The Art of Deception
or Pride and Extreme Prejudice
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. This week I introduce another book, that will eventually come out via booktrope (hope springs eternal.) It’s a spy story set in late Georgian England, the year before Trafalgar. Alice’s somewhat shady Uncle Grey has come to make her an offer she can’t refuse. He’s sweetening her and her mother up with a recollection from his wartime experiences in the wilds of South Carolina. This snippet starts just after he’s eaten supper with Alice and her mother in their run-down country home; a supper that was more carbonized than ideal.
“Uncle, when were you in the Carolina’s?”
“It was in the 1780’s with General Clinton and then with General Cornwallis.”
“You’ve never said much about it; was it that bad?”
Her uncle looked away, momentarily distressed by his memories. When he looked back at them, he said, “Yes, but it taught me one thing.”
“Only one?”
“I could live on ground maize and mouldy ham; if I had to; I suppose there’s a second thing.”
“Second thing?”
Uncle James smiled, “Beside the value of good food;” then suddenly serious, he added, “The value of good intelligence. We just blundered about in that vast backcountry; let those bloody rebels ambush us at will, and I lost some good friends; that stupidity cost us the America’s.”
Frankenkitty is FREE this weekend
My book “The Curious Profession of Dr. Craven” is on sale!
I’ve also released a sweet regency romance, Miss DeVere
Get Free Stuff and try out my landing page. There are three free complete short stories (including an ARC for Frankenkitty) available after you’ve gone through the hoops.
R. Harrison, Creative Enterprises 
Nice change of tone Rob. I enjoy how easily you change hats. Looking forward to reading more.
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Interesting period to set the book in. You don’t see much Late Georgian, but I love the whole Georgian period. He’s certainly right on both counts: you can live on just about any food and good intelligence is critical in a war. Nice snippet!
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Thank you. I’m being a bit pedantic here – Prince George isn’t regent yet (starts in 1810).
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Her uncle came home with more than a few good insights, it seems. Excellent excerpt and I,like the others, am in awe of the smooth transition you make between genres. Well done!
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The past is as foreign as the future. How’s that for zen? The driving thing is always how the characters interact. Thank you.
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Love that time period, and too few folks are writing about it. Can’t wait to read more.
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I like historicals, so this one should be interesting. As soon as I’m done with this comment, I’ll go snag a copy of Frankenkitty. BTW, I forgot to sign up this week, but my snippet is here.
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