Fantasy and History: What's a Word Worth?

[kayberrisford]

I've been blogging about the joys and difficulties of writing historical fiction over at Flirty Author Bitches.

And - yay! It's sunny...on the day I'm staying in to write and edit madly.  Isn't that always the way?  awkbyname and I had a very pleasant trip to Brighton yesterday to generally talk non-stop and plot world domination, and did we see the sun

Comments

[stevie_carroll]

You had some interesting thoughts over there, though I don't know if my comment will show up on the post.

I'm pondering language at the moment for my ghost story. What words would my ghost use for items invented since her death the first time she sees them, and which items will she continue to call by their old fashioned names?

[kayberrisford]

Thanks :) but sorry if you had trouble posting. I'm still getting to grips with that site myself, and had the same trouble trying to comment on a post the other day. I couldn't find the 'reply' prompt on one entry anywhere

[stevie_carroll]

My ghost is from the early to mid Victorian era (I need to check the Factory Acts yet again to figure out a point at which she wouldn't have been one of the youngest workers), but then she haunted the mill where she died up until it closed down in the middle of the 2oth Century. After which she slept until round about now, when the mill was restored and redeveloped as housing.

So most of her language is fairly contemporary, but lots of modern conveniences are strange to her (she's frightened by her first big plane flying overhead, and by the huge removal lorries that turn up with furniture). I just need to figure out how she would describe each new thing, and where she'd switch to using words she overheard for them.

Your story sounds exciting too.

[kayberrisford]

Oh fantastic - I'm even more excited about your story now. I love Victoriana (and it makes me want to get back to my own late Victorian story...but better focus on the task in hand :))

It sounds like it might be both very fun and very tricky to ponde her reactions :D Good luck! I will keep my eyes open for any previews (do you have any of your multi-generational family story in your LJ? I would *love* to read more of that!!)

[wolfy_writing]

That's really interesting. I always thought the amount of work I had to put in for fanfic set in the past was quite a lot, but for something professionally published, it seems like mega-research time.

[kayberrisford]

My first thought here was the awesomeness of your Guy Fawkes fic. The language in that and the cultural clash btw Richard and Guy was BRILLIANT :D :D :D

[wolfy_writing]

Thank you! You're so sweet!

[soundofthesurf]

Loved your blog entry! It's not all that easy, is it? I'm still sure you did a great job of it! Loved to read that your next story will be in Tudor England! \o/

And, completely unrelated: I'd love to live in a world that is ruled by you and Lynn! :D If you ever manage - can I get the job ob entertainment minister? Which would allow me to bring in a law that forces obvious couples in bands to marry?? And invite their government to their weddings? *g*

[kayberrisford]

Thanks for reading - hehe, no, sorting out the right words has been a bit of a trial, although I'm actually enjoying it more on this second, Tudor book as I kind of had an idea what I was letting myself in for :D :D :D Glad you like the idea - the stare is Herne the Hunter (in other word's Howard in that shot from the Kidz video with the cool Stag's horns ;))

Oh yay! Yes! You would make an awesome entertainment minister. And I'm all for those forced marriages (as long as they include menage - I wand Howard/Jason/Mark to get married NAOW!!)

[halotolerant]

Enjoyed the blog entry *g*

Having rather enjoyed 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII' I gave Alison Weir another go with 'Children of England: The Heirs of Henry VIII 1547-1558' which was good although depressing as hell (I am never going to stop wanting to write fixit fic for poor Queen Mary, never ever I have this idea actually involving her and Anne of Cleves living an awesome life together as independantly wealthy women enjoying loads of adopted kids and sapphic love I DON'T CARE THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE)

Um, where was I? Yes, right, anyway that book has loads of quoted correspondance between Elizabeth, Mary, Edward and others and I thought that might be useful to you for Tudor phrasing (or at least, for knowing things were certainly OK!) *g*

[kayberrisford]

Thanks for reading :)

YOU NEED TO WRITE ANNE OF CLEVES/MARY AS A AU NOVEL NAOW!! Seriously, that would be awesome. There's enough novel versions of what happened from the sources, time for a bit of divergent (and SAPPHIC!) thinking.

I have some Alison Weir on my shelf waiting to be read. Me thinks it will be going in the holiday reading bag :D

[halotolerant]

There are so many mostly-imaginary versions of Tudor history out there that I do feel one with a disclaimer of 'this is obviously complete bollocks but WOULDN'T IT BE AWESOME, HUH?' would actually fit well *g* Possibly it would be improved with Tudor Steampunk or summat to make it all a bit wackier and less 'real'... not that I'm thinking about it or anything...

I'm concentrating on somebody's birthday fic for now though *g* (what dates are you away again?)

[kayberrisford]

Oooooooooh, Tudor Steampunk!! (Not that I've ever quite got my head around what defines steampunk, but the idea of Tudors with mad!water-come-horse-power technology sounds awesome :D
YESYESYES YOU NEEDZ TO THINK ABOUT THIS!!

We're off Sunday and back around the 8th! Been reading my city guides for Milan and Florence and thinking rennaisance!Markie is just *going* to happen (possibly posing for Donatello's rather than Micheangelo's David. He'd even love the hat ;)) I hope to have at least some interwebz there, too.

Yayayayayayay!! *bounces excitedly at prospect of fic*