What's In a Name, Anyway?

Since this is a blog on history and/or historical romance, I thought it pretty apt to give a little information about how my pen name came about because there is both historical and personal relivance to it for me. :) I'm still in the process of researching my father's side of the family, but I know much more about my mother's side. I take great pride in my families. It's so cool to imagine how they might've lived, loved, struggled and overcome obstacles of their time. I've even gotten ideas for books based on some things I've learned. They might seem insignificant, but there's a romance story everywhere if you look closely as I'll explain later. :)
My real name obviously, isn't Abbey MacInnis. It was actually my Mom who thought of it for me. :) Koodos to her for that. :)
Abbey MacInnis comes from the maiden names of my grandmothers, both born and raised in Canada, but who, for various reasons migrated to the Detroit area and found husbands and started families of their own. My mother's family come from Antigonish Nova Scotia. I have second and third cousins who live all throughout Canada. My grandmother was the youngest of seven. She came to the US to take care of her older sister who was ill. Antigonish was mostly a farming community in the 40's and earlier, so jobs were hard to find.
My father's mother's family came to Detroit pretty much for the same reason. The car industry was booming then. People from all over North America were coming to Detroit to find work.
Abbey comes from my father's side of the family. That side is British and German. I'm still trying to research my father's side of the family, but one story I recall hearing from my grandmother before she passed away was that a Great Great grandfather (not sure how far back it goes), came from England in the 1700's. He was a physician who helped settle the territory.
I know a bit more about the MacInnis side, my mother's family. :)
They came from Scotland and settled in Nova Scotia, which in essence means "New Scotland." They arrived in Canada in the 1800's. My Great Great Grandfather spoke Gaelic. This too, is something my grandmother, my mother's mother has shared with me, so it's led me to conclude that perhaps my Great Great Grandfather might've come from Scotland. Or that perhaps his father did. :)
Here's where it gets really cool. :) My Great Grandfather, (still on the MacInnis side), served in WWI. Here's an original wood-framed black and white photo of him in his uniform.

One story my grandmother told me was one she wasn't supposed to overhear, but even as a kid, my Grandma was awesome even then. :)
She overheard her father talking to someone that he saw a German soldier. He was supposed to kill him, but the man was praying, so he didn't. I thought that was very honorable. Turns out that the two men crossed paths in a church after the end of the war, both recognizing the other.
The war took a toll on my Great Grandfather. He'd traveled from England to France to Germany on foot. Obviously conditions in the trenches were horrible, but he survived and returned to Nova Scotia.
Here's where the romance of my very long post comes in. :) I don't know if my Great Grandfather courted his wife before or after he returned from the war. I'm going to write a book centered around this though. Only a lake separated my Great Grandfather and Mother from each other. So instead of walking around the lake, he'd swim over to court her. How cool is that? :)
They married and raised a family. The Casket was the local paper. My Great Grandfather was a contributor to it for several years. I like to think that's where I got my love for writing.
On my trip to Nova Scotia in 2000 for our family reunion, I actually visited the house where my Grandmother grew up, and the grave site where her family's buried. It was a trip I'll never forget, and one I hope to repeat during my lifetime.
I'm so happy to have shared the meaning behind my pen name with you. :) I feel I'm honoring both sides of my family, and am proud I have ancestors who fought for their happiness and freedom and who lived good lives. :)

Bio:
Abbey MacInnis is a published author of Contemporary Western romance. Along with Contemporary, she writes Historical, Paranormal and erotic romance. Whether she’s being swept off her feet by a Medieval knight, regency rake, or cowboy or cop, her heroes are always strong men who’ll love their women unconditionally.
On most days, Abbey can be found at her computer, penning her latest tale. A tale where love, respect, and passion combine to create a satisfying and happy ending. She invites you to step in to the pages of her romances, to leave your worries behind and get swept up in her world.
Visit me on
my website
my blog
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Some History on Fine Dining in Victorian New York City

If there's one thing I love about writing historical romance, it's doing the research for each specific book. There's so much detail involved in writing a story, in particular, with Historicals. You have to research the historical period itself, taking into consideration all the goings on of the day. For instance, war, court cases, society, social structure, and location, where you'll do it all over again. i find searching for timelines extremely helpful. It puts me smack-dab in the center of a year and locale. Then once you get a handle on all that, you can narrow your focus. :)

There's so much to consider, fashion, society traditions, servants, and so much more. Like food? Yep... :) But unfortunately, we must kill our darlings for the sake of the story. :)

Yes, it's difficult cutting unnecessary facts and fun information, but sometimes that must be done in order to not make your story read like a history textbook. :)

While doing research for my historical, His Fifth Avenue Thief, the hero suggests that he and the heroine dine at Delmonico's, nicknamed "The Citadel," because of its grandeur. It stood three stories tall with two columns flanking its entrance said to have come from the ruins of the ancient empire of Pompeii. The first and second floors featured large "saloons" or dining rooms with inlaid floors and the most expensive decor. The third floor contained several private dining rooms, as well as the kitchen. The cellar included wine vaults stocked with 16,000 bottles of French wine.

Delmonicos first began as a pastry shop and wasn't made a restaurant until 1831 by the Delmonico's, two brothers from France. For the next ninety years, Delmonico's would be the place to dine if you were anyone of importance. It was said that author Mark Twain and opera singer Jenny Lind loved to frequent Delmonico's.

In 1836, five years after the restaurant's grand opening, it was recorded that Delmonico's was the first place to ever print a menu for diners. Before then, patrons would simply eat what was prepared each day, but Delmonico's provided it's patrons a true Parisian fine dining experience. In the 1830's, Delmonico's menu offered 340 entrées, 11 soups, and 40 hors d'oeuvres

This is a sample of what they served then and how items were priced. It's amazing now to see how "hamburger steak," priced then at ten cents was considered expensive back then. :)

Regular beefsteak, pork chops and fried fish are each 4 cents, roast beef, roast mutton and chicken stew are all 5 cents, and roast chicken is 10 cents. Delmonico's menu is 12 pages long with over 350 dishes listed.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/fdelmonicosrestaurant.html

Delmonico's was most known for creating Delmonico's steak and potatoes. Two other famous dishes created there were Lobster Newburg and baked Alaska.

I couldn't include all of that in my story. Though it would've been fun. :) That's pretty much what I learned for less than a page of story. :) Doing as much research as I did, I love using some of what I've learned to enrich my books. :) It's the small details that help give character depth and emotional layers, not to mention enhance the setting.

His Fifth Avenue Thief blurb:
Two years prior, Irishman Aaron O’Connel took his life from rags to riches. Chance and wits have kept him alive in 1850’S New York City. But no amount of money or success can bring his love Cathlene back from the dead. When a thief sneaks her way into his mansion, the last woman he expects to find absconding with his belongings is his long lost wife.
Abandoned on New York’s shores, a widowed, penniless, and ruined Cathlene O'Connel was left to fend for herself in an unfamiliar world. Fear and circumstance drove her to a life of thieving in order to survive, but her heart risks the biggest danger of all when Aaron hands her a scandalous proposition: A son in exchange for her freedom.
Now that he has her back, Aaron doesn't intend to let Cathlene slip between his fingers. He'll do whatever it takes to regain her trust and love. But when an enemy from Cathlene's past resurfaces, Aaron not only faces battling for Cathlene's heart, but also her life.
Buy it at:
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A Brief History of Saint Patrick's Day

Ever wonder about the history of Saint Patrick's Day? No, it's not just a day for drinking and being merry. There's much that's happened that's completely evolved and Americanized this long-celebrated holiday.

Many people think that Saint Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland. it was recounted for hundreds of years that Patrick stood on a hill called Croagh Patrick with only a wooden staff in his hand and banished all the snakes from the land. There were never any snakes in Ireland at all. Snakes were used as a metaphor for banishing Pagan beliefs in Ireland, which was replaced two hundred years after Patrick's mission with Christianity. Otherwise, there's not much known about Ireland's patron saint.

This religious holiday is celebrated on March 17, on Saint Patrick's feast day and the aniversery of his death. The holiday's been celebrated in Ireland for over a thousand years. It takes place during the Catholic season of Lent. On Saint Patty's Day in Ireland, folks traditionally would attend church in the morning and party during the afternoon. Dancing, eating meat and drinking and being merry were usually frowned upon during Lent, but these restrictions were waved during this very special holiday. :) They ate Irish bacon and cabbage. corned beef wasn't consumed until the early twentieth century on New York City's lower east side. The Irish learned of this less expensive substitute from the Jewish immigrants. How cool is that? Indeed, St. Patrick's Day has truly been Americanized.

This holiday, along with millions of Irish immigrants over the years has found it's way to the United States. During the nineteenth century, famine and poverty brought many of the Irish to the US. Though the first St. Patty's Day parade was held much earlier in 1762 in New York City, when Irish soldiers serving in the British army marched through the city.

There are more Irish Americans in the US than Irish in Ireland, 34.7 million Irish Americans, which is more than seven times the population of Ireland. The largest concentration of Irish Americans live in Boston and New York City.

Ever wonder why on this day we drink green beer, or why Lake Michigan in Chicago runs green, when in fact, Saint Patrick's color was actually blue? Ireland is known as the "Emerald Isle," because of the landscape. Also in Ireland, the shamrock was associated with more a political slant and uprising in the eighteenth century by the Catholic Nationalists as well as to explain the Trinity in Christianity. Shamrocks would be placed in the lapels as a way to express pride in ones nation. However in the United States, green was originally worn as a way to identify oneself as Irish.

St. Patty's Day isn't just celebrated in the UNited States and in Ireland, but in Japan and other locales around the world as well. After all, who doesn't like a party? :)

So my friends, here's a toast from me to you come Saturday. :)
May your blessings outnmuber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
And my absolute favorite:
May you be in heaven one half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

Slainte!



Abbey’s Bio…
Abbey MacInnis is a published author of Contemporary Western romance. Along with Contemporary, she writes Historical, Paranormal and erotic romance. Whether she’s being swept off her feet by a Medieval knight, regency rake, or cowboy or cop, her heroes are always strong men who’ll love their women unconditionally.
On most days, Abbey can be found at her computer, penning her latest tale. A tale where love, respect, and passion combine to create a satisfying and happy ending. She invites you to step in to the pages of her romances, to leave your worries behind and get swept up in her world.
Check out my latest release:
His Fifth Avenue Thief
Two years prior, Irishman Aaron O’Connel took his life from rags to riches. Chance and wits have kept him alive in 1850’S New York City. But no amount of money or success can bring his love Cathlene back from the dead. When a thief sneaks her way into his mansion, the last woman he expects to find absconding with his belongings is his long lost wife.
Abandoned on New York’s shores, a widowed, penniless, and ruined Cathlene O'Connel was left to fend for herself in an unfamiliar world. Fear and circumstance drove her to a life of thieving in order to survive, but her heart risks the biggest danger of all when Aaron hands her a scandalous proposition: A son in exchange for her freedom.
Now that he has her back, Aaron doesn't intend to let Cathlene slip between his fingers. He'll do whatever it takes to regain her trust and love. But when an enemy from Cathlene's past resurfaces, Aaron not only faces battling for Cathlene's heart, but also her life.

Available at
Amazon
All Romance Ebooks
B&N
Smashwords
Visit me on
my website
Like me
Follow me on
Twitter
See what I’m reading at Good Reads
Come follow my blog.