The Infamous Duchess - Trailer

After navigating Shutterstock and downloading Filmora9, I've finally managed to put together the book trailer for The Infamous Duchess. Have a look, read the blurb, and if you're intrigued, please feel free to follow the buy link to your preferred online retailer.

Happy viewing!

A woman with a shocking past… Branded a money-hungry con artist for marrying the elderly Duke of Tremaine days before his death, Viola Cartwright has found refuge in her work at St. Agatha’s Hospital. No one must know the painful reason behind her marriage. She steers clear of attachments—until Henry Lowell, heir to the Viscount Armswell, lands on her operating table after a duel. Charming and wickedly handsome, Lowell is one of London’s most inveterate scoundrels. Yet he may not be all that he appears. And the man who can promise a future filled with love… Posing as an unrepentant rake has helped Lowell avoid women pursuing him only for his title. But now that duty has finally called on him to marry, he finds himself entranced by the mysterious, independent-minded Viola. Then her late husband’s son returns from overseas, contesting Viola’s inheritance. Lowell longs to help her and sets out to convince Viola that a strategic union may be the best way to save all she holds dear. But can he also persuade her to take a chance on love…?

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The Proposition by Judith Ivory

This was a delightful story about a rat-catcher receiving lessons in speech and etiquette from a lady who, in perfect Pygmalion style, transforms him into a gentleman.

Mick Tremore is a man of limited means who makes an honest living for himself by catching rats in shops and homes throughout London. When an incident brings him to the notice of the wealthy Lamont brothers, they instantly view Mick as an opportunity to make a wager. And with proclaimed spinster and linguist, Edwina Bollash present, the scene is quickly set for a fun and fast-paced romance.

I really enjoyed this read. I thought the characters were well crafted and interesting. Ivory did an excellent job of showing Edwina teach Mick how to talk properly and how to behave in polite company until he's finally able to get away with pretending to be a viscount at a ball. And Edwina was the very proper lady who longs to let go a bit and live a little - an endeavor that Mick is more than happy to help her pursue.

Their romance was gradual, initially based on a physical attraction that eventually grew into undeniable love.
A wonderful read that I would highly recommend to any historical romance enthusiast.

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Harlequin Junkie Spotlight & Giveaway

Harlequin Junkie Romance Reviews has kindly invited me for an interview today. We're chatting about The Earl's Complete Surrender so come take a look and post a comment for a chance to WIN an ebook copy of my latest release!

Discover some random facts about this book, when the first kiss takes place and what I have in store for you later this year by clicking HERE

Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires: Exclusive prologue not included in the book

Oakland Manor – 1820

“The carriages are ready,” Lady Oakland said as she entered her husband’s study. Dressed in preparation for their journey to Thorncliff Manor, she’d chosen a comfortable peach-colored gown and was presently pulling on her favorite pair of kid-skin gloves.
“And the children?” Philip, Earl of Oakland asked as he rose from his chair, closed the ledger he’d been updating and came toward her. “Are they ready as well?”
“Fiona keeps returning upstairs in order to fetch one thing or another that she claims to have forgotten,” Lady Oakland said in reference to her youngest daughter who, at the age of eighteen, was still as boisterous as ever, “so I think we should simply decide that it’s time to depart. Besides, the workers we hired are ready to begin on the renovations.”
“Alterations, you mean, considering our home is in perfect condition, save for the small detail that it’s not in the Greek style as you would prefer.”
Stepping forward with a smile, Lady Oakland allowed her husband to pull her into his arms. “You’re very good to me, Philip, there’s no denying that.”
He chuckled lightly as he kissed the top of her head. “The things men do for love…”
Leaning back a little, Lady Oakland gazed up at her husband in adoration. The corners of his eyes creased a great deal more than when they’d married thirty one years prior, and his hair now contained the occasional strand of gray, but he was still as handsome as ever.  “I dare say I only managed to convince you to accept the expense for Spencer’s benefit.”

The Inspiration behind Thorncliff Manor

World building is one of my favorite things when it comes to writing, and in my new series, Secrets At Thorncliff Manor, I've had so many opportunities to be creative. For inspiration, I started out with the general idea of Las Vegas having themed hotels, and then converted this idea into an estate with themed salons. I've looked at numerous pictures of British castles and interesting locations throughout Europe and other parts of the world, combining all of my favorite elements. The result, is the most magnificent guesthouse England has ever seen.
I present to you, Thorncliff Manor.

Owned by Lady Duncaster, an eccentric widow with a penchant for cake, Thorncliff sits firmly upon the English countryside, located between Bournemouth and Portsmouth. Though little of the original structure remains visible, Thorncliff was initially built during the twelfth century by a knight named William Holden. Since then, each generation has expanded on it, creating a vast edifice with a total of 187 rooms, fifty of which are bedchambers. There are eight themed salons decorated in unique styles that pay tribute to some of the wonderful places Lady Duncaster visited with her late husband, like India and China.
 

The conservatory is quite possibly the finest one in Europe, modeled after the orangerie at the Versailles Palace, albeit with more glass to allow for a more outdoors feel. The impressive library, housing a vast variety of books that have been collected over the centuries, is 180 feet in length with comfortable seating arrangements located throughout in order to encourage reading or simply a bit of quiet conversation in good company.
 

Other notable rooms include the smoking room, the dining room (with space for one hundred guests), the gaming room, the ballroom, the music room and the exercise room.

Heading outside onto a sprawling terrace, tables and chairs set amidst potted plants and climbing roses, provide the guests with a wonderfully relaxing environment in which to enjoy their afternoon tea. Seated here, one has a direct view of the front lawn and the lake that lies beyond it. A frigate, now used for outdoor dining, can be seen – it is named The Endurance and was purchased many years ago by the late Lord Duncaster as gift for his wife – a memento since they once traveled aboard it together. To the right of this, is a Chinese pavilion, perfect for enjoying a quiet talk, a cup of tea or a midnight kiss.

Following the lake to the left, one will find the rose garden, and beyond it, an elaborate maze that can take a fair amount of time to get through. On the opposite side of the lake lies the forest, along with other lawns belonging to the estate, the chapel, and a path leading toward a grotto. Of course, no estate of this size and history would be complete without hidden tunnels and passageways, so Thorncliff does have several of those as well, many of which have not yet been explored.
Rumor does have it that a treasure can be found on the estate, but Lady Duncaster isn’t convinced, even though some of her guests are quite determined to find it. Who knows how lucky they’ll be?

 

If you'd like to know more, please visit my website at www.sophiebarnes.com

The first book in the series, Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires, goes on sale April 28th and is available now for pre-order. 

Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires - Character portraits & quotes

It's March 28th and that means only one more month until the first book in my brand new series, Secrets At Thorncliff Manor, goes on sale. It's called Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires and although I haven't really kicked into promo gear just yet - I'm wrestling with another monster at the moment, namely the edits for the second book in this series - I thought I'd give you all a little sneak peak.
The first chapter is available HERE, via my website's Lady Sarah page. Here you will also find a sketch of the Thorncliff estate, as I envision it looking - I'll add another post during April with more details on that, like the history behind it and inspirational pictures that will have you drooling ;D
For now, I present the Heartly family, courtesy of artist Brittany Lounsbury:  www.brittanylounsbury.com as well as a couple of quotes. Let me know what you think!

 

 

 

Mary Fairfax Somerville - Where There's A Will, There's A Way

This remarkable Scotswoman, born on December 26th, 1780, was the daughter of Vice-Admiral, Sir William George Fairfax, and since he was mostly away at sea, Mary was raised primarily by her mother who instilled few restrictions on Mary and made little effort to educate her. Consequently, Mary's father considered his 10-year-old daughter too wild when he returned from sea and made immediate plans to send her to boarding school.  She attended Musselburgh for the duration of one year during which she learned how to read and write. She was also introduced to simple arithmetic while there and was taught a little French. Beyond that, however, she wasn't really encouraged to educate herself since doing so was not considered essential for a girl during the 19th Century. Even so, she still managed to become a renowned and respected mathematician. She also lived to be 91 years old, which I think is absolutely marvelous! Below is a painting of her from the Regency period, and further down you'll find a photograph of her from the Victorian period.

 

Mary's mathematical expertise would develop by chance. Upon her return from Musselburgh, she began reading every book she could find in her home in an effort to continue her education. Yes, she was pretty much self-taught, which makes her achievements even more impressive! As was common at the time, her family criticized her for her efforts, which were not considered appropriate for a young lady. So, to counterbalance this desire she had for learning, she was sent to a school in Burntisland where she was taught needlework - so much more useful, wouldn't you agree?

Thankfully, she did manage to gain support from her uncle in whom she confided that she'd been teaching herself Latin. Rather than scold her for it, he encouraged her, and while visiting him in Jedburgh, he and Mary would read Latin together before breakfast.

When Mary was about thirteen, she moved to Edinburgh for the winter months and continued to socialize in the manner appropriate to a young lady. She learned to play the piano and was also taught to paint by the artist Alexander Nasmyth,

In fact, her painting lessons would introduce her to Euclid's Elements since she happened to overhear the artist explaining how essential it was to understanding perspective in painting to another student. More than that, she was intrigued to discover that it formed the basis for understanding science and astronomy. This was all Mary needed to know in order to embark on her own study of Euclid's Elements, which she did with the help of her younger brother's tutor. She became so engrossed in her studies that her parents worried about her health due to Mary's propensity for studying late at night. They insisted that she discontinue and that she should focus her energy of social functions instead. While Mary maintained a sweet and polite demeanor and was even nicknamed the "Rose of Jedburgh", she did not give up on her mathematical pursuits, but continued her studies in secret.

In 1804, at the age of 24, she married naval officer, Samuel Greig, who did not understand her love of learning and held intellectual women in low esteem. However, to his credit, he made no attempt to interfere with her pursuits.

Following his death in 1807, Mary continued educating herself and surrounded herself with friends who supported her studies. She read many mathematical and astronomical texts, including Newton's Principia and Laplace's Mécanique Céleste. In 1811, she received a silver medal for her solution to a mathematical problem presented in the Mathematical Repository.

In 812, she married her cousin, William Somerville - son of the uncle who'd helped her learn Latin. Unsurprisingly, William was just as supportive of Mary as his father had been and encouraged her to continue. Furthermore, he was also interested in science and the two studied geology together. During this time, Mary's circle of scientific friends expanded and she even met Laplace on a visit to Paris with her husband.

In 1826, Mary published her first paper with the Royal Society, entitled, The magnetic properties of the violet rays of the solar spectrum, and although refuted, the paper was considered to show great promise and attracted much attention at the time. It also lead to a proposal, made by Lord Brougham in 1827 on behalf of the Society, for Mary to translate Laplace's Mécanique Céleste into English.

Mary, however, was unsure of her capabilities, so although she accepted the challenge, she asked that it be kept secret and the work destroyed in the event that it failed to meet expectation.

As it turned out, Mary's concerns were unfounded. Her translation was published as a book in 1831, titled, The Mechanism of the Heavens, and was an immediate success!

Her second book, The connection of the physical sciences, was published in 1834, and it was in the sixth edition of this work that Mary would hypothesize the existence of a planet beyond Uranus, leading John Couch Adams to his discovery of Neptune.

In 1835, Mary and Caroline Herschel were the first women elected as members of the Royal Astronomical Society. She was also elected honorary member of the Société de Physique et d'Histoire Naturelle de Genève in 1834 and to the Royal Irish Academy, testimonies to her rising acclaim.

In 1838, she and her husband moved to Italy where Mary would spend most of the rest of her life. Here, she would write the most important of her publications: Physical Geography, which was published in 1848 and would be studied at schools and universities until the beginning of the 20th Century. As a result of this publication, she was elected to the American Geographical and Statistical Society in 1857 as well as to the Italian Geographical Society in 1870. In 1870, she was awarded the Victoria Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society. 

Given her background and her struggle to receive an education that would enable her to accomplish what she did, it's hardly surprising that she was also a strong supporter of women's education and women's suffrage, and her signature at the top of the petition presented to parliament by British philosopher & economist John Stuart Mill, requesting women's right to vote.

This lady, who earned the respect of so many notable people during her lifetime and who managed to pursue her dreams even when many of those closest to her were unsupportive, died in Naples, Italy, in 1872, and was buried there in the English cemetery.

Ladies Regency Fashion, Layer by Layer.

Now, I realize that the concept of not wearing drawers (or some sort of substitute for panties) may be a difficult concept for some modern women to wrap their heads around, but the fact of the matter is that drawers were not worn  prior to the early 19th Century when Princess Charlotte was seen wearing them (not sure how that came about, but I do know that some of those muslin gowns were practically transparent, so maybe..?) Prior to that, drawers were considered masculine and therefore immodest. Really? So, being completely naked and potentially showing off your backside or worse, if you happened to be unlucky, was supposedly better? Hmm...Not so sure I agree with that rationale, especially not when considering the cartoon below - Rowlandson's Exhibition Stare Case, 1811:

And if they didn't wear panties or drawers, you may be wondering how these women managed their menstruation. Yes, we're totally going to discuss this! As it happens, drawers would not have been of much use in such instances anyway. For example, imagine using sanitary towels with a pair of loose fitting pants. Totally impossible, right? Especially if said pants happen to have an open crotch to allow for bathroom visits. Please see picture below if you don't believe me.

From what I've been able to find, menstruation belts were worn after 1800. Prior to that, it's difficult to know for sure, although findings do suggest that similar devices were used at Queen Elizabeth the First's court .
But before you breathe that sigh of relief, comfortable with the knowledge that the messiness one might expect from a period without accessibility to modern-day sanitary towels or tampons, I must tell you that menstruation belts were not worn by everyone and that many women - especially those from the lower classes - often went without. Yup. That's right.Time to move on...

So, if drawers weren't a common wardrobe staple until somewhere around 1820, then what was? There were several items actually. When women got dressed, they would put on their chemise/shift first. This was a simple linen undergarment that reached to just below the knees. After this came the stays or corset which were used to keep everything above the waist in place. They went around the torso, contained strips of either whalebone or cane and were laced tightly together in the back. If you've seen Gone With The Wind you're probably picturing Mammy doing up Scarlet's stays at the beginning of the movie. Different era, same concept.
At the turn of the 19th Century, they did not necessarily circumvent the entire length of the torso. Some were fitted only across the breasts, similar to a wrap bra, in accordance with the popular empire waistline.

ca.1805

1810-1830: We're back to the more traditional corset look with an hourglass figure

Ankle-length petticoats were also worn and on top of these items went the gowns which consisted of bodices (the top part with a seam running below the breasts) and full length skirts which were oftentimes pleated at the back to allow for extra volume and ease of movement.
If one went out, gloves and bonnets were an absolute must, along with a reticule in which a lady might carry her money, possibly a handkerchief and some small personal items like smelling salts or quizzing glasses.
The complete ensemble would have looked something like this:

So there you have it. I'm sorry if the first part of this de-romanticises (spell-check claims this isn't a word, but it should be so I'm using it!) the heroines in the novels you're reading, but once I sink my teeth into a subject that interests me, I want to understand all aspects of it. Questions or comments? I'd love to hear them so please go ahead and post below. Thanks!

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace - The Founder of Scientific Computing

Even her title demands that I pay her tribute! Her parentage is certainly noteworthy, but she achieved what few women would have been capable of prior to the 20th Century, and became famous in her own right.
Born in London, England, on December 10th, 1815, Ada was only five years old when the Regency Era came to an end as George IV rose to the throne on January 29th 1820. Ada's father, Lord Byron, was a romantic poet - perhaps the most famous one during that period. He was however also a notorious womanizer, which perhaps explains why Ada's mother, Anne Isabelle Milbanke, requested a separation from him only five weeks after Ada had been born - quite a shocking thing to do at that time! But her request was met and she was even granted sole custody of Ada. Since Byron left England when Ada was only four months old and never returned (he died in Greece from a fever he contracted in 1823), she would never meet her famous father.
Terrified that her daughter would follow in Byron's poetical footsteps, Anne deliberately ensured that  Ada would be tutored in mathematics and music. Even so, Ada hoped to be an "analyst and metaphysician," asking of her mother, if you can't give me poetry, can't you give me "poetical science?"
Ada's encounter with Charles Babbage at a dinner party hosted by Mrs. Somerville (a Scottish science writer and polymath with an interest in mathematics and astronomy), would prove to be invaluable. He described to Ada his ideas for the Analytical Engine, which was to be programmed using punched cards.
In 1843, following a lecture given by Babbage on the development of the Analytical Engine in Italy, the Italian mathematician, Menabrea, published an article summarizing Babbage's ideas. By then, Ada had married the Earl of Lovelace (again - fabulous title!) and was the mother of three children under the age of eight.
Upon reading Menabrea's article, Ada took it upon herself to translate it. After showing her work to Babbage, he encouraged her to include her own notes, which turned out to be three times the length of the original article, describing many aspects of computer architecture and programming. Included in her comments were the predictions that such a machine might be used to compose complex music, produce graphics, and that it would be used for both practical and scientific use. Pretty innovative, right?
She also suggested that Babbage make a plan for how the engine might calculate Bernoulli numbers. This plan is now considered the first "computer program".
Unfortunately, her life was brief, and she died from cancer in 1852 at the age of only 36. Neither Babbage or Ada got to see the Analytical Engine fully completed since only a trial model was produced before Babbage's death.
In 1991 the London Science Museum built a working model of Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2, which incorporated some adjustments discovered by Babbage during his work on the Analytical Engine. In 2010, British programmer, John Graham-Cumming began raising funds for the construction of a working model of the Analytical Engine. As far as I can tell, it still hasn't been built, but here's a really fascinating talk (just 12 minutes of brilliance) by Graham-Cumming on the Analytical Engine which will explain exactly how the machine was intended to work.