The Regency—Fact, Fiction or Fantasy?

Catherine Kullmann

I write Regency novels. This is shorthand for saying I write historical novels set in England in the second decade of the nineteenth century, a time of unprecedented change that continues to affect our modern lives. In this series of blogs, we will look behind the scenes to discover what makes this decade tick. What makes it so fascinating to us,  two hundred years later?

Let us start with a snapshot of the UK on 31 December 1810. All was not well in the island kingdom. Having lapsed in and out of insanity for over two decades, King George III, sober paterfamilias, was finally deemed incapable of undertaking any affairs of state. Preparations were set in train to appoint as Regent his eldest son and heir, the affable, extravagant and adulterous Prince of Wales.

George IV 1762–1830 as Prince Regent after Lawrence MET DT200600 2

The country had been at war with France since 1803. Across the English Channel, the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had consolidated his hold on the European Continent; his sphere of influence extending west across the Iberian Peninsula, north into Sweden where one of his generals, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, had been elected crown prince, and eastwards through modern Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary and Poland to the borders of the Russian and Ottoman Empires. The only ray of light was provided by Lord Wellington whose Peninsular army was driving that of the French General Massena out of Portugal and into Spain.

Back at home, the bulk of wealth, power and influence lay in the hands of the aristocracy and landed gentry who also controlled the established Church of England, the universities and the military and legal professions. In a study carried out two years later, in 1812, these classes made up 7.8% of families in Great Britain and Ireland but received 40.19% of the total annual income generated therein. Unsurprisingly, they resisted any attempts to reform a system that worked well for them but not so well for the rest of the country.

Court Dress 1795 CBL 3

Apart from formal Court dress which remained unchanged as long as the elderly Queen Charlotte lived, the vast skirts and cumbersome hoops of the previous century had yielded to the classical styles copied from revolutionary and imperial France while gentlemen had abandoned their silks and brocades for boots, buckskin breeches and riding coats.

Ball dress and Walking Dress 1808 6

Did these lighter, looser clothes lead to a lighter, looser way of life? The Regency was certainly one of the great party decades. Perhaps this was due to the shift in the dates of the London Season, the months that the upper classes spent in London while Parliament was sitting. Every peer had a seat in the House of Lords and where the noble families led, others followed.   During the 18th century, Parliament had sat from November to May. From 1806 onwards, the opening of Parliament veered towards February and the session extended into July or even August. This change from winter to spring/summer Season with its warmer and brighter days provided many more opportunities for entertainment and dalliance. The Season was the great ‘marriage market' when eligible young ladies of good birth and varying fortunes sought to find a suitable husband. The night was turned into day. Eight p.m. was the fashionable dinner hour, after which both sexes flocked to the theatres, balls, assemblies and routs while gentlemen also had their clubs and the dubious establishments of the demi-monde – gaming hells and brothels for the most part. The social round continued into the small hours and resumed the next day with  ‘morning calls' i.e. visits which were made between noon and three p.m.. A ‘breakfast' at three o'clock might be followed by a ride or drive in Hyde Park at the fashionable hour and soon it was time for dinner again.

Vauxhall Gardens 1810 2

I hope you will join me in exploring the Regency world over the coming months.

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Catherine Kullmann was born and educated in Dublin. Following a three-year courtship conducted mostly by letter, she moved to Germany where she lived for twenty-five years before returning to Ireland. She has worked in the Irish and New Zealand public services and in the private sector. She is married and has three adult sons and two grandchildren.

Catherine has always been interested in the extended Regency period, a time when the foundations of our modern world were laid. She loves writing and is particularly interested in what happens after the first happy end—how life goes on for the protagonists and sometimes catches up with them. Her books are set against a background of the offstage, Napoleonic wars and consider in particular the situation of women trapped in a patriarchal society. She is the author of The Murmur of Masks, short-listed for the 2017 CAP Awards (Carousel Aware Prize for Independent Authors), Perception & Illusion and A Suggestion of Scandal, shortlisted for BooksGoSocial Best Indie Book 2018.

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A review of one of Catherine's books.

January Book Recommendations from BooksGoSocial

BooksGoSocial

 January Book Recommendations

 Children's Books


 

Go-Cart Gertie

When a young girl named Gertie Gilbert decides to race go-carts, her older brother laughs and says, “You're a girl and girls can't race!” With the girls on one side and the boys on the other, the race is on. Gertie sets out to prove that girls can do anything boys can do! This action-packed adventure will have readers cheering.

The storyline deals with stereotypes, discrimination, sibling rivalry, and family bonding. Does Gertie win the local go-cart race? Grab your copy today and see which team gets the checkered flag.

Science Fiction


 

Aftershocks

Aftershocks is a companion to the author's first novel, the successful and award winning Paradise Girl. However, both books stand alone, and it's not necessary to have read one to enjoy the other.

A highly infectious and incurable virus spreads worldwide, eventually reaching the UK. The Shaw family live on an isolated Pennine farm. They think that their remote location will keep them safe from the infection, but they are wrong. A stranger comes to their door and brings the disease with him.

Lander Shaw, the twin brother of Kerryl, the ‘paradise girl' of the first book, leaves the farm and embarks on a journey to discover more about the infection and to seek a better future.

The Colony

Dimensions could not keep them apart, but can the A.I. controlling his world?

Lydia felt him before she heard him. His presence filled her, he warmed her soul. His voice moved her, awakening the life inside her that she thought was lost forever. For he was her soulmate, Jordan, and he lived in another plane of existence.

When he pulled her through spacetime to be with him in his dimension, she found herself in a world without him. A world controlled by an artificial intelligence – the Guardian, whose sole purpose was to protect the power source that ran the planet. But it did so at the cost of all who lived outside of its perfect city.

Self Help


 

7 Powers of Man

7 Powers of Man beautifully unleashes the truth that all people have power. These are the 7 powers needed to accomplish anything in life; however, they are often dormant or underused.

This book will inform, inspire and re-fire the reader to be all s/he was meant to be.

Non-Fiction


 

Lobbyist or Barber

If you are passionate about any cause you need this book.

Whether you are a teacher, a nurse, a doctor or a barber, building the right relationships is critical to success. 

Inspired by city council members, school administrators and mayors who came in for a haircut and passionate political debates in the barbershop where he worked, Bob Keaton has written a refreshing guide to principled lobbying. 

“Lobbyist or Barber” illustrates just how incredibly lucky Americans are to live in a country where we are free to jump in and become a part of the political process.

Cancer Secrets

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and will soon overtake heart disease as the #1 killer. This year alone in the United States, there will be 1.7 million new cancer cases, and over 600,000 cancer deaths. The lifetime risk of developing cancer is now 1 in 3 people, and is quickly approaching 1 in 2. Despite billions of dollars devoted to cancer research, we are no closer to a cure. Sadly, we are losing the war on cancer.

Patients diagnosed with cancer, as well as their family and friends, are left with a difficult decision: do I follow the standard of care, consisting of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, or do I seek alternative treatments on my own? Do I listen to my doctor, or do I follow advice from the internet? Who do I listen to? Who can I trust?

Mystery


 

Olive Park

*Named one of Top 5 Mysteries of 2012 – Reader's Favorite Awards*
* Awarded Best Mystery 2012 – Global E-Book Awards *

A picture in a black frame…
Two quarters clutched in a dead child’s hand…
A knotted rope…

The OLIVE PARK Murders

1997 – Olive Park, California – the bodies of three children are found buried in shallow graves, brutally murdered. One of the most intensive investigations in California history fails to find any trace of the killer and the case goes cold.

Spiral Into Darkness

He blends in. He is successful, intelligent and methodical. There are no clues. There are no leads. The only thing the FBI and local police have to go on is the method of death: two bullets to the face- gruesome and meant to send a message. But it’s difficult to understand any message coming from a dark and damaged mind.

Two adopted boys, struggling in their own world, have no idea they are the next targets. Neither does their family. And neither does local law enforcement.

Thriller


 

A Sign of Signs

A thriller that will keep your attention. As one event leads into another, skeptics abound, especially when the only person to believe any part of it is CIA Chief James Newman who has a deep respect and admiration for super-psychic Gladys Lawson. Gladys is not one to accept fools gladly and tries her utmost to warn the authorities about what she sees.

Everything about the story is believable and the excitement comes to a crescendo when catastrophic events synchronize and crystallize at the end.

Romance


 

A Separate Heaven

A DARK, SEXY THRILLER

The enigmatic Dominic Gianelli is a man whose immense wealth and power have earned him respect and admiration from the social elite of both Europe and America. But his legitimate wealth has long been rumored to mask the secrets and dark corners in his world. Nearing fifty, he lives by a strict code and allows few people to know him.

Beyond his carefully crafted image of sophistication, Dominic is a man with a tight grip on those around him. But a chance meeting with twenty-year-old Paige Hamilton forever changes his life.

Paranormal Romance


 

Sarah's Home

Sarah's Home is a character driven paranormal romance that brings Sharon Tanchak and Zach Fields together with the interactions of Sharon's dead sister's spirit.

After her twin sister Sarah's death, Sharon Tanchak is faced with the heartbreaking responsibility of selling her sister's sanctuary in the country and move on with her life.Zach Fields escapes his fractured past in Chicago to start anew, hoping to find solace and rebuild his life in a small house in rural New Hampshire.

Through paranormal intervention and circumstances, Sarah works to bring Zach and Sharon together to stir lost feelings and help each other heal their wounded souls.

Prince's Reward

Join the OWO team in the desert for this otherworldly ride!

Moody Vampire-Wizard Valdus Drujec has met his match. Quinn is the sweet bubbly human that turns his head and captures the 900yr old’s heart. With the City overrun by shifters, unethical witches, ferals and a biker gang that traffics women and kids. The OWO sends in a reluctant cavalry.

Historical Romance


 

Whispers Among the Prairie

Journey back in time to the American West, where the ancient prairie lands are stained with blood from the battles being waged between the Indians and White Man.

The Indians wish to continue living in freedom as they always have, but the White Man see them as savages who need to be eradicated.

Chief Black Kettle, of the Southern Cheyenne Indians, and his adopted daughter, Morning Dove, try and keep the peace with the Whites, wishing to protect their people from the needless bloodshed sweeping across the land.

Enter Clinton McKay, a veteran of the Civil War, who re-enlists in the cavalry and crosses paths with Morning Dove. 

Fantasy


 

Tamisan

An illegal experiment.

Mortally wounded Zhenna Rhodarma has had her consciousness transferred into the body of a Waikari, a native of planet Althar 3. Her new form has two hearts, psychic abilities and can breathe underwater.

A dangerous escape.

When her new mind-reading talents reveal that her saviour, Dr Starrick, isn’t what he seems, Zhenna has to escape from his clutches and into the wilds of Althar 3.

A quest for survival.

The Dragon Orb

A magical barrier.

Civil war.

Power-hungry Wizards.

The fate of a kingdom rests on the shoulders of three young wizards who couldn't be more different.

As the magical barrier protecting the kingdom of Alaris from dangerous outsiders begins to fail, and a fomenting rebellion threatens to divide the country in a civil war, the three wizards are thrust into the middle of a power struggle.

Contemporary Fiction


 

Cover Stories

COVER STORIES; 8 Classic Songs Remixed As Short Stories

A new kind of book that takes some of pop's greatest tracks and “covers” them as short stories.

Praise for “Cover Stories” “Funny, smart, chilling, moving and ultimately heartbreaking – if you like music, space travel, satire, counterfactual history, love and the human condition… you'll love these…  This deserves to be on every music lover's – and everyone else's – bookshelf.” – Lysette De Montmartre, Amazon. 

So would you like to find out…

Where The Beatles' Dear Prudence went out to play?

LGBT


 

You Can't Buy Love Like That

Carol Anderson grows up in a fundamentalist Christian home in the '60s, a time when being gay was in opposition to all social and religious mores and against the law in most states. Fearing the rejection of her parents, she hides the truth about her love orientation, creating emotional distance from them for years, as she desperately struggles to harness her powerful attractions to women while pursuing false efforts to be with men. 

The watershed point in Carol's journey comes when she returns to graduate school and discovers the feminist movement, which emboldens her sense of personal power and the freedom to love whom she chooses. 

January Sale Guide – Romance

BooksGoSocial

 january guide romance

Love Avenged

World-renowned and celebrated for her talent and her beauty, Hollywood actress Susan Chatham-Lomegistro’s life should be a dream. In many ways, it is.

She’s married to the love of her life, has two beautiful little children, and, despite the horrors she’s already survived, she, and her career, are in fantastic shape. And she and her hubby, Dr. Franklin Lomegistro, have a white-hot sex life that keeps them absolutely mad for each other.

Having won a Golden Globe and an Oscar, Susan sets her sights on a return to live theater, thinking about eventually adding a Tony to her war chest.

January Sale Guide – Mystery & Crime

BooksGoSocial

 mystery january guide

Crueler and More Unusual

Read four more stories of judicial horror from the award-winning author of Cryptic, Erik Dean.

DUMMY

Robert Holman failed to heed the warnings and an innocent night out turns into a nightmare. What punishment is fitting for this Dummy? He realizes too late that being sorry is not enough, and that there's no hiding from the vengeful hand of fate.

EARLY RELEASE

An amendment to the US Constitution allows for grieving families to apply for Early Release for the prisoners who murdered their loved ones. The prisoner is set loose and the family has twenty-four hours to exact their revenge.

The Puzzlemaker

After 10 years service as a cryptographer with MI6 during the cold war, the extremely shy and reclusive George Withers becomes editor and compiler of the Sunday Times crossword.30 years later and now in his 60's, an old MI6 colleague asks him to place a code within the Sunday Times cryptic crossword puzzle. Unknown to him, this results in a number of gruesome deaths.

The father of one of the victims discovers the puzzle maker had something to do with his son's death, and goes on the hunt. Now George has to solve his own puzzle to save his own life.

The Goat Parva Murders

How many bodies can Bingo the retriever find? Find out in this humorous murder / mystery book.

Bingo goes for a walk with his owner in the village of Goat Parva in England. He runs off and returns with shoes and other items belonging to local pervert Clem Shapiro. Inspector Colin Knowles and his sergeant Rod Barnes have to find out who hit Clem with a rock in his favourite rhododendron bush as he watched his sexy neighbour take off her clothes.

The police investigation is not easy because as they scratch the surface of this sleepy hamlet, it seems everybody has a motive to want somebody else dead.

The Hunt for Billy's Dad

Second week of June in Tucson and daily highs in the triple digits. A boy “almost thirteen” rides his bicycle to the PI office of Engstrom Associates. His name is Billy Hardwick, and he is worried about his dad, Jesse.

Five days earlier while Billy was at school, Jesse left for Show Low in the Arizona White Mountains. Left to track down his estranged wife Katie, Billy’s stepmom, who had run away some months previously to be with Jesse’s older brother Jeb.
With Jesse five days missing, Billy wants to hire the PI’s to find his dad and bring him safely back to Tucson.

Brownout – 666

In the land of flaunted sex, money, and flexible rules, an ambitious but lonely Rick Daly faces his demons. 
Rick Daly has established a business in the exotic surroundings of the Philippines, while simultaneously discovering Marilyn Delgado, the woman of his dreams.

However, a clash of cultures and his own naiveté lead to disaster. Falsely accused of a sexual crime, Rick loses both his freedom and his business. To add insult to injury, a prison escape merely amounts to switching jails.

In a world where the rich prosper, honest individuals are forced to the wall, and a cynical disregard for all but the dollar is destroying society from within, crime soon follows punishment for Rick.

Out of the Darkness

*$0.99 only until release day!*

Gus wakes up in a dark void with no memory and no body. Screaming and cursing does him no good. He’s trapped, until he learns about one man who can help.

Joe Cavelli is a PI who hears ghosts, solves their murders, and sometimes fixes their personal problems. Now he finds himself pestered by an invisible, impatient, and brash amnesiac.

Solving cases for ghosts comes with a unique set of circumstances. This time, Joe can’t even claim to be investigating a murder, since Gus’s body is nowhere to be found. Together, Joe and Gus delve into Gus’s past, uncovering clues that lead to a startling conclusion.

January Sale Guide – Science Fiction & Fantasy

BooksGoSocial

 SCIFI January

Twilight's Last Glory

America's game… 
A global spectacle of triumph and anguish.
A grand pageant of violence and drama. 

And now with its first female superstar…a spectacular experiment that may change the world! 
“This futuristic thriller will appeal to a wide range of readers.” Amazon Self-Publishing Review

In a world secretly ruled by an organized crime pyramid with strange and mystical powers, crime lord Gigi Salerno is the sinister hand casting the ultimate fate of victory or defeat.

Portals in Time

Winner of 11 Awards in the Genres of Inspirational, Visionary, Fantasy, and New Age Fiction.

“Humorous, inspirational, adventurous, mysterious! If you love fantasy, time-travel, and adventure, delivered through inspirational, melodic, and mystical prose, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything more original, satisfying, or motivational than Portals in Time.” –Sheri Hoyte, Managing Editor Reader Views

If you enjoyed, The Alchemist, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Celestine Prophecy, you will love this book. 

EN

Finalist in the International Book Awards and the New York Book Festival. 

Nationally-recognized author Michelle Reynoso brings you EN – Book 1 of The Girl, the Pendant, & the Portal series:
High School senior Faith McDaniels is struggling to find a place to belong. She never knew her father, and she lost her mother to cancer three months ago. Now Faith is starting a new life with her brother Eddie in the small town of Madison, but this fresh start is more than just a move to a new town and a new high school, it's the beginning of a series of strange events that puts Faith on the precipice of discovering that pendants and portals, other worlds, and energy-bending are not just ideas from a fantasy story. This is her life. 

January Sale Guide from BooksGoSocial!

BooksGoSocial

 General

Strength in a Heartbeat

This is my journal I kept when my daughter Lauren Meizo became sick and eventually ended up needing a heart transplant. When my daughter became ill, I gave up my business designing custom gift baskets to be by her side 24/7. Family comes first. Lauren's health declined to the point that I lived in the hospital in Boston Ma. with her for months on end. During that time, our story will define all the ups and downs of life in a hospital.

To sum it up…

I have slept in hospital chairs, window sills and couches. Skipped meals and cried from fear. I have become an expert on Lauren's condition.

Reversed

In 1995, the school diagnostician called a seven-year-old “the worst child seen in 20 years of teaching.” Can a child’s fate be sealed by such a diagnosis? Well, in 2018, that boy received a Ph.D. from Oxford University.

Do you have a child struggling with reading? What labels has your child been given? How do you feel they will progress through school? This is a story for you.

Every parent has high hopes for their children. When Lois Letchford learns her son has been diagnosed with a low IQ at the end of grade one, she refuses to give up on his future.

Sports The Olympics Forgot

Warning! Fun and frolics about silly sports await you in this book. Turn the pages with caution as you could find a sport you might wish you could play. 

Are you ready to engulf yourself in some silly tales that will make you smile? 

The world has many interesting sports such as Bog-snorkelling, Conkers, Egg-and-Spoon Racing, and Sack Racing. Sports the Olympics Forgot describes 40 more sports in a similar vein, all of which haven't started yet.

The Prayer Preparer

Prayers, healing, unconditional love – don't know much about them? You're not alone! Prayers can be a source of hope, so if you answer the question “do you pray?” with “nope”, don't be a dope, you're holding hope in your hands…well, a tangible form of hope at least.

While this book may not be a parody video game console called a “PrayStation” that offers hours and hours of entertainment, it will offer you techniques for bringing healing and unconditional love into the world. If the song ‘All You Need is Love' is true, it's good that someone finally found a healthy interpretation of the word ‘love' and even better that you found this book!

Character Flaws Of Humanity

A character flaw is the imperfection of an individual. It is a blemish of the face, body or mind which often causes that individual shame. A character flaw of humanity is the imperfection of society. It is a blemish in the form of thoughts, actions and behaviors, which often cause an extreme amount of detriment to the world.

Character Flaws Of Humanity examines some of the major flaws slowing and destroying the positive progression of today's world.

Lead Right for Your Company's Type

From turf wars to low morale, most companies attempt to cure what ails them with the latest management fad—and fail. They are treating the symptoms while ignoring the true problem.Success starts with knowing the kind of business you’re really in.

Lead Right for Your Company’s Type argues that every enterprise falls into one of four categories as dictated by their customer promise: customized (e.g. ad agency), predictable and dependable (e.g utility company), benevolent (e.g. educational institution), and best in class (e.g. high-tech company like Apple). When leadership practices fit the customer promise and company type, the organization thrives.

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