May 2010 Volume 5, Issue 3
Regency Reflections |
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Hello Readers,
I apologize for the long wait for this issue! A few of you have written in wondering if you have missed an issue, but I assure you, I am the one who "missed." Please accept my apology, and thank you for your patience. I hope to be back every month for the rest of this year with great new content for you, so stay tuned.
And here's a sneak peek at next month's focus: Regency Weddings! I'm giving you a heads-up now, so you'll be sure not to miss it. I have lots of illustrations and info I've been gathering to make it extra fun.
Finally, all the contest
winners (the Jane Contest as well as new subscriber winners) are listed in the right-hand column
of this newsletter, so please don't skip it. You may have won a book!
Enjoy this issue. Affectionately Yours,
Linore
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Getting Personal: Shades of Gray | My husband Mike gets such a kick out of the fact that when he shaves his beard each May I don't always notice right away. He starts growing it each fall, and shaves in May, every year, which he's done for the past two decades. The longer we're married, (25 yrs, now) the longer it seems to take me to notice after he shaves.
When we dated, he was bearded, and I liked his beard. The summer of our first year of marriage, he experimented with shaving. When he turned into the doorway of the room where I was working on something, I looked up, took a good look, and said, quietly, "Ugh." (I know, I know, heartless, me.) He grew the beard back.
After a few years, I lost that dislike of his shaved face, and now, since I love the guy so much, I don't even notice the change anymore! He doesn't see it that way, though. He makes sure all the kids are aware when I haven't noticed, and usually it lasts until a day or two later at dinner, when our youngest will let the cat out of the bag. This year, we were on the third day before seven-year-old Gracie alerted me.
His glee was truly annoying.
He goes on about it as though he wasn't the one who took about a year to notice new wallpaper once; He seems to think that my NOT noticing his newly shaven face is a sign that "familiarity breeds contempt." Needless to say, he never noticed when I got hair cuts in the past, making me have to TELL him--but that doesn't seem to count.
Imagine my joy when he got home last night from a business trip and didn't notice that I had covered gray hair (that I recently let grow out) with a shiny dark brown--my old (real) color. He never liked the fact that I had stopped coloring, but I needed to try letting the gray out. For one, I wanted to see how it would look. For another, I hated coloring it, and was just plain tired of putting chemicals on my skull every six to eight weeks. I was also tired of having to worry about whether any new growth was showing. Men are allowed to get gray and no one thinks the worse of them, so why not women, too? So I tried it.
Some women look great with gray hair, and I hoped to be one of them. It is only the front half of my head that gets gray, and I got excellent feedback from friends, including male friends, which meant a lot to vain old me. But not Mike. No, he didn't like it, and would say so with his silver-gray beard staring at me. Again, the double-standard! Men could be gray but not women.
Anyway, when he was away in New York for this business trip, in a fit of mid-life-crisis angst, I threw away the months of chemical-free hair and "went brown." Gracie, who had told me repeatedly that I was "more beautiful" when my hair was brown (aren't kids great?) was ecstatic. "You're my old mom again!" (She would say "old" mom, when coloring made me feel younger.)
My 13 yr old immediately said she missed the gray--she was used to it. My boys liked it. My oldest daughter said, "Oh yeah--nice."
But the sweetest result, by far, is that Mike didn't notice when he got home last night, and still hasn't noticed today. We've hugged and talked, and he has given me focused attention, and still missed it. Ha!
So of course I've told all the kids. (Except Grace, as she'd never be able to keep it in.)
Dinner will be interesting tonight, as this is the time when revelations seem to happen around here. But he probably won't notice until Gracie lets it slip--if I can keep from laughing, that is. *******
Image from,http://thedomesticfringe.wordpress.com/page/2/ POST SCRIPT: A few hours after I wrote the above, he noticed. Sort of. He said, "Did you darken a little bit of your hair?" I looked at him askance. A little bit? But he noticed. Lucky for him!
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News Snippets from the Year 1807 (London)
These are actual reprints from a periodical of the day. Enjoy! (Comments in blue are mine.)
| A Sprig of Fashion in a Gaming House A few nights ago, a young sprig of fashion, not eighteen years of age, lost five hundred guineas, his gold watch, and his phaeton and horses to the merry caster at one of the gaming houses in St. James's Street.
Well Bred Horses and Ill Bred Riders A foreign writer observes that there are more well bred horses and ill bred riders in England than in any other part.
The Mustachio Our young bucks of distinction not content with their enormous whiskers, have mounted the mustachio on the upper lip. The ladies at first affected a dislike to this odious barrier; but as modern fashion soon reconciles the sex to any novelty, the mustachio salute is not only sanctioned now by the dowagers of the whiskerando tribe, but even voted by the young smooth-lipped belles to be "funny enough!"
Running Match Between A Lady and A Colonel ( This refers to a race via carriage or curricle--not legs.) On Friday, the long expected match, between the lady of Col._______ and ________, Esq. was run on the race course at __________, in the presence of an immense concourse of spectators; the day was fine, the sport excellent, and the lady rode triumphant. Indeed, Mrs. ____________, who has long been considered the greatest whip in the kingdom, completely beat her man the first heat, to the gratification of the sporting connoisseurs who assembled on that occasion.
FASHIONABLE PURSUITS (Love the tongue-in-cheek in this one!)
Next to the Rout and Masquerade (which are synonymous), the Opera may be considered the grand fashionable scene of action, where the uninitiated may contemplate a public exhibition of airs and graces.
The first thing that strikes an observer at the Opera House is the profound attention which the tribe of fashionables pay to the performers. The moment when the first-rate singer is in the finest passage of a (song), perhaps some of the dilettanti in the boxes (more gratified in hearing thwir own raven notes, than those of the singer's) scream out in a fine accompanying trill,..and thereby produce the same happy effect as the performance of two rival organs at the opposite sides of the same street.
...But this is nothing compared with the frequent bursts of bravo, bravissimo, from people who were earnestly engaged in a private conversation, and after they have rewarded the Soprano with a clap and a roar, turn round to each other, and exclaim with a vacant stare--"vastly fine!"--"what was it?" "exquisite," etc., whereby they show their taste, though unconscious of the cause.
There is one distinguishing mark which characterizes the Fashion of the present time from that of every former period; namely, puffing in the newspapers. A Rout is now announced in the public prints, with all the pomp and circumstance of "Folly"... Indeed, the volumes of our diurnal prints are so filled with haut-ton intelligence, that a wig-maker or a tooth-ache doctor can scarcely squeeze in a line, though they are men eminently useful; for the former promises to settle your head, and the latter to whet your grinders.
Newspapers, instead of being what they once were, vehicles of instruction and interesting intelligence, are now filled with the foolish and disgusting details of routs, gormandizing, gluttony, visiting, and guzzling.
Formerly our journals were the "abstract and brief chronicles of the time," and were collected and treasured up as records for posterity, or as materials for the historian; but what a curious collection would a parcel of our modern journals make, filled with the names of persons, who, but for the Newspapers would never be recorded in any way except in the tradesman's book of bad debts!
With what interest and delight must posterity read such intelligence as the following:--
"Five hundred cards of invitation are issued for Mrs. Shallowhead's masquerade on Tuesday." or "Count Storm-Bag gives his grand Fete Champetre on Friday; we hear that cards of invitation have been sent to all the gay, the idle, the frivolous and the stupid in town,--consequently a most delicious day may be expected!!"
...But all of this is nothing compared with the bulletin of health, and the different movements of this army of Fashion, which according to Burke, constitutes the Corinthian capital of polished society. (ie., London)
"We are informed that lady Betty B----- is at Bath, and every morning at an early hour visits the pump room, to the great satisfaction of her friends."
"That charming creature (Shock) Lady ______'s lap-dog has got the influenza."
...From such stuff as the above is the future historian to collect materials for the history of the age, and the antiquary (yet unborn) to glean the curiosities of past times."
(Yes, thank goodness!)
All of the above from, The Follies and Fashions of Our Grandfathers, for January 1807
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THE JANE CONTEST is IN THE RIGHT-HAND COLUMN. Look to the right, and get your answers in ASAP! |
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GREATER HARVEST WORKSHOPS--Upcoming
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Are you a writer, leader or speaker, or do you aspire to be one? If you live in or near southwestern Ohio, treat yourself to the upcoming Greater Harvest Workshops, where I, along with four multi-published authors and speakers will be presenting insider tips and instruction such topics as:
Improving Your Platform Promoting Your work How to Write the Novel Inside You How to Write Children's Books Public Speaking And more.
We do this in a friendly atmosphere of comaraderie and--snacks!! We have fun.
But seriously, if you have ever felt the call to write, lead, or speak, we want to encourage you. Together, we offer enough know-how and shortcuts to move you forward with your God given gift of using words. Don't settle for wishful thinking and just hoping that someday you'll get it together; or someday, God can use you. Together, we want to help you be ready for action and move forward in your calling. Our next workshop is being hosted by The Dayton Christian Scribes. For details, list of presenters, bios, and more, check out the Greater Harvest website. Be sure to follow the site to get breaking announcements. Just enter your email in the box on the right.
Our Price: $29.00 Price others charge: $59.00! Next Location: Far Hills Community Church Clyo Road, Centerville, OhioDate: July 17th, 2010We'd love to see you there! |
E-Book Mania
| Do you own a Kindle? A Sony Nook?
If not, don't fret: Amazon offers free "Kindle for PC" software, so that you can read Kindle books
on your computer--and get them at the lower Kindle price.
Some books, such as the classics, are always free on Kindle--unless you choose to buy a newer edition; But others are offered free for a limited time only. If you're not sure if a book will always be free, download it. The Kindle can save up to 1,000 books!
The following are some of the titles I've added to my device. I love my Kindle, by the way, as any book addict would. I've been reading a lot more since I got it (from the hubby, on our 25th Anniversay) , and I love that I can hoard so many on the device to choose from when I'm ready for my next read.
Here are a few I've recently read: (All of which were free)
Rooms, by James L. Rubart Pride and Prejudice (Again!) Jane Austen K, Mary Roberts Rinehart Hugh Wynne, Free Quaker, S. Weir A Bride Most Begrudging, Deanne Gist Take One, Karen Kingsbury To Have and To Hold, Mary Johnston
Right now I'm reading Gone With the Wind, which I confess I never read before. This one was $7.99, not bad at all. (And I'm loving the book.) Here's a list of books waiting for me: Some I'll try and not like, and just delete them from the device. Others are for research purposes, or edification. But some are just because I'm curious and love to read. If you're like me, you can have a lot of fun with the Kindle, or a similar ebook reader.
This is just a partial list of the books I've got stored on my device, but you can get an idea here of what's available--usually at very low cost, or free, and always for less than the price of a paperback of the same title.
A Proper Pursuit, Lynn Austin Wyncote, Thomas Erskine A Rogue's Life, Wilkie Collins A Practical Directory for Young Christian Females, Harvey Newcomb (1803-1863) A Little Dinner at Timmin's, Wm.Thackeray A Legend of Montrose, Sir Walter Scott A Lady of Quality, Frances Hodgson Burnett A House to Let, Wilkie Collins, 1824-1889 A Life of Gen.Robt. E. Lee, John Esten Cooke At Whispering Pine Lodge, Lawrence J. Leslie Selections from the Table Talk, Martin Luther Heroic Romances of Ireland, Arthur Herbert Leahy, 1857-1928 Travels in Alaska, John Muir Middlemarch, George Eliiot The Oregon Trail, Francis Parkman Concerning Christian Liberty, Martin Luther Colters' Wife, Maya Banks The Minister's Wooing, Harriet Beecher Stowe Secrets of the Tudor Court, D.L. Bogdan Breach of Trust, DiAnn Mills Snow Melts in Spring, Deborah Vogts Tender Graces, Kathryn Magendie The Fence My Father Built, Linda S. Clare
Doesn't this list just get your (literary) mouth watering? <g>
By the way, I also send many pdfs that I've had on my pc for ages and never read, to my Kindle email address, and Amazon "translates" them into Kindle format. They are automatically added to my device, and now I can read a pdf wherever I want, whenever I want, right on my Kindle.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that my first two books are available in Kindle format, too! I expect that the third, The Country House Courtship, will show up there one of these days as well.
Happy Reading!
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Fantabulous Links
| 1. See an online original text of Jane Austen's History of England, ( a virtual tour) written when she was only fifteen. (This is the text you need for this month's "Jane Contest" answer.) Thanks to Joanna Waugh for sharing this. If you've never read Jane's brief "History," you're in for a treat. I can just imagine all the giggling and jibing that went on as she and her sister (who did the artwork) collaborated on this.
2. Take the Poll! Of which Austen Family would you like to be a member?
3. A signed Jane Austen first edition sold for 325k UK pounds.
4. New Blog of Note: The Widow's Christian Place Monday: grief issues Tuesday: Single Living Skills Wednesday: Widows' stories Thursday: Resources Friday: Fun
5. What does Linda Franz's quilting site have to do with Jane Austen? Take a peek and see for yourself! (Things like this make me wish I could quilt!) Thanks to reader Sandi Andrews for the link.
6. You really can learn something new every day. On this blog, you can learn lots of new somethings--lots of 19th century new somethings, that is. Love it--"19th Century Tidbits."
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Guest Fiction
| Three mail-order brides arrive in Lookout, Texas, each
expecting to marry the local marshal. But he didn't order a bride. When a
contest ensues to discover which bride will make him the best wife, there is a
surprise fourth entry--an anonymous one. Mayhem occurs as the whole town tries
to figure out who the anonymous bride is, and the mayor pressures the marshal to
pick a bride or lose his job. Will Marshal Davis tuck tail and run for the
hills? Or will he lose his heart and his bachelorhood?
by Vickie McDonough Available on Amazon.com This sounds like a fun read by my friend Vickie McDonough. (Must see if it's been Kindled!)
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Seasons in the Mist By Deborah Kinnard April 2010 Sheaf House 978-0-9824832-1-3
Bethany
Lindstrom, a graduate student in history, wants the same things as any
ambitious historian: worldwide academic recognition, a series of
brilliant papers, and a reputation that places her in the front ranks
of her peers. She's well on the way to achieving her goals when her
trip to the U.K. to work on a dig at Oxford goes awry from the moment
she lands at Heathrow. A missing taxi, an enigmatic acquaintance, and
an unplanned trip to Cornwall form no part of her plans. Then, as she
wanders around her hostess's ancient home, searching for history, she
stumbles through an unseen portal to the fourteenth century.
Stranded
in 1353 Cornwall, Bethany must find a way back home or face a life of
falsehoods and peril. But with the stern Lord Michael Veryan, she is
swept into the dangerous intrigues of King Edward's court, which will
test their mettle and their faith in God to the limits-and forever bind
their lives together.
I'm looking forward to reading Deb's book, and it's available at Amazon.com.
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MAY DOWNLOAD: Lemon Cream Scones Even summer outings can be made sweeter with Scones--especially when they're as tasty--and simple to make--as this recipe, from Roseanna White. Download and enjoy. Until next time, I wish you cheerful reading, and real-life happy endings! Linore |
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When you do, you'll immediately be entered into TWO book drawings, plus you'll get the valuable FREE ebook, "Regency Fashion in Winter."
CLICK THE LINK, ABOVE!
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Purchase Links for Linore's books
(Great GIFT IDEA)
| "The
verdict is in and I loved it! " Sandi Andrews
"Enchanting. Jane Austen Lite!" Dina L. Sleiman
"Delightful!" Narelle Atkins
"Absolutely loved it!" Cindy K. Green
View the Trailer--
A young Miss Beatrice Forsythe runs into conflict when her heart's desire for a husband runs counter to what she knows in her head is best. Buy from ChristianBook.com "A Regency Delight!"Therese Stenzel"Oh, 'tis bittersweet! I just finished The Country House Courtship and I do
believe it is my favorite!"Tammi Ector Fisse___________________________ _________________________ |
What one reader wrote:
Why I Ordered the Three Book Set from Linore:
I'm looking forward to curling up with a warm cup of coffee and the latest book
in (the) series as soon as they arrive! (I've read the others on my Kindle twice
already and decided I just had to get the actual books!)
Thanks again!
Blessings
Brittney Hood
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THE JANE CONTEST RESULTS
The winner of the February contest is:
Michelle Vasquez!
Honorable Mentions:
Ann Payne (You rock! For adding extra info. with your answer) Sheri Fabiani Abi Buening (You rock!) Virginia Campbell (You rock!) Karen Smidt LuAnn Morgan
THE CORRECT ANSWER WAS: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Michelle, please send me your mailing address. ________________________ _________________________
NEW (MAY) Jane Contest
This month the contest requires a small amount of reading, unless one is already familiar with Jane's "History of England," which she wrote at the age of fifteen, for the amusement of herself, her friends and family.
(The link to the brief History online is in the LINKS section, to the left, below.)
The
winner will be she (or he) who sends me the correct answer FIRST, and
the prize is a copy of the ORIGINAL, self-published version of Before the Season Ends.
QUESTION:
Jane Austen heartily disapproved of which Queen, and why? ~~~~~ a) Queen Mary of Scots
b) Queen Caroline
c) Queen Elizabeth
e) Queen Anne Boleyn
Give me your answer and tell me the chief reason for her dislike in one sentence. Send your answers to me at: Admin @ LinoreRoseBurkard (dot) com. (No spaces) Good luck! Answers will be printed next month. |
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DEAR LINORE: (A Peek At My Email)
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"I began reading Before the Season Ends for the third time yesterday. I
can hardly put it down long enough to acknowledge my children. LOL. It is my
fervent prayer that you continue to write many, many more wonderful stories. I
love your wit and your style. Blessings to you and your family."
Kim (A Subscriber)
*** Thank you so much for your excellent historical Christian fiction. I
just finished reading Before the Season Ends and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Having spent two years in England, I am always eager to find new historical
fiction set there. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and any
other books you might come out with... Thank you again for sharing your faith, imagination and historical knowledge
with us!
J. Lang
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Just wanted to thank the author for continuing Ariana's
life. Most series will completely dwell on another character and the former one
is rarely discussed. I applaud the author for being original and heartily
enjoyed reading this trilogy.
Thank you!
DeeDee J.
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Your books are the first I have read of the regencies and I greatly enjoy them.
I am currently reading The Country House Courtship and don't want this series to
end.
Emma Jean W.
*** Just to let you know that I got your book last week. I started a bit of it and
was hooked! Buffy R.
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From Facebook:
"I finished Country House last night. It was REALLY good! I can't wait to see what u have for us, next!" Jessica Marie S.
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MORE WINNERS!
I've had many new subscribers in the past few months, six of whom have won a book! Thanks to all my new subscribers, and here are the winners:
(Congratulations!)
FEBRUARY SUBSCRIBER WINNERS:
1.fictionfan1@...
2. jess_peters@....
MARCH SUBSCRIBER WINNERS:
1. Joanna.waugh@.....
2. nevrstopsmilin@.....
APRIL SUBSCRIBER WINNERS:
1. Victoriajohnrichards@...
2. Faithhintzen@...
Please email me with your mailing addresses, winners, so I can get your books in the mail. Linore (at) LinoreRoseBurkard (dot) com.
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