Matches and Matrimony - A pride and prejudice game

Although I've always thought it was a good idea to create a game about classic books, this was not what I had in mind. Which is not to say I didn't enjoy it.

I discovered this little game yesterday and admittedly played it for a few hours. It is basically based on Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion.

Darcy, the Bingley sisters and Lizzy.

First of all, you can choose your own name. You have two sisters (a red-headed Jane and Lydianne). They only use a few characters so some characters take on multiple roles. Lady Lucas in the game also takes you to the Lake District and also takes you to London (like Mrs. Jenkins), although the fall from Persuasion now takes place there instead of at Lyme. Your sister Lydianne falls and turns into Louisa but is nursed back to health by Brandon, thus ending up as Marianne. 

Mr Bennett, Jane and Mrs. Bennett.

Mr. Wickham is now called Mr. Wickeby (he is a combination of Willoughly and Wickham) and Bingley is now called Edward instead of Charles. He's supposed to be Edward Ferrars. At the end up the Bingley plot, news circulates of him having wed Miss Darcy. This is however false. Instead, Mr. Darcy has married Caroline Bingley!

I really enjoyed having Colonel Brandon randomly show up after my character (in Marianne-mode) played at the piano. However, I didn't care for his red hair and silly beard. I was also thrilled to see Captain Wentworth, who is a favourite Austen man of mine. He was dashing in his red uniform.

The game is fun to play but a few things bothered me. First of all, some of the characters did not look very Regency. Some of them are walking around with their hair down and for some bizarre reason Mr. Bennett and Lady Catherine are dressed from a completely different period - and not from the Victorian era, although it is said that is the setting for the game. I also don't like that the characters are wearing the same outfit throughout the game. It's a period piece. I would have liked a mini-game to choose the most suitable outfit.

It is also quite difficult. To play the game, you select activities to get through the Monday - Friday. Different activities give you different points. You can gather points for: Willpower, Talent, Kindness, Sensibility, Propriety and Wit. Sometimes, you cannot progress because you lack Willpower points to speak up. The first time I played, this caused me to accept the proposal from Mr. Collins! -shudder-

With Lady Catherine the Bourgh's confrontation, I had too many Propriety points to disobey her and if you did not save the game recently, that basically means you're screwed. There are 9 possible endings (one of which is Collins and another is not getting married). 

Charlotte and Lizzy

Once you finish the game once, you can request information on how to get a certain suitor and you have the option to ''get a head start'' and fast-forward to chapter 10 with all the necessary attributes to get to that point. One of the things that amused me is that you can also end up with Bingley, in which case you have to get his sisters to like you. In this ending, Jane marries Colonel Brandon. 

Overall, I thought the dialogue also ran too long and I kept clicking to move on. Especially with verbose characters such as Collins and Mrs. Bennett, it went on and on. Maybe if you are not familiar with the story yet, this will interest you. But for someone who knows the dialogue inside out, it is not very interesting. 

Luckily, once you have gone through a certain dialogue once, you can skip it next time. You progress through the story by selecting dialogue. The options you are presented with depend on your skills. A very kind person might say this but a very improper person might say that. What you say to the characters affects the storyline and it is worth saying that with Mr. Darcy, being difficult and stubborn is what gets him to like you. The first time, I agreed with him, danced with him straight away and as a result, he did not like me. How singular!

So far, Wentworth is my favourite ending. That letter just gets me every time. If you're stuck, there is a walk-through up on YouTube. You should check it out. I do find the narrator obnoxious, though. 

3 1/5 stars

Graphic Sex Scenes in Romance Novels

Maybe I'm old-fashioned but I just don't like gratuitous sex scenes in novels. I don't see why they're romantic or even sexy. If anything, they make me giggle. There's something really over-the-top about these scenes. They just don't seem realistic and especially in historical novels, feel really out-of-place.

Would a shy débutante really let a rake ravish her in the corner of a ball room? The thought makes me cringe. I remember skimming through my mum's dirty novels as an adolescent. I'd enjoy the banter between the hero and the heroine but all the heaving bosoms? These scenes did nothing for me. I usually skipped them completely because romance can be expressed in other, more effective ways. I much prefer witty banter or a stolen kiss.

Historical novels are also filled with cliché characters, such as:

* The roguish, dashing Highlander
* The innocent, virginal English rose
* The witty, spunky heiress
* The conniving relative

I am sure there are many others. There are few original characters left anymore but unless written really well, these archetypes are tedious to read about. If you are going to flout historical accuracy by writing racy sex scenes, at least make the characters fun. What about a clergyman who falls for a courtesan? What about a woman accused of witchcraft finding love in her cell?

And then there's the covers. What's sexy about an unrealistic fellow rippling with Photoshop masculinity? And then they lean over the heroine, whose dress is half undone and spilling with cleavage. The word tacky comes to mind. I can't help but think that this sort of soft-porn only appeals to middle-aged housewives with expanded waistlines. But looking at the steady sales of such novels, I must be mistaken. Give me the classy covers of Heyer any day. Modern authors like Amanda Grange or Abigail Reynolds, too, use historical covers. And I think they're gorgeous.

The possibilities are endless. I always have a dozen potential stories in mind at any given time. Some are abandoned, others never reach the page. The point is: I write romance without sex scenes because I am more interested in the journey of falling in love. I grew up watching Jane Austen and being a re-enactor of the Regency period. Whether I like it or not, it has affected my writing.

So yes, I am old-fashioned. But is being a hopeless romantic really that bad? I would rather wait for the right one than end up with ten wrong ones.

Mermaids in New Orleans Opening Excerpt

I wrote the first chapter from a New Orleans perspective. I leave the world building for later on (I received feedback that there was too much too soon in the London version). In this version, they have not yet discovered the existence of mermaids.

New Orleans, 1860

Chapter 1

As soon as Heloise entered the drawing room, all went quiet; the family rarely conversed in her presence and when they did, it concerned trivial matters or polite enquiries. But this time, they had asked for her especially and Heloise wondered why. She stole a quick glance at Mrs. Wilder but her expression was as impenetrable as always.

“You rang, madam?” Heloise said in a soft French accent.

Marianne Wilder, a sallow, thin person of forty, inclined her head. “As you might know, we are hosting a soiree tonight.”

Heloise bit her lower lip. She certainly did; she’d spent many hours polishing the silverwork and dusting the carpets for the occasion.

“Mr. Lark has made a historical discovery and means to introduce it to the world from our home. This is a great honor for us and it is of the utmost importance that he leaves this house with a favourable impression. Is that understood?” Mrs. Wilder demanded.

Heloise whispered in the affirmative, her dark lashes fluttering at the prospect.

Mrs. Wilder scrutinized the girl’s face; her sun-kissed complexion, brown eyes and the black curls that slipped from her colourful turban. Heloise took a deep breath, her hands clasped in comfort and Marianne caught a glimpse of her bosom in the tight, cream dress.

“We must find you something else to wear. This would be highly inappropriate.”

Mrs. Wilder eyed her daughter, Sophie – a plain girl of eighteen with a wide jaw and a predilection to pink garments with an abundance of ribbons; Sophie did not listen to the conversation but engaged in needlework. Mr. Wilder, by contrast, read the newspaper.

Marianne sighed. “For tonight, you can wear Catherine’s uniform.”

And, with a glance of disapprobation at the turban, she added: “And you will wear a servant’s cap. That is all. Leave us.”

That did not leave much room for discussion. Heloise wanted to speak out and beg the lady to leave her heritage untouched. But that would not aid her suit. I could be dismissed and then where will I go? Back to the plantation? To the French Quarter like my sister? Never! I would rather beg on the streets than sell my body to strangers.

Heloise nodded, curtsied and left the room. Once the door closed behind her, she balled her fists and muttered under her breath. As the only Creole slave girl in the house, no one would understand or judge. It brought her solitude as well as loneliness. When Heloise returned to the kitchen, Sarah rushed to her side to learn what had been discussed.

“So, what did the family want from you?” she asked.

Sarah could rarely contain her curiosity and sought excitement above all else. They had become fast friends since Heloise joined the household a month ago; however, they had little in common besides their profession and interest in literature.

“They want me to wear Catherine’s uniform. They deem my own dress ‘inappropriate’. I can’t wear my turban either.”

Sarah chuckled; her green eyes sparkled when she laughed. “They want that Mr. Lark to marry Sophie. I heard the missus say so myself. They probably think that your attire would draw too much attention – although they still want you to be there to show Mr. Lark how generous and open-minded they are.”

Heloise washed some dishes. “Why? What sort of man is Mr. Lark?”

“He’s a politician – rumored to be the next governor or something. His party believes in equality – even for slaves.”

Although Heloise had no interest in politics, she hoped he would prevail so her kind could soon live life as they saw fit. If she were a free woman, she would seek employment aboard one of those passenger airships. Travel had always eluded her but she found it of great interest. She wished to go to Europe; to visit Paris, the birthplace of her ancestors.

“Would you like to try on the uniform?” Sarah teased and elbowed her.

The uniform fitted her rather well; the two ladies were similar in size and build but as Heloise peeked into the mirror, she scarcely recognized the person staring back at her. She looked almost American, though rather tanned for a Southern belle. A well-travelled woman or an Italian immigrant perhaps.

The rest of the day was spent preparing the house for the rich and powerful of New Orleans. For Heloise, it would be her first social event. She knew little of etiquette and refinement but she often watched Sophie as she descended the staircase looking very grand and fine. Heloise stood in front of the mirror and emulated a few gestures she had observed. Her hands moved with grace and for a moment, she felt like a débutante.

“The first guests will soon be here. We’re expected downstairs,” Sarah warned her and off they went. 

The servants gathered at the front door, ready to take a coat or hat. When the doorbell rang, Heloise swallowed but it was simply an old lady. Many guests flocked to the house and Heloise began to feel secure.

“Mr. Lark!” Mrs. Wilder exclaimed and a tall, blonde gentleman approached her. His bow was deep and respectful; he straightened his back and gestured at the door.

“I have brought a friend – a man of great importance to what I am about to impart tonight,” he said and a man entered.

“Mrs. Wilder, allow me to introduce you to the most feared bounty hunter in the New World, Captain Gabriel Faulkner of Neptune Sorrow, the greatest ship in the Seven Skies.”

In Search of Setting

I've finished the first two chapters of Residue (working title). Not bad for a week, eh?

However, I am giving my setting some second thoughts. Dru Pagliasotti has graciously sent me a link to an article he wrote on Steampunk and it entailed some of the clichés in the genre.

I am guilty of one: setting the story in Victorian London. What can I say? I love England and since I am a great Jane Austen fan, I imagine it as the epitome of elegance for my characters to go there and immerse themselves in the Season.

So, should I change it? I can. I've only written a few pages. But then what should I change it to?

Right now, I am considering Paris. That place where fashion was born, the courtesans were powerful and painters gather on the Montmartre. It has a little something, doesn't it?

I ran it by my Mum and she also had a few suggestions: Dublin, Vienna and Prague. Obviously, having lived in Dublin, I could easily transport the story to that place. It will always have a special place in my heart. Vienna and Prague I have never visited and know little about.

What do you guys think? Steampunk Egyptians? Highlander air pirates?

Or should I stick to London?

Steampunk novel opening excerpt

London, 1888

Chapter 1

Usually, the only enjoyable aspect of the Season was the underground boxing matches. Men were never as agreeable as when they were bloody, sweaty and out of breath. But there was no boxing tonight. Instead, they had been invited to a ball. Everyone who was anyone was present. Unfortunately, every nobody in the radius of 50 miles had bribed a way in as well.  Many miscreants weaseled about the room, begging for a dancing partner. Siobhan MacKenzie beheld the spectacle from the safety of a secluded corner. A light tap on the shoulder made her turn. Her dearest friend and accomplice, Cecilia Stayn. They exchanged a curtsy and a knowing smile.

 “I just arrived. Please tell me I did not miss the compulsory debutante blunder,” Miss Stayn said.

Cecilia had an everlasting smile. Golden locks escaped her fashionable hat and she wore an exquisite red gown with plunging neckline. Siobhan often envied the looks of her friend, especially her fair complexion and light figure. In contrast, Siobhan was rather freckled and curvaceous – though many suitors admired her for it. Sadly, her lack of fortune had prevented them from showing a serious interest. The world could be a mercenary place and in the industrious London, the marriage market mostly consisted of snobs and factory workers. Siobhan was a respectable woman and her father was a devout clergyman. As such, she visited the poor for charitable purposes and had her reputation to think of. Now, as a 25-year old singleton, she was considered a spinster, though she had not lost her bloom; her fiery hair attracted attention wherever she went, though some Englishmen treated her unkindly due to her Irish ancestry. But, having been born and bred in Yorkshire, there were no traces of an Irish accent. She had been brought up a true English lady. Her governess had seen to that. She remembered the many hours of punishment she’d endured at the hands of that woman.

“I am very curious about this scientist we were promised to meet. If it weren’t for him, I would have stayed at home.”

“Gregory Striker? The inventor of the dirigible?” Cecilia asked.

“Yes, indeed. The most brilliant scientist of our time. Allegedly, he will show us his latest discovery. Can you imagine? An exclusive.” 

Siobhan glanced at the door. Sadly, it did not open. She rather hoped for an introduction; perhaps his genius would rub off on her. Siobhan’s genius was in designing her own wardrobe. Most dresses she wore were of her own making and she amused herself by adding brass trinkets to her hats, gloves and belts. She also favoured feathers, beads and unusual colour combinations. Her style was far more conspicuous than her friend’s.

“I wonder what sort of discovery it will be. Everyone expects such great things from him it’s bound to be disappointing,” Cecilia remarked.

But Siobhan had faith in his abilities. Secretly, she hoped it would aid their personal pursuits. A few months ago, a mermaid washed ashore and caused quite a stir. Politicians struggled to decide the best cause of action. Should she be treated as a human or as a fish? Being both, they sent her to the zoo – to be seen by all the world and make them rich. A tradesman invaded the chamber and brutally shot the mermaid; he later claimed that selling mermaid tails would be a lucrative business. The man was executed but that was not the end of it. Local fishermen started hunting for other mermaids. Siobhan and many others feared for the their safety and sympathized with her plight.

As such, they formed the Alliance for Protection of Mythical Creatures and campaigned for equal rights. But the government did not act and snatchers captured dozens of creatures. Their tails were said to be worth thousands a piece. With the black market overrun by their criminal activity, the Alliance started fighting back. The hunters had now become the hunted. Siobhan, Cecilia and her fellow-hunters were committed to their training. They had a club house underground for shooting practice, fencing spars and meetings. Siobhan her favoured weapon was a brass whip that slithered around its target like a snake. Her father did not know she was a Protector. Nor that she wore trousers, suspenders and boots. She did not feel the need to justify her actions to him. Men went boxing. She went hunting. Few encounters with snatchers had a violent conclusion. Protectors always brought their pistols and snatchers were but impoverished fishermen; most could be dissuaded from their present course with a beer.

Still, some were more reluctant to surrender their cargo. Protectors were fast, strong and well-equipped. Vanity caused the occasional hunter to retaliate against them; but without any weapons or wits about them, fights were brief and easily won. Siobhan was still caught in reverie when the doors swung open and a gentleman tall, dark and frowning entered the room. There was no mistaking his authority; he walked with confidence and a sort of intellectual greatness. His dress fashionable and sophisticated, he exuded strength. This was no man to be trifled with. A woman’s lapdog winced and crawled underneath the pillow.

“He does not look like a scientist. Who is he?” Siobhan whispered to her friend.

The stranger found himself the centre of attention but moved through the crowd with the grace of a panther, his dark eyes lively and calculating.

The host, a chubby fellow whose name Siobhan never remembered, hastened to his side to bid him welcome.

“How glad I am you are here, Prof. Striker. We’ve been expecting you.”

The stranger raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not Mr. Striker. Sorry to disappoint you.”

Book Research and Facebook Author Page

Alrighty!

I'm busy with research for my book. I will soon share a short excerpt so you can all get a taste of what is to come. At this point, I'm still exploring all the possibilities of my steampunk adventure so if you have any suggestions, leave me a comment and I'll take it into consideration.

There are some Victorian books I'd like to read (about Victorian asylums, hospitals, cemeteries, homes, etc) for inspiration and ideas. I love history and my book will be a mixture of history, humour and plenty of steam and spunk. ;)

Apart from airships, what is your favourite steampunk element? What absolutely NEEDS to be included?

In the meantime, I've started looking up agents interested in the genre so I can start sending out queries sometime soon (read: when I have written more than 1 page). This weekend will be dedicated to fleshing out the plot, potential characters and hopefully finishing chapter 1.

I will also try to keep my Facebook Author Page up-to-date. I just created it and it can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Renate-Linnenkoper/125803740834565

All 'Likes' would be greatly appreciated.

A new start

It was going well. I had 18 sales, a 3-star rating on Goodreads but something was missing. At first, I didn't know what it was. Somehow, I wasn't completely happy with the book.

But the literary consultancy helped me figure it out. They assessed my manuscript and had many useful comments and suggestions. One of the suggestions was that I change the time period. They observed that I have an old-fashioned writing style (from reading all those classics) and some aspects of my story had a period vibe. Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of contemporary literature and that showed in my writing.

Well, I gave it some thought and initially considered changing it to the 50's. They mentioned the 70's but I have no connection with that decade - too much orange and green for me to cope with. But the 50's prevented me from using the technology that had become an important part of the sequel (which, I had started writing in my mind).

Then I remembered how I had actually wanted the story to be Victorian. That's when it struck me. Steampunk! I should set the book in the Victorian age as I had always wanted to and add steampunk elements for technology. This way, I could still write a paranormal fantasy and it would fit perfectly. I could be myself, write period.

I also ended up agreeing with the editor about another comment: there were too many characters. So I started over with the plot outline and eliminated the characters that weren't crucial to the plot. I gave my main character her mother back (in Exogenesis, her parents were divorced) and reduced the love interests from two to one. Much better. I scrapped a few nosy neighbours and resolved to remove the early focus on the police investigation and instead, work on building a credible relationship with the love interest.

I'm really getting somewhere now and my best friend and illustrator already supplied me with a fabulous drawing of Siobhan in steampunk attire. I kept the opening of the story and picked up after the first paragraph. So far, I'm pleased. I love history and as a retired re-enactor I feel knowledgeable enough to paint an accurate picture of the time. That being said, I fully intend to do the necessary research. Amazon has some excellent Victorian books I will explore.

10th sale of Celestial Mists: Exogenesis!

I can't help but be proud.

It's a good month for me so far. I had seven sales in the last three days :D


Three sales last month (only started doing promo little over a week ago).

-huggles book- 


Well done, you!

Everyone....drinks are on me!

Chocolate for Breakfast

I have a day off today and what better way to celebrate my recent sales (I'm up to 6 now!) than with home-made milkshakes and Guylian chocolates? I just love those. Every calorie of them. 

I bought a blender a few weeks ago and we've been vast friends ever since. I'll tell you right now that I'm not much of a culinary princess, but everyone can whip up a smoothie, right? So I've turned it into an art form. Fresh fruit, yoghurt, ice-cream, juice. I mix it all up. Sometimes, I add a bit of honey for sweetness. Yum.

But my favourite is the milkshake. I buy vanilla ice-cream, add caramel sauce and start blending. It's best if you wait until the ice-cream is beginning to melt. That way, it's easier to drink. It's delicious with the full flavour of ice-cream instead of that crap they use at McDonald's. I am never going back!

Why do my posts keep showing as date undefined? Things like that really tick me off.