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For whatever reason reading Box last night really rejuvenated me. You know that feeling when you've had Writer's Block for ages and suddenly you start getting all sorts of ideas and it's like a big nerdy fever? That's what I've got right now.
1) I swear I was up most the night researching Surrey and I think I finally have an area pinpointed. I think I'm going to go with the Mole Valley area, probably somewhere in the North Downs near Box Hill. It looks the part, it isn't densely populated, it has lots of small villages and hills and oak trees and warm summers. Plus the river it sits on is called The River Mole. Not the Mole River, the River Mole, which makes me smile. Also, it's commuting distance to London.
Mole Valley:
I'm definitely going to need to just make up a village. Not sure what to call it yet. That should be interesting. I've discovered that some towns in Surrey have very unfortunate names. For example "Dorking" or "Betchworth". Lol, the last one makes me think of Kelly. "Let Me Borrow That Top!"
2) I think I want the Fairchild house to have a proper name. It will always be The House of Sprog to Geoff and I, but it needs a real name. The word Grange, I find, makes me think of Wuthering Heights... and then I thought of Ben having hot applesauce thrown in his face and Rachel's pimp stride and I laughed and laughed and laughed. So... I think that one's out.
3) The business the Fairchildren are in. Originally (circa 2002), it was going to be hotels. For a reason I can now not remember, I changed it and left it undefined for a while. I considered shipyards, wool, vineyards, textiles, etc., but didn't like any of them. English wine flatlined ages ago and I just can't see Robbie heading up textile factories. Since I want their money to be grounded all the way to the Late 19th Century, I'd prefer nothing with factories. I don't like the thought of their wealth being built on the back of child labor and general horrific dinginess. Were it another family, I don't think I'd mind giving them a more ruthless history, but I genuinely like the Fairchildren since they've never struck me as opportunists (well, a couple of them maybe). So now I'm thinking hotels again. It'd actually make sense:
Late 19th Century: Started an inn in the village called The Black Rabbit or something else that'll amuse me, got enough money together to purchase a nicely sized house (the house Rufus would be living in) and started using it as a bed and breakfast. Purchased a few other small hotels around Surrey.
20th Century: Bought the theatre next to the original inn (THE theatre). Bought a few small hotels outside of Surrey. Built The House of Sprog, used that as fully functional hotel until the late 1950s (explains all the bedrooms, lol). In the meantime, brought several more hotels around England. Started a hotel in London (after this is when The HofS would have closed). Hell, the chain can even go quasi-international.
It explains why they own most of the village. Plus, again, no child labor. While I admit the words "hotel heiress" have a definite taint to them now, hotels would be the most enjoyable to work with.
4) I was considering another of Mel's sisters. Probably Nani since I never use her for anything anyway.
5) I still need an explanation why the King/Torres family is in a tiny village in Surrey where the pop. is 97.3% white. Heh, I'll figure it out.
So, hooray for all that. I think I have a place I can start now. That is making me all overexcited. I hope now that means lots of writing and not just me sitting in front of the keyboard fidgeting as I try to overcome creative constipation. Does that happen to anyone else? Where your brain is whirring with the right words but it can't seem to translate down into your fingers so it just comes out as "blergh blergh blergh wstjsbrk"?
1) I swear I was up most the night researching Surrey and I think I finally have an area pinpointed. I think I'm going to go with the Mole Valley area, probably somewhere in the North Downs near Box Hill. It looks the part, it isn't densely populated, it has lots of small villages and hills and oak trees and warm summers. Plus the river it sits on is called The River Mole. Not the Mole River, the River Mole, which makes me smile. Also, it's commuting distance to London.
Mole Valley:
I'm definitely going to need to just make up a village. Not sure what to call it yet. That should be interesting. I've discovered that some towns in Surrey have very unfortunate names. For example "Dorking" or "Betchworth". Lol, the last one makes me think of Kelly. "Let Me Borrow That Top!"
2) I think I want the Fairchild house to have a proper name. It will always be The House of Sprog to Geoff and I, but it needs a real name. The word Grange, I find, makes me think of Wuthering Heights... and then I thought of Ben having hot applesauce thrown in his face and Rachel's pimp stride and I laughed and laughed and laughed. So... I think that one's out.
3) The business the Fairchildren are in. Originally (circa 2002), it was going to be hotels. For a reason I can now not remember, I changed it and left it undefined for a while. I considered shipyards, wool, vineyards, textiles, etc., but didn't like any of them. English wine flatlined ages ago and I just can't see Robbie heading up textile factories. Since I want their money to be grounded all the way to the Late 19th Century, I'd prefer nothing with factories. I don't like the thought of their wealth being built on the back of child labor and general horrific dinginess. Were it another family, I don't think I'd mind giving them a more ruthless history, but I genuinely like the Fairchildren since they've never struck me as opportunists (well, a couple of them maybe). So now I'm thinking hotels again. It'd actually make sense:
Late 19th Century: Started an inn in the village called The Black Rabbit or something else that'll amuse me, got enough money together to purchase a nicely sized house (the house Rufus would be living in) and started using it as a bed and breakfast. Purchased a few other small hotels around Surrey.
20th Century: Bought the theatre next to the original inn (THE theatre). Bought a few small hotels outside of Surrey. Built The House of Sprog, used that as fully functional hotel until the late 1950s (explains all the bedrooms, lol). In the meantime, brought several more hotels around England. Started a hotel in London (after this is when The HofS would have closed). Hell, the chain can even go quasi-international.
It explains why they own most of the village. Plus, again, no child labor. While I admit the words "hotel heiress" have a definite taint to them now, hotels would be the most enjoyable to work with.
4) I was considering another of Mel's sisters. Probably Nani since I never use her for anything anyway.
5) I still need an explanation why the King/Torres family is in a tiny village in Surrey where the pop. is 97.3% white. Heh, I'll figure it out.
So, hooray for all that. I think I have a place I can start now. That is making me all overexcited. I hope now that means lots of writing and not just me sitting in front of the keyboard fidgeting as I try to overcome creative constipation. Does that happen to anyone else? Where your brain is whirring with the right words but it can't seem to translate down into your fingers so it just comes out as "blergh blergh blergh wstjsbrk"?
energetic