
The English Goredd
It was an easy walk to the Stour River, over the little bridge to Godmersham Park, where one of Jane Austen’s brothers had lived. She visited frequently, supposedly basing Rosings on the manor house and Mr. Collins’s parsonage on the parsonage next door.
First of all, there's the bucolic countryside:
History is writ large in the buildings. I walked the streets in Canterbury, admiring Roman walls, Tudor and Georgian buildings, many eras living side by side. Country houses often have floors at many levels, where wings were added without quite enough forethought (or measurement). I am particularly fond of oast houses, and made sure Goredd had its share (as mentioned by Sir James in a story about encountering a battallion of dragons).
And that I'd forgotten it existed in the real world.
England is still trickling into my work, even when I'm not aware of it. Who knows what new detritus accumulated during this vacation? I can't wait to write some more and see what unexpected footpaths my imagination takes next.
Hartman will be on tour in September to promote her new release. Is she coming anywhere near you?
9/18 – 7pm – Children’s Book World, Haverford, PA
9/19 – 5pm – Warren-Newport Public Library, Gurnee, IL
9/21 – 7pm – Barnes & Noble, Skokie, IL
9/23 – 2pm – Barnes & Noble, Lynnwood, WA
9/25 – 7pm – Copperfield’s Books, Petaluma, CA
9/26 – 6pm – Barnes & Noble, El Cerrito, CA
9/28 – 7pm – Barnes & Noble, Santa Monica, CA
9/30 – 2pm – Authors Tent, The Word on the Street, Vancouver, BC
Rachel's publisher, Random House, has provided a finished copy of the book for one lucky winner in the US. The giveaway will be open until 12:01 am EST on 9/5/12. Good luck!