Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine card, “Yours For Ever,” by Esther Howland (Worcester, Massachusetts, ca. 1860-1880). Courtesy of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Valentine’s Day greeting cards did exist before Esther Howland came into the picture, and it was an important holiday in England in the time of my stories. In fact, according to this article, an English Valentine Ms. Howland received was the impetus for what soon became a highly successful business. I love women’s success stories, and I especially like Esther’s because it seems she was actually a good boss. I also like her because she came from Worcester, Massachusetts, my hometown.

You can find out a great deal more about Esther Howland here at Wikipedia.

Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope it brings you something beautiful. Chocolate isn’t so bad, either.

Note: If you click on the link in the picture caption, you can enlarge the card and see all the glorious details.

Love,

Loretta

Season's Greetings

Christmas Eve by W.C. Bauer (19th C)

Gentle Reader,

Some of my favorite Christmas Eve images are from the 19th century. They seem to be written with the carol Silent Night in mind.

Recently and aptly, this opinion piece appeared in a local paper, reminding me why I find the images so appealing.
At another time, you might be treated to my rants—I mean, opinions—about loud conversations and loud music in shops and restaurants. For today, though, the element of peace is on my mind. We live in tumultuous times, across the globe. Peace seems impossible, yet we can hope and wish. With love and understanding, we can try to create a peaceful and positive environment around us.

I like to believe that romance novels contribute, and I try to keep mine positive, even when I’m writing about rather dark times and situations. In the end, no matter how bleak things might get, love triumphs, and we leave the story with a sense that all’s right with the world, even if it’s only for that moment, and it’s fiction. That’s one of the (many) reasons we read and write these books.

I wish you a beautiful Christmas and holiday time, filled with love, laughter, joy, warmth, and all manner of good things. And peace.

And I leave you with two musical expressions of these wishes.

Imagine - John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band (w The Flux Fiddlers) (Ultimate Mix 2018) - 4K REMASTER
And for the punk rockers in the audience,
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding