1. Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions – I’m taking a class on writing Regency romance via the Beau Monde chapter of the RWA, and instructor Judith Laik passed along this link of questions/issues to consider as you build your world in whatever kind of story you are writing.
2. Regency Skeleton Suits (No, Not Halloween Costumes) – It’s fascinating to me to consider how people have dressed throughout different time periods. Here’s a nice summation of the kinds of clothing little boys wore, and how graduating from dresses to skeleton suits (“breeching”) was often a big deal for a boy and his family.
3. Can Thoughts and Intentions Alter the Physical World? – As the comments on this link show, there’s a wide variety of reactions to this “rice experiment.” Some absolutely believe in it, others call it bunk. But hey, we humans aren’t rice, and it makes perfect sense to me that speaking kind, loving words to each other (AND OURSELVES) will result in a buoyant, happy spirit. Speaking negatively only produces more black. Decide for yourselves.
4. The Missing Tudors: Black People in 16th Century England – I admit when I notice non-Caucasians in early art, it catches my eye, in part because it seems so rare. This article reveals how interwoven black people (and presumably people of other ‘races’) were in Tudor society, a fact that often is overlooked in modern representations of the period.
5. The Definite Stereotype Map of Britain and Ireland – Hey, I didn’t make it. But it did evoke some chuckles. What do you think?
6. The Snowflake Method for Designing a Novel – Several members of my beloved Shenandoah Valley Writers swear by this method for crafting a novel. I fully intend to give it a try, but meanwhile I’m sharing it with you. Have you tried this method? What do you think?