Many of Our Favorite Christmas Traditions Were Made Popular By Dickens Thanks to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, many of us have a specific vision when we refer to the perfect Christmas. In fact, most of our Christmas traditions originated or were revived during the Victorian era. Queen Victoria’s German-born husband, Prince Albert, brought many … Continue reading What Were Some Popular Victorian Christmas Traditions?
Research
Daily Life in Biblical Nazareth
Since the recipes in my last post about eating in Biblical Jerusalem were such a hit, I decided to add one more recipe that is a traditional Jewish food and something the Woman of Stones might have made—cholent. Cholent is simply a hearty beef stew. Traditionally, cholent is cooked overnight, beginning Friday afternoon before sundown … Continue reading Daily Life in Biblical Nazareth
Ideas For Researching Historical Fiction
My Process For Research Has Changed How I research historical fiction has changed a lot over the years. When I first started researching historical fiction I would check as many books about my chosen era as I could carry from the library, take meticulous notes, color code my notes with highlighters (blue for information about … Continue reading Ideas For Researching Historical Fiction
Goodwives in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What Does the Term Goodwife Mean? Those familiar with The Crucible, the Salem Witch Trials, or even life in Colonial America have heard the term Goody, short for Goodwife. The term Goody was meant in a similar way as Mrs. today since Goody indicated a married woman. In Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Goody … Continue reading Goodwives in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What I’m Reading: Life During World War II and My Favorite Fantasy Book of All Time
My reading has been eclectic lately (as it always is, actually). I've completed my research for Down Salem Way with two of these books, though I will always have a fascination with witch hunts and witch trials. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare I loved this book when I was a teenager … Continue reading What I’m Reading: Life During World War II and My Favorite Fantasy Book of All Time
Did That Word Exist Then? Language in Historical Fiction
Wonderful news for James and Sarah/Elizabeth fans. The last draft of Down Salem Way is finished. Really! Okay, the book is not finished finished because it needs final edits and other odds and ends, but the light at the end of the tunnel is bright and clear and within reach. This is where the manuscript … Continue reading Did That Word Exist Then? Language in Historical Fiction
Clothing in Colonial Massachusetts
What Did They Wear in 17th Century Colonial America? Clothing in Massachusetts wasn’t much different than clothing throughout the rest of the American colonies. However, living in the Massachusetts Bay Colony was different because Massachusetts was a theocracy ruled by Puritans. The colonial Puritans were stricter in many ways than their English counterparts, and, oddly … Continue reading Clothing in Colonial Massachusetts
Daily Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
How Did They Live in Colonial Massachusetts? The main reason I felt drawn to writing Down Salem Way was that there wasn’t much space to explore James and Elizabeth’s lives in 1691-1692 in Her Dear and Loving Husband. We get glimpses of that time through James and Sarah’s memories, but the focus in Her Dear … Continue reading Daily Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Christmas in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What Was Christmas Like in the Massachusetts Bay Colony? I started wondering what Christmas would have been like for the Wentworths in Salem in the late 17th century. I hadn't researched Christmas during that time since it wasn't necessary for Her Dear & Loving Husband and the diary for Down Salem Way begins in January … Continue reading Christmas in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Jobs in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What Kind of Work Did They Do in Colonial Massachusetts? The North American continent was largely a question mark to those who left their European homelands behind to seek their fortunes, or, in the case of those immigrating to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, religious freedom. The immigrants may have heard great success stories about others … Continue reading Jobs in the Massachusetts Bay Colony