'Know your characters,' they said....

Advice to New Writers : "Before starting to write your novel 

you must know all about

 your main characters " 

That advice seemed very helpful. 

Back in the day when I was a beginner at novel writing, I diligently wrote a profile for my two main characters, mentioning all the items suggested in the advice.

pet hates, favourite activities, any strengths, flaws, relationship with family, and so on - and on. 

Well, that novel was written long ago but although it earned praise from editors and critiquers, it was never accepted for publication. Other stories fared better but one day I came back to this tale, my first and most precious to me. 

Now a seasoned writer and editor myself, it was easy to see ways to improve and polish the story.

I dug out the folder of notes and information for the tale. And in amongst all the plans, pictures, buildings etc, were the notes for the main characters. 

The heroine's notes ran to eighteen A4 pages, all handwritten. It was almost a mini-novel in itself. And like all research, very little of that went into the actual novel.

                                           

 The hero had sixteen pages of notes about his life, etc. 

     

Maybe I know more about these two than about members of my own family.

Now I smile at my earnest innocence. But it brought them to life for me, and their hair-raising adventures make a thrilling read, even if the story remains unpublished.

A Summer Holiday at the Seaside

              It's summer -  so time for sea air 

- and where else but Brighton, especially when the Prince Regent is in residence at his Summer Pavilion. 

Little does he know that his fondness for sweet cakes could be the end of him. 

Among the visitors is Anna, rushing from one near-disaster to another, and Lord Giles Maltravers, the ton's most dangerous Rake, who by mischance has to act as her chaperon. 

An amusing frothy tale with cricket, races, concerts and fashion - and more besides.

                                                   The Rake's Challenge    

Sea bathing on the ladies' beach - but note the men with telescopes.

The Steyne, Brighton.
Donaldsons shop and library at left, the Pavilion in the background .
The Prince Regent on horseback [white trousers].

A PERFECT GENTLEMAN?

 Joachim de Montailhac

In Spring 1818, 27 year-old Joachim is delighted that this year, for the first time he is in sole charge of running the family estate. This is a great challenge. As the youngest of five children, he has always had to fight for his dignity. So with this new responsibility he is determined to do as well, if not better than his two brothers.

Flocon, Joachim's faithful old lurcher

Athletic, handsome and always a gentleman, he is devoted to his parents, plays the violin like a dream, rides and shoots well, goes fishing with his father and is very much a hands-on worker.

Attempting to equal his brothers, he made a few bad mistakes growing up. Ten years after one episode he still feels guilty at the effect his actions had on family and close friends. It doesn't help that the other person involved in that scandalous episode has no shame and continues to torment him over it.

Just when he needs to give his full attention to running the estate, his problems multiply.

A big disappointment is the arrival of his mother's guests. Having two young ladies to stay was meant to be a pleasure but very quickly Joachim considers them to be the visitors from Hell. Being gentlemanly becomes a struggle, especially when he is so busy.

A Merens horse

  

The estate consists of the family chateau and a vast stretch of lands in the foothills of the Pyrenees. As well as livestock - horses, cattle and sheep - there is an iron mine on the estate, worked by tough, independent minded peasants, as proud as they are poor. Joachim is determined to improve their lives but so far they resist any change.

The iron Mine

New gallery at the Mine

Desperate to find more iron ore, the miners hastily dig a new tunnel. A week of heavy rain causes the roof to collapse, and four men die, others are badly injured. Joachim does all he can to help in the aftermath. 

To complicate his life, his tormenter from ten years ago is stalking him again.

And worse still, he becomes the victim of a kidnap and is badly injured.

When will his luck turn? 

Even when life calms down, something occurs that stirs his resentful temper - for even a gentleman has some character faults and Joachim has reached overload.

How will it all end....?  

BREAKING FREE by Beth Elliott

(c) Beth Elliott

TREES

 The SWWJ recently ran a competition for a 500 word story

 with the title 'TREES'.

I submitted a bit of whimsy about the fair maid Solveig saved from marriage to Gunnar King of the Trolls by a friendly Birch tree Spirit.

My entry was the runner up [out of 31 stories entered]

That was pleasing enough, but the real reward is the judge's comments. 

'This had shades of 'Lord of the Rings' and I liked it for its originality and beautiful prose, which completely pulled me into the magical world of fjords, trolls and a birch spirit.'

What about the two troubled sisters?

 'Here they are, mother, Miss Hartford and Miss Sophia Hartford.' 

says Joachim as he presents the visitors to his mother [and he thinks 'I really wish they weren't here.'] 

Actually, Nell and Sophie really don't want to be there either, but having been cast out of their home in Paris they have nowhere else to go. 

Why are the sisters troubled?

They lost their brother, Captain Alex Hartford from his wounds at the battle of Waterloo. Not long after that their mother died. 

Their father, Colonel Robert Hartford thinks only of his own advancement. An aide to the Duke of Wellington, he is organising the disbanding of the Army of Occupation in Paris in 1818.[1]

In June 1817 he remarries in hopes of having another son. 

Very soon Nell sinks into a depressed state and Sophie becomes so wild, their new stepmother casts them out.

Pedestrian curricle [vélocipède] race in Paris 1817
Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Life in Paris is full of variety, fashion, entertainments and endless dances with crowds of English, Austrian and Russian soldiers. Exactly what Sophie enjoys.

Bal Bullier, an open air dance setting at Montparnasse, established in 1787. [Picture courtesy of Les Montparnos Blog]

Going from Paris to the Pyrenees is a huge shock. What ? Life in a country chateau surrounded by lakes and mountains? No dances and no soldiers to admire her? Bor-ing!

Sophie creates havoc before she has been there 24 hours, driving Joachim into such a rage he's certain flames are coming out of his ears. After ten days he realises that Nell has not smiled once since arriving. It seems life is going to be difficult for all concerned. 

Joachim's comrade Bertrand remarks: 'My friend, I don’t envy you being saddled with that pair for months. I couldn’t put up with either of them for a week, even.’

Can life with the slightly exotic Montailhac family help the sisters make a fresh start? 

Can Joachim find anything to like in either of them? 

            His wise mother uses kindness to bring about change. 

[c] Beth Elliott

[1] The Army of Occupation by the four Allies - England, Austria, Prussia and Russia - under the Duke of Wellington, guaranteed peace in France for three years, and was disbanded at the end of 1818.

What about the youngest brother?

 There are three brothers in the Montailhac family.

Henri, the diplomat and Arnaut, the businessman, horse breeder and charming Rake have both experienced their own - very different - adventures. Their two sisters are happily settled. 

That leaves Joachim, the youngest.   

                      This year, both his brothers are away and so for the first time, he is solely responsible for managing the family estate and livestock. Athletic and hard-working, he is keen to prove himself worthy of the responsibility. Living in a remote and mountainous region, guarding the various flocks of sheep, cows and horses against attacks by bears, wolves and other predators is a part of the job.

   

Joachim is determined to prove he can do as well if not better than his brothers. But life throws up complications when his mother takes in two sisters with a troubled background.  

The first problem is that they arrive very late in Toulouse. where Joachim is waiting to escort them back to the chateau. Losing a day from his work is bad enough but as for the girls.... after a couple of hours in their company, Joachim thinks : -

   " Really, mother, inviting this pair was one big mistake. We aren’t home yet and already I can’t wait for them to leave. One is sullen and the other a desperate flirt. And as for the quarrelling...! "

Not a good start to their acquaintance, and there is a lot worse to follow. 
At this point, Joachim would prefer to deal with the wolves and the bears.

But maybe matters will improve.

                      

Lac de Campauleil, Vallée d'Orlu.

A Romantic Setting

 

Constantinople by Moonlight