Fun Friday!

Well, there is a blizzard outside my study window! My new study is done, and I am sitting down watching the electric flames flicker in the hearth, while pretending they are real! Fridays are edit and research days for me, and because its so nasty outside, and because I just yesterday made my final payment on a 10 day Southern Carribean cruise I have decided to do some warm weather research!

As you know, my new series has a West Indies tie-in, Barbados to be exact. Barbados is a stop on our cruise, and I have already booked a private tour quide who is a historian to tour me around and show me things I need to know to paint a historical, and authentic Barbadian atmosphere in my books. We leave in April, and frankly, I cannot wait! In my new series, the Westlake family has owned a plantation on the island since the early 1700s, so I will be researching plantations, the processing of sugar, and rum! My husband is especially looking forward to the rum tours! lol!

But research is needed before that, and because the wind is howling, I decided to pull out my copy of Wide Sargasso Sea. For those of you who do not know this, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is my ultimate favourite book! I adore it, and I love Rochestor. Those familiar with the book will know of the crazed wife of Jane Eyre hero, whom he acquired in Jamaica. Well, Wide Sargasso Sea is a prequel of sorts, written in 1966 by Jean Rhys that tells the story of how Rochestor became married to the woman. Being an Eyre fanatic, I read the book and enjoyed it. But strangely, I have not seen the movie adaptations. I have two to watch for comparisons, and for a bit of visual research. Jamaica is not Barbados, but still, I cannot help but think that scenery should provide great visual inspiration. I understand the older version of this DVD is quite steamy in its love scenes--an added boon!

So, I have my cuppa--Earl Grey--and a warm blanket, and now I shall indulge in Wide Sargasso Sea--all in the name of research, you understand! lol!

And then what will I do, I will be forced to wait till April until I can do my first hand research! In the meantime, does anyone have any recommendations for movies like this one that might work

Be Well!