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Book Review–Legacy of Mercy

On October 16, 2018

In Book Reveiws, Historical Romance Fiction

Book Review & Giveaway

Legacy of Mercy

by Lynn Austin

About the Book

Legacy of Mercy
(Waves of Mercy #2)
By Lynn Austin
Christian Historical Romance
Hardcover, Paperback & ebook, 400 Pages
October 2nd 2018 by Bethany House Publishers

She Knew Her New Life Would Not Be Easy,
But Nothing Could Prepare Her For What Waits Ahead

Having returned to Chicago, young socialite Anna Nicholson can’t seem to focus on her upcoming marriage. The new information she’s learned about her birth mother continues to pull at her, and she hires Pinkerton detectives to help her find the truth. But as she meets people who once knew her mother and hears stories about the past, Anna soon discovers that some secrets are better left hidden.

At the same time, unflattering stories about Anna are leaked by someone who would love to see her disgraced and her engagement broken. And as Anna tries to share her faith with her society friends, she understands that her choice to seek God’s purpose for her life isn’t as simple as she had hoped.

When things are at their darkest, Anna knows she can turn to her grandmother, Geesje de Jonge, back in Holland, Michigan. Geesje’s been helping new Dutch immigrants, including a teen with a haunted past, adjust to America. She only hopes that her wisdom can help all these young people through the turmoil they face.

My Thoughts

Many of you will find this hard to believe, but this is my first Lynn Austin book! I was very excited to read this author and the story did not disappoint. Since this is book two in the series, I thought it stood alone very well and the author gave you all the necessary information to not feel like you were missing important details. That being said, I’ve already picked up book one, Waves of Mercy, and do plan to read that one as well.

I think Austin’s gift is writing wonderful, multi-faceted characters with great depth that draw you right into their story. The heroine, Anna Nicholson, comes from a world of wealth and privilege, but undeniably feels God’s call on her life to serve him. As the story unfolds, Anna’s faith blossoms. She is torn between William, a man she cares about and is expected to marry, and Derk, the man she loves. I especially enjoyed the way Austin drew fine distinctions between the two men and Anna’s choices without demonizing either of them.

Tante Geejse, Anna’s biological grandmother is not only the rock of the book, but of her family and community as well. Kind, compassionate and filled with faith, Geejse reminded me of my own precious grandmother Criste. She welcomes Cornelia, a young immigrant girl with a tragic past, into her home. Cornelia has faced unthinkable heartache yet was forced to bury it deep inside instead of dealing with the pain. But slowly Geesje helps her to confront her past, grieve her losses, and find hope in God for her future. Although Geesje occasionally borders on the preachy side, you’re willing to overlook it especially when she’s confronting Cornnelia’s overbearing grandfather.

Austin doesn’t shy away from some difficult topics either– attempted suicide, sexual and physical abuse, and teen pregnancy. Though handled in a tasteful manner without any graphic details, this degree of realism may be distressing for some younger readers.

As both a reader and writer of historical romance, I have high expectations when it comes to historical accuracy. Austin effortlessly weaves historical details that bring the Gilded Age to life before your eyes—butlers and maid servants, societal expectations and the importance of keeping up appearances. The author paints a beautiful comparison between the heroine’s life of privilege and her grandmother’s modest lifestyle among the Dutch immigrants in the small town of Holland, Michigan. Austin’s vivid descriptions of the stately mansions in Chicago’s Lakeshore district as well as the run down inner city tenements immerse you in the time period, and will leave you lifting your pinky as you sip your tea or feeling the need to wipe the grime and soot from your skin.

With endearing characters and a strong, satisfying ending, I give Legacy of Mercy 4 out of 5 stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. I am not required to write positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Favorite Quotes

“Maybe change is His (God’s) favorite tool to make sure we keep growing closer to Him.”

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! As someone who doesn’t like change, this quote gave me plenty to contemplate! I probably need to write that on an index card and stick in on my fridge!

“Over time–and it was a long time–I chose to let go of the resentment and to trust Him (God). Simply trust Him. I don’t need to see exactly how He’s going to weave together all of the broken strands–in my life or anyone else’s. But I know that the finished work will be beautiful.”

Who hasn’t experienced great loss? A loved one. A marriage. A dream. These beautiful words of encouragement reminded me how God is always working behind the scenes for my good.

Spiritual Takeaway

The central overarching theme of God’s love and mercy is recurring throughout the story. As Austin’s characters face difficult trials and uncertainties, the reader is reminded that God has a plan for our lives and that we can trust Him even when we don’t understand what’s happening or how our problems will be resolved.

Oma Geejse’s servant heart also reminds us to bless others with our time, talents and possessions. God blesses us so that we may be a blessing to others.

Praise for Legacy of Mercy

“Interlacing the past with the present-day lives of Anna and Geesje, Austin compassionately delivers a moving tale of family bonds, tests of faith, and abiding love.”–Booklist starred review

“Austin has crafted an interesting, historically accurate portrait of two profoundly different characters: one looking back at life, the other taking her first faltering steps toward independence.”–Publishers Weekly

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Bethany House

Other Books in the Series

Waves of Mercy
(Waves of Mercy #1)
By Lynn Austin
Christian Historical Romance
Hardcover, Paperback & ebook, 384 Pages
October 4th 2016 by Bethany House Publishers

Haunted by the Unknowns of Their Pasts,
Two Women Search for Answers Along the Shores of Lake Michigan

Chicago socialite Anna Nicholson retreats to the Hotel Ottawa in Holland, Michigan, after breaking her engagement with her wealthy fiancé. Filled with questions about her newfound faith and troubled by a recurring nightmare, Anna finds solace in Derk Vander Veen, a seasonal hotel worker who plans to go into the ministry.

Prompted by a request from her son, Geesje de Jonge begins to sift through memories of emigrating from the Netherlands almost fifty years ago. As she writes them down for the Semi-Centennial anniversary of the town’s settlement, her story takes on a life of its own as she honestly and painfully recalls her regrets, doubts, hardships, and joys. Her story captivates Derk, who sees similarities between Geesje and Anna, and wishes to bring the two together.

Past and present collide as Anna and Geesje seek clarity, but neither expects the revelations that await them.

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Bethany House

Tour Schedule & Giveaway

Legacy of Mercy On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Tour Schedule

October 15th:
Launch
Cover Lover Book Review
An Indie Adventure
Author Kelly D. Scott

October 16th:
Romancing History
Uplifting Reads

October 17th:
The Power of Words
Hearts & Scribbles

October 18th:
Fiction Aficionado
Splashes of Joy

October 19th:
Wishful Endings
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Rockin’ Book Reviews

October 22nd:
Among the Reads
Book by Book

October 23rd:
Jen Around the World
Heidi Reads…

October 24th:
Jorie Loves A Story
Radiant Light

October 25th:
Tell Tale Book Reviews
Locks, Hooks and Books

October 26th:
Reading Is My SuperPower
Remembrancy

Check out the Bookstagram Tour schedule October 22 – 26 here!

Tour Giveaway

One Grand Prize Winner will receive Waves of Mercy and Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin and tulip notecards.

Two additional winners will receive Waves and Mercy and Legacy of Mercy.

For US winners only—international readers may enter, but a $35 gift card will be substituted for their prize if they are chosen as winners.

Ends October 26, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband’s work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she’d earned at Hope College and Southern Connecticut State University to work as a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

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The History that Inspired A Love Restored (Part 1)

By romancinghistory

On August 23, 2018

In 19th Century America, Historical Fiction

As a writer of historical romance, I’m often asked questions about how I research my stories. I thought today, I’d start a blog series that would give you some insight into how real-life history inspired many of the scenes in A Love Restored.

First, let me give you a little background on the story. A Love Restored is based on my real-life romance with my husband, Mike. I just set the story in the past because I’m a HUGE history nerd. If you’re one of my faithful readers, I’m sure you can relate.

I am blessed to live in northern Virginia, an area rich in our nation’s history. I knew if I set my story in post-Civil War Loudoun County, where I’ve lived since 1972, I would have plenty of historical details to give the reader that would draw them into the period and setting of my story. I decided to use my own home town of Purcellville at the time the Washington & Ohio Railroad arrived in the “sleepy little hamlet” so that my hero, Benjamin Coulter could be a surveyor planning the railroad’s route.

Negro Schoolhouse, Ashburn, Virginia

Since the story is based on my life, it was a natural choice to make my heroine, Ruth Ann Sutton, a teacher as well. While researching the post-Civil War history of my town and the county as a whole, I wandered off track down a historical rabbit trail so to speak and began reading about the life of the freed slaves in the area and the Freedmen’s Schools to educate them.

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandon Lands, commonly referred to as the The Freedmen’s Bureau, was established in 1865 to help provide for the hundreds of thousands of freed slaves in the aftermath of America’s Civil War.

While researching, I discovered that Fannie Wood, a white woman from Middleboro, Massachusetts, came to the area to teach in one of the newly authorized Freedmen’s Bureau schools in the nearby town of Warrenton. This was a common arrangement at the time. Many northern organizations, frequently organized by Quakers, funded Freedmen’s Bureau schools in the South and provided the teacher’s salary as well as their room and board with local families. The Richmond Times, an influential newspaper at the time, referred to such teachers as “pretty Yankee girls,” and “missionaries” in an effort to diminish their noble purpose.

But in Reconstruction Era Virginia, Miss Wood’s tenure would not be without opposition from those who did not want the freed slaves educated. A Warrenton newspaper, The True Index, printed the first paragraph of a threatening letter sent to Miss Wood:

“We the young men of this town think you are a disgrace to decent society and therefore wish you to leave this town before the first of March and if you don’t there will be violence used to make you comply to this request.”

At this point I knew that my heroine would now teach a Freedman’s School providing plenty of tension for my story. While Freedmen’s Schools existed in nearby Leesburg, Waterford and Lincoln, no school for African Americans existed in my town, Purcellville, until the 1890s. At this point I decided to change the name of Ruth Ann’s town to Catoctin Creek after the little stream that runs through Purcellville.

My research further discovered reports in The True Index that Wood had been “serenaded” by “songs and expressions not intended for ears polite.” Federal troops, used to enforce the Bureau’s efforts to educate the freed slaves, were sent to Warrenton to prevent any escalation of hostilities. This calmed the tension for a while but after the soldiers left, her classroom was pelted with stones. Union Lieutenant, William Augustus McNulty, who was the head of the Freedman’s Bureau for the Warrenton area, continued protecting Miss Wood. In fact, he and his wife, Abbie, eventually helped her teach the adult students in the evening.

Can you just imagine the sight of a white Federal officer teaching freed slaves in post-Civil War Virginia?

I knew immediately that I wanted to capture this scene in A Love Restored. When Benjamin discovers the threatening letters Ruth Ann had been receiving, letters she took great pains to hide from him, Benjamin seeks the aid of Federal officers assigned to protect the Freedmen’s Schools in the area. My secondary story line really came to life now birthing the character of Union Army Captain John Reynolds who would aid Benjamin in the protection of Ruth Ann and her students.

In A Love Restored, the danger escalates to a dramatic raid on the Freedmen’s School by hooded-vigilantes. Although inspired by many real-life accounts of violence against Freedmen’s Schools throughout the South, nothing of that magnitude happened in my county.

Thank you for joining me on this little excursion through one of history’s interesting paths. You never know what you might discover when following a rabbit trail. For me, I found the glue that tied so many smaller plot lines together as well as a way to add historical depth to my story.

This post first appeared on Connie’s History Classroom (July 10, 2018)

Your Turn: What interesting historical fact have you learned roaming the internet?

Barbara Britton Brings the Bible to Life

By romancinghistory

On May 3, 2018

In Historical Fiction

Today I’m excited to introduce you to a new writing friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, Barbara Britton. Barb writes Biblical fiction infused with rich details from Hebrew Scriptures–the Old Testament. Her latest book, Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey, takes place during the time of Nehemiah.

AND, there’s a giveaway! Details at the bottom of the post!

Before we start the interview, here’s a bit about , “Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey.”

When Adah bat Shallum finds the governor of Judah weeping over the crumbling wall of Jerusalem, she learns the reason for Nehemiah’s unexpected visit—God has called him to rebuild the wall around the City of David.

Nehemiah challenges the men of Jerusalem to labor on the wall and in return, the names of their fathers will be written in the annals for future generations to cherish. But Adah has one sister and no brothers. Should her father who rules a half-district of Jerusalem be forgotten forever?

Adah bravely vows to rebuild her city’s wall, though she soon discovers that Jerusalem not only has enemies outside of the city, but also within. Can Adah, her sister, and the men they love, honor God’s call? Or will their mission be crushed by the same rocks they hope to raise.

Welcome, Barbara. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your writing.

Hi Kelly! I am happy to be here talking about history and romance.

I’m a California girl who has lived in Connecticut, Texas, Illinois, and for the past sixteen years—Wisconsin. I’m celebrating thirty years married this month. Yahoo! I have two boys who are twenty-somethings. I love the Lord and I taught chapel for many years at a Christian school. Bible stories are the best. My husband gave me wonderful advice for teaching kids…don’t bore them with the Bible. It’s the most exciting book ever. I have to agree, that’s why writing Biblical fiction is so much fun. I say I write Bible stories with kissing.

What was the inspiration behind your recent novel?

“Jerusalem Rising” follows the narrative of Nehemiah, chapters 1-8. I always say, “God has the best story lines.” Nehemiah left the comforts of the palace at Susa and returned to the city of his fathers to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. This wasn’t an easy task even with the king’s blessing. Bad guys show up and the politics among the Hebrew people weigh on Nehemiah’s heart. The wall gets built in 52 days with God’s provision. Nehemiah was a man of prayer who boldly followed God in this task of restoring Jerusalem.

What historical facts did you learn in writing this book?

I have taught the story of Nehemiah many times, but the lessons did not include some of the women in this narrative. How did I miss Nehemiah 3:12 where Shallum and his daughters are listed as wall builders? Women construction workers? Yes, in the Bible. We don’t know how many daughters Shallum had, or their names, but I gave him two daughters Adah and Judith.

Also, there is a prophetess named in the book of Nehemiah. Her name is Noadiah (Neh. 6:14) and she works against Nehemiah. In fact, Nehemiah asks God to remember Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who “have been trying to intimidate me.” Whoa! That’s not very prophet—y. All those years of teaching and I missed these women who played important roles in God’s plan.

What are some other fun facts you’ve learned about writing Biblical fiction?

It’s difficult to write romance in Biblical fiction because there was no PDA in Bible times. Men and women did not touch, let alone kiss, in public. My characters have kissed in a dark cave, behind a door, and in a vacant shepherd’s pit. Not the most romantic of places!

Barb’s eldest son visited Israel in January and had his picture taken outside of Jerusalem with “Jerusalem Rising.”

Here’s an excerpt from “Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey.”

She reached for the mint-scented oil and dabbed a drop on a piece of cloth. The aroma of the crushed leaves usually calmed her spirit. One breath. Rest. A second. She opened her eyes and stood with insides wrapped tighter than a weaver’s thread. How was she going to stack stones when she could barely lift them?

She shuffled her jar back and forth over a flat knot in the table’s grain. “Lord, I need guidance,” she prayed.

“If you rub that bottle any faster it may break.”

Adah whipped around at the sound of Othniel’s voice.

He leaned against the threshold to her workshop, arms crossed and resting comfortably across his belt.

Had he heard her prayer? She glanced at her hand. A small tremor unsteadied her fingers.

“I’m mixing oils.” He can see that.

He strolled closer, his smile as content as a well-fed lamb. “May I?” He held out his hand for the vessel. No dust covered his skin this morning and the curls she spied escaping from under his turban were dark as charcoal. He hadn’t been in the fields digging in forsaken soil. Not yet anyway.

She offered him a different jar. “I hope you find this soothing.”

He breathed deep. “Ahh. I am in a shady grove with a sea of moss and buds aplenty.”

“Will you take me there, so I can flee humiliation?”

“You cannot leave.” He returned the fragrant mixture to her. “All around the market people are talking about how Shallum and his daughters are going to restore a section of the wall.”

Turning slightly toward her wares, she attempted to cap the bottle of tuberose and agar wood oils. Her fingers fumbled the carved poplar cap. Three tries later her mixture was stoppled and set with the others. “I would not doubt King Artaxerxes has heard of my madness.”

Her belly cramped. She had volunteered to rebuild the wall, so her family would be remembered not ridiculed. She faced Othniel and forced a reluctant grin

“Come now.” His voice calmed her soul more than the mint leaves. “Your father agreed to the work as did your family.”

“Alas, I am convincing as well as conniving. My father cannot labor like a young man. I will be the death of him.” Her heart beat as swift as the rhythm Othniel drummed on the table. She sighed. “I will speak with Nehemiah today.”

“Then he should refuse your appointment.” He opened his arms wide as if to embrace her.

She stood as still as a statue.

He stepped closer. “I am here to assist you.”

Could God have acted this swiftly in answering her plea? Or was Othniel offering his services out of pity? She shook her head. The gossip muttered among the barterers could not have been kind.

Barb’s Giveaway

Barb has graciously offered to giveaway one copy of any of her books in either E-reader or paperback format–winner’s choice. To enter, comment below by Thursday, May 10, and tell us which Biblical story inspires you the most and why?

The Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Deborah Hackett who will win a copy of any of Barb’s books!

Barbara M. Britton lives in Wisconsin and writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. She has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Barb brings little known Bible characters to light in her Tribes of Israel series. You can find out about Barb’s books on her website, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Swooning, A Victorian Fad?

By romancinghistory

On April 13, 2018

In Classic Literature, Victorian

“Beware of fainting-fits… though at the time they may be refreshing and agreeable, yet believe me: they will, in the end, if too often repeated and at improper seasons, prove destructive to your constitution.”

~Jane Austen, Love and Friendship

As a lover of all things classic and bookish, I find it fascinating that women in 19th century novels were commonly portrayed fainting. They faint when anything scary, shocking or surprising happens. They faint at moments of emotional intensity. They faint whenever they try any hard physical work.

In Dickens’ Pickwick Papers female characters swoon repeatedly. And who can forget Jane Austen’s portrayal of Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (you knew I’d work that one in if I could) keeping to her rooms for fear of fainting under the stress of her daughter’s elopement with the dastardly Mr. Wickham.

Some historians suggest that fashion may have played a part.

child-corset Corsets were very common among the upper classes. Worn around the torso, corsets were made of a durable tightly woven fabric or leather, fashioned with channels running throughout them in which vertical ribs were inserted, called boning because they were often made with whale bone. The entire device was held together, and tightened, sometimes to extremes, by a system of lacing. Girls were started in corsets at a very young age and, for them and ladies after childbirth, waist training, to shrink the side of the waist, via super tight lacing, was common. Over time, corset-wearers’ bodies changed—their ribs were displaced, their lungs were squashed, some organs were compressed against the spine and others were shoved down into the lower abdomen. In addition to making it hard to breathe, hearts struggled to pump and, stomachs struggled to digest what little food they could get down. As one Victorian lady reported, “I had only eaten two bites of my biscuit there was no room beneath my corset for a third.”

Another fashion-based theory is that a well dressed woman of this era wore an enormous amount of clothing. In addition to her corset, such a lady would undergarments, a bustle pad, a full skirt supported by crinoline petticoats, sometimes lined with steel hoops, and a bonnet. Some may have fainted from overheating, while others may have collapsed under the sheer weight of their garments and their tightly cinched corsets.

Another possible explanation for some of the swooning could have been chronic poisoning. During the 19th century, while people knew that arsenic was poisonous, they didn’t understand that external exposure from its fumes could also be harmful. The toxin was widely used in the manufacture of everything from fabrics to paints to the paper in which food was wrapped; in fact, by the end of the 1800s, 80% of all wallpaper was arsenic-laced. Arsenic poisoning has a variety of symptoms including headaches, cold sweats, and fainting.

In addition, arsenic, along with lead, mercury and other such toxic substances, were commonly found in makeup during the Victorian era. Lead was also a common ingredient in hair dyes and was frequently found in wine, along with arsenic and copper. Together, these toxins contributed to more wealthy Victorians suffering from seizures, and theoretically swooning, when compared with their poorer neighbors who couldn’t afford such luxuries.

Was Swooning a Fad?

Even more curious is that the phenomenon appeared to be more common among middle and upper class women, or so literature would have you believe. Upper-class women, especially young women, were expected to be more delicate, more emotional, and more easily distressed as opposed to women of the working classes. Leaving many social historians to believe that all swooning was nothing more than a put on. Besides potential side effects from tightly laced corsets or the exposure to toxins, fainting became expected and downright ladylike. Women of particularly of high station were expected to act the role of a delicate flower, while men were expected to be hard as nails. Swooning was simply one method for a woman to demonstrate her femininity. Well-to-do women often had something called a “fainting room,” a special location where she could recover a fainting spell in private.

In Bleak House, Dickens’ character, Lady Dedlock, swoons at the first hint her hidden past, a secret affair and child, may be revealed. Dickens also ridicules characters who swoon as part of a social performance. Mrs Gamp in Martin Chuzzlewit is portrayed as manipulating those around her by “wilting on demand.”

Lady Revivers

Smelling salts, also known as “lady revivers,” were the most common method used for rousing a fainting damsel. However there is no salt in smelling salts at all. The active ingredient is ammonium carbonate, a solid compound that when mixed with water releases an ammonia gas that irritates the lining of the nose and the windpipe, heightening a person’s alertness.

While fashionable Victorian ladies might have a “fainting room” inside in case a sudden fit befell them, if a woman was overcome while out and about the situation might prove more perilous. Police constables of the era were equipped with small vials of smelling salts to assist afflicted women in the streets.

So what do you think? Was the sudden surge in fainting spells among Victorian upper-class women a result of tight corsets and arsenic-laced cosmetics, or was it a social fad, a way to prove your delicate femininity?

The Inspiring Story Behind “It Is Well With My Soul”

By romancinghistory

On March 30, 2018

In History Behind the Hymns

Can you imagine everything in your life going well? You’re happily married, have five beautiful children, at the pinnacle of your career and you’ve even managed to squirrel away enough money to provide for your family’s every want and need. Under circumstances like that, it’s easy to say ‘it is well with my soul.’

But what if tragedy struck? Not once, but multiple times. What if your golden life, your ticket to easy street, was taken away in the blink of an eye, at no cause of your own?

That is exactly what happened to Horatio Spafford, the man who wrote one of the most soul-stirring hymns in the Christian hymnal, “It Is Well with My Soul.”

Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago who had invested heavily in real estate along the shores of Lake Michigan. Horatio was a prosperous man, a devoted husband and father, and a devout Christian. But in 1870, a series of events began to turn his life inside out.

Horatio and Anna’s only son, Horatio Jr., died of Scarlet Fever at the tender age of four. The following year, while still mourning the loss of their son, every single one of Horatio’s investments were lost in the Great Chicago fire.

A few years later, aware of the toll these events had taken on his wife and four daughters, Horatio decided to take the family on a holiday to England where they would accompany his friend, the famous evangelist D. L. Moody, on his next crusade. Shortly before they were to set sail, a last minute business development threatened to derail the trip. Horatio persuaded his wife to go ahead saying he would follow along shortly.

The Spafford Children. Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress.

In November 1873, Anna and the girls boarded the French ship, Ville du Havre. Four days into their trans-Atlantic journey, Horatio received the devastating news that the Ville du Havre had collided with the Lock Earn, an iron-hulled vessel. The Ville du Havre sunk in 12 minutes taking with her the lives of 226 of her passengers. It was the worst disaster in naval history until the sinking of the H.M.S. Titanic forty years later.

Several days later when the survivors had reached Cardiff, Wales, Spafford received a brief, six word telegram from his wife: Saved alone. What shall I do?

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

As soon as possible, Horatio boarded a ship to join his grieving wife. En route to England, the captain called him to the bridge and said “a careful reckoning has been made, and I believe we are now passing the very area where the Ville du Havre sunk.” According to Bertha Spafford Vester, a daughter born after the tragedy, her father wrote “It Is Well With My Soul” while on this journey.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul

Horatio and Anna’s faith in God never faltered. He later wrote to Anna’s half-sister, “On Thursday last, we passed over the spot where she went down, in mid-ocean, the waters three miles deep. But I do not think of our dear ones there. They are safe….. dear lambs”.

Naturally Anna was utterly devastated, but she testified that in her grief and despair, she had been conscious of a soft voice speaking to her, “You were saved for a purpose!” She remembered something a friend had once said, “It’s easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God.”

It’s incredible to think such encouraging and uplifting words were born from the depths of such unimaginable sorrow. It’s an example of truly inspiring faith and trust in the Lord. Perhaps that’s why this hymn, like no other, demonstrates the power our God has to comfort our weary souls when the darkest tragedies overtake us.

Speak Easy Slang

By romancinghistory

On March 16, 2018

In 20th Century America, Why Do We Say That?

In January 1920, America went dry as the 18th amendment took effect prohibiting the manufacture, sale, transport and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages. Speakeasies, or illegal drinking establishments, derived their nickname from the practice of asking patrons to be quiet, or speak easily, about the illegal bar’s location. Also known as a Juice Joints, they flourished in big cities like New York and Chicago between 1920-1933.

Here’s a list of phrases common during the time among those who fronted these illegal gin joints and those who frequented them.

Bootleggers is a euphemism for booze smugglers. They took they’re name from Cowboys who smuggled flat bottles of whiskey inside their boots onto Indian reservations to trade with the natives after the practice had been prohibited. Smugglers during Prohibition adopted their name.

Skid Road–A precursor to the term “Skid Row,” a skid road was the place where loggers hauled their goods. During Prohibition, these “roads” became popular meeting places for bootleggers, smugglers and gangsters to meet and do business.

Sing Like a Canary–informants who blabbled or “sang” to the the cops.

Image result for Bootleggers

Gangbusters was a 1930s radio program. The broadcast began with blaring sirens so anything loud and obnoxious comes on like “gangbusters.”

Teetotaler–A person who abstains from the consumption of alcohol. The phrase is believed to have originated within the Prohibition era’s temperance societies, where members would add a “T” to their signatures to indicate total abstinence (T+total-ers).

Image result for 1920s stills

Bathtub Gin–Homemade gin, usually of poor quality, that would be mixed with flavorings to improve the taste. Because the bottles were too tall to be mixed with water from a sink tap, metal or ceramic bathtubs would be used. Though the phrase references gin specifically, it came to be used as a general term for any type of cheap homemade booze.

Hooch–any low-quality liquor, usually whiskey. The term originated in the late 1800s as a shortened version of “Hoochinoo,” a distilled beverage from Alaska that became popular during the Klondike gold rush. The phrase came back into heavy use in the 1920s.

White Lightening–The whiskey equivalent of bathtub gin; a highly potent, illegally made, and poor-quality spirit.

Dry–A man or woman who is opposed to the legal sale of alcoholic beverages. Bureau of Prohibition agents were often referred to as Dry Agents. It also is used to reference places where alcohol is not served, i.e. a “dry country”.

Jake Walk–A paralysis or loss of muscle control in the hands and feet, due to an overconsumption of Jamaican ginger, a.k.a. Jake, a patent medicine with a high alcohol content. The numbness led sufferers to walk with a distinct gait that was also known as Jake leg or Jake foot. Jamaican ginger, a patent medicine with a high alcohol content – so high that authorities insisted manufacturers up the ginger content so that it became bitter and unpalatable. Bootleggers responded by adding a plasticizer, tricresyl phospate, that would fool government tests and keep it drinkable for those who used it recreationally. Unfortunately, the additive turned out to be a neurotoxin and some 50,000 people fell victim to jake-walk or jake-foot which often led to permanent paralysis.

Image result for Bootleggers

A Blind Pig–low class drinking establishments often located in counties or municipalities that had voted themselves “dry.” They often charged admission to view some kind of attraction like a pig painted in stripes or other such “exotic” creatures. Admission, surely by coincidence, included a free glass of whisky. Also known as blind tigers, the owner’s identities were often concealed, even from its patrons.

Here’s more terms from the Gangsters and Speakeasies of the 1920s

Babe, Bim, Broad, Doll or Dame – A woman
Moll – A gangster’s girlfriend
Bearcat – A fiery woman
Dumb Dora -A stupid woman
Sheba -A woman with sex appeal
Stool-pigeon – A person who informs the police
Peaching – Informing
Finger – Identify
Bulls – Plainclothes police
Gum-shoe – Detective
Copper – Policeman
Bracelets – Handcuffs
Big House or Can – Jail or prison
In Stir – In jail
Blow – Leave
Bop, Bump or Clip – To kill
Chopper Squad – Guys with machine guns
Pack Heat – Carry a gun
Goon – Thug
Grifter – Con man
Boozehound – a drunk
Meat Wagon – Ambulance
Chicago Overcoat – A coffin
Big Sleep – Death
Bean-shooter or Gat – A gun
Packing Heat – Carrying a gun
Can-opener – Safecracker
Glomming – Stealing
Bent – Stolen
Cabbage or Scratch – Money
Ice – Diamonds
Boiler or Bucket – A car
Cake-eater – A lady’s man
Dewdropper – Unemployed man who spends his days sleeping
Shylock – A loanshark
Sheik – An attractive man
Giggle Water – liquor
Bangtail – Racehorse

Prohibition ended in 1933, but the colorful colloquialisms it brought about continue to add character to American language today.

Storytellers Extraordinaire

By romancinghistory

On March 2, 2018

In Classic Literature, Fairy Tales and Folk Lore

National Tell a Fairy Tale was February 26th. In order to commemorate this auspicious day, I thought maybe remembering the lives of some of the most well-known storytellers of all time would be in order–The Brothers Grimm.

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in an 1843 drawing by their younger brother Ludwig Emil Grimm.

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm began their careers studying law. Privately their fascination with the myths and legends surrounding local folklore led them to begin researching these tales in earnest.

Here’s 4 interesting facts you may not know about the the Grimm brothers:

The Grimm Brothers didn’t write any of the fairy tales associated with them.

Although stories like Snow White and Rapunzel have become synonymous with their name, none of the tales included in their first anthology, Nursery and Household Tales, was written by either Jacob or Wilhelm Grimm. Most of the stories existed long before the brothers were born in the mid-1780s. The tales were actually a collection of rich oral traditions passed from generation to generation. When the brothers discovered there was not one written collection of the stories, the began a quest to interview friends and relatives to capture the folklore before they became extinct and took great care to preserve the tales as they were told by peasants and villagers.

Cover of the 1819 edition of Nursery and Household Tales illustrated by Ludwig Emil Grimm.

Their collection of stories were not originally intended for children.

The original 1812 edition of Nursery and Household Tales contained sex, violence, and extensive footnotes regarding the variances in the folklore from region to region. And it contained no illustrations. The original version of Cinderella had the evil stepsisters cutting off their toes and heels in an effort to squeeze their appendage into the infamous glass slipper. Not to be out done, the first edition of Rapunzel had the girl with child following a casual affair with the prince.

The Grimm Brothers were a publishing success story.

By Wilhelm’s death in 1859, what we now know as Grimm’s Fairy Tales was in its 7th edition and the anthology had grown to include 211 stories. The collection now featured intricate drawings as well. Today Grimm’s Fairy Tales is available in over 100 languages and have been adapted for stage and screen by Walt Disney and Lotte Reineger.

Illustration of “Pied Piper of Hamelin” from the Grimm’s collection of German legends. Illustration by Kate Greenaway

The Grimm Brothers wrote more than Fairy Tales

Following the success of Nursery and Household Tales, the brothers also published two volumes of German folk legends which include stories such as The Pied Piper of Hamelin. In addition they wrote several books on mythology, linguistics and medieval history. In their later years, the brothers took a teaching position at Gottingen University as professors of Germanic studies and began a massive project to write a dictionary of the German language. They both died before the enormous undertaking was complete having only reached the letter F and the word frucht, meaning fruit.

Fairy Tales continue to capture the imagination of the public around the world and with the growing popularity of movies like Into the Woods and television shows like Grimm and Once Upon a Time it’s as clear as Cinderella’s glass slipper that even grown-ups love a good fairy tale.

Share your favorite fairy tale in the comments below.

What Your History Teacher Didn’t Teach About Our Presidents

By romancinghistory

On February 23, 2018

In Little Known Facts, Presidents, Things You Never Learned in School

When people discover what a huge history geek I am, they usually wrinkle their noses and tell me how boring they think history is. Boring? That was one thing I never understood. History is full of some pretty colorful characters.

Weird Facts About US Presidesnts

To prove my point, I’m highlighting of some of the interesting, unique and just plain strange facts about some of the men who occupied the hallowed halls of the White House. Did you know one of our presidents liked to skinny dip in the Potomac River? Or that another vandalized Shakespeare’s property? Or that one President trained his parrot to swear?

Things Your History Teacher Never Taught You

Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)

…had a bit of a stealing problem. While visiting William Shakespeare’s birthplace in England in 1786, he and John Adams cut off a piece of Shakespeare’s chair to take home as a souvenir. Later, while in France, Jefferson smuggled rice out of the country by stuffing his pockets.

James Madison (1809-1817)

…our smallest president, Madison stood at 5’4″ and weighed around 100 pounds.

John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)

….was known for skinny dipping in the Potomac River every morning. A reporter took advantage of this information and sat on his clothes until the president would grant him an interview.

Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)

…taught his pet parrot to swear. It was all fun and games, until the parrot had to allegedly be removed from Jackson’s funeral because it wouldn’t stop cursing.

Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)

…was an indentured servant to a tailor. While in the White House, Johnson preferred to make made his own suits.

James A. Garfield (1881)

…was ambidextrous and could write in Greek with one hand and in Latin with the other—at the same time!

Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)

…became the legal guardian to his friend’s 11-year-old orphaned daughter. Ten years later, they were married at the White House, making her the youngest First Lady ever at the age of 21. I’m a big fan of the Happily-Ever-After but that’s just plain creepy.

Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)

…had electric lighting installed in the White House. He was so scared of being electrocuted that he refused to touch the light switches and was known to go to bed with all the lights on.

William McKinley (1897-1901)

…considered carnations his good luck charm and wore them everywhere. On September 6, 1901, his luck ran out when he gave a little girl the carnation from his lapel and was shot by an assassin a short time later. He died the following week.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)

…was triskaidekaphobic (try saying that three times real fast). Terrified of the number 13, FDR and refused to have dinner with 13 guests or leave for a trip on the 13th of any month.

Image result for number thirteen

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)

…had a toy named after him following a 1902 hunting trip when friends clubbed a black bear and tied it to a tree. Roosevelt declined to kill the bear stating it was unsportsmanlike. When the Washington Post printed a cartoon depicting the event, a toy maker created “Teddy Bears” in his honor.

Harry S Truman (1945-1953)

…doesn’t have a middle name. His parents chose the initial because they had a lot of relatives whose names started with that letter.

Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)

…is the only president to never be elected by the American people. He was appointed to the vice-presidency when Spiro Agnew resigned and then later ascended to the presidency upon Nixon’s resignation. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

…loved jelly beans so much that he had a standing order of 720 (yes, you read that right–seven-hundred twenty) bags be delivered to the White House each month. Reagan shared his favorite candy with colleagues and visitors. Jelly Belly created a blueberry-flavored jelly bean just for him so he could have jars full of red, white, and blue beans.

Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

…has two Grammy Awards, one for spoken word and one for audiobook projects.

George W. Bush (2001-2009)

…was his high school’s head cheerleader.

Barack Obama (2009-2017)

…had a pet ape called Tata when he lived in Indonesia.

Hopefully you now agree, behind every page in the history textbook lurks interesting and strange facts you never learned in school.

Knocker Up–A Legit Profession?

By romancinghistory

On February 16, 2018

In British History

Related image Morning comes early for me. Once a night owl, I’m now one of the earliest risers of my acquaintance. I have the advantage of setting an alarm clock for 4:30 in the morning and hitting the snooze button several times if I’m not quite ready to greet the day.

Before the advent of the alarm clock, an entire profession emerged for the sole purpose of waking sleepy workers to ensure they made it to work on time. The Knocker Up was a common sight in Britain and Ireland during the Industrial Revolution, particularly in the northern mill towns and big cities like London and Dubline where people worked unusual shifts in factories or on the docks, often needing to be at work as early as three a.m.

The trade spread rapidly across the country particularly in areas where poorly paid workers were required to work shifts but could not afford their own watches. Some factories employed their own knocker-ups to ensure their employees arrived on time. In return for their services, knocker-ups were paid a few pence a week.

As more people employed the services of knocker-ups, neighbors who did not desire to be woken at odd hours began complaining about the loud noise the knocker-ups made when ringing bells and rapping on widows to rouse their sleepy customers. The solution they devised was modifying a long stick, with which to tap on the bedroom windows of their clients, loudly enough to rouse those intended but softly enough not to disturb the rest.

Image courtesy of Au Bout de la Route blog

Some of the more adventurous knocker ups, like Mary Smith of London’s East End (shown below) employed pea shooters to hurl dried peas at windows until the sleeper within woke up.

Mary Smith

Even Charles Dickens mentioned the trade in his 1861 novel Great Expectations when one of the characters, Mr. Wopsle, loses his temper over “being knocked-up” in the morning.

Another account appeared in an article in the Huron Expositor in 1878. A Canadian reporter interviewed a retired knocker-upper about her profession. Mrs. Waters served between 35 and 95 people, mostly in the period between five and six in the morning. She also recalls the bad temper of some of her customers who, like the Dickens’ character, just couldn’t hold their morning temper when she attempted to rouse them.

“There was one man in particular: he had to be up at five o’clock; he was given to drink, by the way; so that he was not only hard to awaken, but he never came to the window, but he indulged in angry mutterings, and I heard at times an oath slip out of his mouth.”

With the spread of electricity and affordable alarm clocks, however, knocking up had died out in most places by the 1940s and 1950s.

Yet the trade continued in some pockets of industrial England until the early 1970s and even became immortalized in songs like the one below by folk singer-song writer, Mike Canavan:

“Through cobbled streets, cold and damp, the knocker-upper man is creeping.

“Tap, tapping on each window pane, to keep the world from sleeping…”

What gets you up in the morning?

Christmas Novella, A Match of Sorts and a Giveaway!

By romancinghistory

On December 8, 2017

In Historical Romance Fiction

I’m so excited to welcome Lucette Nel to Romancing History for the first time. “Lucy,” as she is known to friends and family, is not only a fellow Christian historical romance author, she is a dear friend and a critique partner. Lucy’s newest release, A Match of Sorts, released earlier this month with Harbourlight Books, an imprint of Pelican Book Group.

And, with Christmas just around the corner, she came bearing gifts! Lucy is generously giving away an Ebook copy of each of her novellas! To enter, leave a comment or ask Lucy a question by Friday, December 15. I’ll choose one random participant to receive a copy of A Match of Sorts and another to receive The Widow’s Captive. Want to increase your chances? Sign up to receive Romancing History in your inbox and I’ll enter your name twice! Unfortunately due to a snafu with my IT department (aka hubby), I lost many of my subscribers. So if you signed up in the past but haven’t been receiving Romancing History in you inbox, this is a great opportunity to sign up again.

Before we chat with Lucy and learn more about her and A Match of Sorts, here’s a blurb about her latest novella.

As Christmas approaches, widowed Reverend Caleb Brennan needs a wife, or his vengeful father-in-law will take his young daughters. When his mail-order bride jilts him, Caleb grows desperate. During a storm, he finds an unconscious boy outside his home with signs of foul play. Despite his previous misfortune, obligation compels Caleb to lug the stranger inside. But as he provides first aid, he discovers more than he expected. Bounty hunter Grace Blackwell refuses to owe a debt to any man, especially one as charming as Reverend Brennan. To repay him for saving her life, Grace agrees to pose as his mail-order bride. If their ploy is discovered, Caleb could lose his daughters. But in their pretense, the reverend and the bounty hunter might just both lose their hearts.

RH: Welcome Lucy! Please tell us a little bit about yourself. How long you’ve been writing? How many books you have published and what era(s) do you write in? What are you working on now?

LN: Wow. I’ve been writing for 19 years this year, most of those years I refer to myself as a closet writer because I did it in secret. Only a selected few people knew I wrote. In 2010 I started to actively study the craft. So far most of my works are or were historical romances set in pioneer America. Currently I’m published in novella length. My first novella, A Widow’s Captive, released in December 2016.

I’m working on two full length novels at the moment and will be participating in February 2018’s #Faithpitch on twitter.

RH: What is your favorite historical romance novel? Author?

LN: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

RH: That is an all-time favorite of mine. One of only a few novels I’ll take the time to re-read! What was the inspiration behind your recent novel, A Match of Sorts?

I love marriage of convenience stories, and that was my inspiration for my recent release. And I wanted to match two very unlikely people.

RH: That is another thing we have in common. I am always fascinated by mail-order bride stories. When and where is A Match of Sorts set?

Cedar Grove, Texas. It’s a fictional town. I sketched the town but let’s just say I should stick to writing and not sketching. LOL!

RH: Who would you cast as the hero and heroine for this story?

LN: I have a Pinterest board especially for A Match of Sorts where you can see all the images that helped inspire me! For Caleb Brennan I used Michiel Huisman from The Age of Adeline as inspiration! Beard and all! For Grace it was a little mix between Sharon Stone and Ingrid Bolso Berdal from Westworld.

RH: Were there any interesting historical facts you learned in your research you couldn’t work into your story?

LN: Not sure how it happened, but while I researched the treatment of wounds, I stumbled upon the history of the ice box. Let’s just say I love my refrigerator. Hee Hee!

RH: Anything else you’d like us to know about A Match of Sorts?

LN: On one side I wish I made it a novel and not a novella. I really enjoyed the characters.

Now that you’ve heard all about A Match of Sorts, Lucy’s provided a teaser. Here’s a snippet from Chapter One:

Cedar Grove, Texas

December, 1875

“She changed her mind.” Caleb Brennan dragged his fingers through his hair. His mail-order bride backed out of their agreement. After three months of corresponding with the young widow, she took one look at him and opted to marry a fellow passenger instead. Three months. Wasted! Numerous letters exchanged, arrangements made, money spent, and all to end with Mrs. Haddon heading to Austin in the very stagecoach that was meant to bring her to him.

“You can scowl at me all you want. It won’t change anything.” Trust his twin to state the harsh reality, without a touch of sugar.

“I’m still processing the sting, Luke.” Caleb scrubbed his face. His glower might intimidate Abby and Libby, his daughters, but it was useless on his brother.

“You should’ve told her sooner.” Luke collected the stack of wanted posters and thumped them thrice on his scarred desk to straighten the pages.

“I’m hardly a cripple.” Caleb rubbed his aching leg. The pain flared in concert with his frustration. He glanced at the far side of the room. Upright rusted bars like an iron fence separated the jail from Luke’s tiny office. The snores from the figure on one of the two bunks continued undisturbed.

Luke yanked a drawer open and shoved the papers in, and then rammed it. “She probably jumped to the wrong conclusion. Since you kept it a secret, she might wonder what other information you withheld from her.”

“Do you suggest I mention I’m a cripple in my next advertisement?”

“You’re planning to advertise again?” Luke frowned.

“I need a wife. What choice do I have?” And as far as he was concerned, whoever filled the position could have the face and personality of a fencepost, as long as her presence improved his chances of not losing his daughters to his embittered father-in-law.

“Miss Preston seems interested.” Luke studied the steam spiraling from the mug of coffee cradled between his hands.

“You’re loco. You know I can’t marry Miss Preston.” The seamstress might be the prettiest woman in town, but she was too young and too idealistic. His second marriage wouldn’t be one of love and companionship and his bride needed to understand and agree with the terms from the start. He’d experienced love once before. Almost from the moment he’d first laid eyes on Margaret, he’d loved her. And she’d returned his affections. Her death near destroyed him. Never again. His next union would be one of respect and remoteness. An alliance on paper suited him.

Luke drummed his fingers on his desk. “How about I ask Ellen to pose as your fiancée?”

“You want to ask your wife to pretend to be my fiancée?” Caleb blinked. The warmth in the sheriff’s office receded despite the old woodstove standing only feet away. “I can’t wait to hear what she’d think about this idea of yours.” He shook his head. He loved Ellen—as a sister—and she was exactly what Luke needed in his life. But she’d drive Caleb crazy with her endless chatter, even if it was only a fleeting charade. Her overtly bright personality would exhaust him.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’ll be a temporary solution. The girls love and know Ellen.” Luke shifted on the chair, scrubbing a hand along his jaw. “There will be certain rules, of course. Limitations. No kissing. No touching.”

“It was one thing swapping places as boys to play pranks on people. Having your wife pose as my fiancée is a different ball of wax.”

“She’d do it if it means you get to keep the girls.”

“She’s a saint. What did you do to deserve her?”

“Got the Lord Almighty to thank for that.” Luke grinned and dipped his head. “I’ll speak with her tonight. We don’t have much time—”

“Whoa. You expect the entire town to go along with it?” Caleb braced his elbows on the desk.

“We can try.”

“Will you throw those who refuse to play along in jail?” A rustle from the bunk drew Caleb’s gaze. The comatose drunk had rolled over, but audible snores still floated from the cell.

“Can you imagine the entire town in my cell? At least old Jeff would have company.”

“I’d rather not.” Caleb downed the last of his coffee. After putting so much effort into convincing his daughters how nice it would be to have Mrs. Haddon around, he now needed to tell them their plans had changed. He massaged his hip. The wound had healed, but the constant pain and distinct limp remained despite the doctor’s predictions that it would disappear.

Remember, to enter to win one of Lucy’s Novella’s leave a comment below!

Lucy’s debut novella, A Widow’s Captive is on sale for .99 cents! To Purchase any of Lucy’s books click please visit her Amazon author page or her publisher, Pelican Book Group.

Lucy Nel is a coffee addicted work-in-progress daughter of the Lord Almighty. She’s a mommy to a rambunctious toddler and wife to her best friend and real-life hero. Along with three spoiled Pugs, they make their home in Gauteng, the smallest of nine provinces in South Africa.