I've Chosen a Winner!

Thanks to everyone who went to Night Owl Romance and left a comment. I don't know how other authors choose a winner. Last time I did this my daughter drew a name. She isn't here for this one, so I wrote down the names, then shuffled the little papers. COLLEEN, you came up the winner. When I clicked on your name I couldn't find an email so I hope you read this post.
YOU'VE WON A DIGITAL COPY of Jeanne of Clairmonde, my medieval romance. Congratulations! And thanks to everyone who visited my blog. Watch my website for more events and contests, and in the meantime, happy reading!

Rengency Calling Cards

Calling cards were a considered more than an accessory during the Georgian, Regency, and Victorian eras. A gentleman or lady always carried them, and would give their card to the footman who answered the door, who would then announce their visit to the gentleman or lady of the house. They also used cards to inform others that they had arrived in town. A lady would wait in her carriage while her groom took her card and handed it in. The card was then presented to the lady of the house, who decided whether or not to receive. If the lady was 'not at home', she was rejecting her visitor. A reciprocal card may be given to the caller, but unless it was formally presented, she had no apparent desire to continue the acquaintance. If, however, a formal call was returned, followed by a formal call, the visiting lady could entertain hope for the relationship.

Gentlemen often place their addresses on their cards. According to an etiquette book of later in the century, the address of town house and main seat were included in the corners-- one in each corner. A married lady naturally placed her married name on her card, such as Mrs. James Jones. Days and times for “at home days” were also engraved upon cards.

Quality calling cards were made from a high-quality paper, often plain as ornamentation on a card was considered to be poor taste until later in the 19th century, and were engraved. They were kept in beautiful cases, which during the Regency era, were primarily of filigree, leather and tortoiseshell, but later in the century became more elaborate; ivory, tortoiseshell and woodwork. Late in the Victorian era, they were sometimes painted with views of castles or scenery. A gentleman’s card case was slightly smaller than a lady’s, since he had to carry it in his pocket.

Visits were most often made in the afternoon; as a general rule, new acquaintances between 3-4pm, frequent acquaintances between 4-5pm and close friends would after 5pm. Visits from acquaintances other than close family friends lasted no more than 15 minutes and their conversations seldom deviated outside of one's health and the weather. The custom became more and more elaborate as the century progressed, but the tradition of calling cards has lasted, evolving into business cards, which are seldom used outside of business.

And the Winner IS....

Congratulations fo to Skhye Moncrief in Texas who has won a digital copy of Jeanne of Clairmonde. Skhye, I'll be sending it this weekend so watch your mailbox. Happy reading!

Medieval Dance

Most of our information about medieval dance comes from fragmentary sources such as extant manuscripts and a few illuminations, leaving us to speculate on any form of dance steps that may have been used. From what little is known, the carole was most likely the form familiar in courts as well as at rural gatherings. This dance was probably a simple form of round dancing, where the dancers joined hands and sang, moving in a circle.
From Chretien de Troyes, the French poet, we know there were other forms of dance. In a wedding scene, written during the twelfth century, he says, “Maidens performed rounds and other dances, each trying to outdo the other in showing their joy.” What these other dances were remains a mystery, with the exception of references to the estampie.
A troubadour, Raimbaut de Vaqueiras, may have written a Provencal song to fit the tune of an estampie he heard played by two jongleurs, which would set the date of this dance in the twelfth century. However, the earliest examples of instrumental pieces called estampies date from the 13th and 14th centuries and consist of both monophonic and polyphonic structures.
With so little information as to early medieval dance, we are left to speculate on the actual dance steps used, but we can be sure the people of the early Middle Ages found a way to express joy in their lives. From this writer’s perspective, I’m also certain that even with an open ring of dancers, two lovers would find a way to come together, even if it was across a bit of dance floor with only a sly wink or the touch of a hand.

Facts about Sedan Chairs and Litters

Varying modes of transportation have been used over the centuries. In pagan times, gods and deities were transported through the streets of Egypt and the orient, and later, in ancient Rome, litters (lectica) were used to carry the elite, and the Vestal Virgins. Gradually, litters evolved to something more fancy, and in the 1600s sedan chairs, a box-like contraption for one person, became a common mode of public transportation, and a familiar sight in London.
Sedan chairs were carried by chairmen, and after dark, the chair was preceded by link-boys, torch bearers who lit the way through the darkened streets. Upon arrival at the passenger’s house, the torches were snuffed out in link extinguishers, an ornament that looked like a giant candle snuffer attached to the house or gatepost.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, chairs stood in the main hall of well-to-do families, so the lady could be taken in and out with her feet never touching the dirty street.
In Bath, sedan chairs had the right-of-way. Chairmen would call out to pedestrians, "By your leave", in order to clear the way. People backed against the wall to allow free passage. A trip inside the city cost approximately six pence, and to rent a chair for the day would cost the passenger four shillings.
Benjamin Franklin used a sedan chair until the late 1700s. When hackneys came into general use, sedan chairs gradually faded from history, but some richly appointed examples have been preserved in museums. The one that belonged to Queen Charlotte now resides in Buckingham Palace, a testimony to the grandeur of yesteryear.

Superior Scribbler's Award

Wow! I'vebeen tagged for the Superior Scribbler's Award, and I need to thank Donna Hatch http://www.donnahatch.blogspot.com/ for that honor! I've been buried in edits lately so haven't blogged as much as I like, but the edits just went back to my editor so now I can keep on top of things. Here's the award. Isn't she cute?

Now I'm passing the award on to some of my blogger friends whose blogs I like.

This is how the award works. It's easier than it sounds! If you should be so lucky as to be tapped for it, you need to post the rules on your blog, along with links to the 5 people you think deserve the award. That way we can see who else gets the award. Notify them by email so they know. You also need to link back to this blog, so you'll have 6 blog links listed. You're almost finished! Then post the logo on your website, link to Mr. Linky (I don't know how to do that yet, and have asked for guidance), and you're done.

Here is the list of the next winners:

Anne Whitfield http://www.annewhitfield.blogspot.com/

Loretta Rogers http://www.historicalhussies.blogspot.com/

Linda Swift http://www.lindaswift.net/

Hazel Stathan http://www.hazel-stathan.co.uk/

Fenella Miller http://www.historicalromanceuk.blogspot.com/

TA-DUM! WINNER of the BLOG BOUQUET

CONGRATULATIONS, Karen H. from North Carolina, for catching the BLOG BOUQUET!

Thanks also to all those who left a comment on my blog. This was such fun, and I hope all of you stop back. There's something new here all the time; guest authors, drawings like this, and announcements of my workshops and events. I'd love to meet all of you in person, so if you're going to attend any of my events, please drop me a line beforehand. In the meantime, happy writing and good reads to all of you.

Karen, again, CONGRATS! Please go to the Author page, scroll down, and drop me a line, including your email, so I can send you a digital download of Jeanne of Clairmonde.