In my Regency Christmas Ebook

The Games:

This is not comprehensive but will give you an idea of the variety:

Snapdragon

Charades 

Squeak, Piggy, Squeak  

Pig

How to play The Vicar's Cat:  

Players in this game must each think of an adjective to describe "the vicar's cat" beginning with the letter A and trying to reach Z. If Z is reached, play continues from A again.  A turn is taken by saying, "The Vicar's cat is agile," or, "The Vicar's cat is bouncy."  No repeats are allowed and the player who first cannot think of an adjective with the proper beginning letter is the loser.  

How to play Snapdragon:

This is a game that even children played, much to our modern consternation. After setting aflame a shallow wide bowl of raisins swimming in brandy, all the candles in a room would be snuffed (later in the century the gas lamps extinguished) and players would take turns trying to "snap" raisins out of the bowl with their fingers. The object was to extract the most raisins while trying not to get burned. This supposedly led to "a considerable amount of laughter and merriment" though singed fingers seem inevitable.  

A further element of the game could be to put a gold button or coin--or some such small object--into one raisin. Whoever picked the "lucky" raisin would get an additional boon, something they could choose as a treat. Strutt adds that, "This sport is seldom exhibited but in winter, and chiefly at Christmas-time."   

I hope you enjoyed this peek into the Regency Christmas Ebook. This article was adapted from:  Regency House Christmas: The Definitive Guide to a Remarkably Regency Yuletide!  If interested, you may  click here to download the Contents & Bibliography pages.  If you like what you see, the ebook is availabe at my  lowest price ever---for only $9.95.  In addition, all future editions of the Christmas Ebook will be sent to you at no further cost!  
  

The Quote Was:  

The  Challenge Was:  

WHO was the speaker of the quote?    

The Correct Answer Was:   

Mrs. Austen--Jane's mother!  

And here I must offer an apology because I FORGOT to include Mrs. Austen in the choices! Because of my hurry and carelessness in leaving out the right response, anyone who chose the next closest answer, (Jane Austen) was put in the drawing for a book.  Please forgive my oversight.   

However, three of you sent in the truly correct answer, rightly attributing the quote to Mrs. Austen:

Ruth Perry

Sheri Fabiani

LuAnn Morgan

Give yourselves a hand, ladies--well done.

I chose a first winner from your small group, and SHERI FABIANI is it! 

From the responses who chose Jane Austen, I chose a second winner: 

MORGAN (chocomilk27@....) 

Congratulations Sheri and Morgan! Please send me your mailing addresses so I can get a book out to you.   

The New (February) Contest

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

Maybe because it's Valentine's Day as I write but I'm thinking it would be fun to share what we love best about Jane.Why do you love Jane Austen? What is it about her books that brings you back to them (or the movies) again and again?  

I'll choose two answers to share with readers next month, and if your answer is chosen you'll win a free book of mine. (I just got a new order of books in so it'll be hot off the press!)  

As an example, I once answered this question for someone, and here is part of what I said:    

Hit "reply" and send me your answer in an email. Good luck!

New Subscriber Contest:

Each month two new subscribers are randomly chosen to win a copy of my self-published edition of Before the Season Ends. This month's winners are:  

 Felicia Armbrister

and  

CFriend@.....

 Thanks to all of you who have recently signed up and Congratulations winners! Please send me your full mailing address so I can send you a book.

Prefer print books? Search for a title at a discounted price at CBD.com in this search box, below.

Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher

By virtue of her profession as a midwife, Tabitha Eckles is the keeper of many secrets.

Dominick Cherrett is a man with his own secret to keep: namely, what he, a British aristocrat, is doing on American soil working as an indentured servant.

In a time when relations between America and England rest on the edge of a knife, Tabitha and Dominick cross paths, leading them on a journey of intrigue, threats, public disgrace, and . . . love? But can Tabitha trust Dominick? Finding true love seems impossible in a world set against them.

With stirring writing that draws you directly into the story, Lady in the Mist takes you on the thrilling ride of love's discovery.

Mandy McClellen Grey has become the focus of a feud thanks to her husband, who made this mess and then died. Far from home, Mandy, the best little rifle woman in the west, has resigned herself to a lonely life under siege rather than call for help and endanger her family.

Tom Linscott is fed up with waiting for Mandy who should have had the sense to come to him as soon as she finished burying her worthless husband. In fact he'd've come fast enough to dig the hole if she'd've sent for him. He goes to round up his little woman and buys into a heap of trouble from a whole clan of outlaws.

2. Digitized copies (1100 pages of them) of Jane Austen's manuscripts, all hand-written by JA herself. Fascinating. And revealing. (Remind me to destroy all my own first drafts!)   

3.  Get a newsletter from CAN (Christian Authors' Network) each month, with news of new releases. Sign up here. It's free!

4.  Click on the fashion plates to see them enlarged. This page is all Regency, from the University of Washington collection of prints. (I love this sort of website when I'm doing research.)  

 5.  The Origins, history and serving of Afternoon Tea (briefly).