Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Mother to a Founding Father


 

Besides his wife, Elizabeth Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton had nother strong women in his life—one of them, his mother, Rachel. She was the daughter of a French Huguenot, John and his wife, Mary Uppington.  John was a physician and a minor planter, whose land lay high up the volcano on the island of Nevis—not the easiest ground to work. They had two daughters, Ann and Rachel.
 


Ann married James Lytton, a planter of St. Croix. In 1745 Rachel’s father died, leaving everything to her, the unmarried daughter. At sixteen, by all accounts lovely, Rachel was, in a small way, an heiress. Alexander, who didn’t reveal much about his stormy childhood, termed hers a “snug fortune.” Mary, eager to make a good match for her child, welcomed several suitors. One was an older man, James Lavien, a Dane, whose fancy clothes and reserved manner hid the fact that a.) he was a tyrant and b.) he had already lost most of the money he still pretended to have.   

Mary seems to have pressured Rachel to marry this apparently respectable, stable older man. Unfortunately, it did not take Lavien long to go through his young wife’s money. By 1750, all masks had been discarded. Although we don’t know the details of Rachel’s suffering, her husband was the kind of man who would have  her imprisoned for three months a damp cell in the dark, disease-ridden fortress of St. Croix after signing a complaint which accused her of “whoring with everyone.”

Perhaps Rachel had refused to share his bed, but, perhaps she, spirited as she was, had found a lover. As a modern woman, I say "more power to her!" We'll never know the complete story. If Lavien thought prison could break her, however, he was much mistaken. As soon as she was released, she fled the island with her mother, returning to Nevis. Having no rights in the matter, Rachel also abandoned a young son, Peter, when she escaped.  I see this as a measure of her desperation. Years later, Alexander would write: “Tis only to consult our hearts to be convinced that…individuals revolt at the idea of being guided by external compulsion.”

Still, this act would have endless consequences, first for Rachel and later for her sons by James Hamilton. As there was never a legal separation, Lavien could, some years later, under Danish law, divorce her and name her adulteress. This was a charge she could no longer defend herself against, for she was, by this time, living with James Hamilton on Nevis. Over the years, Lavien, (and, later on, Peter, too,) would continue to persecute the Hamilton children. After Rachel’s death, Lavien promptly reappeared and claimed all his ex-wife’s property for her “only legitimate son” Peter. She, clearly a better businesswoman than either of her men, had created enough wealth to make this action worthwhile.  Alexander and James, barely in their teens, were now penniless, orphaned, and labelled, courtesy of the Danish probate court, as “whore children.”

 
In a world where a woman had almost no legal standing, I believe Rachel Faucette made the best decisions she could. She fled from a brutal husband and then tried, with James Hamilton, to find a happily-ever-after.  Abandoned, again without a man to shelter her after James Hamilton—charming and feckless—abruptly decamped, she found a way to support herself and her children. She kept a small retail store and rented out the slaves, which she, like almost every other white person in the islands, owned. In her store she retailed dried beef, rice, apples, flour, fish, butter and textiles.

 

Alexander first helped his mother in her shop. After her death, he clerked for the international trading firm of Cruger and Beekman, but he no doubt had his first lessons in bookkeeping and management from her. Rachel also taught him French. These skills would serve him well when he joined George Washington's official family during the Revolutionary War. During his childhood,  Alexander also learned about power, about the darker side of human nature, and about injustice, first-hand--subjects he would ponder till the end of his life. 

For very obvious 18th Century reasons, Hamilton almost never spoke of his mother with outsiders, but "she was recollected with inexpressible fondness and (he) often spoke of her as a woman of superior intellect, highly cultivated, of elevated and generous sentiments," and an "unusual elegance of person and manner." *



* John Church Hamilton, fourth son of Alexander Hamilton, "The Life of Alexander Hamilton," published 1854.  

Sources:
Hamilton I (1757-1789) by Robert Hendrickson, ISBN: 9780884051398
Hamilton by Forrest McDonald, ISBN: 9780393300482
 Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow ISBN: 1594200092
The Young Hamilton by Thomas J. Flexner, ISBN: 9780823217892

~~Juliet Waldron
https://www.facebook.com/jwhistfic
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004HIX4GS



Monday, March 28, 2016

Books We Love's Tantalizing Talent ~ Author Margaret Tanner


Amazon
Margaret Tanner is an award winning, multi-published Australian author, who writes Historical Romance and sweet Western Romance. She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her historical romance novels, and prides herself on being historically correct. No book is too old or tattered for her to trawl through, no museum too dusty. Her favorite historical period is the 1st World War, and she has visited the battlefields of Gallipoli, France and Belgium, a truly poignant experience.
 
With the encouragement of friend and Western Romance author, Susan Horsnell, she has fallen in love with writing Western Historical Romance.  Frontier Australia and frontier America, have many similarities, isolated communities, a large single male population and a lack of eligible women.

Margaret is married and has three grown up sons, and a gorgeous little granddaughter. Outside of her family and friends, writing is her passion.

From Margaret: "Many of my novels have been inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of my pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia. I once spent a couple of hours in an old goal cell so I could feel the chilling cold and fear. 

The pioneers in both the United States and Australia literally fought for life and endured great hardships, to forge our nations as we know them today. I don’t want their sacrifice and courage to be forgotten. This is why I write historical romance."

HISTORICAL ROMANCE:

War Time Romance
Lauren’s Dilemma
Daring Masquerade
Allison’s War
A Mortal Sin
Make Love Not War
We Never Said I Love You (Novella)
The Loves We Left Behind (special 3 book edition to commemorate the centenary of WW1)

Australian Frontier Romance
Savage Possession
Fiery Possession
A Wicked Deception
Falsely Accused
Dangerous Birthright

Western Romance
Adam’s Frontier Bride


Adam’s Frontier Bride

Fear almost crushes Tommy Lindsay when she arrives in South Dakota to live on her uncle’s isolated ranch.  She will need all her courage and daring to survive the hard times ahead. 

 Adam Munro is a wealthy rancher who thought he only wanted a presentable wife who would give him heirs.   When he meets Tommy, he is smitten. Can he ever hope to capture the heart of this beautiful English rose? 

Amazon
Daring Masquerade

By the time Ross Calvert discovers Harry Martin is in fact Harriet Martin she has fallen in love with him. Realizing she has failed in her final effort to protect her shell-shocked brother, she puts a desperate proposition to Ross. Marry her and she will give him an heir.

Ross accepts.  However, he is tormented by the betrayal of his former fiancée Virginia.  On his honeymoon he meets her again and is still infatuated.  With the army recalling him to the trenches of France, he faces a terrible dilemma. Taste Virginia’s passion before he marches off to war, or keep his marriage vows to Harry.

Amazon
Savage Possession

A sweeping tale of love's triumph over tragedy and treachery in frontier Australia.

A mistaken identity opens the door for Martin Mulvaney to take his revenge on the granddaughter of his mortal enemy. 

An old Scottish feud, a love that should never have happened, and a series of extraordinary coincidences trap two lovers in a family vendetta that threatens to destroy their love, if not their lives.




 

Vintage Perfumes: The Fragrances That Defined Each Decade by Connie Vines

Nothing can transport you back in time like a fragrance. They say that your sense of smell is the most powerful and evocative sense, and it’s true: Emeraude reminds me of my mother, Quorum my husband, and Halston Z-14 reminds me of my teens and guys who bathed in a cologne—rather than indulging in a spritz or two.

“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” – Coco Chanel 

This may have been a dramatic overstatement, however, when I was in the business of selling perfume, quotes such as these, gave women confidence when she entered a room! And Chanel No. 5 is one of the most popular fragrances of all time, a bottle of it is sold every 30 seconds (this includes me J, too). 

Coco Chanel also stated that women should wear perfume wherever they hoped to be kissed. Wise words indeed – please note that this does not mean ‘layered’ in perfume, as perfume counter girls armed with spray bottles will advise you.  No one should be able to smell your perfume unless they’re that little bit closer than is polite, then it should be something delicious and intoxicating.

Whilst researching which perfumes were popular over the decades I was surprised how many of these I’ve actually owned. Over the years, I’ve tried Anais Anais, Shalimar, Opium, Poison, Red, and Patou 1000 before I finally settled on Chanel No. 5. Of course, I selected one of the most expensive perfumes on the market, but I guess there is a good reason why it’s been a bestseller since it was launched in 1921! 

Vintage Perfumes: The Fragrances that Defined Each Decade

It’s surprising how many of these perfumes are still best sellers even now, but then why would they go out of fashion?

Popular Perfumes in the 1920s.

Chanel No. 5, launched in 1921, was an immediate success even though it was the preserve of the rich at this time.  Famously worn by Marilyn Monroe, the square bottle design was rumored to been inspired by the design of a whiskey decanter.

Guerlain’s Shalimar launched first in 1925. It is one of the most popular fragrances of all time and was said to be inspired by Mumtaz Mahal, the women for whom the Taj Mahal was built. The perfume was named after the Gardens of Shalimar in Lahore, Pakistan, which were also built for her.


Popular Perfumes in the 1930s.

Tabu by Dana Fragrances which were popular in the 1930s included Tabu by Dana (a sexy evening perfume), which was launched in 1932 and Je Reviens by House of Worth, both of which remain available today.

In 1934 Elizabeth Arden developed Blue Grass.

Perhaps the most notable perfume of the 1930s was Joy by Jean Patou, voted Scent of the 20th Century at the Fragrance Foundation FiFi awards in 2000. It was created in 1929 (the year of the Wall Street Crash) and even though it was marketed as ‘the world’s most expensive perfume’, it was a huge hit. It is also considered to be one of the greatest floral fragrances of all time.


Popular Perfumes in the 1940s.

L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci (in a pretty glass bottle with a bottle stopper fashioned as two doves). After the war lighter and fresher perfumes became more popular, one of which was the still-popular Miss Dior by Christian Dior in 1947

Popular Perfumes in the 1950s.

Femme de Rochas was a rich, sultry perfume aimed at the femme fatale created in 1944.
Arpege by Lanvin is a floral romantic perfume, created in 1927,  but became particularly popular during the 1950s.

Max Factor’s Hypnotique and Primitif (as advertised by Jean Patchett above) were popular and an affordable perfume for the masses compared to the fragrances by the big fashion houses.
Soir de Paris by Bourjois was a popular fragrance amongst teenagers during the 1950s. It was discontinued in 1969, but relaunched in 1992

Popular Perfumes in the 1960s.

Oh! de London by Tuvache, YSL Rive Gauche was a popular 1960s scent
Hubert de Givenchy created L’Interdit for Audrey Hepburn and she wore the perfume for many years before it was released to the public in 1957. She featured in the adverts for L’Interdit throughout the 1960s.

Tuvache’s Oh! de London is a bright sparkling scent which perfectly captured the mood of the swinging sixties.

Guerlain introduced the heady oriental scent Chamade in 1969.

Popular Perfumes in the 1970s.

Charlie by Revlon and Diorella by Christian Dior, a perfume for the independent woman who has everything, were both very popular.

Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, launched in 1977, and was a heady, rich oriental evening perfume.
Christian Dior released the classic perfume Diorella, which combines citrus and musky notes.
Anais Anais by Cacharel, launched in 1978 and was an immediate hit (my brother gave this to me as a Christmas Gift).

Did I list one of your favorite perfumes?
Or, perhaps a fragrance you’ve never dared to try?  


Perfuming is an art.  Indulge your senses, enjoy the fragrance—it’s mystical, it’s magical, is the new youJ.     
                    
Happy Reading,

Connie





Sunday, March 27, 2016

The Convention Phenomenon - by Vijaya Schartz

If you write popular fiction, you are probably familiar with RT BOOK REVIEWS MAGAZINE, and with their annual BOOKLOVERS CONVENTION. This year it will take place in LAS VEGAS, at the RIO HOTEL AND CASINO, and promises to be lots of fun. It always is.This type of event gathering authors and readers is becoming more and more popular among readers, because it's so much fun. They flock to take selfies with their favorite authors, for the lavish parties, for the food, and for the free stuff (prizes galore).

I've been attending RT off and on since the turn of this millennium. The sumptuous dinners involve themes and costumes. This year, Vintage and Steampunk promise fantastic photos, with a CIRQUE DU PUNK costume contest. With food and drink flowing, and authors and readers cutting loose, there is never a dull moment. For authors, it's an opportunity to meet with readers of their particular genre, since so many are represented.
Beautiful Evening gowns at RT 2009 with authors from Arizona: From left to right: Christine Jones, Eden Robins, Vijaya Schartz, and Beverly Petrone (Chris and Bev write for BWL as a team as Tia Dani)
 Although RT Book Reviews (initially Romantic Times Magazine) started reviewing only Romance, it has now grown to encompass all genres of popular fiction. Yours truly will be co-hosting an event called THE INTERGALACTIC BAR AND GRILLE, with the queen of sci-fi romance, Linnea Sinclair, and a dozen dynamic authors of the subgenre. We will have games, prizes, food, drink, and will forge a friendly bond with the 300+ readers of this particular genre attending the convention.
There are also panels with publishers, editors and authors, writing workshops, pitch sessions, and an award ceremony for the best books of the year in different categories, selected by the team of RT reviewers... It's also an opportunity to meet the most famous cover models, and take pictures, of course. They look even better up close, although they are all so tall, they make me feel like a dwarf.
 
I'll also be promoting my April release, DAMSEL OF THE HAWK, Book 7 in the Curse of the Lost Isle medieval fantasy romance series, already in pre-order if you don't want to miss it. Get it in kindle: http://amzn.com/B01CH93SNM 1204 AD - Meliora, immortal Fae and legendary damsel of Hawk Castle, grants gold and wishes on Mount Ararat, but must forever remain chaste. When Spartak, a Kipchak warrior gravely wounded in Constantinople, requests sanctuary, she breaks the rule to save his life. The fierce, warrior prince stirs in her forbidden passions. Captivated, Spartak will not bow to superstition. Despite tribal opposition, he wants her as his queen. Should Meliora renounce true love, or  embrace it and trigger a sinister curse... and the wrath of the Goddess? Meanwhile, a thwarted knight and his greedy band of Crusaders have vowed to steal her Pagan gold and burn her at the stake...

What a 300 author book signing looks like and this is only a small portion of the room (RT 2014 in New Orleans)
The giant book signing on Saturday will gather over three hundred authors, including the greatest, and many new, small press, and self-published authors. No point in naming names, I would make too many enemies. The list is on the site HERE

The registration fee and the hotel are not cheap, but you can share your room. And if you must fly, it can be an expensive experience, but if you've never done it, you owe it to yourself as an author to try it at least once. Since this year it's in Vegas, and I live in Arizona, I'll be driving and lugging my promotion material and givaway books, which cuts the cost by skipping airfare and shipping.
I'm sure this year's convention is sold out, but registration for next year will start in September. Here is the website for future reference: https://rtconvention.com/
 
I'll let you know how it went when I return.
 
Vijaya Schartz
 Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
 http://www.vijayaschartz.com
 Amazon - Barnes & Noble - All Romance eBooks - Smashwords - iBooks - Kobo

Saturday, March 26, 2016

More Great New Reads from Books We Love

Amazon
Rangeland Ruckus by Randall Sawka

Chet Mitchell left the mines of California to pursue a wife and raise cattle. He had his eye on a seemingly unaccessible valley near the town of Tanning. The problem was that Dave Tanning owned the town and most of the surrounding land. Indeed, the whole Tanning family didn't take kindly to strangers ranching land they felt they owned.
At first Everyone laughed at the thought of someone thinking they could access the valley surrounded by mountains and enormous rock walls. Many had tried. Many had died. Could Mitchell find a way to get cattle in to the valley? Jaws dropped and guns fired when Mitchel unveiled his surprise.

Dave Tanning had always got his own way but now he had to face Mitchell, a man who knew how to treat a lady and how to handle trouble.



Officer Down (Sam Stephens Crime Thriller Book 2) by Ronald Ady Crouch
Amazon


Constable Sam Stephens, now out of probation on the streets of Toronto, takes on new and demanding challenges. Inspector Althoff continues to go out of his way to make Sam’s life as miserable as possible. Water off a duck’s back to Sam. He is dispatched to the call from hell. “High school active shooter”. Sam, former Canadian Forces, Special Ops, enters the school to devastating carnage – Officer Down.


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