My Friday tea guest this week is world traveller, amazing artist, book cover designer and historical romance writer, Marianne Theresa.
Like me, Marianne is an inverate traveller and as an artist, her inspiration both in her paintings and her writing is visual so without further ado, sit back with your favourite cup of tea and enjoy Marianne's post on:
Favourite Places that
Inspire me to Write.
Thank you Ms Stuart for having me here.
While I'm a Historical Romance Writer at heart, all my
stories do tend to gravitate to the, shall we say, decadent side of sensuality.
Now I know Ms Stuart gets a tiny wee bit flustered
with topics on the erotic side (AS...just a tad...) , so today I chose to talk about what inspired me
to write Historical in the first place and share 5 Places (out of a possible
1000) that instantly get me through a blocked moment in writing, or create a
continuing or fabulous new direction for my stories.
My first introduction to romance novels
were my mum's Mills & Boons I found around the house. But it wasn't until I
was able to purchase my own books that I stumbled across my very first full
length Historical novel. It was called A Rose in Winter by Kathleen E
Woodiwiss. I simply devoured that book. And my preferred choice of reading
material in my late teens was set.
When I EVER feel the need to connect with the past for
writing, I will always pick up a Historical Reference book or one of Kathleen's
Novels. (AS...How can you go past that cover?)
Which brings me to what I wanted to share here.
Unlike the newer generation, I'm of the fraternity that
didn't have the opportunity to travel overseas until years later down the
track (AS...indeed, in "our" day it was finish school/uni and straight off to work...). And when I finally did it was to Europe and UK that hit the top spots
for me. Why ... because that was the historical landscape that captured my
imagination, inspired my creative mind and spoke to my heart.
Amazing Place #1 The Netherlands
Holland was the first Overseas place I visited, other than
Hamilton Island - off the coast of Queensland. :)
My DH has relatives who live in Den Haag, so it was a
natural choice to begin there. As it is not a place of my heritage I did not
have an extensive knowledge of the Netherlands. I did know of several of her
cities, Amsterdam, Delft & Den Haag, were home to the world's most famous
Old Masters - Artists, at one or other in their career.
I also knew about Delft Pottery and Windmills. That was
about it.
But it is much more than that. Holland is a treasure trove
of the past. It's history is entwined with nearby countries of Europe as well
as UK. And through the Dutch East India Company many countries throughout Asia.
We were fortunate to be staying right in the middle of the city of Den Haag. So
we walked right intpo history each day. The Royal Palace is there. The
Mauritius Art Museum, where you can find many of Rembrandt & Vermeer's
famous artworks. Museum De Gevengenpoort (The Prison Gate) is a
former prison. Inside this Medieval Building is a fascinating collection of
Punishment and torture devices that will certainly awaken any visitor to the
history of criminal Law. Naturally, as a historical writer, I was thoroughly
enthralled.
(AS...I am writing a book at the moment that involves the VOC...the Dutch East India Company. Fascinating stuff! Did you know that they murdered the entire population of an island in Indonesia just to protect the precious nutmeg? They gave "ruthless" a whole new meaning!)
Amazing Place #2 Italy
Ahhh what can I say about Italy?
What can't I say about Italy ... Rome, Venice,
Florence, Pompeii, Assisi, Milan, Bologna and too many other exciting places to
mention.
For me, walking the cobblestones of our forefathers is as
inspiring for a historical writer as it gets. What's not hard to to stir the
imagination or to reminisce about when you are sitting on a stone wall admiring
the ruins of the Colosseum.
Days spent wandering around the City of Rome,
marvelling at the amazing monuments, thankfully still standing, is a moment
forever implanted in my writers mind. In a world where wars have taken a toll
on our most treasured icons, many now disappeared, this was one City that I
truly hope endures for future generations.
When I think of the city of Rome, I think of Artwork and
History on every corner.
(AS: The Via Appia stands out for me as the most interesting thing I did in Rome...but I need to spend so much more time in Rome!)
Amazing Place #3 England
What can I say about England, the place where my
imagination bubbles with ideas & possibilities.
Is it about London
Town, Wales, Cornwall, Dover? Is it the castles, royalty, wars, power, the
romantic age of the tall ships? I think it is all of the above and much more.
Perhaps it's because as a Commonwealth nation learning about the motherland was mandatory in school.
As a Romance writer I am more interested in the nature of
life lead by my characters in history. People say there is struggle in today's
times, but it WAS a different struggle back then. To me I see it as a harder,
more determined struggle to learn know and achieve more. Maybe that was because
of the newness of humanity. Growing from not knowing or having much to
learning, conquering new ways. Class distinctions interest me. Laws that determined how people, spouses neighbours were
treated.
Amazing Place #4 Scotland
Ahhhh, Bonny Scotland.
There was nothing I did not or could
not, love about this country. The rugged coastline, the beautiful Isles, the
magnificent hillsides with their ancient stone walls that flowed across the
hills and valleys, from one land-owners property to the next. We weren't lucky
enough to see the heather out in bloom, but we did see the bare vine growing in
the stark harsh environment, that would flourish and coat the hills in a gown
of lavender.
The city of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Castle is simply one place
that need more time to soak up the long history. There is an ambience about the
entire place that had my mind bubbling with story possibilities. I need to
return there. And what Historical writer & reader would not be taken back
to a time long forgotten when couples would defy father & King, race
dangerously against family and time to cross the border into Scotland and marry
at Gretna Green - all in the name of LOVE.... There are beautiful monuments in
the car park now.
Amazing Place #5 The Rocks in Sydney-Australia
And last but not least, the beautiful Rocks area of Sydney.
The first place where the Europeans of the First Fleet settled. Actually all of
Sydney is a perfect place to reminisce about days of old. There are plenty of
new - scattered among the old, you just have to spend the time searching and
discovering.
I believe we have the only, paying-passenger Tall
Ship in the world, moored at Darling Harbour. The James Craig makes a day trip
out through the heads, once or so a month.
There are amazing Arts and Crafts on sale at The Rocks
Markets. There's Museums and Walking Tours full of history, available to
Aussies near & far, and tourists, throughout the year. There may not be as
many old buildings as the European countries, but we have a unique country that
has a tale of its own to tell ...
You just have to go out there and discover it. (AS...the Australian Tourism Bureau should employ you...)
Thanks so much for letting me share my inspirations with you and your guests Alison. Let's hope I might have inspired others to look around this glorious world for creative ideas - no matter what field they are in.
Marianne's first book is a Contemporary 10k Erotic Romance set in
Sydney - a stone's throw away from the Rocks.
Thanks so much for letting me share my inspirations with
you and your guests Alison. Let's hope I might have inspired others to look
around this glorious world for creative ideas - no matter what field they are
in.
AS: It's been an absolute pleasure, Marianne and it has stirred my restless spirit.
