Above painting: Louis Jean Francois - Mars and Venus an Allegory of Peace

Pages

***All photos accompanying posts are either owned by the author of said post or are in the public domain -- NOT the property of History Undressed. If you'd like to obtain permission to use a picture from a post, please contact the author of the post.***

Friday, May 29, 2015

Words in History




Then and Now Definitions of Words Used in History

  • broadcast
    • then: sow seeds with wide sweeping movement
    • now: spreading news
  • neck
    • then: parcel of land
    • now: part of body connecting head to body
  • nuisance
    • then: injury, harm
    • now: person/thing causing inconvenience
  • sophisticated
    • then: corrupted
    • now: wordily experience and knowledge of fashion and culture
  • balderdash
    • then: frothy liquid
    • now: nonsense

Thursday, May 28, 2015

May 25th thru May 31st



What Happened This Week in History?

  • May 25, 585BC-  The first known prediction of a solar eclipse was made in Greece
  • May 26, 1897-  Bram Stoker's novel Dracula is published
  • May 27, 1943-  Laszlo Biro patents the ballpoint pen in America
  • May 28, 1959-  Two monkeys become the first living creatures to survive in space flight
  • May 29, 1981-  Prince performed in Europe for the first time
  • May 30, 1783- The first daily newspaper in America, The Pennsylvania Evening Post is published
  • May 31, 1935- Babe Ruth grounds out in his final at bat

Monday, May 25, 2015

Video of the Week

We're Back with Video of the Week!  This week our video is from Horrible Histories Victorians: Vulgar Words.  House-hunting in the slums.  
Hope you enjoy!


Friday, May 22, 2015

Words in History

Then and Now Definitions of Words Used in History
  • defecate
    • then:  to purify something
    • now:  discharge feces from the body
  • elongate
    • then:  to remove or move something
    • now: make something longer
  • flabby
    • then:  damp or clammy
    • now:  soft loose flesh
  • heartburn
    • then:  jealous or full of hatred
    • now:  form of indigestion
  • keister
    • then:  suitcase or satchel
    • now:  person's buttocks
Erotic Word of the Week

Well endowed/large penis
  • womb bruiser
  • clarkoid
  • baby's forearm
  • beer can
  • rippled yam



Thursday, May 21, 2015

May 18th thru May 24th

What Happened This Week in History?


  • May 18, 1830-  The fountain pen was patented by H. D.
  • May 19, 1536- The second wife of England's King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn was beheaded after she was convicted of adultery
  • May 20, 2009-  Wayne Allwine the voice of Mickey Mouse died at 62 years old.  His wife was actress who voiced Minnie Mouse.
  • May 21, 1908- The first horror movie Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde premieres in Chicago
  • May 22, 1933- Loch Ness Monster is first reportedly sighted by John Mackay
  • May 23, 1774-  Chestertown tea party occurs
  • May 24, 2000- Chuck D testified to the US Congress about the benefits of Napster and online music distribution

Monday, May 18, 2015

Erotic Historical Words

This is a list of erotic words (some more historical than others) used to describe sex and related body parts.
Enjoy!

This week words related to women:

Brassiere
  • flopper stopper
  • sheepdog
  • tit-pants
  • lung-hammock
  • front suspension
Desirable Woman
  • haveable
  • beddable
  • oomphy
  • doe-like
  • table-grade
Vagina
  • beefbox
  • vicious circle
  • nodder
  • fireplace
  • jam donut
Menstruate
  • have one's granny
  • have the painters in
  • stub one's toe
  • fall off the roof
  • entertain the general
Wife
  • firebell
  • poker breaker
  • rib
  • sergeant major
  • cows and kisses


Friday, May 15, 2015

Words in History

Then and Now Word Definitions

  • thongs
    • then:  flip flops
    • now:  underwear
  • success
    • then: any outcome good or bad
    • now:  accomplishment
  • nervous
    • then:  strong and vigorous
    • now:  anxious
  • doom
    • then:  a law or judgement
    • now:  fated death
  • egregious
    • then: remarkably good
    • now: outstandingly bad

Thursday, May 14, 2015

May 11th thru May 17th

What Happened This Week in History?
  • May 11, 1858-  Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state
  • May 12, 1847-  William Clayton invented the odometer
  • May 13, 1967- Mickey Mantle hit his 500th home run
  • May 14, 1643-  Louis XIV became King of France at age 4 after the death of his father
  • May 15, 1985-  Prince released the single "Raspberry Beret"
  • May 16, 1920- Joan of Arc was canonized in Rome
  • May 17, 2007- First time trains crossed the border dividing North and South Korea since 1953

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Avoiding Turn of the Century Bustle Pinchers by Deeanne Gist

Welcome to History Undressed guest author, Deeanne Gist. I had the pleasure of reading her book Tiffany Girl (see review here) and I'm happy to host her today on the blog! Enjoy!

Avoiding Turn of the Century Bustle Pinchers
by Deeanne Gist
Author of Tiffany Girl


If you think being a woman today is tough, let’s take a step back to 1893 when women were just breaking into the workforce. If you read Eliza’s review of my new book, Tiffany Girl, you already know about my smart, artistic protagonist, Flossie Jayne, one of the “New Women” behind Louis Comfort Tiffany’s famous glasswork.

Flossie is based on a compilation of real women who shattered the mold for females at the turn of the century. Naive but driven, she defied her mother, her father and society by getting a man’s job in a man’s world and moving—without chaperone—into a boardinghouse. And there were consequences to be paid for this effrontery.

Loneliness. Uncertainty. Vulnerability, to name a few. Their lot was particularly challenging when they had to take the streetcars during rush hours. Stuffed into a crowded space with little wiggle room, men—or “bustle pinchers” as they were called—brushed up close to the girls, then pushed, taunted and touched them inappropriately. I’d ask if you could even imagine such a thing, but any young woman today who’s ridden a very crowded subway might very well be able to imagine it only too well.

And while Flossie had thick skin, she wasn’t immune. As I was writing a scene which included bustle pinchers, I found my mama-bear claws coming out. Just thinking about the gall of those men really fired my blood, especially knowing there really was such a thing. I found myself wishing I could jump into the book and give Flossie advice on how to handle them. I’d have said things like:

Head to work early. As if she didn’t work hard enough, right? But, maybe if she could head out to work earlier than normal, she might just be able to snag a seat on the streetcar.

Take your bike. If the weather permitted (honestly, even if it didn’t), riding her bike to work would mean she wouldn’t have to get on the streetcar at all and she’d avoid those nasty, groping, smelly men! She’d have to be careful though. Women out on the street after dark were assumed to be promiscuous.

Wear heavy clothing. Layer up! The men might pinch, but all they’ll get is a little extra fabric. Serves them right!

What I’d really want to say is … stare, slap, scold and knee! Practically speaking, the streetcar would have been too packed for her to whack a man with her purse, but if the opportunity presented itself to Flossie, I would have said: Go for it, girl!

So what about our modern equivalent to bustle pinchers? How would/do you avoid them?

Here are few pics of Deeanne in a beautiful gown--complete with a bustle!






Deeanne Gist has rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her original, fun historicals. She has garnered four RITA nominations, two consecutive Christy Awards, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base.

With three-quarters of a million trade books sold, Deeanne has been presented the National Readers’ Choice, Book Buyers’ Best, Golden Quill, Books*A*Million Pick of the Month, Romantic Times Pick of the Month, Award of Excellence, and Laurel Wreath awards

Deeanne has a very active online community on her blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and her YouTube channel.

Deeanne lives in Texas with her husband of thirty-one years and their border collie. They have four grown children.

Deeanne loves to hear from readers, blogs frequently on www.DeeanneGist.com and enjoys posting and reaching out to readers on her Facebook page,
             
Link to Dee’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/deesfriends


About the book:


From the bestselling author of It Happened at the Fair and Fair Play comes a compelling historical novel about a progressive “New Woman”—the girl behind Tiffany’s chapel—and the love that threatens it all. 

As preparations for the 1893 World’s Fair set Chicago and the nation on fire, Louis Tiffany—heir to the exclusive Fifth Avenue jewelry empire—seizes the opportunity to unveil his state-of-the-art, stained glass, mosaic chapel, the likes of which the world has never seen.

But when Louis’s dream is threatened by a glassworkers’ strike months before the Fair opens, he turns to an unforeseen source for help: the female students at the New York School of Applied Design. Eager for adventure, the young women pick up their skirts, move to boarding houses, take up steel cutters, and assume new identities as the “Tiffany Girls.” 

 
Tiffany Girl is the heartwarming story of the impetuous Flossie Jayne, a beautiful, budding artist handpicked by Louis to help complete the Tiffany chapel. Though excited to be an independent "New Woman" when most of the fair sex stayed home, she quickly finds the world less welcoming than anticipated. From a Casanova male, to an unconventional married couple, and a condescending singing master, she takes on a colorful cast of characters to transform the boarding house into a home while racing to complete the Tiffany chapel and make a name for herself in the art world.
As challenges mount, her ambitions become threatened from an unexpected quarter: her own heart. Who will claim victory? Her dreams or the captivating boarder next door?



Monday, May 11, 2015

Erotic Historical Words

This is a list of erotic words (some more historical than others) used to describe sex and related body parts.
Enjoy!

Let's start this week off with words related to men:

Semen
  • albino custard
  • buttermilk
  • delicious jam
  • Cyclops' tears
  • father stuff
Ejaculate
  • cheese 
  • spunk
  • play the whale
  • ranch
  • free the tadpoles
Penis
  • bon bon
  • bat
  • dangle-dong
  • doover
  • rogery
  • yang fellow
Husband
  • his lordship
  • monkey man
  • brown bagger
  • goonie
Testicles
  • Chicken McNuggets
  • velvet orbs
  • winky bag
  • male mules
  • stones 

Friday, May 8, 2015

SALE!!! Kissing the Higlander is only $.99!


Fans of Scottish Romance, have you read 

Kissing the Highlander?


Right now its on sale until May 15th for $.99!!!

My story, THE HIGHLANDER'S CHARM, a Stolen Bride novella, is in this awesome Anthology! Here's a bit more about the book...


Five new Highland novellas by Bestselling Authors of Highland romances that will delight with mystery, intrigue, romance, drama and much more! From the authors who have provided countless hours of reading pleasure so that fans can slip away to the past and live among all those hot Highlanders.
BUY LINKS:

His Wild Highland Lass by Terry Spear

Lady Sorcha Barclay fled her brother-in-law’s castle because of his unwanted advances. An awe-inspiring circle of standing stones captures her attention and she captures the attention of the laird who owns the land.
Laird Ronan Daziel takes Sorcha to his castle to protect her and give her a home. Before long, he wants much more. He’s duty-bound to take a wife whose clan wishes an alliance with his. So why does he long to have something more? Everyone loves the lass as much as he does. But he has pledged his loyalty to his clan. Taking Sorcha to wife could lead to battle on several fronts. How can he wed another when she stole his heart from the first moment he laid eyes on her near the ancient standing stones on his lands?

The Highlander’s Charm by Eliza Knight

They should be enemies… But passion and love know no bounds.
Returning from battle to England, Samuel de Mowbray discovers that his two younger sisters have been stolen by Highlanders. Determined to save them from vicious warriors, he convinces the king to send him north. While there, he discovers that his loyalties are wavering and that a headstrong, feisty lass could destroy everything he believes.
Catriona Buchanan must travel north to ask for help in saving her brother and ridding her castle of brutal English knights. Unfortunately, to do so, she must trust in the thing she mistrusts the most—an Englishman. Minute by minute, the man who should be her enemy breaks down her defenses. There is something different about him and she can’t help but be captivated by Samuel, and his steamy kisses.

Heart of Stone by Willa Blair

Riding home after two years away, Gavan MacNabb encounters a lass and her deerhound in a moonlit circle of standing stones. Little does he know the garland of bluebells she weaves and the spell she sings will change the course of his life.
Marsali Murray doesn’t really believe the old wives’ tale that making a chain of bluebells by the standing stones under a waxing moon will bring true love, but she’s desperate to try anything to escape the boring, everlasting sameness of her life.
Gavan has already seen much of the world denied to Marsali. He’s ready to settle down. She is eager to spread her wings. Can they find what they need with each other?

Kilts and Kisses by Victoria Roberts

Since the deaths of her parents, Ceana Gunn has lived in the shadow of her uncle and his family. She wants nothing more than to see her clan the way it was when her father was still laird. But her uncle has other ideas. Ceana soon discovers that the only refuge to be found is in the last place she expects—the arms of her enemy.
Luthais MacKay wants to be left alone. His only interest is training his prized hawks. He certainly doesn’t have time to listen to the petty squabbling of his clan when his father travels to Edinburgh and leaves him in charge. But when Luthais discovers a mysterious woman on his lands, he’s determined to unravel her secrets…one layer at a time.

My Captive Highlander by Vonda Sinclair

Can unexpected passion and a little ancient magic turn enemies into lovers?
During a fierce storm on the west coast of Scotland, Shamus MacKenzie barely survives a galley wreck only to be captured and held for ransom by the enemy MacDonalds. Aided by the gift of second sight, Maili MacDonald, sister of the ruthless chief, senses the handsome, dark-haired stranger will somehow be important in her life. Compelled to help him, she insists on providing him food and a healer to see to his injuries. She knows she is daft to fall in love with this captivating warrior after one forbidden kiss but cannot help herself. With each visit from Maili, Shamus finds his thoughts consumed by the enchanting lass. Can he convince her to help him escape the dungeon and prevent the impending battle between the two clans?
His Wild Highland Lass by Terry Spear
The Highlander’s Charm by Eliza Knight
Heart of Stone by Willa Blair
Kilts and Kisses by Victoria Roberts
My Captive Highlander by Vonda Sinclair

Words in History


 
 
Then and Now: Word Definitions
 
 
 
  • pendant
    • then:  schoolmaster
    • now:  a piece of jewelry
  • nice
    • then:  foolish or silly
    • now: fine or agreeable
  • chaperone
    • then:  hood worn by nobles
    • now: person who looks after another/group
  • disappoint
    • then:  to remove from office
    • now:  fail to fulfill
  • buxom
    • then:  physically flexible
    • now:  full-bosomed

Thursday, May 7, 2015

May 4th thru May 10th

What Happened This Week in History?

  • May 4, 1910- Tel Aviv founded
  • May 5, 1891- Music Hall was dedicated in New York City.  It was later renamed Carnegie Hall
  • May 6, 2002- Spider-Man is first movie to top $100 million in opening weekend
  • May 7, 1930- The first steel columns were set for the Empire State Building
  • May 8, 1952- Mad Magazine debuts
  • May 9, 1960- FDA approved first pill for contraceptive use in birth control
  • May 10, 1988- Prince's 10th album released entitled "Lovesexy"

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Why I Write Romance by Kathleen Bittner Roth


Welcome back to History Undressed our monthly author and blogger, Kathleen Bittner Roth! Today she's giving us some insight into the genre she writes--and I'm so glad she pens such riveting romantic tales!

WHY I WRITE ROMANCE

Society rewards us for practiced thinking by handing us diplomas to tack on our walls. But what of our important feeling nature?

Thinking is what brings about clarity and objectivity in our lives, but only feeling can bring a sense of value and worth to a person. Our self-esteem comes not from what we think of ourselves, but how we "feel" about ourselves. Feeling is the sublime aspect of a man or woman that brings warmth, gentleness, relatedness and perception to a relationship. Feeling is the sublime art of having a value structure and a sense of meaning and belonging. It is the magnetic part of us that attracts love.

We’ve paid a high price for the precise, scientific world we live in where romance novels are often scorned as unrealistic fluff (yet murder mysteries where people are hacked to death or buried alive are considered acceptable, thrilling reading). We’ve ended up with nations of wounded beings where men and women suffer their wounds differently. Typically, men drink or overwork. Women eat and overwork. Men war and abuse. Women retreat and isolate. Research indicates that scientifically-oriented countries are more likely to break out in ecstatic disorientation if the people do not balance their lives with ecstasy through their feeling natures via such endeavors as poetry, music, creativity and romance.

Oops, did I just use that nebulous word romance again? 

The first romantic notions of love in western society originated in 12th century France when a new religious movement anointed a female as a religious godhead. The religious observance of the goddess was suppressed and forced underground. Eventually, the movement resurfaced in the courts of kings and queens, where evidence of it could be found in the chivalric reverence for women. Those chivalrous knights of old often fell in love with their queen or princesses, but this romantic love was never consummated because it was considered the myth of love. 

Romance had its purpose—it became the first step of the evolution of the spirit of man to truly understand the energy of divine love. Romance in relationships allows us to touch the face of God. Romance and ecstasy mixed, allows us to touch the face of God in stereo!

What mentally healthy person isn’t attracted to love? It is the grand intangible. Romance, ecstasy and love, are so powerful a human drive that they have kindled wars, created works of art, consoled the dying, driven kings mad and bankrupted nations. Love is the vital, pulse-beating feeling nature within us that gives us creativity and a sense of joy. Ultimately, love is the most important aspect of our lives.

My late husband held a double PhD in political science and economics. He spoke six languages. He was quite the intellectual, but he was also an artist and thus, more open to his feeling nature than a lot of men. I asked him to read a romance novel (Joanna Bourne’s The Forbidden Rose). He thought it well written. He said that if men would include these kinds of novels in their reading material, they would understand what women want and how to please them. Yes!

One of the greatest joys a man can experience is honoring a woman by escorting her out of her head, her thinking nature, and into her body, her feeling nature, so that he can pleasure her. One of the many differences between men and women is that a woman needs to feel good to do good while a man needs to do good to feel good (think about that for a while). 

Years ago, I founded a successful wellbeing center where I created seminars and retreats to help people live more satisfying, self-empowered lives. I thought that when I finally got around to transferring my works onto the written page that they would take the shape of tutorial-style textbooks, hopefully spiced with a bit of humor. What a surprise when I was finally able to focus on writing, only to dream an entire historical novel one night. What an incredible experience! I realized then that what I really wanted to do was write humorous, sad, sensuous, romantic, ecstatic stories (The Seduction of Sarah Marks, the book I dreamed in its entirety, became my first published novel).

When I began to write historical romance, I discovered that I had unknowingly laid out all that I had been teaching in my wellbeing center about heightened senses, the purpose of our lives, destiny, self-empowerment, and the act of loving ourselves and others. Writing romance gives me the perfect venue for expressing the full spectrum of the human condition. 



Kathleen Bittner Roth thrives on creating passionate stories featuring characters who are forced to draw on their strength of spirit to overcome adversity and find unending love. Her own fairy tale wedding in a Scottish castle led her to her current residence in Budapest, Hungary, considered one of Europe’s most romantic cities. However, she still keeps one boot firmly in Texas and the other in her home state of Minnesota. A member of Romance Writers of America®, she was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart® contest. Find Kathleen on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, Pinterest and www.kathleenbittnerroth.com.
Check out Kathleen's list of books on Amazon!

Friday, May 1, 2015

Words in History

Words in History
  •  bully
    • then:  a good fellow or a darling
    • now:  someone who harms those who are weaker
  • brave
    • then:  showy or gaudy
    • now:  courageous
  • artificial
    • then:  artful and skillfully constructed
    • now:  false or pretend
  • wench
    • then:  female child
    • now: wanton woman
  • girl
    • then:  young person of either sex
    • now: female