Good morning, dear readers! You might recall that I have participated in anthologies by Historical Writers Forum in the past. (Find a list of them below.) This year's collection of short stories has a crime and punishment theme with stories throughout different eras in history. While I do not have a story in this edition, I am happy to share it with you and hope you find a new favorite author inside.

One of the authors included in To Wear a Heart So White is with me today to share her story inspiration. Brenda Clough has been a guest before, so it is a pleasure to welcome her back and learn more about A Dish Served Cold, her contribution to this year's anthology.

Welcome, Brenda!

~ Samantha

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A Dish Served Cold

Guest Post by Brenda Clough

In the 1960s the top best seller in the English language was The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins. This Victorian thriller kicked off the ‘sensational’ genre, the thrill-a-minute fiction that we still love today whenever we read Ian Fleming or John Grisham. Collins was a master of the vivid and exciting character, and he was unusual in his time for his female heroines. Marian Halcombe, the heroic female character in The Woman in White, was so vividly drawn that the publisher received marriage proposals for her from enamored fans.

Thus it’s a mystery to me, why Collins didn’t write more novels about Marian Halcombe. I, personally, wanted to hear more about her! Collins never did, and nobody else picked up the ball, either. So I sat down and wrote a dozen more novels about Miss Marian Halcombe, her adventures, her love life, her children. These were mainly to scratch my own itch -- if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

But the books also wound up being about the things we’ve forgotten. We no longer remember when a woman lost her legal identity when she married. (The quip was, ‘They become one flesh, and that flesh is his.’) When your husband talked to your doctor, because you shouldn’t trouble your pretty little head about your own health. When your male relatives could have you declared insane and lock you up in an asylum because they wanted to spend your money in peace and quiet. We take our rights for granted, and we should not.

This short story is about mercy. Because she’s the heroine and a well-brought-up Victorian lady, Marian is merciful. But you only get to abuse it once, because she is the most dangerous woman in Europe. And that’s my word for you, dear reader, in these parlous times. Give, be generous, forgive. But if it’s abused, draw blood.