Love potions have been around since ancient times, if not sooner. The concept of the love potion is simple. Concoct a magical potion, give it to the object of your desires, and she or he will fall in love with you. Some recipes called for very innocent ingredients. Medieval Europeans used roses or honey in... Continue Reading →
The Master and The Pupil: The Correspondence Between Charlotte Brontë and Constantin Heger
Many of us have been there. Many of us have believed ourselves in love to the point of obsession, and letters Charlotte Brontë wrote to Constantin Heger, a Belgian tutor, proves that even one of the most famed writers in English Literature wasn’t immune to this human experience.
Romance or the Marriage Mart?: 10 Victorian Courtship Rituals
In the Victorian era, courtship was a business. There was even a term for it: "the marriage mart." Dowries, lands, and titles served as motivators for selecting a life partner. A gentleman might ask, "Is her dowry large enough?" A lady might ask, "Is his title high enough?" a However, finding genuine love and affection... Continue Reading →
A Damsel in Bedlam: A Victorian Love Story Set in An Insane Asylum
Check out my latest story! "A Damsel in Bedlam," a Victorian love story set in an insane asylum, was published in the Summer 2020 issue of The Writing Disorder.
A 19th Century Prison Wedding
On the night of November 13, 1885, a buggy rolled up to the Chatham Hill Gaol under the cover of darkness. Out leaped 18 year-old Mollie Downes, her brother, and a minister. What was this young woman about to do? Marry a prisoner, of course. a a Her beloved, James Fauntleroy, was in the Virginian... Continue Reading →
Lord Byron’s Skull Cup
Lord Byron was "mad, bad, and dangerous to know." He earned the phrase from his discarded lover, Lady Caroline Lamb, and he more than lived up to the infamous epitaph. He lived for carnal pleasure, taking men and women as lovers. He lived for carnal pleasure, left a trail of broken hearts in his wake,... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Writer: My First Post
"What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." --William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet My name is Kat Devitt. I am a writer emerging from the shadows of anonymity, and I am here to say hello. Hello! *waves through the screen* I am not as new... Continue Reading →