There's an appeal about the charm and romance of Regency England for me. The scratch of a nib on parchment, the venomous deployment of the cut direct, or the clandestine meeting before dashing off to Gretna Green sends my imagination into transports and I cannot help but weave tales.
The Regency era in the United Kingdom is the period between 1811—when King George III went mad and his son, the Prince of Wales, known as Prinny, ruled as Prince Regent—and 1820 when the Prince Regent became George IV on the death of his father.
Avalon Historical Romance Regencies hearken back to the sweeter stories where society adhered to its own strict code of etiquette, and gentlemen who did not mind their manners had their hands slapped by the ladies.
Several of my stories are considered fluff and frothy-fun reads, such as The Suitor List and the next in the Gentlemen of Worth series,
Perfectly Flawed.
In the Regency days most ladies truly needed to marry, usually for security or social position, not for love. My books are not the only tales of young ladies in search of husbands:
Brompton Manor by Susan Ralph
The Christmas Bargain by Sarita Leone
There are also some stories about men who return from the war:
The Portrait by Hazel Statham
Lord Sidley's Last Season by Sherry Lynn Ferguson
Many other gentlemen must step into their newly attained places in society as Peers of the Realm:
Marquis in a Minute by Roni Denholtz
Miss Delacourt Has Her Day by Heidi Ashworth
The Regency era is noted for its elegance and achievements in the fine arts and architecture. One of the greatest patrons was the Prince Regent himself who led the upper class society in culture, refinement, and excessive spending.
In contrast, beneath the glamour and gloss of Regency society, there existed various levels of squalor. Poverty was a major issue and one that is rarely addressed. Thievery, womanizing, gambling, and constant drinking ran rampant. Although those topics are not dwelt upon they do add a dimension of realism into my world of fiction.
Shirley Marks is the author of five Regency-set Avalon Historical Romances and three Avalon Romances. Her next novel, Perfectly Flawed, second in the Gentlemen of Worth series is scheduled for publication December 2011.
The Citrus Parlor blog is the development and progression of the Gentlemen of Worth series.
12 comments:
I love this period too, Shirley probably because my first romance reading love was Georgette Heyer. My cousins had all her books and I'd read them nonstop in the holidays when I went to stay.
A fascinating glimpse into another world. Love the pictures. This was fun to read.
What a lovely post, Shirley. It was such a wonderful surprise to see my book on the page. You gave me my first smile of the day, thank you!
Regency England has so much to offer with regards to setting a story during that time. As you pointed out, etiquette thrived alongside the seamier bits of life.
His Lordship's Chaperone is on my keeper shelf, Shirley. It is such a charming story. I loved it!
What a beautiful post and look into a by-gone time in history. Thank goodness for great Regency writers like you who keep that period alive and well.
I'm glad there are others who like the Regency era.
His Lordship's Chaperone is one of my very favorites too! Thank you, Sarita.
Shirley, I enjoyed reading your article. I find that Regency time period fascinating and I love reading your "fluffy and frothy" stories set against that dynamic backdrop.
I have every single Georgette Heyer novel on my shelf, too - she was an awesome writer! It's good to know that the tradition continues!
The pictures look so cool, Shirley. I'm impressed by how well you did this blog!
I'm glad you enjoyed the post, ladies.
Thank you, Beate.
Awesome job, Shirley!!!
I shared your post with my fb friends. I enjoy reading those fluffy and frothy stories.
Welcome to the circuit, Shirley. Nice to have you here. Great post. Very thorough and a interesting period in history.
BTW, I love your avatar--it's so you. XO
LOL, Carolyn.
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