Diva Jefferson

Dear readers, I apologize for a late post. As you must know, this year is the 25th anniversary of "The Phantom of the Opera" (POTO). Yes, you heard me right. The Andrew Lloyd Webber sensation inspired from the book by Gaston Leroux. I am a huge 'phan', and I'm not even a big theatre buff. Okay, maybe a little bit. Like every little girl in her high school chorus class, I've dreamed of playing Christine on Broadway. Of course, I traded singing lessons for rent money, and now I can't sing nearly as well as I did seven years ago, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Anyways, I inevitably owe my inspiration to start writing to this wonderful musical. My Nana first told me about the Phantom in the '90s. She took me to the downtown theatre house and we would watch plays together: Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde, Beauty and the Beast. But Phantom never came to Florida and my hope at ever getting to New York to see it dwindled. In 2004, the POTO movie came out and I got to see what my grandmother admired so much in a musical. In short, I became obsessed.

Opening night casting call: January 26th, 1988. Steve Barton (Raoul), Harold Prince, Michael Crawford (The Phantom), Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Sarah Brightman (Christine).

(In case you didn't know...The Phantom of the Opera is a Victorian romance set in the Paris Opera House where a young singer, Christine, is encourage to become a star with the help of an angel of music--The Phantom--who falls desperately in love with her. But she cannot return his affection, because she has feelings for another.)

If I could not see the Broadway play in New York or sing as Christine, then I would do the next best thing, writing a story inspired by POTO. :)

My friend encourage this behavior by lending me a book called, "A Rose In Winter" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, which became my favorite book. Since it contained a masked, reclusive hero and a headstrong, talented heroine, I couldn't help but fall in love. My very first novel titled, "The Phantom of Fonthill Abbey" (with working title, "The Earl's Redemption" and Book #1 in the Victorian Redemption series) is a story of redemption, love, and betrayal. Sound familiar? William Kendall, the fourth Earl of Wiltshire, is the phantom of Fonthill Abbey. He is scarred from his past, and full of love just waiting to be given to someone worthy who comes along like his future wife, Elizabeth. In my novel, Christine ends up with the Phantom as I've always wished. :)


Here is a tribute to all the Phantoms who took every woman's heart year after year:

Michael Crawford (The first Phantom.)

Howard McGillin

Hugh Panaro (The current NYC Phantom.)

John Cudia

Cris Groenendaal

Mark Jacoby

Kevin Gray

Marcus Lovett

Davis Gaines

Steve Barton

Timothy Nolen

Brad Little

Jeff Keller

Ted Keegan

Gerard Butler (From the 2004 film.)

Gary Mauer

A final note from the author:

Inside the Majestic Theatre, waiting for The Phantom of the Opera to begin.

Now, if you've continued this far into my post (in which, I hope you have enjoyed the Phantoms), I would like to share with you my experience in 2010 at the Majestic Theatre in New York.

Pandora Gray (left) and her friend (right) outside of the Majestic Theatre, NYC.

Nothing compared to seeing the show in person. I waited so many years to see it...and this is proof that dreams do come true...eventually. :)







Thank you for reading, sharing in my experience, and learning through my past.



Happy writing!

Today, we continue the immortal journey of the Fonthill Abbey through a historical incidence. We know the abbey's main tower collapsed in 1825 and the whole manse was demolished thereafter. In my reality, the west wing, where the Fourth Earl of Wiltshire's room resided, was burned down by an act of revenge.

The first pages of the Great Reform Act 1832.

The Representation of the People Act 1832, or Great Reform Act of 1832, influenced by the French Revolution, was an Act of Parliament in England and Wales which introduced more seats into the House of Commons from large cities and took away seats from smaller cities called "rotten boroughs". It also increased the amount of voters from 400,000 to 650,000.

Charles Gray

The Whigs favored reform, constitutional monarchy, and parliamentary rule. The Duke of Wellington's opposition to reform forced his resignation from office and he was succeeded by Charles Gray who pushed parliamentary reform with the Whigs. After much debate, the House of Lords and its majority of Tories, who advocate monarchism, supported the Church of England, and opposed reform, consented to the Bill after a threat by King William IV of revolution as all as the Birmingham Political Union led by Thomas Attwood (Oliver and Rosalind Attwood's father) and 15,000 supporters who threatened to use violence, to desist their opposition.

Two years later, the modern-day Conservative Party was created with similar philosophies to conservatism (traditionalism) and British unionism.

House of Commons

Effects of the Act: Since 60% of the people, specifically "male persons", were allowed to vote, 95% of the population were left without the vote, including women. In addition to being the first statutory bar to women's suffrage, most of the pocket boroughs belonged to Tory members, and tenants-at-will were created to allow voting for whomever their landlord told them to, allowing the Tories to retake the House of Commons in 1841.

	The 3rd Dragoon Guards violently suppressing the Bristol Riots of 1831.

Queen's Square, 20 October, 1831.

Attacks that occurred after the Reform Bill passed in 1832.

Happy writing!

Today, I wanted to share a piece of history with everyone. When I first started my research on a perfect place for my Victorian series (over 5 years ago), I would never imagine finding the perfect setting for them all in a mysterious Gothic Revival building called the "Fonthill Abbey." I checked all over Google for a place as befitting a reclusive Earl as I could find in Wiltshire, England and found:

Fonthill Abbey

This wonderful manse is what started it all. My dreams about the Victorian Era and its many interesting facets. I could actually see people living in this place throughout the 19th Century. My aristocratic family, the Kendalls, began living here around 1832 when they bought the house from John Farquhar. They would continue to spend 40 years or more in the immortal abbey. Unfortunately, in real life, the building didn't last nearly as long as it did in everyone's memory.


So, this is where our story starts...at the beginning...

William Beckford in 1782 by George Romney

In 1760, William Thomas Beckford was born in London. Ten years later, he inherited 1,000,000 pounds (or 110 million pounds in 2012) from his father, as well as land at Fonthill in Wiltshire and sugar plantations in Jamaica. Later, he became a novelist and an art collector. After accusations of having homosexual relations,  he married Lady Margaret Gordon and exiled himself to the Continent where he traveled to Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, and Portugal. Then his wife died of childbirth.

When he returned to England, he enclosed around Fonthill Estate a six-mile long wall to prevent poachers from entering his property. Due to his romantic nature, Beckford wanted a Gothic cathedral constructed as his home. In 1796, the architect, James Wyatt, began work on the building using timber stuccoed with cement. Francis Eginton, a glass painter, desgined thirty-two depictions of medieval knights, kings, etc. for the many windows. 950 laborers worked day and night to build the abbey. After the first 300 foot tower collapsed, the new one was finished six years later only to collapse as well. The final one, built in stone, was completed in seven years. In 1813, the abbey's construction was done.  

Abbey tower ruins.

Beckford lived alone in the 500-acre abbey until 1822 spending wealth without making it, only occupying one of the rooms. After losing two sugar plantations, he was forced to sell the the property and its entitlements for 330,000 pounds to an ammunition dealer named John Farquhar. In 1825, the main tower collapsed, and later the rest of the abbey was demolished. The gatehouse and part of the north wing remain to this day. Speculation arose that since Beckford rushed the construction of the Fonthill Abbey, with the absence of the architect many times during the project, and the enormous height of the tower spire, the building was doomed from the beginning. So, they labeled it "Beckford's Folly." William Beckford died in 1844 in Bath, England.

Highlights from the Fonthill Abbey:

Great Western Entrance Hall

Grand Drawing Room

The Great Octagon

King Edward's Gallery on the West wing

This tower spanned about 300 feet tall.

St. Michael's Gallery on the East wing

(Information about the Abbey courtesy of Wikipedia and a collection of maps and descriptions by John Rutter called Delineations of Fonthill and its Abbey.)

I guess you can say that research/history is an obsession of mine. I will continue to include this abbey in my series, because it deserves immortality. If I had the money, I would recreate this masterpiece (maybe not in England), and I would definitely make it much more sturdy than wood with stucco covering it. I will always dream about it. At least, the abbey's legacy lives with the Kendall family.

Thank you for reading and your ongoing support. :)



Happy writing!

Hello, readers. I wanted to thank each and every one of you who entered my giveaway for a chance to win a copy of "To Love An Irishman". The winners have been notified. :)

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This new year is bringing changes. I look forward to talking to more of you in the future, including my newest followers. Welcome to The Blog. :) Although, my look will change along with my name, doesn't mean I'm gone. After all, what else would I rather do than write?

Be safe, readers. See you next year!



Happy writing!
Diva J.

 
Excerpt:
       Setting her upright, Mr. O’ Devlin pulled her around, gently moved the hair off her face, and kissed her full on the mouth. 

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Happy writing!
Diva J.

So, this is the last day of National Novel Writer's Month and I feel very far from a novelist at this time. I haven't written a single word since November 3rd. Luckily, next month I will hopefully have some "extra" time to do what I love so much.

It's like trying to blow up a balloon with the weight of three books on top.

I admit that I fell to the pressures of everyday life and stopped writing for a month. Technically, I did write everyday, it just consisted of essays and papers. Maybe I'm not driven enough or I've lost my perseverance to get through anything. I know this isn't true, but it is what it feels like. But books aren't going to write themselves and no one else can write what you have in your head.The main reason why I prevented myself from succeeding this month is because I'm a firm believer of creating your best work first and pursuing publishing later. I'm not saying my first drafts are perfect, but I spend the time necessary on them. Even if I write one book a year, at least I'm accomplishing something. I'm happy for the time I do have right now and the over 2000 words I already have in the latest manuscript. :)

I'll be back in the game soon, I promise.

Some quick news:
--Once I get this new Victorian series rolling, I'm changing my name to a pen name to keep my anonymity. So, keep a look out for my new look.
--Last but not least, my fiance and I are already saving money for our wedding next year!

Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout everything, readers. I couldn't ask for better friends.

The winners for my Fall In Love Giveaway Hop have already been notified. I enjoyed reading and responding to every comment. You are all the best!!!!

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Happy writing!
Diva J.

What you can win here: One e-book copy of "To Love An Irishman"

Number of winners: 2

Open to (INT, US or US/CAN): INT

How to enter: Just answer the questions below!

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Happy writing!
Diva J.

Everyone has felt the bite of rejection. It stings for a while and sometimes it's really hard to get over. Luckily, I'm not about to go into the best rejection letter I've ever received, because I've already been there and done that on my post called "Exits and Entrances".

The real reason why I made this four-part series in the first place is to tell everyone about my successes, not my failures. How I've overcome the hurdles in my (short, to some) life and came to where I am today.

No, I'm not a bestseller, but I'm published.
No, I don't make six figures a year, but I'm rich in creativity.

I hope you listen to my words and gain inspiration to find happiness in your life. This is my ultimate goal. I think this is my calling. The only way I can truly help others. Even though I'm currently on a hiatus from writing, I can still encourage other people to make their dreams come true. I've mentioned how you could overcome other people's expectations, how writing can take you away from the stress of everyday life, and how time could affect your creativity. Now, it's time to overcome your own fears and reach your greatest potential.

Yes, it hurts when the people closest to you doubt your ability to reach success, but when you doubt yourself the possible becomes impossible.

In 2008 or 2009 I asked my only friend on the planet to beta read my first book before it became self-published. I sent her the whole novel through email. A couple months went by and I didn't receive a single reply. I wrote her again and she said she was so busy that she couldn't get past the first chapter. The whole time I'm thinking, she must have hated it completely. This friend was an avid reader. She is the person who let me borrow "A Rose In Winter" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and hooked me on romance. Why would she let me down when I'm trying to become one of those authors she adores?

Let's just say it hurt. I got so emotional about it, I published the book without making sure it was the best it could be. I wanted my estranged family to read it. I wanted my coworkers to read it. I wanted the world to read it. I think it was a cry for attention or at least notice, because after they'd read it I asked for input/reviews, etc. Most of it was positive. They wanted me to write a sequel. Do you want to know why they felt this way? Because I knew them. They cared about my feelings. It became a personal reaction, not an unbiased assessment of my work. Of course, years later, I see every single flaw in that novel and it irks me to know I let this reach so many hands. I'm ashamed, rather.

Then I read the newest book on the bestseller's list and wonder why I can't write like they do. Why hadn't my published book get placed on the list? Maybe I hadn't done as much marketing/promotion as I could have. There are things that I could've done, but so many more things I could be doing.

The fact of the matter is there are things that are in my control and there are things that are beyond my control. Right now, I still write everyday, whether schoolwork or a blog or even a comment. I learn as much about the craft as I can and I take these skills to my own writing to improve the quality. This is all I can do for right now. Until I have a large outreach, this is all I have to do. What I can't do is force people to buy my book and expect readers to find me themselves. Writing is amazing, but it's a career for a reason. You have to build yourself to the top like everything else in life worth having.

So, you wanted the recipe for success? Well, here you go. Never give up, never surrender. Thanks so much for reading. I appreciate every single one of you!



Happy writing!
Diva J.

Today, I'm continuing my 4-part series about love, life, and the pursuit of writing. :)

With midterms on the horizon, I haven't much time to do anything. Every time I think there is a silver-lining in the clouds, they turn dark with rain again. I've almost finished writing an outline for my new story and I'm working on the series bible, which takes a lot of thought. One thing I do know for sure, I think this will be my first and only year of college. I think it's become one of those dreams that have turned sour. After so many years of failed attempts to go, I see now why it wouldn't have been possible as I got older. Too many changes have occurred in my life. I have a sure path now...

Why should I attempt to change what I cannot? I already write for a...living. If you can call it 'meager' without sounding harsh, than so be it. I haven't written in almost a month. And I know exactly why.

College has become my hobby now. I probably take the day job and writing more seriously, though. Actually, if I had my way, I'd take writing and college seriously and not even have a day job. But like Cinderella says "a dream is a wish your heart makes when you're all alone."

Truth be known, the confession I have for today is that, I play video games in my spare time. I'm not talking about Facebook flash games either (although, I did spend a good amount of time on there, too). No, these are Xbox 360 games/console games with controllers and headsets. Although, I've been known to spend hours on these past times, every time I do, I feel like I've wasted time I could be working. Does this make me a workaholic?

If I sit and do classwork, or writing, everyday, I would be miserable. Since I can't afford to go anywhere (unless I don't want to think of a savings account) I have plenty enough entertainment outlets around the apartment. In fact, 4 of my favorite shows have started another season. Of course, I want to watch them.

Sometimes, when I've finished all my schoolwork and I have a day off, I sit on my computer with nothing to write about. Well, let me rephrase that, because there is always plenty of ideas to write about, just not enough inspiration/motivation to get it all out. Like the image says: my brain is so fried that I just waste time online. This was a major reason why I deactivated my Facebook account. Those games are so addicting!

Yes, I can't sleep at night, because my mind goes a million miles an hour worrying if my characters' stories will ever be told. Yes, I daydream at work about other peoples' lives. Yes, I open Word on my computer to write and not a single sentence comes out of me. Yes, I'm human. These things happen. "Life happens to you while you're busy making other plans." (John Lennon) You can't just sit around and expect greatness...you have to work toward it. Luckily, dreams are attainable and they do come true.

Anyways, I will leave you with a final note: Recently, I read an article about writing the best you can, instead of falling under the pressure of making a word count everyday.

Your characters and readers will love you more for taking the time on your work, then rushing through it.

As always, thank you so much for reading my posts. I hope you have gained motivation and insight as your journey continues. You can't put your life on hold for your dreams, but you can at least enjoy it. Please feel free to leave a comment with how you make the time for your writing. :)



Happy writing!
Diva J.