In which my theme song is "Happy, Happy, Joy, JOY!"
Last week, lovely reader Jackie sent me a set of photos she had taken of herself in full Lady Julia rig! She commissioned a costumer and milliner to make a gown and hat from a description in Silent on the Moor, and the results are truly spectacular. Her dressmaker is the extraordinary Christine Hall, and her milliner is doing gorgeous things over at Topsy Turvy Designs. (I am warning you, do NOT click on those links if you don't have time to spare, because you will seriously fall down the rabbit hole. I could spend hours marveling at the pretty.)Jackie's friend, Michael Haight, a wonderfully talented photographer, took the pictures, and you can learn more about him here.
I am tremendously grateful to Jackie for sharing the pictures, for two reasons. First, they are just too lovely for words, and I am always amazed and humbled when readers are inspired by Julia Grey books to go and do something creative for themselves! I always say that my Julia Grey is mine, but the Julia Grey you read is yours and both are entirely valid. It's such a thrill to see a reader's take on how Julia would present herself. (And I was a little spooked that Jackie accessorized this ensemble with a peacock fan because there happens to be a decidedly different peacock in Dark Road to Darjeeling...) So, bouquets of thanks to Jackie and everyone else who worked so hard to make something so beautiful and let me share it with my readers.
*Please note, I'll be appearing on Anjuelle Floyd's BlogTalk Radio show, Book Talk, Creativity, and Family Matters on Saturday, April 24 at 3pm ET. You can click on the link above to listen, or phone in if you have questions to ask. The call-in number is 347-215-7740. See you there!
(Housekeeping note--this blog was supposed to post last Monday, but my website's server is in a fight with Blogger, and woeful things have happened as a result. Also, please note that as of May 1, my blog will no longer appear on Blogger because they are eliminating the publishing platform I use. I have no idea how the transition is going to take place, but you can always find me by going to the main page of the website, www.deannaraybourn.com and scrolling down to the blog link. If you click on your bookmarks and I'm not there anymore, just click around and you'll find me, I promise!)
Comments
My pleasure, Rebecca--and I
My pleasure, Rebecca--and I will be chatting with Anjuelle again in October, so I hope you tune in.PK, the book is the fourth in the Lady Julia Grey series. She's on the road, in India!Dan, I keep my focus by making a priority of what is important and letting everything else go. Some things I delegate, some things I simply refuse to worry about. (I am still learning how to do that, by the way!) Right now, I am concerned with being a good writer and author--different jobs, really, and with being a good wife/mother/daughter. Everything else is gravy. Luckily, I adore my family and my work, so it's easy to make those a priority above everything else!Kim, she's lovely--I am gutted that they weren't up last week! *shaking my fist at server* But they are up now, and I hope everyone gets to see how delightful she looks.
those pictures are gorgeous!
those pictures are gorgeous!
I love the photos of my
I love the photos of my friend Jackie...they are beautiful!
I love the
I love the photos....beautiful!
Thank you so much for your
Thank you so much for your openness about your writing life and your personal life that adds to your ability to write the wonderful novels we love.You advice and stories about writing is such inspiration:)Thanks again so much,Rebecca W.
The pictures are lovely.
The pictures are lovely.
They're wonderful--I thought
They're wonderful--I thought it was you at first--and I noticed right away the peacock fan, which i never knew was part of Victoriana or bad luck or somehow connected with India until the Victoria Holt book THE PEACOCK FAN--- which reminds me, did you ever read a book called ZEMINDAR? It took place during what the British call the The Mutiny of 1887, and the siege a Lucknow, and won an MM Kaye award for historical romance or something---it's long, but I came out with a healthy distrust for huge global trading companies, or should I say, huge global companies, and more knowledge of the British and Indian history--I know have a book written by an Indian whose family have lived in Lucknow for centuries,which tells about the siege from the other point of view. Hope you had a lovely relaxing week out in Vegas !!!
Question: I saw a listing
Question: I saw a listing for Dark Road to Darjeeling. No other info except the release date. Can you tell me about it?Thanks!PK the Bookeemonster
I was quite concerned about
I was quite concerned about your no-show for 6 days. Thanks for the heads up on the May 1 transition. Marvelous photos of Jackie. And the links!! A whole new world!
I listened to your interview
I listened to your interview and wished I had heard more about TDTF, but what I did learn was that success is not just talent. It makes endless demands on your time. How, in the world, do you keep your focus? I look forward to the next Lady Julia adventure, but make no secret that TDTF is my new favorite. The characters were the most colorful, and just begged to be cut loose in a sequel, especially Charles and Florian - what a team they could be.