My books are set amongst the ship-building and sea-faring
communities on the south coast of Cornwall in 1793-1798. They follow the
struggles of four different women fighting their corner in a male-dominated,
corrupt society. Reaching from a high-born aristocrat, to the lowly daughter of
a drunken fisherman, they weave a raft of support under each other, the
strength of their friendship forming a force to be reckoned with.
Yet would they form this friendship? Would they even
meet?
Sailing round the south coast of Cornwall is one of my
hobbies, the other is needlework. I needed a safe, private place for the women
in my stories to mix and where better than a dressmaking establishment? Yet
would a shop of sufficient merit to satisfy the demands of the newly prosperous
merchants’ wives exist in a small town like my fictional harbour of Fosse?
The answer, I found, was yes. Records show dressmakers
did set up businesses in Cornwall in the late 1790’s – mainly because the latest
fashion for fabrics like muslin and calico were lighter than the heavier damask
and brocade gowns of the previous decades and could be cut and sewn without the
input of male tailors as was previously the case.
Add into the equation the fact that a lot of French
dressmakers followed the fleeing émigré
during the French Revolution,
and you have a group of highly skilled women bringing with them the latest
fashion plates and who taught their skills to younger seamstresses.
And so my character,
Madame Merrick, was born.
Haughty, proud, and elegant
in her rustling silk petticoats and feather-trimmed turbans, she runs her
dressmaking establishment on the first floor of the warehouse above Pengelly’s
Shipyard with an iron command. I love her and so might you. Just be careful you
don’t cross her!
The fourth novel in a
stunning series set in eighteenth-century Cornwall, perfect for fans of Poldark.
Educated, beautiful and the daughter of a prosperous merchant, Angelica Lilly has been invited to spend the summer in high society. Her father's wealth is opening doors, and attracting marriage proposals, but Angelica still feels like an imposter among the aristocrats of Cornwall.
When her brother returns home, ill and under the influence of a dangerous man, Angelica's loyalties are tested to the limit. Her one hope lies with coachman Henry Trevelyan, a softly spoken, educated man with kind eyes. But when Henry seemingly betrays Angelica, she has no one to turn to. Who is Henry, and what does he want? And can Angelica save her brother from a terrible plot that threatens to ruin her entire family?
Educated, beautiful and the daughter of a prosperous merchant, Angelica Lilly has been invited to spend the summer in high society. Her father's wealth is opening doors, and attracting marriage proposals, but Angelica still feels like an imposter among the aristocrats of Cornwall.
When her brother returns home, ill and under the influence of a dangerous man, Angelica's loyalties are tested to the limit. Her one hope lies with coachman Henry Trevelyan, a softly spoken, educated man with kind eyes. But when Henry seemingly betrays Angelica, she has no one to turn to. Who is Henry, and what does he want? And can Angelica save her brother from a terrible plot that threatens to ruin her entire family?
Nicola Pryce trained as
a nurse at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London. She loves both literature and
history and has an Open University degree in Humanities. She's a qualified
adult literacy support volunteer and lives with her husband in the Blackdown
Hills in Somerset. She and her husband love sailing and together they sail the
south coast of Cornwall in search of adventure. If she's not writing or
gardening, you'll find her scrubbing decks.
Each book can be read as a standalone book but in sequence, Pengelly's Daughter is her first novel, The Captain's Girl second, The Cornish Dressmaker third, followed by The Cornish Lady. The fifth book in the series is to be published in 2020.
Each book can be read as a standalone book but in sequence, Pengelly's Daughter is her first novel, The Captain's Girl second, The Cornish Dressmaker third, followed by The Cornish Lady. The fifth book in the series is to be published in 2020.
Nicola is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Historical Writers Association.
LINKS
https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/the-cornish-lady https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-cornish-lady/nicola-pryce/9781786493859
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-cornish-lady-cornish-saga-main/9781786493859 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1786493853/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0
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