'You Are A Force to Be Reckoned With'
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| via The Crown of Life |
- G. K. Chesterton
The above quote has nothing to do with this post, I assure you, but being the instrument I bumped into tonight in effort to break the ice of my languid mind, I am tossing it back at you! There, don't blame me. It has been a sultry September day, the clouds have hung low in the sky and humidity has been about like an oppressive blanket, despite last night's furious happy storm of thunder, lightning and rain. I do hope summer heat retreats a step and chooses to approach us with the same languid pace, say at the same rate as I have been toying with my novel-writing of late*. Otherwise, I have been relishing Spring's arrival, pulling up bright, summery dresses and dainty blouses as well as pursuing my end-of-year-goals with a sudden feverish zeal that has been a bit absent during the last months. Ah, I am glad!
Methinks I will sometime share a post here on Fullness of Joy with little updates on life's little happenings as this month has been full of interest already (cue national elections, music concert plans, a new blog design - Ooo, wait! Did you notice? How do you like how my blog looks now? Hannah Beasley has just finished designing it, and I am loving it so, so much - do tell me what you think, because I personally think she's done a beautiful job!!). But, as it is for tonight... I thought I should pick up one of the Get 'em Tigers, questions you've asked of me, and see what we come up with.
If you could meet four of your characters in real life, whom would you choose?
- Annie
Indeed, what a privilege that would be to actually meet a few characters of my pen in real life! But we can always pretend, can't we? Well, let me think - there is the good tribune Valerius Gallus from The Crown of Life; there are other characters from the tale as well - folks such as his sister Anthea, Claudia - the Legate's daughter, the Apostle Paul (no commentary needed, - he's real!), Seneca (the famous statesman), Flavius Apicius the old friend of the Gallus boys, sour old Quintus, Julius the eldest of the Gallus children, Talitha, the slave Apion, Senator Octavius Gallus, Legate Albinus, young Antony, Mercia a young slave-woman, Serigius Apicius - the loathsome relation of Flavius, Consul Apicius himself, Nero Caesar (who knew, right?), the beloved doctor Luke, Judah a Galilean shepherd, Prefect Festus of Judea... (just to name the important ones!), and as for from A Love that Never Fails, there are many more (many un-introduced on this blog as of yet): we meet Jane Wilson, Grandmamma Rosemary, George, Ernest, Amelia, Rosalie, Jack and Jeremy, Maria, Cynthia, Dickens, Margaret, Charlotte, Matilda Dew... and Elizabeth and William Munson... and then there are the other characters from background story-ideas that still remain mostly under wraps as of yet: Anne Stirling, Henry, Chloe and Jules (from Socks and Scatterbrains) Taurus, Itheldia, Elnath, Rosebird (from Taurus Elnath), Erica and John, Lady Zelda and the Prime Minister (characters from another story, Silent Song of Vienna), the Addison sisters (Lancashire Secrets), and Violet and Walter and Dorothy from another untitled story idea....
So you see, it really can't be thrown in like that so simply whom I would want to meet in real-life out of my characters, since I would be torn by conflicting motives - whom I would most benefit in a literary sense from a real-life meeting; but on the other end of the spectrum those I most admire and love and look up to would cause a far more 'pleasurable' meeting. But I thank you for giving me a choice of four ^_^, and since you asked - and I'd love to respond - here is my wrung-out choice!
Jane Priscilla Wilson
For one thing just for the motive of aid, I am right now desperate to get a grasp of her character and understand her more in my efforts of writing her story. You probably know if you've noted some of my last posts how she, with all modest shyness, has kept the cards of her soul and who she is close to her own, so only those nearest seem able to truly see her (Grandmamma and Pappa or maybe even Ernest will strike me as those to whom I should seek their aid on her behalf). But also, I think out of all the characters of my pen and imagination, Jane is the most realistically human of them all - I mean, she can easily be either you or me in our own world and time; her story is not so conjured up by times past or great dramas so as to be sparkling and romantic or heroic, her life is one that can dance in the light of any one of my loved ones and be ordinarily special in the same way you and I are. She is a beautiful girl, inside and out, and grows and matures through the many trials she faces into a godly young woman of virtue, meekness, love and quiet joyfulness - I know that she easily could be a friend or even like a sister were she real, because in a way... she is. So yes, I do wish I could meet her, for she would be a wonderful friend and because that would solve a million trials to this story. But on second thoughts, perhaps not.
They come in a pair, I guess, but I would dearly wish to meet Valerius and Claudia;... oh dear! Annie, why are you torturing me? This would be such a happy meeting-thing! Yes, I would choose to meet them, if I could. They will always be special to my heart. They are heroes of ancient times, but something tells me we'd still get along splendidly. 'Nuff said.
You are fully allowed to question my sanity in placing him among the fellows I would wish to meet in real life. Actually I am questioning mine. But you know... there ought to be a villain in this list, and if I must say it, he is such a fellow who would both cause my heart to tremble from head to toe with fright while at the same time melt my heart with deep sympathy and pity mingled with grief at his plight. You'll have to pardon me, and not take me seriously for once.
Oo dear! And now I am in a fix to whom I should tick off as the fourth character - Anthea, Grandmamma Rosemary, Ernest, Taurus...
Grandmamma Rosemary.
<3 No commentary needed <3
Oo dear! And now I am in a fix to whom I should tick off as the fourth character - Anthea, Grandmamma Rosemary, Ernest, Taurus...
<3 No commentary needed <3
And now, I have a little question for you all!
From all the different characters I have mentioned and talked about on this blog, which four are you most eager to meet within the pages of a new story?
*The weather has sweetened into sunshine and gold, cooler colours since I wrote this post yesterday!
Ernest! I don't think you have mentioned him on here (or if you did, most apologies... I must have missed it or else my memory has faded slightly. *blushes*) - but you see, I stalk your Pinterest boards, and, upon discovering he "was" Eddie Redmayne, I naturally developed quite a liking for him. ;) Besides, I grew so very excited realizing all the plots you seem to be twisting into the story, and it sounds more heartwrenching than I had expected (That is a rather good thing! if you know me, I love that sort of thing as long as it is BEAUTIFULLY heartwrenching... there is a massive, massive difference).
ReplyDeleteLOVE the new design, dearest! I've been eager to see it, and I think it really fits you! It looks much "cleaner" than the old one, if I might say so, and I think it might load better on my computer, too. :)
Many hugs, dear! <3,
Emily
Fun post! From your stories, I know of three characters I would most dearly like to meet. :)
ReplyDeleteFlavius intrigues me. I would jump at a chance to meet him in person. Perhaps it is your casting Richard Armitage in his role, which seems to suit his description perfectly, but I think Flavius has the kind of deep darkness that I would love to be able to see come alive. (Not that I'm keen on deep darkness as a general rule, but in books it makes things more interesting!)
Ernest is another character I should like to meet. I don't know much about him--actually very little at all--but there is something in his character (probably through seeing bits of him on your Pinterest board) that I want to know more of. :)
In looking back through your cast post for The Crown of Life, Antony Albinus also intrigued me. He would be a very interesting character in a book, and I would jump at a chance of reading his adventures, whatever they are.
As for a fourth character, well, I'm not quite sure! But I would dearly love to read Taurus Elnath or Lancashire Secrets--so they will have to count for my fourth choice! :)
Love,
Schuyler
Lovely post, dearest Joy! My choice of characters would be Jane, Ernest, Grandmamma,Claudia and Valerius! :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I love your new blog design! It's all nice and fresh and so much....you! :)
love ya <3
Sarah
ofsimplethings-sarah.blogspot.com.au
Emily - why, thank you, dear! I am actually very glad you want to meet Ernest- and, ahem *cough cough*, excusing you for the Redmayne factor, - he is looking to be one of my favourite characters in ALTNF actually - or at least the character that is richest and most interesting to write. He's endeared me to him like no one else in the whole book so far has!! I really ought to write a post all about him since I have only once mentioned him briefly, but I am so afraid of letting out all the cats from the bag. Hmm, but I shall try to come up with something!! ^_^ I am tickled that you 'stalk' my Pinterest boards, particularly ALTNF :)). I better watch out what I pin in the future, or I will be giving way to spoilers!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, no, dear me!!! A Love that Never Fails is boasting to be a lot more heart-wrenching than even I anticipated, and I always love a good, teary heart-wrenching beautiful story too! Yes, I think I can promise, Emily, that ALTNF has its painful bits - the bits that make me cry, but added to it, there are the beautiful bits and the parts that make you smile. I HOPE I will be able to pass it across in that beautifully heartwrenching way you're describing; because you know what? That's my favourite thing in stories too, and what I most worried about when I started this novel was a gnawing fear that it would be some simpl-ish children's tale; fear not, it doesn't look like that!! I have been so excited to see the unfolding plot twists as well... !
Yayy, I am so delighted you like this design, my dear <3. I do agree that it is a lot cleaner than the old design and I am glad it is proving to help improve the access of my blog =). I am still quite head-over-heels happy with it ^_^.
Thank you for commenting, Emily! It is always such a joy to have you stop by and leave your sweet missives on this little blog. They bring a big smile to my face, always!
Schuyler - here I am at last! Thank you so much for commenting, my dear <3. I always appreciate it so much!!
ReplyDeleteIt makes me smile so much on the 'popular' hits and the folks of my pen who've given the most promising impressions to you all. I am delighted, to say the least! Flavius intrigues me too. Casting Richard Armitage to his role was really coincidental and based purely on a striking similarity in looks, along with a certain brooding impression I got from having him for the role. It was only later that I watched any movies for him! But yes, Flavius has that deep dark turmoil and vengeful past to his character that endears me to him, despite how utterly dark he does become.
Oo, I think you will like Ernest, Schuyler! He isn't a dark character like Flavius, but he is a broken character... and though I have only written some few scenes for him, he's become a very special character! I am itching to write him in ALTNF and then sharing him with you all one day :).
Ooo, I DO wonder now if it is not after all Armitage and Redmayne who have made you all captivated with these particular characters... it makes me wonder that there are no female favourites yet from my future readers :p.
Antony Albinus IS a fascinating character actually. I would like to be swept up in his adventures as well... hmm, you are making me nostalgic!! I AM glad and tickled that you are piqued by my story ideas of Taurus Elnath and Lancashire Secrets - but I fear that these stories will not be wholly written for another few years yet.
Keep your fingers crossed!