Did you guys know there's a Broadway musical based on one of my favorite novels?
"Well, yes, Amy, you ramble on about Les Mis in, like, every other post on this blog... "
No, no, this isn't about Les Mis. I'm talking about Jane Eyre: The Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2000 and sadly hasn't been revived since then. It's a real pity, because it's a fantastic show (get thee to the cast album with all possible speed), but my Bestie Dearest (that's Melody) and I have come up with a solution for this void in our lives. We've created a dream cast for a movie version of the musical (don't get your hopes up, this is all just for fun-- as far as we know there are no JE musical films in the works), and you can read all about it here on Melody's blog.
And since this post is so very short, I'll finish it off with a random gif of Ramin Karimloo doing an eyebrow thing, because it is entertaining and because Ramin Karimloo figures muchly in the post we wrote. Go read it.
Eva-Joy is hosting a Barricade Boys week over at Ramblings of a Janeite in celebration of the week in 1832 when all our favorite literary characters got killed. ...Well, is that inaccurate? IS IT?
Teasing aside, I'm incredibly excited about this blog event, and I think the rest of you will enjoy all the delightful Les-Mis-themed posts popping up on her blog this week. I wanted to do something on my own blog to commemorate the 181st anniversary of the 1832 Paris Rebellion, but time got away from me this spring and I wasn't able to plan anything. Which is why I'm so very excited that I DID have the opportunity to write a guest post for Eva-Joy's event! Please head right over here to read my ramblings about my favorite little revolutionary... and I specify little, because I have a couple of other favorites too. :D
In the swirl of words [and schoolwork... and babysitting...] that surrounds me this month, I've barely had time to reply to e-mails, much less write blog posts. Which you've probably noticed, no? Well, anyway, my dear friend Puddle (also known as Petie or Country Girl) has come to my rescue with a guest post that had me grinning from beginning to end. Friends are the best-- thanks so much for guest posting, Puddle! Everyone else, enjoy your reading and don't forget to stop by Petie's blog and check out the pictures of her adorable new nephew!
Any period drama lover is familiar with BBC. Any good period
drama fanatic is borderline-obsessive with BBC. If you are the latter, please
raise your hand. *Petie promptly shoves her hand in the air with pride* C’mon,
people, I know I’m not alone. Get those hands up!
The British Broadcasting Company produces a variety of
period dramas, from Austen to Dickens to Gaskell to Eliot. And we period drama
fanatics soak them all up like sponges, latching onto each and every new drama
that is released. Really, those period dramas are our one weakness. They are
like the balm for our old-fashioned hearts, our instant transport into our
favorite times. And not only that, but they provide countless quotes and
one-liners which are so applicable to everyday, modern life. I mean, really.
Without BBC dramas, the world would never have been blessed with such
linguistic gems. You know, phrases like “SHAKE ME UP, JUDY!”
(Did I really just say that? I’m sorry, it just popt out!)
Seriously, though. BBC shows can be quite addicting. When I
receive a new one from the library, I just want to gather my family together,
settle in my living room with a cozy blanket and steaming cup of tea, and watch
for the next eight hundred years, forgetting any appointments and all engagements.
Now, some may say that an engagement is an engagement, but did I say an
engagement was an elephant? No. I just said I love BBC.
Lark Rise to Candleford
But, really, why do we love BBC dramas so much? What is it
about this British television that captures our hearts? Maybe it’s simply
because while Britain is producing epics like North and South, Pride and Prejudice, Lark Rise to Candleford, and Sense and Sensibility, we Americans just
get shows like… Glee. Or Modern Family. Yay for America. But
really, for one thing, BBC dramas are just deuced fine shows with no begad
nonsense about them. However, there are several aspects of BBC shows which
particularly draw in us old-fashioned souls and good-television-deprived
Americans.
Firstly, between the way they are filmed, the costumes, the
dialogue, the sets and scenery, and the dancing, BBC shows just look like they
came from a completely different era. Everything about them is purely
old-fashioned. It’s really quite a wonderful thing to behold. They are simply
beautiful shows, completely transporting you to another time. And you become
lost in the world of high society, carriages, silk bonnets, and cravats. And
tea. Lots and lots of tea.
Little Dorrit
And let’s not forget the spot-on accuracy of BBC! Not only
are they historically accurate to the various time periods, but most of BBC’s
shows are adaptations of classic books, and who can deny that BBC tries its
utmost to remain faithful to each book they turn to film? Take Pride and Prejudice 1995, for instance.
A large amount of the dialogue is taken directly from the book! How cool is
that? And this method isn’t uncommon with BBC. Their efforts to make sure their
film adaptations are as close to the original stories as possible are so
refreshing. Hip, hip, hooray!
BBC period dramas have mastered the forgotten art of being
completely hysterical and side-splitting without being crude, profane, or
insulting. (If you don’t believe me, go watch Cranford.) Without exception, every BBC drama I have seen is
hilariously funny, clever, and witty. (Oh, you disagree? Be quiet, Sparkler.)
And to add to that, for the most part, BBC keeps their period dramas pretty
squeaky clean. Of course, like anything, there are exceptions, but BBC series
are pretty much the only movies I feel comfortable recommending to anyone. There are almost never any
scenes to skip (but why, oh why, did they feel the need to throw in that first
scene of S&S’08?), and the rare cases of bad language are always extremely
mild.
North and South
But now. I have come to the main reason why period drama
fanatics (particularly fans of the female sort) adore BBC dramas. Are you ready
for this? I’m sure you all know this, so say it with me…
THE BRITISH ACCENTS.
Duhhhhhh. Thank you, Petie. I think we have all apprehended
that much.
Seriously, though. What period drama-loving gal doesn’t love
her a good, thick British accent? What young lady in her right mind doesn’t
completely melt when they hear Richard Armitage a British person speak?
What girl doesn’t nearly have a heart attack whenever a British guy opens his
mouth? CAN I GET AN AMEN??
*Petie is blown out of her chair by the raucous response*
Thank you. Faith in humanity restored.
Pride and Prejudice
And now, there’s really not much more to say. BBC is just
amazing. End of story. So. Let me sum up: why do we love BBC? Because the
British Broadcasting Company simply IS the very epitome of period drama.
BBC, we period drama fanatics salute you. And we do hope
your family is in good health.
What is your favorite
BBC period drama?
Heya! I’m Petie, an aspiring author, wanna-be Brit, and
die-hard Okie country girl. I love my Jesus with all I am, and I take great
pleasure in good books, laughter, the color red, coffee, and of course, a good BBC
drama. I blog over at All Things Bright and Beautiful. Come visit me, yes? I
love making new friends. Cheers!
November is upon us, and with it comes NaNoWriMo for some and Half NaNo for others. What, you've never heard of Half NaNo? That's because I made it up. Head on over to my writing blog, The Quest for Stories, to read about it!
Due to Half NaNo and general busyness, Yet Another Period Drama Blog is going to be severely neglected during the month of November. There may be a few posts here and there, but I can't promise anything. However, I shall still be here to moderate comments and read your posts, and if you care to pop over to The Quest for Stories, I'll likely be there from time to time.
I also guest posted over at Anne-girl's blog during her Writers' Conference last week (see here and here) and at Melody's blog earlier this week for no reason in particular. Just for fun. I'll be stopping at Elizabeth Rose's blog (Literary Lane) later this month, too. See you there-- and get writing!
Elizabeth Rose is taking a blog tour to promote her new book, Violets Are Blue, and she kindly agreed to stop off here and write a guest post for y'all to enjoy!
“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
— Anne Frank
I am a word crafter. More practically speaking, I write books. But where did this passion for the written word begin? Many have asked me this question before, and though I try to reply in a manner that is fresh and invigorating each time, the answer is ultimately the same: I journal.
The best advice I have been given on writing is to keep doing it. Just like a person cannot become a professional dancer solely through watching The Nutracker repeatedly, a writer will never grow unless he actually begins to put pen to paper. Journaling is the simplest step with which to begin, because it requires little invention on your own part (yes, I know that sounds terribly dull on the surface, but we all have to begin somewhere).
It was a warm day in late spring. I was almost six years old, and Momma and I were running some errands alone. As we strolled through the aisles in Walmart, my eyes lit on the shelf of journals. And there it was. Spiral-bound, dull pink, and with the words Jesus Loves Me inscribed on the cover. Little did I know then that this journal would be the catalyst that first inspired me to become a writer. And because she understood the cravings of my author's soul even at such a young age, Momma bought the little notebook for me.
I began writing in that little journal before we'd even backed out of the parking lot. I kept writing. I wrote about my day. I wrote about what I received for Christmas. I wrote the deepest secrets of my heart. Before too long, the journal was filled, and I moved on to another . . . and another . . . and another. Every time I began a new journal, I gave it a name and put the date on the inside cover, with a dash and a blank space for the elusive day I would fill the last page. Every time I finished a journal, I scratched the ending date on the inside cover, shelved the battered notebook proudly, and begged Momma to take me to Barnes & Noble to buy another.
My entries have changed and grown over the years. I once wrote quite simply about the events of my day. Then I started putting down my hopes and dreams for the future. There was even a period of my life when I never used my real name, and was constantly switching between all four March sisters, Felicity Merriman, Constance Hopkins, and others. (This is why that journal bears the title My Mixed-Up, Matched-Up Journal, With Pages From Me and Other Characters.) Now I write out my plans for the day, prayers, highlights of my life, Scripture verses, and secret dreams. As time has passed, I've tried to be more creative with my descriptions, more clever with the household dialogue I scribble down. Becoming a "real author" has been my life-long aspiration, and the possibility of others reading my journals when I am dead is something always lurking in the back of my mind.
I love to flip carefully through the messy pages of the six journals I have filled in the past nine years. Waves of remembrance wash over me like salty ocean swells, bringing to the surface of my memory glass that simpler time when I was a young child. I enjoy seeing how my writing has grown over the years, as well as how I have grown in my faith as a Christian. At the time I did not realize how much this record would mean to me, but now I am unspeakably glad that I wrote down even the simplest of things, for they mean more to me than gold. I dream of showing my journals to my children when I am a mama and sharing with them what life was like so many years ago.
Over the years, my writing repertoire has grown, and besides journaling, it currently includes poetry, short stories, and novels (mainly historical fiction). Though I now prefer having the power to create stories and characters all on my own, instead of simply relying on my daily activities to serve as the plot, I will never forget the pastime that first set me down on the path to authordom.
My twelve-year-old sister Molly graciously agreed to write a guest post for me this week, and she chose to review her favorite book. If you don't have an invitation to Molly's private blog, Each and Every Hour, just contact me to get one. And if you have been invited... take a minute to hop over there and read a few of her fun posts!
Miss Dashwood has kindly asked me to write a guest post on her blog. Now, before I go any farther, I want to say that you must not blame Miss Dashwood if this post is crummy, boring, and the worst thing you ever read. Because I’m not the best writer in the blog world. But, in spite of that fact, she had let me do a guest post. So here goes. A guest post written and illustrated (all right, I didn’t draw any of the pictures, they’re from Google Images) by Miss Molly on her favorite book in the world: The Princess Bride. WARNING! THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!
First of all, let me point out one thing about The Princess Bride that I used to be confused on, and I’m sure that some people are confused about it too. The thing is, that there is no such person as S. Morgenstern. The book is really written be William Goldman. This is certain for two reasons.
1. On the back flap of the book, you can find a picture of the person who wrote the book. That person is William Goldman, not S. Morgenstern. So no matter how many times he interrupts the story to tell you how his dad read this book to him as a kid, and how there is a bunch of stuff that he cut out of the story because it was boring, just bear in mind that he is making that up. Even though his interruptions are sometimes funny, they can sometimes be a bit confusing.
2. In the movie, you can go to the making of the movie, and in one part of it; Goldman tells how he got the idea for the book. He says that he wanted to write a book, so he asked his two daughters what he should write the book about. One said;
“Write a book about a princess.” And the other one said;
“Write a book about a bride.” And Goldman said;
“Okay, I’ll call it: The Princess Bride.”
So you see that there is living proof that The Princess Bride was written by William Goldman, and not by S. Morgenstern.
All right, now let’s get down to the fun part. The characters. In this movie, even I admit that the plotline itself is rather dumb. But the characters are something else! All of them (at least the ones that have names) are funny in some way. Even Buttercup. If you’re trying to figure out what on earth could Buttercup do or say that is funny, it’s when she says; “ Farm Boy, fetch me that pitcher.” And when she says the whole speech about her “little joke,” with Westley. But other than that, yeah, the leading lady is kind of boring. To get back to what we were talking about, I think the only people who aren't funny are Queen Bella and King Lotharon. But that’s probably because they hardly have any lines throughout the whole entire book.
Westley is the hero of the book. He swordfights, mountain climbs, fights giants, outthinks Sicilians, is immune to iocane powder, is a pirate and dies twice. Well, he only dies once, but everybody thought that the Dread Pirate Roberts had killed him. In fact he is about the best hero ever. Next to Sir Percy, that is. I mean, no one is as wonderful as Sir Percy. Ahem. One thing I like about Westley is that he doesn’t worry about failing something. He just does things and knows that they will work out. After all, it has to all work out, or else it wouldn’t be a “Happily Ever After.” Like when he’s trying to get Buttercup out of the Snow Sand, he doesn’t stop to think and see if there might be a better way to rescue her. He just goes.
There was no question of failure in his mind. He knew he would find her and he knew she would be upset and hysterical and possibly even brain tumbled. But alive. And that was, in the end, the only fact of lasting import. Once he found her, he would pull her to the surface and the only real problem would be convincing your grandchildren that such a thing had actually happened and was not just another family fable.
See what I mean? And for those who have read the book so many times that something looks funny about that passage, yes, I shortened it a little. But let’s move on to the next character.
Buttercup is the heroine of the story. She is beautiful, rides rather well, and ummm….. has nice clothes. Buttercup is something of a wimp. Her name itself is rather…. shall we say, different. And she doesn’t seem to possess much strength of mind. But that might have come from not doing any work, and making Westley do it instead. Also, she has pretty weird parents, who do nothing but fight all the time, so she might have inherited some of the wimpishness from them. Yeah, I know “wimpishness” isn’t a word, but it fits.
Now, because I just read over that last paragraph, and felt that it was a little harsh on Buttercup, I’ll say that she does a good job in telling Humperdink off, right before he puts The Machine up to twenty.
"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, PREPARE TO DIE!!" Inigo is a very interesting character. Like Westley, he swordfights, and also drinks, and is bent on revenge. He is a master at fencing, and in the book fights with the air, unnamed people, Westley, King Bats, and Count Rugen. All of which he defeats except Westley.
Fezzik is the gentle giant. Since I’ve been telling what everybody else is good at, I might as well tell what Fezzik can do. He rhymes, wrestles with more than one person at a time and drools when he gets excited. That’s what the book says, I didn’t make it up. His rhymes are very good ones, except for when he finds Inigo again. There…..well… it is a little squirmy.
Then, quietly, he said, “Fezzik?”
From behind the noisy one, the quiet one said, “Who says-ik?”
Ew. But let us move on from the characters to other stuff. After all, this is supposed to be a book review, not a character review.
Now, for this next part, I’m going to be sort of comparing the book and the movie. There are several times in which the movie guys cut things from the book. Or else, there are things that they change. Not very big things, but big enough to be noticeable if you’ve read the book more than once. For instance, when they’re climbing the Cliffs of Insanity, in the book the rope they use is tied to a tree, but in the movie they make the rope tied to a rock, and they make Vizzini cut it instead of untying it. In the bay where Buttercup dives off the boat, in the book it is sharks that come after her, in the movie they change it to eels. And in the Westley verses Vizzini scene, they cut some of the dialogue.
The Princess Bride is a book that makes you want to just keep on reading. The characters, the humor, even the rather corny plot makes you want the book to never end. But, sadly, it does end, as all books do. Ew, I just read that last bit, and I sounded just like an ad. Oh, well. It’s true. So if you haven’t read the book, go read it. Please. To my sorrow, it does have a bit of bad language, but you can always go through and cross out the bad words with a pen. Providing the book is yours, that is. But on the whole, it is a wonderful book to read, and if you haven’t read it yet…. then what are you waiting for?
There is one more thing I’d like to say before I close this post. At the end of the movie, it ends with Westley and Buttercup kissing. But in the book, it ends on a cliffhanger, and you can make your own conclusions as to what happens.
From behind them suddenly, closer than they had imagined, they could hear the roar of Humperdink: “Stop them! Cut them off!” They were admittedly, startled, but there was no need to worry: they were on the fastest horses in the kingdom, and the lead was already theirs.
However, this was before Inigo’s wound reopened, and Westley relapsed again, and Fezzik took the wrong turn, and Buttercup’s horse threw a shoe. And the night behind them was filled with the crescendoing sound of pursuit………
That is how it ends. And don’t comment and ask what “crescendoing” means, because I have no idea. It’s in the book; I didn’t make it up. But I like to stop reading at this part.
It appears to me as if we’re doomed, then,” Buttercup said.
Westley looked at her. “Doomed, madam?”
“To be together. Until one of us dies.”
“I’ve done that already, and I haven’t the slightest intention of ever doing it again,” Westley said.
Buttercup looked at him. “Don’t we sort of have to sometime?”
“Not if we promise to outlive each other, and I make that promise now.”
Buttercup looked at him. “Oh my Westley, so do I.”
I asked my dear blogging friend Hayden to write a guest post for this week, and she very kindly complied. I was fascinated by her study of period drama costumes, and I think you will be too!
Have you ever been watching a period drama and realized that something looked oddly familiar? One thing I love about period dramas is that the actors tend to stick with the genre and become like old friends. But that’s not exactly what I’m talking about. Besides the acting, one of the best parts about these movies is- you guessed it –the costumes. And a lot of times these costumes are recycled. I guess even BBC likes to be thrifty now and again!
One outfit I find the most recognizable is Margaret Hale’s (North and South, 2004) green striped hoopdress:
When watching Bleak House (2005), I recognized it right away, worn by Lady Dedlock:
It wasn’t until my second viewing of Return to Cranford (2009) that I saw it on Erminia:
This, I think is one of the easiest to spot. Though I’ll always think of it as Margaret’s dress, I have to admit I like it on all three women. Who, in your opinion, wore it best?
I admit that I looked up several of these next ones on the internet. A great site is
http://www.recycledmoviecostumes.com. It has an extensive collection of reused movie costumes.
Some of these outfits have been around for years- both Sabina Franklin (as Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, 1980) and Freema Ageyman (as Tattycorum in Little Dorrit, 2008) have worn this gown:
I can’t believe I didn’t realize this one: Elizabeth Bennet (P&P 05) and Marianne Dashwood (S&S 08) are wearing the same dress!
I’ve never seen The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), but she’s wearing Emma (2009) Woodhouse’s dress!
Well, I guess it’s really the other way around…
And Jane Fairfax borrows Emma’s dress….
Emma 1996
Emma 2009
You cannot see Mrs. Dashwood’s (Sense and Sensibility, 1995) dress in this picture very well, but it’s the same as Lady Ludlow’s (Cranford, 2007) …
Two such different characters wearing the same dress:
Fanny Thornton (North and South, 2004)
Miss Galindo (Cranford, 2007)
The March girls aren’t proud! Hand-me-downs are a part of life. :)
Both from Little Women, 1994
Why, is that Anne Shirley wearing Lucy Honeychurch’s (A Room With a View) dress?
Well, I hope you enjoyed this! I know I did. :) (Although, if BBC ever wants to get rid of their old costumes, I'm perfectly willing to take them off their hands....
Thanks so much for writing this, Hayden! I loved it! Hayden blogs about period dramas (with costumes!), books and other things in her life at Story Girl. Hop on over and take a peek!
Hello, one and all! My darlingest Amy asked me to guest post today, and I’m soooooo over-the-moon thrilled and honored!
Today I thought I’d share a few writing tips. I know peoples around here enjoy writing, and being that I’m in the thick of writing a story myself at the moment, I would take this opportunity to share a few “tidbits I have learned through this” with you all. Not to mention that writing takes all my brain power so I can’t think beyond “writing” at this point. Thus why I am not posting about any other subject. :)
1. Don’t be afraid to follow plot bunnies…as long as you’re not in the middle of a project.
This is crucial. My latest WIP was a lovely plot bunny that popped up when I was in the planning process of another novel. As long as you’re not smack-dab in the middle of writing something else, go with your idea while the idea’s hot and fresh in your mind. The only exception is when your novel-in-progress is at a dead point, to which I say, drop it and follow the plot bunny. I had one instance before where my inspiration for a story was stone-dry. I went off on another project, got that done, and came back to project A ready to write again – and got that book finished in three months.
2. Don’t be afraid to cast!
I’ve written about character casting before on my writing blog, and honestly, I’d say even if you don’t usually…give it a try. It’s amazing how it can help. And when you cast – do some research. If possible (depending on if the person you’ve cast is in anything you’d actually watch :-P), look up films or clips or whatever. Don’t be afraid to steal ideas – one, it’s fun to have inside-trivia with yourself about your characters, and two, as the great quote says, “Good writers imitate. Great writers steal.” I recently got an idea for a scene that turned out adorable from watching a film the actress I cast as my heroine was in.
In that vein…
3. Don’t be afraid of casting people You Really Like.
In other words, if you keep thinking up story ideas for that actor or hero who you think Is Awesome, then go for it. Let me say from experience, if you think the Hero is awesome, then it’ll show in your writing. I’ve cast several people from what I like to call my Awesomest Actors Evah circle (a group of actors who are complete geniuses in their field…and also very handsome and give me warm fuzzies which has nothing to do with it), and the heroes in my stories…always end up pretty awesome as a result. That goes for heroine and minor characters and plots and everything – if you’re crazy about it, your enthusiasm will show up in your writing. It’s not silly (and if you think Certain People [brothers usually fall into this category :-P] will make fun of the fact that you’ve cast A Certain Someone as your hero, just don’t tell them. :-D) Quite easy.
4. Don’t be afraid to steal ideas.
Did you know that Shakespeare stole the idea of Romeo and Juliet? As any good Leaguette knows, superheroes with their alter-egos came from our own Sir Percy. Don’t be afraid to take an idea and put your own twist on it. No one’s going to arrest you for it, and besides, there’s one helpful thought – until you publish the book and people all over the world read it, no one will know what you do. It is kind of a freeing thought, no?
5. Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone.
Like anything else in life, you’ve got to stretch yourself and do things you find difficult if you’re going to get better at writing. Don’t keep from doing something just because you haven’t done it before or think you can’t do. Write that nice mushy proposal scene. Try your hand at a mystery. Kill off that character. Add that odd plot twist. Give that character a melodramatic speech.
6. Don’t be afraid of romance.
In my humble opinion, a story ain’t a story without a romantic angle somewhere in the story, whether it’s the main plot or two minor characters. A lot of girls are squeamish about writing romance in a story, mainly for the understandable argument that being as most of them are single, they haven’t experienced romance for themselves and don’t want to be inaccurate. Understandable, but not true. Jane Austen was never married and wrote some of the most famous romantic couples ever. What if she had thought “I can’t do it, I’ve never been married?” There’d be no Austen vs. Orczy argument. And then life would be so much duller for me. :-P Don’t be afraid of it…especially proposals. I love writing a good proposal scene. I love writing those back-and-forth flirtatious sparring. I love the excitement I get when the hero and heroine get that mental jarring moment where they suddenly realize “ooh…there’s feelings there, wow…”. Tense Moments (the staring-at-each-other-for-ten-seconds-and-we-all-hold-our-breath-before-the-moment-is-broken-by-someone-or-something) are my very very favorite and I highly recommend anyone have tense moments in their stories (they also work great to replace kissing scenes if you don’t want them in there but want that romantic tension). If you treat writing romance like it’s no big deal, it isn’t. Enjoy it. It’s really fun.
7. Don’t be afraid to have the characters show their emotions.
Heroes crying are epic. Now, that shouldn’t be confused with a sopping crybaby. But the hero who at some point breaks down is awesome. Let your characters yell at each other. Cry if they need to (the heroine crying always is nice because it gives the hero a chance to comfort her, thereby inducing Warm Fuzzy Feelings on both the heroine and reader’s part). Don’t be afraid of melodrama.
8. Don’t be afraid of holding out tension.
This is very important. Keep throwing roadblocks in the way. Don’t give in to the temptation to resolve everything right away. I’m terrible at this, so I’m very thankful for my writing partner, who always insists that I stick with our agreement and wait until page X to have the hero and heroine resolve their issues like we’d planned instead of succumbing to the desire to have them go ahead and do it ten chapters before. Don’t be afraid to throw some hard punches at your characters. If there’s one thing your character would never do, make them get into a situation where they’d have to do it. Get your character close to their goal and then pull it outagain from under their feet. I’ve recently gotten obsessed with the show Doctor Who, and one of the biggest things I’ve gotten from watching it writing-wise is that the viewer (or reader in our case) will continue if they’re emotionally invested, if you keep taking away what the character wants. They continue because they want to see the character happy and finally get what they desire or are working for. Would The Scarlet Pimpernel be quite so awesome if Percy and Marguerite resolved their issues there in the hallway in the scene after the garden party in the 1982 film? Would you really care quite as much if Charlie got the golden ticket the first chocolate bar he got, or if Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth got over their prejudices in the first ball scene? Keep dragging out the tension. It’s worth it.
9. Don’t be afraid of writer’s block.
It happens to everyone, in every book at sometime (that’s where I love co-writing…I just pass the buck to my friend until further inspiration. :-D). Everyone has different ways of dealing with it…I always write other scenes I’ve got in my head. Or write something silly. Or throw a weird plot twist in. And unless you’re on a deadline, sometimes you’ve just gotta give it a while. Like artists who leave their paintings for a while to get a fresh “eye” for it and come back days later to work on it again, sometimes we just need a rest, a time to recharge. I took a two week break from a story once and thought up a character who completely brought a new angle to the story during that break. It is ok.
10. Don’t be afraid to write scenes out-of-order.
I always do this. ALWAYS. The proposal for my present book…which is the last scene…is already written. So are several tense moments that don’t come until a ways down the road from where I’m technically at now. If you get an inspiration for a scene, treat it like a plot bunny…write it down while the idea’s hot. You may end up losing the inspiration for it if you wait.
And lastly…
11. Have fun.
It’s not a job, and unless you actually get into the publishing business, it most likely never will be. Look at it for what it is – a chance to create your own world. It’s crazy, and it’s awesome. I love creating character and situations, spending months with them, and then when it’s ended, feeling as if these characters are real. Don’t stress over the little stuff. Don’t worry if your style is perfect or if you’ve used too many adjectives. That’s what editing is for. Just have funwriting.
And now I’m off. My characters are calling… :)
Alexandra is twenty-three years old and passionate about everything in life. She is a Christian, a homeschool graduate (Class of 06!), daughter, sister to ten siblings, and piano teacher. While the sun rises and sets on The Scarlet Pimpernel, her biggest obsession in life, her other non-TSP obsessions include reading voraciously (classics are her specialty), singing, musical theatre, Doctor Who, playing the piano, anything and everything British, talking, accents (Scottish in particular), costume reproduction, and costume dramas in general.
She blogs about costume dramas, musicals, costume reproduction, classic literature and everything historical related at Of Trims and Frills and Furbelows, her writing projects at The Breathings of My Heart and about everything else in her life (yes, she does have one) at The Value of One, where, despite her best efforts, a bit of The Scarlet Pimpernel always manages to wiggle itself in. She also has the enormous honor and pleasure of contributing to The Day Dream, the most awesome (in her humble opinion) TSP fansite on the web!
This is a rather accurate depiction of how I've felt over the last few weeks. Picture worth a thousand words and all that.
I had great fun over the last few weeks writing a blog series with my lovely bloggy friends Miss Laurie, Miss Elizabeth and Melody! We compared the 1995 and 2007 movie adaptations of Jane Austen's Persuasion in a four-part series published on Charity U's blog Austenitis. You can see the posts here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four.
I also guest posted on Miss Woodhouse's blog for Mr. Knightley Day--you can read my post here.
With all the writing that I've been doing for other blogs lately (not to mention a certain enormous Les Miserables week thingy) and with finishing up my NaNoWriMo novel (yes, it's June, I'm aware of that), I've been tremendously busy and haven't been able to blog as much as I'd like to. So... friends to the rescue. (Applaud them, please.) Guest posts by Hayden, Alexandra and a Mysterious New Guest Blogger will all be appearing here on YAPDB over the next few days. (Thanks, gals!) Stay tuned!
Today I'm guest posting over at Abby's lovely blog, Newly Impassioned Soul. If you're interested in reading a movie review about sword fights, pirates, escapes, true love, death and miracles, go here.
Oh, and stay tuned for something exciting that will be appearing here and on another kindred spirit's blog in the beginning of June-- I won't give any details, but if you're curious, think barricades, stolen bread, red flags and puppies. Guesses may be left in the comments... but I'm not promising answers. :)
I'm guest posting over at my sister's lovely blog today for Hero Week! Please do hop on over there to read about Hero No. 24601, and leave a comment if you're so inclined. And don't forget to vote in Anne-girl's Hero Polls-- please, please, please don't let Jean Valjean lose in this tournament!
I am absolutely thrilled to swellissimus tears to announce this guest post by my dear blogging friend, practically-sister, kindred spirit and Tween--- Miss Melody, who writes the delightful blog Regency Delight. Melody was Yet Another Period Drama Blog's very first follower, and in the five months that have passed since then, she and I have developed an awesomely amazing friendship and at least half a dozen hilarious nicknames for each other and at least two or three dozen ridiculous acronyms. (Right, my adorable little Elf? It all MMFHI! Sorry. Inside jokes there.) Just go read some of those "kindred spirit" definitions on the Anne tag and you'll understand what kind of friendship I'm talking about. We are soooo going to meet in person someday, and that you may tie to. Anyway, Melody most kindly agreed to write a guest post for me, and.... well, I'll let her explain all that herself. Thanks so, so much for doing this, Mellow D.!
When Miss Dashwood asked me if I had any suggestions for her Anne week, I said she should do a review of Road to Avonlea. Her exact response was: "I think it is a splendid idea, but I also think that YOU should be the one to write the review. You are much more knowledgeable about that show than I am, having seen more episodes..."
Is there an Avonlea fan in the world who could have resisted? I, at least, could not. Road to Avonlea (or "Tales from Avonlea" as seen when aired by Disney) is my favorite TV series, and this was a good prompt to finally write a review, as I've been meaning to do for some time. I find it rather sad how little known Avonlea seems to be in this dear but blissfully ignorant blogging realm! Please tell me there is another fan out there somewhere who is reading this. It's delightful period drama, folks.
Where to begin? It is impossible for me to summarize an entire TV series with seven seasons. Road to Avonlea, as the title should inform you, has the writings of L.M. Montgomery (who, you must know, wrote the Anne books) at its center. The ideas for Avonlea (which it is often shortened to among fans) came from L.M. Montgomery's books The Story Girl, The Golden Road, Chronicles of Avonlea, and Further Chronicles of Avonlea. Though Anne is, sadly, never in the show, several characters in connection with our Anne are. There are also some actor doubles to "heehee!" at. But I'll get to all that later.
The series starts out with the story of Sara Stanley, a young girl whose father is a wealthy businessman. When he becomes entangled in a law crisis, Sara is sent to stay with relatives on her late mother's side in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island.
That's just the beginning episode. From there, the viewer is whirled into the lives of... well, everybody in Avonlea.
(I don't know where to stick this, so I'll just say it here: the story is set in 1903-1912. Which is another thing I like about the show. I just love the Edwardian era.)
The Main Characters
First of all, let's get the King siblings straight, if we can. They are Hetty, Alec, Olivia, and Ruth.
Ruth isn't actually in the show because she's dead before it starts (please excuse the morbidness). She married Blair Stanley, and Sara is their daughter.
Hetty never marries, so she's just Hetty King with no children. Easy to explain, at least.
Olivia and Hetty live together until Olivia marries in the 3rd season and becomes Olivia Dale.
Alec King married Janet, and their children are Felicity, Felix, Cecily, and Daniel, the latter of whom is born in the second season and is too young to be of much consequence so you don't need to remember him. (Although I suppose now, you will.)
That probably didn't help any if you're not familiar with the show. Well, I tried. *clears throat* On to the next.
Residing at Rose Cottage
Sara Stanley
"One day my tombstone will read: here lies Sara Stanley. She was dull and then she died."
~Enter Prince Charming, Season 5 (Yes, there are often episode names which are taken from chapters in L.M.M. books. Is not that nice?)
As I mentioned above, Sara starts out as the main character, but as the series continues she's just about the same as the other prominent characters. In fact, she's not in the 7th and final season at all (away at school, I believe), save a guest appearance in the last episode.
Some people consider Sara to be a boring character (including herself, it seems, in the episode quoted above), but I don't quite agree. She may not be changeable or feisty, but I think she's rather interesting. Especially when she's younger, because she's imaginative, likes to be dramatic, and has romantic ideas.
Sara is friendly, has a good sense of humor, is clever enough, and always sticks up for her friends.
The most memorable episode about Sara is, I think, But When She Was Bad She Was Horrid (a two-parter) in Season 3. It is hysterical. A hobo girl who looks just like Sara comes to Avonlea. Sara is sick and tired of Aunt Hetty (and she really is awful in that episode), and they switch places so Sara can go away for a while. That is, very briefly, what it's about. I could really do a whole post just about that episode, so I'll stop myself now. Anyways, it's a highlight Avonlea episode. You should watch it.
Hetty King
"Responsible? You?? That would be the frosty Friday."
~But When She Was Bad... (Season 3)
Oh yes, Aunt Hetty is always there. In my opinion she is terribly annoying most of the time but then there are those episodes where you kind of like her. Then she does something that makes you hate her again.
Hetty is domineering and seems to think she knows everything. (You know the kind.) She is quite rude sometimes, too. She can also be funny, however. And she has a strong sense of loyalty. While she's not too concerned about offending people, well, if she hears a word said against someone or something she cares about, she tells them off. Which can come in quite useful when there are backbiters about (not too uncommon in Avonlea).
Hetty is oldest of the King siblings (and won't let you forget it!). For most of the series she teaches at Avonlea Public School. She is also an author part of the time. She becomes a mother figure to Sara, as clearly represented in A Mother's Love (Season 2), one of the highest-rated episodes of all time.
Olivia King Dale
I love Olivia. She's probably my favorite adult character in the whole show. She's kind, very likable, and a peacemaker. Though 'meek' is often a good word for her, when someone needs to be defended (including herself, actually, what with Hetty as an older sister) she can get quite worked up and does a very good job of telling them what's what. She's clever and amusing. She also has the most wonderful Edwardian fashions and looks so nice all the time. (Hehe.)
She marries in the first episode of Season 3 (The Ties That Bind), but more about all that later. She actually only lives at Rose Cottage in seasons 1 and 2, but I've put her in this category anyways.
Residing at King Farm
Alec and Janet King
"Come now Janet, let's not be coy. Everyone knows you pursued me like a terrier."
"Oh, Alec! What a perfectly dreadful thing to say!" *runs out of room*
~How Kissing Was Discovered (Season 2)
(That's not a very good quote to describe the relationship between Janet and Alec, but it makes me laugh.)
What is there to say about Janet and Alec? But then, what is there not to say? I don't know. I like them. They're a sweet couple. They seem like real people. They go through real life stuff. They're the parents of Felicity and Felix - that can't be easy. I rather like it when they randomly start waltzing. They're typical and original at the same time. They're just another example of the swellness of this show.
Felicity King
"I am known throughout Avonlea for the excessive amount of cherries in my pies."
~Proof of the Pudding (Season 1)
Felicity... how to describe her? Well, when she's younger she's pretty much a snobbish, bossy brat who's always fighting with her little brother Felix; she's conceited, stubborn, prone to hurtful remarks, and still taking delight in not getting along with Felix when she gets a bit older. But you don't really dislike her the whole time, either. She's self-centered, but not completely hardened and she does sometimes regret her mistakes. She's amusing, but that's just given for almost any Avonlea character. A lot of the time you just want to strangle her for being so annoying (especially when she's rude to Gus...), but you can relate to her and will often root for her, as it were. You can see her changing a little in Season 6, and in Season 7 she's almost suddenly way different. Nicer, that is. She's still determined and vivacious, but she puts it to good use.
Felix King
"Maybe she only comes out at night, when the moon is full, and pounces on little children!!"
~Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's (Season 1... by the way, the first picture goes with this quote.)
Felix... haha. Well, he's just Felix. I can't explain him very well. He's the usual mischievous little brother who takes delight in vexing his older sister and is always getting into trouble. He can be pretty annoying when he's younger, but very funny, too. I think I like him better as a young man, (like in seasons 6 and 7), but he has his annoying moments then, too. In Season 5 he starts working at the White Sands Hotel with Gus. That's just a random tidbit, because I can't think of anything else to say. Not because he's boring. Because you just have to know him.
Cecily King
"I'm sorry for whatever I might have done. (Did I do anything wrong, Sara?)"
*laughs* "No!"
~Proof of the Pudding (Season 1)
There's not all that much to be said about Cecily. She's a sweet younger sister in the first couple seasons and is just sort of there, making an occasional comment. None of the episodes are specifically about her until the 5th season, where she gets tuberculosis and has to go away to be specially treated. Then, she comes back in the 6th season as a completely different person. Yes, a completely different person. Different actress, so she looks different, and also a major personality change. Don't ask me why they did that.
I liked the first Cecily a lot better.
The end.
Other Main Characters
Gus Pike
Gus comes to Avonlea in an episode called How Kissing Was Discovered in Season 2. He was a sailor of some sort, I believe. When he comes to Avonlea he stays in the old abandoned lighthouse. I think he's supposed to be 16 when he first arrives (although the actor was much older than that). He starts going to school and is an enthusiastic, quick-learning student. In the 3rd season he starts working at the White Sands Hotel (yes, of Anne of Green Gables fame) as a waiter and keeps the job pretty much for the rest of the series. That is, until the end of the 5th season when he has to go away. Later he is reported to have been in a ship wreck, where all hands are lost.
Of course, at this point the viewers are like "Huh?? Gus can't die! He's like my favorite character!" (Most everyone likes Gus, you must know.) And that's how the 6th season ends... leaving you hanging. Which is what I'm going to do, too.
Oh, by the way, for you people who like guys with accents-- he has an interesting Irish-ish accent which is kind of cool, if you don't mind his bad grammar (especially in the earlier seasons).
Isolde "Izzy" Pettibone
"I even have a friend, Felix: I socked him in the nose!"
~The Lady and the Blade (Season 4)
The Pettibones arrive early in Season 4. I would tell you about the whole family, but Izzy's pretty much the only one I like, so I shall simply brief you. The father is Clive Pettibone, retired colonel, who likes to run everything as if he's still in the military. The oldest son is Arthur who is away most of the time studying to be a vegetarian. At least that's what Felix says, but he means veterinarian. (heehee) The second-oldest is Morgan. He doesn't do much for the show and is sent away to military school in the Season 5. He returns for an episode (Woman of Importance) in Season 7.
Now, Izzy. She's the youngest. I don't like her in the 4th season; she's a tomboy and rather irritating. However, she shows more promise in Season 5, when she starts wanting to be more like a girl. She's also...well, nicer, and so I sort of like her in the 5th season. By the time the 6th season comes around though, I like her a lot. I can't explain why exactly... but I do. She does annoys me every so often when she's older; she can be unreasonable and rather oversensitive. But you know, I can relate to being oversensitive. Heh... ahem. By the 7th season, you'll never see her in trousers again. In fact, I LOVE her dresses. Ooh. To have Olivia's and Izzy's wardrobes!! The 7th season is 1911-12, so I like the fashions in general.
Jasper Dale
Jasper first appears in the second episode of the series (The Story Girl Earns Her Name). He's called "The Awkward Man" by some people. He's a rather scatterbrained inventor/scientist and people think he's quite eccentric and a bit strange. He's extremely shy and reserved, especially at the beginning. Sara tries to break through it and becomes friends with him. Also, when he gets married things are a bit different.
Jasper really is an admirable gentleman, though - kind, considerate, etc.
The Main Romances
Olivia and Jasper
Their romance begins practically when Jasper is introduced into the series, though it's more subtle at first.
Olivia works as a reporter for The Avonlea Chronicle for most of the show, and at the beginning when she was trying to get the job, Jasper assisted her by taking photographs, and that's how they started getting to know each other. He proposes to her (prompted by Sara and the fact that an old beau of Olivia's comes back to Avonlea and pursues her) in the 2nd season (May the Best Man Win). She accepts him in the end, and they marry in the first episode of Season 3 (The Ties That Bind).
I really like this couple. It's one of those you-might-not-think-it-at-first-but-really-they're-perfect-for-each-other deals.
By the way, both the characters come from The Story Girl (one of the books Avonlea is based off of), but they don't marry in the book. Sad, that.
Felicity and Gus
"I'm not accustomed to wearing jewelry that comes with a curse."
"What curse?"
"You."
~Felicity and Gus
The Return of Gus Pike (Season 6)
You sort of know Felicity and Gus are destined to be a couple from the very beginning. Things don't really get serious with them, though, until season 4. Gus proposes for the first time in an episode towards the end called Felicity's Perfect Beau. In that episode she is also interested in Arthur Pettibone, who sort of fights with Gus over her (and she probably thought that was really great). She decides she wants to wait a few more years before she makes such a decision, and go to teacher's college first (although she ends up in medical school for a while).
He has to go away in the very end of Season 5, and gives her a ring, even though she still can't decide whether she wants to become engaged to him or not.
She sees him again in the episode quoted above, where he leaves to go... well, that's a long story. But before he leaves, they finally become engaged.
And that's where I'm going to end because after that, there be spoilers.
But....sometimes Felicity is so rude to Gus, I wish he would have gone for Sara instead. (And if any Avonlea fans ARE reading this they might be mad at me right now.) Like I said before though, she IS better in the 7th season.
Felix and Izzy
"You sure take a lot of looking after, Felix King."
"I'm just lucky you don't give up on me."
"Luck. It has nothing to do with it."
~Izzy and Felix
A Fox Tale (Season 6)
What can I say? I always like the stories where a girl and boy play together as friends when they're younger, and then become more-than-friends when they're older. It's just a silly little partiality of mine. And that's how it is with Felix and Izzy.
In fact, at first, Izzy's just more like one of the boys. In Season 5 she starts to change and wears a dress for the first time in years. "Hey, Izzy, does that dress mean you can't play baseball anymore?" Felix asks. She just gives him a look, picks up the bat, and hits a home run. Season 6 is pretty much when it all starts, and has some of my favorite moments in their relationship. (And I am desperately sorry not to have been able to get any pictures from those episodes. Bah, humbug.) Especially Lonely Hearts, which is where they both like each other but neither of them knows the other one does. Until the end. Aww...
Ahem. Anyways. A few other episodes that have a lot to do with Felix and Izzy are AFox Tale (S. 6), Love May Be Blind But the Neighbors Ain't (S. 7) and Woman of Importance (S. 7).
The series just sort of leaves you hanging as far as Felix and Izzy are concerned, which I find quite disappointing.
Anne Connections
Since it's Avonlea, there are several things in connection with Anne of Green Gables. Including Green Gables itself, where Marilla and Rachel still live.
Rachel Lynde
"Take it from me, Hetty: when your heart skips a beat, it isn't love, it's indigestion."
~Ah... Sweet Mystery of Life (Season 7)
"The only thing sillier than a girl making goo-goo eyes at a young boy, is an old bat making a fool out of herself for some old geezer!"
~Lonely Hearts (Season 6)
Good old Rachel Lynde, as Rachel Lynde-ish as ever, with her "that's what"s still intact. Except now, suddenly she's known Hetty King all her life, and apparently the two of them have been on the outs for years. In Season 6 she suffers from a stroke, and when she recovers she starts to view life a little differently then she used to, and isn't quite so... well... to quote Anne, not such a "rude, impolite, unfeeling woman!". Haha...
Marilla Cuthbert
Marilla is technically only in the first two seasons. Her death occurs in season 3, but the actress had actually died previously and so they stuck in clips of Marilla from previous episodes, Anne of Green Gables, and even from her role in Lantern Hill. Gilbert Blythe appears in that episode (pictured right), which is quite interesting. I guess they couldn't get Megan Follows, because Anne was at home with sick children, or home sick with the children, or something like that.
Muriel Stacy
My favorite As-Seen-On-Anne character is probably Miss Stacy, who is exactly the same and it's great to see her again. (I think she appears in the 5th season.) I've always liked Miss Stacy. She isn't Miss Stacy the whole time, though; in the 6th season she marries Clive Pettibone. Rather an odd match I thought, but if anyone could put up with him, it would be her. Ha.
Davy and Dora Keith
Davy and Dora, from the Anne books, actually come in in Season 2, but I don't remember much of them again until Season 5. Marilla and Rachel have them in the beginning, then Marilla dies, and then just Rachel has them. Then Rachel has a stroke, and after that she actually lives with Hetty and they both take care of Davy and Dora.
However. Davy does NOT say "I want to know!" continually, about which I am Most Seriously Displeased. Come on, people, that's Davy's trademark! Tssh.
Actually, I like him a lot better in the books, period.
Actor Doubles
There are lots of fun actor doubles between the Anne movies and Road to Avonlea. Those pictured above are just a few of them. For a complete list, go to this page.
(By the way, "Aunt Abigail", or Abigail Ward, pictured above, is Janet King's sister and appears in the 1st and 7th seasons.)
Music, Costumes, and Scenery
Beautiful, beautiful, and beautiful. I realize this post is already a good mile long, so I shall try to keep this very short. Very short.
The music is composed, in the first season, by Hagood Hardy, who also wrote the soundtrack for Anne movies 1 and 2. Unfortunately it doesn't stay that way, though... I think the composer died. The tune of the main theme song stays the same, but it changes in style as the series goes along. It becomes sort of faster and more... frantic.
In the later seasons, some ragtime music is introduced. I don't always like ragtime, but in Avonlea I do. Especially the song Izzy plays on the piano in Lonely Hearts, which is also featured in King of the Great White Way (Season 7).
Costumes... aaahhhh. I especially like them in the 7th season. (Short. Short.)
Scenery... well, it's Prince Edward Island. Need I say more? If you've seen the Anne movies, I'm sure I needn't.
Now, I am very grieved that there is nothing suitable to use as a trailer, so a couple videos of the opening credits will have to suffice. It will, at least, give you a chance to see some of Avonlea in motion.
Season 2....
....and Season 6.
And lastly, Avonlea Guide is a web site that has just about everything about Road to Avonlea.
In conclusion... I highly recommend it. I'm sure I don't even need to say that after all this, but I'm saying it anyways.
Thank you very much for having me, Miss Dashwood! I am much honored, and it was great to have this excuse to re-explore the captivating world of dear Avonlea.
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