Comments on: 9.9.07 Sophie Gee, author of The Scandal of the Season http://writersrevealed.com/2007/09/02/9907-sophie-gee-author-of-the-scandal-of-the-season/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:04:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Alison http://writersrevealed.com/2007/09/02/9907-sophie-gee-author-of-the-scandal-of-the-season/#comment-1120 Alison Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:50:04 +0000 http://writersrevealed.com/2007/09/02/9907-sophie-gee-author-of-the-scandal-of-the-season/#comment-1120 I have two questions: 1) There were many prolific poets in the 18th century, what made the author choose to feature Alexander Pope specifically? 2) The subject of choosing a husband and the businesslike approach to it was featured at length in Jane Austen's novels, as well as other novels of the 18th and 19th centuries. Did the author draw on any particular literary influences while writing this novel? I have two questions:

1) There were many prolific poets in the 18th century, what made the author choose to feature Alexander Pope specifically?

2) The subject of choosing a husband and the businesslike approach to it was featured at length in Jane Austen’s novels, as well as other novels of the 18th and 19th centuries. Did the author draw on any particular literary influences while writing this novel?

]]> By: Lorissa http://writersrevealed.com/2007/09/02/9907-sophie-gee-author-of-the-scandal-of-the-season/#comment-1051 Lorissa Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:35:19 +0000 http://writersrevealed.com/2007/09/02/9907-sophie-gee-author-of-the-scandal-of-the-season/#comment-1051 In reading the excerpt, the dialogue is obviously fitting to the time period, and yet still "readable" (for lack of a better word) since it seems to come so naturally. Although I personally find this sort of speech smooth and fluid it isn't naturally the way we talk anymore. How difficult did you find it to write in this "Old English" style? Or did it flow naturally once you were in the mindset of those characters? You touch on the topic of women trying to find "suitable" matches - husbands that could provide for them. Love wasn't always in the picture. Often people shake their heads at this idea and can't understand how these women could be so business-like in finding a husband, but that was part of life. How do you think that topic relates to women of today? Do we tend to still follow this idea of finding a suitabable match but we are just a little more subtle about it in today's dating circles? I love non fiction books that tell a story in history, but adds a little flair as well so it's not quite so dry. You seem to have balanced this well. It's also great to see the "other" side of high society of old England. Although societal expectations called for a certain appearance, so much went on behind the scenes that really go unknown to most people. In reading the excerpt, the dialogue is obviously fitting to the time period, and yet still “readable” (for lack of a better word) since it seems to come so naturally. Although I personally find this sort of speech smooth and fluid it isn’t naturally the way we talk anymore. How difficult did you find it to write in this “Old English” style? Or did it flow naturally once you were in the mindset of those characters?

You touch on the topic of women trying to find “suitable” matches - husbands that could provide for them. Love wasn’t always in the picture. Often people shake their heads at this idea and can’t understand how these women could be so business-like in finding a husband, but that was part of life. How do you think that topic relates to women of today? Do we tend to still follow this idea of finding a suitabable match but we are just a little more subtle about it in today’s dating circles?

I love non fiction books that tell a story in history, but adds a little flair as well so it’s not quite so dry. You seem to have balanced this well. It’s also great to see the “other” side of high society of old England. Although societal expectations called for a certain appearance, so much went on behind the scenes that really go unknown to most people.

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