The Great Big Answer Post... Part Two

Annnnnnd we're back with Part Two of the Great Big Answer Post (or should I say saga...)

Naomi Bennet asked...

What would you have done in Margaret Hale's (North and South) situation when she got asked if it was her that was seen at the station with her brother?

That's a very interesting question and one I'm not sure I have an answer for.  (Yes, that's a dangling preposition. Deal with it.)  On the one hand, *prim voice* it's wrong to lie.  On the other hand, if your brother's life might be at stake... yeeeeeeesh.  I might have said that I was there, but refuse to say why or with whom.  Of course this might in its turn lead to trouble... yep, that's a hard question.  I think I'm gonna have to say that I just don't know.

Had you been Miss Lizzy Bennet, would you have been able to find an excuse NOT to dance with Mr. Darcy?

One can always find an excuse if one looks hard enough-- I could always get Charlotte to accidentally step on my foot and render me unfit for the next dance, heehee.  But that wouldn't be the smartest move, really, because then I might not end up with Mr. Darcy in the end, and that would be little short of tragic.

What are your top ten period drama dresses?

I answered this question to some extent in this post-- but if you want the quick version of the answer, basically anything from the wardrobes of Marianne Dashwood, Emma Woodhouse, Esther Summerson, Anne Shirley and Olivia King.  :D

What was the funniest book you've ever read?

Again, hard call!  Maybe Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank and Ernestine Gilbreth... I picked it up when I was fourteen or so, thinking it would be an amusing memoir of a large family's adventures, and it turned out to be so funny, my socks flew off.

...um, sorry, that's a family joke.

Belles on Their Toes, its sequel, is just as good if not better.  Highly recommended!

so this gif doesn't really fit either... but
it's Aaron Tveit.  Shush.

What is your favourite dance?

I'm really, really bad at remembering dance names... but I do love the Virginia Reel and the Laendler (from Sound of Music).  There are a couple of other waltz variations that would rank high on my favorites list but I don't remember what they're called.  :(

What would you have done in Kitty/Lizzy/Mary's case when you saw your mother winking at you?

Wink back, perhaps.  :D  Or else tried to silently figure out what she wanted.

Do you prefer dancing to reading?

Nope, I prefer reading to pretty much anything.  :D

*please note that while I find this gif humorous, it doesn't mean I
necessarily endorsethe movie it comes from.  :P More on this later.*

Molly asked...

What was the title of the oldest story you remember writing?

The Bobbsey Twins and the Blueberry Contest, a brilliant 800-word piece of fanfiction penned (and illustrated!) by my almost-six-year-old self.  And yes, I still have it.  :D


Miss Elliot asked...

What character (for ANY period drama) do you think you most resemble? (Fun fact: I have been imagining you, Miss Dashwood, as Fantine (Anne Hathaway) of course before she cut her hair & so on. Then when I saw a picture of you & Petie, I almost flipped out! One of you actually looks like her! It's probably Petie, so I shouldn't get my hopes up, but whichever one of you has dark hair LOOKS LIKE ANNE HATHAWAY!!!)

I've included Miss Elliot's fun fact in the question as well just so that I can say that Petie (on the left in this shot) is indeed the one with dark hair, and I'm sure she'd be quite delighted to hear she resembles Anne Hathaway!  (Personally I think she looks like Katie Holmes.)

Anyways, if we're talking physical appearance here, then I have no idea whom I might resemble in any period drama... Daniela Denby-Ashe as Margaret Hale is the closest approximation, and even then it's only because of similar hair color and face shape.  (Our eyebrows, for instance, are nothing alike.  Haha.)

Her nose is also smaller than mine.

...Did I say that just so I could include this Benedict Cumberbatch gif?  Yes.  Yes, I did.  Don't you dare judge me.

At any rate, if Miss Elliot is referring to personality and defining characteristics and all that jazz, read on for the answer to that question a few paragraphs after this.  :D


Arwen Undomiel asked...

I know you don't watch/read LotR or Narnia because of the magic content, and I respect your reservations. But I've seen quite a few references to the musical "Wicked" on your blog, and since, from what I know of the musical, that has more magicky content than Lotr or Narnia, I was Slightly Puzzled.  ;) Any thoughts?

Another toughie!  First and foremost I'd like to emphasize that though I do have my own personal standards and boundaries regarding magic/fantasy in books and movies, I am NOT saying that my opinion is the only right one or that magic/fantasy is inherently sinful.  I don't think there are any specific commands in Scripture regarding this topic, so for me to tell you that my own personal convictions are the same thing as God's law would be very, very wrong.  (Pet peeve there, haha.  Opinion is one thing-- telling others what to do is another.)

That said, I shall now proceed to give my opinion.  :D  Briefly and concisely, haha.  In a nutshell, I don't fully endorse the musical Wicked, and though I do quote the songs (and sing some of them!) rather frequently, I don't care for some of the content in the musical... as my sister and I like to say to each other, if it weren't for all the witch business, it'd be an amazing story.  However, I do think that witchcraft/magic is not something that should be presented favorably in fiction, and that's why I prefer to stay away from books and movies that dabble in that sort of thing (LOTR, Narnia, etc.).  Please do understand that I've heard many of the arguments in favor of allegorical fantasy novels, had rousing (and friendly) discussions with friends on this topic, but I remain pretty firmly fixed in my views.

In short, yes, I do enjoy many of the songs and a lot of the hilarious dialogue from Wicked, but overall I really can't endorse the show.  (There are many other shows that I enjoy a few songs from but can't fully endorse, too, haha.)  Does that answer your question?  Hope I wasn't too confusing.  :D

Who is your favorite character in Frozen?

Um.  Let me think.

This guy.  :D

Yep, Kristoff.  Also Anna.  Because they're just so cute together.

Elsa Hosch asked...

What heroine, besides the ambiguous Miss Dashwood, do you identify with the most?

Well, I've always had an Understanding Thing for Anne Shirley... but then, don't we all?  Then there's Elinor Dashwood, for obvious reasons, and also Cynthia Kirkpatrick... I, like, her, am often "not very constant."  Heh.  She doesn't really classify as a heroine though... oh, and there's also Emma Woodhouse, who like me tends to meddle in other people's affairs and speak without thinking.  Sigh.

...But then, she does end up with Mr. Knightley.  :D

What period dramas have you watched without reading the book before hand?

Lorna Doone (still haven't read it, though I keep meaning to), Little Women (1939), and Ivanhoe (1982).  I almost always prefer to read the book first, and have been known to delay watching a movie for long periods of time just so I can finish the book.  Heh.

Do you have a tendency to be more critical of a movie if you have read the book in the past few weeks/months?

I do indeed!  Astute question there, m'dear.  Absence makes the critic in my heart go wander, or something like that... at any rate, if the details of the book are less sharp in my mind, I'm much less likely to go nitpicking throughout the movie.  Doesn't mean I won't find something to complain about, though.  Pointing out things that aren't done right in movies is my one weakness.

Ginger asked...

Who are some literary couples that you wish didn't end up together?

Laurie and Amy in Little Women have never quiiiiiiite seemed right, in my mind.  I don't know if I can honestly say I wish they weren't together though.  (And please note I'm NOT a Jo/Laurie shipper.  Nope, Professor Bhaer and Jo belong together, world without end, amen.)  It just seems to me that they both lost some of their personalities when they got married, which is a sad thing... they're not half as interesting in Little Men or Jo's Boys as they were in the first book(s).

I honestly can't think of anyone else, though if you'd like to jog my memory in the comments you're more than welcome to do so.  I tend to be inclined toward a "the author is always right" mindset, so a couple that ends up happily-ever-after in a book I've enjoyed will usually get a thumbs-up from me.  :D

Film adaptations: Dickens' Little Dorrit or E. Gaskell's Wives and Daughters?

Little Dorrit all the way!

Film adaptations: Wives and Daughters or North & South?

Wives and Daughters all the way again!  I do love N&S, don't get me wrong, but W&D speaks to me on a Personal Level that N&S can't achieve.

Which bothers you more: Gilbert Blythe's greasy hair or Mr. Thornton's spectacularly long nose?

Ummm... I'm getting the impression that someone isn't too thrilled with either Gilbert's or Mr. Thornton's physical appearance.  :P  Personally I think they're both quite good-looking (Gilbert more so, of course) so I'd probably have to complain more about Gilbert's slicked-back hair in that last scene of Anne of Avonlea... his hair is so nice and pleasing to look upon for the most part, it makes that greasy scene even more mortifying.

Here's a gif of Gilbert's hair being nice to make up for it.  :D  With a flat cap because flat caps are cool.

Emma Jane asked...

Did you love P&P from the first time you watched/read it, or did it take a while to grow on you?

It was love at first sight.  Head-over-heels love.  I wanted to watch the whole five hours in one sitting but my mother said I couldn't marry a movie I just met we had to wait and finish the rest of it on a different evening.  And then after that it grew on me even more, just for the record.  :D

What's the oldest movie you've ever watched?

The Rink (1916), starring Charlie Chaplin.  My dad downloaded it on our school computer when I was about nine and my sisters and I watched it faithfully at least once a week, howling with laughter every time... then when my brother was born (and became old enough to appreciate slapstick humor) it became his favorite until he got introduced to an educational film about road construction.  Gotta say, I preferred watching Charlie Chaplin.

Who in your opinion is the most hilarious Dickens character? (Or who do you think are some of the funniest?)

Hard call there!  Probably Flora Finching, Edmund Sparkler, Aunt Betsey Trotwood and Mr. Pancks.  I also realllllllly love Herbert Pocket.

Do you have a particular favorite phrase that you say often? (Like a figure of speech, or movie quote, or just a word.)

Tons and tons and tons.  Some of my favorite oft-repeated quotes (points for you if you can identify 'em)...

"Hold my fin, HOLD MY FIN."
"Yes, thank you, Mary."
"That IS the general idea."
"Come, we must return.  Those two FOOLS who run MY theatre will be missing you..."
"I'm gonna tell him."  "Don't you dare."
"And I'm Javert!"
"Sparkler, be quiet."
"These things do 'appen..."
"NO IT'S NOT OKAY!"
"It's like America... BUT SOUTH."
"How do you spell FBI?"
"You don't like this shirt? ... I like the shirt."
"Let's go KISS HANS? ...Who is this Hans?"
"You are not so cute."
"Ever get any free time?"  "Oh yeah, lots.  ....Bye."
"Robert, you may wait in the hall... I shan't say it again, Robert."
"I'm not happy, Bob.  Not happy."

[It's worth noting that my nine-year-old brother's name is Robert.  It's also worth noting that I love him to pieces and we enjoy saying sarcastic movie quotes to each other with no unkindness intended.]

Oh, and then there's this, which isn't a quote, but... yeah.

Do you ever get tired of reading classics?

'Nuff said.

What's your favorite movie that's not a period drama, or do you even have one?

Up (2009) is one of my favoritest favorites, and the Night at the Museum movies are pretty hilarious.  I also love Roman Holiday... can you tell I have a hard time giving just one answer to these questions?

Are there any authors that you've read, any genre, that you really pointedly dislike?

Contemporarily-written Western romance bugs the Hartford, Hereford and Hampshire out of me... most Amish romances do too.  Yick.  Also vampire novels, duh.

Danaya Huber asked...

If you could ask Jane Austen one question, what would it be?

"Who was the guy you met at the seaside, what was up with the two of you, do you think you might have gotten married, and why on earth did he have to die???"

(Yes, that counts as one question.)

If you had to give up either chocolate or tea, which would you choose?

Umm.... neither.  Nope.

...And since 28 questions still remain, I must ask you all to stay tuned for Part Three.

The Great Big Answer Post: Part One

I am both delighted and overwhelmed by the quantity of inquiries that poured in from my recent post asking for questions! Reading through all your fascinating comments has been fun and inspiring, and I've got several new post ideas dancing around in a draft now.  Mission accomplished! :D

However, since there ARE so many questions to answer (and I'm keeping the comment box open until Sunday night), I'm going to divide this Great Big Answer Post into at least two, if not three parts.  Part Two will be along on Monday, but for now let's focus on Part One.

A Reader asked...

Whose work do you favor? Austen or the Brontes, and why? (The why is the actual part of the question, because I'm guessing I know which you favor!)

Jane Austen, beyond a shadow of a doubt... and the why could take a while, so I'm going to try and be concise as possible.  Though I love Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, Jane Austen's books strike a chord with me that no other novels have ever matched.  The woman was nothing short of a genius-- she managed to make everyday life fascinating and funny simply through observation and a talent for word-crafting.  Her characters are relatable, her settings and situations amusing and realistic, her dialogue is witty and memorable, and her narrative... well, let's just say All Hail the Queen of Snark.

"It was impossible for her to say what she did not feel, however trivial the occasion; and upon Elinor therefore the whole task of telling lies when politeness required it, always fell."

~Sense and Sensibility

Favorite literary quote?

Um.  Can I give several?
Sure I can, it's my blog.
This is by no means an exhaustive list.  :P

Favorite male historical figure? Favorite female historical figure?

Hard call!  For the males... uh... maybe Martin Luther?  For the females, I've always admired Lady Jane Grey, and I've recently developed a fascination with Harriet Lane Johnston (James Buchanan's niece and First Lady of the United States from 1857-1861).

Favorite Austen heroes in order?

*insert five million disclaimers about how I know perfectly well that no one reading this is going to entirely agree with me and you may feel free to tell me so in the comments but you will not laugh me out of my opinion*

1- Mr. Knightley
2- Mr. Darcy
3- Edward Ferrars/Colonel Brandon
4- Henry Tilney (the 3 and 4 spots are Loose and Shiftable, I might add... sometimes I reverse them)
5- Captain Wentworth
6- Edmund Bertram (5 and 6 are also Loose and Shiftable spots, haha)

Favorite Austen secondary character?

Um, um, um... this is hard.  Maybe Miss Bates or Mr. Bingley? Caroline Bingley usually makes me laugh too but she's also really annoying.  Oh, oh, and does Hugh Laurie as Mr. Palmer count? :D Also John Knightley.  The guy is hilarious.

(Can I say Austen again?) :-)

You can always say Austen.
"There is never a time, madam, in which Jane Austen does not matter."
~Jeeves, sort of

Would you rather play the piano, walk in the woods, or write a play? (I don't actually know if you play the piano, but you seem like you do.)

Write a play!  I do like walking in the woods if I am in good company or alone with my thoughts, but I'm afraid I don't play the piano a'tall... wish I did.  Writing, however, is one of my Passions.

Anne-girl asked...

If someone told you you had to give up writing or sewing which would you pick? {pretty sure I know the answer but I was curious}

Sewing.  I love doing both, but sewing is a fun hobby/way of making a living whereas writing is What I Want to Do In Life.

Sara Lewis asked...

What is your favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie?

Psycho.
...Kidding.  I haven't actually seen any Hitchcock movies.

Which do you prefer, deep dish or thin crust pizza?

Always happy for an excuse, however flimsy, to use this gif :D

Thin crust.  I'm one of those annoying people who often really does like the healthier version of things.  You can boo if you like, but the deep dish kind is usually greasy.

Which font do you most like to type in?

Hoefler Text for just-plain-whatever, Monotype Corsiva if I'm doing a fancy title or invitation, and Jane Austen when occasion requires.  Because, ya know.  Jane Austen.

Do you prefer to write with a pen and paper or on a computer?

I like both for different reasons and purposes-- nothing compares with the feeling of a good, smooth pen on fresh paper, but a computer is a lot handier and faster and easier to edit with.  Heehee.

Which actor do you think has the coolest-sounding voice (and it can be anyone from any period in Hollywood's history)?

I could listen to Gregory Peck all day, every day.  Also Benedict Cumberbatch.  The whole jaguar-in-a-cello thing.  Sighhhhhh...
...sorry, what was the question?

Who is your favorite Founding Father?

Noah Webster, oddly enough.  What, he wasn't a founding father?  Um, he brought organization and consistency to the American orthographical scene, wrote influential literature on the formation of the United States Constitution, and helped lobby Congress for a national copyright law.  Also he invented diacritical marks.  And he had a wickedly dry sense of humor.

 "As language is the medium of all social intercourse, and the principal instrument by which science, arts, and civilization are preserved and propagated… it is of great importance that its general principles should be well understood by those who superintend the education of youth."

"We are too apt to rest contented with opinions and systems without examining their truth and propriety. There is a kind of vis inertiae in the human mind, which inclines it to rest where it is, rather than be at the trouble of searching for a more eligible solution."

What's one fashion trend from some gone-by era that you reeeeeally wish we could bring back?

Hmmmm... maybe the practice of wearing hats when out in public?  I love hats and nobody seems to wear them anymore, except for really special occasions.   Headgear in general has either gone way downhill in the last fifty years, or else disappeared altogether.  I do not, however, advocate the resurgence of powdered wigs.

"Gee, this wig weighs a ton! What dope'd wear a thing like this?"

"Everybody used to wear them, Lina."

"Well, then everybody was a dope."

~Singin' in the Rain

"How much for the horse tornado?" 
"Madam, that is a carousel." 

"I must have it."

Is that from a book, a movie, or did you just make it up?

It's a writing prompt (author unknown) that I found on Pinterest one day, showed to my friend Petie, and consequently howled over.  We adopted it for our own and created many variations thereupon, several of which can be seen here.

The Elf asked...

Are there any book / movie characters who don't marry each other but you really wish they did?

Do Sherlock and Molly count?  :D 

Are there any new blogs you now follow / read that you discovered through your "I'd Like to Share" series?

Unfortunately the answer to this is, as yet, "no"-- but I'm on the lookout! :D

Have you read any Regency novels written by modern-day authors (e.g. Georgette Heyer / Julie Klassen, etc.) and what did you think? (I realise a lot of the modern ones aren't suitable reading but there are a few out there which are fine.)

I'm actually about a quarter of the way through The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer at this very minute, and enjoying it immensely!  Besides that, I've enjoyed I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend and various stories from Jane Austen Made Me Do It.

If you could invite any five people (living or dead) to a dinner party, who would be on your guest list?

Oooooh, hard call.  I think I'd go with Jane Austen (obviously), Amy Carmichael, L.M. Montgomery or Elizabeth Gaskell (can't deciiiiide), Julie Andrews and my best friend Melody.  (So she could enjoy the presence of the other famous peeps, haha.)

That would be one interesting dinner.

Do you think this blog will still be going in ten years' time?

That's a very thought-provoking question... in one sense I'd like to say yes, I think it will (or at least I hope it will) but at the same time um... I really don't know.  (I'm so decisive.  It's my one strength.)  Ten years from now my life may be very different, and blogging might not be a priority in my life anymore.  (not that it is now... snort.  I mean, I love it, but Other Things are constantly calling.)  Who knows?

So yeah, I think the answer is basically Moriarty's face.  Always a good answer.  :P


Ashley asked...

What is your favorite Dickens novel?

Little Dorrit and A Tale of Two Cities tie.  :D

Do you play any instruments?

*Olaf voice*  Nope!  Wish I did, but I must content myself with listening to others' talents.

What is your favorite food?

Anything that is edible and tastes good.  I'm reasonably adventurous when it comes to trying new things... if you're gonna twist my arm, though, I'll generalize a little bit and say seafood.

Do you like Mountain Dew?

If you'd asked me that just a few months ago, my answer would have been "I don't know," but I have recently tried it for the first time and discovered I liked it.  The best way to drink it, I might add, is in a fancy teacup at two in the morning.  Just ask Melody.

If you could learn any other language, what would it be?

French.  It has a delightfully romantical and old-fashioned sound.

Who is one of your historical role models?

I think the real-life Caroline Ingalls (not the character on the TV show) was pretty amazing... I mean, she started teaching school at 16, married at 21, traveled out West with her husband and three young daughters in a covered wagon, survived grass fires, river crossings and winters on the South Dakota prairie, lost a baby to illness, lived through scarlet fever and raised four daughters to adulthood on various homesteads, all while keeping her sanity, her patience and her love for her family.  I think she was fantastic.

Do you like watching old non-animated Disney movies?

I do indeed!  The Absent-Minded Professor, Old Yeller and The Parent Trap are some of my favorites.

"Say, where'd you learn to play the piano?"

"Uh... they taught us at camp!"

~The Parent Trap

Part Two coming on Monday-- thanks so much to everyone who submitted questions!  If you still have one, feel free to leave it here before Sunday night.  

In Which Your 'Satiable Curiosity is Satiated

(Yes, random reference to Rudyard Kipling's The Elephant's Child in the title...)

This question thingy has been super-fun! Without ado (I haven't really ado'ed at all yet, so I can't say "without further ado"), here are the answers you've been waiting on tenterhooks for.  (Oh, and I have a question for you: what are tenterhooks?)

Ashley asked...

Outside of period drama, what are some of your loves?

Reading, writing, cooking/baking/cake decorating and bike riding are some of my favorite things to do.  And talking with friends is another favorite.  Singing with my siblings, also.  Loudly. :D

Top 5 favorite blogs?

(I'm not including my sister's blog on here because y'all know I love that one, and so that gives me an excuse to technically list six instead of five, since I just mentioned her blog. :D)

Regency Delight
Old-Fashioned Charm
Miss Georgiana Darcy
Of Trims and Frills and Furbelows
The Inkpen Authoress

(and there are tons and tons of other blogs that I absolutely love-- I just couldn't fit them all in a list of five!)

What are you currently reading?

I'm on the last chapter of David Copperfield, but it's been kinda on hold for the past month or so, so I really couldn't say I'm "currently reading" it.  So what I'm currently enjoying would be Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence series.  And I read my first Hercule Poirot novel this week and loved it.  I'm also currently dabbling in Northanger Abbey.  Sigh of pure happiness...

What movies have you yet to see, but wish to?

The Young Victoria, Sense and Sensibility 08, Night at the Museum, North and South and Cars.  (Yes, I happen to like Pixar movies.  Your point?) Oh, and of course Les Miserables 2012.

Have you ever been to a period drama ball, or some other gala affair that requires dressing up?

Ha, ha.  I wish! Nope, sorry, never have.

Rose M. asked...

Was there anything/anyone in particular that inspired you to blog?

Writing is my passion, so that was a given, and I really liked the idea of connecting with a community of like-minded people who enjoyed the same kinds of things that I enjoy.  And it just kinda... went from there.

What's your favorite thing to blog about?

Characters in books and movies.  I love studying people, and have been known to go into long-winded discourses about why I love or hate or have no sympathy for such-and-such character in such-and-such book/movie.

Where do you wish you lived?

I would love to live in a lighthouse on Prince Edward Island.  Pipe dream there.  Or else... the English countryside.  Yes.

In writing stories, what is the hardest part for you (introducing characters, etc.)?

Plot, definitely.  I have the most tremendous fun creating characters and writing dialogue for said characters, but when it comes to actually moving the story along... "it's a total mystery to me."  (Edmund Sparkler)

What do you say about the common advice about writing about what you know very well (the time you live in, where you live, etc.)?

Well, in actual fact, I'll be addressing this very topic quite soon at my brand-new writing blog, The Quest for Stories.  So why don't you all hop over there and start following (not like that's a hint or anything) so that you'll know right away when I write a post on that subject?

Charity asked...

Have you read Jane Eyre? Seen any movie versions? Read anything else by the Brontes?

I have indeed read Jane Eyre, and it's one of my favorite classic novels.  I haven't seen any movie versions yet, but I'd like to see the 2011 adaptation with Mia Ican'tspellherlastname and Michael Fassbender.  I've also read Wuthering Heights, which I despised (do not speak to me of that dreadful Heathcliff at this time) and I started Agnes Grey, but got bored with it.  I would like to read Villette at some point, though.

Why Miss Dashwood and not Miss Woodhouse or Bennet?

Because I identify more with Elinor Dashwood than any other Austen heroine, even Elizabeth Bennet (though I love Lizzy) and also because I wanted a username that wasn't already taken.  From the limited perusing I'd done of other period drama related blogs before I started my own, I knew that there were already a couple of Elizabeth Bennets and at least one Elinor Dashwood out there, so I decided to become the ambiguous Miss Dashwood.  Originally I had intended the name to apply to either Elinor or Marianne, but it didn't take me long to decide that I was Elinor after all.

Elinor Dashwood or Anne Elliot?

Elinor Dashwood, definitely.

"Favorite" villain? (yes, you're getting some of Miss Georgiana's questions -- I'm curious!)

I have a real soft spot for Frank Churchill of Emma, despite his bad qualities. And Inspector Javert from Les Miserables would probably have to be my very favorite-est villain ever.

Favorite period drama actors (up to three)?

Alun Armstrong, Romola Garai and Anthony Andrews.

Some favorite not Jane Austen books?

Wives and Daughters, Jane Eyre, Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Not My Will, The Hiding Place, Two Are Better Than One, The Scarlet Pimpernel, El Dorado, The Elusive Pimpernel, Johnny Tremain, The Star of Kazan, The Penderwicks, The Secret Adversary, At Home in Mitford, North and South, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Eight Cousins, The Secret Garden... shall I go on? :D


Anne Shirley or Emma Woodhouse?

Anne Shirley.  Without a doubt.  Sorry, Emmer.

Somersaulting Through Life asked...


Which is your least favourite period drama adaptation ever?

I didn't care for Mansfield Park (1983), but I don't think there are any period dramas out there that I really truly dislike.  This is probably because I pick and choose my movies super-carefully, and don't like to watch anything unless I'm positive I'll like it! Persuasion (2007) was a real disappointment, too, but I don't know if I'd classify it as least favorite ever.

Are there any film/tv adaptations out there which you found more enjoyable than the original book? (likely to spark off a bit of controversy!)

Little Dorrit is better than the book.  And The Scarlet Pimpernel is better than the original book (the first one), simply because it combines elements of the two best books in the series. :D  And I would say that I enjoyed watching Emma (2009) more than I enjoyed reading the book, but I'm feeling the need to read the book again, so my opinion may change drastically in that respect.

Maria Elisabeth asked...

What are your opinions on poetry?

I'm really not much of a one for poetry.  There are some poems I like-- I was on a big poetry-memorizing kick in sixth and seventh grade, so classics like The Spider and the Fly, Barbara Frietchie and The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere will always be close to my heart, but I'm not a romantic poetry gal.  Except for the classic  Sonnet 116, of course.  "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds..."  And The Highwayman.  "And he lay... in his blood on the highway... with a bunch of lace... at his throat."

Do you start your stories with knowing the plot pretty well, or do you find it out as you write?

Well, it depends... but I usually find it out as I write.  I generally begin with a premise and a few characters, and it goes from there... or doesn't go.  Depending. ;)  I'm horrible at plots.  I'm working on that.

What's your least favorite school subject?

Science.  Without a doubt.  Literature and history fascinate me, but science and math are not my strong points.  (Math isn't always as bad as science, though.  But of course once you get into chemistry, it's both combined.  Which is not fun.)

What's your candid opinion of Edmund Bertram?

He's boring, doesn't deserve Fanny and isn't really worthy of being an Austen hero.
Well, you did ask for my candid opinion.
(Oh boy, am I ever in for it now.)

Do you quote as much in real life as you do on your blog?

Heehee.  Well, you see, in our house we have a rule about not quoting movies at the table.  This is because dinner conversations would consist of nothing BUT movie quotes otherwise.  But the rule isn't very strictly enforced (except when someone remembers and virtuously reminds the others) so we quote... a lot.  But hey, don't worry about it-- because now I know about Buzz's Spanish mode!


Melody asked...

Would you rather marry Mr. Darcy or Mr. Tilney?

I think Henry Tilney and I would get along better than Mr. Darcy and I would... so I'll go with Mr. Tilney.  Besides, I shouldn't like to be mistress of Pemberley.  It's too big.
(I notice Mr. Knightley never even entered the question, but I guess that's because Melody already knows my opinion of him.)

If you had to write a sequel to a Jane Austen novel, which one would you choose?

Sense and Sensibility, I think.  Or Northanger Abbey.


Who do you consider yourself more like: Elinor Dashwood or Anne Shirley?

I'm probably more like Elinor-- I identify with Anne, but not as much as my sister does.

Will you be good enough to list the Jane Austen heroines from favorite to not-so-favorite? (Because really, none of them can be called "least favorite," right?)

(Well, I have a really hard time deciding between Lizzy and Elinor for the top spot, so I'll just put them there together.)

• Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor Dashwood
• Emma Woodhouse
• Marianne Dashwood
• Catherine Morland
• Fanny Price
• Anne Elliot

(And no offense to poor Anne-- as Melody said, I don't think any of them could be called "least favorite".)

Are there any particular phrases you come across in books that you find just plain irksome?

I hate it when an author talks about a hero's strong arms.  I don't know why, but this just annoys me to no end.  If you must mention his arms, fine, but do you need to keep reminding us how strong they are? Does it really matter?  It does not, unless he's actually in the act of wrestling a bear.   Someday I'm going to write a book with a hero who can't lift a toothpick.  And wrestles bears anyway.  Just to be different.

Abby asked...

What colour is your bedroom?

Pale pink, a shade that the paint store calls Fragrant Rose.

How tall are you?

Five feet, six inches.  If I stand up absolutely straight and breathe deeply.

What is your favourite chore? (or the one you dislike the least, anyway!)

I really enjoy vacuuming.  It's fun and it's a good opportunity to sing at the top of my lungs without anyone pounding on the wall in the next room because they can't hear themselves think.  And the roar of the vacuum masks any squeakiness in the end cadenza of Think of Me. :D

Do you have a favourite artist? If so, who is it?

I'm not much for art, but I really enjoy Norman Rockwell's paintings because they always seem to tell a story.  This one, this one and this one (I can identify with that experience) are some of my favorites.  I have this one hanging in my bedroom.

Which invention from the last 100 years do you think is the most brilliant?

The Internet's pretty amazing. :D

Eowyn asked...

How many siblings do you have?

Four--three sisters and one brother, all younger than I.  They are not all shorter than I, however.  'Nuff said.

Have you ever actually finished anything you've written (e.g. short stories, novels, etc)?

I've finished several short stories and a medium-length nonfiction book, but as yet I have never finished a novel.

Are you homeschooled?

I am indeed, and have been since I can remember.  I'm finishing eleventh grade right now, and I wouldn't trade the experience of being homeschooled for anything.

Eowyn and Lydia both asked...

Where do you live (in the US or someplace else)?

I live in the eastern United States, but I'm not going to get any more detailed than that for security reasons. :D

Charity and Eowyn both asked...

Any favorite not-period-drama movies? Unheard of question, I know...

Well, I really love musicals, but I'm not sure if they apply in this case, as I think you might have been referring to more modern-day films, but the fact is that I have seen very, very few movies that take place in present-day.  (Excluding animated films, of course---which I do love.)  I really enjoy Roman Holiday--does that count?

Charity and Maria Elisabeth both asked...

What inspired your blog name? What made you call this blog 'Yet Another Period Drama Blog' instead of, well, anything else?


You would not believe how many names I considered and rejected when starting this blog... but finally, after what seemed like eons of staring at the Blogger page and mindlessly tapping my fingers on my desk, I decided to simply call it "yet another period drama blog" simply because I knew there were already so many blogs in this genre.  I was originally going to call it "yet another Jane Austen blog", actually, but I decided to change Jane Austen to period drama because this blog isn't exclusively made up of Janeite material.  It isn't exclusively period drama material, either, but hey, poetic blogger license here.

Whew! That was a lot of questions, but I had a lot of fun doing that.  If there was anything I skipped over or missed, shout out in the comments, please.  And don't forget to check out my writing blog.  No, I'm not hinting.  I'm not.