From the Notebooks of Susan Holloway Scott

A Pair of Merrie Ladies: Katherine Sedley & Nell Gwyn

2010-10-16T19:32:00.000-04:00

Readers of The Countess and the King have been intrigued by the relationship between Katherine Sedley and actress Nell Gwyn, and have asked for more information about their friendship. I'm happy to oblige! At first glance, the two seem to have little in common. Nell Gwyn (1650-1687), left, was born into extreme poverty. Raised by her mother in a brothel, she was saved from

Introducing Katherine Sedley, Heroine of "The Countess & the King"

2010-09-07T19:48:00.000-04:00

At first glance, Katherine Sedley (1657-1717) doesn’t seem like heroine material. In most English history books, she’s not mentioned at all, and even in histories that concentrate on the Restoration (1660-1685), she’ll merit just a footnote if she’s lucky. She didn’t come from a stellar royal family, or one with notable talent or power. She wasn’t a great beauty, or a queen or princess who

Let the Blog Tour Begin!

2010-09-01T13:50:00.000-04:00

I'm in the final countdown until the release date for "The Countess & the King" –– that's next Tuesday, September 7, the day after Labor Day –– but I've already begun my blog tour. Today's the beginning of the "Countess & King" week-long event at the Historical Fiction Bloggers Roundtable. Here's the introduction, featuring an interview, but there will also be a new post daily on each of the

Salad Days of 1699 with John Evelyn

2010-08-19T19:58:00.000-04:00

When we think of dining in late 17th c. England (if, admittedly, we think of it at all), it's the roaring display of roasted beef and venison and pheasant, turtle soup and eel pie. The England of Charles II seems such a time of wine, women, and song, that it's hard to imagine a menu that included...salad. John Evelyn (1620-1706) was a serious, scholarly gentleman, a public servant, writer,

More Early Praise for THE COUNTESS & THE KING

2010-07-30T19:32:00.000-04:00

A splendid review from the 9/10 RT Book Reviews! Known for her fictionalized biographies of naughty, bawdy Restoration-era women, it's no wonder that Scott chose the mistress of James II, brother of Charles II, as the heroine of her latest work. This is a story of a woman who followed her heart. Through glittering descriptions of 17th century England, Katherine comes to vibrant life. This is

Defusing a Difficult Situation with a Bit of Wit: Charles II & William Penn

2010-07-25T18:58:00.001-04:00

Here in Pennsylvania where I live, William Penn (1644-1718) is a venerable figure. As the founder of the state, he is usually portrayed as a Quaker elder, wise, peace-loving, considerate, and just: everything a leader should be. But that all came later, after 1682 and after he received the sizable grant of land that he would help colonize. The younger William Penn was the despair of his father, a

First Review for THE COUNTESS & THE KING!

2010-07-19T19:20:00.000-04:00

There are only about six more weeks until The Countess & the King will be in stores, and as I keep my fingers firmly crossed for luck, the first reviews are beginning to appear. Today came a glorious surprise from Publishers Weekly: this wonderful review to begin the week! The Countess and the King Susan Holloway Scott, NAL, $15 paper (400p) ISBN 978-0-451-23115-4 In this vivid portrait of

My Debut at "Hoydens & Firebrands"

2010-07-11T08:39:00.000-04:00

I'm delighted and honored to be making my official debut as a member of Hoydens & Firebrands, a blog that's dedicated to the 17th century. Seems like a great fit for me! My first post includes a vengeful king, regicides on the run, Wampanoags eager for scalps, and legends that will not die. Come check out "The Angel of Hadley."

Interview at "Versailles & More"

2010-06-08T10:08:00.004-04:00

My fellow historical novelist Catherine Delors has interviewed me for her splendid blog, Versailles & More. Most of her questions were about Louise de Keroualle (shown left, in an opulent portrait by Mignard) and "The French Mistress", and there's always more to say about Louise and her place in Charles II's Court!Browse around Catherine's blog while you're there, especially if you're a

Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!

2010-05-29T10:21:00.000-04:00

May 29th is not only the 350th anniversary of the return of King Charles II (1630-1685) to London after his lengthy exile, but also his 380th birthday. I've written five historical novels in which Charles has featured prominently, and after those 600,000 or so words between us, I do feel I owe him the very best wishes for the day.But I'll leave it to writer and diarist John Evelyn(1620-1707), who

Preview of "The Countess & the King"

2010-05-21T08:05:00.003-04:00

You may call it a preview, teaser, sampler, introduction, or excerpt – whatever your choice, I've just posted a bit of "The Countess & the King" here to whet your appetite for the book, coming in September. Enjoy!

Nutmeg, My Lord?

2010-05-16T10:25:00.000-04:00

Most of us self-diagnosed history nerds are familiar with snuff-boxes, and can easily imagine a 17th or 18th c. gentleman drawing such a box from his pocket to partake in his favorite sneezing vice. But from the late 17th c. to the early 19th c., a well-equipped male pocket might also include one of these little silver articles: a personal nutmeg grater.While nutmeg is a common spice to 21st c.

Maypoles & "Merrie Recreation"

2010-04-18T16:09:00.000-04:00

I've just posted a guest blog on 17th c. Maypoles over at Hoydens & Firebrands. This is a wonderful blog of 17th c. history, hosted by five first-rate historical fiction writers who set their books primarily in that time period. Check it out! By the way – despite the numerous descriptions of Maypoles and the accompanying bawdy celebrations, this subdued little print is the only known 17th c.

Growing Old Gracefully (and Powerfully)

2010-04-01T16:12:00.005-04:00

Commenting on a recent blog over at The Two Nerdy History Girls, reader JennyGirl asked if the ladies on my most recent book covers were related. They're not, not even remotely. But for anyone glancing at a group of 17th c. ladies by Sir Peter Lely, (1618-1680) THE portraitist of his time, there is, ahem, a striking similarity. Much of this is because the ladies wanted to be shown in the

King Charles II, the Duke of Richmond, & Frances Stewart

2010-03-28T23:00:00.001-04:00

King Charles II (1630-1685), left, of England loved women, and women in turn loved him. From high-born peeresses to humble orange-girls, literally hundreds of women enjoyed the royal person during his lifetime. Only one lady of his court is known to have refused him: a beautiful nineteen-year-old Maid of Honor named Frances Stewart (1647-1702), lower right. Although Charles pursued her for months

The Queen(s) with the Pearl Earrings

2010-03-17T16:24:00.001-04:00

Last month I wrote about the large pearl that King Charles I wore in one ear. It seems only fair to write about an equally famous pair of pearl earrings worn by his queen, and several others besides. Many legendary jewels of the past have disappeared through wars and revolution, or have been broken up, re-cut, and reset until they bear no resemblance to their original design. But these

The King with the Pearl Earring

2010-02-20T10:08:00.004-05:00

Today pearls are among the most common of precious "jewels." But before the development of cultured pearls and farming in the early 20th c., all pearls were natural pearls. These rare treasures could be discovered only by accident and at considerable peril. Natural pearls had great mystique and luminous beauty as well as value, which made them favorites of queens – and kings. One of the most

Who Was That Masked Lady?

2010-02-01T10:14:00.000-05:00

Lately there's been much discussion in the media of the singer Lady Gaga's fascination with masks, most recently on a London red carpet. But while using a mask to go fashionably incognito might seem like news to the gossip columnists, we know otherwise. There were plenty of ladies hitting the London social scene wearing masks 350 years ago.Made from black velvet or satin, masks, or vizards, were

From the TNHG: Stitching Mrs. Newton's Gown: Finale

2009-11-17T20:21:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared on my other blog,The Two Nerdy History Girls. Because of a software glitch, the original photos didn't enlarge when clicked. These should!These are the last in the series of photographs showing the mantua-makers of Colonial Williamsburg making a replica 1770s gown. (Click here andhere for the earlier posts.) Often called called a robe a la Francaise or a Watteau

From the TNHG: Stitching Mrs. Newton's Gown: Part II

2009-11-13T20:02:00.001-05:00

This post originally appeared on my other blog,The Two Nerdy History Girls. Because of a software glitch, the original photos didn't enlarge when clicked. These should!Susan reports:As promised, here's more about how the mantua-makers of Colonial Williamsburg recreated a 1770gown belonging to Mrs. Thomas Newton.A lady's gown was custom-made for her. It was created by draping, cutting, and

From the TNHG: Stitching Mrs. Newton's Gown: Part I

2009-11-10T19:44:00.002-05:00

This post originally appeared on my other blog, The Two Nerdy History Girls. Because of a software glitch, the original photos didn't enlarge when clicked. These should!Susan reports:The tradespeople of Colonial Williamsburg don't simply lecture to visitors. They are master craftsmen/women in their own right, with many years of study and experience. They practice their crafts in exactly the same

Meet the Merrie Monarch

2009-07-08T11:46:00.001-04:00

Tired of the Tudors? Had enough of Henry? Do I have another English king for you! Charles II (1630-1685)was a monarch so intriguing, so charming, and so historically hot that he doesn’t need Jonathan Rhys Meyers to boost his reputation.Like all heirs to thrones, Charles II was welcomed into the world with fireworks and ringing church bells. He had an idyllic childhood, even for a royal

Louise & Amber: One Portrait, Two Covers

2009-05-21T21:13:00.003-04:00

Any reader with a sharp eye has noticed how often the same paintings or portraits appear on the covers of historical fiction. Since many of the most popular pictures are also personal favorites of mine (the wide-eyed young Emma, Lady Hamilton, as painted by George Romney in the late 18th century, has appeared on as many covers as a modern-day supermodel), I don’t really object –– though with so

Duchess Sighting

2009-05-19T06:02:00.006-04:00

Just as mothers can instantly pick their own children out in a crowded schoolyard, writers, too, are always quick to spot their book covers on store and library shelves. But on CNN?Well, not quite the cover, but the cover art. Earlier this year, President and Mrs. Obama visited Her Majesty the Queen of England. While most American news coverage seemed breathlessly to concentrate on whether or

Keeping Warm, 17th Century Style

2009-01-20T08:13:00.001-05:00

I know, I know, there's nothing that can be done about the weather, but for most of America, this January has been a doozy. Record snowfalls, ice by the bucket, sub-zero temperatures: if this isn’t the winter of our discontent, then I don’t know what is. When we’re not talking/whining/weeping about the cold, we’re figuring out the best ways to keep warm. For a ten-minute trip to the grocery, we’

Happy Plough Monday!

2009-01-01T20:49:00.000-05:00

To most Englishmen and women living before the twentieth century came creeping in, Christmas was more of a holiday “season” than the modern one-day extravaganza, with many smaller, specialized celebrations spread out over two weeks.One of these celebrations that has been largely forgotten is Plough Monday. Traditionally the first Monday after the Twelve Days of Christmas, Plough Monday

Picturing Nell Gwyn

2008-07-15T08:03:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time, before every last second of every other person’s life wasdocumented by way of a digital camera or cell-phone (at least every other person beneath a Certain Age), images were special. Before photography and daguerreotypes became widespread in the early 19th century, the overwhelming majority of people lived their entire lives without any sort of visual documentation. No

Bagnigge Wells, Explained

2008-04-10T08:29:00.001-04:00

Last fall, I wrote a blog called "Whither Bagnigge?" I'd recently written a scene (included in the blog) for The King's Favorite, which was set in a rural town called Bagnigge Wells, located on a branch of the Thames. As is sadly often the case, the rural resort of 1670 where Charles II went swimming with Nell Gwyn was soon after absorbed by London's sprawling growth, with even the river

Whither Bagnigge Wells

2007-10-27T08:21:00.000-04:00

Writing novels set in the past presents its own special challenges. One of the hardest parts is determining exactly how much history you want or need to support your story, and then how much of your “writing time” to invest in research to support that history. Of course this varies from writer to writer, and from book to book, with results that vary from the most mundane “wallpaper history”,

Hello, Harlot!

2007-07-02T12:02:00.002-04:00

My second historical novel, Royal Harlot, follows the life and career of Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine, Duchess of Cleveland (1641-1709), and the most famous/infamous mistress of English King Charles II (1630-85.) and one of the most independent women in history. Born to a noble family, Barbara Villiers took her first lover at 15, married at 18, and became Charles’s lover

This Noisy Old World

2007-06-03T15:00:00.001-04:00

Writers and noise are not a good combination. While some of us write to carefully chosen music and others prefer as much peaceable silence as is possible, no writer enjoys the general racket of modern life. Nothing can wither a perfectly good visit from a Muse faster than a monstrous trash truck, working its thumping and crashing way up the street. Teenagers cranking up rap music,

Beauty & the Barbara

2007-06-01T16:40:00.001-04:00

Since I’ve begun writing historical fiction, I’ve crossed over into a writing-world where nearly ALL the characters are based on real people. I won’t go into every one of the challenges of that kind of research in this blog; I’ll save that for another day. But to my surprise, one of the unexpected ones was having the appearances –– the “beauty”, as it were –– of those characters already

Frost Fairs

2007-04-19T14:15:00.002-04:00

Here in Pennsylvania, the temperature hasn’t risen above freezing for entire month of February and most of March as well, with a good sloppy six inches of freezing sleet last Friday. Is it any wonder, then, that my thoughts have gone back to the great Frost Fairs on the frozen Thames?From roughly 1500 to 1850, northern Europe suffered through what modern historians call the “Little Ice Age”, with

Lady Day & Other Lost Holidays

2007-03-25T15:04:00.003-04:00

Holidays have taken it hard in the last decade or so. Used to be, a glimpse at the windows of any elementary school could tell you the season: construction paper ghosts and witches meant Halloween, angels and Santas heralded Christmas, red hearts promised Valentine’s Day, and the eggs and bunnies appeared for Easter. But political correction has taken its toll. Witches and ghosts are banned as

The Godolphin Barb

2007-02-03T17:10:00.000-05:00

Upper-class England was really a very small world during the lifetime of John and Sarah Churchill. A reader recently asked me if the Godolphin family mentioned in DUCHESS is the same one for whom the famous thoroughbred was named. In fact the horse is named after Francis, the second earl. (Researching this brought back all sorts of very distant memories of Marguerite Henry “horse books” that I

Sorting Out the Churchill Dynasty

2007-01-24T12:34:00.000-05:00

Recently a reader asked me a question about the Churchill family: "Since both of John's and Sarah's sons died before providing an heir to carry on the name, how did the name survive into the 20th century?"Here's the answer: Sarah had worked too hard to get that dukedom to let it disappear at John's death. Instead she lobbied heavily with her friends in Parliament to have a special (and very

Twelfth Night in the Manner of Samuel Pepys

2007-01-01T14:02:00.003-05:00

Twelfth Night slips by virtually unnoticed here in modern-day America, but it was an important holiday in the past. No one in Restoration London enjoyed a good holiday quite as much as Samuel Pepys, so it seems most fitting to discuss Twelfth Night as he experienced it. He’s over there to the right, wearing the stylish Indian gown he hired especially for this portrait by John Hayls (now in the

Cover Girl

2006-07-25T08:25:00.001-04:00

I love the cover for DUCHESS. I’ll say that up front, and with no hesitation or qualification. Like most novelists, I’ve had my share of good, bad, and horrific covers, but this one is my favorite. There isn’t another that’s even close, and my everlasting thanks go to Emily Mahon and the rest of the NAL art staff.Of course, it’s the portrait of Sarah Churchill that makes this cover such a

How I Discovered 1675 in 1971

2006-07-17T09:20:00.001-04:00

One of the questions that people love to ask writers (and most writers hate to answer) is “Where do you get your ideas?” While some of us prefer the snappy smart-ass reply – “Why, I get mine at the Idea Store!” –– the truth is often so murky and roundabout that it's almost impossible to give. But sometimes the answer is so clear and precise that it could come with a date stamp.Such is the case

A Tale of Two Dolls

2006-07-16T16:17:00.000-04:00

I’m writing this in Williamsburg, Virginia, where I’m visiting for week. If we’re searching for one of the ways to inspire the next generation with a love of the history and fiction and the two combined, then we should look no further than Miss Felicity Merriman. If you have a daughter/niece/granddaughter/neighbor girl or were yourself born after 1990, then likely you need no further

Living History, Living Research

2006-06-19T11:52:00.001-04:00

Writing historical fiction is like writing fantasy: both create alternative worlds for readers to visit. The bare facts of life in the past are available to anyone with a library or computer, but a skilled fiction writer must use all her senses to bring her story and characters and setting to life. For me, living history museums have helped add an extra element to my writing in ways that no

The Writer's Life, aka The View from the IceWorks Parking Lot

2006-06-12T11:37:00.001-04:00

Most writers have offices. Beautiful, luxurious offices, with a splendid view from the keyboard, an ergonomically comfy chair, and an antique desk, surrounded by custom bookcases. Or functional but private offices, tucked away in a corner of the basement or attic. Perhaps even a space rented in an office building, with a lawyer on one side and a dentist on the other, or the creme-de-la-creme of