Interview with String_of_Stars
Thanks So much for taking the time to chat, I know you’ve been incredibly busy with a house move so I appreciate you making time.
While we were setting this up we were chuckling about a case of mistaken identity, with my username being really similar to the title of your series of work that was massive in the fandom, and me being congratulated for it! I do remember reading it when I first started reading Heybourne, it’s epic!
So tell us how your love of Sanditon began?
SOS
I have always loved period dramas. I think I’m fortunate to have grown up at a time when Masterpiece Theatre (now Masterpiece) was airing fantastic BBC dramas based on English literary works by Austen, Dickens, the Brontës, Gaskell, and others. So many of the 1990s adaptations remain favorites of mine–P&P, Persuasion, and Ang Lee’s S&S. Colin Firth remains my Darcy and Jeremy Northam will always be my Mr. Knightley! Also, I’ve read Austen’s major works. So, when a new Jane Austen production was announced, I had to tune in.
I watched Sanditon on PBS in January 2020, and like many viewers found myself thinking, “What the heck is this?” It was not your typical Austen. Honestly, I stuck it out mostly for Esther’s story.
LH
Yeah it’s not exactly authentic Austen! I found the Esther storyline the most compelling part of S1 as well. Edward really is a creep isn’t he?!
Edward’s the worst! Babington is much more of a traditional Austen hero to me. I couldn’t help but love his determined courting of Esther!
Okay, then there was the Sanditon S1 ending—honestly, I felt I had wasted hours of my life! Hearing the show had been cancelled? How deflating. PBS aired Beecham House right after Sanditon, which had also been cancelled with a cliffhanger ending. Can you imagine? I was starting to think Masterpiece had gone off the rails!
I was not part of the Sisterhood or campaign to save the show; however, I told myself I was willing to at least watch the first episode of Season 2, and I did listen to the cast Zoom. (I found myself wondering who the cheeky dark-haired male actor was—the one who seemed to be trying a little too hard to be cheeky. I’d never heard of him!) To me, the best scene of S2E1 was the interview. From there, the pace was set, and the rest is history. I joined Reddit for the first time (HappyThoughtIndeed) and loved, loved the busy days of discussion within the Sanditon subreddit during the long wait between seasons, I rejoined Twitter after a long absence, and wrote fan fiction for the first time in my life!
LH
I came to the show really late, and those days of conversation and speculation sound so much fun! And sounds like it was the impetus for you starting writing. Why do you write Heybourne?
SOS
Reddit…for those of us active during S2 and S3, the amount of detail in some of those threads was amazing. There was one post just on desks, chairs, and windows as symbolism in the show, and it was one of the best conversations! We had the gamut–folks posting casual thoughts to Redditors who must be literature scholars doing in-depth analysis. It was great fun. For those around when Sanditexts were being posted on Twitter, I just think of the line “Lucy Colbourne has the left the conversation” and I smile. Sanditon fans are among the most clever and creative.
Why do I write Heybourne? I love these characters. I love that she is no-nonsense, practical, and social. I love that he is a worrier, intellectual, and borderline miserable in social situations. Often, what comes across as calm in Charlotte comes across as fluster in Alexander. They’re good for each other. Not exactly opposites. They both stand for what they believe in. They both have a bit of a temper. They share the same values. They have great chemistry and physically seem to fit together. I’m drawn to AC as a character, and I find him easier to write than Charlotte (I think others have said this as well), but they belong together, and I think if we had had (or ever have) an S4, we would see how more of the S2 fire rather than the S3 awkwardness.
I also love the surroundings, the family, and their support network. Heyrick Park, Luna, Hannibal, the girls, Mrs. Wheatley, and infamous Uncle Samuel. There is comfort that comes from seeing these imperfect people live, learn, love, and grow. I still want justice for Luna! Surely she wasn’t that naughty that she couldn’t be in one scene in S3!
I also write Heybourne because we did not receive as many episodes as I would have liked, and I wish Heybourne had had more screen time and dialogue in the series. I think the series is missing a key scene—the two of them never discussed what happened in the study and why Alexander made the decision to let her go. That missing conversation is one of the reasons I write about their lives—to provide that opportunity to depict what was not portrayed on screen.
LH
Yes it’s such an omission, isn’t it? Still, it has stimulated a load of creativity in the fanfic world.
SOS
Other than the overcrowding of storylines in S3, I think it was one area where the writers came up short. I don’t mean that as a criticism because I’m learning what it’s like to juggle many characters and storylines but rather a key missing piece that boggles me. How could they not have these characters have this conversation?! The firing scene was pivotal, and yet, it’s addressed so subtly–too subtly in my opinion–during the trip to Falmouth in S3.
Another part of my love for Heybourne is that I love the underdog story of Ben earning the role of Colbourne. The whole “Never heard of this guy and now I’m writing #HDTWritingChallenge stories? What’s that all about?” element has been great fun for me.
LH
Ha! Yes, that's so true. Are you someone who now follows his work avidly?
SOS
(Laughing) Yes and no. I am a Benthusiast, and I watched several shows and scenes when I was writing for the #HughesDayTuesday (HDT) Challenges that Janice M. organized. I mean, what does it say that I watched the Roman Mysteries and an episode of Touch of Frost just to catch Ben say three lines, etc.? I watched the 2012 Great Expectations, and I think it’s funny that when you click on the IMDB page for the 2012 GE, Ben is in the trailer screenshot not the lead actor! I do think that when he is in a scene, he owns it.
I’m not a horror fan, so I never watched Malevolent. Going to be honest here, I read the episode descriptions for Industry, and it didn’t seem appealing to me. I feel like Divergent was more the age group a little younger than me, etc. So, there’s plenty I haven’t seen. I do admire his radio roles. I thought his voice acting in Joan of Arc and Henry V was excellent. In terms of his voice, BLH ranks up there with Alan Rickman, Richard Armitage, and on the American side, George Clooney, for me.
I wish I could see him on stage at the Hampstead this winter! We have a week off around Christmas, and I admit to looking up flight prices. I was in the UK earlier this year, so I don’t think I can justify it, but it’s so tempting! Actually…looks like it’s almost sold out!
LH
Yes, the tickets have really flown out the door! So what is the easiest part of writing, for you? The hardest?
SOS
For me, I would say dialogue and creating a sense of place are the easiest.
Starting with the second one first: Thinking about A Remarkable Young Woman, I know exactly what Tytherley Grange looks like in my head and what the vicarage looks like. I can imagine the layout of Colbourne House in London. I can visualize Mrs. Gress’s kitchen. I can see what a public room looks like in a particular inn. I have two degrees in geography and have taken my share of courses in art and architecture. I notice buildings, structure, paint colors, and furnishings. What species of trees are out the window. The window seats! Yes, I’m obsessed with window seats, fireplaces, and that d—n study. I think I’m envious of these characters because I want a house with those windows, those fireplaces, that library, those well-worn leather chairs, and yes, I wish I had a window seat where I live! Place is very important to me. The con of that is that sometimes my POV flounders. I’m aware of this. I’m too busy pulling a scene together that I forget to keep a consistent POV!
LH
That’s really interesting, and isn’t something that’s come up with previous interviewees - I wonder why You feel place is so important to you?
SOS
Now that you’ve asked why, I have to stop and think about it. Maybe part of it is the fantasy of living in a larger house surrounded by property where I could go for long walks a la Elizabeth Bennet? Growing up, I recall wishing that we had a formal dining room, fireplaces, and lived on a quieter street. That could be part of it! Kind of that quest for what would have been nice to have.
Back to dialogue--My characters can have a rapid-fire conversation in my head. I love banter and writing it. I’ll go on a walk and frame a scene. The tough part, and one of the hardest parts, is then going back and filling in the description—facial expressions, movements. Verbs. Ugh! Don’t get me started on verbs and the tough job of not repeating over and over. How many times can a character gaze, glare, storm, squint, narrow their eyes, smirk, or purse their lips. Facial expressions may be the most difficult to describe. I can see it, but it’s tough to describe.
Oh so much this, I got recommended “The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Expression’ by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi.
SOS
That sounds like a great resource. I just looked it up, and the questions highlighted by readers are thought-provoking! I’ve never delved into thinking about conversations and expression to that degree. Thanks for sharing the name of the guide!
One other hard part, and I just mentioned this recently in my chapter notes for ARYW on Ao3, I kick myself every time I have to write a set piece chapter (a big event, a wedding, Georgiana’s birthday, etc.) because for me, they’re miserable to write. There’s pressure to describe but not describe too much and have wonderfully, witty dialogue or plot twists. Ugh. Curses. Set pieces are one the hardest parts!
LH
Do you think that’s something that highlights the difference between screenplay/TV and prose fiction writing? TV is all about the big set piece scenes, but in reading fiction, people are moved more by the conversations…?
SOS
Oh, another good question! I’m going to ramble a little bit here…
No Heybourne fan fic writers are obligated to write set pieces, yet several of us have. Is that because we feel the need to tie back into the show and familiar relationships or settings? Is it because we’ve watched Downton Abbey–well known for its set pieces–one too many times? I don’t know that I have an exact answer.
I think we see some of this in prose fiction. Jane Austen was a master of this. The parties and ball in Pride & Prejudice, the dinners and outings in Emma, Chapter VI in Persuasion is a mini set piece and is done humorously in the Amanda Root Persuasion. This is the scene where the Musgroves one by one are complaining about the behavior of Mary and Charles’s boys. It’s not just Austen, Charlotte Brontë has a little bit of a set piece in Jane Eyre chapters 18 & 19. This is when the guests are at the hall and the “fortune-teller” is, well, telling fortunes. Ultimately, that becomes a one-on-one conversation between Jane and Rochester. (And, yes, I did have to look up the chapters! I can’t claim knowing the books that well! LOL.)
I don’t know that I’m answering the question very well. Perhaps I’m proposing that the two (TV vs. books) aren’t that much different in terms of how set pieces are used. That’s my answer for now! 🙂
LH
How do you go about planning your stories?
Oh, very little planning. I jot notes down on scraps of paper. I don’t really create outlines. I know where the bigger, overarching story is going, but I may not have individual scenes in my head until I’m sitting down to type. I rarely write ahead. I write chapter by chapter. I know X or Y needs to happen in a chapter to move the narrative forward, yet I don’t always know exactly what will happen in a chapter until I type it. Although, sometimes if a bit of dialogue or scene comes to mind, I’ll go ahead and type it up even though it’s for a future chapter.
LH
Ha! I do recognise that as a device you use really effectively.
How do the characters form in your mind? Do you hear them telling you what to do or what they want to say?
SOS
This is a great question! If I can use a specific example to speak to this…I have an original character (Simeon Tytherley) who wrote himself into a story. I was originally setting up Solomon (his younger brother) for Augusta. Well, older brother who’s a bit more world weary worked his way in. The Tytherley family is written to have an experience opposite of Augusta’s. Simeon’s family is nice, they’re hard working, they’re “good” people—the kind of neighbors you want, top in their class at school, they go to church on Sunday, they raise their sheep, they love their hounds. Those three siblings love each other. They may tease, but they would move heaven and earth.
We never see Augusta grow up, so I keep her a tad emotionally immature. I really do think that she lost a few years of emotional growth in her early months at Heyrick Park.
LH
Yes that’s true, I think. I feel like you write her with a lot of compassion.
SOS
Other characters? Lady D says what she wants to say. She’s enjoyable for me to write because I can be the opposite of me when writing her dialogue. I can keep her in character and also have that chance to have a sharp tongue. She has no filter. Samuel is another great one to write. Another chance for me to be outgoing and quick on my feet. Again, a chance to be a bit of the opposite of who I am in real life.
LH
I love that! I feel the same way about writing him, like I get to be the person who doesn’t think of the arch or funny thing to say an hour after the conversation…
SOS
LH
Little homages, I like that. So you clearly have a solid foundation in Austen - what is it that you love about her work?
SOS
I would say the humor and satire. When we read her works today, to me, the humor is subtle. I’m not sure to what extent it was or wasn’t at the time that she was writing, but the ability to write humor in a quiet yet poking way, is a craft. There’s a strong sense of integrity in her writing. I also think her writing is ageless yet timely. Not to keep going back to Persuasion, but I just rewatched it the other night. All of those personality types are alive and well and living in our lives today. I’d say that’s what I love about Austen. She was talented at writing what we see and experience in our day-to-day lives.
LH
Yes she brought out the universal in the particulars, didn’t she?
What research do you do for your stories?
SOS
Here’s an actual note I have written down for a story in progress for another fandom: “Look up French Air Force history to make sure dates are accurate before invasion.” Yes! This is what we do!
I research history (naval battles, technology, what color fabrics were popular in certain years, books published in a given year, fashions of the late 18th century to mid-19th century, Christmas carols—when written and in what country!) to make sure I’m in the ballpark of what would have been true to the time, the decade, the year. I Google map to find pubs. True story, I wrote about an inn called The George in Truth Will Out. This June I was standing in Frome—I’d taken a train from Waterloo just for the day—and found myself staring at The George. Don’t laugh, but it dawned on me that that was the same pub I’d included in my ‘tavern tale’ story. I’d completely forgotten about it until standing in front of the building!
LH
Aw that’s lovely!
SOS
I don’t go overboard, but I try to get it right for the most part. Anyone who’s read A Remarkable Young Woman knows that I mention Sir Walter Scott, Washington Irving, and Tennyson. I’ve read my share of snippets and poems. Marmion, for example. At one point Alexander owns a horse by that name. I’ve researched a bit on Hannibal, the military leader. And, oh my goodness, mythology. Anyone who writes Heybourne has probably researched Greek and Roman mythology!
LH
I usually cheat and use the reservoir of knowledge that are my kids, who grew up devouring the Percy Jackson series and everything else Rick Riordan wrote. They’re quicker than Google! Alas, they don’t live at home anymore so I’m back to long-winded research methods.
SOS
I look up composers and their works—mostly so Lady D can gripe about composers who aren’t English! German language for Dr. Fuchs. That sort of thing.
I’ve learned a lot and have read poems I probably would not have read if it were not for writing these stories. I appreciate going down the rabbit hole at times. It’s been an adventure.
LH
I love that, how enriching writing in this fandom can be.
SOS
I also share a little of the world in which I grew up without saying it out right. Again, referring to ARYW, I speak of John James Audubon and an eccentric professor at an American college who’s identified ever so many species (the description fits a real person who walked the earth in the 19th century). I drop a line about French nuns and a bishop. I mention that Cousin Henry is neighbors with a Mr. Clay. I never say exactly where the original characters Cousin Henry Colbourne and Laurent Cambron live and teach, but some readers may be able to guess based on the clues I’m leaving.
LH
I love it - now everyone is going to be playing detectives!
So what’s the scene from the show that you go back to again and again?
SOS
Ever so many but two scenes in particular.
The dance. Simply because it’s magical. Beautiful. That shoulder dip. Just wow. In my mind, it’s the moment they both realize and silently admit to themselves, if not to each other, how they feel.
Hands down, though, the dismissal is the scene that I return to time and again. My stomach churns whenever Charlotte walks up the drive. I admire the scene because of the horribleness and the wonderfulness of it. I say wonderful because the acting is spot on. The look of incredulity that crosses Rose’s face. The way Ben as AC refuses to answer her question or look at her, and the tremor in his voice. The way he finally looks up and follows her movement to the door. Their faces tell the story in that scene. Yes, I”m a glutton for punishment!
LH
Yes, it's terrific acting. You’re braver than me, rewatching it a lot, I find it so harrowing!
So what are you most proud of having written?
SOS
I’m amazed I’ve written as much as I have! My favorite remains my first, The Window Seat. It’s not perfect, and I would change a few things about it, but that ending is essentially the ending that I wanted to see in the show. I wanted the study to be redeemed. As a viewer, because I was never that invested in Charlotte and Sidney, I wasn’t so caught up on the need to redeem the cliff path.
LH
Oh, do you know I’d never thought about it like that! I found the cliff path a bit overwrought, and I hadn’t really thought about why, but you’re right!
SOS
I’m also proud of the Un/September series, which was written when we didn’t know what would happen in S3. I’m proud that my Samuel is so close to how he was played by Liam Garrigan. I’m also proud of ARYW just because I’ve been able to write so many chapters that, hopefully, flow well.
LH
As we’ve already said, the September series has made a massive impression on people, one that I have accidentally benefited from before setting the record straight!
Do you write in other fandoms? If so what are they and why are you drawn to them?
I have a short I’m working on that expands on a scene I love in another show, and it spotlights secondary characters. Here are a few scribbled notes. I have about 900 words written. Can you guess which fandom?
Francois fixes tractor while he’s there; Tricki Woo and kitten; Rolls gets stuck in the mud; Siegfried and Mrs. Pumphrey save the day; Mrs. Dalby and Francois have a substantial conversation; Francois knows football much to Billy’s delight!
LH
Ooh, that’s fun, who doesn’t love a guessing game?!?
What scene by another writer (fanfic, screenwriter, or any writer actually!) are you most jealous of and wish you’d written?
SOS
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of peasemealBrose’s works. I also admire JayeReid’s ability to write characters’ inner thoughts, quick dialogue, and humorous scenes in AU. JayeReid writes what we’re all thinking in our heads even if we don’t dare say it aloud! Under One Roof was great—and Alexander in that story epitomizes a modern AC.
LH
I’ve not read that, I’ll check it out. And that’s the bazillionth shout out for Tale As Old as Time!
What is the essence of good writing, for you? What do you always hope people experience in yours?
SOS
Good writing reflects the care and attention of the writer. When I read, I should sense that the writer is enjoying what he or she is doing. Even if a scene contains tough subject matter, I should sense that the author took his or her time to make sure that the best words were chosen. Good writing uses descriptive words—paint me a scene so that I can easily imagine the moment in my mind.
LH
That’s such an interesting subject, the use of too much description and your writing goes purple and is distracting, too little and the care and attention you describe is missing. I guess that’s why it’s called an art form!
SOS
Yes! Your comment reminds me that balance is important.
Another side of that is that we all enjoy different styles! What’s the greatest thing since sliced bread to one reader or viewer is “meh” or even “ugh, no” to another person.
Finally, this doesn’t answer a specific question, but I would like to take a moment to thank fellow Heybourne writers and readers. This experience is one I never thought I would be a part of, but I would not trade it for the world. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting fellow writers, readers, and Sanditon followers in real life—here in the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and in London—and having those personal connections has made this all the more special!
LH
That’s so wonderful, what a great community to be part of. And thanks for taking the time today!
SOS
Thank you!
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