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"You soothe my soul, you fill it with so tender a sentiment that it is sweet to live during the time that I see you."   Julie de L'Espinasse, French woman of letters, to Comte Hippolyte, her one-time lover, 1774 A writer friend said to me recently, "I find it amazing that you can write romantic novels set in eighteenth century France.  I find nothing romantic about that time period." I was stunned.  Frankly, I find it amazing that there lives a soul who does not find 18th Century France romantic.  I could argue that it was Madame de Staël, a citizen of Paris, who wrote the bestseller, De l'Allemagne , which coined the term "romanticism".  Indeed, the intellectually astute author influenced literary tastes and the passionate ideals of countless men and women throughout the world.  Her beliefs helped form the bedrock for modern day notions on romance.    I could point out that some of the most romantic images to ever be...

On Life, Love and Accidental Adventures , I have written about my belief in serendipity and all-consuming romance .  I have waxed poetic about my passion for travel and tasty tubers .  I have confessed to idolizing  Marie Antoinette  and  A Girl With Balls . I have shared much of myself with you on this blog but we have only scratched the surface of Leah Marie Brown.  Today, I would like to scratch a little deeper.  I would like to give you a peek into one of the darkest times of my life and illuminate you on how it altered my character. Several years ago, I put the finishing touches on my fifth novel, Scarlet Ribbons , and sent it to an editor.  Not just any editor.  I sent it to Audrey LeFehr at New American Library.  I believe I am understating an important point so allow me a moment to digress.  I didn't just slide my manuscript into a brown folder and send it to average, generic editor....

A few weeks ago, I read Ghosthunters: A Journey through Haunted France by Simon Marsden.  In it, he briefly discusses the tape recording theory.  The theory "proposes that certain inanimate objects, such as stone or wood, that are frequently found in ancient buildings, are capable, because of their chemical make-up, of storing extreme human actions and emotions such as violence, fear and suffering, similar to how modern recording techniques store images and sounds." The notion of inanimate objects storing powerful or poignant memories must have been lingering in my subconscious, like a specter in an abandoned attic, because it was the first thing I thought of when I happened upon the Christie's website and saw gold alliance rings once owned by the Duc de Chartres and his unfortunate wife.   Allow me to tell you a little about the Duc de Chartres.  Only then will you understand my leap in reasoning.  Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans...