Five questions

[la_marquise]

From a_d_medievalist.

1. How did you meet the marquis?
Neither of us can remember how we met for the very first time. We were both members of the Cambridge University SF Society and must have been told each other's names at some point. But the first memory either of us have of meeting and talking is in around 1985/6, at a party, when for some long forgotten reason we got talking and he pretended to strangle me. Various other things happened (including me being engaged to someone else for a while) and we finally got together in 1987.

2. How much do you consciously inject your social/political beliefs into your novels?
I don't know. I don't consciously set out to do so (except for my short story 'Strong Brown God', which was written for an explicitly political anthology) but I tend to notice that such things have crept in fairly early and end up working towards and about them. Living With Ghosts is fairly light on politics, I think (although the rich/poor divide is in there). Grass King is a lot more overtly political and became so from its third chapter.

3. Who is your favourite historian (to read)?
Peter Sawyer, definitely. I love the acuteness in his writing. I have a soft spot for G R Elton, too, though I don't agree with him!

4. You're having a party, and you have to invite 5 people each from history and fiction, as well as several LJ friends: who do you invite?
Oh, that's difficult. The fictional characters are fairly easy -- I'd like all of Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d'Artagnan in their fictional personae, plus Freddy Standen from Georgette Heyer's Cotillion, because he's at home in any social situation. From history... Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and Trahaearn ap Caradog, my two favourite 11th century Welsh kings; Cardinal Richelieu, because he's much maligned and was a cat lover; the Russian dissident writer and former victim of Stalin's purges Eugenia Ginsberg, because she's my heroine; and the remarkable Marie de Rohan, duchesse de Chevreuse, because she's one of the cleverest and most interesting women in French history (though she and Richelieu did not get on at all). From LJ? Oh, even harder... narkil, of course (aka the marquis); anef, because she's always a good guest; anna_wing, because she could handle Richelieu, I'm certain; desperance, because he'd never forgive me for having both Freddy and Aramis present and not inviting him; and stevegreen, because he's great company and he would write the event up afterwards with skill and flair.

5. What is your dream holiday (and does it include writing?)?
That's something that changes regularly, because I'm one of those people who works out where she really wants to go, then saves up and goes. China is high on my list, as is Northern India. I like to tour around and see edifices and mountains and lakes and.... Ad learn about the history and culture. And the marquis has to come, too. I might write, I might not: it would depend on what I was working on at the time.

Leave me a comment saying "Resistance is Futile."
• I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity.
• Update your journal with the answers to the questions.
• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions.

Comments

[pwilkinson.livejournal.com]

On (4) - are you sure that you would want your fictional and historical characters at the same party?

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I'd take your dinner guests, but I'd add Talleyrand, another much-maligned but fascinating person. And possibly Mademoiselle Scudery.

[owlfish]

Why must we be assimilated in order to answer individually-tailored questions? How odd are the memes of the world. In any event, "Resistance is Futile."

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a fascinating party.

Reisistance is futile.

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

Resistance is futile, I suppose. What a fascinating meme.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

You now have me grinning like an idiot. Again.

[uk-sef.livejournal.com]

we got talking and he pretended to strangle me

Wow, he really must do (or have done) that a lot!

[athenais.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure you have five questions for me, but resistance is futile.

Resistance is futile

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

I would like to have Queen Blanche, mother of Louis IX at my party. Among other things she was instrumental in the building of Notre Dame de Chartres. Much of the oldest glass was commissioned by her.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

Resistance is futile

[ci5rod.livejournal.com]

Go on then, resistance is voltage divided by current futile.

[glass-mountain.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed reading that muchly! And that would be quite a party :D

[anna-wing.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the invitation! Richelieu and Talleyrand and Aramis would be such an embarrassment of riches. And it would be a joy to meet Freddy Standen too.

I'm not sure how well they'd fit in with your other guests, but I'd also propose Simon Templar, the Hon Galahad Threepwood, and Mrs Bradley, because they all have conversation and they can cope with anyone or anything. Among the non-fictional people I'd suggest the Rev Sidney Smith and Lord Byron, ditto.

[anef.livejournal.com]

I'm flattered, and I would love to meet Freddy Standen as well. Not so keen on Francis Crawford (a suggestion from above) - although Philippa would be good.

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

because I know I'll need another break soon ... resistance is futile!