his father hadsquandered his wife's money as well as his own. It is believed that Byron wasborn with a clubfoot and that this slight deformity was to have a profoundeffect on his future temperament.
Then, in 1798, Byron's life was changedforever. His great-uncle William died and left young George the baronial titleand estate at Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire. Leaving behind his ordinarylife in Scotland, Byron wenton to study at Harrow followed by TrinityCollege Cambridge. And so began Byron's writinglife, as well as his reputation for high-spirited, even wild, behaviour.
He published his first poems in a smallvolume called Fugitive Pieces in1807. When his friend advised him theywere too sensual, Byron impulsively destroyed them and only four copiessurvived. However, Byron eventually revised his poems and published them as'Poems on Various Occasions', which became Hoursof Idleness. It was hardly an encouraging start to his literary career whenhis poems were attacked by Brougham in the EdinburghReview. Cultivating the satirical writing that would be his trademark,Byron avenged himself on Brougham by writing a satire in 1809 entitled, English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.
In that same year, Byron took his seat inthe House of Lords but eventually left England, travelling to Portugal, Spain,Malta, Greece and the Levant over the next two years. On his return home, agedtwenty four, Byron's days of fame and notoriety began. The first and secondcanto of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage elevatedByron to the ranks of literary genius beside Shakespeare, and ensured he becamethe most influential British poet known throughout Europe. Byron himselfremarked, "I awoke one morning and found myself famous."
There seems no doubt that Byron washugely attractive to, and attracted by, women. Sir Walter Scott, whom Byrongreatly admired, described him as having "the remarkable contrast of very darkhair and eyebrows with light and expressive eyes", while his predominatingexpression was that of "deep and habitual thought".
Young, aristocratic, a romantic wanderer,a poetic genius, the Regency society of the day could hardly get enough ofByron. Apart from his scandalous liaison with the married Lady Caroline Lamb, oneserious attachment eventually caused him pain and exile. Byron apparently fellin love with his half-sister, Augusta, who seemingly bore him a daughter. Inthe midst of increasing rumours of incense, he finally married AnnabellaMilbanke, Lady Caroline Lamb's clever cousin, in 1815. Known for her piety andintellect, Byron admired Annabella as "a very superior woman a littleencumbered with virtue". She hoped to be the means of Byron's redemption. The relationship was short-lived, lasting onlya year before Annabella left Byron, taking their daughter Ada with her. Shethen devoted the rest of her life to maligning Byron's character.
In a very short time, the society who hadidolised Lord Byron began to snub him, and his name increasingly becamesynonymous with the depravity and monstrosity with which Annabella hadslandered him. With rising debts and hounded by bailiffs, Byron, just 28 yearsold and at the pinnacle of his fame, left England never to return. The publicbelieved Annabella's damning stories, added their own embellishments and createda portrait of him that he recognised was partly his own fault. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage ends with thewords:
"I planted –they have torn me – and I bleed:I should haveknown what fruit would spring fromSuch a seed."
Byron joined the poet Shelley and hiswife, Mary, and her stepsister Claire Claremont, at Lake Geneva in 1816, whereMary Shelley wrote her famous Frankenstein.Even there, Byron was true to form, giving Claire Claremont a daughter,Allegra, born in Englandin 1817, although the child died five years later.
Byron didn't return to England with theothers, moving instead to Venice and Rome until, with the sale of Newstead in1818, he was finally free from financial worries. The remainder of Byron's lifewas as colourful as his past. In 1819, he became deeply attached to Teresa, themarried Countess Guiccioli, living with her in Veniceand then Ravenna.Teresa left her husband, took her family and went to Leghorn with Byron. When Leigh Hunt joinedthem, Byron and he co-produced TheLiberal magazine.
A humanitarian as much as a libertine,Byron had a fully developed social conscience, making an impassioned plea onbehalf of the industrial poor in the House of Lords and giving some of hismoney away, even while in debt. His stature as a poet grew, notorietynotwithstanding, especially when he published his innovative and masterly poem,Don Juan, a commentary on the societythat had rejected him.
Byron's social conscience finally tookhim to Greece where he formed the 'Byron Brigade' to support to the Greeks'fight for independence. He made such an impression that they hailed him a hero.George Gordon, 6th Lord Byron, ended his days in the country he hadchampioned, dying of a fever at Missolonghi, aged 36. The Greeks wanted tohonour him with burial in Athens but only hisheart remained in Greece,while his body returned to England.Even in death, they spurned him, refusing his burial in Westminster Abbey.Byron was buried in the family vault in the church at Huchnall Torkard, nearNewstead Abbey.
Byron and his poetry, however, had causeda huge impact all over Europe, making him one of the most famous English poetsever known. And the legend of the melancholy, Byronic hero lives on in thepages of literature, from that of his contemporary, Jane Austen, to many modernday romances. Byron had the last word, exposing the double standards, politicsand social relations of Regency England in Don Juan:
"Without, or with, offence to friends or foes, I sketch your world exactly as it goes."
Author Bio:
Rosemary Gemmell'sfirst historical novel, DangerousDeceit , Regency intrigue set in England of 1813, was published byChampagne Books in May 2011 (as Romy). Her first tween novel, Summerof the Eagles , which is set in Scotland, is being published by MuseItUpPublishing in March 2012 (as Ros).
Her short storiesand articles are published in UK magazines, in the US, and Online, and her children'sstories are in three different anthologies. One of her short stories wasincluded in the fundraising book, '100Stories for Haiti' in 2010. Ahistorical short story was published in 'TheWaterloo Collection', launched by the late professor Richard Holmes inApril 2011, and a short story was included in the cancer anthology, 'Lavender Dreams', from MuseItUp. Shehas won a few competitions and will be a short story adjudicator at the annualScottish Association of Writers' Conference in March 2012.
Rosemary Gemmell, ScotlandWebsite: www.rosemarygemmell.comMain Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.comRomancing History Blog: http://romygemmell.blogspot.comFlights of Imagination Blog (children's):http://rosgemmell.blogspot.comTwitter: @rosemarygemmell
DangerousDeceit
Lydia Hetheringtonis uninterested in society balls or marriage, until her brother's friend, LordMarcus Sheldon, rides into her life to unseat her from her horse and unsettleher heart. An undercover spy for the government, Sheldon is equally unsettledby Lydia.
Complicated by aFrench spy, her best friend's unrequited love for Lydia's brother, James, and atraitorous villain, Lydia gradually finds her emotions stirred by Lord Sheldon.But what is his relationship with the beautiful Lady Smythe and his part in anold scandal? Lydia faces danger before all deception is uncovered and loveclaims its reward.
LordByron: Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know
ByRosemary Gemmell
"I have been more ravished myself thananybody since the Trojan War."This is, perhaps, a fitting epitaph forthe man whom Lady Caroline Lamb once called: Mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Bornin 1788, during the elegant Enlightenment period, George Gordon, 6th Lord Byronepitomised the romance of Regency England. The publication of the first andsecond canto of his epic poem ChildeHarold's Pilgrimage, in 1812, introduced Byron to the eminent literaryworld of the time. And this young nobleman embodied the very essence of theromantic villain-hero that has graced the pages of fiction ever since. Themelancholy hero of the poem, Childe Harold, embarks on a solitary pilgrimageround Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Aegean after turning away from a life ofpleasure, and is widely believed to be a self-portrait of Byron.
Son of profligate gambler Captain JohnByron and Scottish heiress Catherine Gordon, Byron's early life was spent inAberdeenshire, when his father fled to France soon after the birth where hedied three years later. Byron's mother, who was descended from James 1 ofScotland, took him to her hometown where she began educating her son before hetook his place at Aberdeen Grammar School. The firstten years of Byron's life were surrounded by relative poverty as his father hadsquandered his wife's money as well as his own. It is believed that Byron wasborn with a clubfoot and that this slight deformity was to have a profoundeffect on his future temperament.
Then, in 1798, Byron's life was changedforever. His great-uncle William died and left young George the baronial titleand estate at Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire. Leaving behind his ordinarylife in Scotland, Byron wenton to study at Harrow followed by TrinityCollege Cambridge. And so began Byron's writinglife, as well as his reputation for high-spirited, even wild, behaviour.
He published his first poems in a smallvolume called Fugitive Pieces in1807. When his friend advised him theywere too sensual, Byron impulsively destroyed them and only four copiessurvived. However, Byron eventually revised his poems and published them as'Poems on Various Occasions', which became Hoursof Idleness. It was hardly an encouraging start to his literary career whenhis poems were attacked by Brougham in the EdinburghReview. Cultivating the satirical writing that would be his trademark,Byron avenged himself on Brougham by writing a satire in 1809 entitled, English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.
In that same year, Byron took his seat inthe House of Lords but eventually left England, travelling to Portugal, Spain,Malta, Greece and the Levant over the next two years. On his return home, agedtwenty four, Byron's days of fame and notoriety began. The first and secondcanto of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage elevatedByron to the ranks of literary genius beside Shakespeare, and ensured he becamethe most influential British poet known throughout Europe. Byron himselfremarked, "I awoke one morning and found myself famous."
There seems no doubt that Byron washugely attractive to, and attracted by, women. Sir Walter Scott, whom Byrongreatly admired, described him as having "the remarkable contrast of very darkhair and eyebrows with light and expressive eyes", while his predominatingexpression was that of "deep and habitual thought".
Young, aristocratic, a romantic wanderer,a poetic genius, the Regency society of the day could hardly get enough ofByron. Apart from his scandalous liaison with the married Lady Caroline Lamb, oneserious attachment eventually caused him pain and exile. Byron apparently fellin love with his half-sister, Augusta, who seemingly bore him a daughter. Inthe midst of increasing rumours of incense, he finally married AnnabellaMilbanke, Lady Caroline Lamb's clever cousin, in 1815. Known for her piety andintellect, Byron admired Annabella as "a very superior woman a littleencumbered with virtue". She hoped to be the means of Byron's redemption. The relationship was short-lived, lasting onlya year before Annabella left Byron, taking their daughter Ada with her. Shethen devoted the rest of her life to maligning Byron's character.
In a very short time, the society who hadidolised Lord Byron began to snub him, and his name increasingly becamesynonymous with the depravity and monstrosity with which Annabella hadslandered him. With rising debts and hounded by bailiffs, Byron, just 28 yearsold and at the pinnacle of his fame, left England never to return. The publicbelieved Annabella's damning stories, added their own embellishments and createda portrait of him that he recognised was partly his own fault. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage ends with thewords:
"I planted –they have torn me – and I bleed:I should haveknown what fruit would spring fromSuch a seed."
Byron joined the poet Shelley and hiswife, Mary, and her stepsister Claire Claremont, at Lake Geneva in 1816, whereMary Shelley wrote her famous Frankenstein.Even there, Byron was true to form, giving Claire Claremont a daughter,Allegra, born in Englandin 1817, although the child died five years later.
Byron didn't return to England with theothers, moving instead to Venice and Rome until, with the sale of Newstead in1818, he was finally free from financial worries. The remainder of Byron's lifewas as colourful as his past. In 1819, he became deeply attached to Teresa, themarried Countess Guiccioli, living with her in Veniceand then Ravenna.Teresa left her husband, took her family and went to Leghorn with Byron. When Leigh Hunt joinedthem, Byron and he co-produced TheLiberal magazine.
A humanitarian as much as a libertine,Byron had a fully developed social conscience, making an impassioned plea onbehalf of the industrial poor in the House of Lords and giving some of hismoney away, even while in debt. His stature as a poet grew, notorietynotwithstanding, especially when he published his innovative and masterly poem,Don Juan, a commentary on the societythat had rejected him.
Byron's social conscience finally tookhim to Greece where he formed the 'Byron Brigade' to support to the Greeks'fight for independence. He made such an impression that they hailed him a hero.George Gordon, 6th Lord Byron, ended his days in the country he hadchampioned, dying of a fever at Missolonghi, aged 36. The Greeks wanted tohonour him with burial in Athens but only hisheart remained in Greece,while his body returned to England.Even in death, they spurned him, refusing his burial in Westminster Abbey.Byron was buried in the family vault in the church at Huchnall Torkard, nearNewstead Abbey.
Byron and his poetry, however, had causeda huge impact all over Europe, making him one of the most famous English poetsever known. And the legend of the melancholy, Byronic hero lives on in thepages of literature, from that of his contemporary, Jane Austen, to many modernday romances. Byron had the last word, exposing the double standards, politicsand social relations of Regency England in Don Juan:
"Without, or with, offence to friends or foes, I sketch your world exactly as it goes."
Author Bio:
Rosemary Gemmell'sfirst historical novel, DangerousDeceit , Regency intrigue set in England of 1813, was published byChampagne Books in May 2011 (as Romy). Her first tween novel, Summerof the Eagles , which is set in Scotland, is being published by MuseItUpPublishing in March 2012 (as Ros).
Her short storiesand articles are published in UK magazines, in the US, and Online, and her children'sstories are in three different anthologies. One of her short stories wasincluded in the fundraising book, '100Stories for Haiti' in 2010. Ahistorical short story was published in 'TheWaterloo Collection', launched by the late professor Richard Holmes inApril 2011, and a short story was included in the cancer anthology, 'Lavender Dreams', from MuseItUp. Shehas won a few competitions and will be a short story adjudicator at the annualScottish Association of Writers' Conference in March 2012.
Rosemary Gemmell, ScotlandWebsite: www.rosemarygemmell.comMain Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.comRomancing History Blog: http://romygemmell.blogspot.comFlights of Imagination Blog (children's):http://rosgemmell.blogspot.comTwitter: @rosemarygemmell
DangerousDeceit
Lydia Hetheringtonis uninterested in society balls or marriage, until her brother's friend, LordMarcus Sheldon, rides into her life to unseat her from her horse and unsettleher heart. An undercover spy for the government, Sheldon is equally unsettledby Lydia.
Complicated by aFrench spy, her best friend's unrequited love for Lydia's brother, James, and atraitorous villain, Lydia gradually finds her emotions stirred by Lord Sheldon.But what is his relationship with the beautiful Lady Smythe and his part in anold scandal? Lydia faces danger before all deception is uncovered and loveclaims its reward.
Lord Byron: Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know by Rosemary Gemmell
Today on History Undressed, I'd like to welcome guest author Rosemary Gemmell, who writes under the name Romy Gemmell. She's written a wonderful article on the most titilating of subjects--or rather a historical figure who most people know by name: Lord Byron!
LordByron: Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know
ByRosemary Gemmell
"I have been more ravished myself thananybody since the Trojan War."
This is, perhaps, a fitting epitaph forthe man whom Lady Caroline Lamb once called: Mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Bornin 1788, during the elegant Enlightenment period, George Gordon, 6th Lord Byronepitomised the romance of Regency England. The publication of the first andsecond canto of his epic poem ChildeHarold's Pilgrimage, in 1812, introduced Byron to the eminent literaryworld of the time. And this young nobleman embodied the very essence of theromantic villain-hero that has graced the pages of fiction ever since. Themelancholy hero of the poem, Childe Harold, embarks on a solitary pilgrimageround Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Aegean after turning away from a life ofpleasure, and is widely believed to be a self-portrait of Byron.
Son of profligate gambler Captain JohnByron and Scottish heiress Catherine Gordon, Byron's early life was spent inAberdeenshire, when his father fled to France soon after the birth where hedied three years later. Byron's mother, who was descended from James 1 ofScotland, took him to her hometown where she began educating her son before hetook his place at Aberdeen Grammar School. The firstten years of Byron's life were surrounded by relative poverty as his father hadsquandered his wife's money as well as his own. It is believed that Byron wasborn with a clubfoot and that this slight deformity was to have a profoundeffect on his future temperament.
Then, in 1798, Byron's life was changedforever. His great-uncle William died and left young George the baronial titleand estate at Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire. Leaving behind his ordinarylife in Scotland, Byron wenton to study at Harrow followed by TrinityCollege Cambridge. And so began Byron's writinglife, as well as his reputation for high-spirited, even wild, behaviour.
He published his first poems in a smallvolume called Fugitive Pieces in1807. When his friend advised him theywere too sensual, Byron impulsively destroyed them and only four copiessurvived. However, Byron eventually revised his poems and published them as'Poems on Various Occasions', which became Hoursof Idleness. It was hardly an encouraging start to his literary career whenhis poems were attacked by Brougham in the EdinburghReview. Cultivating the satirical writing that would be his trademark,Byron avenged himself on Brougham by writing a satire in 1809 entitled, English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.
In that same year, Byron took his seat inthe House of Lords but eventually left England, travelling to Portugal, Spain,Malta, Greece and the Levant over the next two years. On his return home, agedtwenty four, Byron's days of fame and notoriety began. The first and secondcanto of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage elevatedByron to the ranks of literary genius beside Shakespeare, and ensured he becamethe most influential British poet known throughout Europe. Byron himselfremarked, "I awoke one morning and found myself famous."
There seems no doubt that Byron washugely attractive to, and attracted by, women. Sir Walter Scott, whom Byrongreatly admired, described him as having "the remarkable contrast of very darkhair and eyebrows with light and expressive eyes", while his predominatingexpression was that of "deep and habitual thought".
Young, aristocratic, a romantic wanderer,a poetic genius, the Regency society of the day could hardly get enough ofByron. Apart from his scandalous liaison with the married Lady Caroline Lamb, oneserious attachment eventually caused him pain and exile. Byron apparently fellin love with his half-sister, Augusta, who seemingly bore him a daughter. Inthe midst of increasing rumours of incense, he finally married AnnabellaMilbanke, Lady Caroline Lamb's clever cousin, in 1815. Known for her piety andintellect, Byron admired Annabella as "a very superior woman a littleencumbered with virtue". She hoped to be the means of Byron's redemption. The relationship was short-lived, lasting onlya year before Annabella left Byron, taking their daughter Ada with her. Shethen devoted the rest of her life to maligning Byron's character.
In a very short time, the society who hadidolised Lord Byron began to snub him, and his name increasingly becamesynonymous with the depravity and monstrosity with which Annabella hadslandered him. With rising debts and hounded by bailiffs, Byron, just 28 yearsold and at the pinnacle of his fame, left England never to return. The publicbelieved Annabella's damning stories, added their own embellishments and createda portrait of him that he recognised was partly his own fault. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage ends with thewords:
"I planted –they have torn me – and I bleed:I should haveknown what fruit would spring fromSuch a seed."
Byron joined the poet Shelley and hiswife, Mary, and her stepsister Claire Claremont, at Lake Geneva in 1816, whereMary Shelley wrote her famous Frankenstein.Even there, Byron was true to form, giving Claire Claremont a daughter,Allegra, born in Englandin 1817, although the child died five years later.
Byron didn't return to England with theothers, moving instead to Venice and Rome until, with the sale of Newstead in1818, he was finally free from financial worries. The remainder of Byron's lifewas as colourful as his past. In 1819, he became deeply attached to Teresa, themarried Countess Guiccioli, living with her in Veniceand then Ravenna.Teresa left her husband, took her family and went to Leghorn with Byron. When Leigh Hunt joinedthem, Byron and he co-produced TheLiberal magazine.
A humanitarian as much as a libertine,Byron had a fully developed social conscience, making an impassioned plea onbehalf of the industrial poor in the House of Lords and giving some of hismoney away, even while in debt. His stature as a poet grew, notorietynotwithstanding, especially when he published his innovative and masterly poem,Don Juan, a commentary on the societythat had rejected him.
Byron's social conscience finally tookhim to Greece where he formed the 'Byron Brigade' to support to the Greeks'fight for independence. He made such an impression that they hailed him a hero.George Gordon, 6th Lord Byron, ended his days in the country he hadchampioned, dying of a fever at Missolonghi, aged 36. The Greeks wanted tohonour him with burial in Athens but only hisheart remained in Greece,while his body returned to England.Even in death, they spurned him, refusing his burial in Westminster Abbey.Byron was buried in the family vault in the church at Huchnall Torkard, nearNewstead Abbey.
Byron and his poetry, however, had causeda huge impact all over Europe, making him one of the most famous English poetsever known. And the legend of the melancholy, Byronic hero lives on in thepages of literature, from that of his contemporary, Jane Austen, to many modernday romances. Byron had the last word, exposing the double standards, politicsand social relations of Regency England in Don Juan:
"Without, or with, offence to friends or foes, I sketch your world exactly as it goes."
Author Bio:
Rosemary Gemmell'sfirst historical novel, DangerousDeceit , Regency intrigue set in England of 1813, was published byChampagne Books in May 2011 (as Romy). Her first tween novel, Summerof the Eagles , which is set in Scotland, is being published by MuseItUpPublishing in March 2012 (as Ros).
Her short storiesand articles are published in UK magazines, in the US, and Online, and her children'sstories are in three different anthologies. One of her short stories wasincluded in the fundraising book, '100Stories for Haiti' in 2010. Ahistorical short story was published in 'TheWaterloo Collection', launched by the late professor Richard Holmes inApril 2011, and a short story was included in the cancer anthology, 'Lavender Dreams', from MuseItUp. Shehas won a few competitions and will be a short story adjudicator at the annualScottish Association of Writers' Conference in March 2012.
Rosemary Gemmell, ScotlandWebsite: www.rosemarygemmell.comMain Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.comRomancing History Blog: http://romygemmell.blogspot.comFlights of Imagination Blog (children's):http://rosgemmell.blogspot.comTwitter: @rosemarygemmell
DangerousDeceit
Lydia Hetheringtonis uninterested in society balls or marriage, until her brother's friend, LordMarcus Sheldon, rides into her life to unseat her from her horse and unsettleher heart. An undercover spy for the government, Sheldon is equally unsettledby Lydia.
Complicated by aFrench spy, her best friend's unrequited love for Lydia's brother, James, and atraitorous villain, Lydia gradually finds her emotions stirred by Lord Sheldon.But what is his relationship with the beautiful Lady Smythe and his part in anold scandal? Lydia faces danger before all deception is uncovered and loveclaims its reward.
LordByron: Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know
ByRosemary Gemmell
"I have been more ravished myself thananybody since the Trojan War."This is, perhaps, a fitting epitaph forthe man whom Lady Caroline Lamb once called: Mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Bornin 1788, during the elegant Enlightenment period, George Gordon, 6th Lord Byronepitomised the romance of Regency England. The publication of the first andsecond canto of his epic poem ChildeHarold's Pilgrimage, in 1812, introduced Byron to the eminent literaryworld of the time. And this young nobleman embodied the very essence of theromantic villain-hero that has graced the pages of fiction ever since. Themelancholy hero of the poem, Childe Harold, embarks on a solitary pilgrimageround Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Aegean after turning away from a life ofpleasure, and is widely believed to be a self-portrait of Byron.
Son of profligate gambler Captain JohnByron and Scottish heiress Catherine Gordon, Byron's early life was spent inAberdeenshire, when his father fled to France soon after the birth where hedied three years later. Byron's mother, who was descended from James 1 ofScotland, took him to her hometown where she began educating her son before hetook his place at Aberdeen Grammar School. The firstten years of Byron's life were surrounded by relative poverty as his father hadsquandered his wife's money as well as his own. It is believed that Byron wasborn with a clubfoot and that this slight deformity was to have a profoundeffect on his future temperament.
Then, in 1798, Byron's life was changedforever. His great-uncle William died and left young George the baronial titleand estate at Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire. Leaving behind his ordinarylife in Scotland, Byron wenton to study at Harrow followed by TrinityCollege Cambridge. And so began Byron's writinglife, as well as his reputation for high-spirited, even wild, behaviour.
He published his first poems in a smallvolume called Fugitive Pieces in1807. When his friend advised him theywere too sensual, Byron impulsively destroyed them and only four copiessurvived. However, Byron eventually revised his poems and published them as'Poems on Various Occasions', which became Hoursof Idleness. It was hardly an encouraging start to his literary career whenhis poems were attacked by Brougham in the EdinburghReview. Cultivating the satirical writing that would be his trademark,Byron avenged himself on Brougham by writing a satire in 1809 entitled, English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.
In that same year, Byron took his seat inthe House of Lords but eventually left England, travelling to Portugal, Spain,Malta, Greece and the Levant over the next two years. On his return home, agedtwenty four, Byron's days of fame and notoriety began. The first and secondcanto of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage elevatedByron to the ranks of literary genius beside Shakespeare, and ensured he becamethe most influential British poet known throughout Europe. Byron himselfremarked, "I awoke one morning and found myself famous."
There seems no doubt that Byron washugely attractive to, and attracted by, women. Sir Walter Scott, whom Byrongreatly admired, described him as having "the remarkable contrast of very darkhair and eyebrows with light and expressive eyes", while his predominatingexpression was that of "deep and habitual thought".
Young, aristocratic, a romantic wanderer,a poetic genius, the Regency society of the day could hardly get enough ofByron. Apart from his scandalous liaison with the married Lady Caroline Lamb, oneserious attachment eventually caused him pain and exile. Byron apparently fellin love with his half-sister, Augusta, who seemingly bore him a daughter. Inthe midst of increasing rumours of incense, he finally married AnnabellaMilbanke, Lady Caroline Lamb's clever cousin, in 1815. Known for her piety andintellect, Byron admired Annabella as "a very superior woman a littleencumbered with virtue". She hoped to be the means of Byron's redemption. The relationship was short-lived, lasting onlya year before Annabella left Byron, taking their daughter Ada with her. Shethen devoted the rest of her life to maligning Byron's character.
In a very short time, the society who hadidolised Lord Byron began to snub him, and his name increasingly becamesynonymous with the depravity and monstrosity with which Annabella hadslandered him. With rising debts and hounded by bailiffs, Byron, just 28 yearsold and at the pinnacle of his fame, left England never to return. The publicbelieved Annabella's damning stories, added their own embellishments and createda portrait of him that he recognised was partly his own fault. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage ends with thewords:
"I planted –they have torn me – and I bleed:I should haveknown what fruit would spring fromSuch a seed."
Byron joined the poet Shelley and hiswife, Mary, and her stepsister Claire Claremont, at Lake Geneva in 1816, whereMary Shelley wrote her famous Frankenstein.Even there, Byron was true to form, giving Claire Claremont a daughter,Allegra, born in Englandin 1817, although the child died five years later.
Byron didn't return to England with theothers, moving instead to Venice and Rome until, with the sale of Newstead in1818, he was finally free from financial worries. The remainder of Byron's lifewas as colourful as his past. In 1819, he became deeply attached to Teresa, themarried Countess Guiccioli, living with her in Veniceand then Ravenna.Teresa left her husband, took her family and went to Leghorn with Byron. When Leigh Hunt joinedthem, Byron and he co-produced TheLiberal magazine.
A humanitarian as much as a libertine,Byron had a fully developed social conscience, making an impassioned plea onbehalf of the industrial poor in the House of Lords and giving some of hismoney away, even while in debt. His stature as a poet grew, notorietynotwithstanding, especially when he published his innovative and masterly poem,Don Juan, a commentary on the societythat had rejected him.
Byron's social conscience finally tookhim to Greece where he formed the 'Byron Brigade' to support to the Greeks'fight for independence. He made such an impression that they hailed him a hero.George Gordon, 6th Lord Byron, ended his days in the country he hadchampioned, dying of a fever at Missolonghi, aged 36. The Greeks wanted tohonour him with burial in Athens but only hisheart remained in Greece,while his body returned to England.Even in death, they spurned him, refusing his burial in Westminster Abbey.Byron was buried in the family vault in the church at Huchnall Torkard, nearNewstead Abbey.
Byron and his poetry, however, had causeda huge impact all over Europe, making him one of the most famous English poetsever known. And the legend of the melancholy, Byronic hero lives on in thepages of literature, from that of his contemporary, Jane Austen, to many modernday romances. Byron had the last word, exposing the double standards, politicsand social relations of Regency England in Don Juan:
"Without, or with, offence to friends or foes, I sketch your world exactly as it goes."
Author Bio:
Rosemary Gemmell'sfirst historical novel, DangerousDeceit , Regency intrigue set in England of 1813, was published byChampagne Books in May 2011 (as Romy). Her first tween novel, Summerof the Eagles , which is set in Scotland, is being published by MuseItUpPublishing in March 2012 (as Ros).
Her short storiesand articles are published in UK magazines, in the US, and Online, and her children'sstories are in three different anthologies. One of her short stories wasincluded in the fundraising book, '100Stories for Haiti' in 2010. Ahistorical short story was published in 'TheWaterloo Collection', launched by the late professor Richard Holmes inApril 2011, and a short story was included in the cancer anthology, 'Lavender Dreams', from MuseItUp. Shehas won a few competitions and will be a short story adjudicator at the annualScottish Association of Writers' Conference in March 2012.
Rosemary Gemmell, ScotlandWebsite: www.rosemarygemmell.comMain Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.comRomancing History Blog: http://romygemmell.blogspot.comFlights of Imagination Blog (children's):http://rosgemmell.blogspot.comTwitter: @rosemarygemmell
DangerousDeceit
Lydia Hetheringtonis uninterested in society balls or marriage, until her brother's friend, LordMarcus Sheldon, rides into her life to unseat her from her horse and unsettleher heart. An undercover spy for the government, Sheldon is equally unsettledby Lydia.
Complicated by aFrench spy, her best friend's unrequited love for Lydia's brother, James, and atraitorous villain, Lydia gradually finds her emotions stirred by Lord Sheldon.But what is his relationship with the beautiful Lady Smythe and his part in anold scandal? Lydia faces danger before all deception is uncovered and loveclaims its reward.
February 2, 2012
St. Brigit of Kildare by Suzanne Barrett
In honor of St. Brigit's day (February 1st) also known as Imbolc, guest blogger, Suzanne Barrett author of Irish inspired romance, has graciously offered History Undressed a fascinating article on St. Bridit of Kildare...
St. Brigit of Kildareby Suzanne Barrett
St.Brigit of Kildare is the most famous female leader of the early Celtic church,living in Ireland from about 452 to 524, and governing both men and women inher monastery at Kildare.
Nuns are said to have kept an eternal flame burning therethat was not extinguished until the Reformation. The custom may have beenderived from ancient Druidic practice, since there appears to have been femaledruids residing at the spot long before Brigit's arrival. Their leader was ahigh priestess named Brigid or Brighid (pronounced Breed), which means "the exalted one," and she was deityof wisdom, poetry, fire, and hearth. The goddess, like many other Celticgoddesses who appear sometimes in groups of three, was associated with twosisters by the same name--one who was associated with the art of healing, theother with the craft of smithing. These attributes were eventually identifiedwith the saint, whose feast day, February first, came to be celebrated on thesame day as the pagan goddess. Edward Sellner, in his book Wisdom of theCeltic Saints, says "it is clear that St. Brigit stands on theboundary between pagan mythology and Christian spirituality."
Thesaint was called "the Mary of the Gael" and considered during theMiddle Ages as the patron saint of travelers and pilgrims. In Ireland she isstill prayed to as the guardian of farm animals, of healers, and of midwives.Only a round tower and a restored medieval cathedral are evidence of herpresence at Kildare, however, her reputation as a spiritual guide remains. Hergifts of patience, prayerfulness, inclusivity, and compassion were the basis ofher spiritual power and ministry.
Fact mingles with fiction and myth when it comes to the deedsof St. Brigit. One fact is that the deeds and myths attributed to the earliergoddess Brigid were subsumed into the cult and person of the saint. WithinScottish tradition, Brigit (both saint and goddess) is associated with thelambing season and the coming of spring. In pagan culture this equates with theousting of the winter reign of CailleachBheur, or the Old Hag who comes with Samhain. At Imbolc (pronounced "IM-bullug" or "IM-bulk" with a guttural"k" on the end), the Old Hag is replaced by the Young Virgin(Brigid).
St. Brigit, in Christian myth, is credited with being themidwife to the Virgin Mary, also to playing the fool by distracting Herod'ssoldiers from the infant Christ child by wearing a crown of burning candles onher head. This crown of candles is also associated with the Scandinavian St.Lucia, and in some households in Sweden today, the mother of the house servescakes and coffee to family members wearing a "Lucia crown." There arealso aspects of the Yorkshire goddess Brigantia attributed to the Irish saint,particularly in wisdom, water, and pastoral activity.
Brigit was born the daughter of a Christian bondswoman and apagan chieftain, Dubthach (the Dark One), of County Louth. When Dubthach's wifediscovered the slave was pregnant, she threatened to leave and take her dowryif her husband didn't get rid of the slave. Dubthach took the bondswoman to adruid in Faughart, who, according to legend, gave a very angelic prophesy aboutthe unborn child.
An interesting sidelight is that this is said to be the spot of theford which Cuchulain singlehandedly defended against the forces of Queen Maeve,and a short distance from the pillar stone upon which he tied himself duringhis last combat so he might die on his feet.
"The offspring of your wife shall serve the offspring ofthe slave, and the slave shall bring forth a radiant daughter who will shinelike the sun among the stars of heaven."
Dubthachsold the slave to a poet because of his wife's jealousy, and the poet then soldthe slave to a kindly druid, but not the child in the womb. Brigit was said tohave been born on the threshold of the druid's house and washed in a vessel ofmilk carried by the slave. Further tales tell of special gifts bestowed on theyoung child.
I found it fascinating that Imbolc, the pagan sabbat occurring on theFeast Day of St. Brigit, has the dual meaning of "in the belly" and"in milk."
On a certain day, Brigit's mother went out to milk the cows,while leaving the young Brigit asleep in her house. Neighbors saw the house onfire and raced over to rescue Brigit. When they got to the house, so the legendgoes, the fire disappeared, and they saw it a a sign that the girl was full ofthe grace of the Holy Spirit.
When Brigit was about ten, she returned of her own accord, toher father and began to give to the poor much of the contents of the kitchen.Then she further irritated her father by insisting on returning to her fosterhome to help her ailing mother, where she took on her mother's dairy work. Astory evolved that when she churned the butter, she sang a song beseechingMary's Son to grant abundance, and the butter multiplied. So grateful was thedruid that he freed Brigit's mother and allowed himself to be baptized.
As she grew to young womanhood, everything she touchedincreased. She tended sheep, fed the poor, satisfied birds, according tolegend. Once when the druid was sleeping, he saw three clerics anoint the youngwoman with oil. The clerics, angels in disguise, told the druid in his dreamthat the girl's name was to be SanctaBrigida - Saint Brigit.
Brigit incurred the wrath of her father when she took hissword from his house and gave it to a leper who begged something in God's name.Her furious father took her to the king to sell her, but Brigit's explanationthat "the Virgin Mary's Son knows, if I had your power, with all yourwealth, and with all your Leinster, I would give them all to the Lord of theElements." The king told Dubthach: "It is not right for us to dealwith this young woman, for her merit before God is higher than ours."
Brigit accompanied several virgins to Bishop Mel to take theveil. She held back so the other young women should be first, but legend statesthat a "fiery pillar rose from her head to the roof of the church"and the bishop decreed it a sign she should be first. Then the form ofordination for the bishopric was read over her--whether intentional or bymiracle--and she became the first female bishop. When challenged by BishopMel's assistant, the bishop said the dignity had been given by God, not by him,and it was irreversible. From that day onward, the people of Ireland have givenepiscopal honor to Brigit's successors.
Many more stories are told of the saints healings, even whenshe herself was severely wounded. What is known is that Bishop Mel gave herwhat is now the city of Kildareas lands for a monastery. How she obtained these lands is less clear. One storytells that when the local king refused her request for the land, she told himshe would be content with whatever her mantle could cover. When spread, themantle covered the entire of what was to later be known as the Curragh. At theedge of her grassland, she built a church and convent. The area was probably anancient Druidic site, as previously mentioned, because the nuns retained thepagan practice of the sacred fire. This fire burned continuously untilextinguished in 1220 by Henry de Londres, the Anglo-Norman archbishop ofDublin. Later rekindled, it was finally quenched upon the Dissolution.
Cogitosus, a seventh century biographer, described Brigit'schurch as being a spacious timber building with a high roof, many windows, andfrescoed walls. Hanging linens divided the sanctuary from the rest of thechurch.
Theconvent thrived under Brigit's capable and generous leadership, and eventuallyshe invited a bishop to take up residence at Kildare. Under this man, Conleth,a monastery grew, where monks crafted chalices, missal covers, shrines andother beautiful metal objects for religious use. Conleth and Brigit supervisedthe double monastery as coequals.
Brigit had many admirers in the clergy. Before Finian builthis monastery at Clonard, he visited Brigit to learn the art of organizing suchan operation. And Brendan the Navigator, returning from his voyage, stopped tovisit Brigit. The folk tale tells that she came in from her sheep pasture towelcome him and hung her cloak on a sunbeam to dry.
Coincidentally, pagans speak of the goddess Brigid as having an unusualstatus as a Sun Goddess Who hangs Her Cloak upon the rays of the Sun.
Thereare many similarities between Brigit the saint and Brigid the goddess. Brigidis the Goddess of physicians and healing, divination and prophecy. One of herancient names is Breo-saighead which means fiery arrow. She is associated withthe cow (relating to the festival of Imbolc), also with ewes (the lambingseason), and milk. Imbolc involves the lighting of fires (Candlemas?),purification with well water (there are many Brigid wells in Ireland today),and the ushering in of the new year (Spring) by a maiden known as the Queen ofthe Heavens. The Catholic Feast of the Purification of Mary is celebrated atthis same time. Brigid is here honored in her capacity as Great Mother.
The goddess Brigid is a triple goddess, replaced by aTrinity. Her role as Mother Goddess was never completely erased and appearsthroughout her career as a Catholic saint. As St. Brigit, rays of sunlight comefrom her head, exactly as her goddess role. Themes of milk, fire, sun, andserpents follow the goddess Brigid and the saint Brigit, and both display theattributes of compassion, generosity, hospitality, spinning and weaving,smithwork, healing, and agriculture. Fires are raised in the morning andsmoored at night by prayers to St. Brigit.
The Brigit's cross, a crafted cross of rushes, is actually awiddershins, a counterclockwise swastika, a symbol of the sun. It made its wayto Ireland in the second century and hangs today in Irish Catholic houses andin Wiccan homes as a symbol of protection.
The early church could not stamp out pagan practices andchose to make Christianity more palatable by combining the Old Ways intoChristian tradition. In doing so, they made Brigid's transition from goddess tosaint complete. The protective mantle of Mary of the Gael is still invokedagainst danger. St. Brigit is the secondary saintly protector of Ireland, afterPatrick.
*~*~*~*~*
Suzanne Barrett is the author of several articles on writingand Ireland. Following a career in engineering, Suzanne has returned to herfirst love of writing and literature. Born in Southern California, Suzanne,along with her husband and an elderly cat make their home in the Santa CruzMountains. Suzanne is also a jewelry designer, and her wirework is shown atvarious arts and wine events throughout the county. (Visit her jewelry websiteat www.bellerustique.com.) In addition, she has an Irish travel website witharticles, recipes and an extensive photo gallery. When she's not writing ordesigning jewelry, Suzanne loves to garden.
First published by Kensington, Suzanne's first novel forTurquoise Morning Press was Late Harvest a Mendocino California wine country story, followed by her two-time GoldenHeart finalist book In Love and War,a story set in County Waterford, Ireland. TamingRowan, is set in England's Cumbria district and one borne of her work inaerospace. Other books include SierraBride , an historical set in Northern California and An Irish Rogue ,a contemporary set in her hometown. Suzanne's website is:www.suzannebarrett.com.
St. Brigit of Kildareby Suzanne Barrett
St.Brigit of Kildare is the most famous female leader of the early Celtic church,living in Ireland from about 452 to 524, and governing both men and women inher monastery at Kildare.Nuns are said to have kept an eternal flame burning therethat was not extinguished until the Reformation. The custom may have beenderived from ancient Druidic practice, since there appears to have been femaledruids residing at the spot long before Brigit's arrival. Their leader was ahigh priestess named Brigid or Brighid (pronounced Breed), which means "the exalted one," and she was deityof wisdom, poetry, fire, and hearth. The goddess, like many other Celticgoddesses who appear sometimes in groups of three, was associated with twosisters by the same name--one who was associated with the art of healing, theother with the craft of smithing. These attributes were eventually identifiedwith the saint, whose feast day, February first, came to be celebrated on thesame day as the pagan goddess. Edward Sellner, in his book Wisdom of theCeltic Saints, says "it is clear that St. Brigit stands on theboundary between pagan mythology and Christian spirituality."
Thesaint was called "the Mary of the Gael" and considered during theMiddle Ages as the patron saint of travelers and pilgrims. In Ireland she isstill prayed to as the guardian of farm animals, of healers, and of midwives.Only a round tower and a restored medieval cathedral are evidence of herpresence at Kildare, however, her reputation as a spiritual guide remains. Hergifts of patience, prayerfulness, inclusivity, and compassion were the basis ofher spiritual power and ministry.
Fact mingles with fiction and myth when it comes to the deedsof St. Brigit. One fact is that the deeds and myths attributed to the earliergoddess Brigid were subsumed into the cult and person of the saint. WithinScottish tradition, Brigit (both saint and goddess) is associated with thelambing season and the coming of spring. In pagan culture this equates with theousting of the winter reign of CailleachBheur, or the Old Hag who comes with Samhain. At Imbolc (pronounced "IM-bullug" or "IM-bulk" with a guttural"k" on the end), the Old Hag is replaced by the Young Virgin(Brigid).
St. Brigit, in Christian myth, is credited with being themidwife to the Virgin Mary, also to playing the fool by distracting Herod'ssoldiers from the infant Christ child by wearing a crown of burning candles onher head. This crown of candles is also associated with the Scandinavian St.Lucia, and in some households in Sweden today, the mother of the house servescakes and coffee to family members wearing a "Lucia crown." There arealso aspects of the Yorkshire goddess Brigantia attributed to the Irish saint,particularly in wisdom, water, and pastoral activity.
Brigit was born the daughter of a Christian bondswoman and apagan chieftain, Dubthach (the Dark One), of County Louth. When Dubthach's wifediscovered the slave was pregnant, she threatened to leave and take her dowryif her husband didn't get rid of the slave. Dubthach took the bondswoman to adruid in Faughart, who, according to legend, gave a very angelic prophesy aboutthe unborn child.
An interesting sidelight is that this is said to be the spot of theford which Cuchulain singlehandedly defended against the forces of Queen Maeve,and a short distance from the pillar stone upon which he tied himself duringhis last combat so he might die on his feet.
"The offspring of your wife shall serve the offspring ofthe slave, and the slave shall bring forth a radiant daughter who will shinelike the sun among the stars of heaven."
Dubthachsold the slave to a poet because of his wife's jealousy, and the poet then soldthe slave to a kindly druid, but not the child in the womb. Brigit was said tohave been born on the threshold of the druid's house and washed in a vessel ofmilk carried by the slave. Further tales tell of special gifts bestowed on theyoung child.I found it fascinating that Imbolc, the pagan sabbat occurring on theFeast Day of St. Brigit, has the dual meaning of "in the belly" and"in milk."
On a certain day, Brigit's mother went out to milk the cows,while leaving the young Brigit asleep in her house. Neighbors saw the house onfire and raced over to rescue Brigit. When they got to the house, so the legendgoes, the fire disappeared, and they saw it a a sign that the girl was full ofthe grace of the Holy Spirit.
When Brigit was about ten, she returned of her own accord, toher father and began to give to the poor much of the contents of the kitchen.Then she further irritated her father by insisting on returning to her fosterhome to help her ailing mother, where she took on her mother's dairy work. Astory evolved that when she churned the butter, she sang a song beseechingMary's Son to grant abundance, and the butter multiplied. So grateful was thedruid that he freed Brigit's mother and allowed himself to be baptized.
As she grew to young womanhood, everything she touchedincreased. She tended sheep, fed the poor, satisfied birds, according tolegend. Once when the druid was sleeping, he saw three clerics anoint the youngwoman with oil. The clerics, angels in disguise, told the druid in his dreamthat the girl's name was to be SanctaBrigida - Saint Brigit.
Brigit incurred the wrath of her father when she took hissword from his house and gave it to a leper who begged something in God's name.Her furious father took her to the king to sell her, but Brigit's explanationthat "the Virgin Mary's Son knows, if I had your power, with all yourwealth, and with all your Leinster, I would give them all to the Lord of theElements." The king told Dubthach: "It is not right for us to dealwith this young woman, for her merit before God is higher than ours."
Brigit accompanied several virgins to Bishop Mel to take theveil. She held back so the other young women should be first, but legend statesthat a "fiery pillar rose from her head to the roof of the church"and the bishop decreed it a sign she should be first. Then the form ofordination for the bishopric was read over her--whether intentional or bymiracle--and she became the first female bishop. When challenged by BishopMel's assistant, the bishop said the dignity had been given by God, not by him,and it was irreversible. From that day onward, the people of Ireland have givenepiscopal honor to Brigit's successors.
Many more stories are told of the saints healings, even whenshe herself was severely wounded. What is known is that Bishop Mel gave herwhat is now the city of Kildareas lands for a monastery. How she obtained these lands is less clear. One storytells that when the local king refused her request for the land, she told himshe would be content with whatever her mantle could cover. When spread, themantle covered the entire of what was to later be known as the Curragh. At theedge of her grassland, she built a church and convent. The area was probably anancient Druidic site, as previously mentioned, because the nuns retained thepagan practice of the sacred fire. This fire burned continuously untilextinguished in 1220 by Henry de Londres, the Anglo-Norman archbishop ofDublin. Later rekindled, it was finally quenched upon the Dissolution.
Cogitosus, a seventh century biographer, described Brigit'schurch as being a spacious timber building with a high roof, many windows, andfrescoed walls. Hanging linens divided the sanctuary from the rest of thechurch.
Theconvent thrived under Brigit's capable and generous leadership, and eventuallyshe invited a bishop to take up residence at Kildare. Under this man, Conleth,a monastery grew, where monks crafted chalices, missal covers, shrines andother beautiful metal objects for religious use. Conleth and Brigit supervisedthe double monastery as coequals.
Brigit had many admirers in the clergy. Before Finian builthis monastery at Clonard, he visited Brigit to learn the art of organizing suchan operation. And Brendan the Navigator, returning from his voyage, stopped tovisit Brigit. The folk tale tells that she came in from her sheep pasture towelcome him and hung her cloak on a sunbeam to dry.Coincidentally, pagans speak of the goddess Brigid as having an unusualstatus as a Sun Goddess Who hangs Her Cloak upon the rays of the Sun.
Thereare many similarities between Brigit the saint and Brigid the goddess. Brigidis the Goddess of physicians and healing, divination and prophecy. One of herancient names is Breo-saighead which means fiery arrow. She is associated withthe cow (relating to the festival of Imbolc), also with ewes (the lambingseason), and milk. Imbolc involves the lighting of fires (Candlemas?),purification with well water (there are many Brigid wells in Ireland today),and the ushering in of the new year (Spring) by a maiden known as the Queen ofthe Heavens. The Catholic Feast of the Purification of Mary is celebrated atthis same time. Brigid is here honored in her capacity as Great Mother.
The goddess Brigid is a triple goddess, replaced by aTrinity. Her role as Mother Goddess was never completely erased and appearsthroughout her career as a Catholic saint. As St. Brigit, rays of sunlight comefrom her head, exactly as her goddess role. Themes of milk, fire, sun, andserpents follow the goddess Brigid and the saint Brigit, and both display theattributes of compassion, generosity, hospitality, spinning and weaving,smithwork, healing, and agriculture. Fires are raised in the morning andsmoored at night by prayers to St. Brigit.
The Brigit's cross, a crafted cross of rushes, is actually awiddershins, a counterclockwise swastika, a symbol of the sun. It made its wayto Ireland in the second century and hangs today in Irish Catholic houses andin Wiccan homes as a symbol of protection.
The early church could not stamp out pagan practices andchose to make Christianity more palatable by combining the Old Ways intoChristian tradition. In doing so, they made Brigid's transition from goddess tosaint complete. The protective mantle of Mary of the Gael is still invokedagainst danger. St. Brigit is the secondary saintly protector of Ireland, afterPatrick.
*~*~*~*~*
Suzanne Barrett is the author of several articles on writingand Ireland. Following a career in engineering, Suzanne has returned to herfirst love of writing and literature. Born in Southern California, Suzanne,along with her husband and an elderly cat make their home in the Santa CruzMountains. Suzanne is also a jewelry designer, and her wirework is shown atvarious arts and wine events throughout the county. (Visit her jewelry websiteat www.bellerustique.com.) In addition, she has an Irish travel website witharticles, recipes and an extensive photo gallery. When she's not writing ordesigning jewelry, Suzanne loves to garden.First published by Kensington, Suzanne's first novel forTurquoise Morning Press was Late Harvest a Mendocino California wine country story, followed by her two-time GoldenHeart finalist book In Love and War,a story set in County Waterford, Ireland. TamingRowan, is set in England's Cumbria district and one borne of her work inaerospace. Other books include SierraBride , an historical set in Northern California and An Irish Rogue ,a contemporary set in her hometown. Suzanne's website is:www.suzannebarrett.com.
January 30, 2012
Guest Blogger Pete Markovic on Guy Fawkes: History with a Bang!
Today on History Undressed, I'd like to introduce you to a new guest blogger, Pete Markovic! He's written a fascinating piece for us on Guy Fawkes aka Guido Fawkes, a man of the Renaissance era. Guy Fawkes - History with a Bang!by Pete Markovic
Guy Fawkes
by CruishankGuido Fawkes born 13 April 1570, in Stonegate, Yorkshire, England, his short life of 36 years ended on 31 January 1606, at Old Palace Yard, Westminster, England.
Guido Fawkes, became a popular Spanish soldier belonging to a group of outmoded English Catholics, who plotted against the English Government in 1605.
His father Edward Fawkes was a notary of the religious courts. Records show that Guido Fawkes with his wife became the father of a son Thomas on 6 February 1591; it has not been established as accurate as removing the records leaves no evidence that the birth took place.
According to legend, Fawkes left England in 1593 or 1594 for Flanders and became a member of the Spanish army headed by Archduke Albert of Austria, who went on to become the ruler of the Netherlands.
The Gunpowder Plot
The Conspirators - Guy Fawkes is 3rd from the Left
by Crispijn van de PasseThe Gunpowder Plot was an intricately planned attempt blow up the houses of Parliment and to carry out the assassination of King James of England; he failed miserably. The plot to blow up the government building of Westminster might have failed, but his legend is decidedly much in the news, celebrated on November 5 each year in Britain.
The plot to blow up the government building of Westminster might have failed, but his legend is truly much in the news, celebrated on November 5 each year in Britain.
Consequently the perpetrators of the plot where destined to hang. When it came to Guido Fawkes' turn at the noose, he jumped to his death from the top scaffold saving himself the suffering and humiliation of hanging.
From the Britannia History website about the death of Guido Fawkes:
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night at Windsor by Paul SandbyOn November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes, caught in the cellar of the British Houses of Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder was consequently tortured and executed." However, it was a failed execution in that he committed suicide.
Excitement grows, and the pennies collect towards the purchase of fireworks to be taken to the annual gathering and finish off around the bonfire carefully built with a space on the top, for the effigy of Guy Fawkes some even going so far as supplying him with a chair. However, historically, his legend lives on, and the annual burning and celebration of his death and failed attempt to blow up the House of Commons in Westminster.
His death is celebrated with a bright display of colorful fireworks and a burning effigy, and it is uncertain why such a person to be celebrated in such a way. When it all boils down to it, what are they celebrating? Is it the failure of the fire, the attempted assassination, or, the actual object and mystery of it all?
The author
Peter Markovic is a freelance writer and publisher of audio books online. He is passionate about reading and may be found on his book discussion forum
Guy Fawkesby CruishankGuido Fawkes born 13 April 1570, in Stonegate, Yorkshire, England, his short life of 36 years ended on 31 January 1606, at Old Palace Yard, Westminster, England.
Guido Fawkes, became a popular Spanish soldier belonging to a group of outmoded English Catholics, who plotted against the English Government in 1605.
His father Edward Fawkes was a notary of the religious courts. Records show that Guido Fawkes with his wife became the father of a son Thomas on 6 February 1591; it has not been established as accurate as removing the records leaves no evidence that the birth took place.
According to legend, Fawkes left England in 1593 or 1594 for Flanders and became a member of the Spanish army headed by Archduke Albert of Austria, who went on to become the ruler of the Netherlands.
The Gunpowder Plot
The Conspirators - Guy Fawkes is 3rd from the Leftby Crispijn van de PasseThe Gunpowder Plot was an intricately planned attempt blow up the houses of Parliment and to carry out the assassination of King James of England; he failed miserably. The plot to blow up the government building of Westminster might have failed, but his legend is decidedly much in the news, celebrated on November 5 each year in Britain.
The plot to blow up the government building of Westminster might have failed, but his legend is truly much in the news, celebrated on November 5 each year in Britain.
Consequently the perpetrators of the plot where destined to hang. When it came to Guido Fawkes' turn at the noose, he jumped to his death from the top scaffold saving himself the suffering and humiliation of hanging.
From the Britannia History website about the death of Guido Fawkes:
"Last of all came the famed devil of all, Guy Fawkes made his end upon the gallows and the block, to the great joy of all the beholders that the land ended of so wicked a villainy".
Sitting amongst his tools and elements of destruction waiting until the time was right.
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night at Windsor by Paul SandbyOn November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes, caught in the cellar of the British Houses of Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder was consequently tortured and executed." However, it was a failed execution in that he committed suicide.Excitement grows, and the pennies collect towards the purchase of fireworks to be taken to the annual gathering and finish off around the bonfire carefully built with a space on the top, for the effigy of Guy Fawkes some even going so far as supplying him with a chair. However, historically, his legend lives on, and the annual burning and celebration of his death and failed attempt to blow up the House of Commons in Westminster.
His death is celebrated with a bright display of colorful fireworks and a burning effigy, and it is uncertain why such a person to be celebrated in such a way. When it all boils down to it, what are they celebrating? Is it the failure of the fire, the attempted assassination, or, the actual object and mystery of it all?
The author
Peter Markovic is a freelance writer and publisher of audio books online. He is passionate about reading and may be found on his book discussion forum
January 27, 2012
Guest Author Mia Marlowe on Writing Historical Romance
Today I'd like to welcome historical romance author, Mia Marlowe to History Undressed! Today she'll be talking with us about writing historical romance and a bit about her new release (along with Connie Mason), SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER. Leave a comment and two lucky winners will receive a print copy of Ms. Marlowe's new release! (US and Canada only)
Thanks for having me here. Part of why I write historical romance isbecause it allows me to feed my history addiction. I love the research portionof my job. I always find something surprising, horrifying, or delightful. Todaywe're in the horrifying realm because there's a scene in SINS OF THE HIGHLANDERwhere my heroine Elspeth is going to be burned as a witch. I have a personalinterest in those who were falsely accused of consorting with the devil becausemy 13th great-grandmother, Sarah Towne Cloyce was imprisoned duringthe Salem Witch trials. (You can read all about it on my blog: http://miamarlowe.com/blog/2010/10/a-witch-in-the-woodshed/)
Unfortunately, when one was accused of witchcraft in the 16th century,there was no such thing as being held innocent till proven guilty. Confessionswere often forced with torture. And the tests devised to prove innocence usuallyresulted in the death of the accused. For example, water was considered a pureelement which would reject a wicked soul. So if a bound person was tossed intoa pond and floated, they were "rejected" by the water and therefore, proved tobe evil. The person who sank and drowned was deemed innocent. Talk about a no-win scenario.
In Sins of the Highlander,Elspeth Stewart is given a public trial since she's the daughter of a laird,but she's found guilty all the same. In the following excerpt, Rob MacLaren hassneaked into his enemy's stronghold in the hope that he can free her.
Sins of the Highlanderexcerpt:
The atmosphere was more suitableto a fair than a burning. Enterprising merchants had set up stalls ringing thebailey to sell foodstuffs and other goods. Children scampered between thestalls, light-fingered urchins lifting a sweetmeat or two. Everyone seemed inhigh spirits.
But at the far end of the bailey,Rob saw the stake, already ringed with faggots. A path had been marked withropes, leading from the stake to the tallest tower at the opposite end of thecourtyard. Elspeth would walk that way to her death. His gaze swept up thetower.
A small figure stood at an unshuttered window. A woman. Her long brownhair fluttered in the breeze like a banner. The distance was too great for himto make out her features, but he knew instantly who she was.
"Oh, God. Elspeth," he whispered."Dinna jump, lass."
Drummond had placed her in thetower chamber with that hope in mind, Rob was sure. He held his breath untilshe stepped away from the window and out of his sight. His relief wasshort-lived.
What was one man, or even two,against so many?
"I thought I could . . . I dinnasee what's to be done," Rob said, suddenly bone-weary. They'd ridden withoutstopping except to rest the horses in order to make it here in time. Now herealized what Hamish had probably known all along, but was too good a friend tosay.
It was all for naught. There was no help coming from any quarter. Allthey could do was watch Elspeth die.
But he didn't have to let her burn. A desperate plan formed in hismind. If Rob could find a longbow and stake out a position with a clear shot,he'd have one chance to put a shaft in Elspeth's heart before the flamesreached her. Then he'd bury his boot knife in his own chest. It would be asmall matter.
His heart would already be dead.
Hope you enjoyed that shortexcerpt. If you'd like to read more of this story, I invite you to click overto my website http://www.miamarlowe.com. While you're there, be sure to enter my website contest. The drawing for aNEW KINDLE will be held January 30th! I love to connect withreaders. You can also find me at http://facebook.com/miamarlowefanpageand http://twitter.com/Mia_Marlowe. Hope to see you in cyberspace!
A question for all of you: What is your favorite time period/settingfor historical romances and why?
SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER BY CONNIE MASON & MIA MARLOWE – INSTORES JANUARY 2012
Abduction
Never had Elspeth Stewartimagined her wedding would be interrupted by a dark-haired stranger charging in on a black stallion, scooping herinto his arms, and carrying her off across the wild Scottish highlands. Pressedagainst his hard chest and nestled between his trong thighs, she ought to havefeared for her life. But her captor silenced all protests with a soul-searingkiss, giving Elspeth a glimpse of the pain behind his passion—a pain only shecould ease.
Obsession
"Mad Rob" MacLaren thoughtstealing his rival's bride-to-be was the prefect revenge. But Rob neverreckoned that this beautiful, innocent lass would awaken the part of him hethought dead and buried with his wife. Against all reason, he longed tointroduce the luscious Elspeth to the pleasures of the flesh, to make her his,and only his, forever.
With two clans against themburning for battle, they must find a way to join together—body, breath andsoul. Or both will be made to pay for the Sinsof the Highlander.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ConnieMason is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 novels.She was named Storyteller of the Year in 1990 and received a Career AchievementAward from RT Book Reviews in 1994.She currently lives in Florida. MiaMarlowe is a highly acclaimed new voice in romance whose debut novelreleased in Spring 2011 from Kensington. She lives in Boston, MA. Together,they are working on a new Regency romance series for Sourcebooks Casablanca,the first of which will be in stores in early 2013. For more information,please visit http://www.conniemason.com/, http://miamarlowe.com/ and follow Mia on Twitter
Thanks for having me here. Part of why I write historical romance isbecause it allows me to feed my history addiction. I love the research portionof my job. I always find something surprising, horrifying, or delightful. Todaywe're in the horrifying realm because there's a scene in SINS OF THE HIGHLANDERwhere my heroine Elspeth is going to be burned as a witch. I have a personalinterest in those who were falsely accused of consorting with the devil becausemy 13th great-grandmother, Sarah Towne Cloyce was imprisoned duringthe Salem Witch trials. (You can read all about it on my blog: http://miamarlowe.com/blog/2010/10/a-witch-in-the-woodshed/) Unfortunately, when one was accused of witchcraft in the 16th century,there was no such thing as being held innocent till proven guilty. Confessionswere often forced with torture. And the tests devised to prove innocence usuallyresulted in the death of the accused. For example, water was considered a pureelement which would reject a wicked soul. So if a bound person was tossed intoa pond and floated, they were "rejected" by the water and therefore, proved tobe evil. The person who sank and drowned was deemed innocent. Talk about a no-win scenario.
In Sins of the Highlander,Elspeth Stewart is given a public trial since she's the daughter of a laird,but she's found guilty all the same. In the following excerpt, Rob MacLaren hassneaked into his enemy's stronghold in the hope that he can free her.
Sins of the Highlanderexcerpt:The atmosphere was more suitableto a fair than a burning. Enterprising merchants had set up stalls ringing thebailey to sell foodstuffs and other goods. Children scampered between thestalls, light-fingered urchins lifting a sweetmeat or two. Everyone seemed inhigh spirits.
But at the far end of the bailey,Rob saw the stake, already ringed with faggots. A path had been marked withropes, leading from the stake to the tallest tower at the opposite end of thecourtyard. Elspeth would walk that way to her death. His gaze swept up thetower.
A small figure stood at an unshuttered window. A woman. Her long brownhair fluttered in the breeze like a banner. The distance was too great for himto make out her features, but he knew instantly who she was.
"Oh, God. Elspeth," he whispered."Dinna jump, lass."
Drummond had placed her in thetower chamber with that hope in mind, Rob was sure. He held his breath untilshe stepped away from the window and out of his sight. His relief wasshort-lived.
What was one man, or even two,against so many?
"I thought I could . . . I dinnasee what's to be done," Rob said, suddenly bone-weary. They'd ridden withoutstopping except to rest the horses in order to make it here in time. Now herealized what Hamish had probably known all along, but was too good a friend tosay.
It was all for naught. There was no help coming from any quarter. Allthey could do was watch Elspeth die.
But he didn't have to let her burn. A desperate plan formed in hismind. If Rob could find a longbow and stake out a position with a clear shot,he'd have one chance to put a shaft in Elspeth's heart before the flamesreached her. Then he'd bury his boot knife in his own chest. It would be asmall matter.
His heart would already be dead.
Hope you enjoyed that shortexcerpt. If you'd like to read more of this story, I invite you to click overto my website http://www.miamarlowe.com. While you're there, be sure to enter my website contest. The drawing for aNEW KINDLE will be held January 30th! I love to connect withreaders. You can also find me at http://facebook.com/miamarlowefanpageand http://twitter.com/Mia_Marlowe. Hope to see you in cyberspace!
A question for all of you: What is your favorite time period/settingfor historical romances and why?
SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER BY CONNIE MASON & MIA MARLOWE – INSTORES JANUARY 2012
Abduction
Never had Elspeth Stewartimagined her wedding would be interrupted by a dark-haired stranger charging in on a black stallion, scooping herinto his arms, and carrying her off across the wild Scottish highlands. Pressedagainst his hard chest and nestled between his trong thighs, she ought to havefeared for her life. But her captor silenced all protests with a soul-searingkiss, giving Elspeth a glimpse of the pain behind his passion—a pain only shecould ease.
Obsession
"Mad Rob" MacLaren thoughtstealing his rival's bride-to-be was the prefect revenge. But Rob neverreckoned that this beautiful, innocent lass would awaken the part of him hethought dead and buried with his wife. Against all reason, he longed tointroduce the luscious Elspeth to the pleasures of the flesh, to make her his,and only his, forever.
With two clans against themburning for battle, they must find a way to join together—body, breath andsoul. Or both will be made to pay for the Sinsof the Highlander.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ConnieMason is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 novels.She was named Storyteller of the Year in 1990 and received a Career AchievementAward from RT Book Reviews in 1994.She currently lives in Florida. MiaMarlowe is a highly acclaimed new voice in romance whose debut novelreleased in Spring 2011 from Kensington. She lives in Boston, MA. Together,they are working on a new Regency romance series for Sourcebooks Casablanca,the first of which will be in stores in early 2013. For more information,please visit http://www.conniemason.com/, http://miamarlowe.com/ and follow Mia on Twitter
January 26, 2012
Historical Romance Review: His Destiny by Diana Cosby
I've been on a historical romance novel kick lately. This week is Highlanders. Today's review is of Diana Cosby's novel, HIS DESTINY, book 4 in the MacGruders series.
ABOUT THE BOOK...
THEIR SECRETS WILL DRAW THEM TOGETHER
As one of England's most capable mercenaries, Emma Astyn can charm an enemy and brandish a knife with unmatched finesse. Assigned to befriend Dubh Duer, an infamous Scottish rebel, she assumes the guise of innocent damsel Christina Moffat to intercept the writ he's carrying to a traitorous bishop. But as she gains the dark hero's confidence and realizes they share a tattered past, compassion—and passion—distract her from the task at hand…
BUT THE TRUTH MAY TEAR THEM APART
His legendary slaying of English knights has won him the name Dubh Duer, but Sir Patrik Cleary MacGruder is driven by duty and honor, not heroics. Rescuing Christina from the clutches of several such knights is a matter of obligation for the Scot. But there's something alluring about her fiery spirit, even if he has misgivings about her tragic history. Together, they'll endure a perilous journey of love and betrayal, and a harrowing fight for their lives…
Kensington/Zebra BooksISBN-13: 9781420109924 Released in October, 2011
MY REVIEW...
I have not read any of the three previous books in this series, and I think it was probably important to do so. There were many references to the characters in the previous books, and while the author did give some clue as to their background, I was mainly left in the dark--which wouldn't have been a problem if I had read the others. So my recommendation would be to read the other books first.
I was completely psyched to pick up this book. The heroine--Emma Astyn--is a medieval kick-ass mercenary. I've never read a book where the heroine was a mercenary in this time period, and I love that idea! She did exhibit many mercenary-like moves which were impressive and I was totally rooting for her. Her background was tortured, and I enjoyed watching her grow and change as the book progressed. I did however, expect a bit more from her in the mercenary department. I would have liked to see more ass-kicking, more espionage, especially when she's in the MacGruder castle. The fact that in this time period a female mercenary was rare, she could have completely taken advantage of that, more so than she did.
I also had issues with how quickly they fell for each other. It seemed their love developed mostly from their individual emotional internal conflicts and their physical attraction. To me it felt off that these two things would bind them together rather than really getting to know one another better.
That being said, this was a great fun read. There was a lot of action. A lot of conflict. Some really hot love scenes. I loved how it all tied together, and the premise was unique. The author really tied a lot of the historical current events into the novel--and they played a big part.
I will also give the readers a bit of a hint--and this is not a spoiler--Dubh Duer in this book means "dark hero". This is hinted at in the blurb and in the book, but to some it might not be readily evident.
January 25, 2012
Special Continuation of LADY SEDUCTRESS'S BALL!
Happy Wednesday!Today is my day to post at Romancing the Past–Carina Press's historical author blog.
I'm brining you a special treat in light of Valentine's Day which is less than three weeks away! Hope you'll stop by for a chance to reunite with Tristan and Olivia
Click here to visit!
Cheers,
Eliza
January 24, 2012
Weekly Video... Sort of... A Game Really
This week's video is not really a video, its a game!
You all know what a fan I am of Horrible Histories, well their website has GAMES!!! I played the Gong farmer, and got lots of poo splattered on me head, I did.
So, this week, I want you to play :)
Horrible Histories Gong Farmer Game
Sorry for the time suck, but you will have fun!!!
Cheers,
Eliza
You all know what a fan I am of Horrible Histories, well their website has GAMES!!! I played the Gong farmer, and got lots of poo splattered on me head, I did.
So, this week, I want you to play :)
Horrible Histories Gong Farmer Game
Sorry for the time suck, but you will have fun!!!
Cheers,
Eliza
January 23, 2012
Guest Author Meggan Connors on Divorce and Divorce Ranches in Nevada
Today I'd like to welcome to History Undressed, guest author, Meggan Connors! Today she's here to talk with us about a fascinating topic--divorce. But not your usual run of the mill divorces... Enjoy!
Divorce and Divorce Ranches in Nevada by Meggan Connors
In the era between 1920 and the early 1960s, divorce wasstill taboo in much of the country. But in one state—Nevada—divorce was seen asa way to bolster a flagging economy.
Thestate of Nevada is known for being a hotbed of sin, a reputation that continuestoday ("What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" anyone?). From gamblingto prostitution to divorce, it seems as if nothing sacred. Divorce first becamepopularized in the state in 1920, when Mary Pickford came here in order toobtain her divorce from her first husband, actor Owen Moore. In most of thecountry, there was a waiting period for divorce. Not so in Nevada, where theonly requirement was that one had to be a legal resident. At that time, thatmeant one had to live within the confines of Nevada for a period of six months.
In 1931,that rule would change.
In orderto bolster the economy during the Great Depression, the legislature changed theresidency requirement—one only had live in Nevada for six weeks in order to beconsidered a legal resident. That meant after six weeks, one could obtain adivorce. It was in that same year that gambling was officially legalized.
That'sright, both divorce and gambling were viewed as a means to make money.
In most parts of the country, therewere only a few reasons why a person could be granted a divorce, but in Nevada,there were nine. The most popular of these reasons was mental cruelty, whichhad a broad interpretation. For example, mental cruelty could be something asminute as "she talks to me while I'm reading," (The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler). This, coupled with the loose residencyrequirements, led to Nevada becoming the divorce capital of the world.
Manypeople seeking divorce would come to the Reno area and rent apartments or stayin hotels, which was a boost the local economy, as it fueled jobs for full-timeresidents. At the same time, many people—mostly women—would come out and stayat so-called "divorce" or "dude" ranches. Nevada law onlyrequired that one spouse needed to be a legal Nevada resident, and therefore,the men stayed home and worked, while their soon-to-be ex-wives took a longvacation in Reno. In fact, it became so popular to come to Reno to stay in adivorce ranch that an entire lexicon sprang up around it. Women came to get"reno-vated" or to "take the six week cure."
And whena woman "went Reno," it meant that she ditched the dress, donnedLevis, and flirted, danced, and gambled her way to a quickie divorce.
So, whatdid these women do while at the divorce ranch? What was the lure of staying ata divorce ranch rather than a hotel in town? Part of it was that these ranchesoffered a "frontier" experience. One of the most famous ranches, theFlying M E, located in Washoe Valley, offered a range of activities, fromhorseback riding to fishing and swimming in the pool. A typical day at theFlying M E might include horseback riding in the morning, followed by a tripinto town for a visit with the lawyer, and then cocktails and a communaldinner. Afterwards, guests might go back into town for a night of gambling anddrinks. While ranches like the Flying ME catered to their divorcing clientele,they were not strictly for divorcees. Many people, including Hollywood stars,went to the higher-end ranches such as the Flying M E for the exclusivity,privacy, and the western experience they offered.
On theother end of the spectrum, some divorce ranches offered a more rusticexperience, with cabins that had neither running water nor toilets.
Therewas a little something for everyone seeking a divorce, with accommodations forevery budget.
And given the number of weddingchapels that sprang up in and around Reno, and the ease with which one couldobtain a marriage license, if a lady played her cards right, she could leavethe state as she was when she arrived—a married woman.
The biggest difference?
The man she was married to.
Back Cover...
When her father loses her in a poker game, Lexie Markland is sent to work in the household of Nicholas Wetherby for one year to pay off the debt. Innocent, but not naïve, she is savvy enough to know she must maintain her distance from this man, who frustrates her with his relentless teasing but whose kisses bring her to her knees. Because although she may be just another conquest to him, it's not just her heart in jeopardy should she succumb to Nicholas' considerable charms.
Since his brother's death almost a year before, nothing has held Nicholas' attention for long—not women, not booze, not even an excellent hand at cards. Nothing, that is, until he meets the woman he won in a drunken night of poker. Intrigued by his prize and her chilly reserve, he makes it his mission to crack Lexie's cool demeanor. But even as passion explodes between them, the question remains: will Nicholas be able to take the ultimate risk...and gamble on love?
MegganConnors' debut novel, The Marker, isavailable through Amazon & Barnes and Noble
Author Bio...
After discovering that her degree in English Literature/Linguistics and German didn't lend itself to gainful employment in her hometown, Meggan Connors decided to pursue a graduate degree in the very practical field of Speech Pathology (she really liked school). However, being an author was always her true calling. She now pens novels of love and loss, of high stakes and risk-takers, and is forever being surprised when her characters decide to take control of "her" book.
Meggan makes her home in the Wild West with her lawman husband, two children, and a menagerie of pets. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Sacramento Valley chapter. When she's not writing, she can be found playing with her kids, hiking in the mountains, or reading a book.
Visit Meggan online:
Website
Facebook
Divorce and Divorce Ranches in Nevada by Meggan Connors
In the era between 1920 and the early 1960s, divorce wasstill taboo in much of the country. But in one state—Nevada—divorce was seen asa way to bolster a flagging economy.Thestate of Nevada is known for being a hotbed of sin, a reputation that continuestoday ("What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" anyone?). From gamblingto prostitution to divorce, it seems as if nothing sacred. Divorce first becamepopularized in the state in 1920, when Mary Pickford came here in order toobtain her divorce from her first husband, actor Owen Moore. In most of thecountry, there was a waiting period for divorce. Not so in Nevada, where theonly requirement was that one had to be a legal resident. At that time, thatmeant one had to live within the confines of Nevada for a period of six months.
In 1931,that rule would change.
In orderto bolster the economy during the Great Depression, the legislature changed theresidency requirement—one only had live in Nevada for six weeks in order to beconsidered a legal resident. That meant after six weeks, one could obtain adivorce. It was in that same year that gambling was officially legalized.
That'sright, both divorce and gambling were viewed as a means to make money.
In most parts of the country, therewere only a few reasons why a person could be granted a divorce, but in Nevada,there were nine. The most popular of these reasons was mental cruelty, whichhad a broad interpretation. For example, mental cruelty could be something asminute as "she talks to me while I'm reading," (The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler). This, coupled with the loose residencyrequirements, led to Nevada becoming the divorce capital of the world.
Manypeople seeking divorce would come to the Reno area and rent apartments or stayin hotels, which was a boost the local economy, as it fueled jobs for full-timeresidents. At the same time, many people—mostly women—would come out and stayat so-called "divorce" or "dude" ranches. Nevada law onlyrequired that one spouse needed to be a legal Nevada resident, and therefore,the men stayed home and worked, while their soon-to-be ex-wives took a longvacation in Reno. In fact, it became so popular to come to Reno to stay in adivorce ranch that an entire lexicon sprang up around it. Women came to get"reno-vated" or to "take the six week cure."
And whena woman "went Reno," it meant that she ditched the dress, donnedLevis, and flirted, danced, and gambled her way to a quickie divorce.
So, whatdid these women do while at the divorce ranch? What was the lure of staying ata divorce ranch rather than a hotel in town? Part of it was that these ranchesoffered a "frontier" experience. One of the most famous ranches, theFlying M E, located in Washoe Valley, offered a range of activities, fromhorseback riding to fishing and swimming in the pool. A typical day at theFlying M E might include horseback riding in the morning, followed by a tripinto town for a visit with the lawyer, and then cocktails and a communaldinner. Afterwards, guests might go back into town for a night of gambling anddrinks. While ranches like the Flying ME catered to their divorcing clientele,they were not strictly for divorcees. Many people, including Hollywood stars,went to the higher-end ranches such as the Flying M E for the exclusivity,privacy, and the western experience they offered.
On theother end of the spectrum, some divorce ranches offered a more rusticexperience, with cabins that had neither running water nor toilets.
Therewas a little something for everyone seeking a divorce, with accommodations forevery budget.
And given the number of weddingchapels that sprang up in and around Reno, and the ease with which one couldobtain a marriage license, if a lady played her cards right, she could leavethe state as she was when she arrived—a married woman.
The biggest difference?
The man she was married to.
Back Cover...When her father loses her in a poker game, Lexie Markland is sent to work in the household of Nicholas Wetherby for one year to pay off the debt. Innocent, but not naïve, she is savvy enough to know she must maintain her distance from this man, who frustrates her with his relentless teasing but whose kisses bring her to her knees. Because although she may be just another conquest to him, it's not just her heart in jeopardy should she succumb to Nicholas' considerable charms.
Since his brother's death almost a year before, nothing has held Nicholas' attention for long—not women, not booze, not even an excellent hand at cards. Nothing, that is, until he meets the woman he won in a drunken night of poker. Intrigued by his prize and her chilly reserve, he makes it his mission to crack Lexie's cool demeanor. But even as passion explodes between them, the question remains: will Nicholas be able to take the ultimate risk...and gamble on love?
MegganConnors' debut novel, The Marker, isavailable through Amazon & Barnes and Noble
Author Bio...
After discovering that her degree in English Literature/Linguistics and German didn't lend itself to gainful employment in her hometown, Meggan Connors decided to pursue a graduate degree in the very practical field of Speech Pathology (she really liked school). However, being an author was always her true calling. She now pens novels of love and loss, of high stakes and risk-takers, and is forever being surprised when her characters decide to take control of "her" book.
Meggan makes her home in the Wild West with her lawman husband, two children, and a menagerie of pets. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Sacramento Valley chapter. When she's not writing, she can be found playing with her kids, hiking in the mountains, or reading a book.
Visit Meggan online:
Website
January 20, 2012
Guest Author Calisa Rhose & A Bit of History on the '60's
Today on History Undressed I'd like to welcome a new guest author, Calisa Rhose. She is a wonderful sweetheart and a new voice for your reading pleasure!
Hello Eliza! Thank you for inviting me here today to talkabout my debut book, HOME . It's a thrill to be here after working so long topublish. When I met you I was a hopeful taking your month-long editing classwith a group of awesome writers. Thanks to you we are still friends and keep intouch daily. Thanks to your class (I HIGHLY recommend Edit Your Book in a Monthwith Eliza Knight!!!) several of us have become published authors in the lastsixteen months! So when I sold it felt natural to visit the blog of the one whohelped make this day possible. You. You are Queen Eliza to the Divas. Lol
HOME is set in 1967 during the ending years of the Vietnamwar. I didn't plan that. It's just how the story and characters presented tome. I knew so little about that time, I was a tiny tot of 5 years at the time.So it took some research and concentration to stay in that era while I wrote.My heroine is a gypsy but I wanted her to be a modern woman (of her time) andstill have that gypsy style in her clothes. I'm not sure I completely pulledthat off, but I hope I did.
I wanted Poppy Tippen to wear a Poodle skirt in at least onescene. Was that possible, feasibly? Off to the internet I went. Research showedthat these were popular in the late 50's and early 60's. BUT- I was happy todiscover that YES! they still wore Poodle skirts in the mid/late 60's thoughthey retired soon after. So when reading
HOME
, and I hope you will read it, youcan see if you notice the scene when Poppy wore a Poodle skirt. Hint: I didn'tcall it that in the book.
So what else could my heroine wear that revealed the times? Stirrupstretch pants were big then. Tight pants and tighter sweaters and high heels.In one scene I took one of Sandy's famous outfits from Grease and altered it tofit my book. You might recognize that one as well. Poppy liked to dress modernso she wore the tight pants and high heeled pumps. She also wore a sexy off-the-shouldertop. Could she get away with that back then? Most girls might have beenconsidered 'loose' if they revealed that much skin, but don't forget- Poppy isalso a gypsy. They wore off the shoulder peasant blouses, so I incorporated herheritage with a bit of flamboyant era style. Did it make her a bad girl?G.y.p.s.y. She already wears that stigma so what she wears won't change of fixthat about her. But I also needed to know other facts of the year/era. Did Imention
HOME
was set in August? So what else happened during that year besidesin August '67 Bonnie and Clyde released in theaters 1967? Here's some fun factsyou may not realize.
The first heart transplant wasperformed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa. ~ http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/christiaan-neethling-barnard
Mar 6th - Jimmy Hoffa enters Lewisburg FederalPrison
Apr 19th - Beatles sign a contract to staytogether for 10 years (they don't)
Photo From:http://www.elvispresleynews.com/ElvisWeddingPhotos.htmlMay 1st - Priscilla Beaulieu & Elvis Presleywed in Las Vegas
May 11th - 100,000,000th US phone connected
Jun 12th - Supreme Court unanimously ends lawsagainst interracial marriages
Jun 27th - The world's first ATM is installed inEnfield, London.
Jul17th – The Monkees perform at Forest Hills, NY. Jimi Hendrixis opening act
Jul 22nd - Jimi Hendrix quits as opening act ofthe Monkees' tour
Aug3rd - 45,000 more US soldiers sent to Vietnam
~ http://www.historyorb.com/events/date/1967
It was also in 1967, Oct 21st- that seventythousand gathered at the Washington DC Moratorium for the infamous Vietnam warprotest demonstration. I didn't check, but that may have been the largest groupto gather for one cause, in one location in the USA in history. Though therewere other demonstrations during the war, that one is most remembered andprotestors traveled from all over to attend.
~ http://www.jofreeman.com/photos/Pentagon67.html#photos
*~*~*~*
BLURB:
What could a gypsy and a Vietnamveteran have in common?
Silvertown's outcast, Poppy Tippen,has loved football hero Sam "The Force" Callahan forever. But he never seemedto know she was alive. Now he's home from the war and she suddenly findsherself comforting him from the demons of "that damn war." Is his attentionmerely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest ofthe only man she's ever truly loved?
Sam Callahan's only solace from thewar nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girlwith stigmas of her own. He's known Poppy his entire life, but there'ssomething different about her now. Something special he desperately wants tohold on to. Can he convince her she's the only thing he needs to put the pastbehind him?
Get your copy of HOME at TheWild Rose Press and on Amazon.
Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose lives in asemi-remote area of Oklahoma with her husband, five dogs, one cat and onehorse. All of her three daughters and their families live within throwingdistance. She's a member of RWA and the local chapter OKRWA. She intends tonurture and continue to grow as an author with the help of her family andsupporters.
Find Calisa at her website/blog http://calisarhose.wordpress.com
On twitter @Calisa_Rhose and Facebook @Calisa Rhose
She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at calisa.rhose@gmail.com
Hello Eliza! Thank you for inviting me here today to talkabout my debut book, HOME . It's a thrill to be here after working so long topublish. When I met you I was a hopeful taking your month-long editing classwith a group of awesome writers. Thanks to you we are still friends and keep intouch daily. Thanks to your class (I HIGHLY recommend Edit Your Book in a Monthwith Eliza Knight!!!) several of us have become published authors in the lastsixteen months! So when I sold it felt natural to visit the blog of the one whohelped make this day possible. You. You are Queen Eliza to the Divas. Lol
HOME is set in 1967 during the ending years of the Vietnamwar. I didn't plan that. It's just how the story and characters presented tome. I knew so little about that time, I was a tiny tot of 5 years at the time.So it took some research and concentration to stay in that era while I wrote.My heroine is a gypsy but I wanted her to be a modern woman (of her time) andstill have that gypsy style in her clothes. I'm not sure I completely pulledthat off, but I hope I did.
I wanted Poppy Tippen to wear a Poodle skirt in at least onescene. Was that possible, feasibly? Off to the internet I went. Research showedthat these were popular in the late 50's and early 60's. BUT- I was happy todiscover that YES! they still wore Poodle skirts in the mid/late 60's thoughthey retired soon after. So when reading
HOME
, and I hope you will read it, youcan see if you notice the scene when Poppy wore a Poodle skirt. Hint: I didn'tcall it that in the book.
So what else could my heroine wear that revealed the times? Stirrupstretch pants were big then. Tight pants and tighter sweaters and high heels.In one scene I took one of Sandy's famous outfits from Grease and altered it tofit my book. You might recognize that one as well. Poppy liked to dress modernso she wore the tight pants and high heeled pumps. She also wore a sexy off-the-shouldertop. Could she get away with that back then? Most girls might have beenconsidered 'loose' if they revealed that much skin, but don't forget- Poppy isalso a gypsy. They wore off the shoulder peasant blouses, so I incorporated herheritage with a bit of flamboyant era style. Did it make her a bad girl?G.y.p.s.y. She already wears that stigma so what she wears won't change of fixthat about her. But I also needed to know other facts of the year/era. Did Imention
HOME
was set in August? So what else happened during that year besidesin August '67 Bonnie and Clyde released in theaters 1967? Here's some fun factsyou may not realize.The first heart transplant wasperformed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa. ~ http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/christiaan-neethling-barnard
Mar 6th - Jimmy Hoffa enters Lewisburg FederalPrison
Apr 19th - Beatles sign a contract to staytogether for 10 years (they don't)
Photo From:http://www.elvispresleynews.com/ElvisWeddingPhotos.htmlMay 1st - Priscilla Beaulieu & Elvis Presleywed in Las Vegas
May 11th - 100,000,000th US phone connected
Jun 12th - Supreme Court unanimously ends lawsagainst interracial marriages
Jun 27th - The world's first ATM is installed inEnfield, London.
Jul17th – The Monkees perform at Forest Hills, NY. Jimi Hendrixis opening act
Jul 22nd - Jimi Hendrix quits as opening act ofthe Monkees' tour
Aug3rd - 45,000 more US soldiers sent to Vietnam ~ http://www.historyorb.com/events/date/1967
It was also in 1967, Oct 21st- that seventythousand gathered at the Washington DC Moratorium for the infamous Vietnam warprotest demonstration. I didn't check, but that may have been the largest groupto gather for one cause, in one location in the USA in history. Though therewere other demonstrations during the war, that one is most remembered andprotestors traveled from all over to attend.
~ http://www.jofreeman.com/photos/Pentagon67.html#photos
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BLURB:What could a gypsy and a Vietnamveteran have in common?
Silvertown's outcast, Poppy Tippen,has loved football hero Sam "The Force" Callahan forever. But he never seemedto know she was alive. Now he's home from the war and she suddenly findsherself comforting him from the demons of "that damn war." Is his attentionmerely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest ofthe only man she's ever truly loved?
Sam Callahan's only solace from thewar nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girlwith stigmas of her own. He's known Poppy his entire life, but there'ssomething different about her now. Something special he desperately wants tohold on to. Can he convince her she's the only thing he needs to put the pastbehind him?
Get your copy of HOME at TheWild Rose Press and on Amazon.
Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose lives in asemi-remote area of Oklahoma with her husband, five dogs, one cat and onehorse. All of her three daughters and their families live within throwingdistance. She's a member of RWA and the local chapter OKRWA. She intends tonurture and continue to grow as an author with the help of her family andsupporters.
Find Calisa at her website/blog http://calisarhose.wordpress.com
On twitter @Calisa_Rhose and Facebook @Calisa Rhose
She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at calisa.rhose@gmail.com
