On Dit -An Introduction to a Gentleman

Imagine, if you will, never introducing yourself to the opposite sex. A lady never introduced herself to a gentleman, and a gentleman never introduced himself to a lady. So how did a man and woman come to know each other? If a gentleman wanted an introduction to a lady, he needed to first ask someone of her acquaintance to make the introduction. This seems simple enough, except that the lady's acquaintance had to ask her permission before actually making the introduction.


This has a certain appeal if you think about it. If you believe a gentleman is a complete toad, you can simply refuse the introduction without ever having to speak to the man. There is no reason to make silly excuses to leave his presence or refuse his request to dance. He cannot approach you if he has not been introduced to you. 


Ladies, do you think this rule clever? Or not? Perhaps I can entice you to leave a comment on this topic.


Yours Truly,
Duchess of Dreams

Calamity of Commas

Dear Writer,
Is it just me, or do you experience cold sweats while deciding whether or not you should use a comma? Sometimes using a comma is a simple matter, but more often than not, and most especially with complex sentences, commas are quite confusing. I do believe I need a comma refresher. I'm not even sure if my commas in this post are correct. I think I may have a case of the vapors over commas. I suppose this is a silly thing to ponder over. I wonder if Jane pondered over commas. Perhaps she did, but I imagine the rules have changed since then. I think I should read The Elements of Style with an eye towards commas. Those little squiggles can change meaning, you know. Yes, I do believe I need a refresher. Would anyone care to post a comment or two on commas? I would be much obliged. 


Yours Truly,
Duchess of Dreams

Gentle Reader

I wonder if Jane Austen wrote a blurb for any of her books. I find that writing a blurb is much harder than writing the book itself. I do believe I am almost done after multiple tries. If only I could make the last sentence behave. 


Yours Truly,
Duchess of Dreams

A Perfect Gentleman

Do you ever wonder why so many women are drawn to the sensitive alpha male of the typical Regency romance? I think we want our cake and crumpets too. If we are honest with ourselves, we might confess that we truly want a softer version of a warrior to warm our beds and protect us from harm. There was a time a gentleman would stand out of respect when a lady entered the room. That seems quite ridiculous to us now, but is it too terrible to let a man hold a door open or carry our packages? Perhaps we are drawn to the Regency era because we truly want a man to treat us like porcelain and kiss us senseless all in the same breath. Something to ponder...

Becoming Jane

Dear Reader,


Did you see the film Becoming Jane (Anne Hathaway)? I cried at the end, and decided right then and there to rewrite Jane Austen's life. I do believe she beat me to it. Have you read Pride and Prejudice? I think you know what I mean.


Yours Truly,
Duchess of Dreams

Dearest Writer - Pesky Beginnings

Dearest Writer,


Do you write false starts? I do believe I am a bit of an authority on abandoning pesky beginnings. It just so happens that I have written dozens of chapter threes. You should know that I refused to succumb to a fate of many beginnings and no endings. In my determination to get to the end, I challenged myself to sit down each morning and write until I finished. Unfortunately, I once again found myself on chapter three with nowhere to go. Chapter three is such a bother. 


How did I overcome this horrid habit of stopping after I had barely begun? I turned to a notebook with a cast of characters. Once I had the idea of creating a cast, somewhat like a play, and developing the characters until I was ready to write. After another failed try, I decided to choose one of the characters from my cast and begin his story. 


I made it to the end. Lord William Prescott came to life. Readers will come to know him in the very near future.  


I will give you a bit of advice: First, I suggest you try developing your character before you begin your story. Second, I highly recommend setting your clock fifteen minutes early each morning. Wake up and write, and after a few mornings of establishing this routine, set your clock to thirty minutes early. In time, you will arise an hour or more early, and before you know it, you will write THE END.


Yours Truly,
Duchess of Dreams

A Letter from the Duchess

Gentle Reader,


I met a young boy who told me he is directly descended from a Scottish King. He was kind enough to make me a duchess. You may call me Your Grace.


Yours Truly,
Duchess of Dreams