What do Regency Gowns and Forearm Tattoos Have in Common?

Danielle Sherwood of Swenson Book Development interviewed me recently about Pinterest and how authors can use it to drive traffic to their blogs and and to drive sale of their books.

You can find the interview here. Be sure to go and check it out!

I was pleased to be asked because Swenson Book Development is such a great group here in the Fingerlakes Region of Upstate NY. If you're looking for help developing your non-fiction book, give them a shout. I took an historical fiction writing workshop led by Dr. Jill Swenson back in September, and it was really top notch. I wouldn't be here writing to you today if I hadn't taken that workshop, nor would I be tweeting. Here is a link to follow Swenbooks on Twitter where you will find timely, interesting and often funny tweets about writing and publishing.

I love looking for Austen-related images on Pinterest, but I also really love being able to pin something from outside Pinterest, so I don't lose it. I don't always have the time to read an article, say, on the evolution of the chemise, but I certainly would want to go back to it later, so I can pin the chemise picture to my Jane Austen Regency board, and go back to it when I have time. The picture links back to the original blog.

Another reason I like it so much, is that while I might do targeted internet searching for "regency morning gowns" or ...ahem... "Colin Firth," Pinterest allows me to browse boards of my interests that I have chosen to follow- other people's boards- and I find things I may not have been originally looking for, or that I didn't know existed. Such as this forearm tattoo of Pemberley:

You can find the pin for this image here.

I'd love to see you over on Pinterest. If you need an invitation, give me a shout in the comments.

Greetings

Greetings dear ones. It seems only fitting that I start the new year with a new blog. This blog will focus on my writing, reading, and other things relating to Jane Austen and the Georgian period in England, specifically focusing on the late 18th and early 19th centuries. There are already many wonderful blogs covering these topics, so I will try to only post information that is fresh, or related to my own impressions or experience.

I am working on two novels--one, a regency time travel story that asks questions about the nature of human relationships, especially of those created and maintained online. My other is a Pride and Prejudice variation. I'll reveal more about that as it becomes appropriate. As far as I can tell now, it will be A Topic Entirely New. I also need to mention my participation in The Austen Games. Approximately two years ago, I found myself searching almost entirely in vain, for a way to immerse myself in an Austen experience online. Recently, a group of lovely people saw a need to be filled, and started The Austen Games, and I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in it. My story will be posted soon (eep!) so be sure to watch for it here.

If you've followed my mixed media art and jewelry-making in the past, please note that I have put that on hold for now to pursue my writing. I'll post any new mixed media or jewelry creations on my related Facebook page.

Be sure to follow this blog and to follow me on Twitter, using the links to the right, to keep up to date, and follow my Jane Austen/Regency Board on Pinterest. (What? You haven't heard of Pinterest? Oh my... if you are a visual being, I highly suggest signing up. It nourishes my artistic soul. If you need an invitation, just let me know in the comments.) Here is a little preview of what it looks like:

Happy New Year!