Members’ Regency Fiction Releases For April 2023

On the 1st of each month, Regency Fiction Writers publishes our FREE online newsletter, The Regency Reader, to anyone interested in Regency Fiction (1780-1840). The publication features author interviews, tidbits about the Regency era, and a listing of new titles from members and non-members. Members’ releases also appear here on the blog. Submit your May Regency-set Fiction Release or Regency Author Article by April 24th, to appear in the May issue. Information submitted after April 24th will appear in the June issue. (Subscribe now!)

For more information about an author, click on author’s name, website, or show/hide the blurb for the book.

Geraldine Burrows

Book Title: Wit and Witchery
Author Name: Geraldine Burrows
Release Date: 05/01/2023
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Genre: Regency Fantasy or Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Glenarvon Press
Content Rating: Spicy
Format: eBook
Release Date: 05/01/2023
Author Website: https://geraldineburrows.com

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Annis Fulton is a wellborn young widow and a descendant of one of England’s oldest hereditary witch families. Trained in her secret heritage by her elderly nurse, Annis’s hedge witchery can’t save her from marriage to a cruel, much-older man in order to recover possession of her family’s ancestral estate.

Now happily widowed, she matches wits with Lord Nicholas Ryder with whom she has a long-standing quarrel. Ryder is determined to seduce her, for no other woman has aroused his ire and desire the way she has. Annis is equally determined to thwart his desire, and the two of them wage their private duel against the glittering backdrop of the London Season.

But they soon must join forces against a common enemy—Belle Barlow, proprietress of Covent Garden’s most decadent brothel and secretly the Red Queen of blood magic in London. She and Annis are born enemies, for white magic must always contend against the blood-fed red. But Annis is weakened in London, where she is cut off from the natural forces of hedge witchery and where her growing love for Ryder could prove her undoing.

And now Belle Barlow’s acolytes are readying a sacrificial altar for the white witch from the country who would dare to defy London’s Red Queen.


Isabella Thorne

Book Title: Searching for My Love
Author Name: Isabella Thorne
Release Date: 04/28/2023
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Series: Spinsters of the North
Genre: Regency
Publisher: Self
Content Rating: Sensual (Mild)
Format: Print eBook
Release Date: 04/28/2023
Author Website: https://isabellathorne.com

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Miss Peggy Williams is no wilting flower. She does not need or want a man in her life.
Baron Whitefall wants to protect the love of his life and give Peggy all the luxuries she has missed
He just must convince her that he is everything she needs…and wants.
A slow burn proper Regency Romance.


Cover Image for Swept Into the Storm

Louise Mayberry

Book Title: Swept Into the Storm
Author Name: Louise Mayberry
Release Date: 05/05/2023
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Series:
Genre: Regency Romance
Publisher: Louise Mayberry
Content Rating: Spicy
Format: Print eBook
Release Date: 05/05/2023
Author Website: http://www.louisemayberry.com

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Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, 1824.

Sometimes storms can unearth the most precious treasure. . .

Ever since he unexpectedly inherited his father’s earldom in the Scottish Highlands, Cameron Dunn’s been searching for something, anything, to bring meaning to his new life—a search that reaches an abrupt end when he’s washed up, alone, on a deserted beach in Mexico.

Or at least the beach should be deserted. There’s no village for hundreds of miles. So who’s that beautiful woman walking toward him over the sand?

Letty Monro has a business to run, a plan for her future. Rescuing a shipwrecked earl wasn’t on the agenda. But the man’s desperate, so of course she’ll bring him to the British Settlement—for fifty pounds. And his signet ring for collateral. She’s even prepared to look past the fact he’s a peer, part of the system of oppression she despises.

As they begin their journey, sailing south through the Caribbean sea, Cameron finds himself falling for this guarded, stubborn businesswoman, and the heat smoldering between them threatens to burst into flame. Keeping her distance from the Earl of Banton will prove one of the greatest challenges Letty has ever faced. Especially when she notices, in the distracting warmth of his brown eyes, the one thing they have in common . . . How lost they both truly are.


Cover Image for Guarding the Widow Pellingham

Sandra Sookoo

Book Title: Guarding the Widow Pellingham
Author Name: Sandra Sookoo
Release Date: 05/12/2023
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Series: Willful Winterbournes #4
Genre: Regency Romance Suspense
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Content Rating: Spicy
Format: Print eBook
Release Date: 05/12/2023
Author Website: http://www.sandrasookoo.com

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Scandal is devastating… Graham Ashdowne—Marquess of Grantley—is gobsmacked. At the age of forty-one, he’s avoided society, but now that he’s decided to his duty to the title and the crushing reality the coffers are nearly empty, an acquaintance comes to call bearing outrageous news that has essentially upended his entire existence. Life is daunting at best and doesn’t help his stutter while in public. A distraction is most definitely needed despite the gossip dogging his footsteps.

Avoiding fun is wretchedly dull… Wealthy and independent, Mary Pellingham objects to the direction her life has taken. Widowed three years from a rather horrid marriage which she was glad to escape, she is thoroughly enjoying society but is not looking for another union. However, when a rejected suitor won’t leave her alone, she has no choice but to avoid the beau monde and accept the unlikely and quite accidental protection of an inexperienced but endearing marquess.

An accidental engagement can reverse unsavory circumstances… As Graham and Mary learn how to navigate the obstacles blocking their paths, unexpected desire flares hot, leading her to teach the shy lord a few carnal tricks, and that forced proximity leads to a surprising friendship. When the idea of romance sneaks in, the pair balks. Unless they acknowledge their feelings and give into the help of unexpected family, everything they’ve ever longed for will be lost, especially when a peer won’t take no for an answer.


Cover Image for An Engagement of Convenience

Regina Scott

An Engagement of Convenience
Series:
Book Title: An Engagement of Convenience
Author Name: Regina Scott
Release Date: 03/23/2023
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Genre: Regency Traditional Romance
Publisher: Edwards and Williams
Content Rating: Clean Sweet
Format: eBook eNovella
Release Date: 03/23/2023
Author Website: http://www.reginascott.com

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Chaperone Kitty Chapworth has foiled five elopements, four proposals of ill intent, and the worst first kiss in history, so she isn’t about to believe a gentleman’s silken promises. That is, until charming rake Quentin Adair returns to her life. Ten years ago, Kitty was instrumental in causing the poor fellow to be exiled to Jamaica in a tragic case of love gone wrong. When he requests her help to prevent his father’s ruin, she cannot refuse, even when helping requires her to pretend she is engaged to the handsome rogue at a summer house party.

Quentin has spent the last ten years becoming the man his father always hoped. Now he will not allow an old enemy to harm his family. Kitty is the perfect conspirator–sharp, witty, and fearless. But as danger threatens, Quentin finds that his priorities changing. Can a reformed rake convince the perfect chaperone to overlook propriety for love?

2021 Conference Registration Closes July 15th!

Regency Fiction Writers
2021 Virtual Conference

A navy blue enamel pin in the shape of an open book, with gold lettering that reads 'Regency Fiction Writers' on the left page and '2021 Conference' below a gold silhouette of Jane Austen in a white oval on the right page.

A Brand New Day –
The Many Facets of Regency Fiction

July 22 – 24, 2021


The Board of Directors of Regency Fiction Writers invites you to join us for our Annual Conference and Soirée on July 22-24, 2021.

This year’s conference spans three days with twelve workshops focused on historical, marketing, craft, and, diversity topics. Registration will close at 11:59 pm EDT on July 15th!

We’d also appreciate it if you shared this information (click on any of the sharing icons below or on the main conference page!) with other writers of Regency fiction. We welcome any and all genres and sub-genres set in the extended Regency period of England (1780 to 1840).

Regency Fiction Writers’ Virtual Conference will be live via Zoom and will be recorded for future use so you can take a break if you need to or come back and revisit a session or event at a later date. Please note that one session will not be recorded per presenter’s choice.

We’re disappointed that we won’t be meeting in person, but the most important issue is everyone’s safety and wellness and that of our families and friends. It will make the next in-person event all the sweeter!

We hope you’ll join us this July!
Full Registration ends on July 15th!

The main 2021 Virtual Conference page has many more details and the link to registration form is at the very bottom!

If you have any problems or questions, please contact me at conferencechair [at] thebeaumonde [dot] com.

Best wishes,
Ann Chaney
Conference Chair
2021 Regency Fiction Writers Virtual Conference


Promotional Image for RFW 2021 Conference. Details are same as the page linked in the post: https://thebeaumonde.com/conference/.

Fireplaces During Regency Summers

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

In the damp cold of a Regency winter, a fire burning cheerily in the grate was a most welcome sight. But in the warm months of the summer, when no fire was wanted, the empty, dark cavern of a fireplace was considered quite an eyesore. Even more so because, for centuries, the focal point of most rooms was the hearth, filled with fire, essential to life in cold climates. Our Regency ancestors had several techniques which they employed to maintain an attractive appearance around the focal point of their rooms during the months when a fire was not needed.

How fire was replaced on the hearth in Regency summers . . .

Continue reading “Fireplaces During Regency Summers”

The Rise of the Paper Hats

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Today, paper hats are most often worn for a bit of fun at parties, or are made for a child by parent or grandparent for some make-believe playtime. But during the Regency, paper hats were regularly worn by working men in a number of trades. In fact, the wearing of such hats had only begun a few years before the Prince of Wales became Regent. It was during that second decade of the nineteenth century that the use of these hats became much more widespread among an expanding number of craftsmen and tradesmen. But these hats were not worn for fun, they had a much more serious purpose. It should be noted that the wearing of these hats seem to have been confined to English working men.

When paper hats were for work, not play …

Continue reading “The Rise of the Paper Hats”

Kitchen Fireplace Furniture:   Contraptions for Cooking

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Last month I catalogued the different types of fireplace equipment which might have been found alongside Regency fireplaces in all the rooms of a house, except the kitchen. This week, I shall focus on kitchen fireplaces and the many unique devices and gadgets which had been invented to customize those fireplaces for the preparation of food in times past. Though you may not think so, most of these devices were considered the latest thing in labor-saving cooking when they were first introduced, regardless of the fact that a number of them look like instruments of torture, better suited to a dungeon than a kitchen.

And now, the sometimes confounding cooking contraptions with which Regency cooks could contend …

Continue reading “Kitchen Fireplace Furniture:   Contraptions for Cooking”

Fireplace Furniture:   Furnishing the Focus of the Regency Room

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Today, when most of us have some kind of furnace or other form of central heating in our homes, a fireplace is a luxury. Often, a luxury we typically enjoy only on special occasions. For our Regency ancestors, during the winter months their fireplace might literally be the difference between life and death. Though the Romans had had a type of central heating which was used to heat their public baths and the homes of the wealthy, the principles were lost for centuries with the fall of the Empire. From the Middle Ages right through the Regency, the only way by which people were able to heat their homes was by a fire in the fireplace, until the second half of the nineteenth century.

As the source of the comfort of both heat and light, the fireplace was the focal point of a room. Over the centuries, a number of objects had been invented to maximize the heat it produced, while consuming the least amount of fuel. Other objects were developed to manage the fire itself, or to take advantage of its power. Some of these items are nearly unknown today and would most likely be overlooked by someone from the twenty-first century. Many of these fireplace furnishings would have been in use with the various fireplaces in a Regency building. In modern times, a grouping of some of these objects has often provided a valuable marker for cultural historians who study household furnishings. And so, some fascinating facts of fireplace furnishings …

Continue reading “Fireplace Furniture:   Furnishing the Focus of the Regency Room”

Gimmel Ring:   The Puzzle of Love?

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Though seldom used today, gimmel rings had been in use since the late Middle Ages as wedding or betrothal rings. And they continued to be used for that purpose right through the Regency. Long before the Regency began, a variation on this type of ring had become even more complex, these more elaborate versions being most commonly known as puzzle rings.

A basic background of how the bands embodying the bonds of love became nearly as much a puzzle as love itself …

Continue reading “Gimmel Ring:   The Puzzle of Love?”

Brandy? — In a Breeze or a Sneeze?

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

How many Regency novels have you read in which the hero and his cronies share one or more rounds of brandy, drowning their sorrows, or in celebration? And how many times is that brandy served in a snifter, or a balloon? Yet that simply was not possible during the decade of the Regency or for many decades thereafter. It may surprise you to know that the brandy snifter was an American creation introduced near the end of the Victorian era. It did not become common in England until the middle of the twentieth century.

The word "snifter" had entered the English language by the second half of the eighteenth century, but it had other, quite different meanings having nothing to do with drinking vessels. So what was a "snifter" in the Regency decade, and how was brandy most probably served during those years?

Continue reading “Brandy? — In a Breeze or a Sneeze?”

After "Dripping Pudding" Went Yorkshire

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote

Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding are on the menu for traditional Christmas dinner in many homes in Great Britain and in parts of the former British empire, even today. They were, of course, a regular part of many British Christmas dinners during the Regency. But just what is Yorkshire pudding, where and when did it originate, and how was it made?

The rise of Yorkshire pudding …

Continue reading “After "Dripping Pudding" Went Yorkshire”

Kathryn Kane — Featured Beau Monde Author

Kathryn Kane is today’s Featured Beau Monde Author.

Tuxedo cat with green eyes sniffing a pink rose

Kathryn is a historian and former museum curator who has enjoyed Regency romances since she first discovered them in her teens. She credits the novels of Georgette Heyer with influencing her choice of college curriculum, and she now takes advantage of her knowledge of history to write her own stories of romance in the Regency. She now has a career in the tech industry but she has never lost her love of the period and continues to enjoy reading Regency romance novels and researching her favorite period of English history. Though she was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Kat now lives and works in Boston, Massachusetts. She misses the warm sunny winter days of the desert southwest, but access to the rich research collections of the libraries of Boston is some compensation for the snow and cold of New England. Kat is occasionally assisted (or impeded) in her writing by a furry feline friend whose primary responsibilities are neighborhood surveillance and cuteness, at both of which she excels, along with exuberant purring.

Deflowering Daisy is Kathryn’s debut Regency romance. As a play on the title, she has woven a number of snippets of floral history into the story, some of which may be unknown even to life-long Regency aficionados. Others maybe known to some readers, though probably not used in the contexts in which they will be found in this story. An extended excerpt can be found at Kat’s web site.

Find her at KathrynKane.net — The Regency RedingoteKathryn Kane Romance

Attingham Family Tales, Sophia Dubochet and the 2nd Lord Berwick   By Jane Lark

Jane Lark, whose most recent Regency romance is The Passionate Love of a Rake, was released this past November. Today, Jane tells us about her visit to the grand estate of Attingham, which was the home of Lord Berwick and his young wife, the former courtesan, Sophia Dubochet, in the early years of the nineteenth century. Fortunately, this elegant house is now the property of the National Trust, and is open to visitors. Once you have read Jane’s tale of its history, you may want to see it for yourself.

Continue reading “Attingham Family Tales, Sophia Dubochet and the 2nd Lord Berwick   By Jane Lark”

Emotionally Engage from the Very First Page   By Cheryl Bolen

Could you use some tips on how to write that oh-so important opening paragraph for your next novel? The paragraph which will draw a reader in deeply enough to induce them to carry your novel from the bookstore bookshelf to the check-out counter? In today’s article, Cheryl Bolen will share some valuable information which she learned during a workshop offered by author Colleen Thompson.

The six principles which will help you write a powerfully compelling first paragraph …

Continue reading “Emotionally Engage from the Very First Page   By Cheryl Bolen”

The Moral Premise   By Cheryl Bolen

Do the scenes in the novel on which you are working sometimes play in your mind like a movie? That could very well work to your advantage as you write. In today’s article, Cheryl Bolen shares tips from screenwriters which can help you strengthen the structure of your story.

Continue reading “The Moral Premise   By Cheryl Bolen”

Annual Mini Conference & Soiree!

The Beau Monde’s annual one day mini-conference and soiree will be held Wednesday, July 25th during the RWA National conference at the Anaheim Marriott in California.

Starting with breakfast and the annual general meeting, the conference will include a variety of Regency-themed workshops throughout the day with knowledgeable presenters, including Candice Hern, Isobel Carr and this year’s three time RITA nominee Vicky Dreiling. Our luncheon keynote speaker is the amazing Delilah Marvelle. Plus there will be a silent auction with plenty of Regency-themed items, critiques, etc. for you to bid on!

The evening’s soiree will include music, dancing and the winners announcement of the Royal Ascot writing contest.

Registration fees are as follows:

Soiree Only Member: $60

Soiree Only Non Member: $75

Early Bird Members: $155

Early Bird Non-Members: $175

Regular Members: $170

Regular Non-Members: $190

Early bird registration ends June 15th.

For more information and to register, please visit the conference page.

Cheryl Bolen Reveals The Power? of the Golden Heart Award

With the entry period for Beau Monde’s Royal Ascot Contest now underway, many of us are polishing our manuscripts and daydreaming about what effect a win might have on our budding writing careers. In today’s article, Cheryl Bolen, award-winning published author of several historical romance novels, records her conversations with a group of Golden Heart award finalists. They share their thoughts on the impact which Golden Heart recognition had on their careers and their success in publishing their books.

Continue reading “Cheryl Bolen Reveals The Power? of the Golden Heart Award”

Lauren Smith – Featured Beau Monde Author

Lauren Smith - Beau Monde Author headshot

Lauren Smith is today’s Featured Beau Monde Author.

Lauren Smith has been obsessed with writing since the third grade, when her teacher convinced her to submit her mystery thriller novella to a young writer’s conference in her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ever since that fateful day, Lauren’s been a dedicated writer. Having grown up on classics and fantasy novels, she didn’t start writing romance until her second year of law school.

Lauren is currently an Intellectual Property attorney with both American and Canadian law degrees, but she stays up late to write by the flashlight app on her smart phone. She loves writing Regency and paranormal romances. In addition to the Beau Monde, she belongs to the Oklahoma Outlaws and Passionate Ink where she writes erotic romance under the pen name Emma Rochester. Lauren was a 2011 semi-finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. She was a quarter-finalist for the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Find her at Facebook@LSmithAuthortheleagueofrogues.blogspot.com

Taryn Kincaid – Featured Beau Monde Author

Taryn Kincaid is today’s Featured Beau Monde Author.

Taryn Kincaid began writing as soon as she could and has never stopped. She is particularly pleased when she is lucky enough to be paid for her words. In additon to her books, she is also an award-winning reporter and columnist, covering stories ranging from fires and homicides to corrupt politicians and heroic dogs. Taryn is a member of the Beau Monde as well as the Hudson Valley RWA, in addition to the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal chapters. Her most recent tale, a Regency novella, is Healing Hearts, which was published earlier this year.

Taryn enjoys reading in all genres, but she says she likes writing historical romance and romantic paranormals best. She has a couple of paranormal stories in progress, but is eager to write another Regency, perhaps a story linked to the main characters in her novella, Healing Hearts.

Find her at Facebook@TarynKincaiddreamvoyagers.blogspot.com

Samantha Kane; Featured Beau Monde Author

Samantha Kane - Beau Monde author headshot

Samantha Kane is today’s Featured Beau Monde Author.

Samantha Kane has been writing historical romance for over five years. She is best known for her erotic Regency historical series Brothers in Arms. She is also published in both science fiction and contemporary romance.

Samantha lives in North Carolina with her husband of fourteen years and three children, two boys and one girl. She spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full time writer and mom. She has a Master’s degree in American History.

 

Find her at Facebook@skaneauthorwww.samanthakane.us

Heather Boyd – Featured Beau Monde Author

Heather Boyd - Beau Monde author headshot

Heather Boyd is today’s Featured Beau Monde Author.

Heather Boyd is a fan of novels of the English Regency. She has only recently turned her hand to writing, admitting that she finds life as a romance author very exciting. She is the author of erotic romances with an historical bent. She does not like her romance sugar-coated, and is fascinated by the strange language and customs of bygone times, especially those of the Regency. She therefore takes delight in writing m/f and m/m stories which push the boundaries of propriety and even break the laws of that era.

Heather has chosen to eschew literary representation and has come to believe that independent publishing is an essential component of her writing career. She looks eagerly to the future and believes the best of her work is yet to come.

Find her at Facebook@Heather_Boydheatherboyd.wordpress.com/www.heather-boyd.com

Kate Pearce – Featured Beau Monde Author

Kate Pearce - Beau Monde Author headshot

Kate Pearce is today’s Featured Beau Monde Author.

Kate has been a member of RWA for the last ten years and a member of the Beau Monde for most of those years. She is originally from the UK, but has lived in Northern California for the past thirteen years with her husband and four kids. Having been published in all formats, (small press, UK press, digital, trade and mass market), she considers that has given her a good grasp on the publishing world and that experience will help in her in her role as PAN liaison. She is currently writing erotic Regency romances for Kensington Aphrodisia, (with the occasional steamy novella for Brava) and Tudor Vampire paranormal historicals for Signet Eclipse. Kate is also venturing into self-publishing.

Find her at: Facebook@kate4queenwww.katepearce.com/blogwww.katepearce.com