Blog | Dana Abbott Celich Writes

Tidbits: Tasty Treats, Eighteenth-Century Style

Eighteenth-century housewife baking cakes “After we had demonstrated our talents—except the captain, who pled destitution thereof—we feasted on almond ratafia cakes and Sally Lunn buns smothered with butter and jam as the ladies interrogated our fascinating guest.” Mariah Weston in Of Gentlemen and Heroes . As in every age, an eighteenth-century party always featured delicious foods to satisfy everyone’s appetite. Clearly, Mariah and all her cousins, as well as the charism

d-abbottcelich

4 days ago2 min read

Tidbits: The Abbott Longcase Clock

The Abbott Longcase Clock Today In Part 4 of Of Gentlemen and Heroes , a special longcase clock (in modern times also called a grandfather clock) plays a cameo role. The inspiration for incorporating this piece of furniture into the story is a family heirloom that has belonged to my family for over two hundred years. It stands today in my parents’ front hall. However, when I was a child, it lived in my grandparents’ house in Milford, Connecticut. When my parents and I were vi

d-abbottcelich

Apr 201 min read

Tidbits: Why the Year of Our Lord 1750?

Readers may wonder why I set Of Gentlemen and Heroes in the years 1750–1751. Was there any rhyme or reason to that choice? The answer to that question is: yes! First, I wanted the story to occur before the Seven Years War (or what we Americans call the French and Indian War). If Mariah and Adam’s story had taken place during the hostilities (17 May 1756–10 February 1763), interactions between the French and British would have been much more limited, and less friendly, than

d-abbottcelich

Apr 132 min read

Tidbits: A First-Hand Account of a Merchant’s Life at Sea

One of my resources for shipboard life on a merchant vessel was Voyages of Capt. George Coggeshall of Milford, Connecticut by Morris W. Abbott (Bound Manuscript: 1968). As you might have guessed, I am related to the author—he was my paternal grandfather. He compiled Captain Coggeshall’s journals into a smaller book, which is a treasure trove of details about life at sea. Coggeshall, born in 1784, lived a bit later than the characters in Of Gentlemen and Heroes , but his adve

d-abbottcelich

Apr 61 min read

Tidbits: Tasty Morsels from the Pages of History

“The past is a foreign country. They do things differently over there.” L.P. Hartley This opening line from a novel I’ve never read, by an author I’ve never heard of, is one of my all-time favorite quotes. It perfectly captures the relationship we who are alive today have with history. The people and places sound familiar, but still seem awfully odd! Every historical novelist can testify to this. A tale set over one hundred years in the past turns the author into a tour guide

d-abbottcelich

Apr 32 min read

Part II — "The Adventure Calls"

As promised, here’s a closer look at what awaits in Of Gentlemen and Heroes —without giving away too much. Mariah and Adam must navigate an eighteenth-century world where loyalty is fragile and truth is often obscured by power. In spite of their hopes, they are separated by scandal and unthinkable betrayal. Months later, a French spy’s ultimatum forces them back into each other’s lives, drawing them into a dangerous web of secrets stretching from England to the Caribbean to C

d-abbottcelich

Mar 71 min read

Part I — “A New Adventure Begins”

I’m delighted to share some long-awaited news: my historical novel Of Gentlemen and Heroes is scheduled to be published this spring by Elk Lake Publishing ! The story has lived in my heart for a long time. Set in 1750, it begins with a shipwreck off the coast of Barbados and a rescue that binds two very different lives together in unforeseen and dangerous ways. Mariah Weston, a young heiress with a tender conscience, meets Captain Adam de Wynter, a man whose courage is match

d-abbottcelich

Feb 211 min read