Release Day Guest: Delilah Marvelle!

Hi Everyone! So today we have author Delilah Marvelle visiting with us! I put a call out to twitter to help with posts, cuz you know I’ve been so… uh… on top of timely posts, yeah? :X Anyway, she is pretty much the most adorable thing ever and basically I hate her because I will never be so tiny and adorable. Only she’s so nice you can’t really. (I’m having a good day. No I’m not lying. >.>)

So! It’s super exciting though, because Ms. Marvelle has a very shiny new book out today! Isn’t that cover gorgeous?!

Quick question: What does a handkerchief, honey, bees and a woman’s clitoris have in common? Ah…that is the beauty of history. This is why I write historical romance. Some may think that my approach to historical romance is too sexual in nature and that history was primmer in nature than what I portray. One reader even wrote to me, scolding me that dildos were not in existence back in 1830. This bothered me, because our modern way of thinking has a tendency to skew the past. Because…ehm…the oldest dildo is actually 28,000 years old.

So I started my blog, A BIT O’MUSLIN, to re-educate the population of nay-sayers. Getting back to my earlier question, of what a handkerchief, honey, bees and the clitoris have in common, one sexual art many may not know about was the Art of Hiving, which was popular for a short period of time in the Victorian era. It was specifically for virgins who wanted to remain “intact” but wanted to experience ecstasy. (Guess they hadn’t thought of masturbation…)

Curious? Instead of putting history into *my* words, let me guide you into history through an 1873 perspective. Here is the excerpt from Harper’s Bizarre issue from March of 1873 chronicles:

“A table spoon of honey is dabbed on the vagina with a silk handkerchief. The jar containing the bees is then placed under the honeyed canal attracting the insects. I observed this ritual in the back room of a playhouse in Kensington. A young woman, who shall remain nameless as to conceal her good name, prepares to receive the four insects. Sharp stings yield cries of pain and eventually tears. The practice of hiving has been advertised as originating in the Orient as a way to receive pleasure whilst maintaining chastity. Advertisements in newspapers trumpet sayings like “intense ecstasy” and “superior than virile males.” The Archbishop of Canterbury has condemned the craze calling it “Ungodly.” The Queen has made no officially comment, but rumors circulate in taverns that midnight shipments of bee hives have entered Buckingham Palace…”

I have a feeling some dude in the Orient thought it’d be funny to mess with the Brits who were all freakin uptight. It didn’t take long before these circulating advertisements were considered infomercials gone wrong. The fad was quickly deemed a farce and terminated. Imagine that. Curious about Sex Throughout History? Come on, you know you are! I post a new topic every first of the month. Check out my blog at www.DelilahMarvelle.blogspot.com

Ms. Marvelle is giving away one signed copy of Forever and a Day to one lucky commenter, so get to it! Also, I’m totally jealous – I can’t wait to get my hands on this book and read it! (And just for good measure… I’ll post the cover again with the blurb. ;))

Roderick Gideon Tremayne — the recently appointed Duke of Wentworth — never expected to find himself in New York City, tracking down a mysterious map important to his late mother. He certainly never expected to be injured, only to wake up with no memory of who he is. But when he sees the fiery-headed beauty who’s taken it upon herself to rescue him, suddenly his memory is the last thing on his mind.

As the head of New York’s notorious Forty Thieves, Georgia Milton feels responsible for the man who was trying to save her bag from a thief. But she’s not prepared for the fierce passion he ignites within her. When his memory begins to return, her whole world is threatened. Now Roderick must choose between the life he forgot and the life he never knew existed

0 thoughts on “Release Day Guest: Delilah Marvelle!

    1. Delilah Marvelle

      Jane, thank you! I loved the School of gallantry series, too. And guess what? That’s going to be my next project after the Rumor Series. To finish up the School of Gallantry. So expect it to happen sometime in 2013.

      Reply
  1. Diane Sallans

    Must be a wonderful feeling to bring a book to fruition.
    I think I’d pass on that hiving thing! Bee stings really hurt, much less on a very sensitive spot. But I do appreciate hearing about what people did in years gone by.
    Happy Holidays to all!

    Reply
  2. Jeanne Miro

    Delilah,
    If there is anyone out there who hasn’t yet read one of your books they should definately pick up Forever and a Day!

    I love A Bit O’Muslin and the wonderful facts that you have uncovered. It really contains so much information that any reader of historical romance should find out about (you know – all those things that they never thought to teach us when we were in school and definately weren’t taught by our mothers!).

    Congratulations on your new release, you couldn’t have given your readers a better Christmas gift!

    Reply
  3. Bella@BeguileThySorrow

    :-O
    ….I have never heard of hiving but holy crap it’s f-ing crazy! lol
    Was this one of those “hysteria treatments”?? Definitely gonna have to follow your blog! I’m with you on historical perspective, Delilah. I often hear people wish back the “good old days” and think to myself they’re insane because who wants to go back to no antibiotics, no voting rights, and no a/c?! lol Not this Texas girl that’s for sure; it gets too damn hot, lol. But I also admit that I’m a lover of the pretty parts of history, like opera gloves, fancy gowns, having a dance card, and all that romanticized stuff:)

    Reply
      1. Delilah Marvelle

        Bella,
        LOL, yes it was f-ing crazy. That was the Victorians for you, lol. It was during the same period hysteria treatments were going on, only this was more along the lines of trying to spread “chastity” amognst those naughty girls who still had to have some. Masturbation at this time was considered a bad thing. And although there are no recorded deaths, I have no doubt whatsoever they were hushed up, as it would have not been becoming for a family to report that their daughter or their wives died while trying to orgasm at the hands of “bees.” Or rather bees don’t have hands but…ehm.

        Reply
  4. Mary Preston

    OH!! That had to really hurt. Who would be stupid enough to do it?? I would absolutely love to read FOREVER AND A DAY thank you.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    Reply
    1. Delilah Marvelle

      Mary,
      LOL, who would have been stupid enough to do it? The Victorians, that’s who, lol. They tried to come up with all sorts of ways to introduce sex without actually doing it or saying it. Maybe this is where the term birds and the bees came from? *smirk* Thank you for posting!

      Reply
  5. Cathy P

    Hi Delilah! Thanks for your article about hiving and your blog about Eugenics. Hard to imagine people felt that way. You are a new author for me and I look forward to reading your books and your blog.

    Reply
    1. Delilah Marvelle

      Cathy,
      Thanks for posting and for looking up my blog! It is hard to imagine how people thought of women and sex back in the day. That’s why I’m glad to only be writing about the past and not living it, lol.

      Reply
  6. Jen B.

    Wow! Just wow! Hiving sounds….Wow! How could anyone think that was a good idea? I love learning about the history and some of the fun, strange tidbits! Thanks for the post.
    jepebATverizonDOTnet

    Reply
    1. Delilah Marvelle

      Thank you so much for posting Jen! Wow does best describe hiving. I have an ick factor when it comes to insects as it is. There was no way in heck anyone was going to put a bunch of insects on me and consider that enjoyable, whether they stung or not….

      Reply
  7. Monikarw

    You are SO right, Lime! Delilah really is adorable! LOVE her SO MUCH! She’s always so nice to me!:)
    & her books are obviously great too!;P
    Happy Release Day Delilah!:)
    can’t wait 2 read this book..
    Happy Holidays everyone!:*

    Reply
  8. Limecello Post author

    Dammit. I had something to ask. But I re-read your post and was totally traumatized. Also, I hate bugs. ALL bugs. Including lady bugs, butterflies, and dragon flies. How could someone – anyone – think that was a good idea? And… yeah. Maybe it was some dude from the Orient who thought it’d be great payback for getting the Asians hooked on opium… Anyway.

    Yeah I’ve got nothing. All sorts of creepy crawlies and horrid images – and did you ever google/were you around when Meljean shared that maggot thing? *gags*


    I do, however, think you should come back again, Delilah. And hopefully share something a little less traumatizing. 😛

    Reply
    1. Delilah Marvelle

      I’m with you on those bugs. No way in heckola would you get any insect near me, no matter how good the promise of orgasm. And Bwahahaha….I don’t even want to ask what Meljean shared because I’m not looking for payback. I’d love to come back and I promise I’ll share something less traumatizing. It’ll still be Rated R though, lol. Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Lime!!!

      Reply
    2. Bella@BeguileThySorrow

      oh geez, I have to ask, I just have to…..what’s the story with the maggots? *gags* my crazy curious brain needs to know

      btw Lime, I too share that bug phobia with one exception being a ladybug. friends think Im insane when I scream like a fool when a butterfly even dares come near me. They’re not pretty to me cuz they’re so insecty looking! lol
      the mere threat of hiving definitely would have scared me silly and kept me chaste till I managed escape

      Reply
  9. Monikarw

    So, Lime dared us on twitter to ask u an outrageous question.. Don’t know if it’s really that but.. Have u ever done something crazy like that just to get an orgasm? Not really the bees but, u know, maybe when u were younger and more inexperienced did something just to try..? O.o ..can’t even type this without blushing :$ LOL

    Reply
  10. Delilah Marvelle

    LOL and snort. Have I ever done something crazy like hiving to get an orgasm? Everyone’s definition of crazy is different, but I will say that I ain’t THAT crazy. Despite the stuff I write and research, I limit my orgasms to my man and “toys.” After all, I rather like the idea of living to see the next day AFTER my orgasm, lol. If I ever do something crazy as hell, though, you’ll be the first to know about it. *smirk*

    Reply
  11. Monikarw

    Oh, Delilah! LOL 😀 ..and you’re right! Everyone’s definition of crazy is different (bees are crazy) ; ) *grinns*

    Reply
  12. vanillaorchids69

    Wow. Okay, I do believe I’m blushing after reading that. It is certainly a weird idea to use bees but you know … I’m sure there have been stranger things done in the pursuit of pleasure. 🙂
    And I’ve bookmarked your site so that I can have a read through your posts. I admit, I’m curious. LOL

    Also, Forever and a Day sounds great.

    Pam
    vanillaorchids69(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
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