The Third Duke book & other items, including a deal

Curious about the Cossack trousers Cassandra wore? Here’s the inspiration. Cossack trousers United Kingdom Textiles and Fashion Collection. 1820-1830 (made) Artist/Maker: Unknown Materials and Techniques: ilk, lined with cotton, hand-sewn. Credit Line: Given by Mr Frederick Gill Museum number: T.197-1914. Copyright: © Victoria and Albert Museum

So many readers have asked about the third Difficult Dukes book that, with apologies, I’m going to have to respond here rather than in individual replies.

Alice & Blackwood’s story is in process. The goal is publication in 2022. If I could write faster, I would, but this is the way it goes nowadays, to my everlasting frustration.

Meanwhile, I’ll be continuing to stay in touch via this blog, Facebook, and Instagram. There will be pictures, lots of pictures, and information of varying degrees of historical nerdiness. Also, now and again on Instagram, there will be a giveaway.

For a set of images specifically related to individual books, please check out my Pinterest Page. If you would like to know more about any of the images, please email me, and I’ll be happy to write a blog post about it. The same applies to any puzzling elements in my books that you would like explained. I think it’s really fun to talk about social history: clothing, vehicles, manners, and so on. That’s part of the reason I write historical romance. For me, research is just delightful. It’s like playing Sherlock Holmes with history.

In other news:

A DEAL—The eBook edition of Royal Bridesmaids, an anthology that includes my novella, Lord Lovedon’s Duel, is for a limited time available for $0.99. Please be aware that these are short pieces, definitely not full-length novels. I’d need another three hundred-plus pages for that.



A bouquet of gratitude

Dear Readers,

Before we take a break for the holidays, please let me acknowledge the many gifts you have given me.

Your encouraging messages cheered me while I struggled with an uncooperative book. OK, sometimes you cracked the whip a little, but very gently and kindly.

When Ten Things I Hate About the Duke finally reached booksellers on 1 December, you spent your hard-earned money for print, eBook, and/or audio.*

Then, having read the story, you sent Attagirl messages—so many that I’m still trying to answer them all, one of the nicest jobs an author can ask for.

Thank you!

And on this happy note, I shall subside for a time. I’ll be taking a break from social media until after the New Year. Then there will be more blog posts, but not quite the barrage you’ve received this month. Meanwhile, I’ll be working on Blackwood and Alice’s story.

Dear Reader, I wish you the happiest of holidays, enjoyed with abundant good spirits and good health. See you in 2021!

*And yay! Kate Reading, for the brilliant job she does, giving voice(s) to my stories.

Flower photos taken at the beautiful Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Cruikshank's Prints in "Ten Things I Hate About the Duke": Jealousy

“Jealousy” by George Cruikshank, 1 November 1825, courtesy Lewis Walpole Library.

Once again, I recommend you click on the link, in order to zoom in on the image and enjoy the details. Apparently, the letter signed “Anonymous,” under the gentleman’s hand, suggests that his lady is untrue, and several images suggest that her lover is an officer. At least two of the imps wear cuckold’s horns, one pointing to the lady who’s climbing down the rope ladder to run off with an officer, while the night watchman . . . watches the proceedings. The other is offering green spectacles, suggesting that Our Hero see more clearly? Or view through the lens of jealousy?

The wigged men in black are apparently lawyers, probably suggesting a “criminal conversation” or crim con case. A pistol is introducing itself, as a weapon for a duel (the outcome of that is suggested on the mantel), murder, or suicide, while hanging is another option (aided by another imp). The two books on the floor are Byron’s Don Juan, the long poem about the famous lover (well worth reading, it’s witty and brilliant) and the Cuckoo Song Book (another cuckold reference). The painting on the right portrays Othello smothering Desdemona. The one above the gentleman’s head appears to be titled “Horn Fair,” another cuckold warning.

If we search online, we find some slightly different interpretations of the details in Cruikshank’s prints. Do you see anything I’ve missed? Or would you interpret some of the details differently?