Hello

DianeL · Post by **DianeL** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 6:39 pm

It feels a bit presumptuous to start a thread meant to be All About Me, but as that appears to be the way it's done in these 'yere parts, I do want to introduce myself. So here we go. Historical fiction has been my favorite entertainment, in whatever its medium, since before I knew what it was. At ten, I loved Greek mythology, by eleven I was reading my mom's Victoria Holt and Jean Plaidy, I grew up on 1970s-era Masterpiece Theater, and thereby the BBC's classic productions of everything from Elizabeth R to Lillie, and my shelves are replete with a scattershot variety in and out of the genre.

Parke Godwin's "A Memory of Lions" is perhaps the piece of historical fiction deepest in my heart, a piece set in Norman Britain - and a work with a fullness and dimensionality I aspire to. Second to that would perhaps be Donald Harington's "The Architecture of the Arkasas Ozarks" - a very differnt kind of piece; so I'm not married to any specific setting, nor even particular type of story. I also like science fiction, and heartily enjoy a certain amount of entertainment I know to be absolute trash by most peoples's standards.

Inevitably, I'm a writer too. I've been querying my debut novel, set in Late Antiquity (or the dawn of the Dark Ages, if you prefer), and am working on a second, with the third conceived, but waiting, well-mannered, for me to attend to it. I'm very pragmatic about the work, but confident and excited to see it make its way out into the world. Though I'm a woman, I probably produce work more like Bernard Cornwell than Victoria/Jean - I tend to call it "muscular", but the emotional core is powerful.

For the mortgage, I'm a highly skilled and dedicated secretary - and, yes, I use the term secretary rather than administrative assistant, because the latter seems to me distasteful. Plus it makes certain people squirm, and I find it illuminating to watch those who do. I'm not an exceptionally nice person, it seems. I also have a pretty pungent personality, but do try to behave and don't think I'm actually offensive, so there ya go.

Hello to all. Some of you I have seen in other fora, but we're not as-such acquainted. Maybe that can change ... if y'all can stand me!

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 6:45 pm

Welcome, Diane! I hope you enjoy it here.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 6:52 pm

Hi Diane. I keep hearing about Parke Godwin, maybe I should give him a try.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 6:57 pm

Hi Diane and welcome aboard. I loved A Memory of Lions as well.

DianeL · Post by **DianeL** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 7:46 pm

Hello, MLE - his historicals aren't the newest things on the shelves, but they are lovely, and Memory is easily my favorite. Oddly, he also did some comedic science fiction (which I also very much enjoy), but the works are extraordinarily unalike. His historicals are deeply textured, can be quite brutal, and are powerfully emotional, political, and balanced. I think he writes character as well as anyone I can think of, I just love his work.

Misfit, what about Memory attracts you? There's so much there - the politics, the conflict, the love story, the fact that none of the antagonists are bloodless villians ...

Thank you all for the kind welcome!

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 7:49 pm

Misfit, what about Memory attracts you?

I think I really liked seeing the disparity in the social customs, etc. between the Saxons and Normans. I didn't do as well on his book on Harold (Lord of Sunset?). Not sure if it was the alternating narratives (not a favorite), so that I'll always compare books on Harold to Hollick's.

Ludmilla · Post by **Ludmilla** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 9:54 pm

Welcome to the board, Diane.

For the mortgage, I'm a highly skilled and dedicated secretary - and, yes, I use the term secretary rather than administrative assistant, because the latter seems to me distasteful. Plus it makes certain people squirm, and I find it illuminating to watch those who do. I'm not an exceptionally nice person, it seems. I also have a pretty pungent personality, but do try to behave and don't think I'm actually offensive, so there ya go.

Nice to know I'm not the only one who toils during the day as a secretary. Over the years, I've witnessed my title change from Administrative Assistant to Executive Secretary to Executive Assistant. I'm not sure what they are calling us these days. Whatever is trendy, I'm sure, as my company always likes to do what it perceives the other industry leaders doing. What they call innovation is really the swift ability to successfully imitate, but only just as long as the trend is on the upswing. I have a theory it's the younger people who view secretary as a pejorative term. They all want to be called assistants. I have no problem calling myself a secretary and no illusions at all about the nature of my job. It helps to have a pungent personality as well!

Enjoy the board.

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Sat May 7th, 2011, 11:53 pm

Hi Diane! Welcome to HFO!

You must tell me how you get your future projects to wait patiently. Mine jump and up down screaming "write me first" at the top of their lungs all the time.

donroc · Post by **donroc** » Sun May 8th, 2011, 12:09 am

Welcome and enjoy.

DianeL · Post by **DianeL** » Sun May 8th, 2011, 12:30 am

Heh - Ludmilla, these days, they call me a Senior Administration Specialist, which I have to say I like very much. I'm extremely blessed, and happy, in my job and my team. I'd been laid off a year ago March 31, so the new gig is still fresh, but I'm working hard to fool them into thinking I am indispensible ...

Donroc, hello - I have seen you at Absolute Write (though it's probable you haven't seen me!). Nice to meet you!

LoveHistory, I have a theory that middle age helps in the discipline, but it's true too that the querying is occupying much of my energies. I'm not even writing on the actual WIP as much as I should be, and certainly would like to be. The new job probably also tempers my energy a bit.

Thanks again!