tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post5459608251447141311..comments2023-10-14T10:14:51.072+02:00Comments on NOW CLOSED: Discovering Diamonds: Promises, Promises by Helen Hollick - A Story Inspired By A SongHelen Hollickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-39566839464246656122019-12-14T13:21:34.255+01:002019-12-14T13:21:34.255+01:00Thanks Judith ... I didn't know half of the so...Thanks Judith ... I didn't know half of the songs either. This one was out last summer - the first time I heard it Duke William came to mind.Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-22551748599960320322019-12-09T10:33:22.300+01:002019-12-09T10:33:22.300+01:00OOh, the nastiest Norman of them all - lol. Great ...OOh, the nastiest Norman of them all - lol. Great writing, Harold the King is on my 'favourites' shelf and has been for years. Didn't get the song. I think I need to expand my playlist, I haven't guessed any yet. Judith Arnopphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10734149908148034800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-15017495132598991202019-12-08T18:51:36.856+01:002019-12-08T18:51:36.856+01:00That's William! Lucky Matilda, eh?That's William! Lucky Matilda, eh?Loretta Livingstonehttp://www.treasurechestbooks.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-79507678547764185792019-12-06T11:49:51.481+01:002019-12-06T11:49:51.481+01:00Thank you Chris - that made me laugh, the thought ...Thank you Chris - that made me laugh, the thought of William dropping her! That _would_ have dented his ego!<br />(and thank you for enjoying Harold The King.)Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-76963706647865070512019-12-06T11:47:47.412+01:002019-12-06T11:47:47.412+01:00Thank you Paul. I wonder... does _anyone_ like Bil...Thank you Paul. I wonder... does _anyone_ like Bill?Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-88901764564062693812019-12-05T10:08:13.257+01:002019-12-05T10:08:13.257+01:00I really enjoyed this story, though I didn't k...I really enjoyed this story, though I didn't known the song. I could just imagine William carting the poor girl down the stairs - she probably terrified in case he dropped her! Harold the King is one of my favourite books. I'm pro-Harold too. Chris Torrancenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-64275879171120277222019-12-04T22:18:56.121+01:002019-12-04T22:18:56.121+01:00And that's just the tip of the iceberg...And that's just the tip of the iceberg...Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-46329287105938928132019-12-04T20:57:31.800+01:002019-12-04T20:57:31.800+01:00Lovely writing, but what a horrid man! Lovely writing, but what a horrid man! Little Angelic Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13636466826438530446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-50805584380352135082019-12-04T20:53:23.691+01:002019-12-04T20:53:23.691+01:00It can - Jude Devereux a US romance author did it ...It can - Jude Devereux a US romance author did it for a pair of twin sisters. Little Angelic Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13636466826438530446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-66539106182773021612019-12-04T19:14:52.523+01:002019-12-04T19:14:52.523+01:00When I was writing 'Harold' back in 1999/2...When I was writing 'Harold' back in 1999/2000 the great Sharon Penman offered me some advice when I told her I was having trouble writing William's scenes. She said 'think of the good things about him'. Trouble is, *laugh*, I _still_ haven't thought of any! From a modern perspective it is possible to understand his adult character because of the traumas and hangups he had endured throughout childhood. He'd be a serious Social Services in-care case were he alive today as a child - taunted for being illegitimate, witnessing murders, his father dying, his mother re-marrying... there again he could merely have been an outright psychopath...Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-50052121863141880872019-12-04T19:07:57.618+01:002019-12-04T19:07:57.618+01:00You're right about Mathilda being clever - and...You're right about Mathilda being clever - and yes very like Livia.Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-25364988264744429052019-12-04T16:41:15.431+01:002019-12-04T16:41:15.431+01:00I didn't now the song and now *I* won't be...I didn't now the song and now *I* won't be able to hear without thinking of William! (and I don't like him either, but I can't help reading this and thinking of two people each backed into their own prideful corners, and how different it might have been...)Mrs Methwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02566022340170720667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-19791331745863990992019-12-04T13:10:56.386+01:002019-12-04T13:10:56.386+01:00Well, now you HAVE to write William's story fr...Well, now you HAVE to write William's story from his POV after this vivd introduction! Georgette Heyer wrote 'The Conqueror' which showed he was a hard man, but had been reared amongst chaos in a brutal period. Obvs, your version would be so much more lively and bring the William/Matilda story much more to the fore. She was a clever woman as well as spirited and I would reckon she played it as cleverly as Livia did with Augustus...<br /><br />Can we ore-order now?Alison Mortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12638794898163576730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-53397386644351697352019-12-04T12:18:48.925+01:002019-12-04T12:18:48.925+01:00Only one way to find out ...Only one way to find out ...Richard Tearlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13593521217135620570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-12074336023446299232019-12-04T11:43:42.425+01:002019-12-04T11:43:42.425+01:00Great vignette of the times, really engaging - and...Great vignette of the times, really engaging - and though I wouldn't say I like William it does make you think about, and understand, his motivations. Paul Marrinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02885711464264826447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-87698886512168148682019-12-04T11:25:44.360+01:002019-12-04T11:25:44.360+01:00I'm sitting here wondering the same thing Rich...I'm sitting here wondering the same thing Richard - two novels from a different POV - I wonder if it can be done?Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-4485484813195592572019-12-04T11:24:11.235+01:002019-12-04T11:24:11.235+01:00Every time I heard the song I thought of Duke Will...Every time I heard the song I thought of Duke William!Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-11583767718829374112019-12-04T11:23:33.155+01:002019-12-04T11:23:33.155+01:00When I originally started Harold The King I had in...When I originally started Harold The King I had intended to be neutral and let the reader decide about the two men... got to William's scenes and couldn't do it - ended up hating the man. This is the first time I've had a bit of sympathy for him!Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-80178128762404581202019-12-04T11:21:19.539+01:002019-12-04T11:21:19.539+01:00*laugh* yes quite unexpected! I am toying with wri...*laugh* yes quite unexpected! I am toying with writing Bishop Odo's story. but William's POV? Hmmm no I hadn't. I wonder how hard it would be to write about a man I loathe?Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-43616290776361420142019-12-04T11:21:00.798+01:002019-12-04T11:21:00.798+01:00Wow! Such characterisation! So much the William th...Wow! Such characterisation! So much the William that we all know and hate!! You know, Annie and the others have made a very good point: how many authors have told the same story in two different books, but from the POVs of the two major protagonists? I didn't know the song either, but that's the game, isn't it!! Fab, Helen!Richard Tearlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13593521217135620570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-7768062784821751392019-12-04T11:20:31.679+01:002019-12-04T11:20:31.679+01:00same here for me! First time _ever_ that I've ...same here for me! First time _ever_ that I've felt sympathy for that man!Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-11168845789175070212019-12-04T11:15:22.659+01:002019-12-04T11:15:22.659+01:00I had a feeling you were on the anglo-Saxon side. ...I had a feeling you were on the anglo-Saxon side. I remember Paula Lofting's wonderful re-enactment shield wall at the HNS Conference in Oxford.Jean Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14423822543543008594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-81284346185412027932019-12-04T11:09:48.028+01:002019-12-04T11:09:48.028+01:00Terrific vivid tale. You really brought it to life...Terrific vivid tale. You really brought it to life. Didn’t know the song but it’s a good fit Clare Flynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191842671977243950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-66413996132900354812019-12-04T10:46:34.402+01:002019-12-04T10:46:34.402+01:00This is so believable. Like Annie Whitehead (above...This is so believable. Like Annie Whitehead (above), you have made me reconsider who William might have been off the battle field. Excellent story, thank you.J.G. Harlondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15983203276374903009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804142297590807485.post-91323550552114063582019-12-04T10:27:39.621+01:002019-12-04T10:27:39.621+01:00Hmm, Helen you've done what I thought would no...Hmm, Helen you've done what I thought would not be possible and made me think again about William! Whether you've made me change my mind, I'm not sure ;-) !! Fabulous story.Annie Whiteheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com