Writing about London

The adage write about what you know, is true. I've always loved England and London imparticularly. But all I have had in the past was books to glean my knowledge from. Now after having been in London it feels more authentic to write about the places I've seen. Charles Dickens and Keats were said to have frequented the pub below. We had lunch there. The entrance still has the same brickwork that Dickens and Keats walked on.

                                 The picture below was a shop in Covent Garden that has been kept as it was in the 18th century. In my mind's eye, I can see horses out front as the owners went inside this shop.  The pastries are from the cafeteria at the Tower of London.

I love the old building to the left. And the right is a view from Berkeley Square with it's sign below.

I'm still re-working my first novel - chapter by chapter.
And then writing the 1,000-2,000 words a day on another one. A Regency book also, I'm using all the places I saw in London as the backdrop. Just finished Chapter One.  

Buckingham Palace and the Eiffel Tower

Buckingham Palace. 775 rooms, 19 State rooms, 52 Royal guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. Buckingham House was transformed into Buckingham Palace in the 1820s by the architect John Nash for George IV. But the first monarch to use Buckingham Palace as their official residence was Queen Victoria, who moved there in 1837.

I've decided to throw myself into writing and have committed to write between 1,000 to 2,000 words a day. Not re-working but writing something new. 

I've found that the difference betweeen the movie and the book of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice has to be the rich dialogue between the characters that shows who they are.

This excerpt is priceless:


 "If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy," cried a young Lucas who came with his sisters, "I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine everyday."
"Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought," said Mrs. Bennet; "and if I were to see you at it I should take away your bottle directly.
The boy protested that she should not; she continued to declare that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit."

Revisiting Persuasion by Jane Austen

The results are in and my book did not make the finals. Although a great disappointment, I press on. I enjoy writing. I revel in crafting a story. I relish the moment when a family member or friend reads my work and comments on it.

One of my favorite comments was . . "it's like a gallop into the unknown."  Another favorite was. . "I've stayed up way too late reading it (your book) wanting to know what will happen next."

So I continue on. . .

I've mentioned before that my favorite book is Persuasion by Jane Austen. My daughters bought the book for me for Christmas one year. I have read this book every year for a number of years. It is beyond wonderful.  Although Pride and Prejudice is a close second.

I find new jewels in the story every time I read it. For instance, when Anne knows she will meet Captain Wentworth for the first time since she sent him away seven years before, she begins to analyze what he must be going through.

"He must be indifferent or unwilling. Had he wished ever to see her again, he need not have waited till this time; he would have done what she could not but believe that in his place she should have done long ago, when events had been early giving him the independence which alone had been wanting."

It breaks my heart to think that her heart was steadfast, but the man she loved's heart had changed toward her. She comes to the conclusion that he no longer loves her and no longer has a wish to see her. The reason that Lady Russell did not give her blessing to their romance in the beginning was that he was not able to support Anne. Now he has the income, why didn't he return?

The Louvre and Grosvenor Square

One more week of waiting to find out if my book made it to the semi-finals. Even as I wait, I'm still working on it. Plotting each story to make sure each is resolved. No threads hanging. I have to say that this part is quite fun.

The pictures on either side are from the Louvre. I thought they were wonderful paintings of women of the 18th and early 19th centuries.

The picture on the left looks to be two sisters in their everyday life. It was sweet to look at.

The one on the right seems to warn of impending doom not only in the dark skies (future) but also on where she is walking (her path). But the light shining on her face (mind) and on her upper body (heart). It seems she is looking back to urge the rest of us on. I am still captivated by it.

 Below is a statue in the Louvre.  And the picture to the right is a statue in Grosvenor Square of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The park had various memorials to soldiers and to those who were England's allies in past wars.

St Paul's Cathedral

I find out in 2 weeks if the book I entered in the contest has made it to the semi-finals. In one way, I can't wait to hear. But in another way, I don't want to know.  I don't want to find out that all the hard work that I have put into this book is still not enough.

The pictures below are more of St. Paul's Cathedral. There has been a church on this spot since 504 and it has always been called St. Paul's. After the fire, it was once again rebuilt in 1666. Although we couldn't take pictures inside the church, the first three are outside and show the intricate craftsmenship of the building. 

To the side and below are views from the walkway at the top of the Cathedral. 250 steps from the Whispering Gallery and 200 to the outside. 550 in total. You can see the building called the "Shard", the "Gherkin" & the "Razor".  As well as a view of the Thames and the London Eye in the mist.

 Raining and windy as we looked out over the city. Below is the staircase leading to the crypt. Again, pictures were not allowed. The crypt memorialized Nelson and Wellington along with so many others. We viewed wooden sculptures that had been petrified in the great fire that laid on top of crypts. 

London

The sun is out and it makes me want to write. This last week I was able to write twenty pages. It sure feels good to be in the middle of a story again. While my sister/editor and I are going through the plot lines of the book I entered into the contest in December, I'm starting to work on a new story in my spare time.

The picture to the right is The Sherlock Holmes Restaurant in London. We met a nice English chap there while eating fish and chips and enjoying a pint of beer.

To the left are Londoners in front of the National Gallery showing support for France. This was right after the terrorist
act there.







To the right is the French flag displayed in projected lights on the National Gallery later that evening.  Below is the advertisements the size of a large building on one corner of Trafalgar Square.





 Right before we left for London, my great Uncle Dee (92) passed away. My sister and I had long talks about him and went ahead with our plans to go to London because we knew he had wanted us to. I miss him and think of him often.

Then a month to the day, my husband's Uncle Ray (78) passed away unexpectedly. That was another shock.

Yesterday just a month later, I received a call that a friend, only 43 passed away last Tuesday. My heart is still missing Uncle Dee and Uncle Ray. Now my heart is sad again for Kortnee's family. Her 4 children, the youngest, Max only 8.

Tower of London

More pictures from the Tower of London.The view to the left is from a street bridge looking onto the fortress. It seems so strange that William the Conquorer built a fortress here in 1066. Kings after him continued building. And the place is quite grand with all of its various buildings.

The cage below is where raven's live. The rumor goes that if the ravens ever leave the monarchy will fall. So their wings are clipped ensuring the realm's prosperity.




Below is what used to be a waterway bringing water in from the Thames. It has since been made into a gate.



And now onto writing. The contest I entered will let us know at the end of March if we made it into the semi-finals. Since I was put in another category, I do not have high hopes. So once again, my sister/editor and I are working on revisions. Another once over and then she will be making queries in August when she goes to a writing conference. That is only five months away. However, with three inches of snow falling today, August seems light years away. Regardless, I'm back to re-writes. Until next week . . . . .