from Vonnie Hughes
The internet is over-burdened with writers
marketing their wares. And I’m adding to the general plethora out there. But
hear me out.
I’ve been writing Regencies for twenty-five
years now. Recently, after many ups and downs in the publishing industry,
Regencies have come back in to favor. Yes,
fashions come and go in publishing just like everywhere else. And there’s
nothing new under the sun. My main publisher now is The Wild Rose Press since
my earlier publishers have closed their doors. I have also joined the endless
queue of self-published authors. So many of us out here jostling for position
like mid-field marathoners. The chances are you’ll never hear my plea. But I’m
chucking this out there in the anorexic hope that you just might read this.
Perhaps you have nothing better to do.
I hope you’re one of the many readers who
like historicals, and in particular, the Regency era. It was such a short
period in Britain’s history, but has given rise to many things such as the
development of canals (as trade with its trading partners hotted up with the
imprisonment of Napoleon, freeing up trade routes and resulting in large
numbers of goods that needed to be transported all over England), the Royal
Astronomical Society was founded, the early prototype of the bicycle, the
development of the railway system, the Act of Union with Ireland in 1801 etc.
All this is from the British point of view. Elsewhere, in the USA, Whitney came
up with the principle of manufacturing interchangeable parts as pertaining to
firearms. The statue of the Venus de Milo was discovered in Greece (1820) and
so it goes on.
So in spite of many Regencies persuading
you that it was all about Almacks and dukes, the Regency era was actually a
time on the cusp of great changes, not just in Britain but all over the world.
Minds were opening up, no longer relying on the dogma of ages past.
In 1814 The Times
adopted steam printing. By this method it could now print 1,100 sheets every
hour, not 200 as before—a fivefold increase in production capability and
demand. This development brought about the rise of the wildly
popular fashionable novels.
The Regency is also noted for its
achievements in the fine arts and architecture (Nash springs to mind, and
remember that striped wallpaper known as ‘Regency’?) This era encompassed a
time of great social, political, and economic change that shaped and altered
the societal structure of Britain as a whole. Remember that in London alone,
the population increased from just under a million in 1801 to one and a quarter
million by 1820.
One of the reasons that the arts flourished during this era was because of the patronage of ‘Prinny’, the fat and at times ridiculous Prince of Wales. We might laugh at him, but it’s thanks to him that the development of British architecture flourished, even if his schemes often left the common people paying for his over-the-top designs.
The Regency era opened up the
market for many authors including Sir Walter Scott, Maria Edgeworth, Mary
Shelley (who incorporated the general mistrust of science during the earlier
part of the Regency era), John Keats and William Blake. Then there were the
playwrights and artists…the list goes on and on to confirm how minds began open
to new possibilities during that time.
Oh yes, there was a lot more to the
Regency period than those autocratic dukes and the patronesses at Almacks!
One of my releases is called Mr. Monfort’s
Marriage wherein a chivalrous businessman who is not overly fond of the
aristocracy finds himself married to an earl’s daughter. She teaches him about noblesse oblige, courage and joie de vivre, and he teaches her…all
sorts of things!
A marriage of convenience is not always convenient.
The woman needs saving, so he'll save her. A marriage of convenience should suit them both. But don't expect him to trust her or love her in spite of those knee-trembling smiles and bright intelligence. Women of the ton are not to be trusted. But Verity certainly is enticing...
Matthew Monfort has two excellent reasons for loathing members of the ton, but thanks to his father’s machinations, he finds himself inveigled into offering for Lady Verity Tristan. But she needn’t think she’s going to win him over.
Amazon Buy Link MR. MONFORT’S MARRIAGE
Vonnie was born in New Zealand, but she and her husband now live happily in Australia. If you visit Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand, be sure to stroll through the Japanese Garden. These is a bronze plaque engraved with a haiku describing the peacefulness of that environment. The poem was written by Vonnie.
All of Vonnie’s books are available on The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.
Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Goodreads.
