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Monthly Archives: March 2008

from Medical News Today:

Women who drink three cups of tea a day “are less likely to have heart attacks and strokes,” the Daily Express reports. The newspaper adds, however, that “strangely, no added benefit of tea drinking was found among women who only had one or two cups a day or for men”.

The article goes on to say that this study doesn’t conclusively prove that tea aids womens’ hearts, but heck, I am a selective news-taker, so I am going to drink my tea and feel smug that I’m doing something for my heart.

I drink a lot of tea. My heart must be AWESOME!

Can you tell I am moving tomorrow, and all I can think about is relaxing? With a cup of tea? And maybe a handsome guy (btw, my husband is quite handsome. As is my son).

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I’ve decided to go to London this spring for a few days. The major purpose of my trip is to visit the Old Man my Father (who is not a tree) but for the first time in my life I’m going to stay for a few days in London and play tourist. And it seems weird, but I feel I don’t know the city at all, despite having lived there for a few years (a long time ago); the last time I was there was ten years ago.

Stuff changes. I think the only city in England, other than my home town, that I feel I still know, is Bath–i.e., I don’t get lost immediately after leaving the train station. But London is always changing and reinventing itself.

So, on the list so far:

Burlington Arcade. Super posh, the world’s first indoor shopping mall and almost 200 years old, and still with a policy of keeping out the riff raff (it was built by Lord Cavendish who lived next door and was tired of people throwing oyster shells into his garden). Not that I’m going to buy anything there; but looking is free.

The Sir John Soane’s Museum, which I’ve heard is amazing and full of Regency goodness.

And from there, a quick jump over the river to The Globe. Will I get to a performance? Maybe. The friend I intend to meet up with in London is a real theater fan.

While on that side of the river, there are a few other places I’d like to go to, including the house in Deptford where Marlowe was murdered–apparently it’s still standing though I haven’t been able to find anything out about its location.

And further east, but on that side of the river, Greenwich–old pubs, the National Maritime Museum (full of Nelson goodness as I remember), the Cutty Sark, and the view over the river to Hampstead on a clear day; and also whatever spiffy new developments are on the other side of the Thames now. If I can, I intend to get there by river, going past St. Pauls and the Tower and all that good stuff.

So if you were in London for two or three days, what would your agenda be? (Noting how unfavorable the exchange rate is to the dollar). And do you like to plan or just do things on the spur of the moment?

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I’m continuing to immerse myself in research for my hero’s military background. I didn’t want to break from it even during my Easter travel, so I brought along THE SPANISH BRIDE by Georgette Heyer. It’s the fictionalized account of Brigade Major Harry Smith and his bride, Juana, whom he married after the siege of Badajoz, and their succeeding adventures from the Peninsular War through Waterloo.

A review on the inside cover from The Sunday Times states “Altogether, it is an exceedingly able reconstruction of historic events, in which the love story, though delightful enough, takes second place.”

This was probably a necessary warning to fans of Heyer’s Regencies that this book is not one of them. Personally I think the review is spot-on; I found the descriptions of military life far more interesting than Harry and Juana’s romance. There was plenty of story conflict in terms of the war but not much romantic conflict. Apparently it was love at first sight, and neither cared much for culture differences. Harry spoke fluent Spanish; Juana adjusted readily to the army life. The story is peppered by minor marital spats followed by passionate reconciliations, all of which would have been merely annoying had they not been brief. In fact, a few times I felt Juana was behaving like a melodramatic teenager before I remembered that she was indeed only fourteen when they married and just seventeen by the time of Waterloo.

Anyway, even though the circumstances were more exciting than usual, Harry and Juana’s story isn’t the stuff of a romance novel. That cover quote made me think about what people think of as a love story. Some diss romance for being unrealistic. I’ve always thought it was because they don’t believe in happy endings. But maybe it’s the other way around. I know many happily married couples whose stories (met at a party, dated, fell in love and decided to marry) are just not that interesting to anyone but those close to them.

Maybe some people think a romance novel is all one long romp in a flowery meadow and there’s no conflict worth following. Maybe they don’t realize that romance authors try to give their characters deeper problems to solve than most real life couples face. And these problems are not only external, such as the hazards of war Harry and Juana Smith faced, but something that challenges the relationship. Admittedly, some authors fall short, relying on misunderstandings or cardboard villains to keep things going. It’s probably one of the toughest challenges in writing a romance: to come up with two people who are perfect for one another and a powerful and believable problem that their love will have to overcome.

What sorts of conflicts do or don’t work for you? If you have read THE SPANISH BRIDE, what did you think?

Elena
www.elenagreene.com

Welcome to the Risky Regencies JANE AUSTEN MOVIE CLUB!

Here we dish, dissect, debate, deride, and drool over various dramatic adaptations of Jane Austen’s works.

Today: the ITV/A&E version of EMMA from 1996. (You may have noticed there were actually two Emmas in 1996 — this is the Kate Beckinsale version.)

To aid the discussion, here are the major credits (with trivia in green):

DIRECTOR: Diarmuid Lawrence

Lawrence directed the 1987 BBC miniseries of VANITY FAIR.

SCREENPLAY: Andrew Davies

The much-celebrated Davies wrote the screenplays for the 2008 SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, the 2007 NORTHANGER ABBEY, the 1998 miniseries of VANITY FAIR, and (most famously) the 1995 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

CAST:

Kate Beckinsale — Emma Woodhouse

Mark Strong — Mr. Knightley

Bernard Hepton — Mr. Woodhouse

Hepton played Sir Thomas Bertram in the 1983 miniseries of MANSFIELD PARK.

Samantha Bond — Mrs. Weston

Bond is another veteran of the 1983 MANSFIELD PARK; she played Maria.

James Hazeldine — Mr. Weston

Samantha Morton — Harriet Smith

Morton played Sara Coleridge in the movie Pandaemonium (2000); Sophie in the 1997 television miniseries of TOM JONES; and Jane in the 1997 JANE EYRE.

Olivia Williams — Jane Fairfax

Williams recently played Jane Austen in the television movie MISS AUSTEN REGRETS.

Prunella Scales — Miss Bates

Here’s one I haven’t seen, but wish I could! Prunella Scales played Lydia in the 1952 BBC miniseries of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. (Has anyone ever seen this version? It starred Peter Cushing as Darcy!)

Sylvia Barter — Mrs. Bates

Raymond Coulthard — Frank Churchill

Dominic Rowan — Mr. Elton

Lucy Robinson — Mrs. Elton

Robinson appeared in another Davies-scripted Austen: she was Mrs. Hurst in the 1995 miniseries of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

Guy Henry — John Knightley

Dido Miles — Isabella Knightley

Peter Howell — Mr. Perry

Judith Coke — Mrs. Goddard

Alistair Petrie — Robert Martin

So….what did you think??? How did the script work for you? The casting? Or anything else?

All opinions welcome!

And join us next Tuesday, when we discuss the new adaptation of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY!

Cara
Cara King, who rarely scolds puppies, and never talks about her caro sposo in public

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So many people wake up in the morning wondering, “What is Diane up to?” I thought I would do a Diane Update.

Writing Life: This has been a good month for Riskies, writing-wise. I’m very happy to announce that Harlequin/Mills & Boon have given me another book contract, 4 books and 1 novella (the one with Amanda and Deb Marlowe). (Yippee!) I’m leaving the world of people that began with The Mysterious Miss M and writing what I call my Three Soldiers Trilogy, still in the Regency. Three soldiers experience the same traumatic event in Spain that affects the rest of their lives.

Health and Beauty: I am still trying to lose the weight I’ve put on since 2003 (I won’t say how much but I don’t weigh as much as that scale shows!) My latest attempt is with the South Beach Diet. I’m not following the meal plans, because I am so-not-a-cook, but I am following the food guidelines. Basically South Beach means giving up bread, pasta, potatoes and candy (Sniff!) but it has been surpisingly easy—for the first week. As Keira knows, I also go to Curves. My goal is to go at least three times a week. Burning question–Can I lose the weight by the RWA Conference this summer?

I also caved in to the Leeza Gibbons infomercial for Sheer Cover Make-up. I like it! But I also like Bare Minerals, which I first purchased from an infomercial a few years ago. Here’s a nice discussion of both.

Entertainment: Amanda’s convinced me I should see Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Not hard to do, because I recently saw Enchanted and have become an Amy Adams fan. I LOVED Enchanted! How nice to see a happy movie for a change. Enchanted, by the way, is on sale at Target this week at $14.99! (I have also watched the Kate Beckinsale Emma on Masterpiece and can’t wait for Cara to discuss it!)

Wednesday I am going to see Merriweather Post’s Hillwood House here in Washington, DC. Marjorie Merriweather Post was a great collector of 18th and 19th century European and Russian art. The house features a room with an Adams ceiling, if I am remembering correctly.

That’s it! Breathe a collective sigh of relief that you are now up-to-date on Diane, something I also attempt on my website. By the way this is the last week for my website contest, with a Kathryn Caskie book as one of the prizes.

So….what is your news in Writing, Health and Beauty, and Entertainment? I wake up every morning wondering….

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