Hustlers, Harlots, and Heroes...

I've read, and absolutely loved, What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank. Now I'm looking forward to reading Hustlers, Harlots, and Heroes, by Krista D. Ball.

I hope you enjoy this post on how Krista came to writing this new book.

I was re-reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice at the time for an adaptation I was writing—First (Wrong) Impressions. I was diving into some of the internet forums, websites, and mountains of books concerning the history of Austen’s time. A lot of conversations came up and the comments were rather surprising:
     Non-white people can’t be in Regency novels.
     Slavery didn’t exist in Britain.
     Slavery did exist, but it was over by the time Jane Austen was born.
     Women weren’t allowed to work “back then.”
     What I would give to live in Regency times; it was such a better time.

The more comments I read, the more surprised I became.

Romanticizing the past is very easy to do. The life of Lizzy Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) sounds relaxing when I have mounting deadlines. She can walk at her leisure, have time for crafts, have dinner with friends, and not even have to cook a meal for herself. But for the few Lizzy Bennets that did exist, there were plenty more servants who did Miss Lizzy’s hair.

You won’t find many rich women of note, nor find many Earls and Dukes inside these pages. Hustlers, Harlots, and Heroes is a quick and dirty field guide to help you write the people Austen left out, and Dickens talked about. The image of the genteel balls and the glorious gowns will be pushed aside. I’ll explore the women of many backgrounds who scrubbed those ballroom floors, and the men who served and serviced those beautiful women.

Image from in H,H,&H
12 Mary Secole & Florence Nightingale

As always, a writer’s guide lies at the heart of this book. Whether you are writing about airships soaring across The Channel or a woman dressed as a man on the high seas, Harlots will have something for you. I want to give you, the inventor and creator of your own mystical world, the tools to add conflict, drama, and realism into your story.

For those of you who plot mayhem for your Steampunk heroines, there will be plenty of ideas that go beyond the typical cogs, wheels, and steam. I hope to present you with challenges and questions to push your stories. I often provide the tough questions for you to ask your heroes.

Don’t worry because the dashing Regency bucks won’t be left out! I’ll guide them past the working ladies of Covent Garden, giving them plenty of pointers along the way. Lovers of naval battles and land battles will find plenty of information on how to bring diversity to their armies for a realistic flair.

Of course, Harlots isn’t just for writers, even though it’s a writer’s guide. If you’re in love with Major Richard Sharpe (hubba hubba), laughed at Mrs. Bennet, or dress up at fan conventions as a steampunkress, you’re my kind of people. The entire reason we writers create worlds is because of readers. We write these stories for you to enjoy. I wouldn’t dream of leaving any of you out of this adventure. You are the reason we get up the morning, stay up late at night, and drink too much cheap gin.

This is an excerpt from Hustlers, Harlots, and Heroes, c 2014 by Krista D. Ball and published by Tyche Books.

About Krista D. Ball:
Krista D. Ball was born and raised in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, where she learned how to use a chainsaw, chop wood,and make raspberry jam. After obtaining a B.A. in British History from Mount Allison University, Krista moved to Edmonton, AB where she currently lives.

Somehow, she’s picked up an engineer, two kids, six cats, and two very understanding corgis off ebay. Her credit card has been since taken away.

Like any good writer, Krista has had an eclectic array of jobs throughout her life, including strawberry picker, pub bathroom cleaner, oil spill cleaner upper and soupkitchen coordinator. These days, when Krista isn’t software testing, she writes in her messy office.

Find Krista:
Site:  http://kristadball.com/
Twitter:  @kristadb1
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Krista-D-Ball/201377490386

Purchase the books: (click the image)
Pick up Hustlers, Harlots, and Heroes:



You can also pick up What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank: (on sale this week for 99c)