Dear Subscriber,

Today, it's not difficult to believe it's summer - it's suffocatingly hot outside.  But it is a bit difficult to believe it's September!  I wonder if Victorians asked each other, "where has the year gone?" 

I've one bit of news to share that may, or may not, actually have an impact on those of you who buy our quarterlies and other publications.  Amazon has just announced that it is shutting down its CreateSpace division, and rolling its self-publishing activities (and all our accounts) over to "Kindle Direct Publishing."  Apparently Kindle, in addition to publishing Kindle books, also has a print-on-demand branch that operated independently from CreateSpace, so now the two are being merged under the KDP banner.

We've been told that books with fewer than 100 pages will have a somewhat higher base printing price, and have been advised to check our list prices, some of which may have to be raised.  I have, therefore, "retired" our original single-volume editions of Victorian Times (which were only issued during the first year of publication).  That means the original single-volume editions will no longer be available for direct order from Amazon. The quarterlies and most of our other books should remain unaffected; those that are already published will remain unchanged, and those that are yet to come will be available from all the same venues as before, and presumably at the same price.  I may need to raise the price on a few of our smaller books (i.e., books with fewer than 100 pages), but I won't know for certain until the account has been moved to the new platform.

I have no idea what the publishing platform on KDP will be like, so it's possible we may see a few delays in future quarterlies as I navigate the learning curve.  There may also be some delays if CreateSpace shuts down its operations before getting everyone's accounts migrated to the new platform.  I don't envy the tech folks, since there are something like 2 million titles published on CreateSpace per year!  We'll keep you posted!

And now here's what we have for you in September:

• The Street Games of Children (The Strand, 1891) Tipcat, Bucks and Gobs, Hard Buttons, Poor Jenny, Bobby Bingo... these are just a few of the entertainments enjoyed by the children of Victorian London!
• Study of a Cat-Bird (Atlantic Monthly, 1883) Observations of a cat-bird that made itself at home in the author's house!
• An Aboriginal Pilgrimage (Century, 1882) A fascinating account of a Zuni pilgrimage from the Southwest to the Sea.
• Rings Lost and Found (The Girl's Own Paper, 1899) Some remarkable tales of rings that have been lost and recovered years later, including the signet ring of Mary, Queen of Scots.
• [Heraldry] The Science of Fools (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1885) A short history of heraldry, "the science of fools with long memories."
• American River Steamers (Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper, 1860) A look at America's "floating palaces."
• Pyrography, or Poker Work (The Girl's Own Paper, 1893) Poker work is similar to wood-burning, though it can be done on other surfaces as well.
• Pyrography Upon Glass: A New Art (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1893) Hot poker etching on glass.
• Apples as Food (Demorest, 1882) Apples for breakfast, apples for dinner... Apple Sauce, Apple Custard, Apple Pudding, Apple Snow, Apple Tart... these are just a few of the tantalizing offerings for apple-lovers!
• Concerning Covent Garden (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877) A look at "busy, crowded, jostling, dirty Covent Garden," London's primary market-place for fruit, vegetables and flowers.
• A Strange Trade (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1889) This article gives new meaning to the term, "Ant Farm." (Or maybe "old meaning"?)
• The Vulgarity of Super-Refinement (Windsor, 1896) The title pretty much says it all!
• Aunt Mehitable's Winter in Washington (Godey's, 1874) This wonderful ten-part series of "letters" written by "Aunt Mehitable" to her loved ones back in Virginia provide a wonderful look at Washington (DC) life and society in 1873. The Washington monument has not yet been built, and in one letter "Aunt Mehitable" urges women across the country to send $1 toward its completion. The series looks at the notable figures of the day, describes fashions and homes in detail, and paints a brilliant picture of life on Capitol Hill.
• Home Management, Month by Month (The Girl's Own Paper, 1901) Household management tips for the month.
• Recipes for September (The Girl's Own Paper, 1897) Recipes for the month.
  

Visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/issues/VT-1809.shtml to download  this issue!

Or download it directly from DropBox:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/chshbd5pjq5l8rj/VT-1809.pdf?dl=0

VICTORIAN TIMES QUARTERLY #17 IS HERE!

The latest volume of Victorian Times Quarterly is now available on Amazon, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.ca.

Victorian Times Quarterly #17 includes the contents of the July, August and September 2018 issues of Victorian Times.  In this lovely print edition you'll enjoy the latest installments of Aunt Mehitable's visit to Washington DC, Grant Allen's Moorland Idylls, and so much more.  This collection includes tips on yachting in the Mediterranean; a look at life "on the tramp," an interview with a 100-year-old former slave; a peek at some books of etiquette; children's street games in London; a remarkable Zuni pilgrimage to the sea; the ultimate ant farm; a day in a London pawn shop; tales of some animal thieves; some odd facts about heraldry; and much more.  Plus, of course, loads of delicious recipes and craft ideas, poetry, picture features etc.!  Add it to your bookshelf today, or share it as a gift with the Victoriana lover on your list.

To find out more and access the ordering links, please visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/VTQ/VTQ17.shtml

CHRISTMAS IS COMING - ENJOY OUR NEW CHRISTMAS TREASURY!

We've done it again!  We love Christmas (and especially Victorian Christmas) so much that we've created a second Victorian Christmas Treasury (aptly titled A Victorian Christmas Treasury II).  Every page of this beautiful volume is a holiday treat, with an amazing collection of holiday articles and artwork never before anthologized.  Our new treasury takes you on a guided tour of Victorian holiday celebrations, from the poverty of the New York tenements to the children's costume balls in the British country home, from the blizzards of the American prairie to the blistering sun of the Australian colony.  Enjoy the Victorians' own visions of Christmas with holiday artwork by the top artists of the day (including some of Louis Wain's famous Christmas cats).  And of course, you'll find tips on decorating your home Victorian-style, tips on entertaining, and lots of mouthwatering recipes for Victorian holiday treats and suppers.  If you love Christmas (can you tell we do?), we're sure this volume will become a cherished part of your holiday traditions.  (And of course, don't miss our first Christmas collection, A Victorian Christmas Treasury.)

To find out more and access the ordering links, please visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/books/Christmas.shtml

Thank you all for being a part of the VictorianVoices.net family! 

Your Intrepid Editor,
Moira Allen

editors@writing-world.com