The Story Behind The Story....The Pleasure Garden

Ok, it's the last day of March, and my god, let us hope that Spring is right around the corner! I'm dead sick of winter, and have been chomping at the bit for a little spring action. Spring fever is actually a real thing, you know! The ancient Celts knew that! I happen to love the Celts. They're a really ingenous ancient people, and they loved festivals and sex! What could be better?

When Amanda McIntyre, Kristi Cook and I started thinking of an anthology idea, we all kind of hit on the Celtic people and their calendar of festivals. It all started with Winter's Desire. Spice wanted a Christmasy/Wintery type tale, but didn't want the proverbial Christmas tree and mistletoe type of thing. They wanted outside the box. So we thought about doing something kind of mystical, and non-religious, but in the spirit of the holidays and the season. The Winter Solstice came into being, and A Winter's Desire was born.

I think we had so much fun brainstorming this idea, that it naturally flowed into ideas for other anthologies. Which brings me to todays blog post--The Pleasure Garden, or affectionately known between us three as--The Beltane Anthology.

The Pleasure Garden does celebrate the rites of spring which was known to the Celts as Beltane. We might know it more today as May Day. It's the time of death to winter, and the birth of spring. It's about fertiility and liveliness and the frivolity of spring. It's about the flowering of plants and trees, and the growth of fruit and vegetables. It's the birth of animals, bunnies and rabbits, and calves, and those adorable spring lambs! The world is green and warm, and everything seems to hum with life! We knew we wanted to convey this feel, to make each story brim with passion and life, and the gift of a warm spring day.

Upon researching Beltane, and the ancient celebrations, we hit upon an old fable involving the May Queen and the Oak King. We liked how we could encorporate the image of the Green Man which is so rich in Beltane lore. So, we took the story of the Oak King and May Queen and tailored it to suit our premise. In the end. we have a cursed garden, and the Green Man sorrowfully looking out upon it. To make this garden grow, lovers need to visit, and make it flourish with their passion and love.

This idea is integral to Beltane. Villagers would run out into the woods, and chase one another. Lots of hanky panky out in the woods, and lo and behold flowers and plants and all kinds of other things start sprouting out fromt he ground. A bit basic in my outline, but essentially, that's the spirit of Beltane, and that's what we wanted to capture when we set out to write what we have dubbed, The Celtic Spice anthologies.

So, in hopes that spring comes soon, I decided to give you a little glimpse into the background of the book. Now, I'm off to see if my garden is perhaps hiding a man in the foilage!!

Be Well!

Reader Questions--Inspiration!

I thought I might add this feature, either weekly or biweekly for the readers who email me, and don't always get a pompt, or indepth answer from me. I hope followers will like it! I'm planning on combining reader questions, and  a behind the book series for readers.

One of the most popular questions that come my way are 'what inspires you', or more succintly 'how the heck did you ever come up with an opium addicted hero,' and in regards to poor old Wallingford, 'how come he can be such an ass?'

Well, the answer to these questions are; the character. They come to me as they come, an that's really a very fascinating part of the whole writing experience. But more on Addicted and Sinful, and the upcoming related novella to those books will be creeping into this blog in the coming weeks.

So, today, I'm gong to address inspiration. In one word, I'm inspired by 'everything'. Normally, for me, it's snippets of things. Perhaps one line in a song (music is probably the number one most inspiring thing for me; and I always make playlists for each of my books) and artwork. It can either be classical, photo's, or landscapes. Generally, it's something moody, desolate but romantic. That tends to be my formula for writing, and by now I've learned not to try my hand at light and fluffy, because it's just not me as a writer. I'm darker, I guess. I enjoy finding beauty in the stark and bleak, the humble, and the tortured soul. So, my inspiration naturally springs from this.

Take for instance, this gorgeous piece of artwork.

 The subject-Fallen Angels is a favorite of mine. GAWDS, I love me a bad boy angel, but it's not only the subject itself that inspires me, but the tone, dark, smoky, moody, the way the fog and mist curl around the lamposts like a lover snaking around a woman's body. It's the brilliant, sensual color of the woman's dress and the romantic, fluffy layers interspersed with lace. It's the way he's carrying her, and how her head is tossed back and her throat, so pale and luminous is exposed. It's the feeling of danger and security, sensuality, and a deep, palpable passion that exists in his expression, which is mysteriously, and inticingly partial covered.
I've already written a scene that very much resembles this couple's pose. I've made it my own, through setting, thoughts and the character's own traits, but there is no denying that this exact picture inspired a new picture in my mind. (Thanks, Barbara)
And that's usually the way it works for me, with art. My eyes see one thing, and it immediately turns to something different, but along the same vein in my mind.

Next is music. Any kind of music can inspire me. In classical it's a feel. I think because I like to dvelve deep into the human condition I find that classical music, especially piano and violen help me to capture the tone and feel, and emotional depth that I desire in my books. Sometimes I can be listening to the music, and barely conscious of the words I'm typing. That's just a stream of conscious writing, and at that moment, I AM the character. For me, I have three--now four go to music selections that I ALWAYS write every book to. They are the Kingdom of Heaven movie sountract, the 2005 Pride and Prejudice soundtrack (Sinful was written exclusively to this soundtrack) and Loreena McKennit's The Mask and the Mirror.

Last week, I added the new Jane Eyre soundtrack, composed by the same man who brilliantly composed the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack. Let me tell you, it's just stunning. You can almost hear the violen weep. Just gorgeous. And this soundtrack has been instrumental in the writing of Pide and Passion while helping to achieve the emotional arc of this intense story.
The songs Wandering Jane and The End of Childhood are in heavy replay rotation on my iPod. I've written what  think is a beautiful and passionate love scene between Lucy and Sussex; they're stripped raw and naked, and emotionally they're both at the lenth of their tether. It's been passion denied too long, and hearts that have been bleeding too long. It's two souls desiring each other, but who are afraid to reach out; it's the mask of politeness dropping so that pain and sorrow, fear and a very great longing can be seen. I have to say, that the emotional connection between them is poignant, which makes the physical touching, and the act of making love all the more powerful. It's probably one of my favorite love scenes I've written thus far!
 Have a listen on Amazon, and you'll know what sort of love scene, and emotional itensity there is between these two! (Definitely listen to Wandering Jane and The End of Childhood, because those are the only songs I listened to while writng that scene!)

Occasionally I will listen to words with lyrics, but only to get me in the mood. I never write to lyrics because I'm afraid of inadvertingly typing out something I'm listening to.
And finally, another important inspiration for me, is words. Geesh, I love the power of words. They can hurt, tear us apart, but they can soothe and make us happy, or aroused. I love finding just the right context, and fit, and the perfect word to make a sentence or thought sing. It's not surprising then, that I love quotes. I'm especially fond of Shakespearean quotes, and one's from Anais Nin.
Here are a few favorites about writing, which I happen to think are sooo true....

There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and open a vein--Walter Wellesley

The role of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say--Anais Nin

Words so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them--Nathaniel Hawthorne

And that is it, readers. The inspiration behind my books, and imagination!
If you listen to the Jane Eyre soundtrack, let me know what you think. As well, if you're eager for more of the Addicted world, stay tuned, lots of stuff coming up for Seduced By Starlight in the anthology, The Wedding of the Century!

And a question, if you wouldn't mind answering...does an author's musical playlist enhance your reading experience, or do you prefer to listen to your own musical choices? Or perhaps, you enjoy nothing but the sound of the character's voices in your mind?
Would a playlist for my books be of interest to anyone?
Be Well!

This and That

Well, it's Friday, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the weekend is upon us. For me, I'm still nose down, fingers flying over the keyboard. Pride and Passion is coming along. So is spring. Right now I am sitting in my study, with the window slighly open! The birds are singing, and the promise of a sixty degree day is whispering in the air. (of course, the weather forecastors are calling for snow on Sunday, but I'm choosing to live in ignornant bliss).

For me, spring is all about renewal and rebirth. Shedding the old and tired, and making a fresh start. I often make little resolutions in the spring. You know the ones, stop and smell the flowers. Take a few minutes to enjoy the fresh air and the solitude, feel the cool grass beneath my feet. And with this sense of new beginnings, it's no surprise that the spring is the time of year that new proposals and book ideas seems to pop into my head. I've been thinking of this new proposal quite a bit lately (although I should be completely lost in Pride and Passion)I cannot help but allow my mind to wander to Yorkshire, and the dynamic family that has so captured my imagination.

As I do every year, I stop at the local nursery and pick up two potted Hyacinths. I love the smells, and I bring one into my study to enjoy. Today I'm heading out to buy one. I think it's the perfect day for it, and it's my own small, personal indulgence.

I'll be going to my favorite local nursery, I love their selection, but what I love most is the the huge thick limbed Wisteria they have! It's just gorgeous, and the blooms hang in big bunches, just like grapes. It won't be blooming yet, but there will be signs of life, and it'll make me think that spring isn't too far off!
When I return with my plants, I will then start on my next two spring rituals, they are another form of comfort--buttermilk dill biscuits, and lemon squares. To me dill says fresh and spring. I always associate it with Easter because my mum always made these biscuits. However, my mum never cooks with a recipes-it's always a bit of this, and a bit of that-so I found a recipe that tastes almost as good as mum's. Ad the lemon squares taste fresh, and lemony, and for me, nothing says springs more than lemon. Once I get my squares and biscuits made, I'll post the recipes here in the extra section for you to enjoy, if you've got that mad spring
fever like I have.
And while we're talking fever, heree are two things that have inspred me today for my new series...

I see this quaint little walk on the outskirts of my fictional village. What a lovely stroll it would be for a duchess when she goes out to call on villageers, and hand out her gift baskets? What do you think?

This charming cottage, with the bunches of wisteria. I KNOW I will have to find a use for it!
It would be quite heady to be kissed beneath the wisteria, wouldn't it?

And this quote, by William Shakespeare. I love it, the imagery, and the sensuality of it..

Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. ~William Shakespeare

I think it sounds like the perfect quote for love in the spring.

So, what's your spring indulgence?
Be Well!

Frisky Friday Winners!

Wow, thanks for the great respononses for your ultimate Pleasure Garden! Some of the responses just made me long for my own little oasis, and of course, for spring to hit full force.

So, this is how I picked the winners. I wrote the names on separate pieces of paper and my 12 y/o daughter grabbed her old easter basket and randomly drew three names.

The responses were waaay too good, and toooo many to only pick two.

So here we go. The winners of The Pleasure Garden are....
                                                                 Booklover1335
                                                                     Virigina C
                                                                      Chris S
Congrats to all the winners, and a huge thank you to everyone who entered. Not to despair, lots more giveaways coming up! If you could, could the winners please respond to charlotte (@)charlottefeatherstone(.) net and let me know your snail mail addy!

Be well, and thanks again!