On Casting The Memory of Roses
A friend
of mine is a film editor. She has worked on a number of major films, including
one of my all-time favorites, Under the Tuscan Sun.
She
kindly offered to read my manuscript and make suggestions on The Memory of Roses at the point where
I was readying it for submission to publishers. She was helpful in a number of
ways, principally in helping me to thinking visually, rather than only in words.
What I
enjoyed most in the exercise I did for her was “casting” my book. If it were to
be made into a movie, who would I want to play the various parts in in?
My
heroine, Brit, would be a beautiful young actress I’ve only seen once—Claire
Forlani who was the lead in Shadows in the Sun. She’d be quite perfect.
Ian
McQuaid, Brit’s father, would be Sean Connery as he was twenty years ago.
Maria, Ian’s
lover, maybe Jennifer Lopez, but not quite. She needs to be younger, more
innocent, more vulnerable.
John
Meyers, Brit’s attorney, would be Hector Elizondo (the hotel manager in Pretty
Woman). That’s perfect casting.
Emmanuel
would be Vincent Riotta (the estate agent in Under the Tuscan Sun). Again I
can’t imagine anyone better.
Daphne—I’ve
never found just the right mixture of charm and wisdom needed for this young
woman who comes to the villa to work for Brit. Any suggestions?
Paulo di
Stefano—Rufus Sewell—of The Master Builder, and the Zen series. Dark and
handsome with sexy eyes.
Andreas—my
hero. Now that one was fun to cast. No one was really good looking enough, but
Jude Law came close. In my mind I see the statue of the Greek messenger of the
Gods, Hermes, in a sculpture I love in the Museum of Archaeology in Athens.
That’s the face, the form, the sexy body of my hero, Andreas.
However Andreas’
brains, patience and temperament -- they were all my husband’s.
Brit and
Andreas lock horns more than once in my story. That’s only natural. Brit’s in
her early thirties. She’s financially independent, has taught at the university
level, and is used to making her own decisions. Add to that the fact that,
after one disastrous love affair, she doesn’t trust men.
Then
throw her daily into contact with a man who looks like a Greek god, who is five
years younger than she is, and who is pursuing her relentlessly.
Add to the mix the difference in their
cultures. He’s a Greek Male. They’ve been used to running things ever since
Alexander the Great.
She’s an
independent professional American woman. Nobody is going to tell her what to
do.
That’s a
recipe for fireworks.
In the
following scene, Andreas arrives back from Santorini after a week’s absence to
discover that Brit has undertaken a major building project on the property
without consulting him.
Brit was standing
in the middle of this chaos in the late afternoon when Andreas appeared in the
doorway.
“Daphne said you
were down here.” He looked around briefly, taking in everything.
“Andreas. I
wasn’t expecting you until the evening flight.”
“Clearly.” He
spun on his heel and walked swiftly away.
“Andreas, wait!”
Brit ran after his retreating form. She caught up with him halfway to the
house. “Andreas, stop, please. Listen to me.”
“When were you
going to tell me about this?” He kept striding toward the house. Once inside,
he went swiftly up to their bedroom and out on the balcony, Brit followed more
slowly.
He turned
abruptly toward her. “I asked you a question, Brit. When were you planning to
tell me about this? Didn’t you think it mattered enough to mention it to me? I
know we’re not married. But we are living together. Don’t you think a decision like
this is something we should at least have talked about?”
“I knew you’d say
we shouldn’t do it.”
“I see. So rather
than discussing it, instead of hashing it out between us, you just went ahead
with it on your own. Is that your idea of the way two people who care for each
other make decisions?”
Brit hesitated.
“No. Of course not. I suppose I should have talked with you about it.”
“You suppose? It
will be huge job, Brit, and I can’t be here to supervise. Someone has to
oversee all this work. You need a proper contractor, not just an assortment of
local workers.”
Brit shook her
head. “I don’t really think we need a contractor. Emmanuel will coordinate the
work.”
He continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “and you
haven’t even considered the money it will take. I’m well off, Brit, but…”
“I’m doing this
with my own money, Andreas.”
His face turned white with anger. “I see. You
think that using your money for it makes it all right. Using your money rather
than mine means it isn’t necessary to discuss it with me. That says a great
deal about how you view our relationship.”
Brit was
speechless. She hadn’t thought for a moment about how it would seem to him.
While she was pondering what to say, how to make it right, he spun around and
walked out of the room and down the stairs. She heard his car start up and then
the spray of gravel as he sped away. What had she done?
August 20 Guest blog
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Books, Books The Magical Fruit
August 28 Guest blog
Read 2 Review
Brit McQuaid has had a very bad year. First, her heart is broken when her relationship with her professor ends because of his lies and infidelity. Then her father dies and leaves her a villa on the Greek Island of Corfu, and a deep mystery to solve; in his last letter to her, he asks Brit to find the woman he profoundly loved on Corfu many years ago, shocking Brit with the realization that her adored father had cheated on her mother.
How could her father have owned a house that Brit knew nothing about? Why was he unfaithful to her mother? Who is this woman named Maria? And what is in the mysterious package?
To find answers, Brit must travel to Corfu, open a villa that has been closed for many years, and locate Maria Calbrese, the great love of her father’s life.
In the course of her voyage of discovery, Brit meets the man she could lose her heart to and begins to understand that, while passion can rule one’s actions, real love can neither be dictated by propriety nor measured by moments of passion. Real love may involve sacrifice, or at least the willingness to give up one’s own hope of happiness for the good of another’s. Her father knew this truth.
Then in her search for Maria she stumbles upon a dark secret. A secret of sacrifice that lies at the heart of her father’s decisions all those many years ago.
Brit faces a dilemma. She has it in her power to destroy the life of the woman her father so cherished. What should she do with the information she has unearthed? And how will this new knowledge affect her relationship with the man she has come to love?
.............................................................................................
"Blair McDowell is the next popular woman's novelist. Memory of Roses is a spellbinding, well written story from the first page to the surprise ending. I couldn't put it down”
Review from 'HLMJH' on Amazon.com
5 Stars
“Highly recommended for those who like a touch of history and growth in their stories. A strong 4 of 5 for Memory of Roses."
Review from Poison Rose on ‘PickedbyPoison.com’
4 Stars
"This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, well written with interesting and engaging characters. Enjoyed reading/learning about Corfu and Venice which were accurately portrayed. Loved the surprise ending."
Review from 'Book lover' on Amazon.com
5 Stars
About the Author:
I travel a lot. I usually spend the month of October in Europe, Greece or Italy, and the winter in a little house I built many years ago on a small non-touristy Caribbean Island. I have worked and studied in many places -- Hungary, Australia the US and Canada, and have lectured in most of the States and Provinces as well as Taiwan and various cities in Europe. I enjoy being surrounded by cultures other than my own. I enjoy my own as well -- but variety is indeed the spice of my life.
I keep busy -- and I love my life. I love meeting the people who come here to the west coast of Canada and stay in my B&B. I love traveling after the tourist season is over. And I love writing. My interests? Music, especially opera, reading everything in print, and Writing. And walking on the beach and swimming. At one point I had hoped to swim in every major sea and ocean. I've realized that may not be possible in one lifetime -- but trying has been fun!
Blair is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of America (Greater Vancouver Chapter), and the Romance Writers of America (Women's Fiction) and the Pacific Northwest Writer's Association.
Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmAW2NR_MAM
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1 comment:
Excellently amazing and exciting too. Can you please mention me the source of your reference... I am happy that at least somebody gave this subject an attention.
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