On Mothering Sunday

When I learned that my debut book, The Angel and the Outlaw, was chosen to be released in the UK combined with Sarah Mallory's More Than a Governess as a way to introduce my writing to the readers there by Mills and Boon, I was thrilled.

The title, however, stumped me. On Mothering Sunday--what was that all about? So of course, I googled it. And came to the quick realization that I was culturally illiterate in this case.

The difference between Mother's Day in the USA and Mothering Sunday in the UK might not be so different now-a-days, but four hundred years ago there was a very poignant difference. Children as young as ten years old, who'd had to leave home to work as maids and apprentices, were for one day of the year released to return home to their mothers.

How different things are now. I cannot imagine going an entire year without seeing my children or my parents! I am so thankful for cars and airplanes and the time to be able to visit with them.

This year, Mothering Sunday will be celebrated on March 22nd in the UK.

There are other traditions surrounding Mothering Sunday. I'm betting there are a few writers from across the pond who can fill be in on their take on this!

Moonlight and Romance

Moonstruck is a favorite movie of mine. Seemingly star-crossed lovers overcome the odds to claim a forbidden romance, and they are egged on—despite their naysaying relatives—by the irresistible draw of the moon. Sound far-fetched? Not according to romantic lore throughout the ages.

One of my mother’s favorite tunes is “Moonglow,” a song made all the more famous by an unforgettable dance scene between William Holden and Kim Novak in Picnic. The lyrics suggest “It must have been moonglow… that moonglow gave me you.” The tie between romance and moonlight is clear. One of my personal favorites is “Harvest Moon,” a Neil Young song that extends an invitation to dance in the moonlight. “Because I’m still in love with you, I want to see you dance again, on this harvest moon.” “Moonlight Serenade” is a Glenn Miller classic. What intrigues me about the songs is not just that they wax romantic about the moon, but that they suggest moonlight and dancing go hand and hand.

Some of that might reverberate right back to our most pagan roots. The full moon and the light it offered provided a time to celebrate community rituals. Dancing would accompany these ceremonies, especially when they offered praise and thanksgiving. Or when they celebrated the harvest and fertility. So the moon’s association with romance is wound deep in our cultural roots.
Even today, scientists struggle to pinpoint the reason for the statistical increase in crimes near the full moon and new moon or the increase in conceptions around the full moon. Could it be that our bodies, made up of so much water, respond to a kind of physiological tide? Or is it simply that the full moon beckons us to dance and make romance. For the maladjusted and emotionally disturbed, perhaps that call takes on a negative connotation the rest of us don’t feel.

Whatever it is, I tapped the moonlight and romance connection for A KNIGHT MOST WICKED, providing the hero an opportunity to teach the heroine to dance under the soft glow of the moon. My 14th century healer could not resist anymore than Loretta Castorini could turn away Ronny Cammareri in Moonstruck. No matter how much Loretta wants to make the practical marriage choice, la bella luna brings her to the doorstep of her finance’s brother.

After the moon has its way with the characters, a choice based on love is her only option. And as a romance writer, I can’t help but enjoy that magical draw of the moon.

***Do you have a favorite moon song or moon scene?