Aurora: Blog

When I finished off chapter 8 I wanted a cliff hanger and what better way than to bring back the man from the Home Office, you knew he'd be back to collect. When I submitted it I was feeling somewhat depressed, actually lower than a dacshunds knackers, and the idea a of writing more wasn't a happy thought - many creatives are like that - and then I had a comment from De11al and the mind went off again. He (or she) suggested that I had as many characters as yer average Russian novel - well, let's face it they have very long dark nights - and it would be difficult to maintain the level of interest in future chapters. Now, when someone tells me that something can't be done (within my areas of expertise) I invariably set out to prove them wrong, and I am often successful. So 'difficult' shouldn't be too much of a challenge, should it?
My previous stories have been about a small group of people who meet, do something and live (mainly) happily ever after, but this is more of a saga winding its way through the characters lives, with the central ones being joined by others, who then leave again as we go along, sometimes going off to do something, sometimes dying, or what ever. Just like life. So the brain cell got to work and by this morning there was the germ of an idea and after a day doing the monthly shop, I mean, how boring can it get, there is a fair bit of flesh on the bones.
The upshot is that chapter 9 has started, although it will be a week or two or three before you see it.
Martin

I have a feeling there may be a break for a while because I am very busy. This chapter has taken a while to put together and I hope those who are following Jake's adventures enjoy it.

Having realized that I had a historical precedent for Jake's business I was fired up and wrote something completely different. A couple of chapters back we had uncle John's funeral with flashback and we are still filing in the time up to that event - yes even I have trouble with the time line but I think it hangs together. You have UK weather to thank for this chapter because we have unpleasantly cold weather even here in paradise, and I don't feel like going out to my workshop, and as far as the garden is concerned just forget it.

Just before Christmas depression lifted sufficiently to start on this story, and I got quite a lot written. But it has been hard work with long spells doing other things and thinking about what would happen. I'm still not sure whether it is right, and I'm sure someone will want it to go on. It might... or it might not.

On another subject I keep saying that Jake White will continue, but there was something not gelling until I saw a snippet about Libertys in London. My Granddaughter would like to live in the shop, and almost did whilst she was a at uni. Anyway it put several things into my mind so I think I know what Jake is up to next. Don't hold you breath though because the 'honeydo' list is almost unbelievable.

Chapter 6 is up for posting. I have endeavoured throughout this story to ensure that everything is as accurate as reasonably possible and this has involved a fair amount of research. So the stuff about railway and coaching can all be confirmed and Aurora reaching 19 knots is perfectly possible - USS Eagle has been clocked at 21 and she is no clipper. Journey times are all historically accurate and yes, sewing machines were invented in the 1840's. So we have reached 1858 and in order for the story to continue I have had to play fast and loose with... ladies dresses. At this time crinolines were still in fashion - you can date ladies fashions throughout history to within ten years - and even when these were superceded by more manageable skirts (with bustles, one of my all time favourite fashions, yeah I'm a pervert) the dresses were still extremely complex, and getting access to a ladies, umm... private parts, wasn't easy, a quick roll in the hay wasn't likely. Similarly women didn't have nightdresses they could shed easily so that they could 'get down to business'like these girls do.

But as I have said in other places, like the good old British 'red tops' why let facts get in the way of a good story. But I felt you ought to know just in case someone decided to take me to task.

M