Meredith Allard's Blog, page 14

A Workbook for Writing Historical Fiction

Oh my! Just a few hours after its release yesterday, Painting the Past was tagged by Amazon as a #1 New Release in both the Authorship and the Authorship Reference categories. I was so excited I couldn’t stop taking pictures.

Here’s Painting the Past between David Sedaris’ new book (and I love David Sedaris) and On Writing Well, one of the most famous writing manuals of all time.

And here’s my book near Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones (and I love Natalie Goldberg and Writing Down the Bones).

Okay, I know. Enough with the fangirling and the pictures. But it’s been very exciting for me since Painting the Past is my first nonfiction book.

My point for this post, and I do have one, is that I realized yesterday of all days that Painting the Past would work well with a companion workbook. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before, but I’m a little slow sometimes. I created a workbook to go along with Painting the Past that allows readers to journal out their responses to the Quick Writes and questionnaires that appear in the book.

I know that many of you have already bought the book, so I’m making the free companion workbook available here courtesy of the friendly folks at BookFunnel. I had a lot of fun putting the workbook together, and I hope those of you who have read Painting the Past find the workbook to be a fun, interactive way to think through the questions in the book.

I know I said thank you to my readers yesterday, but after the launch Painting the Past has had I feel like I owe you a double-triple thank you with ice cream on top. Those of you who are reading it, I hope you are enjoying it.

Now back to my picture taking.

It’s Here: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction

I’m so happy that I can finally share my first nonfiction book—Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction—with everyone. Already, on its first day of release, Painting the Past has been named the #1 New Release in Authorship. Amazing. Thank you to everyone to helped to make this happen.

I came up with the idea for writing Painting the Past in 2017 (seems like an eon ago, doesn’t it?). I was excited at the prospect of sharing what I’ve learned about writing historical fiction. I started organizing and drafting the chapters, and I even commissioned the cover. Then I had to focus every ounce of energy on finishing my dissertation. After I passed my dissertation defense, I needed a brain break since I was certain my fried brain cells were no longer capable of functioning in any meaningful way. After I recovered, my focus turned to finishing Down Salem Way. Family medical issues ensued, along with other life stuff, and before I knew it we were engulfed in a world overturned by COVID-19.

Like many of you, I’ve been doing a lot of soul-searching brought on by living during a pandemic. I’ve had more time to sit, think, and be. If I’ve learned anything over the past year it’s that everything changes, including us. We evolve over time. My evolution includes the realization that it’s time for me to focus more on my writing, and that included completing Painting the Past and putting it out into the world.

After some hems and haws about releasing the book, it occurred to me that I was nervous. After a lot of introspection (and more journaling), I realized that there’s nowhere to hide in nonfiction. After a novel is published, if anyone says anything about a character or the story, I can say simply, and truthfully, it’s fiction. It’s make-believe. I pretended that story into being. I haven’t the slightest fear about releasing my fiction. I know that not everyone will love everything I write, but I have been blessed, truly, with readers who like what I do. When Christmas at Hembry Castle was finished on November 28, 2020, I made sure everything was all pretty-like and the book was published—that fast. Not a second thought. Not one.

With nonfiction, I can’t hide behind a fictional story or an imaginary character. That knowledge nearly paralyzed me into not writing Painting the Past. Still, after the year that was 2020, and with everything we’re still contending with at the beginning of 2021, I decided to be brave. All I’m doing is sharing ideas, after all. My ideas about writing historical fiction have been developed over 20 years of reading, writing, teaching, and editing historical fiction. While my ideas about writing historical fiction aren’t the end-all, be-all of writing historical fiction (no one’s ideas can be because we’re all different), they are shared with the thought that maybe there’s something in the book that can help others along their journey.

Ultimately, that’s what helped me past the fear of releasing Painting the Past—the thought that I might help someone else the way, say, Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg or Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott have helped me.

If you’ve been following this blog you’ll likely recognize some of the chapters in Painting the Past since they began life here as posts. I fleshed out the blog posts with more in-depth information and added Quick Writes that will help readers discover how they can write their historical tales. I’ve also addressed some of the frequently asked questions about writing historical fiction that I get as the executive editor of a literary journal of historical fiction. Most of the questions are related to researching historical fiction, so I went in depth about the research process. As writers we cannot create believable historical worlds if we know nothing about the time we’re writing about. 

I breathed a sigh of relief when the first reviews for Painting the Past started coming in, primarily from NetGalley. Three reviews, three five-star reviews. Thank goodness. The nice reviewers got my off-hand sense of humor, my constant references to Poppy (my cat), and my message about how as writers we are all Dorothy discovering that we already have the power. Suddenly, putting myself out there, all me, all the time, sharing my ideas about historical fiction doesn’t seem so scary. I’m already outlining my second nonfiction book because I realized I have so much more to say about writing. Writing has been my lifeline. I’m not sure who (or how sane) I would be if I weren’t a writer. I’m excited to share more of what I’ve learned in the future.

If you’re interested in writing historical fiction, Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction is now available through Amazon, BN, Kobo, Apple Books, and you can buy direct from me at my shop with PayHip. See the links below. Since Painting the Past is my first nonfiction book, I wanted to get it into as many hands as possible so it’s on sale at a special introductory price of $0.99 until March 1, 2021, when it will change to the regular price of $4.99. If you’re a NetGalley subscriber, you can access review copies of the book here.

One of the nice reviewers at NetGalley said that there are good takeaways from Painting the Past that apply to writing any genre of fiction. Of course, the book is intended for those who want to write historical fiction, but I’d like to think that any fiction writer can find helpful tidbits in the book.

Thank you to the many contributors at The Copperfield Review, the readers of my novels, and the readers of this blog. The fact that I’m still going after ten years is really thanks to all of you. I’m excited to enter this new phase of focusing on my writing, and I have a few other goodies up my sleeve (podcast, anyone?).

If you’re looking to write historical fiction, I hope that Painting the Past helps you on your journey. Please do let me know what you think. I love hearing from readers.

Buy direct from me at payhip.com/MeredithAllard

Favorite Books About Writing

As I’ve been adding the finishing touches to my first nonfiction book about writing historical fiction, I’ve been thinking about the writing books that have inspired me over the years. There are too many to name in a short blog post, but here are a few I go back to again and again.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

This little book is the cream of the crop as far as writing inspiration goes. I read this book for the first time many moons ago for a creative writing class and I was blown away by Goldberg’s simple yet profound message about what writing truly means. She doesn’t mention bestseller lists. She doesn’t mention selling x number of books. She doesn’t speak about publishing at all. She talks about writing from the heart, about writing your truth. Mainly, she talks about the importance of writing practice. More than anyone else, Natalie Goldberg has shaped the way I view writing, and I use many of her tips when I’m teaching writing.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Like Writing Down the Bones, Bird by Bird is one of those books that has shaped the way I view writing. I love Lamott’s sense of humor. Mainly, I love her honesty about how writing is difficult for her. So many times people write about writing as if it’s something magical that happens when you wave a magic wand. No, it really isn’t. It isn’t for me, and it isn’t for any other writer I know. Lamott is one of the few people who have been honest about that.

I also appreciate Lamott’s honesty about the fact that publication isn’t going to change your life magically overnight. That is another fallacy that writers continue to have.

The Art and Craft of Novel Writing by Oakley Hall

I just checked on Amazon, and this book from 1989 seems to be out of print but there are second-hand copies available. If you’re interested in learning about how to write fiction, I cannot recommend this book enough. Do get your hands on a copy if you can. The Art and Craft of Novel Writing has been the single most influential book on how I construct my novels, historical or contemporary.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is well known in writer and artist circles, as it should be. I read this one a few years ago when I was in the middle of a creative slump, and it did indeed me find my way again. The book isn’t specifically about writing, and the lessons can apply to any art as well as life in general. Cameron’s idea for artist dates allowed me to reconnect to my love for coloring and I even started dabbling in art journaling. Like Writing Down the Bones, The Artist’s Way is about spirituality as much as it is about creativity.

Honorable mentions go to How To Write and Sell Your First Book by Oscar Collier and On Writing by Stephen King.

All of the books I’m recommending here are oldies but goodies, but in all the years that I’ve been writing I haven’t found anything better.

Coming Soon: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction

I’ve finally completed the final edits on my first nonfiction book, Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction. I know you’re so surprised that I wrote a book about writing historical fiction. Painting the Past was very much a passion project and one I’ve had simmering on the back burner for a while now. I’m happy to finally be able to share it with others.

Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while may recognize some of the chapters in Painting the Past since they’re based on posts that first appeared here. The blog posts have been fleshed out with fresh information and insights, and I’ve also addressed a number of the frequently asked questions I’ve received over the years. Writing the book allowed me the opportunity to gather all my crazy ideas about writing historical fiction in one place, which makes it easier for me and for anyone else who wants an idea or two about how to tackle that historical story they’ve been wanting to write.

I’ve been wondering what it is about historical fiction that keeps me coming back for more. As a reader, I love historical fiction because it allows me to explore different eras through points of view other than my own. As a writer, I love historical fiction because it allows me to connect my life today with people’s lives in the past. I can connect to times I can never experience for myself. Learning about people’s day to day lives—from what they wore to what they ate to how they survived difficult circumstances—makes historical fiction intellectually as well as emotionally satisfying. As far as I’m concerned, historical fiction is the best of all literary worlds. Historical fiction is a truly grand genre that is a joy to read and a joy to write even though writing historical fiction may require more commitment than other genres.

One of the questions I get asked the most is, “How do I research historical fiction?” Research is one of the main aspects of writing historical fiction that is different than writing in other genres. It’s not hard to research historical fiction, but it does take a little bit of time and a lot of patience. From years of writing historical fiction, and from what I learned while completing my Ph.D., I have a few tricks of the research trade to share with aspiring writers as well as those who have been writing historical stories but are looking for some new ideas to spice up their research experiences.

A good thing that came out of writing Painting the Past is that I realized I have more to say about writing, more to say about creativity, and more to say about how we teach writing. I also realized that I enjoy writing nonfiction. I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned about writing from many years as a writer, writing teacher, and editor with other like-minded souls. I’ve already started outlining my next nonfiction book, which will focus more on the creativity side of being a writer. Writers always need to have their imagination fueled so their brains are full of ideas when they sit down to fill a blank page.

Advance digital copies of Painting the Past are available for readers who are interested in sharing honest reviews. If you’re interested in writing historical fiction and you’d like a review copy, you can email me at meredithallardauthor@gmail.com or you can use the contact button in the top bar to let me know. Don’t forget to tell me which digital format you prefer–mobi, epub, or pdf. I’ll share the preorder links here as soon as they’re available. The official publication date for Painting the Past is Tuesday, February 16, 2021.

For those of you who have been asking, I’m hard at work researching the life of pioneers on the Oregon Trail (1836-1869) for my next project, The Duchess of Idaho, the continuation of the Loving Husband Series. I’ll have a lot more to say about the project over the coming months. Look for The Duchess of Idaho Autumn 2021.

Woman of Stones Interview for ManyBooks

ManyBooks was kind enough to feature me as the Author of the Day today. Here’s the interview I did with them about Woman of Stones. If you’d like to read the interview on their fabulous site for readers, you can find it here. Enjoy!

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Meredith Allard is the author of the bestselling paranormal historical Loving Husband Trilogy. Her sweet Victorian romance, When It Rained at Hembry Castle, was named a best historical novel by IndieReader. Her other books include Christmas at Hembry Castle; Down Salem Way, the prequel to the Loving Husband Trilogy; Victory Garden, set during the women’s suffrage movement; Woman of Stones, a novella of Biblical Jerusalem; That You Are Here, a contemporary romance; The Window Dresser and Other Stories; and Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction. When she isn’t writing she’s teaching writing, and she has taught writing to students ages five to 75. She loves books, cats, and coffee, though not always in that order. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about Woman of Stones.

Please give us a short introduction to what Woman of Stones is about.

Woman of Stones was inspired by the Bible story about the woman caught in adultery who was about to be stoned to death before Jesus’ wise words saved her. The story imagines who she was, what her life was like, how she ended up there ready to be stoned to death, and what might have happened to her afterwards.

What inspired you to write about someone from a poor Jewish settlement in a powerful Greco-Roman world?

I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant and I absolutely loved that book. I loved Diamant’s gorgeous prose and I loved the idea of retelling a Bible story from a woman’s point of view. I’ve always loved that Biblical lesson—let you without sin cast the first stone—because it’s a lesson most of us need to be reminded of on a daily basis. That gave me the idea to delve further into this woman’s story.

Readers found this story very thought-provoking.  Was this your intention?

That’s actually an interesting question about whether or not it was my intention to make it thought-provoking. When I originally began writing the book, my only intention was to tell the story of this woman who was dragged as an adulteress into the Temple Court in Biblical Jerusalem. As I delved further into the writing process I realized that there were layers to the woman’s story that needed to be unpacked. What was life like for women in Jerusalem during the time of the Second Temple? How were marriages arranged, and what if you’re not suited to the person you’re married to? What about gossip and the ways people are controlled within their societies? These were all questions that, the further I dug into them, the more I realized that maybe in some ways our society hasn’t changed as much as we like to think it has. The story certainly caused me to think, and I’m glad readers have felt the same.

Tell us more about the woman.  What makes her tick?

She has an intriguing backstory, the woman. She grows up poor, a shepherd’s daughter in Nazareth, a Jewish village. Yes, I chose Nazareth specifically because I, and I hope readers as well, found the idea of exploring Biblical Nazareth interesting. But where she grows up in Nazareth she’s close to the powerful, richer Greco-Romans and she can see the comforts the women have, comforts she doesn’t share because she is a poor shepherd’s daughter. She covets their fine clothing and jewels, and she thinks that what she wants more than anything is to have those fineries for herself. When she has the opportunity to get exactly that, she finds that material wealth may not be the most important thing after all.

Readers found it interesting to see the portrayal of everyday life, the descriptions of Nazareth and Jerusalem.  How much research did this story require from you?

Woman of Stones required a lot of research because it was a time that was so foreign to me, both literally and figuratively. I wrote an early draft of Woman of Stones when I was living in Boise, Idaho, and I did a lot of my research at the library of Northwest Nazarene University. I wasn’t a student there, but I would visit the library to find books and articles to help my research. I spent hours in that library reading and taking notes. It took me some time to be able to visualize life in Nazareth and Jerusalem 2000 years ago, but after enough reading and note-taking, I understood enough to be able to bring the woman’s story to life.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I’m also a writing teacher and I teach education at the university level. I love to cook and to bake. I love my coloring books—some childhood joys never leave you. Of course, reading is a great skill, though I don’t think it’s very secret since most people know how much I love to read.

Why did you title this “Woman of Stones?”

The most obvious answer is that she is the woman who is about to be stoned to death for being caught in adultery. The underlying answer is that stones are used to grind the wheat from which they made bread, a staple food then. She is entranced by the gemstones that the richer Greco-Roman women wear, and when she is married her husband gives her gemstones. Stones are an important theme in the story.

Which character was the most challenging for you to create?

The woman herself was the most challenging character because without her there is no story. This book is a first-person narrative, so I had to dive very deeply into her psyche to tell the story from her point of view. Once I understood her, her memories, her mistakes, and her hopes, then everything else fell into place.

One question I’m asked a lot about this novel is why the woman doesn’t have a name. The answer is two-fold. First, she doesn’t have a name in the Bible story and I felt silly tagging her with some arbitrary name—Betty, Sarah, or Joan, for example.

Second, you have to understand a bit about the Hebrew language. During the time when Woman of Stones takes place, which is the era of the Second Temple about 2000 years ago, Aramaic was the spoken language among the Jewish people and Hebrew was the language for prayer. Still, in Hebrew the word for husband is ba’al, which is also the word for master. The Hebrew word for wife is isha, which is also the word for woman. In other words, the word for woman and wife are interchangeable in Hebrew. So when her husband calls her “Woman” he could just as easily be calling her “Wife.” You can glean a lot about the unfair divide between men and women from that one tidbit. This is the same society where a woman could be stoned to death for adultery but not a husband and the same society where a woman needed her husband to grant her a “get” (a divorce) but the husband could dissolve the marriage when he wished.

Is there an underlying message you wish to relay about basic human nature through your characters?

When I’m writing any of my novels, I’m most fascinated by people and the choices they make. One thing I’ve learned from writing historical fiction is that people haven’t really changed over time. People still want the same things—to belong, to love, to know that they matter. Clothing, medicine, even social mores have changed, but people’s inherent wants have stayed the same and I enjoy exploring that through my fiction.

As far as writing with underlying messages, I prefer for readers to decide for themselves what my stories mean. I always like to say that my stories can be taken on different levels—there is the story itself, and many readers are happy just reading for the story and that’s perfectly fine. But there are layers beneath the story that readers can dig for if they wish. I don’t like to say what my stories or my messages are about, though, since I think it’s more meaningful for readers to decide for themselves.

You write about some heavy themes—things that many of your readers have probably never experienced—yet it’s very easy to identify with your characters. How do you make them so relatable?

I think this goes back to my earlier answer about how people haven’t really changed over time. Even though those of us alive today haven’t experienced Biblical Jerusalem for ourselves (at least those of us without a TARDIS), we know what it is to covet something and we know what it is to be unhappy with our lives and to want something more. Some of us know what it is to be married to someone who isn’t necessarily right for us and others of us know what it is to fall in love with someone who isn’t available to us. The everyday details of how the woman lives might seem alien to us in some ways, but she struggles with very human problems that many of us still deal with today.

When starting on a new book, what is the first thing you do?

The first thing I do is kick the story around in my head for a while without writing anything down. I like to play around with ideas and see if the idea is something I’d like to write about. When I make the decision to write a historical novel, I know I’m committing myself to months of work so I like to play around with the idea for a bit first to see if it’s something I want to commit so much time and energy to. Then I’ll read a bit about the era to get a sense of the time I’m writing about. From there, it’s idea gathering, prewriting, and finally drafting.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

I’m not sure my writing habits are particularly interesting, although since COVID-19 has put both of my teaching jobs online, I’m finding that I can’t continue staring at a computer screen for upwards of 12 hours a day so I’m starting to find ways to return to pen and paper like I used in old-timey days. I’m experimenting with handwritten journals as a way to work on my writing.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on two projects at the moment. I’m in the final edits of my first nonfiction book called Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction, which will be published on February 16, 2021. Then my next historical novel will be about pioneers on the Oregon Trail. That one will be released Autumn 2021.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

The best place to contact me or learn more about my work is through my website, meredithallard.com.

If you’re looking for some great ideas for free books to read, check out ManyBooks’ website.

Favorite Books From 2020

It can be a bit of a stretch to find something positive from 2020, but I did read some great books. In my case, they were all historical novels, but that’s no great surprise.

As I was looking back over my Goodreads list of books I read in 2020, I realized that I didn’t read as much as I usually do. I think it had something to do with the craziness of the year, my inability to concentrate at times, and the blurry vision that plagued me for a few months. Of the books I did read, here are the ones that stood out.

Marilla of Green Gables

Of all the books I read in 2020, this one may well be my favorite. I’ve loved the Anne of Green Gables books for as long as I can remember, and I still reread them occasionally. In 2020, I reread the first two Anne books and watched a couple of TV adaptations since there was something about the quaint world that Anne lives in on Prince Edward Island that appealed to me. Fans also know that there is darkness underlying Anne’s world, and maybe that appealed to me too. Sarah McCoy’s Marilla of Green Gables is Marilla’s story, and I found it captivating. I believed every word of it, that this was Marilla’s life before Anne, and I thought it was the perfect prequel to the Anne stories.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

I’ve loved Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books for a few years now. While I can’t say that A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Book 6 in the series) is my favorite of the Outlander novels I’ve read so far, Gabaldon’s books continue to be great escapist reading, which I definitely needed in 2020. I enjoyed reading about life in Colonial America at the outset of the American Revolution, a time I’m fascinated by but haven’t read much about.

The Physician

The Physician is the first book I read by Noah Gordon and I already have Gordon’s The Rabbi downloaded onto my Kindle. The Physician has everything I love about historical fiction–compelling characters I want to follow, a fascinating historical setting–really, it’s a complete world in itself. The story of an 11th-century English orphan traveling to Persia is brought to life in a way that pulled me back in time so that I felt as though I traveled there. There are two other books in this series, and I’m looking forward to reading those as well. I just discovered that there’s a movie version, with Ben Kingsley no less, and I’ll be watching that soon.

The Mirror and the Light

I waited years for this final installment of Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy and I wasn’t disappointed. While the conclusion itself is not a surprise to anyone familiar with Thomas Cromwell’s story, the way Mantel weaves the pieces together is a masterwork of historical fiction. In fact, I reread the first two books in the trilogy, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, prior to reading The Mirror and the Light. I’m glad I did because you can see how Mantel connected the dots through all three books.

Hamnet

I started reading Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Christmas week 2020, so technically it counts as a book I read in 2020. I’m only about halfway through as I’m writing this, but I can already tell this is a historical novel on par with The Physician and Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell Trilogy as far as bringing me back in time and immersing me in the era. Hamnet is an imagined look at what Shakespeare’s family’s life might have been like when he was in London, and most importantly it looks at the life and death of Shakespeare’s young son Hamnet, who is believed to be the namesake of one of Shakespeare’s most popular and enigmatic plays, Hamlet.

Part of the way I dealt with the craziness of 2020 was by escaping to the past. Of course, as any student of history knows, the past wasn’t any easier than now no matter how much we wish it to be. Sickness and disease–the plague to be exact–play a role in the Thomas Cromwell Trilogy and Hamnet. The Physician is about a man learning to become a healer. Claire Fraser is a healer in the Outlander books. There is escapism in historical fiction, but there is also reality since people haven’t really changed over time. We continue to worry about those we love and we mourn them when they’re gone. Still, even in the midst of tragedies we find moments of gratitude, even joy if we’re lucky. Historical fiction can be the best of all worlds since we can escape the time we’re in while seeing how things have changed, or not, over time, and enjoy a compelling story in the process.

I’ve never been one to start reading challenges since I never wanted to put pressure on myself about what I read for enjoyment. I do expect to be reading more in 2021. I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to read since I already have more books than I can read in a year downloaded onto my Kindle, but like most book lovers I tend to buy books faster than I can read them. It will be fun seeing which books stand out in 2021.

Whatever you enjoy reading, I hope you find some wonderful books that take you away to wherever you wish to go.

An Excerpt: Christmas at Hembry Castle. Happy Holidays!

What a long, strange year it’s been. As Stephen Colbert said, 2020 was the year that took years.

One thing I was grateful for in 2020 was the opportunity to spend time with my beloved Hembry Castle family. It was a great joy, and a great escape, returning to Victorian England and enjoying a lighthearted Christmas with Edward, Daphne, Frederick, and the rest of the Hembry gang.

To celebrate, here’s an excerpt from Christmas at Hembry Castle. Enjoy!

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Daphne stood near the white stone hearth warming her hands. She scanned the burgundy Queen Anne furniture, the burgundy and blue rugs, the portraits on the walls. Then she watched the footmen remove the candles from the tree, light them, and nestle them back into the branches. That was always her favorite part of the holiday, the glowing tree. There was something comforting about the greenery, the decorations, and the lights even if she wasn’t feeling particularly merry this Christmas. 

Christmas morning was quiet, which Daphne appreciated after a night of hundreds of guests. Daphne and her father shared a simple breakfast, just the two of them since her grandmother took her breakfast in bed. Her father’s face was bright as he described the events from the night before. Daphne hadn’t seen her father so excited about anything in a long while and it made her happy to see it.

“Do you like Mrs. Gibson?” Daphne asked. Frederick said nothing, but his grin revealed everything. 

“I’m glad,” Daphne said. “I like her too. Hembry Castle could use some more life around here. Some young children would brighten things up nicely.”

Frederick scoffed. “It’s far too soon for that, young lady. For now, let’s say I’m glad that I’ve had the opportunity to renew my acquaintance with Mrs. Gibson.”

“But what about Mrs. Clayton, Papa? Surely there must be more we can do for her and her children.”

Frederick shoveled another forkful of eggs and bacon into his mouth, washing it down with some tea. “For now, her dearest wish is to return to her mother in Yorkshire so that’s where she shall go. After that, we’ll consider what she needs and take it from there.”

Daphne watched her father take another hearty bite of his meal while her fried potatoes grew cold on her plate. 

“What is it, Daphne?”

“I was just wondering about her husband. How could he do such a thing?”

“I wish I knew.”

Mr. Ellis refilled Daphne’s tea cup before she thought to ask. “Do you think he has another woman?”

“I’m afraid he does. But at least I’ve solved one problem at Hembry.”

“There will always be problems at Hembry, Papa. That’s the nature of being the earl.”

“I think I’ve finally come to accept that. I had some important realizations last night. Some important realizations, indeed.” Frederick dabbed at his lips with his napkin while Ellis whisked his empty plate away. “I’ve been fighting being the Earl of Staton since your uncle died. I thought it was a cruel trick that he died when he did, with so much life ahead of him. I thought it was unfair that he left me with this burden. But then I remembered how he died, and I realized that instead of feeling bullied by fate I should be thankful for all of this.” He gestured at the luxurious surroundings of the castle, then kissed Daphne’s hand. “And I am thankful for you, my most darling daughter. I’m thankful for all of it, even if I didn’t understand what any of it meant at first. Last night, seeing how Mrs. Clayton needed me, knowing that I could assist her in some small way, it helped me realize that I do have a place here. I know other problems are on the horizon and the people of Hembry will always need me and I want to be here for them.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say it, Papa. But you’ve come to this conclusion before.”

“I’ve come to this conclusion a few times since your uncle died, but this time it feels right, as if I’m not just saying the words. This time I feel it in my bones. I don’t know how else to explain it. I see my purpose now. I’ll have to take it day by day, but I believe I can make a go of it, Daphne. I believe everything will be all right.”

“What about the falling harvest prices? What will you do about that?”

“For now we’ve managed without much of a decline in our profits and we’ll be fine this year. As for next year? Well, my darling, we’ll figure it out. For now, let’s leave aside any worries. Today is Christmas, after all. We have guests on their way, and I say let’s enjoy the day.”

“I’m so proud of you, Papa. And I’m glad we’re having some guests to celebrate with us. It will help keep my mind off things.” 

“What things, Daphne?” Frederick looked so earnest, and Daphne loved him dearly for it. But she only shook her head. She wouldn’t burden him now, especially not when he looked so pleased. She noticed Mrs. Ellis hovering near the open door.  

“Yes, Mrs. Ellis?”

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Lady Daphne, but you’re wanted in the library.”

“Is something wrong?” 

“Come see for yourself, my lady…”

* * * * *

Daphne changed for the intimate Christmas gathering in time to greet her guests. She wore a claret-colored dress with a pleated bodice and a high neck while her gathered overskirts emphasized the bustle at her back, setting her slim figure to great advantage, Edward thought. Her gold hair was swept high into a swirled coiffure with a single long curl dangling over her shoulder, emphasizing her heart-shaped face and amethyst eyes. 

“I’m the most fortunate man in the world, Lady Daphne Meriwether.”

“And I’m the most fortunate woman, Mr. Edward Ellis.”

The guests arrived promptly at ten in the morning. First Mrs. Gibson and her two children arrived, a boy of five and a girl of three. Both children took after their mother, dark haired and dark eyed with bright smiles. Daphne saw her father watching Mrs. Gibson, watching the children, trying to see, she guessed, if he could imagine himself living with them and being happy. They were lovely children, Daphne thought, well behaved, polite, and full of good cheer. The children, Robert and Rose, oohed and aahed at the sight of the castle on full holiday display, the green pointed holly leaves with the blossoming red berries, the displays of ivy and rosemary, the tall trees in every room, the dishes of orange peel candies set on the low tables in easy reach of small hands. Then Mrs. Clayton arrived with her five young ones alongside Lucy Escott, a former maid for Daphne’s Uncle Jerrold, and little Josiah, the result of Uncle Jerrold’s, well, you know. With all of their guests present, Daphne and Edward brought the children into the sitting room where a bare tree, short enough for the children to reach, was set up near the window. Daphne and Edward passed around boxes of ornaments, which the children giggled to see. The children sang “Deck the Halls” as they placed the paper-mache trinkets on the branches and created popcorn and candy strings to wrap from top to bottom.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la la la la!

Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la!

Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la la la la la la!

Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, Fa la la la la la la la!

See the blazing yule before us, Fa la la la la la la la!

Strike the harp and join the chorus, Fa la la la la la la la!

Follow me in merry measure, Fa la la la la la la la!

While I tell of Yuletide treasure, Fa la la la la la la la!

Fast away the old year passes, Fa la la la la la la la!

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, Fa la la la la la la la!

Sing we joyous all together! Fa la la la la la la la!

Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa la la la la la la la!

After the tree was decorated, Edward lit the candles and set them between the branches. Everyone, including Edward and Daphne, Frederick and Mrs. Gibson, Robert and Rose, Mrs. Clayton and her children, Lucy Escott and Josiah, the Ellises, and the maids and footmen cheered at the sight of the children’s tree. Everyone watched as the footmen hauled in the yule log, set it in the center of the hearth, and lit it. The heavy chunk of wood, smelling of pine and cinnamon, burned bright orange until Frederick sprinkled some liquid over it and the log burned green and smelled of apples.

As the children continued to take pride in their very own  tree, the footmen brought in trays of buttery tea biscuits, slices of gingerbread, and pots of steaming tea. Frederick, upon seeing the servants watching from the doorway, invited them to share a holiday treat. 

“Today is Christmas,” Frederick said. “Let’s not stand on ceremony today.”

Daphne stood back, watching. This was her gift. She had a family. She had a father she adored, a husband-to-be who she loved more than she ever knew was possible, and now she had grandparents. She had been missing her grandfather a lot lately, but knowing she had the Ellises helped ease the ache. Then Daphne realized. Her grandmother, the Countess of Staton, was not there with them. 

Daphne guessed where her grandmother was hiding and made her way to the blue and white sitting room. She knocked on the door, and when she heard a faint response she went inside.

The Countess of Staton was not in her usual throne-like chair beside the fire. Instead, the grand old dame sat near the window watching the snow fall. Crystalline icicles froze on the bare tree branches, hanging between heaven and earth. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it, Grandma?” Daphne asked.

“Indeed it is, Daphne.”

She seemed lethargic, Lady Staton, odd since she always seemed so formidable. Emboldened by her grandmother’s quiet demeanor, Daphne took her hand.

“Come, Grandma. Everyone is here for Christmas. Won’t you celebrate with us?”

“Yes, the singing was so loud I could hear it without my ear trumpet.”

“Then won’t you come?”

“In a moment, my dear. I was just thinking of your Uncle Richard. He did so love the holidays. It was his favorite time of year. When he was a boy he’d walk through the castle reading A Christmas Carol aloud to anyone who would listen, and then when the holiday came he’d do everything in his power to celebrate just like it said in the book.” The countess slumped forward, and Daphne was afraid her grandmother was ill. Lady Staton’s mourning black made her look even more pale, as if her life force had seeped away. 

“I worry, Daphne,” Lady Staton said. “I worry that your grandfather and I were too hard on Richard. We knew he didn’t want to be earl so we felt it was our duty to prepare him properly. But he was so troubled by it all, wasn’t he? Do you think he blamed us?”

“Of course not, Grandma. I have no doubt he understood that you and Grandpa were trying to prepare him for what was coming when he became the earl.”

“I wanted to be above reproach. I didn’t want the wagging tongues of others to interfere in our lives. When he was Earl of Staton he was never here and I thought he was being irresponsible and I was hard on him then too. But he was a grown man, wasn’t he, and I’m sure he hated having his mother meddle in his business.” The Countess of Staton sighed. “If I could only do it again, Daphne, I would do it all so differently.” Lady Staton, who had not removed her hand from Daphne’s, now squeezed tightly. “When you have children, Daphne, let them find their own way. If people talk they talk. That’s what I’ve learned, sitting here on my own since my son died. Maybe what others think is less important than how we treat our own family.”

Daphne squeezed her grandmother’s hand right back. When she saw her grandmother’s eyes fill with tears, she had to fight back her own. 

“We all miss Uncle Richard so much, Grandma. But I know he wouldn’t want us sitting around feeling sad. He certainly wouldn’t want you here alone while the rest of us are celebrating Christmas together.”

Lady Staton nodded. She took up her ear trumpet from the wing chair, slipped the chain over her head, and patted the trumpet so it lay flat again her chest. She took Daphne’s arm and accompanied her granddaughter to the great room where the children skipped and danced around the tree. The Countess of Staton, a stark figure in black against the glow of the green and red holiday, softened as she walked with Daphne.

“Who are these children?” Lady Staton asked.

“Some are from the farms. They’re leaving for Yorkshire in a few days and Papa wanted them to have a nice Christmas before they left. Of course, you remember Lucy and Josiah. And the boy and girl near Papa belong to Mrs. Gibson.”

“Mrs. Gibson? The widow?” 

“That’s right. Papa saw her at the farms yesterday and invited her and her children to spend the day with us.”

Lady Staton’s pale eyes brightened. “Well well. Well well. We may have more than one wedding to celebrate soon.” She turned her sharp gaze onto Daphne. “Are you marrying Edward Ellis, then?”

“I am, Grandma. I’m sorry if that’s a disappointment to you, but I love him dearly, and he loves me. There’s no one else in the world for me, so I’m afraid we’re stuck with him.”

Daphne kissed her grandmother’s cheek, and her grandmother, instead of being annoyed by her highly American display of affection, nodded her approval, which meant everything to Daphne. When they saw Frederick huddled in the corner, speaking intently to Mrs. Gibson, granddaughter and grandmother smiled. 

Frederick called to everyone to join him in the library where the pantomime was ready to begin, and then he disappeared. The children sat before the large red velvet curtain hanging from a line from the ceiling. Everyone clapped when the curtain was pulled aside to reveal an improvised set for “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Frederick was there, looking rather fine in farmer’s attire—button down shirt, sack coat, denim overalls, and a straw hat, puffing on a cob pipe for good measure. When he called “Jack!” none other than Robert, Mrs. Gibson’s son, came out from behind the curtain, shouting “Yessir!” for all the world to hear. When Edward appeared in a dress, speaking in a squeaking voice, and curtseying so low he could hardly stand again, Daphne screamed with laughter along with the children. There was something about this moment, the silliness of it, the joy of it, that made her heart swell. Seeing her future husband and her father playing together for everyone’s entertainment, watching adorable little Robert forgetting his lines to have Frederick whisper them in his ear, laughing at Edward’s slapstick as he tripped over every flat surface on the makeshift stage, all of it made Daphne grateful for everything that brought her to this moment with everyone she loved and those she would come to love soon enough, she was sure. This is Christmas, Daphne thought. This warmth, this togetherness, this love. This is what it’s all about. And Daphne was grateful for all of it. 

As Jack scampered away to climb the beanstalk, Lady Staton leaned close to Daphne. 

“I know it’s too late to help Richard, Daphne, but I will be here for you and that boy. I promise.”

“I know, Grandma. Thank you.”

With the pantomime complete and everyone in a jolly mood, Mrs. Ellis passed around peppermint sticks while everyone sang together. 

God rest ye merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Saviour

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan’s power

When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy.

After the singing, Lady Staton sat down to the piano and played an upbeat waltz. Edward bowed to Daphne.

“May I sign my name to your dance card, Lady Daphne?”

“I don’t have a dance card, Mr. Ellis. It’s only family and friends here this fine Christmas day, and besides, I’m no longer in need of dance cards. I’m engaged, didn’t you know? I’ll be married soon.”

“Whoever the man is, he is the most fortunate man ever to walk this earth.” Edward extended his hand. “Lady Daphne, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

Daphne curtsied and took Edward’s arm. He led her to the open space in the center of the great room, and soon they were joined by Frederick and Mrs. Gibson. Daphne noticed her grandmother watching them, Daphne and Edward and Frederick and Mrs. Gibson, looking happier than Daphne had ever seen her.

“Happy Christmas, my love,” Edward said.

“Merry Christmas, Edward.”

“Shall we set a date? I think everyone here would think it was the greatest gift of all if we set a wedding date.”

“April,” Daphne said. “Spring weddings are the most beautiful, after all.”

“April it is. And I cannot wait.”

Edward led Daphne to the refreshment table and handed her a glass of mulled wine. He nodded toward the Earl of Staton and Mrs. Gibson, still waltzing and laughing the entire time. 

“Will he marry her, do you think?”

“I hope so,” Daphne said. 

Mrs. Beeton’s Recipes for a Perfectly Proper Christmas

Most fans of the 19th century are familiar with Mrs. Isabella Beeton, the Martha Stewart of Victorian England. Although I used her recipes and household management tips as resources for both Hembry books, I admit that I didn’t know much about Mrs. Beeton herself until recently.

On her very own website, it says that she married publisher Samuel Orchard Beeton in 1856. After her marriage, Mrs. Beeton wrote numerous articles about cooking and household management for her husband’s publications. In 1861, the articles were compiled into a single book, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management. Sadly, she died at age 28 shortly after giving birth to her fourth child.

Here are some of Mrs. Beeton’s recipes that appeared in Christmas at Hembry Castle.

Here is Mrs. Beeton’s recipe for Edward’s favorite beef rolls from the BBC Food website:

remains of cold roast or boiled beefsaltpepperminced herbs1 roll of puff pastry



Mince the beef tolerably fine with small amount of its own fat. Add a seasoning of pepper, salt, and chopped herbs.Put the whole into a roll of puff-pastry, and bake for ½ hour, or longer if the roll is bigger.Beef patties may be made of cold meat, by mincing and seasoning beef as directed above, and baking in a rich puff pastry.

And here is her recipe for sage and onion stuffing that makes a grand appearance at Lord Staton’s Christmas celebration:

4 large onions10 sage leaves125g/¼lb of breadcrumbs40g/1½oz buttersalt and pepper to taste1 egg



Peel the onions, put them into boiling water, let them simmer for 5 minutes or rather longer, and just before they are taken out, put in the sage-leaves for a minute or two to take off their rawness.Chop both these very fine, add the bread, seasoning and butter, and work the whole lot together with the yolk of an egg, when the stuffing will be ready for use.It should be rather highly seasoned, and the sage-leaves should be very finely chopped.Many cooks do not parboil the onions in the manner just stated, but merely use them raw. The stuffing then, however is not nearly so mild, and to many tastes, its strong flavour would be very objectionable.When made for goose, a portion of the liver of the bird, simmered for a few minutes and very finely minced, is frequently added to this stuffing; and where economy is studied, the egg and butter may be dispensed with.

And how about the Syllabub Edward and Daphne share over a quiet dinner at Staton House?

570ml/1 pint sherry or white wine½ grated nutmegsugar to taste900ml/1½pt milk



Put the wine into a bowl, with the grated nutmeg and plenty of pounded sugar, and add it to the milk.Clouted cream may be held on the top, with pounded cinnamon or nutmeg and sugar; and a little brandy may be added to the wine before the milk is put in.In some countries, cider is substituted for the wine: when this is used, brandy must always be added. Warm milk may be poured on from a spouted jug or teapot; but it must be held very high.

And last, but definitely not least, here is Mrs. Beeton’s recipe for the mince “Pies!” that nearly causes the death of Hembry’s cook, Mrs. Graham.

Short crust, rich short crust, flaky, rough puff or puff pastry, using 6 oz. flour, etc.10–12 oz. mincemeatcastor or icing sugar



Roll the pastry out to about ⅛ in. thickness. Cut half of it into rounds of about 2½ in. diameter and reserve these for lids. (Use a plain cutter for flaky, rough puff or puff pastry.) Cut the remaining pastry into rounds of about 3 in. diameter and line some patty tins. Place some mincemeat in the tins, brush the edge of the pastry with water and place a lid on top of each. Press the edges well together; if a plain cutter has been used knock up the edges. Brush the tops with water and sprinkle with sugar. Make a hole or 2 small cuts in the top of each. Bake in a hot oven (450°–425° F., Gas 8–7) depending on the type of pastry, for 25–30 min. Dredge tops with castor sugar.

These are simple recipes, so if you’re in the mood for some authentic Victorian flavors at your Christmas table, you might give them a try.

Christmas at Hembry Castle is a BN Bestseller

Just eight days after its release, Christmas at Hembry Castle is a Barnes and Noble bestseller, landing at #3 on the Historical Fiction 19th Century list between News of the World by Paulette Jiles and Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict. My book is next to Tom Hanks’ face. What else could a girl want for the holidays? You can see for yourself below.

Christmas at Hembry Castle also had a BN sales rank of 412 overall at the time of this writing. Maybe you’d like to see that too.

Christmas at Hembry Castle had been hovering in the 400,000 range on BN. Then yesterday morning it was 716 overall and then a few hours later it dropped to 416. I’m a little stunned, to be honest. As I said in this post, I wasn’t even sure that I would be able to finish the novella in time to release it this year. I’m sure glad I did.

What is it about Christmas at Hembry Castle that is catching on? Well, it’s a Christmas story at Christmas time, and this year more than ever I think we could all use a little holiday cheer. Of course, the novella was written in the tradition of A Christmas Carol, meddling ghost included, and who doesn’t love A Christmas Carol?

Something has been in the air for me lately, something good, I’m glad to say. Over this past week I’ve received several messages from fans, and for a writer, hearing from fans is more precious than gold. Readers remind me why I continue to write after all these years. Then Christmas at Hembry Castle was noticed in a few places, and then the friendly Nook folks at BN saw it and bought it. The gorgeous cover from Jenny Q has been a great help, I’m sure, because it’s so eye-catching. Amazing. I hope Edward and Daphne’s Christmas story continues to grow in popularity for the rest of the holiday season.

For those of you who bought the book, I hope you’re enjoying it. That’s why I wrote it, after all. That, and to give us all a lighthearted break from the year that was 2020.

Victorian Christmas Traditions (and a giveaway!)

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Thanks to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, many of us have a specific vision when we refer to the perfect Christmas. In fact, most of our Christmas traditions originated or were revived during the Victorian era.

Queen Victoria’s German-born husband, Prince Albert, brought many of his childhood Christmas traditions with him to England, including the Christmas tree.  According to the BBC’s Christmas website, in 1848, the Illustrated London News published a drawing of the royal family’s Christmas tree; after that, every English home had a tree decorated with candles, sweets, fruit, homemade decorations, and small gifts. Prior to the popularization of Christmas trees, in 1843, the first Christmas card was designed featuring an illustration of people seated around a dinner table, ready for a feast, of course. The cards cost one shilling apiece, too expensive for most Victorians, so children, including the Queen’s children, were encouraged to make their own cards.  

Even traditions like hanging mistletoe became popular during the Victorian era. In a time when rules of etiquette were so important, and when there were only certain ways men and women could interact socially, stealing a kiss under the mistletoe was considered entirely proper. Christmas crackers also became popular during this time, though instead of featuring the paper crowns and trinkets we find today, during the Victorian era the crackers were filled with bon-bons, sweets of sugar-coated almonds. The use of holly and ivy to celebrate midwinter stems as far back as the time of the Anglo-Saxons, and the practice was revived during the Victorian era.  

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Christmas caroling gained in popularity, and most of the Christmas carols we know today were sung during the Victorian era. According to Christmas Traditions in the Victorian Era, the Victorians loved music and often played instruments and sang at home for entertainment. During the Victorian era they revived Medieval carols and created new ones. The lyrics for one of the most famous Christmas carols of all time, “Silent Night,” was written in German and first performed in Austria in 1818. Other popular carols from the time included “O Christmas Tree,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and  “Deck the Halls.”

A Christmas Carol was published on December 19, 1843. That one short story (it’s only 30,000 words) has given us our idealized image of what Christmas could be. Christmas, according to Dickens, was a time for family and a festive meal—recall the Cratchits’ meager fare, yet they still had a lovely celebration because they were together as a family. Christmas was a time for games and dances and smoking bishop. Perhaps most importantly, Christmas was a time for charity, when those with means should be generous towards those without.

Dickens himself loved the holiday, and according to one of his sons, Christmas was “a great time, a really jovial time, and my father was always at his best, a splendid host, bright and jolly as a boy and throwing his heart and soul into everything that was going on…And then the dance! There was no stopping him!” (Allingham, P.V., Dickens the man who invented Christmas).

I had great fun exploring some of these beloved Victorian Christmas traditions while writing Christmas at Hembry Castle. Even more, I loved putting my own spin on A Christmas Carol, one of my favorite Dickens tales. To celebrate the release of my Christmas tale, I’m giving away five paperback copies of Christmas at Hembry Castle. All you need to do is fill out the simple form below.

Submit a form.