When Twilight Burns

Author’s Note

One of the best things about writing historically set novels is the ability to play with actual events and to build a story around them.

But sometimes things don’t fall into place exactly the way my plot demands, so, as an author, I take a little bit of liberty.

In When Twilight Burns, which is set during the summer of 1821, I center Lilith’s plot around the coronation of George IV, which was, as described, a great and extremely expensive event. The details about his wife, Caroline, and her attempt to attend the coronation are true (with the exception of the fact that it was Victoria and her stake that kept the queen from entering Westminster Abbey), as is the fact that she died several weeks later.

However, one thing didn’t fit into the timeline: the appearance of Comet Encke. In reality, the comet didn’t appear until a year later, in 1822. Thus, for the purpose of the story, I tweaked a little and had it appear a bit early for Victoria and her companions so as to give them a legitimate excuse for a “moonlight drive.”

The details about the toshers and the bone pickers beneath the City of London are true. The entire underground recycling industry of that time is fascinating. For anyone interested in finding out more about it, I recommend The Ghost Map by Stephen Johnson as a great starting place.

And by the way… there really is a Carmelite Abbey beneath the streets of London. Just in case you were wondering.

Colleen Gleason

March 2008