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Today we have talented historical romance author, Shelley Munro! She's penned a brilliantly interesting post on The Frost Fair and how she weaves this event into her soon-t0-be-released historical, Mistress of Merrivale. Shelley also has a contest running this week. Leave a comment, do the Rafflecopter thingie's bidding and you shall have a chance at winning The Spurned Viscountess!
Enjoy!
~Mia
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The Frost Fair
Let’s
travel back in time…
Imagine
yourself in England—London, to be precise. It’s almost Christmas or Yule, and
it’s cold. There’s an air of excitement because the Thames has frozen over. Traders
are rubbing their hands together. Local residents are anxiously watching
proceedings. Children are gleeful because if the cold snap continues, the ice
will be thick enough for a Frost Fair.
So
what is a Frost Fair? Here’s the scoop. The old London Bridge caused the water
to run slowly and during cold conditions the water froze, sometimes for months.
When the ice was thick enough to support weight, the frozen Thames became a
playground. Locals played games and skated on the ice. Local traders set up
booths and the crowds flocked to the Thames to join in the festivities.
I
write historical romances set during the 18th century, a little
before the official Regency period. If the characters from The Spurned
Viscountess and Mistress of Merrivale were to travel to London for the Yule
season they might go shopping for trinkets and gifts to give their loved ones.
The
Thames froze over during these years in the 18th century: 1709,
1716, 1740, 1768 (a little frozen), 1776, 1785 (a little frozen), 1788, 1795. Source~Wikipedia.
So
let’s get back to the fun.
Jocelyn
and Leo Townsend from Mistress of Merrivale are strolling on the ice. Leo has
his daughter’s hand firmly in his grasp. Cassie’s eyes are wide as she gazes at
a juggler. Then a puppet show grabs her attention. Jocelyn laughs and together,
she and Cassie drag Leo over to join the crowd.
Once
the show finishes, they visit a ribbon seller. Jocelyn buys several ribbons to
give as gifts and lets Cassie choose one for herself. Cassie picks a scarlet
ribbon and insists that Jocelyn tie it in her hair immediately.
Leo
buys cups of hot cider and slices of spicy gingerbread. They meander through
the crowds and pause to watch some acrobats. A roar comes from across the way,
an animalistic growl and a louder shriek. Jocelyn takes on quick look in that
direction and urges Cassie to move on to see the sailing ship, stuck firmly in
the middle of the ice. There’s no need for Cassie to catch a glimpse of the
bear baiting.
The
scent of cooking meat fills the air while men and women shout of their wares. “Hot
beef here!”
“Oranges!
Oranges!”
“Buy
Frost Fair prints here!”
Occasionally,
the ice creaks. A group of children jeer at a hunchback while three young maids
giggle and clap at the antics of a strolling minstrel.
The
hour grows late, and Leo, Jocelyn and Cassie make their way to their carriage.
Cassie goes to sleep on the way home while Jocelyn cuddles against her
husband’s side. His hand rests on her rounded stomach, and they both laugh
softly when their baby kicks. A family outing to the Frost Fair ends with love
and a snatched kiss just before the footmen opens the carriage door, and Leo
hustles them inside out of the cold.
Note: The last
Frost Fair took place during the winter of 1813-1814 when the ice was thick
enough to lead an elephant across the river near Blackfriars Bridge. New
innovation during the Victorian era increased the flow of the river and ended
the entertainment known as the Frost Fair.
Sources:
London by Peter Ackroyd, Georgian London, Into the Streets by Lucy Inglis and
Daily Life in 18th Century England by Kirstin Olsen.
Meet
Jocelyn and Leo in Mistress of Merrivale,
due out March 2014, and currently available for pre-order at Amazon http://amzn.to/1eW93rW
Jocelyn
Townsend’s life as a courtesan bears no resemblance to the life she envisioned
in girlish dreams. But it allows her and her eccentric mother to live in relative
security—until her protector marries and no longer requires her services.
Desperate
to find a new benefactor, one kind enough to accept her mother’s increasingly
mad flights of fancy, Jocelyn is nearly overwhelmed with uncertainty when a
lifeline comes from an unexpected source.
Leo
Sherbourne’s requirements for a wife are few. She must mother his young
daughter, run his household, and warm his bed. All in a calm, dignified manner
with a full measure of common sense. After his late wife’s histrionics and
infidelity, he craves a simpler, quieter life.
As
they embark on their arrangement, Leo and Jocelyn discover an attraction that
heats their bedroom and a mutual admiration that warms their days. But it isn’t
long before gossip regarding the fate of Leo’s first wife, and his frequent,
unexplained absences, make Jocelyn wonder if the secrets of Merrivale Manor are
rooted in murder…
Warning: Contains mysterious incidents, a mad mother who screeches
without provocation, scheming relatives, and a captivating husband who blows
scorching hot and suspiciously cold. All is not as it seems…and isn’t that
delicious?
Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand with her husband and a cheeky puppy called Bella. To learn more about Shelley and her books visit her website at http://www.shelleymunro.com
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Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand with her husband and a cheeky puppy called Bella. To learn more about Shelley and her books visit her website at http://www.shelleymunro.com
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CONTEST: Leave a
comment, complete the rafflecopter and go into a draw to win an e-copy of The
Spurned Viscountess by Shelley Munro.
7 comments:
the fair sounds like a lot of fun, these should make a comeback so people can unplug from technology and have fun with family outside even for a couple hours.
Char - they do sound like a lot of fun, don't they. Some years the river was frozen over for a long time and it was very good for business. They also had summer fairs and some of those were very raucous and the church and some local residents wanted them banned.
I agree out family fun. There are so many distractions these days.
Thanks for stopping by :)
I'm looking forward to reading this. :
I enjoyed learning about the Frost Fair. :) Sounds like a great book Shelley. Congrats on the upcoming release!
Thanks, Mary. I hope to write more historicals soon. I have a great idea for a series...
Thanks, Danita. I found the idea of Frost Fairs fascinating. Our ancestors knew how to make fun out of winter and cold ice!
Nice excerpt
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