Third Day of Celebrations for Stately Pleasures! #erotica #bdsm #romance #bbw #menage

Hi everyone,

The birthday celebrations continue! If you missed the previous posts, check them out here and here. If not, please read on…

My Research for Stately Pleasures

Research wasn’t essential to Stately Pleasures. The stately home it’s set in is fictional, and yet I did research. Why? Because I wanted to. I wanted to build a picture in my mind of Davenport Manor, what it looked like inside and outside, what the grounds were like, and so on. Much of what I saw, many of the places I visited, weren’t even used in the book, but it all helped me to figure out what the fictional house was going to be like.

My National Trust membership got some serious abuse while I was researching. Many weekends were spent sneaking off to properties, both nearby and further afield, as well as taking in some places to and from weekends away that were too far away to visit for a day trip.

The picture in my mind grew more detailed as I pieced together what I wanted from various mansions—school rooms, libraries, servants’ quarters, corridors and much more. But still I headed out to do more research. It wasn’t a hardship, you see. I love visiting those places anyway, which is why I ended up writing a book set in a stately home in the first place. Other things I saw sparked off more ideas for scenes to be included in the book—including a pestle and a carpet beater.

Finally, I was all researched out. I just needed to get on and write the book. But one thing I really wanted to include was a maze, and there wasn’t anywhere nearby that had one. One flying visit to a National Trust garden and then Hampton Court Palace later (not in the same day, of course!) and I was all sorted—I had everything I needed.

I take plenty of photographs when I go to these places, whether I’m researching or not, because I never know when places will pop up in my work. I referred back to my photos plenty, as well as heading online. The Internet is an incredibly valuable tool, and I used it to find out or clarify various bits and pieces and make sure certain things that I’d mentioned were correct.

I think perhaps I over-researched certain things as not everything was used in the book, but I don’t mind, not one bit. I’d rather truly know what I’m writing about, even if I don’t mention every little snippet. And it was an incredibly fun experience—though my poor other half possibly won’t agree!

Grab the book here. Add it to Goodreads here. Then scroll down to find out about the giveaway!

Happy Reading,

Lucy x

*****

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Be sure to stop by on the 19th for the next birthday post!