Time
is catching up with my very popular time-travel Regency romance, REGENCY
SOCIETY REVISITED. When I first began plotting the story, the start date for
this near future book was 2010. As that year was too close to its release year
in 2007, REGENCY SOCIETY REVISITED now begins in 2020. Before we know it, it
WILL be 2020!
A
bit of history on this genesis for this book: Back during the latter part of
the last century (!), stories with actual time machines were frowned upon by
traditional publishers. For some reason, it was felt that time-travel machines
were too farfetched. So instead, walking through mirrors, having magic lockets,
going to sleep and waking up in the past were some of the methods used as
devices for time-travel. I ask you, aren’t those schemes even more farfetched
than using science to create a machine?!
To
continue, I’d already used electrical storms (SOJOURN THROUGH TIME), a magic
Celtic moon (LORD DARVER’S MATCH),
a mystic’s spell (TIMELESS
DECEPTION). Now I wanted something different: an actual, honest-to-goodness
time-travel machine! Shocking! I invented the Time Displacement Wave (TDW) with
science behind it... and rules. These rules helped to shape the story. For
example:
1. Only worthy projects--those that
will enhance knowledge of the past--are selected for the honor of time-travel.
2. A span of no more than six hundred backwards is
all that is allowed. Travel to the future hasn’t been invented yet.
3. In addition to the time-traveler, only forty
pounds of material can be taken back to the past. These objects can remain in
the past or brought back to the present, however nothing created in the past
can be brought back through the Time Displacement Wave into the present.
4. The journey lasts one entire
year. And, the only time the traveler can return to the present is one year to
the day from when he or she left. The return time has a very small window of
opportunity. If it is missed, then the traveler remains in the past.
Cool,
right?
Duty or Love? In the year 2020, anthropologist Serenity Steele's
research assignment is to travel back into the past--however, she doesn't count
on the many attractions of a certain Regency rake. Should she ignore her
obligations and stay in the past... or should she leave behind the man she
loves?
An Enchanting Dilemma: In the year 1812, Nicholas Wycliffe, the toplofty
Lord Brockton, has no desire to take a wife, especially a mysterious widow who
doesn't live by society's rules. But what is he to make of the enchanting
"Mrs." Steele, who not only refuses to discuss her past, she also has
the audacity to turn him down when he proposes marriage?
REGENCY
SOCIETY REVISITED has been with Awe-Struck
Publishing (Mundania Press) from the beginning. This book is part of
Awe-Struck’s prestigious Phaeton Regency line. However, it’s very possible that
the publisher for this book will change soon. Stay tuned!
REGENCY
SOCIETY REVISITED also achieved #1 bestseller status at Fictionwise.com, 5
stars on Amazon.com, and multiple 5 stars review on Goodreads.
Anthropologist
Serenity Steele meets her heart’s desire in the form of a short-tempered
Regency rake, Nicholas Wycliffe.
You
can view REGENCY SOCIETY REVISITED’s book trailer here. Music is by Kevin MacLeod,
Sinfonia3.
Real
life tidbit: As I wrote in the Author
Notes blog on COMPETITORS!, my major in college was anthropology, and while my area of
personal interest was physical anthropology, my actual major was cultural
anthropology like REGENCY SOCIETY REVISITED’s protagonist, Serenity Steele. And
like Serenity, I also wrote monographs on anthropological topics.
Originally, REGENCY SOCIETY REVISITED was to be the
name of Serenity’s research on the Regency period. The actual name of the novel
was to be REFORMATION OF A RAKE. The completed book was huge; it was a very
ambitious project that, eventually, was whittled down to its present length.
Included in this novel were pages from Serenity’s anthropological manuscript
and notes.
Soon, I’ll be offering this Companion Booklet on
Serenity’s study on Regency England. It goes hand-in-hand with the time-travel
Regency, REGENCY SOCIETY REVISITED. Those of you familiar with the story will
recognize the characters and some of the situations that generated Serenity’s
report. Included are these major topics:
Aggression and Conflict
Family and Kinship
Heath Care
Social Organization, Rank,
and Inequality
Below is an excerpt on Aggression and Conflict,
subtopic Political Assassination so that you can get a feel for what the
booklet includes.
AGGRESSION AND CONFLICT (Dr. Steele’s manuscript)
Political
Assassination
Assassinations have
run rampant throughout history. From ancient Rome’s Julius Caesar to England’s
Prime Minister Burton Haydorp in the twenty-first century, elimination of
political rulers represents a strong fiber interweaving humankind’s past,
present, and, in all probability, future. When individuals or groups go beyond
their culture’s due process of law and take matters into their own hands, then
anarchy, for a time, results. As the author states in “Jalè War Practices,”
From an anthropological
perspective, [assassination]
is an
individual’s personal method of declaring war.1
Though some
assassins do achieve their goal, fortunately, most fail. The Regency period and
surrounding eras are no exception. George III numbered several attempts,
including--
1. a 1786 near-stabbing outside St. James’
Palace,
2. a 1800 shooting at Drury Lane, and
3. a shooting in Hyde Park.
In all attempts, the
King escaped without injury, however in Hyde Park, an onlooker received a
musket shot to the thigh.
The unpopular
Prince of Wales also can boast of being a target for deranged people with
grudges. Countless times the future George IV’s life has been threatened by the
populace. But, as all attacks have failed, to date, one wonders whether these
individuals are after his life--or his money.
Even the young
Queen Victoria had some close calls at the beginning of her reign. Having
acceded to the throne in 1837, three years later an attempt was made on her
life--another in 1842, and again in 1849. Public life does have its drawbacks.
One Recent Assassination:
The most recent
case of assassination in this year of 1812 has been successful. The prime
minister, Spencer Perceval, holding his post since the fourth of October, 1809,
was shot and killed because of a personal complaint, by John Bellingham in the
House of Commons on the eleventh of May, 1812. Perceval is survived by wife
Jane and children. As a side note, in later years, son Spencer Jr. took to fire
and brimstone religion.
Lord Liverpool is
slated to become the next prime minister--just ten days before the United
States declares war against Britain. Not an enviable assignment.
1Serenity Steele, “Jalè War Practices,” United
Anthropology Report, February 2008, p. 86.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As you see, these notes combine the past with the
present and the future. To my knowledge, luckily, Great Britain never had--or will have--a Prime Minister by the
name of Burton Haydorp, destined to be assassinated past, present, or future!
I
hope you enjoy Serenity and Nicholas’ story, and also, the soon-to-be-released
anthropological booklet that goes along with REGENCY SOCIETY REVISITED.
Happy
reading,
Susanne
Marie Knight
Read
outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!
