Victorian Romance Novel Fans discussion

Why Victorian?

My father once gave me an old oil lamp he had found in his shed. As I looked at it, its base now covered in blisters of amber rust, he told me it had once belonged to my great grandfather.

After a long, hard day working on the farm, my great grandfather would walk several miles in the dark, along narrow country lanes, to “court” the woman he loved and he had used the oil lamp to light his way.

I looked at the lamp again with a renewed perspective. The lamp I had dismissed as a rusty object had been the constant companion of a man in love as he walked the three miles to see the woman he wanted to wed. I wondered what tales it held secret, what conversations, hand holding and kisses its flickering glow had witnessed.

Of course I had to keep it and it now hangs from a beam in my living room. His persistence did pay off as the woman he courted was my great grandmother, but it made me realise I wanted to explore the passion and love of that era and write about it.
Old Sins Long Shadows

What a nice family legacy!

I love the Victorian era because it was such a time of change -- politically, culturally, technologically, etc. Change offers many situations for interesting conflict which should result in more interesting books. Placing characters in a situation of change forces them to reevaluate themselves and make new adjustments.

Good point, Kellianne.

Wonderful story, B.D.!

Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "Wonderful story, B.D.!"

Yes, I thought so which is why I decided to keep it. My father likes to tell me about his family tree and what they got up to. He's getting old now so I think he sees me as the way to keep the stories alive.

In my garden I have the mangle and cheese press that my grandmother used. I also have an old horse plough my grandfather used. My father tried to give me two rabbit traps the other day. Apparently farmers used to hire "rabbit catchers" who would arrive at their farms and lay hundred or more traps. Needless to say I declined them!

Old Sins Long Shadows

Redesigning Emma
When I started researching my grandmother's background--she owned a millinery shop at 16!--I fell in love with Manhattan in 1899. The city was full of characters from the gilded age such as Diamond Jim Brady and William Randolph Hearst. Women were just beginning to gain traction with the suffragette movement. I also learned that the hat industry with all its feathers almost wiped out egrets and other marvelous birds. It was a fascinating time.