A Snippet: Age of Desire by Jennie Fields

The Age of Desire
A Novel
by Jennie Fields
An excerpt:


Anna stands in front of Edith at her writing desk, her hands clasped, feeling all energy and intent drain from her. When she came into the study, Edith was writing a letter, and Anna's intrusion made her turn it upside down on her desk with childlike furtiveness.

"What on earth is the matter with you, Anna?" Edith asks. "Just say what you've come to say." Her voice is not harsh, her eyes not truly angry. But her brusque words send Anna even deeper into the morass of silence that provoked them.

"There's something I need to tell you," she says to Edith. "But maybe it would be best to come back later." She steps backward toward the door.

"Is this about Teddy?" Edith asks. "Because I've heard from him, just this morning. He's arrived in Hot Springs."

"Is he there at last? I'm so glad." She feels a breathtaking weight lifted from her, imagining Teddy bathed in warm, soothing waters.

"Of course, there's no word yet, but I have great hopes they can help him."

"Oh, I dearly hope so. He's so despondent, in so much pain."

"Yes, so he tells me again and again," Edith says. It hurts Anna to hear how dismissively she speaks of her husband. "What did you come to say, Tonni?"

Again, this morning, Edith didn't leave Anna a single page to type. Not one. And Gross said she didn't touch a bite of her luncheon. She looks high in color too. Keyed up.

"I've heard something," Anna finds the courage to say. "About Mr. Fullerton. I didn't want to tell you, but I decided you shouldn't . . . wouldn't want to hear it from others."

Edith's eyes fly to Anna's face. "What about him?"

"I got a letter from Kate Thorogood?"

"Kate . . . Thorogood?"

"Miss Norton's housekeeper."

"She wrote about Mr. Fullerton?"

"She said that he's . . ." Anna looks at her shoes, which need polishing. When she is done with this misery, she can polish her shoes. Then scrub the shoe polish from her fingernails. She would like to scrub the very skin from her hand. Edith will hate her when she reveals what she knows. Why did she embark on this terrible path?

"He's what?"

"He's engaged to be married."

"What?" Edith bursts out laughing. "Mr. Fullerton? That's absurd. To whom? To whom does Miss Thorogood think he's engaged?"

"To his sister."

Every ounce of color drains from Edith's cheeks.

READ more at NPR here.

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signup to win this book
~*~
* this book is currently on tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies sponsored by Historical Virtual Book Tours

While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax

While We Were Watching Downton Abbey
by Wendy Wax

Visit Wendy:
Book Excerpt
Blog
Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

Published: 2013
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Genre: Chick-lit
Paperback: 284 pages
Rating: 4

Amazon | BarnesNoble

When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of Downton Abbey, four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and—even more unexpectedly—with each other…

Samantha Davis married young and for the wrong reason: the security of old Atlanta money—for herself and for her orphaned brother and sister. She never expected her marriage to be complicated by love and compromised by a shattering family betrayal.

Claire Walker is now an empty nester and struggling author who left her home in the suburbs for the old world charm of The Alexander, and for a new and productive life. But she soon wonders if clinging to old dreams can be more destructive than having no dreams at all.

And then there’s Brooke MacKenzie, a woman in constant battle with her faithless ex-husband. She’s just starting to realize that it’s time to take a deep breath and come to terms with the fact that her life is not the fairy tale she thought it would be.

For Samantha, Claire, Brooke—and Edward, who arranges the weekly gatherings—it will be a season of surprises as they forge a bond that will sustain them through some of life’s hardest moments—all of it reflected in the unfolding drama, comedy, and convergent lives of Downton Abbey.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): shandy
Another cute read...

Friendships between women is a focus of this feel-good chick-lit that incorporates references to the tv series, Downton Abbey.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
signup to win this book

~*~
* part of event: TEA at Downton Abbey

Stacking the Shelves - 7.27.13

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~
Bought:

The Strange Tale of Panorama Island
by Suehiro Maruo
-graphic novel, japan
The 1920s art deco-like illustrations along with the mysterious storyline intrigued me.

For Review:

Illuminations
A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen
by Mary Sharratt
-historical
courtesy of Historical Virtual Book Tours
Thanks Amy!
lookout: my tour post with giveaway will appear in November

The Longings of Wayward Girls
by Karen Brown
-thriller, women's fiction
courtesy of Atria Books Galley Alley
(via Shelf Awareness)
Thanks Judith!

Timepiece
(Hourglass #2)
by Myra McEntire
-fantasy, YA
courtesy of publisher and MMP
Thanks Karen!

Infinityglass
(Hourglass #3)
by Myra McEntire
-fantasy, YA
courtesy of publisher and MMP
Thanks Karen!
SIGNUP to win this book on Goodreads here -expires Aug 12
~*~
Gift:

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
by Barbara Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp, Camille Kingsolver
-memoir, organic living
Thanks Suzanne!
~*~
* most of these will be offered as giveaways within the next two months

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers

Winners for July pt3

Here are the winners for giveaways that
ended July 21, 2013

Thanks to all contestants!
~*~

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn
Winner: Colleen

Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer
Winner: Mary Preston

~*~
* to see the original giveaway offer, click on the prize title links

* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

* contest policy

* keep in touch with my giveaways and learn about other book giveaways by subscribing via email on my sidebar (you may want to go digest mode)

* if not this time, maybe next time

--> check out the current giveaways and upcoming events on my sidebar

All My Restless Life to Live by Dee DeTarsio

All My Restless Life to Live
by Dee DeTarsio

Visit Dee:
Blog
Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

Published: 2013
Publisher: self
Genre: Chick-lit
Paperback: 306 pages
Rating: 4

Amazon

All My Restless Life to Live Life is a soap opera, especially for Elle Miller, who writes for one. (Ellen dropped the "n" in her name in hopes of finding a better ending for herself.) When her laptop crashes, she borrows her recently deceased dad's computer and gets way more than she bargained for.

Elle unravels mysterious communications from his computer, while her mom decides to give Internet dating a try. As Elle tries to save her career at I'd Rather Be Loved with a storyline featuring a trip through Atlantis, she takes a trip to the Emmys, and finds herself in the middle of a romance between a real doctor and a hunk who just plays one on TV. Friends, family, and clues from "the other side" all help Elle figure out the difference between living the good life and living a good life.

Fans of Marian Keyes and Jennifer Weiner will delight in Dee DeTarsio's sparkling prose and lively dialogue as she takes readers into the heart of women's lives. Filled with friendship, love, loss, betrayal, and challenges that force her characters to find their place in the universe, Dee's novels give us that hopefully-ever-after we're searching for.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): Ba De Doo
Cute summer read that is a coming-to-terms kind of story in regards to the main character's issues of loss and love. The fun part comes in with the peek into behind-the-scenes of the tv soap opera world.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy!

Open to all.

Offer ends: August 11, 2013

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Goodreads Want To Read list.

Or Tweet about this.

2. TELL me what you did in comments.
AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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* review copy courtesy of Summer Reading Road Trip 2013 the Summer Reading Reading Challenge sponsored by BookSparksPR

TEA at Downton Abbey: end credits

TEA at Downton Abbey
a virtual book event
July 20-24, 2013
~*~
Thank you dear readers for joining me for this virtual book event.

JOIN me for TEA at Buckshaw in a couple months.

THANKS TO: Authors, Publicists and Publishers for Book Giveaways and Guest posts

Please note all giveaways end August 4, 2013 unless specified otherwise.

The Age of Desire
by Jennie Fields
signup for giveaway here

The Orchid House
by Lucinda Riley
signup for giveaway here

The Other Typist
by Suzanne Rindell
signup for giveaway here

The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress
by Ariel Lawhon
signup for giveaway here

~*~
* image source: event badge for Downton Abbey

* PicMonkey was used for some graphics creations for this event.

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by Lady Fiona Cararvon

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey
the Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle
by Lady Fiona Carnarvon

Published: 2011
Publisher: Broadway Books
Genre: Historical, Memoir
Paperback: 320 pages
Rating: 5

Amazon | BarnesNoble | Goodreads

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration and setting for Julian Fellowes's Emmy Award-winning PBS show Downton Abbey, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war.

Much like her Masterpiece Classic counterpart, Lady Cora Crawley, Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon's ancestral home. Throwing open the doors of Highclere Castle to tend to the wounded of World War I, Lady Almina distinguished herself as a brave and remarkable woman.

This rich tale contrasts the splendor of Edwardian life in a great house against the backdrop of the First World War and offers an inspiring and revealing picture of the woman at the center of the history of Highclere Castle.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): real deal
Lady Almina was an amazing woman! She pretty much encapsulates most of the women portrayed in Downton Abbey.


~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

The Chronicles of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes

The Chronicles of Downton Abbey
by Jessica Fellowes
Matthew Sturgis
foreward by Julian Fellowes
The official companion to all three seasons.

The Great War has ended, but Downton Abbey is far from peaceful...

"Americans can't get enough of 'Downton Abbey,'" said The Boston Globe. As Season 3 of the award-winning TV series opens, it is 1920 and Downton Abbey is waking up to a world changed forever by World War I. New characters arrive and new intrigues thrive as the old social order is challenged by new expectations.

In this new era, different family members abound (including Cora's American mother, played by Shirley MacLaine) and changed dynamics need to be resolved: Which branch of the family tree will Lord Grantham’s first grandchild belong to? What will become of the servants, both old and new?

The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, carefully pieced together at the heart and hearth of the ancestral home of the Crawleys, takes us deeper into the story of every important member of the Downton estate.This lavish, entirely new book focuses on each character individually, examining their motivations, their actions, and the inspirations behind them. An evocative combination of story, history, and behind-the-scenes drama, it will bring fans even closer to the secret, beating heart of the house.

~*~
I found this book to be a wonderful reference guide that highlight and spotlight the main characters of the tv series. Like the other guide, The World of Downton Abbey, this book is packed with delightful photos of the cast on and off screen.

~*~
~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Downton Abbey: The Dressing Room

Downton Abbey
The Bedroom
Mr. Bates, is always at the beck and call and the all-around best valet to Lord Grantham.

~*~

Agent Gates and the Secret Adventures of Devonton Abbey:
A Parody of Downton Abbey
by Camaren Subhiyah
illustrated by Kyle Hilton

Published: 2013
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Genre: Graphic Novel, Parody
Paperback: 128 pages
Rating: 4

Amazon | BarnesNoble | Goodreads

Presenting a parody spin on the characters we know and love from the hit show Downton Abbey, this story is told through the eyes of the downstairs staff—especially one secretly rugged valet John Gates, who turns out to be an undercover spy for Her Royal Majesty's British Secret Intelligence Agency (the SIS).

Gates and several other Devonton staffers are part of a nationwide top-secret division of operatives scattered throughout country estates, all supervised by (who else?) the Dowager Countess, a close personal friend of Queen Victoria herself.

An added perk: there's steampunk involved.

PeekInside:

View more sampler pages here.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): a hoot
I liked the illustrations and the story makes for a fun parody, indeed.

~*~
* image sources: dressing room scene, sample comic

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Downton Abbey: The Bedroom

Downton Abbey
The Bedroom
When the day is done and all is tucked in bed, Lady Cora enjoys some quiet time with a book.

She could be reading something like this...

~*~

The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress
by Ariel Lawhon
A tantalizing reimagining of a scandalous mystery that rocked the nation in 1930—Justice Joseph Crater's infamous disappearance—as seen through the eyes of the three women who knew him best.

They say behind every great man, there's a woman. In this case, there are three. Stella Crater, the judge's wife, is the picture of propriety draped in long pearls and the latest Chanel. Ritzi, a leggy showgirl with Broadway aspirations, thinks moonlighting in the judge's bed is the quickest way off the chorus line. Maria Simon, the dutiful maid, has the judge to thank for her husband's recent promotion to detective in the NYPD. Meanwhile, Crater is equally indebted to Tammany Hall leaders and the city's most notorious gangster, Owney "The Killer" Madden.

On a sultry summer night, as rumors circulate about the judge's involvement in wide-scale political corruption, the Honorable Joseph Crater steps into a cab and disappears without a trace. Or does he?

After 39 years of necessary duplicity, Stella Crater is finally ready to reveal what she knows. Sliding into a plush leather banquette at Club Abbey, the site of many absinthe-soaked affairs and the judge's favorite watering hole back in the day, Stella orders two whiskeys on the rocks—one for her and one in honor of her missing husband. Stirring the ice cubes in the lowball glass, Stella begins to tell a tale—of greed, lust, and deceit. As the novel unfolds and the women slyly break out of their prescribed roles, it becomes clear that each knows more than she has initially let on.

With a layered intensity and prose as effervescent as the bubbly that flows every night, The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress is a wickedly entertaining historical mystery that will transport readers to a bygone era with tipsy spins through subterranean jazz clubs and backstage dressing rooms. But beneath the Art Deco skyline and amid the intoxicating smell of smoke and whiskey, the question of why Judge Crater disappeared lingers seductively until a twist in the very last pages.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: August 4, 2013

TO DO: One of the following...

VISIT the author, Ariel Lawhon.

RETURN here and tell me something you found of interest there.

OR

TWEET about this.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)


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Contest has ended - winner is here

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~*~
* image source: bedroom scene

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Downton Abbey: The Kitchen

Downton Abbey
The Kitchen
There is a quiet moment in the kitchen as the staff takes a bit of a break before preparing the evening meal.

Let us return to the tea party.

Lady Cora selected the savory recipe below for one of the items on the tea menu.

Give it a try...

~*~
Herring Balls
(makes 24)

During the Edwardian era, Herring Balls were a very popular dish among both classes of Englanders. For the lower caste, they were made with either a picked or creamed herring. For the aristocrats, it was a salted herring. Herring at the abbeys were brought in fresh and the cook would do the salting (preserving) him/herself.

When Herring Balls were requested by either the lord or lady of the abbey, the procedure of preparation began 24 hours before the dish was to be served. The salted herring had to soak overnight in cold water. Due to the fact refrigeration was not used at the abbeys, a member of the kitchen staff had to change the water every hour.

Chances are very strong that today's cook does not salt their own herring. You can buy salted herring at most Jewish markets or kosher delicatessens. You can also prepare this dish using fresh, pickled, or creamed herring, with no other alteration of the recipe. If, per chance, you can't find salted herring, you may use salted cod fillets.
-chapter High Tea at the Abbey, page 34

Ingredients:

2 salted herring fillets
1 cup cold mashed potatoes
1/2 pound ground beef or lamb
1 Tbs flour
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup butter

If using salted herring, fill a large bowl with cold water, add the salted herring and let soak overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove the fish from the water and pat dry. Discard the soaking water.

Remove any bones that might be in the fish and discard. Finely chop the fish.

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients, except the butter, and mix well.

Pinch off walnut-size pieces of the fish mixture and roll into balls. Set them aside 10 minutes to rest.

In a medium saute pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the herring glass and brown on all sides.

Remove the herring balls with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain of any excess oil.

~*~
Excerpt and recipe from:

Edwardian Cooking
80 recipes inspired by Downton Abbey's elegant meals
by Larry Edwards

View more photos of recipes from the book here.

~*~
* image source: kitchen scene, herring balls

* i wish there was a Downton Abbey-style restaurant nearby where I could delight in these concoctions

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Downton Abbey: The Garden

Downton Abbey
The Garden
Outside of Downton Abbey we spy Lady Edith reading in the folly. She is a fellow avid book reader and has been spotted in a few episodes with a book in her hand.

I wonder if she would be interested reading something like this...

The Orchid House
by Lucinda Riley
Spanning from the 1930s to the present day, from the Wharton Park estate in England to Thailand, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a concert pianist and the aristocratic Crawford family, whose shocking secrets are revealed, leading to devastating consequences.

As a child, concert pianist Julia Forrester spent many idyllic hours in the hothouse of Wharton Park, the grand estate reminiscent of Downton Abbey where her grandfather tended exotic orchids. Years later, while struggling with overwhelming grief over the death of her husband and young child, she returns to this tranquil place. There she reunites with Kit Crawford, heir to the estate and her possible salvation.

When they discover an old diary, Julia seeks out her grandmother to learn the truth behind a love affair that almost destroyed the estate. Their search takes them back to the 1940s when Harry, a former heir to Wharton Park, married his young society bride, Olivia, on the eve of World War II. When the two lovers are cruelly separated, the impact will be felt for generations to come.

This atmospheric story alternates between the magical world of Wharton Park and Thailand during World War II. Filled with twists and turns, passions and lies, and ultimately redemption, The Orchid House is a beautiful, romantic, and poignant novel.

How about you?

Would you be interested in reading this?

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!
please note: the spine is cracked, but still in good reading condition

Open to all.

Offer ends: August 4, 2013

TO DO:

Send me the link to picture of an orchid.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

Participant entries:

From Abby:

From Elizabeth:

From Freda:

From Kristia:

From LisaMarie:

From Mary:

From Mystica:

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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~*~
* image source: garden scene

* image sources for typewriters are in comments

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Downton Abbey: Maid's Room

Downton Abbey
The Maid's Room
During our tour in the servants quarters, we witness a quarrel of sorts.

Although O'Brien does not see Gwen's typewriter, we notice something on the nightstand...

~*~

The Other Typist
by Suzanne Rindell
Rose Baker seals men’s fates. With a few strokes of the keys that sit before her, she can send a person away for life in prison. A typist in a New York City Police Department precinct, Rose is like a high priestess. Confessions are her job. It is 1923, and while she may hear every detail about shootings, knifings, and murders, as soon as she leaves the interrogation room she is once again the weaker sex, best suited for filing and making coffee.

This is a new era for women, and New York is a confusing place for Rose. Gone are the Victorian standards of what is acceptable. All around her women bob their hair, they smoke, they go to speakeasies. Yet prudish Rose is stuck in the fading light of yesteryear, searching for the nurturing companionship that eluded her childhood.

When glamorous Odalie, a new girl, joins the typing pool, despite her best intentions Rose falls under Odalie’s spell. As the two women navigate between the sparkling underworld of speakeasies by night and their work at the station by day, Rose is drawn fully into Odalie’s high-stakes world. And soon her fascination with Odalie turns into an obsession from which she may never recover.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: August 4, 2013

TO DO:

Send me the link to picture of a typewriter.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

Participant entries:

Audra's pick:

Freda's pick:

Kristia's pick:

LisaMarie's pick:

Mary's pick:

Midnight Cowgirl's pick:

Abby's pick:

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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~*~
* image source: Downton Abbey typewriter scene

* image sources for typewriters are in comments

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes

The World of Downton Abbey
by Jessica Fellowes
photography by Nick Briggs
foreword by Julian Fellowes
A lavish look at the real world--both the secret history and the behind-the-scenes drama--of the spellbinding Emmy Award-winning Masterpiece TV series Downton Abbey

"April 1912. The sun is rising behind Downton Abbey, a great and splendid house in a great and splendid park. So secure does it appear that it seems as if the way it represents will last for another thousand years. It won't."

Millions of American viewers were enthralled by the world of Downton Abbey, the mesmerizing TV drama of the aristocratic Crawley family--and their servants--on the verge of dramatic change. On the eve of Season 2 of the TV presentation, this gorgeous book--illustrated with sketches and research from the production team, as well as on-set photographs from both seasons--takes us even deeper into that world, with fresh insights into the story and characters as well as the social history.

~*~
I found this book to be a good reference guide for the time period that Downton Abbey covers. I liked that it is full of color photos from the show and from history.

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Downton Abbey: The Library

Downton Abbey
The Library
Let us explore some of the rooms at Downton Abbey during our tea visit.

Booklovers that we are, the library beckons.

A-ha! Someone has left this book on the sofa...

~*~

The Age of Desire
A Novel
by Jennie Fields
For fans of The Paris Wife, a sparkling glimpse into the life of Edith Wharton and the scandalous love affair that threatened her closest friendship

They say behind every great man is a woman. Behind Edith Wharton, there was Anna Bahlmann—her governess turned literary secretary, and her mothering, nurturing friend.

When at the age of forty-five, Edith falls passionately in love with a dashing younger journalist, Morton Fullerton, and is at last opened to the world of the sensual, it threatens everything certain in her life but especially her abiding friendship with Anna. As Edith’s marriage crumbles and Anna’s disapproval threatens to shatter their lifelong bond, the women must face the fragility at the heart of all friendships.

Told through the points of view of both women, The Age of Desire takes us on a vivid journey through Wharton’s early Gilded Age world: Paris with its glamorous literary salons and dark secret cafés, the Whartons’ elegant house in Lenox, Massachusetts, and Henry James’s manse in Rye, England.

Edith’s real letters and intimate diary entries are woven throughout the book. The Age of Desire brings to life one of literature’s most beloved writers, whose own story was as complex and nuanced as that of any of the heroines she created.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: August 4, 2013 -->extended to Aug 11

TO DO:

VISIT the author, Jennie Fields.

RETURN here and tell me something you found of interest there.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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~*~
* image source: library

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~

Downton Abbey - tv series

Downton Abbey
TV series (2010 - not yet determined)
All three seasons of this show are equally engaging and entertaining with story lines that pull you in.

Below are brief descriptions to introduce this world.

~*~

Downton Abbey
Season 1
The Downton Abbey estate stands a splendid example of confidence and mettle, its family enduring for generations and its staff a well-oiled machine of propriety. But change is afoot at Downton — change far surpassing the new electric lights and telephone.

A crisis of inheritance threatens to displace the resident Crawley family, in spite of the best efforts of the noble and compassionate Earl, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville, Miss Austen Regrets); his American heiress wife, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern); his comically implacable, opinionated mother, Violet (Maggie Smith, David Copperfield); and his beautiful, eldest daughter, Mary, intent on charting her own course.

Reluctantly, the family is forced to welcome its heir apparent, the self-made and proudly modern Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), himself none too happy about the new arrangements. As Matthew's bristly relationship with Mary begins to crackle with electricity, hope for the future of Downton's dynasty takes shape. But when petty jealousies and ambitions grow among the family and the staff, scheming and secrets — both delicious and dangerous — threaten to derail the scramble to preserve Downton Abbey.

Created and written by Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), Downton Abbey offers a spot-on portrait of a vanishing way of life. -per Masterpiece PBS

~*~

Downton Abbey
Season 2
Downton Abbey's Granthams and their family of servants have already weathered scoundrels, scandals, and a momentous succession crisis. But by November, 1916, the Great War has rendered everything — and everyone — changed. Even Downton Abbey itself, like its residents, has risen to the call of duty and transformed.

At the war front, life intensifies for Downton's young men in the face of untold horrors. Meanwhile, at Downton, war makes new and often unjust demands. Some rise to its call for a stiff upper lip and a useful turn, and others see change as an opportunity for either growth or exploitation. Far from the trenches, there remains no shortage of scheming, meddling, and dangerous attractions.

As other great houses crumble, a diminished Downton Abbey struggles to prevail into a new era with its residents and its honor intact. -per Masterpiece PBS

~*~

Downton Abbey
Season 3
Downton Abbey has weathered the war, and the prospect of an impending wedding for Mary and Matthew brings great anticipation, as well as Cora’s mother from America, Martha Levinson. New World and Old World are about to clash as Martha tests tradition at Downton, and the patience of the formidable Lady Violet.

Aside from the sparks upstairs, a very real crisis threatens the foundation and future of Downton. Great houses have been crippled psychologically and financially in the wake of World War I, and Downton may not be exempt. In response, Robert clings decisively to his duty to maintain the home at all costs. But in this changing landscape, nothing is assured, and even the Crawleys may be faced with a new battle to safeguard their beloved Downton.-per Masterpiece PBS

~*~

Downton Abbey
Season 4
The story has not yet been revealed - the U.S. viewers will find out January 2014. However, there are spoilers out there that I refuse to read.

~*~

The Suite
Downton Abbey opening credits theme song
from the Soundtrack

Along with the costume and setting the soundtrack really makes this show so special. Give a listen to this haunting melody that just seems to stick long after an episode has ended.

~~- TEA at Downton Abbey schedule -~~