Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 124
August 14, 2009
Character Sketch, The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover
Back in 2000 or 2001, when I wrote the original short story that, many years later, becamse The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover, I had a different idea of the main characters than I later developed.I quote myself, from an email to a friend: Henri--He never stops objectifying the Duchess. First she's an icon, then she is generic flesh, indistinguishable from someone disguised as a
Morag McKendrick Pippin Guest Post - Writing Recent History
Please welcome my guest, Morag McKendrick Pippin.#How exciting to have lived in the early 20th century! It opened a whole new world into transportation, communication, scientific innovation --and said a resounding good-bye to the social and fashion restrictions of the last century.So many new doors opened for women. WWI and WWII brought women to the forefront and proved we could run the country
August 13, 2009
World War I, a CBS News production
World War I, a CBS News production. Narration written by Arthur Kloch, narrated by Robert Ryan. Originally aired 1964-1965.The historical narrative in this documentary series is much simplified compared to most books on WWI I've read, and also the episodes are by topic rather than strictly chronological; so, watching this, it helps to already know what events were all happening at the same time.
August 12, 2009
WWI Ambulance Research
I'm working on a proposal that involves an ambulance driver in World War One, and I took notes on this interesting book: Farmcarts to Fords: A History of the Military Ambulance, 1790-1925 by John S. Haller, Jr.p. 147 "Mobility remained the focus of an efficient ambulance-company service; and the variables of too much weight, proper shoeing of animals, forage, human and animal exhaustion,
August 11, 2009
Anna de Noailles, "Verdun"
VerdunSilence cloaks this world-famous name:A boundless morrow wraps Verdun. There French men came, one by one,Step by step, by days, by hours,To prove their most proud, most stoic love.In the stygian test they have fallen asleep.Their trembling widow, immortal Verdun,As if to implore their transcendant returnRaises the two arms of her two high towers.Passerby, do not seek to praise the place
August 10, 2009
Fabricating a Plot-Generating World
The novel I'm currently writing for Harlequin Spice, tentatively titled The Duke and The Pirate Queen, is a sequel to my first book for the line, titled The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom & Their Lover.The books are set in a fantasy world that's loosely based on our own; the cultures depicted in The Duchess were mostly similar to eighteenth-century Europe, but the characters also visited a more
August 9, 2009
Pictures - The Palais
These pictures are of the Palais, where most of the Worldcon programming is being held.
Montreal Photos from Up High
View of the river, from the tower atop the Olympic Stadium.View from the tower atop the Olympic Stadium.View from observation area of the archaeology museum in Montreal.
Montreal Sunday
This is the first time I've been able to get through with wireless for a while, and it wasn't easy.Spent Thursday at the Botanical Gardens, five and half hours worth of walking--the picture above is from the Chinese Garden. Friday I did three panels and a reading. Saturday was hanging out and talking to people, including catching up with Wen Spencer about her time in Japan; C. and I also went
