"It was imprudent of us, in the first place, to become authors. We could have become something regular, but we managed not to.
We were lucky, but we were also determined." Roy Blount Jr

"I don’t change the facts to enhance the drama. I think of it the other way round, the drama has got to fit the facts,
and it’s your job as a writer to find the shape in real life."
Hilary Mantel

Thursday, October 29, 2009

What I'm Doing

I was in transit.



On arrival I indulged in a favourite beverage.



This church is the burial site of the protagonist of my next novel. I stopped by to tell her I hadn't forgotten about her!





Many scenes in my novel-in-progress take place here at Kensington Palace.



Before re-visiting the locations of specific scenes in my book, I saw the Last Debutantes exhibition.



Here's the dress I want.



Staff member keeping the palace tidy.



The best-looking tree in the city.





Almost everyone who passed the red tree paused for a photo op with it. During my strolls through the grounds several times I offered to shoot couples or groups so everyone could be in the picture with the tree. I took a lot of pictures of it myself, from many vantages--up close, at a distance, from various palace windows.

Lots of scenes in my book take place in this section of the palace.



Here.



And here.



Discarded wigs and a tiara. That must've been one wild and crazy ball!



Queen Victoria looks like she's perched atop the hedge.



The Round Pond. I spent lots of time here during my student days, feeding fowl. It's half-term right now, so plenty of families in Kensington Gardens today.



Stopped by my favourite department store. Yes, it's already Christmas season at Selfridges.



Popped into my favourite bookshop. This one's for the reader-bloggers I know who enjoy the books from this publishing imprint.



Sunlight in Jermyn Street.



My protagonists occupied this house, briefly. My female protagonist resided in 3 different dwellings in St. James's Square--and was probably born in one of them.



View of the square from my favourite bench.



Time for a little nosh. I always pick up roasted chestnuts from the man in Oxford Street and bring them to the square.



Equestrian statue of William III. He's a character in my book.



Buckingham Palace from the bridge in St. James's Park.



A little heron fishing in the decoy area of the park.



Dinner in Mayfair at the tapas restaurant. I love this bar--and not just because it's where the mojitos are made! It's very picturesque.



What you aren't seeing: the Kensington palace gardens and most of the 17th century rooms I photographed. I'm saving those for web pages later. Nor am I posting my Dogs of London series, as I've only just got started on it.


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