Pronouncing Names (and the Reasons Behind Them)

A fun little conversation over on the new Parasol Protectorate Facebook group sparked this blog. So thank you Gentle Facebookers, for the prod in the articulate direction.

• Tarabotti ~ TARA-bot-tea (As in Scarlet O'Hara's home. It's an homage to a historical figure of the same name, the fascinating early early feminist, Archangelica Tarabotti. If you look up her story, you'll find cookies.)
• Maccon ~ Mack-CON (Not like Bacon, sadly. I chose it for the meaning.)
• Akeldama ~ Ak-el-DA-ma (It's mispronounced in the first audiobook because they didn't consult with me until the second. I don't know how it would be pronounced in the original language but is has to be pronounced DA-ma for reasons that become apparent in the last book.)
• Lefoux ~ Leh-FOO (I pronounce that way in my head, but I think it may rightly be pronounced differently. We all know how faux-pas is pronounce. The name is a inside joke amongst my friends.)
• Sidheag ~ SHEE-ak alternatively pronounced SIDH-hey, just to make matters confusing. (Again, chosen for its meaning, all the pack names are.)
• Dubh ~ Duv
• Featherstonehaugh ~ FES-ten-hew (Chosen because I knew it was one of "those" British names and I just wanted to mess with people. Also, I'm a big fan of the movie adaptation of the EM Forster novel Maurice.)
• Quesnel ~ Qui-NELL (I think, I'm bad with the French ones.)

Your moment of parasol . . .



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:

Your Tisane of Smart:

Your Writerly Tinctures:


Timeless: Finished with last draft, awaiting copyedits.
Etiquette & Espionage: The Finishing School Book One: Third draft done and in to first reader. Yes!
Secret Project PPA: Only a twinkle in my little eye.


BIG FAT SPOILER ALERT! Really, DON'T READ THE BLURB ON AMAZON if you haven't read the other books first!

Book News:
My publisher's official announcement about the release of Heartless.

Quote of the Day:
"A good book should leave you . . . slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it."
~ William Styron

In Which We Officially Welcome Heartless Into The World

Today, according to Amazon, we officially welcome Heartless into the world.

As you may already know, Gentle Reader, I tend to try to parody different types of Victorian literature with each Parasol Protectorate book. Soulless poked fun at the early romance novels, Changeless went back to the gothic roots of all my favorite genres, Blameless was intended to be an Alan-Quartermian-style Boy's Adventure novel, and now Heartless . . .

Heartless is a cozy Sherlock-Holmes-style mystery. I had a lot of fun researching this book: reading Conan Doyle and delving into his fascination with the occult. It's entertaining to take his perspective and place it into a world where the occult, in essence, really does exist and practically-minded scientists struggle to undersstand this, much as Sherlock does in many of Doyle's later adventures. Alexia hasn't Sherlock's mind but she has his practical approach to problem solving, and his propensity for charging about willy-nilly no holds barred.

(The role of Dr. Watson will be played by an every increasing bevy of adorable young men. A girl's gotta have her fun!)

I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it and that those of you who are Doyle fans will find my paltry efforts endearing rather than insulting. I also hope that as you read, knowing some of my motivation will allow you to pick up on those moments of writerly winking when I am playing with my source material for the pure joy of it.

Your moment of parasol . . .



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:

Your Tisane of Smart:

Your Writerly Tinctures:


Timeless: Finished with last draft, awaiting copyedits.
Etiquette & Espionage: The Finishing School Book One: First draft done. Working on entering edits into computer.
Secret Project PPA: Only a twinkle in my little eye.


BIG FAT SPOILER ALERT! Really, DON'T READ THE BLURB ON AMAZON if you haven't read the other books first!

Book News:
Have an interview with Amber Katze and contest to win a copy of Heartless.

Quote of the Day:
"There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and a tired man who wants a book to read."
~ G.K. Chesterton

Off to New Orleans: Crayfish, Ho!

 

Gentle Reader, I'll be away from the blogosphere for the next few days. I'm delighted to be visiting the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, (June 25 - 26) and Books A Million in Baton Rouge, (June 26).

Here's my schedule. Please don't hesitate to track me down and say hello.

• Speaking at the YA Luncheon on Saturday at noon.
• On the Science, Fantasy & Information Science Program Saturday, 4 ~ 5 PM.
• Signing at the ALA Hachette booth Sunday, 11 AM ~ noon.
• Signing at Books A Million in Baton Rouge at 3 PM on Sunday (there is a Facebook events page).

Japanese Changeless Cover

Gentle Reader, here is the cover launch for Changeless, the second Parasol Protectorate novel translated into Japanese (not the manga).

I do love their take on the series.

And, just because I feel like it, here is another . . . Heartless teaser!

"Of course, one knew Lord Akeldama must be able to fight. He was rumored to be quite old, and as such, must be at least capable of combat. But this was akin to knowing, academically, that his chubby calico housecat was capable of hunting rats – the actual execution of the task always seemed to Alexia highly improbable and possibly embarrassing for all concerned."
~ Heartless

Your moment of parasol . . .



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:

Your Tisane of Smart:

Your Writerly Tinctures:
Bookends Workshop Wednesday is an interesting query approach, if you are submitting you can certainly learn things.

Timeless: Finished with last draft, awaiting copyedits.
Etiquette & Espionage: The Finishing School Book One: First draft done. Working on entering edits into computer.
Secret Project PPA: Only a twinkle in my little eye.


BIG FAT SPOILER ALERT! Really, DON'T READ THE BLURB ON AMAZON if you haven't read the other books first!

Book News:
Soulless review.

Quote of the Day:
"A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy."
~ Edward P. Morgan