Regency Romance Novels

Archives for November 2009

Garrow’s Law…

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Henry Dawkins
Henry Dawkins

If you enjoy watching period drama set in the late 18th century, there’s a new short BBC series running now. I downloaded the first three episodes off itunes…and now I’ll have to wait I don’t know how long before I get to see the fourth and final episode. Heavy sigh! It’s really good!!! It’s based on the life and work of William Garrow, a barrister who pioneered the defence of prisoners in court. It draws on real trials and the script writer/s and the actors (and the costume designer) all do an excellent job. I give it 5 stars!!!

The last few days I’ve been suffering from an infection in my jaw (bad tooth gone long unatended – I know burying one’s head in the sand never makes problems go away, but I keep doing it hoping they will) I’ve been taking antibiotics for three days and finally my jaw is feeling better but the tooth is now throbbing along with my head…go figure. The point of my rambling being, as I was watching these 18th century characters wander past the screen I couldn’t help but feel heartily relieved that I live in the 21st century where I can go to the drugstore and buy painkillers. [Read more…] about Garrow’s Law…

Time travelling for the chocolate lover…

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back through time to visit a Regency chocolate shop? I have! The Universe has heard my silent wail of longing for the impossible; the other day I read an article in The New York Times that mentioned a chocolate shop in Paris that was built in 1800! The shop is still there with it’s original fittings and still selling hand made chocolate and though I suspect most of their recipes have changed you can buy dark chocolate pistoles (it looks like a chocolate coin without the wrapper) that were made for Marie Antoinette. (The business was running years before they built this particular shop.) I am so excited!!! Cheap it is not! It costs about 200$ for the average box of chocolates.

As I have not yet been to Paris (the Charles de Gaule airport doesn’t count as visiting Paris) I will visit au personne and see if the shop will sell me a piece of chocolate. Can you see me…walking up to equisite counter (looking like I’ve been under a spell, asleep in a bad second hand clothes store for the last twenty years) and smiling at the well groomed individual on the other side of the counter and saying, “Bonjour!” only of course I’d be so excited it would come out sounding like “Banjure”…and then saying in broken French, “I would like one piece of chocolate…” I can see the eyes glaze over in exasperation…surely they must humour weird Americans who want to watch their weight yet taste chocolate heaven? J’espere! So if you’ve ever wanted to travel back in time have a look at their website…I particularly recommend reading the history and the blips about each different kind of boxes of chocolate they sell…the person who wrote the English was French…very charming!!! To see Debouve & Gallais’s shop go here

One day I shall go to Paris and buy a large box of truffles. I shall find a comfortable corner surrounded by beauty and sit there watching the French world pass by to the glorious taste of chocolate. Hmmmmm…yummmm!

If you’re interested…here’s the article in The New York Times…warning…it may make you hungry or desperate to visit Paris and eat…

A brief Update on my books in progress…

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If you’ve been wondering where I’m at in my books in progress here’s a brief update :

Dancing The Maypole – 60,025 words (finished book will have about 80,000)

The story without a definite title – 44,962 words (finished book will have about 65,000)

Both stories have reached critical scenes. I’m hoping both will be done by the end of the year though I can’t promise as my writing speed fluctates and then there are the mental brick walls which can appear without warning. I hope I’m done with those for the year…that would be an excellent Christmas gift to self!

Today I went down to London with a friend. I’m absolutely shattered, but I had a great time. Hopefully I’ll wake up feeling refreshed and have a really productive writing day tomorrow.