Audrey Abbott
Welcome to Abbey Mead / January 2020 / Letter 18
Dear Friends of Abbey Mead,
1. Hear Ye! Hear Ye! This is a reminder: The Lady’s Prayer will be released as a paperback on January 22, 2020! But you can pre-order it now! See previous newsletter or my website: www.audreyabbottauthor.com. Also, I have actual physical paperback copies. If you would like a signed copy, email me at audreyabbottauthor@gmail.com and perhaps we can arrange a meeting!
2. A BOOK RELEASE EVENT for The Lady’s Prayer will be held at https://www.riverstonebookstore.com / Riverstone Bookstore / February 7 at 7:00 PM / Another local author, Gemma McKay, aka Stephanie Keyes, will also be there. Gemma writes New Adult Romances set in Ireland! Our books will be sold and signed! Join us as we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Love, and Romance Books! I look forward to seeing you!!!
* * * * *
And now for something else! I Need Your Assistance!
Book 3, The Lady’s Wish, is waiting in the wings!
WARNING: Plot Hint: If there should be another wedding in someone’s future, what color gown should she wear? When she first walked down the aisle in 1812, she wore a sapphire blue gown.
The tradition of wearing white only became a “thing” in 1840 after Queen Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert. Victoria wore a white satin dress embellished with Honiton lace made in Devonshire, England. The slippers she wore were also white. Her matching white train was 18 feet long. Wearing white soon became the rage as many other brides followed the young queen’s example.
Please shoot me an email (audreyabbottauthor@gmail.com) and share your thoughts on a color for a possible wedding dress and why you prefer that color. Thanks!
* * * * *
More about the British East India Company:
To refresh: the initial focus of the EIC was trade. But eventually, the EIC ruled over not only trade, but also the creation of the British Empire.
By 1803, at the height of its rule in India, the British East India Company had a private army of about 260,000—twice the size of the regular British Army. The EIC was a major military and political power in India for a century from 1757 to 1858.
Of course, British rule was not always welcomed by the Indian population and there was localized and sometimes brutal resistance as we see in The Lady’s Desire (Anne’s kidnapping by the Pindaris) and The Lady’s Prayer (the major battle with and against local sultans).
It is perhaps easy from the safety of our modern vantage point to harshly judge British rule in India. With our contemporary perspective, we can certainly sympathize with the native population.
But for the actual British men and women who lived there during that time, their viewpoint would have been quite different. They witnessed the unifying and economic benefit of British rule to the native population as well as the enormous financial advantage to their home country. It was their duty to preserve that advantage.
But just as the Americans did in 1776, the population in India eventually resisted British control. The Indian Rebellion in 1857-58 started with a revolt of native sepoy troops. This act began a slow and painful separation. India did not achieve full independence from Britain until 1947.
* * * * *
Fun Dates in January:
January 1 / Happy New Year! I hope that you recovered from your celebration of Hogmanay on December 31st !!!
January 3 / Fruitcake Toss Day
January 8 / National Take the Stairs Day / Verra Healthy! William would approve!
January 16 /Appreciate a Dragon Day
January 22 / Release of The Lady’s Prayer as a paperback!
January 24 / Beer Can Appreciation Day / Beer first sold in cans in 1935
January 27 / Chocolate Cake Day / My favorite day!
* * * * *
PS: Past Abbey Mead newsletters can be found on my website: www.audreyabbottauthor.com . Check it out…
PPS: If you liked The Lady’s Prayer, please consider writing a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Or tell a friend! Reviews – especially good ones – are verra much appreciated by William and Anne and above all by me! Thanks!!!