Historical Fiction, take one

I became very excited about writing fiction around the beginning of 2001.  I wrote this work of historical fiction in January also not-for-school.  It was intended for a writing competition, so the length was limited.  Still, I somehow managed to squeeze quite a few of my favorite things into the story:  Classical cultures, Pompeii, tragedy, self-sacrifice, and carefully researched names. 

( Slave, but Free )

Historical Fiction, take one

I became very excited about writing fiction around the beginning of 2001.  I wrote this work of historical fiction in January also not-for-school.  It was intended for a writing competition, so the length was limited.  Still, I somehow managed to squeeze quite a few of my favorite things into the story:  Classical cultures, Pompeii, tragedy, self-sacrifice, and carefully researched names. 

( Slave, but Free )

From Havergal to Sherlock?

I really am going to get from Havergal to Sherlock, and it will be a logical progression.  But that means this post will be really rambly.   Just bear with me.

We sang this hymn by Frances Ridley Havergal in church this morning.  I love it so  much.  Not, perhaps, as poetic as some (I LOVE YOU, COWPER!!!!!!) but simple and straightforward:

( Take my life )

My favorite line in the song is "Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose."  On the one hand it's a scary thought--giving up something I treasure as much as my intellect--but on the other hand, but on the other, it's a wonderful reminder that being a Christian is not giving up your intellect period.  It's using it for God. 

Anyway, I was thinking about that line, and I remembered this wonderful letter from William Pitt the younger to William Wilberforce, after Wilberforce was converted to Christianity, and seriously considered leaving politics, and living his life out in retirement.  I am posting the whole thing, because it is a wonderful letter (why does no one write like that anymore?  WHY?) , and because with my kindle, I was able to copy the whole thing out of a book, instead of typing it...which would have taken too long, and because there is something so charming (to me, anyway) in the notion that an 18th century soon-to-be Prime Minister of England called one of his friends "Bob."  The only really important quotation is the lj-cut text: "If a Christian may act in the several relations of life, must he seclude himself for all to become so? Surely the principles as well as the practice of Christianity are simple, and lead not to meditation only but to action."  But if you love old letters, as I do, you can read the whole thing below it. 

( If a Christian may act in the several relations of life, must he seclude himself for all to become so? Surely the principles as well as the practice of Christianity are simple, and lead not to meditation only but to action.  )

In the movie Amazing Grace, the directors dramatized the meeting Pitt asked for in the letter, and he says that line "Surely the principles..."

I said this would eventually ramble it's way around to Sherlock, no?  Well, if you watched Amazing Grace, you might know the connection already.  Hehe.  Benedict Cumberbatch played William Pitt the younger in Amazing Grace and he plays (to my mind the BEST EVER) Sherlock  Holmes in the new BBC TV series, Sherlock. (and Ioan Gruffudd played Wilberforce.   *sigh*   SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IN THE SAME MOVIE!)

You know, that's not the first time my fangirlishness has managed to worm its way into church.  I was sick at home one Sunday a few weeks ago, so I watched the church service from my home church, which they started streaming live recently.  One of the pastors grew a goatee, which I hadn't seen, of course, since I'm away at school.  There was only one thing that came to mind when I saw it (so I had to print-screen it):



Tell me he doesn't look like Mirror!Spock with that goatee! 

It was sooooooooooooooooooooo distracting.

Oh well...

From Havergal to Sherlock?

I really am going to get from Havergal to Sherlock, and it will be a logical progression.  But that means this post will be really rambly.   Just bear with me.

We sang this hymn by Frances Ridley Havergal in church this morning.  I love it so  much.  Not, perhaps, as poetic as some (I LOVE YOU, COWPER!!!!!!) but simple and straightforward:

( Take my life )

My favorite line in the song is "Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose."  On the one hand it's a scary thought--giving up something I treasure as much as my intellect--but on the other hand, but on the other, it's a wonderful reminder that being a Christian is not giving up your intellect period.  It's using it for God. 

Anyway, I was thinking about that line, and I remembered this wonderful letter from William Pitt the younger to William Wilberforce, after Wilberforce was converted to Christianity, and seriously considered leaving politics, and living his life out in retirement.  I am posting the whole thing, because it is a wonderful letter (why does no one write like that anymore?  WHY?) , and because with my kindle, I was able to copy the whole thing out of a book, instead of typing it...which would have taken too long, and because there is something so charming (to me, anyway) in the notion that an 18th century soon-to-be Prime Minister of England called one of his friends "Bob."  The only really important quotation is the lj-cut text: "If a Christian may act in the several relations of life, must he seclude himself for all to become so? Surely the principles as well as the practice of Christianity are simple, and lead not to meditation only but to action."  But if you love old letters, as I do, you can read the whole thing below it. 

( If a Christian may act in the several relations of life, must he seclude himself for all to become so? Surely the principles as well as the practice of Christianity are simple, and lead not to meditation only but to action.  )

In the movie Amazing Grace, the directors dramatized the meeting Pitt asked for in the letter, and he says that line "Surely the principles..."

I said this would eventually ramble it's way around to Sherlock, no?  Well, if you watched Amazing Grace, you might know the connection already.  Hehe.  Benedict Cumberbatch played William Pitt the younger in Amazing Grace and he plays (to my mind the BEST EVER) Sherlock  Holmes in the new BBC TV series, Sherlock. (and Ioan Gruffudd played Wilberforce.   *sigh*   SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IN THE SAME MOVIE!)

You know, that's not the first time my fangirlishness has managed to worm its way into church.  I was sick at home one Sunday a few weeks ago, so I watched the church service from my home church, which they started streaming live recently.  One of the pastors grew a goatee, which I hadn't seen, of course, since I'm away at school.  There was only one thing that came to mind when I saw it (so I had to print-screen it):



Tell me he doesn't look like Mirror!Spock with that goatee! 

It was sooooooooooooooooooooo distracting.

Oh well...

Three unrelated songs...

...that I heard this weekend.

First, a new song by Miranda Lambert.  It cracked me up:

Quick!  How many female country singers can you identify?

Second, a beautiful new song from Carrie Underwood.  It made me cry.  I hope I can sing this to my mom one day!:

And that's her real hubbie. Aww.

And finally, one of my favorite Christian contemporary songs.  So true.  So creative.  And so Beatles-y (Hehe.  I really think it is an excellent example of a well-written Christian song.  The words remind me of something by one of the Metaphysical poets.  Donne TOTALLY would have written something like that...in fact, I bet if I checked through the Holy Sonnets I'd find one with that conceit...hmm...should check.  And Beatles-y-ness is the highest compliment I can give modern music.  :-)  )

EDIT:  Closest Donne poem I could find is "Batter my heart" which is significantly more shocking than "So long, self" but has a sort of similar conceit:

Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

Three unrelated songs...

...that I heard this weekend.

First, a new song by Miranda Lambert.  It cracked me up:

Quick!  How many female country singers can you identify?

Second, a beautiful new song from Carrie Underwood.  It made me cry.  I hope I can sing this to my mom one day!:

And that's her real hubbie. Aww.

And finally, one of my favorite Christian contemporary songs.  So true.  So creative.  And so Beatles-y (Hehe.  I really think it is an excellent example of a well-written Christian song.  The words remind me of something by one of the Metaphysical poets.  Donne TOTALLY would have written something like that...in fact, I bet if I checked through the Holy Sonnets I'd find one with that conceit...hmm...should check.  And Beatles-y-ness is the highest compliment I can give modern music.  :-)  )

EDIT:  Closest Donne poem I could find is "Batter my heart" which is significantly more shocking than "So long, self" but has a sort of similar conceit:

Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.