Gifts

Christmas Greeting ca 1865

Smithsonian Institution

My holiday gifts came early, in the form of the responses to my recent blog post about the third Difficult Dukes book.

I must have the best readers ever, anywhere. You made me smile and you made me cry, but most of all you made me grateful. For the last century or so (give or take a little), I’ve been fortunate to write the kind of stories I want to write, and get them published. My books are all over the world, translated into I don’t know how many languages. So really, when a couple of stories prove recalcitrant, during times that have been brutally difficult—and for all too many people, vastly more painful and difficult than my little problems—it’s frustrating, but hardly catastrophic. Hello, perspective? Yes, I’ve got some, really. These are not the easiest times, and we’re all doing the best we can.

I wish you the best of everything during this festive, special season: good health, and good times with loved ones, celebrations or quiet time—as you prefer—reasons to smile and laugh, and yes, some peace of mind.

More anon. Meanwhile, I’ve got cookies to bake.

The Third Duke book & other items, including a deal

Curious about the Cossack trousers Cassandra wore? Here’s the inspiration. Cossack trousers United Kingdom Textiles and Fashion Collection. 1820-1830 (made) Artist/Maker: Unknown Materials and Techniques: ilk, lined with cotton, hand-sewn. Credit Line: Given by Mr Frederick Gill Museum number: T.197-1914. Copyright: © Victoria and Albert Museum

So many readers have asked about the third Difficult Dukes book that, with apologies, I’m going to have to respond here rather than in individual replies.

Alice & Blackwood’s story is in process. The goal is publication in 2022. If I could write faster, I would, but this is the way it goes nowadays, to my everlasting frustration.

Meanwhile, I’ll be continuing to stay in touch via this blog, Facebook, and Instagram. There will be pictures, lots of pictures, and information of varying degrees of historical nerdiness. Also, now and again on Instagram, there will be a giveaway.

For a set of images specifically related to individual books, please check out my Pinterest Page. If you would like to know more about any of the images, please email me, and I’ll be happy to write a blog post about it. The same applies to any puzzling elements in my books that you would like explained. I think it’s really fun to talk about social history: clothing, vehicles, manners, and so on. That’s part of the reason I write historical romance. For me, research is just delightful. It’s like playing Sherlock Holmes with history.

In other news:

A DEAL—The eBook edition of Royal Bridesmaids, an anthology that includes my novella, Lord Lovedon’s Duel, is for a limited time available for $0.99. Please be aware that these are short pieces, definitely not full-length novels. I’d need another three hundred-plus pages for that.



Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine card, “Yours For Ever,” by Esther Howland (Worcester, Massachusetts, ca. 1860-1880). Courtesy of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Valentine’s Day greeting cards did exist before Esther Howland came into the picture, and it was an important holiday in England in the time of my stories. In fact, according to this article, an English Valentine Ms. Howland received was the impetus for what soon became a highly successful business. I love women’s success stories, and I especially like Esther’s because it seems she was actually a good boss. I also like her because she came from Worcester, Massachusetts, my hometown.

You can find out a great deal more about Esther Howland here at Wikipedia.

Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope it brings you something beautiful. Chocolate isn’t so bad, either.

Note: If you click on the link in the picture caption, you can enlarge the card and see all the glorious details.

Love,

Loretta