Author: Cora Lee

Cora Lee is a National Bestselling author of Regency romance. She went on a twelve year expedition through the blackboard jungle as a high school math teacher before publishing Save the Last Dance for Me, the first book in the Maitland Maidens series. She then followed it up with six other novels and novellas ranging from sweet and traditional to spicy and suspenseful. When she’s not walking Rotten Row at the fashionable hour or attending the entertainments of the Season, you might find her participating in Regency Fiction Writers events, wading through her towering TBR pile, or eagerly awaiting the next Marvel movie release. If you’d like to find out more about Cora or her books you can sign up for her newsletter, or connect with her on Facebook, BlueSky, Bookbub, or Goodreads.
Fashion, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorite: Regency Era Fashion Plates

Cora Lee

Every author has her favorite resources, and this week I’m sharing one of mine.

1800-1819 Cover

As the title suggests, it’s a book of fashion plates from the years 1800-1819. Descriptions are only occasionally provided, but the source of each plate is always identified (magazines such as Ladies’ Monthly Museum, Costume Parisien, La Belle Assemblee, and Ackermann’s Repository) along with the year of publication.

Since I’m a huge visual learner, the plates themselves are more important to me than the descriptions. With this book I can see what dinner dresses and pelisses and poke bonnets looked like, what colors they might have been, and how a lady might have worn them. 🙂

Available from Amazon, Amazon UK, and Abe Books.

Children, Food, Marriage, Society

Mistress of the Manor: Lady of Leisure or Full Time Working Mom?

Cora Lee

Think all those Regency romance heroines do nothing but pay calls all day? Think again. Author Maria Grace takes us inside the life of landowner’s wife.

VictorEmanuelI2

“Period dramas have left many of us with the notion that ladies of the landed gentry in the Regency era had little to do but dress in lovely gowns, embroider and gossip.  Reality could not be farther from this image. In general, both master and mistress of the manor did a great deal of work around the estate, often working alongside the servants in the efforts to get everything done.

Labor tended to be divided along gender lines. So much so that single men sought female relatives to manage their households. Bachelors looked to sister or nieces while widowers often called upon daughters or the dead wife’s kin.  So, even if a woman did not marry, there was a very strong possibility she might take on the responsibilities of a household sometime in her lifetime.  Gentlemen tended to respect the household mistress’ authority; her contributions to the home had worth equal to his.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Books, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorite: David Tennant Reads…Everything

Cora Lee

If you are a fan of audiobooks–or David Tennant–then this week’s Favorite is a special treat.

David Tennant

Best know as The Doctor in the British television series Doctor Who, David Tennant has had an extensive audio career as well. He’s read everything from children’s books to Shakespeare’s sonnets to James Bond, in a variety of accents. Don’t believe me? Check out the list of his performances, complete with synopses and audio clips!

Here’s a sampling:

Excerpt from The Beast of Clawstone Castle, in which we hear David’s best American accent–not bad, except for his pronunciation of “Potomac” 🙂

Excerpt from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, in a very English Bond voice.

Excerpt from From Shakespeare With Love (Sonnets 154 and 18) in David’s natural Scottish accent.

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If you’re interested in other sexy voices reading audiobooks, check out my post about Richard Armitage and his foray into Georgette Heyer novels.