‘Ravensdale’ by Lucinda Elliot – Just Awarded the B.R.A.G. medallion for Outstanding Self-Published Fiction

I’m celebrating on two accounts. One, I have won a second award. I’ve just heard I’ve won a B.R.A.G medallion for ‘Outstanding Self-Published Fiction’ for my historical romance spoof ‘Ravensdale’. That was a lovely Easter present. Here’s the B.R.A.G award website, for those writers wishing to enter their own work, but even more for those …

A Message of Hope from Kenrick to his many admirers

I have received a couple of requests for another communication from this tedious place in the beyond to which I was summarily ejected, along with my man Arthur Williams by that Scoundrel Emile Dubois. That scoundrel, a murderous ruffian who once lived organising the criminal activities of a group of cut throats in the gutters …

Extract from ‘Ravensdale’ Spoof Regency Romance $0.99 on Amazon

I want to thank everyone who's bought 'Ravensdale' - it makes me very happy that it's selling! For anyone who enjoys the thought of a spoof Regency Romance about highwaymen, spirited runaway heroines, outlawed Earls and underhand cousins with grudges, not to mention the odd ineffectual henchman or so, it's still $0.99 on Amazon.com and …

Loyal Reader Award…

My kind friend, Tersia Berger, who doesn't forget to think of others in her own troubles, which is unusual, nominated me for this award. I wasn't able to copy over the last, but I am very happy to accept this. Thank you, Tersia, I am honoured. The rules are simple. Answer a rhetorical question of …

The Thin Line Between the Gothic and the Absurd

One of the great problems with the Gothic genre, and horror and ghost stories generally, must be the danger of the horrific so easily descending into the ludicrous, just as drama can so easily become melodrama, and pathos become bathetic. I used to be frightened in my early teens by the horror stories of HP …

Liebster Blog Award!

The lovely (see photo, and you'll see) Lauryn April, writer of 'Into the Deep' has nominated me for the Liebster Award. The rules of the Liebster Award are as follows: 1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog and link back to the blogger who presented this award to you. 2. Answer the …

Some thoughts about the Terror…

Here's some jolly pictures pertaining to the execution of aristocrats during the French revolution. That is a of the guillotine used circa 1793, I shouldn't imagine the original was painted red, though I haven't been able to find out... I'm just breaking off here to make a few comments about the historical background to this …

News from Citizen Gilles…

Georges' piratical lieutenant isn't able to make any money by letting Gilles Longlegs know where the blonde Englishwoman has gone. She seems to have vanished completely. A couple of weeks later, Georges is in his room behind the workshop which serves as a necessary cover for his activities, entertaining two women once again (perhaps this …

Southern Georges Revels in Excess ..

Meanwhile, Georges, Emile's companion in roguishness and one time servant, is disporting himself - as usual in his time off from his warlord existence - in female company when he hears the news about Monsieur Gilles' romantic misadventures from one of his lieutenants. He's eating onion soup, and a very voluptuous woman with Titian colouring …

It Would be Writing a Spoiler to Say How Sophie comes to be in Revolutionary Paris…

It would be a spoiler to say how Sophie comes to turn up in Revolutionary Paris in May 1794 (when by all accounts she should be in her older brother John's house in Chester, before being despatched to Plas Uchaf, North Wales) , but anyway, Emile as Monsieur Gilles  meets her and is touched. Very …