Handkerchiefs in Historicals

Keli Gwyn here to talk about handkerchiefs.

Since I write Victorian-era stories for the Love Inspired Historical line, my characters make good use of those classic fabric squares.

The women in my stories might carry a handkerchief in their reticules. When a female character doesn't have her handbag with her, I'll have a her tuck a handkerchief up her sleeve.

Ladies' handkerchiefs were often decorative as well as useful. Floral fabrics, embroidery or lace edges were common.

Heroes in my stories carry handkerchiefs, too. A hero's handkerchief is a usually a freshly laundered white version, though, that he has on hand to present to a heroine who is overcome and needs to dab at her tears.

Although few people carry handkerchiefs today, I remember a time when they were still in use. My Grandma Pat always had a hankie in her purse. I went through a phase as a girl when I was emulating her and had a pretty pink-flowered handkerchief in my purse.

When I was going through my in-laws things while clearing out their house a number of years ago, I came across an assortment of handkerchiefs that belonged to my mother-in-love. They're the ones shown in the photograph above. Aren't they pretty?

Questions for You

Have you ever carried a handkerchief?

Do you remember any relatives who did?

FEATURED BOOK AND INTERVIEW: Make-Believe Beau by Keli Gwyn

Interview:

How exciting to have Jessica Sinclair, the heroine from Make-Believe Beau by Keli Gwyn, an August 2016 release from Love Inspired Historical, pay us a visit.

1. Jessie, tell us the most interesting thing about you.

I’m a draftswoman. There aren’t many women working in this field, so I tend to draw attention. I don’t mean to. I’m just trying to do my job, but when a woman walks into an all-male engineering office, heads turn. That fact has caused some problems at my current position. The manager has forced me to feign a relationship with my boss—or lose my job. Although Flynt Kavanaugh is a handsome, talented engineer, I’m not happy about this arrangement.

2. What do you do for fun?

I love to sing. I don’t do it as much as I used to, though because— No. I prefer not to talk about that time in my life. Suffice it to say that I limit myself to singing hymns in church these days.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I dread anyone asking about my past and having to answer their questions. I’ve done things I’d rather no one found out about, especially Flynt.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?

I’m afraid that if people were to learn what I did, they wouldn’t understand and I would lose their trust.

5. What do you want out of life?

I want to be a successful draftswoman who can hold her head high.

6. What is the most important thing to you?

Respect. I want people to see me for who I am today and accept me.

7. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’m not sure I could change anything. Circumstances forced me to make certain decisions when I was young. I hadn’t found my way to the Lord yet, so I didn’t know He was there for me. But He is now, and I seek His guidance when I have choices to make.

8. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it, and why that pet?

I don’t have a pet. I wish I could, but as a single woman who must support herself, I don’t feel it would be fair to leave an animal alone all day.

9. Can you tell us an interesting tidbit about the time period you live in?

I’m fascinated by the many advancements being made. I’m helping design the El Dorado Canal, which will bring much-needed water from lakes high in the Sierras to the Foothills below. It’s one of California’s most ambitious undertakings, and I’m privileged to be part of it.

Horse Sense

Keli Gwyn here with a confession. I might write historical romances set in the days before motorized vehicles, but my knowledge of horses, the major mode of transportation at the time, is sadly lacking.

Horses are magnificent creatures. I admire those who ride, train, groom, enjoy and love them.

I rode a horse a few times when I was young. My sister had a little Welsh mare. Rainbow was gray and looked somewhat like the Welsh pony pictured.

Rainbow was quite docile, but that horse had a sneaky side. She had a habit of holding her breath when she was being saddled so the cinch wouldn’t be too snug, which I found out on a chilly fall day.

If I’d had more horse sense, I would have checked the cinch one more time before mounting Rainbow. My sister had told me I needed to do that. I thought everything was fine, but I hadn’t pushed hard enough on Rainbow’s underside to cause her to expel the air.

Rainbow had a surprise in store for me. We’d just set out across our back field at a walk when the saddle began slipping sideways. The world slowly tilted, and I ended up on the ground, stunned but uninjured.

I looked up at Rainbow, who had come to a stop. She’d turned her head to look at me, as the Welsh pony pictured is doing. I’d heard about horse laughs, but that day I witnessed one for myself. Rainbow was laughing at me, I’m sure of it. She’d bested me, and the silly girl knew it.

The rest of the memory is fuzzy, due to the fact that the incident took place 40 years ago. I’m fairly sure I tightened that cinch and got back on, knowing that’s what we’re supposed to do after falling off, but I’ll be honest. I haven’t had a desire to ride a horse since.

My limited experience with horses became woefully apparent when I started writing my stories. I’ll admit to having performed Google searches on “standard horse gaits,” “parts of a horse” and “how to groom a horse.”

I was able to fake it for a few books using what I’d leaned online, but when I set out to write Make-Believe Beau, a story with a horse-racing hero, I needed solid information. I’m blessed to have a young friend who is an avid horsewoman. Rachael answered all my questions, no matter how basic, and she didn’t laugh at me once.

With Rachael's help, I chose a beautiful black quarter horse similar to the one in the photo. Sid, short for Obsidian, is hero Flynt Kavanaugh's pride and joy. Together, they enter the race at the Fourth of July festivities, a real event that took place in my hometown of Placerville, California in 1874, the year the story takes place. To find out what happened next, you'll just have to read Make-Believe Beau. :-)

 (All three images above are from Wikimedia Commons. Photo 1. Photo 2. Photo 3.)

Questions for You

Have you ever ridden a horse?
If so, what was your experience like?

Off all the horses you’ve seen—in real life
or in movies—which is your favorite?

The Courtship Charade 

As a draftswoman in a man’s world, Jessica Sinclair causes a stir as her new male colleagues vie for her attention. And the company manager has an ultimatum: fake a courtship with her boss, Flynt Kavanaugh…or lose her job. But pretending to be smitten with the handsome engineer unleashes a real, complicated attraction—and could reveal the past she hoped to keep hidden.

Jessica is certainly the best person for the job. But as their make-believe romance escalates, Flynt knows that’s not the only reason he wants her on his team. However, with his past shrouded by a shameful secret, Flynt has always focused his ambitions on building a career, not a family. Now he has designs on Jessica’s heart, but can they trust each other with the truth?

Copyright © 2016 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover and cover copy text used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited.
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Craftie Ladies - Love Inspired Historical August 2016 Releases

Listed below are the new releases from our talented Love Inspired Historical August authors here at Craftie Ladies of Romance. To purchase these wonderful books, just click on the covers. And to learn more about the authors, click on their names.

A Family for the Rancher

by Louise M. Gouge

From Neighbor to Daddy

Rancher Edmund McKay likes his life simple and quiet—everything feisty neighbor Lula May Barlow is not! But with a cattle rustler on the loose, he's duty-bound to protect the widowed mother, even without her approval. Yet he never expected to enjoy her company. And he certainly never thought her crowded, bustling house would be the first place he'd ever feel at home…

After a harsh childhood, Lula May knows how to stand on her own two feet. She doesn't need Edmund's help—but she's starting to want it, all the same. So are her children, who clearly have matchmaking in mind. And when a threat from the past resurfaces, she realizes all that's at stake…including her chance for a lifetime of love.

This is the second book in the latest Love Inspired Historical continuity series, Lone Star Cowboy League: The Founding Years.

• • •

Make-Believe Beau

by Keli Gwyn
The Courtship Charade

As a draftswoman in a man's world, Jessica Sinclair causes a stir as her new male colleagues vie for her attention. And the company manager has an ultimatum: fake a courtship with her boss, Flynt Kavanaugh…or lose her job. But pretending to be smitten with the handsome engineer unleashes a real, complicated attraction—and could reveal the past she hoped to keep hidden.

Jessica is certainly the best person for the job. But as their make-believe romance escalates, Flynt knows that's not the only reason he wants her on his team. However, with his past shrouded by a shameful secret, Flynt has always focused his ambitions on building a career, not a family. Now he has designs on Jessica's heart, but can they trust each other with the truth?

Romance...and Scrabble?

Keli Gwyn here on National Scrabble Day with a confession.

Although I enjoy playing Scrabble, I'm not very good at it. My husband, on the other hand, is. In fact, he's so good that I almost didn't accept his invitation when he asked me out on our first date--all because of a Scrabble game.

A girlfriend and I had attended a gal's night out with single friends from church. As part of the event, there was a short devotion on dating by a married woman, who gave us single gals some dating tips.

One of the tips was not to try so hard. The presenter encouraged us to keep our focus on friendship first, which would give us time to get to know guys as friends before things got serious. She suggested hosting a dinner party but making sure the number of guys and gals was uneven so there was no pairing off.

My girlfriend and I thought the dinner party idea was great, so we invited three fellows. One of them was new to our singles group. His name just so happened to be Carl Gwyn.

The meal went well. Afterward, we played a board game which was--you guessed it--Scrabble. My friend and one fellow teamed up. I teamed up with another. Carl was odd man out, but he cheerfully said that was fine with him.

The game began well enough, but it soon became apparent that the two-person teams couldn't compete with our solo player. The four of us whipped our words down with impressive speed, more focused on fun than winning, whereas Carl took his time studying the board before each move and placing his tiles with care. At one point, Carl used a Q and landed on a triple-word square. He racked in some fifty points on that word alone, rocketing past us.

Along the way, I experienced an attitude shift. Because I'm a wee bit competitive, I wasn't too thrilled with being outsmarted. After all, Carl was a science teacher, and I was working as an assistant editor. I should have done better than he did, or so I told myself.

So, when Carl called to ask me out on a date, I had second thoughts. I even asked my roommates what they thought. Both gals encouraged me to give him a second chance and say yes. I did, and I soon found out what a great guy Carl is.

These days, I'm prepared to loose whenever I play Scrabble with Carl. He's still the champ, and I've made peace with that. However, I discovered Bananagrams. Since it's a game of speed, I have the advantage, and Gwynly has to work hard to keep up with me. But I don't gloat when I win. After all, he could challenge me to Scrabble and whomp me soundly. :-)

• • •

What is your favorite Scrabble memory?
Is it a game you enjoy, or do you prefer another, as I do?

FEATURED BOOK AND INTERVIEW: A Home of Her Own by Keli Gwyn

A Blossoming Love 

Becky Martin knows that she can't stay at James O'Brien's apple farm forever, but she wishes she could. After her brother framed her for arson, she flees Chicago, traveling cross-country to California and finding work caring for James's ailing mother. Beneath the apple blossoms, it's almost as if she has a real family…but her secret won't stay buried forever. 

James, scarred from an explosion, didn't expect to connect to the pretty young traveler. Could she really love someone damaged like him? He knows she's hiding something. If only she'd trust him. Can she let go of her past and believe in the possibility of a future amid the apple trees?

INTERVIEW: 

How exciting to have Becky Martin, the heroine from A Home of Her Own by Keli Gwyn, a March 2016 release from Love Inspired Historical, pay us a visit.

1. Becky, tell us the most interesting thing about you.

I don’t think I’m all that interesting, but I do have a fondness for words. My most prized possession is my dearly departed mother’s dictionary. I read it all the time and love adding new words to my vocabulary.

2. What do you do for fun?

I spend much of my time caring for James’s ailing mother, but when I get a few minutes to myself, I love to visit James’s apple orchard and learn more about the trees and what goes into caring for them. I enjoy reading, too, and am delighted that he said I could read any of his books.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I dread telling James about my brother and why I ran away from my only living relative. Dillon accused me of starting a fire at the small factory where we both worked back in Chicago, even though he’s the one who set it. When I stood up to him, he said awful things and tried to hurt me, but I escaped before he did too much damage. I don’t know why he dislikes me so much. I’ve tried hard to be a good sister to him, but for some reason he feels a great deal of rancor toward me.

I just learned that fancy word for bitterness or resentfulness when I was reading Mutter’s dictionary this morning, and I wanted to use it right away so I remember it. I used it correctly, didn’t I?

4. What are you afraid of most in life?

I’m terrified Dillon will find me. I didn’t tell him where I was going and took steps to keep my destination from him, but I know my brother. If he wants to find me, he’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

5. What do you want out of life?

That’s easy. I want a home of my own where I’m safe and loved. Since I will have to keep moving from town to town so Dillon can’t find me, I will never have that, though.

6. What is the most important thing to you?

Education. I had to drop out of school when Mutter’s consumption got so bad. Caring for her was a labor of love, but I had hoped to resume my education one day. That never happened.

7. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Dillon says I’m slow. I don’t think I am, but I wish I were smart like James. He’s a college man and sounds so intelligent when he speaks. Don’t tell him I said so, but I love listening to him talk. And looking at him. He’s quite handsome.

8. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it, and why that pet?

When I met James, I was chasing after a stray dog. The poor fellow was a mess, and I felt sorry for him. Spitz—that’s what I call him—followed me to James’s place, but my new employer doesn’t want another animal to care for. I save the table scraps, though, and take them out to Spitz when no one’s around, but I have to send him away after he’s eaten. James is kind, though, so I like to think he’ll change his mind and let Spitz stay.

9. Can you tell us a little interesting tidbit about the time period you live in?

We have a railroad in place now that can take a person all the way across this wonderful country of ours. I rode the train from Chicago to California and loved watching the changing scenery out the window.