Tag: victorian fantasy

Research Reads – Oak King Holly King

For Oak King Holly King, I had to revisit all of my previous Victorian research because I decided to set it fifty years earlier than Mr Warren’s Profession and Hold Fast – which meant all the details I’d taken for granted (trains, telegrams, electricity, etc.) had vanished. However, I also got to dip back into the medieval era, which was a treat. Most of the folklore and magic research I did online, so it’s under-represented in this particular photo.

Books shown here include…
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens – a book which inspired not just Oak King Holly King, but also Mr Warren’s Profession and Hold Fast. I don’t think Dickens would approve of what I’ve done, lol.
• The Victorian City by Judith Flanders – being half history of 19th century London and half biography of Dickens made this very useful for Oak King Holly King in particular.
• Consuming Passions by Judith Flanders
• The Time-Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
• The Medieval Underworld by Andrew McCall
• The London Underworld in the Victorian Period by Henry Mayhew and Others – available for free on Project Gutenberg.
• How to be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman
• Food and Cooking in Victorian England by Andrea Broomfield
• Daily Life in Victorian England by Sally Mitchell
• Inside the Victorian Home by Judith Flanders

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 26 up on Patreon!

Scene 26 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Aubrey struggles under the burden of debt.

~

Frankly, Aubrey would rather have found himself underneath ten thousand pounds of steam pressure than ten thousand pounds in debt. At least some of the steam pressure could vent through a safety-valve. The debt had no such release.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 22 up on Patreon!

Scene 22 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein we arrive at 12k words’ worth of never-before-seen Aubrey Warren backstory.

~

All this time, he’d been looking a gift horse in the mouth with the expectation of finding fangs. Yet it seemed he’d instead found the rarest treasure of all.

Honest employment.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 20 up on Patreon!

Scene 20 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Lindsey infuriates Rowena.

~

Rowena had released her hold upon Lindsey’s arm by then, and as the crowd around them rose from their seats and began shuffling towards the doors, she entered into conversation with a lady of her acquaintance in the row behind her.

The moment she turned away, Lindsey did the same, stepping over the back of the now-empty row of chairs ahead to get past a slow-moving elderly matron in the seat next to him.

“Lindsey!” came a sharp hiss behind him.

Rowena had noticed his unorthodox departure too late to stop him. He didn’t even turn to look at her, much less explain himself.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 16 up on Patreon!

Scene 16 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Lindsey receives some long-awaited hurt/comfort.

~

Lindsey lay in his own bed in his own bedroom. But it was not morning and he was not at the hunting lodge. This was his townhouse bedroom. Which meant, somehow, he had fallen asleep in the countryside and woken up in the City.

Also, for some reason, Aubrey was here.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 12 up on Patreon!

Scene 12 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on Patre♡n! Wherein Lindsey gives Aubrey a token of his affections, Aubrey attempts subterfuge in the workplace, and Lindsey attends a foxhunt.

~

As Bellerophon reached the peak of his jump, Lindsey felt the saddle shift sideways beneath him.

By then it was too late to do anything but fall.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 7 up on Patreon!

Scene 7 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on my Patre♡n! Wherein Aubrey realizes precisely who he dallied with at the party. Please enjoy this sneak peek and join me for more.

~

“Apparently the prince met someone at the party and is absolutely besotted.”

Aubrey, who’d spent the last few moments trying and failing to remember which prince was called Lindsey, felt a growing unease at this. “Oh?”

“Yes. So besotted, in fact, that he failed to learn the man’s name. He’s turned to Graves for help with the matter. And Graves went down the whole guest list, searching for anyone who matches the description Prince Lindsey gave, or anyone who saw such a person at the party. Several people have claimed to, of course, but Graves has discredited their testimonies.”

Aubrey’s stomach did an uncomfortable flip. “What description did the prince give?”

“That’s the funniest part. Small, dark, large eyes, sharp features. Sound familiar?” Halloway asked with a grin.

Aubrey didn’t think it very funny at all, but forced a smile.

“Finally,” Halloway continued, “Graves got so fed up with the whole business that he came to me in desperation and asked if I’d brought anyone particularly beautiful along to the party—one of my models, perhaps? And I told him no, not any of my models, but a gentleman I wish would model for me. And, upon reflection, he almost matches the description. But I cannot for the life of me imagine him taking such liberties—though I suppose the prospect of prince is a very compelling catch.”

Aubrey’s growing dread became an internal scream.

“Anyway,” Halloway said with a dismissive wave, “that’s what I told Graves. Couldn’t possibly be my man, sorry I can’t be of more help, et cetera. But isn’t it extraordinary? The mystery man is a match for you in every aspect save behaviour.”

“What does Prince Lindsey look like?” Aubrey asked.

Halloway’s mirth died on his face.

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 6 up on Patreon!

Scene 6 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on my Patre♡n! Please enjoy this sneak peek and join me for more.

~

“Who was that beautiful man at the party?”

Graves gave him a blank look. “You’ll have to be a little more specific. I rather stacked the deck in that regard.”

Upon reflection, Lindsey supposed all the guests had looked quite fashionable. But to his mind, there was only one truly beautiful man. “Dark hair, compelling eyes.”

“Beardsley?” Graves guessed. “Long face, slender hands, tall, artistic type?”

“What? No,” said Lindsey. “Shorter than myself—”

“Most people are,” Graves said in the tone of one who’d often lamented it.

“Shorter than you,” Lindsey added.

“That’s something, at least,” Graves sighed. “Why didn’t you ask him his name at the time? Not shy, surely.”

“No,” Lindsey said. “Its just I didn’t think of it. We stopped talking after a certain point.”

At first it seemed this allusion might pass Graves by. Then, with a spark of understanding which turned to wonder, he stared at Lindsey. “Do you perhaps mean your mouths were otherwise occupied?”

“Yes,” said Lindsey with heat rising in his cheeks. He didn’t see why Graves had to make such a point of it. Graves himself was no stranger to, well, encounters with strangers.

“How occupied?” Graves demanded with a wolfish grin.

“Enough so that I failed to catch his name,” Lindsey said firmly, hoping to dissuade any further delving for details.

Graves appeared disappointed, but glossed over it with reasonable grace. “And you wish to see him again.”

“Very much so.”

“Can you recall any more details?”

Lindsey could recall a great many, but he didn’t think they were of a sort Graves would recognize. Or maybe they were. Perhaps Graves had dallied with the beautiful man before. Lindsey felt a pang, more sympathetic than jealous. He’d heard how Graves spoke of his more casual conquests, and didn’t like the idea of him speaking of the beautiful man in the same tones. “Heart-shaped face. Cupid’s bow lips. Sharp features—cheekbones in particular. And his eyes…” Here Lindsey faltered, not for lack of memory, but overcome by it. “Large and dark, with such a gaze as would bring anyone to his knees.”

Graves’s own eyes widened. “Would it, now?”

Too late, Lindsey realized the implications of his description. “You know what I mean.”

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

Future posts will include…
♡ Shakespeare’s Henriad with elves and dragons (mm)
♡ what if a Welsh vampire dated an English baronet and a Portuguese whaler together and also it was Victorian times (mmm)
♡ Gilded Age murder mystery in small-town Massachusetts (mm)
♡ Hold Fast 2: Hold Faster (mm)

See you on Patre♡n!

Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold – Ch. 3 up on Patreon!

Scene 3 of Solar Fantasy – Aubrey & Lindsey Retold is up on my Patre♡n! Please enjoy this sneak peek and join me for more.

~

“‘And in the throbbing engine-room leap the long rods of polished steel.’”

Aubrey’s heart stuttered in his chest. He hardly dared to flick his eyes toward the gentleman.

But the gentleman only smiled an all-too-charming bashful smile. “Forgive me—I was feeling poetical.”

Aubrey, who had never felt poetical in his life until this evening, managed a pale imitation of that smile in return.

The seclusion of the engine room served to heighten other aspects of Aubrey’s senses. He had not realized, in the midst of the party, that the gentleman had a scent. A slight masculine musk, along with the warmth of his body, standing so close to Aubrey as he did now, bypassed his brain to speak straight to his baser instincts. This warmth was rivaled only by the warmth of the gentleman’s voice and expression, which did still more curious things to Aubrey’s heart. The atrophied organ fluttered against his ribcage disconcertingly. The thought of curling around the warmth sent a hungry shudder over his skin. It’d been so long since he’d felt more human contact than a brief handshake. The mere suggestion of an embrace felt intoxicating. He had intended only to speak with the gentleman, but now that he stood so very near, and with no one else around…

~

Did you want more Aubrey and Lindsey – but in a whole new world?

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them.

A new scene will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm) (90k)

Future posts will include…
♡ Shakespeare’s Henriad with elves and dragons (mm)
♡ what if a Welsh vampire dated an English baronet and a Portuguese whaler together and also it was Victorian times (mmm)
♡ Gilded Age murder mystery in small-town Massachusetts (mm)
♡ Hold Fast 2: Hold Faster (mm)

See you on Patre♡n!