tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14479961514405789562024-03-18T04:50:31.643-07:00Grace's Mosaic Moments<center>Grace's Mosaic Moments</center>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.comBlogger568125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-82093107637959764682024-03-16T20:34:00.000-07:002024-03-16T20:34:18.790-07:00The "Beluga" & Gallery of Beauty<p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><i>Grace note:</i> I have been astounded by the number of people from all parts of the globe who were interested in my 2-part "Editing Examples." It was a lot of work, so thank you all for taking the time to look. </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">(Although I'm afraid that means I may have to do it again in the not-too-distant future.) If you missed the posts, they are available in Archives - March 2 & 9, 2024.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">~ * ~ <br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Monday evening, March 11, I saw my first Beluga cargo plane on the TV news. Evidently, it brought a European satellite to Sanford International Airport, only a few miles from my house. (Presumably, its cargo is intended for launch at the Space Center c. 30 miles east of here.)<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was an astonishing sight. The Beluga is aptly named. To take on or unload cargo, the<b> top front half</b> of the plane lifts up, making it look like a whale with jaws open wide enough to swallow a dozen or more Great Whites. I immediately texted Cassidy, our 17-yr-old pilot, to ask if she knew the plane was sitting on a runway almost directly behind her house. Her reply - a photo of the Beluga as it flew over Seminole High School. Evidently, she recognized its uniqueness and managed a photo while walking between classes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A web search tells me the Beluga is manufactured by Airbus. The company did not show a photo of the plane in "open" position, but I've added their photo of the remarkable raised front of this super-sized cargo plane. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Below, Cassidy's photo of the "Beluga" that came to Sanford.<br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZS0KcMbB68rpp51m6iq_-cFifbzpd2GvfwRK94lQBSSXqQ-PBlK37vKrgpXyokQuxlFjS_b9fje0MW6r_7V-XpZ1oaWT8dfddRGMWx-o5vzEvJpGy1sq3LA3ygCQs7DlmdhZNuQ_o9ab1Y3XbBvBJhzbYaGh7wnhNh5t99LctpKb9CwWDeztKi9gDDG_v/s2337/Beluga.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2337" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZS0KcMbB68rpp51m6iq_-cFifbzpd2GvfwRK94lQBSSXqQ-PBlK37vKrgpXyokQuxlFjS_b9fje0MW6r_7V-XpZ1oaWT8dfddRGMWx-o5vzEvJpGy1sq3LA3ygCQs7DlmdhZNuQ_o9ab1Y3XbBvBJhzbYaGh7wnhNh5t99LctpKb9CwWDeztKi9gDDG_v/w296-h640/Beluga.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cassidy's photo<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeBPAGJCzNGkmiMvI0aLhv9dzk3t2WO0cY2fbXVGq6783e1gbA0ir8WDsFn2n9uxLzDvC3A7xzSNMFgVqX5CFkfH6A_i1T6ebUPDRYIRSsr2QDP-XZdl3UFsP2VoUBE7U9e9m4iHAKYLOe1h6koq6cfuWc8795qednrjr_1p71GJjkp0Z48gSKKgBlMSs/s296/Beluga.Airbus.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="296" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeBPAGJCzNGkmiMvI0aLhv9dzk3t2WO0cY2fbXVGq6783e1gbA0ir8WDsFn2n9uxLzDvC3A7xzSNMFgVqX5CFkfH6A_i1T6ebUPDRYIRSsr2QDP-XZdl3UFsP2VoUBE7U9e9m4iHAKYLOe1h6koq6cfuWc8795qednrjr_1p71GJjkp0Z48gSKKgBlMSs/s1600/Beluga.Airbus.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Airbus's Beluga website<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">GALLERY OF EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the very same day the Beluga came to town, a remarkable array of beautiful photos were posted to Facebook. (Most days, I'm lucky if I find one I can use.) This past Monday, it was a case of one gorgeous pic right after another, an odd coincidence that is unlikely to happen again. I am posting them in the order I found them.<br /></span></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4juKUMHIVS0HxI_dq6qVESWkgmVCfwMBgx-JBoT9akH_q_HQ22lmubvL1p6eb1rdkN1LrNoocewp4tpTScKsvqnbHNfSq50K8zIj-0KRKOA2XgfUGlcJsoyFBHVjAjIhb56_S9ke0ikKOvTzwGuDlVtRm9YNcfuMK6quGcjhmkTRsUJnjsH8lOLgK7udX/s896/Patio.Cordoba.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="717" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4juKUMHIVS0HxI_dq6qVESWkgmVCfwMBgx-JBoT9akH_q_HQ22lmubvL1p6eb1rdkN1LrNoocewp4tpTScKsvqnbHNfSq50K8zIj-0KRKOA2XgfUGlcJsoyFBHVjAjIhb56_S9ke0ikKOvTzwGuDlVtRm9YNcfuMK6quGcjhmkTRsUJnjsH8lOLgK7udX/w320-h400/Patio.Cordoba.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patio - Cordoba, Spain</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1x9x5FihC2xzfEqGi5pkJ2leAZF15Un5uSyrmJYO02QZbzuE8nblAgF6HjgF5va8V2iAQNXs4ptAuzC0dMq8cPWf2ItkTxgYGbrdJBdvXJdED2p0PzemeX4bA1zQ_qZF2eDZebBa00OiotfzVlOH1cJ3YLmkvJAxcxEzg8vvNYaJdmNsi6eF_EeAXQXz/s843/Houseboat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1x9x5FihC2xzfEqGi5pkJ2leAZF15Un5uSyrmJYO02QZbzuE8nblAgF6HjgF5va8V2iAQNXs4ptAuzC0dMq8cPWf2ItkTxgYGbrdJBdvXJdED2p0PzemeX4bA1zQ_qZF2eDZebBa00OiotfzVlOH1cJ3YLmkvJAxcxEzg8vvNYaJdmNsi6eF_EeAXQXz/s320/Houseboat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An English narrowboat? - no attribution given<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1_DwPShxdWcr07ilM4u7r7eWy0MasKbitTa_MTaD0Uk9Eql4Khxt9Q-SgcNYc5tfyw-Kt-FYHmXBJ7V0-iKFDSN4AKXqiDKD2ZtsP2KDbo38hzIvcgxs28zriWTIuXg0pDhPTP9r9bD1yW891X6LC7o3dUm5kqXXJM4HI31xyR3eN0fJAQwDkKfCIkwx/s525/DancingTree.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1_DwPShxdWcr07ilM4u7r7eWy0MasKbitTa_MTaD0Uk9Eql4Khxt9Q-SgcNYc5tfyw-Kt-FYHmXBJ7V0-iKFDSN4AKXqiDKD2ZtsP2KDbo38hzIvcgxs28zriWTIuXg0pDhPTP9r9bD1yW891X6LC7o3dUm5kqXXJM4HI31xyR3eN0fJAQwDkKfCIkwx/s320/DancingTree.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing Tree</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5z85wTIDM6pBCSF5eKUGGwBI82ZkhBQJTVKt2yyZvcgiGGUUpX0LII2tz7X6I-dwGWDp3YhQFxAI1HRIss9t7wD7T7AduIV2AnmoYBZFsWgfMOnQw-LIhx5lHlSLSqTHe7FEZ6lj0EGIKejXigKAuYzYqUT-_CWqXomQGnsb3W1N7b8Yatgsh4OrI0lx/s960/RiverScene.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="770" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5z85wTIDM6pBCSF5eKUGGwBI82ZkhBQJTVKt2yyZvcgiGGUUpX0LII2tz7X6I-dwGWDp3YhQFxAI1HRIss9t7wD7T7AduIV2AnmoYBZFsWgfMOnQw-LIhx5lHlSLSqTHe7FEZ6lj0EGIKejXigKAuYzYqUT-_CWqXomQGnsb3W1N7b8Yatgsh4OrI0lx/w321-h400/RiverScene.jpg" width="321" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfront Idyll<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuSolSEvCY03eNiIrXJ-Lke_4qpaiNmSgaKQ22zieiBJbDwpmW9lF5llf4gyzAgE8AM8kwFvOwacOoIf1Rk8f1OeGP0y0mZujW-ZOojpapiY7wh6n19WFEaDy4GAFwpdnLhD5cmKyxjYtn_EX-bjCU0kJN3CrQqWr19n2c3_OUIV5Bxmlx4-IFumJnvho/s705/DreamCottage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuSolSEvCY03eNiIrXJ-Lke_4qpaiNmSgaKQ22zieiBJbDwpmW9lF5llf4gyzAgE8AM8kwFvOwacOoIf1Rk8f1OeGP0y0mZujW-ZOojpapiY7wh6n19WFEaDy4GAFwpdnLhD5cmKyxjYtn_EX-bjCU0kJN3CrQqWr19n2c3_OUIV5Bxmlx4-IFumJnvho/w320-h400/DreamCottage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dream Cottage<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two that perhaps don't fit the "Beautiful" category but were also posted on Monday - and well worth viewing:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWdsnY24pdGn71ipuAjicOpHvP55UrxK0AD8daiD0Tf1Tj_wWwvsCHHYpBWtcQxFgs2r6j3JbqZ-1AScjJazUqD11z5NMRns6ifKz-fD8DPcMJD3YRQQAkTVgMceu6gn0DaaQZHmKlHxEQrISGIObn8Vd028MZoHLHMbHVOfDxBxq52HDQZSoqmJzbOvQ/s640/SunCapture.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWdsnY24pdGn71ipuAjicOpHvP55UrxK0AD8daiD0Tf1Tj_wWwvsCHHYpBWtcQxFgs2r6j3JbqZ-1AScjJazUqD11z5NMRns6ifKz-fD8DPcMJD3YRQQAkTVgMceu6gn0DaaQZHmKlHxEQrISGIObn8Vd028MZoHLHMbHVOfDxBxq52HDQZSoqmJzbOvQ/w319-h400/SunCapture.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capturing the Sun<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik04MgSbW1-Ny8q45E2ORlxYxRZ81U8l_XatIWyI2WQCCQEuHX2OQ8r9_06tb0UNbpbENaLvas_EhkcmQbkj5QGCfnoGMZq9dFllh3BG1n9SFtx6u-VEAkFoqbn1oSz_xZR4klH1jVFnKOgpyRngMf4KSh7iUCVjs8UvGzcfzYktLgKUSVQ7Fs1DsHa87N/s1275/Kitties.Milk.NatlGeo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik04MgSbW1-Ny8q45E2ORlxYxRZ81U8l_XatIWyI2WQCCQEuHX2OQ8r9_06tb0UNbpbENaLvas_EhkcmQbkj5QGCfnoGMZq9dFllh3BG1n9SFtx6u-VEAkFoqbn1oSz_xZR4klH1jVFnKOgpyRngMf4KSh7iUCVjs8UvGzcfzYktLgKUSVQ7Fs1DsHa87N/w265-h400/Kitties.Milk.NatlGeo.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From National Geographic - way back when, as I recall<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> ~ * ~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This week's featured book has a special place in my heart - for some reason this rather poignant Traditional Regency Romance keeps selling month after month, year after year. The only explanation I've come up with - readers are intrigued by the thought of a silent female! (And yes, the heroine manages it for years on end.)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0m9ApsC17jJbzESdXrvSzFGjW3YGjUR8gjUg9Kng_9b_PYENd_LvANmgi_N0Q0A78mOvbERYg4OLo6B9rnFnqBktUZTxh_RmD7pfI7uiRotNf1XkK4IAc9_6zyCRaTtYtzhw6qRDwiIPnP0NMQ9VMKLsOsQtPBxUi0rMQegSn7QrP6hw2rrfjMNaI-fsw/s2700/Lady_SilenceFINAL_14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0m9ApsC17jJbzESdXrvSzFGjW3YGjUR8gjUg9Kng_9b_PYENd_LvANmgi_N0Q0A78mOvbERYg4OLo6B9rnFnqBktUZTxh_RmD7pfI7uiRotNf1XkK4IAc9_6zyCRaTtYtzhw6qRDwiIPnP0NMQ9VMKLsOsQtPBxUi0rMQegSn7QrP6hw2rrfjMNaI-fsw/w266-h400/Lady_SilenceFINAL_14.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p><span>A snowy night; a waif on the doorstep, who doesn't talk. After
agreeing to grant her shelter, Damon Farr goes off to six years of war,
returning determined to be a recluse, only to discover the girl is still
there. And still not talking. Is "the girl the cat dragged in" destined
to be Damon Farr's Sinful Temptation or his Salvation? The odd pair
walk a rocky road before the answer becomes clear.
<br />
<br /><b>Reviews:
</b><br />
<br />"Blair Bancroft can always be counted on to deliver exceptional
characters and/or settings, historical accuracy, unusual plots, and
flawless writing. LADY SILENCE is one more sterling example." <i>Jane
Bowers, Romance Reviews Today
</i><br />
<br />"LADY SILENCE by Blair Bancroft is a splendid Regency romance! The
creative intrigue and alluring characters make this novel a must have." <i>
Nadine St. Denis, Romance Junkies
</i></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-68914303271100477522024-03-09T20:43:00.000-08:002024-03-12T16:10:53.205-07:00EDITING EXAMPLES, Part 2<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x4fMPeMAJBgKXkdgjOkLEvNmWWT9PKAmuO5rvep2EJnoK-un8Xb5uDNOO4mZaT6pUAWtfeNtH_IoqrHjw_g0e-EVqm3yVGiqE6UTv9PMtHKoE3KDpL2XKA1PkPrhwJHlxixxvkJFY6FJB3QtCIxnlCXArVSIeChyL0PkPDHB6b0TxPdNQ5m5vvk3bt9O/s938/Cats.Sheep.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="652" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x4fMPeMAJBgKXkdgjOkLEvNmWWT9PKAmuO5rvep2EJnoK-un8Xb5uDNOO4mZaT6pUAWtfeNtH_IoqrHjw_g0e-EVqm3yVGiqE6UTv9PMtHKoE3KDpL2XKA1PkPrhwJHlxixxvkJFY6FJB3QtCIxnlCXArVSIeChyL0PkPDHB6b0TxPdNQ5m5vvk3bt9O/w278-h400/Cats.Sheep.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Facebook - the UK, I think<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6O1D9BqLsrax28FyE4IGjPbbNXMu7ueLXFIXC5YSF1asrd8B7bqNFbLXUjkb3QCqYkHehdqWrJybDIXxIYGtZJ-9imQeEBXfCKUbn74j1VvEhTgCdzFngVh2Hhxydpf0K6HrL7fSd5O9qqinfP9w4NC6Wlt5yAH6LwQM4x1h27lP-cNt5Fd_o0N_f80cj/s1124/Deer.SusanCoventry3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6O1D9BqLsrax28FyE4IGjPbbNXMu7ueLXFIXC5YSF1asrd8B7bqNFbLXUjkb3QCqYkHehdqWrJybDIXxIYGtZJ-9imQeEBXfCKUbn74j1VvEhTgCdzFngVh2Hhxydpf0K6HrL7fSd5O9qqinfP9w4NC6Wlt5yAH6LwQM4x1h27lP-cNt5Fd_o0N_f80cj/w300-h400/Deer.SusanCoventry3.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another great deer pic from Susan Coventry<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Below, the perfect illustration for a post about Editing:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHLDz554tpHsffDzwvuRfXFcNbQYmkcyS8XaGWBRg-VcxGCXFchC-9e3EN5C047MZChsvq0pfpFS5SNEYWsqYsENUgz-R4W0udYr27QADPSw0DXiMyGkP3vLHJW8BiT4OwE16lHh1J6nxgfNd5MEov3MoMKO-E7t0LLTZy8-Vn-DCDH98J1Ikhm0IfSKW/s720/StoryDraft.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHLDz554tpHsffDzwvuRfXFcNbQYmkcyS8XaGWBRg-VcxGCXFchC-9e3EN5C047MZChsvq0pfpFS5SNEYWsqYsENUgz-R4W0udYr27QADPSw0DXiMyGkP3vLHJW8BiT4OwE16lHh1J6nxgfNd5MEov3MoMKO-E7t0LLTZy8-Vn-DCDH98J1Ikhm0IfSKW/w400-h400/StoryDraft.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">EDITING EXAMPLES, Part 2</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">As an addendum to last week's Simple Fixes: this morning, as I wrote, a quote jumped into my mind—one I had no intention of using, but there it was . . . well, almost. BUT one cannot quote Shakespeare without getting it right. So I had to stop mid-sentence and google: "Henry V speech at Agincourt." And, of course, Wikipedia had it in full. Moral of this story: no matter how sure you are, check to make sure you've got a quote right. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Attribution of quotes? Sometimes you need to let readers know the source of a quote; others, as with Agincourt speech, are so famous I felt I only needed to mention Henry V, not Shakespeare.(I later changed my mind and mentioned Shakespeare. That's why Editing is not a one-time task.)<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Another Quick Fix:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">After registering with the gate-keeper, the three young women eagerly entered the narrow path between thick eight-foot walls of greenery, each determined to find her way to the center of the labyrinth without having to be rescued.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">After registering with the gate-keeper, the three young women entered the narrow path between thick eight-foot walls of greenery. Despite the sun shining overhead, Isabelle felt an odd unease as the leafy walls closed around her.</span><b> </b>[changed to<b> </b>add a bit more atmosphere]<b> <br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <b>Continuing with Insertions rather than simple Substitutions . . .</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snapping back to the moment, the viscount paced across the hall to stand in front of Miss Bainbridge. "I beg your pardon, Miss Bainbridge, for intruding on your life with no warning . . ."<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Snapping back to the moment, the viscount paced across the hall to stand in front of the slight young beauty who seemed to have wilted to the size of a child. "I beg your pardon, Miss Bainbridge, for intruding on your life with no warning . . ."</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">2. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Clearly, she was spoiling for a fight. Isabelle hung her head. The fault was Papa's, the fault was Papa's. He, not Lord Ashton, had done this. But still . . .</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Isabelle hung her head. The fault was Papa's, the fault was Papa's. He, not Lord Ashton, had done this. And yet . . .</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Isabelle's satisfaction with the house's transformation turned grim. No matter how illogical, she doubted she could ever forgive Lord Ashton for gifting his brother with <i>her</i> house. </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">[Juxtaposition & more depth]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">3. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nothing could be settled until <i>he</i> gave his nod of acceptance. Hopefully, along with a word or two of praise before he deigned to reveal her fate. But should she accept his plans for her. . . . ?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">And how horridly unfair that nothing could be settled until <i>he </i>gave his nod of acceptance. Yet in some convoluted twist of thought, she hoped for a word or two of praise before he deigned to reveal her fate. And when he did, should she accept his plans for her. . . . ? </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">[Improved clarity]<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">4. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">A wounded warrior. A wealthy wounded warrior. Though for some mysterious reason, she felt not so much as as quiver of interest.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">A wounded warrior. A wealthy wounded warrior. Though for some mysterious reason, Isabelle felt not so much as a quiver of interest. Had she lived such an isolated life that she could not experience the emotions of other young women? Or . . .</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>Not that!</i> Isabelle exclaimed to herself as a vision of an arrogant but handsome face rose up before her. Ashton. The man who had destroyed her life. </span><i><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Never! </span></i>[Will likely be revised again to<i> </i>something a bit less melodramatic, but a definite improvement over the bare bones of the original]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">5. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">As Isabelle made her way toward the fountain, her attention was caught by the sight of Mrs. Chillworth—a somewhat plump woman of uncertain years who was seldom without a harried look upon her face, accompanied by the son whose oddity plagued her days. She never loosed her firm grip on her son's arm as she steered him, inexorably, toward the same goal as Isabelle's. Where, it was said, she insisted he drink not one, but two glasses each day in the belief that they might effect a magical cure for whatever ailed him. No</span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">t what a young man in his twentie</span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">s could like, Isabelle acknowledged, as she noted the martyred expression upon his face. She could not help but feel sorry for him, even though she suspected it was he who had spied upon them in the maze.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">As Isabelle made her way toward the fountain, her attention was caught by the sight of Mrs. Chillworth—a somewhat plump woman of uncertain years who was seldom without a harried look upon her face, accompanied by the son whose oddity plagued her days. A daily occurrence, according to Laetitia, for it was general knowledge, though spoken of only in whispers, that Hermione Chillworth had convinced herself that drinking not one, but two glasses each day might effect a magical cure for what ailed him. Not what a young man in his twenties could like, Isabelle acknowledged, as she noted the martyred expression upon his face. His mother never loosed her grip on her son's arm as she steered him, inexorably, toward the same goal as Isabelle's. She could not help but feel sorry for him, even though she still suspected it was he who had spied upon them in the maze.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> [better clarity, better phrasing]<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">6. <span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Bath. She was going to live in Bath. Isabelle could scarce believe it.</span> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Bath. She was going to live in Bath. Isabelle could scarce believe it. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>He has found a way to keep you close</i>, her inner voice warned.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>Evil intent under the noses of his mama and grandmama? I think not! </i></span>[<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">use of inner voice to add emphasis]</span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">7. </span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Isabelle rushed to her side, helping her up from the sofa while Lady Ashton continued to glower. Together, they made their slow ascent of the stairs, while the rumors at the Pump Room, the arrival of Gordon, Lord Rutherford, and his nephew, and thoughts of He Who Should Be Scorned all too frequently thrust their way through Isabelle's compassion for her employer.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Isabelle rushed to her side, helping her up from the sofa while Lady Ashton glowered. Together, they made the slow ascent of the stairs, while the rumors at the Pump Room, the arrival of Lord Rutherford and his nephew, and inevitable thoughts of He Who Should Be Scorned thrust their way through Isabelle's compassion for her employer. How was it possible that one vague sighting—albeit by a young lady of the first stare—could set off such a spate of gossip? A pebble initiating ripples that threatened to become a tidal wave. And now, a disturbance in the serenity of Laura Place. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">What next? </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">[an addition to add color & emphasize the drama]</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">8. <b> Extensive Revision. </b>In one section of my fifteen chapters of revision, I basically tore apart two pages, hand-writing an insert that took up both sides of a legal page, and heavily revising the paragraphs that remained. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence, but sometimes there is no easy fix; a change of word, a revised sentence or paragraph simply will not do. And tough as it is, you have to knuckle down and find a way to fix it. </span><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">~ * ~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This week's featured book:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy50yzWBqWQr2TicevaoCvEWGi5PFvqm3pCGSy-LsxnUbVW7ulVWifwHe4zF8_Esl2Vrl_Len1-B29y46oWPKDfF6v_OTtUI5cjV03MrtPo5jLVmirVhM9yzpIMOc4KAWhrrrGfaOe8KGCvH1TnGs77JZsEXWCplDu6KqUguloYkix95n1MAAmJT6q-I9/s2700/Steeplechase%2010%20FINAL%20Somerset%20House.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy50yzWBqWQr2TicevaoCvEWGi5PFvqm3pCGSy-LsxnUbVW7ulVWifwHe4zF8_Esl2Vrl_Len1-B29y46oWPKDfF6v_OTtUI5cjV03MrtPo5jLVmirVhM9yzpIMOc4KAWhrrrGfaOe8KGCvH1TnGs77JZsEXWCplDu6KqUguloYkix95n1MAAmJT6q-I9/w266-h400/Steeplechase%2010%20FINAL%20Somerset%20House.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span>Two young people marry for reasons less than love, only to
discover their false expectations plunge them into a steeplechase of
misadventures, one coming close to ending their marriage before it's
really begun.
<br />
<b><br />Reviews:</b>
<br />
<br />"I had a great time reading this very engrossing and funny Regency
Romance. . . . The author is very well versed with the era and its
environs from London to Brighton, and the people and customs as well.
This is the kind of Regency that I love to read." <i>Maura, Coffee Time
Romance</i>
<br />
<br />"This novel is filled with witty dialogue and plenty of amusing
moments. I found myself laughing out loud several times. I especially
loved the interactions between Sarah and Harlan and the interactions
between them and their family and friends. This story left me feeling
good." <i>Christi</i></span><span><i>na, Romance Junkie</i> <i>Reviews
</i><br />
<br />"I really loved this book. . . . [It] reminded me of why I started
to read romance to begin with. Boy has to get married. Boy then ignores
girl. Girl gets back at boy by being as outrageous as possible and leads
him for a 'Steeplechase' with all kinds of obstacles in his way to get
his attention. Boy realizes that, yes, he does love the girl! And a
happy ending. Enjoy!" <i>Karen, Ecatromance
</i></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p style="text-align: left;"></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-12715638745114415052024-03-02T12:36:00.000-08:002024-03-07T06:38:26.555-08:00EDITING EXAMPLES, Part 1<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My son sent me this photo a few days ago, wondering how my name was on a tackle box that looked like it should belong to my father, an avid fisherman. Big Moment of Nostalgia. That is my make-up box from a thousand years ago when I was touring with the National Company of <i>The Sound of Music. Wow! </i></span><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BaH09S9jawTHPLAoSpR7Igj3JcBqW84VxVSMNh5WVdfP1mA5limwD8RnA-sVIUi2NlcUeSU5DZoVxE9YTp9TNEhuwf3sPFRBeeflltWh4tYE0Z4qK54kfbhaaipTLJs0ZGL28qzaOMTjExY_kQ-lQctv_FKqAS2cSraNkSn6_v9Y10ohU_Vn__nWc2wH/s1080/Make-upCase.1962.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BaH09S9jawTHPLAoSpR7Igj3JcBqW84VxVSMNh5WVdfP1mA5limwD8RnA-sVIUi2NlcUeSU5DZoVxE9YTp9TNEhuwf3sPFRBeeflltWh4tYE0Z4qK54kfbhaaipTLJs0ZGL28qzaOMTjExY_kQ-lQctv_FKqAS2cSraNkSn6_v9Y10ohU_Vn__nWc2wH/w400-h300/Make-upCase.1962.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cx9lOefDx3V2FkpPg-hHhMKlIhfFvhGM3ooG7B0iK73hlg7iIjTXvTMEE2Dy7Yumk17dTDhYZDPkZa4-l8y5SflbfaEWHZZLM0UxxMGkv8PPT_Vnzl4Wz-qY3Mwuz-PJilbcgoczlVfu1N030nPAzxWjs23fBnKX25mS7l_X7bHRgWvyg2A-yUKBddnT/s698/Cat.Chair.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="526" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cx9lOefDx3V2FkpPg-hHhMKlIhfFvhGM3ooG7B0iK73hlg7iIjTXvTMEE2Dy7Yumk17dTDhYZDPkZa4-l8y5SflbfaEWHZZLM0UxxMGkv8PPT_Vnzl4Wz-qY3Mwuz-PJilbcgoczlVfu1N030nPAzxWjs23fBnKX25mS7l_X7bHRgWvyg2A-yUKBddnT/w301-h400/Cat.Chair.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No caption needed<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBKfQ0cwP-az71lLENUWeDpLcOVPSAYZGGVqYnS6ipAPE3jd34DUQnO7LG2svr1MRkSjZbNePM8lvAsWILjKzcockSWTNlFahi9EZqoMXOgPFODxfmZoEprjlEIbFkJ2ZqB_8zxFLgHcyGfDxyBv02B0wjJwbt7WD8kV1vtZ4SItvFDIIIGqJmrk0Q2ZP/s810/PorcupineCar.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="810" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBKfQ0cwP-az71lLENUWeDpLcOVPSAYZGGVqYnS6ipAPE3jd34DUQnO7LG2svr1MRkSjZbNePM8lvAsWILjKzcockSWTNlFahi9EZqoMXOgPFODxfmZoEprjlEIbFkJ2ZqB_8zxFLgHcyGfDxyBv02B0wjJwbt7WD8kV1vtZ4SItvFDIIIGqJmrk0Q2ZP/s320/PorcupineCar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porcupine Car<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BfNpRabVCHc5l7w8IUXdgz-Cf-6zKdiPrertcjvBri6yvKmSZ8zct9EPBw-eECP3Zvf_-OaJV_O2cietJ71WlgVCHTI8nn8fiZR01lTrpkneabXnV30oXemp1-m_d_D6c_fPOOozZjbQESWGv_3haKos27E-6mItnKxLRC0WfBNqXwXUS_BUY4_F4K2p/s720/Turtle.mark.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="720" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BfNpRabVCHc5l7w8IUXdgz-Cf-6zKdiPrertcjvBri6yvKmSZ8zct9EPBw-eECP3Zvf_-OaJV_O2cietJ71WlgVCHTI8nn8fiZR01lTrpkneabXnV30oXemp1-m_d_D6c_fPOOozZjbQESWGv_3haKos27E-6mItnKxLRC0WfBNqXwXUS_BUY4_F4K2p/s320/Turtle.mark.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oops!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This past week the Citrus Singers received their biggest cheer ever from Hockey fans in Orlando. (Love the Boy Scout who somehow snuck into the photo.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVtUKKHVzZxqrdDWLb_1hBTVrhCmH05PJHB8MXbiDce7nz__AuiIlgdPJoLk26DoDbtnCrpIsVMRh-v4jRTxNqwXmOukYxld-2Vh5Q067zwSxL8yKKA8F4ohhWecwerTqggngSgHcfVSeKn0I9dYGmYu6MxzVdpTg2rQ635yspYaqEtIDbElM-KQX-GpZ/s2048/CS.BS.Hockey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="2048" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVtUKKHVzZxqrdDWLb_1hBTVrhCmH05PJHB8MXbiDce7nz__AuiIlgdPJoLk26DoDbtnCrpIsVMRh-v4jRTxNqwXmOukYxld-2Vh5Q067zwSxL8yKKA8F4ohhWecwerTqggngSgHcfVSeKn0I9dYGmYu6MxzVdpTg2rQ635yspYaqEtIDbElM-KQX-GpZ/w400-h309/CS.BS.Hockey.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">EDITING EXAMPLES<br /></span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I finished <i>Making Magic With Words</i>, a compilation of ten years of posts on Writing and Editing, I swore that was it. I might do an occasional post on those topics, but no more "itty-bitty nitty-gritty." BUT . . .</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The problem is, as I read over my recent post, "Why I Love Editing," it occurred to me that there are still beginners out there, so new to the art of writing that they need a bit more detail to nudge them along. I could almost hear a wail of, "What does she mean by 'add color'?" So . . . <span style="color: red;">this post is strictly for newbies </span>- or for those who are only thinking about writing something for publication. (Unless authors who have fought a round or two want to read along, nodding their heads as they go.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>FYI, "adding color" simply means making what you wrote more vivid, making your words catch a reader's attention, instead of being same-old, same-old.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Editing Examples" will be in two parts. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Part I: the Simple Fixes. </span><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">1. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">warm bread</span> became <span style="color: #ff00fe;">melt-in-your-mouth bread</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">2. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Miss Coleraine, eager for her new friend to enjoy</span> became <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Miss Coleraine, beset by a mischievous desire for her new friend to enjoy . . .</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">3. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Well . . . perhaps with a male escort by her side </span>became <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Well, perhaps with a male escort by her side, she would not be so squeamish.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Tightening while adding Clarification & a Plot Hint:</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">4. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">The</span> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">stone wall, invisible from the Crescent, allowed an unobstructed view of Bath, while preventing any cows or sheep that might have been allowed to graze upon the grass from wandering into the path of Bath's most illustrious citizens.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">The stone wall, four or five feet high and invisible from the Crescent, allowed an unobstructed view of Bath, while preventing cows or sheep from wandering into the path of Bath's most illustrious citizens. A remarkable invention, the ha-ha. Unless one did not closely watch where the walkway abruptly ended, resulting in a plunge to the close-scythed grass below.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Juxtaposition:</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">5. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Isabelle peeked out as they crossed Pulteney Bridge . . . </span>became <span style="color: #ff00fe;">As they crossed Pulteney Bridge, Isabelle peeked out . . .<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Transition Problem: <br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">6. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Thus saving her from any lingering thoughts of Jared, Lord Ashton. </span>[too abrupt end of scene]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Thus
distracting her from all-too-frequent thoughts of Jared, Lord Ashton.
Thoughts she banished the moment they popped into her mind. Ashton might
have the face and figure of a prince straight out of a fairytale but,
in truth, he was the Beast, not the Hero.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i style="color: #ff00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">You are forgetting how the fairytale ends.</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Is</span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">abelle grimaced. Ashton was in London—where he could stay forever and ever. Beast, indeed!</span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Grace note: </span></i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">The above addition to "smoothe out" the transition from one scene to the next will undoubtedly be edited several times again, but hopefully this version will serve as a warning not to end a scene so abruptly that your readers are saying, "Huh?" instead of eagerly moving on to see what happens in the next scene.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Other Simple Fixes:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">7. A simple <span style="color: #2b00fe;">"Yes?"</span><b> </b>became <span style="color: #ff00fe;">"Yes?" Isabelle urged when Ashton paused. </span>[Adding a tag added to the clarity of the dialogue.]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">8. <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Yet another death white-washed of any hint of violence </span>remained the same but only after I checked the Oxford English Dictionary to see if the expression was used in the Regency. And yes, it is far older than Regency England.]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">9. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">. . . directly beside the hot springs that had made Bath famous</span> became <span style="color: #ff00fe;">directly beside the hot springs that spawned a city on the banks of the Avon. </span>[a change made simply because I liked it better) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Entire paragraph rewrite (more next week):</b> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">10. <i> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">And how do we know that is not exactly what they are doing?</span></i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Isabelle demanded of the whisper inside her head that seemed determined to point out that initial impressions might well be flawed. But before she could be caught in a backwash of guilt for her stubborn determination to think the worst of Lord Ashton, she was enveloped in the chatter of the crowd in the Pump Room, settling Lady Blessington at table, while Lady Ashton swept off to begin her customary round of greeting friends and acquaintances, a select group that inevitably included Colonel Everard Sherbrooke.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">And
how do we know that is not exactly what they are doing? Isabelle
demanded of the whisper inside her head that seemed determined to point
out that initial impressions might well be flawed. But any twinges of
guilt she might have felt over her stubborn determination to think the
worst of Lord Ashton were obliterated by the chatter of the crowd in the
Pump Room, plunging Isabelle back to their customary routine. She
settled Lady Blessington at a table, while Lady Ashton swept off to
begin her near-daily round of greeting friends and acquaintances—a
select group that inevitably included Colonel Everard Sherbro</span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">oke.</span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> [original paragraph too run-on, lacking clarity]<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">~ * ~<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">This week's featured book:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpIjhQ_636Ecxgzx4SRHlYTVny65S2b6x7N1hjoXVMZqo5p_FSeLgBEHla31QNVqrO9Hc5LQySxFGKMc3EETK41h_QtfOTC9rFDQOgnQFNkvS7ZymJUzJ9abmawvYW9kA9G-89muj12yqrXgshpgjg8dRSoKb3fX1rcjgBVjk7tFaQ92R7YCxgofHf6ps/s2700/Welshman's%20Bride%2005%20Final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpIjhQ_636Ecxgzx4SRHlYTVny65S2b6x7N1hjoXVMZqo5p_FSeLgBEHla31QNVqrO9Hc5LQySxFGKMc3EETK41h_QtfOTC9rFDQOgnQFNkvS7ZymJUzJ9abmawvYW9kA9G-89muj12yqrXgshpgjg8dRSoKb3fX1rcjgBVjk7tFaQ92R7YCxgofHf6ps/w266-h400/Welshman's%20Bride%2005%20Final.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span>Although it seems likely she is being married for the magnificence
of her dowry, Jocelyn Hawley accepts an offer of marriage from a
Welshman. And quickly discovers she is as unprepared for marriage as she
is for her new family—a mother-in-law who insists on living in Wales'
Medieval past and a sister-in-law who seems to be trying to get rid of
her. Jocelyn is also plagued by the problem of her husband's mistress
and a series of disastrous incidents—some potentially lethal—that dog
her footsteps. As she grows more alienated from her husband, who barks
at her to "grow up," she finds herself the classic stranger in a strange
land. Where it appears someone is trying to kill her.
<br />
</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">~ * ~</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-73653022130323963312024-02-17T12:53:00.000-08:002024-02-26T13:55:08.121-08:00Why I Love Editing - Installment 1001<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[Next Post - March 2 - Editing Examples]</span> </b></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> <span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;">Why Editing is essential! </span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;">(see pic below)</span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"> </span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJBUG6T_ik7IaTs1IEwOpDJFuxOBPokHKiJYFAcDtYlR2JtXIjdHY9N_uZyFd851dUXtTeVBWGabaDyGi5zR6R6U22BH7U6657QwmXNpoZSPm0sHVVg7pJxlKcamgnmRQTdzz09O4aNca91syuhPGHk6L_JixdYZWL2FfgXwfxMvJNn0vm_-nmqasOqP6/s720/RoastBeef.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="720" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJBUG6T_ik7IaTs1IEwOpDJFuxOBPokHKiJYFAcDtYlR2JtXIjdHY9N_uZyFd851dUXtTeVBWGabaDyGi5zR6R6U22BH7U6657QwmXNpoZSPm0sHVVg7pJxlKcamgnmRQTdzz09O4aNca91syuhPGHk6L_JixdYZWL2FfgXwfxMvJNn0vm_-nmqasOqP6/w400-h333/RoastBeef.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A slight interruption for some kitty pics . . .</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dh5I-X2b8ZMN_pk8gsHxKBrxa-6X4fEKaDlctflQN2B9BzZFyCCizb08SAoJkPPtUDyT4zSvl2yxfzAJVNk03wG_8TaAi9ri5FA6kijc4yKWSEcbkA2CB9Y1HyqhPvG9Ud_rfdmTMiNuLeYjMLw6bNT_ZmdxCQ1-RoxlwHE9Yi-TOW8vpUzn9M3JIx7I/s523/FreeKitten.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="460" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dh5I-X2b8ZMN_pk8gsHxKBrxa-6X4fEKaDlctflQN2B9BzZFyCCizb08SAoJkPPtUDyT4zSvl2yxfzAJVNk03wG_8TaAi9ri5FA6kijc4yKWSEcbkA2CB9Y1HyqhPvG9Ud_rfdmTMiNuLeYjMLw6bNT_ZmdxCQ1-RoxlwHE9Yi-TOW8vpUzn9M3JIx7I/w351-h400/FreeKitten.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho84J8qkxZfC32DvUvXqpXgXSHU-ZoX_144TaQv_IP4Nnw-u9TUv-F110JgSa3CxMPbJ1-oNo_sOlSQKp_UIpkLZIpm3jiuWJxvYtfC6OFTNONEEosQmvyzfiFB4SyjIaLtQbgEt53mmjLwHdxSLMOQCKmd_IYLTT6iodc5JkYsQ0jVruDvT_p2Wwd8qpH/s960/PurrfectValentine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="789" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho84J8qkxZfC32DvUvXqpXgXSHU-ZoX_144TaQv_IP4Nnw-u9TUv-F110JgSa3CxMPbJ1-oNo_sOlSQKp_UIpkLZIpm3jiuWJxvYtfC6OFTNONEEosQmvyzfiFB4SyjIaLtQbgEt53mmjLwHdxSLMOQCKmd_IYLTT6iodc5JkYsQ0jVruDvT_p2Wwd8qpH/w329-h400/PurrfectValentine.jpg" width="329" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purr-fect Valentine</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaAtYMxYXQypCPOCb376vhPCtE37-bsTa8kFGI8thEgIuzaDdKIchGkmY9Kz23hmGoXS4TuBqqx3-m9tYQVJNEIAtLQpnbtT6nrUTArGvTdng810dDqRDkPHRnsSe5SdWcksWhlxuHNSaFHR8GXGtZQqFf4UTUmGdChEAW5doxv_0PqDC8ffXiHvilp3s/s900/TunaOil.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaAtYMxYXQypCPOCb376vhPCtE37-bsTa8kFGI8thEgIuzaDdKIchGkmY9Kz23hmGoXS4TuBqqx3-m9tYQVJNEIAtLQpnbtT6nrUTArGvTdng810dDqRDkPHRnsSe5SdWcksWhlxuHNSaFHR8GXGtZQqFf4UTUmGdChEAW5doxv_0PqDC8ffXiHvilp3s/w300-h400/TunaOil.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last oil change - tuna oil?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAICWMHPevMxhMgjcpnthXrPW9cOdeKl88mOEmrNotDZ7xEcs92WJe9UYiXH4I7OVoNUeFTXcrord0CYaFxPTx-Fez8K-yx6UZz-cxxowNsRUq9Xdzuv6LKxFrBcBsPZq3hClz-Hx6lpc7eEXy5Rpjy40kRoQ1Rw-nzR3BjeSdFZYkOj_uVMixtysVXVyu/s960/ViolinCat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="775" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAICWMHPevMxhMgjcpnthXrPW9cOdeKl88mOEmrNotDZ7xEcs92WJe9UYiXH4I7OVoNUeFTXcrord0CYaFxPTx-Fez8K-yx6UZz-cxxowNsRUq9Xdzuv6LKxFrBcBsPZq3hClz-Hx6lpc7eEXy5Rpjy40kRoQ1Rw-nzR3BjeSdFZYkOj_uVMixtysVXVyu/s320/ViolinCat.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span><br /></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>WHY I LOVE EDITING</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">No, this is not a repeat of previous posts - just ideas that surfaced as I started an edit of Chapters 1-15 of my latest book, <i>The Abandoned Daughter</i>. My father—an educator who taught math and science and even coached football in a tiny Nebraska high school, before deciding to get a Masters degree in Education from Harvard, and moving his family all the way to Boston to do so—always said that it took at least three repetitions for any topic to be remembered by students. So . . . here are a few more words on one of my all-time favorite subjects.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>A Caveat right up front . . .</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">There are likely as many ways to write as there are writers. I just want to be sure every author, particularly newbies, understand that. Too often, "rules" are laid down with such authority by one faction that newbies think they MUST follow that way of doing things, missing out on other methods that might work better for them. So, as much as I am "sold" on my way of editing, keep in mind that it might not be what works best for you. As an example of what I mean:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">There is a school of thought that says, "Get through the draft as fast as you can. Do not pause, forge straight through to "The End." I would go stark, raving mad if I did this. I do a LOT of editing as I go. If faced with edits for an entire manuscript all at once, I'd probably throw up my hands and toss the whole thing. In addition, I build every scene on what has gone before, and in the course of editing after each chapter and again after each section, I add a great deal of "meat" that affects what comes after. If I did not edit-as-I-go, I would have nothing but bare bones with many great ideas left by the wayside, never to be resurrected.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>So why do I love editing?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1. The sheer joy of discovering that what I wrote works. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">[And then there's the shock of discovering a chapter is an "Aargh!" instead of a Wow! (See # 2.)]<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">2. The satisfaction of finding the parts that are wrong and having the opportunity to fix them before they compound into something too complex to change—a problem that can result in a mediocre book or the necessity of throwing the baby out with the bathwater; i.e., chucking the whole thing.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">3. And, yes, I enjoy the challenge of #2. Sometimes the fix is easy, no more than adding or deleting a few words. And sometimes the fix requires revising an entire sentence or paragraph. But again, the satisfaction of finding a way to improve the original is well worth the time and effort.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>A few of the thousand things included in Editing:</b> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1. <u>Adding words, phrases</u>, whole sentences or paragraphs to make my work more clear, more colorful, more original. To better describe characters and settings, to drop plot hints here and there, etc., etc.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">2. <u>Deleting words, phrases</u>, whole sentences, and occasional paragraphs to tighten the manuscript, make it easier to read.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">3. <u>Finding places where I thought I was being perfectly clear</u>, only to discover I left the point in my head, rather than putting it on the page where it belonged. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">4. <u>Looking for facts I forgot to check.</u> For example, in my Work-in-Progress, <i>The Abandoned Daughter</i>, I frequently refer to the weir on the River Avon below Pulteney Bridge, and it finally occurred to me I had no idea if this weir existed in the Regency. Oops! I had grave doubts that Google could provide an answer to such an obscure question, but when I asked, there it was, right in the headline—I didn't even have to click on the article. The weir below Pulteney Bridge was built in the 1770s. Wow!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">5. <u> Checking the <i>Oxford English Dictionary</i></u><i> </i>to make sure the words I use are correct for the period. (This is particularly important for American authors writing Regency—it's so very easy to let an Americanism creep in.)<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">6. <u>Fixing the itty-bitties</u>—typos and missed punctuation </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Summary.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">When Editing is complete (each round of it to the point of<i> ad nauseum</i>!)<b>, </b>I experience the immense satisfaction of knowing my characters and settings are more vivid, my plot more complex and intriguing<b>. </b>That I've climbed another rung in the ladder on the way to presenting a book people will enjoy reading.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><b>I cannot emphasize too strongly: Unless you are one of the very few who get it right the first time—and they do exist (maybe 1 % of us)—Editing is what raises a book from ordinary to good, possibly to brilliant. That has been my mantra since I began this blog in 2011: EDIT, EDIT, EDIT! Then do it all again.</b> </span> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> <br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>GOOD LUCK & BEST WISHES</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>FOR A POLISHED, PROFESSIONAL MANUSCRIPT! </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This week's featured book is aimed primarily at new authors - a compilation of ten years of posts on </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Writing and Editing (2011-2021), all neatly organized by category for easy reading.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zq2Bifkhepay-Qoovl9Us8-IZMILZ-w2hYg4TaY1COH6exAZTkvOQB1wQEZzvIVemABgJd7J18qsDKh3D3-GF68NDNzwk6_FFylhXKvzXWzJS169PSb88EH-J1VYt7-374WEgAX3Hs1Fv0CXWpS9aJS8Qur0FLCNH3a-JdVE9wDXFV3k-JZEE5OBPkNf/s2700/MakingMagicFinal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zq2Bifkhepay-Qoovl9Us8-IZMILZ-w2hYg4TaY1COH6exAZTkvOQB1wQEZzvIVemABgJd7J18qsDKh3D3-GF68NDNzwk6_FFylhXKvzXWzJS169PSb88EH-J1VYt7-374WEgAX3Hs1Fv0CXWpS9aJS8Qur0FLCNH3a-JdVE9wDXFV3k-JZEE5OBPkNf/w266-h400/MakingMagicFinal.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1111; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><b> Grace note:</b></i></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1111; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><b> </b> </i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although a few of the topics are now outdated by upgrades, most of the articles are as valid as the day they were written, and hopefully will be helpful to any author struggling through the throes of learning the how-to's of putting satisfying words on the page.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1111; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i> </i></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1111; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>MAKING MAGIC WITH WORDS</i> offers easy-to-understand advice on Writing, Editing, and a wide variety of Publishing topics—206,000+ words designed to get you started on your writing project, support you every step along the way, and advise you on what comes after "The End." Topics range from choosing a genre to the difference between an editor and a copyeditor. From how to develop your characters to the nitty-gritty of punctuation. From Point of View, Hooks, and Show vs. Tell to helpful aids like ASCII codes, Microsoft codes, and how to work with Track Changes. From "Edit the Blasted Book" to Where and How to submit. MAKING MAGIC WITH WORDS also includes step-by-step instructions on many of those tricky little technical problems we have to cope with in the Age of Computers, such as how to change manual tabs to automatic.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1111; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>MAKING MAGIC WITH WORDS</i> is a compilation of ten years of blog posts on Writing and Editing, which first appeared on Grace's Mosaic Moments and are now organized by topic under three major headings: Writing, Editing, and Random Thoughts. The author was trained as a teacher, spent more than thirty-five years as an editor, and a quarter century as an award-winning author. Blair Bancroft has published more than fifty novels, including Regency (Traditional, Historical, and Gothic), Suspense, Mystery, and SciFi. Additional information can be found at www.blairbancroft.com.</span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">~ * ~</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p> </p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-47949224783635764442024-02-03T20:29:00.000-08:002024-02-13T09:02:38.289-08:00Easy Recipes to Impress<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><b>Next post - Saturday, February 17. </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><b>Topic - a new look at Why I Love Editing</b></span><br /></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">This week's gallery . . .</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh163hYWbQlXwmIeWikaw_fTdr4c8Eg5q_To5Td8SP6AhRKHKgyaU_3JVsOzEqCbMZ3G08O3BIgAuA2sf4hpRrkQOM0qytIIyDJXDwgxsNnsS_q6E-vFJ7lca76oDjNPWYmBdCEDezWPtS5uofZqeDqNUzld364Ae454mRxTpGye_2HgDIPlHDrLTr-nPNQ/s701/Catillac.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="526" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh163hYWbQlXwmIeWikaw_fTdr4c8Eg5q_To5Td8SP6AhRKHKgyaU_3JVsOzEqCbMZ3G08O3BIgAuA2sf4hpRrkQOM0qytIIyDJXDwgxsNnsS_q6E-vFJ7lca76oDjNPWYmBdCEDezWPtS5uofZqeDqNUzld364Ae454mRxTpGye_2HgDIPlHDrLTr-nPNQ/w300-h400/Catillac.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Facebook - titled "Catillac"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcwcu2W06rXu-l94OuuhrUBxywFX85A_CoD-WWgXkOMJmzbe9Zk1SSmVucZc73yJXij4r_v-CTYV7kyzOCyGZ4901LJ9oJ2JW7magOWURYGh01vQb_fUgc_0Bdr0fgAlWjYn8GsJbvrSLsLUZTQTUvjdnOkQtGB7RPZjCxsi22VUfPTGmiCkUhyphenhyphen2L8Sif/s901/Aurora.Norway.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcwcu2W06rXu-l94OuuhrUBxywFX85A_CoD-WWgXkOMJmzbe9Zk1SSmVucZc73yJXij4r_v-CTYV7kyzOCyGZ4901LJ9oJ2JW7magOWURYGh01vQb_fUgc_0Bdr0fgAlWjYn8GsJbvrSLsLUZTQTUvjdnOkQtGB7RPZjCxsi22VUfPTGmiCkUhyphenhyphen2L8Sif/w320-h400/Aurora.Norway.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remarkable aurora from Tromso, Norway<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft9YMBeTiFlpcH7Z9mCDQfhrkJhXCAspDhFp124msLd2PpL9aQ3aabt-2ZGHVhxspa0Jm4bsswvC2A5ydB88OEXBP0MCIxUWMf0r9h4UTYGAQcJLEd9Oq6V24XSaohbfqwiGM6E2TFT2Jfoxyd8ILeh1P0KKE6XkgUxwkQ5LCgagr_Xd-nX-TfIoCNd_j/s960/DeerMultiple.SC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="758" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft9YMBeTiFlpcH7Z9mCDQfhrkJhXCAspDhFp124msLd2PpL9aQ3aabt-2ZGHVhxspa0Jm4bsswvC2A5ydB88OEXBP0MCIxUWMf0r9h4UTYGAQcJLEd9Oq6V24XSaohbfqwiGM6E2TFT2Jfoxyd8ILeh1P0KKE6XkgUxwkQ5LCgagr_Xd-nX-TfIoCNd_j/w316-h400/DeerMultiple.SC.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another great deer pic from Susan Coventry<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCuHjToybPQElquRuyEtWJo4S45QFSZqovQdUoBKC9GkxZQIhzuVObFwTR8qUBOTE6Pe-QSBrbxJcoPZp-0pAKEnAUFSoAdG30KCBGfwMPFXrmAJd0r-BK5o7bMC9XJEGZkaysEiqt-jvjQE5SHXoWR-lTcIQzBsriTVRYzvRTk4fTUuKg6UdEh2kpSLz/s927/Sunset2024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCuHjToybPQElquRuyEtWJo4S45QFSZqovQdUoBKC9GkxZQIhzuVObFwTR8qUBOTE6Pe-QSBrbxJcoPZp-0pAKEnAUFSoAdG30KCBGfwMPFXrmAJd0r-BK5o7bMC9XJEGZkaysEiqt-jvjQE5SHXoWR-lTcIQzBsriTVRYzvRTk4fTUuKg6UdEh2kpSLz/w318-h400/Sunset2024.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Jim Ahlenslager<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>EASY RECIPES TO IMPRESS</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">More than twenty years ago, I created a cookbook for my daughter, daughter-in-law, and my oldest son's significant other of the time. A huge job of type, cut, paste onto the pages of three blank cookbooks. But, lo these many years later, when I wanted to create a cookbook for the grandgirls, I simply didn't have the patience for all that cut & paste, so the girls got a cumbersome ringbinder with 8½x 11 pages, each encased in plastic. (At least it's not likely to get lost!) Today, I am sharing a few of the easiest recipes from this book—again, a lazy maneuver as all I have to do is Copy in "Cookbook2021" and paste to Blog!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Apologies. </b>There are no pictures. Many of the recipes date back to well before Smart Phones made it easy to reproduce pictures. But I can guarantee the recipes are tried and true. The best I've discovered over the years. Enjoy!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>ASPARAGUS AND GRAPE SALAD</b><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />A simple but delicious accompaniment to any dinner.<br /><br />1 lb. asparagus, trimmed & cut into 1-2" pieces<br />2 cups seedless green grapes, cut in half lengthwise<br />½ cup chopped red onion<br />2 tablespoons fresh tarragon<br />2 tablespoons basamic vinegar<br />1 tablespoon olive oil<br /><br />Blanch asparagus in a large skillet of boiling water, 1 minute. Drain; rinse in cold water; drain again.<br /><br />Arrange asparagus on a serving plate. Mix remaining ingredients and spoon over asparagus.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">****</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><b>BACON & MOZZARELLA CRESCENT ROLLS</b><br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled<br />Mozzarella sticks*<br />1 can Crescent rolls<br />Chives, fresh or dried (optional)<br /><br />1. Cook bacon until crisp, then chop or crumble it.<br /><br />2. Preheat oven to 375°,<br /><br />3. Cut 4 mozzarella sticks in half, crosswise.<br /><br />4. Unroll dough. Separate triangles along perforations.<br /><br />5. Place about a tablespoon of bacon on the wide end of each triangle, then top with cheese stick. Roll up and seal the edges so cheese doesn’t ooze out.<br /><br />6. Place seam down on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with dried chives, if desired.<br /><br />7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.<br /><br /><br />*Pepper-Jack cheese can also be used for this recipe.<br /><br /><br /><i>Special note:</i> Unlike Pepperidge Farm biscuits, crescent rolls do not reheat well in the microwave. They go limp and gooey, so to keep leftovers crisp, reheat in the oven.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">****</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>ROAST HAM & VEGIES</b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A flavorful dinner that is an absolute “must” in every cook’s repertoire. (For some reason it seems harder to find a ham shank than a regular ham, but make an effort to locate a shank as I truly believe it tastes better.)<br /><br />6-lb. fully cooked ham shank<br />½ lb. small white onions, peeled*<br />Whole cloves<br />1 lb. carrots, scraped & cut in 2" lengths<br />2 lb. potatoes, pared**<br />4 sprigs parsley<br />1 tspn salt<br />¼ tspn pepper<br />¼ tspn dried thyme<br />1 can (13-3/4 oz) chicken broth<br />2-lb head of cabbage, cut in 6 wedges<br />Mustard sauce (recipe below)<br /><br />*yellow onions, quartered, may be substituted<br />**or bag of mini potatoes, skins left on<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350°. Trim fat & rind from ham.<br /><br />2. Coarsely chop 2 onions and place in large roasting pan with carrots, potatoes, and ham. Add parsley, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Pour chicken broth over all.<br /><br />3. Bake, covered, 1 hour. Arrange cabbage wedges in pan; bake, covered, 30 minutes longer.<br /><br />4. To serve: Arrange ham on large platter; surround with onions, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. Spoon some of pan juices over, if desired. Serve with Mustard sauce. <br /><br /><br /><b>Mustard sauce</b><br /><br />½ cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip<br />1 tspn chopped onion (dry minced will do)<br />½ cup prepared mustard<br />Poppy seeds, to taste*<br /><br />Combine & mix; refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><br /></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-72723829979949079042024-01-27T20:31:00.000-08:002024-01-27T20:31:01.980-08:00Gothic Novel in Bath - Really?<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Opening with a repeat of one of my favorite photos: the grandgirls jumping on a sand dune in Dubai. (Other gallery photos below.)<br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_tPbr-RFcSmWKKht24I-t-xTtkwyJXYg0ngQSHOCLCJU8SEdUvNTuTdHJym7TDKW-7A6866q9RiVZFKgPtb-PzPFj0ylkRNMe455zVq8I7gYn_WwxiqJjvW-svxmbJTUVl6318tAFvG8uwXE8vnB2_Ldnj2XCwihBl2V42iPwwuHXQXzmbKp-58B-iha/s936/HRC.Jumping.Dubai.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="769" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_tPbr-RFcSmWKKht24I-t-xTtkwyJXYg0ngQSHOCLCJU8SEdUvNTuTdHJym7TDKW-7A6866q9RiVZFKgPtb-PzPFj0ylkRNMe455zVq8I7gYn_WwxiqJjvW-svxmbJTUVl6318tAFvG8uwXE8vnB2_Ldnj2XCwihBl2V42iPwwuHXQXzmbKp-58B-iha/s320/HRC.Jumping.Dubai.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dubai - a stopover on the way to Singapore<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">The girls have also made at least three trips to Argentina (to visit family), as well as "doing" the Mediterrean, Venice, and London with the extended family in 2015. I frequently wonder if they have any idea how privileged they are. (When speaking with them, you'd never know they'd ever been out of Central Florida.) </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~ <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>The Trials and Tribulations of </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>Setting a Gothic Novel in Bath</b></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Okay, as I admitted when I embarked on my latest Gothic (<i>supposed</i> Gothic), Bath—beautiful, far-from-eerie home to the elderly and infirm—seemed a highly unlikely setting for a Gothic novel. And, as I suspected might happen, the story so far could best be described by that Regency expression: "Neither fish nor fowl nor rare roast beef." Sigh.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But as a long-time "out of the mist" author, I sit down each day, eager to find out what happens next. Yes, I made a list of possible death sites and this time I actually know the identity of the villain (villains?) in advance. (A rare occurrence.) But, oh horrors, I have put a hero's Point of View in a Gothic novel. A POV that reveals he is not the villain. What fun is that? Gothic heroes are supposed to be<i> suspicious</i>. But the supposed hero of <i>The Abandoned Daughter</i> did commit a sin for which the heroine is not about to forgive him. So in addition to an increasing count of dead bodies, we have the required Conflict. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But wait! Conflict is a "must" for Romance. Eerie atmosphere and mysterious deaths generally considered the only "musts" for a Gothic novel. Eerie . . . in Bath? I could, perhaps, add massive clouds of fog rolling off the River Avon, church bells tolling in the middle of the night, the sound of heavy breathing behind a hedge in the Sydney Gardens labyrinth. Oops, we already have that last one. As well as passages that sound more like Mystery than either Gothic or Regency Romance. (In addition to sounds of Grace grinding her teeth.)<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, yes, it's hard slogging with this one. Advice to my writer friends: stick with haunted castles, ghosts, a lone heroine against the world. And yet, I'm enjoying the challenge. Hopefully, the tenet of "suspended disbelief" will hold true, and<i> The Abandoned Daughter</i> will be a "good read," if a bit of a Frankstein's monster.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a moment oddly reminiscent of Dubai (above), three Citrus singers, including Cassidy, jump on the beach on Florida's Atlantic coast after a performance in Daytona. These jumpers, with a startlingly clear reflection.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VwTWPV-VsfcgDg8pC8Xrjrx_QHRbLN2r2hXJghf5ymGuJnhIA3Js7bRjbt5qq3vFfL7uYbdlDwqixGtCfg8fX5t0pZ57QodSxt7cDrjZqR8LEh5vHxfPFqo-vMx4LPMewXQiARRLL0I9wPOngfNC0o7yMqSI5Rl4lFpQeAMlJzLXEohnN5wHnvf3xO9H/s726/CassidyBeachJump.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="484" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VwTWPV-VsfcgDg8pC8Xrjrx_QHRbLN2r2hXJghf5ymGuJnhIA3Js7bRjbt5qq3vFfL7uYbdlDwqixGtCfg8fX5t0pZ57QodSxt7cDrjZqR8LEh5vHxfPFqo-vMx4LPMewXQiARRLL0I9wPOngfNC0o7yMqSI5Rl4lFpQeAMlJzLXEohnN5wHnvf3xO9H/w266-h400/CassidyBeachJump.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Susie Reale<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMLn34cCwxBEgMfjaZbCKQ4HX9I1Bj6KgeaPTo4097DMjKxs0N86wShQ0jhqdy4-QAwW7udapD8kAg-eIyCXE4RJfUHOD34CR9K-hp7onHQx-HPaBDz8QQozU_18WHDmGCn-tM5lB6N_MUmoleeF0LManz52zUG-mWp-w5f72eX5g4qsfMlvzPSi21dZ3/s954/Popcorn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMLn34cCwxBEgMfjaZbCKQ4HX9I1Bj6KgeaPTo4097DMjKxs0N86wShQ0jhqdy4-QAwW7udapD8kAg-eIyCXE4RJfUHOD34CR9K-hp7onHQx-HPaBDz8QQozU_18WHDmGCn-tM5lB6N_MUmoleeF0LManz52zUG-mWp-w5f72eX5g4qsfMlvzPSi21dZ3/s320/Popcorn.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This "popped up" on Facebook. Love it!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A classic Gothic Romance to illustrate this week's post:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienXkLBcbduSHK0frDcdyKf2MPFit5bCUMX4-DvGx16p8R2Z1iZZSZoM1RF2Uaeo6jzBBwDWXuQ1HAk1iEfmEzF9VmjCpfHZYAZE8Vbi-jb1Mu0Hp7kzy2gH4dxIVWMrwhumbtQ2kzM5lD07zVmjLBROJ_lQfSOtFI6bDLokws8Veg549LZAWhHYYwLw60/s2700/BlackthorneCurseCopy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienXkLBcbduSHK0frDcdyKf2MPFit5bCUMX4-DvGx16p8R2Z1iZZSZoM1RF2Uaeo6jzBBwDWXuQ1HAk1iEfmEzF9VmjCpfHZYAZE8Vbi-jb1Mu0Hp7kzy2gH4dxIVWMrwhumbtQ2kzM5lD07zVmjLBROJ_lQfSOtFI6bDLokws8Veg549LZAWhHYYwLw60/w266-h400/BlackthorneCurseCopy.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>After the death of her father, young Serafina Blackthorne of New
Haven, Connecticut, becomes a reverse immigrant, traveling from the New
World to the Old. To her grandfather, who lives on Dartmoor, a place
where eerie legends abound and where she discovers, to her horror, she
is marked for death by the Blackthorne Curse. The more Serafina attempts
to outmaneuver the Curse, the more she seems to jump from the frying
pan into the fire. She finally has but one hope left. But does her
childhood friend really want to save her, or is he destined to be her
executioner?<br /><br /><i>Author's Note:</i> This book is a Gothic novel set in
the Regency period—a style of story where a young woman finds herself
basically alone and battling threats to her life, some from humans, some
from possibly supernatural sources. But in spite of all the angst, it
is also a romance. I hope you will enjoy reading this tale in a style
made famous by Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Phyllis Whitney as much
as I enjoyed writing it.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span> </p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-67460747574327714622024-01-20T11:24:00.000-08:002024-01-20T11:24:23.013-08:00Shocking True Story<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwEPu7VEou4QQzoR5MjEzFqpRYizGUCjoCJtT2kQBmqe0fVD2PKVULdc7jW1069crQlhBSBhKJVkpFDWra6M6sHwFcKV8NQoCqYzokGlakgo6F3O_Vl-1Q0gjJouNTnf3ztUrj46ziNlyaFoiL5llmg_E_O-Hm1U7UnOMYJ32yoFj32JYF3_CH_XvcKTz/s1072/UnderstandingWomen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwEPu7VEou4QQzoR5MjEzFqpRYizGUCjoCJtT2kQBmqe0fVD2PKVULdc7jW1069crQlhBSBhKJVkpFDWra6M6sHwFcKV8NQoCqYzokGlakgo6F3O_Vl-1Q0gjJouNTnf3ztUrj46ziNlyaFoiL5llmg_E_O-Hm1U7UnOMYJ32yoFj32JYF3_CH_XvcKTz/w269-h400/UnderstandingWomen.jpg" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">😃 Found on Facebook 😃<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>SHOCKING TRUE TALE</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Straight from the mouth of a "Reverend Canon" of the Episcopal church . . .</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Sunday morning, January 14, 2024 (and, yes, the date is significant) I was at pre-church choir practice at Church of the Resurrection in Longwood, Florida. We had just made our way through "Lift Every Voice and Sing"—a rather unfamiliar hymn that changes from major to minor and back again in the course of three phrases. Definitely not our most stellar warm-up! And, suddenly, the priest who was substituting that morning—a retired canon of the church—walked over and said: "I have a story to tell you about that hymn. The 8:00 service sang it very poorly, and I'm hoping you'll give it the respect it deserves."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Naturally, rehearsal stopped dead, and we listened with avid ears, though we had no idea just how dramatic his story would be.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Grace note: </i> The most shocking part of this story up front—it is from <u>1994</u>. Not the 60s, 70s, or 80s, but </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1994</b></span><span style="font-size: small;">. (Both canon and town shall remain nameless.)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our tale-teller (just a priest at the time, not yet a canon) had recently been called to a church in South Carolina. Now, the last black church in that town had closed in 1990, yet as he looked at his congregation, he saw not a single black face. As he tells the tale, his birthday was approaching—February 13. He announced that he wanted a special birthday present from the church. They were to call every member of that black church and invite them to Sunday service. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">But when he asked the organist to play "Lift Every Voice and Sing"—what is called the national anthem of the NAACP—the organist refused. The priest actually had to threaten to fire him before he agreed to play it. (And, yes, that's the hymn we had just struggled over in rehearsal.)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunday morning came. And the "invited guests" wept and cried out when they heard that hymn. The priest went ahead to ask that every one of them register as a member of the church. And they did.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">------------------------</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our choir was both shocked and spell-bound by this tale. We begged him to tell it to the congregation - which he did, asking that all sing the hymn with "gusto." And we did, but not just the choir. I have never heard our congregation sing with such enthusiasm. It was a precious moment, which I immediatelyknew I must share with my readers world-wide. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Repeat: </i> </b>This tale is all the more shocking, as it took place in a time when most of us thought the Civil Rights movement had broken the grip of segregation in the south.<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">~ * ~</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">This week's featured book is my third Regency Gothic, <i>The Demons of Fenley Marsh</i>, the hero based on a character in one of my first-ever attempts to write romance, maybe as long as 50 years ago while still living on Long Island Sound in Connecticut. (Just love those wounded heroes. Resurrected a somewhat similar character years later in <i>The Abominable Major</i>.)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FRa19rnWtfggFgpZClG72cNNAOTx5wLnabozbzHlrH7hGujaVarBcqVmP_AM8PJ3XtcI38FIUjvbE3Jo20TGS0jI1hFVmNYUDR0X2SLm50VzCO7DLrHKZnklvuTZjHSgxCEmPXuANCh8sLJ9odOo0lM1m7RjDyzitEjt0dKkcE4OSHvhyphenhyphensSLZEjGU6j9/s3690/Demons_of_Fenley_Marsh_10_FINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3690" data-original-width="2460" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FRa19rnWtfggFgpZClG72cNNAOTx5wLnabozbzHlrH7hGujaVarBcqVmP_AM8PJ3XtcI38FIUjvbE3Jo20TGS0jI1hFVmNYUDR0X2SLm50VzCO7DLrHKZnklvuTZjHSgxCEmPXuANCh8sLJ9odOo0lM1m7RjDyzitEjt0dKkcE4OSHvhyphenhyphensSLZEjGU6j9/w266-h400/Demons_of_Fenley_Marsh_10_FINAL.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><p></p><p><span>When the widowed Miranda Tyrell escapes a dire situation in Kent
by accepting a position as governess in Lincolnshire, taking her young
son with her, she never dreams she is jumping out of the frying pan into
the fire. Instead of peace and safety, Miranda discovers the flat
agricultural plains and salt marshes are rife with tales of mysterious
fires, gutted animals, and strange sights and sounds in the night. Her
new charge is a disturbed nine-year-old known as the Demon Child. In
addition, rumors supported by the local curate claim that her employer, a
badly scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, is a demon. And those are
only the beginnings of her troubles as she attempts to teach two
fatherless boys and deal with her wayward heart, which she swore would
never love again.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span> <br /></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-35839493511184241412024-01-13T20:10:00.000-08:002024-01-13T20:10:15.112-08:00Kindness - Friends, Neighbors & Strangers<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAtYz-aR26IJFWn6zjl-8i9h0csebBHjvnFT0v3Xn2nw0w23JkP_NNXD4giS7MN2OB2IB58FR9D05uOEVvDXYF9puRVgrO95x0qwmXPS7fubl-4eIB_bwXJp2QpRWFLYAtTeiPw0kmk8NrN5sB0NnfSLc1HoyDHJ2gGGahT2NtgcRPJI02Ln-I8jjYsyP/s960/SnowTunnel124.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="624" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAtYz-aR26IJFWn6zjl-8i9h0csebBHjvnFT0v3Xn2nw0w23JkP_NNXD4giS7MN2OB2IB58FR9D05uOEVvDXYF9puRVgrO95x0qwmXPS7fubl-4eIB_bwXJp2QpRWFLYAtTeiPw0kmk8NrN5sB0NnfSLc1HoyDHJ2gGGahT2NtgcRPJI02Ln-I8jjYsyP/w260-h400/SnowTunnel124.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Facebook - no attribution or location</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QUKmFTZ1kX0XDQuw0BoYYVNzJ-GcoY-oZ7gInwZrfOJiwzP4gYfzWd1LtotdRGVwkILWmFqMaaIBIndfmW19yWFX8o2beBbUNO44bLv-ltU73vdVmznK0pui5MscNZnB0BkyNQJFWiFvC6aUOMl2YBhdrdSSUKpUTDPmMRo-jypRHS9UVMGS8IDeSMpI/s1440/Lightning124.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1086" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QUKmFTZ1kX0XDQuw0BoYYVNzJ-GcoY-oZ7gInwZrfOJiwzP4gYfzWd1LtotdRGVwkILWmFqMaaIBIndfmW19yWFX8o2beBbUNO44bLv-ltU73vdVmznK0pui5MscNZnB0BkyNQJFWiFvC6aUOMl2YBhdrdSSUKpUTDPmMRo-jypRHS9UVMGS8IDeSMpI/w301-h400/Lightning124.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Facebook's spectaculars (photoshopped?)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbyS5T1fmxoT0AufRtyEWvlncypjoCWLkx_atc8Lf_ntkRinMdob_lC4oj01yq5w0ZA6P9JvjVYZ2HpZbkBrl7UZ9VHU2Hmd4qFXSZZiJjTy2DGQHyAVT9wUfAOv9XyEaRKBvNsJ7j0J0umQB401UU2pu-lRxWEUbiO4IFW7BmwdbIiTBCfK7DwXITzl5/s480/ParkingGarageBlooper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="480" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbyS5T1fmxoT0AufRtyEWvlncypjoCWLkx_atc8Lf_ntkRinMdob_lC4oj01yq5w0ZA6P9JvjVYZ2HpZbkBrl7UZ9VHU2Hmd4qFXSZZiJjTy2DGQHyAVT9wUfAOv9XyEaRKBvNsJ7j0J0umQB401UU2pu-lRxWEUbiO4IFW7BmwdbIiTBCfK7DwXITzl5/s320/ParkingGarageBlooper.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow! It's Pay Up or else.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>KINDNESS - FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS & STRANGERS</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Every so often I post to Facebook instances of kindness I have encountered, but in this dark time when w</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">ords such as <i>genocide, dictator, drone strike, censorship</i>, and <i>starvation </i>are being bandied about. When <i>hate</i> seems to rule—religious hate, race hate, gender hate, thought hate, alleged patriotic hate—and <i>civility</i> seems to have disappeared into the dim recesses of the twentieth century, I believe it is important to credit the many people who still live by the rules of decency, of caring for others—even perfect strangers. In fact, these people are the world's only hope. No matter how horribly governments govern, how violent the criminals and terrorists among us, most people still come under the category called, "the salt of the earth." Those who survive without hate. Those who reach out a hand to their neighbors, even to perfect strangers. It happens all the time; only occasionally do these gestures make the news. (Sigh.) So, below, I'm going to enumerate some of my own experiences with "kindness" and hope this list will help keep the spirit of caring alive and well in what appears to be a world gone mad. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Friends. </b>Not so surprising when friends reach out to help in time of need, but I want to list the choir at Church of the Resurrection as what I call my second family. Knowing they are always there, whether it's just a warm greeting, helping me with the giant task of moving music folders from one file cabinet to another, or putting a stand-up footer on the bottom of my cane, someone is always ready to help. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Neighbors.</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I am blessed to have kind neighbors living on both sides of me. (Alas, the ones across the street recently moved away.) These are the neighbors who bring up my recycling bins from the street, the neighbors who transfer my newspaper from the driveway to my kitchen door. The neighbors who bring me the Amazon packages delivered to the their house instead of mine, the neighbors I can count on to come running when I can't reach the @#$% smoke alarm that won't stop beeping! The neighbors who consistently let me know they're always available if I need help.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Strangers</b>. Most remarkable of all, the kindness of perfect strangers. The ones who simply smile, compliment my sparkly hat (a frequent occurrence), or hold open doors. The instance that most sticks in my mind occurred shortly after I moved to Longwood when a boy of 8 or 9, a good ten feet ahead of me, paused and held the door to a store open for me. And how many times I have asked someone taller than I—which is nearly everyone—to take my favorite yogurt down from the top shelf. Add in the nods, smiles, and excuse-me's that happen every trip to the grocery store, and yes, I have hope the world is not going to hell in a handbasket, as the saying goes. That kindness and, yes, <b>civility </b>will endure because without it, we are truly doomed.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>CIVILITY</b> - what a better world this would be if it were practiced outside our neighborhoods; say, in the world of politics, the world of international relations, the world of <i>humanity</i>. And, yes, in the world of religion where all too often kindness is reserved solely for those who think the same way we do.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Moral of this tale:</b> Spread kindness wherever you can. It very well may be our last resort.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I like to think that kindness is a quality practiced in all my books, but when I went to look for examples, I had to scratch my head. Even in the mildest Regency Romance, the heroine must face adversity; i.e., kindness is sparse. In the end I decided to choose <i>The Lady Takes a Risk</i>, part of the Regency Warrior series and the book that would lead to<i> The Abominable Major</i> and the Matthew Wolfe series. And, oh yes, it is one of the many books in which Jack Harding makes a timely appearance.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtBFMwyItna88kv9x3g0-9chvppWmuJ1KuhRMGoBh_fhAFoadmkBJPiYLrQI_miD0E-3dHV4zfGFhYPJuCcvZIUbaFWYadu1KlM52h6Pcd-b6nUcr1r9aAGb_xzgQ4fvTyfrpoL3bjAt8_RTS5I5cIXQ-vBvceHk_R3xp17l-rgKfb2oFupzwIL8ifEh1/s3150/Lady%20Takes%20a%20Risk%2025FINAL%20-%20Copy%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3150" data-original-width="2100" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtBFMwyItna88kv9x3g0-9chvppWmuJ1KuhRMGoBh_fhAFoadmkBJPiYLrQI_miD0E-3dHV4zfGFhYPJuCcvZIUbaFWYadu1KlM52h6Pcd-b6nUcr1r9aAGb_xzgQ4fvTyfrpoL3bjAt8_RTS5I5cIXQ-vBvceHk_R3xp17l-rgKfb2oFupzwIL8ifEh1/w266-h400/Lady%20Takes%20a%20Risk%2025FINAL%20-%20Copy%20(2).jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span><span>The daughter of a duke, determined to escape her father's
candidate for her hand, proposes marriage to the former colonel of an
elite cavalry regiment, who is escaping his wartime memories as a hops
farmer in Kent. Not only do the newlyweds have to learn to adapt to one
another, but to their dismay, they discover that for the veterans of the
Royal 10th Hussars, the war is not yet over.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span> </span></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-26026064290423682532024-01-06T12:42:00.000-08:002024-01-06T12:42:36.709-08:00A Dessert Fit for Royalty<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJo7XuFzUCGBbj7G6noJ_6uEWmTxBrkLyE9XzTOoF6sMC2hzA8QrAvl0dliWw_ELxnwMRJ3R7N_cDNoB91h02cIc4HWfcAFbluisjLbUKevuAu1zkJ981LW-uIrWNh4kq8YoYwawv1dXIZjYTMH7OQWUOcAcq1R1w2yrdn3JxWs9-Iwm1FtUrlXEMPc9hs/s1080/Mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJo7XuFzUCGBbj7G6noJ_6uEWmTxBrkLyE9XzTOoF6sMC2hzA8QrAvl0dliWw_ELxnwMRJ3R7N_cDNoB91h02cIc4HWfcAFbluisjLbUKevuAu1zkJ981LW-uIrWNh4kq8YoYwawv1dXIZjYTMH7OQWUOcAcq1R1w2yrdn3JxWs9-Iwm1FtUrlXEMPc9hs/s320/Mold.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recipe below<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Starting the New Year with samples of the wonder of the English language—</span></span></b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">the Confusing and the Colorful.<br /></span></span></b></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;">From Facebook:<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXnI79IXHV0BJXQ8q_JR2QJZIVBWBTA58N82kTi1E-s3Z8GdqeQOtQ2vvS6NKAonNoNtX211A4nV71-4cdvDNkD0u4DfBk8fFDs4yKf9gye3fKSau43xgkneZ2DqneTtlBkCkEDhwMEm3JiO1EvQs7deb4YMcsFyg7Z27bX8jNrL4hOwxdVKHno58Rt8o/s720/English.Tricky.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="506" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXnI79IXHV0BJXQ8q_JR2QJZIVBWBTA58N82kTi1E-s3Z8GdqeQOtQ2vvS6NKAonNoNtX211A4nV71-4cdvDNkD0u4DfBk8fFDs4yKf9gye3fKSau43xgkneZ2DqneTtlBkCkEDhwMEm3JiO1EvQs7deb4YMcsFyg7Z27bX8jNrL4hOwxdVKHno58Rt8o/w450-h640/English.Tricky.jpg" width="450" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /> <span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCmFjTcXeDbKXvJGV-9E5FBuriP29uXaMCo9NM5aV1m-STxb-OnOnpkgb4Y2PF5eIHyvFrcUCp6XYecDz9ULS_Tqvq6dc1X7IfYOGcti4lFLJ5B6RkQHwE3KrF5ulB_fDd9arXgdFeB3fRycmNBV77ZW1QRS_8Mcw5MPEhfIfEncJOEbxpxcRJ4U1n4Y0/s806/BestWordsEver1120.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="658" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCmFjTcXeDbKXvJGV-9E5FBuriP29uXaMCo9NM5aV1m-STxb-OnOnpkgb4Y2PF5eIHyvFrcUCp6XYecDz9ULS_Tqvq6dc1X7IfYOGcti4lFLJ5B6RkQHwE3KrF5ulB_fDd9arXgdFeB3fRycmNBV77ZW1QRS_8Mcw5MPEhfIfEncJOEbxpxcRJ4U1n4Y0/w326-h400/BestWordsEver1120.jpg" width="326" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A Dessert Fit for Royalty</span><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Today's blog features a recipe I may have posted two years ago, but as I prepared it for Christmas dinner this year, I realized the instructions could use a few more details, particularly for the grandgirls who were interested in trying it. So here is an updated version of a recipe I adapted from a 1973 magazine. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i>Special notes:</i> </b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1. The mold in the photo looks great, but molded desserts have gone out of fashion, probably because they are so hard to unmold without making a disaster of all your efforts! Therefore, I make my Nesselrode Pudding in a big mixing bowl and simply dish it up in fancy cut-glass dessert dishes. It could also be transferred to a big glass serving dish where the colorful ingredients can shine through without all the hazards of "unmolding."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>2. </i>This is a "make-ahead recipe" that needs to sit overnight. It is also time-consuming, so do not wait until the last minute. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. The original recipe does not mention whipping the cream, but my family liked the fluffiness that resulted—rather than the "jel" feel—so I adjusted the instructions. If you want to use a mold, whipping the cream is likely not be a good idea.</span> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: arial;">NESSELRODE PUDDING</span></span></b></p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPw-QJe1nUXpD0EvbhnvV-PA6ph4gf1B4mAOc0Km3X1V5YO57OUIe1VjC-HyrBegZcinwTTvlbl1rVHczdWU4QO5czQeH3FRdiH_GBDIy2lRe44yPHiAmaHoq9g0vGM0wWCSHnR4iDsEiSSuO6uPemeFXqkbcc_BkqHcyeQY2liMMGcsSCMpmX55kyrYG3/s1080/Mold.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPw-QJe1nUXpD0EvbhnvV-PA6ph4gf1B4mAOc0Km3X1V5YO57OUIe1VjC-HyrBegZcinwTTvlbl1rVHczdWU4QO5czQeH3FRdiH_GBDIy2lRe44yPHiAmaHoq9g0vGM0wWCSHnR4iDsEiSSuO6uPemeFXqkbcc_BkqHcyeQY2liMMGcsSCMpmX55kyrYG3/w300-h400/Mold.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin<br />2/3 cup sugar, divided (1/3 cup goes into the stiffened egg whites)<br />¼ tspn salt<br />2 cups milk<br />3 eggs, separated**<br />1 tspn vanilla extract<br />2 tspns rum extract or sherry extract<br />¼ cup golden raisins*<br />¼ cup sliced almonds (toasted)*<br />1/3 - ½ cup candied fruit*<br />1 cup heavy cream [whipped]<br />Toasted slivered almonds (optional)<br /> <br />*Amounts are flexible - more to taste than to exact measurement. Chopped pitted dates are also an option. I used “Extra Fancy Fruitcake Mix.”) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To toast almonds, heat in dry Teflon-coated skillet, stirring frequently until lightly browned.<br /><br /><b>Original Instructions (added words in brackets): </b> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In top part of a double boiler, mix gelatin, 1/3 cup sugar and the salt. Add milk and egg yolks and beat with rotary beater or whisk until blended. Put over simmering water and cook, stirring until mixture thickens slightly and coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat and stir in flavorings. Chill, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but not firm. [approx. 90-115 min.] [Near the end of the chill time, whip cream, set aside.] Beat egg whites until almost stiff but not dry.** Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until stiff. When gelatin mix is slightly thickened, fold nuts, fruits, stiff-peaked eggs, and [whipped] cream into gelatin mixture. Pour into a 1½-quart mold*** and chill overnight. Unmold on serving dish and, if desired, sprinkle with toasted almonds. Makes 8 servings.<br /><br />**Eggs will likely not form stiff peaks if even a small amount of yolk falls into the bowl.<br /><br />***See Special Notes above.<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">T</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">his week's featured book is one of only two of my books that is more classic contemporary romance than mystery, suspense, Gothic, etc. It's set in a world I know well: Medieval Fairs and the Society for Creative Anachronism. (I gave away all my costumes only when </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I moved to the Orlando area in 2007.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-WoM4DyQdT-Rtk9MXbCCGE21WWJVgrRVXUEddukVzTYeVy4Ta-CB0pTOIrnQv2XgX256hC3ic8X4eW9Au3ZiNgEeHnH9ZD9dGvbYs1eGL7c1u00Nh-eYR58vrfcDNDoxdafmNfFHkfKIQqzxrIZpyi4bf8YhntbHlHrc16DGe_bJN6h_ii-GtApgDR2F/s2700/Florida_Knight_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-WoM4DyQdT-Rtk9MXbCCGE21WWJVgrRVXUEddukVzTYeVy4Ta-CB0pTOIrnQv2XgX256hC3ic8X4eW9Au3ZiNgEeHnH9ZD9dGvbYs1eGL7c1u00Nh-eYR58vrfcDNDoxdafmNfFHkfKIQqzxrIZpyi4bf8YhntbHlHrc16DGe_bJN6h_ii-GtApgDR2F/w266-h400/Florida_Knight_10.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><p></p><br /><div class="pInfoTabCExpander-collapse" style="max-height: none;">
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<span>Kate Knight fights memories of a former
abusive relationship by armed combat with male members of a Medieval
re-enactment group. To Kate, men are anathema, yet somehow she finds
herself sharing a postage-stamp-size tent with a Florida Highway Patrol
officer who is attempting to discover who almost killed his brother in a
tournament at a Medieval Fair. For Kate, trust comes hard as they deal
with obsessive enthusiasts, quirky personalities, and a ruthless killer.<br /><i><br />Author's
Note:</i> My thanks to the Florida Gulf Coast shires of the Society for
Creative Anachronism for providing so much colorful detail for this
story. And to the John & Mable Ringling Museum for all the years it
hosted truly grand Medieval Fairs.<br /><br />Reviews:<br /><br />"Lord and
Ladies! Prepare thyself for an enchanting tale of mystery and romance! .
. . I had a great time reading this novel! Bancroft's characters are
funny and heartwarming. I found myself rooting for all of them. The
connections between them are genuine, their troubles tugging on my
heartstrings and their successes making me smile. . . . Bancroft
couldn't have chosen a more original background." Heather Eileen,
Romance Junkies<br /><br />"Blair Bancroft gives us an excellent tale of two
people who have wrapped their hearts into a cocoon of self
preservation. Kate's history is a horror story of abuse and neglect.
Michael's present as a patrol officer is often filled with the dregs of
society. Both have felt they had to keep others at a distance to
survive. The tale of Mona and Bubba, Kate's friends, is a mixture of
heartbreak and strength that adds much to the book. The author does a
great job of weaving their relationships while giving us an education
about people who crave simpler times when chivalry was alive and well."
Dee Dailey, The Romance Studio<br /><br />"I just finished reading a great
book. It travels through time, but not in the usual manner of time
travels. There is no element of disbelief. . . . It brings the reader
into the story not by guile or subterfuge but simply by telling a
compelling story. The hero is a man for all seasons . . . Lady Knight an
outwardly strong woman who has built a wall around her senses. Can
Officer Turco scale that wall? I highly recommend this book. If you love
historicals or contemps this tale is for you as it has both elements
and is a great mystery. FoxladyCarey</span>
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</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-27922999601924273482023-12-16T10:09:00.000-08:002023-12-30T12:52:48.505-08:00Holiday Post<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> Next New Blog - January 6, 2024<br /></span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Featured book first this week . . . a Christmas love story guaranteed to bring tears to all the non-Scrooges out there. (A novella, originally written for a Christmas anthology.)<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_1zWKKn8NlzvqDFbPT2tw4qyXUESTLq-J1Frcjm71bA45iKRQVJDiVUZ5tCyv8zEKZCaW0tR39BL2l1qddr_Gqw_Ovnmoy8TTHTJdqMy7Clbgxgyl6IxSgdcGV0QGMVvxXzZUWhZB9yUoUn5VM_qzOWJ1wtnfUugqQNVsFVCbFPFPAtvm0E8RNsGZ2r3/s2700/Mistletoe%20Moment%2020%20FINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_1zWKKn8NlzvqDFbPT2tw4qyXUESTLq-J1Frcjm71bA45iKRQVJDiVUZ5tCyv8zEKZCaW0tR39BL2l1qddr_Gqw_Ovnmoy8TTHTJdqMy7Clbgxgyl6IxSgdcGV0QGMVvxXzZUWhZB9yUoUn5VM_qzOWJ1wtnfUugqQNVsFVCbFPFPAtvm0E8RNsGZ2r3/w266-h400/Mistletoe%20Moment%2020%20FINAL.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p><br /><span>After suffering social disaster at her very first ball—severely
aggravated by the horror of an unfeeling family—Miss Pamela Ashburton
hides herself in the country, expecting to live out her life as a
spinster. Major Will Forsythe, injured in body and spirit at Waterloo,
comes to the country to escape the concern of well-meaning relatives.
Privacy, peace and quiet—that's all he wants. Until he meets a holiday
sprite in search of mistletoe. And the Christmas spirit, in the form of a
cluster of white berries, gives them both a second chance.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">HOLIDAY GALLERY</span></b></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLP-d7ojNUWdUP1zVxUmxOmQIIt-3aKI6mI85dn_caORdR_3Z4lTTGk6GTt7ba5nXMv9lsHfH9P5BvEW0VQqVdVMUi0d55OJl-mupyhSUZXANbaSwWUjc9KEOG_LgRoSCpX9TJTidBvF5g60TcIAXIdo86aHUIIofruMtyCXq4dGzvMTdrfOm_ls_pF8h/s1124/Sanford.1223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLP-d7ojNUWdUP1zVxUmxOmQIIt-3aKI6mI85dn_caORdR_3Z4lTTGk6GTt7ba5nXMv9lsHfH9P5BvEW0VQqVdVMUi0d55OJl-mupyhSUZXANbaSwWUjc9KEOG_LgRoSCpX9TJTidBvF5g60TcIAXIdo86aHUIIofruMtyCXq4dGzvMTdrfOm_ls_pF8h/w300-h400/Sanford.1223.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sanford, Fl, 12/23<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Lake Kearney, not the ocean. Photo by Buffy Peck of Sanford Parks & Recreation</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FOtVXTs0ojhDGoYRsw_KWDsaVTt0ZgjUG5mQFCVPoMh0newRPWxDBp4oJqVynIjytqdYA7A7IyaZaR6TC7kn2nQAm7Gbs6TyvZUJHzCgEAlaasbA3N7nZKrsYGCa9fwRgFuVnJqZAhDE60LPD-zHN4xEVz2ZJocV_bHR24WUWWDf_KhU3MfB9nhEfUia/s1124/Reflections.1223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FOtVXTs0ojhDGoYRsw_KWDsaVTt0ZgjUG5mQFCVPoMh0newRPWxDBp4oJqVynIjytqdYA7A7IyaZaR6TC7kn2nQAm7Gbs6TyvZUJHzCgEAlaasbA3N7nZKrsYGCa9fwRgFuVnJqZAhDE60LPD-zHN4xEVz2ZJocV_bHR24WUWWDf_KhU3MfB9nhEfUia/w300-h400/Reflections.1223.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Susan Coventry<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></div><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c0gEL2TaoinZ2r-0OHOYD23niCI1DAEroAFfldZzItyXadmrG5P33xhl2uM0cToCFm5aH_GTwDvow0hMD2DqyXQ1ZPOYZBxGhwoTnbD1bzh642CFeb1N4DUEodQhEHwmwNqbaIwg4P-McoQMXFz2PVQyE_bZ6ASCzbLNrdiWfkHIgHJ3g4i6v7QmB4Oj/s960/Lessons.Carols1223.2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c0gEL2TaoinZ2r-0OHOYD23niCI1DAEroAFfldZzItyXadmrG5P33xhl2uM0cToCFm5aH_GTwDvow0hMD2DqyXQ1ZPOYZBxGhwoTnbD1bzh642CFeb1N4DUEodQhEHwmwNqbaIwg4P-McoQMXFz2PVQyE_bZ6ASCzbLNrdiWfkHIgHJ3g4i6v7QmB4Oj/w400-h300/Lessons.Carols1223.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lessons & Carols, 12/23<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqC_YsuBnakbIyxYQQgIb8KQsDpPvTesPqpSib2-6UqxNie3yZzgwCpXgWaiLkwZL0y4lk0FWGMuKj6ykzOsHge_H0nvh7OfVTTPRHa3fHf3crgdoCZkv38AwFbgrcdhTaHbH-yUv24L2ECDbc1UywvosbGA_O8HRuYN7noNZmajLybjiHu5drjVjt8nR/s2048/Lessons.Carols1223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqC_YsuBnakbIyxYQQgIb8KQsDpPvTesPqpSib2-6UqxNie3yZzgwCpXgWaiLkwZL0y4lk0FWGMuKj6ykzOsHge_H0nvh7OfVTTPRHa3fHf3crgdoCZkv38AwFbgrcdhTaHbH-yUv24L2ECDbc1UywvosbGA_O8HRuYN7noNZmajLybjiHu5drjVjt8nR/w400-h300/Lessons.Carols1223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lessons & Carols, 12/23. Grace & Susie on the end</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEEZbPkl0h7UqeTqDUHhaKHQwwqqxJaJU0G_BPBG-tDjlJMKNqHIOUWVIt9wWjqPZlhkkKr7tM4KGwDZXVBKpfCvxb54xNPYlvqN0rvEoA2cYBYfPQQwepnvEuUVl5dszDDroSzRtWI8Xq0NUqKdKNFxJ7cuvvo1XYhvajJZXQcjZTwWN3FPF0JF0s33k/s2048/Lessons.Carols1223.3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEEZbPkl0h7UqeTqDUHhaKHQwwqqxJaJU0G_BPBG-tDjlJMKNqHIOUWVIt9wWjqPZlhkkKr7tM4KGwDZXVBKpfCvxb54xNPYlvqN0rvEoA2cYBYfPQQwepnvEuUVl5dszDDroSzRtWI8Xq0NUqKdKNFxJ7cuvvo1XYhvajJZXQcjZTwWN3FPF0JF0s33k/w400-h300/Lessons.Carols1223.3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">The string players were all from University High School in Orlando.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: red;">For Mike's video of Susie singing, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1367214104/videos/pcb.10224570509354677/733341275376188">click here.</a></span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37Y-5es2MMVBzANDNDxbNQJWxpnErQvI-3VCWYyK6xD3R_l9C9-n-9SWk_cZrcJdxzQRQ_mXIqiweE0wU4rEUKpKFkCS7aCxJsZZmRbN3o9VRvkTYpKP23VhdBv3SxRN1P1sHZQKKGgCOX3T1ZhyphenhyphenO_ORCyjctXCCIyYzmge5GdotnpD2vDhqvgLnJQhd5/s2048/Festival%20of%20Trees.2023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37Y-5es2MMVBzANDNDxbNQJWxpnErQvI-3VCWYyK6xD3R_l9C9-n-9SWk_cZrcJdxzQRQ_mXIqiweE0wU4rEUKpKFkCS7aCxJsZZmRbN3o9VRvkTYpKP23VhdBv3SxRN1P1sHZQKKGgCOX3T1ZhyphenhyphenO_ORCyjctXCCIyYzmge5GdotnpD2vDhqvgLnJQhd5/w400-h225/Festival%20of%20Trees.2023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike, Susie, Riley, Cassidy - Festival of Trees, 2023<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a holiday "extra," we are happy to announce that Cassidy has been a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ccepted at both UCF and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: red;">And in contrast to singing at Church of the Resurrection . . .</span> <br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rAGflHa7VxWKjj8_p83fGdqfdecctn78mWNt9XnfVI4H8R8i4QrkjQgd-Pug6UH_9B4rFZJAVs7M-J1VohFUGpn-mlZZ17EEgrR3VMwltjJdmG2vnUDsrA7LvAs6-tMwvYBBBMYMs9WjTna0we-GO7tVmZ9GINwtcEpEtjOishhAXVV92rHlgWochyphenhyphenjC/s1080/Susie.CRB.1223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="1080" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rAGflHa7VxWKjj8_p83fGdqfdecctn78mWNt9XnfVI4H8R8i4QrkjQgd-Pug6UH_9B4rFZJAVs7M-J1VohFUGpn-mlZZ17EEgrR3VMwltjJdmG2vnUDsrA7LvAs6-tMwvYBBBMYMs9WjTna0we-GO7tVmZ9GINwtcEpEtjOishhAXVV92rHlgWochyphenhyphenjC/w400-h226/Susie.CRB.1223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susie singing Friday night at the Capital Room Bar<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;">Really loved hearing all those classic Christmas songs!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And seventeen hours later - Saturday afternoon - Susie directed the Girl Scout Citrus Singers in the National Anthem at a Cure Bowl plagued by a chill, all-day downpour. </span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;">For video of the Citrus Singers "singing in the rain," <a href="https://www.facebook.com/susiereale/videos/336020359141474">click here.</a></span><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-17732887790424853132023-12-03T09:33:00.000-08:002023-12-03T09:33:00.672-08:00Reinventing the Gothic Format<p> </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyf2-asWJJD77X7XB0JGzWHQs15mhxhoim0HrRNtBb-MupmFcmEJidJVl6Zy9cCfwN0a1a2oKZjbXPe-gJ_PmQUiym02oWdhRvqIhyphenhyphencX98bBAhTGxanwORWWqreCmPjf2OKJvH0yE4jqVDztOCzwBKIyoJvfiiSZ8PIP2EHCH4IfaDMw2QRTNddydOgR0Y/s1440/SqueakTree1216.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyf2-asWJJD77X7XB0JGzWHQs15mhxhoim0HrRNtBb-MupmFcmEJidJVl6Zy9cCfwN0a1a2oKZjbXPe-gJ_PmQUiym02oWdhRvqIhyphenhyphencX98bBAhTGxanwORWWqreCmPjf2OKJvH0yE4jqVDztOCzwBKIyoJvfiiSZ8PIP2EHCH4IfaDMw2QRTNddydOgR0Y/w400-h225/SqueakTree1216.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squeak's First Christmas (2017?)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fortunately, after knocking the whole tree down - before decorating, thank goodness - she got the message: No more climbing the tree!</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsP2vWWGSz0NGS_5_8VbcKZ9rHNRx32Vx8iD3IGS9reZ9iD_2f98kEsuPMkqRmW9hSZTjbAiDna8-LAiW0dmmNAyKubauA6uyQiEa6aYZSmzIu4MuWHeWl0Ld6NKk4g3rwJ3hJtKWUHa5m13uDDD3FYSxlv5tLFb1v6hskHIK_29a0G6p8tZ7BCFk4ZP9d/s604/HRC2005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsP2vWWGSz0NGS_5_8VbcKZ9rHNRx32Vx8iD3IGS9reZ9iD_2f98kEsuPMkqRmW9hSZTjbAiDna8-LAiW0dmmNAyKubauA6uyQiEa6aYZSmzIu4MuWHeWl0Ld6NKk4g3rwJ3hJtKWUHa5m13uDDD3FYSxlv5tLFb1v6hskHIK_29a0G6p8tZ7BCFk4ZP9d/w400-h300/HRC2005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hailey, Cassidy, Riley - 2005</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50jOme7CKMTPpTLI-TIUGfj0J_2ZPkah-RriG9FoxiD3TGczpqSEU20OVYCVsvMmhCpynezYyEsg8zL2tX2L4l2o1Sc0pb4q8ZYgvpEMww_86j5nvF6_QLM2fwqav2DlyTrqjdVATFGmQQGFQS8DH9YocqrbCiPURnGjjdBF6nH4k6bsSSqqBOOFo3vKG/s2048/HRCGowns1122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50jOme7CKMTPpTLI-TIUGfj0J_2ZPkah-RriG9FoxiD3TGczpqSEU20OVYCVsvMmhCpynezYyEsg8zL2tX2L4l2o1Sc0pb4q8ZYgvpEMww_86j5nvF6_QLM2fwqav2DlyTrqjdVATFGmQQGFQS8DH9YocqrbCiPURnGjjdBF6nH4k6bsSSqqBOOFo3vKG/w400-h400/HRCGowns1122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hailey, Riley, Cassidy - 2022<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>REINVENTING THE GOTHIC FORMAT</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As mentioned in a previous blog, when I debuted my first Regency Gothic, I added the following Author's Note: <b> </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><i>Brides of Falconfell</i> is a tribute to the great era of Gothic novels,
written by Victoria Holt, Jane Aiken Hodge, Mary Stewart, Phyllis
Whitney, and other talented authors of that time. The books—more <i>Jane
Eyre</i> and <i>Rebecca</i> than<i> Pride and Prejudice</i>—have several common
elements: they are told in first person, as both heroine and reader must
be isolated, unable to know what the other characters are thinking.
Frequently, the heroines are married and begin to suspect their husbands
of murder. There is often a child, usually the hero's from a previous
marriage. A large, gloomy mansion is a must, where murder, madness, and
evil abound, with the heroine escaping death by the skin of her teeth. I
have put all these conventions in<i> Brides of Falconfell</i> and chosen an
isolated location at the very "top" of England as a setting. I hope you
will enjoy my personal attempt at "Gothic Revival." Blair Bancroft</span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Today, I'm going to attempt to explain how, in my latest maybe-Regency/maybe-Gothic, I've turned the whole concept of the Gothic novel topsy-turvy. Something that may work, and may not. I'm certainly having fun snapping the old conventions and twisting them into something that may be intriguing, or possibly come under that dreadful condemnation: "Neither fish nor fowl nor rare roast beef." Only time will tell.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 1 - First person.</b> <i>The Abandoned Daughter</i> uses the multi-voices of the classic Regency Romance—not just the hero and heroine but a wide variety of characters, from a Cook to a Dowager Countess. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 2 - Gloomy Mansion.</b> <i>The Abandoned Daughter</i> begins in a run-down mansion in Oxfordshire, but the setting quickly changes to the splendor of Bath after its spurt of growth in the mid to late 18th century. One can set a Gothic novel in <i>Bath</i>?? I am in the process of finding out.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 3 - Heroine's Isolation</b>. (Six of one, half dozen of the other.) Our heroine has been shockingly abandoned by her father, any other relatives, unknown. But she falls on her feet, employed as companion to an undemanding elderly countess in Bath, with freedom to explore the wonders of the city. No menace in sight.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 4 - Marriage/suspected husband. </b>Our heroine is single, with no prospects. She does, however, have more than a few qualms about the viscount who alleges he has found her a position with his grandmother. Until he does exactly as promised and returns to London, leaving the heroine's apprehension flown on the wind.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 5 - Child.</b> There are no children in <i>The Abandoned Daughter</i>.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 6 - Murder & Madness. </b>Impossible to have any semblance of a Gothic novel without one or the other. Or both. So yes, there must be a series of suspicious deaths. And surely the man (or woman) who plots to kill must be mad. Or is he/she?<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 7 - Stalker. </b>A stalker in a Gothic novel?? Why not? Several classic Gothic heroines of the past are "stalked" before the threats against them become more lethal. (Though I don't recall the term "stalker" actually being used to describe the heroine's growing fear of a mysterious menace.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Point 8 - Style.</b> Both narration and dialogue owe a great deal to classic Regency Romances - light-heartedness that takes some time to devolve into the awareness that life in Bath is not as idyllic as it seems.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">* * *</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> The <i>Abandoned Daughter </i>is no farther along than Chapter 4, so truth is, I'm not sure I can pull it off. But after ten Gothics that more or less followed the rules, I couldn't resist giving it a try. It will be some months before readers can judge for themselves. (I do enjoy a challenge!)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My second Regency Gothic:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNzchPuYSLp_-0h_UrrLxOWWzKlKtSSR498C_NqaWvpIov0S3GQmKPESnZpRR4E8eaObu41l34l9YJxb-jEusFIes7mQ9b3l5gd1YwFfAywMgeilTP5PhLZegQFNoWsTmBkSorIcvcqxnc9F21upXVc2Eb9xQA6pZTs14dFAonLSzmkeuQMu1IUzidFJi/s1500/MistsofMoorheadManor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1028" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNzchPuYSLp_-0h_UrrLxOWWzKlKtSSR498C_NqaWvpIov0S3GQmKPESnZpRR4E8eaObu41l34l9YJxb-jEusFIes7mQ9b3l5gd1YwFfAywMgeilTP5PhLZegQFNoWsTmBkSorIcvcqxnc9F21upXVc2Eb9xQA6pZTs14dFAonLSzmkeuQMu1IUzidFJi/w274-h400/MistsofMoorheadManor.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span>Penelope Ruth Ballantyne has lived at the tail of the army all her
life, experiencing the rigors of life in India, followed by five years
of war in Portugal and Spain. Not surprisingly, now that she is
orphaned, she accepts the most challenging position available, companion
to an invalid who lives on the edge of Exmoor in northern Devonshire.
After years of constant travel, Penny longs to settle under one roof,
find a true home. Instead, she encounters hysteria, mysterious deaths, a
nasty rival, and the constant fear of dismissal as she attracts the
attention of more than one young gentleman in the household. Though the
only one she truly sees is Robert, Lord Exmere, heir to Moorhead Manor.
Together, they face a startling dilemma worthy of the judgment of
Solomon.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-70279639335637022722023-11-25T20:15:00.000-08:002023-12-02T11:40:24.522-08:00Wild Rice Recipes & Gallery<p style="text-align: center;"><b> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: red;"> </span>New blog - "Reinventing the Gothic Format" - Sunday, December 3.</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPnFtR0Sz0KpGAV9CoJCAaPLAvNDmMMOUO924sdcBnzGlUezBnh1Y8pF6huRecG517jhWmNjcxAOJ3FjxIPm8EPjn1LJd22NF6aA402QKZ3sf2GqV5bYW8RvJsJK36TGvUWE97DsZE0IkQXmYS9YSPD_WIMcJDM-I7dhORI4iOK-36TeI2s0UhO0SWdpD/s1258/Thanksgiving2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPnFtR0Sz0KpGAV9CoJCAaPLAvNDmMMOUO924sdcBnzGlUezBnh1Y8pF6huRecG517jhWmNjcxAOJ3FjxIPm8EPjn1LJd22NF6aA402QKZ3sf2GqV5bYW8RvJsJK36TGvUWE97DsZE0IkQXmYS9YSPD_WIMcJDM-I7dhORI4iOK-36TeI2s0UhO0SWdpD/w344-h400/Thanksgiving2023.jpg" width="344" /></a></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: red;"> A new dish for Thanksgiving? Really?<br /></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">YES, it's allowed to add something new to Thanksgiving dinner. And, no, I forgot to take a photo. But below are two recipes for adding wild rice to your traditional dinner. Because I wanted to use REAL wild rice, a Native American black rice now mostly grown in Minnesota, I adapted a crockpot recipe that used - oh,horrors - packaged long grain & wild rice (readily available at most supermarkets while "real" wild rice has to be ordered - mine through Amazon). And, yes, it's expensive but not exorbitantly so. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For our Thanksgiving dinner, I used the recipe on the wild rice box and added the "extras"s from the crockpot recipe. Amazingly, it worked. A truly delicious addition to Thanksgiving.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace's adaptation of <b>Fruited Wild Rice with Pecans</b>:</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">½ cup chopped onion</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 tablespoons butter, cut in chunks</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 cup wild rice</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2¼ cups water</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3/4 cup apple juice</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Seasoning* <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 large, tart apple, chopped</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">¼-½ cup golden raisins</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">½ cup coarsely chopped pecans</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">*I used Mrs. Dash's "Everything" seasoning & a bit of Herb & Garlic + </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">a twist or so of fresh-ground pepper.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Combine all but apple and pecans in a good-sized, preferably copper-bottom, saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover & reduce heat to a strong simmer. At c. 25-30 minutes, add chopped apple. Continue to simmer for a<b> total</b> of 50-60 minutes. Do NOT overcook. This means keeping a close eye on the pot during the final minutes. According to the package directions, the wild rice is done when it opens into the shape of a mini hot dog bun(!)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Drain off any remaining liquid in a colander. Put rice mix in 2-quart casserole dish. Add pecans. Stir in. To keep rice warm until leaving for dinner at my daughter's, I put it in a 250° oven for half an hour. Which turned out to be perfect for drying the rice and the final opening to the desired shape.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Original crockpot recipe:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">½ cup chopped onion</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 tablespoons butter, cut in chunks</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 6-oz. pkg long grain & wild rice</span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Seasoning packet from wild rice pkg</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1½ cups hot water</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2/3 cup apple juice</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 large, tart apple, chopped</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">¼ cup raisins</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">½ cup coarsely chopped pecans</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Combine all ingredients except pecans in greased slow cooker. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cook on High 2-2½ hours, or until rice is fully cooked. Stir in pecans.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~<br /></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIA9_PgyBzKeSvmMZlHJZbouGpCbjlpTjHDAjEa1e1g1YKmj-BPhOJw6tr_jC-t5ypEPh3AKS3Fi5cd10lVVPo7Oe2gQgeLIWBndWPY29bLclz1JjFUVC1PXr3MIkBim02dRjpqzAPJuVGC6840yPHQtGDXY4sqvztgLnPa1hhw-_DPSxWzSAQPQtVmvfA/s2048/Festival%20of%20Trees.2023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIA9_PgyBzKeSvmMZlHJZbouGpCbjlpTjHDAjEa1e1g1YKmj-BPhOJw6tr_jC-t5ypEPh3AKS3Fi5cd10lVVPo7Oe2gQgeLIWBndWPY29bLclz1JjFUVC1PXr3MIkBim02dRjpqzAPJuVGC6840yPHQtGDXY4sqvztgLnPa1hhw-_DPSxWzSAQPQtVmvfA/w400-h225/Festival%20of%20Trees.2023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Orlando Art Museum's Festival of Trees<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"> (camera-shy Hailey acting as photographer)</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7LUFGYglhRsC_k_REy_zXO83GNkhwy6XIMfcTuvY__wnFSmTiQHHkQ8snNgjlNnrEOQESc8BBf0iDnlZHnUjYyke1a-7xBzcbbbUOgYUpafSSoGwZXqscFQ_3QW3BNHVr98Fci1uw5zJ9rnG5TMUQNta1ED8PP1fX-TLiCr91RSKFbIP3JUe2-HkgI1xT/s1165/RainbowCrosses.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7LUFGYglhRsC_k_REy_zXO83GNkhwy6XIMfcTuvY__wnFSmTiQHHkQ8snNgjlNnrEOQESc8BBf0iDnlZHnUjYyke1a-7xBzcbbbUOgYUpafSSoGwZXqscFQ_3QW3BNHVr98Fci1uw5zJ9rnG5TMUQNta1ED8PP1fX-TLiCr91RSKFbIP3JUe2-HkgI1xT/w290-h400/RainbowCrosses.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbows w/Cross, Virginia<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXkZe2jYkMYvNrw5Y0taT0tIT8Kex-cKdCb_ycOOWJyCrxpa9CqefOosFaUTPCmkNGOZgDrbDDAoGQXxmBK5C62Fyt-UTyVBjp4qAx3Sn-hugfe2g370b0C7TNTXuXw6ER5MPPsHzhiLjapXgtgSrcAzmv0yN_RgmzZMSE18jCn-iBt0XEX3S0bI6LF4_/s1281/Chile.Road.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXkZe2jYkMYvNrw5Y0taT0tIT8Kex-cKdCb_ycOOWJyCrxpa9CqefOosFaUTPCmkNGOZgDrbDDAoGQXxmBK5C62Fyt-UTyVBjp4qAx3Sn-hugfe2g370b0C7TNTXuXw6ER5MPPsHzhiLjapXgtgSrcAzmv0yN_RgmzZMSE18jCn-iBt0XEX3S0bI6LF4_/w264-h400/Chile.Road.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road in Chile<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I vaguely recall a French movie about this from my college days - a trucker transporting dynamite on this road, a real hair-raiser.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MRS6HGB2xs8NrkFPjvBMEvHIOFxazvEoLGZHaRBhgy71rNDwbZ6IFQ4-p8RnQPL_HlLBjy3V28nBLrb08gnc_awDRz_8zBreamKwq1FNl5WxeHvxRKrpnGjQKWib3Po9MLfvZxOwdsD-1xLLJqBiwrU2nRHUJ7-MXDCrlkATV0lH36upETDsW8JzDfq8/s1124/Eagle.LizTyner.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MRS6HGB2xs8NrkFPjvBMEvHIOFxazvEoLGZHaRBhgy71rNDwbZ6IFQ4-p8RnQPL_HlLBjy3V28nBLrb08gnc_awDRz_8zBreamKwq1FNl5WxeHvxRKrpnGjQKWib3Po9MLfvZxOwdsD-1xLLJqBiwrU2nRHUJ7-MXDCrlkATV0lH36upETDsW8JzDfq8/w300-h400/Eagle.LizTyner.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eagle photo by Liz Tyner<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> ~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>This week's featured book:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There's a long holiday section in this one, appropriate for the Season.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEWRq2Tv7kEQ2YN9-JvVjfFe_WPVXIhIDM9zl6Ini1Q6lbvGEOH2wGRgTK5KOW4yoFsCeV_j5UD07aB0JkhiaX7sWg594HghikZIBuKvJRlb4irigrtxvsps_Pe0W6ZiQcPYXA_Yk9qITLob2vj97xknuGJHJ5L36DyA2lCk6-Kt5vFuFeaOLv9h5VfAb/s2700/Gamble_on_Love_13_FINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEWRq2Tv7kEQ2YN9-JvVjfFe_WPVXIhIDM9zl6Ini1Q6lbvGEOH2wGRgTK5KOW4yoFsCeV_j5UD07aB0JkhiaX7sWg594HghikZIBuKvJRlb4irigrtxvsps_Pe0W6ZiQcPYXA_Yk9qITLob2vj97xknuGJHJ5L36DyA2lCk6-Kt5vFuFeaOLv9h5VfAb/w266-h400/Gamble_on_Love_13_FINAL.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><br /><div class="celwidget" data-cel-widget="bookDescription_feature_div" data-csa-c-asin="" data-csa-c-content-id="bookDescription" data-csa-c-id="ia3uue-av3ivr-7mmb68-oqw3zv" data-csa-c-is-in-initial-active-row="false" data-csa-c-slot-id="bookDescription_feature_div" data-csa-c-type="widget" data-feature-name="bookDescription" id="bookDescription_feature_div">
<div class="a-expander-collapsed-height a-row a-expander-container a-spacing-base a-expander-partial-collapse-container" data-a-expander-collapsed-height="140" data-a-expander-name="book_description_expander" style="height: auto; max-height: none;"> <div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"> <span>Miss
Aurelia Trevor has a problem. Until she reaches the age of twenty-five,
she will have no control over her beloved Pevensey Park, and by that
time her unscrupulous uncle will have run it into the ground. Marriage
to someone other than her uncle's leering son is her only way out, but,
one by one, she rejects the men on her list of suitors. In desperation,
Aurelia does the unthinkable. She hires a solicitor to find her a
husband strong enough to stand up to both her uncle and her cousin. And
soon learns the truth of that old adage: Be careful what you wish for.<br /><br />Thomas
Lanning is a man of the City. Unlike Aurelia, who stands to inherit
vast land and wealth, he has made his own place in the world. He is not
at all tempted by the suggestion of marriage to an heiress, but other
considerations, such as a power base for a seat in Parliament, tweak his
interest. Plus an unexpected twinge of chivalry when he hears the full
extent of Miss Trevor's difficulties with her uncle and his family.<br /><br />Aurelia,
who only wants to live in peace on her acres, finds she has acquired a
ready-made family in Thomas's younger sister and brother, as well as a
head-strong husband whose campaign for MP fills her household with a
shockingly odd assortment of characters. It seems her marriage of
convenience is fast becoming a marriage of inconvenience. Just how far
will this strong-willed pair bend to accommodate each other? And will
they do it before it's too late?<br /><br /><b>Reviews:</b><br /><br />"Blair
Bancroft's warm and tender [novel] boasts a great heroine in Aurelia:
She's attractive, courageous, vulnerable and intelligent."<br /> Robin Taylor, Romantic Times<br /><br />"Reading
how they gradually learn to like and eventually love each other is
wonderful. Blair Bancroft is now definitely one of my favorite
traditional Regency authors and this book is a prime example of why."<br /> Nicole Hulst, Romance Junkies<br /><br />"Set
against a backdrop of rural politics (and a fascinating look at the
early world of "buying votes) this is a story that entrances, enlightens
and endears."<br />Celia at A Romance Review</span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">~ * ~</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: red;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><br /></div></div><div><p></p></div>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-54170329392976622742023-11-11T19:56:00.000-08:002023-11-11T19:56:06.121-08:00200 lb. Python + Gallery<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> In my last post I featured an article stating that python hunters believed there was a 200-pounder out there. Well, evidently this year's hunters found it. (At least all but 2 pounds of it.) Limited in their options by Hunt rules, the five wrestled with the 198-lb. behemoth for 45 minutes before subduing it. And had to call in an expert to euthanize it. Before anyone growls over the kill, please recall that non-native pythons have nearly destroyed the wildlife population native to the Florida Everglades. Photo credit: The <i>Orlando Sentinel</i></span><br /></p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOgR-FhHXHQw_vNwOsufKtGakcrRneps636UXKUvub-vLqpOCo04CZ57kGHmbWdypLukH90zDBwjUU7ixbbrHnU0sYGmCjGOC9mUjoUp8p8yw5BCLiw8D97xM__OnxUYxpVplzVKbRD9tfGIDXb2IRJd41PbAFMMOTxvt9dpNEE8SCO-NyjVh4mY9tzXN/s3424/Python200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2011" data-original-width="3424" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOgR-FhHXHQw_vNwOsufKtGakcrRneps636UXKUvub-vLqpOCo04CZ57kGHmbWdypLukH90zDBwjUU7ixbbrHnU0sYGmCjGOC9mUjoUp8p8yw5BCLiw8D97xM__OnxUYxpVplzVKbRD9tfGIDXb2IRJd41PbAFMMOTxvt9dpNEE8SCO-NyjVh4mY9tzXN/w400-h235/Python200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> <span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">And now, some much more beloved creatures . . .</span> <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdnwc8XaAGAbmdvPLAAlti97JjflhOvDTU_dQ7bh2GcGfkTkl9VK5vul4x0lTP6L3ocmy78Vu_uD_NJdiFMoYLM9km_NBidirzI8axjsk4y_m0dwMtG6l-Y_vI15DzuiZtJRjBDR5DqVAdRCMmUK_US3Nk7nIkhYRetzArnFrlWcLcxowII3pxUtmUVmd/s705/KittensinaPot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="526" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdnwc8XaAGAbmdvPLAAlti97JjflhOvDTU_dQ7bh2GcGfkTkl9VK5vul4x0lTP6L3ocmy78Vu_uD_NJdiFMoYLM9km_NBidirzI8axjsk4y_m0dwMtG6l-Y_vI15DzuiZtJRjBDR5DqVAdRCMmUK_US3Nk7nIkhYRetzArnFrlWcLcxowII3pxUtmUVmd/w299-h400/KittensinaPot.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX9tKDISj7yMRHTF0tKyklm-tzuRldDoeJ2HDK0XcF8V2JjA7ra6M0HyOR7b8RGDyUyn1OTREALl8LehhJ3jE6sXvw25n1H_bXgGsUEWdZ3b-qF5LyfXrmCSyZQsyJ4HMimopw_b0b4ecgueoRI213hqzpADgqRBpG6SgVg_fd42DDDGSaNNskiS1qeZ-/s843/FourBucks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="843" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX9tKDISj7yMRHTF0tKyklm-tzuRldDoeJ2HDK0XcF8V2JjA7ra6M0HyOR7b8RGDyUyn1OTREALl8LehhJ3jE6sXvw25n1H_bXgGsUEWdZ3b-qF5LyfXrmCSyZQsyJ4HMimopw_b0b4ecgueoRI213hqzpADgqRBpG6SgVg_fd42DDDGSaNNskiS1qeZ-/s320/FourBucks.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAY3w1o1DR9pGjNLUQ26nIrQSIdaPEGaNqqVdQ7G8hoi_GNSPWPX5jkat7b8aEWlw0dau-X3cAuLpHmWFrWVF3ckQ4tqNxkTSg26R219YTLb70HRwDt8F3xPMjG-rw8uv7YkKudRgdMZzp0fCvVusDDTRIlwXlr-BE7b-qxWrhjyvaMeOg332wsvOtl8o/s1067/KittyBloom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAY3w1o1DR9pGjNLUQ26nIrQSIdaPEGaNqqVdQ7G8hoi_GNSPWPX5jkat7b8aEWlw0dau-X3cAuLpHmWFrWVF3ckQ4tqNxkTSg26R219YTLb70HRwDt8F3xPMjG-rw8uv7YkKudRgdMZzp0fCvVusDDTRIlwXlr-BE7b-qxWrhjyvaMeOg332wsvOtl8o/w300-h400/KittyBloom.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BxMnrOvK3tl6QlAHm7nvqu3OSYEiQ0w5WDx_q0gsTU0lNJod3nSYzH4YRgM7kZQmp1Hywb1X6J75Vz-qdnHbg9TBoqbKR9NdGh_hw4MkVwzHAkZl78PlRnhG6JFbH0xnKk04j8O2SSnWAYZvHhhJBP7h5Umx5e99BZxA696en2BpDe5c9T8hRCChgrlg/s1124/Deer.SusanCoventry.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BxMnrOvK3tl6QlAHm7nvqu3OSYEiQ0w5WDx_q0gsTU0lNJod3nSYzH4YRgM7kZQmp1Hywb1X6J75Vz-qdnHbg9TBoqbKR9NdGh_hw4MkVwzHAkZl78PlRnhG6JFbH0xnKk04j8O2SSnWAYZvHhhJBP7h5Umx5e99BZxA696en2BpDe5c9T8hRCChgrlg/w300-h400/Deer.SusanCoventry.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Susan Coventry<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Closing with a bit of wisdom, a bit of humor & a bit of beauty . . .</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCXX7T8DggwZPQFhmG91W-_4xnAMH63EaH5qZQUYTEbNPVfbfUhAq9IdVXb-v8YpuGJcQcLPNUB0IB_Gb4UktBFzxmF-XtNtsguhaE9X3rCuuz0mQs7bbz9aGlYHAdR9Mnsqo6NWywkbjWBI2HHGOLfDbzvM4dajZSrZNqxUd8Nlz5aZwi_bJ3BQP_Vs3/s1202/Women.fb1023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCXX7T8DggwZPQFhmG91W-_4xnAMH63EaH5qZQUYTEbNPVfbfUhAq9IdVXb-v8YpuGJcQcLPNUB0IB_Gb4UktBFzxmF-XtNtsguhaE9X3rCuuz0mQs7bbz9aGlYHAdR9Mnsqo6NWywkbjWBI2HHGOLfDbzvM4dajZSrZNqxUd8Nlz5aZwi_bJ3BQP_Vs3/w280-h400/Women.fb1023.jpg" width="280" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UQ7eAGKkDfMx9usa8Iszw6O9jilt94dNmJxiPBflLeL0BnaweBeEv0lZxN3Cc9cS2TSfJqCRbbiAjRMi0Poaw0za4IBBuzpghkaQwmKxu7DUT_IQaveI6hTTL_H73k_JVTdzW4AQburrRrM5YxpyC_Yg9uWfo-PfyfUzgsdElmU-GiuIiTEjQe3_LQR_/s852/DuctTape.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UQ7eAGKkDfMx9usa8Iszw6O9jilt94dNmJxiPBflLeL0BnaweBeEv0lZxN3Cc9cS2TSfJqCRbbiAjRMi0Poaw0za4IBBuzpghkaQwmKxu7DUT_IQaveI6hTTL_H73k_JVTdzW4AQburrRrM5YxpyC_Yg9uWfo-PfyfUzgsdElmU-GiuIiTEjQe3_LQR_/w338-h400/DuctTape.jpg" width="338" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEcZ05wL9gzfInFlTTi-0z0a2WAs0-FPz1Aqc53wGSUGe5MNeL1RrVswUwFimMtbYmE6kzt_3F1ojDgZZDWXwtQ86h2DFrKNIj-LvjsQER5cB6X22WGocakEVyxKouRVIN8LKjSyA5nEndUEl_HPU-dAvU1gCfINbWJucMqfKyCATBtwY40mE_W2kizka/s746/JapaneseGarden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEcZ05wL9gzfInFlTTi-0z0a2WAs0-FPz1Aqc53wGSUGe5MNeL1RrVswUwFimMtbYmE6kzt_3F1ojDgZZDWXwtQ86h2DFrKNIj-LvjsQER5cB6X22WGocakEVyxKouRVIN8LKjSyA5nEndUEl_HPU-dAvU1gCfINbWJucMqfKyCATBtwY40mE_W2kizka/w308-h400/JapaneseGarden.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;">This week's featured book - my very first Regency Gothic</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I never dreamed ten more would follow, or that I would be starting yet another this week. Tentative title: <i> The Abandoned Daughter</i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;"> </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmf7Y3wyhoMQ5DtQpVVHXPmaqKCkWdYK-asthY-ln5WlmDSN0Ht4aGoSaPQ5h-xwW5erMRyjz2xZtsLgA_Y7OyL2chWszQtHzZNzReD7MYMX21fSRdQR8evFNo65jz6e38cI0KtczmvhWOK4TQ4CrlpxI9iF-DYpo8x4wp_hlPdxBR8PnvZTf80tbYwR9/s2700/Brides_of_Falconfell_26_FINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1812" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmf7Y3wyhoMQ5DtQpVVHXPmaqKCkWdYK-asthY-ln5WlmDSN0Ht4aGoSaPQ5h-xwW5erMRyjz2xZtsLgA_Y7OyL2chWszQtHzZNzReD7MYMX21fSRdQR8evFNo65jz6e38cI0KtczmvhWOK4TQ4CrlpxI9iF-DYpo8x4wp_hlPdxBR8PnvZTf80tbYwR9/w269-h400/Brides_of_Falconfell_26_FINAL.jpg" width="269" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;"> </span></b><span>Miss Serena Farnsworth, spinster, is a managing female, the crutch
for her extended family, for whom she functions as nurse, companion,
and household organizer. In short, she lives a life of service, devoid
of romance. Until she is invited to attend an invalid at a gloomy
Gothic-style estate in Northumberland, where she encounters two
suspicious deaths, personal animosity, a needy child, and even needier
father. Add witchcraft, shake (sink) holes, Mid-summer Eve revels, and a
variety of odd characters, as well as the certainty someone is trying
to kill her, and Serena finds herself surrounded by a miasma of evil.
The lord of the manor should be of help, but he, alas, is a prime
suspect in the murder of the Brides of Falconfell.<br /><br />Author's Note:
"Brides of Falconfell" is a tribute to the great era of Gothic novels,
written by Victoria Holt, Jane Aiken Hodge, Mary Stewart, Phyllis
Whitney, and other talented authors of that time. The books—more "Jane
Eyre" and "Rebecca" than "Pride and Prejudice"—have several common
elements: they are told in first person, as both heroine and reader must
be isolated, unable to know what the other characters are thinking.
Frequently, the heroines are married and begin to suspect their husbands
of murder. There is often a child, usually the hero's from a previous
marriage. A large, gloomy mansion is a must, where murder, madness, and
evil abound, with the heroine escaping death by the skin of her teeth. I
have put all these conventions in "Brides of Falconfell" and chosen an
isolated location at the very "top" of England as a setting. I hope you
will enjoy my personal attempt at "Gothic Revival." Blair Bancroft</span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-68276034366197845892023-11-01T07:04:00.001-07:002023-11-01T07:06:33.558-07:00How to Hunt a Python<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">After suffering through a week-long mystery of why, after uploading 50+ books, I could not do a successful upload of <i>The Indomitable Miss Lacey</i> to Smashwords, I finally managed it* and can, at last, turn my attention to my blog. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*</b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>For those who have not read the explanation on Facebook:</b> It took a week of sleuthing and SIX attempts before the upload to Smashword worked. The problem? After</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
umpteen years, AOL changed its download rules without bothering to
mention it. No matter what pixel width a pic was when sent to me, it
would only download to My Pictures as a THUMBNAIL. I had to manually
re-edit the pixels to the correct size before the photo was usable. A-argh!!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fdcgzcAIohSDc2Hi_X9WLaR2ZOzh9UVeRN9XkpLQQCCtCYdUYqzU128IOAmWRyMnWsfU3tcbFw6l_m7MAuF6eNPlDppguFxgaDN7FRPd1M-A_hUoE_vvy4zbEsDHRGPsd99gEfOYt0J8v9UAIP_m931pJqIY1YyxET9BWRQQUMY3LDD5D8_gJxUVkl9N/s1815/SusieTectonicPlates.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1815" data-original-width="1381" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fdcgzcAIohSDc2Hi_X9WLaR2ZOzh9UVeRN9XkpLQQCCtCYdUYqzU128IOAmWRyMnWsfU3tcbFw6l_m7MAuF6eNPlDppguFxgaDN7FRPd1M-A_hUoE_vvy4zbEsDHRGPsd99gEfOYt0J8v9UAIP_m931pJqIY1YyxET9BWRQQUMY3LDD5D8_gJxUVkl9N/w304-h400/SusieTectonicPlates.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susie, one foot in Europe, one in North America<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Among the many photos and videos my daughter posted to Facebook during her circumnavigation of the globe, I found one video more remarkable than all the others. When in Iceland, Susie and Mike visited a shopping mall where a gap had been torn in the floor during an earthquake. The gap was filled in with glass (and a bit of dramatic red "lava") and each side of the gap was labeled for the tectonic plate it belonged to. It was, therefore, possible for Susie to put one foot in North America and one foot in Europe!<i> </i>To see my son-in-law's video of this phenomenon, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/1367214104/videos/pcb.10224375966291222/1344090666311893">click here.</a> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other grandmothers post photos of their granddaughters in frilly little dresses, playing with a pet, or participating in sporting events. In our family . . . here's Cassidy demonstrating her marksmanship at Police Explorers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPvAk1rgehkliwNCQJFhoOphhfJ3k9nDJvs-lozLuDFRjHNfKhoBoT1Dh6mnXVg-uGfGqBrfeHwTyq0Hs2r5pFvqrZyFZa1Qk6Va9l7oRNwAqsygiDsbO8rS_dN8wpLs2wc7O9H7AZIv3IHDJWoCICSNSJCMUM-sdQFl-qNDI9RBb9i4jgVtBf4O7Khwm/s1499/CassidyPoliceExRifle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPvAk1rgehkliwNCQJFhoOphhfJ3k9nDJvs-lozLuDFRjHNfKhoBoT1Dh6mnXVg-uGfGqBrfeHwTyq0Hs2r5pFvqrZyFZa1Qk6Va9l7oRNwAqsygiDsbO8rS_dN8wpLs2wc7O9H7AZIv3IHDJWoCICSNSJCMUM-sdQFl-qNDI9RBb9i4jgVtBf4O7Khwm/w225-h400/CassidyPoliceExRifle.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The place Susie most wanted to go on her round-the-world trip was the black sand beach in Iceland (sand from volcanic rock). Here are two pics of the beach, including the columnar basalt formations I've only previously seen in Northern Ireland.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9-U6JergbBn0S0r1S45SpvrFWVQgv9mtg_Q18gpGStWhmk4ab_GppR3ObsYskbgfMIi8TfEazPTnrT6JWjB95c9Wf2ZgA5fcwnxWMZjUi9x2og9im7r3RFZRv8RDoI0Yaa9WpOpFHvRJut7JYcNlm4hYHyVLZmNMxNx5mOjSEBz3AtCp0Je31a9cM31m/s2048/SusieIcelandBlack1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9-U6JergbBn0S0r1S45SpvrFWVQgv9mtg_Q18gpGStWhmk4ab_GppR3ObsYskbgfMIi8TfEazPTnrT6JWjB95c9Wf2ZgA5fcwnxWMZjUi9x2og9im7r3RFZRv8RDoI0Yaa9WpOpFHvRJut7JYcNlm4hYHyVLZmNMxNx5mOjSEBz3AtCp0Je31a9cM31m/w640-h301/SusieIcelandBlack1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdgZ9_e_R9XGuKcr6xmgPsHNx8yxxMoKnmDd1OfGJwzGxE3koJMkAojEXCOXGiQMtBzHCqqWEXdnGjOOaVpV44iR9mulUuyRqx0LfxbIapVUdzJ_JiMJw0xqVK0FiuPkykF-mGDk1FIzXsPfIb06a_KOQtAdSkz9EGeRm2Q1OMPLH3Rds_FvJLWB_BVP3/s2048/SusieIceandBlack2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="957" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdgZ9_e_R9XGuKcr6xmgPsHNx8yxxMoKnmDd1OfGJwzGxE3koJMkAojEXCOXGiQMtBzHCqqWEXdnGjOOaVpV44iR9mulUuyRqx0LfxbIapVUdzJ_JiMJw0xqVK0FiuPkykF-mGDk1FIzXsPfIb06a_KOQtAdSkz9EGeRm2Q1OMPLH3Rds_FvJLWB_BVP3/w300-h640/SusieIceandBlack2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Introduction to "How to Hunt a Python"</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">(from my photo archives)<br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i> </i></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i></i></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGZOYReIwYkRUxuz5RoFuOMOCZatNfWanciDVnsvQ2tEt-nnzfunXmkCABSyuwYdpD1c0I319Xp4PQDTB4sXl3iTesLh1CNZAQFUT26nroe15qbODTVDtnqeCz9d55luAEZNh-Yd7UEmXtDE3PR-hyxJHrsja_PvuBa2SmtHoJuWYFzpX2ea7G7rtX36K/s1972/Python513.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1972" data-original-width="1104" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGZOYReIwYkRUxuz5RoFuOMOCZatNfWanciDVnsvQ2tEt-nnzfunXmkCABSyuwYdpD1c0I319Xp4PQDTB4sXl3iTesLh1CNZAQFUT26nroe15qbODTVDtnqeCz9d55luAEZNh-Yd7UEmXtDE3PR-hyxJHrsja_PvuBa2SmtHoJuWYFzpX2ea7G7rtX36K/w224-h400/Python513.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i> </i></span></span></span> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZG5DZmE5D1wkNgsnPAAOV_vAffGSE1y8_lyygYBc331eZ8lTGusgxFcEIj-MK1fLkDJpPCJ0kEs1Lu7wZEvx5bn8v6VqkUDw7cv8deE9uzTKcW3qcGyAPZhEplaXK8_qLfEGsXMYN70XVoWNV3_rQUUFWrVJmBEsfZyp02QaABmuhYGh57j6wNg9_YNyx/s580/python2017.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="580" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZG5DZmE5D1wkNgsnPAAOV_vAffGSE1y8_lyygYBc331eZ8lTGusgxFcEIj-MK1fLkDJpPCJ0kEs1Lu7wZEvx5bn8v6VqkUDw7cv8deE9uzTKcW3qcGyAPZhEplaXK8_qLfEGsXMYN70XVoWNV3_rQUUFWrVJmBEsfZyp02QaABmuhYGh57j6wNg9_YNyx/s320/python2017.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2017</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vf1oV5iqpAiCty2Nj2oKA4WHqSIIN9HdmNAbsk_KslOjAO13yQ5LbQ-4qIOQPuYE3UsjSakBUuCi5SLp9SDWm03i5I8uxtSuB8Y13ZwzUUN7cEEKEU9lCKPFssAHxXAcT6nx7di4lt7JIolfbCi4v5iiJOw2wOfuFEE-ojKeB_-eEYmmnu5Fhioe6uuI/s1080/Python1221.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vf1oV5iqpAiCty2Nj2oKA4WHqSIIN9HdmNAbsk_KslOjAO13yQ5LbQ-4qIOQPuYE3UsjSakBUuCi5SLp9SDWm03i5I8uxtSuB8Y13ZwzUUN7cEEKEU9lCKPFssAHxXAcT6nx7di4lt7JIolfbCi4v5iiJOw2wOfuFEE-ojKeB_-eEYmmnu5Fhioe6uuI/s320/Python1221.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2021</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>Only in Florida . . .</b></span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>HOW TO HUNT A PYTHON</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> I have been talking about the Great Florida Python Hunt for years now, most recently, just to mention the results. But on Sunday, October 29, 2023, the <i>Orlando Sentinel </i>published a lengthy article entitled "So you want to be a python hunter?" Definitely something unique enough I felt I should share it with my readers. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Background for those who haven't heard about this unique event before:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Apparently, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and other cities at the southern tip of the peninsula of Florida have a large number of snake-lovers. Or lovers of snakes when they are still small and not menacing. But there comes a time when that baby snake grows to the point where owners fear the snake is considering them for its next meal. So into the car, drive the snake out into the wilds of the Florida Everglades and abandon it. Nice, humane decision, right? Except pythons loved the Everglades. So much so, they multiplied and multiplied, until they were killing off the species native to the Everglades at an alarming rate. So, in an attempt to close the barn door long after the horse had been stolen, the State of Florida initiated the Great Python Hunt. Hunters are paid to bring in as many dead pythons as possible and receive monetary rewards, according to size. Alas, at this late date, it's rather like attempting to clear sand off a beach. But hunters keep trying, year after year. This year the prize for the longest python went to a female hunter.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Below, I will attempt to summarize the highlights of Sunday's article.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The article is topped by a chart: how much money is paid for each python by length. For example, a four-footer will get you $50; five feet, $75; six feet, $100; seven feet, $125; eight feet, $150. Plus a bonus for the most pythons caught and the longest python caught. And if you stumble on a nest of eggs & collect them, the reward is $200.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The record of the longest python caught is nineteen feet, with a twenty-footer suspected of being still out there. Each year, about 200 hunters are contracted by the state; their haul, around 2000 pythons. It is believed more than 18,000 pythons have been removed from the ecosystem since 2000. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Since the program began with a minimal number of intrepid hunters, it has burgeoned into a major event in south Florida, with experienced hunters taking on apprentices to learn the how-to's of hunting pythons. There is even virtual online training available.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Traps are prohibited, as are firearms. The article goes on to detail how to kill a python in the most humane manner. (I will spare you the details.) The article also emphasizes that python-hunting is hard work. A lot of tramping through swamps, including tall grass, carrying equipment, being constantly on the lookout, and hopefully ending in success. And remember, if you kill a python, you have to haul it back out to wherever you left your transportation! As mentioned above, if you want to know more, information is available online and no longer confined to a few good ol' boy hunters who grew up in the Everglades.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span> <br /></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When I looked for a book to feature with python-hunting, it didn't take much thought to come up with the Matthew Wolfe series. There's a definite swashbuckle to Matthew's adventures. I think he would have enjoyed python hunting. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOute4MSUp3AM_vv_a0FSHysZToPguY-mv3dYSMs5UsxslVBaav3itCfF2-COrXRpDovTexAT_R7ffFydjJRkqqX7f2YC4XHCVuHK9tVa9ah9W0KPe5ehwIYeO6kn8GPeQAG0uPo3eyr2s6jU6pFHuDg1Cg7UcKjvN6nphTrIiCc1Fguv8zeps8-YPFq0K/s2700/MatthewWolfe.3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOute4MSUp3AM_vv_a0FSHysZToPguY-mv3dYSMs5UsxslVBaav3itCfF2-COrXRpDovTexAT_R7ffFydjJRkqqX7f2YC4XHCVuHK9tVa9ah9W0KPe5ehwIYeO6kn8GPeQAG0uPo3eyr2s6jU6pFHuDg1Cg7UcKjvN6nphTrIiCc1Fguv8zeps8-YPFq0K/w266-h400/MatthewWolfe.3.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span><br />Matthew Wolfe, born and raised in the
squalor of London's inner city, should be a nobody, forever destined to
obscurity, or the hangman. But wait . . . he can read and write, is a
whiz at math, can speak like a gentleman, even knows more than a bit of
French. And when the boy from London ends up on a hops farm in Kent,
surrounded by the remnants of the Royal 10th Hussars and a passel of
children, what will this fish out of water do? Retired military and
their ladies, children, dogs, a regal cat, neighbors in need, and a
determined twelve-year-old—all assist Matthew on his journey toward the
person he is meant to be.</span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are two more books in this series: <i>Matthew Wolfe - the Adventures Begin and Matthew Wolfe - Revelations. </i>For drama, comedy, adventure, and a bit of romance, you can't go wrong with Matthew Wolfe.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Note to readers of my Regency Warriors series:</i> a number of familiar characters appear in the Matthew Wolfe series, including Jack Harding, who has been in more Blair Bancroft books than any other character, even getting a "mention" in my brand new Trad Regency, <i>The Indomitable Miss Lacey. </i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i> </i></span> </span></p><p></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-67385534214902039402023-10-19T12:38:00.004-07:002023-10-26T10:56:11.234-07:00The Indomitable Miss Lacey - a Traditional Regency<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> * REGENCY REVIVAL</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> *<br /></span></b></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My last blog post, "What is a Traditional Regency?" did not come out of the blue. After a number of years of writing Regency Gothics, Regency Historicals, the uncategorizable—is there such a word?—Matthew Wolfe series, and a spin-off of my SciFi Fantasy series, Blue Moon Rising, I went back to my long-ago Regency roots with Signet and wrote a genuine Traditional Regency . . . well, almost. Inserting Peru into a Trad Regency may be a bit of a stretch! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, sorry, Gothic fans. No dark & gloomy settings, no dead bodies, no ghosts, no paranormal, no threatened heroine—just London during the Season, though the hero and heroine—a world-traveling spinster and an impoverished earl—also stretch the Trad Regency concept a bit. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Indomitable Miss Lacey</span></i> is available on Amazon and Smashwords (with a 15% free read), and should soon be available on most ebook vendor sites. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Grace note:</i> I did some in-depth research on Vauxhall for this one and have probably included more than anyone wants to know about the famous pleasure gardens. But after reading about the Dark Walk in so many novels, it was truly satisfying to find out where it was actually located. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So here is my first Trad Regency in umpteen years:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnU_s6I4WjJkKv63LcgwWzuCKIOJtNsoZ2LKUicTyNq33vJDM6rbmHAQGM3pRxAFDXLaD-1395XcVNUWfJI8cqFSTDH9uyQXvNgE7dhSkb7TkYMQrLUv5ZyYctU9zp75-L3_oXNKHPMk_630zmNrtt_3yNV7Nnm1MJUpjr9Ub0iHWVDUETMDpwwVwCe3L/s2699/lacey.becka1800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2699" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnU_s6I4WjJkKv63LcgwWzuCKIOJtNsoZ2LKUicTyNq33vJDM6rbmHAQGM3pRxAFDXLaD-1395XcVNUWfJI8cqFSTDH9uyQXvNgE7dhSkb7TkYMQrLUv5ZyYctU9zp75-L3_oXNKHPMk_630zmNrtt_3yNV7Nnm1MJUpjr9Ub0iHWVDUETMDpwwVwCe3L/w266-h400/lacey.becka1800.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Miss Madeline Lacey—world traveler and spinster—is a far cry from the other young ladies making their debut in London society. But instead of wilting into an aging wallflower, she surprises everyone by attracting the attention of a wealthy country gentleman and a newly made rough-about-the-edges earl. Except . . . one lacks the spirit of adventure and the other is allegedly betrothed to the daughter of a marquess. And then there is the problem of what to do with the many artifacts Miss Lacey's father accumulated during eighteen years of exploration, as well as the deep, dark secret that Miss Lacey is not as penniless as society assumes. Disaster looms as sheer stubbornness on the part of both hero and heroine threatens the possibility of Happily Ever After.</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-18452050974717577282023-10-07T20:18:00.000-07:002023-10-07T20:18:23.737-07:00What is a "Traditional Regency"?<p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As mentioned last week, my daughter and her husband are in Singapore this week, where Mike is in charge of tech for a large convention. On the way, they made a 3-hour stop in Japan, and Susie posted this photo of a toilet at the airport - which, to me, looks more like the cockpit of Cassidy's Cessna. No wonder they had to post a hint for foreign visitors. But, frankly, I'm really intrigued by what all those buttons are meant to do. </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI7-73TEP9BV7_6RdwQAdMkqZ3-TYq-4g8rYVd2996kpKeEd0i6KeUh4fDQ1tRgf91kSpRGqRFkAmxBBbozYhxxDR33JInQilre9dlKE3p4U57rGQLmCnMs-ZWBjmclFz2puXWaH9-6YXscIwRw8sLTrOabSbmFZe_PveUgiYBTG-HnXRHOXq6pZoHGuI/s2048/Toilet.Japan1023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI7-73TEP9BV7_6RdwQAdMkqZ3-TYq-4g8rYVd2996kpKeEd0i6KeUh4fDQ1tRgf91kSpRGqRFkAmxBBbozYhxxDR33JInQilre9dlKE3p4U57rGQLmCnMs-ZWBjmclFz2puXWaH9-6YXscIwRw8sLTrOabSbmFZe_PveUgiYBTG-HnXRHOXq6pZoHGuI/w400-h225/Toilet.Japan1023.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_51HKgO73TRN2e1d8DYY2FzDoPIWshXBPXNEk29tLQ38-Of_gJLUZTtVPRdl5pfVmyAO2k_zDf_8jnAGE8jFmf-3Of7htSZN1JuW38ErnsRFB8wDcHHax1Vntw_ysT3BP01bU7hyphenhyphenvdwBKrFIWHppTz1dbVw8KPCDJ9Qgj6Spk-FAKH-WgJxpxhKeU702I/s826/Singapore2023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="826" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_51HKgO73TRN2e1d8DYY2FzDoPIWshXBPXNEk29tLQ38-Of_gJLUZTtVPRdl5pfVmyAO2k_zDf_8jnAGE8jFmf-3Of7htSZN1JuW38ErnsRFB8wDcHHax1Vntw_ysT3BP01bU7hyphenhyphenvdwBKrFIWHppTz1dbVw8KPCDJ9Qgj6Spk-FAKH-WgJxpxhKeU702I/w400-h297/Singapore2023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Conference hotel, Singapore 2023<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Grace note:</i> nothing like getting paid to stay in a 5-star hotel!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1CBiva2rf8z2NilLPqzTrdtWur3cgZ8YmZH8s_yoIPR_tvAypAz4kC33q_o2lMkd-3sIeVOx5nuRGv9KqFb07fwQaIF5FOZJZ9_Jh19aBt0bEpuCYCSP3PhX75RSsdqPXDVNyrB0HBYmleeP8F35es00TyEpJ_JMFqL6nw5vn-eb7sajZYc1MbRa9br-/s2048/Singapore.Sephora1023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1137" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1CBiva2rf8z2NilLPqzTrdtWur3cgZ8YmZH8s_yoIPR_tvAypAz4kC33q_o2lMkd-3sIeVOx5nuRGv9KqFb07fwQaIF5FOZJZ9_Jh19aBt0bEpuCYCSP3PhX75RSsdqPXDVNyrB0HBYmleeP8F35es00TyEpJ_JMFqL6nw5vn-eb7sajZYc1MbRa9br-/w223-h400/Singapore.Sephora1023.jpg" width="223" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Susie at the Singapore branch of the company</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">she works for at the Altamonte Mall <br /></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbS_VkouR8CBDRnxG0y3qjWODKPzYBC7YV9nBuT_3wjmS0gaJTI_SJ5X4h3L8SeWqJyV9b30Yp3-6cfDjdbtci3H11MKnhb7aYuBKfBGDIHAc0JgHbM-K3FvDd8i0kQElcTJjGDLqIYOBrSyKYNmKbc169N9ASfZNB69TxwQT1adfW9fFdwQqCRIcJYAA/s2048/Singapore.Skyline1023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbS_VkouR8CBDRnxG0y3qjWODKPzYBC7YV9nBuT_3wjmS0gaJTI_SJ5X4h3L8SeWqJyV9b30Yp3-6cfDjdbtci3H11MKnhb7aYuBKfBGDIHAc0JgHbM-K3FvDd8i0kQElcTJjGDLqIYOBrSyKYNmKbc169N9ASfZNB69TxwQT1adfW9fFdwQqCRIcJYAA/w400-h225/Singapore.Skyline1023.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Singapore skyline, very likely from roof of</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">hotel in Pic 2 above <br /></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">(Regular
readers will recall that Mike & Susie have been doing alternating
conferences in Singapore and London for some years now, including taking
the whole family to Singapore in 2019.)</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>What is a "Traditional Regency"?</b></span> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i>Grace Note 1: </i>the
comments in the following article do not include the requirements for
Harlequin Regency novels, which are a whole 'nother kettle of fish.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i>Grace Note 2: </i>I have so many scribbled notes, I scarcely know where to begin, but as someone who's written ten Traditional Regencies, plus six more serious Regency Historicals, eleven Regency Gothics, and seven Regency novellas that range from comedy to scandalous, I'm going to give it a try. <br /></span></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">A so-called Traditional Regency Romance is based on the early 19th century novels of Jane Austen. A style that was revived and augmented in the 1950s and 60s by the extensive works of Georgette Heyer, who is credited with bringing the genre back into vogue. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>What does "Regency" mean?</b> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">"Regency" literally refers to the period between 1811 and 1820 when the Prince of Wales was named Regent in place of his father, King George III, who had gone mad. In Regency fiction, however, the "allowable" years are 1795-1820. To many, this will make more sense if it's noted this is the time period when Napoleon Bonaparte set out to conquer every country in sight, only meeting his final defeat in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo. (Although most Trad Regencies are set in a London society seemingly oblivious to the war, I've always preferred to include, wherever possible, the war and its affects on my characters.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Background on New York publishers and the Regency novel</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">For many years after the success of Georgette Heyer's novels, Traditional Regency Romances were published by Signet and Kensington. Then somewhere around 2008, SEX - the more graphic the better - swept the publishing world, and those of us writing pristine comedies of manners with nothing more than a kiss here and there were out, the lines shut down, all Trad Regency authors out of a job. Sigh. So what to do?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Most of us ended up in the burgeoning e-book market. Fortunately, our publishers were good about returning the titles to our earlier books, so most of us began by learning how to format our backlist for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, etc. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Below, a list of what I believe makes a Traditional Regency Romance: </b> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1. <b> Overall "feel." </b> A Trad Regency is basically light-hearted, even though the plots sometimes get a bit out of hand.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2. <b>Point of View. </b> Trad Regencies frequently feature multiple Points of View. Not just the Hero and Heroine, but stray glimpses into other characters from relatives to the butler or even a street urchin. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. <b>Writing Style.</b> Trad Regencies often feature long, involved sentences, with lots of commas, semi-colons, and colons. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4.<b> Vocabulary. </b> Trad Regencies have their own special vocabulary, based on the well-educated vocabularies of the protagonists in Austen and Heyer. The vocabulary also includes "cant" phrases of the period, most culled from<i> Real Life in London</i> by Pierce Egan (1821) and <i>Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue</i>, by Francis Grose (1811). Any Trad Regency not using some of these phrases is not considered authentic by aficionados of the genre, although I have to admit if we used as many as Ms Heyer does, 21st c. readers would likely wrinkle their noses in disgust (or confusion).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">5. <b> Characters.</b> The main characters must be from England's Upper Class, preferably titled. Yes, the sons or daughters of second sons of second sons may sometimes sneak in there, as does an occasional daughter of a wealthy "cit" (i.e., merchant class). But for the most part Trad Regencies stick to the upper echelons of society. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And just as important, characterizations must be diverse and well-delineated: the interesting, charming, challenging, infuriating, kindly, bombastic, classic busybody, etc. Heroines and secondary females range from shy, wilting, wouldn't-say-boo-to-a-goose to strong-willed, courageous, and willing to fight against male dominance. The heroes and secondary heroes range from titled rakes who vow they will never to marry to responsible gentlemen not averse to finding a wife and an occasional shy young man who thinks love unlikely to come his way.</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> 6. Setting.</b> The setting of a Trad Regency is most frequently London during the spring Season. This can be extended to other "socially acceptable" sites, such as Brighton, Bath, and/or an English country house and nearby village. There may be short scenes elsewhere, but the activities of the London<i> ton</i> (society) is a prime ingredient.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The London sites most frequently used: Mayfair, Bond Street, Hyde Park, Almack's, Tattersall's, Gentleman Jackson's, Manton's; and just out of town, Richmond Park. If you don't know what these places are, you should not attempt to write a Trad Regency.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>7. Descriptions.</b> Good descriptions of people and places are necessary, most particularly the details of gowns and hats, but not forgetting a nod to the austere garb for men dictated by Beau Brummel, in striking contrast to the elaborate male costumes of the 18th c. (I tend to short clothing description in favor of character delineation, but to each his own.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>8. Plot. </b>You will note that Plot is last on the list. Plots in Trad Regencies tend to be thin, little more than a idea that allows the author to display the full panorama of British Upper Class society enjoying life on inherited money (never having worked a day in their lives). Yes, there is always a Romance, but on occasion it can be extremely sketchy. One Georgette Heyer comes to mind - definitely not one of my favorites - where the hero spends the entire book trying to rescue a foolish runaway female, while his supposed love interest languishes away, wondering where he is.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Summary.</b> It could be said that a Traditional Regency Romance is everything that a Regency Gothic is not. No ghosts, no dead bodies, no paranormal, no dire threats or life-threatening moments. While Trads, even those with strong heroines, tend to be frothy, with numerous touches of comedy. Depictions of life at the very top of England's nobility. Of life in those few short years that saw a sharp change from the lavishness and licentiousness of the 18th century to a more refined, more polite, more conservatively-dressed society. An almost perfect moment before it all disintegrated under the austere disapproval of young Queen Victoria, who was so horrified by the society espoused by her uncle, George IV, that she tore down his palace in London and would have done the same for his summer home in Brighton if it hadn't been rescued by being purchased by the city. To this day, the Pavilion in Brighton is one of the "must sees" for tourists from all over the world. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Experts on the Regency period - which the Brits call "Late Georgian" - will undoubtedly note all the points I forgot. But this article was written for those who haven't the slightest idea what a Trad Regency is, and I hope it helped.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Additional Notes:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Regency Historical Romances</b> are longer, more serious, more adventurous, and feature more action. But like all romances, no matter how much the Hero and Heroine have suffered, a Happily Ever After is required<b>. </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Regency Gothics</b>, as previously stated, feature a lone heroine against the world - tales often embellished by ghosts, the paranormal, deadly threats, scary situations, a continuing sense of gloom and doom. But with the inevitable HEA ending.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Naughty Regencies. </b>Yes, there are Regency novels that are far from squeaky clean. I ventured into that realm with my Aphrodite Academy series, though those four books are mild compared to some. These novels are at the opposite end of the spectrum from Traditional Regencies. They do, however, depict an aspect of the Regency that existed, though not as blatantly as in the 18th century. Again, HEA required.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hopefully, if you've managed to plow through the above, you have a better idea of what you'll be getting if you choose a Traditional Regency Romance.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> My featured book this we</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ek is my first sale of a Trad Regency to the New York print market. I still remember the moment when I answered "the call" in my kitchen in Venice, Florida. After two lengthy Regency Historicals that had gone to the e-market, I disciplined myself to stick to the expected Trad Regency format and, lo and behold, the Regency editor at Signet (Penguin Putnam) was on the line telling me they wanted <i>The Courtesan's Letters</i>. Wow! Appallingly, however, the title would later be changed to <i>The Indifferent Earl</i> (which he most certainly was not) as the Marketing Department didn't think "courtesan" would play well in the hinterlands. Sigh. When, many years later, I got my rights back, the book went on Amazon and Smashwords under its original title. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5sR9vTM_Tl3Dw3Fznw1qT_PRcZASW3fypjNs8HbNi1HzZsRLzPc9awitced7iY2_XBFGWxWrtJ3L5_WvXS5AEJaMT_jVmKg89MZrgG5PaEvgs55n3W9pqp5Cq_zu6vJNxqW0DmnnDOsLTCvGInUXEm4wX5XpsIrwK48AFenmZYmTAlUONyYpAmmWL1PS/s2700/Courtesan's%20Letters2%20%2015%20FINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5sR9vTM_Tl3Dw3Fznw1qT_PRcZASW3fypjNs8HbNi1HzZsRLzPc9awitced7iY2_XBFGWxWrtJ3L5_WvXS5AEJaMT_jVmKg89MZrgG5PaEvgs55n3W9pqp5Cq_zu6vJNxqW0DmnnDOsLTCvGInUXEm4wX5XpsIrwK48AFenmZYmTAlUONyYpAmmWL1PS/w266-h400/Courtesan's%20Letters2%20%2015%20FINAL.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /> </span><span>Miss Abigail Todd, the very proper headmistress of an academy for
young ladies in Boston, arrives in England to settle her grandmother’s
estate, only to discover that her ancestor was<i> la grande Clarisse</i>, the
most notorious courtesan of her day. And, to her even greater horror,
she herself is the perfect image of her grandmother. Clarisse has left a
series of letters detailing commissions Abby must carry out in order to
obtain her inheritance (an amount far greater than anticipated). In
order to do this, she must accept the assistance of Jared, Earl of
Langley, grandson of the man who was Clarisse’s devoted lover for forty
years. Has Clarisse created these letters because of love, nostalgia,
mischief, vengeance . . . or is she perhaps more interested in
matchmaking? The most likely answer: all of the above. <br /><i><br />Author’s
Note:</i> <i>The Courtesan’s Letters</i> is suitable reading for Ages 14 &
up. Under the Signet title of “The Indifferent Earl,” it was nominated
for a RITA award by the Romance Writers of America and was awarded
“Regency Romance of the Year” by <i>Romantic Times</i> magazine.<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-11667870387816354522023-09-30T13:05:00.000-07:002023-09-30T13:05:34.635-07:00Gallery & Cover Reveal<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Long-time readers of Grace's Mosaic Moments know that even back in the days when most of my blogs were devoted to Writing and Editing tips, I always sneaked in family photos, mostly of the grandgirls. And these days are no different, except the girls are all grown up and doing remarkable things—Hailey majoring in Engineering with the nearby Space Center in mind, Riley a freshman at Stetson, and Cassidy considering a career in the Air Force or as a commercial pilot. As her first step on this long road, below a pic of the license that recently arrived in the mail.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKekJsa5NAvp8CsiQJy5DpzIKTe_yXglwYgspwtmxhD-S86_4GUpB0eHju-UtIjOqcCcvQYNOy3eNq2xwbW3qZSaArrXSdsAUaOpPTlDM8dy56c5zbkCQgYB8F5SeEwnHYqsJDHhu7gep1pNzHPN7mwUoCYfJv-SqmqX9XF2IIoqqlJeh3MTMzSxtL6dPC/s1923/Cassidy.PilotLicense923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1923" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKekJsa5NAvp8CsiQJy5DpzIKTe_yXglwYgspwtmxhD-S86_4GUpB0eHju-UtIjOqcCcvQYNOy3eNq2xwbW3qZSaArrXSdsAUaOpPTlDM8dy56c5zbkCQgYB8F5SeEwnHYqsJDHhu7gep1pNzHPN7mwUoCYfJv-SqmqX9XF2IIoqqlJeh3MTMzSxtL6dPC/w360-h640/Cassidy.PilotLicense923.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">A nostalgic moment as the girls jump the dunes in Dubai, when they accompanied their parents on a business trip to Singapore in 2019.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCHS7205oYVWygogIPGTz_OioUQAtLKmqBtfisEUX2Hshn4cSHyQQfjrim8y9tXcLKHA-i7WiVG4xYUv7YPTEDnM5eZIjIBr6AptPv8FGFJs8cNV9eDoaXt38ZxW4ZH_2-mcDydlGtFLkTwtx05mTEpx97RTZZF4bZZ2x4U78PO4GsozF5gRTMhGFla2_/s936/HRC.Jumping.Dubai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="769" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCHS7205oYVWygogIPGTz_OioUQAtLKmqBtfisEUX2Hshn4cSHyQQfjrim8y9tXcLKHA-i7WiVG4xYUv7YPTEDnM5eZIjIBr6AptPv8FGFJs8cNV9eDoaXt38ZxW4ZH_2-mcDydlGtFLkTwtx05mTEpx97RTZZF4bZZ2x4U78PO4GsozF5gRTMhGFla2_/w329-h400/HRC.Jumping.Dubai.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A few weeks ago, Hurricane Idalia tracked north just off the Florida Gulf Coast, churning the seabed along the way, resulting in Susie's best one-dive haul ever:</span></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK2l5sSsyIQEoV7oFjGaxfMz8rdwBfxOt7e4q13J0gnfh-ZudEDPXD6bjNMxi3mlSr7C0kDcsBdQ2DgXjrB3DHKnRKV-L6bW8dDzg5FALiD4CLzCw40Tf-mDEDcj_40bP-rpBMAaLFrlWnQcDahLzGPSPy5ZHBDl_JfOdQmKtVGLFdgiUsy13yvp_Yleh/s2048/SusieDive923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK2l5sSsyIQEoV7oFjGaxfMz8rdwBfxOt7e4q13J0gnfh-ZudEDPXD6bjNMxi3mlSr7C0kDcsBdQ2DgXjrB3DHKnRKV-L6bW8dDzg5FALiD4CLzCw40Tf-mDEDcj_40bP-rpBMAaLFrlWnQcDahLzGPSPy5ZHBDl_JfOdQmKtVGLFdgiUsy13yvp_Yleh/w400-h225/SusieDive923.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I believe she said that's a mammoth tooth on the right.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After this triumphant dive, Susie changed her Facebook photo to:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyisJ0iFTyYmp1WwUY1fr_TgZk3YzSc_yIf-efgeWUArM4L7JQ_MHVP36kH3iq7A7GiGKNg916R9lusTfW3Nuc8h2QVoBKaInyNHm_QhUSRFWGCZipFc0kUtLlLoXBXS6TgLCvt4jMNaKjdOWxNDeCC_94kc7fwWQZf1xHkog-biDqVR7JCAD9yR2k1JT4/s772/SusieUnderWater923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="772" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyisJ0iFTyYmp1WwUY1fr_TgZk3YzSc_yIf-efgeWUArM4L7JQ_MHVP36kH3iq7A7GiGKNg916R9lusTfW3Nuc8h2QVoBKaInyNHm_QhUSRFWGCZipFc0kUtLlLoXBXS6TgLCvt4jMNaKjdOWxNDeCC_94kc7fwWQZf1xHkog-biDqVR7JCAD9yR2k1JT4/w400-h399/SusieUnderWater923.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">For Gramma Grace's addition to the family achievements, see Cover Reveal at the end of this blog.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A Special note for my surprisingly many readers in Singapore: Susie and her husband Mike will be in Singapore late next week, where he directs the technical support for a convention that meets there every other year. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">So if you see a curly-haired reddish blonde, old enough to be the mother of the two on the left . . . (Cassidy was in Flight School when this was taken at Susie's birthday party.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUeKsAMg2C8nTFB-xIsIxyA7-6pTIanuZNNUpTyleTEmaX1AONu20zJjC0r3399GC5DcwRi2DoVz1asrGtorLEt62Wl7Yw9NaQ19-D3FNp3A2PcZM-m1GFwvJXPnhS2XVt6IVJepDm-IXjqJbNprmB7Nv09AHVqqEiS7OSzc58r8ufs9YFWs_RLE-wTsT/s2048/SusieRileyHailey623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUeKsAMg2C8nTFB-xIsIxyA7-6pTIanuZNNUpTyleTEmaX1AONu20zJjC0r3399GC5DcwRi2DoVz1asrGtorLEt62Wl7Yw9NaQ19-D3FNp3A2PcZM-m1GFwvJXPnhS2XVt6IVJepDm-IXjqJbNprmB7Nv09AHVqqEiS7OSzc58r8ufs9YFWs_RLE-wTsT/w400-h300/SusieRileyHailey623.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley, Hailey, Susie, June 2023<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> And now, a Gallery of treasures, filched from Facebook:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8YTxb3ILymR2IhveUs7WUFuOQKpHRAzRGEKV0xEKwQmqRUQWUq3racvo7cjsf4ZPQCvmCWz_QkY7Og1w3MULut-ZVZ0rpwE-O_a5M7W7F2cI7fAD-vGir2yQdWAdmLqPlsjQ1NVub10Q0c3gQp_oecEqo3bAesP0pg4NGFoxmMr_WNGZvvUneqtn4JsF/s1440/Patience.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8YTxb3ILymR2IhveUs7WUFuOQKpHRAzRGEKV0xEKwQmqRUQWUq3racvo7cjsf4ZPQCvmCWz_QkY7Og1w3MULut-ZVZ0rpwE-O_a5M7W7F2cI7fAD-vGir2yQdWAdmLqPlsjQ1NVub10Q0c3gQp_oecEqo3bAesP0pg4NGFoxmMr_WNGZvvUneqtn4JsF/w300-h400/Patience.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3Yaj04-czM4e_xYc-Q2FFs6XGBV8dywh9R0rH6fiHHDiyQnhb3BILQrLEerYdg5fuOIhb80KJeR_zBCz_1PDXVTcNfligHtSexK1UevlRVYRa8AAoWPDqaPSsCPvUKsSpNaoyKD8FQKYZG1eUjds6Uie0s0AEG3O0hc5YwwXQVuJBASExHXK6KR5NUex/s1124/TicketbyComputer923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3Yaj04-czM4e_xYc-Q2FFs6XGBV8dywh9R0rH6fiHHDiyQnhb3BILQrLEerYdg5fuOIhb80KJeR_zBCz_1PDXVTcNfligHtSexK1UevlRVYRa8AAoWPDqaPSsCPvUKsSpNaoyKD8FQKYZG1eUjds6Uie0s0AEG3O0hc5YwwXQVuJBASExHXK6KR5NUex/w300-h400/TicketbyComputer923.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></span><p></p><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItZUQYqXDURKac6R-ErcY_lOWW6l7fIru7fP5PXi3Eg_01-n7iIO69-0gScCHYyBQJfsc1JHZnqjWSkzxqXGK29SXexWlBAKQZDbzXZ8kAgz0NFsCOg6a_jjqldybm3v4ZzU2LYcekKECatpn_M5H0AGA0aISgRQSLVBtAsxa6EO9QuzGltQPFckQJHoO/s800/ChineseInterchange.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItZUQYqXDURKac6R-ErcY_lOWW6l7fIru7fP5PXi3Eg_01-n7iIO69-0gScCHYyBQJfsc1JHZnqjWSkzxqXGK29SXexWlBAKQZDbzXZ8kAgz0NFsCOg6a_jjqldybm3v4ZzU2LYcekKECatpn_M5H0AGA0aISgRQSLVBtAsxa6EO9QuzGltQPFckQJHoO/w320-h400/ChineseInterchange.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highway Interchange in China<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYpYjccjsJ6O4NJ7Ktzw_iFhFEdamzKvcEc872YGvFwm_CXYAedUhImT2t0xSUkoOn_iLsmaeeor3CCA7VSBSnjomTgdvEnh6_-qaDU_JIBVh2S1NxxVkSHex5yAU7zPkUnPvRNT565-XCFS0pdrX_wV6RDbhlYVxwT3phiOXrl7aLiIAMjLXUAg2A76o/s960/Yosemite923.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYpYjccjsJ6O4NJ7Ktzw_iFhFEdamzKvcEc872YGvFwm_CXYAedUhImT2t0xSUkoOn_iLsmaeeor3CCA7VSBSnjomTgdvEnh6_-qaDU_JIBVh2S1NxxVkSHex5yAU7zPkUnPvRNT565-XCFS0pdrX_wV6RDbhlYVxwT3phiOXrl7aLiIAMjLXUAg2A76o/w320-h400/Yosemite923.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yosemite - photo by Leanna Dilbeck<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQkO5nNnqLkD5_N1mpdWP0UNj41zUXSePVBUqIc1jhWuFAZP4X32sZQD-OKvjQkF3aiCjr7hSdAzvuyfwa-OuM_J63VojSMmZacPvAntseJvhocTyVyErk7AEylFYxvZZTnGRAi_VyycBJGx1tUAdhtYJ7XW77RkYD6HmKWJ7-jvk3OlXfel6aEnfKFyj/s960/GrandCanyon.ooah.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQkO5nNnqLkD5_N1mpdWP0UNj41zUXSePVBUqIc1jhWuFAZP4X32sZQD-OKvjQkF3aiCjr7hSdAzvuyfwa-OuM_J63VojSMmZacPvAntseJvhocTyVyErk7AEylFYxvZZTnGRAi_VyycBJGx1tUAdhtYJ7XW77RkYD6HmKWJ7-jvk3OlXfel6aEnfKFyj/w320-h400/GrandCanyon.ooah.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2pumbTuBLlT2-bB9tMEeXvQu7ZdGOZ030LrGnISy5C0xIsgx3IzeIbwR18zmddt4EeY7EtTyG5M_-t0tek_H7dn0x8CrrEYqWjlgOzICvCBQQV2DSscb_LwfAlkZ1EtaNaxSpWxLp2n22NKsJbJb1MNMs5MEMaks-aoEOKJSw0cdIC7TLxeOjOhUkvDL/s1124/Lake911.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2pumbTuBLlT2-bB9tMEeXvQu7ZdGOZ030LrGnISy5C0xIsgx3IzeIbwR18zmddt4EeY7EtTyG5M_-t0tek_H7dn0x8CrrEYqWjlgOzICvCBQQV2DSscb_LwfAlkZ1EtaNaxSpWxLp2n22NKsJbJb1MNMs5MEMaks-aoEOKJSw0cdIC7TLxeOjOhUkvDL/w300-h400/Lake911.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken 9/11/23 by Margaret Riegert West<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BDw3BEExnF7dN0vGFb4uweUQGy-Awkh6oQo-BbAKqSn7CVvts9dArk4_BBcmrs0gagwRJ2oR_i6EtyO9ea7TApbswzINVn7yn84pjR-Yzx8cKzWKRWNhayVv1j3n27X1BSlHBHE9UrpQjYEt15hi6vEGkbmoXlVtxFI4bN4a_kuyH7SrtUB0Gzeo5Ngv/s960/ArizonaSunset923.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BDw3BEExnF7dN0vGFb4uweUQGy-Awkh6oQo-BbAKqSn7CVvts9dArk4_BBcmrs0gagwRJ2oR_i6EtyO9ea7TApbswzINVn7yn84pjR-Yzx8cKzWKRWNhayVv1j3n27X1BSlHBHE9UrpQjYEt15hi6vEGkbmoXlVtxFI4bN4a_kuyH7SrtUB0Gzeo5Ngv/s320/ArizonaSunset923.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arizona Sunset by Delle Jacobs<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> ~ * ~</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Delle is also an outstanding Cover Artist. The latest example of the umpteen gorgeous covers she has created for my books since 2011:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAC5UiU81GvsKIoLBwsqkYfaoVNbLpbvH1vzeUXwzBPlpdHNYLkJpKisNmFIO11z1kujhesQz9IdJt7WnLqVs0uPiIGYt4AsDTWApFWSqVSEpax_wOg6hjMssKLF-SsCrQ5KE7AjIUEzhRspRWRxhDKuUE636PzraCUms8lrpSeH7AWKACDsZpncrPBmA/s1620/TheIndomitableMissLacey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAC5UiU81GvsKIoLBwsqkYfaoVNbLpbvH1vzeUXwzBPlpdHNYLkJpKisNmFIO11z1kujhesQz9IdJt7WnLqVs0uPiIGYt4AsDTWApFWSqVSEpax_wOg6hjMssKLF-SsCrQ5KE7AjIUEzhRspRWRxhDKuUE636PzraCUms8lrpSeH7AWKACDsZpncrPBmA/w266-h400/TheIndomitableMissLacey.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The London adventures of Miss Madeline Lacey should be available - hopefully - sometime around mid-October.</span><br /></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><br /></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-31700821867484464692023-09-16T20:24:00.003-07:002023-09-23T10:10:51.674-07:00My Personal View of 9/11<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Next Blog - September 30, 2023</span> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Blog draft written on Monday, September 11, 2023</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2KX-VqldUmnxncbQwXVcoR6pMwUU-zbqNxV1JCb8mt-wydAh988b_wfVCpmlOZd9yxpkXbrfYW8D-CHvzUVb5eR6b2QoRx4hG6L7LOB3Oz9HwcvjfhU5ZbyPkZ-GJ2jZXWbY2b3kviTTgnO9Ay0LLl01yDbY91ryDKVL1Sk36IOBVWfUPxO6sjJmLK1B/s960/CloudWingFormation.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="767" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2KX-VqldUmnxncbQwXVcoR6pMwUU-zbqNxV1JCb8mt-wydAh988b_wfVCpmlOZd9yxpkXbrfYW8D-CHvzUVb5eR6b2QoRx4hG6L7LOB3Oz9HwcvjfhU5ZbyPkZ-GJ2jZXWbY2b3kviTTgnO9Ay0LLl01yDbY91ryDKVL1Sk36IOBVWfUPxO6sjJmLK1B/w320-h400/CloudWingFormation.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Facebook<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">MY PERSONAL VIEW OF 9/11</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My view of 9/11 is more personal than many, and on this day, the twenty-second anniversary of 9/11/2001, I feel compelled to spell it all out. No, thank God, I was not in New York City but in Venice, Florida, that day. I lost no personal friends and, to the best of my knowledge, have met only one person who was in the towers that day. Nonetheless . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My tale begins about two years earlier (best guess, some time in 1999). I lived on a quiet street in South Venice, an unpretentious neighborhood separated from truly delightful downtown Venice by a small airport and the Intracoastal Waterway. As I drove home several times over the course of a few months, I saw a truly unusual sight. South Venice was full of Florida "good ol' boys," retirees from the Mid-west (Venice is a straight run down I-75), and a few stray New Englanders like my parents and myself. Which is a not-too-subtle way of saying, both Venice and South Venice were pretty much lily white. And yet, as I drove home, I saw a strongly Arabic man walking purposefully down my street, heading toward the airport (or possibly the library). He was always highly focused, striding along, looking neither left nor right. And giving off what I have to call non-American vibes. But, hey, this was the U S of A, home to millions of immigrants. Then again, he stood out like a sore thumb in South Venice. In addition, no one walked in South Venice. Bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, cars - yes. Walking? You've got to be kidding!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Fast forward to September 11, 2001. I was at home when the phone rang and my daughter in Orlando called to say, "Turn on your TV!" and abruptly hung up. Like so many, I watched with horror the "accident" at the World Trade Center. I needed to go the library, however, so off I went, where, naturally, I kept an eye on the TV coverage of the disaster - and was standing there, staring at the ceiling-mounted screen, when the second plane hit, and we all realized this was not an accident but an attack. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">No need to rehash the next few days as we all sat, transfixed to our screens, watching the horror unfold. (The hair on my arms is rising while I'm typing this sentence.) The shock of the Pentagon being hit. The heroic passengers who downed their plane rather than let it hit the Capitol building. The horror of the rising body count that would keep on increasing as the First Responders succumbed to illnesses born of their heroism that day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But back in Venice . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On Day 2, the FBI swarmed into Venice, confiscated every computer in the Venice Library (yes, the library where I watched a plane hit the second tower), and shut down a flight school at Venice Airport (a scant mile from my house). And the story came tumbling out: Mohammed Atta, the head of the airplane hijackers, had coordinated his attackers from the computers in Venice Library. He had lived for months in South Venice - until he was ousted from the home where he was staying for disrespecting the wife of the house. And where did Mohammed Atta learn to fly? At that modest-sized flight school at the Venice Airport. A business that promptly closed, never to open again. Not surprisingly, I compared his photo to the man I had seen a couple of years earlier marching down my street. If he wasn't Mohammad Atta, he was his twin. Interestingly, years later when I took Sarasota County's 8-week Sheriff's Class, one of our speakers mentioned he had been one of the local investigators on the county's ties to 9/11, and when I told him my story, I thought he was going to swallow his tongue. He gulped, hemmed & hawed, and finally came up with something totally inane. Which left no doubt in my mind that the Powers That Be knew that the months just before 9/11 were not Atta's first visit to South Venice, but I suspect since our area already had so much egg on its face, this had been deliberately kept a deep, dark secret. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Addendum:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Several days after the disaster, I learned that a relative
by marriage ( no spring chicken) had been in New York's lower east side that morning, and
when all transportation shut down, he had to walk, through the smoke and pandemonium, the
long, long distance back to his apartment on the upper west side. Not that he was complaining - he was infinitely grateful that he had made it home alive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">About a year or so later, the speaker at Sarasota's Ivy League Club was a former stockbroker who had walked down from the 82nd story - I believe it was in the second tower. He moved to Florida to get away from it all, but admitted he had been unable to settle back into work. At that time he was simply telling his story to anyone who would listen and hoping he would eventually get his life back to normal. Multiply his story by thousands of others, let alone the trauma of the First Responders, and you begin to understand that the horrendous personal tragedy of 9/11 extended far beyond the loss of the thousands killed that day. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And continues to extend not only to those who lived through it, but to their children, and grandchildren.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">IN MEMORIAM</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">To all who died due to the attacks on the World Trade Center, </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">the Pentagon, and United Flight 93;<br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">to the Firemen and Policemen who gave their all, </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">and to the many who have suffered physical and mental trauma ever since.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Requiescat in Pace</i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Featured this week, the most "downbeat" of all my books, even though it was written for a Christmas anthology.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QFF0ULlxKSElNjxiT4ERkUEF78xj1AGD88r4jtvzLmfer67SGbqVXKfly62F_ZwrFD0nQ9VVRskRc3wUZPce0FwESI56Y97WhJarhaKRDduDsQLPXit7Dup4ghsORFQDOhgOvB1zmQbshZ5uO5mkmlLBGg1QGleWlvRKOKRXoZ80WvwT_nYSCffWyVFh/s2700/Lady%20Learns%20to%20love%2050%20FINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QFF0ULlxKSElNjxiT4ERkUEF78xj1AGD88r4jtvzLmfer67SGbqVXKfly62F_ZwrFD0nQ9VVRskRc3wUZPce0FwESI56Y97WhJarhaKRDduDsQLPXit7Dup4ghsORFQDOhgOvB1zmQbshZ5uO5mkmlLBGg1QGleWlvRKOKRXoZ80WvwT_nYSCffWyVFh/w266-h400/Lady%20Learns%20to%20love%2050%20FINAL.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span>Marriage, yes. Love, no. Lady Christine Ashworth's glorious Season
in London comes to an abrupt close with the death of her father. Her
home now belongs to someone else; her fiancé is conspicuous by his
absence; and her younger sister is as miserable in their new home as she
is. What can she do but accept an offer from the despised heir, even if
Christine now considers all men anathema, particularly the perfect
stranger who has taken her father's place?<br /><br /><i>Author's Note:</i> This
novella was first published in a Christmas anthology as <i>The Last Surprise</i>, but I always felt it needed more scope. Therefore, ten
thousand-plus words have been added. <i>A Lady Learns to Love</i> is a poignant
tale of those faced with tragedy, amplified by unforeseen
circumstances, who still manage to survive, aided by the spirit of
Christmas.</span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <b> </b></span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></b></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-72605591311049760012023-09-09T20:15:00.001-07:002023-09-09T20:15:46.096-07:00Reading Note, Recipe & Gallery<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd90iFvg6rnbkrFvvQ9ydjePy9nDCJx0OUoV205wQIqyaKCWAdrlxwT3XpEsddqP0c_EzHU1qwa1wvIY2s4ENBi4GzN7ztK67bioW_ahV4RsyZ6jRFfDGs0LvySotRTjavMBkyrgRkK6of1m1-Uw0GE5Xy4FEiY6iuTdP9pNCWbWoxcXSI_YsYMYxiA7p/s552/capitalroom.drinks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="552" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd90iFvg6rnbkrFvvQ9ydjePy9nDCJx0OUoV205wQIqyaKCWAdrlxwT3XpEsddqP0c_EzHU1qwa1wvIY2s4ENBi4GzN7ztK67bioW_ahV4RsyZ6jRFfDGs0LvySotRTjavMBkyrgRkK6of1m1-Uw0GE5Xy4FEiY6iuTdP9pNCWbWoxcXSI_YsYMYxiA7p/w400-h158/capitalroom.drinks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the drinks served at The Capital Room Bar<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Though I don't see my favorite - Conservative Lady - blue with a butterfly perched on top.</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_j5n3txGuNNXML70PPK4RsV3a260NrMXQ9VSUD1D3P2lxfG-ABK3tcNoH9-Y0CPFCOLt3iEDmFIqNITK8oyMnljj3Yhip1E--RGBFVeqBME1wSSjvd16DyLHtNdsL2flYcOa7TfSy7OXgtukqwj1rIX_ko5pJ4tEBp-pJaMSM44QChG6fNLwufoUFsmf/s2048/capitalroom.busy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="2048" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_j5n3txGuNNXML70PPK4RsV3a260NrMXQ9VSUD1D3P2lxfG-ABK3tcNoH9-Y0CPFCOLt3iEDmFIqNITK8oyMnljj3Yhip1E--RGBFVeqBME1wSSjvd16DyLHtNdsL2flYcOa7TfSy7OXgtukqwj1rIX_ko5pJ4tEBp-pJaMSM44QChG6fNLwufoUFsmf/w400-h250/capitalroom.busy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busy night at The Capital Room Bar, Sanford, FL<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Update on Grace's Recent Reading:</b></span> <br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last week's hurricane (Idalia), though it spared my part of Florida, seemed to usher in a really bad week—perhaps it was the increased humidity adding new aches and pains on top of my eyes plunging into a periodic cycle of going wonky on me. In any event, I turned to the comfort of old favorites on my Kindle, and the need for a Special Note cropped up. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of my all-time favorite series of any genre is Lindsay Buroker's SciFi Fantasy, "The Emperor's Edge." Not only is it highly imaginative, full of action, with remarkable characters, but it goes through something like ten books before the hero (anti-hero) even kisses the heroine! But my Special Note is this: if you are thinking of reading, or re-reading, this series, you will enjoy it more if you read Book 1 of the "Encrypted" series first. Because Book 1 introduces the seventeen-year-old version of the Emperor's assassin, Sicarius, the anti-hero of all eleven volumes of "The Emperor's Edge" series, as well as two VIP characters who reappear in the last volume of the series." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Warning:</i></b> to the best of my recollection, we never get a peek inside Sicarius's head. He is always seen through other people's eyes. (I have always wondered if, when Ms Buroker created him, she intended to use him in his own series, or if she simply found the character she created for <i>Encrypted</i> too intriguing to let him go. ( I. e., a decade or so later, who and what has he become?)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>A LOST RECIPE</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> As I have mentioned, I am a recipe freak. I could recall making a tasty chicken recipe which included thin lemon slices, but it became lost among my mountains of recipe magazines and not re-discovered until I culled the piles, determinedly packing most of them off to Goodwill (but only after photocopying my favorite recipes, of course). But when I took a second look at the re-discovered recipe, I found a number of oddities, which I am going to list before typing up the original. Here's a look at the photo in<i> One-Pan Recipes</i> (Allrecipies.com)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Keep in mind, however, that the sauce in this recipe is so tasty that it is well worth a bit of hassle to try to figure out what the recipe's author really meant.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIS-udQ2IvgJRO-xv1HX_-_d_o1rzfcCl-3YKtdt_gt35fTakIPAhN-KEJNGBy5xKfoPeWqGX6YjtWaiG9ZY7PIrIE8xkg2kefQJwKcvUI3gJYEiZaNqdVQrfNzL_xxgAp3f_qmmGSlmoUdJSq2I4q0tpTXuKrMBuElr2iaa6TWgjGE34vdZc22nusZ-Kq/s1080/ChickenPiccata.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIS-udQ2IvgJRO-xv1HX_-_d_o1rzfcCl-3YKtdt_gt35fTakIPAhN-KEJNGBy5xKfoPeWqGX6YjtWaiG9ZY7PIrIE8xkg2kefQJwKcvUI3gJYEiZaNqdVQrfNzL_xxgAp3f_qmmGSlmoUdJSq2I4q0tpTXuKrMBuElr2iaa6TWgjGE34vdZc22nusZ-Kq/w400-h300/ChickenPiccata.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /> <b>Problems:</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1. Photo shows broccoli, but there's no broccoli in the recipe.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2. Recipe calls for 3 chicken breasts, but every package of 3 I saw in the store weighed considerably more than the specified "about 1 lb." I bought a package of two. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. Recipe states: chicken breasts cut into half-inch cutlets, which implies cutting the chicken before cooking, except the photo implies the chicken is not cut until <i>after </i>cooking. (Both times I've made it, I cut the chicken up ahead of time. Will experiment with cooking breasts whole next time.)<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. Recipe states to keep chicken warm in oven while making sauce. It seems to me the chicken could also be put in microwave and gently reheated before pouring the sauce over. (I experimented with keeping chicken warm on Power Level 1; that also worked.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Warning:</b> Like so many truly delicious recipes, Chicken Piccata has quite a few steps. Here's a list of what can be done ahead of time.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1. Slice chicken (if you plan to cut strips before cooking).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2. Prepare a plastic baggie with flour, salt & pepper. (This is the way my mother taught me to coat chicken, more than half a century ago - except we had to use a brown paper bag.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. Mince garlic.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4. Slice half a lemon into thin slices. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">5. Squeeze enough lemons to make 3 tablespoons juice. (Two lemons should be enough for both slices & juice, as long as they're not mere dry excuses for lemons.) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">6. Mince parsley.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here is the recipe, as printed in<i> One Dish</i> in November 2021: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>LEMON CHICKEN PICCATA</b></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.), cut horizontally into ½" cutlets</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">¼ teaspoon salt</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1/8 teaspoon black pepper</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">½ cup flour</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed*</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1 clove garlic, minced</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1 cup low-sodium chicken broth</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">½ lemon, thinly sliced</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 tablespoons capers, rinsed & drained</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3 tablespoons butter</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Put a serving platter in oven to warm.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2. Season chicken with salt & pepper, then dredge in flour. Shake off excess. Heat oil in large skillet; pan-fry each breast until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter in oven. Drain oil from skillet, leaving a thin coating.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. Add garlic to skillet & cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in broth. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in lemon slices and bring to boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup, 3-5 minutes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4. Add lemon juice and capers; simmer until sauce is further reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Drop butter into sauce; stir in. Add parsley; stir in. Remove sauce from heat.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">5. Arrange chicken on serving plate(s); top with sauce.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">*I experimented with Pam, which is not a good substitute in this recipe; had to add olive oil before adding garlic. Therefore, use vegetable oil or olive oil; no spray-on.<br /></span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Repeat: </b> This is a great sauce, well worth the effort and the confusion about what the instructions mean. I'm guessing the original intent was to cut the chicken into cutlets only <b><i>after</i></b> cooking. Enjoy!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This week's featured book:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The background on this one is highly authentic. I ran a costume shop in one of the Gulf Coast's most delightful towns for several years (making c. 85% of the costumes myself). <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUC8xkBWL4VdGj3sUdFgftvNToLnvAAyrLyBT3YMH-0FQOyr6XyCFZtShXDQCbRSo99guEjf1hgD5DQjRRfvrn4DCBnVqoz7cLbC1w8gfmopDTde-8OGiIqiJ4juxU30Uvhp4bgC65MPSbmDF9SPrg8XZcCuK5tvdWSgWLUikp9-p9d9dAFXaCT_tPOKp/s2700/DeathbyMarriage_12%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUC8xkBWL4VdGj3sUdFgftvNToLnvAAyrLyBT3YMH-0FQOyr6XyCFZtShXDQCbRSo99guEjf1hgD5DQjRRfvrn4DCBnVqoz7cLbC1w8gfmopDTde-8OGiIqiJ4juxU30Uvhp4bgC65MPSbmDF9SPrg8XZcCuK5tvdWSgWLUikp9-p9d9dAFXaCT_tPOKp/w266-h400/DeathbyMarriage_12%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <b> <br /></b></span><p></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Costume
designers are not detectives. But when a customer ends up dead in Gwyn
Halliday's best Santa suit and a senior friend is threatened, what's a
girl to do? And besides, a bit of investigation might promote a better
acquaintance with the hunky new police chief, not to mention reestablish
an old acquaintance with a friend suffering from PTSD, who now needs
her as much as she needs him.</span><div class="celwidget" data-cel-widget="bookDescription_feature_div" data-csa-c-asin="" data-csa-c-content-id="bookDescription" data-csa-c-id="esamsv-3pzmz8-pd2a25-ivhmsl" data-csa-c-is-in-initial-active-row="false" data-csa-c-slot-id="bookDescription_feature_div" data-csa-c-type="widget" data-feature-name="bookDescription" id="bookDescription_feature_div"><div class="a-expander-collapsed-height a-row a-expander-container a-spacing-base a-expander-partial-collapse-container" data-a-expander-collapsed-height="140" data-a-expander-name="book_description_expander" style="height: auto; max-height: none;"><div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><span><i><br /> Author's Note: </i>Golden Beach is an
actual Florida Gulf Coast town, whose residents would prefer to keep its
real name secret. Only a few of my Golden Beach books have cross-over
characters, but all share the same idyllic setting. (Or at least it was
before I made bad things happen there.)</span> </div> <div class="a-expander-header a-expander-partial-collapse-header" style="display: block; opacity: 1;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a aria-expanded="true" class="a-declarative" data-a-expander-toggle="{"allowLinkDefault":true, "expand_prompt":"Read more", "collapse_prompt":"Read less"}" data-action="a-expander-toggle" data-csa-c-func-deps="aui-da-a-expander-toggle" data-csa-c-id="dicrdy-hxyfej-gsa4py-ihp72j" data-csa-c-type="widget" data-csa-interaction-events="click" role="button"></a></div> </div> </div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-7793643516182531292023-08-26T20:36:00.000-07:002023-08-26T20:36:49.919-07:00The Disaster of Not Editing<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Family photo of the week - The Capital Room Bar. Only Cassidy missing, as she is under 18 and not allowed to work in the family's new enterprise in downtown Sanford, Florida. (Currently in "soft opening" stage.)<br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8D_cV8UQA1birp11OdsxNS2d8HLgI-iFv4JrAz0wBV_GiV5nHOjtY3leMoUX1XkGOTef3cvcjVGN4lTqPUAeBz2ybZ198du3LRZU_HyAKui5cjFv0E_ukgiisc7PxC3WDRwHAlNJTIwtBzX3qcG2Q8TNmVaE4cLZK5izfuwadOIMHehs5xbzRZCD4MXYW/s1425/Bar.Family823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1425" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8D_cV8UQA1birp11OdsxNS2d8HLgI-iFv4JrAz0wBV_GiV5nHOjtY3leMoUX1XkGOTef3cvcjVGN4lTqPUAeBz2ybZ198du3LRZU_HyAKui5cjFv0E_ukgiisc7PxC3WDRwHAlNJTIwtBzX3qcG2Q8TNmVaE4cLZK5izfuwadOIMHehs5xbzRZCD4MXYW/w400-h270/Bar.Family823.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Left to right: Lionel (Mike's cousin & creative genius behind The Capital Room), Hailey, Susie, Mike, & Riley. Both grandgirls will be servers for the "exotic drinks & tapas" bar.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9XecDi4eoZEneTFMb8yagjbIQL_yRWvCoaIsw8VXZ6gMBt2fX0QCNxBdCcSCR5DEDwSIAxzPgy7JMWUnpvLw-NQCnjdRGVkltfYG77mhujPMPEr0EvcO_HCH0wodvqIFKnUK0lNqojQNpPD6yUv0Td0Zq0m6t3O3AEpBwXTU8jiNNxI1o38xr8uzkaRm/s798/TreeSwallowsFence.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9XecDi4eoZEneTFMb8yagjbIQL_yRWvCoaIsw8VXZ6gMBt2fX0QCNxBdCcSCR5DEDwSIAxzPgy7JMWUnpvLw-NQCnjdRGVkltfYG77mhujPMPEr0EvcO_HCH0wodvqIFKnUK0lNqojQNpPD6yUv0Td0Zq0m6t3O3AEpBwXTU8jiNNxI1o38xr8uzkaRm/w351-h400/TreeSwallowsFence.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ7sbwLfDFcjpjWQmNjnInCeMLolFkHfXVu5tCAqFOpbuEUUTr6hzVA0yTIwBvGKQ-oOVNjUz0RhZchsK6uFZhYRvvbJ8bHY0OHZErVuTetLWh9POfcQ7eXRs7spAoi9oEQiJsEpr0LxH7rW6mdlEBsZ-PEDIM3VKuXNRsyiwrBclBiHTSmmMO_KVHJl3/s960/LooseGravel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="783" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ7sbwLfDFcjpjWQmNjnInCeMLolFkHfXVu5tCAqFOpbuEUUTr6hzVA0yTIwBvGKQ-oOVNjUz0RhZchsK6uFZhYRvvbJ8bHY0OHZErVuTetLWh9POfcQ7eXRs7spAoi9oEQiJsEpr0LxH7rW6mdlEBsZ-PEDIM3VKuXNRsyiwrBclBiHTSmmMO_KVHJl3/w326-h400/LooseGravel.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Below, a truly remarkable pic. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12XuPvfnI9fLHMvOlfCSbQmCoddZ2WCcbR5sVM0YNEB9bMiVXodREG7Z1GWTIkQ32fbO8Kfr2V2JnbHc8AEOdbPEjMr4rXMll-999H3f_I-2qb5zYcf-AKJxgV256Qe-IptDEuS9u1ZGUG_Qd3JazjzyzOfNQRhNzd93P_hfg3dEEv60PKjdTrECjDo3P/s1088/CougarApache.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12XuPvfnI9fLHMvOlfCSbQmCoddZ2WCcbR5sVM0YNEB9bMiVXodREG7Z1GWTIkQ32fbO8Kfr2V2JnbHc8AEOdbPEjMr4rXMll-999H3f_I-2qb5zYcf-AKJxgV256Qe-IptDEuS9u1ZGUG_Qd3JazjzyzOfNQRhNzd93P_hfg3dEEv60PKjdTrECjDo3P/w310-h400/CougarApache.jpg" width="310" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span> <br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE DISASTER OF NOT EDITING</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is far from the first time I've expounded on this topic, and it likely won't be the last. But I've been reading a series by an author who is new to me, and wincing and shaking my head while I do it. Yes, the characters are outstanding, the descriptions <i>way</i> above average, the plots intriguing enough to keep me reading (with an "aw-come-on" here and there). But . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The day I came across an entire paragraph repeated with but one new paragraph between them, I shook my head and decided it was time to rant and rave. For there is no way even the most cursory reading of the story from top to bottom would not have alerted the author that something was wrong. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I am not going to mention "typos" or missing words below. Every author, even the most diligent at editing, misses a few along the way. The "rule", back when my husband and I were running an educational publishing company well before the days of epub, was: "No matter how carefully a book is edited, it will still go to print with a least three typos."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>So what am I talking about?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1. Using a sound-alike word in place of the word that should have been used. A mistake that, when repeated enough times, forces me to suspect the author's interpretation of the words is at fault, and therefore presents the serious problem of inadequate education more than scrambled fingers. (A good example of this occurred on the noon news this week—a TV announcer using "eminent" when she should have said "imminent.")<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2. Leaving the "ly" off adverbs, giving the characters in historical novels the distinct flavor of 21st century ghetto-speak.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. Paragraphing in the middle of someone's dialogue, giving the impression that a new speaker has the floor. <i>Note:</i> if a single person's words are lengthy enough to go to a new paragraph, it must immediately be established the same person is speaking. For example, inserting a simple "Mary (or whoever) continued" in the first sentence. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4. Perfectly awful punctuation, to the point of confusion.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">5. Perfectly awful sentence structure, to the point of confusion.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In short, the author of this series has a great imagination but does not have the education to edit his/her own work. He/she needs to hire an English expert to keep from massacring the English language. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Special Grace note:</i> Pardon my inability to adapt to "they/them" for a single person.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Why is following the basic rules of writing important?</b> Because a careless disregard for the language is an insult to the reader. Yes, I understand the author wants to write as fast as possible in order to turn out as many books as possible, and get paid! And, most certainly, authors wince at the cost of hiring an editor. But in the long run, it's worth it to know that not only did you get it right but that if you don't, readers will get tired of wincing over your mistakes and look elsewhere for their reading material. (I recall abandoning a SciFi series because it had so many errors I simply couldn't tolerate it.) In the case of this particular author, I'm hanging in there, hoping someone he/she knows will tell it like it is: YOU NEED AN EDITOR!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In many, many blogs of the past, I have emphasized Do-it-Yourself editing, but every once in a while an author comes along who is truly unable to do that. If you are one of those, then please, pretty please, find someone to check your manuscript so you're not thumbing your nose at the many readers who were paying attention in English class. (Hopefully, you have a friend who might be willing to do it just for the pleasure of reading your book - but <i>not</i> someone who was also snoozing during class.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i>Final Grumble:</i> </b> What astonishes me is that in a series that is now several books long, no one seems to have warned the author about the flawed work he/she is presenting to readers; i.e., there has been little improvement. Nobody spoke up? The author simply doesn't care? Or am I merely the fuddy-duddy from another Age who believes the rules of English are there to make better writers of us all? To allow us to write sentences that make sense. To write sentences that sound like the historical period of our setting. To write dialogue that is not confusing. Dialogue where there is no mistake about who is saying what, and when.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Okay, that's it. But if you're a writer and see yourself in the paragraphs above . . . Or a writer who is not confident he/she understands the vocabulary and rules of our language, perhaps it's time to take a closer look . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Do. Not. Shoot. Yourself. In. The. Foot.</b> Have respect for what you've written. For your readers and for the future of reading itself. Do not make yourself look foolish by ignoring the rules of the road. Keep in mind the end result could be Crash & Burn.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">* * *</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">THIS WEEK'S FEATURED BOOK</span></b> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Quite a few years ago, I developed an interest in England's extensive canal network, once the shipping lifeline of the nation, falling into disuse only after World War II. And finally resurrected, with enormous effort, for recreational boating by a determined band of enthusiasts. Narrowboats can now be found along most of the old canals, including those in the heart of London. Some are permanent homes; most are used for weekend meandering. I was fortunate to travel on a narrowboat for a week at the speedy rate of 3 mph, immersing myself in the beauty of the English countryside and feathered wildlife, as well as the fascination of the infinitely slow process of filling or draining a lock. (There were even occasional glimpses of ancient gun emplacements from the 40s.) <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My hardcover research was also extensive. I have umpteen canal books & maps on my research shelves. (I even recall e-mailing the Kennett & Avon canal office with a question. Which was promptly answered.) Although I've used this research in several books, I could not have written<i> Lady of the Lock</i> without it. So that is this week's featured novel, a classic Regency set almost entirely on the Kennett & Avon Canal.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mDu0KRTxrLnH1qYH7JqmaHp_HQiiPGzcTi9R10Q5oqwjB1QeG5cy9EtaYkWFSxKbpRutqkJWxpf-gJ1KBlWxY0yeMVUEs_XEc1f2exR5Gf0fSqP1jmGJu3x0QrZI1uH9ypJY1sUQn2xEcsN3vUdvbgaVwmtGUixAqa2QLaWXfWf5rOBdgxxa1CDamGrK/s2700/Lady_of_the_Lock_13,.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mDu0KRTxrLnH1qYH7JqmaHp_HQiiPGzcTi9R10Q5oqwjB1QeG5cy9EtaYkWFSxKbpRutqkJWxpf-gJ1KBlWxY0yeMVUEs_XEc1f2exR5Gf0fSqP1jmGJu3x0QrZI1uH9ypJY1sUQn2xEcsN3vUdvbgaVwmtGUixAqa2QLaWXfWf5rOBdgxxa1CDamGrK/w266-h400/Lady_of_the_Lock_13,.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span>The daughter of a canal engineer and a marquess? Heaven forfend!
Against the backdrop of digging the Kennett & Avon canal, a young
woman struggles with a decades-long, and quite impossible, dream of
love.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span> <br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <b> <br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span> <br /></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-45701209780520321172023-08-12T20:40:00.003-07:002023-08-24T08:44:25.095-07:00The Changes in My Lifetime, Part 3<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;">Next Mosaic Moments - August 26</span><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Before the final entry in my "Changes" series, a gallery of random photos I've been accumulating over the last few weeks.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKj8eYcPIjutoexs47f40qSSQyD3k2oW52H8dCBhJCm3t8z6DB0VdXTEAZPP1rv4sGtdtSpEsJd2MtPKoYX80cPM8DHk4jEnBsRDGoPnRuSt6cbtZ4TiH5IX9ILz_aVbVwDp5sc6_J8KE-65x8YyO38Bd1ZNC8zuDs95CAm1lUmAIMrJTpYXjkQScfahm4/s960/TreeSpring.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKj8eYcPIjutoexs47f40qSSQyD3k2oW52H8dCBhJCm3t8z6DB0VdXTEAZPP1rv4sGtdtSpEsJd2MtPKoYX80cPM8DHk4jEnBsRDGoPnRuSt6cbtZ4TiH5IX9ILz_aVbVwDp5sc6_J8KE-65x8YyO38Bd1ZNC8zuDs95CAm1lUmAIMrJTpYXjkQScfahm4/w300-h400/TreeSpring.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A spring flowing out of a tree<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_nUQpCa5WfWhy7aRE4UTl5weNigPQz4gapvVV1GmFMs4A6rvktX14FXtqjhyK-BdwtpEu832ih6W3JB1xx_QGuyVvBp-ythHM3CWiDs31QZpxNO2sQ_Oeh0am5N4QvJ7q9CVue-_ndJs7PupYy1DRd7Y_GIc_Sgnwz3e7ycE68bSfsYlxjoLqE24Jrp3/s960/Hummingbear.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="781" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_nUQpCa5WfWhy7aRE4UTl5weNigPQz4gapvVV1GmFMs4A6rvktX14FXtqjhyK-BdwtpEu832ih6W3JB1xx_QGuyVvBp-ythHM3CWiDs31QZpxNO2sQ_Oeh0am5N4QvJ7q9CVue-_ndJs7PupYy1DRd7Y_GIc_Sgnwz3e7ycE68bSfsYlxjoLqE24Jrp3/w325-h400/Hummingbear.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> <span style="color: black;">Below, the tallest bridge in the world - completed 2004:<br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtwD6sKVyfSbI0h7et3ZV00d9FpXwGpGwIqwUBZbwtPM-r_Iz9IEjGs7vsf3uhytxplmCnTjPwyxMHtIQZhpogYxsglL65Pq928PDjve5YkwAmF1YI5aj0KD-t0I8H5ZUESFyFEtk-ng_La60vsDCx0HAk_qju43HtKOmbw6aSf_hm8bawhD_bO0DMSG9/s550/MillauViaduct.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtwD6sKVyfSbI0h7et3ZV00d9FpXwGpGwIqwUBZbwtPM-r_Iz9IEjGs7vsf3uhytxplmCnTjPwyxMHtIQZhpogYxsglL65Pq928PDjve5YkwAmF1YI5aj0KD-t0I8H5ZUESFyFEtk-ng_La60vsDCx0HAk_qju43HtKOmbw6aSf_hm8bawhD_bO0DMSG9/s320/MillauViaduct.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millau Viaduct, Southern France<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalFX7QADYZoXHixFz8jWIu17gi3dIld1TceR02MIRYkTxqNdNkv086DjeQ7HzCb1KdzF_ikn4azcNR9l8FVhqeu__y7GU8MmU3kYdwRiCt7z5wXeKWT2rDW_z4QXTJyiap0tLfmuygxmy8iB4kOqvE8GlFGFsslrWDN5tSt5YsBXjL-0Na64gg4KVK8vS/s634/GPSwrong.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="634" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalFX7QADYZoXHixFz8jWIu17gi3dIld1TceR02MIRYkTxqNdNkv086DjeQ7HzCb1KdzF_ikn4azcNR9l8FVhqeu__y7GU8MmU3kYdwRiCt7z5wXeKWT2rDW_z4QXTJyiap0tLfmuygxmy8iB4kOqvE8GlFGFsslrWDN5tSt5YsBXjL-0Na64gg4KVK8vS/s320/GPSwrong.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXvIT7XmaPqmRIeE_xJ6nJDTjYPYuq7xKgGgxP50avd1K4ppgxu5XN1n7kANEFyZF7y_V2V3aKNrUhd-lSggxRgrXViNZ7TI0JuNcRYbqPaSJ4j8im9iaPyUfBobwwQ5OhZJ3EDyIwQZvs22Fz8n2Xsu9J2KiCxkniy7uSN77TA9Zy-WiDlaOTxRgfr4P/s460/EnglishHard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXvIT7XmaPqmRIeE_xJ6nJDTjYPYuq7xKgGgxP50avd1K4ppgxu5XN1n7kANEFyZF7y_V2V3aKNrUhd-lSggxRgrXViNZ7TI0JuNcRYbqPaSJ4j8im9iaPyUfBobwwQ5OhZJ3EDyIwQZvs22Fz8n2Xsu9J2KiCxkniy7uSN77TA9Zy-WiDlaOTxRgfr4P/s320/EnglishHard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="color: red;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>ADDENDUM to Changes, Parts 1 & 2:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Probably because it did not affect me personally (I was far from working age when the war ended), I forgot a truly seminal change brought about by WWII: <b>Women working outside the home.</b> Women who took over men's jobs, including factory assembly lines, during the war, did not all return home with a sigh of relief. In fact, many discovered they liked getting paid for their hard work! This was a truly significant change in our culture. Sorry I missed it the first time around. By the time I was married in the early Sixties, I was providing most of the after-school transportation for our neighborhood because I was just about the only mother at home (where I worked part-time as editor for the educational publishing company my husband ran, in addition being head of the Audio-Visual Department at Yale).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">THE CHANGES IN MY LIFETIME, Part 3</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Sixties - with a peek at the Seventies<br /></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> In 1947, after skimping on fabric during the war years, Paris designers plunged hemlines to calf-length, where they stayed until the advent of that era of rebellion, the Sixties. Just as the Twenties had seen women hike skirt-lengths and cut hair that had been worn long for millennia, so now came the great rebellion against the innocence of the Fifties. Against the conservative attitudes, conservative dress, conservative speech. The need for peace that my generation had embraced was scorned by those only a decade younger, those with no memory of living through a War. As for me . . . </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> 1. <b>On Tour with <i>The Sound of Music</i>.</b> In the fall of 1960, I had my own small rebellion, giving up my music teaching position to move to NYC and audition for musicals. I was among the lucky ones, being chosen almost immediately for the National Company of <i>The Sound of Music</i>, with Florence Henderson starring in the role made famous by Mary Martin. Imagine, two months in NYC and I was employed by Rodgers & Hammerstein, and about to go on the road, traveling across the country by train, each of us with our own roomette, our hotel accommodations also paid by R&H! As was my entry fee into Musicians Local 802 (NYC) as, in addition to singing in the chorus, I directed off-stage music, played piano for on-the-road rehearsals, and trained replacements. In short, an experience I will never forget.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2. <b>Marriage. </b>In December 1962, I gave it all up for marriage, a choice every performer has to make at some time or other. I never regretted my decision, though I was very glad I had dared to try for the upper echelons of the music profession and truly enjoyed being part of it. </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. <b>Mini-skirts</b>. Skirts kept getting shorter and shorter, until they finally bared more anatomy than had been seen anywhere but on a South Sea island. There was also a growing tendency to <b>flout the family values</b> that had been so important for so long, a tendency which somehow led to the free-spirited Flower Children of the Seventies finding their way to a different kind of rebellion. And sadly, becoming forever notorious because of their rabid opposition to the Vietnam War. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4. <b>The Berlin Wall.</b> The Berlin Wall was begun the same year I was married. The Russian Bear was on the rise and demonstrating its might. "The Cold War" became a term known to everyone. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">5. <b>Assassination.</b>
I was alone in our apartment in downtown New Haven when Walter Cronkite
announced that John F. Kennedy had been shot. I will never forget the moment he
took off his glasses, laid them down, and informed us that Kennedy had
died, plunging the country into a period of mourning even more intense
than the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt during the waning days of
WWII.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">6. <b>Diapers.</b> As any mother of three children in three years knows, I lost around five years of my life in the mid-sixties, but if there's one thing that stands out in my mind, it's washing diapers - yes, genuine cloth diapers. "Pampers" did not make their appearance until my youngest was about two. A change instantly embraced by mothers (& fathers) everywhere. You cannot imagine the struggle necessary to carry a full diaper pail, dump the disgusting water in the toilet, then get the diapers into the washing machine. (At least we had washing machines and were not forced to wash them all by hand, as was true for eons in the past.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">7. <b>The Vietnam War.</b> Although we first sent troops to the long-running Vietnam War c. 1964, the horror of this far-distant war did not seem to truly affect the general public until the Seventies. Perhaps we had simply come to accept our role as Policeman to the World; and sadly, the myth of our infallibility. <b> <br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">8.<b> The Moon Landing</b> (1969). The Sixties ended on a truly spectacular note. Although we were likely spurred on by our rivalry with Russia, who had launched a satellite (Sputnik) into orbit before we did, it was worth every bit of effort put into it. The entire world sat transfixed as the capsule descended those last few feet before settling on the surface of the moon. Wow! Just talking about it still gives me the shivers. It is sad, sad, sad that we were spooked into giving it all up. More than fifty years have passed, and we still haven't made it back to the surface of the moon.</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The Seventies</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was going to stop with the Sixties, but the horror of the Vietnam War should never go unspoken. Or the disgrace of many of our citizens who condemned the men who fought instead of the government officials who sent them into the jungles to fight, die, or return home to be reviled by their own countrymen.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The Vietnam War</b> - Rest in Peace</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">May God Forgive Us All & Grant Rest to Our Troops, so many of whom suffered wounds that have lasted a lifetime.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica;">On the Happier Side of the Seventies . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Travel - USSR.</b> In the early 70s I traveled 10,000 miles in the USSR, from Moscow to Soviet Central Asia (Uzbekistan & Kazhakstan including the fabled Samarkand), and on to Irkurtsk on Lake Baikal in Siberia, then north by bush plane to Bratsk, almost on the Arctic Circle. And finally, back to St. Petersburg, which was still called Leningrad at that time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Travel - Peru.</b> Only a year or so later, I was off to Peru with a group of Yalies, touring all the best-known archeological sites of the time, including, of course, Machu Picchu. (Where we stayed in the inn directly on site. Just roll out of bed and climb the path to one of the greatest archeological sites in the world—discovered in 1911 by a Yalie, of course.) A year later I went back to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, this time with my husband as I didn't want him to miss these special wonders of Peru.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Finale.</b> The Sorrowful Seventies gave way to the gaudy hedonism of the Eighties—another diametrical switch, as so frequently happens in history. (And yes, this was the beginning of the Computer Age for the average citizen. I had my first word processor in 1981; PCs with 8 K appeared c. 1982.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Seventies do not deserve to be remembered except by historians, and since most of my readers have some recollection of the Eighties, this seems a good place to stop. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for sticking with these moments of nostalgia. I'll end as did the movie cartoons of my childhood, with Porky Pig saying,<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"That's All, Folks!" </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">* * *</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Featured this week - a Thriller in Need of More Love:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Mention of my trips to Peru reminded me of a favorite book of mine that never caught the attention of most of my readers. Yes, it's more Thriller than Mystery, and about as far from Regency England as you can get, but, hey, Peru is such a great setting, not to mention Europe and good old Florida. So if anyone would like to take a vicarious adventure on the Inca Trail with a Floridian Miss Fixit and an intriguing international colleague . . .</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURYa_WtAYMJo2gUJZd6uTcV9YM0VyXz26bCN-qhW_beTapIqL1iJPURdTqRZuAWTFFSQVFubkkQGH-R6ysMHoqB6Kk1i5bZTPr4KgJ0Ik9aTMQwzL7KPbnunLQLfCQqq4Oj7q9vQIbUN3ZeWVBG0DK88nWCPjG3iG1mtuTtbonHK4QmpyQVhaLviqKYbO/s2700/orange_blossoms_&_Mayhem_20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURYa_WtAYMJo2gUJZd6uTcV9YM0VyXz26bCN-qhW_beTapIqL1iJPURdTqRZuAWTFFSQVFubkkQGH-R6ysMHoqB6Kk1i5bZTPr4KgJ0Ik9aTMQwzL7KPbnunLQLfCQqq4Oj7q9vQIbUN3ZeWVBG0DK88nWCPjG3iG1mtuTtbonHK4QmpyQVhaLviqKYbO/w266-h400/orange_blossoms_&_Mayhem_20.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span>Weddings and murder do not mix well. When things begin to go wrong
for her family's Fantasy Wedding & Vacation business,
trouble-shooter Laine Halliday gets more of a challenge than she
bargained for, even with the aid of a mystery man she finds on the Inca
Trail in Peru.<br /><br /><i>Author's Note:</i> Only a few of my Golden Beach books
have cross-over characters, but all share the idyllic setting of an
actual Gulf Coast community, whose residents would prefer to keep its
real name a secret.</span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span> <br /></span></span></span><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span> <br /></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-10900264998572213922023-08-05T20:25:00.003-07:002023-08-06T13:05:53.630-07:00The Changes in My Lifetime, Part 2<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nmVKxFzTE5bRZmdp6B2hLviJy8D_TXSrb23oe4d4ZJFdCBxYL095D-X75DJtfCSJAAR0cMNCAoz3CJjyTGEOGC9emQEZDsFWzX7AkJRTa34hJkPKLPnh1uJR0O3hctYIZBWRtJNZBOF-_zMn6HuTT0V3BcVzwcmRO7hzO3aI9W2UA0CPXfoj57iSXe17/s1652/CassidySusieMike723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="1652" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nmVKxFzTE5bRZmdp6B2hLviJy8D_TXSrb23oe4d4ZJFdCBxYL095D-X75DJtfCSJAAR0cMNCAoz3CJjyTGEOGC9emQEZDsFWzX7AkJRTa34hJkPKLPnh1uJR0O3hctYIZBWRtJNZBOF-_zMn6HuTT0V3BcVzwcmRO7hzO3aI9W2UA0CPXfoj57iSXe17/w400-h370/CassidySusieMike723.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud parents at Cassidy's graduation from Flight School<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Below: </span><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">Friday afternoon, at 4:00 pm, we got the word. Cassidy passed her final Checkflight, and has received her Private Pilot's License. (That's her instructor on the right.)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0wduIkrWmpyNhDEfc0wbF99xSkHAYXMPG-l6l2yiHB7SpzwWDTe2OiAIc9H4aQAeBcNxbEYqBCq-KgMVhtfFafcQzZS5iwVLjuVZf7yeWqv-TYgD359Nbiey5t3j1HCqP8gA2xufMfQQGg-PNHq2vsPivOqpc1cISDdlLriWwxRBMPmK2cacVMQR6cv2/s1440/CassidyLicense823.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0wduIkrWmpyNhDEfc0wbF99xSkHAYXMPG-l6l2yiHB7SpzwWDTe2OiAIc9H4aQAeBcNxbEYqBCq-KgMVhtfFafcQzZS5iwVLjuVZf7yeWqv-TYgD359Nbiey5t3j1HCqP8gA2xufMfQQGg-PNHq2vsPivOqpc1cISDdlLriWwxRBMPmK2cacVMQR6cv2/w300-h400/CassidyLicense823.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay, hurray!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><br /> <span style="color: black;">With time running down to a 2-day cruise planned for this weekend, Cassidy's flight instructor <i>flew </i>her to the commercial airport, taxiing her right up to her gate. When boarding her American Airlines flight, Cassidy mentioned that she had just gotten her pilot'</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">s license that morning, and lo & behold, they invited her to sit up front!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg175xPkh8oG83LGX8IKpQOwrpr9GLx3UAnj0qkkEP0TL8yV3h5jpZPqNPOSTYDq9wXdRuqVnVCEOVQl-ofxcCgP7ZVXL6VZMDI6lzzW_oxEBLn7OmSYhPXyQFBoWxFKsoexEJRwL50GVBV1QBWERJ5D81-OLVCTRdyZzpe3qo_WCMSZPxXRWVDLzLwu9MD/s1124/CassidyAmericanAir.823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg175xPkh8oG83LGX8IKpQOwrpr9GLx3UAnj0qkkEP0TL8yV3h5jpZPqNPOSTYDq9wXdRuqVnVCEOVQl-ofxcCgP7ZVXL6VZMDI6lzzW_oxEBLn7OmSYhPXyQFBoWxFKsoexEJRwL50GVBV1QBWERJ5D81-OLVCTRdyZzpe3qo_WCMSZPxXRWVDLzLwu9MD/w300-h400/CassidyAmericanAir.823.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;"> <br /></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"> We're all feeling the heat these days, but maybe not as much as in Las Vegas . . .</span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLhBWKQwx0iFkwbwrHRaLddL7gpHRKrMcV7X4TCk28z6nPSL9soeXAGgiVI6HAwcS0Ormf5Cnxfcp-8RqAKNXXaKdHBb3BamloQh9sIAfyLpKd3IuaExb0WkAXscv-gO7LWITitCAgooHkH2Ufb9G70Yf7BkkJ3IZ2LbSr3tYUxkKAHXT_IuEvrUdZBOM/s598/VegasStopLight723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="526" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLhBWKQwx0iFkwbwrHRaLddL7gpHRKrMcV7X4TCk28z6nPSL9soeXAGgiVI6HAwcS0Ormf5Cnxfcp-8RqAKNXXaKdHBb3BamloQh9sIAfyLpKd3IuaExb0WkAXscv-gO7LWITitCAgooHkH2Ufb9G70Yf7BkkJ3IZ2LbSr3tYUxkKAHXT_IuEvrUdZBOM/w351-h400/VegasStopLight723.jpg" width="351" /></a></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE CHANGES IN MY LIFETIME, Part 2</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>(including Comments on the State of the World & Hints of Events to Come) </b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Addendum to Part 1:</span></b> <br /></i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><b> Rationing. </b></i>When mentioning my child<i>'s-</i>eye view of WWII,<i> </i>I forgot Gas & Food Rationing. Yes, <i>both</i>. My mother had "coupons" for nearly everything. Meat, in particular, was in short supply. The US was not only feeding a hugely increased military, but we were providing emergency rations for our allies, particularly Russia, with convoys of supplies to Murmansk the most dangerous naval assignment, not just for the Navy but for the merchant sailors on the supply ships they were escorting. (One of them was among the 11 Americans who toured Russia with me a quarter century after WWII. All he had to do, even so long after the war, was mention "Murmansk," and he was an instant friend to every Russian we met!) </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">A personal note on Gas Rationing. My father had a Master's Degree from Harvard and wanted to get a Doctorate from Yale, so we moved from Massachusetts to Connecticut in the summer of 1941, just months before Pearl Harbor. Since our new home was about a 90-minute drive from New Haven, forgetaboutit. By the time the war was over, my father decided to let his dream of a Yale degree go.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Post-War - Special Note </b> <i> <br /></i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">High school days were about as idyllic as it gets, though I recall a moment in 8th grade that presaged what was to come. (Reminder: throughout WWII the Russians were our allies, attacking the Germans from east as the rest of the Allies attacked from the west. Russia as an <i>ally</i> was the world I had grown up in.) And yet . . .</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">My father, who had just become Superintendent of Schools after a num</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">ber of years as Principal of the High School, noticed my interest in a school library book called <i>Timur and His Gang </i>- about a boy in the USSR. I really don't recall my father saying much, but by the next day, the book was gone, never to be seen again. So even directly after a long war with Russia as our allies, my father wanted no hint of Communism in our schools. (I try to remember that "other side of the coin" when being horrified by many censorship attempts down through the years, to which I am adamantly opposed.) </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">[Clearly, this incident was significant to me or I would not have recalled the title of the book after more than 70 years!]<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>The World, post World War II (1945- ). </b>Most of the world basked in euphoria. Our fighting men were home, anxious to embrace wives, children, and sweethearts, something resulting in a new term—"housing developments," spurred by the need of men who had fought and won a war, while keeping alive to the vision of a home with picket fence all their own. The Russians, who had suffered terribly during the war, were a menace only to those tasked with analyzing potential threats. It should be noted that Germany and Japan, though humiliated by defeat, were not stomped into the earth but swamped with aid to rebuild (US aid, of course.) The UN was born, everyone wanting to believe it would forever end the need for war.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>Grace note:</i> although I did not read this story until I was studying history in college, it's a good indication of how primitive conditions were in Russia at that time. It seems that when the Allies stood back and allowed the Russians to take Berlin (as compensation for all their country had suffered)*, naturally, Russian troops ran rampant through the city, many of them with backgrounds so primitive they had no idea what a toilet was and used them to wash their potatoes!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">*Russia lost just under 8,700,000 people, military & civilians, in WWII. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Some Local Notes from the Post-War period</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">As with previous decades, locking doors was still a rarity. Hats and gloves were mandatory for a female when leaving the house. Even after the family moved to the New Haven area in 1952, I recall my mother getting "all dolled up" to take the train into the city to consult with her editor. A trip that always included going "upstairs" for a brief chat with one of the Dell brothers (who clearly had an eye for a good-looking woman).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">It should be noted that although rayon had been invented, our clothes were almost exclusively made of natural fibers: wool, silk, cotton, and linen. Every girl learned to iron! <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">My first job (age 14?) was reading to an elderly shut-in for an hour each week. For which I was paid 10¢. And, oh yes, at our new house there was a large bamboo plant just outside my bedroom window. Every time my teenage temper soared, I seized the loppers and attacked those branches. Believe me, that bamboo was well trimmed!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Wariness of a recovering Russia was rumbling into life, but Nuclear War? After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who would be that insane? It was, after all, the US of A that dropped those bombs, the first perhaps justified as a clearly defeated Japan had refused to negotiate and "the bomb" brought long years of war to a halt within a week. The second bomb, however, (Nagasaki) would be forever to our shame. (Our Intelligence analysis of the total devastation of Hiroshima did not come in until it was too late to call off the second strike.) Nonetheless, the US of A was now king of the world (for WWII couldn't have been won without us), and naturally we set about helping the entire world, enemies as well as friends, recover.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Wow! The war was over, my generation no more than witnesses to the carnage our parents experienced, as they moved almost directly from the Great Depression to World War. They suffered so we could enjoy the halcyon post-war days. (Despite all those Newsreels, we youngsters were so-o-o innocent!)<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>College. </b>We met new people, were challenged by new ideas, new experiences, still with no credible threats on the horizon. Until . . . somewhere around 1954 a Senator named McCarthy reared his ugly, narrow-minded head. His rabid anti-Communism spread so far, so fast, that colleges that had been independent since their founding were obligated to see that both faculty and students took a "Loyalty Oath" to the country that had been founded on Freedom of Speech. I vividly recall all of us at the Boston University School of Music being herded into an auditorium, where the oath was administered. For college students who had just been doing what college students do, it was bewildering. McCarthy? Who was this weirdo? It would be years before sanity once again ruled, and Senator McCarthy faded into obscurity.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">My college years also saw the arrival of <b>TELEVISION</b>. We did not have a set at home because my father refused to have the ugliness of an antenna on his roof. But I recall TV must have arrived sometime during my last two years of college, while I was living in the 7-story BU dorm in Back Bay. Because every Friday night at 9:00, I was among the contingent of upperclassmen descending on the lounge and taking over the TV so we could watch <i>Dragnet</i>. (Loved that show.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">And then, suddenly, our long, wonderful indulgence in Peace was over. Communists were kicking up a fuss in some previously unheard of place called Korea, and since our sterling performance in WWII had somehow made us Policeman to the World, we were plunged back into war, and this time it was my generation being drafted. (Somewhat mitigated by word filtering back from our musician friends at Camp Lejeune. They had all been accepted into the band, and thus were exempt from fighting a war on the other side of the world.)<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>My First Adult Job.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">My first job was a music teacher in Junior High School in New Haven, CT. I am tempted to say the salary was $1500 year, but perhaps my memory is faulty. Let's call it the magnificent sum of $2500/yr. But living at home in East Haven, I still managed to save enough money ($600) to go on a concert tour with the "All-America Chorus" in what was now, in the summer of 1956, being referred to as "<i>Western</i> Europe." I still recall taking the bus to work, sharing the old Tomlinson bridge with locomotives* shunting freight from one side of New Haven harbor to the other, while watching the construction of the new bridge (now also replaced) high above. [Hmm - I really think it was $1500/yr, bumping up to $2500/yr the next year when I moved to teaching in the wealthy suburb of North Haven.]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">*That's right - RR tracks ran straight down the center of the bridge. You could be driving over it, look in the rear-view, and discover a giant diesel engine behind your car!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">And if the Koren War wasn't enough to burst our euphoric bubble, then came . . . <b>The Sixties.</b> <b> <br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">"Changes" will continue next week.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>This week's blatant promo:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">In my fifty-plus novels one character has appeared in more books than any other. When I created Jack Harding for <i>Tarleton's Wife</i>, I never dreamed he would be so long-lasting. I even abandoned him for more than a decade after condemning him to not get the girl. Twice. But he insisted on resurrecting himself, demanding his right to Happily Ever After. And <i>Rogue's Destiny</i> was born. And never doubt that Jack is a rogue, as well as a vigilante, mercenary, genuine hero, and, of course, oh-so-charming. Jack appears in the following: (Until I started counting, even I didn't realize the list was so long.)<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Tarleton's Wife</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">O'Rourke's Heiress</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Rogue's Destiny</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The Lady Takes a Risk</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The Abominable Major</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The Making of Matthew Wolfe<br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Matthew Wolfe - the Adventures Begin</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Matthew Wolfe - Revelations</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcz15xtFKaRhv0xpz0VXF1H0USukj9KLJxPS-wnp3YgIjSpZt7XmvWRMQSlnmBG5ee8NyDbeMBhXabAnwE6IPHfCCkd5acWz-ICUji0M_Z2l6jbe1mW7z__JP1iVa380O_zfF9IwTS0v25vGcU9g8FAFxy1LA_J_OE2IQKJ63kVHZACttimZdVkoo5Zt2/s2700/RogueDark313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcz15xtFKaRhv0xpz0VXF1H0USukj9KLJxPS-wnp3YgIjSpZt7XmvWRMQSlnmBG5ee8NyDbeMBhXabAnwE6IPHfCCkd5acWz-ICUji0M_Z2l6jbe1mW7z__JP1iVa380O_zfF9IwTS0v25vGcU9g8FAFxy1LA_J_OE2IQKJ63kVHZACttimZdVkoo5Zt2/w266-h400/RogueDark313.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /></span></i><span> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>In previous books in the Regency Warrior series, Jack Harding has
suffered a broken heart, a close brush with the hangman, and continued
his uncertain history with females by letting yet another woman slip
through his fingers—this time to his employer, Terence O'Rourke. It
would appear Jack is never to know the joy of true love—until he meets a
feisty young French Canadian heiress in need of a knight in shining
armor. A role at which Jack excels.<br /><br />WARNING: Although the story
in <i>Rogue's Destiny</i> is stand-alone, it contains major spoilers for the
previous books in the Regency Warrior series: <i>The Sometime Bride,
Tarleton's Wife,</i> and <i>O'Rourke's Heiress.</i></span></div><div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span><span> </span></span></span> </div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span> <br /></p><br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-57260362794021879972023-07-29T09:10:00.001-07:002023-08-01T06:55:24.871-07:00The Changes I've Seen in my Lifetime<p><b> <span style="font-family: verdana;">A Big Family Week:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83R2t8t0SjNmK5qURQw7023KTOc0Zypv_M4eEn0gbuSPP2yhuH1wZwuKx628DA3BkggmcqZdLXQE8fZFNZxWZNWNzAT9fNLdKyXi8X7PZTN_taY65WenSM-gsoHp-F9AXvVXnSgq0TSPy00Yd7N8qpvTrpHSRKlTA_gzaUsW4o5hW0Q2xje6qQrc_NZtu/s1080/GADaveSusie723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1080" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83R2t8t0SjNmK5qURQw7023KTOc0Zypv_M4eEn0gbuSPP2yhuH1wZwuKx628DA3BkggmcqZdLXQE8fZFNZxWZNWNzAT9fNLdKyXi8X7PZTN_taY65WenSM-gsoHp-F9AXvVXnSgq0TSPy00Yd7N8qpvTrpHSRKlTA_gzaUsW4o5hW0Q2xje6qQrc_NZtu/w400-h291/GADaveSusie723.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday photo with my children, Dave & Susie<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLR7CP2mkiK6EIgAMNeUOTISedRHfYjpuu0RMKVzKlSS_jsF80oIoR52762Py4adWfEk67cDG0so0UbOYJRa2wsYkR7hdfq6QjssKmKPi9JYzjCshYEdFeSsjAtwrtXTa-96SkHqzQs-NjOwo69w03lac8iDAXVBkFPulOjAC7VMbseiU2xFg5mI8qky1/s1707/GASusieBar723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1707" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLR7CP2mkiK6EIgAMNeUOTISedRHfYjpuu0RMKVzKlSS_jsF80oIoR52762Py4adWfEk67cDG0so0UbOYJRa2wsYkR7hdfq6QjssKmKPi9JYzjCshYEdFeSsjAtwrtXTa-96SkHqzQs-NjOwo69w03lac8iDAXVBkFPulOjAC7VMbseiU2xFg5mI8qky1/w400-h225/GASusieBar723.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday photo at the "almost open" Capital Bar in Sanford<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cassidy's birthday is two days before mine. We celebrated<i> in absentia</i> with an old photo of our 17-year-old almost licensed pilot.</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBWh5MUNltkaKzahY8XGp2xwLlUY06sDS1Bl4cVm4elMQAaMt5m_1f0pGeNJH0nmKwcRQRZywvRdQ6TENjHpvbuPGPJec1UBREQRsc-t5RTd8gRgnLm6VlEbu6YY4uBPJZGSj5xQtp9v9-sklFFk-buRhnmZinTBZMAbaFrQLK5oxqoDaEISZmJ4FIRyF/s1124/CassidySusieRug.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBWh5MUNltkaKzahY8XGp2xwLlUY06sDS1Bl4cVm4elMQAaMt5m_1f0pGeNJH0nmKwcRQRZywvRdQ6TENjHpvbuPGPJec1UBREQRsc-t5RTd8gRgnLm6VlEbu6YY4uBPJZGSj5xQtp9v9-sklFFk-buRhnmZinTBZMAbaFrQLK5oxqoDaEISZmJ4FIRyF/w300-h400/CassidySusieRug.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Citrus Singers performed several times over the course of the International Girl Scout Convention in Orlando last week. (To great acclaim.) Below, a nostalgic moment, the final time Riley packed up equipment after a performance. She has not only aged out of Scouts but will be going off to Stetson University this fall.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLvI2Ij9ldy1si_5WMkh6P6D5KMYxYrJcGJB8kOgMr3t9C9_dyjTprS_iYvz4Uzdxv92ZAZh1bfgjTlw_ahQCiUku317yTrkhSsVFF2F4x1eepQLpLofYEAJSlchHERNBHu2BEGOkMlZB85LhAL0aJUvHB49Tk9UFJVVqeOY1AKlD6pS6R2nfRhOQkWa8/s1497/Riley.FinalPackup723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1497" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLvI2Ij9ldy1si_5WMkh6P6D5KMYxYrJcGJB8kOgMr3t9C9_dyjTprS_iYvz4Uzdxv92ZAZh1bfgjTlw_ahQCiUku317yTrkhSsVFF2F4x1eepQLpLofYEAJSlchHERNBHu2BEGOkMlZB85LhAL0aJUvHB49Tk9UFJVVqeOY1AKlD6pS6R2nfRhOQkWa8/w225-h400/Riley.FinalPackup723.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>CHANGES IN MY LIFETIME</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Having just passed a birthday that has me inching up on Methusaleh, I've spent a bit of time over the past fe</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">w weeks thinking about the world that was. And decided it might be fun to share a few things with those who never knew that world. I've scribbled a whole bunch of notes but have undoubtedly forgotten a thousand changes I should have included, but here are the ones that seem most significant to me.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1. <b>Freedom. </b>I was given an enormous amount of freedom to wander as a child, to play where I would, enjoy solitude if I pleased. My own children enjoyed the same freedom. And I hope that's still true in some small towns, but all too many of today's children never venture out of the house without an adult. They go to the park, have play-dates, etc., every moment under adult supervision. Yes, I know the world has changed, but not learning to be on one's own is a serious detriment to growing into an independent grown-up.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>Grace note:</i> This is not my imagination. As previously mentioned on this blog, when I toured the FBI Academy a decade ago, we were told that it was getting harder and harder to find recruits with "street smarts." Children were no longer allowed to be "out there," discovering the world for themselves.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">2. <b>Travel.</b> Before the gas rationing of WWII, my family drove from New England to Nebraska every summer to visit my grandparents. I stood the entire 1500 miles each way, poised on the floor of the back seat directly between my parents, so I could see where we were going. No car seats, no seat belts. Just the fun of seeing what was out there.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">3.<b> Travel. </b>It was a three or four day trip from Massachusetts to Nebraska at that time. We stayed overnight at "cabin camps." As the name implies they were little more than one-room shacks with a bed and an army cot (for me). If nature called, there was an outhouse out back.) As I recall, motels did not arrive until after WWII.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">4. <b>World War II.</b></span> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">The war affected everyone's life. Nearly every house had a "star banner" hanging in the window. Blue for "currently serving," Silver for "missing," Gold for "killed in Action." Huge containers of chicken wire sat on every New England green; one for anything made of aluminum, particularly pots and pans; one for old tires. My mother did a weekly stint at the local emergency HQ; my father (who aged out of the draft by two months) stayed up all night once a week, doing his bit as an airplane-spotter. I recall learning all the plane silhouettes when he did. And I still remember sitting on the school's well-worn wooden stairs during Air Raid Drills. And once a week we brought in money to buy Savings Bonds to help support the war effort. [Lots more, but time to stop.]</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">5. <b>Diesel Trains.</b> We moved from Massachusetts to Connecticut only months before the outbreak of WWII. Schools were strictly disciplined in those days, although we never considered it a hardship. That's just the way things were. But one day - I believe I was in sixth grade - we heard a loud noise we had never heard before. The entire class jumped up and ran to our second-floor windows. (I suspect the teacher did the same.) The noise came again - no one could figure it out. Order was restored and only later did we learn that what we'd heard was the whistle of the first diesel train to rumble through out small Connecticut town. [Time - c. spring 1944, as I recall.]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">6. <b>Radio, Newspapers & Newsreels.</b> During the war and for many years after, these were our only source of information. Radio and Newspaper you can understand, but what was a Newsreel? Newsreels preceded the showing of every movie at the local theater. During WWII this meant photographers risking their lives to show us what was happening. (Something we take for granted these days.) And, believe me, I have not forgotten the impact of full movie-screen news, particularly the scenes of the liberation of the holocaust camps.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">7. <b>Washing.</b> From Grade 3 through Grade 7 I remember helping my mother hang clothes from our second-story apartment in Connecticut. There was a pulley that ran from our back porch to a big tree twenty to thirty feet away. We'd peg each piece to the line, give it a pull, and peg the next. I'm not sure when, during that time, I was considered old enough to run the clothes through the "wringer" on our washer, but I still remember the thrill and tension of making sure my fingers didn't go through as well! When we moved to our very own house (I was in 8th grade), we had a standard clothesline in the backyard. [I'm drawing a blank on when the ancestors of our present-day washers & dryers first made their appearance.]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">8. <b> Cars.</b> There was no such things as Automatic Shift, though, thank goodness, it arrived not long before I got my driver's license at age 19. And Turn Signals? No way. I still remember having to stick my arm straight out for a Left turn, bent at the elbow for a right turn. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">9. <b>Telephone.</b> I'm not sure what year it was, but we were living in our new house, so I was likely in 9th or 10th grade when, suddenly, we no longer picked up a phone and heard a live operator ask, "Number please?" We had to look up someone's number in something called a Phone Book and dial it ourselves, one number at a time on a wheel attached to the front of the phone? What was the world coming to? </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">10. <b>Milk Delivery. </b>I almost forgot - this was the era when milk was delivered directly to every house. Daily. When my husband and I moved into our waterfront home home in Branford, CT, in 1963, there was an entryway with a large aluminum-lined wooden chest (with lift-up lid) designed especially for milk delivery. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Addendum to #10: Oddly enough, grocery delivery is NOT new. My mother, the author, Wilma Pitchford Hays, had her groceries delivered, beginning way back in the late 1940s right up to the time we moved to the New Haven area in the summer of 1952.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">PART II - Post 1950 will, hopefully, appear next week.</span><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>This week's shameless promo:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Although I wrote<i> The Sometime Bride</i> before <i>Tarleton's Wife, TW</i> was published first, in December 1999. A year or so earlier, my mother (the author) had handed me a newspaper article about electronic publishing, and we had wondered about this new method of publishing. So I suppose I was more willing to listen when I received a call out of the blue from a brand new e-publisher, Starlight Writer Publications, asking to include<i> Tarleton's Wife</i> in their opening line. (Evidently, the owner had been one of the judges in an RWA writing contest I'd entered.) A publisher was REQUESTING to publish my manuscript??? I wasn't about to say no!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">And thus began the first of four e-incarnations and two paperback versions of <i>Tarleton's Wife</i>. Finally, after many years, I got my rights back, and it is now available on Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, and other e-vendors. One of the wonders of e-pub: Nearly 25 years after its debut, <i>Tarleton's Wife</i> still makes the sales chart each and every month!<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE2wT7CyFqZBV2fAysGl_MRhfSP8xHvdpmUFmHGTFbt_RimDLtT3zpVyfS0xtfMx-1-QhWiLHBHZG-n7httuGkA0Z5t6mFcH0L6iUPLT3Lc-MRPRY0hcRuUIsgu-iXmZEEpu8xsxkKmDxXvu0LwJHfAMBQ9AWaByG-0FCeFa0wjFjYXWL3z-Qz96GtGmK/s2700/Tarleton's%20wife_Final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE2wT7CyFqZBV2fAysGl_MRhfSP8xHvdpmUFmHGTFbt_RimDLtT3zpVyfS0xtfMx-1-QhWiLHBHZG-n7httuGkA0Z5t6mFcH0L6iUPLT3Lc-MRPRY0hcRuUIsgu-iXmZEEpu8xsxkKmDxXvu0LwJHfAMBQ9AWaByG-0FCeFa0wjFjYXWL3z-Qz96GtGmK/w266-h400/Tarleton's%20wife_Final.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p><br /><span> On the night before the final battle in one of the most harrowing
retreats in British Army history, a colonel wagers his only child in a
game of cards. She is rescued by Major Nicholas Tarleton, who marries
Julia Litchfield the next day, but only as he is dying. Julia, a hardy
soul who has followed the drum all her life, takes over her husband's
estate, becoming a heroine to Nicholas's tenant farmers, and is
developing an interest in a new man when totally unexpected events
plunge her into a conflict of love and honor that might have challenged
Solomon himself.<br /><br />Reviews Excerpts:<br /><br />"A real historical
novel, TARLETON'S WIFE places the author in the ranks with Victoria Holt
and a handful of other writers of romantic fiction that I have read,
reread, and loved." Patricia White, Word Museum<br /><br />"TARLETON'S WIFE .
. . is filled with action and emotion, and with well drawn, realistic
characters headed by a strong, admirable and totally likable heroine.
The author has extraordinary ability to bring her characters to life and
to create a real world around them." Lily Martin, Romance Communication<br /><br />"Ms Bancroft has a clear voice and the potential to be another Mary Jo Putney or Mary Balogh." Kathe Robin, Romantic Times<br /><br />"This
is a very well written piece, painted with rich history and wonderfully
drawn characters. We will be seeing much more from this brilliant
author." April Redmon, Under the Covers<br /></span></p><p></p><div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span><span> </span></span> </div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-66006686164430160072023-07-15T20:18:00.002-07:002023-07-22T09:02:46.711-07:00Gallery, Recipes & Blatant Promo<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><b>[Next Blog - July 29]</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <br /></span></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!</span></b></span> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A big birthday coming up on the 19th. I've spent a remarkable number of years on this planet and know, for all the hassles and disappointments, my life has been blessed with great joys, as well as long stretches of peace and contentment. Love my family, love to write. Am blessed with a second family in my church choir. And have great confidence in the our next generation, just blossoming into the glory days of college. What more could I ask?</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span><b>Please note: </b> None of my three grandgirls were responsible for the following. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyYwi5QNSob7pPnpxw3Tx4CXe7L629M55154gBmUjkHgOHqveZzIYGdqHrLZj2fU02dm8Qiq50uA-ttbDYuOEkzbsVZ6F4U8gXmQaHElRxNiHzVv-BMyl9IuTCyOqNh3voMjEyXoNKn70euqV3acxWac0QCVm7tTViPAYJ2t01ubYMPlcj9I6IdpCz5ag/s1265/OutoftheMouths.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyYwi5QNSob7pPnpxw3Tx4CXe7L629M55154gBmUjkHgOHqveZzIYGdqHrLZj2fU02dm8Qiq50uA-ttbDYuOEkzbsVZ6F4U8gXmQaHElRxNiHzVv-BMyl9IuTCyOqNh3voMjEyXoNKn70euqV3acxWac0QCVm7tTViPAYJ2t01ubYMPlcj9I6IdpCz5ag/w426-h640/OutoftheMouths.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOWX6gu21yzLZFI0aLldK1bMIfONzqc4LAjrBG8wVZ3amaRNUK9YlJpIcFzbTIIdjIJ8rQXF9RNS70RrE0lvtim_jUU9yb2vOwVm79D9p-CJEVQAhMpD8H8j1UoDIzomYvIwim_zvlXA3j17P-GBTWlB4itT8kbORq2ZYW7YU9t6MWDwgjbCAc9zQuQYp/s915/TreeDoor623.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOWX6gu21yzLZFI0aLldK1bMIfONzqc4LAjrBG8wVZ3amaRNUK9YlJpIcFzbTIIdjIJ8rQXF9RNS70RrE0lvtim_jUU9yb2vOwVm79D9p-CJEVQAhMpD8H8j1UoDIzomYvIwim_zvlXA3j17P-GBTWlB4itT8kbORq2ZYW7YU9t6MWDwgjbCAc9zQuQYp/w315-h400/TreeDoor623.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that writing Japanese?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadMmtF8I_YzxoWXOwXP_NI1dn3Ua5R4OdsxHXa6QasLr6oGSiSNDqkWG8Vuc3ky22OkYI7svWSWw742YXqWx7RgkXZBGdWD6bC_xPXDwFvK0CYFdfjjzqsAyPkjDJ9XtLbBwGQa2QpPWwUodfSpiUhtqRrPIb7ibir4YTnnXsqROQpyzZllL7LqbW6YXo/s960/JapaneseCherryTree.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadMmtF8I_YzxoWXOwXP_NI1dn3Ua5R4OdsxHXa6QasLr6oGSiSNDqkWG8Vuc3ky22OkYI7svWSWw742YXqWx7RgkXZBGdWD6bC_xPXDwFvK0CYFdfjjzqsAyPkjDJ9XtLbBwGQa2QpPWwUodfSpiUhtqRrPIb7ibir4YTnnXsqROQpyzZllL7LqbW6YXo/w300-h400/JapaneseCherryTree.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese Cherry Tree </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">And for the authors among us . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSpb0GoWlENhKDdVhCmutxjGtA0iWf72-4e4Hk32aD0Qz3ySq4QlftzD59Pp_LAiATuXhlzj2PIyipLBnshFWI1uv1DwXkZr0RuROVbiJW8VJsD_2Fb45B0FblczvJK_jSvHUvSqnxe3cci4cHNpCbJuCnc5-eswZeMYV-7NVyAqX71BvjRLO_XGv88ME/s720/StoryCoaster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSpb0GoWlENhKDdVhCmutxjGtA0iWf72-4e4Hk32aD0Qz3ySq4QlftzD59Pp_LAiATuXhlzj2PIyipLBnshFWI1uv1DwXkZr0RuROVbiJW8VJsD_2Fb45B0FblczvJK_jSvHUvSqnxe3cci4cHNpCbJuCnc5-eswZeMYV-7NVyAqX71BvjRLO_XGv88ME/w361-h400/StoryCoaster.jpg" width="361" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span>~ * ~</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span><b>SUMMER RECIPES</b></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span><b></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>When summer comes around, recipe writers seem to talk barbecue non-stop. Well, I have to tell you, not all of us have barbecues - or a man of the house, as traditionally expected for a proper barbecue. (The male's chance to shine!) So today, I'm posting a few recipes that don't need a grill, charcoal, gas, or a male in a great big apron. Although I've concentrated on a variety of tempting asparagus dishes, the first is the absolute easiest and fastest way to cook that all-American dish, corn-on-the-cob.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span><b>Microwave Corn-on-the-Cob</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span> I have no idea where this recipe came from, but I've been cooking corn this way for 20 years or more. It's not good for crowds, but is absolutely amazing for 1-4 people. Instead of struggling to shuck the corn, clear the silk, boil water, cook 3-5 minutes "by guess & by gosh," then fish the cobs out, try this:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1. Do NOT shuck corn. Do not trim.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>2. Lay corn, husk and all, in the microwave. Cook 2 minutes on one side; turn, 1 minute on the other side. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>3. Remove. Trim ends (which will cut with ease). Pull off husks & silk (now also much easier - they just peel away.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>4. Insert "corn holders" at each end, if desired. Butter & season to taste. Eat. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: red;"><i>Grace note:</i> </span> Keep in mind that in microwave cooking each item must be timed separately; i.e., 2 cobs = 4 minutes on one side, two on the other.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>3 cobs = 6 minutes on one side, three on the other, etc.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span><b>ASPARAGUS RECIPES</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>Below, four asparagus recipes to add a bit of pizzazz to any summer meal.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>ASPARAGUS WITH MANDARIN-PEPPER SAUCE</span></span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1 can (11 oz.) Mandarin oranges, drained & chopped*</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>½ cup chopped, canned roasted red bell pepper</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>2 tablespoons chopped green onion</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1 tablespoon soy sauce (or lite soy sauce)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1 tablespoon sesame oil</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or ¼ tspn. dry ginger)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1½ pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed**</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>¼ cup toasted, slivered almonds***</span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>Gently combine Mandarin oranges, bell pepper, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil & ginger in a small bowl. Cook asparagus in a covered skillet or large pot, 4-5 minutes. Drain. Arrange asparagus on a serving platter; spoon sauce on top; sprinkle with almonds.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>*or c. 3 Mandarin orange "cups."</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>**I prefer to cut asparagus spears into smaller bites. <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>***To intensify flavor, toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-5 minutes. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>BAKED ASPARAGUS WITH BALSAMIC BUTTER SAUCE</span></span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>cooking spray</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>salt & pepper, to taste</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>2 tablespoons butter</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1 tablespoon soy sauce</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar</span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Preheat oven to 400°.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Arrange asparagus on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray; season with salt & pepper.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Bake 12 minutes, until tender.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Removed from heat; stir in soy sauce & balsamic vinegar. Pour over asparagus.</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>ASPARAGUS WITH MUSTARD SAUCE</b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1 </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">1tablespoon water</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">1/3 cup mayonnaise</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">1 teaspoon Dijon mustard</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Place asparagus in microwaveable casserole. Microwave on High 3-5 minutes, or until asparagus is crisp-tender.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Drain asparagus. Top with mayo mix.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>ASPARAGUS WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1 teaspoon Dijon mustard</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1½ tablespoon red wine vinegar</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">kosher salt & pepper, to taste</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">In medium bowl, whisk mustard, vinegar & 1 tablespoon oil. Add parsley and season with salt & pepper.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Boil asparagus 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain; run under cold water to stop cooking.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Transfer to serving dish. Drizzle with vinaigrette.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Grace note:</span> Due to my allergies, I substitute good old cider vinegar for both white and red wine vinegars. Not ideal, but it works.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">~ * ~<br /></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> For this week's blatant promo, the very first "sellable" book I ever wrote. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Grace note:</i></span> I did write a book set in 1970s Russia<b> (</b>after a 10,000-mile trip through the Soviet Union), but back in the days of the Cold War, not even an agent could get New York to bite on a book not wholly critical of USSR. A book, oddly enough, in which I predicted someone would rise out of the KGB to take over the government. Several times in recent years, I've considered going "e" with it, but it's hardcopy only (written 10 years before the Computer Age), and every time I thought of revising, retyping, and publishing, our relations with Russia would blow up again, and the timing never seemed right.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So I put away my metaphorical pen until my children were grown, my husband had an incapacitating stroke, and as his caregiver, I was home all day with more than a bit of time on my hands. Which is why, twenty years after my first book and after reading a gazillion novels by classic Regency authors (at least three times each)—and as much as I loved them, wondering why they ignored the war raging on the Continent during that era—I plunged into writing a 140,000-word historical romance that turned out to be a saga of the seven years of the Peninsular War (Napoleon's invasion of the Iberian Peninsula). And somehow came up with the highly apt title of <i>The Sometime Bride</i>. [Ballantine offered to publish it if I'd change the heroine's age. Idiot that I was, I refused.]<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My second novel,<i> Tarleton's Wife</i>, ended up being published first, with <i>The Sometime Bride</i> a close second. Both have seen several incarnations over the years and are available at Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and a long list of other e-book vendors.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ-eT2GJUrDpQyNJ0y2RpAXw7LdMfG1wdyNCMerhWMgTk0xS-jJJKY5164xnb2RrJxhjzi_eGRmyEKSRzoDyQe28BR6SJQPMpeANqqBWgumKwJ_rM0ftjiaZrwPxUaO7AjOKV8ihugTa_ja20w1e2W3zkG3zh618qLNzDKCOYHc-bDvxWD8kY5XA9k3ki/s2700/Sometime_bride13FINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ-eT2GJUrDpQyNJ0y2RpAXw7LdMfG1wdyNCMerhWMgTk0xS-jJJKY5164xnb2RrJxhjzi_eGRmyEKSRzoDyQe28BR6SJQPMpeANqqBWgumKwJ_rM0ftjiaZrwPxUaO7AjOKV8ihugTa_ja20w1e2W3zkG3zh618qLNzDKCOYHc-bDvxWD8kY5XA9k3ki/w266-h400/Sometime_bride13FINAL.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span>A very young bride finds herself married to an enigmatic British
spy "for her safety." And is plunged into a seven-year, highly personal
view of the Peninsular War—ending, after years of blind devotion, in
discovering a betrayal of her trust so immense she can only wonder: Is
she the sometime bride of a man who never existed? A discarded mistress?
Or a beloved wife whose only rival is her husband's expediency in a
time of war? <br /><br /><i>Author's Note:</i> In addition to being a saga of young
lovers caught up in a war, <i>The Sometime Bride </i>is the history of the
Peninsular War, Britain's fight against Napoleon in Portugal and Spain.
The story moves from France's invasion of Portugal and British troops
being driven into the sea at La Coruña to the return of British troops
under General Sir Arthur Wellesley, the fortified lines at Torres
Vedras, and the gradual push of French troops across Spain and back to
France. Plus the chaotic times in Paris after Napoleon's surrender and
the Emperor's triumph as he gathers up his old troops, only to be
stopped in one of the most famous and bloody battles in
history—Waterloo.</span></p><div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span><span> </span> </div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></p><p></p>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-7022445560836763812023-07-01T20:45:00.003-07:002023-07-04T09:15:40.618-07:00GALLERY ( incl. our budding pilot)<p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>MAJOR FAMILY EVENT ON 6/29/23</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On Wednesday, June 28, we celebrated my daughter Susie's birthday, and on Thursday, June 29, her youngest daughter, Cassidy soloed for the first time.<span style="font-size: small;"> Family we</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">nt wild!</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: helvetica;"><i>Short recap:</i> Cassidy, who won't be 16 until July 17, is one of 130 Air Force Junior ROTC students chosen for a government-sponsored 8-week flight training program. Which she is doing in a group of 16 assigned to Elizabeth City, No. Carolina. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mike, Cassidy's father, has an app that allows him to track her flights, which he has been doing constantly since she started her training. A truly astonishing app, as you will see in the pic below. Cassidy describes the program as "stressful" - a barrage of instruction and flying from morning to night. But, she also reports, they are well fed! They are housed in a college dormitory. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XqlJxK27ouze7sC1l8Gaw7yluwQ_2nssE5yMQ8qREBxr9HtJ9Q1TmSK3B0te4RsQk1iyfp-p1CX2XZt_GAEm3twrEYzz-7ko_sV7et17RFN0GQG5DZ4Vz20eKk-ymBac8EZYqcSjSU_gXp-rBN1Af-VSvpo08z4b-a9WKkVKayPXsoYlJ1_vP5pelSgn/s910/CassidySoloFlight623.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="910" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XqlJxK27ouze7sC1l8Gaw7yluwQ_2nssE5yMQ8qREBxr9HtJ9Q1TmSK3B0te4RsQk1iyfp-p1CX2XZt_GAEm3twrEYzz-7ko_sV7et17RFN0GQG5DZ4Vz20eKk-ymBac8EZYqcSjSU_gXp-rBN1Af-VSvpo08z4b-a9WKkVKayPXsoYlJ1_vP5pelSgn/w400-h264/CassidySoloFlight623.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cassidy embarking on her first solo flight</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Below, the view on the Tracker App. Susie swears she and Mike didn't breathe for the entire 18 minutes of the flight as they watched Cassidy do three take-offs and landings.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHen4AwE2nPxVeF5VKxtfIxDAo4izn89Z8rpfTsCDTjASZ3vp1zlrxAjdlgkj6C2x5Tr0eAkMEn6NQzkczNtZVE1bvw9QUrQEvKi6lLCDlTkjq-fLRfdg05OkuMlRdscY0Cdj7C7aGCmRJK2WtJn5h8mRduZ2r1wg_DmtC-9z5bgpSrSZ89eD3xkDgmoe/s1544/CassidyPlaneTracker623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1544" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHen4AwE2nPxVeF5VKxtfIxDAo4izn89Z8rpfTsCDTjASZ3vp1zlrxAjdlgkj6C2x5Tr0eAkMEn6NQzkczNtZVE1bvw9QUrQEvKi6lLCDlTkjq-fLRfdg05OkuMlRdscY0Cdj7C7aGCmRJK2WtJn5h8mRduZ2r1wg_DmtC-9z5bgpSrSZ89eD3xkDgmoe/w400-h186/CassidyPlaneTracker623.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudt37DLSODSFeCzBEPw3ql258Id0ZxTWEOaafxKJ8EFppdsOOpeGzN_dVy7LsL6mn75MrgqfEjxzgOPDHPX1s7yp9gBJIyYpO7kW6PX--us8PVpWu37Ko8UjM7tohXgmei0LPw4AjGQCnErOcCN21qx4pftcdnTK_7AP261bvjwVbuxdMFLLUUDPrnwPq/s960/CassidyFlightSuit623.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudt37DLSODSFeCzBEPw3ql258Id0ZxTWEOaafxKJ8EFppdsOOpeGzN_dVy7LsL6mn75MrgqfEjxzgOPDHPX1s7yp9gBJIyYpO7kW6PX--us8PVpWu37Ko8UjM7tohXgmei0LPw4AjGQCnErOcCN21qx4pftcdnTK_7AP261bvjwVbuxdMFLLUUDPrnwPq/w400-h225/CassidyFlightSuit623.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cassidy getting her way-too-big flight suit<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On the left, her instructor</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ges6pPbG29qtGM5Bx0M-mhSpGcbm7KssDd8EBLrblJvvvAoIzuSdw_55RXaWmX3FwRInNFmYKm1eJ9BtQknBzAdluPF9RSNtWBEGzCTsP6lRz87CsQFCkognvVTRQOqT2n3tKOqUqEcY4JxLkiB7HuLEJaUzJ6gvdu1SAYvTZaM-tHfTfdGwJZMW7Wwo/s2048/SusieRileyHailey623.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ges6pPbG29qtGM5Bx0M-mhSpGcbm7KssDd8EBLrblJvvvAoIzuSdw_55RXaWmX3FwRInNFmYKm1eJ9BtQknBzAdluPF9RSNtWBEGzCTsP6lRz87CsQFCkognvVTRQOqT2n3tKOqUqEcY4JxLkiB7HuLEJaUzJ6gvdu1SAYvTZaM-tHfTfdGwJZMW7Wwo/w400-h300/SusieRileyHailey623.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley, Hailey & the Birthday Girl<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On an entirely different note - from Facebook . . .<br /> </span><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7e_8tMHv0-ZEbsfo45n6IUSNczskvdhk85Be-pcZYmP19ILzA2C9zVUlpKN-9ySIw3KoKsB2tk2Bve0xooo7l_RCi0HyOE-mkcVpicnfsbiXayn975983iT8IQBJCiUXpe_M3On0Lxynj25pdbvRmWGfgWHqdgG_SzXVhbC3KXGNWtrtaiNoCFilAYBg/s735/Highwayto%20Hell623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="551" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7e_8tMHv0-ZEbsfo45n6IUSNczskvdhk85Be-pcZYmP19ILzA2C9zVUlpKN-9ySIw3KoKsB2tk2Bve0xooo7l_RCi0HyOE-mkcVpicnfsbiXayn975983iT8IQBJCiUXpe_M3On0Lxynj25pdbvRmWGfgWHqdgG_SzXVhbC3KXGNWtrtaiNoCFilAYBg/w300-h400/Highwayto%20Hell623.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mentioning Hell might have made me think of this one (sent to me by my son in CT): </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhoTE2yfjF64GTY_vS5lKKecQuUwM062_T8XTD63_RiYXxKpeenMlOZwmsm2VEm8SdiLTeVabvbvy2P3BtAjygyL_WHI8_zrHM-wVIdvFzbLKu_NTyarYhvjwSgZnOiEIdD5ov_P2GpH1gOfuE3ppVKRrUsw_9JnL473bHI7RN49KaTs7MMGn4e9gCi0P/s680/Putin623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="680" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhoTE2yfjF64GTY_vS5lKKecQuUwM062_T8XTD63_RiYXxKpeenMlOZwmsm2VEm8SdiLTeVabvbvy2P3BtAjygyL_WHI8_zrHM-wVIdvFzbLKu_NTyarYhvjwSgZnOiEIdD5ov_P2GpH1gOfuE3ppVKRrUsw_9JnL473bHI7RN49KaTs7MMGn4e9gCi0P/w400-h272/Putin623.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> From Facebook - "Albuquerque Sky" by Meteorologist Grant Tosterud:<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0M0ZSyjTYQfKZdPM79DNkTwG0x7SOk-pdr1XOfTW0OseCfMl6OOc_C9Lx6e3lCwYdfnrzQ6Fy_veOwsQAVPjkbA7ak2zgiPzOhk80NelkKhDwhWS98qS363pfWDKLNsZqP9LQwvK_ICDWoF8iakN-Ib4ywh7UC1_wCpRZ2OrxEiDbrHBuhzmZhzpLIil/s1124/AlbuquerqueSky623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0M0ZSyjTYQfKZdPM79DNkTwG0x7SOk-pdr1XOfTW0OseCfMl6OOc_C9Lx6e3lCwYdfnrzQ6Fy_veOwsQAVPjkbA7ak2zgiPzOhk80NelkKhDwhWS98qS363pfWDKLNsZqP9LQwvK_ICDWoF8iakN-Ib4ywh7UC1_wCpRZ2OrxEiDbrHBuhzmZhzpLIil/w300-h400/AlbuquerqueSky623.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /> </span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And one of the strangest sights I've seen on Facebook: <br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmwoahYg7d0AJ499B50HRUSY9UGkcyz6SAK7JJK5hpolQViKuiGO23ISRp87UVtWmxoJ03RV8pjjVCpY2k2P4XaChmQdH9N-FO9-zpcI641m9_F_1aQ8ErS3HzZeAzj8MSPvV7lOGczU_XfTXgF8J8psrMdo9IpkTaFIMNjF3ckTkf9nEwiDPxqtAzJNZ/s806/TibetVillage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="696" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmwoahYg7d0AJ499B50HRUSY9UGkcyz6SAK7JJK5hpolQViKuiGO23ISRp87UVtWmxoJ03RV8pjjVCpY2k2P4XaChmQdH9N-FO9-zpcI641m9_F_1aQ8ErS3HzZeAzj8MSPvV7lOGczU_XfTXgF8J8psrMdo9IpkTaFIMNjF3ckTkf9nEwiDPxqtAzJNZ/s320/TibetVillage.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain village in Tibet<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The Vicar's Daughter</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> If you're inclined to believe that all ministers, pastors, and priests are natural-born saints, you might not want to read this week's featured Regency Gothic by Blair Bancroft. But if you believe - if only a smidgeon - that a female has the right to follow in her vicar father's footsteps . . .</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyF5n_Gx_MgPpFxLsRfK9uoAtekq1HrKaF_hlQ3BYYzo92qm3A0iVco-ZQbtW197PoLLbPYhK1Qh-_rZC_IYvzI2Dc7M-b2BexEbHi2JVMLT9DRoBkdym4Y2pz8uCsJGD4lSiB1vnpzgspI6Pfw4pu6HucnZEG09It2aochDOCOXhzDm_DG6ssIT9sY2C/s2700/Vicar's%20Daughter%2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyF5n_Gx_MgPpFxLsRfK9uoAtekq1HrKaF_hlQ3BYYzo92qm3A0iVco-ZQbtW197PoLLbPYhK1Qh-_rZC_IYvzI2Dc7M-b2BexEbHi2JVMLT9DRoBkdym4Y2pz8uCsJGD4lSiB1vnpzgspI6Pfw4pu6HucnZEG09It2aochDOCOXhzDm_DG6ssIT9sY2C/w266-h400/Vicar's%20Daughter%2015.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><p></p><div class="celwidget" data-cel-widget="promoPriceBlockMessage_feature_div" data-csa-c-asin="" data-csa-c-content-id="promoPriceBlockMessage" data-csa-c-id="6mdk46-8galp3-v9siql-s03yfr" data-csa-c-is-in-initial-active-row="false" data-csa-c-slot-id="promoPriceBlockMessage_feature_div" data-csa-c-type="widget" data-feature-name="promoPriceBlockMessage" id="promoPriceBlockMessage_feature_div">
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<div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"> <span>Independent
and capable Prudence Wedderburn, daughter of a vicar, is a woman before
her time. She not only manages the parish duties usually performed by a
vicar's wife, she has learned the art of healing, and during her
father's final illness, she also assumes some of his religious
duties—all actions welcomed by her village until her father's death
abruptly ends her life as First Lady of Kenner's Cove, Kent.<br /><br />Well
aware she must curb her independence—even learn to practice
subservience, a quality entirely unknown to her—Prudence accepts a
position as governess to a five-year-old girl in Cornwall. Where, alas,
rumors of her activities in Kent plunge her into difficulties with the
church, she clashes with her pupil's father (an earl), finds herself
hip-deep in smugglers and Cornish legends, is befriended by a
500-year-old cat, and discovers that someone—several someones?—want to
kill her. Finding a happy ending in a deluge of disasters will be the
vicar's daughter's greatest challenge.</span></div><div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ * ~</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a link to Blair's website, <a href="https://mosaicmoments.blogspot.com/2021/10/As always, a 20% free read is available at Smashwords. For a link to Secrets on Amazon, click here. For a link to Secrets on Smashwords, click here. For a link to my updated Facebook Author Page with background details on Secrets, click here. Thanks for stopping by, Grace (Blair Bancroft)">click here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by,</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grace (Blair Bancroft)</span></span></span></span></span><span> </span> </div><span> </span> </div>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.com0