Happy Birthday, Lord Byron!

I seem to be on an author birthday kick this year, eh? Well, when I was compiling my list of favorite writer birthdays, I was shocked to see how many were born in January, February, May, June, November, and December. I like astrology, and it's interesting to see how many Capricorns, Aquariuses, Geminis, and Sagittariuses are writers. Hmmm .... I am an Aquarius, too! My birthday is February 9th, smack dab in the middle of all the kooky ones. Haha.

Anyway ...

A warm happy birthday to the first Aquarius this year, and one of the most intriguing literary characters - George Gordon, Lord Byron. His biography reads like a melodramatic soap opera, and he was such a crazy guy he inspired the 'Byronic hero,' one of my favorite literary devices. Although not a Victorian, his influence over 19th century poetry was pretty amazing.

My husband and I quoted poetry to one another at our wedding, and he read "She Walks in Beauty," by Byron.

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Ah, lovely.

Byron's Wikipedia Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron

Born January 22, 1788, Byron leaves as his largest legacy the quip that he was 'mad, bad, and dangerous to know,' according to Lady Caroline Lamb. If you want to know the original rock star of poetry, the sexy bad boy of books, this is your guy. Affairs, scandals, poetry ... I don't know - he kinda makes me swoon!

I mean, anybody who writes Don Juan about a relentless lover has to be intriguing, you know? Byron is cool, as cool as he was when he was alive and cool today, too. He was so 'mad and bad' during his lifetime, the English didn't recognize him for decades. He's one of those writers whose life sometimes trumps his work, but at least he still draws interest two hundred years later. A screenwriter's dream, you wouldn't even have to 'beef' up the details of his life - he's already movie material!

Selected Works:

• Childe Harold's Pilgrimage


• Don Juan


• "She Walks in Beauty"


• "When We Two Parted"

His works are all in the public domain, so take a look!

*picture courtesy of Wikipedia

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Poe's 200th Birthday!

Good afternoon! It's a wintry day here in Maine, but the excitement is looming for the inauguration tomorrow. There is another brilliant man to celebrate today, in addition to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Early this morning, January 19, the 'Poe Toaster' left a glass of cognac and three roses on his grave. While he may be amused to know the Baltimore Ravens were named for his famous poem, Poe's fans keep his legacy alive in so many ways.

Edgar Allan Poe, born January 19, 1809, was only a few weeks older than Lincoln! Sadly, the famous poet, short story writer, and inventor of the detective story never lived to see the 16th president elected. He was found in a gutter in Baltimore just a few months past his fortieth birthday.

Many Europeans are of the opinion Poe was the best American writer, and I'd find little cause to argue with them!

Poe's Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe

Although a son of Boston, like many of his literary peers, Poe spent much of his life in the south. He was raised by John and Frances Allan in Richmond, Virginia, who owned slaves. Poe's formal education was a bit strange and haphazard - he went to school in Scotland, and two locations in the London area. His American education began when he enrolled in the University of Virginia to study languages. His excessive personality began to show itself when he racked up huge gambling debts, broke off an engagement, and after only a year, made his way to Boston.

Poe's military and literary career began at the same time, when he joined the US Army and published his first poetry collection in 1827. Poe climbed the ranks until he was Sergeant Major for Artillery, then was accepted to West Point. Yet, before entering, he returned home to Baltimore where he met and married his now-famous 13 year old cousin, Virginia Clemm.

His time at West Point was a disaster. His foster father remarried, Poe disagreed with the match, and was subsequently disowned. The angry poet was purposely court martialed at West Point, and in 1831 left the military academy. Although it must have been an extremely unhappy circumstance, I am glad he left the army! The 1859 Mexican War and the 1860's Civil War might have claimed the life of this gifted writer! What a thought . . .

After the military debacle, Poe turned to writing. He was the first American to solely make a living by writing, unlike Longfellow who taught or Hawthorne who became a clerk. Unfortunately, Poe lived at a time with few copyright laws, and fought the courts to regain his fair share of pay for articles.

Three little-known poetry books couldn't sustain him, so he began writing prose. His short stories brought him local fame as an editor, and his scathing literary criticisms helped sustain him between creative fiction and poetry. But mixed reviews and financial failures haunted him his entire writing life. Nine dollars was all he ever received for the "The Raven."

"The Raven" did bring him popularity, but he was alienated due to criticising Longfellow, his wife was dying of consumption, and he drank heavily. A new publication also failed miserably.

On October 3, 1849, he was found in the worst streets of Baltimore, wearing someone else's clothes, and delirious. He died a few days later, and all records of his death were lost, so it remains a mystery - but perhaps a fitting end to the man who invented mystery and shrouded his genius in darkness, despair, and repeated failures, some of his own making.

Poe's influence is one of the few that cannot be understated. He has inspired poets, writers, musicians, film-makers, artists, and spawned two genres (detective fiction and Gothic). His name is synonymous with the Gothic, the darkness, the horror present in all of us.

I first read a Poe collection when I was about ten years old. I'll never forget "The Gold-Bug," my favorite of his short stories. "The Masque of the Red Death" surely inspired Leroux, who included a wonderful scene in Phantom of the Opera with a masquerade ball and Death appearing. Of course, every detective writer from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to Agatha Christie thanks Poe for his C. Auguste Dupin.

He was mostly known as a literary critic in life, but in death Poe has finally obtained the literary fame he desperately wanted in life. Let him be an inspiration, not only if you write Gothic or mystery, but for daring to brave the darkness and show our inner tormented artists, struggling within our own times.

Selected Works are all available at Project Gutenberg or Google Books:

• The Fall of the House of Usher
• The Tell-Tale Heart
• The Cask of Amontillado
• The Raven
• The Black Cat
• The Gold-Bug
• The Masque of the Red Death
• Annabel Lee
• Lenore
• The Murders in the Rue Morgue

BONUS!!

One lovely thing about Poe is that he WAS a critic, and therefore criticized literature. He also wrote one of the most insightful essays on writing: The Philosophy of Composition. Ever want to know what was in Poe's head, or perhaps desired him as a literary mentor? Quite amazing. It is reproduced in its entirety here:

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Philosophy_of_Composition

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Happy Birthday, Anne Bronte!

A warm birthday wish to Anne Bronte, born January 17, 1820. She was the youngest of the Bronte sisters, counting among her literary kin two of the finest female writers of the Victorian age. Her sister Charlotte's novel Jane Eyre is my favorite book!

Yet Anne composed her famous works with a different style than her Romantic sisters. Her books have a strong sense of realism and a practicaly, ironic bent.

Anne's first work as a governess for the Ingham's at Blake Hall so traumatized her that she recreated her experience in her first novel, Agnes Grey.

Despite the setbacks at Blake Hall, Anne became governess for another family in a country house called Thorp Green. A few years later, she managed to obtain a position for her brother Branwell to tutor the only male child. Branwell entered into a secret relationship with the boy's mother, an interesting fact that foreshadows the character of Arthur Huntingdon in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

In any event, Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were both published within a year of one another, and Anne enjoyed sold-out success with the latter. She was the third member of the family to pass from consumption, after Branwell and Emily, and died at the age of 29.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is one of the most realistic Victorian novels. Though her sisters obtained literary stardom during the 1800s, Anne's work has been reevaluated based on its realistic prose; she is more akin to Jane Austen than her own family.

Anne's courage and persistence in both writing and submitting her novels and poems is extremely admirable. Let her quiet but steady countenance assist all writers who endeavor to completely and accurately depict our circumstances, whether it be in journalism, fiction, or even poetry.

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Letter to a Young Lady

Nearly 110 years after the close of the Victorian century, I have been thinking today about a quaint and old-fashioned custom: letter writing. Not merely to exchange pleasantries, but to teach, instruct, and uphold the virtues and morals of a much more formal era.

There are numerous examples of instructional booklets: Letters to a Gentleman or Letters to a Lady are common titles. It was a far greater oral time - folks exchanged tales and stories around the fire in the evening, and women taught each other cooking, crafts, and other feminine pursuits all by word of mouth. In our rush to pursue productivity at the cost of community, certain things have become very old-fashioned, indeed.

However ...

I, for one, feed a delicious part of my romantic soul when I engage in these old-time pursuits. So, I thought it rather fitting to write a letter to a young lady. It is not addressed to any one lady in particular, but I am not a preacher. I have merely provided it as a modern lady's idea of what a Victorian lady could write to a younger woman of approximately 16-18 years of age.

Letter to a Young Lady
14th January, 2009

My dear maiden,

You stand upon the precipice of an exciting era. Before you stretches the entirety of the 21st century, thousands of lifetimes waiting to be intertwined. You will know many others, finding fellow companions and wishing others well on their journey. You will gain friendships that seem but a flicker, yet their light sustains you through the dark times. You will love deeply, so take care not to squander your most precious gift on an undeserving gentleman. Yes, my dear, there are gentlemen in the world. Your best pursuit in matters of the heart is to have a life. Have a good, deep, rich life that anybody would be glad to share with you. Love is like a butterfly - if you chase it, it will not want to alight upon your shoulder as it is wont to do when you are still, calm, and happy. Leave the chasing to other fluttery creatures. Wait for a gentleman.

Ah, my dear young lady, patience is something I still have trouble with. Breathe deeply, slow your steps, and join in the festivities. It is not a contest as to who has the fullest social calendar. Indeed, some of my happiest days have been spent in the company of non-human comforts - the warmth of a puppy, a good read, a cup of tea. Replenish your soul when the winds blow and the land is parched.

Cultivate a home within, and you will always find shelter. Finding homes away from home has been a fun pastime of mine. I am at home in an old dusty library, a local theatre, on a quiet winter beach. Women need home, and it cannot be bought for 50% off. Know this, and your soul will feel peace.

Honor yourself and live with integrity. Be a beacon of strength, cheeriness, and tactful intelligence. Frankly, dear, no one will want to be near you when you are glum, so remember my grandmother's words during blue times: put on some lipstick and laugh. She always said vanity and a sense of humor would get a woman through anything.

Never be afraid to truly pursue what sets your spirit alight. Care not for the opinions of others, not even mine if you disagree. Abandon the flock if you do not wish to follow its opinions. Watch for enemies, but enjoy yourself. The woman who knows how to relax and be comfortable in her own skin has all she needs.

I wish you well on your journey. I am still learning, every day. When I stopped pursuing happiness and instead decided to pursue personal growth, my world blossomed. May yours as well.

Love, Meg

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Netflix Rocks!

I just wanted to express my humble thanks to Netflix. My husband and I have an account, so we not only get to watch an unlimited number of movies a month, but also have access to online movies. I was sick a week ago, so I really got to know this feature!

And, wouldn't you know it ...

Netflix has oodles of period dramas! Search under "pre-20th century" in the Drama section and you'll be able to watch all kinds of BBC, American, and foreign films about our beloved 19th century ... and earlier!

I watched the Bleak House and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall miniseries. Bleak House was excellent. Gillian Anderson played Lady Dedlock and I enjoyed eight episodes of pure Dickensian Victorian London. Wow, is that novel a biting look at the chancery court system of the early 1800s! Nobody skewers social constructs like Charlie Dickens, I'll tell you!

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was written by Anne Bronte, the youngest of the Bronte sisters. I'll be doing a birthday celebration for her on the 17th, but I must say - this miniseries was also very well done. I loved the authentic location on the northern English moors, and the relationship between Helen Graham, her former husband Arthur, and her new love Gilbert was well acted. I loved Helen's spunky attitude, her devotion to her son, and her willingness to support herself through painting. All of the Bronte sisters have strong women in their novels, which was considered scandalous in 1840's England.

If you have a Netflix account, PLEASE watch these wonderful movies! Nothing brings the 19th century to life than an excellent period drama.

Next on my list to watch are:

• North and South (the Elizabeth Gaskell novel)
• Byron (about George Gordon, Lord Byron)
• Daniel Deronda (George Eliot novel)
• Our Mutual Friend (more Dickens!)
• The Way We Live Now (Anthony Trollope's novel)

And so many more! Thank you, Netflix!

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Jack London's Birthday!

Happy birthday, Jack London! He was born January 12, 1876.

Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_London

Partial List of Famous Works:

• The Call of the Wild


• White Fang


• To Build a Fire (short story)

You can find all of these at Project Gutenberg. Isn't public domain material wonderful? I first read a children's version (Great Illustrated Classics) of The Call of the Wild when I was about 10 years old! I'll never forget the story of Buck and his sled-dog life in Alaska.

Jack London was one of the most adventurous authors, living a crazy life in Alaska during the famous Klondike Gold Rush. Let him be an inspiration to get out and enjoy life - then you'll have a lot to write about!

*picture courtesy of Wikipedia.org

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Bonnet Girls and Crinoline Ladies

Good afternoon! A snowy day in Maine - brrr! The Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice was on TV last night, so in between the Golden Globes (congrats Kate Winslet and Heath Ledger!) I was lost, yet again, in one of the most romantic stories ever written. I am a huge fan of the 1995 BBC Colin Firth version, but the new one is growing on me. Keira captured Lizzie Bennett's spunkiness and spirit. She's getting better and better.

I've been browsing one of my favorite websites - http://www.bonnetgirls.com/. Helen Scott has created a fantastic array of Bonnet Girls, Men, Children, and Scenes from 19th century life. Although they are quilt patterns, I pulled out my pretty scrapbook papers and am going to make some of them! I love these ladies in their hoops - there's even one named Meg! If you are a quilter, a crafter, or a Victorian lover, I guarantee you'll swoon! Check out the site.

In the 1930's and 1940's, a trend in crafting arose: Crinoline Ladies. You can find vintage patterns for all kinds of Victorian gals posing with parasols, kitties, and flowers. http://www.patternbee.com/ has a wonderful selection - go to their Sunbonnets and Belles section to find sweet embroidery patterns.

In fact, if you type in "Sunbonnet Sue", "Crinoline Lady" or "Sunbonnet Belles" in Google, you can find a bunch of old-fashioned ladies to quilt, embroider, or turn into scrapbook patterns or wall hangings. I have yet to learn to stitch or sew, so I stick with the paper crafts. :)

Have a wonderful day!

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Happy New Year!

Good morning and happy new year! I haven't written in some time, and had very stressful holidays, plus I was really sick for a bit ...

Anyway ...

I wanted to write today and get back into a regular blogging schedule! So, you'll be able to see blog entries posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Yes, Meg is trying to stay on top of things this year.

That's a good thing! For, I hope THIS is the year I FINALLY step into the spotlight as a 'real' author. Not just somebody slogging away in my room, but a writer out in the community, chatting with other writers, going to conferences, being a member of different writing groups, and sending my stuff OUT into the world.

To do all of this ...

I have greatly simplified my thinking. I just have been making writing/authorship too darn complicated. Have you been doing that? Have you been making your writing goals too complicated? If I stare straight up the mountainside, I'll get too discouraged to make the journey. Instead, I'm making this stupidly simple.

2009 Goals:
1. Write stories and articles
2. Submit them

That is all I need to do! It's refreshing and I can remember it easily. The project I'm working on now is Goal#2: Submitting. I'm finishing up my novel's synopsis so I can put it into a submission packet along with my query letter, author bio, and first three chapters. Then I'm going to take it to the UPS store and send it out!

I've never gotten a rejection letter, so I'm eager to begin my collection. In any case, I'll never become what I want to become without doing this.

My birthday is February 9th. Let's see if I can mail it before then!

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