Hello World, I've Returned

What I'm Reading: 'The Elusive Bride' by Stephanie Laurens
What I'm Watching: Grey's Anatomy & NCIS
What I'm Working On: Novella ~ 'A Titanic Affair' and novel 'Lady Mounthall'

Okay, I knew it had been a while since I'd last posted but 4 MONTHS, that is not good, even with all the good reasons under the sun that I have. So what has been happening in my life?

First I had a wonderful time at the RWAustralia Conference in August. The workshops were fantastic, the venue fabulous, and the organisers, well what can I say, they were out of this world.

Shortly after arriving home and a visit to my doctor I was advised I needed to find a way to ease the stress levels in my life and to cut down the time I spend on the computer, this would make it impossible for me to carry on my role as Secretary of RWAustralia, so with much sadness I stepped down. While my health is improving, I still have aways to go before I can start to increase my computer time.

Much of my writing I'm doing long hand, and as odd as it seems it is working better for me. I can edit as I transcribe it onto the computer.

Hunter Romance Writers, (HRW) were lucky enough to receive a grant from RWAustralia this year, which we are going to use to run a one day 'Self-Publishing Workshop' presented by Cathleen Ross. This will take place on 3rd November, something we are all looking forward to with much excitement.

Left: A mock cover for 'A Titanic Affair'

My plans for the next few weeks, work on improving my health. Continue to work on my novella, this is to be included an anthology series with HRW early next year. And bring Lady Mounthall up to scratch, I've had a change in the plotting. This is what happens when you are a panster, I'm working on changing that aspect of my writing.

Well that is it for now, hopefully I won't leave it so long next time.
Sandie

Who is this Crazy Person?

Who would be the crazy person to decide to do 50ks in 30 Days as well as Margie Lawson’s Fab 30 in 40? Well that would be me wouldn’t it? Yes, for some peculiar reason I thought I’d be able to handle doing both at the sometime.

Anyway, I’m sort of keeping up with Margie, although I do need to read some of the other participants work and give my opinion. But as for the 50/30 (and I’m not even doing 50ks, just 15ks) I’m lagging way behind. I’m also a tad behind in my goals for Hunter Romance Writers this month.

Over the next few days I really need to get my butt in my chair and write like the devil is after me. I’ll let you know next week whether I made it or not. LOL.

Sandie

Regency Painters of the Regency Era

Much of the art works from the Regency Era were of landscapes and portraits.  Some of England’s greatest artists came from this era, and many were know for their work with oils and watercolours.

Today I’m going to share with you a couple of my favourite artists from Regency England and their works.

One of my favourite artists of this period was John Constable. John was never financially successful at the time although his paintings are amongst the most popular and valuable now.

What draws me to John Constable’s paintings is his love of the country side as depicted in these two paintings.

The next of my favourite artists is Sir Thomas Lawrence. Sir Thomas was known for his oil portraits of some of England’s most respected society members. Thought of   something of a child prodigy, he supported his at the age of ten with his pastel portraits.

Sir Thomas first royal commission was to paint a portrait of Queen Charlotte.

One of my favourite portraits by Sir Thomas was of Sally Siddons, the woman he loved.  The story goes that Thomas fell in love with Sally, but then turned his affections on her sister Maria before returning to Sally. When Maria became ill and on her deathbed make Sally promise not to marry Sir Thomas they never saw each other again. Thomas never married.  What a sad story.

So that’s the first of my favourite Regency artists blog. I’ll share more with you another day.

Sandie

Regency Research Links ~ Part 2

This is the second of my Regency research links post. As with the six I shared with you in my first post, I have found each of these sites useful in my writing Regency romance.

Jean Ross Ewing

Regency Library

Linore Rose Burkard

Nineteenth-Century London

Michele Sinclair – Regency Era Fashion

Regency Fashion Glossary    

In my next post I’ll share with you some of the remarkable Regency art works.

Sandie

ANZAC Day 2012

It is April 25^th here in Australia, ANZAC Day. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It is the day Australian and New Zealand families look back and pay homage to our fallen soldiers. To those who have gone before us, to those who fought for our freedom and the freedom of many around the world.

In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the alliance with Great Britain to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula during the First World War. In what was expected to be a swift and unexpected strike turned into an eight month battle with heavy casualties for all the allies.

Since 1916, we have remembered our service men and women with dawn services and street marches in most towns and cities no matter how large or small.

The poem most read for our fallen. The bold paragraph is the most well known.

For the fallen

By Laurence Binyon (1869–1943)

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,

 England mourns for her dead across the sea.

 Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,

 Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal

 Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.

 There is music in the midst of desolation

 And a glory that shines upon our tears.

 

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

 Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

 They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

 They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

 Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

 At the going down of the sun and in the morning

 We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;

 They sit no more at familiar tables at home;

 They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

 They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,

 Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,

 To the innermost heart of their own land they are known

 As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,

 Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,

 As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,

 To the end, to the end, they remain.

***

Today take some time to remember those who have lost their lives, but mostly remember those they left behind. The wives, children,  mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, these are people who have given us so much in their darkest hours.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them

‘Lest We Forget’

Sandie

A Collage for Lord Seabrook ~ Part 3

Here is the 3rd of my collage's for my next Regency romance 'Lord Seabrook Take a Bride'. This collage is a all about the rooms, namely the sitting room, dining room and ballroom.  There are a couple of other rooms I've added to the collage, but haven't named as these are not well be shared in greater detail with my next collage post.

Sandie

Regency Research Links ~ Part 1

Recently I’ve been posting some collages for my next Regency novel, ‘Lord Seabrook Takes a Bride’, but today I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite Regency research sites. I hope you might find them interesting and useful.

The Republic of Pemberley

Jessamyn’s Regency Costume Companion

British Women's Novels: A Reading List, 1775-1818

The Regency Collection

The Regency Fashion Page

Candice Hern – Regency World

It’s back to collages for my next post, than I’ll have some more research sites for you to visit.

Sandie