Posts Tagged ‘writing historical fiction’
Looking for Stillwater: Miles Franklin’s Goulburn
Posted in Uncategorized, Writing and research, writing fiction, writing inspiration, writing life, tagged Australian literature, Goulburn, Miles Franklin, writing historical fiction on December 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »
The Red Velvet Waistcoat
Posted in dressing your characters, North Queensland History, The Kuranda Railway, Writing and research, writing historical fiction, writing inspiration, Writing romantic fiction, tagged North Queensland History, The Historic Malanda Hotel, writing historical fiction on March 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Every Saturday evening I put on my best 20-year-old Doc Martens, my red velvet waistcoat, fine double hunter Victoria hallmarkeked silver pocket watch and off I go to the Royal Hotel…(John, 76, The Sunday Mail, 8 March, 2015)
The letter from John in the Sunday paper had my long suffering daughter scratching through her wardrobe for ‘that velvet and lace stuff you bought at the op-shop’ – she drew a line at the Doc Martens – ‘Mum, I’ve got homework to do, you know.’ But I was determined. I wanted a picture for my blog and a balm for our Sunday drive picnic to the local waterfall gone wrong (sorry, Brisbane, but that ain’t no real waterfall). I wanted romance, dammit, and what could be more romantic than the image of an old gentleman dapperly adorned in a red velvet waistcoat and fob watch? Did I mention my current WIP is an historical romance set in the Far North Queensland tropics where real waterfalls reign?
Picture the historic Malanda Hotel, a picnic and a grand ball to celebrate the arrival of the first train to ever grace the Atherton Tablelands from Cairns, the building thereof a masterly feat. The year is 1909. I have a setting, an era, a heroine in a lace ball gown and my hero? Yep, he dons a red velvet waistcoat and a silver fob watch. Shame about the Doc Martens but they’ll just have to wait for another story.
References:
Dressed In Fiction, Clair Hughes, 2005
the Australian Novel 1830-1980, John Scheckter, 1998
The Woman’s Historical Novel, Women British Writers, 1900-2000, Diane Wallace, 2005