Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm so happy that you enjoyed the story! I had a lot of fun thinking up the characterizations for these obscure Blacks and making up some "stories between the lines." I must say that I was blessed with an excellent prompt, which was basically an invitation to showcase some characters on the Black Family Tree and show them as something more than evil and insane. It was a fantastic experience. I really came to love these characters through the course of writing this story--and I'm so pleased that you liked Lycoris in particular. She may not be blessed with a lot of tact, and heavens knows she lets her pride get the better of her, but Lycoris really does put her family before anything else. In her mind, she's a stalwart champion for the House of Black, nobly defending her loved ones and her heritage--completely oblivious of the abrasive way she comes off to those around her. Lycoris became an unexpected joy to write.
As for Dorea and her social skills, I really found that was the key to her character. She doesn't feel bound by the conventions of her society, she uses it as a sword and shield. As a daughter of a Black, I imagine she was born into this world of niceties and absorbed them just as she absorbed the English language. Her good manners become an extension of her personality, and she's able to navigate a party like this the way an Olympic swimmer can navigate a swimming pool. This is her element. As much as she may fear it after her long absence, and as much as she may doubt herself, she is still really, really good at being the hostess.
Since you're interested in reading more about these characters, I should mention that I am also working on a series of stories about Dorea's life. It's tentatively called "Portrait of a Gentle Witch" with the absurdly long subtitle/summary, "Featuring the Strange Romance of Miss Dorea Black and Mr. Charlus Potter, and Including Several Private Incidents within the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." It might not be finished right away as I have a few other writing commitments to finish before I can dedicate my time to Dorea, but her stories are certainly on my list. I can tell you that the first story (chapter?) is called "Dorea Black and the Festive Funeral" and it's about Dorea and all her cousins attending the funeral of Phineas Nigellus in 1925.
Thank you again for taking the time to leave a comment. I'm so happy that you stumbled across my story; you've really made my day! :D
As for Dorea and her social skills, I really found that was the key to her character. She doesn't feel bound by the conventions of her society, she uses it as a sword and shield. As a daughter of a Black, I imagine she was born into this world of niceties and absorbed them just as she absorbed the English language. Her good manners become an extension of her personality, and she's able to navigate a party like this the way an Olympic swimmer can navigate a swimming pool. This is her element. As much as she may fear it after her long absence, and as much as she may doubt herself, she is still really, really good at being the hostess.
Since you're interested in reading more about these characters, I should mention that I am also working on a series of stories about Dorea's life. It's tentatively called "Portrait of a Gentle Witch" with the absurdly long subtitle/summary, "Featuring the Strange Romance of Miss Dorea Black and Mr. Charlus Potter, and Including Several Private Incidents within the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." It might not be finished right away as I have a few other writing commitments to finish before I can dedicate my time to Dorea, but her stories are certainly on my list. I can tell you that the first story (chapter?) is called "Dorea Black and the Festive Funeral" and it's about Dorea and all her cousins attending the funeral of Phineas Nigellus in 1925.
Thank you again for taking the time to leave a comment. I'm so happy that you stumbled across my story; you've really made my day! :D
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