Month: March 2025

Prize Fighting in the Regency

If you have read more than two or three Regency romances, you have encountered at least one male character involved in a fancy form of fisticuffs called boxing. No doubt the hero has gone a few rounds with Gentleman Jackson in his “Boxing saloon (salon)” at 13 Bond Street, London, and, for the truly heroic hero, even bested the great man of prize fighting.

Two other names seem to lend their name in prominence to the Regency era, as well—Cribb and Belcher. They were also champion fighters in the sport. Cribb ended up a rather successful businessman. Sadly, Belcher liked to gamble and ended up In prison and dying young in 1811. He, however, stands out in my mind as having lent his casual style of dress in wearing a large kerchief around his neck instead of a cravat—the belcher kerchief. In the second Regency I ever read, Georgina by Clare Darcy, the hero was disdained by many for wearing one of these.

But back to boxing…

The sport has been around since at least ancient Greece. Throughout the medieval period, it seems to have disappeared, but began making a comeback in England in the sixteenth century. By the early 1700s, rules were beginning to form, and popularity of the sport grew amongst all classes of males.

At first, it was a bloody sport with few regulations. The most hand protection a fighter wore were leather strips around their knuckles. Mostly they fought with bare fists and could hit anywhere. By the Regency, no hitting below the belt existed, but pretty much anything else prevailed.

Men from errand boys, to gentlemen in fine rigs drove out to heaths and commons, to observe the fight, cheer on their favorites, and, of course, wager on the outcome of the fight. The sporting magazines of the time reported on these fights. One account seems to have been quite a day of sport.

“By way of ushering in the New Year, the amateurs of the fist had a full day s sport cut out on the 1st inst. No less than three fights having been fixed to take place. These matches were decided on Highgate Common, in the presence of a very numerous field. The first match for forty guineas, was between an Irishman, of the name of Christie, who never fought a pitched battle before, and a second rater of the name of Byrne. This battle afforded but very little diversion. Christie could neither give nor stop, and his adversary, although he possessed some science, had no gift at hitting, and but suspicious bottom. After a hugging battle of forty minutes, Byrne was declared the victor. Richman, the black, and Blake, were the seconds.

Simon Burn photo
Possibly depicting Simon Byrne

“The second battle was between two well-known boxers in miniature, one of whom was Ballard, a Westminster lad, and the pupil of the veteran Caleb Baldwin, and the other Charles Brannam, who has combated with Dixon and others…”
(The Sporting Magazine, January 1812 PP 192-193.)

Also, according  to this same publication, English men at the turn of the nineteenth century, were so prize fighting crazed pitch—spontaneous–battles took place. These. “A pitched battle was lately fought at Thorpe, between two champions of the names of Cannell and Fox. The former was victorious, but the fight afforded little satisfaction to the amateurs. At its conclusion, Pegg, a known bruiser, jumped into the ring, and challenged any one present to fight for a guinea, which was accepted by his former antagonist Chapman, who, after a short contest, beat Pegg completely…”

This sport, with its ever-changing rules, could prove deadly. “On Saturday, the 20th instant, a pitched battle was fought at Wanash, near Guildford, between one Mansell, of that place, and a paper-maker, named Wokins; when the latter, having nearly beat his antagonist, received a blow under the ear, which killed him on the spot. A Coroners Jury sat on the body and returned a verdict of manslaughter.”

Thirty seconds was how long an opponent needed to stay down for his adversary to declare victory. Any fighter feeling he needed a break, could drop to one knee for 30 seconds to give himself time to recover; however, this was considered unmanly.

For myself, I’ve never considered having a hero step into the ring (which is really a square now), thinking it a little on the lowbrow side of sports. I am, however, wrong in this thinking. Even Lord Byron learned the art from Gentleman Jackson.

Related post on author Clare Darcy.

 

Originally posted 2013-05-20 03:00:00.

Outdoor Sports for Lovers, The Picnic

Vanessa here,

As we focus on outdoor activities here at Regency Reflections, I would like to spend sometime highlighting one meant for lovers, lovers of scenic views and food, the picnic (picnick).  By the time of the Regency, communing with nature and enjoying natural activities became the rage. What better way to indulge both passions, outdoors and food, than by dining al fresco.

Photo from http://myaustendreamworld.com
Photo from http://myaustendreamworld.com

The ingredients of a fine picnic are the weather, the guests, the place, and the food.

The Weather

The weather should be warm and sunny. Most picnics provide a linen cover on the ground for the participants to sit and eat their meals. Thus, if it has rained for several days, the saturated ground will wet the coverings and bring mud and damp clothes to the event. We wouldn’t want to spread consumption.  Moreover, if one tried to have a picnic in 1816, the year without a summer, the temperature would be too cold or worse too snowy to have had an enjoyable picnic.

The Guests

Selection of the guest needed to be done with the same care as choosing ones for an indoor dinner party. Participants will be sitting very close together, even leaning near the next person. Thus, social people with excellent conversation would be preferred. Unmarried people still required chaperones, so the hero won’t be sneaking away with his single heroine… unless he’s sure not to be caught.

The Place

The place to hold the picnic must be selected wisely. Because of the need for the eyes to experience nature, the environment for the picnic should be as inviting as the food. Yet, choosing a picturesque place might mean settling on an out of the way flat plain on the moors, or a hill like Box Hill, the famed picnic spot in Emma. Box Hill, the summit of the North Downs in Surrey, is set up high and framed in boxwood trees, oaks, tall grasses, and wild flowers. Perfect for a picnic.

Source: Wikicommons. Panoramic View of Box Hill
Source: Wikicommons. Panoramic View of Box Hill
Photo from the Movie Emma (1996 British TV)
Photo from the Movie Emma (1996 British TV)

The provisions for the picnic can consists of tables to hold the food, the food, plates, cloths, servants to dish the food, servants to do the setup and the clean up, the linens, etc. These goods and servers can require wagons or carriages for transportation to and from the location. If the scenic spot was too out of the way, servants had to walk and carry picnic fare from the closets point of access (the road, etc.) to the picnic spot.

The Food

Food for the picnic can be arranged one of two ways. (1.) The picnic organizers can assign foods for each of the participants to bring. This ensures that no foods are duplicated. Each participant must bring enough food for all of the picnickers. (2.) The other way is for the organizer to supply it. This option was mainly chosen by the wealthy as an extension of showing off their good fair just as if the picnic were an indoor dinner at a ball.

The common foods supplied were pre-sliced cold roast and cow tongue (also sliced). Deviled eggs were popular. Once the egg is boiled, it’s sliced in half and the yolk is removed. The yolks are mixed with pepper, Worcester sauce, salt, and mustard and then returned to the inside of the boiled egg half. No addition of mayonnaise (1756 Charles de Lorraine, duke of Mayenne) to worry about spoilage.

I found a reference to walnut sandwiches and fruit sandwiches.  Walnut sandwiches were made from chopped walnuts mixed with cheese and spices and served on thinly sliced bread. Fruit sandwiches were made with stiff stale bread topped with thin slices of bananas and pineapples sprinkled with sugar. After it sets up with the fruit juices penetrating the bread, it is cut into little cakes and served with whipped cream (or clotted cream).

The drink offered would be a popular beverage that can be served at ambient temperatures (not too cold and not hot): lemonade, white wine claret, or a sweet madeira wine.

All foods should be easy to port and serve the picnic-goers to show the host as a considerate and generous person as well as match the beauty and ease of the natural surroundings.

So, if your weekend permits, have your servant or dear hubby fetch a sandwich and blanket and dine al fresco Regency-style.

References:

“Cookery”, by Amy Richards, published in 1895

Andrew Hubbell, How Wordsworth Invented Picnicking and Saved British Culture. Romanticism, Volume 12, Number 1, 2006, pp. 44-51

MyAustenDreamworld.com

Janeaustensworld.wordpress.com

Timothy Morton, Radical Food: The Culture and Politics of Eating and Drinking, 1790–1820, vol. 1 (New York: Routledge, 2000), pp. 3–8.

Originally posted 2013-05-17 10:00:00.

Write of Passage: Celebrate Without a “Round To It”

My mother was the first female entrepreneur I ever met. She started selling baked goods during tax season while my father prepared income taxes for clients in our home. I distinctly remember her brownies—one of my favorite treats—being sold right on our porch to delighted customers. But my mother wasn’t just an entrepreneur; she was a serial entrepreneur. She took that experience and built a bookstore—Goldenrod Christian Bookstore—in the booming metropolis of Aiken, South Carolina. And for those familiar with Aiken, you’ll catch the joke in that description.

Midnight Release Party of A Wager at Midnight at The Book Worm Bookstore

A love of books has always been deeply ingrained in my family, which made it all the more distressing when larger businesses noticed the niche my mother had carved out. Since there wasn’t another Christian bookstore for miles, these businesses began selling Bibles and offering similar services, cutting into her business. I suppose at any stage of success, there will always be competition, challenges, and obstacles that try to stop you. You just never know what each day will bring.

One of my fondest memories of Goldenrod was an item my mother kept by the register—a small, round coin. Some were blue, others red, and each had the words “To It” stamped on the top. It didn’t make sense to me at first. When I asked her about it, she gave me that knowing smile and said, “This is for everyone who delays their dreams, thinking they’ll get around to it.” Then she placed the coin in my hand and said, “See? Now you have a round to it. So go after what you want.”

The idea of “a round to it” is a powerful concept. It represents the ultimate form of procrastination—the assumption that we will always have another moment, another chance. But nothing in life is promised. We shouldn’t make plans assuming X, Y, or Z will happen down the line, nor should we sit still waiting for the perfect moment.

By the time you hear this podcast, I will have released my 26th book into the world, A Wager at Midnight. I will also, in all likelihood, be very tired because we celebrated with a midnight release party. (Side note: I probably should’ve named it A Wager at 10 PM—then I could have gotten a full night’s sleep! But I digress.)

The event was an incredible opportunity to celebrate this book, an indie bookstore that I love, and the readers who believe in my voice and mission—supporting women, female entrepreneurs, and female authors. Because despite what anyone may tell you, being an author is a business. Our product is our words, codified in a book. We have to market, advertise, reach new customers, and most importantly, appreciate every reader—whether they pick up a book from a library, buy it from a bookstore, or listen to it through headphones. Every reader is a valued customer.

At the midnight party, we celebrated in style. The menu featured chimichurri sauce with a range of crudité vegetables, Megan Sussex’s lemon honey olive oil cake with cream cheese frosting, baked donuts with chocolate ganache and floral sprinkles, holiday meatballs, and an array of cheeses—including a particularly tipsy drunk goat cheese. There was plenty of food, and even greater joy in watching people savor what had been created with love and care. Perhaps I’m a serial pleaser because I want people to enjoy my words, but if I throw a party, I want them to enjoy the food, too.

So consider this message your round to it. Wear that outfit you’ve been saving for a special day. Take the trip you’ve been thinking about. Start the business that’s been living in your head, even if the present situation feels uncertain. Celebrate everything—whether it’s a major victory or simply the fact that you’re still in the game.

More about A Wager at Midnight

And as we celebrate book number 26, A Wager at Midnight—Stephen and Scarlett’s story—we honor a narrative that intertwines a fight against the blood disease sickle cell anemia with a love story between a Duke and a Viscountess, who place a wager that will be settled at the end of A Wager at Midnight. At its heart, this book is about two people devoted to medicine and helping others, yet unsure if they can have both love and their dreams. But luckily, Stephen and Scarlett get a round to it.

Books that can help bolster the celebration now mindset:

Don’t Settle for Safe by Sarah Jakes Roberts – Encourages stepping out of fear and into purpose.

The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama – Encourages resilience, taking action, and finding joy even in difficult times.

The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins – Teaches a simple technique to stop procrastination and take immediate action.

So celebrate today. Party today. Because nothing is promised, and you deserve your flowers—or your holiday meatballs—even if it isn’t an official holiday. You deserve a celebration.

Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I’m highlighting “The Book Worm Bookstore” through Bookshop.org. You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.

Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

Writing’s Not A Hobby… But This Is!

Our Regency Reflections authors spend a lot of time writing, but it isn’t all they do. We asked them to share what some of their favorite hobbies are and what they use them for.

Kristy L. Cambron

Not surprising, my main hobbies center around what I have time for in a packed schedule: chasing after our young boys, belting out off-key worship songs in my car before I get to the office, and of course, writing.

Asthma Walk LogoMaybe lesser known is our family’s struggle with asthma. Our two older sons have endured hospital admissions and seemingly endless urgent care visits since six months old. Now that they understand what asthma is, we try to get them involved with a community that focuses on well-being. We’ve walked in the American Lung Association Asthma Walks for a number of years and though not exactly a hobby, we are passionate about research to cure childhood lung disease and to live a healthy lifestyle.

Naomi Rawlings

My hobby is hiking. There’s lots of lovely trails around Lake Superior, so we don’t have to go far at all.

Ruth Axtell

Peony clusterMy hobby is gardening, both vegetable and flower. I love getting out there and grubbing in the dirt! I always have more vegetables that I, or my family can use, so I’ve been taking extra stuff to church, putting a box out back for anyone to take if they wish after the service. If I’m in town on the day the food pantry is open, then I donate fresh vegetables there. 

 

Susan Karsten

This question sparked me to realize I have hobbies, interests and passions!

Sun Quilt (not one of Susan's)
Sun Quilt (picture via WikiCommons) Not one of Susan’s quilts

I consider the hobbies to be the tangible skill-based activities.  Using this classification system, sewing and quilting have got to be my top hobby.  I like sewing and have since around age eight. I made my first quilt in my teens, then stopped and started up again in my late twenties.  With my sewing, I am able to mend things for people, and I make and give away baby bibs, often combining re-purposed fabric with new. I also do light alterations for my friends.   I make and give baby quilts to each new baby in my life — at church, in my friend circle, or within my family.  It’s so inspiring to see the excitement on the recipients’ faces.  For some, it’s the only hand-made quilt they’ve ever owned.  My nieces and nephews (and my own kids) have kept their quilts from me on their beds into their teen years.  And that warms my heart and encourages me to persevere.

Laurie Alice Eakes

Fingers Knitting
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

I knit and crochet. I’m not terribly good at either, and it keeps my hands  busy while I read. I have given some of my better projects as gifts—prayer shawls and baby afghans—and I made an afghan for my husband the first Christmas when we were dating. Usually, I get bored with the project and give it up, so now I’m working on my first complex project, having decided that the reason I get bored is I haven’t challenged my ability enough.

Kristi Ann Hunter

Hobby… hobby… that’s what you do during free time, right? 🙂 My “killing time” hobbies include playing computer and Wii games, reading, and messing around on social media stuff like Pinterest. Television is probably my main unwinding activity since my husband and I watch it together.

I don’t get to spend a lot of time on those things because my passions take up whatever time isn’t dedicated to caring for my family. Building my career as a writer and speaker as well as supporting and volunteering alongside my husband in his youth ministry gets me excited and fills most of my free time. I guess those are as close to a hobby as I have.

What’s your hobby? 

Let us know in the comments!

Originally posted 2013-05-15 10:00:00.

Spring at Kew Gardens

Peony cluster Spring is bulb season at Kew. From the carpets of the small, blue, bell-like squill to the tall straight tulips with their simple form, there are bright primary colors everywhere.

What was it like in regency times?

outside my writing windowRhododendron Dell, originally known as the Hollow Walk, was formed at the edge of the Thames out of its flood plain. Famous landscaper Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown designed it in 1773 in the shape of a horseshoe and planted hundreds of mountain laurels along it, which gave it the nickname of Laurel Walk.

 

Kew_Palace

The Dutch House, or the royal palace with its Dutch architectural style, doubtless had many flower gardens enjoyed by the royal family who frequently stayed there. In springtime, tulips, narcissus, squill, and hyacinths were popular bulbs. Since the tulip craze in the Netherlands in the 17th century, the hyacinth, also originating from Turkey in the 1500s, became very popular to cultivate in the 18th century and regency England.

Mora & Ruth with Peonies

 

 

 

I’ve included some photos of my own garden flowers to give you an idea of what visitors to the royal gardens at Kew might enjoy in the early 1800s. garden photos 0072010 garden 002IMG_3442IMG_3441

Originally posted 2013-05-13 10:00:00.

Portraits of Our Mothers

mother

The Washington Post headline read: “Survey: Half of women say they don’t have enough free time”. I confess that I laughed when I saw it on my Smartphone screen. No kidding? Half of us have enough hours in the day while the other half of us are just trying to make it through with our sanity intact? Whether it be for maintaining a household, rearing children (aka making sure they don’t destroy the house most days), focusing on a career or investing in the relationships in our lives, do women really have much “time to ourselves” to speak of? I wasn’t sure, especially since I was doing some quick reading during the halftime of my son’s soccer game.

Author Mom
Portrait of Madame Emilie Seriziat and son (Jacques-Louis David, 1795. Oil on canvas) Photo: Wikimedia Commons

When thinking about our topic of alfresco activities in the month of May, I just couldn’t let go of this concept of time. What would we do with scads of it to spend as we choose? Did I really have to sneak in a little research time in-between quarters for the soccer game? As Mother’s Day approaches, I had to wonder if time is an activity in and of itself  – and not just for women in the year 2013. We modern woman have entered the workforce with a vengeance, going from working an average 8 hours per week (at a paying job) in 1965 to working an average 21 hours a week in 2011. A whopping 56% of employed mothers with children under eighteen say it is very or somewhat difficult to maintain a balance between work and their home life (USA Today). And in 2011, women reported spending an average of 13.5 hours per week with their children.

With those stats, why wouldn’t we think that maintaining careers, taxiing kids to soccer fields and dance class, popping dinner in the microwave and rushing through the occasional load of laundry makes us busier than mothers in the Regency Era? After all, Jane quoted that a mother would have always been present. That must mean a mother had little by way of responsibilities in 1812, right? Wrong. She had more to do than choose fabric for her next ball gown, that’s for sure.

Author Mom 2
The Good Mother (Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 18th century. Oil on canvas.) Photo: Wikimedia Commons

One of the most interesting books I read in college was A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785 – 1812 (by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich). Martha Ballard was a Regency Era woman, mother, and midwife living in eighteenth-century Maine. (If you want a picture of the hard-working Regency Super-Mom, this lady was it.) She ventured out on ice-covered lakes to deliver babies in the middle of winter. She managed to have nine children of her own while performing duties akin to that of a physician on a somewhat regular basis. She maintained her frontier home in rugged New England and fashioned a domestic economy as an herbalist and healer. (Career. Kids. Balancing work and home. Sound familiar?) I recommend this book for a candid look at the Regency from a fresh angle – maybe to see a connection between those mothers of 200 years ago and the portrait of a special mother in our lives today?

When I think about the portrait that my sons have of me as their mother, I’d hope they could say what Jane Austen did in her quote; I was always present. Maybe I was stretched a little and couldn’t give every moment, but I would hope I was always present in the moments I could give. That I was indeed a constant friend and cheerleader. That the influence I had brought them up to fear the Lord, to grow in righteousness, and to always treat gently the women God has gifted into their lives. I would hope that they remembered the time – the honest-to-goodness quality time – their mother spent with them in their youth… That I put the phone away on the soccer field and stayed present in the moment at my son’s game.

I pray the portraits we women paint as mothers in this life (whether in the Regency or in today’s world) showcase an abundance of grace and beauty. I pray that they’re portraits of our mothers, just as they will be of us some day.

Portraits of our mothers on Regency Reflections…

Author Kristi Hunter
Author Kristi Ann Hunter, her mother, and eldest daughter
Author Susan Karsten
Author Susan Karsten (far right), her mother, and youngest daughter
Author Vanessa Riley
Author Vanessa Riley and her mother (left); Author Vanessa Riley and daughter Ellen on Stone Mountain (right)
Author Kristy Cambron
Author Kristy Cambron and her mother

Who is a special mother in your life? How has she invested the gift of time in your life?

 Have a blessed Mother’s Day!

In His Love,

Kristy

 

Originally posted 2013-05-10 10:00:00.

Flirtations, Fitness, and Fun: The Benefits of Walking in Regency England

Kristi here. Have you ever visited a big, historic estate? I love to see the old houses, castles, and palaces and have been privileged enough to visit several in my life. Two things I’ve learned you should always bring with you: a camera and good walking shoes.

Before the age of the car, people walked everywhere. Horses were expensive to maintain and even if you had them, they weren’t always a practical option for exercise or travel.

Stile
Stiles were built into countryside fences to keep walkers from having to stop and open gates. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Walking was essential for the working class. They had no other option unless they were traveling a distance long enough to make buying a ticket on the post or renting a hack worthwhile. This made living near work a requirement and visiting family a luxury.

For the upper class walking was a way to kill time and exercise. Walking was especially encouraged for young ladies in 1811’s The Mirror of Graces a long, vigorous walk every morning was recommended. Elite families ate very rich, fattening foods and often participated in dormant activities such as reading, needlepoint, and drawing room visits.

Blickling Hall Grounds
Blickling Hall in England. Photo by georgaph.org.uk.

This inclination for walking led to the extensive glorious grounds surrounding most grand homes. In the late 1700s and early 1800s the most famous of grounds designers charged exorbitant rates, traveling around England and transforming acres of land to suit their owners.

While there were differing opinions when it came to trees and expanses of lawn, one thing all designers incorporated were gravel pathways. These pathways wound their way through shrubs and trees, around statues and the occasional water feature. Gravel paths were essential as they wouldn’t turn muddy after a rain, thereby ruining the hems of the expensive, fashionable gowns.

Painting of couple walking arm in arm away from church.
“A Wet Sunday Morning” by Edmund Blair Leighton Photo: Wikimedia Commons

England is no stranger to wet, rainy days. Those long galleries that often ran along one side of the large houses served a greater purpose than an open area to display artwork. When outside strolls were out of the question, people – women especially – would make laps in the gallery to stay active.

Another great benefit to walking was the social acceptance of a man and woman walking together. Proper etiquette required the male stay with his female companion for the duration of the walk. It was also expected that he would lend her an arm if she got tired. One can only wonder how many ladies “got tired” when walking with a man they were particularly interested in.

Do you enjoy walking? Where is the prettiest place you’ve ever strolled?

 

Originally posted 2013-05-08 10:00:00.

Contest Winner for Madeline’s Protector

As many of you know, we’ve spent the past week celebrating the debut release of
Madeline’s Protector by Regency Reflections’s own Vanessa Riley. To help celebrate this new novel, we’ve included giveaways with every post over the past week and held one giant, week-long contest for a Nook ereader. Well, we have winners! And I’m very excited to share them with everyone.

The winner of a brand new Nook is . . .

Michelle Griep!

BooksTablet

Michelle visited our Regency Reflections on the very first day of the contest and answered the question of what suitor you would pick for your daughter if you were a Regency mother. Congratulations, Michelle! We wish you lots of enjoyable hours of reading time on your new Nook!

Our other daily winners are as follows:

$10 Starbuck’s gift card – Nancy
iTune card – Teela
$10 Amazon gift certificate – Piper
Paperback  copy of Madeline’s Protector – Jackie Layton 

Congratulations to all our winners, and a special thanks to everyone who stopped by to help us celebrate the release of Madeline’s Protector!

 And now, in case you’re wondering about the thought-provoking questions we asked at the end of each post. Here’s a list of the questions and the most popular answers.
MadelinesProtector11125

Friday, April 26: If you were a Regency Mama, which suitor would you pick for your marriageable daughter and why:The son of a family friend, a titled reformed rake, a wealthy gentleman looking for a 2nd wife?

The most popular answer was: The son of a family friend. Most of the commentors liked being familiar with the suitors family and background before giving their daughters over in marriage to our imaginary man.

*****

Monday, April 29: If you lived during the Regency and found yourself in a dire circumstance would you:

A. Do everything possible to save yourself, not caring of any possible ramifications.

B. Do everything possible, but you would worry about potential scandals or compromise.

C. Risk everything to a point. Your family name and position could not be threatened.

The most popular answer was B. Most commentors would do everything possible, but still be conscientious about scandals.

*****

Wednesday, May 1: What got you interested in the Regency time period?

The most popular answer was: Pride and Prejudice, either one of the movies or the book or a combination of the two.

*****

Friday, May 3: Have you ever had your purse snatched? And if so, did you give chase?

The most popular answer was: No, most people have not had their purses taken (though a few have). And no, most people did not think they would give chase, even if their purses were stolen.

*****

Thanks again for stopping by and enjoying our week-long celebration of Madeline’s Protector. We hope to see each and every one of you back again sometime over the coming weeks!

 

Originally posted 2013-05-06 10:00:00.

Madeline’s Protector ~ Spiritual Themes, review by Susan Karsten

Note from Management: 🙂

Our Daily Post Winners:

Fri, April 26—$10 starbuck’s gift card – Nancy
Mon, April 29–iTune card – Teela
Wed, May 1–$10 Amazon Gift certificate – Piper
Fri, May 3—A paperback of Madeline’s Protector. – Maybe you?

Add a comment and you will be entered into the daily contest as well as the Grand Prize: Color Nook ereader.  You can also enter here for an extra chance:  http://wp.me/p2854H-Jj

———–

When searching for spiritual themes in Vanessa Riley’s new book, Madeline’s Protector, one doesn’t search long before coming upon several worthwhile strands of Christian truth.

Book Cover

Riley weaves a tale wherein our beloved faith emerges deeply embedded within her rollicking, action-packed tale of love’s trials. What begins as a deceptively simple conflict, spirals into a web of difficulty for the young aristocrats.

Madeline St. James and Justain Delveux meet under highly stressful circumstances. Robbery, murder, peril, and compromised reputation mesh in a riveting tale dappled with otherwordly beauty.

Madeline’s confidence in Providence wars against Justain’s uncertainties, as all the while Justain battles to protect her from forces just beyond sight.

Misunderstandings, violence, subterfuge, and distrust forge a gauntlet which must be braved for their love to triumph.

Our heroine trusts the Lord to deliver her from those who would spitefully use her, and He uses a weak mortal man, Justain to protect her virtue. As the plot unfolds, Justain’s need for a savior becomes evident to him and he joins his bride in the fold.

Author Vanessa Riley

A thoroughly satisfying read, in which Riley has a deft touch with spiritual matters.

Question: Have you ever had your purse snatched, and if yes, did you give chase? (Yes, this reveals a plot twist 🙂

Originally posted 2013-05-03 10:00:00.

Madeline’s Protector Author Interview

Play our new release contest game, the first post: http://wp.me/p2854H-Jj

To celebrate Madeline’s Protector, we’re running a special week-long contest. Starting today through next Friday, May 3, we’ll feature thought-provoking questions at the end of each post. To enter the contest, you’ll need to supply a thoughtful answer to the question. The grand prize winner at the end of the week will receive a brand new Nook.

But the contest doesn’t stop there. Each day a new post goes up (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) we’ll be giving away mini-prizes for that day only. Here’s a list of the prizes:

Fri, April 26—$10 starbuck’s gift card
Mon, April 29–iTune card
Wed, May 1–$10 Amazon Gift certificate
Fri, May 3—A paperback of Madeline’s Protector.

And that’s not all. If you want to be eligible for a second chance to win the Nook tablet, you need to refer someone else to Regency Reflections. (Note: if you bring someone on over, make sure the other person’s comment mentions that you referred them).

If you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment to enter the giveaway, or if you want yet a third chance to enter, you can follow this link and enter the contest once on this site:  https://contest.io/c/8jhitnpz

As part of the launch for Madeline’s Protector, Laurie Alice Eakes interviews the author, Vanessa Riley, for Regency Reflections. At the end, please answer a question to participate in the drawing.

Vanessa Riley photo
Vanessa Riley

RR: What other question to ask a Regency author, but: Why the Regency and not some other time period?

VR: I am a certifiable Regency nut. I’m not sure whether it began from reading Heyer or Austen, or buying tons of Kensingtons. I can’t remember a month going by without reading of a ball or the Ton, or some wonderfully hilarious scandal. For me, no other time period has as much conflict and romance as the Regency: the battle between the classes, the rigor and duty of birthright, the role of honor versus personal choice. All set in the background of war, an industrial revolution, and changes in the role of religion. The Regency is a canvas of bright colors.

RR: What inspired Madeleine’s Protector?

VR: Madeline’s Protector was a dream I had in high school.  I remember having Regency overload. I had just watched Lawrence Olivier’s and Greer Garson’s black and white movie version of Pride and Prejudice, wrote a paper on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and read some new marriage of convenience novel. The dream was vivid, and I wrote it as a short story. Years and years later, I picked up one of my old writing diaries, found the story, and started rewriting it.

RR: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

VR: Writing has always been an escape. I used to love putting pen to paper. Now it’s keys to bang.  I won a few writing awards in high school, and served as an editor to my high school paper. I also served as editor-in-chief to my college magazine.

RR: Is Madeleine’s Protector your first publication including articles, short stories, academic work?

VR: I have a few technical publications about martensitic transformations of metals and rapid prototyping for metallic die-casting. (Laurie Alice, are you still awake? I think I dozed off on that one.)  I won writing awards (poems and essays) in high school, but Madeline’s Protector is my first widely-available public fiction work.

RR: You have a rather impressive curriculum vitae. Tell us about your career outside of writing, and what led you in that direction.

VR: My day job is all about software. My company designs portal software, the kind of software you use when you login in to a member-oriented site or e-Learning. In college, I wrote a number of programs to analyze data or to my organize files. It seems a natural fit to keep writing programs that help make people’s lives better or more organized.

Photo of office for day job
Vanessa’s Day Job Office

RR: Does your more logical career and your more heart-felt writing career mesh or do they conflict?

photo of Vanessa's writing office porch
Vanessa’s Fav Writing Office

VR: I think they mesh well. It’s left brain, right brain activity. The right side is the technical side, structuring code, building programming modules. I also think the technical side helps structure the plot, scene orientation, and writing about mechanical actions like working a flintlock. The left side is meant for escapism. It is the softer side that loves poetry, gourmet cooking, and lots of chocolate. Maybe chocolate goes to both sides. The anti-oxidants in the candy must benefit the technical side

RR: What does your family feel about your writing?

Vanessa Rile and hubby
Vanessa Riley and hubby

VR: My mother is very supportive. She’s always been my first editor. I was a little nervous about letting her read the romantic scenes in Madeline’s Protector. Let’s just say, she didn’t put her red pen on those sections.  My husband has given me the freedom to do the things that bring me joy. He’s very supportive but still doesn’t understand why Lord Devonshire has two names. My daughter sits at a little computer next to me trying to write a book like ‘Mommy’.

Vanessa Riley and Ellen
Vanessa Riley and Ellen

RR: What’s your favorite part of the writer’s journey?

VR: Other than typing ‘the end’ or getting the acceptance letters in the mail, my favorite part is interacting with readers. It’s very humbling listening to how someone is moved by what you wrote or even as she/he asks questions like ‘why did Madeline….’  It shows they are getting into the story, and it lets me know in a small way I’ve advance His story.

RR: As a final note, I wish to add that Vanessa, in her other life, has a Ph.D. from one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

RR Question for the audience: Since you’re visiting here, we will presume that you are interested in the Regency; therefore, please share with us:  What got you interested in the Regency time period?

Originally posted 2013-05-01 05:00:00.