Regency Era – Author Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Dec 06 2023

Off

A Traditional Christmas in Regency England

By jt4novels

When people think of an historical Christmas, they typically think of the Victorian Christmas that they have seen in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. However, the Regency period was earlier between 1800-1820, which was part of the larger Georgian era from 1714 to 1830. The Victorian era followed after that between 1830-1901. As a result, there were a few traditions that were not yet part of the Christmas holiday. The Christmas celebrations typically began around advent, known as the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve. Some would decorate as early as advent, while others might wait, even as late as Christmas Eve. The length at which they kept their decorations up could vary as well. Some would keep them up throughout Christmastide, the twelve days of Christmas, from December 25th through January 6th. Others kept their decorations up through Candlemas, February 2nd, the Feast of Presentation of Jesus Christ. The Christmas Regency Feast Christmas dinner was typically around 4 PM, but could vary from family to family and by region. As the evening progressed a Christmas toast was given to the season and gifts were given out, usually this was when servants also received their gifts and children would sing Christmas carols for entertainment. The first course for dinner would often be turtle soup or a white soup that was thick and creamy. Gravy soup could have ham or beef with a variety of onions and carrots and herbs. Fish was often served such as brile, gudgeons, crouch, perch, along with other seafood favorites like scallops and wilks, periwinkles, cockles, mussels, bearbet or hollebet. The main course typically included choices between roast beef, venison, mutton, goose, pheasant, or peacock. They typically created a stuffing for the fowl. Most households could only afford goose until the turkey was later introduced by Queen Victoria in the mid 1800’s. Side items included potatoes, squash, brussels sprouts and carrots. Since water was unsafe to drink, they usually had wine with their meal. (I haven’t found a source that indicated what the children drank.) Often, bakers cooked the meat for those households that contained small ovens. Many would pick up their food on the way home from church. For dessert there was Mince pie and Christmas pie. Recipes varied by region, but typical ingredients included beef, sugar, raisins, lemons, spices, orange peel, goose, tongue, fowls, eggs, apples and brandy. The pies were eaten each day for 12 days before Christmas to ensure good luck for the next 12 months of the new year. Talk about a chance to gain weight over the holidays! Another dessert was Christmas pudding, a mixture of 13 ingredients (representing Christ and the twelve apostles) which was boiled in a pudding cloth. Ingredients included suet, brown sugar, raisins, currants, citron, lemon and orange peels, spices, crumbs, flour, eggs, milk and brandy. Other desserts included Gingerbread and butter shortbread. Children enjoyed sugar plums and ginger nuts. Christmas Carols Caroling dates back to the middle ages. Songs such as: Here We Come a Wassailing, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The First Noel, Good Christian Men Rejoice and Greensleeves are all traditional carols from the Middle Ages. Caroling in the form of going from door to door had died out with the end of the feudal system in England and didn’t revive again until the Victorian period. In Jane Austen’s Regency era, family and friends typically spread good cheer in the comfort of their homes among gathered friends and family or at balls, dinners, small parties, and churches. O Come All Ye Faithful was first published in 1760, but not translated into English until 1841. Joy to the World was first published by Isaac Watts’ 1719 hymnal, The Psalms of David, but the modern version wasn’t written until 1836. Hark the Harold Angels Sing was first written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, amended in 1753 by George Whitfield, but the modern version of today wasn’t written until 1840 by Mendohlsson. Silent Night was written in 1816 by Joseph Mohr, but wasn’t translated into English until 1863. Christmas Trees & Decorations Typically, Christmas trees didn’t exist as they do now and did in the Victorian period. If a family did have a tree, it was a table top tree and quite plain. Decorations were live greenery with berries, including mistletoe, holly, ivy, rosemary, evergreen, hawthorn, laurel, box and firs. They burned the yule log as a tradition. It was HUGE and picked out and dried out from the year before. It wasn’t brought in until Christmas Eve and hoped to burn through the night and all through Christmas day. They didn’t exchange Christmas cards or multiple, elaborate gifts. If they did exchange gifts, it was usually one special hand-made item. Share with your connections:

Aug 08 2023

Off

Writing in the Regency Era – Online Resources

By jt4novels

I confess, I’ve written a Regency historical novel. And upon my word, I am quite determined to master this era! The Rules There are many strict societal rules that one’s character must know, maintain and behave accordingly. If one’s character behaves inappropriately for the era, that character must have a well-established motivation. The Regency fashion, dialogue, and customs govern the structure of a Regency novel. Therefore, much research and knowledge must go into writing one. What is the Regency Era? The specific Regency period is considered to be a short time frame between 1811 – 1820, in the United Kingdom when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son was instated to be his proxy as Prince Regent. However, many consider the era to be much larger between 1795 – 1837, especially if one considers the Regency Era a transitional period between the Georgian and Victorian eras. Online Regency Resources I wanted to share a few online resources that I have found very helpful in writing my Regency. I’ve included the title of the website or webpage, the link, and a brief description. Please note: I cannot vouch for the accuracy of every detail on these websites. Please make sure you find at least three resources to back up a reference and use your own judgment. Candice Hern’s Regency World – https://candicehern.com/regency-world – A great resource of Regency information from a author who writes many Regency based novels. Christian Regency – http://www.christianregency.com – Several links to Regency information on various topics and owned by Author Vanessa Riley. Jane Austen Today – http://janitesonthejames.blogspot.com/ – A blog that explores Regency period author, Jane Austen, as we see her today in movies, prints, sequels, websites and other modern media. It delves into other historical periods as well. Jane Austen’s World – http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/ – A blog that strives to bring to life Jane Austen’s novels and the Regency Period through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th century historical details. The Beau Monde – http://www.thebeaumonde.com/ – A writing group for writers who write Regencies. One must be a member of Romance Writers of America, since this is an RWA chapter. Fashions in Time – http://www.fashionsintime.com/html/regency.html – Lady’s costume fashions in the Regency era. You can order your own costume fashions to be made for your measurements and size. Nancy Mayer, Regency Researcher – http://www.regencyresearcher.com – Links and resources from a Regency author who has been researching the period for a number of years. Old Book Art – http://www.oldbookart.com – Historical images that are now out of copyright and in the public domain. Prints Old & Rare – Fox Hunting – http://www.printsoldandrare.com/foxhunting – Historical prints and images of fox hunting scenes. Susanne Dietze’s Regency Research Links – https://www.susannedietze.com/regency-research-links.html – Includes categories of peerage, time and place, amusements, fashion, church, marriage, mourning, Parliament and politics, children and education, home and garden, currency and commerce. Regency Lingo – https://regrom.com/regency-lingo – Common used phrases and terms used in the Regency era on the Regency Reader blog. Regency Yuletide – https://regencyyuletide.blogspot.com – The Definitive Guide to Christmas in Regency England with quotes, recipes, and games to reveal what Christmas was like during the time of Jane Austen. Remember the “holy” in holiday, and let poets and songwriters from the past enliven your experience today. Share this article or images with your connections:

Aug 07 2023

Off

Why Jane Austen Would be the in the Slush Pile Today

By jt4novels

Don’t misunderstand me. I am a huge #JaneAusten fan and in many ways I believe she was ahead of her time. In spite of her popularity and movie success, if you compare the quality of her writing to what is required of writers today, she would not be published in today’s market. In fact, her manuscripts would be allocated to the slush piles until the dreaded rejection letter arrived in her email box. Getting noticed and published by a traditional publisher has always been hard for new authors–and each year it seems to get harder. There are so many industry standards and writing rules that authors must write by until they have the sales to back them up and they can break those rules. Below are a few set of rules we must follow today that doesn’t seem to appear to be part of the Regency time period. Show, Don’t Tell The carriages were then ordered; Willoughby’s was first, and Marianne never looked happier than when she got into it. He drove through the park very fast, and they were soon out of sight; and nothing more of them was seen till their return, which did not happen till after the return of all the rest. Here is an example of how it could have been written to show rather than tell. The servants brought the carriages around, leading with Willoughby’s shiny black curricle. He extended his hand to Marianne. She beamed with excitement as her smile reached each glowing cheek. Accepting his assistance, she glanced up at Willoughby with trusting eyes full of adoration. He climbed in beside her and snapped the reins. The horses launched into a canter and the curricle rolled down the lane leaving a cloud of dust trailing behind them. Marianne laughed in delight and gripped her hat to keep it from blowing away. Cut Unnecessary Words While Jane Austen’s writing style is of another time in our history when people generally talked different, the way she phrased her sentences is often too wordy. Today’s readers would never tolerate such wordiness from a new writer, and therefore, neither would today’s publishers. Below is another example from Sense & Sensibility. The sudden termination of Colonel Brandon’s visit at the park, with his steadiness in concealing its cause, filled the mind, and raised the wonder of Mrs. Jennings for two or three days; she was a great wonderer, as every one must be who takes a lively interest in all the comings and goings of all their acquaintance. It could have been simply stated: For several days, Mrs. Jennings continued to wonder about the reason behind Colonel Brandon’s sudden departure. No Head Hopping The chapters often begin in an omniscient POV, giving a general description of the scene and the feelings and viewpoint of each character. At various times the scenes will swap between Elinor and Marianne’s point of view, and on occasion, even their mother within the same scene. Writers today are not allowed to head-hop, which is switching from one character’s POV within the same scene without a transition, scene or a chapter break. Be Consistent This may have only been an editing mistake, but there are times when the girls’ mother is referred to as Mamma and as Mama. The spelling variations are not always consistent. Writer’s today are taught the rule of consistency. If we choose to spell something one way, stay with it throughout the story. For example if you start out spelling inquiry, you cannot later use the spelling of enquiry. I have only listed a few cardinal writing rules, but these few are enough to cause a new writer of today to be rejected by most publishers. Jane Austen would not be published by today’s standards without further editing. Because her work is well-known and considered a classic, today’s readers still buy and read her work. She still sells more than most midlist authors of today. Share this article with your connections: