Regency Fiction Writers – The Beau Monde

Regency Fiction Writers: Join for 1 year at $25USD! Rates increase Jan 1st, 2021!

I have been so busy this fall! The Beau Monde, my Regency writers group, disaffiliated from RWA® at the end of September. Since reopening as Regency Fiction Writers (RFW) on October 1st, I haven’t had time to breathe, let alone post here. Today, the new organization stands 359 members strong! So proud of my fellow board members and  the efforts to make this process as smooth and practical as possible.

RFW welcomes ALL writers of ALL sub-genres set during the long Regency period (1780 to 1840). So yes, writers of Regency-set historical fiction, Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense, Thrillers, Horror, and even Fantasy [thanks to authors like Naomi Novik (Temeraire series), Mary Robinette Kowal (Shades of Milk and Honey), Zen Cho (Sorcerer to the Crown), and Jo Walton (Tooth and Claw). Oh, and have you read Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix? More, please!] are all welcome to join and find support, networking, education and advocacy with over 350 other writers of Regency Fiction at various stages in their publishing journeys.

I have to say, The Beau Monde‘s amazing community has been one of my most useful and influential Regency Resources since I joined back in 2012 and I only see it growing stronger  on this new venture!

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, please visit the Regency Fiction Writers website for more information and the membership application. We’re offering a special introductory membership that’s just $25USD for the first year, but you must join before January 1st, when membership rates increase (but will still be extremely reasonable!).

And, oh yeah… speaking of Regency-set fiction… I’ll be watching Bridgerton on Netflix on Friday. And maybe Saturday and Sunday too. We’ll see! When I was binge reading Historical Romances in the early 2000s, Stephanie Laurens’ Cynster Series and Julia Quinn’s Bridgertons were some of the earliest ones I read and loved. Just a mention of “the mallet of death” still brings back memories of playing croquet with my cousins in an almost equally cut-throat and creatively competitive manner.

Are you going to watch? I know the RFW Forums and Romancelandia Twitter will be lit up with the topic (with both pros and cons)

The 2020 Beau Monde Writers’ Retreat will be Virtual!

You may have seen me mention the Beau Monde before and wondered what it is…

The Beau Monde is an online writing organization with members all over the world that welcomes all writers of Regency-set romances, regardless of stage of publication and publication path of the writers, and level of sexuality, range of plot elements, and degree of historical accuracy in their books.

The Beau Monde also welcomes all writers, regardless of race, creed, religion, ethnicity, nationality, age, body size, physical appearance, neurodiversity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or ability or other factors.

All authors must feel free to create their historical worlds, determining the level of historical accuracy, the types and diversities of characters, the level of sexuality, and other factors.

If you write romantic fiction set the Regency era (or even just based on it!), you should check out the virtual writers’ retreat that we’ll be holding in June! More details below!


* * * PERMISSION TO FORWARD GRANTED AND ENCOURAGED * * *

The 2020 Beau Monde
Virtual Writers’ Retreat

The Beau Monde's 2020 Virtual Retreat Pin: Gold pin with silver silhouette of Jane Austen and gold lettering that reads 'Beau Monde Virtual Retreat 2020'.

June 26-27, 2020

TBM Members: $20, Non-Members: $25

Our two-day retreat will be live via Zoom Meeting and recorded for future use. This virtual experience includes two full days of writing craft and historical workshops; a marketing panel; a Silent Auction; a Regency Romance Spotlight FB Live event; The Beau Monde Soiree with fashion show and door prizes!


Friday, June 26th

• Annual General Meeting •
• Keynote Speaker: Victoria Alexander,•
• An Intimate Conversation with LaQuette
about Representation and Authenticity in Fiction •
• Bestselling Writing: Style, Power, Success—Margie Lawson •
• Talking Regency—Joanna Bourne •


Saturday, June 27th

• Regency Romance Spotlights on FB Live •
• How to Thrive Marketing Panel—Elizabeth Essex, Vanessa Riley and
Liz Pelletier from Entangled Publishing •
• Developing Characters—Victoria Hinshaw •
• Royal Navy Primer—Elizabeth Essex •
• Back to Basics: What is Historical Romance?—Jackie Horne w/a Bliss Bennet •
• Lessons Learned from an Indie Bestseller—Cheryl Bolen •

• Soiree with Regency Fashion Show and Silent Auction •

* Final Schedule subject to change.


For more detailed information and to register, visit:
https://thebeaumonde.com/retreat/

Secrets of a Research Ninja

Want to Improve Your Google Searches?

I’ll be teaching my SECRETS OF A RESEARCH NINJA online course in November for my local RWA® Chapter in San Diego. It doesn’t matter if you’re a romance writer or even a writer at all, the class is open to everyone! So, if you’d like to improve your “google-fu”, this is the class for you.


Secrets of a Research Ninja

Instructor: Kristen Koster
Active Class Dates: 11/04-11/15/2019
Cost: $15 RWASD Members, $20 Non-Members
To Register: https://rwasd.com/classes/

Course Description

Everyone’s Googled something at least once, right? But there must be ways to make your searches more efficient, effective and accurate, because no one wants or needs pages and pages of endless irrelevant results.

Would you rather spend more time writing (or whatever!) than on a frustrating search for that proverbial needle in an ever-growing haystack?

Course Outline

By the end of this two week class, you will:
– write better basic Google searches,
– recognize good & bad results,
– use advanced Google searches,
– learn about specialized Google searches, and
– have resources other than Google to use.

This online Course consists of two weeks of MWF Lessons & some light homework.

Click here to Register.


Hope to see ya there!

Interview with Historical Romance Author Margaret Locke

Cover image for The Demon Duke by Margaret LockeToday, we’re celebrating Margaret Locke‘s newest release, THE DEMON DUKE, the first in her new Put Up Your Dukes series.

I first met Margaret through Facebook and her first series of books which were more paranormal with time travel to and from the Regency and fell in love with her sense of humor and her heroes. She’s since joined The Beau Monde chapter of RWA® and I finally get to meet her in person this summer at Nationals in Orlando! And honestly, I’m not in the least bit surprised to find we share a love of Lynn Kurland’s time travel romances!

The Demon Duke
by Margaret Locke

ASIN: B06XTXGJMKAmazon pixel
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A Primer on Regency Era Doctors

In this entry about Regency Era doctors for my Regency Primer Series, we’re going to take a look at the medical profession. Just as there are lawyers and barristers, there the different were different types of Regency Era doctors: physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, midwives/accouchers, and barbers/dentists. These differences determined what they practiced and their place in society.
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Jack of Hearts is a Finalist!

Finalist Badge for 2016 Pages From The Heart Unpublished Author, Historical Category
JACK OF HEARTS by Kristen Koster
2016 Pages From The Heart Finalist
Unpublished Author, Historical Category

You know how they say you can’t win the lottery if you don’t play? That holds true for a whole lot of things in life. If you don’t put yourself or your work out there, how can you expect any recognition?

A couple of months ago, I submitted the first 25 pages of JACK OF HEARTS to two RWA Chapter contests. I got the scores back for one of them a while ago and had one really glowing set where the judge loved it. The other two judges were far more critical. So, I figured the other contest would come back with similar scores.
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3 Yuletide Wishes: holiday anthology interview

Cover image for 3 YULETIDE WISHES, an anthology by Deneane Clark, Alanna Lucas and Charlotte RussellThere’s less than a week until Christmas Day and if you’re like me, you’re not done shopping yet! If you’ve got a reader of Regency Romance on your list, we’ve got something that might just be a perfect fit. Join us in celebrating the holiday release from Boroughs Publishing, 3 YULETIDE WISHES, an anthology by Deneane Clark, Alanna Lucas and Charlotte Russell. I know Charlotte and Alanna through The Beau Monde chapter of RWA® and I hope to get to know Deneane Clark better in the future. I’m looking forward to some holiday reading after downloading this to my e-reader and I hope you will too!

3 Yuletide Wishes
an anthology by Deneane Clark, Alanna Lucas and Charlotte Russell

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Happy Easter, Everyone!

eggs2I realized this morning just how much I missed all the fun of holidays that comes with having younger kids now that mine are on the upper side of their teen years. The joy and wonder are not as easy to draw out these days. There’s nothing worse than a jaded teenager, right?

Does this mean I’m ready to be a grandmother?

Oh, hell no!

easter_silly3

I’m happy to sit and look at old photos from when my kids got caught up in those moments of joy. Easter egg hunts used to be one of my favorite things about Easter at my grandparent’s with my cousins. There were so many great hiding places there. And I tried to continue that sense of fun and wonder for my kids often getting up at the crack of dawn to go hide eggs before they woke up and found their baskets. It was always a challenge to make sure there were enough easy to find ones, but not TOO many so they both had a chance.

Anyway, times change and I hope they’ll pass the magic along one day, but for now, I’m gonna go hug them and embarrass them with sloppy sentimental mom-kisses. =)

happyeaster2015

Interview with Historical Romance Author Wendy LaCapra

Cover image for Lady Vice (A Furies Novel) by Wendy LaCapraToday, we’re celebrating Wendy LaCapra‘s debut release, LADY VICE, the first in her Furies trilogy from Entangled Publishing. I met Wendy through The Beau Monde chapter of RWA® and have been following her publishing trajectory for a while now. She’s one of the sweetest people I know and so willing to reach out and help others. I hope you come to love her and her work as much as I do!

Lady Vice
by Wendy LaCapra

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Interview with Historical Romance Author Sally Orr

Cover of Sally Orr's debut novel, THE RAKE'S HANDBOOK: INCLUDING FIELD GUIDE.Today’s guest is a fellow member of RWASD and the Beau Monde. Please welcome, Sally Orr who is celebrating her debut novel which released on November 4th!

I’ve gotten to know Sally over the last several years and love her wonderful sense of humor, so I wasn’t surprised when Deb Werksman from Sourcebooks took an interest in her manuscript that was a 2013 Golden Heart® finalist and the next two books in the series as well. Sally’s website describes her writing as “Romping Regency-Era Romance” — yup, a match well-made!

The Rake’s Handbook: Including Field Guide
by Sally Orr

ISBN: 978-1492602118
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