A Victorian Lady's Guide to Fashion and Beauty Paperback Release Day!
Today my non-fiction fashion history book A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty is out in paperback in the United States! It’s already available everywhere else in both ebook and paperback. I apologize that it’s taken so long for it to be available in the U.S. (and I doubly apologize if it’s already back-ordered here). […]Continue Reading
Victorian Dining Etiquette: Common Sense Advice for Eating in Company
With the holiday season well under way, it seems an appropriate time to review a few of the many Victorian era rules for dining in company. The etiquette of the table hasn’t changed a great deal over the years. Some rules are merely a matter of basic common sense. Nevertheless, we could all do with a refresher now and then. To that end, I’ve gathered ten tips from various Victorian era etiquette books and articles addressing the basics of dining etiquette. I present them to you below.[…]Continue Reading
A Halloween Tea Party for Unmarried Victorian Ladies
In the Victorian era, Halloween parties were rife with games designed to help young ladies see into their marital futures. These games were generally played at co-ed Halloween celebrations. There were even some which could be played by gentlemen. The bulk of these games, however, were geared toward marriage-minded females. It is therefore not surprising to find descriptions of Halloween parties—or Halloween Teas—that were strictly for women.[…]Continue Reading
Teeth Whitening in the Victorian Era: From Charcoal Paste to Sulfuric Acid
(Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0)
I like to make my historical novels as authentically Victorian as possible. However, when it comes to the subject of dental health, I’m guilty of fudging the facts. The truth is, not everyone in the 19th century had strong white teeth. Rather the opposite. In an era with no Crest Whitestrips, no veneers, and somewhat primitive dentistry, you were more likely to encounter a hero with brown or missing teeth than one with a gleaming white smile.[…]Continue Reading
The Matrimonial Advertisement Release Day: Blog Tour, Giveaway, & More!
It’s release day for my new Victorian romance novel The Matrimonial Advertisement! To celebrate, I’m over at the USA Today Happy-Ever-After Blog for an interview. I’m also embarking on a virtual book tour, complete with reviews, interviews, and a special paperback giveaway. To top it all off, The Matrimonial Advertisement ebook is priced at just $2.99 for the entire week, and my last novel, The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter, has been reduced to $0.99 just to mark the occasion. So, without further ado, let’s get started![…]Continue Reading
