BLOGWORDS – Monday 15 February 2021 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – KATHLEEN DENLY

NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – KATHLEEN DENLY

 

5 FAST FACTS ABOUT ENGAGEMENT RINGS THROUGH THE AGES +GIVEAWAY!

Hello! I am so happy to be visiting Robin’s Nest today so that I can share with you five fast facts about engagement rings that I learned or was reminded of while doing research for book two in my Chaparral Hearts series, Sing in the Sunlight. But first, here’s a little bit about the book:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Sing in the Sunlight
Series: Chaparral Hearts
Genre: Historical Christian Romance
Length: 402 pages
Publisher: Wild Heart Books
Release Date: March 2, 2021

 

BOOK BLURB

Richard Stevens isn’t who he thinks he is. Neither is the woman who now claims his last name.

Disfiguring scars stole Clarinda Humphrey’s singing career, her home, and her family, but she refuses to let her appearance steal her future. While attending The Young Ladies Seminary in 1858 Benicia, California, she finds a man who promises to love and cherish her. Instead he betrays her, leaving her with child, and Clarinda must take drastic measures to ensure her child doesn’t suffer for her foolishness.

Richard Stevens’s life hasn’t turned out as he expected, and when a shocking letter turns even his past into a mystery, he travels to San Francisco in search of guidance. On the way, he encounters a mysterious young woman hiding beneath a veil. That night he experiences a dream that sends him on a quest to find the bride God has chosen for him. He never imagines she’s already told everyone they’re married.

Unwilling to lie, nor accept a marriage of mere convenience, Richard wants the real thing. Yet Clarinda’s not interested in love, only a chance to save her child. Can he help her rise above the pain that runs deeper than her scars to accept a love worth every risk?

https://youtu.be/t8ZqDYJIjDA ]

Preorder your copy today!

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FIVE FAST FACTS

Now, without further ado here are five fast facts about the history of engagement rings:

1. Did you know that rings made of braided reeds were first exchanged by wedded couples in Ancient Egypt as symbols of eternity? They were worn on the third finger of the left hand because of the belief that a vein that runs from that finger directly to the heart (known today as the vena amoris). While there is a vein like this (sort of), it is mirrored by a similar vein in the right hand and isn’t exactly a one lane highway. It branches off like any other vein in our body as part of our intricate and complex network of veins.

2. It wasn’t until the second century that Romans introduced the use of betrothal However, their use at the time was less a symbol of promise or love and more a symbol of the groom’s ownership of his intended bride. Or at least, that is what some historians believe. There seems to be some debate over this. Interestingly, Roman women were often given two engagement rings—a gold ring and an iron ring. The gold ring was to be worn in public while the iron ring was to be worn at home.

 

3. Some scholars believe engagement rings were used during the Middle Ages to ensure that impending marriages were made public in advance. If you read regency romance novels or watch regency romance movies you’ve probably heard about “the reading of the banns” being required to take place days or weeks prior to a wedding ceremony. It’s thought that this practice developed in parallel with the tradition of engagement rings.

 

4. Prior to the twentieth century, engagement rings were not universally expected. It was not at all uncommon for the engagement ring to be skipped and a wedding ring to be the first ring a woman received from her betrothed. This was particularly true the farther down the social ladder a couple found themselves.

5. While the first documented use of a diamond engagement ring occurred among royalty in 1477, diamonds were considered the status symbol of the well-to-do and didn’t become a popular engagement gem among the masses until the 1940s when Cecil Rhodes (who with investors founded the DeBeers Mining Company in 1880 which soon controlled 90% of the world’s diamonds) created one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history. If you recognize “A diamond is forever,” you can thank Cecil Rhodes.

In Sing in the Sunlight, my heroine, Clarinda, is presented with not one, not two, but five rings (one engagement ring and two different sets of engagement and wedding rings) given to her by three different gentlemen. Each ring came with its own history and thus a different design. One ring was an heirloom and its oval-cut ruby surrounded by tiny gold beads reflects the era in which it would originally have been made. Another has prongs that encage its diamond with claws, known as a belcher setting. The design both symbolizes Clarinda’s situation and reflects the changing jewelry fashions. The last engagement ring…well, you’ll just have to read the book to learn more about that particular ring.

 

GIVEAWAY

Now I want to learn about you! If you’re married, how did your husband propose? If you’re single, have you given any thought to the type of ring you might want someday? Leave your answer in the comments below to be entered for the giveaway.

For extra entries: I’d love to see pictures of your rings (whether engagement or another kind), so please share a picture on social media and tag me @KathleenDenly on Twitter or Instagram and @KathleenDenly.author on Facebook.

Be sure to record your efforts in the rafflecopter for official entries in my giveaway for one digital copy of book one in the Chaparral Hearts series, Waltz in the Wilderness! (If you already own a copy and you win, you’re welcome to choose a friend or family member to receive your prize.)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a61ba5d914/? 

 

PREORDER BONUS

In celebration of this second book in Kathleen’s Chaparral Hearts series, she’s offering preorder bonuses. These include a set of exclusive coloring pages (hand drawn by Kathleen for this novel), and an MP3 recording of the hymn referenced in the book (God Moves in a Mysterious Way), performed by Kathleen’s wonderful mother.

Anyone who preorders Sing in the Sunlight no later than February 28, 2021 can register to receive their preorder bonuses. To register, email your proof of preorder purchase to kdpreorderbonuses@gmail.com no later than February 28, 2021. A proof of purchase is typically a screenshot of your receipt. Please do not include any personal information such as physical mailing address or account numbers when submitting your proof of purchase. Preorder bonuses will be emailed on the day of the book’s release to all who register.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen Denly writes historical romance stories to entertain, encourage, and inspire readers toward a better understanding of our amazing God and how He sees us. Award winning author of the Chaparral Hearts series, she also shares history tidbits, thoughts on writing, books reviews and more at KathleenDenly.com.

 

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