tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31391124225659690722012-03-03T08:31:39.893-05:00Colonial American Christian FictionCarrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.comBlogger1711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-921075013228273032012-03-02T03:30:00.000-05:002012-03-02T03:30:01.951-05:00

Have you ever noticed the skill and creativity with which Shakespeare's characters insulted one another? The delightful wit in Austen's biting repartee? The grin-inducing charm of a pirate calling someone a scurvy dog? Oh yes, insults have always been used--and prior to this modern age, were a work of art that relied less on the vulgar and more on the brain. They were clever, they were

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-43448513411817849612012-02-29T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-29T18:55:28.194-05:00

1727 Berlin Coupe - Luray Caverns Museum By Susan F. Craft In Pride and Prejudice, what was Lady Catherine offering Lizzie when she said, “And if you will stay another month complete, it will be in my power to take one of you as far as London, for I am going there early in June for a week; and as Dawson does not object to the barouche-box, there will be very good room for one of you. . .

Susan F. Crafthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00383014100399818941noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-77532372193881788572012-02-27T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-27T03:30:00.871-05:00

Love Finds You in Nazareth, Pennsylvania by Melanie Dobson Summerside (2011) Reviewed by Diana L. Flowers 4-1/2 stars~ Enthralling Read! Melanie Dobson sweeps us away on a spellbinding journey into the New World; a half untamed land fraught with strife and dangers on every hand, and pervaded with hidden, forbidden passions. Two couples in a Moravian community in Germany, are

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-20346228747433052172012-02-26T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-26T03:30:00.346-05:00

Since the founding of our nation, Americans have been called to pray for our country, its leaders, and those who serve in the military. During wartime, attacks, and natural disasters, that motivation intensifies dramatically. Even though we are a pluralistic country, we still observe a National Day of Prayer early each May. Many churches and para-church ministries call for fasting and

Janet Grunsthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03635290708361600803noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-22742364597638425482012-02-24T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-24T03:30:01.982-05:00

It was on board a pirate ship!  Yes indeed. A hundred years before the French Revolution, pirates ships were run on the principles in which liberty, equality, and brotherhood were the rule, rather than the exception.  I’m sure that surprises you as much as it did me, but it’s true. These treasure-craving  roving thieves actually lived and breathed under a democracy. Here’s how it worked.

MaryLu Tyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627854450199870544noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-86179698677246455272012-02-22T03:00:00.002-05:002012-02-22T03:00:10.895-05:00

Between 1707-1775 over 145,000 Scots emigrated to North Carolina. When you think of how far the state's population lagged behind other colonies, this is a staggering number. They chose North Carolina because Gabriel Johnston, a native of Scotland and graduate of St. Andrews University, served as Governor between 1734-1752. He wrote all his friends and invited them to emigrate to North Carolina

Author Jennifer Hudson Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-29519064835879038132012-02-20T05:30:00.000-05:002012-02-20T12:45:20.529-05:00

In honor of Rita Gerlach's new release, Before the Scarlet Dawn we are having a book launch. And we are doing it at George Washington's 280th birthday tea party, served by his wife, Martha. Pull up a chair, specify your tea preference, and have a slice of Martha's cherry pye, George's favorite, and we'll introduce ourselves.  You do the same! Click here for our colonial cherry

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-16480181611651647732012-02-19T03:21:00.000-05:002012-02-19T03:21:00.378-05:00

 In Honor of George Washington's 280th Birthday! A Cherry Pye Lay sugar at the bottom of your dish, put in your fruit, and sugar on the top.  Always allow plenty of sugar to all fruit pyes. Cover your pye with good puff-paste, and bake it. A few red currants with the cherries are a good addition.  In the same manner make a pye of currants and rasp-berries.  Observe to pick

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-5839834536469079582012-02-17T04:30:00.000-05:002012-02-17T12:32:23.891-05:00

By Janet Grunst As we celebrate George Washington’s 280th birthday, what better opportunity to explore the place he was born. Wakefield is located in Westmoreland County, part of the Northern Neck of Virginia, just 38 miles east of Fredericksburg. It is situated on the Potomac River, between Mattox Creek and Popes Creek. In 1657 John Washington came to Virginia from England aboard the

Janet Grunsthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03635290708361600803noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-292483032897228662012-02-15T09:00:00.000-05:002012-02-15T09:25:18.245-05:00

Greetings, friends. Let me turn my mare loose here before we visit. For those who don’t know me, I’m Nathaniel Griffith. I have worked hard since 1652 to build this farm, and I’m pleased you dropped by for some good fellowship. What’s that ye say? That’s a goodly mare? Yes, it is. I bought her last week from Mr. Bradford. Ye know, I look far for good stock, and this mare shows some fine

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-62346547310576028402012-02-13T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-13T03:30:00.607-05:00

Colonial American Christian Writers members Pamela Griffin, Jennifer Hudson Taylor, and Gina Welborn are teamed with Carol-award nominee Laurie Alice Eakes in this four novella collection published by Barbour in 2012. Laurie Alice Eakes, Gina Welborn, and Nick at Colonial Williamsburg Member Gina Welborn has her DEBUT in this North Carolina based colonial collection. Highland

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-67898105260374765542012-02-12T07:00:00.000-05:002012-02-12T07:11:01.116-05:00

“God who gave us life gave us liberty...” Thomas Jefferson “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 While Thomas Jefferson was referring to our civil liberties, he spoke the truth that God gave us life and gave us liberty. God created mankind, and mankind enslaved himself to sin. Praise be to

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-4275256071264356852012-02-10T03:30:00.002-05:002012-02-10T03:30:03.459-05:00

By Susan F. Craft Valentine’s Day Eve, 1755 Two young women, clad in their night shifts, stood barefooted in their loft bedroom. A stubby candle anchored in a pile of wax on the corner of the nightstand illumined their golden hair plaited into long ropes draped across their shoulders. “Do be quiet, you will give us away!” Heather admonished her twin sister. Hannah pressed her fingers to her

Susan F. Crafthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00383014100399818941noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-74928285465840369162012-02-08T01:30:00.000-05:002012-02-08T01:30:01.987-05:00

For many parents, the moment that their child goes off on that first day of school can be heartbreaking. It’s a realization that their child is slowly stepping out into the world—and away from home. Eventually, perhaps, for good. This life-changing event is described with poignancy in the autobiography of renowned author and politician, William Allen White. (As quoted by Eric Sloane in

Elaine Marie Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10433520113422863255noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-32810338045212646062012-02-07T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-07T14:37:05.613-05:00

Heart’s Inheritance By Jennifer Hudson Taylor Reviewed by Teresa Mathews Jennifer’s story “Heart’s Inheritance” tells the story of Brynna Sinclair, younger daughter of Finley and Seren Cardew Sinclair. Brynna is a young lady who loves history and antiques, and abhors change.  Brynna, accompanied by her brother Rob and friend Jean are on a trip to Charleston to learn as much as

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-45668317230630487052012-02-06T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-07T14:35:28.939-05:00

Printed on My Heart by Laurie Alice Eakes (Barbour, 2012) Reviewed by MaryLu Tyndall Historic North Carolina takes center stage in a new collection of novellas that follows the lives and loves of four women…and the heirloom brooch that connects them through generations. Will Seona, Fiona, Seren, and Brynna find God’s path in a new world far from their Scottish home? Printed on My Heart is

MaryLu Tyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627854450199870544noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-54031379878529238592012-02-05T03:30:00.000-05:002012-02-05T03:30:00.716-05:00

Gina Welborn gave this link to an easy Colonial Apple Pie recipe.  Her favorite apple pie recipe, though, (and rather similar to that one in the link) comes from a cookbook featuring pies from each of the 50 states. The flaky crust recipe comes from Gina's South Dakota grandmother.  However, the following is what I received from Gina: Chocolate Pie or Buttermilk Pie or Both? By Gina

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-68198776394681897912012-02-03T03:00:00.000-05:002012-02-03T03:00:05.086-05:00

I'm an editor. A grammarian. A bonafide word nerd. I do an etymology post on my blog once a week because I'm so intrigued by the history of words. When I prepare to write a book set in a given era, my research includes reading books written within that window, so that I can get a feel for how the people of the time spoke. I update it a bit when necessary to make it accessible to modern

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-22214882165718630742012-02-01T00:30:00.000-05:002012-02-01T00:30:01.432-05:00

The Farmer’s Life in Colonial Boston, by Pegg Thomas Hello! It’s early you are, but no mind. Come to the house and refresh yourself. I’ll be lucky to get the milk bucket there before it freezes. Never seen such a winter as this back home. You’ve probably noticed by my talking, but me husband and I came over from Ireland. His brother came five years back and helped bring us over last

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-22783706234062174722012-01-30T03:30:00.002-05:002012-02-01T06:53:40.755-05:00

Gina Welborn Gina Welborn is the author of “Sugarplum Hearts” in the Highland Crossings anthology. Published by: Barbour Publishing Date: February 2012 Gina, what got you interested in the colonial time period? Fame and fortune. I’d written manuscripts in numerous other time-periods but couldn’t sell them for various reasons, so Laurie Alice asked me if I’d like to join a novella

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-63802745139037365222012-01-29T00:00:00.002-05:002012-01-29T00:00:00.546-05:00

"Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us." John Hancock.Our dependence on God must be complete. We are to walk by faith, not by sight.John Hancock's words came at a time when the impossible would soon be done. The United States of America would eventually win the war against the British

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-15277825309162773132012-01-27T15:00:00.001-05:002012-01-27T16:59:04.062-05:00

I’m currently writing a third novel in a series. The first is The Chamomile that was released by Ingalls Publishing Group in November 2011, and the second that will be released in 2012. The third has a working title of "Cassia." In Cassia, my heroine, Lilyan, rescues a newborn after the mother dies in childbirth. While researching about how Lilyan could manage to feed a newborn after they are

Susan F. Crafthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00383014100399818941noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-67227892723800010302012-01-25T10:07:00.001-05:002012-01-25T10:07:31.795-05:00

Recently I had the pleasure of sharing my new title for my next historical releasing in 2012. "Titling" as publishers call it, is a unique process. Oftentime readers and non-writers assume authors have control over their titles and book covers which is rarely the case. We have "working titles" which we create during the writing of our manuscripts. Once we turn that manuscript in to editors, the

Laura Frantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-18820115050759730212012-01-23T03:30:00.000-05:002012-01-23T19:30:46.977-05:00

Before the Scarlet Dawn  by Rita Gerlach (Abingdon Press, 2012) 5 stars ***** Guest Reviewer: Diana L. Flowers Colonial Fiction At Its Finest! In Before the Scarlet Dawn (available through Christian Book Distributors), Rita Gerlach has penned an emotionally gripping saga of the harsh realities of Colonial life; replete with the constant threat of Indians, terrifying blizzards,

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-20262487867486699262012-01-22T03:30:00.000-05:002012-01-22T16:47:29.549-05:00

The colonials brought the tradition of wassail from Merry old England to America (though in various forms, the beverage has been around since the Middle Ages). I learned that Wassail comes from the Middle English phrase wæs hæl - which means "good health" or "be you healthy". I have found that it's not just a delicious hot drink but also a remedy that can literally keep you that way.

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-44681685093736231022012-01-20T00:30:00.000-05:002012-01-21T20:51:03.475-05:00

Love Finds You in Nazareth, Pennsylvania cover The journey back into the 1700s to write Love Finds You in Nazareth, Pennsylvania was a very personal one for me. For the first two decades of my life, you see, the history of my father’s side of the family (the Beroths) was a mystery to us. My father was a commercial pilot, and as he flew across the country, he scoured phone books for

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-4902083641360081892012-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:002012-01-18T00:00:08.762-05:00

I am glad to have you back to my humble farm. For those of you who are new to me, I am Nathaniel Griffith of Newport in the Rhode Island Colony. I see you are eying my fence. Aye, it is simplistic, but effective. Here you see I have laid logs on top of crosses held together with strong rawhide ties in some places and rope from hemp in others. This is a temporary fence for now. Not strong, but

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-55442481635790883862012-01-16T00:30:00.000-05:002012-01-16T00:30:00.584-05:00

Pamela Griffin is one of four authors of the novella anthology Highland Crossings. Published by: Barbour Date of release: February 2012 Pamela Griffin is also the author of over fifty books, all of them inspirational romance. Her website is http://pamela-griffin.com/ She is a member of Colonial American Christian Writers and we are so very glad!!! Pamela, what got you interested

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-55261245855314751512012-01-15T00:00:00.001-05:002012-01-15T00:00:02.359-05:00

John Winthrop, a man who would eventually become the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, prayed that God, "would give me a new heart, joy in his spirit; that he would dwell with me, that he, that he would strengthen me against the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and that he would forgive my sins and increase my faith."This prayer reminds me of some of the prayers and exhortations the

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-71002182321457058702012-01-13T03:30:00.000-05:002012-01-13T03:30:01.171-05:00

We've all read history books and heard tales of male pirates, privateers, explorers, and navy men, but rarely have we heard stories of the large numbers of women who went to sea.  Why is that?  One reason is that from earliest times, superstitious sailors insisted that women on board brought nothing but bad luck. Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood wrote in 1808 "I never knew a woman brought to

MaryLu Tyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627854450199870544noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-5429187197522382352012-01-11T03:02:00.004-05:002012-01-11T03:02:00.883-05:00

"The past is where we get the raw material we use.... We pick bygone time up by the handfuls and, like clay, see if it feels right and then form it into stories about the past." ~ James Thom, The Art and Craft of Writing Historical Fiction James Alexander Thom is one of my favorite general market fiction writers, so when I learned last year that he'd written The Art and Craft of Writing

Lori Bentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-23913836839350886662012-01-09T00:30:00.033-05:002012-01-09T00:30:01.023-05:00

Take a trip back to the mid-17th century Caribbean when pirates ruled the seas in MaryLu Tyndall's newly re-released pirate series, Legacy of the King's Pirates!  And these aren't just your ordinary pirates... these are pirates who bow the knee to the King of Kings! The Redemption  (Christy Award Nominee!) ***** “The Redemption is a wonderful story with fast-paced action, soul searching

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-20283233636053728342012-01-08T00:00:00.000-05:002012-01-08T00:00:02.614-05:00

Griddle Muffins Yield: Makes 1 dozen 1 packages dry yeast or 1 yeast cake 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup water 3 tablespoons melted shortening 1-1/4 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar 3-1/2 cups (approx.) flour Cornmeal Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Combine milk and remaining water and scald. Add shortening, salt, and sugar. Cool to lukewarm; add yeast and 2 cups flour. Stir

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-70573870489313590832012-01-06T01:30:00.000-05:002012-01-06T01:30:03.804-05:00

I love Annapolis. I love the old-world charm, I love the maritime beauty, I love the ancient facades (or as ancient as facades can get in America) of the buildings. I love that when I walk along City Dock during boating season, I can hear conversations in German and French and Italian as well as Spanish and English. I love seeing the Midshipman bustling along in their pristine whites, I

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-53109542367260651292012-01-04T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-04T09:01:21.194-05:00

   Hello, CQ readers. Today I am sharing a tea cake recipe that my heroine, Juleah Fallows Braxton, would have made in the Colonial period.  Allow me first to give you a snippet from my novel 'Surrender the Wind', an inspirational historical romance set in the Colonial era.  Juleah’s reflection appeared in the window glass. Unlike a mirror, it was a translucent image, her eyes and

Rita Gerlachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348571506318182955noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-12071259486951953612012-01-02T03:00:00.000-05:002012-01-02T19:07:30.878-05:00

Releases for 2011 by members of  Colonial American Christian Writers Blythe, Barbara, Fire Dragon's Angel, White Rose Publishing. Cooper, Elaine Marie, The Promise of Deer Run, iUniverse. Craft, Susan,  The Chamomile, Ingalls Publishing Group. Frantz, Laura, The Colonel's Lady, Revell. White, Roseanna, Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland, Summerside Press. We

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-32005128897981006062012-01-01T03:00:00.000-05:002012-01-01T03:00:06.395-05:00

" The Word of God must be Read and Heard with Diligence that so you may arrive to the Knowledge that is needful for you. " Cotton Mather Cotton Mather, the 17th Century Puritan preacher, echoes the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15 What is the knowledge we

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-59209595676968665812011-12-30T01:30:00.000-05:002011-12-30T01:30:02.571-05:00

I had a wonderful time recently at the launch for my novel, The Chamomile. Several of the guests made the following toasts that were proposed during the Revolutionary War era. Toast 1 George Washington attended a Public Dinner at Frances Tavern on Pearl Street in New York where he would propose 13 Toasts with Hot Butter'd Rum.' 1. To the United States of America, 2. To His Most

Susan F. Crafthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00383014100399818941noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-87199792483110572702011-12-28T04:00:00.000-05:002011-12-28T04:00:05.600-05:00

Hopping John  ~  Hoppin’ John By Janet Grunst For many years we have begun each New Year with Hopping John.  This traditional southern dish, also known as ‘Hoppin’ John in America, originated in North Africa and was probably brought to these shores as a result of the slave trade. The use of black-eyed peas dates back at least 3000 years when it was part of the Greek and Roman

Janet Grunsthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03635290708361600803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-36305481107763617302011-12-26T00:30:00.000-05:002012-01-09T08:37:17.580-05:00

#christianfiction Book Summary Lady Charlisse Bristol sets off on a voyage in search of a father she never knew, only to find herself shipwrecked on a desert island. Near starvation, she is rescued by a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick. Will Clarisse win her struggle against the seductive lure of this pirate captain?  While battling his attraction

Author Jennifer Hudson Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-28539390922370801522011-12-25T03:30:00.000-05:002011-12-25T03:30:03.645-05:00

The Christmas Coach 1795, JLG FerrisMerry Christmas to you and your family 2011 from the Colonial Quills Staff!

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-22871318136948487182011-12-23T00:00:00.000-05:002011-12-25T19:43:41.044-05:00

Yorktown Virginia has been taken over by the American colonial army.  They have set up encampment near the York River.  Feeding such a large number of men takes some planning.  This time of year those soldiers are looking for something that reminds them of home.  We are sure the French soldiers will find our fare a little bland but the cooks are working hard.  Ovens are built into the ground.

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-3652998920574099132011-12-21T03:30:00.005-05:002011-12-21T13:08:38.293-05:00

It's Tradition! In keeping with my hope of writing fiction set in the 18th century for a long while to come, I wanted to research and blog about what an 18th century Christmas might have looked like. I came away with one overriding impression: simplicity. According to Emma Powers in her Christmas Customs article (Colonial Williamsburg website): "Eighteenth-century [Christmas] customs don't

Lori Bentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-62602612549915339282011-12-19T03:30:00.002-05:002011-12-19T06:31:41.091-05:00

Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of The Road to Deer Run and The Promise of Deer Run, the first two books of the Deer Run Saga. Her website is http://DeerRunBooks.com and http://PromiseOfDeerRun.com Published by: iUniverse; Book Three has been contracted by Sword of the Spirit Publishing, who will also publish Books One and Two when they are free of their current contracts. Dates: 2010 and

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-56348155398681860102011-12-18T01:39:00.000-05:002011-12-18T01:39:00.136-05:00

Plum Porridge for Christmas (Christmas Pudding) TAKE a leg and shin of beef, put them into eight gallons of water, and boil them till they are very tender, and when the broth is strong .strain it out: wipe the pot and put in the broth again; then fice six penny loaves thin, cut off the top and bottom, put some of the liquor to it, cover it up and let it stand a quarter of an hour,

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-50499455651347373762011-12-16T14:09:00.000-05:002011-12-16T14:09:00.407-05:00

Ever wonder why the only breads frontier people ate were cornbread and biscuits? I'm here to answer that question. It is impossible (to my knowledge) to bake yeast breads on an open hearth. The reasons are simple. An inability to keep the heat even, and no room for the bread to rise as it bakes. I worked for four years as a tour guide at Kent Plantation House in central Louisiana and

Rachel Wilderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16004728242824462126noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-41129208234079171672011-12-14T00:30:00.005-05:002011-12-14T09:57:31.483-05:00

The final chapter of The Colonel's Lady is a Christmas scene. There's something about ending a novel right then that is somewhat magical and contributes to the requisite happy ending. I had such fun covering Fort Endeavor and the stone house with snow, decorating everything with greenery and candlelight even down to the scent of gingerbread. Even if it was only on the page! After reading the

Laura Frantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-5868060646711985592011-12-12T03:00:00.128-05:002011-12-12T16:53:59.669-05:00

Good Tidings to all our Colonial friends! We will have lots of giveaways in celebration of Christ's birth!  Please help yourself to some Wassail from the delicious recipe Roseanna White shared with us. And if you care for some Fruit Cake we have anotherdelightful receipt from Martha Washington. And have some Christmas Plum Pudding (watch for the recipe this coming Sunday.) The

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com102tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-12891078632491914222011-12-11T06:01:00.000-05:002011-12-11T06:01:01.045-05:00

Martha Washington Fruit Cake, 1700's recipe "This recipe according to the best of authority is a corrct copy from Martha Washington's old original receipt book." 1 1/2 pounds sugar 1/2 pound butter 6 egg yolks, well beaten 1 pint of sour cream 1 teaspoonful soda 1 3/4 pounds sifted flour 6 egg whites, stiffly beaten 1 pound raisins, stoned and chopped 1 pound currants, well cleaned 1/2 pound

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-67148358232739721142011-12-09T10:00:00.000-05:002011-12-09T10:55:13.317-05:00

Before I even set foot in South Carolina, there was something about Charleston that drew my affections. A mystique, an allure of romance and adventure that caught my heart long before I tread upon the city’s cobblestone streets. So when my publisher agreed to publish my trilogy, Charles Towne Belles, and more currently, my next release Veil of Pearls, also set in Charleston,  I just had to

MaryLu Tyndallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627854450199870544noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-76958696871217798572011-12-07T01:30:00.010-05:002011-12-07T01:30:01.834-05:00

From everything I've been told about my grandmother, she was an excellent cook. She measured flour with her hand instead of a measuring cup. She could take a head of cabbage and feed a table of ten with it during the Depression. She'd bake dozens of dinner rolls every morning to feed her family and share with needy neighbors. A few of her recipes were past down, and one thing my grandmother

Rita Gerlachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348571506318182955noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-44021569499119808932011-12-04T05:01:00.003-05:002011-12-04T17:20:54.507-05:00

Williamsburg, Virginia is a delightful destination to visit any time of the year, but something special happens here every fall as this quaint village prepares to celebrate Christmas. For the past seventy years, what is now known as “Grand Illumination” has been the official start to the Christmas season in Colonial Williamsburg. This event falls on the first Sunday of December and draws

Janet Grunsthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03635290708361600803noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-47082558098068217042011-12-02T03:30:00.000-05:002011-12-02T03:30:01.474-05:00

Writers aren't made of money. Unfortunately for us. While the Internet--specifically Google Books--has become an invaluable resource, sometimes Google doesn't have the answer you need. There are many instances where the library won't do either. A book we're after can be used for multiple projects, you can't find it in a library system and don't want to wait x number of weeks for it to arrive

Rachel Wilderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16004728242824462126noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-78044597553606627032011-11-30T03:00:00.002-05:002011-12-01T14:33:36.623-05:00

Lately I've had to make the leap in time from colonial fashion to early 19th-century fashion in the new novel I'm writing. Believe me, it's a tricky transition! Though Regency era clothing is lovely in some respects, my heart has always been at home with 18th-century fashions. My love affair with colonial dress began early. When I was a girl, my Kentucky granny sewed me a linen costume much like

Laura Frantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-59757282340572622222011-11-28T00:00:00.001-05:002011-12-03T22:12:38.115-05:00

Fiction Monday Review Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland By Roseanna M. White Summerside Press (December 2011) Roseanna has written a beautiful book.  Her voice is fresh and lovely.  She lends authenticity to the story with her own history of having attended college in historic Annapolis.  Her love for the city is evident in her descriptions.  The story is set during the time

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-16460482548101428922011-11-27T03:00:00.002-05:002011-11-27T03:00:00.839-05:00

Back in Merry Ol' England--and hence in the Colonies that celebrated the holidays in English fashion like the mid-Atlantic--wassailing was an age-old tradition. It was a time for the poor to make the rounds in the wealthy neighborhoods and earn a few pence. They would concoct a batch of wassail and sell it door-to-door. Though oftentimes the wassail wasn't the tastiest thing to pass the lips,

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-20147527000316985572011-11-25T00:00:00.001-05:002011-11-27T09:24:30.808-05:00

Title: John Winthrop, America’s Forgotten Founding Father Author: Francis J. Bremer Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2003 If good intentions could save a person’s soul, then there would be no doubt about John Winthrop’s soul. John Winthrop was a man of vision. He sought to create a new land, pure from the corruption found in the Church of England, but his desire to do so came while he lived

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-74574939974826684502011-11-23T03:30:00.000-05:002011-11-23T03:30:01.060-05:00

By our newest Quiller: Elaine Marie Cooper                                   Thanksgiving in Early America                                          When we sit down at our Thanksgiving meal this month, we’ll be recreating a celebration that is as old as our country: sharing food with loved ones while thanking the God Who has provided the abundance.    While we understand that the First

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-48574426573724240652011-11-21T00:30:00.001-05:002011-11-21T06:33:11.863-05:00

Roseanna M. White is the author of Love Finds You in Annapolis, MarylandPublished by: Summerside PressDate: 1 December 2011Roseanna is also the author of two other books, both Biblical novels from WhiteFire Publishing, Her website is http://www.roseannamwhite.com/wordpress/ Roseanna, what got you interested in the colonial time period?Actually, it was my interest in Annapolis itself that led me

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-33802860338179067322011-11-20T05:01:00.002-05:002011-11-20T05:01:00.300-05:00

To Make Sause for Foule (Turkey Gravy) For turkeys…take gravie (presumably the drippings) & strong broth & leamon, minc’d, & grated bread, a spoonefull or 2 of claret wine & a little butter & if you have an anchovie. Give all a boyle together.  From Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery Servants preparing a Thanksgiving meal. One can only wish! Enjoy these links that have some great

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-68925186805797337282011-11-18T01:25:00.001-05:002011-11-18T01:25:00.177-05:00

We writers are a cheap lot. Many of us don't have a big budget for our research books. And let's face it, not everything we need or want or think we need can be found on the Web. In four years of managing the gift shop at Kent Plantation House in Alexandria, Louisiana, I gleaned some great, cheap fashion resources. For the writer on a tight budget, Dover Publications is one of your very best

Rachel Wilderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16004728242824462126noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-70558911252136420592011-11-16T00:30:00.002-05:002011-11-16T05:19:03.636-05:00

PROCLAMATION by the United States in Congress assembly: October 31, 1780 Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God, the Father of all mercies, amidst the vicissitudes and calamities of war, to bestow blessings on the people of these states, which call for their devout and thankful acknowledgments, more especially in the late remarkable interposition of his watchful providence, in rescuing the person

Susan F. Crafthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00383014100399818941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-70120475610900115392011-11-14T01:00:00.007-05:002011-11-14T08:34:25.244-05:00

Hear ye, hear ye! Here's your chance to contribute to a wonderful cause this holiday season--and come away with some of your favorites from the Colonial Quill authors! One year ago, author and editor Sandi Rog had a big day approaching--the release of her first novel, The Master's Wall. Set in first-century Rome, this is an epic story of faith and love. But the very day her book

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-82573064735506290572011-11-13T02:26:00.000-05:002011-11-13T02:26:53.629-05:00

Shrewsbury Cakes (Cookies, pronounced Shrows-bree) 1 pound Sugar Cinnamon Nutmeg 3 pounds Flour Rosewater 3 Eggs melted Butter Instructions: Sift one pound of sugar, some pounded cinnamon, and a nutmeg grated, into three pounds of flour, the finest sort; add a little rose-water to three eggs, well-beaten, and mix these with the flour, etc. then pour into it as much butter melted as will

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-26005379120988426222011-11-11T05:45:00.004-05:002011-11-11T12:22:29.737-05:00

“There was a time before our time,It will not come again,When the best ships were the wooden ships But the men were iron men.” Clipper Ships and CaptainsBy Rosemary and Stephen Vincent Benet Veteran’s Day should be a day when all Americans take time to reflect on and be thankful for the service of so many men and women throughout our 236 years as a nation. I am appreciative not only for those

Janet Grunsthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03635290708361600803noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-73794280195831038092011-11-09T19:39:00.000-05:002011-11-09T19:39:23.599-05:00

Ever wonder how people kept up on fashion back in the day? I mean, in the 18th century fashion was EVERYTHING. Even here in the colonies--in fact, a London man described our balls and gowns as far more fashion-forward than anything to be seen in London. (Not his exact words, but that's the gist, LOL.) But it wasn't exactly the age of full-color magazines . . . nor of Fashion Weeks. They didn't

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-7757573521064422942011-11-07T03:50:00.000-05:002011-11-07T03:50:00.383-05:00

By Lori BentonI've made a happy reading discovery. His name is William O. Steele (1917-1979). He was the award-winning author of historical fiction for children written in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Particularly fiction set on the 18th century frontier of Tennessee. That's why I've just discovered him, because I'm writing a novel set on the eastern Tennessee frontier in the latter quarter of

Lori Bentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-54609492187693042102011-11-06T01:33:00.002-04:002011-11-08T00:49:37.812-05:00

Basic Apple or Crab Apple Jelly tart (underripe) apples or crab apples water 3/4 cup sugar for every cup of juice Porters or MacIntosh will make a sweet jelly; Gravensteins or Greenings will make a spicier jelly. You will need enough apples to fill a large kettle. Wipe the apples and remove the stems and the blossom ends and cut in quarters (do not pare—a large amount of the natural pectin is

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-43426494825816131792011-11-04T10:40:00.003-04:002011-11-07T16:24:48.622-05:00

As a historical fiction author, the lives of those who came before us are especially meaningful. The lives of the first ladies of the 18th and early 19th centuries are intriguing, their strength to hold their families and marriages tightly bonded through adverse times is a legacy each woman should ponder. In my novel, Beside Two Rivers, to be released in the fall of 2012, there are five

Rita Gerlachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348571506318182955noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-56443387809775674132011-11-02T03:11:00.001-04:002011-11-27T09:27:49.822-05:00

Greetings friends. For those of you new to me, I am Nathaniel Griffith. Please, let me close this gate to our horse pasture. This is the best pasture in Aquidneck Island. It took years to get it this way. When we first came to the island in 1651 this land was primarily bush and trees. We cleared what we could and let the grass take over. What makes this pasture particularly good is the mixture

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-63678559961202573512011-10-31T06:01:00.004-04:002011-11-08T01:08:48.067-05:00

Roseanna M. White, one of Colonial Quills regular contributors, is the author of A Stray Drop of Blood and Jewel of Persia. She is a member of ACFW, a historical group called HisWriters, HEWN Marketing, and the senior reviewer for the Christian Review of Books. Her forthcoming colonial period novel Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland (Summerside Press) releases on November 29, 2011. In

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-39051741166243725412011-10-30T04:54:00.013-04:002011-11-08T01:51:00.960-05:00

Have you noticed that with the arrival of fall, with its cooler days and evenings, our menus also change? In our home, we shift from cold soups, pasta salads, and vegetables, to warmer fare like soups and stews. Soups and stews have been around probably as long as folks have been preparing meals. One pot containing an entire meal, be it pottages, porridges, stews, or soups was a typical

Janet Grunsthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03635290708361600803noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-70766415507083558202011-10-28T06:20:00.001-04:002011-11-08T01:49:06.744-05:00

Courtyard of Old St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Philadelphia FROM THE ARCHIVES of Old St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Philadelphia THE ACADIANS “Then he beheld, in a dream, once more the home of his childhood; green Acadian meadows…… with Sylvan rivers among them” Over 200 years ago a great part of the land known as Nova Scotia was originally called Arcadia after a garden spot of ancient

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-58892675348830900442011-10-26T05:28:00.019-04:002011-10-26T05:28:00.222-04:00

Rosanna Farrow was proud of the fact that she had five sons old enough to fight for liberty. The eldest, not yet 21, was put in command of a cavalry company and led the youngest, a mere lad. Thus the mother, whose life had been passed in scenes of peace and prosperity, with no greater anxiety than to follow the fortunes of her young husband, was left with her daughters alone and unprotected and

Susan F. Crafthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00383014100399818941noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-43572489040448216032011-10-24T06:38:00.034-04:002012-02-01T06:55:52.417-05:00

Jennifer Hudson Taylor - NEW RELEASE THIS MONTH and birthday girl this week!!! Giveaway of Highland Sanctuary Tuesday! Giveaway Tomorrow (Tues.)!!! We are celebrating Monday and Tuesday with giveaways by our authors, e.g., books and colonial-themed goodies.   This is also a party for our authors Susan Craft (The Chamomile) and Jennifer Hudson Taylor (Highland

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com149tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-86336391662578699642011-10-23T02:51:00.002-04:002011-10-23T02:51:01.009-04:00

Lemon Tart (Contributed by Susan Craft) Take six large lemons, rub them well in salt, put them into salt and water and let them rest 2 days, change them daily in fresh water, 14 days, then cut slices and mince as fine as you can and boil them 2 or 3 hours till tender, then take 6 pippins (apples) pare, quarter and core them, boil in 1 pint fair water till the pippins break, then put the half of

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-46726138365095682912011-10-21T02:24:00.001-04:002011-10-21T02:24:00.163-04:00

Blacksmithing Research - On-site Interview with Kenneth Schwarz By Carrie Fancett Pagels I was recently privileged to interview Master Craftsman, Ken Schwarz, at CW. I was referred to him by the Carriage Maker Shop blacksmiths. At this location both wheelwrights and blacksmiths work on site. One question I had for Mr. Schwarz was – Within a blacksmith shop are the workers specialized? Answer:

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-25550282819973817742011-10-19T07:35:00.001-04:002011-10-19T07:35:00.181-04:00

This summer I had the joy of visiting Old Bedford Village, a colonial site relatively near my home. They have an entire village set up there, and different reenactors there throughout the week. My favorite was the lady in the Biddle House, who demonstrated spinning and how one would work in a colonial kitchen. We watched her spin some wool onto a walking wheel (also called a great wheel and a

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-78993876720012011882011-10-17T03:00:00.003-04:002011-10-18T13:28:53.218-04:00

Susan Craft is the author of The Chamomile, a historic, romantic suspense, a SIBA “Okra Pick” Published by: Ingalls Publishing GroupDate: November 2011 Susan Craft is also the author of three books: A Perfect Tempest, The Chamomile, as well as Laurel, the sequel to the Chamomile, which will be published November 2012 books.  Her website is http://www.susanfcraft.com Susan, what got you

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-30125069760846772332011-10-14T05:51:00.003-04:002011-11-27T09:25:34.196-05:00

Dr. John Clarke John Clarke (1609-1676), Pioneer in American Medicine, Democratic Ideals, and Champion of Religious Liberty, by Louis Franklin Asher, reprint 2004. Publisher: The Baptist Standard Bearer, Inc., Paris, Arkansas History comes to life when we look through the eyes of the people who lived it. More often than not, those eyes belong to people who were in leadership or held their

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-47239567654059123662011-10-12T04:26:00.001-04:002011-10-12T04:26:00.235-04:00

Smoke house, Wheatlands Plantation By Lori Benton Salted smoke-cured ham. Ham biscuits. Country ham gravy. Those are tastes from my childhood I miss. My maternal forbears raised hogs and smoked their hams since, I suppose, the first of them left England and came to the Virginia/North Carolina border area in the early 1600s. My grandfather moved his family north to Maryland in the 1950s, built

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-17162300613336192852011-10-10T03:26:00.031-04:002011-10-10T03:26:00.423-04:00

Jennifer Hudson Taylor is a member of Colonial American Christian Writers and a contributor on Colonial Quills.  She has just released her newest book - Highland Sanctuary.Published by: Abingdon PressDate: Oct 2011 Jennifer Hudson Taylor is also the author of Highland Blessings (Abingdon Press, 2010).  Her website is http://www.jenniferhudsontaylor.com Jennifer, what got you interested in the

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-13698743766534282072011-10-09T06:01:00.001-04:002011-10-09T06:01:00.630-04:00

Martha Washington's Colonial Chocolate George Washington’s Favorite Hot Chocolate. 4 Tablespoons Cocoa Small amount Of Cold Water 2 Cups Water 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar 2 Cups Milk 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch Small amount Of Cold Milk 1 Egg 1/2 Cup Hot Water 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract Mix Cocoa And Cold Water To A Smooth Paste In A Saucepan. Stir In The 2 Cups Water, Sugar And Milk. Bring

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-52049602391618691902011-10-07T09:00:00.002-04:002011-11-22T09:19:39.940-05:00

Baron von Steuben Writing historical fiction takes a love for history. As an author, I find the lives of people from the past fascinating. Perhaps because they lived so differently than today. I found the wording from this clip from 101 years ago in my local newspaper interesting. 101 years ago - A congregational meeting was held at the Evangelical Lutheran church last night. The resignation

Rita Gerlachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04348571506318182955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-83652980920066075142011-10-05T05:51:00.007-04:002011-10-05T05:51:00.272-04:00

Nancy Morgan Hart Frontierswoman Nancy Morgan Hart, a heroine of the American Revolution, was born in the Yadkin River valley in North Carolina in the early 1700’s (date unknown). Her exploits against Tories and British military in the backwoods of Georgia are legendary. Nancy and her family moved when she was a child to eventually settle in the Broad River valley of Georgia. Many prominent

Pat Iacuzzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983141590663751303noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-22254027040720856732011-10-03T05:35:00.002-04:002011-11-22T09:20:52.234-05:00

The Chamomile (October, 2011) by Susan Craft Published by Ingalls Publishing Group Reviewed by Diana Flowers  Adventure in the Colonies!Susan sweeps us away on a colonial journey to British-occupied Charlestown, SC. in the year 1780, a time of danger and mixed loyalities. Even though the British require Lilyan Cameron and her brother Andrew to sign a document of loyalty to the British Crown,

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-22568724584895129782011-09-30T01:03:00.005-04:002011-09-30T18:08:31.367-04:00

By: Laura Frantz This past July I had the privilege of going on tour with The Providence Forum and experiencing historic Philadelphia. Since Valley Forge isn't far, we spent a day there, too. Growing up, my vision of Valley Forge was limited to this image of George Washington praying in the snow. Legend says that a Quaker was walking in the woods and found Washington on his knees. Since Quakers

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-87851242039648267742011-09-28T07:01:00.000-04:002011-09-28T07:01:00.155-04:00

I've always enjoyed a road trip, especially in the fall. Something about cooling temperatures, coloring trees, and air washed free of summer haze and humidity makes distances beckon and stirs a thirst for discovery. Satisfying that thirst is a matter of gassing up the car, packing a bag, stopping by MapQuest for directions, calling ahead to book a night at a hotel along the way. Our 18th century

Lori Bentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-80378847826193451842011-09-26T05:01:00.007-04:002011-09-26T17:13:11.842-04:00

This week it's our pleasure at Colonial Quills to have as guest author Jamie Carrie.... ....discussing her latest release Pirate of My Heart She gave up everything for a chance at true love . . . When her doting father dies, Lady Kendra Townsend is given a choice: marry the horrid man of her uncle’s choosing or leave England to risk a new life in America with unknown relatives. Armed

Pat Iacuzzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983141590663751303noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-72898113390906118482011-09-25T06:01:00.000-04:002011-11-19T20:38:21.242-05:00

Sally Lunn George Washington was so fond of Sally Lunn that it became known as “Washington’s breakfast bread” or “federal bread.” Beat four eggs well; then melt a large Tablespoonful of Butter, put it in a Teacup of warm Water, and pour it to the Eggs with a Teaspoon of Salt and a Teacup of Yeast (this means Potato Yeast); beat in a Quart of Flour making the Batter stiff enough for a

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-65517032311136449162011-09-23T13:40:00.000-04:002011-09-23T13:40:11.280-04:00

I'm in the process of doing research for a historical spy novel. And boy is it fun! This being before the age of super spy gadgets, most espionage was conducted through secret messages. And some of those secret messages were written in invisible ink. Ooh, fun! I did some basic searching on what they used for this stuff, how it worked, etc. First I found simple instructions on household items

Roseanna Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-63604864420912297922011-09-21T06:00:00.017-04:002011-09-21T06:00:01.575-04:00

Dressing women is fun. All those beautiful dresses and accessories and shoes and hair and hats. Alas, our novels are not populated only by women. Men show up too. While not as diverse as women's fashion in the 18th century, the men still got their gaudy on. We all know men wore breeches in the 18th century. Those funny pants that come to the knee, and from the knee down is either a white

Rachel Wilderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16004728242824462126noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-90335565825159106242011-09-19T05:09:00.002-04:002011-11-27T09:27:07.267-05:00

Welcome all to the Spinning Room! Today we have a special visitor, one of our Colonial Quills contributors, Lynn Squire.  You may recall some of Lynn's creative posts about horses in colonial times, done in character.  Her ingenuity doesn't stop there. Lynn has a featured early colonial era novel in serial format that she shares on her blog entitled Dawn Over Narraganset Bay, book two in her

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-48012120474135889912011-09-18T03:01:00.001-04:002011-09-18T03:01:02.759-04:00

Pastry Making Tips Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats by a Lady of Philadelphia Third edition, Boston, 1830 PREFACE "The following Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats, are original, and have been used by the author and many of her friends with uniform success. They are drawn up in a style so plain and minute, as to be perfectly intelligible to servants,

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-30209015216088520032011-09-16T07:00:00.038-04:002011-09-16T15:29:01.984-04:00

No, I’m not referring to the 1981 Neil Diamond hit song or the 1988 Eddie Murphy movie, but the seventeenth and eighteenth century emigration to the North American Continent of a vast number of people, many in servitude. Two common means that brought Europeans to North America: Free Willers or Redemptioners were emigrants who had a portion of their passage to the west paid prior to their

Carrie Pagelshttps://profiles.google.com/112865330044685997581noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-85048189099431679662011-09-14T00:37:00.000-04:002011-09-14T00:37:00.197-04:00

God's blessing to you dear friends. For those who have not yet met me, I am Nathaniel Griffith from Rhode Island. Ye see this mare I am brushing? She is a fine animal from my uncle’s stock in Wales. There are not many horses in the colonies, so my uncle sent this mare in 1656 as a present to my mother. In time, I plan to breed her if I find a suitable stallion. See her hooves? They are

Lynn Squirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-19783995985361582602011-09-12T05:01:00.000-04:002011-09-12T05:01:00.367-04:00

Rita Gerlach lives with her husband and two sons in a historical town nestled along the Catoctin Mountains, amid Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War outposts in central Maryland. Her fourth book, Surrender the Wind, an inspirational historical romance set in Virginia and England, released from Abingdon Press in August 2009. She is currently working on her Daughters of the Potomac

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-53997941207010896852011-09-11T00:44:00.010-04:002011-11-13T02:25:16.256-05:00

Come, join hand in hand, brave Americans all, And rouse your bold hearts at fair Liberty's call; No tyrannous acts shall suppress your just claim, Or stain with dishonor America's name. Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all, By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall; In so righteous a cause let us hope to succeed, For heaven approves of each generous deed. From "The Liberty Song",

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-82163126352486357132011-09-09T02:14:00.006-04:002011-11-22T09:33:07.939-05:00

  Living in old New England I've long been fascinated wandering through cemeteries. The peculiar to our times names always intrigue me, so strange to the modern ear: Ardacton, Tryphena, Fravel, Clymenia, Sturgeon (isn't that a fish?). Others seem to be timeless, beautiful, honorable: Sumner, Caleb, Hannah. Many archaic names are surnames that were passed along as given/Christian names. And yes

Carla Olson Gadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-5262130566063213722011-09-07T03:01:00.002-04:002011-09-07T03:01:00.715-04:00

Listen, my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of . . .Sybil Ludington? Yup. That’s right. Sybil Ludington, the daughter of Col. Henry Ludington, a New York militia officer and later an aide to General George Washington, became a heroine of the American Revolution in her own right—and a model for the heroine of my American Patriot Series, Elizabeth Howard. On April 26, 1777,

J. M. Hochstetlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291602346312967152noreply@blogger.com11