Book savoring

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.12.2007

You all know what I mean. There are certain authors, certain books, which you read slowly to make it last longer.

I’m reading one book like that right now. One of my favorite Regency romance authors is Carla Kelly, and when the Signet Regency line closed, I wasn’t sure if she’d continue writing. I was SO happy when I found out she put out a title with Harlequin Historicals called Beau Crusoe.

Carla Kelly always has very interesting aspects of Regency life that she explores. This particular book is no exception—rather than typical lords and ladies, she has a gentleman, a simple “mister,” who was shipwrecked for five years and then rescued less than a year before the story opens. He has been lauded because of a scientific treatise on crabs that he wrote while marooned.

The heroine is a young woman, disgraced when she had eloped with her husband to India, where he died of the cholera. She returned to her uncaring and bitter family with her son.

The story premise is so neat! And the author immerses the reader in the popular Regency era, but in an unusual setting. The characters are sympathetic but flawed, dealing with lots of mysterious backstory that hasn’t been revealed to me yet. Goodie!

I’m reading slowly. I’m reading in small chunks of time, a little each day. I’m only eating my favorite snacks as I read this book!

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Laura’s Apricot Shell Shawl knitting pattern

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Why I knit this shawl: I wanted to knit the sunset-colored shawl Keriah was wearing in chapter 5 of my book, Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 2: Berserker , so I looked for an antique pattern that might have been used during the Regency era. This one caught my eye, even though it was published in a knitting book a few decades later than the Regency era. The Spider-Net border pattern was most definitely in use in the Regency period, but it’s also remotely possible that the Alice-Maud stitch and the lacy border stitch patterns were also in use during the Regency, being passed on from knitter to knitter via hand-written receipts, by verbal instruction, or with knitted sampler squares (like how many Shetland lace patterns and Bavarian cable patterns were shared). My/Keriah’s version of this shawl would have been lacy but warm because it is knit with fingering yarn on small needles. Since Keriah was cold, I think she would have grabbed this shawl rather than something more elegant and airy.

New contest!

I haven’t had a contest since October! Here’s new one just in time for Christmas. I’m picking 3 winners to each be able to choose 10 books from my Christian book list! And yes, that list includes my books! 1) You get one entry into the contest when you sign up for my email newsletter at http://www.camytang.com/ . If you already belong to my email newsletter, let me know! 2) You get a second entry into the contest if you Like my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CamyTangAuthor . If you already Like my Facebook page, let me know! 3) You get a third entry into the contest if you join my Goodreads group: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/49078 . If you already belong to my Goodreads group, let me know! 4) You get a fourth entry into the contest if you follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/camytang . If you already follow me on Twitter, let me know! 5) You get extra entries into the contest if you get someone else to join my email newsletter. Just email camy {at] c

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ひとり寿司第３６章パート１

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One-Skein Pyrenees Scarf knitting pattern

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