to-day, dear readers, I have a very special guest to be welcomed in my garden walk. I have been honored the very dear pleasure of having Miss Elizabeth Rose of
Living on Literary Lane for tea and scones to introduce to you her newest published book:
Violets are Blue.
"Hello, Miss Elizabeth! 'Tis a pleasure to have you again in my garden walk. First, I must again congratulate you on your publishing of your first novel Violets Are Blue. Perhaps, might you give a short summary of the book, and what inspired you to develop the characters?"
Violet Bradshaw has an idyllic life. With her best friend since infancy, Lillian Prescott, living just a few blocks away, and the beautiful shoreline right at her fingertips, Vi can't imagine calling any place other than Eastbourne home. And then her parents make the decision to move their large family to bustling and dirty New York City, leaving Vi's perfect world shattered on the ground. Determined not to lose touch, Violet and Lilli send letters back and forth across the Atlantic, keeping up their friendship though an icy sea now divides them. When Lilli sends Vi an especially excited note saying that the whole Prescott family will be coming to America — and on the unsinkable Titanic, no less — it's all Vi can do to contain her excitement. Can April not come sooner?
{via pinterest}
I wanted to write about a family that was not broken, unrealistic though that may sound. Too many stories nowadays begin with the premise of failing relationships, and then end — surprise, surprise! — with everyone working through their differences, loving each other, and essentially using up the whole novel only to get to where they should have been on page one. I hoped to portray a family that faced the storms of life together. The Bradshaws are very much like my own parents and siblings, and whenever I felt lacking in inspiration, I had only to observe those around me. Other sources that inspired me are classic family stories, such as Little Women, Anne of Ingleside, and Marianne and Elinor's relationship in Sense and Sensibility.
"What sparked your interest in the Titanic era?"
The Dear America book, Voyage on the Great Titanic, by Ellen Emerson White, has been a favorite of mine since childhood, and was what first introduced me to the tragedy of the Titanic. I was quite intrigued with the infamous ocean liner's end, mainly because it came as such a shock to those of that period. A ship so grand, so luxurious — why, nothing could possibly sink her, right?
I hardly need answer that question.
"If you could spend a whole day with one of the characters in your book, who would it be?"
Spending a day with Violet would be nearly the same as spending the day with Emma, or Helen, or Anna, as they are in each other's company for the majority of the day. Should I choose to tag along with Robert, we would probably end up at the wharf eventually — the pull it has on that lad is practically magnetic. I think I should like to pass my hours at the forge with Mr. O' Neele and his daughter, Mary. Just think what interesting tidbits of news I'd pick up.
"At what age did you become fully interested in writing a book?"
I started my first book, a story about a young girl named Rose Marion who lives in the fictional town of Window Bay, MA, around age eleven or twelve. Naturally, it is hardly worth reading now, but it still holds a special place in my heart, as only one document can ever bear the title of First Book. Before pursuing novel-writing, I wrote poetry, plays, and journaled regularly.
{via pinterest, originally from this site [precede with caution]}
"Did you ever suffer from writer's block when you wrote Violets Are Blue? What inspired you to keep writing?"
Ah, the horrid disease! Yes, it did strike, though I would not allow it full control. There were a few moments — mainly during NaNoWriMo 2010 — where I felt ready to quit, but the promise of finishing a real book and holding the published edition in my hands was enough to encourage me to push forward.
"Who are some of the authors that inspired you to write this book?"
I am and continue to be inspired by many authors, and cannot name one who single-handedly influenced Violets Are Blue. I am penslain almost daily by the various works of C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, and most recently, Victor Hugo (naturally, that is but a small portion of the list).
"Can you give any advice for those aspiring to be future published writers?"
The best advice I can offer from my own meager experience is read good books. Spend time in the words of the greats, and learn what it is that made them excellent word crafters. Next, perservere. There will be many a time when writer's block will grasp you with it's fearsome claw — do not give it the pleasure of triumph. Even when your story seems to be going nowhere, or if you feel discouraged by the works of the greats, keep writing. There is no better way to learn how to write a book. As Benjamin Franklin said, experience is the best teacher.
Thank you, Miss Elizabeth, for kindly including me on your book tour. I wish you grand success on your newest published book and on future writing projects.
______________________________________________________
be sure to visit
her lovely inglenook to read letters straight from her writing desk or
here to read more about her unsinkable journey. oh, and be sure to visit
amazon, to purchase a copy of this book. :)
