It’s Friday, my dear Gentle Reader and among some that means booze. For others that means going truly crazy: Thai food and an dumb action movie with two charming gentlemen. OK, there may also be some booze involved. (And I might let it all hang out and have an extra cup of tea this afternoon. […]
May162014
Drinks of the Past! Victorian Euphemisms Around Libations
Apr302014
Victorian Slang: Quintessentially Historical
“By-the-bye, the dizzy and ungraceful practice of rocking in a rocking-chair is now discontinued by all genteel people, except when entirely alone. A lady should never be seen to rock in a chair, and the rocking of a gentleman looks silly.” ~ The Ladies’ Guide to True Politeness and Perfect Manners or, Miss Leslie’s Behaviour […]
Apr22014
Victorians, Werewolves, and Spies, Oh, My!
ConDor was great fun, an established convention in San Diego with reliable attendance and a writing/reading SF/F bent. I arrived Friday and hit the ground running with my first panel. I’m going to let you peek at my notes. I’m afraid I didn’t take them on other people’s comments, just my own thoughts. And, of […]
Feb262014
Steampunk Names & 1811 Professions
I don’t mean to be cagey, Gentle Reader, but tomorrow I have fun times here on the blog. Yes indeed, exciting stuff. Meanwhile, I give you this little gem off the Finishing School Tumblr: And if you like, once you pick your name you can pick your profession… 1811 Slang Terms for Professions Author ~ […]
Feb192014
Wait, they had a word for that? Researching 1811 Slang
I recently finished the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, Gentle Reader, which was utterly fascinating. While I realized it is pre-Victorian, I figured slang usually hangs aroudn for a bit, so some might be relevant to my own writing. Too bad I only just found it or some might have leaked into Soap’s jargon […]
Jan142014
In Which Gail Carriger Visits a Shooting Range in the Interest of Finishing School Research
Occasionally, Gentle Reader, I conduct on the ground research, or in some cases in the air. One of the things I have been meaning to do for a long time is visit a shooting range. I grew up around riffles (farming community) but never used one, and I have an ex who (after living through […]
Oct252013
7 Fun Questions from Foreign Translators
Many times, Gentle Reader, I get asked what I do with my days besides actual writing. So much. So very much. In fact more of my fiction writing career is spent not writing fiction these days, then writing fiction. (Non fiction is a different matter, for example I have an article in the Huffington Post […]
Aug62013
25+ Tips for Researching a Victorian Setting (Steampunk & beyond)
Good morning, Gentle Reader, some tips for the writers amongst you today! How to research a Victorian setting for fiction authors – Steampunk, Historical Romance & Beyond In this post I offer tips for online, book, and other sources for researching a Victorian-set novel. Including tips you’ve not read elsewhere. 25+ Tips for Researching a […]
Jul162013
4 Common Questions on Categorizing the Parasolverse Books
1. How would you describe the Parasol Protectorate series for those who don’t know about it yet? Imagine Jane Austen dabbling in science and steam technology. Then imagine P.G. Wodehouse suddenly dropped vampires into the Drones Club. The Parasol Protectorate books are the resulting progeny. They begin with a soulless spinster confronting Queen Victoria’s grumpy […]
Mar72013
Finishing School Reviews Versus 1872 Godey’s Reviews
My dearest Gentle Reader, I have been moving into and setting up my new office recently and it has gobbled up a great deal of my spare time. But, oh it is such fun! For the first time in my life I have a space I can decorate wholly to my own taste without impingement […]
Feb42013
5 Questions of Victorian Conversation & Etiquette Including THE CUT DIRECT for the Finishing School Series
And now, for today’s blog post, Gentle Reader, I have to you 5 Questions of Etiquette. 1. How are people introduced? Youth is introduced to age (named first). “Mr Wolverine, may I present Master Doogie Howser?” Men are introduced to women (named first). “Eddie Izzard in drag, may I present Eddie Izzard out of drag?” […]
Dec52012
Holiday Fun: Books as Gifts themed around Soulless
The book basket! This is an idea shamelessly taken out of the Romance Community, but it is such a good idea! I can’t help myself. I recently parroted on about it on the SF Signal podcast and have decided to do a few companion blogs on the subject. If you have a friend/loved one who […]