I had the delight of reading an advance copy of Alissa Baxter's February 2023 book, so I happily invited her to share some of her research for her series on intrepid ladies with us at Nineteen Teen. Enjoy! Regina
I set the second book in my
Linfield Ladies series,
The Viscount’s Lady Novelist, partly
on an estate near Bristol. It was fascinating to research the area as it is not
a popular setting in Regency romances. During the course of my research, I
found out about the concerts which once were held at St Vincent’s Rock. Here is
an excerpt from
Chilcott’s Descriptive History of Bristol, Ancient and
Modern, Or, A Guide to Bristol, Clifton and the Hotwells by John
Chilcott:
“To an observer on the Clifton side of the river, the opposite woods in summer
present a most charming appearance: they contain almost every forest tree
indigenous to this country; among which the broad-leaved sycamore, the majestic
oak, the sombre ewe, the lofty elm, the graceful mountain ash, with many
others, are seen blending their hues together, and forming a scene of foliage
that for variety and exuberance is scarcely to be equalled. Here it is not
uncommon, during fine summer evenings, for a band of musicians to assemble, at
which time the opposite side is covered with an attentive crowd. The soft
sounds wafted across the water are truly enchanting!”
And here's how it played out in The Viscount’s Lady Novelist:
As Oliver made his way across to her, strains of music began to waft across the
river, indicating the musicians had begun their rehearsal. “Have you attended
such a concert before, Miss Linfield?”
“Yes, indeed, my lord. You will find it quite remarkable.” She pointed in the
direction of the trees. “Inside the recesses of that wood is a cave. On fine
summer evenings, a band of musicians assembles within to play by torchlight.
The music reverberates over the river in the most delightful way.”
The crowd hushed as the band performed their first piece. The notes carried
across the water, multiplied by the endless echoes of the rocks.
“It’s truly enchanting!” Harriet’s glanced up at him, her expression rapt. “Do
you not think so, my lord?”
He inclined his head. The venue and the talented musicians provided a unique
experience for any music lover. An attentive crowd of men and women stood
quietly amongst the rocks while the musicians played a range of melodies,
from popular folk songs to more formally arranged pieces by Handel and Vivaldi.
As the concert drew to a close, Oliver murmured, “We are like so many
Thracians, but Orpheus never performed so beautifully.”
Harriet smiled. “Indeed. Orpheus may have been able to charm all living things
and even stones with his music, but our musicians must surpass even him in the
sweetness of their playing.”
You can find The Viscount's Lady Novelist at fine online retailers such as
Amazon US
Barnes and Noble
Alissa
Baxter wrote her first Regency romance during her long university holidays.
After travelling the world, she settled down to write her second Regency novel,
which was inspired by her time living on a country estate in England. Alissa
then published two chick lit novels,
The
Truth About Clicking Send and Receive (previously published as
Send and Receive) and
The Truth About Cats and Bees
(previously published as
The Blog Affair). Many
years later, Alissa returned to her favourite period with her Linfield Ladies
Series, a trio of Regency romances that feature women in trend-setting roles
who fall in love with men who embrace their trailblazing ways... at least
eventually. Alissa
currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband and two sons. She is a member
of Regency Fiction Writers. Her website is
https://www.alissabaxter.com/.
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