Saturday 23 April 2011

23rd April : Dragons and maidens...and St George

Y Ddraig Goch
This dragon is a symbol to fire the heart of anyone with Welsh blood in their veins. Here he is "passant" in heraldic terms, signifying greeting and [maybe] welcome. Of course he welcomes you in. Why not? He can eat you later.
The Welsh dragon is a Celtic symbol of great age and its origins are lost in legend. It is said that Romano-Welsh soldiers used the red dragon on their flag in the Fourth Century. The dragon is also tied into the legend of King Arthur - his father was Uther Pendragon. This dragon is a symbol to unite people [except maybe at Twickenham for the rugby...]

What a contrast with the loathsome monster of general folklore. From all corners of the world, tales represent dragons as evil, heartless beasts, seeking a bed of treasure to sleep on. Here they will slumber for up to a thousand years. But let anyone invade their lair, and they will strike in terrible revenge, killing a village or so and carrying off maidens to devour at their leisure.

In comes St George, cast forever as the fearless slayer of dragons. In this picture, he is in time to save the maiden.  There's a story in here.



Happy St George's Day, everyone and everywhere. Let all your dragons [bar Welsh ones] be slain.

Friday 8 April 2011

Chapter 9 - the magic chapter

It's happened again, hurrah! When I start writing a new story, I know what my characters look like and roughly how they will act. It's no good planning in too much detail, because they never stick to my original ideas. Chapter 1 is an easy one to write, setting events and relationships in play. Then things move along according to the plan - but oh, how hard it is. These people are as cold as ice, hiding all their secrets and plans. Why won't they interact with more feeling? Why are their actions so quickly told?  Where is the emotion?

I've learned to persevere, coax them all through their scenes and wait for that breakthrough.... And at last it comes. And it's nearly always in Chapter 9 that the veils fall away. They become real people, and reveal the good and bad elements to their character. Suddenly I feel part of their world and they let me join in and follow their ambitions, emotions, phobias, whatever. It's often at this point that they bring in completely new characters that I have to accept because they are obviously essential to the story.

It's definitely the point at which I lose control but as always, this is a wonderful moment.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

The romantic hero and his appearance

Recently I asked in a blog discussion what a romantic hero's qualities should be. The answers came back : he should have integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty, compassion, kindness. In addition he needs a sense of humour and should be fierce and passionate.

How do we picture our hero when we write or read a novel? If we give him some or most of the above qualities, do we want them to be hidden by a moody exterior or do we want our hero to stride across the pages, straight-backed, fiercely gazing at his foes or merrily facing his troubles with a carefree front? Shall we add faults, weaknesses for him to overcome, a problem with his character, an unattractive appearance or maybe an external difficulty such as poverty to test him? And is our hero aware that he is a romantic hero?

Georgette Heyer had her tongue firmly in her cheek when she wrote in 'Devil's Cub' that the prim Frederick Comyn "cherished a love for the romantic, which the Marquis of Vidal, a very figure of romance, quite lacked."

It's tricky to give a precise description of a character when you are writing a novel. We all have our own idea of beauty and want to project that onto the hero in the story we are reading. Only Colin Firth has been [almost] universally accepted as Mr Darcy.  But we're each of us entitled to draw inspiration from the type of man we prefer - and isn't it a good job we all like different physical types!!
Here are some of the guys who help me create a hero for a story.






             Guess I rather like dark hair in a hero.... but notice I put Sean Bean at the top.

Thursday 10 March 2011

Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespearian Delights

Anne Hathaways Cottage and gardens 15g2006.jpg





On a sunny March day a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon evokes Shakespeare and his times very convincingly, especially as re-enactors in 16th Century costume are wandering round all the local sites, and ready to chat if tourists want more information.


The garden at Anne Hathaway's Cottage had many herbs starting into growth. The orchard is prepared for the season and the willow arbour neatly trimmed at this season, although by summer it will be almost hidden by the waving strands of freshly growing branches.


   

In town, Shakespeare's Birthplace was full of guides in Tudor costume. They were all eager to share their knowledge of the period, whether in the dining room, where the table was laden with fine meats and a large round cheese, or in the parlour with its spare four-poster bed and spinning wheel. The making of gloves was demonstrated [Shakespeare's father was a glove maker] and upstairs we saw how a shelf could be drawn out from under the four-poster for the children to sleep on. Practical if not comfortable.

 Out in the garden, a pair of lovers held hands and talked earnestly. She looked very fine in her wide skirts, her hair braided under a sweet white cap sewn with pearls. He was as dashing as could be in his jerkin and padded short breeks, high boots, and his beret with its frilled edge. Ah, young love a la Shakespeare.

Friday 25 February 2011

The Large Print edition of 'April and May'

Another new step for me.

My third Regency tale, April and May, is published by Ulverscroft in a Large Print edition on 1st March.


1st March is also St David's Day which makes the occasion more special.


Monday 14 February 2011

Essential qualities for a Hero

This last week I was a guest on Carrie Lofty's Unusual Historicals Blog. The question I asked was : What qualities do you consider essential for a Hero?

The answers have been most instructive. It seems we still appreciate the traditional qualities that have always been part of the hero's characteristics.
Integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty, compassion, kindness, - these were mentioned by nearly everyone who commented. In addition, the hero should be smart, thoughtful, have lots of humour and be willing to do anything for the heroine. He should also be fierce and passionate.
The suggestion I liked most was protectiveness. It's a delicate balance to portray protection not possesiveness. The hero in 'The Rake's Challenge' becomes very protective of the heroine, against his will at first.

And there was a plea for a good guy hero. I wrote one of those in 'In All Honour'. Greg started out as a secondary character in 'The Wild Card', where he was a decent fellow, the hero's best friend. So I couldn't change his character. I love Greg but it was a hard story to write. I'm very glad he has an admirer. And it encourages me to try another decent guy as hero. He's there already, just waiting his turn.

This list of qualities inspires many ideas to create sympathetic and admirable heroes. Now then, what about their appearance?

Saturday 5 February 2011

#Unusual Historicals. Exotic but dangerous.

This week I'm guest blogging on the Unusual Historicals Blog.

http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/2011/02/guest-author-beth-elliott.html



Guest Author: Beth Elliott

This week on Unusual Historicals, we're welcoming Robert Hale author Beth Elliott, whose latest Regency romance, APRIL AND MAY, is set in Constantinople. Here's the blurb:
In Constantinople, 1804 Rose Charteris comes face to face with Tom Hawkesleigh, who broke her heart four years earlier. And now she is forced to work with him on a secret mission for the Ottoman Sultan.

The tension rises further when Kerim Pasha, the Sultan's chief and very handsome minister, falls for Rose's English beauty. A spirited heroine, two handsome suitors, danger everywhere...enjoy!


'Plenty of wit, gusto, flair, charm and warmth! An unmissable treat for Regency fans everywhere!' ~ Single Titles

'An enjoyable read.' ~ The Historical Novels Review

' A sparkling romance.... Dive in and enjoy.' ~ Myshelf




A "yali", a waterside mansion where wealthy Turks spent the summer months.

Can you explain what the title APRIL AND MAY refers to?

Rose, the heroine, has her early romance cut off short, so her April comes to a frosty end. Later, she gets a second chance to blossom and we leave her as she reaches her May.

Tell us why you set this story in Constantinople.

Constantinople is a fascinating city, a blend of Eastern and Western elements. It has many exotic buildings and a long and rich history so it makes a wonderful setting for a story in any period. I also love the fact that the city is divided into three parts by the sea. Each part has a very distinct character yet they are tightly interlinked.

When I researched the history of the late Eighteenth Century I found that both the British and the French were desperate to have the Ottoman Sultan as their ally. Selim III, the Sultan at that time, knew that to save his empire from being swallowed up by the Russians, he had to modernise his army, even though his generals wanted to carry on in the traditional way. He was very pro-European and was seeking help either from Napoleon's French officers or from the British. That gave me a suitable reason for Tom to be in Constantinople in 1804. He is the secret agent advising on modern methods.
On a personal level, having a Turkish husband, I experienced much Turkish hospitality and came to understand their way of life. It is incredible how honoured a Turkish family is to receive a guest. I wanted to convey that in the story. My husband had worked as a tourist guide in his student days so he loved taking me to visit important historical sites. And when he showed me round these famous places, including the Harem in Topkapi Palace, he was always full of anecdotes to make the visit even more colourful.
The newly restored Fruit Room in the Harem.

So is this story based on your own life?

Only in showing Turkish customs from an outsider's point of view. Rose, the heroine, is interested in the Ottoman way of life, but not even the powerful and handsome Kerim Pasha, the Sultan's chief minister, can tempt her to stay in Constantinople. I like my heroines to have a choice of men but the truth is that Rose and Tom have never resolved the issues from their earlier romance. Until she can do that, she is not interested in any relationship.

I also turn the idea of being an outsider on its head, when Kerim Pasha comes to London and we see him observing the English way of life with eager curiosity. Rose and Tom have to unite their efforts to look after him, which draws them together again.

Are you planning any more stories with exotic settings?

THE RAKE'S CHALLENGE, which comes out in July, is set in Brighton. The Royal Pavilion there is about as exotic as you can get! And the hero is fascinating…

And I'm currently working on another Regency-set novel which opens the door onto the Eastern side of life in Constantinople. There are feasts in exotic palaces and festivals of Ottoman style events--and a drop-dead gorgeous oriental hero.

***

Thanks for stopping by today, Beth! Readers, Beth is giving away signed books to two winners. Just tell us which qualities you like to see in a hero. I'll draw the winner next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!