Liner Notes for The Case Of The Seven Sisters

 

Liner Notes for The Case Of The Seven Sisters

This was, to a certain extent, me trying to get back into the groove of writing Edwardian Comedy Crime in this particular idiosyncratic voice. A little arch, a little florid, and always using one more word than absolutely needed. It turns out it was easy!

Perhaps too easy, I just launched into this ridiculous problem. Seven sisters is the right number for this kind of thing; firstly the Greek myth/constellation/London Underground station; secondly a manageable number to hold in mind but slightly too many to do so easily. At first I thought of making Montesque so shy that he not meet their eye, or so unobservant – face blind – that he could not recognise them. But why make fun of disabilities when instead I can make fun of historical conventions? Dress all the women in black dresses and veils for mourning and it all falls into place.

After that it was a matter of giving each of them an interest and a character, then shortcutting the expected interviews to give their point of view of the events. Their fears that their guardian has bad intentions.

The poor service and mediocre food is something I keep returning to. It’s fun! And I do like a good eating scene, gives something for characters to do, to structure a long conversation. I find characters in dialogue which sometimes means they need to talk for a long time. Which can be monotonous (di-otonous?) unless there’s other things going on. That’s where I’m writing for a modern audience. Actual Edwardians didn’t have television or mobile phones so they accepted long descriptive passages (or chapters) and lengthy conversations in their literature. I’ve got to keep things moving, every scene has to advance plot, character, setting and theme!

What is the theme of this? I don’t know really. Maybe talk to people and you’ll figure stuff out?