2021 Conference Registration Closes July 15th!

Regency Fiction Writers
2021 Virtual Conference

A navy blue enamel pin in the shape of an open book, with gold lettering that reads 'Regency Fiction Writers' on the left page and '2021 Conference' below a gold silhouette of Jane Austen in a white oval on the right page.

A Brand New Day –
The Many Facets of Regency Fiction

July 22 – 24, 2021


The Board of Directors of Regency Fiction Writers invites you to join us for our Annual Conference and Soirée on July 22-24, 2021.

This year’s conference spans three days with twelve workshops focused on historical, marketing, craft, and, diversity topics. Registration will close at 11:59 pm EDT on July 15th!

We’d also appreciate it if you shared this information (click on any of the sharing icons below or on the main conference page!) with other writers of Regency fiction. We welcome any and all genres and sub-genres set in the extended Regency period of England (1780 to 1840).

Regency Fiction Writers’ Virtual Conference will be live via Zoom and will be recorded for future use so you can take a break if you need to or come back and revisit a session or event at a later date. Please note that one session will not be recorded per presenter’s choice.

We’re disappointed that we won’t be meeting in person, but the most important issue is everyone’s safety and wellness and that of our families and friends. It will make the next in-person event all the sweeter!

We hope you’ll join us this July!
Full Registration ends on July 15th!

The main 2021 Virtual Conference page has many more details and the link to registration form is at the very bottom!

If you have any problems or questions, please contact me at conferencechair [at] thebeaumonde [dot] com.

Best wishes,
Ann Chaney
Conference Chair
2021 Regency Fiction Writers Virtual Conference


Promotional Image for RFW 2021 Conference. Details are same as the page linked in the post: https://thebeaumonde.com/conference/.

Early-Bird Pricing on 2021 Conference Registration Ends June 21st!

Regency Fiction Writers
2021 Virtual Conference

A navy blue enamel pin in the shape of an open book, with gold lettering that reads 'Regency Fiction Writers' on the left page and '2021 Conference' below a gold silhouette of Jane Austen in a white oval on the right page.

A Brand New Day –
The Many Facets of Regency Fiction

July 22 – 24, 2021


The Board of Directors of Regency Fiction Writers hopes you will consider joining us for our Annual Conference and Soirée on July 22-24, 2021.

This year, we have expanded the conference to three days with twelve workshops focused on historical, marketing, craft, and, diversity topics. We are currently in the Early Bird Registration window until June 21, 2021 — RFW Members can register for $125 and Non-Members for $200.

We’d also appreciate it if you shared this information (click on any of the sharing icons below or on the main conference page!) with other writers of Regency fiction. We welcome any and all genres and sub-genres set in the extended Regency period of England (1780 to 1840).

Regency Fiction Writers’ three-day Virtual Conference will be live via Zoom and will be recorded for future use so you can take a break if you need to or come back and revisit a session or event at a later date. Please note that one session will not be recorded per presenter’s choice.

We’re disappointed that we won’t be meeting in person, but the most important issue is everyone’s safety and wellness and that of our families and friends. It will make the next in-person event all the sweeter!

We hope you’ll join us this July!
Early-Bird Pricing ends June 21st!
Full Registration will continue until July 15th!

The main 2021 Virtual Conference page has many more details and the link to registration form is at the very bottom!

If you have any problems or questions, please contact me at conferencechair [at] thebeaumonde [dot] com.

Best wishes,
Ann Chaney
Conference Chair
2021 Regency Fiction Writers Virtual Conference


Promotional Image for RFW 2021 Conference. Details are same as the page linked in the post: https://thebeaumonde.com/conference/.

Regency Academe:
Inheriting an English Peerage with Isobel Carr

Class begins May 1st!
Last day to register is Friday, May 7th!

Inheriting an English Peerage (With a Few Notes on Scottish Ones as Well)
Instructor: Isobel Carr
Active Class Dates: May 1 – 31
Cost: RFW-TBM Members: $25 USD — Non-Members: $30 USD
Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes on May 7, 2021
*** Attention Members! Make sure you are logged in so you receive the members-only price! ***


What really happens when someone inherits a title? How—and most importantly, when!—can the inheritance be disputed? Why can women inherit some titles, but not others? Can two brothers both somehow inherit a title? As we strive to come up with “hooky”, unique, interesting plots, we’re striking out into all kinds of really strange and interesting inheritance-based plots. Let’s take a deep dive into the Peerage Law Handbook and see just how wild we can get, while still telling a legally possible story. The class will cover how titles are created (because it matters to how they’re inherited), what happens when a title is inherited, and we’ll take a look at a bunch of cases that have been brought over the years to get a better understanding of disputes, who can file them, what happens when they do, and what the outcomes look like.

Course Format: The class will consist of written lectures with Q&A in the discussion forum. There may be a few pictures, but the class is not image-heavy.


Instructor Biography: Isobel Carr is the bestselling author of Georgian-set romances. She’s perhaps best known in RWA for her knowledge of historical clothing, but she tends to be wonkish when it comes to research of all kinds. Her day job involves fighting with lawyers about international trade law, so reading up on historical peerage law is right up her alley. More about Isobel and her books can be found on her website: www.isobelcarr.com.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
Self-Publishing Your Regency Romance with Kim Lambert

Class begins March 21st!
Last day to register is Friday, March 26th!

Self-Publishing Your Regency Romance
Instructor: Kim Lambert
Active Class Dates: 03/21/2021 – 04/30/2021 (6 weeks)
Cost: RFW-TBM Members: $40 USD — Non-Members: $50 USD
Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes on March 26th, 2021
*** MUST use special member-only coupon code to get member price for this class! ***


The class is designed so that, if you have a finished and mostly edited novel or novella ready, you can work through the steps to prepare it for publication as the class progresses.

The course will walk participants through the concepts, considerations and processes involved in going from finished draft of your novel to having published it yourself.

Topics covered will include: the pros and cons of self-publishing; going wide vs. being exclusive; deciding when to DIY and when to outsource; writing to market, meeting reader expectations, and identifying your sub-sub-sub genre; formatting for paperback and digital; considerations for cover design; creating your author branding apparatus; building teams of beta readers and advance readers; marketing and ad strategies for Regency; the importance of keywords and categories; launching a book; release strategies; and much, much more!

A resource list of tools will also be provided.

Course Format: There will be three to four lessons a week, for six weeks. The class will include written lectures for each section and a live webinar for direct Q&A. There will be pictures including screenshots, and possibly short video demonstrations.

Is the course image heavy: Moderately. There will be screen shots, and there will also likely be some videos, and/or a live webinar or two.


Instructor Biography: Kim Lambert (who writes regency as Arietta Richmond – more than 40 books so far) has published more than 100 books, most her own, but also some non fiction for Australian business people, and also does editing, formatting and cover creation for others as a business. She also provides mentoring services for those who wish to have detailed one-on-one support on launching themselves into publishing.

Kim went the indie/self-publish route from the start, preferring to expand upon her already existing skills rather than enter the never-ending submission roundabout of traditional publishing.
She first published a book in 1990, via her family company, when none of it was as easy as it is now! She worked in the IT industry for over 30 years, and when the current self-publishing capability began to be available around 2008, she set herself to apply her graphics, photography, Word and other application skills to this new field.

As the tools for self-publishing have evolved, it has become obvious to her that there are certain approaches which work better for specific genres – and from the research she has done in support of optimizing the publication her own regency novels, and the understanding of others’ uncertainties she has come to, from answering innumerable questions on Facebook and in emails, this course was born.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
Creating Compelling and Diverse Characters with Alex Sanchez

Class begins Monday, March 1st!
Last day to register is Friday, March 5th!

Creating Compelling and Diverse Characters
Instructor: Alex Sanchez
Active Class Dates: 03/01/21 – 03/20/2021
Cost: RFW-TBM Members: $25 USD — Non-Members: $30 USD
Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes on March 5th, 2021


What makes To Kill a Mockingbird’s Atticus Finch or The Color Purple’s Celie so engaging? We’ll explore the fundamentals of crafting layered, multidimensional characters through worksheets, examples, and writing exercises. You’ll learn how to create characters from the inside out, enlivening them with distinct personalities and voices. And we’ll look at ways to respond to contemporary readers’ and publishers’ desires for characters that authentically show diversity. We’ll review successful examples and discuss how to integrate aspects of ethnicity, race, gender, and culture with sensitivity and nuance. And we’ll experiment with how to reach outside our own identities and write characters beyond our own experience. You’ll take away strategies to create real, dynamic, and diverse characters!

Course Format: Six lessons, each divided into two parts. The first part of each lesson focuses on one aspect of how to craft a compelling character. The second part focuses on how to create diverse characters with respect, sensitivity, and nuance.

Each lesson consists of discussion, worksheets, examples, and exercises.

Is the course image heavy: No.


Alex Sanchez has published eight novels with Simon & Schuster, including the American Library Association “Best Book for Young Adults” Rainbow Boys and Lambda Award-winning So Hard to Say. His novel Bait won the Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Book Award and the Florida Book Award Gold Medal. His full-length graphic novel from DC Comics You Brought Me the Ocean came out in June 2020. He has a master’s in counseling, spent many years as a youth and family counselor, and now works as an author, teacher, and freelance developmental editor.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
Constables, Coroners, and Courts: Fighting Crime in Regency England with Nancy Mayer

Class begins Monday, February 1st!
Last day to register is Friday, February 5th!

Constables, Coroners, and Courts:
Fighting Crime in Regency England

Instructor: Nancy Mayer
Active Class Dates: 02/01/21 – 02/28/21
Cost: RFW-TBM Members: $25 — Non-Members: $30
Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes on February 5th, 2021


Is this course image heavy? No, there may be a few images, but they are not essential to the course.

What happened when one was the victim of a crime? Who was responsible for each stage of an investigation, what were the procedures of the day, and what were the different police organizations and jurisdictions? Who would you summon for a murder, a suicide, or a suspicious death? In which court would you prosecute crimes, name a guardian, or sue a man for criminal conversion, and what did court proceedings look like? The course will also include a discussion of the legal procedures surrounding suicide, corruption of blood, and attainder, and participant questions are welcome.


Nancy Mayer has been researching the Regency for decades. She is a long-time member of the Beau Monde, and a recipient of the Lady of the Realm Award.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
EZ Money: Managing Your Own Book Translations with Cheryl Bolen

Class begins Monday, January 18th!
Last day to register is Friday, January 22nd!

EZ Money: Managing Your Own Book Translations
Instructor: Cheryl Bolen
Active Class Dates: 01/18/2021 – 01/28/2021
Cost: RFW-TBM Members: $15 — Non-Members: $20
Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes on January 22nd, 2021


Is this course image heavy? Not heavy, but there will be slides and a chart or two.

This workshop is a reprisal of Bolen’s popular presentation from the RWA national conference in New York. In it she will explain how much more lucrative it is for an author to take charge of his or her own foreign translations instead of letting an agency take a huge chunk of that money. She will discuss when it’s advisable to do a royalty split with translators vs. paying them outright, which markets are more profitable, and she will thoroughly explain the process of hiring and managing your own translators.


After selling 11 books to major publishers, Cheryl Bolen tossed five backlist titles into the cyberspace of indie publishing in 2011 and found her publishing sweet spot. Thirty more indie books have followed, many of them number one sellers in historical romance. Since going indie, she landed on the New York Times bestseller list and has had several books that were USA Today bestsellers. She spent more than two years as a Top 20 Regency author on Amazon, and she’s had two months in which her earnings topped $25,000. Before she sold her first book in 1997, she enjoyed careers as a journalist and an English teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and a master’s from the University of Houston. Since 1998, she’s held continuous membership in the Beau Monde and is a recipient of the Lady of the Realm Award.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
Living Religion in the Georgian and Regency Periods: Church and Theology in Daily Life with Dr Sam Hirst

Class begins Monday, January 4th!
Last day to register is Friday, January 8th!

Living Religion in the Georgian and Regency Periods:
Church and Theology in Daily Life

Instructor: Dr Sam Hirst
Active Class Dates: 01/04/2021 – 01/17/2021
Cost: RFW-TBM Members: $15 — Non-Members: $20
Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes on January 8th, 2021


Is this course image heavy? No and text description will be included. We will be dealing with contemporary sources with non-orthodox print but typed copies of key sources will be available.

This class will look at the religious landscape of the Georgian and Regency periods (an over of the 18th and early 19th centuries) and the multitude of ways in which religion formed a part of everyday life. This course will focus on Christianity as the state religion and will give an overview of Church History in the period. It will present not only an overview of the Church of England but of the various Dissenting groups and theologies which came to prominence in the period, including Methodism, Unitarianism and Millenarian Apocalyptic theology.

The course will also look at the ways in which religion inflected on everyday life with sessions on religion and education, the role of women in religious organizations and the way that sex and theology were intertwined with a focus on queer theology for those writing or interested in writing queer romance and understanding the ideological conditions of the time.

The course will offer a rich picture of the diverse religious tapestry of the period, uncovering some of the strange, wonderful, and influential factors that are often lost to history: from women giving birth to rabbits to abolitionary movements to sex demons and the role of ritual prayer in daily life. The course will also use examples from contemporary fiction and writings to show how these realities were reflected in books written at the time.


Dr Sam Hirst completed their PhD in Theology and the Gothic 1764 – 1832. They are a life-long romance reader and run ‘Romancing the Gothic’ – an online project which provides classes, workshops, book groups and author showcases dedicated to exploring Romance, the Gothic and history and how they all intertwine! Sam has numerous academic publications on Byron, Gothic Fairy-tales and Desire, Gothic Romance, Georgette Heyer and 18th Century Dream Theology (forthcoming) and has delivered more conference papers on all things 18th century theology and literature than they care to remember.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
Dialogue for Regency Characters with Shannon Donnelly

Class begins Sunday, November 1st!
Last day to register is Wednesday, November 4th!

Dialogue for Regency Characters
Instructor: Shannon Donnelly
Active Class Dates: 11/01/20 – 11/30/20
Cost: RFW-TBM Members*: $25 USD, Non-Members: $30 USD
For More Info and To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
*Signed in RFW-TBM Members can access the discount code & instructions to apply it.
Registration closes on November 4th, 2020

 


Image Heavy: No.

We all know great dialogue when we read it—and the best dialogue seems effortless. But good dialogue takes work and a few key ingredients. For Regency characters, dialogue also conveys status, personality, and it is often the sparkling with needed to take a book from average to brilliant.

What do you need to get your characters talking in ways that make for riveting, exciting scenes that have a Regency flair?

1) Your Characters’ Voices—word choices and resources
2) Conflict: Everyone Needs to Want Something
3) Making it Better Than Reality
4) Subtext: Layering Under the Words
5) Internal Dialogue – What’s too Much?
6) Invisible Tags and Punctuation
7) Accents, Ye Olde English (or regions in England matter)
8) Punch it! – Making Careful Edits

 


 

Shannon Donnelly’s writing has won numerous awards, including an RWA® RITA nomination for Best Regency, the Grand Prize in the "Minute Maid Sensational Romance Writer" contest, judged by Nora Roberts, RWA®'s Golden Heart, and others. Her writing has repeatedly earned 4½ Star Top Pick reviews from Romantic Times magazine, as well as praise from Booklist and other reviewers, who note: "simply superb"…"wonderfully uplifting"….and "beautifully written."

Her work has been on the top seller list of Amazon.com and includes the Indy BRAG Gold Medal winner Lady Chance. Her most recent Regency novella, Davinia's Duke, came out in July 2019.

She is the author of several young adult horror stories, Urban Fantasy books, and computer games. She lives in New Mexico with two horses, two donkeys, two dogs, and only one love of her life. Shannon can be found online at shannondonnelly.com.

 


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
Regency Dance with Cara King

Last Call!! Class begins Thursday, October 1st!
Last day to register is Sunday, October 4th!

Regency Dance
Instructor: Cara King
Active Class Dates: 10/01/20 – 10/15/20
Cost: TBM Members: $15, Non-Members: $20
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes
Registration closes on October 4th, 2020


Number of Images: There are some images (descriptions will be provided) and also videos. An audio file can be made for each video describing what is going on, so that the action can be heard in real time with the music.
Continue reading “Regency Academe:
Regency Dance with Cara King”

Regency Academe:
Regency Basics with Allison Lane

Last Call!! Class begins Wednesday, September 16th!
Last day to register is Friday, September 20th!

Regency Basics
Instructor: Allison Lane
Active Class Dates: 9/16/20 – 9/30/20
Cost: TBM Members: $15, Non-Members: $20
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes
Registration Closes: September 20th, 2020


Regency Basics is a two-week course consisting of ten lessons posted one every weekday. While it does include some pictures, it is not picture-intensive.

Does the British system of titles and address drive you crazy? What about the rules for marriage and inheritance? No matter what genre your tale fits, grounding it in the setting is vital to bringing the story and its characters to life. Lady of the Realm Allison Lane’s Regency Basics will cover rules specific to Regency England that pertain to titles, address, marriage, and inheritance, then help you decide which court system to turn to when a character has a legal problem, offer a general overview of the English class system, women’s rights, and the social year, plus touch on several other basics that make Regency England unique as a setting.

Lesson 1 – Introduction to the English Class System
Lesson 2 – Titles and Address: Royalty
Lesson 3 – Titles and Address: Aristocracy
Lesson 4 – Titles and Address: Gentry & Below
Lesson 5 – Precedence & how it works
Lesson 6 – Jurisprudence 101
Lesson 7 – Marriage & Children
Lesson 8 – Inheritance & Entails
Lesson 9 – Women’s Rights & the Social Year
Lesson 10 – Other Regency Basics & Bibliography


Allison Lane is an award-winning author who has enjoyed a lifelong affair with books. Born in Minnesota, she earned degrees in mathematics and computer science from the University of Illinois, then embarked on careers designing computer software and teaching classical piano before settling on writing Regency romances. Her love of history started in childhood, sparked by her history teacher father.

Among her many writing awards is the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and finalling for RWA’s RITA award. The Beau Monde has also graciously named her Lady of the Realm and Teacher of the Year in 2019. She has lived all over the United States, but currently resides in California with her disabled husband. Her wonderful son takes over care-taking duties for several weeks every year so she can get away and recharge her energy and mental health.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We try to only send repeat class reminders to those who have not already enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe
A Gentleman’s Drink
with Justine Covington

Last Call!! Class began Tuesday, September 1st!
Last day to register is Friday, September 4th!

The Gentleman’s Drink
Instructor: Justine Covington
Active Class Dates: 9/01/20 – 9/15/20
Cost: TBM Members: $15, Non-Members: $20
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes
Registration closes September 4th, 2020


Number of Images: Only a few, and descriptions will be provided.
Continue reading “Regency Academe
A Gentleman’s Drink
with Justine Covington”

Regency Academe:
How Clothes Worked with Isobel Carr

Last Call!! Class begins Saturday, August 1st!
Last day to register is Tuesday, August 4th!

How Clothes Worked
Instructor: Isobel Carr
Active Class Dates: 8/01/20 – 8/31/20
Cost: TBM Members: $25, Non-Members: $30
Registration closes August 4th, 2020


Image Heavy: Yes, this is essentially an image-based class.

Do you ever find yourself staring blankly at your computer screen while trying to picture exactly how your hero gets your heroine out of her dress and skivvies (is she even wearing skivvies; is skivvies a period word?). Does he undo a row of tiny pearl buttons (and did they have pearl buttons then?) or does he untie or unhook something (or does it unlace?)? Do her stays unhook in the front, or unlace in the back?

For answers to these questions, and many more Continue reading “Regency Academe:
How Clothes Worked with Isobel Carr”

Regency Academe:
Critical Lens with LaQuette💋

Last Call!! Class begins on Wednesday, July 1st!
Last day to register is on Monday, July 6th!

Critical Lens
Instructor: LaQuette
Active Class Dates: 7/01/20 – 7/31/20
Cost: TBM Members: FREE w/special code*, Non-Members: $40
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes
Registration Closes July 6th, 2020.
* This will be different from the regular member discount code.


Image Heavy: No.

Writing outside of your personal, generational, or cultural experience can be a treacherous road to travel for today’s author. Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to create problematic or harmful content when you’re unaware of what you don’t know. Learn how to use literary theory and criticism to view your work through an alternative lens. By using literary frameworks, you can gain insight into alternative perspectives that can help you identify and eliminate problematic and harmful content before you publish.
Continue reading “Regency Academe:
Critical Lens with LaQuette💋”

Regency Academe:
Women at War with Bill Haggart

Last Call!! Class begins on Friday, May 1st!
Last day to register is on Monday, May 4th!

Bill was named The Beau Monde’s Teacher of the Year (an award recognizing the presenter of the year’s favorite Regency Academe workshop) in 2010, 2015, and 2016, so you won’t want to miss his Women at War class which earned him the title in 2015!

Women At War
Instructor: Bill Haggart
Active Class Dates: May 01-31, 2020
Cost: TBM Members: $25, Non-Members: $30
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes May 4th, 2020


This 4-week course is designed to provide writers with the historical details and evocative stories that can fuel their historical novels, particularly Regency Romances. To accomplish this, each lesson will focus on one class of British women who participated in Napoleonic Wars, examining the general experiences, military regulations governing women’s participation on campaign. There will be a number of period pictures and documents included too.

1. Introduction
2. Officers’ Wives and their stories
3. NCO Wives and their stories
4. Enlisted Men’s Wives and their stories
5. Sutlers and Camp Followers and their stories
6. Spanish and Portuguese Women and their stories
7. In Uniform: Women Posing and fighting as Men and their stories
8. Conclusions, Slang and References

While the focus will be on British women and those who followed the Peninsular and Waterloo armies, the similarities and differences found in other European armies of the time will be explored, particularly the army of England’s enemy, France. Participants are encouraged to ask questions. There is a great deal more information available than can be presented, but answers to questions may target some of that information.


Bill Haggart was an educator for forty years before retiring. He taught high school Social Studies, before becoming an Educational trainer and consultant. For over twenty years, he owned his own training and consultant business, Insights & Innovations.

He has worked with over 180,000 educators nation-wide and 400 school systems. The creator of the Kaleidoscope Profiles, a learning styles inventory, he is also the author of several educational books and articles. This is in addition to his historical articles in various magazines.

A history major in college, he loves all history, particularly the Napoleonic war period and the society of the Regency. He began reading historical romances and traditional Regencies decades ago, and finally decided to write them, after being encouraged by Joy, his partner and heroine for the last forty-two years.

Bill has two terrific sons, Sean and Cory: Sean was an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena, CA. The wheels on the Mars Curiosity were designed by him. He is now working on electric airplanes. Cory has his own successful public relations business. They both are models for Bill’s heroes.
Sean and his brilliant wife, Jenn have graced Bill & Joy with two beautiful grandchildren.

Bill has been a member of RWA, a terrific local group, the Sacramento Valley Rose as well as The Beau Monde for more than a decade. Over the years, Bill has had entries place in over a dozen writing contests. His novel, STEALING TIME, will be published in July. He loves talking about history and writing. He has given well-received history workshops and seminars on history and writing with the senses.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.

View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We only send repeated class reminders to those who have not enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe:
Regency Weapons & Women at War
with Bill Haggart

We have a pair of classes in April and May from Bill Haggart. Bill was named The Beau Monde’s Teacher of the Year (an award recognizing the presenter of the year’s favorite Regency Academe workshop) in 2010, 2015, and 2016, so you won’t want to miss these classes! Class information is listed for both and then his bio follows below.

Regency Weapons
Instructor: Bill Haggart
Active Class Dates: April 3-17, 2020
Cost: TBM Members: $15, Non-Members: $20
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes April 6th, 2020

This course will be image heavy.


This will be a two-week class on powder and blade weapons, both military and private, hunting and personal protection. Some of the content will be determined by participant interest.

Black Powder weapons Function
Types of Black Powder weapons
Unique and out of the ordinary weapons
Military and hunting weapons
Bladed weapons
Knives
Swords types
How they were used
Other types of privately used weapons


Women At War
Instructor: Bill Haggart
Active Class Dates: May 01-31, 2020
Cost: TBM Members: $25, Non-Members: $30
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes May 4th, 2020


This 4-week course is designed to provide writers with the historical details and evocative stories that can fuel their historical novels, particularly Regency Romances. To accomplish this, each lesson will focus on one class of British women who participated in Napoleonic Wars, examining the general experiences, military regulations governing women’s participation on campaign. There will be a number of period pictures and documents included too.

1. Introduction
2. Officers’ Wives and their stories
3. NCO Wives and their stories
4. Enlisted Men’s Wives and their stories
5. Sutlers and Camp Followers and their stories
6. Spanish and Portuguese Women and their stories
7. In Uniform: Women Posing and fighting as Men and their stories
8. Conclusions, Slang and References

While the focus will be on British women and those who followed the Peninsular and Waterloo armies, the similarities and differences found in other European armies of the time will be explored, particularly the army of England’s enemy, France. Participants are encouraged to ask questions. There is a great deal more information available than can be presented, but answers to questions may target some of that information.


Bill Haggart was an educator for forty years before retiring. He taught high school Social Studies, before becoming an Educational trainer and consultant. For over twenty years, he owned his own training and consultant business, Insights & Innovations.

He has worked with over 180,000 educators nation-wide and 400 school systems. The creator of the Kaleidoscope Profiles, a learning styles inventory, he is also the author of several educational books and articles. This is in addition to his historical articles in various magazines.

A history major in college, he loves all history, particularly the Napoleonic war period and the society of the Regency. He began reading historical romances and traditional Regencies decades ago, and finally decided to write them, after being encouraged by Joy, his partner and heroine for the last forty-two years.

Bill has two terrific sons, Sean and Cory: Sean was an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena, CA. The wheels on the Mars Curiosity were designed by him. He is now working on electric airplanes. Cory has his own successful public relations business. They both are models for Bill’s heroes.
Sean and his brilliant wife, Jenn have graced Bill & Joy with two beautiful grandchildren.

Bill has been a member of RWA, a terrific local group, the Sacramento Valley Rose as well as The Beau Monde for more than a decade. Over the years, Bill has had entries place in over a dozen writing contests. His novel, STEALING TIME, will be published in July. He loves talking about history and writing. He has given well-received history workshops and seminars on history and writing with the senses.


Visit the Regency Academe page for more information on our forum platform and a full list of upcoming classes or visit the registration page to see all classes currently open for enrollment.

To get notifications of class offerings direct to your inbox when registration opens, subscribe to our Class Announcement mailing list.
View previous class announcements to get an idea of what we send. We only send class reminders to those who have not enrolled in the current class.

For information about becoming a presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact Courtney Scalo, our Academe Coordinator.

Regency Academe: Georgian Dublin – From the Castle to Hell

Last Call! Class starts next week!

Georgian Dublin: From The Castle to Hell
Instructor: Cora Lee
Active Class Dates: March 2-14, 2020
Cost: TBM Members: $15, Non-Members: $20
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes/
Registration closes March 5th, 2020


Dublin’s history has been intertwined with the history of England since the twelfth century, when Richard “Strongbow” de Clare took an army to invade the kingdom of Leinster. Growing and developing practically side-by-side, Dublin and London shared many similarities yet there were also marked differences.
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Regency Academe: Researching and Writing Historical Fiction

Researching and Writing Historical Fiction – Opening Doors to the Past
Instructor: Cindy Vallar
Active Class Dates: October 1-31, 2019
Cost: TBM Members: $25, Non-Members: $30
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes
Registration closes Oct 4th, 2019

One of the first books Cindy Vallar remembers reading was Marie McSwigan’s Snow Treasure, the story of how Norwegian children ferried gold bars on their sleds under the noses of the Nazis to a ship waiting to take the gold to America for safekeeping. That book was a childhood favorite, and from then on, she loved reading books set in times past. When she first decided to write a story, it had to be a historical novel. Back then she had no idea what that entailed, but luckily she became a librarian and acquired the skills she needed to research the stories she now writes.

The purpose of this workshop is to share some tricks librarians know and a variety of resources writers of historical fiction need to craft stories that transport readers back in time. We will:
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Regency Academe: How Clothes Worked

How Clothes Worked
with Isobel Carr

How Clothes Worked
Instructor: Isobel Carr
Active Class Dates: POSTPONED!! New dates TBA
Cost: TBM Members: $25, Non-Members: $30
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes

Do you ever find yourself staring blankly at your computer screen while trying to picture exactly how your hero gets your heroine out of her dress and skivvies (is she even wearing skivvies; is skivvies a period word?). Does he undo a row of tiny pearl buttons (and did they have pearl buttons then?) or does he untie or unhook something (or does it unlace?)? Do her stays unhook in the front, or unlace in the back?

For answers to these questions, and many more (like, “Just what is the ‘fall’ on a pair of pantaloons, anyway?”) join author, re-enactor, and costume historian Isobel Carr to explore how the clothing of the extended Regency period (1800-1830) worked. Each day will begin with a message pertaining to a particular type of garment (or garments). There will be links within the messages that will show you extant garments, fashion plates, or reconstructed garments made from period patterns by experienced re-enactors and costume historians.

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Regency Academe: Music in the Regency

Music in Regency England
with Louisa Cornell
begins in 2 Weeks!

Music in Regency England
Instructor: Louisa Cornell
Active Class Dates: June 17-28, 2019
Cost: TBM Members: $15, Non-Members: $20
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes

The Ton is Alive with the Sound of…
Music in Regency England
From Society’s Music Rooms to London’s Opera Houses
(And everywhere in between!)

In an era without radio, television, the internet or any of the myriad other avenues of entertainment we take for granted, music played an incredibly important role in the world of Regency England. Music, in all of its various forms from the erudition of the opera halls of London to the lamplit stages of Vauxhall Gardens to the ballads sung on the streets of Seven Dials, can play a role in every Regency romance. The trick, is to make certain one casts the role correctly in order to ensure one’s characters are dancing, singing, listening to or performing an appropriate tune.

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