Downton Fashion – ‘20’s Style

I usually don’t do posts outside of the Edwardian era, but since I’m in the middle of watching Season 3 of Downton Abbey, I thought I’d talk a bit about the fashions of the 1920's.

As the Edwardian age came to a close, replaced by the flapper era, women’s fashion took some dramatic turns. In the early 1910’s, and onward, things began to inch slowly away from the tightly corseted, large picture hat era, and moved more towards loose flowing lines and shorter skirts. Corsets became less restrictive and by the end of the ‘20’s they were nonexistent. Young women even began to (gasp) bob their once waist-length hair and those who didn’t bob it, crimped it in the Marcel wave, using a newfangled curling iron.

Evening attire became less elegant and took on a more glamorous look with metallic thread, beads, and sequins replacing the lace and flower accents used previously.

Popular dress designers included Coco Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, Lavin. Paul Poiret, Paquin, and Liberty and Co. of Paris and London. While fashionable women still continued to have their gowns specially made, the Edwardian fashion industry suffered due to the new trends, putting once booming businesses out of a job.

One of my favorite costumes so far has a great deal of Edwardian elegance with only a hint of flapper. Mary’s blue gown that she wears to Edith’s wedding. Made by Vionnet, it’s simple, yet oh so beautiful.

One of the things I’ve found interesting is the way different characters embrace the new fashions. The Dowager Countess still looks very Edwardian, with her tiaras and velvets, whereas Lady Grantham dresses in the new style, but in a reserved way that befits her role as a countess. Mrs. Levinson, on the other hand, goes all-out when it comes to looking like a flapper with short hair and a very overall ‘20’s look. The girls are in the middle, with Sybil dressing very practically, while Mary echoes her mother.

And of course there are the wedding gowns. While I prefer Edith’s Lucille Limited designed gown to Mary’s, they are both lovely. Of course, we wouldn’t want either of them designed by Paquin now would we?

So there you have it. The new fashions of Downton. Looking forward to seeing what gorgeous costumes shall appear in future episodes!

-Amanda

Fitting It All In

A typical trade paperback can range from 90,000 to 100,000 word. Randomly typing that many words would take an experienced keyboarder (typing at about 75 words per minute) about 20 hours. And that’s just typing random words. Typing words that make good sentences, paragraphs and chapters can take upwards of 200 hours (assuming we can write twenty well thought words per minute) to complete a 90,000 word novel. And that’s only draft one….whew!

So how do we write a novel and not have it take years and years? How do we fit it into our daily schedules while not neglecting any of our other obligations. They say if a person really wants to do something they will make time to do it. But here are a few tips that might help getting there become a reality.


1) Establish a writing schedule
When doing this there are several things to evaluate; when your creativity is the freshest, when you have the most free time, and when you can find the time and place to work uninterrupted. In the summer my writing time is when I first get up. The house is quiet and I can get some work done before starting the day. Of course, this means I have to get up earlier than everyone else, so if you like to sleep in, this might not work for you. During the school year I have a block of time I schedule to write during the afternoons, and I sometimes work in the evenings. I try to devote at least two hours a day to my novel, and I have a time scheduled on Saturdays to write my weekly blog post, and do critiquing. Finding two hours a day is not a necessity to completing a novel, however. Any amount of time, large or small, as long as you’re putting words on the page, can bring you closer to your final goal.

2) Establish a daily and weekly word count goal
When I’m in first draft mode my daily word count goal is 1,500 to 2,000 words a day with an average of 10,000 words a week. Some weeks I write more, some less. But I do try to keep to my goal, without driving myself crazy with it. Goals are guidelines, not deadlines. I do find however, that having a goal helps keep me focused on how my time is spent, and if I’m spending too much, or too little, focusing on my writing.

3) Learn to say no
During the school year, when I have less time to write, keeping my goal often means giving up things I’d rather be doing, such as watching movies, taking on extra hobbies, talking on the phone, etc. Although there are times when I give into the temptation of watching an hour of Downton Abbey, rather than writing that extra 1,000 words, I try not to let it happen too often. I’m constantly re-evaluating how I use my time. I also try and make sure I’m not neglecting things that really matter, such as time with the Lord and spending time with family. But let’s be realistic, if we say yes to one thing we have to say no to another. Writing a novel is a large endeavor and it will mean saying no to things.

 4) Don’t Say You Will Make Time Later
We may think we’ll have time later, but we won’t. Busyness is a plague in the culture we live in today, and we often get caught up in the “do more” mentality. However, any amount of time devoted to something, no matter how small, does matter. I also find that when I work on something consistently it becomes important to me and I want to see it through to completion. Later may never come. So if you really want to accomplish something its best not to put it off with the thought that you will do it when life slows down, because it never will.

Author Jody Hedlund wrote an excellent blog post on this topic. She says, “It’s not always about how much time we have, but rather how we use it.” We all have the same twenty-fours in a day. Unless we take the time to write that sentence, paragraph, chapter and complete manuscript, lets face it - it just won’t get done!


Your Turn - How do you make time for your writing? Any tips?

Happy Writing,
Amanda

Winner of Veil of Pearls!

Congratulations to Sue, the winner of Veil of Pearls by ML Tyndall! Thank you so much to all who entered and participated in the giveaway!

Blessings,

Amanda

Downton Trivia Part Two!

After another fabulous episode of Downton Abbey, full of its usual drama and period elegance, I’m all revved up to start work on another novel. Yay! But first, as promised, here is part two of my Downton trivia post, this time with a dash of history. Then at the end of the post, I’ll announce the winners!

1 – Why couldn’t Lady Mary inherit Downton?

A – Because she wasn’t old enough.
B – Because she wasn’t married.
C- Because she wasn’t a male.

The answer to number one is C. The law stated that the eldest son, or if there was none, the nearest male relation, always inherited the title. This made it impossible for Mary to inherit her father’s earldom, and thus, Downton.

 

2 – Who is the highest ranking male servant in an Edwardian country house?

A – The footman.
B – The butler.
C – The valet.

The answer is B. The butler was always the highest ranking male servant, unless there was a house steward, in which case, he ranked higher. But house stewards were only at the grandest estates and generally, the butler and the housekeeper reigned supreme.

 

3 – The Edwardian era got its name from King Edward VII. Which year did he become king?

A – 1887
B – 1904
C – 1902

Some of you commented that Edward actually became king in 1901 and you are absolutely correct. I was basing it on the date of his coronation which took place in 1902. It was delayed so long, because at the last minute, Edward had to have an emergency appendectomy. The answer here is C.

 

4 – Who currently lives at Highclere Castle?

A – The Earl of Carnarvon

B – The Duke of Marlborough
C – The Earl of Grantham

Don’t we all wish we lived there? I know I do! But the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon live at Highclere, so the answer is A.

5 – How many times a day would an Edwardian lady change her clothes?

A – 3
B – 5
C – 6

5 times a day! I would love to try it. J She would don a morning dress, riding habit, afternoon or visiting frock, tea gown, and evening dress. No wonder she needed a lady’s maid. The answer is B.

 

6 – Lady Grantham is an American heiress who traded her cash for a countess’s coronet. One of the most famous American heiresses was...

A – Margaret Greenville

B – Consuelo Vanderbilt
C – Daisy Arlington

The answer is B. Consuelo Vanderbilt married the Ninth Duke of Marlborough in 1895, exchanging her millions for a title and life at Blenheim Palace.   

7– In the year 1913, changes were happening everywhere. What new invention is brought to Downton in Season 1?

A – A telephone.

B – A refrigerator.

C – A toaster.

The answer is A. Although it is my personal opinion, the Granthams would have had a telephone long before the Titanic era, (King Edward VII had one installed at Marlborough House in the late 1890’s) Downton got a telephone (and Gwen got a secretary job) in 1913.

 

8 – Which of these quotes is attributed to the Dowager Countess?

A – What is a weekend?

B – Now put that in your pipe and smoke it!
C - No man wants to kiss a girl in black.
D – All of the above.

Of course D! I love the Dowager Countess and after watching the first two episodes of Season 3, I can assure you she has plenty of witty one-liners to come!

 

And now let us move onto the eagerly awaited announcement. Who won the contest?

 

Drumroll please.

 

The Winners Are!!!

 

Winner Number One – Pat Jeanne Davis

 Winner Number Two – Linda C. Apple

 

I emailed them and will mail prizes out asap. A huge thank you to all who entered! I wish I could give a prize to everyone!

Stay tuned and come back next week for more posts on writing, regency and edwardian history (the time periods in which I write) and more great give-a-ways!

 

Happy Downton Watching, 

Amanda

Seafaring Adventure and Romance with MaryLu Tyndall!

Its no secret I like books, but those that I LOVE are few and far between. Ones by MaryLu Tyndall definitely fit that catagory!! Her novels keep me riveted from the first word and I am hard-pressed to put them down until I have finished the last page, swept away in a sigh-worthy blend of romance, adventure and faith. And seriously, what girl doesn’t love handsome sea captains and dashing pirates?

So now without further ado, I’ll hand it over to the fabulous....MaryLu Tyndall!!

1 – What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever done for research?

I once sailed aboard a pirate ship off the coast of Key West! My daughter and I drove down for their yearly pirate festival and we were so surprised to find an actual pirate ship, complete with cannons and pirates, who, for a price, would take brave travelers out for a cruise! As it turns out, it was more real than I expected because the pirates were drinking and firing their cannons throughout the entire voyage. Plus, a young couple got married by the captain. It was quite an experience!

2 – If you could have dinner with one of your characters, who would you chose and why?

Definitely Captain Edmund Merrick from my pirate series!  He’s a fascinating man with a very interesting life.  Born in England, the first son of a prominent earl, he ran away from an unloving home to become a pirate on the Caribbean. And a mighty good pirate he was! He soon became highly respected, hugely successful, and very feared among the Brethren of the Coast. But then he found Jesus and turned his life around. Now, he sails the Caribbean with a different mission. Instead of searching for gold, he searches for lost souls. J

3 - Many of your books focus on ships and sailing, and you write about ‘loose the topsails” and ‘two bits off the starboard side’ as if you’ve captained a ship yourself. How did you go about doing this research and did you ever get to actually sail one yourself?

Books, books and tons of books! I have a dozen books on sailing, on tall ships, on navigation, on the British Royal Navy, on ship types, etc…  I spent many an hour with my nose in their pages, studying and learning all I could about sailing.  I also took a sailing course in San Francisco, and I’ve sailed aboard two different tall ships. One in Key West (See above story) and one in San Diego during their Tall Ship Convention.

4 – You write about various time periods from the 1600’s to the 1800’s. If you could pick one era to travel back in time to, what era would you pick?

The Colonial era, which encompasses 1600s – 1776, is my favorite time period and one which I’ll probably head back to after I finish my next series.  It was such an adventurous time of discovering new lands, forging a life out of the wilderness, and building a nation free from European tyranny. So much fodder for great stories!

5 – What kind of music do you listen to while you write? Any movie soundtracks that inspire you?

 I mostly listen to movie soundtracks!! Here’s some of my favorites:  Braveheart, King Arthur, Elizabeth the Golden Age, The Chronicles of Narnia, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Master and Commander.  Also, if I’m writing a scene during a thunderstorm, I have a thunderstorm CD I pop in. I also have CD'S that play ocean sounds and jungle noises.

6 – In all of your books, you always have very deep spiritual threads and even miracles occur. Have you ever experienced this yourself?

Yes, I’ve experienced several miracles. My husband’s shoulder was healed. His addiction to nicotine was healed. We were rescued from a near-fatal car accident once by an angelic presence. During my husband’s conversion experience, he was allowed a glimpse into the spiritual realm where he saw demons and angels. And lots of others. The truth is, if you’re walking with Jesus and you have your spiritual eyes open, there are miracles all around you every day!

7 – If The Redemption were being made into a movie, who would you pick to play Merrick and Charlisse?

I would pick Jay Ryan to play Captain Merrick (he plays in the current show, Beauty and the Beast)  and Charlize Theron to play Charlisse. 

8 – What’s been your go-to research book when writing about pirates?

If I had to choose one book, it would have to be Under the Black Flag by David Cordingly

9 - Do you have a particular movie/TV series you watch for inspiration during the writing process?  

 It depends on what type of story I’m writing. If it’s a pirate tale, I like watching Master and Commander or the Horn Blower series or one of the old Errol Flynn pirate movies. When I wrote my regency, Falcon and the Sparrow, I watched Jane Austen movies. Currently, I’m watching the TV show LOST while I’m writing my new series.

10 – Tell us a little about your next upcoming release Forsaken Dreams.

Forsaken Dreams is the first in the trilogy, Escape to Paradise, in which a group of Southerners, desperate to leave the war-torn South after the Civil War, set sail for Brazil in the hopes of setting up a new Southern Utopia.  This first book follows their journey from Charleston to Rio de Janeiro. However, their journey is far from smooth. There is an evil malevolent force on the ship intent on keeping them from their destination. In addition, everyone on board is harboring deep secrets. The story is a romance, adventure, and suspense all wrapped up in one book!  Add in deep spiritual themes and I guarantee, you’ll enjoy the journey!

Watch the trailer to Forsaken Dreams,which comes out in March 2013, from the link below! After viewing this you will be sure to want to reserve your copy of this awesome book today!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9mAzFEFRxc

THANK YOU MARYLU!!
Thank you so much for being with us today, MaryLu! I’ve enjoyed getting to know more about you and your novels!

 

 

GIVEAWAY!!! In honor of MaryLu’s visit, I’m giving away a copy of Veil of Pearls. I LOVED this book and I’m sure once you read it, you’ll be as hooked as I am with MaryLu and her writing. Just leave a comment with an email address, and I’ll draw the winner next Thursday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Downton Abbey Mania!

Sunday night I sat engrossed in front of the TV watching the premier event of the year. The first episode of (drumroll please) Downton Abbey Season Three! Anyone who’s read my blog knows I’m just a wee bit obsessed with the show!  I had a blast watching it. I won’t give away any spoilers in case you haven’t caught it yet, but I thought, in honor of Season 3, wouldn’t it be fun to do some Edwardian/Downton era trivia?

Below are eight questions and all you have to do is answer them to be entered into a drawing for the possibility of winning one of TWO  awesome Downton Abbey/Edwardian prize packages.  The first prize consists of the latest TV Guide Winter preview issue with the Downton cover plus a great article about the show (this is sure to be a collector’s item), then to complete your Downton look we have a pair of long white opera/evening gloves, a Downtonesque pearl necklace, and a lace shawl. This will ensure you “look the part” at your next party or for next week’s episode.  The second prize package includes the same book listed above with a beautiful Downtonesque broach and another pair long white opera/evening gloves. How fun, huh??

 If you get all eight questions right, I’ll give you two entries into the drawing. Next Monday I’ll announce the two winners plus the answers to the trivia questions with additional background information into Edwardian/Downton life, in the process.

 So let’s get started!

QUESTIONS:

 1 – Why couldn’t Lady Mary inherit Downton?

            A – Because she wasn’t old enough.

            B – Because she wasn’t married.
            C – Because she wasn’t a male.

 2– Who is the highest ranking male servant in an Edwardian country house?

            A – The footman.

            B – The butler.
            C – The valet.

 3 – The Edwardian era got its name from King Edward VII. Which year did he become king?

            A – 1887

            B – 1904
            C – 1902

 4– Who currently lives at Highclere Castle? (This is the castle Downton is filmed at)

            A – The Earl of Carnarvon

            B – The Duke of Marlborough
            C – The Earl of Grantham

 5 – How many times a day would an Edwardian lady change her clothes?

            A – 3

            B – 5
            C – 6

 6– Lady Grantham is an American heiress who traded her cash for a countess’s coronet. One of the most famous American heiresses was...

            A – Margaret Greenville

            B – Consuelo Vanderbilt
            C – Daisy Arlington

 7 – In the year 1912, changes were happening everywhere. What new invention is brought to        Downton in Season 1?

            A – A telephone.

            B – A refrigerator.
            C – A toaster.

 8 – Which of these quotes is attributed to the Dowager Countess?

            A – What is a weekend?

            B – Now put that in your pipe and smoke it!
            C - No man wants to kiss a girl in black.
            D – All of the above.

 

INSTRUCTIONS AND PRIZES!!

Leave your answers 1-8 in your comment, along with your email address so I can contact you if you win. Drawing ends Friday at 8pm. Here are photos of our lovely prizes and we’ll see you back here on Monday for the answers and winners and some more insight into life in Edwardian England!

 

Happy Downton watching!

---Amanda

 

 





 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!  This week on Thursday the 10^th, I will be hosting MaryLu Tyndal on this blog, plus giving away a copy of her recent novel, Veil of Pearls, one of my favorite books of 2012. MaryLu is an amazing author and we’ll be having lots of fun talking about movie soundtracks, character casting and maybe a pirate or two!