Julia Kelly's Blog, page 28
February 2, 2015
Tropical Dreams (Coming This Spring!)
I’ve got some exciting news today. I just turned in the first draft of my novella The Wedding Week that is set to appear in the anthology One Week in Hawaii!
All four authors behind One Week in Wyoming are taking you to the tropics for our latest book featuring four sexy contemporary romances set in Hawaii. It’s been the perfect antidote to living in the frozen Northeast, and we can’t wait to share it with you. It’s set to release in the spring with updates coming soon.
Keep an eye out on this site, Facebook, and Twitter for ongoing updates about release dates, or sign up for my newsletter for news, special content ,and giveaways straight to your inbox!
Tagged: coming soon, contemporary romance, Hawaii, newsletter, One Week in Hawaii, One Week in Wyoming, release date, sexy, spring, tropical
January 26, 2015
A Closer Look: Crinolines in the 1850s
When you’re a historical author, you do a lot of research. Pair all of the book-specific research with a degree in Victorian British History with a focus on gender and sexuality, and I’ve got more random facts kicking around in my head than I know what to do with. Today we’re taking a closer look at a game changing fashion trend in Victorian Britain.
Courtesy Emily Hudson – Costume Construction
Of all of the fashions that jump to mind when one says “Victorian England”, the crinoline is probably the most distinctive. The massive, bell-shaped skirts of the late 1850s are iconic in both their size and impracticality (sitting in one of those must require great skill and a well-timed prayer that the hoops didn’t go flying over your head). They are romantic because nothing we wear now bears much resemblance to the floor-length skirts that ladies adopted during this era.
Fashion plate from Le Monde Elégant, 1859 (from thecostumersmanifesto.com)
Skirt Size and the Development of the Artificial Crinoline
Undergarments are what makes much of women’s fashion in the 1800s possible. The crinoline is no exception.
Horsehair crinoline, Mid-19th Century (Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
In the first half of the 1850s, women relied upon layers upon layers of petticoats to hold out their skirts. Check out 0:26 of this clip from Gone with the Wind. Scarlet pulls on a petticoat made of layers and layers of flounces.
Often horsehair warp or wool weft was use, but the problem was that these material are both heavy and hot. Women were quite literally weighed down by their undergarments not to mention the yards of fabric required to make up their actual dresses.
The artificial crinoline was a game changer. It’s essentially a large cage of wire hoops held together by vertical tapes, and it did away with the need to layer petticoats on in order to fill out a dress. That in turn kept the layers of fabric forming a woman’s skirts out of her way, allowing her greater mobility (Cunnington, 188).
Cage Crinoline, Mid-19th Century, American or European (Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
There are conflicting stories about who introduced the artificial crinoline into society. Elizabeth Ewing credits the Princess Eugenie, the wife of Napolean III, with both wearing one and bringing a grey one covered in black lace and pink bows as a present for Queen Victoria on a visit to Windsor (Ewing, 47). C. Willet Cunnington disagrees, claiming that it was in use before Princess Eugenie got her hands on the style and that she is simply the most prominent early adopter.
Whoever is responsible for the crinoline, that woman changed the silhouette and undergarments of Western women for decades.
Taken at a recent trip to the Victoria & Albert Museum
A word about typical trends in crinoline-reliant dresses. From 1857-1859, fashion favored dome-shaped skirts. Dressmakers did away with the flounces, tucks, and fussy details of an earlier era (they did not suit the new line of the skirt that thrust out into space on its own). Instead, double and treble-layered skirts with vertical trimmings were commonly seen. Short corsets with a highly defined waist and little hip definitions were also common in this era.
Day Dress, ca. 1860 (Courtesy Christies)
Crinolines, Class, and Gender
First advertised in England in 1856, the crinoline exploded in popularity in a few short years. Looking at the dresses made to accommodate this kind of undergarment, you might think that this would be a fashion exclusively worn by wealthy women. Dresses could reach four or five yards in circumference and required 18 yards of expensive fabric to construct a dress. But as Cunnington writes, “It served as a barrier against the aggression of the Lower Orders, who were kept at arms’ length–until even the Lower Orders themselves adopted the fashion” (170).
Women went crazy for crinolines. An often-cited fact to show the popularity of the crinoline is that in 1863, Staffordshire potteries lost 200 pounds worth of product due to the wide skirts of working women accidentally sweeping shelves clear (Willet & Cunnington, 154). That is a lot of smashed pottery, but it didn’t persuade workers to leave off their crinolines.
Woman’s Dress, 1855, France (Courtesy LACMA)
Aside from the fact that crinolines kept women’s skirts clear from their legs and relieved them from the burden of petticoats to hold out their dresses, historians argue that the fashion gains popularity during an era when women were demanding greater recognition in public life. Much of the rhetoric around women’s roles at this time talks about the separation of the public (male) and private (female) spheres. A woman was expected to be the Angel in the House and leave things like commerce and politics to her husband. Yet in the 1830s, the men and women behind the early suffrage movement forced British politicians to debate the idea of a woman’s right to vote during the Great Reform Act of 1832. Women wouldn’t win the right to vote for decades, but they continued to make small but significant strides in the meantime. The Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 granted women the right to divorce and abolished adultery as a criminal act.*
1857, Blackwood’s Lady Magazine
Red Crinoline, Taken at a recent trip to the Victoria & Albert Museum
Some historians of fashion argue that as women asserted themselves in the public sphere, they also asserted themselves through their choice of these massive, crinoline-enabled dresses. The skirts literally take up more space, demanding that people watch out and make way for their wearer. It’s impossible to ignore a woman walking down the street or gliding into a ballroom when she has a five-yard circumference. She demands attention.
Dress, ca. 1857, probably American (Courtesy The Metropolitian Museum of Art)
Walking dresses, 1855 France, Journal des Demoiselles
The Fall of the Crinoline
“The notion that ease and comfort must be sacrificed in order to express social rank, had previously governed the design of fashionable clothing. Now, at last, it seemed too great a price to pay.” (Willet and Cunnington, 152)
American, cotton, 1873 (Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
As with every fashion, the crinoline had its heyday and then was set aside for another trend. First, the crinoline was reshaped. In the 1860s and 1870s, it starts to push towards the back, putting more emphasis on the fanned back as opposed to the large, domed sides. Then, skirts eventually slim down. The crinoline was simply too big to be practical.**
If you are interested in more articles like this or would like to stay up to date on release dates and other news, please subscribe to my newsletter!
More Victorian fashion is available on my Tumblr ReallyOldFrocks.
*Up until 1857, obtaining a divorce was a difficult, expensive, embarrassing task. It required an Act of Parliament, and few people had the means to pursue a case. Unsurprisingly, it was also doubly difficult for women to successfully petition for divorce. A woman had to prove two complaints against her husband such as adultery, abuse, and neglect. A man? He just had to prove one of those complaints during the proceedings. Making such a case would be embarrassing, but he had the chance to bounce back socially. A divorce case would almost guarantee a woman’s ruin whether she was the party at fault or not.
**The physical dangers of the crinoline range from the very real to the ridiculous. There are anecdotes about skirts catching fire and women falling over only to wind up with their skirts over their heads (one story even includes the Duchess of Manchester). Even with quilted petticoats draped over the cages, in the winter the skirts were drafty with nothing hanging around legs legs to keep them warm. There was also a problem of propriety. If you sat down the wrong way in a crinoline, the entire drawing room got a very clear look at your undergarments. This was not an era where anyone got to look at a lady’s undergarments. How scandalous!
Sources
Cunnington, C. Willett, English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations, Dover Publications, 1937
Cunnington, C. Willett & Phillis Cunnington, The History of Underclothes, Dover Publications, 1951
Ewing, Elizabeth, Fashion in Underwear: From Babylon to Bikini Briefs, Dover Publications, 1971
Tagged: Angel of the Household, artificial crinoline, Britain, color, Crimean War, crinoline, dress, fashion, Great Reform Act, Married Woman's Property Act, Princess Eugenie, public vs. private sphere, skirt, suffrage, Victorian, woman's right to vote
January 20, 2015
Books for All!
So yeah, that was a longer blog hiatus than I meant to take. Sorry about that, everyone. The good news is that amid all of the day job and professional writer craziness, holidays, and family time, I actually got a lot of reading done. Several transatlantic flights will do that to a girl.
So here’s a big, long list of what I’ve read recently and am happy to recommend.
Romance & Erotica
Agnes Moor’s Wild Night
by Alyssa Cole
Short and deliciously not sweet. This is a multi-cultural historical erotic romance set in Scotland, and I can’t gush enough about it. The rafters of a great hall never saw so much action…
Radio Silence
by Alyssa Cole
I’m shamelessly plugging an Alyssa Cole that you can’t read yet (sorry, not sorry). It’s on pre-order until February 2nd, but I got an ARC and guys. Guys. I had no idea that I was into post-apocalyptic romance with hot Korean doctors, but I am. I really am.
Blamed: A Blood Money Novel
by Edie Harris
A little bit James Bond, a lot of hot romance with a sexy British hero. What more do you need?
Stripped (Volume 1)
by Alexis Anne
We’re several volumes into this very sexy rockstar romance from Alexis Anne. This is another I’ve been getting sneaky early reads of, and it’s hot. Very hot. The hero, Travis, also has a knack for being sexy and tender at the same time. Perfect.
How to Fall
by Mary Chris Escobar
If erotic romance and rockstars aren’t your thing, take a look at this book. It’s a women’s fiction with a sweet, slow burn romance that develops over a summer.
Literary Fiction
Dept. of Speculation
by Jenny Offill
I went on a depressing reading streak somewhere in late December-early January, and that’s when I read this book. Yes, it’s depressing (it’s about the rise and fall of a marriage), but, man, is it good.
Dear Committee Members
by Julie Schumacher
An epistolary novel told entirely in letters of recommendation written by a cynical, sardonic, egotistical English professor at a second tier university. This book is a masterful send-up of academic life.
Nonfiction
My Salinger Year
by Joanna Rakoff
My Salinger Year manages to capture the feeling of being a twentysomething year old woman living in New York City, broke but hopeful (and in a terribly dysfunctional relationship with a man you know you won’t wind up with). The writing is masterful. My sister and I both reached the 40 page mark before realizing that this is a memoir and not a novel. I didn’t want it to end.
Outliers: The Story of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell
To say that Outliers is out of my comfort zone is an understatement. Normally I would never pick this book up, but it was recommended so ardently that I took a chance. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Gladwell has an easy way with narrative, and his work makes you think about how you look at the world.
Inheritance: The Story of Knole and the Sackvilles
by Robert Sackville-West
I’m a sucker for family histories of the English aristocracy. There’s enough scandal and bad behavior in this book to make parts of it read like a novel, and it has added interest in being tied in with the history of the house.
Bad Feminist: Essays
by Roxane Gay
I love Roxane Gay’s collection of essays on everything from feminism and culture to Scrabble and questionable adult life choices. Some of the essays work better than me for others. I tend to get the most from her personal anecdotes or reviews of works I’ve engaged with (The Hunger Games books and movies). Although Gay doesn’t believe in trigger warnings, I will say that if you’re sensitive to rape accounts you’re going to want someone one to screen some of the essays in the Gender and Sexuality section.
Tagged: Alexis Anne, Alyssa Cole, books, erotic romance, erotica, essays, feminism, history, literary fiction, Mary Chris Escobar, nonfiction, recommendations, romance, to read
December 8, 2014
Under the Pear Tree
I have a present for you, dear reader. This holiday season I wanted to write a free short story to say thank you to everyone who has read my work and followed this blog throughout the year. Out of that came the idea for the 12 Days of Christmakwanzaka Blog Hop, hosted with my dear friend Alyssa Cole, and this Victorian-set historical. “Under the Pear Tree” is the story of two people taking a leap of faith to see if they can find their happily ever after together.
Happy holidays, everyone!
Under the Pear Tree
December 24, 1883
“We could play charades,” suggested Lady Hawley.
“Mamma, we played charades last night,” said her daughter, Margaret, in an indulgent tone. “It wouldn’t do to bore our guests. Don’t you agree, Eleanor?”
“Hmmm?” Eleanor asked, for she hadn’t been attention at all. Instead she’d been trying her best not to let her eyes fall on Lord Michael Hawley. Normally his rather handsome face would be a pleasant distraction, but not now. Not on this very disappointing Christmas Eve. “I’m sure whatever you pick will be quite enjoyable.”
Of course he was the reason for her disappointment, she thought as the other ladies went back to discussing the night’s agenda. He was the reason for everything. Sitting in spindly chairs at ball after endless ball, she and her London friends liked to dream of the day she became Lady Hawley—something that her family’s annual trip to the Hawley family’s home had confirmed would never happen. Ever.
Despite wearing her best dresses and putting on her brightest smiles, the baron had been nothing but polite and warm to her, almost brotherly. One afternoon she’d spotted a tiny package under the tree with her name on the tag, and her hopes had soared. Perhaps Michael had thought of her after all. But by evening it was gone again, no doubt mistakenly labeled for her by one of the servants.
Eleanor was coming to accept that difficult truth that all Michael saw when he looked at her was the little girl he’d once fished out of Blackburn Pond after her youngest sister, Charlotte, planted a frog in the bottom of Eleanor’s rowboat. She’d capsized in all her humiliated glory as he and Julian lounged on the bank watching and laughing.
Now, Eleanor sat contemplating how she could quietly slip out of the drawing room and retire to her room. Perhaps she could beg off with a headache.
She nearly had her escape route planned when Charlotte called out from across the room, “Let’s have carols, Lady Hawley!”
“Charlotte.” Her voice was a low warning that did little to hide her annoyance at her sister’s imperiousness.
Margaret clapped her hands, “That is just the thing!”
“I think that carols would be a lovely way to end the evening. Miss Morris,” Lady Hawley said, “will you accompany us? We all know you excel at the piano.”
So does every other gently-born lady in Britain, she wanted to respond. But Eleanor rose anyway. When the Hawley matriarch asked something of you, you snapped to it.
A dull pang throbbed in Michael’s chest as he watched Eleanor move to take her seat at the piano. He raised a hand to surreptitiously rub at the spot even though nothing was going to ease the ache. The plain truth was that he wanted this woman. He’d wanted her since visiting the Morris after his Grand Tour with Julian two long years ago. Eleanor had breezed into the drawing room fresh from a walk in the park, and his heart had dropped through the floor. He’d never quite found it again.
No doubt Mrs. Morris would be as overjoyed as Julian would be horrified if her eldest daughter formed an understanding with a baron, but Michael wasn’t sure how Eleanor felt. With friends and family she was all warmth, her joy radiating out with such brilliance that it was a wonder every man wasn’t in love with her. Around him, however, her smile seemed brittle. She grew stiff, as though his very presence made her uncomfortable.
And yet, he refused to go down without a fight. In the pocket of his dinner jacket, he touched her present wrapped in red and gold paper. It was a frivolous thing, but the idea struck him a month before and he’d been unable to shake it. He’d told himself it didn’t matter whether it pleased her or not, but it did. It mattered more than anything in all of England.
From his seat next to Julian’s, he watched Eleanor sit at the piano bench, the long skirts of her bustled dress fanned out behind her. Every instinct screamed at him to drag her up into his arms and finally claim her with a kiss. Enough of this waiting and watching, wondering if she could ever love him. He wanted answers.
Without another thought, Michael was on his feet and striding towards her. “Eleanor, you need someone to turn the pages for you.”
He hadn’t asked whether she wanted his assistance because he wouldn’t entertain the thought that she might banish him back to the corner of his own drawing room.
She didn’t look at him, instead turning her head slightly to expose the long, graceful slope of her neck. “Thank you.”
The rest of the guests began to gather around the piano. Michael slipped a hand back into his pocket and grazed her present with his fingertips again.
Soon.
Quiet had settled over Blackburn Manor by the time Eleanor opened the door of the room she shared with Charlotte and stole out into the corridor. Her back ached for she’d played late into the night. The merry little party sang every Christmas song and hymn she knew. “Deck the Halls”, “O Come All Ye Faithful,” even “Away in the Manger” although hardly any of them knew more than the first verse to the new carol. Despite her exhaustion, her whole body pulsed with energy.
She blamed Michael, of course. He’d stood so close to her, it was a wonder she’d been able to play at all. The scent of wool and spice enveloped her every time he reached over to turn the pages of her sheet music. Once he leaned a little too close and the cuff of his jacket brushed the bare skin of her neck. Awareness exploded through her body like fireworks, and her fingers missed a chord. She wanted to feel those sparks again.
Rather than stay in her room running through the evening over and over again in her head while her sister slept, she’d pulled on her dressing gown and slippers and escaped.
Eleanor crept along the corridor with nothing but the low flicker of gaslights to light her way to the library. There at least she could find comfort and distraction among the books. Softly, she twisted the doorknob and let herself in. The dying embers in the fireplace warmed the room, and the pine garlands that hung along the mantle scented the air. She closed her eyes to breath in deep. “Peace.”
“Is that what you’ve come looking for?”
Eleanor’s eyes snapped open, and she watched, stunned as Michael unfold himself from a wing-backed chair facing the fire. He wore no jacket or necktie. His shirt was undone at the collar, the sleeves pushed up to reveal forearms corded with muscle from years of riding.
It was all utterly indecent and thoroughly tempting.
Eleanor knew that she should turn around, march back upstairs, and hide under the counterpane. Instead, she swallowed her propriety and closed the door.
Michael had cursed himself when he’d been unable to separate Eleanor from her family at the end of the night. They’d tumbled upstairs in a ball of mirth, leaving him alone in the drawing room, her present still in his pocket.
But now she stood before him with her hair tumbling down her shoulders like a Burne-Jones painting, ethereal and angelic. She’d cinched her pale green dressing gown tight around her waist, but it gapped open a little at the top giving him a glimpse of the embroidered edge of a white nightrail. He wanted to slip his fingers along the edge and feel the smooth skin underneath.
He shook his head to clear the fog of lust clouding his mind. “Were you unable to sleep?” he started again.
“Perhaps I’m too excited for Christmas Day,” she said.
He grinned. “At least you’re wearing slippers this time. I remember one year you were caught creeping downstairs in bare feet to look at the tree.”
Her nose scrunched up. “How was I supposed to know that your father would keep to his early riding schedule even on Christmas?”
“He was like that.”
Her face softened, and she looked up at him through thick, black lashes. “I’m sorry to have mentioned him. It must be difficult.”
He shook his head. “We miss him, but we have your family with us.”
“And we make a cacophony loud enough to distract anyone. I do apologize,” she said in a wry tone as she brushed an errant strand of hair away from her face.
They stood there, the air humming with unspoken tension. Her state of dress was just this side of respectable, and he wasn’t much better. It should be so easy to just kiss her and find out whether she welcomed it, but there was something he had to do first.
Screwing up his courage, he stepped forward. “Eleanor, I have something for you.”
Eleanor froze as she watched Michael picked something up off of a low table next to his chair. It was a small, flat package wrapped in red and gold striped paper. The same one she’d spotted that afternoon and hoped was from him.
He held the present out, standing close enough that she could see the shadow of his beard coming in. She wanted to feel the rasp of his whiskers against her fingers. She could too if only she reached across the gap between them.
“I’ve been waiting to give this to you, but we’re so rarely alone,” he said, saving her from herself.
Excitement bubbled up in her. “Michael—”
“Take it. Please.”
She took the package, undid the gold ribbon bow that held the paper together, and opened the box. Nestled on a bed of white tissue was a thin golden twig with a pin affixed to the back of it. Her heart beat a little faster. He’d given her a broach. A lovely broach.
“Do you remember coming to Blackburn Manor one summer when you were just sixteen?” he asked.
She turned the piece of jewelry over between her fingers. “Of course.”
“You used to sit under a pear tree and read,” he said in a rush as though he, Lord Michael Hawley, was nervous. “The tree was dying and had to be removed this autumn, but I asked the gardener to keep a little bit of it for me. I had it made up into a broach because it reminded me of you.”
She blinked in surprise, hardly knowing what to say. It was such a little thing, and yet for him to remember…
“Michael, it’s beautiful,” she whispered.
He looked almost bashful now. “I hoped that you might like it.”
She let out a low, long breath. Then, before she could stop herself, she went up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. Her lips brushed his skin, and she started to pull back but his hand caught her around the waist. He gathered her to him, tilted his head just the slightest bit to the left, and finally—after years of hoping he would—he kissed her.
Michael’s lips worked over hers as she melted into him. He tasted like nothing she’d imagined. He was cool and fresh, and she opened for him just a little more so he could run his tongue over hers. The sensation left her just a little drunk on something she didn’t know the name of. When he finally let go of her she had to lean into him for support.
“Was that okay?” he asked, his thumb coming up to trace the line of her jaw. She nudged her cheek into his fingers until his palm opened.
“That was exactly what I wanted for Christmas.”
A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “I’ve waited far too long to do that.” Joy filling her so fully that she felt as though she might float out of the room. “I think I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you eating berries with your book beneath that tree.”
Her breath caught in her throat. He loved her? All of those nights wondering if he would ever look at her as anything but Julian’s sister evaporated. Toying with the fabric at his collar, she confessed, “I’ve loved you from afar for so long.”
He dropped a kiss to her forehead. “I wasn’t so very far away.”
Her fingers clutched at the fabric. “It didn’t feel that way.”
That earned her another kiss, this one as breathless as the last.
“I want to court you, Eleanor,” he murmured against her lips. “I would marry you tomorrow if I could.”
“On Christmas Day?” she asked with a smile.
He laughed. “Happily, but not without dragging the archbishop out of bed for a special license and risking gossip. I want everyone to know how proud I am to have you for my wife when we wed. I don’t want there to be any doubts that this is a love match.”
She tilted her head to one side, contemplating his proposal as he ran his finger down the length of her neck. “Julian will be horrified.”
“Julian will learn to like the idea. He’ll have to,” he said pulling her even closer to him. “Tomorrow I will ask your father’s permission, and if he agrees we can be engaged soon.”
Eleanor shot him a look. “Don’t believe for a second that Mother will stand for being left out of that conversation.”
He chuckled. “I learned long ago to fear the wrath of Mrs. Morris’ displeasure as much as my own mother’s. I will ask both your parents and then you can make up your mind about me.”
This. This moment was the happiest she’d ever been. All of the disappointment and waiting, the wondering and doubt fell away. All she knew was what it felt to be in the arms of this man—the man she loved.
She draped her arms around his neck and tilted her head back to smile at him. “Michael, I made up my mind about you a long time ago.”
Thank you so much for reading! This is the first day of the 12 Days of Christmakwanzakah Blog Hop. I’m sharing the day with the talented Falguni Kothari. You can read her story by clicking here.
And to see a full schedule of the authors coming up on the 12 Days Blog Hop, just click here or follow #12DaysHop on Twitter.
Tagged: 12 Days of Christmakwanzakah, 1883, Christmas, fiction, free, gift, holiday, kiss, love story, romance, short story, thank you, Victorian
December 1, 2014
The 12 Days of Christmakwanzakah
Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmakwanzakah Blog Hop! From December 8th to December 19th, more than a dozen of your favorite authors are publishing free short stories about the winter holidays. You can expect fantastic stories from contemporary, historical, M/M, NA, and YA authors.
Here’s a schedule of authors and links to their work. Check back throughout the blog hop for live links to each of the stories, and tweet along with us using #12DaysHop.
December 8
Falguni Kothari
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Julia Kelly
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 9
Audra North
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Alexis Anne
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Shari Slade
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 10
Kate McMurray
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Lashell Collins
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 11
Amber Belldene
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Tere Michaels
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Mary Chris Escobar
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 12
K.M. Jackson
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 13
Lindsay Emory
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Rebekah Weatherspoon
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 14
Recap Day
December 15
Lena Hart
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Jenny Holiday
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 16
Alyssa Cole
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Rebecca Grace Allen
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 17
A.L. Parks
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Dina Haynes
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
December 18
Alexandra Haughton
Kathryn J. Benson
December 19
AJ Cousins
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
T.J. Kline
Story | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Tagged: Chanukah, Christmas, contemporary, fiction, historical, holidays, Kwanza, M/M, New Adult, romance, schedule, short story, Young Adult
November 28, 2014
Black Friday Deal
The paperback version of One Week in Wyoming is 30% off on Amazon this Black Friday! Just use the promo code HOLIDAY30 at check out. Happy shopping!
Tagged: Amazon, Black Friday, deal, One Week in Wyoming, romance novel
November 21, 2014
“Concert Interruptus” & “That Damn Donna Reed”
Yep. This post is late. Late late late. Sorry about that. It’ll probably happen again sometime in the future.
A little housekeeping. If you live in the New York metro area, Videology in Williamsburg is hosting a Gilmore Girls watch party tonight. Details are here if you are so inclined.
“Concert Interruptus”
Air Date: February 15, 2001
Written By: Elaine Arata
Directed By: Bruce Seth Green
Other than a strong sense of satisfaction I got from seeing two bratty teenagers get smacked down, this episode didn’t do a huge amount for me. Perhaps that would be different if the following episode, “That Damn Donna Reed”, hadn’t completely messed with my head. Jury’s still out on that one. Anyway, you’re getting a pretty basic recap on “Concert Interruptus”.
Stars Hollow is having a rummage sale for charity. Since Lorelai has volunteered to collect for it, her entire home is overrun with everyone’s stuff. Conveniently, Rory gets assigned to a group project for her history class. They’re going to Rory’s house to plan for it because Madeline’s brother has measles, Paris’ mother is redecorating post divorce, and Louise’s mother is having an affair (no one blinks when that last one is mentioned). The group project meets up on the day that Sookie, Lorelai, and Rory are supposed to be going to a Bangles concert (I love you Susanna Hoff). Louise and Madeline are being nice to Rory, so in the spirit of buying her daughter friends, Lorelai suggests that they take the great concert tickets. Lorelai and Sookie wind up all the way at the back of the theater while the girls stand up front. Conveniently, the only two single, straight, college-aged boys ever to willingly go to a Bangles concert ever are standing behind them. Louise and Madeline go off with them to a NYC apartment party (not all they’re cracked up to be, trust me, ladies). Paris and Rory bond over their mutual decision to enjoy the concert and not openly defy Lorleai. When Lorelai finds out that the girls have gone off to a party at 1st and Waverly, she tracks them down and unleashes her kickass mom superpowers on the boys and the wayward girls. The episode closes on the rummage sale.
Favorite Quote
“Take heart, my dear. Suffer today, party tonight.” -Lorelai to Rory
Random Thoughts
-Lorelai’s casual style seems to be, “If you can spangle it, I’ll wear it.” This makes her sometimes resemble a seven-year-old who has gone wild with her first Bedazzler.
-Tristan creepily macks on Rory in History class and gets called on it by his teacher. Then he goes up to Paris and openly flirts with her in front of Rory. Rory doesn’t seem all that disturbed by this, but Tristan clearly thinks he’s making a point. I’m half convinced he’s going to grow up to stalk women.
-Is there anything worse than a high school group project? Probably, but I can’t think of one right now because I’m blinded by all of the awful group project flashbacks running through my head.
-There’s a whole subplot in this episode that deals with Lorelai enraging Luke by wearing his ex-girlfriend Rachel’s sweatshirt. She pokes and prods to find out more information about Rachel, and Sookie and Patty paint this picture of an adventurous photographer who traveled the world. Eventually we come to learn that Luke’s attachment to Stars Hollow was a breaking point for the relationship.
-Miss Patty is quickly solidifying herself as one of my favorite secondary characters. I love that she donates to the rummage sale the drum set she danced on at the Copacabana in 1969.
-I’ve always loved the “Hey look, a random band that has a CD to promote/is getting paid for an appearance” moment in TV shows. It’s even better when the writers attempt to work the band into a story line and it kind of falls flat on its face. Sheryl Crowe in GCBs was my favorite, a reference which I realize that like .02% of the population is going to understand so here’s the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOQOZLlOfpU
-Just for accuracy’s sake, I’m going to tell you that Waverly and 1st doesn’t exist in New York City. Don’t go looking for it, Gilmore Girls fans.
“That Damn Donna Reed”
Air Date: February 22, 2001
Written By: Daniel Palladino, Amy Sherman-Palladino
Directed By: Michael Katleman
Gilmore Girls, you were so, so close to warming my little feminist heart. Sadly, you dropped the ball in “That Damn Donna Reed”.
The episode opens with Lorelai, Rory, and Dean watching The Donna Reed Show. The ladies are making fun of the ridiculous 1950s standards that Donna is held to on the show, but then Dean steps in it:
Dean: She looks happy.
Lorelai: She’s medicated.
This reveals Dean’s belief that it would be nice to have a wife to come home to with dinner. It’s what his mother has done for his father for years. Both of the women (and I) stared at him in disbelief.
Let me stop for a second here and talk about my own feelings on gender expectations. I’m a feminist, a very proud feminist of the third-wave variety. If a woman wants to make dinner for her husband and be a Donna Reed-esque housewife and she has a choice to do that, that’s fine with me. The key word here is choice. What Dean does not seem to understand is that the character of Donna Reed* didn’t have a choice. The expectation was that, as a housewife, she would be making her home a beautiful, pleasant place for her husband. Her own desire to live in a beautiful, pleasant home was secondary. Her husband has no expectation of contributing to the household except to go out and work, something Donna can’t do because it would undermine his masculinity. Plus, you know, no jobs were really available to women of her social status. Yipie! Essentially, Donna Reed the character was constructed to reinforce the idea that this was the ideal situation for the middle class, American family. It is such, such bull.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-uh3XbUMfY
Back to Gilmore Girls. Rory is more than a little horrified by the idea that Dean would expect this from the woman he eventually marries. Rightly so. Dean, being a straight, white, American, male teenager, assumes that this is the way things will be. That assumption? It sucks, and Rory calls him out on it.
So I’m watching along, thinking, “Goodness, this is pretty progressive for a WB TV show at the turn of the millennium. Good for Gilmore Girls.” Then the wheels fall off the train. Rory dresses up like Donna Reed, cooks Dean dinner, and then agrees that it’s pretty great doing this for her husband-like figure. Gee, big surprise that Dean agrees.
Okay, I try not to be a hypocrite so a caveat. Rory chooses to cook Dean dinner (there’s that choice word again). Awesome for you, Rory. I can’t be mad about that. I do wish that it didn’t happen right after a fight in which your boyfriend didn’t seem to understand the issues with expecting that his wife have dinner waiting for him at the end of the day, but I can’t get picky.
Except I’m going to.
You see, while Rory learns that there are different ways to express and perform femininity,** Dean doesn’t seem to learn anything from this episode. The writers make a weak attempt at showing that the real life Donna Reed was a producer on her show, making her one of the first TV executives in the business, but we don’t see a real change in attitude from Dean. He doesn’t grow, and that frustrates me. I want a female-centric show with a lead who defies social norms by being a proud single mother to do better.
The rest of the episode focuses on Lorelai getting close to Luke. She convinces him to paint Luke’s which throws them into a lot of situations where they’re alone. Then, after nearly kissing him while hiding in Luke’s (for ridiculous reasons), Lorelai calls him to find Rory’s chick that has gotten loose. Conveniently, Rory is next door dressed up as Donna Reed, so the house is empty. Unfortunately, she really did mean it when she told Luke over the phone that she needed his help finding an escaped chicken. Later Sookie finds out that Luke came over and tells Lorelai that she’s got to figure her feelings out for this guy. Emily does the same before going scary, judgmental mother on her.
All is well and good and then a dude rides up on a motorcycle…and of course it’s the elusive Christopher! Rory’s father plays Cool Dad, telling his daughter that she should go for a ride on the back of his bike. Oh, and by the way, he’s going to be staying for awhile.
Fantastic. So we’re going to have Rory’s dad around, mucking everything up.
*throws up hands and collapses on couch*
I don’t even known what to do with this episode…
Favorite Quote
Lorelai: Excuse me, do you even know what stenciling is?
Luke: Does Martha Stewart do it?
Lorelai: Yes.
Luke: No stenciling.
Reasons Luke is Bound to Break Julia’s Heart
Luke kills Lorelai’s horrible lemon lamp in the hunt for the chick. He is a defender of good taste. Also, I sat through most of this episode screaming, “Kiss her! Kiss him!” at the screen (when I wasn’t being annoyed at Dean, of course).
Random Thoughts
-There’s a hilarious subplot in this episode about Emily and Richard not being able to get their usual house in Martha’s Vineyard for the spring season. It involves the most incredible shocked silence ever seen on TV over the suggestion that they might not fly first class to Europe in the fall. Richard and Emily sometimes remind me of two actors on an old 40s radio play.
-Not going to lie, my first reaction to Rory dressing up at Donna Reed and having Dean over for Donna Reed Night was, “Oh god, this is twisted. But I love her dress.”
They also talk about snatching up Martha’s Vineyard houses from dead people like New Yorkers speak about snatching up apartments from their dead tenants
-During a transitional shot, there’s a random guy playing a guitar and singing into a portable microphone amp thingy strapped to him. Who are you and what is the place called Stars Hollow?
*Who was a white, middle class, cisgender female TV character.
**I’m going to say right here that I strongly believe that choosing to wear pearls, lipstick, and heels doesn’t make you any less of a feminist.
Tagged: Christopher, criticism, Dean, Donna Reed, feminism, gender norms, gender roles, Gilmore Girls, Lorelai, Rory, strong women, third wave feminism, TV
November 17, 2014
What I Should Have Asked My Agent
Getting an agent was a tiring, emotionally draining process. I wanted to make the right move for my career, but how was I supposed to do that? I did some research and went through all of the steps you’re supposed to. I looked over the contract my agent sent me and asked a lot of questions. That was good, but now that I’ve had some time to develop relationships with other authors at different stages of their careers and heard the stories—good and bad—I realize that I’d missed some major points.
I’m fortunate that I lucked into a good agent whom I trust, but if I could do it all over again, I would tell myself to ask the following questions before signing just to make sure we were on the same page.
How does your agent-to-be handle non-compete and option clauses? If she doesn’t tell you straight off the bat that she will do everything in her power to fight them or change the language so that it is less restrictive on you, you might want to look elsewhere.
How does your agent-to-be handle rights? Not only do you want to make sure you can get your rights back if your publisher folds, she also should know how to handle digital, foreign, movie, and merchandizing rights. If she works with another agent or lawyer in those negotiations, who is that person?
What if you want to be a hybrid author? For many writers, a clear delineation between traditional and indie publication doesn’t make sense for their careers. They do both. How does your agent-to-be feel about you working on indie projects? Would she want a cut of an indie book that she does not represent? Is she supportive of you going solo for part of your career?
Can you break up with your agent if you need to? No one wants to think about an agent/author relationship going south, but sometimes it happens. Read the clauses of your contract dealing with separation very carefully. If you have any doubts about your ability to understand contract language, get a lawyer. You do not want to wind up stuck in a contractual relationship that’s soured.
What is your agent-to-be’s style, and what do you want from her? I think this is one of the most important questions to ask yourself. Some agents will do serious, line-by -line developmental edits. Others would rather you work with critique partners to get your manuscript in shape so they can focus on selling. Some are very friendly with clients while others keep clients at a more professional distance. You don’t have to be best friends, but you should be working with someone whose style fits yours.
Don’t feel ashamed about asking your prospective agent lots of questions openly. You’re doing what you need to in order to help protect the health of your career. Be polite, but also be informed.
And when in doubt, talk to your friends. There’s a good chance that someone in your chapter or in your personal network of authors knows someone else who is represented by a particular agent. Be discrete and gracious, but make sure to get the answers you need before signing.
Tagged: agent, contract, hybrid author, independent publishing, non-compete clause, option clause, querying, traditional publishing
November 13, 2014
“Paris is Burning” & “Double Date”
Hello all! We’re more than halfway through the first season of Gilmore Girls and I’m beginning to see why my friends adored the show when it was first airing. In fact, I was just on Twitter the other day trying to convince other unsuspecting romance authors to watch along with me. Whether they’ll take me up on my offer…well that remains to be seen.
You might have noticed last week that I’ve started tracking air dates, writers, and directors. I’m most interested in who wrote the shows as I’m curious to see if certain writers have easily identifiable tells once you’ve watched a few of their episodes. Outside of shows with strong show runners (Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Mad Men all spring to mind), I ironically haven’t really paid attention to TV writers. Time to change that for research purposes.
“Paris is Burning”
Air Date: January 11, 2001
Written By: Joan Binder Weiss
Directed By: David Petrarca
Welp, there goes Max, at least for the foreseeable future. Oh, Max. We hardly knew ye.
All you really need to know about this episode is that Lorelai and Max are dating, but Lorelai starts to pull away when she realizes how much she likes him, and then they kiss in his classroom on Parents Day. Paris sees them because of course she does. Conveniently, this is just the thing that Paris needs to distract the school from her parents’ very public divorce (hence the title). Rory gets mad at Lorelai. Emily gets mad at Lorelai. Rory sort of confronts Paris but it turns into a hesitant, “Hey, if you ever need me, I’m here,” moment. Lorelai and Max sort of break up when he tells her they should take a break. The show ends with Rory coming home and climbing into bed to comfort her mother who is crying.
Book Nerd Moments
Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way, Michael Crichton
Favorite Quote
Rory: You know what it means when a man loans you a book, don’t you?
Lorelai: That he’s already read it.
Rory: Yep.
Reasons Luke is Bound to Break Julia’s Heart
Yeah, Luke is totally wearing the hat that Lorelai gave him in the last episode. Also, he cleans her skates for her which is not a euphemism.
Random Thoughts
-“It’s a book. It’s meant to be read.” I could almost love you for that one line, Max. Too bad you’ll be gone in the next 40 minutes.
-Lorelai and Sookie have a friend fight in this episode and it sucks. Sookie correctly identifies Lorelai’s “get away dance” at the 2 month mark in a relationship. Lorelai says that she’s not breaking up with Max because she’s scared of attachment and then lashes out at Sookie in full-on jackass mode, calling her out for not being in a relationship in years. She apologizes immediately, but god does it suck. You feel for Sookie in that moment.
-Hey, woah! There’s a Rick James and a Hugh Grant prostitution reference all in once sentence in this episode. You can’t just drop that kind of thing in casual conversation and move on.
-Max is…uneven in this episode. Sometimes he’s totally confident and acting the role of alpha. Then, when speaking to Rory about what to call him outside of school, he’s clearly uncomfortable. Fine, it’s an awkward situation, but things get even weirder when he confronts Rory in the hallway at Chilton and asks if her mother’s coming to Parents Day. It’s like he can barely get a word out. Which Max is the real Max? We may never know (but with my luck he’ll show up in next week’s round of episodes thus making all of these dramatic statements moot).
-Lorelai tries to break up with Max in his classroom, but he fights for the relationship. Why is that a bad thing, you might ask. Because, dear reader, he comes across as a jerk who doesn’t understand why a single mother would want to protect her kid from her dating life. The scene left me really, really uneasy about him.
-Sookie asks Jackson out to dinner while he’s ranting about squash blossoms. Neither of them know what to do with this, and it’s fairly adorable.
“Double Date”
Air Date: January 18, 2001
Written By: Amy Sherman-Palladino
Directed By: Lev L. Spiro
A double dose of double dates on Gilmore Girls! So basically, the premise for this episode is that Lane pressures Rory into setting her up with a friend of Dean’s named Todd. Lorelai gets set up with Jackson’s cousin, Rune, after Sookie panics and asks him on a double date. Both dates fail spectacularly. Lane realizes that the boy she likes is a pretty vapid, uninteresting child and Rune openly hates on Lorelai for being too tall (she kindly doesn’t mention that he’s the worst person ever). Lorelai winds up chatting with Luke at his restaurant while trying to give Sookie and Jackson some time to themselves. Mrs. Kim, Lane’s mother, sees her and demands to know where the girls are. Turns out that they omitted some of the truth about seeing a movie with Dean, and everyone gets in trouble. The episode is resolved when Lorelai visits Mrs. Kim at the antique store and they have a nice moment including this weirdly sincere exchange:
Lorelai: I certainly don’t want Rory to turn out like me.
Mrs. Kim: I don’t want Lane to turn out like you either.
Bonding over teen pregnancy, folks. Works every time.
And because this is the Gilmore Girls and they must toy with me, Luke nearly, kind of, sort of, maybe asks Lorelai out at the end of the episode, but it’s so vague no one will ever know.
Get it together guys. Seriously…
Okay, this week we’re talking about two things:
The horror that is setups
The difference in the types of social pressure placed on teenage girls and boys when it comes to relationships
We all know that Lorelai loves Sookie and wants her to get a real shot with Jackson when she allows herself to be subjected to a setup date. In fact, she so unenthusiastic about it, this is how the conversation ends…
Sookie: You will not regret this.
Lorelai: Pick another phrase.
Sookie: You will not have to pay.
Lorelai: Much better.
And yet this is what you do for your friends.
Now, that doesn’t change the fact that most setups are awful (even more so when they come in the form of a double date). I’m sure that somewhere out there, there are couples who met under these conditions and are perfect matches for one another. Most are not. Setups are horrible because your friend/s want so badly for two people they love to find their love.* At some point, we’ve got to realize that things like, “You love dogs…and he loves dogs!” does not compatibility make. Friends don’t set friends up unless they’re dead sure that the chemistry is going to be off the charts.
And onto the subject of teenage boys…
Lane’s relationship (or lack there of) with Todd represents all of the disappointment one feels as a teenage girl who just discovered the totally cute guy she likes is really, well, a teenage boy. It also shows us the vast differences in the emotional expectations placed on boys and girls in their teenage years.
My wonderful dude friends from growing up aside, most teen boys are kind of disappointing. I think a lot of that has to do with what we ask of boys and girls in their teenage years. Girls mature faster both emotionally and physically than boys, true, but society also tends to put early pressure on women to select a partner and settle down. Women are conditioned to seek a relationship at an early age, so we’re told that we must also know what it is that we want in a boy/man.
I wanted the 16-year-old boys I had crushes on to be the Darcy/Wentworth/[insert other hero] to my Elizabeth/Anne/[insert other heroine] because that’s what you’re supposed to want when you’re a 16-year-old girl, right? Yes, I’m sure that hormones has something to do with it, but the benefit of hindsight is that I can honestly say I was not emotionally ready for any sort of relationship in high school. And yet I remember feeling like I should want one. None of the boys I knew were being told the same messages about culling through the swarms of teenage girls around them to find the ones that best fit their idea of a future wife. The message is sometimes subtle, but it’s always there.
Poor Todd in this episode doesn’t really have interests. He doesn’t know who he is because the world isn’t asking him to know yet. Yet Lane has a strong sense of who the 16-year-old version of herself is. She’s likely more naturally inclined to be intellectually curious than Todd, but she’s also being asked to know these things already. She’s subliminally had it drilled into her that she should have interests and values and motivations that she can then measure up against Todd’s interests and values and motivations. And how disappointing when he don’t seem to reach past shooting soda through his nose?
Book Nerd Moments
The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath (Oh Rory, you little feminist, you. I can already tell we’re going to be best friends.=)
Favorite Quote
“I have to know where you are at all times, especially when you have my shoes on.” -Loelai
Reasons Luke is Bound to Break Julia’s Heart
He is just as bad as Sookie is about asking someone out on a date. Also, apparently the way to settle disputes at Luke’s is to play poker.
Also, still wearing that hat…
Random Thoughts
-The cold open to this episode is a wonderful continuous, non-verbal shot of the Gilmores going through their morning routine. Coffee, Pop Tarts, getting each other dressed. They’re perfectly in sync, and it is an excellent example of showing us their bond instead of telling us about it.
-Poor Lorelai is studying for a business school exam and looking to distract herself. I was the exact same way when writing my master’s thesis. I also show signs of doing this when I’m midway through the first draft of a book (like I am right now).
-Hey, Dean got a haircut! Now he’s slightly less floppy-haired than before.
-Michel is back. Although not particularly quotable this week, I missed his snarky, French face.
-Melissa McCarthy’s makeup and hair is always spot on. She must sweat the least out of any chef I’ve ever known.
-You know what’s awesome about this episode? Never once is implied that Sookie has trouble dating because of Melissa McCarthy’s weight. Sookie is nervous and doesn’t know how to assert what she wants and in a panic all at different times during this week, but all of those things are aspects of her character. Most other TV shows would use this as a teaching moment about accepting yourself for who you are at the best of times or a chance to get a laugh at the worst. Gilmore Girls does neither of those things, and that’s something to love about the show. In not saying something, it’s actually saying something very big.
*It’s also much easier to schedule couples dates that way (excuse my cynicism).
Tagged: bad dates, blind dates, dating, expectations on girls, feminism, friendship, Gilmore Girls, Lorelai, Luke, Rory, setups, Sookie, teenage boys
November 10, 2014
The Fandoms That Made You
The other day I was catching up on email when I came across Gail Carriger’s monthly newsletter. I’m always interested in what she has to say (and what she’s been wearing recently), so I clicked on a link called Gail Carriger’s Origin Story. In this article, she outlines the five fandoms that made her the person she is now. Turns out that she was influenced by this article from The Nerdy Girlie. I immediately messaged my sister, and we started to hash out the five fandoms that made us who we were. This is what I came up with (in no particular order).
Illustration for Trollope’s “Can You Forgive Her?”, E. Taylor, 1865 Source: Steig, Dickens and Phiz, Plate 3
1. Victoriana.
I’m in the middle of writing a trilogy of Victorian historical romances right now. The manuscript I used to get my agent was set in 1881 London. I don’t think it’s very surprising that Victoriana has been one of the biggest influences on my life both as an author and a consumer.
It started when I was in high school. I read pretty much every 19th century novel I could get my hands on. Besides Jane Austen and Fanny Burney (who really is late 18th century but I consider her a strong precursor to Austen), most of my reading centered around the Victorians. Elizabeth Gaskell and Anthony Trollope are still favorites when someone asks who my favorite authors are.
And then I went to college. Declaring a history major very early on gave me the freedom to run wild in the Victorian era. I wound up focusing my study on Victorian female sexuality (through a post-structuralist lens… super pretentious, I know).* From clothing to calling and courtship practices to prostitution, all of it was fair game. I loved reading about social history and getting my hands on primary source material. I became best friends with my college’s temperamental microfiche machines.
I’m not a scholar any longer, but I still read widely about the Victorians.** When you study history, so much of how you look at the world is influenced by the work you do. I can strongly say that my ideas about and appreciation of feminism was strongly influenced by my study. And also my writing which leads me to…
2. Romance novels. I’ve written before about the first romance novel I ever read. It was cracktastic, and I loved it. I fell into reading as many romance novels as I could, and then graduated from sweet Kensington Zebra Historicals to more explicit books (many of them had kilted highlanders on their covers).
I read romance novels all through high school and college without really finding anyone who felt the same way about these books. I loved falling into the narratives and swimming around in the characters’ messy emotions. From Regency to contemporary, I read everything I could get my hands on. I’m still doing that now because my love of those books has only grown as I’ve started to write my own.
3. The X-Files. My first fandom. I was babysitting my sister when I was in seventh grade and flipping around the channels trying to find something to watch. It was the top of the hour, and I landed on Fox. Since there was a cute guy on the TV, I stayed on the show and proceeded to lose my mind over the course of the hour. I had stumbled upon the a re-airing of season one, episode one of the X-Files. After the episode was done, another came on. I binged watched before binge watching was a thing.
I watched episodes new and old loyally until the show got unredeemably bad. However, in those few years, I was hooked. Everything was X-Files. I clipped out episode recaps, got the now-defunct fanzine, read the novelizations. I read fanfic (my first!). While most girls were head over heels for Devon Sawa (and would soon discover the wonder that was Titanic-era Leo), I had it bad for Fox Mulder. I know there are geek girls out there who feel me on this one.
4. Doctor Who. In 2007 I was studying abroad in the north of England, and I had a lot of downtime on my hands. British universities require far less class time and fewer (if any) regular assignments from students. Compared to the work I did at my college back in the US, I had loads of unstructured time–and that was after doing the recommended reading for my various classes. So what does a 21-year-old with a bad habit of waking up early no matter how late she stayed out at the clubs the night before do? Consume as much British TV through streaming websites as possible.
I found Doctor Who out of necessity. I’d blown through Black Books, The Mighty Boosh, and Spaced not to mention seen all of the movies at the local movie theater I had a pass to. I’d heard of Doctor Who, but I always assumed it was a children’s show that my mother watched when she was growing up. However, I decided to give it a try and proceeded to binge watch five episodes of the Christopher Eccleston reboot that night. I became obsessed.
In 2007, very few people were watching Doctor Who in the US because the availability was extremely limited.^ I tried describing the series to my sister who started watching along with so at least I had her to talk to, however it wasn’t until 2008 that the show exploded in popularity thanks to BBC America’s airings. Suddenly we were all fans of the Doctor, and that was just fine with me.
My love of Doctor Who has not kept up with the show’s schedule. I have major problems with Stephen Moffat and his portrayals of women on this show. I suspect I’m also suffering from overexposure as I have no desire to watch through the last Matt Smith season and into the Peter Capaldi years despite a deep love for Malcolm Tucker. But despite all of that, Doctor Who will always exert a strong cultural influence on the things I love.
5. Film noir. I’d grown up reading mysteries with content well outside of my age range. My seventh grade English teacher actually pulled my parents aside to ask if they knew I was reading The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler and L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy (likely due to prostitution story lines in both novels and a certain incident with a garbage disposal in the latter). I remember my mother blinking and then saying yes. If I could understand the content of the book, I could read it.
Perhaps it’s no surprise then that I gleefully dove into film noir later that year. I’d been watching classic movies for years, but this genre was eye opening to me. Double Indemnity, The Lady from Shanghai, The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, Chinatown, L.A. Confidential, The Big Easy, The Sweet Smell of Success, Sunset Boulevard — I loved it all. And then I found Laura.
I’m going to get on my soapbox here and say not enough people in this world have seen this movie. Otto Preminger directs Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney in this 1944 masterpiece. It ticks all my boxes: a grouchy New York City detective, a career woman more suited to movies in 2014 than 1944, Clifton Webb as his most acerbic, great clothes, a haunting score, a romance, a young Vincent Price, and Judith Anderson being her usual flinty, badass self. This movie wormed its way into my brain and planted itself there. Just… trust me on this one and watch it.
Time to tell me about the five fandoms that made you. Leave a comment or write a blog post of your own!
*I could nerd out very, very hard right now but I’ll save you all of that squee. Also, hopefully by now you’ve figured out that this is where my propensity for footnotes comes from.
**And fight the urge about every six months to go back and get a PhD or at least a masters in History.
^Read: mostly viewed through highly illegal means.
Tagged: Anthony Trollope, black and white movies, Black Books, Chinatown, Christopher Eccleston, classic movies, culture, Dana Andrews, Doctor Who, Double Indemnity, Elizabeth Gaskell, fandom, Fanny Burney, film noir, Fox Mulder, geek, Gene Tierney, James Ellroy, Jane Austen, Judith Anderson, L.A. Confidential, Laura, nerd, Otto Preminger, Raymond Chandler, reading, romance novels, Spaced, Sunset Boulevard, The Big Easy, The Big Sleep, The Lady from Shanghai, The Maltese Falcon, The Mighty Boosh, The Sweet Smell of Success, Victorian London, Victoriana, Vincent Price, X-Files
