While I’m away, don’t want any readers getting bored.
Carrie agreed to do a guest blog for me so I now turn the floor over to her…
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How did I get from this…
To this?
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Blame (or credit) Christian Slater.
Everyone has a collection of guilty pleasures, small or large–those things they do or eat or have just for the naughty, mindless fun of it. Mine include, among many others, cheese puffs, doughnuts, Bath & Body Works products, 80s pop music, “So You Think You Can Dance,” and Christian Slater.
As Shiloh pointed out, Christian Slater does not have the most savory of reputations. I know! He’s kinda…surly. But I’ve always been a sucker for his unusual onscreen blend of bad boy cool and sensitive loner. Really, it’s crazy. Girly hormones at their worst! Heathers, Pump Up the Volume, True Romance, Untamed Heart–yes, I’ve seen them all. Something about him caught my attention long ago and has yet to set me free.
In October of 2006, I had been prepared to start a book about the silent movie era, but my daughters checked out the Disney version of Robin Hood from the library. I was unwittingly sunk. I started thinking about how I hadn’t seen Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in ages. It’s shlocky as all get out, but I love it–not for Kevin Costner or men in tights or even the delicious Alan Rickman, but because of Christian Slater.
I watched this clip (6:30 in) and felt an immediate affinity for him. Slater’s character, Will Scarlet, offers Marian a flower and asks her to dance. But Robin steps in and says the lady is spoken for. He barely glances in Will’s direction before running off with Marian. A complete snub! Will is left to watch them go, then fades into the darkness. Alone. I imagined that sort of condescension and disregard would eventually wear on a young man trying to come into his own, stuck in the shadow of a legend.
So whatever happened to Will Scarlet anyway?
I abandoned silent movie research and jumped feet-first into Sherwood lore. Eight months later, with my manuscript ready and appointments to pitch at Nationals, my girls and I were shopping on the day before I was to fly to Dallas. We found the Disney Robin Hood on DVD, newly released, and I bought it for them. For luck. I liked the symmetry of it, my project coming full circle. And because, well, I’d already long since bought Prince of Thieves for myself. Research, don’t you know?
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Thanks so much to Shiloh Walker for letting me drop by and ramble on a bit while she’s at RT. If you’d like to read more about my December Zebra Debut, What a Scoundrel Wants, the hot, swashbuckling tale of Will Scarlet and his dangerous lady love, please visit my website. Happy reading, everyone!
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April 17, 2008 at 2:41 am
Carrie, I have said it before, but allow me now to say it publicly: I want this book!
Best of luck with its release.
April 17, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Since you already know we write somewhat similar stories—in that classic tales made us ask ‘what if’, I am curious as to what your biggest challenge was in writing What a Scoundrel Wants.
We all have our perceptions of classic stories, as do readers. How did you handle taking your spin on such a story to universal level? I know it has not been released yet (and I think readers will love it) but that is a question I think a writer keeps in mind when they challenge themselves to view with timeless stories in new ways…
Jennifer
April 17, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Good question, Jennifer. My challenge with the Robin Hood mythology was reconciling history with legend. I blogged about it here in the midst of writing my MS. The facts of the era are very different. I had trained as an historian, but for the sake of readers’ expectations, I fudged history to accomodate common ideas (Robin Hood being in the time of Richard the Lionheart, the sheriff being in charge of law when in reality he was more in charge of forestry, etc.). It wound up being as much fairy tale as historical, but where I kept to facts as much as possible had to do with the alchemy (the heroine is an alchemist). I actually found a way for her to know what she knew–a way that was historically possible, if not probable–and that made me happy.
And you’re on my ARC list, Azteclady. Don’t worry…soon!
April 17, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Can’t wait to see what you do with Will. It is about time his story is told.
April 17, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Although I’m an unabashed Kevin Coster fan – I’m ready to declare it to the world – I LIKED The Postman and Waterworld, still, it was the intriguing, didn’t see enough of him, Christian Slater that really added that extra bit of goodness to this movie.
April 21, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Slater’s character, Will Scarlet, offers Marian a flower and asks her to dance.
Oh yes, ooooooooh yes, that scene!
I became a bit Christian Slater fan after I’d watched Prince of Thieves (well, it’s worn off long since, but still! Fond memories and all that!).
I’m very much looking forward to What a Scoundrel Wants!
All the best,
Sandy
PS: Got Robin Hood, series 1 last week. Indulged in a little Guy-fest on the weekend. It’s all your fault! *g*