I've just finished listening to the final book in the series, "Death on the Lizard"; they were all even more wonderful narrated by Helen Johns than reading them years ago. Thank you for this look into how the series came to be.
Again, thank you for this introduction to the Robin Paige series! I downloaded the three book offering from Audible. I have just finished Chapter 16 of the third book and I am sooo relieved! Very fun and I also delight in all of the Victorian period detail, history and intrigue. Brava, Domina.
Thank you--I'm so glad that Dreamscapes has made these backlisted books available in this format. And grateful for Helen Johns' reading. Glad you've enjoyed them, Leslie!
I adore the Robin Paige series! The historical details make these stories so fun to read and encourage me to look into each historical character a bit more. My two favorite books are Death at Devil's Bridge and Death at Whitechapel.
Thank you, Donna! Your two favorites are ours, as it happens. Bill loves Devil's Bridge (b'cuz of the cars, of course). And Whitechapel is one of my top books in that series--darker than most but I enjoyed the characterizations. And learned some secret history along the way. History gave us a fascinating background story to work with, which made our Kate/Charles story much more interesting.
Susan, I started Death at Bishop's Keep last night and am already hooked. But I have two questions: is the Kindle version original or have you updated it? I found a similarity to the style of the China books and yet I would have thought your writing and style might have changed over the years. (Of course, there's always "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"). The other questions is how did you and Bill come up with a consistent narrative voice from two different writers, no matter how close their views and thoughts.
Looking forward to more reading tonight in my cold cottage.
The Kindle is the original 1994 PB-original edition, Judy, written in 1993. (The pub dates on Amazon are incorrect.) I wrote the first China (Thyme of Death) in 1991, so there's only a couple of years between those projects. I hoped that my efforts to use a more formal Victorian British-English syntax and vocabulary would differentiate it from the contemporary, informal American-English China Bayles style, but maybe I'm just deluding myself. (Happens all the time. 😘) I'm sure there must be some stylistic habits that persist across periods/locations that characterize a writer's voice. And with your experience as a writer, you'd be one to spot those.
Re voices. If you could see our original drafts, up to the second or third revision, you could tell that there are two writers at work. Also, throughout all the revisions, we needed to preserve the the differences in POV. Kate is an American, Charles is British; their speech is different. She's a writer, he's a scientist; their thought is different. And there are other POV characters as well. I was really timid about attempting Kipling's voice in the Rottingdean book. I mean . . . Kipling?!? A most-beloved British writer? How did we dare??
But bottom line: One of my jobs in the project was to be the final "voice artist," if you will--the one that does the final style edit, specifically to brush over the differences. Bill typically made only minor changes after that. We wanted it to sound like the work of one writer.
I sensed some differences in tone because of the time period--haven't gotten far enough in yet to be aware of American/British tones. And I guess I knew you were the final "voice artist"--it reads like your work, not to diminish Bill's contributions. I've wondered how two voices become one, and I think the way you did it must be the only workable way.
I remember our first Avon editor on that series being very doubtful about two authors. As I recall, we had to submit a finished MS before we got the contract. And, of course, two authors pose twice as many potential difficulties as one. What happens, for instance, if the publisher invests a lot of marketing $$ and the couple gets a divorce? Or one dies (like Mary Francis, of the Dick Francis racing duo)?
I just finished reading Someone Always Nearby (nothing else to do during a power outage but curl up with a cat and a book), so I look forward to the discussion in February.
Learning about your collaboration was fascinating. Thanks for sharing. Nice to know marriages can survive such a challenging work process.
Glad you'll be with us, Patricia--there are quite a few experienced readers in this group, so I'm hoping for some interesting exchanges. Re marriage. It's so much the luck of the draw, isn't it? Two people can live together comfortably. But it seems unusual (at least in our culture) when two people can work and live together comfortably.
Hope your power got restored before you finished that book!
that's set in England. The country is beautiful. Most of the books by British writers are way too slow for me. I read them all before I lost my eyesight and before there was an audiobook option.
Brit readers inherited their love of long, slow stories from the Victorians, didn't they? Their mysteries (and even thrillers) do tend to take a while to develop, where Americans jump right in with both feet. 😊
That's so good to hear, Linda. We had our own read-aloud sessions ever day--an efficient way of working through the day's materials. But it also had the benefit of encouraging us to write with oral speech in mind. And those Victorian sentences are so much richer than contemporary English. I enjoyed playing with the sound of them.
Don’t know which I enjoy more - the behind-the-scenes about these books or the comments and responses. The insight into co-authoring is very interesting as my own experience of working in Hal’s office (years ago) was a disaster! I think of authors like M.S. Morris or Nicci French and wonder how it works. Historical settings I do find fascinating and they often lead me into by-ways like looking up food or dress of the period, or looking for maps of what the world looked like then. Georgette Heyer’s books, the historicals and her mysteries, are a goldmine.
Working together isn't easy, that's for sure. I credit Bill's even temper. I tend to fly off the handle--not terribly satisfying when the other person won't fight back. :) But we usually agreed more than we disagreed, and it got easier with each of the dozen books, over a dozen years. Georgette Heyer is such a wonderful example: she's an absolute master of social detail of her period. Philippa Gregory is another.
I’d been doubtful about working together as we were poles apart in so many ways, and with staff around fighting was not an option! Three months was all I could manage 😁 Willingness to mesh, on both sides, is key, too. You and Bill certainly made it work. Twelve books! I love the English settings - my sister lives about 10 minutes from Blenheim Palace so that one was especially interesting.
I love this series! I am a historian and the late 19th and early 20th centuries are my favorite periods in history. I am in awe of all the research you both did, and the way you wove real people into your stories, along with Kate and Charles. I have to say, I miss them. Thanks so much for giving us this backstory.
Historians are our toughest readers, Linda, so it's especially nice to hear from you. I think that we (those of us who enjoy poking around in history) share a special nosiness about what's going on behind the events, and how private people's lives are changed, often in major ways, by a minor public happening. Historians have to dig for real examples. As fiction writers, we can make it up. We have an easier job. :)
Yes, historians have to find real examples, but I think it is a lot harder to create stories around real events and people. I love historical fiction! Historical novels sparked my interest in history when I was a kid.
I loved reading this series. I have lived in NYC... spent 6 months studying in England junior year of college.... and was running and living in a beautiful 1881 East Lake Victorian bed & breakfast in Xenia Ohio... when I read the series. It helped me imagine what life was like back when our home was built. I had already met you... and loved your China Bayles series... being an avid Greene County Master Gardener and Herb Study Group member... as well. Cudoes to all the wonderful, entertaining, and educational hours of reading you have provided.
I think we always feel a stronger connection to books when we have some personal background in the books' subject/setting. Your Victorian house was a perfect place to read Victorians/Edwardians. That and your work in the master gardening program (now, THAT's a challenge!) pulled it all together for you. It always seems a little magical when books and readers click. 🧡
This was a fascinating look at how you and Bill worked together, Susan. It seems like quite a challenge. And makes me wonder if Bill has ever written books on his own. Inquiring minds... I haven’t read any of this series yet, but this is further motivation to add them to the TBR stack. And the bitter weather is helping me make a dent in the pile. :-)
No books on his own, Susan--but he did write an EEO report for the guv's office, back when. 😄 And more computer programs than anybody can count. His mind works like a flow chart, which always makes him supremely useful when it comes to plotting. He can always find (and fix) the holes in my plots.
I liked your comment on Shelley's Story Circle anthology idea: the voice of experience, thinking ahead to the what will work on the cover. I'm sure you'll suffer pangs, handing that editorial project over. But I'm also sure that SCN will keep you busy!
I can see how writing computer programs would help Bill with organizing a plot. Thanks for the insight. And thanks for understanding the pangs of letting go of 9 years working with the anthology. As I was writing to Shelley yesterday about a calendar of tasks related to that, I realized how much I've learned and the complexity involved in that project. Yet I'm feeling good about taking on a new challenge, and working with you on that transition. Hugs to you.
Susan, this is such a grand post! I have yet to venture into the Robin Paige series and love all of this backstory as grounding. I just checked and am happy to report that the first 9 books are available as ebooks on Libby!!! Perhaps the audiobooks will be available later? My list of books to be read is way longer than my arm, but all of your info has me wanting to start in on this series! I suspect I will find some time for that! 🤩
Sending you and Bill warm wishes for the temperatures to rise sooner than later down your way. Please do take care in the meantime. 🙂
Sandy, P.S. Looking at the Overdrive catalog online, I see that they have all 12 of the audios. So maybe your library can get Helen's narrations for you. Worth an ask.
Yes, I will ask about the audiobook versions. I do almost everything online these days and did check our library catalog for the Robin Paige series in any format. They only have the ebooks on Libby, So I will see what a bit of prodding will do. 🙂 I did notice that they do have 19 of your books in large print. A nice variety of your various series. Glad to see that!
And I also see that we are getting a 2024 program called Live Virtual Author Talks. Perhaps that would be a way to get the ball rolling! 😉 And, yes we have had record breaking cold here for the last 4 days. But, compared to the rest of the country, I hate to even mention it. With luck we will be back up in the 40's by the weekend. Crossing my fingers that this is the worst of it for the animals and birds as much as for us humans. Us humans...what a lot!
Thanks for checking, Sandy. If your library still is using Overdrive (too), the whole series is there. (Overdrive was a precursor to Libby.) So maybe ask the librarian?
Thx for the warm wishes. This, too, shall pass (but not soon enough). Aren't you getting some of this cold weather, too?
I love learning the behind-the-scenes aspect of how stories come to exist. The China Bayles series won my heart from the first one I read, and I am now working my way through the Darling Dahlias (and wishing I could ask my grandmother and mom about those days). Thank you for many hours of reading enjoyment.
Some families found the 30s so traumatic (jobs and homes lost, people on the move, the Dust Bowl, political chaos) that the survivors just didn't want to talk about their experience. My mom, for instance, would only talk about food and movies. She had a good memory for both but would just as soon forget everything else. If you 're looking for more background on that era, I can recommend Frederick Allen's Since Yesterday: The Nineteen-Thirties in America. Easy to pick up and put down, lots of fascinating detail. That decade must have been a wild ride!
We've been pretty much rolled up tight (sub-freezing temps since Friday) in this small town so I don't know if the library will be open tomorrow. If it is, I'm going to be on the hunt for this series. I'm also a lover of historical fiction. Stay safe and warm! ❤️
It might be hard to get some of the titles in print, Beth, especially from a small library. But all of the books are on Overdrive, so I'm pretty sure they've been moved over to Libby. They may also have the audio, as well. Glad to hear that you're staying home, though. It's COLD out there!
Just checked the online catalog for the Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library. I am SO spoiled. Here in this part of the Willamette Valley (main branch is in Salem) we have something like 16 local libraries that belong to this coop -- so if it's not in one location it might just be in another. We've only got 3 of the Robin Paige books available (but, hey, 3 is better than 0!): Death at Devil's Bridge, Death in Hyde Park, and Death on the Lizard. None of them are here in Silverton, so I'll be requesting them and hopefully roads can be traveled soon. What's really crazy is after nearly 5 days (by tomorrow, when more freezing rain is forecast) of sub-freezing days/nights, we'll take a rapid jump to the upper 40's/low 50's by mid-week. I don't even want to think about the effect on local gardens and ag. Looking forward to more China and Ruby on Wednesday! ❤️
Do your library system have Libby or Overdrive? If so, check for the ebooks. They can now send those to Kindle as well as android or desktop e-reader. Libraries are so wonderful--it's a shame they have become the political toy of some.
Not sure -- I'll have to check. I've been out of the classroom for several years (retired HS Eng teacher/74 yrs young...) so Libby and OverDrive are new to me. This is great to know about, so thank you! Since I taught in a low income/gang/high crime area of Los Angeles, I was forever tracking down apps and books that would engage my kids. No Fear Shakespeare was a huge hit. I had kids reading Shakespeare's plays on their own. We talked about how we'd have been groundlings (and had the best "seats" in the house). Thankful that social media lets me stay connected to so many of "my kids." ❤️
HS English @74. You are my hero, Beth! Love your idea of getting the kids to think of themselves as groundlings--exactly what they'd be. Have you seen the film Anonymous? We watched it again recently. There's an interesting use of the groundlings towards the end--a good reminder of why the court was always afraid of the theater, and its audiences.
Didn't know about Anonymous either LOL. Not residing under a rock...truly 😂. I volunteer at our local library (shelving) and I think I've seen it in our DVD collection. I'll look the next time I'm there. I try never to miss an opportunity to enjoy Vanessa Redgrave or Derek Jacobi. Two of my very favorites!
I've just finished listening to the final book in the series, "Death on the Lizard"; they were all even more wonderful narrated by Helen Johns than reading them years ago. Thank you for this look into how the series came to be.
That narrator creates an entirely different experience than the reading experience, seems to me. She's awesome (not a word I use often).
Again, thank you for this introduction to the Robin Paige series! I downloaded the three book offering from Audible. I have just finished Chapter 16 of the third book and I am sooo relieved! Very fun and I also delight in all of the Victorian period detail, history and intrigue. Brava, Domina.
Thank you--I'm so glad that Dreamscapes has made these backlisted books available in this format. And grateful for Helen Johns' reading. Glad you've enjoyed them, Leslie!
I adore the Robin Paige series! The historical details make these stories so fun to read and encourage me to look into each historical character a bit more. My two favorite books are Death at Devil's Bridge and Death at Whitechapel.
Thank you, Donna! Your two favorites are ours, as it happens. Bill loves Devil's Bridge (b'cuz of the cars, of course). And Whitechapel is one of my top books in that series--darker than most but I enjoyed the characterizations. And learned some secret history along the way. History gave us a fascinating background story to work with, which made our Kate/Charles story much more interesting.
Susan, I started Death at Bishop's Keep last night and am already hooked. But I have two questions: is the Kindle version original or have you updated it? I found a similarity to the style of the China books and yet I would have thought your writing and style might have changed over the years. (Of course, there's always "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"). The other questions is how did you and Bill come up with a consistent narrative voice from two different writers, no matter how close their views and thoughts.
Looking forward to more reading tonight in my cold cottage.
Good questions from a fellow author! Thank you.
The Kindle is the original 1994 PB-original edition, Judy, written in 1993. (The pub dates on Amazon are incorrect.) I wrote the first China (Thyme of Death) in 1991, so there's only a couple of years between those projects. I hoped that my efforts to use a more formal Victorian British-English syntax and vocabulary would differentiate it from the contemporary, informal American-English China Bayles style, but maybe I'm just deluding myself. (Happens all the time. 😘) I'm sure there must be some stylistic habits that persist across periods/locations that characterize a writer's voice. And with your experience as a writer, you'd be one to spot those.
Re voices. If you could see our original drafts, up to the second or third revision, you could tell that there are two writers at work. Also, throughout all the revisions, we needed to preserve the the differences in POV. Kate is an American, Charles is British; their speech is different. She's a writer, he's a scientist; their thought is different. And there are other POV characters as well. I was really timid about attempting Kipling's voice in the Rottingdean book. I mean . . . Kipling?!? A most-beloved British writer? How did we dare??
But bottom line: One of my jobs in the project was to be the final "voice artist," if you will--the one that does the final style edit, specifically to brush over the differences. Bill typically made only minor changes after that. We wanted it to sound like the work of one writer.
Thanks again. Good questions!
I sensed some differences in tone because of the time period--haven't gotten far enough in yet to be aware of American/British tones. And I guess I knew you were the final "voice artist"--it reads like your work, not to diminish Bill's contributions. I've wondered how two voices become one, and I think the way you did it must be the only workable way.
I remember our first Avon editor on that series being very doubtful about two authors. As I recall, we had to submit a finished MS before we got the contract. And, of course, two authors pose twice as many potential difficulties as one. What happens, for instance, if the publisher invests a lot of marketing $$ and the couple gets a divorce? Or one dies (like Mary Francis, of the Dick Francis racing duo)?
I just finished reading Someone Always Nearby (nothing else to do during a power outage but curl up with a cat and a book), so I look forward to the discussion in February.
Learning about your collaboration was fascinating. Thanks for sharing. Nice to know marriages can survive such a challenging work process.
Glad you'll be with us, Patricia--there are quite a few experienced readers in this group, so I'm hoping for some interesting exchanges. Re marriage. It's so much the luck of the draw, isn't it? Two people can live together comfortably. But it seems unusual (at least in our culture) when two people can work and live together comfortably.
Hope your power got restored before you finished that book!
That series is one of the few I like
that's set in England. The country is beautiful. Most of the books by British writers are way too slow for me. I read them all before I lost my eyesight and before there was an audiobook option.
Brit readers inherited their love of long, slow stories from the Victorians, didn't they? Their mysteries (and even thrillers) do tend to take a while to develop, where Americans jump right in with both feet. 😊
We loved those books. Before audiologist we often read them to each other while on car trips.
An that was supposed to be Audio Books.
Isn't autocorrect FUN?
That's so good to hear, Linda. We had our own read-aloud sessions ever day--an efficient way of working through the day's materials. But it also had the benefit of encouraging us to write with oral speech in mind. And those Victorian sentences are so much richer than contemporary English. I enjoyed playing with the sound of them.
Don’t know which I enjoy more - the behind-the-scenes about these books or the comments and responses. The insight into co-authoring is very interesting as my own experience of working in Hal’s office (years ago) was a disaster! I think of authors like M.S. Morris or Nicci French and wonder how it works. Historical settings I do find fascinating and they often lead me into by-ways like looking up food or dress of the period, or looking for maps of what the world looked like then. Georgette Heyer’s books, the historicals and her mysteries, are a goldmine.
Working together isn't easy, that's for sure. I credit Bill's even temper. I tend to fly off the handle--not terribly satisfying when the other person won't fight back. :) But we usually agreed more than we disagreed, and it got easier with each of the dozen books, over a dozen years. Georgette Heyer is such a wonderful example: she's an absolute master of social detail of her period. Philippa Gregory is another.
I’d been doubtful about working together as we were poles apart in so many ways, and with staff around fighting was not an option! Three months was all I could manage 😁 Willingness to mesh, on both sides, is key, too. You and Bill certainly made it work. Twelve books! I love the English settings - my sister lives about 10 minutes from Blenheim Palace so that one was especially interesting.
I love this series! I am a historian and the late 19th and early 20th centuries are my favorite periods in history. I am in awe of all the research you both did, and the way you wove real people into your stories, along with Kate and Charles. I have to say, I miss them. Thanks so much for giving us this backstory.
Historians are our toughest readers, Linda, so it's especially nice to hear from you. I think that we (those of us who enjoy poking around in history) share a special nosiness about what's going on behind the events, and how private people's lives are changed, often in major ways, by a minor public happening. Historians have to dig for real examples. As fiction writers, we can make it up. We have an easier job. :)
Yes, historians have to find real examples, but I think it is a lot harder to create stories around real events and people. I love historical fiction! Historical novels sparked my interest in history when I was a kid.
I loved reading this series. I have lived in NYC... spent 6 months studying in England junior year of college.... and was running and living in a beautiful 1881 East Lake Victorian bed & breakfast in Xenia Ohio... when I read the series. It helped me imagine what life was like back when our home was built. I had already met you... and loved your China Bayles series... being an avid Greene County Master Gardener and Herb Study Group member... as well. Cudoes to all the wonderful, entertaining, and educational hours of reading you have provided.
I think we always feel a stronger connection to books when we have some personal background in the books' subject/setting. Your Victorian house was a perfect place to read Victorians/Edwardians. That and your work in the master gardening program (now, THAT's a challenge!) pulled it all together for you. It always seems a little magical when books and readers click. 🧡
You have helped teach me to be mindful of that connection and seek it out ! Thank you!
This was a fascinating look at how you and Bill worked together, Susan. It seems like quite a challenge. And makes me wonder if Bill has ever written books on his own. Inquiring minds... I haven’t read any of this series yet, but this is further motivation to add them to the TBR stack. And the bitter weather is helping me make a dent in the pile. :-)
No books on his own, Susan--but he did write an EEO report for the guv's office, back when. 😄 And more computer programs than anybody can count. His mind works like a flow chart, which always makes him supremely useful when it comes to plotting. He can always find (and fix) the holes in my plots.
I liked your comment on Shelley's Story Circle anthology idea: the voice of experience, thinking ahead to the what will work on the cover. I'm sure you'll suffer pangs, handing that editorial project over. But I'm also sure that SCN will keep you busy!
I can see how writing computer programs would help Bill with organizing a plot. Thanks for the insight. And thanks for understanding the pangs of letting go of 9 years working with the anthology. As I was writing to Shelley yesterday about a calendar of tasks related to that, I realized how much I've learned and the complexity involved in that project. Yet I'm feeling good about taking on a new challenge, and working with you on that transition. Hugs to you.
I love learning all this background info for your book series!
Susan, this is such a grand post! I have yet to venture into the Robin Paige series and love all of this backstory as grounding. I just checked and am happy to report that the first 9 books are available as ebooks on Libby!!! Perhaps the audiobooks will be available later? My list of books to be read is way longer than my arm, but all of your info has me wanting to start in on this series! I suspect I will find some time for that! 🤩
Sending you and Bill warm wishes for the temperatures to rise sooner than later down your way. Please do take care in the meantime. 🙂
Sandy, P.S. Looking at the Overdrive catalog online, I see that they have all 12 of the audios. So maybe your library can get Helen's narrations for you. Worth an ask.
Yes, I will ask about the audiobook versions. I do almost everything online these days and did check our library catalog for the Robin Paige series in any format. They only have the ebooks on Libby, So I will see what a bit of prodding will do. 🙂 I did notice that they do have 19 of your books in large print. A nice variety of your various series. Glad to see that!
And I also see that we are getting a 2024 program called Live Virtual Author Talks. Perhaps that would be a way to get the ball rolling! 😉 And, yes we have had record breaking cold here for the last 4 days. But, compared to the rest of the country, I hate to even mention it. With luck we will be back up in the 40's by the weekend. Crossing my fingers that this is the worst of it for the animals and birds as much as for us humans. Us humans...what a lot!
Thanks for checking, Sandy. If your library still is using Overdrive (too), the whole series is there. (Overdrive was a precursor to Libby.) So maybe ask the librarian?
Thx for the warm wishes. This, too, shall pass (but not soon enough). Aren't you getting some of this cold weather, too?
I love learning the behind-the-scenes aspect of how stories come to exist. The China Bayles series won my heart from the first one I read, and I am now working my way through the Darling Dahlias (and wishing I could ask my grandmother and mom about those days). Thank you for many hours of reading enjoyment.
Some families found the 30s so traumatic (jobs and homes lost, people on the move, the Dust Bowl, political chaos) that the survivors just didn't want to talk about their experience. My mom, for instance, would only talk about food and movies. She had a good memory for both but would just as soon forget everything else. If you 're looking for more background on that era, I can recommend Frederick Allen's Since Yesterday: The Nineteen-Thirties in America. Easy to pick up and put down, lots of fascinating detail. That decade must have been a wild ride!
I loved the back story for the Robin Paige books. I have the entire collection. thanks for enriching my understanding.
Good to hear from a reader who worked through the full dozen! Thank you, Nancy.
We've been pretty much rolled up tight (sub-freezing temps since Friday) in this small town so I don't know if the library will be open tomorrow. If it is, I'm going to be on the hunt for this series. I'm also a lover of historical fiction. Stay safe and warm! ❤️
It might be hard to get some of the titles in print, Beth, especially from a small library. But all of the books are on Overdrive, so I'm pretty sure they've been moved over to Libby. They may also have the audio, as well. Glad to hear that you're staying home, though. It's COLD out there!
Just checked the online catalog for the Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library. I am SO spoiled. Here in this part of the Willamette Valley (main branch is in Salem) we have something like 16 local libraries that belong to this coop -- so if it's not in one location it might just be in another. We've only got 3 of the Robin Paige books available (but, hey, 3 is better than 0!): Death at Devil's Bridge, Death in Hyde Park, and Death on the Lizard. None of them are here in Silverton, so I'll be requesting them and hopefully roads can be traveled soon. What's really crazy is after nearly 5 days (by tomorrow, when more freezing rain is forecast) of sub-freezing days/nights, we'll take a rapid jump to the upper 40's/low 50's by mid-week. I don't even want to think about the effect on local gardens and ag. Looking forward to more China and Ruby on Wednesday! ❤️
Do your library system have Libby or Overdrive? If so, check for the ebooks. They can now send those to Kindle as well as android or desktop e-reader. Libraries are so wonderful--it's a shame they have become the political toy of some.
Not sure -- I'll have to check. I've been out of the classroom for several years (retired HS Eng teacher/74 yrs young...) so Libby and OverDrive are new to me. This is great to know about, so thank you! Since I taught in a low income/gang/high crime area of Los Angeles, I was forever tracking down apps and books that would engage my kids. No Fear Shakespeare was a huge hit. I had kids reading Shakespeare's plays on their own. We talked about how we'd have been groundlings (and had the best "seats" in the house). Thankful that social media lets me stay connected to so many of "my kids." ❤️
HS English @74. You are my hero, Beth! Love your idea of getting the kids to think of themselves as groundlings--exactly what they'd be. Have you seen the film Anonymous? We watched it again recently. There's an interesting use of the groundlings towards the end--a good reminder of why the court was always afraid of the theater, and its audiences.
Didn't know about Anonymous either LOL. Not residing under a rock...truly 😂. I volunteer at our local library (shelving) and I think I've seen it in our DVD collection. I'll look the next time I'm there. I try never to miss an opportunity to enjoy Vanessa Redgrave or Derek Jacobi. Two of my very favorites!