Ponder, ponder

[maderr]

I wish I had more confidence in writing period pieces. The closest I get is the Trilogy of Knights stories I'm writing, and those are a fantasy setting so I don't have to be terribly accurate.

I am dying to write slashy spins on two tried and true romance premises - that of the highwayman and that of the governess. The highwayman story would be mad fun, I've got it mostly down except I doubt I could do the setting properly. Maybe I should hit up the romance section of the bookstore *snort* I don't think they'd let S and I back over there, we died giggling the last time we ventured over to that section. AND HE WAS A VAMPIRE *dies laughing*

Anyway. The governess premise - didn't boys get tutors back then? Since obviously a chick couldn't teach them things like arithmetic and stuff. So angsty, reclusive lord and a tutor. It should be fun, if I could just get a handle on the time period.

Of course right now I'm stuck on the two stories that will wrap up A
Trilogy of Knights. I keep hoping the pieces will come together, but alas they are still alluding me. *goes back to pondering*

Comments

[raielchan.livejournal.com]

Mmm, strict governess.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

You know, if you want that desperately to be tied up and spanked, there are places you can go for that. I'm pretty sure a buddy at work could give the address for one or two clubs.

[raielchan.livejournal.com]

Uh, I think I'm good ^_^;;
Besides, I get all the abuse I need from you and S :P

[kiyoshi-chan.livejournal.com]

Governesses were mostly for general looking after children. They taught stuff like etiquette and things like that, most probably not in formal lesson-type settings. If I'm not wrong, tutors mostly didn't stay with them, although that probably depends on the father. And there might've been different tutors for different subjects.

The concept of the highwayman was very much romanticised, I think. I mean, fundamentally they're bandits, but in romance novels (...okay, I'm being redundant) they're all suave and whatever.

(Sorry if this gets posted twice. LJ's being a bit weird.)

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know the basics. I wasn't planning on the tutor staying in the house. I mean I figured part of the fun stuff was that he had to leave everyday. Quite a bit different than a governess, who is like a shadow in the house. I mean tutors had lives, other pupils, reputations, a (albeit small) place in society - the dynamics would be totally different.

And yeah, Highwaymen are way romanticized. I mean, I'd be doing the same thing, I'm not gonna lie. But again, the dynamics change. That's what makes it so much fun. Highwayman seduces flighty Iamstrong! woman who keeps getting lost in the woods and later redeems him blahblahblah but a guy...he would actualy be on a level about equal, if not *above* the highwayman. The authorities would listen to him and he wouldn't have to "sneak off" to go investigate. Plus, you know, good little boys don't make it known that they're kissing bad little boys in those days. It would be mad interesting, if I could just get comfortable trying to write in an historical setting.

[kiyoshi-chan.livejournal.com]

Heheheh. I agree. It would be interesting to see. XD

Mm, true. Gun-fights, ahahaha. XD (Sorry, random thought in my head, is all. :P)

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Gun-fights, I think old west. Oh, man if somebody wrote a slash western I think I'd actually start to like the genre. (or if rykaine would finish hers)

[kiyoshi-chan.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of dueling. XD

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Ah, well then.

[mailechan.livejournal.com]

Depending on what time period you choose, a lord might not have a "tutor" so to speak as much as a "companion" who also taught lessons, or arranged for scholars to come and teach his charge specific subjects.

If you are looking for someone who does not actually live in the same place, try starting in the age that Charles Dickens worked with. As a matter of fact, go look at some of Dickens' works, because I think that he has a couple of books where his characters ARE tutors.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Ah, you are brilliant. What would I do without Head Advisor Maile?

[mailechan.livejournal.com]

Probably muddle along without me. ^_^

Want something from Katsucon?

[maderr.livejournal.com]

I would be forlorn.

Oooh, temptress. I am slowly growing addicted to shitajiki, so if you find'em cheap I wouldn't mind one of those. *Especially* if you found Matantei Loki or God Child.

[mailechan.livejournal.com]

A good example of a "companion" is in Louise May Alcott's Little Women. Brooke, who ends up marrying Meg is Laurie's companion.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

I'll have to see if I have that or Dickens lurking about anywhre. If not, they're always on sale at bookstores. Sweeeeeet.

[indigoraven.livejournal.com]

Eh, everyone is offering classics and I was going to offer up a couple of romance novels. Mind you, these are not your fluff and sex stuff that Mary used to read, but people who had much more of a grasp of the period. If you're interested, let me know.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Interested! Interested!

[lemmus-egregius.livejournal.com]

reclusive lord and a tutor

Hahahahaha, it's John Eyre!

Um, I don't really have anything productive to say. But as long as you pretend you know what you're talking about, I certainly won't second guess any question of historical accuracy.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

John Eyre. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

[nepenth.livejournal.com]

ohhh. tutors and angsty pupils. i just see some wonderfully slash fest meets shakespeare ^______^ but what time period are you going for? what country? but either way i know you'd write that wonderfully.

and highwaymen. all i think of is my favourite poem - Alfred Noyes. there is a beautiful rendition of the poem that Loreena McKennitt sang. maybe that would help get you into a romantic mood ^_________^ ::snoggles::

[maderr.livejournal.com]

I have no idea, other than that highwaymen were more common in midtolate 1800's?

And oooh, yeah. She did an awesome job with that poem! I remember I read it over and over and over again growing up. It was sad but so damn romantic and cool.

[lady-of-numenor.livejournal.com]

Possibly totally irrelevant, but there is a HP/DM story very like what you described. It's rather like what you do with fairy tales actually, except this author has done it with Jane Eyre. The two story series is here http://www.restrictedsection.org/file.php?file=822
though I believe you have to be signed in to access it.

They are Part I, Hedge of Thorns, and Part II, Only Castles Burning, by earthquake. I loved them.

As I've never talked to you before, I should say that I'm Marie, and I adore your stories, esp Midsummer and the fairy tales. I just discovered your LJ in an attempt to find fics not yet posted to your site...and was happily successful!

*waves hello sheepishly*

~Marie