Some medieval terms of endearment are still in use today – honey and darling, for example, were already used affectionately around the 14th century. Others, however, didn’t stand the test of time. For anyone who wants to address their beloved in a historically accurate way (or who writes about historical characters), here’s a list!
“Matrimonial peacemaker”: penis names in history
Throughout history, people have been uncomfortable with naming genitalia. The word “penis” itself is an example – that used to mean “tail” in Latin! But many more euphemisms have been invented over the centuries… In this blog, I collected some of my favourite penis names in history. And boy, that’s a list.
“Penis investigators”: Erectile dysfunction in the Middle Ages
Magic and sex were closely linked in the Middle Ages. Earlier we saw, for example, the love charms written by Vikings. But magic could also have the opposite effect. People considered an erectile dysfunction the result of a curse – one that could have dire consequences for the afflicted men.
Literal fashion police: the sumptuary laws of Renaissance Florence
These days an unfashionable outift may cause some shame and embarrassment – but at least you won’t get fined for it. In Renaissance Florence and Venice, the wrong dress could cost you a considerable amount of money, thanks to sumptuary laws and the literal fashion police roaming the streets.
Writing love? 6 ways to make your romance convincing!
If you’re writing about love, it is absolutely essential that you can immerse readers in your romance. If you can’t convey the feelings between your characters – well, then what do you have left? Unfortunately, writing a convincing romance isn’t the easiest thing. I’ve always been a fanatic romance reader. When I started writing romance, […]
How to write a sex scene: 12 essential tips!
Do you want to write a sex scene? Or perhaps an entire steamy story? For many people, writing about sex is a pretty scary idea – not just because it can be so personal, but also because it’s terribly easy do it very poorly.
Wife sales: how to get a divorce in Regency England
In Regency England, divorce was complex, time-consuming and expensive. Luckily, if you didn’t have the money, there was another way to get out of an unhappy marriage: wife sales!
Sexy Viking graffiti: “Kiss me, Gunnhild”
Many people still believe the Middle Ages were a prudish period, during which the Church forbade all romance and sexuality. And it must be said, the Church tried… but didn’t quite manage! People in the Middle Ages could be pretty public and explicit about their love life.
Romance Tropes: My Ultimate List
Most romance readers don’t like all romance. At least I know I have my favourite romance tropes (hellooo, enemies to lovers)…. So today I decided to make a list of the most important romance tropes in books and movies!
The “wind eye”: why windows are called windows
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘window’? Glass? Lucky you… In the middle ages, most windows were simply open holes in the wall. And the word itself still bears witness of that time!