I Don’t Want To Write A Regency

August 11, 2007 by in category Archives tagged as with 1 and 0
Home > Writing > Archives > I Don’t Want To Write A Regency

by Sandra Paul

Regular readers usually have a book or two lying on their coffee tables. Book lovers’ homes tend to feature large shelving units with a cozy couch nearby to cuddle up on while reading.

Bookaholics have couches, too–at least, I think we do. It’s hard to tell with books stacked everywhere. All too often, the only visible seat in our house is in the bathroom.

Which is possibly why my husband blanched when I told him I was going to my friend Angie Ray’s to pick up books she was donating (thank you, Angie!) for OCC’s Back to School Research Book Sale scheduled for our September 8th meeting.

“More books!” My husband clapped his hand to his forehead as if he had an immediate headache. “You’re {insert bad word here}-ing me! We don’t have room in this house for any more books!”

“These aren’t for me,” I reminded him. “They’re research books for the chapter sale.”

“How many books are we talking about?” he demanded.

“I think she said she has one or two books . . .” I wrinkled my brow. “Or was that one or two boxes?”

He got the grim look he always seems to wear whenever we go into bookstores. “Promise me–promise me!–that you won’t decide to keep them all yourself.”

“I wouldn’t do that! Besides, I’m working on a contemporary category with single title and historical western elements. Angie’s research books are mostly for medievals and Regencies. I don’t wanna write a Regency.”

He just stared at me.

I gave a long-suffering sigh. “Okay! I promise.”

“I’ll get the truck.”

He got the truck; and we hauled the books home. All five, nine–no, make that twelve–boxes of them. And I’m not going to keep them–but I figured it couldn’t hurt to scan a few–just to share with my fellow writers.

So I scanned BRITAIN THROUGH AMERICAN EYES by Henry Steele Comager and discovered in Regency England, the way a person knocked on a door denoted his social standing. That a servant, a postman, a milkman, a “half or a whole” gentleman, a very great gentleman, a knight or a nobleman all had distinctive knocks. “A servant is bound to lift the knocker once, whilst the postman knocks twice, very loudly. A milkman knocks once, at the same time, sending forth an artificial noise, not unlike the yell of an American Indian . . .”

I never knew that.

Another book Angie donated (and I just happened to glance over) is CAPTAIN GRONOW: HIS REMINISCENCES OF REGENCY AND VICTORIAN LIFE 1810-60, edited by Christopher Hibbert.

Anyone who loves Georgette Heyer’s work, can’t help but be intrigued by Captain Gronow’s description, written in 1862, of the Crockford Club.

I have alluded to the high play which took place at White’s and Brookes’s in the olden time,” says Gronow. “In the reign of George IV, a new star rose in the person of Mr. William Crockford; and the old-fashioned games of faro, macao, and lansquenet gave place to the all-devouring thirst for the game of hazard. Crockey, when still a young man, had relinquished the peaceful trade of a fishmonger for a share in a ‘hell,’ where with his partner Gye, he managed to win, after a sitting of twenty-four hours, the enormous sum of ones hundred thousand pounds. With this capital added to his former gains, he built the well-known palace in St. James’ Street–“

Okay. I wanna write a Regency.

Sandy Novy-Chvostal (aka Sandra Paul) is a recovering bookaholic, a published author, and 2007 Co-President of OCC/RWA.

Author Details
Author Details
A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
On Sale

Books on sale or free

Redheaded Ruminations

Buy now!
Redheaded Ruminations

STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

Buy now!
STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
INTIMATE RELATIONS
THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

SAVAGED SURRENDER

Buy now!
SAVAGED SURRENDER
WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

THE LIFE OF RILEY

Buy now!
THE LIFE OF RILEY
FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

GIRL IN THE MIST

Buy now!
GIRL IN THE MIST

THE FIX UP

Buy now!
THE FIX UP

GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

Buy now!
GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

#Me Too

Buy now!
#Me Too

HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

Buy now!
HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

Buy now!
THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

DANGER MUSIC

Buy now!
DANGER MUSIC

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

Buy now!
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

THE WOULD BE MOMMY

Buy now!
THE WOULD BE MOMMY

A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

Buy now!
A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

COWBOY KARMA

Buy now!
COWBOY KARMA
BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

CITY OF BLAZE

Buy now!
CITY OF BLAZE

LET IT SNOW

Buy now!
LET IT SNOW

ILONA’S WOLF

Buy now!
ILONA’S WOLF

COME FLY WITH ME

Buy now!
COME FLY WITH ME
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

Buy now!
WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

Buy now!
SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

HOSTILE WITNESS

Buy now!
HOSTILE WITNESS

LOVE NOTES

Buy now!
LOVE NOTES

THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

Buy now!
THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
2019

HER COWBOY KING

Buy now!
HER COWBOY KING
CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

Buy now!
THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Buy now!
THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

Buy now!
THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

SHADOWS AT DAWN

Buy now!
SHADOWS AT DAWN

DEAD BLOW

Buy now!
DEAD BLOW
WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

Buy now!
HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

REWRITING THE PAST

Buy now!
REWRITING THE PAST

CLEAR INTENT

Buy now!
CLEAR INTENT

HIDDEN BETRAYAL

Buy now!
HIDDEN BETRAYAL

HER LOST LOVE

Buy now!
HER LOST LOVE

TWO BITES TOO MANY

Buy now!
TWO BITES TOO MANY

ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

Buy now!
ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

TRACKING SHADOWS

Buy now!
TRACKING SHADOWS

THE DECEPTION

Buy now!
THE DECEPTION

THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

Buy now!
THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

Buy now!
HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

DARK WINE AT DUSK

Buy now!
DARK WINE AT DUSK
SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

THE DEVIL’S CARESS

Buy now!
THE DEVIL’S CARESS

GAME TOWN

Buy now!
GAME TOWN

THE WITCH OF BERGEN

Buy now!
THE WITCH OF BERGEN

THE CONSPIRACY

Buy now!
THE CONSPIRACY
THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

FOR A GOOD PAWS

Buy now!
FOR A GOOD PAWS

THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

Buy now!
THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

ONE TASTE TOO MANY

Buy now!
ONE TASTE TOO MANY

    ×
    A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
  • Anonymous says:

    Sandy,
    YOU DO NOT WANT TO WRITE A REGENCY…you only think you do. Stop. Do not move forward, do not collect $200. TOO MANY IDEAS! We are plotting “that other book this week, notes to follow.
    Always,
    Michelle

  • Copyright ©2017 A Slice of Orange. All Rights Reserved. ~PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS ~ CREATED BY ISHYOBOY.COM

    >