Cover Reveal! Frontier Engagement

I mentioned a few weeks ago how interesting I found the fashion plates compared to what would have been practical for my frontier ladies to be wearing in 1866 Seattle.  The same goes for gentlemen.  The tall beaver hats, tailcoats for evening wear, and elegant waistcoats weren't exactly useful when mining for gold, chopping down towering fir and cedar, or harrowing a field for planting.  Here’s how those gentlemen tended to dress:

Rugged.  Easy to move in.  Durable.  Unless of course, you happen to be James Wallin.

As those of you who have read Would-Be Wilderness Wife know, James, the third Wallin brother, is a character.  He’s always teasing anyone he likes, he has a team of horses rather than the practical oxen of the period, and he favors fancy clothes, so much so that he occasionally wears his waistcoat logging.  So when I was asked for cover ideas for James’s story, Frontier Engagement (due out August 1), I advised my publisher to dress him up nicely, even if he is in the wilderness.  In fact, he needed to be dressed as nicely as the heroine, Rina Fosgrave, who has a rather, ahem, aristocratic background for a lady sailing on the Mercer Expedition.

I am pleased to reveal the cover for Frontier Engagement:

James Wallin's family is depending on him to find a schoolteacher for their frontier town. Alexandrina Fosgrave seems to be exactly what he needs to help fulfill his father's dream of building a new community. If only James could convince her to accept the position.

Alexandrina has traveled west to seek a fresh start, not to find a groom. But after she's stranded in the wilderness with James, he offers her his hand in marriage to protect her reputation. Both are afraid to fall in love, but maybe an engagement of convenience could make them reconsider… 

Want to guess the actor/actress I had in my mind for the physical characteristics of James and Rina?  The hero has a drive about him, and he’s been known to advise people about crazy, stupid love.  Though he’s starred in a period flick, he was a bit of a gangster.  The heroine, on the other hand, may be a little tougher to identify.  A Brit, she shares a first name with a certain popular boy wizard with a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. She’s a triple threat as a writer, actress, and comedienne, working in theatre as well as in film.

Who do you think I used?  Guess right and I’ll enter you in a drawing to win a free copy of a book from my author stash (which currently includes copies of The Bride Ship, The Wife Campaign, The Captain’s Courtship, and the hard-to-find earlier novel, Starstruck). 

Such Language! Part 14

More vocabulary shenanigans!

As in a previous “Such Language” post, instead of giving an illustrating sentence for each word, I’m listing the full definitions as provided in The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, just because they're so much fun as they are. Enjoy!

P.P.C.: An inscription on the visiting cards of our modern fine gentleman, signifying that they have called pour prendre conge, i.e. ‘to take leave,’ This has of late been ridiculed by cards inscribed D.I.O. i.e. ‘Damme, I’m off.’

Devil’s Daughter: It is said of one who has a termagant for his wife, that he has married the Devil’s daughter, and lives with the old folks.

To shew the lions and tombs: To point out the particular curiosities of any place, to act the ciceroni: an allusion to Westminster Abbey and the Tower [of London], where the tombs and lions are shewn. A lion is also a name given by the gownsmen of Oxford to an inhabitant or visitor. It is a standing joke among the city wits to send boys and country folks, on the first of April, to the Tower-ditch, to see the lions washed.

Punch: A liquor called by foreigners Contradiction, from its being composed of spirits to make it strong, water to make it weak, lemon juice to make it sour, and sugar to make it sweet.

Scraping: A mode of expressing dislike to a person, or sermon, practiced at Oxford by the students, in scraping their feet against the ground during the preachment; frequently done to testify their disapprobation of a proctor who has been, as they think, too rigorous.

Seven-sided Animal: A one-eyed man or woman, each having a right side and a left side, a fore side and a back side, an outside, an inside, and a blind side.

Ungrateful man: A parson, who at least once a week abuses his best benefactor, i.e. the devil. ☺

Drew Wallin's Cabin Stands Today!

Like many authors, I scour the internet for period-correct pictures to use as writing aids.  They help me envision how my hero and heroine looked, what they wore, where they lived, and how they lived.  I had chosen a very special cabin as my inspiration for the home of Drew Wallin, my hero in March’s Would-Be Wilderness Wife.  I’d never seen one like it.  It was originally built by David Denny in the late 1800s in Seattle, so I knew it was not only fairly close to my time period but also perfect for the frontier Seattle that is the setting of my story. He built it originally as a real estate office to interest people in land, coincidentally land that the Wallins would have owned. It was later used as a school and another business, and a rumor circulated that Chief Sealth, for whom Seattle is named, built it.

Yes, it was a lovely cabin.  I was happy to write about Drew living there.  What I never expected was to find it.  Here.  Now.

I was driving my husband to Federal Way to meet up with a friend who was taking him to a workshop.  “We’ll pass a park,” I said, nose glued to the map on my smart phone, “and then you turn left.”  Glancing up, I saw we were passing a park.

A park with Drew’s cabin sitting on the grass.

I gasped.  I choked.  “Did you see that?” I demanded of my husband.  “That cabin!  That was Drew’s cabin!”

“What cabin?” my husband asked.  “Am I supposed to turn left somewhere?”

I got him safely to his friend’s, then turned the car around.  All the way back, I kept watch, and when the driveway opened up for the park, I pulled in.  There it was, just as I remembered it.  It had to be a replica, right?  I mean, two-story log cabins from the 1800s don’t generally survive in our world.  And it hadn’t been built in Federal Way, nearly 30 miles south of David Denny’s claim.  How could it have made the trip? 

Scrambling up to the cabin in the early morning light, I peered into the windows.  A sign proudly proclaimed it the restored David Denny cabin.

I was stunned.  I was delighted!  It was as if a little part of Drew and Catherine had found its way into my world.

And now yours.  If you ever get to West Hylebos Wetlands Park in Federal Way, Washington, you can see it for yourself.  The cabin has been lovingly restored by the Federal Way Historical Society.  Drew’s box bed is missing, alas, but you can imagine them sitting around the hearth, planning the next day’s adventure.  I certainly did!

Regency Fabrics, Part 4

What fabrics were fashionable in July 1809? Let’s have a look!

As I have in previous posts on Regency fabrics, I’m looking at actual fabric samples glued into several earlier editions of Ackermann’s Repository, samples supplied by the manufacturers and published by Ackermann in order to boost the British cloth-making industry. I'll give you a close-up scan of each sample, the published description if available, and my own observations of the color, weight, condition, and similarity to present-day materials, to give you as close a picture as possible of what these fabrics are like.

Four fabrics are up for July...the overall condition is good, though fabric No. 4 seems to have some foxing, and I suspect the yellow in No. 1 has faded slightly.

No. 1 is a yellow-printed book-muslin, ell-wide, admirably adapted for ladies’ evening dresses, and furnished by Messrs. Smith and Co. 43, Tavistock-street, Covent-garden.

My comments: Very fine, open weave (book-muslin is a very thin fabric by definition), definitely requiring an underdress of some sort. The threads are not as even in thickness as I would expect for an upscale fabric. I can’t really picture this for evening wear—the pattern reminds me too much of 1930s quilt fabric, but that’s more my problem! By the way, an English ell was usually about 45 inches—so this would have been very close in width to a modern bolt of fabric.

 
No. 2, a striped muslin, or nainsook, 6-4ths wide, is an extremely elegant article for morning dresses, and was supplied by Messrs. Brisco and Powley, 103, New Bond-street.

My comments: Lovely stuff! The woven-in stripes are beautiful and delicate, the weave very tight and thread very fine, so that despite its overall lightness it seems fairly opaque. I'm not sure what "6/4ths wide" would work out to in modern terms--if anyone out there knows, will you please comment?

No. 3 is a printed cambric-muslin, 9-8ths wide. It is a highly-fahionable article, and uncommonly elegant, from the delicacy of its design and print, which we have authority to assure the public to be a permanent colour. It was furnished us by the same house as the previous pattern.

My comments: Another print that reminds me of 1930s quilting cottons! A slightly sturdier thread than the book-muslin, and therefore less sheer but still a nice, light weight dress fabric.

No. 4. This chintz, or shawl pattern marcella, ¾ wide, is a truly elegant and fashionable article for gentlemen’s waistcoats. It was furnished by Messrs. Richard Smith and co. 2, Prince’s-street, Leicester-square.

My comments: A heavy, almost quilted-feeling fabric, with both a printed pattern and a corded stripe pattern woven in. It’s not what we would call a chintz today, but definitely a pique (the alternate name of marcella). Very smooth and nicely woven.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, my dears!  I hope your Sunday is sunny and happy, with friends and family around you, no matter how you celebrate the day.

As I was looking for inspiration for this post, I discovered several lovely Victorian or turn-of-the-century Easter cards. These were given to friends or passed out as promotional material by various companies seeking good will.  Some, like the one at the right, were sentimental over spring. 

Others were playful.

Many followed the traditional story of bunnies and baskets.

And then there were a few that were downright odd.  My sons wanted to know why a bunny brought eggs.  I don’t know what they’d think about a lamb hatching out of one!

May all your animals behave in a suitably proper manner this Easter.

Fashion Forecast: 1833, Part 2

What was the well-dressed young woman wearing in the second half of 1833?

July’s Evening Dresses come in both plain and fancy, as can be seen in this print from the Court Magazine. On the left, the bodice and skirt appear to be of a figured muslin, with pleats across the breast; the sleeves are decorated with full frills of lace both above and below...and the feathers in the hat are decidedly Dr. Seussical. The gold dress at left sensibly keeps things plain and lets the black lace frill, pointed at the waist, do the talking. Note that the gloves have a frill of black lace as well! Both dresses are quite low cut off the shoulder, as was the general fashion this year in evening wear:

 For an evening out in August, here are an Opera Dress and an Evening Dress from the Court Magazine, both on the same general line but with slightly differing sleeves, the Opera Dress having a self-fabric upper sleeve and the Evening Dress a double sleeve of lace flounces. The black lace scarf-wrapper is quite striking:

More wonderful backgrounds...and two wonderful Evening Dressses in September’s Court Magazine. I wish I had the original text as I would love to see the description of the print fabric on the left. The sleeve variations on both dresses are of especial interest: note the long gauze sleeves caught closed with buttons on the dress at left, and the graceful fall of lace on the sleeves at right:

October’s Court Magazine features, interestingly, a pair of Sea Side Dresses—who knew that this was a popular month for beach-going? Both appear to be of muslin with the additions of a lace trimmed mantlet at left, and an overdress with a double pelerine bodice:

Also from October’s Court Magazine is this Public Promenade Dress (I do wonder what the difference is—if any—between a Walking Dress and a Promenade Dress!) Note the lace collar plus fichu, the gigot sleeves tight to the forearm, the spectacular parasol, and a reticule fastened to the belt by a small clip:

More Evening Dresses, one of them a “Costume Antique” though the style of the two appears to be identical...perhaps it’s in the details. The sleeves are unusual, hearkening almost to a Renaissance style with a white undergarment puffing through bands of heavier fabric (November, Court Magazine):

This plate from December’s Court Magazine features a Morning Dress and Carriage Dress; the Morning Dress with few fusses and furbelows, as befits a dress you hang out in at home and work on your watercolor painting in. The Carriage Dress features more detail, being made in the pelisse-robe style ornamented with large bows down the front, cuffed gigot sleeves, and a fur boa:

This Evening Dress also from December’s Court Magazine is just so pretty! The skirt is ornamented with a lace inset; small lace frills feature at the waist and around the capelet collar; the sleeves are plain but very full. The gloves appear to be of net, and her hair, with the jeweled headband across the forehead, looks almost flapperish!

What do you think of 1833’s fashion?

Belle: The Rest of the Story

You are very quiet, my dears, but I thought you would want to know a least a part of the rest of the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the heroine of the movie Belle, which our own Cara King presented to us this week. My thanks to those who commented.  Please feel free to continue doing so. 

As Cara and QNPoohBear pointed out, the movie was a fictionalized version of Dido’s life.  In reality, she was no dewy-eyed youth when she married; she was more than 30, and she did not marry John Davinier until Lord Mansfield had died. They had three sons, twins two years after they’d married and another son later.  Sadly, she did not live to see her 44th birthday. John later remarried and had two more children with his second wife. 

Her cousin Elizabeth ended up marrying George Finch-Hatton when she was 25 and he was 38.  George was the nephew to Lady Elizabeth, “Mama” in the movie, so we can imagine she must have made the introductions.  George was the oldest son of respectable family, but his father was the fifth son of the 7th Earl of Winchilsea, so ascending to a title was highly likely.  Elizabeth’s George did, however, have not one but two estates, and he was elected to Parliament and served for 12 years, so conceivably Elizabeth and he did rather well. It didn’t hurt that Lord Mansfield left her 10,000 pounds on his death.  

They had a number of children (some sources say three, others five).  Interestingly enough, their oldest son, another George Finch-Hatton, beat all the odds and became the 10th Earl of Winchilsea when his father and all four of his uncles preceded him to the grave. That’s him in the portrait (and it struck me he looked a bit like an older, portlier Tom Felton). Unfortunately, Elizabeth also preceded him in death, so she did not have the opportunity to enjoy her son’s elevation in status.

Want more details about what happened after the movie ended?  See this fabulous post from English Heritage.