Pyramus and Thisbe: The Ancient Babylonian Romeo and Juliet

Pyramus was the handsomest youth, and Thisbe the fairest maiden, in all Babylonia, where Semiramis reigned. Their parents occupied adjoining houses; and neighborhood brought the young people together, and acquaintance ripened into love. They would gladly have married, but their parents forbade. One thing, however, they could not forbid that love should glow with equal ardor in the bosoms of both. They conversed by signs and glances, and the fire burned more intensely for being covered up. In the wall that parted the two houses there was a crack, caused by some fault in the structure. No one had remarked it before, but the lovers discovered it. 'What will love not discover? It afforded a passage to the voice; and tender messages used to pass backward and forward through the gap. As they stood, Pyramus on this side, Thisbe on that, their breaths would mingle. "Cruel wall," they said, "why do you keep two lovers apart? But we will not be ungrateful. We owe you, we confess, the privilege of transmitting loving words to willing ears." Such words they uttered on different sides of the wall; and when night came and they must say farewell, they pressed their lips upon the wall, she on her side, he on his, as they could come no nearer.

One morning, when Aurora had put out the stars, and the sun had melted the frost from the grass, they met at the accustomed spot. Then, after lamenting their hard fate, they agreed that next night, when all was still, they would slip away from watchful eyes, leave their dwellings and walk out into the fields; and to insure a meeting, repair to a well-known edifice, standing without the city's bounds, called the tomb of Ninus, and that the one who came first should await the other at the foot of a certain tree. It was a white mulberry tree and stood near a cool spring. All was agreed on, and they waited impatiently for the sun to go down beneath the waters and night to rise up from them. Then cautiously Thisbe stole forth, unobserved by the family, her head covered with a veil, made her way to the monument and sat down under the tree. As she sat alone in the dim light of the evening she descried a lioness, her jaws reeking with recent slaughter, approaching the fountain to slake her thirst. Thisbe fled at the sight, and sought refuge in the hollow of a rock. As she fled she dropped her veil. The lioness, after drinking at the spring, turned to retreat to the woods, and seeing the veil on the ground, tossed and rent it with her bloody mouth.

Pyramus, having been delayed, now approached the place of meeting. He saw in the sand the footsteps of the lion, and the color fled from his cheeks at the sight. Presently he found the veil all rent and bloody. "Oh, hapless girl," said he, "I have been the cause of thy death! Thou, more worthy of life than I, hast fallen the first victim. I will follow. I am the guilty cause, in tempting thee forth to a place of such peril, and not being myself on the spot to guard thee. Come forth, ye lions, from the rocks, and tear this guilty body with your teeth" He took up the veil, carried it with him to the appointed tree, and covered it with kisses and with tears. "My blood also shall stain your texture," said he, and drawing his sword plunged it into his heart. The blood spurted from the wound, and tinged the white mulberries of the tree all red; and sinking into the earth reached the roots, so that the red color mounted through the trunk to the fruit.

By this time, Thisbe, still trembling with fear, yet wishing not to disappoint her lover, stepped cautiously forth, looking anxiously for the youth, eager to tell him the danger she had escaped. When she came to the spot and saw the changed color of the mulberries she doubted whether it was the same place. While she hesitated she saw the form of one struggling in the agonies of death. She started back, a shudder ran through her frame as a ripple on the face of the still water when a sudden breeze sweeps over it. But as soon as she recognized her lover, she screamed and beat her breast; embracing the lifeless body, pouring tears into its wounds, and imprinting kisses on the cold lips. "Oh, Pyramus," she cried, "what has done this? Answer me, Pyramus; it is your own Thisbe that speaks. Hear me, dearest, and lift that drooping head!" At the name of Thisbe, Pyramus opened his eyes, then closed them again. She saw her veil stained with blood and the scabbard empty of its sword. "Thy own hand has slain thee, and for my sake," she said. "I too can be brave for once, and my love is as strong as thine. I will follow thee in death, for I have been the cause; and death, which alone could part us, shall not prevent my joining thee. And ye, unhappy parents of us both, deny us not our united request. As love and death have joined us, let one tomb contain us. And thou, tree, retain the marks of slaughter. Let thy berries still serve for memorials of our blood." So saying, she plunged the sword into her breast. Her parents acceded to her wish; the gods also ratified it. The two bodies were buried in one sepulcher, and the tree ever after brought forth purple berries, as it does to this day.

Moore, in the Sylph's Ball, speaking of Davy's Safety Lamp, is reminded of the wall that separated Thisbe and her lover:--

  "O for that lamp's metallic gauze,
  That curtain of protecting wire,
  Which Davy delicately draws
  Around illicit, dangerous fire!

  "The wall he sets 'twixt Flame and Air,
  (Like that which barred young Thisbe's bliss),
  Through whose small holes this dangerous pair
  May see each other, but not kiss."

In Mickle's translation of the Lusiad occurs the following allusion to the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, and the metamorphosis of the mulberries.  The poet is describing the Island of Love.

  "here each gift Pomona's hand bestows
  In cultured garden, free uncultured flows,
  The flavor sweeter and the hue more fair
  Than e'er was fostered by the hand of care.
  The cherry here in shining crimson glows,
  And stained with lover's blood, in pendent rows,
  The mulberries o'erload the bending boughs."

If any of our readers can be so hard-hearted as to enjoy a laugh at the expense of poor Pyramus and Thisbe, they may find an opportunity by turning to Shakespeare's play of Midsummer Night's
Dream, where it is most amusingly burlesqued.

Here is the description of the play and the characters by the Prologue.

  "Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show;
  But wonder on, till truth makes all things plain.
  This man is Pyramus, if you would know;
  This lovely lady Thisby is certain.

  This man with lime and roughcast, doth present
  Wall, that vile Wall, which did these lovers sunder;
  And through Wall's chink, poor souls, they are content
  To whisper.  At the which let no man wonder.
  This man, with lanthorn, dog and bush of thorn,
  Presenteth Moonshine; for, if you will know,
  By Moonshine did these lovers think no scorn
  To meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo.
  This grisly beast, which by name Lion hight.
  The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,
  Did scare away, or rather did affright;
  And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,
  Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.

  Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall,
  And finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain;
  Whereat with blade, with bloody blameful blade,
  He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast;
  And, Thisby, tarrying in mulberry shade,
  His dagger drew and died."
  Midsummer Night's Dream,
  v.1,128, et seq

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Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
************************************
It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

Boadicea: Warrior Queen and Heroine of Britain

Boadicea, Heroine of Britain

Prasutagus, the king of the Icenians, a tribe of the ancient Britons, had amassed much wealth in the course of a long reign. On his death, in order to secure the favor of the Romans, now masters of the island, he left half his wealth by will to the emperor and half to his two daughters. This well-judged action of the barbarian king did not have the intended effect. No sooner was he dead than the Romans in the vicinity claimed the whole estate as theirs, ruthlessly pillaged his house, and seized all his effects.

This base brigandage roused Boadicea, the widowed queen, to a vigorous protest, but with the sole result of bringing a worse calamity upon her head. She was seized and cruelly scourged by the ruthless Romans, her two daughters were vilely maltreated, and the noblest of the Icenians were robbed of their possessions by the plunderers, who went so far as to reduce to slavery the near relatives of the deceased king.

Roused to madness by this inhuman treatment, the Icenians broke into open revolt. They were joined by a neighboring state, while the surrounding Britons, not yet inured to bondage, secretly resolved to join the cause of liberty. There had lately been planted a colony of Roman veterans at Camalodunum (Colchester), who had treated the Britons cruelly, driven them from their houses, and insulted them with the names of slaves and captives; while the common soldiers, a licentious and greedy crew, still further degraded and robbed the owners of the land.

The invaders went too far for British endurance, and brought a terrible retribution upon themselves. Paulinus Suetonius, an able officer, who then commanded in Britain, was absent on an expedition to conquer the island of Mona. Of this expedition the historian Tacitus gives a vivid account. As the boats of the Romans approached the island they beheld on the shore the Britons prepared to receive them, while through their ranks rushed their women in funereal attire, their hair flying loose in the wind, flaming torches in their hands, and their whole appearance recalling the frantic rage of the fabled Furies. Near by, ranged in order, stood the venerable Druids, or Celtic priests, with uplifted hands, at once invoking the gods and pouring forth imprecations upon the foe.

The novelty and impressiveness of this spectacle filled the Romans with awe and wonder. They stood in stupid amazement, riveted to the spot, and a mark for the foe had they been then attacked. From this brief paralysis the voice of their general recalled them, and, ashamed of being held in awe by a troop of women and a band of fanatic priests, they rushed to the assault, cut down all before them, and set fire to the edifices and the sacred groves of the island with the torches which the Britons themselves had kindled.

But Suetonius had chosen a perilous time for this enterprise. During his absence the wrongs of the Icenians and the exhortations of Boadicea had roused a formidable revolt, and the undefended colonies of the Romans were in danger.

In addition to the actual peril the Romans were frightened with dire omens. The statue of victory at Camalodunum fell without any visible cause, and lay prostrate on the ground. Clamors in a foreign accent were heard in the Roman council chamber, the theaters were filled with the sound of savage howlings, the sea ran purple as with blood, the figures of human bodies were traced on the sands, and the image of a colony in ruins was reflected from the waters of the Thames.

These omens threw the Romans into despair and filled the minds of the Britons with joy. No effort was made by the soldiers for defense, no ditch was dug, no palisade erected, and the assault of the Britons found the colonists utterly unprepared. Taken by surprise, the Romans were overpowered, and the colony was laid waste with fire and sword. The fortified temple alone held out, but after a two days' siege it also was taken, and the legion which marched to its relief was cut to pieces.
Boadicea was now the leading spirit among the Britons. Her wrongs had stirred them to revolt, and her warlike energy led them to victory and revenge. But she was soon to have a master-spirit to meet. Suetonius, recalled from the island of Mona by tidings of rebellion and disaster, marched hastily as far as London, which was even then the chief residence of the merchants and the center of trade and commerce of the island.

His army was small, not more than ten thousand men in all. That of the Britons was large. The interests of the empire were greater than those of any city, and Suetonius found himself obliged to abandon London to the barbarians, despite the supplications of its imperiled citizens. All he would agree to was to take under his protection those who chose to follow his banner. Many followed him, but many remained, and no sooner had he marched out than the Britons fell in rage on the settlement, and killed all they found. In like manner they ravaged Verulamium (St. Albans). Seventy thousand Romans are said to have been put to the sword.

Meanwhile Suetonius marched through the land, and at length the two armies met. The skilled Roman general drew up his force in a place where a thick forest sheltered the rear and flanks, leaving only a narrow front open to attack. Here the Britons, twenty times his number, and confident of victory, approached. The warlike Boadicea, tall, stern of countenance, her hair hanging to her waist, a spear in her hand, drove along their front in a warlike car, with her two daughters by her side, and eloquently sought to rouse her countrymen to thirst for revenge.

Telling them of the base cruelty with which she and her daughters had been treated, and painting in vivid words the arrogance and insults of the Romans, she besought them to fight for their country and their homes. "On this spot we must either conquer or die with glory," she said. "There is no alternative. Though I am a woman, my resolution is fixed. The men, if they prefer, may survive with infamy and live in bondage. For me there is only victory or death."

Stirred to fury by her words, the British host poured like a deluge on their foes. But the Roman arms and discipline proved far too much for barbarian courage and ferocity. The British were repulsed, and, rushing forward in a wedge shape, the legions cut their way with frightful carnage through the disordered ranks. The cavalry seconded their efforts. Thousands fell. The rest took to flight. But the wagons of the British, which had been massed in the rear, impeded their flight, and a dreadful slaughter, in which neither sex nor age was spared, ensued. Tacitus tells us that eighty thousand Britons fell, while the Roman slain numbered no more than four hundred men.

Boadicea, who had done her utmost to rally her flying hosts, kept to her resolution. When all was lost, she took poison, and perished upon the field where she had vowed to seek victory or death. With her decease the success of the Britons vanished. Though they still kept the field, they gradually yielded to the Roman arms, and Britain became in time a quiet and peaceful part of the great empire of Rome.

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Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
************************************
It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

The Murder Of The Empress Julia Agrippina

The Murder Of The Empress Julia Agrippina: Mother of Nero The Mad

Nero was mad lord of Rome. Weak and immoral--a fortune of birth, and the schemes of his mother had granted him unlimited control of the greatest of nations. Utterly destitute of principle, he gradually descended into the deepest vice and profligacy, which was soon succeeded by the basest cruelty and treachery. And one of the first victims of his treachery was his own mother, who had murdered her husband, the Emperor Claudius, to place him on the throne, and had now committed the deeper fault of attempting to control her worthless and faithless son.

She had threatened to replace him on the throne with his half-brother Britannicus, and Nero had escaped this difficulty by poisoning Britannicus. She then opposed his vicious passions, and made a bitter foe of his mistress Poppæa, who by every artifice incensed the weak-minded emperor against his mother, representing her as the only obstacle to his full enjoyment of power and pleasure.
At length the detestable son was wrought up to the resolution of murdering her to whom he owed his life. But how? He was too cowardly and irresolute to take open means. Should he remove her by poison or the poignard? The first was doubtful. Agrippina was too practiced in guilt, too accustomed to vile deeds, to be easily deceived, and had, moreover, by taking poisons, hardened her frame against their effect. Nor could she be killed by the knife and the murder concealed. The murder-seeking wretch, who had no plan, and no stronger person than himself in whom he could confide, was at a loss how to carry out his wicked purpose.

At this juncture his tutor Anicetus came to his aid. This villain, who bitterly hated Agrippina, was now in command of the fleet that lay at Misenum. He proposed to Nero to have a vessel built in such a manner that it might give way in the open sea, and plunge to the bottom with all not prepared to escape. If Agrippina could be lured on board such a vessel, her drowning would seem one of the natural disasters of the open sea.

This suggestion filled with joy the mind of the unnatural son. The court was then at Baiæ, celebrating the festival called the Quinquatria. Agrippina was invited to attend, and Nero, pretending a desire for reconciliation, went to the sea-shore to meet her on her arrival, embraced her tenderly, and conducted her to a villa in a pleasant situation, looking out on a charming bay of the Mediterranean.

On the waters of the bay floated a number of vessels, among which was one superbly decorated, being prepared, as she was told, in her honor as the emperor's mother. This was intended to convey her to Baiæ, where a banquet was to be given to her that evening.


Agrippina was fond of sailing. She had frequently joined coasting parties and made pleasure trips of her own. But for some reason, perhaps through suspicion of Nero's dark project, she now took a carriage in preference, and arrived safely at Baiæ, much to the discomfiture of her worthless son.
Nero, however, was cunning enough to conceal his disappointment. He gave her the most gracious reception, placed her at table above himself, and by his affectionate attentions and his easy flow of talk succeeded in dispelling any suspicions his mother may have entertained.

The banquet was continued till a late hour, and when Agrippina rose to go Nero attended her to the shore, where lay the sumptuously decorated vessel ready to convey her back to her villa. Here he lavished upon her marks of fond affection, clasped her warmly to his bosom, and bade her adieu in words of tender regret, disguising his fell purpose under the utmost show of tenderness.

Agrippina went on board, attended by only two of her train, one of whom, a maid named Acerronia, lay at the foot of her mistress's couch, and gladly expressed her joy at the loving reconciliation which she had just perceived.

The night was calm and serene. The stars shone with their brightest luster. The sea extended with an unruffled surface. The vessel moved swiftly, at no great distance from the shore, under the regular sweep of the rowers' oars. Yet little way had been made when there came a disastrous change. A signal was given, and suddenly the deck over Agrippina's cabin sank in, borne down by a great weight of lead.

One of the attendants of the empress was crushed to death, but the posts of Agrippina's couch proved strong enough to bear the weight, and she and Acerronia escaped and made their way hastily to the deck. Here confusion and consternation reigned. The plot had failed. The vessel had not fallen to pieces at once, as intended. Those who were not in the plot rushed wildly to and fro, hampering, by their distracted movements, the operations of the guilty. These sought to sink the vessel at once, but in spite of their efforts the ship sank but slowly, giving the intended victims an opportunity to escape.
Acerronia, with instinctive devotion to her mistress, or a desire to save her own life, cried out that she was Agrippina, and pathetically implored the mariners to save her life. She won death instead. The assassins attacked her with oars and other weapons, and beat her down to the sinking deck.

Agrippina, on the contrary, kept silent, and, with the exception of a wound on her shoulder, remained unhurt. Dashing into the dark waters of the bay, she swam towards the shore, and managed to keep herself afloat till taken up by a boat, in which some persons who had witnessed the accident from the shore had hastily put out. Telling her rescuers who she was, they conveyed her up the bay to her villa.
Agrippina had been concerned in too many crimes of her own devising to be deceived. The treachery of her son was too evident. Without touching a rock, and in complete calm, the vessel had suddenly broken down, as if constructed for the purpose. Her own wound and the murder of her maid were further proofs of a premeditated plot. Yet she was too shrewd to make her suspicions public. The plot had failed, and she was still alive. She at once dispatched a messenger to her son, saying that by the favor of the gods and his good auspices she had escaped shipwreck, and that she thus hastened to quiet his affectionate fears. She then retired to her couch.

Meanwhile Nero waited impatiently for the news of his mother's death. When word was at length brought him that she had escaped, his craven soul was filled with terror. If this should get abroad; if she should call on her slaves, on the army, on the senate; if the people should learn of the plot of murder, and rise in riot; if any of a dozen contingencies should happen, all might be lost.

The terrified emperor was in a frightful quandary. He sent in all haste for his advisers, but none of them cared to offer any suggestions. At length the villainous Anicetus came to his aid. While they talked the messenger of Agrippina had arrived, and was admitted to give his message to the prince. As he was speaking Anicetus foxily let fall a dagger between his legs. He instantly seized him, snatched up the dagger and showed it to the company, and declared that the wretch had been sent by Agrippina to assassinate her son. The guards were called in, the man was ordered to be dragged away and put in fetters, and the story of the discovered plot of Agrippina was made public.


"Death to the murderess!" cried Anicetus. "Let me hasten at once to her punishment."

Nero gladly assented, and Anicetus hurried from the room, empowered to carry out his murderous intent.

Meanwhile the news of the peril and escape of the empress had spread far and wide. A dreadful accident had occurred, it was said. The people rushed in numbers to the shore, crowded the piers, filled the boats, and gave voice to a medley of cries of alarm. The uproar was at length allayed by some men with lighted torches, who assured the excited multitude that Agrippina had escaped and was now safe in her villa.

While they were speaking a body of soldiers, led by Anicetus, arrived, and with threats of violence dispersed the peasant throng. Then, planting a guard round the mansion, Anicetus burst open its doors, seized the slaves who appeared, and forced his way to the apartment of the empress.

Here Agrippina waited in fear and agitation the return of her messenger. Why came he not? Was new murder in contemplation? She heard the tumult and confusion on the shore, and learned from her attendants what it meant. But the noise was suddenly hushed; a dismal silence prevailed; then came new noises, then loud tones of command, and violent blows on the outer doors. In dread of what was coming, the unhappy woman waited still, till loud steps sounded in the passage, the attendants at her door were thrust aside, and armed men entered her chamber.


The room was in deep shadow, only the pale glimmer of a feeble light breaking the gloom. A single maid remained with the empress, and she, too, hastened to the door on hearing the tramp of warlike feet.

"Do you, too, desert me?" cried Agrippina, in deep reproach.

At that moment Anicetus entered the room, followed by two other ruffians. They approached her bed. She rose to receive them.

"If you come from the prince," she said, "tell him I am well. If your intents are murderous, you are not sent by my son. The guilt of parricide is foreign to his heart."

Her words were checked by a blow on the head with a club. A sword-thrust followed, and she expired under a number of mortal wounds. Thus died the niece, the wife, and the mother of an emperor, and the daughter of the celebrated soldier Germanicus.

Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
 ************************************
It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

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Zenobia Empress of the Golden Chains

Zenobia: Empress of the Golden Chains
 

Zenobia was empress of the people of Palmyra; She tried to boss the army when she should have stayed at home. Aurelian, the soldier, led a sort of a hegira Of armies up to fight her—they came all the way from Rome.

Full soon he was pursuing them, with spears and daggers "shooing" them, At last he sent them to defeat and caught the doughty queen. He captured her regretfully, he said, but she said fretfully That she considered him a spiteful thing, and very, very "mean."

He led her back a captive with her hands in jeweled fetters, Though she cast on Aurelian a look of proud disdain; Her manacles were carved and chased and decked by jewel setters, And to securely hold her he had made a golden chain.

There is a lot of mystery connected with all history— Zenobia, they tell us, didn't want to go to jail, But, think of such a fate as that! Why, such a jeweled weight as that Was better than to pawn your clothes and be released on bail!

Zenobia was taken to the royal Roman palace And there the charming prisoner, we read, was quite the rage— Had she lived in this time of ours (we say this without malice), She might have made a lasting hit by going on the stage.

Aurelian was nice to her—he hinted more than twice to her That he was getting pretty tired of kinging it alone. You see, she might have captured him—already she enraptured him— And had that handcuff jewelry to wear upon the throne.

But, no! Zenobia was like 'most any other lady— They've been the same since mother Eve; they have the same way still: No matter if it's Princess May, or Susie, Sal or Sadie, No lady will consent to be convinced against her will.

At last they told her civilly, "You'll have to live in Tivoli" (Which may or may not be the way to speak that city's name). She answered very prettily: "I'll love to live in Italy"— And there she stayed until she was an old, forgotten dame.

Words by Wilbur D·Nesbit
Pictures by Ellsworth Young  
  

Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
************************************
It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Presents A Six Sentence Sunday Excerpt

The following is an excerpt from A Tryst in Time, my complimentary short story featuring characters from my historical fantasy/paranormal romance, Shadows in a Timeless Myth. You can download the complete complimentary short story here, sample chapters from Shadows here, and a musical jigsaw puzzle of the cover here.

The night was cool, dark and quiet. Looking down at the snug little house in the woods with its cheerful fire casting warmth and light into the night, one might even say peaceful and serene. But that was just an illusion, and they would be wrong. Dank, dreary and fraught with danger and death would better fit.

His rank breath played an eerie game of hide and seek in the fog-laden shadows. The rising moon was full of bright promise—but the night, pregnant with unshed tears, obscured her beauty and dimmed her light. The swollen clouds—black and heavy—transformed the forest beyond the small cottage into a dark haven for those who contemplated evil deeds—concealing him as he watched and waited for his treasured moment to come....

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Excerpt

Teresa Thomas Bohannon

Full Novel Available From Amazon

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Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
 ************************************
 It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

A Visit From Regency Romance Author Regina Jeffers

Today, as part of the book tour for her newest release The  Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy, I am delighted to welcome Regency author Regina Jeffers.

What is it about Jane Austen-inspired literature that captured your fancy?

I have been in love with Jane Austen’s stories for as long as I can remember. When I was twelve, I read Pride and Prejudice and was hooked. Perhaps, it was being a product of the 1950s and 1960s. Those decades were a male dominated period (Have you ever watched “Mad Men”?). Jane Austen’s works looked at society through a comedic screen while examining issues found in a male dominated world. Charlotte Lucas symbolizes the prevailing attitude toward women, while Elizabeth Bennet does not condemn feminine “virtues,” but rather balances them with a sensible mind. In each of Austen’s novels, the main characters have experiences that create a profound and permanent transformation (Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice; Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility; Emma Woodhouse in Emma; Anne Elliot in Persuasion; Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey; and Edmund in Mansfield Park). Austen’s witty, satirical approach to her subjects resonates across the centuries.

Tell us about your favorite novel that you have written, and why it is your favorite?

The Phantom of Pemberley is my favorite because it was my first attempt at writing a cozy mystery. I have read cozies for years, and I loved the idea of trying to incorporate all the characteristics of the genre into my Pride and Prejudice mystery. Normally, a cozy is set in a village, where all those involved are familiar with each other. There is no graphic violence, no explicit sex scenes, and no profanity. Cozies are considered “genteel” mysteries. Think of “Murder She Wrote” on TV or Agatha Christie, and one has the cozy format. A cozy would never make a good “action” movie: the emphasis is on plot twists and character development. In The Phantom of Pemberley, I used the idea of “The Shadow Man,” which is what Wes Craven reportedly used for his Freddy Krueger. In England, the “shadow man” is a popular legend. Plus, Adam Lawrence becomes an active member of the story line. Lawrence has had “walk throughs” in several of my novels. In “Phantom,” he became an integral part of the cast, and I am so pleased with the outcome. (I have written a novella that tells Lawrence’s story. I hope to publish it soon.) I was rewarded for my attempts by having “Phantom” marked with a third place finish in Romantic Suspense in a RWA (Romance Writers of America) contest in 2010.

What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

I do not write comedic scenes well. With comedy, a person must not only take note of those characteristics that define his subject, but he must exaggerate those qualities in order to achieve a humorous effect. I possess a very refined humor, one generally based on word manipulation (no bathroom humor for me), but I have difficulty bringing the situation to a “ridiculous” conclusion. I do not do exaggeration and distortion well. I suppose that the line between tragedy and comedy does truly run thin and indistinct.

Where is your favorite place to read?

In all honesty, I would say anywhere. I could live in a library or a bookstore and never feel deprived of the outside world. My mother placed a book before me when I was nothing more than an infant, and I have been fascinated by books every since. I read cereal boxes, road signs, recipes, newspapers, etc. Anything is fair game. When I read for pleasure at home, I read either in my favorite chair or sitting on the bench under the weeping willow in my back yard or snuggled under the covers in bed late at night.

What is your favorite (OUT OF YOUR GENRE) book and author? Why?

Again, this is a difficult question for me for I have several favorites that I read and reread for different reasons.

My mother and I often shared reading choices. Together, we read a series based on a family dynasty in the mid 1850s to current times. The first book in the trilogy by Ronald S. Joseph is called The Kingdom. Once we had read that title, we made it our mission to continue the story of Anne Trevor and the Scotsman Alex Cameron. It was a guilty pleasure we shared. The others in the series are The Power and The Glory. When I am missing my mother’s presence in my life, I pull out my copies and reread this series.

Homer Hickman’s October Sky takes place in my native West Virginia. Set in 1957, the story speaks of people and places of which I am familiar. It also addresses the uncertain future many of my fellow West Virginians faced as the prospects of coal as our state’s salvation began to dwindle.

I absolutely love Broadway and the theatre districts. When I need a good laugh, I seek out my copy of The Collected Plays of Neil Simon. I absolutely love God’s Favorite, a parody of the story of Job from the Bible. I can repeat many of the lines by heart from this one.

From the classics (other than Austen’s works), I love Jane Eyre. The first time I read it, I was blown away with Mr. Rochester’s transformation and the revealing of his wife’s insanity.

I taught high school and young adult literature for years. One of my favorites is a series written by Ellen Emerson White (using the pseudonym of Zack Emerson). It is the Echo Company series and deals with the Vietnam War. I have read and reread the series, but I never tire of it. Another of those I like is Julius Lester’s novelized version of Shakespeare’s Othello. Lester uses many of the original lines while creating a unique tale that brings tears to ones’ eyes. I would also include Adeline Yen Mah’s Chinese Cinderella. It is the true story of a childhood forgotten.

What is your favorite quote?

Optime positum est beneficium ubi meminit qui accipit. – Syrus, Maxims
“It is best to do favours for people with good memories.”

What subjects, themes and dilemmas of the Regency period do you return to time and again?  What subjects have you introduced?

The true Regency Period lasted only nine years, from 1811 to 1820. Most writers of the period place their stories somewhere between 1800 and 1820; however, a few feature everything from the French Revolution to the Reform. When I am creating a Jane Austen adaptation, my setting is defined by Austen’s original story line. In my original Regencies, I tend to place my characters in situations that occur between 1810 and 1815. It is the time period of which I am most familiar.

The Regency is characterized by both elegance and vulgarity. Social norms and interactions were carefully scripted. Society’s tone was set by the ever-decadent Prince Regent. George IV was a man of intelligence and impeccable manners, when the situation so suited him, but he was also notorious for his appalling extravagances. Society in the early nineteenth century had become more egalitarian, and the nouveaux riche had loosened the standards of acceptance. It was a time of great transition. Yet, it was still a time when a pauper with a title had more influence than the richest tradesman. Women’s lack of choices remains a consistent theme.

I like to discover unusual facts and incorporate them into my story lines. The events of Peterloo appear in “His Irish Eve”; the efforts of Lord Cochrane to bring “chemical warfare” to the Napoleonic Wars can be found in Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion; the legend of the Shadow Man is a central part of The Phantom of Pemberley; well dressing ceremonies play out in Darcy’s Temptation; and the “rebirth” of St. Cuthbert in Vampire Darcy’s Desire; I also like to add what we think of as “modern” issues to the past: dissociative identity disorder; sexual abuse; OCD; and the infamous generation gap.

My latest book, The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy, includes the Scottish legend of Sawney Bean, the weather conditions at Waterloo, and the first railroad system in Scotland.


Book Blurb:

Shackled in the dungeon of a macabre castle with no recollection of her past, a young woman finds herself falling in love with her captor – the estate’s master. Yet, placing her trust in him before she regains her memory and unravels the castle’s wicked truths would be a catastrophe.

Far away at Pemberley, the Darcys happily gather to celebrate the marriage of Kitty Bennet. But a dark cloud sweeps through the festivities: Georgiana Darcy has disappeared without a trace. Upon receiving word of his sister’s likely demise, Darcy and wife, Elizabeth, set off across the English countryside, seeking answers in the unfamiliar and menacing Scottish moors.

How can Darcy keep his sister safe from the most sinister threat she has ever faced when he doesn’t even know if she’s alive? True to Austen’s style and rife with malicious villains, dramatic revelations and heroic gestures, this suspense-packed mystery places Darcy and Elizabeth in the most harrowing situation they have ever faced – finding Georgiana before it is too late.

Website – www.rjeffers.com
Blog – http://reginajeffers.wordpress.com
Twitter - @reginajeffers
Publisher – Ulysses Press http://ulyssespress.com/

Bio

Regina Jeffers, an English teacher for thirty-nine years, considers herself a Jane Austen enthusiast. She is the author of 13 novels, including Darcy’s Passions, Darcy’s Temptation, The Phantom of Pemberley, Christmas at Pemberley, The Scandal of Lady Eleanor, A Touch of Velvet, and A Touch of Cashémere. A Time Warner Star Teacher and Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, as well as a Smithsonian presenter, Jeffers often serves as a media literacy consultant. She resides outside of Charlotte, NC, where she spends time teaching her new grandson the joys of being a child.


Smiles & Good Reading,
Teresa
************************************
 It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Presents Six Sentence Sunday Excerpt Ten

 Shadows In A Timeless Myth

Six Sentence Sunday Excerpt 

For the barest of moments silence ruled as completely as if the house itself held its breath in anticipation.

The housekeeper had once been a tall, full-masted sailing ship of a big woman. Born of the large-boned peasant stock produced by generations of hard labor; she now stood stoop-shouldered and withered, heavily beset with a myriad frailties of old age. Her faded blue eyes were brightly lit with courage, and her bearing spoke of all the will in the world; but still her hands trembled with the weight of the Weatherby Express she held braced against her shoulder and trained on the etched glass panels of the French doors.

Bellina moved quickly to take the gun—but not quickly enough. Glistening shards of glass imploded into the room, driven before the body of a horrifying beast as he crashed through the doors with a raging force that shattered both lock and hinges. 

 

 

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Excerpt

Teresa Thomas Bohannon

Full Novel Available From Amazon

Kindle 

Large Print Paperback.

Smiles & Good Fortune, 

Teresa

************************************ 

It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Presents - Autism Awareness Giveaway

Hello and Welcome! 

What does Women's History & Women Authors 
Have to do with Autism Awareness ?
Very Little....
However, I have always been a firm believer in the philosophy
that reading to a child--any child--is the one gift you can give that will last a lifetime. So I present to you a selection of books and activities that you can share and enjoy with a child--plus a few books and musical jigsaw puzzles just for you.

If you would like to say Thank You In Return... 

 

Please Like Shadows In A Timeless Myth On Amazon

Or
Our Book Trailer Video On You Tube

Or
 Shadows In A Timeless Myth Facebook Page. 

Gift Books In PDF format
(Please be patient, they take a moment to load.)
 A Little Book Of Fairy Lore 
Athena Queen of Storm and Air 
Before There Were Ewoks, There Was: H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy 
 Hand Shadows: A Sweet, Old-Fashioned Activity To Share With Children
Fifty Four Stories To Tell Children 
Georgette Heyer's The Black Moth
(Her First Book Written To Entertain Her Brother Who Was Bedridden.)
Crock Pot Magic: 475 Recipes To Help You Find Time To Read & Play


Gift Musical Jigsaw Puzzles
 A Hand Shadows Musical Jigsaw Puzzle 
Fairy Flight Musical Jigsaw Puzzle 
 Happy In Fairyland Musical Jigsaw Puzzle
A Knight and His Lady Musical Jigsaw Puzzle
 Shadows In A Timeless Myth Musical Jigsaw Puzzle

The Gifts Are All Free

However, If you would like to enter to win a 

PDF copy of my old-fashioned Regency Romance
A Very Merry Chase 
with a personalized inscription, 

please leave a comment below telling me what number you were when you

Liked  
Shadows In A Timeless Myth 
On Amazon 
Or your number when you liked our
 Video Trailer
or our  
Shadows In A Timeless Myth Facebook Page. 

There are also lots of free gifts available at 

LadySilk's Regency Romance Revival 
On Our Complimentary Bookshelf

Or In The Photo Gallery On Our Facebook Page 

So be sure to bookmark us so you can come back after

The Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop Is Over.

Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
************************************
It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Presents Six Sentence Sunday Excerpt Nine

 Shadows In A Timeless Myth

Six Sentence Sunday Excerpt 

Mark held his ground without so much as a flinch, but before he could reply, Bellina stepped quickly forward and cut between them like a seasoned diplomat.

The blonde towered over her, but Bellina managed by perching on lifted toe-tips to clasp the newcomer’s swan-like neck in a warm bear-hug greeting. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I knew my AraBestla would never let me down.”

A thousand memories of past rescues flitted across AraBestla’s mind with all the combined frenzy of a low-budget slasher film and punk rock video combined—rescues where more often than not, she had been on the receiving end. “Just so you understand, I’m here because I owe you more than I can ever repay; but Bellina, I do not believe any,” she emphasized the word with a disdainful glance at Mark, “of your assumptions are true.”

“You owe me nothing, Bestla—least of all belief, so believe as you will...I’m still delighted, you’re here.”

 

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Excerpt

Teresa Thomas Bohannon

Full Novel Available From Amazon

Kindle 

Large Print Paperback.

Smiles & Good Fortune, 

Teresa

************************************ 

It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915

Shadows In A Timeless Myth Presents - Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza

Hello and Welcome! 

My Brand New Paranormal Romance

Shadows In A Timeless Myth

 Has Just Been Released

And To Celebrate

I am providing several gifts just to thank everyone for stopping by... 

If you would like to say Thank You In Return... 

Please Like Shadows In A Timeless Myth On Amazon

Or
Our Book Trailer Video On You Tube

Or
 Shadows In A Timeless Myth Facebook Page. 

Gift Books In PDF format
 A Little Book Of Fairy Lore 
Athena Queen of Storm and Air 
Before There Were Ewoks, There Was: H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy 
 Hand Shadows: A Sweet, Old-Fashioned Activity To Share With Children
Georgette Heyer's The Black Moth 
Shadows In A Timeless Myth Complimentary Short Story 

Gift Musical Jigsaw Puzzles
 A Hand Shadows Musical Jigsaw Puzzle 
Fairy Flight Musical Jigsaw Puzzle 
 Happy In Fairyland Musical Jigsaw Puzzle
A Knight and His Lady Musical Jigsaw Puzzle
 Shadows In A Timeless Myth Musical Jigsaw Puzzle

The Gifts Are All Free

However, If you would like to enter to win a 

PDF copy of my old-fashioned Regency Romance
A Very Merry Chase 
with a personalized inscription, 

please leave a comment below telling me what number you were when you

Liked  
Shadows In A Timeless Myth 
On Amazon 
Or your number when you liked our
 Video Trailer
or our  
Shadows In A Timeless Myth Facebook Page. 

There are also lots of free gifts available at 

LadySilk's Regency Romance Revival 
On Our Complimentary Bookshelf

Or In The Photo Gallery On Our Facebook Page 

So be sure to bookmark us so you can come back after

The Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop Is Over.

Smiles & Good Fortune,
Teresa
************************************
It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent. W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) Of Human Bondage, 1915