I've cobbled together the first six chapters, alternating the contemporary strand with the historical story. I've got a new respect for historical writers - one of my scenes is only 500 words long but it took hours of research just to work out the details of the lives of Elizabethan women. My narrator, Vincent, is a crabby old guy with a soft spot for the girl I'm using as a distraction, hoping my readers will have several candidates for the body in the well. I've more or less got the Good Housekeeping chapters sorted (in first draft), and if anyone is interested in entering the competition, the entry form is on the website: http://www.allaboutyou.com/goodhousekeeping/goodhousekeeping-events/get-your-novel-published-competition Now all I have to do (Ha!) is write the synopsis. That will take me months.
I'm also working on AA100, reading Dr. Faustus, and coincidentally, Marlowe was around at the same time as my characters and was also interested in sixteenth century beliefs in sorcery. Very helpful! The OU have included an excellent radio version of the play, it's mesmerising, though I'm glad I have the words in front of me as well. I hate radio, it's so slow, but when decoding iambic pentameter from 400 years ago, it helps if it goes slower. I'm enjoying the course but with kids and home and life, plus four hours a day working on the book, it's getting slipped into odd moments!
Reb, thanks for that link. I'm going for it too.
ReplyDeleteSounds fascinating, have always wanted to write a book about Elizabeth's spy master, but still working on the children's sequel set in Victorian England. Well done with the OU work, I'm about to begin again in October and looking forward to this. Must look at the link.
ReplyDeleteHi Downith, good luck with the comp!
ReplyDeleteAnd Carole Anne, I'm loving the historical side but what a lot of research! How do you cope with the Victorian setting? What course are you down for in October?