The online home of fantasy author and knitwear designer Sophia Beaumont
One of the most exciting things about ALL FOR ONE is that it effectively kicks off the next phase of my career. It's not that I'm abandoning urban fantasy. But I am returning to my first love--historical fiction. Now obviously, we're talking history with a twist here. Whether it's creating a theoretical alternate history, or… Continue reading Top Non-Fiction Picks: Civil War edition
A couple of weeks ago a posted a list of documentaries I've been watching on Youtube. My documentary kick continues, so here are a few more you might enjoy. A few of them are quite long, so there's several hours of viewing time here. The Civil War and Its Dead This documentary shows a lot… Continue reading History in Pictures, part II
Warning: This post is about to get political. I spent the 4th of July watching WWII movies. The world had become a terrifying place. In the last two years we have seen so many awful changes in the US. There's more violence. People struggle to meet ends meet as industries not supported by the current… Continue reading What’s Old is Now New Again
Just a personal list of a few favorites I've read over the years. All links go to Amazon for the sake of ease, but I do highly encourage you to buy from your local indie bookstore, if possible. In no particular order: 1. The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum I love Deborah Blum; she has… Continue reading Top 10 Nonfiction Books
Our village season has officially started, and that means it's time to pick my crafting projects for the summer, the ones I'll keep in my basket to work on when I'm volunteering. What makes a crafting project okay for 1898? Obviously, Victorian women knitted, crocheted, sewed, embroidered, etc, but what other considerations does one need to… Continue reading Crafting: 1898 Style
It's that time of year. Time to break out the corset, pin up my hair, and go about in my best Gibson Girl style (which, admittedly, isn't very good. I've never been able to master that updo). Opening day at the village is tomorrow, and it's time to sort through my basket. I thought I'd… Continue reading What’s in my bag: 1890s
Apparently, I am becoming "that author who writes about Montreal." I've come across very few books set in the city, and even fewer in English. In THE SPIDER'S WEB, the city is almost another character in the story. When I lived there, I found the atmosphere so invigorating and inspiring, it was one of the… Continue reading 9 Things You Didn’t Know About Montreal
Last weekend was our season opening at the village. It was busy, and exciting, and so much fun, even if we did get rained out on Saturday afternoon. Since we have moved into the 1890s, I've updated my character a bit. Instead of working for the Sanitary Commission like her predecessor, Miss Charlotte Brown (so… Continue reading Time Jump
One bittersweet part of 2016 is that it means a transition in the village--a shift of 30 years, from the 1860s to the 1890s. While I am looking forward tot eh change, it is sad to say goodbye to the '60s, and to Lucy Spinnerman. That's right, Lucy is being retired after only a year.… Continue reading In Character, the Sequel
Here are some examples of Spencerian written with one of my favorite drawing nibs, and also with the nib that came in my new pen. I love the pen itself,… Continue reading The (hand)Written Word
