Massacres: The Boyd 1809

 By Jennifer Linforth

The second mate was killed and eaten even after he survived the attack of the Boyd. As for the four others who were rescued, their nightmare would long be remembered.

It began in 1809 with the journey of the Boyd, a brigantine convict ship sailing on through Whangaroa on the coast of New Zealand. Under the command of Captain John Thompson, she carried 70 people one of which was Te Ara, son of a Maori chief working his passage on the ship.

Details are unclear as to what Te Ara did or didn’t do to work his way on the ship. What is clear is that Te Ara was flogged. One report says he was punished for refusing to work at all once underway citing his noble birth prevented him from doing so, another says he was falsely accused of theft. Upon reaching Whangaroa and his tribe, Te Ara reported his punishment. The Maori, strict in their customs, planned revenge.

The clash of cultures would have devastated effects. Under British law the Captain’s word is law upon the seas. Flogging was a common practice for all crimes at the time and he was justified in his rulings against Te Ara. But under Maori rule, a chief’s son is above any law and the physical punishment caused the Maori chief to suffer a brutal loss of “mana,” or face, in their culture. Revenge would be swift and violent.

Louis John Steele's The Blowing Up
of the Boyd (1889) - Source: Wikipedia

Their plot involved inviting Captain Thompson, his chief officer and three others on a scouting mission up the Kaeo River. The Maori attacked and killed all five. They stripped them of their clothing donning them as a disguise while other members of the tribe carried the bodies to the village to be eaten. The disguised Maori, backed by other tribe members in in canoes, boarded the Boyd at nightfall stealthily killing the entire crew. Only five survived, but were pursued by the Maori in the end.

When news reached European settlements the City of Edinburgh under the command of Captain Alexander Berry, undertook the rescue mission. The four remaining survivors found and taking on board. They also found piles of human bones on the shoreline, many evincing cannibalism.

News of the Boyd Massacre spread across Australia and Europe. A notice was printed for all missionaries and circulated Europe advising against visiting New Zealand at the risk of being eaten by cannibals.

Shipping and trade to New Zealand diminished over the years after that… 

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. and her books are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time Romance 

History's Mysteries: Anneliese and Exorcism

 By Jennifer Linforth


Her ordeal happened all in my lifetime, though I was a child and barely aware. Still, it has always fascinated me. Medical mysteries combined with a healthy imagination can cause any number of theories to pop into someone's head regarding Anneliese Michel. You know, the exorcised girl?


She was born in 1952 in Bavaria to a devote Catholic family. Their religion would be challenged come 1968/69 when at age 16 or 17 Anneliese started having seizures attributed to epilepsy. It was managed with medication but over time she complained of seeing visions, disturbing ones, while saying her daily prayers. Eventually it escalated to evil voices giving her commands and then to an aversion to religious iconography.


Come 1975 Anneliese's parent forewent medical advice and turned to a Roman exorcism. Believing she was truly possessed, for even Anneliese herself said that Judas, Nero, Cain, Lucifer and even Hitler were inside of her, she underwent 67 exorcisms. She had to repeat genuflections that, toward the end, were difficult for her to do on her own. During all this torment she stopped eating claiming the demons forbid her to do so. It is documented that she would drink her urine, eat spiders, bite, and self-mutilate. Claims exist that she also began speaking several different languages during the rituals and there are over 40 recordings of them saved for historic detail.

Annaliese eventually died of dehydration and malnutrition and her death was labeled as neglect homicide. The medical care she needed ended up secondary to the religious path of treatment chosen for her, but medical care could have played a factor in all her symptoms. Some evidence supports that she suffered from dissociative personality disorder (DPD) and schizophrenia combined with her epilepsy. She was subjected to powerful psychotropic drugs and anticonvulsants. One drug was known to deplete the brain of sodium which could cause mental lapses and forgetfulness as well as altering the thyroid function which controls metabolism. All these drugs are known now to also have side-effects of hallucinations both visual and auditory.


I tend to side with the idea that Annaliese had DPD and the drugs contributed greatly to her condition. If not regulated properly these powerful medications can have horrifying and frightening side-effects. That being said, they can also work brilliantly for the treatment of mental disorders I speak from experience having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.


What do you think? Medical mystery perhaps not treated properly or religious possession treated too aggressively?

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. and her books are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time Romance 

Rites of Winter: Stille Nacht - The Humble History of a Carol

 By Jennifer Linforth

As a child my older brother would glare at me each time I sang “Silent Night” at church in German. I spoke the language and being the teen I was, I thought it hip to sing it in its original language and to annoy my brother.

Christmas creates many creative stories about how this timeless carol came into being, from mice eating the bellows of an organ forcing the need for the hymn to be accompanied by a guitar to Joseph Mohr having to write the words in haste due to a broken organ. The story has been sensationalized through the years in film and books, but the reality of this hymn is humble in its origins.

"Silent Night" was written by Joseph Mohr in 1816, a young priest assigned to a pilgrimage church in Mariapfarr, Austria. Christmas eve of 1818, Mohr visited the home of Franz Gruber. He showed his friend the poem he wrote and asked him to write a melody for it for the Midnight Mass. Later that night the first stanzas of “Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!” were heard.

An organ does tie into the tale as master organ builder, Karl Mauracher, did work at Mohr’s church several times over the years. While doing his work Mohr’s church, he obtained a copy of the composition and took it home with him. Thus, the simple carol began its journey around the world in the hands of an organ builder.

Naturally the melody of so long ago changed over the years, but how? In December of 1832 two traveling families of folk singers, similar to the Trapp Family Singers, did a concert in Leipzig. Several musical notes were changed at this concert and the carol evolved into the melody we now know. According to historical documentation the song was performed before an audience Emperor Franz I and Tsar Alexander I. By 1839 “Stille Nacht" was performed for the first time in America at the Alexander Hamilton Monument outside Trinity Church in New York City.

Without doubt it will be performed this holiday season in churches across the globe.

Ein frohes Weihnachtsfest und alles Gute zum neuen Jahr!

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. and her books are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time Romance 

Guest Blog: Jennifer Linforth

This week, we're welcoming historical author and regular contributor, Jennifer Linforth, with an excerpt from her upcoming novel, RONDEAU. Jennifer's here to talk about the book and give away a copy! Here's the blurb:

The Madrigals continue...

While on the run and hiding in Germany, Erik lives like anyone else—until one nobleman strikes back...

When Anna’s secret past is revealed and she is captured by Raoul’s bounty hunter, Erik is forced to avenge her. This time the madness of the Phantom cannot be freely unleashed.  Erik must rein himself in for the sake of his genius son and hideously deformed daughter.

With few allies as he takes to the streets of Paris in pursuit of Anna and his nemesis, Raoul, one man, The Persian, seeks to help while Christine seeks to keep Erik at large. Forced to turn over his control while spinning out of it, Erik’s past as The Phantom of the Opera roars to life before Paris and his unsuspecting children and only The Persian tries to talk sense to him.

But talk is senseless when speaking to a madman.

Overcome by his history and desperate to keep the past from destroying his life, Erik takes Paris by storm...

Two guns.

One bullet.

And a result that changes everything...

**A Q&A with Jennifer Linforth**

RONDEAU is the third book in your series that continues The Phantom of the Opera, MADRIGAL and ABENDLIED being the first two. Why did you wish to continue classic literature and why the original novel and not the widely popular Lloyd-Webber version?

Certain stories transcend time leaving more questions than answers. No author made me question as much as Gaston Leroux. My love for The Phantom of the Opera stemmed from a deep respect for a book that was a mystery, horror and romance rolled into one. After revisiting Leroux’s novel for the third time the questions in my head would not fade. Why—as a jurist—did he leave so many unanswered questions in such a fascinating book? The primary question I had was who was the “Shade” he spoke of.  From that idea came The Madrigals.

I focused on Leroux because Leroux created the story, not Lloyd Webber. Webber created iconic images with his musical and movie, but  Leroux’s original is quite different from the romantic, famous love triangle of Webber’s. Webber’s film created a mildly deformed man oozing sex appeal who happens to have murdered out of desperation and anger. What Webber wished was the basic romance as the focus. In Leroux, Erik was a murderously vengeful personality… a clear madman, while concurrently being a repressed and ardent gentleman. He was the central character in a Death and the Maiden tale and I wish to focus on that challenge instead.

How do you feel about finishing your series?

I actually wrote all three Madrigals in one year and spent the next several polishing the series before and during publication. I cried from relief when I finally polished RONDEAU. I put a great deal of pressure on myself to make sure this series remained true to Gaston Leroux yet still had enough of my vision in it to make it stand out. Now that the series is finished I feel very accomplished and am ready to move on to the next project. I may resist the characters down the road, perhaps continuing the story with primarily the secondary cast.

After spending so much time with these characters is there a sense of loss with the ending?

There is a sense of completion, not loss. I’ve spent seven years with this series from the start of my research to the last book published. A writer does get attached to their characters, however. I will miss crafting the secondary characters that revolved around Leroux’s original cast. I will miss making nasty villains, but I can do that for another work! I don’t feel loss over it because I know the door is open for great things to come in terms of my career as a writer and my personal goals to meet them.

Which were your favorite characters to explore in each book?

Crafting Erik as a true madman was always a delight from book to book. In the first, MADRIGAL, I loved bringing Madame Giry back to her roots. She is so often seen as Webber’s verison. I enjoyed making her that bumbling servant of the Phantom that she was.  In ABENDLIED exploring Philippe de Changy was my passion and still is. He is my favorite character in classic literature. He’s was a character begging to be explored.  I also loved Pappy. In him I enjoyed making a character utterly unexpected in a novel like this but who was pivotal to the growth of both Anna and Erik.  In RONDEAU the Persian was fun to write for he was another under explored character.

What’s next for you?

I am writing Regency romance now. I am working on a book with a unique spin on a heroine. I like to have characters that, like the Phantom, must overcome some mental or social stigma. I am also polishing a historical romance set in Austria for my publishing house.

Thank you, Jennifer, and all the best with RONDEAU. Remember, please leave your comment to win a copy of Jennifer’s latest!

Excerpt Thursday: Rondeau by Jennifer Linforth

This week on Excerpt Thursday, we're welcoming historical author and regular contributor, Jennifer Linforth, with an excerpt from her upcoming novel, RONDEAU. Join us on Sunday, when Jennifer will be here to talk about the book and give away a copy! Here's the blurb:

The Madrigals continue...

While on the run and hiding in Germany, Erik lives like anyone else—until one nobleman strikes back...

When Anna’s secret past is revealed and she is captured by Raoul’s bounty hunter, Erik is forced to avenge her. This time the madness of the Phantom cannot be freely unleashed.  Erik must rein himself in for the sake of his genius son and hideously deformed daughter.

With few allies as he takes to the streets of Paris in pursuit of Anna and his nemesis, Raoul, one man, The Persian, seeks to help while Christine seeks to keep Erik at large. Forced to turn over his control while spinning out of it, Erik’s past as The Phantom of the Opera roars to life before Paris and his unsuspecting children and only The Persian tries to talk sense to him.

But talk is senseless when speaking to a madman.

Overcome by his history and desperate to keep the past from destroying his life, Erik takes Paris by storm...

Two guns.

One bullet.

And a result that changes everything...

**An Excerpt from RONDEAU**

Vahid rubbed at his temple nervously, making his scrutiny of the lamplight below waiver. The monster trembled with some unarticulated frustration. He sensed it. It manifested in the slight twitches to Erik’s hand. That letter made matters worse—far worse. He cursed himself for delivering it.

 “Do you have any idea what risk you put your children in? You made the choice to put them first when you took them out of the security of that monastery. You can’t run off half-crazed right now.”

 Erik touched his temple. He leaned in slightly. “I am half-crazed. What would you suggest I do?” With one graceful leap he pounced upon the railing and began to walk, stabbing the air with a finger. “My fuse is smoldering and every minute that passes without her is a minute of absolute agony. I am growing angry, Daroga.”

“You’re not in the position you used to be—”

 “Daroga—”

“You go running out onto those streets right now after her and you are as good as dead!” Vahid uneasily eyed Erik’s twitching hand. “There is not a shadow in this city that doesn’t know the Phantom, regardless of this fair.  You have children here to think of and clearly your state of mind can’t handle a thing right now.” His eyes shot from Erik’s hand, to his mask and back to his hand. Erik balanced precariously on the edge of the rooftop. The wind snapped his cloak sending arrows of tension up Vahid’s neck.

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting, On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming… 

He swallowed hard. “You stay here. I will return to the comte and attempt to leave with Anna.” Erik’s eyes shifted abruptly, moved, and glowed at him from an even higher spot. Vahid spun, searching high and low for his evaporating specter. “I will Erik. When have I ever backed down on my word to you? You can’t have the control when you are the one out of it. Don’t do anything stupid. Do you hear me, Erik? Stay burrowed like the mole you are until I come to you to let you know all is clear. You have children to consider, you colossal fool!”

A disembodied voice filled with all the surge of a rising tide and floated menacingly around him.
“Get off my roof, Daroga.”

RONDEAU: A Novel of Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera

ISBN:  978-0-9833960-8-6  

See the trailers for this series!

Praise for Madrigal and Abendlied:

 “If you long for an evocative heart wrenching tale and are prepared to pour a little of yourself into it, Madrigal is for you” ~ Long and Short Reviews on Madrigal

“Ms. Linforth’s prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking.” ~Coffee Time Romance on Madrigal

Jennifer Linforth's latest work is sweet and tender, dark and decadent, a treat to be reached for again and again. For anyone who read Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera and wanted more, this is the book for you! ~ Night Owl Romance on Abendlied

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. and her books are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time Romance 

The Children of Emperor Franz II of Austria: The "Child" Emperor Ferdinand of Austria

By Jennifer Linforth
It is common knowledge that many royals intermarry. One such couple would raise a retarded son who later became the Emperor of Austria. Emperor Franz II of Austria (1768-1835) married his double first cousin, Marie Therese of Naples and Sicily (1772-1807). Ferdinand was the second born out of twelve children. Born with epilepsy, the famous Hapsburg lip and a over-sized head he was only one of many sadly challenged royals of this line. His sister, Marianna was often kept hidden from the world due to her mental state and sad disfigurements.

Nandle as he was known grew into a gentle and loving child. His speech was stammered often repeating things he already said and his weak limbs made it hard for him to walk or hold heavy objects. The epileptic attacks were frequent and his appearances in public limited lest the world see the horrible truth of his state. His father however was a family man and was often seen at his side even though public appearances of the child were carefully staged. It is said that Emperor Franz often would weep in pain as his son shuffled about the palace or attempted to speak. Fun loving Nandle enjoyed music boxes and sometimes was seen wedging himself in baskets so to roll around on the floor.

Despite skeptics Ferdinand was officially crowed his father’s heir in 1830 and took the throne of Austria in 1835. His father on his death bed told his son to “Reign, and don’t change anything.” Ferdinand did, through some of the most trying times of Austrian history until revolution forced him to abdicate to his now famous nephew Franz-Josef. Through the years of his silent service to Austria he ruled for the most part in image only relying on aide to do what his feeble mind would not allow.

Emperor Ferdinand became known as “the good-natured of Austria” and summed up his rule and life in one sentence. "It is easy to govern, but what is difficult is to sign one's name…."

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. and are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time RomanceMADRIGALABENDLIED

The Entertainers: Parlor Games

By Jennifer Linforth

In researching my new novel, I stumbled into the world of parlor games. I needed one for the opening of this book and found Poor Pussy. Strangely enough, a co-worker recalls playing a game called "Pat the Kitty" as a child.

Gathering together for parlor games was popular in the evenings in Victorian families. The central theme of many of them were games involving trying not to laugh. Poor Pussy was one of them. It involved one proper guest having to mill around on all fours amongst the seated company, meowing and stopping in front of someone who then had to say "poor pussy" without ever cracking a smile. Neither the cat or guest could smile. If one of them did the latter was the next cat.

I never recalled playing that as a child but I do remember this...

The Laughing Game where players sat in a circle and one says "ha." The next, "ha-ha" and so on until someone laughed in earnest.

Many games we know today stemmed from Victorian parlor games. Red-Light, Green Light, Simon Says, Charades and Musical Chairs. Hot Potato of today sounds very similar to the game of Change where an object was passed in a circle and directions shifted out of the blue.

Hunt the Thimble sounds like great fun. The mistress of the house would hide a tiny object in a room and guests would have to search for it. When they found it, they simply took their seat until one poor person was left still looking for the item.

Victorians seemed to enjoy embarrassing each other...

...or catching each other for that matter. There were many versions of Duck, Duck, Goose then called Wolf and the Lambs.

Memory games such as Grandmother's Trunk were wildly popular (hence the interview with my magician who is a master of Victorian memory games.) In this game a player would say "My grandmother has a trunk and in it is.... apples" or some such item beginning with the letter A. Around the room they would go, each guest having to build on this list with a new item with the following letter while remembering and reciting as well all the items before!

Way more fun than Wii? Oui?

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. and are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time RomanceMADRIGALABENDLIED

Cowards: Benedict Arnold

By Jennifer Linforth

Without fail he is the most famous traitor in US History. Benedict Arnold was a passionate, but discontented man during the US Revolution and constantly under the impression that he was ill treated by Congress. Expecting more from Congress than it was willing to provide, his treason was inevitable.

He was a man with a long history serving his country having been a militia member during the French and India war (1754-1763) and later joined the Continental Army during the Revolutionary war. During it, he helped capture Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, successfully attacked British Quebec and earned the rank of brigadier general as a result. But success was not without enemies, and in 1777 five lesser ranking men were promoted over him resulting in animosity and the start of his downfall. He fell into personal debt during the years that followed and his resentment over not being promoted flared his thoughts of becoming a rebel.

By 1780, Arnold in command of West Point. What would happen next would seal the fate of US history. He met with Sir Henry Clinton, head of the British forces, to proposed handing over West Point. On September 21, 1780, Arnold acted on his thoughts and made his traitorous pact with the British. However, the conspiracy was uncovered. Arnold fled, turned his back on his country and served the British troops in Virginia and Connecticut. He eventually fled the country and died in England.

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. and are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time RomanceMADRIGALABENDLIED

An Ordinary Day In: The Life of a Victorian Chaperone

By Jennifer Linforth

You know that silly game of placing 'in bed' at the end of any fortune cookie fortune to completely alter its meaning? My husband and I have a game similar to that in terms of our four year old daughter. We call it 'things we don't want to hear on prom night.' Such as when she runs downstairs and says, "I can't get my panties off" or "I'm a naked baby!" or "You're not doing it right" or "May I have it now, please?"

You get the picture....

In imaging my daughter out on prom night I truly wish for Victorian times and the era of the chaperone. These women were usually Aunts, older married or widowed women and were tasked with supervising the innocence of the unwed Victorian lady. Their daily life involved overseeing all their charges did—and made sure no improper conduct occurred during courtship.

Daily the Victorian chaperone had to make sure etiquette was carried out to the utmost degree. They remained with their charges, for a woman was never to go anywhere with a gentleman especially without her mother’s permission and never late at night.

The chaperone may have taught her charge how to flirt with her fan, for that behavior was social acceptable to a degree. Flirting otherwise was not.

A single woman never walked alone. Her chaperone was with her. If she was at a point in courtship where she could walk out with a gentleman--a chaperone saw to it they walked apart and did not have any physical conduct. A gentleman could assist a lady over rough patches of ground but that contact was the only he was truly allowed with a woman not his fiancée.

The chaperone saw to it a proper woman did not ride alone in a closed carriage with a gentleman not her relative. She also saw that she did not receive a man at home if she was alone. The chaperone had to be present and if not her, then another family member.

I certainly think in 2011 society that a chaperone system would meet with wild protest. But what about the Victorian era? Do you think the youth protested it at all in some manner or was it so acceptable they just went with the flow?

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. MADRIGAL and ABENDLIED are available now. Look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time Romance

Accidents: Accidental Foods

By Jennifer Linforth

Food and the holidays go hand in hand and sometimes we all fall prey to a kitchen mishap or two. Lucky for us, some food accidents turned into everyday culinary delights! Below is a list of some of the more famous....

BEER: Beer began in Mesopotamia totally by mistake when stored grains for bread became wet and began to ferment. Some brave chap tasted the frothy mess and there you have it--the world's first beer.

POPCICLES: These tasty treats were the accident of eleven year old Frank Epperson who, in 1905, left his soda and soda making equipment outside by accident. It dropped below freezing that night and the next day he discovered the stick in which he'd used to stir the flavored powder into the water froze upright in the mixture. Bingo! The "Epsicle" was born. It was not until 1924, that he applied for a patent and redubbed it the "popsicle."

POTATO CHIPS: This one most folks know! It was 1853 and a customer at Saratoga Springs' Moon's Lake House had issues with the batches of fried potatoes served to him. He kept sending them back to the cook, claiming they weren't up to his standards. He liked his potatoes firm and crisp. The angered chef sliced the final batch paper thin, fried them in oil, and tossed a bunch of salt on top. Now it seems we can't eat just one....

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: Ever hear of the Toll House Inn? Inn keeper Ruth Wakefield ran out of baking chocolate one day and chopped up a bar of semi-sweet chocolate and added to her cookie dough thinking it would melt. However, upon their removal from the oven she noted the chocolate didn't melt but dappled the cookie with chocolate chunks. So in 1930, the chocolate chip cookie was born!

PEANUT BRITTLE: According to legend a woman in 1890 was making a batch of taffy and an ingredient mix-up led her to invent peanut brittle.

CHAMPAGNE: "Brothers come--I am drinking stars!" That apparently was what Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Perignon exclaimed upon his accident... Initially his job was to try to find a way to stop the secondary fermentation of wine. In the process of trying to discover a way to do this, many of the wines began to have bubbles in them. Once he tasted it, what was the point in stopping the fermentation when a drink as wonderful as champagne was born!

SANDWICHES: It was in the 1700s when the Earl of Sandwich couldn't stop gambling long enough to eat. Instead he ordered some food to be piled between two slices of bread...

COCA COLA: This famous drink was invented by a doctor working on a headache cure. He created the syrup, but those inspecting it for approval felt it tasted better than it worked. They added some carbonated water and...the rest is history.

Ever concocted something by accident? Bake a turkey without removing the bag? Add salt to coffee instead of sugar? What food accidents, holiday or otherwise, can you share?

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. MADRIGAL and ABENDLIED are available now. Readers should look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time Romance

Real Life Heroes: Anne Frank

By Jennifer Linforth

Our request to do a post about heroes came on the heels of me watching a video on YouTube regarding the epidemic of bullying in the United States. Finger to my upper lip, I thought about what makes a hero and one word leapt to mind.

Tolerance.

In the wake of so many teens committing suicide because they are bullied and demeaned by others, one teen stands above the others: Anne Frank... to me the epitome of tolerance.

She was born June 12, 1929 and the world knows her story. Force to go into hiding during the Holocaust, she and her family spent 25 months hiding in a maze of room above her father's office in Amsterdam. The hiding didn't last. Anne and her family were betrayed to the Nazis and forced, like thousands of others to be deported to concentration camps. Nine months later she died at age fifteen.

Her diary has become one of the most widely read books in the world. Her words foster a belief in tolerance and preach the consequences of living in a world filled with racial discrimination, intolerance and disrespect. Anne spoke freely on the power of hope. Can anyone deny that this teen was, like so many teens today, bullied--to the ultimate degree?

A hero need not save lives. Sometimes all it takes to be heroic is a little belief and faith that things can and will get better, and a little patience for others and their life choices. Ann wrote: "Sympathy, love, fortune... we all have these qualities but still tend not to use them."

If only we did. How heroic would that be?

Jennifer Linforth expands the classics by continuing The Phantom of the Opera. MADRIGAL and ABENDLIED are available now. Readers should look for future books based on the classics, in addition to her unique historical romances. "Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~ Coffee Time Romance

Women Did It Better: Elizabeth Blackwell

By Jennifer Linforth

Elizabeth Blackwell listened.

She possessed the trait of a good doctor from the start, before ever entering medicine. When a dying friend said her worst suffering would have been spared had her doctors been female--Elizabeth Blackwell took that to heart...and all the way to a medical degree.

Graduating from Geneva Medical College in New York in 1849, Blackwell became the first American woman to earn a medical degree. By 1857 she established the New York Infirmary and helped foster medical education for women.

She started out having no idea how to become a doctor. It was just not done for woman of her era. She turned to several physicians associated with her family who warned her it simply was not done, it was too expensive and, frankly, impossible for a woman.

Blackwell felt otherwise.

Convincing two physicians to allow her to essentially apprentice under them for a year, reading all she could of medicine, she applied to schools in New York and Philadelphia. Twelve schools later she was accepted—as a joke--into Geneva Medical College. The faculty allowed the student body to vote her in. The all male class agreed as a jest, assuming she would never succeed.

Two years later, she became the first woman to receive an MD. Blackwell worked in clinics in the State and abroad but contracted purulent ophthalmia from a patient. She returned to New York in 1851 when it caused her to lose her sight in one eye, thus forcing her to give up her dream of becoming a surgeon.

She went on to open her own dispensary and saw patients three afternoons a week. She wrote several books on medical reform, and in 1854 opened the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. This medical college for women was opened in 1867 and provided training and experience for women doctors. She continued to campaign for reform after her health declined and she gave up the practice of medicine in the late 1870s.

Tragic Tales: The Elephant Man

By Jennifer Linforth

As soon as I type his name readers will know the tragedy of this man. An image will pop into their heads and they will nod, but it was not his outward appearance that made him a tragic tale of the 19th Century, but the brilliant mind the world would never embrace.

Joseph Carey Merrick, the "Elephant Man."

As a child, Mr. Merrick's story was the first that fascinated me. Like all children I was drawn to the difference setting him apart. As I grew older I understood more about him and he was far more than a deformity and medical marvel.

He was a quiet, brilliant man--though many assumed otherwise.

His doctor, Frederick Treves, first met Merrick at a freak show. His descriptions of what he saw of Merrick are horrifying and fascinating. (This I had a particular interest in, for it is said Gaston Leroux may have been influenced by Merrick's sideshow years when he crafted The Phantom of the Opera.) But the tragedy lies here in what Treves writes of the man behind the monster:

I supposed that Merrick was an imbecile and he had been an imbecile from birth. The fact that his face was incapable of expression, that his speech was a mere spluttering, and his attitude that of one whose mind was void of all emotions and concerns gave ground for this belief.

From: The Joseph Carey Merrick Tribute Website

This is an easy thing to assume for times have not changed. The world is still judged by outward appearance (Does anyone recall Susan Boyle and the audience reaction when she first walked on stage and spoke?) Furthermore Treves shows us this:

It was not until I came to know that Merrick was highly intelligent, that he possessed an acute sensibility and--worse than all--a romantic imagination that I realized the overwhelming tragedy of his life.

From: The Joseph Carey Merrick Tribute Website

That part of Merrick's life echoed with me again while writing The Madrigals, for Gaston Leroux wrote of Erik, the horribly deformed but genius Phantom, "...all he wanted was to be loved for himself."

For a topic on tragic tales I could have gone into Merrick's life, what he looked like and how he lived. Most of the world knows this. Instead I went with how he made me feel. His story is just a brilliant tale--the tragedy lies in the assumptions left in its wake.

Good Times: Parlor Games

By Jennifer Linforth

In preparation to interview an escape artist, gambler, and magician for an upcoming book set in Victorian London, I stumbled into the world of Victorian parlor games. I needed one for the opening of this book and found "Poor Pussy." Strangely enough my magician's wife recalls playing a game called "Pat the Kitty" as a child.

Gathering together for parlor games was popular in the evenings in Victorian families. The central theme of many of them were games involving trying not to laugh. Poor Pussy was one of them. It involved one proper guest having to mill around on all fours amongst the seated company, meowing and stopping in front of someone who then had to say "poor pussy" without ever cracking a smile. Neither the cat or guest could smile. If one of them did the latter was the next cat.

I never recalled playing that as a child but I do remember this...

The Laughing Game where players sat in a circle and one says "ha." The next, "ha-ha" and so on until someone laughed in earnest.

Many games we know today stemmed from Victorian parlor games. Red-Light, Green Light, Simon Says, Charades and Musical Chairs. Hot Potato of today sounds very similar to the game of "Change" where an object was passed in a circle and directions shifted out of the blue.

Hunt the Thimble sounds like great fun. The mistress of the house would hide a tiny object in a room and guests would have to search for it. When they found it, they simply took their seat until one poor person was left still looking for the item.

Victorians seemed to enjoy embarrassing each other...

...or catching each other for that matter. There were many versions of Duck, Duck, Goose then called Wolf and the Lambs.

Memory games such as Grandmother's Trunk were wildly popular (hence the interview with my magician who is a master of Victorian memory games. His website is here: Dr. Wilson ) In this game a player would say "My grandmother has a trunk and in it is.... apples" or some such item beginning with the letter A. Around the room they would go, each guest having to build on this list with a new item with the following letter while remembering and reciting as well all the items before!

Way more fun than Wii? Oui?

What Surprised Me: My Heroine

By Jennifer Linforth

I am not autistic.

I met a critique partner of mine, an expert in the field of Aspergers, because I was blogging on anthropomorphizing--something commonly seen in autism and something I did as a kid. I am not autistic, yet I have an autistic heroine. What surprised me was how I came to write her.

This is where writing what we know turns into adding what others know and realizing our limits. I never sought to have an autistic heroine in my novel, until a reader asked me why she seemed autistic. Was I?

No, I'm not. I simply write what I know, and this heroine's thought process is similar to mine. I was taken aback. My delightfully quirky heroine was viewed as autistic? That was not what I intended! What now! I write historical fiction. This can't happen! I can't have autism in the 19th century, why that's--madness!

Sadly in that era...it was.

But that woman's comment made me wonder; perhaps I needed to see my characters through the opinions of others more often. We writers get locked in our stubborn little heads a lot and often don't come out. I am sure many writers have characters they refuse to budge on. I showed the draft of my heroine to others and they all said the same thing. I knew very little of the world of autism, in a particular Aspergers, but I started reading about it and until I met my critique partner I still was not convinced about his heroine....

Once I let go of my vision for her and embraced the vision of others--the story flourished.

If writers are going to tackle a project they must do so knowing the potential is there that we may be wrong. Our plots may be great, but we might be writing with the wrong characters. Once I listened to what I was being told and began the very scary process of research and networking in order to polish this heroine. (After all, like I said, I am not autistic. How do I approach someone and ask to interview them on very intimate details of their lives from daily living right down to love?)

I was delighted with how well she fit into the 19th century while still being compatible with 21st century readers. I was shocked during the research at how many people secretly supported books with heroes or heroines with challenges. They embrace the idea of reading a book with real characters with identifiable problems and hurtles. Many keep silent, because autism is a part of their lives and often something discussed only behind closed doors.

Sadly, that is madness.

I've learned that autism seeps into everyone's lives whether we realize it or not. In my line of work outside of writing I have yet to see a group of children that does not have one autistic child in their ranks. I am indebted to the people and experts I have reached out to who have educated me. My debut novel, MADRIGAL, was a whole other story--it involved years of research into expanding classic literature. I knew those characters inside and out. That success made me think I always would know my characters. What surprised me, is how important it is to remain open minded and accept the guidance of other writers, even strangers, when crafting our characters. More so, how important it is to sometimes say: I was wrong!

Disasters: The Year Maine Burned

By Jennifer Linforth

It was dubbed "the year Maine burned." It was also the end of an era.

The fire of 1947 that made headlines internationally was in Bar Harbor, Maine on Mount Desert Island, a vacation destination for the rich and famous of the day. "Rusticators," as the wealthy were called, came to Maine to escape New York City life and live in "cottages" (which were massive mansions on the rocky coast). They enjoyed hiking, picnics, horse and carriage rides, and the pristine trails of Acadia National Park.

Until fire changed it all...

On Friday October 17, 1947, Mrs. Gilbert called the fire department to report a plume of smoke coming from Dolliver's Dump--a fire was smoldering underground. To this day the cause is undetermined. From a plume of smoke came an inferno that burned half of the eastern side of Mount Desert Island.

The fire burned slowly at first until October 21 came with forceful winds that send that blaze out of control engulfing 2,000 acres. By the following day 2,300 acres burned and pushed the blaze to the center of town and Eden Street--known as "Millionaire's Row." Sixty-seven estates were destroyed and razed 170 homes and five hotels in the Bar Harbor area. It blessedly missed the business district

Bar Harbor residents fled for safety. The athletic field and pier were the only safe areas in town. All roads were blocked by flames. A mass exodus was organized by local fishermen from surrounding towns to ferry residents to the mainland. Four hundred were evacuated this way. Bulldozers cleared rubble off streets so a lineup of 700 cars could carry 2000 people across the only bridge to the mainland. Sparks and flames rained around the cars.

By the end of the day 11,000 more acres were burned.

The world famous Jackson Laboratory was destroyed before the fire blew itself out over the ocean. It was not until November 14 that the blaze was considered officially out. Over 17,000 acres burned, and over 10,000 of those acres were in Acadia National Park. Property damage was estimated at $23 million dollars.

Mount Desert Island is a popular tourist destination--but the scars of the fire are still seen. Once dotted by coniferous trees, the east side of the island is now primarily deciduous. Many of the oaks and birches are same size and shape having risen from the flame. Those magnificent "cottages"--mansions to the rich and famous--were never rebuilt. Many permanent residents, like the Phoenix, did rise from the flame and rebuild, but the fire marked the end of the days of the rusticator...

News and Media: Gossip Sells

By Jennifer Linforth

Newspapers are filled with stories that can be manipulated into all sorts of tales of mystery and intrigue. They are also filled with what so many love best...

...gossip and rumor.

In the 19th century gossip was an art form! It was craved as much back then and it is now. Ladies whispered of it over tea, men debated it over cigars. Lives adhered strictly to etiquette and social standing, so you can well imagine would happen if a tidbit of bad manners or ill morals seeped out to the public. It could ruin a family in a heartbeat! Gossip and rumor truly didn't leak however. Servants were often paid for their loose-lips as were members of society willing to spread untruths to expose their friends. A paper notorious for this was The John Bull, its editor also known to simply make up stories to stir the pot!

Papers reported important political issues and social affairs. By the 19th century journalism's ethics were being established. Papers were a sort of social conscience and many acted in good form. Many others did not and either way a balance was struck between truth and rumor that continues to this day. Scandal sells, and papers of the day quickly understood that, using the aristocracy to pad their pockets. Nothing has changed in this day and age...

Can you imagine a world without gossip rag? Tabloids? People getting their fifteen minutes of fame for whatever the reason? Can you see a world of nothing but facts and full truths? One summer my local news broadcasted nothing but good news once a week. Not gossip, no tragedy, no scandals or politics, just plain old good news.

It didn't last long. Why do you think that is?

Weekly Announcements - 16 Apr 2010

Congratulations to Delia DeLeest who has a new 1920s romance coming out in early fall from The Wild Rose Press. Here's the blurb for NOT LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.

How could someone not looking for trouble stumble upon it so easily? Susan Kent wonders this exact thing when she finds the man of her dreams, only to discover that he lives in a nightmare of his own making.

Jake Kelley thought he found the peace and simplicity he'd been looking for all his life. But in bringing Susan into his world, is he only dragging her down instead of pulling himself up?

The dark underworld of gangland Chicago throbs with intrigue, thrills and danger--those who venture there seldom leave intact...if they leave at all.

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Congratulations to Margaret Mallory whose KNIGHT OF PASSION, the third of her "All the King's Men" trilogy, received a 4 1/2 star "Top Pick" review from Romantic Times. "Mallory raises the genre to a new level." Here's the blurb:

Renowned beauty Lady Linnet is torn between two desires: revenge on those who destroyed her family or marriage to her childhood sweetheart Sir James Rayburn. One fateful night, she makes a misguided choice: she sacrifices Jamie's love for a chance at vengeance.

Jamie Rayburn returns to England in search of a virtuous wife--only to find the lovely Linnet as bewitching as ever. Their reckless affair ignites anew, even hotter than before, although Jamie vows to never again trust her with his heart. Then just as Linnet begins to make amends, she's tempted by one last opportunity to settle old scores. But a final retribution could cost her Jamie's love--this time forever.

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Debut author Lila DiPasqua's steamy fairy tale collection AWAKENED BY A KISS, set in 17th century France, won't be available until August, but she's holding a contest now! What's up for grabs? Well...she's giving away poison. Check out the details here.

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Congratulations to Jennifer Linforth, whose MADRIGAL, the first of her novels that continue Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera, is featured in a contest from Night Owl Reviews. The contest runs through April 23, so check it out!

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Lorelie Brown's 1920s romance, JAZZ BABY, her March debut from Samhain, received a B+ review from Dear Author. "If Prohibition/Jazz Age is the new Regency, I say bring it on. If readers are looking for something different, and I know I am, I hope they look this way."

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Join us Sunday when Cat LINDLER will be here to chat about her Medallion debut, STARLIGHT & PROMISES, set 1891 Tasmania. She'll also be giving away a copy. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of AIMEE'S LOCKET from P.L. Parker's guest appearance last Sunday. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.

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Stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Cheryl Pierson, Michelle Styles, Blythe Gifford, and Diane Whiteside will be our guests. Join us!

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Have a good weekend! Remember, you don't have to be an Unusual Historicals contributor to submit good news to the weekend announcements. If it has to do with unusual historicals, we'd love to shout it out to the world! Send announcements to Carrie. See you next week...