by Roseanna White | Mar 15, 2012 | Remember When Wednesdays, Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized
As you can undoubtedly tell if you’ve read my last couple Remember When posts, I’m currently in one of my favorite places to be–brainstorming mode. I’ve finished one book, have all but wrapped up my edits on the one due in a few weeks. And ready to get down to business on the next ones in my schedule. You know, the ones that I either sold on a paragraph as a second book in a series or are trying to sell based on a chapter or two. The ones I don’t quite know yet.
I love brainstorming. And while I try not to make this blog focus on things that will only appeal to writers, bear with me. Let’s see where I can go with this. 😉
My agent has deemed me “an idea gal,” which is a really good description. And why I have dozens of unfinished manuscripts that I start just to get an idea down on paper (or screen, as the case may be) but don’t have the leisure to finish at a given point. Ideas for books have always hit me at odd moments. They churn around my brain all on their own until they’re full-blown and ready to be written. And oh, how I love that. That day or two of discovery as two disparate ideas click together to make a story.
But this is the first time in my life when I’m brainstorming with expectations, and I gotta say, it’s a whole new feeling. In the past, it’s always been me being intrigued by something, me thinking, “Hey, that would make a great book!” I’ve never before had to wonder if someone in particular would like it. As in, enough to have their company shell out a couple grand for it. But now this brainstorming isn’t for me. It’s for my editors, my publishers. Those people who said, “Hey, could you get me a proposal on this?”
This? That thing there? Hmm. Never thought about that before. Let me see what I can come up with.
The past two weeks as I’ve done this, I’ve had to engage my brain in a whole new way. Gather specific information to me and try to find the story in it. Try to make it mine. With each of the stories I’ve been brainstorming (and there are three of them!), I’ve prayed, Lord, help me find a way to make this exciting for myself.
And He has. Oh, He has. With the first story I was working on, in sending a long, rambling email about it to my best friend and critique partner, I stumbled upon the perfect hook for myself–bringing in some characters I absolutely adore from a book I never wrote more than a chapter or two on and plopping them into my new circumstances.
I am now totally in love with this idea. Because I love, love, love those characters that have now become Elise Ashton and Nicolas Montagu. Love them! And I’m so excited for the chance to write this new story of theirs.
Then just the other day I was brainstorming my second Culper Ring book and prayed, Lord, give me a handle on who these characters are, one that will make me love them as much as Elise and Nicolas. Within minutes–minutes!–it hit me. That Gwyneth uses her art to share secrets–oh, that was just what I needed!
There are so many parts of life that don’t have such easy answers. So many parts that I pray for answers about and then listen to silence. So many times I ask, Lord, please tell me what to do here but have to wait sooooooo long to get a response. Honestly, I’m there in another part of my life right now. My husband and I (I as an adviser and party of interest, though it’s not really my decision) have some tough choices in our immediate future, and frankly, I have no idea what we’re supposed to do. I’m praying, but the answers don’t come quite so easily or surely as when I just need to craft new characters.
Part of me wonders why it works that way. Part of me thinks that there are probably those in the world who would sneer at me for focusing on a fictional world when my real one is in need of some serious attention. But the answer’s obvious, and one my husband thankfully understands as well as I do–this is who I am, what I’m called to do. This is my part right now. When I think of all the years I worked and worked to get published, when I think about where I was even this time last year, wondering how I was going to get that next sale, and look at God’s timing–yeah, it’s pretty clear He led me to this place in my career right now because now is when we need it.
Yeah, okay, this wasn’t where I expected this post to go, LOL. But I guess that’s what Roseanna is thoughtful about today. I would really appreciate your prayers as my hubby and I make some big decisions in the next week.
And I’d also like to hear from you on where you feel most comfortable. When there are parts of your life just a quakin’ and a shakin’, when the storm’s raging on one front, where do you go to find that peace? What’s the thing you do that makes you feel capable and able to pull your weight? For me, it’s writing, and especially coming up with new ideas. What is it for you?
by Roseanna White | Mar 14, 2012 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
Some of you may recall when, last April, I was noodling a new story idea and posted a few paintings for you to choose between for my Regency heroine. We decided on this oh-so-breathtaking work by Frank Dicksee, his interpretation of Miranda from The Tempest.
Well, I’m stealing her. 😉 She fits even better my image of Gwyneth Fairchild, you see, and since I know I do in fact have to write Gwyneth’s story, but Arabelle’s is on the “maybe someday” list . . .
So allow me to introduce Gwyneth. Born and raised in England, she has spent most of her days in fashionable Hanover Square, London. Her grandfather is a duke, her father said duke’s third son, who has risen to the rank of general in the military. Bloodlines–impeccable. Dowry–sizable. Looks–beyond compare.
And so she is the perfect Regency miss. All things lovely and demure and witty, with a remarkable hand at drawing and painting to boot. At the opening of her story (the second book in my Culper Ring Series from Harvest House, which will come out in June of 2013), Gwyneth is in the midst of her first season, which was put off for a year because her mother fell gravely ill and passed away the season prior. Gwyn and her father clung to each other to get through the terrible loss of sweet Mama, and she finds some solace now in throwing herself into the social whirl that her matron had spent a lifetime preparing her for.
Which has obviously been worthwhile, for Sir Arthur Hart, Knight of the Order of St. Patrick and presumed heir to a marquessate, is surely going to propose soon.
There is only one problem. Her father, who is without doubt one of the best men in all England, who she adores and trusts implicitly, has told her she must leave. Leave London. Leave England. And go, of all places, to a country with whom they’re at war. And not even France, where at least they’re civilized, but to America. Maryland. To a family she met only once, when she was too young to remember.
Much as she wants to argue, especially when Sir Arthur does indeed intercept her before she can climb in her carriage and offer his hand in marriage, she can’t. Because minutes later she witnesses a crime that proves her life really is in danger–and that there’s nothing left for her here.
And so our little sparrow flies away, with only her pencils and paints with which to express the turmoil inside her, turmoil hidden within the paintings people would expect. And with a letter in hand meant to assure her safe delivery to Baltimore, even if she is set upon by American pirates.
Enter, of course, one dashing American privateer . . . 😉
by Roseanna White | Mar 7, 2012 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
With my latest book finished and simmering and edits underway on Ring of Secrets for my looming deadline, I’ve been dividing my time between reading/revising and developing a new idea. And oh, how much fun that is!
This new one will be set around the early-early days of the Revolution, in 1776. But as I launched into my oh-so-fun research, I discovered something in Jefferson’s account of the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration.
June 1, 1774. The Boston port was scheduled to be shut down by the British in retaliation for a certain episode of tea-dumping that you may have heard of. Politics between the colonies and England were fast deteriorating–so quickly that Lord North, the Prime Minister at the time, was happy to get sneaky. He came up with a “conciliatory plan” designed to divide us against ourselves. Said, basically, “Yo, any colony that sides with us rather than you neighbors won’t be taxed any more. Eh? Eh??”
But not everyone was paying attention to the events in New England. Not everyone could be bothered. Not everyone was convinced that independence was feasible, desirable, or right for the time. Not everyone was even considering it as a question to be discussed. Which, as you might guess, irritated those leading the movement.
So Jefferson and company decided to get their attention. How? By calling for a nation-wide day of fasting and prayer on June 1, 1774. “No example of such a solemnity had existed since the days of our
distresses in the war of ’55, since which a new generation had grown up,” Jefferson writes. He figures that this will “call up & alarm their attention.”
Now, knowing that Jefferson was a deist rather than a man of faith, a “moral liberal” if you will, I know well this was a manipulative move. He probably didn’t really fast and pray, he just knew that demanding everyone else do it would make them go, “What? Why? What’s going on? Is something wrong?”
And it worked. That’s what I really love about these days of prayer called for by our leaders. They are powerful, powerful things. I’ve heard amazing stories about the results of the one Churchill called for in England during WWII. And of others in American history. Because as we well know, when that many people take to their knees and pound the gates of heaven with their prayers, we’re in effect taking authority over the powers in our world.
I had no idea until I read Jefferson’s account that such a day happened back in 1774, a year before the first shots at Lexington and Concord, two years before the signing of the Declaration. But that really does mark the time when people all through the colonies began to realize that something loomed on the horizon.
Naturally, I had to toss in a prologue to my new book . . . and naturally, it’s on June 1, 1774. 😉 This historic day of fasting and prayer only gets a passing mention, but I thought it a perfect day to begin my story. A day when no one would wonder why my heroine went off into the woods by herself to pray. When no one would think it odd that she wanted to be alone. When no one would suspect her many secrets . . . 😉
by Roseanna White | Feb 29, 2012 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
Well, I finally did it–I got to The End in my 1861-set manuscript. Yay! It took longer than I thought it would–and ended up longer than it should have in word count, LOL, but it’s finished. Not counting edits, revisions, cuts, chops, rewrites, what have you. 😉
So before I dive back into the 18th century, I wanted to linger a bit on the truly awesome styling of the mid to late 19th century. Because seriously, I love a good hoop skirt. Don’t you? I’ve put together a
board on Pinterest for my favorite finds, many of which were repinned from the board of my friend Rachel Wilder, who’s an expert on 19th century fashion. She has, in fact, a blog geared toward answering reader/writer questions on fashion, which I highly recommend you check out.
Now for some fun. =) Let’s start with one of the most important articles of Victorian clothing–the corset. Though they get a bad rap in modern times because of how they were used to reform the figure, but the boning and stays provided the structure needed to pull off these gowns–you can’t have a period dress without one. (Though we certainly don’t have to reduce our waists to 17 inches with them!)
Then, of course, we need a hoop.
And now to pick what to wear. How about a day dress?
And don’t forget your accessories! A perfect parasol for instance . . .
And a lovely bonne.
But don’t stay out too long this afternoon. You’ll have to dress for the evening, you know!
And of course, a lady goes nowhere without her fan–it’s an essential tool for social interaction. =)
Lovely, isn’t it all? And before we object to how hot they’d be, let me assure you that those who do reenacting say that you get so accustomed to it that you aren’t drenched in sweat while in them–you’re freezing when you take them off. 😉
Hope everyone enjoyed the brief tour through 1860s fashion!
by Roseanna White | Feb 22, 2012 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
It happens to me all the time. (No, not that Shakespeare insults me . . .;-) I’m barreling full-steam through a heated scene on-page, when, wham. I come against a blinking cursor and don’t know what to type. Because one of my characters is insulting the other–and my vocabulary fails me.
Why? Because our favorite insults today don’t fly in a historical context. I can’t have Delia call Phin a jerk. He’s scowl and say, “I’m not tugging on you. What are you talking about?” He can’t call her a snob (see Monday’s post, wink, wink), or she’d say, “Whatever do you mean? I’m not pretending to my gentility, I was born to it, as you well know, you . . . you . . .”
Yeah. Back to square one. So I’m compiling a list of historical insults, and boy is it fun! From scalawag to rogue to jackanapes, from slimy toad to delightful imp, I’m trying to make sure I have all the fun ones–and the truly low-down ones–on my list. Without getting vulgar, of course.
by Roseanna White | Feb 15, 2012 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
Monday, during my big writing day of the week, the unthinkable happened–I ran out plotted story! Agh! Which is to say, I’m not anywhere near done my MS (okay, nearish), but I’d only figured out in detail up to a certain turning point. Which I’d just finished. I then had to sit back and go, “Okay . . . now what?”
My particular method of writing historical romance is to take two plots and weave them together. The first is mine. My characters, their motivation, the events of their lives that have very little to do with anything but my own reality. But then my second is history. The actual people, places, and events that shape the world I put my characters into. When all goes well, that second plot is what fuels the first toward its resolution.
But as I sat there staring at my screen on Monday, plotting, I was at a total loss. My notes on the Civil War stared blankly back at me. See, I’m now in early October of 1861. During which nothing big enough happened to make the big time lines. So what in the world was supposed to anchor my story?? I had nothing, not a thing in my notes until February. February! What in the world happened until then??
Plenty, of course, just not on a grand scale, not the kinds of things that make the lists for general Civil War history. Luckily, I have a resource that gives me specifically Savannah’s history, which is what I need. Because there was an awful, awful lot going on in Savannah during those “empty” months on the time line.
Panic.
Vigilantes.
Islands on the coast falling to the Yankees.
General Lee’s arrival.
Statewide questioning about whether Savannah is worth fighting for–a question Savannahians didn’t much appreciate.
The blockade cinching tight.
And that’s not getting into the politics that had all of Georgia in an uproar. See, one of the BIG reasons for succession was Federal v. State Rights. Slavery laws were but one example of this, the fact that the southern states felt the north had no right to dictate to them what they could or couldn’t do, that the federal government shouldn’t have such power. But what was the Confederation doing? Dictating to them what they could and couldn’t do. Telling them they had to raise a certain number of troops, and that those troops weren’t to defend Georgia, they were to be sent to Virginia to fight on the front. And that their slaves had to be sent wherever the Confederacy needed them, to dig trenches.
And that, since there weren’t enough volunteers, they’d have to institute the first-ever draft on North American soil.
Can you imagine how those people felt? They’d declared a revolution to keep a centralized federal government from deciding what their states could do–only to create a new one that did the same thing, and in ways even the politicians in Washington hadn’t done. Was it any wonder the people were disillusioned? Panicked? And, where necessary, devious?
This first year of the war might have been relatively quiet compared to the rest . . . if you’re standing at a distance, looking at the divided nation as a fractured whole. But when you get up close, you see it was far from it.
There may not have been so many loud shouts, but there was a world of mumblings. What they lacked in cannon fire they made up for in quiet betrayals—betrayals that led directly to those louder months coming, when disillusioned rebels led the Yankees straight to the heart of Confederate fortifications.
Oh yeah–I’m having lots of fun with this “little” history. =)
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.