The United States has the Founding Fathers. Canada has the Fathers of Confederation. Unlike the Founding Fathers, whose new nation gained independence thanks to war, the Fathers of Confederation took a quieter, more methodical approach. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, […]
What is Victoria Day and Why Do Canadians Celebrate It?
In my novel, Angel of Mercy, Hettie’s birthday and her marriage to Geoffrey Bartlette correspond with the celebration of Victoria Day. If you’re American, you may be unaware of this holiday or why Canadians celebrate it. (This post is a companion piece to my WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available […]
Sir Wilfred Laurier: Canada’s First Modern Prime Minister
Hettie Bartlette, the main character in my novel Angel of Mercy, was born in Ontario in 1892. Despite being 27 at the end of the third novel in the series, Adjustment Year (publishing April 2021), she has memories of only two prime ministers. The longer serving of which was Sir Wilfrid Laurier. (This post is a […]
Happy Birthday to You: The History of Birthday Traditions
How did you celebrate your last birthday? Chances are you had a party that featured a cake decorated with candles. Did you ever take time to think where these traditions got their start? If you guessed in the Victorian era, you’d be wrong. Most are much older. (This post is a companion piece to Melina […]
Christmas Shopping in a Bygone Era
The commercialization of Christmas began during the Victorian era. Retailers encouraged consumers to shop for the holidays instead of giving homemade gifts, and shop employees also decorated their shop windows with lavish displays to attract passersby. The tradition of Christmas shopping was born.(This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of […]
Victorian Poison Wallpaper: Death by Interior Design
We are slaves to fashion – both in our wardrooms and in our homes. This also was the case during the Victorian era. Homes in the Victorian era often were covered in wallpaper. The Victorians loved wallpaper so much they covered every wall with it and sometimes the ceiling. The wallpaper of choice was that […]
The History of the Corset: A Slave to Fashion
The corset is probably considered the most uncomfortable garment ever invented, not only because it constricts the body, but also because it is symbolic of women being constricted in society. Was this true, or is it a stereotype? (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and […]
Lizzie Borden: Damned by the Press?
The silence of a small New England town was shattered on the afternoon of August 4, 1892. Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby, were brutally murdered with an ax. No one heard anything while the crime was being committed, but the media sensation it caused was heard across the country. (This post is a companion […]
Keeping Away the Darkness: The Electrification of Cities
This week marks the anniversary of an very momentous event in modern civilization: Dec. 31 is the day Thomas Edison first demonstrated his incandescent lightbulb in Menlo Park, NJ. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available wherever eBooks are sold. It also […]
Boss Tweed: A Name Synonymous with Political Corruption
Corruption always has been a part of American politics. No one exemplifies this more than William “Boss” Tweed. Tweed was active in New York City politics in the mid-19th century. He was portrayed by Jim Broadbent in the 2002 film The Gangs of New York, and is best known for his role as head of […]
Josephine Cochran: History of the Dishwasher
Most of us rarely stop to think about the history of mundane things, such as our household items and appliances. The dishwasher didn’t become commonplace in homes until the latter part of the 20th century. However, the dishwasher has a history dating back more than 150 years. What’s more, unlike many objects in your home, […]
Ghosts and Things that Go Bump in the Night: Victorians and the Paranormal
Belief in the paranormal is not limited to modern times. It began long ago with our ancestors telling spooky stories for entertainment. The Victorians, especially, were practically obsessed with ghosts and things that go bump in the night. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind […]