Vanessa Riley's Blog, page 288

Austen’s World Wrap Up. August 31, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Cool things from the 1780s
I love strange little bits of real history to decorate my books with. Sometimes you stumble across them randomly and jot them down for later use, and sometimes you’re in the middle of the book and you can’t stand to … Continue reading →

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. August 10, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

English Cottages Rock!
So much of the time, our Regency stories evolve in the settings of the elegant mansions, grand townhouses and large country estates of the rich aristocrats who people the stories. There’s good reason for that, for certainly the elegance helps … Continue reading →

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. July 27, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Jane Austen on the Go
Dear Readers, Once again I found myself traveling between Richmond and Baltimore to visit family. In theory, the route over I-95 should take only 2 hours and 45 minutes. Hah! This time the trip took 5 hours due to heavy traffic and a thunderstorm or two. While driving, I love to listen to my favorite […]

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. July 20, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Exploring Jane Austen’s Prayers
Exploring Jane Austen’s Prayers, by Rachel Dodge As we reflect this month on the beautiful written treasures Jane Austen left behind her in this world, we also celebrate the wonderful life that she lived. Though she has been gone 200 years now, her novels are a continual gift we can enjoy again and again. And […]

Animal Characters and a Sale!
A lot of my favorite romance authors include animals in their romances. In Regencies, we often have horses, but other animals, usually pets, can add fun to a story. Laura Kinsale usually (always?) includes some sort of “mascot animal” in … Continue reading →

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. July 13, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Visiting Jane Austen’s Home: Celebrating 200 Years in Hampshire, Rachel Dodge
“Ah! there is nothing like staying at home, for real comfort.” This line from Mrs. Elton in Emma is quite humorous, but the quote itself holds an eternal truth for most of us. There really is no place like one’s own home. For Jane Austen, “home” was in Hampshire, a lush, green county in the […]

On Research & Rabbit Holes
I know you understand the issues –I think all of us here tend to be research geeks. Sometimes it’s hard to pull ourselves away from the endless journey of searching out more information, more fascinating details –just a little more … Continue reading →

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. July 6, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

House Hunters, Lake District Style
I just returned home from the Number One London tour of the Lake District. What a fabulous time! We saw vistas like this: And this: What an inspirational trip! I just so happen to be starting a new book and … Continue reading →

Ice Cream in July During the Georgian Era
Gentle Reader, This week marks the July 4th holiday in the U.S., which means family gatherings, outdoor picnics, firework celebrations, and, most of all, ice cream! This delicious treat became more and more common at the turn of the 19th century when the method of transporting and storing great big blocks of ice over long […]

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. June 29, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Queer in the Regency: a Slice of Once-Hidden LGBT History
How much do you know about LGBT history during the Regency period? Today we offer you a guest post by writer Graham Stokes (who happens to be Risky Gail Eastwood’s son).  As most of you probably know, June is LGBT … Continue reading →

Jane Austen and Duck Eggs
Last week a colleague at work, who lives in one of the prettier areas of rural Virginia, brought a dozen duck eggs to work. She had purchased them from a local farmer. Several of us pounced on these exotic avian gifts, since most of us obtain eggs from the lowly chicken from local grocers. Curiosity […]

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. June 22, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

A Visit to Bath: Tony Grant
Dear reader, Jane Austen and the Georgian city of Bath are closely entwined throughout her novels and later life. Tony Grant’s contributions regarding Bath have been vitally important to me and this blog. His thoughts, images, and insights have enhanced my posts about this topic. Tony has generously allowed me to link to his popular […]

Voices from Old London
This year I’m back in Victorian London, and as it so happens I’ve got a couple of new research books, among them Voices from Dickens’ London by Michael Paterson from 2006 (republished as Inside Dickens’ London). Right in the introduction … Continue reading →

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. June 15, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Celebrate London!
George VI spoke those words in a broadcast on September 23, 1940, during the London Blitz, but are they not as true today? I wish I were in London today to stand with Londoners, resolute and undismayed. On Saturday night, … Continue reading →

Greetings and Gestures in Austen’s Novels, by Rachel Dodge
Understanding the subtle nuances behind formal introductions and customary greetings during Jane Austen’s lifetime is a lot of fun, and it can provide a unique level of insight into her books. The reason: Austen uses breaches of etiquette and manners as commentaries on her characters. In her book Those Elegant Decorums, Jane Nardin says, “In […]

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Austen’s World Wrap Up. June 8, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Stewards and Death Taxes
The Modern Land Steward by John Lawrence, published in 1806. Note: A version of this was originally posted at my website. This post is expanded to include more about Stewards. It will be sufficient fbr our purpose, to define the … Continue reading →

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