Since I’ve been in a Victorian mood lately, with working on my literary scholarship about Dickens and researching the Victorian era in general, I wanted to focus on winter books with some of the same themes you’ll find in Christmas at Hembry Castle, stories about love and loss, memory and redemption, the pull of history … Continue reading Books To Curl Up With This Winter
Christmas at Hembry Castle
A Candlelit Christmas: More Holiday Traditions in Victorian England
From the New York Public Library Lately, as I’ve been engrossed in my annual reread of A Christmas Carol, I’ve been finding myself drawn once again to that glowing, sentimental vision of Christmas Dickens gave us. The Victorians, with their love of family, storytelling, and beauty, didn’t just celebrate Christmas. In many ways, they invented … Continue reading A Candlelit Christmas: More Holiday Traditions in Victorian England
Happy Holidays: Popular Holiday Posts
While I recover from a stubborn sinus infection, I thought I'd share the links to this blog's most popular holiday posts. Christmas in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Mrs. Beeton's Recipes For a Perfectly Proper Christmas What Were Some Popular Victorian Christmas Traditions? Happy holidays to everyone. See you in 2025.
Happy Holidays: Christmas Eve at Hembry Castle
I hope everyone has been having a joyous holiday season. I love this time of year with the multi-colored twinkle lights, the Christmas movies, and the holiday spirit everywhere. I'm looking forward to a restful winter holiday, which can't begin soon enough. As I've been enjoying my peppermint hot chocolates and winter blend teas, I … Continue reading Happy Holidays: Christmas Eve at Hembry Castle
An Eye-Catching Cover Design for When It Rained at Hembry Castle
I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. I just wanted to share a quick update and show off the fabulous new cover for When It Rained at Hembry Castle by the even more fabulous Jenny Q. Now you can tell at a glance that the two Hembry Castle books are part of the same series. … Continue reading An Eye-Catching Cover Design for When It Rained at Hembry Castle
Mrs. Beeton’s Recipes For a Perfectly Proper Victorian Christmas
Mrs. Beeton Was the Martha Stewart of the Victorian Era Most fans of the 19th century are familiar with Mrs. Isabella Beeton, the Martha Stewart of Victorian England. Although I used her recipes and household management tips as resources for both Hembry books, I admit that I didn't know much about Mrs. Beeton herself until … Continue reading Mrs. Beeton’s Recipes For a Perfectly Proper Victorian Christmas
Book News: Christmas at Hembry Castle is a BN Bestseller
Just eight days after its release, Christmas at Hembry Castle is a Barnes and Noble bestseller, landing at #3 on the Historical Fiction 19th Century list between News of the World by Paulette Jiles and Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict. My book is next to Tom Hanks' face. What else could a girl want for … Continue reading Book News: Christmas at Hembry Castle is a BN Bestseller
What Were Some Popular Victorian Christmas Traditions?
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?