Spend a Moment in the Salon?

Once upon a time, those who loved stories set in the nineteenth century had to enjoy their books in relative solitude. Oh, they might extoll the virtues to friends and family, some of whom had their eyes glaze over, alas. And they might find a book club willing to read with them on occasion. But then came Facebook Groups, where they could talk, and talk, and talk with like-minded lovers of Regency romances. 😊 Allow me to introduce you to three of my favorite groups.

I am one of the founding authors for Regency Kisses: Lady Catherine’s Salon. The group is for those who love low-heat Regency romances. We occasionally throw in a Victorian. Each week, a different author hosts, offering insights into the time period and their writing life. They also offer fun activities. We’ve had lessons in trimming your own bonnet, setting up a dinner party, and taking a trip by carriage. I hosted a week on the history of the genre. We’ve even had games like a Where’s Waldo in the Regency and online puzzles of period paintings. Readers post reviews on the weekends along with other information about the books they love.

We also hold parties from time to time around a theme like a ball or a dinner. We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day all this week with first kiss scenes. You can join in the fun here. 

The second group I’d like to draw your attention to is Inspirational Regency Readers. Run by authors Erica Vetsch and Julie Klassen (link), this group has fun activities, wonderful pictures, and tantalizing tidbits about the period we all love and the books set in them. Readers are very active in this group. You can join them here. 

Finally, there’s Alissa’s Regency Companions, run by author Alissa Baxter. She finds the most amazing photographs of country houses (exteriors and interiors), ladies in Regency garb, and Regency items I’ve ever seen. She also posts about Regency books on sale or free. Again, lots of interactions among the other members. You can join here.

Hope to see you at a salon soon!

Discover More Regency Reads to Love, Courtesy of The Beau Monde

Marissa and I have posted in the past about our membership in The Beau Monde, a group devoted to writers of Regency-era fiction. Normally, we attend the annual meeting and conference every July. Because of COVID-19, The Beau Monde is hosting a virtual retreat today and tomorrow for its authors and other writers, with more than 200 expected. Wow! And that means a special treat for you too!

A number of authors will be showcasing their books in videos on The Beau Monde’s Facebook page on Friday and Saturday. More than a dozen authors will tell you about their latest and how to learn more about them. You may just find your next favorite!

And if you haven’t tried the Fortune’s Brides series yet, or you enjoyed it and would like to point others that direction, be aware that the first book in the series, Never Doubt a Duke, is free on major online retailers around the world through June 29.

I will so miss rooming with my dear Marissa on this conference, but I will take solace in the fact that we will at least see each other via the conference Zoom. 

Waving!

Grouping for the Love of the Nineteenth Century

Facebook Groups are all the rage for a variety of organizations, but readers and authors are also using them to connect and share their love of books. Here are a few you might not know about, related to romances from our beloved nineteenth century.

Regency Kisses: Lady Catherine’s Salon

I am delighted to join with Gail Eastwood, Charlotte Henry, Mary Kingswood, Anna St. Clair, Martine Roberts, Catherine Tinley, and Lynn Winchester to share sweet Regency-set romances with readers. Our patroness, Lady Catherine, hosts an author a week, with special guests, games, reviews of Regency novels, and historical tidbits. We are planning a big party for Twelfth Night in January. Come join us!

The Beau Monde

Sponsored by the Regency Special Interest Chapter of Romance Writers of America, this Facebook group is a diverse collection of readers and authors who all have a love of the Regency Era. The purpose of the group is to celebrate quality in the subgenre and the efforts of the authors who write the stories we love to read. Many Regency romance authors announce their new releases here.

Regency Readers & Writers

This is an open page for all readers, writers, and aspiring writers of Jane Austen and Regency-inspired fiction. All are welcome to discuss their favorite Austen works and variations, and any original stories in the works.

Historical Romance Book Club

Love more than the nineteenth century? This book club looks across historical romance set in any time period or location, whether recently published or older.

Austen Readers

Prefer your romances connected to Jane Austen? This group is for Jane Austen Fan Fiction authors and readers to share new and newly discovered books to love.

If you know of others, please post them! There’s something magical about connecting with other readers who share your passion!

Looking Like Samantha Everard, and Looking for Some Likes

We’ve had several posts now authored by the intrepid Lady Samantha Everard, the young lady at the heart of the Everard Legacy series. Those of you who have been following the series also know she can be irrepressible. But what does she really look like?

She supposed to have golden blond hair, somewhat long and curly, and the deep brown eyes of the Everard miscellany. She’s athletic, fencing and riding with equal joy. In the books out now, she’s sixteen going on seventeen (hm, isn’t there a song about that?). But she’ll be just short of her twenty-fifth birthday when she stars in her own love story next March. How would a cover artist capture her delight at life, her mischievous grin, all grown up?

Like this:

What do you think? Does she look the way you’d imagined? I must admit I was rather pleased. She looks like someone I would like to know.

And speaking of likes, I finally took the plunge and added Regina Scott’s page to the scores of authors on Facebook. I hope to post something of interest daily, be it a nineteenth century fashion plate with a fun twentieth century caption, research tidbits too small for a blog post, and the latest news as it happens. I’d love for you to “like” me. Click here to go to the page.

Happy Friday!