Inspiration from the Classics

Posted by Merry in Merry's Blog      No comments

Oct
7

During another frustrating wrestling match with insomnia last night, a few more pieces of the Ithyria puzzle clicked together in my head.  Right now it feels like I’m trying to write the remaining four books all at once – and in a way I am, because I have to at least have most of the major plot points, characters and locations worked out in my head so I can build them into the framework of preceding events. 

Anyway, the elusive fourth book in the series has had me hung up for a while now.  I had only the vaguest of ideas for one of the main characters and the location, and a hint of how it might be tied into the overall story arc, but beyond that I was at a loss as to how to develop the characters, the central romance OR the secondary adventure story in a way that might fit into the rest of the series.  *sigh*

But, as I was laying there trying desperately to stop thinking about Ithyria so I could sleep, my rebellious imagination began coming up with familiar movies or literary works that might parallel the main romance of each planned book.  Almost immediately, the fourth book’s correlation with my favorite novel in high school, The Scarlet Pimpernel, suddenly became glaringly obvious.  And thinking of the story in those terms suddenly brought a bunch of things into focus.  An entire section of the story arc that had previously been just a gaping gray question mark came abruptly into view, with color and voice and location and character, and I was sooooo excited by all the new possibilities it brought with it that sleep was truly an impossibility at that point.  HAH!

But, knowing I had to get up for work today,  I eventually got myself to sleep by taking a few sleeping pills and promising my brain that I would blog today about the list of Hollywood & literary works that could be (admittedly very loosely) compared to the planned plot development of the Ithyria books.  *gringrin*  Besides, I thought some readers might get a kick out of a little sneak peek at what’s to come. So without giving too much away (I hope), here’s the list:

Book One (Sword of the Guardian) = The Bodyguard

You know, the Whitney Houston / Kevin Costner movie that was all the rage when I was in… erm… middle school.  ^^;  Rich, pampered superstar falls in love with her stoic, unimpressed personal bodyguard.  Lots of danger, intrigue, romance and sexual tension, yes?

Book Two (Prayer of the Handmaiden) = The Thorn Birds

 Epic ‘70s novel turned 80’s miniseries about an Australian priest in love with a married woman.  He’s constantly trying to reconcile his feelings for her with his religious aspirations.  More yummy sexual tension and emotional angst, and that old favorite theme, forbidden love. 

Book Three (Title To Be Announced) = The King and I

A modern teacher arrives in a strange foreign land to teach the king’s children about her more “civilized” way of life.  In the process she learns to set aside her own prejudices, and realizes that in order to teach others she will also have to learn some important lessons about herself.

Book Four (Title To Be Announced) = The Scarlet Pimpernel

No one suspects that this foppish, flamboyant British dandy is actually the elusive, clever daredevil who’s been secretly smuggling families out of France, right under the noses of the Revolution’s most powerful leaders.  But his beautiful wife doesn’t know of his secret identity… in fact, she might even be a spy for his greatest enemy. 

Book Five (Title To Be Announced) = Romeo and Juliet

Born on opposite sides of an ancient feud and destined to be mortal enemies, two headstrong teenagers nonetheless fall passionately in love.  Ultimately they’re willing to defy their families in order to be together, even if it means death to them both.

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Of course I’m not going to copy-and-paste a bunch of heterosexual plotlines into a lesbian Ithyria. It’s just that I’m seeing some correlation between these familiar classics and the romantic tension I want to create in each Ithyria book.  Drawing upon these as inspirations has really, REALLY helped me flesh out parts of the series that I was beginning to get very frustrated with! 

Now if only I had more time to actually, you know, write…

Anybody else finding inspiration for your work in older Hollywood favorites? ;)

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