Laudanum I’m researching book one in my Wintergale Orchard series, titled When Love Wins. In this story, the hero is addicted to laudanum. Laudanum is an opium tincture made with 10% opium and 90% alcohol and then flavored with cinnamon or saffron. The tincture is reddish-brown in color and has a bitter taste. Laudanum is known […]
Drugs and Addiction in Regency England Read More »
St James’s Palace is located in the City of Westminster in London, England. The palace was commissioned by King Henry VIII on the site of a former leper hospital for women. The hospital was dedicated to Saint James the Less, who was one of the twelve Apostles of Christ. When the inhabitants of the hospital
Dancing is a way to let go and to move your body in a manner that may seem silly to some, but it’s a wonderful form of exercise and self-expression. Whenever I’m at a function where there’s dancing, I find myself completely entertained by watching the dance moves of others. Dancing, of course, has evolved
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The Regency happens to be one of my favorite times in history, which is likely the reason the majority of my books take place during this time. The Regency era in the United Kingdom is the period between 1811-1820. This is the period when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son,
A Short History of the Regency Period Read More »
It is likely you have tried a few home remedies when you were ill. Perhaps some hot tea with lemon and honey, or a saltwater gargle to soothe your sore throat. I’m sure when you were concocting your remedy that the thought of leeches never entered your mind. And yet bloodletting was the most common
Regency Home Remedies: Leeches and Bloodletting Read More »
The Marylebone Cricket Club is the world’s most famous cricket club, which was established in London, England in 1787. Like hunting, boxing, and fencing, cricket was considered a gentlemen’s pursuit and provided men with plenty of gambling opportunities. Before Marylebone opened, aristocrats and noblemen played cricket in White Conduit Fields in Islington, London. As London’s
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Since I’m in the middle of writing the second book in my Courtesan Series, and the villain is involved in coin debasing, I thought to expand upon this crime. Coin debasement was considered by law to be on a similar magnitude as counterfeiting and was occasionally punished by death, but more frequently punished by transport.
Smelling salts are chemical compounds used to arouse consciousness. Smelling salts have been used since Roman times. They were widely used in the late 18th to the mid-19th century in Britain to revive a fainting lady. Smelling salts annoy through ammonium carbonate and when mixed with water, this solid compound releases ammonia gas. If a person is
Smelling Salts and Vinaigrettes (no, not the dressing) Read More »
Fox hunting in Regency England was a gentlemanly pursuit. Although the use of scent hounds to track prey dates back to ancient times, the earliest known fox hunt was conducted in Norfolk, England in an attempt to keep foxes out of the farmers fields. The first well-trained packs of hounds were used in the late
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Beau Brummell was an iconic man during the Regency period and the legend of his fashion sense still lives on today. Brummell established the style for men to rid themselves of their overly ornate fashions. Brummell insisted upon an image of more refined and elegant taste. He believed a dark, perfectly tailored coat, with full-length
