Carving for Miss Coventry by Deborah M. Hathaway
Author’s Note
I brainstormed for months about which job Edward should have, finding that I had already used—or will use—many of them already. (Apparently, like the Coventry women, working-class men are my weakness.)
No job was fitting for Edward until I came across carpentry. I knew at once that I didn’t wish to write about woodworking in the traditional furniture-making sense. Why? Well, frankly, I didn’t have time for the research to do the job justice. Luckily, being a woodcarver fit Edward even better.
Even with his job, though, my research took weeks. I was able to find a few books that went into detail about the tools and techniques used for woodcarving in the 18th and 19th centuries. I didn’t even scratch the surface of what woodworkers can really do, though—their gorgeous work is simply inspiring!
As many of you know, I like to put little Easter eggs into my stories, and this one was no different. Edward mentioned the Golden Mermaid Inn in Devonshire that he stayed at with his father. This is a nod to an upcoming story of mine that will be released at the end of 2021. You’ll have to keep your eye out for the mention of the same inn!
I’m sure you all noticed the most obvious Easter egg—my inevitable mention of Cornwall. I had to add that in, of course. This story ended up getting two mentions. Did you find them both?
The name Daffley Park isn’t so much an Easter egg as it is my liking to create names and give them more meaning. I imagined Daffley from daffodils, the flowers symbolizing new beginnings. Daffley Park is certainly where the Coventrys have their new beginning—and Mr. Steele, too.
Lastly, Ashwick is a real town in Somerset, as well as Inglesbatch and, of course, Bath. I didn’t wish to change the history of those places, so fictional houses were created to that purpose.
Well, that’s it from me! I do hope you enjoyed the book! If so, you are always welcome to leave a review on here. If you haven’t signed up for my newsletter yet, you can sign up here to receive the latest news about my upcoming novels.
My favorite places to be are Instagram and Facebook, so if you aren’t following me yet, please do! I always love connecting with readers and sharing more about my writing.
I hope to connect with you soon!
Deborah