A Novel Experience

Whenever I give talks, I am often asked about how I go about producing a novel, so I thought I'd break down the production of the forthcoming hardcover into its component parts and tell you about how a novel comes to be.

1. START AT THE BEGINNING
I have to decide what I am going to write about. This usually happens as I am finishing up the previous novel and preparing it for production. I thought with THE TIME OF SINGING that I was going to be writing about William Marshal's grandson, Roger Bigod III and the whole Henry III/Simon de Montfort debacle. However, in the course of the research, Roger III's grandfather claimed the stage instead, together with his wife, former royal mistress Ida de Tosney, and informed me that it was their story I had to tell next.
At this stage the work didn't have a title. It was just called ROGER AND IDA.



2. INITIAL CONSTRUCTION
The subject matter decided, I have to read up on my research so that I can write a character study, synopsis, blurb, and first three chapters. These form the initial document that I present to my agent and editor for their approval and to show them what's in store. At this stage in the game the synopsis, although fairly detailed is still 'more like guidelines really.' Not all synopses have to be this detailed, but since I am under contract, my editor and agent need to see as much detail as possible - even if some is going to change during the writing. Reading matter consulted for The Time of Singing included a university thesis on the Bigod family, an English Heritage online report about Framlingham Castle, various other online documents, a genealogy report on William Earl of Salisbury and a biography of Henry II. There were many others, but this is just to cite a few examples. I have included a full biography at the back of the novel. I also employed akashic consultant Alison King so that I could 'interview' and observe the people involved in the story and get a handle on their appearance, their personalities and discover the story they had to tell.

















Here's page 1 of the synopsis. If you click on it, it will enlarge.
















3. NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE
Once the synopsis and first three chapters are approved, I get on with the nitty gritty of writing the story. My contracts are 15 months long. Some of that time is spent actually writing and researching, but I also have to build in time to write pieces like this for my blogs and for putting the show on the road and giving talks to the readers - because without readers I wouldn't have a job!
At first draft stage I write 100 lines a day on the PC which usually equates to around 1,200 words or perhaps a bit more. At this point I am researching as I write; the two go side by side. I am always very aware that this first draft is not clean. It will be full of over-writing, repetitions, unecessary paragraphs, and a few scenes that go nowhere. That doesn't matter. It's getting it written down in concrete wordage that is the most important thing and viewing the basic structure. It will probably take me about 7 of my 15 months. Once I have written that first draft (which I haven't revised at all except for the first three chapters which were part of the selling document), I read it through on the PC and tighten it up, taking out the over-writing and the repetitions where noticed, dealing with loose plot threads, and generally pulling it into shape. Giving the shapeless blob a six-pack is how I sometimes describe the process! At this stage I am still researching too. This will take me up to 11 months. During this time I will work on the 'soundtrack' to the stories. The explanation can be found at my music blog here, along with the soundtrack to The Time of Singing. http://elizabethchadwicksoundtracks.blogspot.com/



Here is page 1 of the 2nd Draft of The Time of Singing. Note that it still says 'IDA AND ROGER' at the top. At this stage I write on both sides of the page to save paper.
Font is Times New Roman 13 point and spacing is 'exactly' 22 points. It's what suits me.









4. REVISION AND MORE REVISION
Once the second draft is written, I leave the PC and read the typescript as if it were a book. This way, I am looking down at the words rather than across to a PC screen and it does make a difference when it comes to spotting errors and flaws. I make biro notes about what alterations needs making and then I return to the PC and key the alterations into the novel while once more reading it. Below is an example of such a page from The Wild Hunt. (I've thrown away my notes for The Time of Singing unfortunately). This stage takes about 2 months























Once I've finished this next lot of alterations, I print the work out again and read it aloud to my long suffering husband over a period of several consecutive nights and again I make biro notes. Reading aloud is yet another different discipline and helps out pick up dodgy word flow, repetition and manky dialogue. I revise again on the PC and then, finally, I send the manuscript by e-mail to my agent and editor. They will read it simultaneously which brings about stage 5.
The above paragraph will occupy a month at most, thus I am usually around a month ahead of schedule.

5. BITE NAILS, HIDE IN A CORNER AND EAT CHOCOLATE!

6. MORE REVISIONS.
My agent and editor will report back with their opinions on the manuscript and I will ponder on their suggestions and alter the manuscript accordingly. Usually there aren't that many and it's more a case of general tweaks and tidying. At this stage my editor will begin asking me if I have any ideas for the jacket and the title. I have a consultation say in my UK covers and although we don't always agree and it's often a matter of compromise, we usually get something we can all live with!
When I was asked about The Time of Singing I had a clear notion of what I wanted. Ida was a skilled needlewoman and one of Roger's main concerns was his castle at Framlingham. I thought that a cover based on Edward Blair Leighton's Stitching the Standard would be great.
Click here to see the picture.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Leighton-Stitching_the_Standard.jpg
Now compare it with the book cover at the top of the blog. You can also see the rough drafts of this by going to my illustrator's blog here:
http://www.rostant.com/seriesdesignforj.html
As far as the title was concerned we played with a lot of different ideas and suggestions. As always when I need inspiration, I turn to the bible (!) which is filled with excellent quotations and poetic phrases. A line from The Song of Solomon came straight to mind. The Song of Solomon is a love poem filled with a rich imagery of gardens and lovers, springtime and renewal. The novel contains several key scenes involving gardens and orchards, so the imagery fitted perfectly. Also, when Roger first notices Ida at court, she is singing and it is something she loves to do, and that he enjoys as well. The quote, taken from the New English Version of the Bible (rather than the King James) says: 'Arise my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come.' Perfect I thought, and different from the 'Queen' or 'Virgin' or 'Mistress' titles with which historical fiction is awash at the moment. You might also note in the illustration that the heroine gets to keep her head this time around!

7. MORE REVISIONS
The manuscript is passed on to a freelance editor who checks the punctuation and grammar and makes comments re the script where he/she feels appropriate. With The Time of Singing, I was very fortunate to have Richenda Todd, who was copy editor toDorothy Dunnett and is one of the best in the business.

8. LAST CHANCE REVISIONS.
Next the proofs arrive. These need to be read though and any teeny last minute alterations made. Now is not the time to suddenly realise you do not need chapter 4 after all - although I do confess to nearly having done that once! Not with The Time of Singing though.


Example of page proofs




















9. THE BLURBS AND THE PUBLICITY ANGLE
While stage 8 is in production, the 'blurbs' will be prepared. These are the mini-synopses/teaser pieces of text that readers see on the inside flap of the hardback and the back of the paperback. These are difficult to write because the word count is restricted and you are trying to condense the flavour of a 150,000 word novel into a few sentences.
The PR department at the publishers will send out advance copies of the novel to interested parties in the hopes of good reviews - any reviews really! The author has to gear up and be prepared to suddenly become a party animal and court the spotlight for the first few weeks following publication. Of course, being prepared doesn't always mean it will actually happen. Sometimes it does; sometimes it doesn't, but one has to have a nice frock in the wardrobe just in case.
And of course there's the magical day when Ta Da! the postman arrives with his signature form and that wonderful box of first edition books....by which time I will usually be at stage 3 on the next novel i.e. nose to the grindstone - see below!

STAGE 3. OR WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.


Click on the text at the left to enlarge for a sneak preview of the first page of the new work in progress - which may, of course be totally different by the time it's part of a published novel!

ON THE TRAIL OF THE PAST

A few weeks ago, I packed the laptop, the husband and the dog and headed off to spend another week in Norfolk. This was partly by way of a break, partly by way of research, and partly by way of a talk committment I'd given to the Norwich branch of the Richard III Society who had asked me to talk about the Marshal family at Norwich Assembly Rooms.
To be close to Norwich, we stayed in North Norfolk in a red brick farm cottage just outside a village called Lyng. It was fascinating on the first evening there to see a little head popping up from the midst of a tall field of green wheat and to realise that we were looking at a wild roe deer. A little less delightful was the dog picking up an army of ticks from these otherwise beautiful creatures!
Further along the road was another farm boasting a plethora of gorgeously coloured fowl and poultry, including some rather spectacular peacocks. I felt rather at home hearing their haunting cries and seeing their shimmering, irridescent feathers, because they do feature in scenes within The Time of Singing and I felt it was a connection with Henry II and Ida de Tosney.
Other than going for long walks around and about - I can recommend The Fox and Hounds in Lyng - they do a fantastic steak and kidney pudding - you won't need to eat again all week either - we went for a look around the Norfolk broads. These are man-made water ways, created in the Middle Ages by people digging for peat and leaving long water-filled channels. These days they are filled with pleasure boats and barges and it's a strong tourist area. That same day we also visited Winterton On Sea. The Bigod family had an interest here in 1086 when my Roger's grandfather is mentioned as owning rights in it in Domesday Book, although it isn't listed in the family's holdings by 1306. It was a glorious afternoon when we arrived there. Hardly a soul on the beach. The sand was firm and golden and the dog got to run like a puppy. The beach cafe there is fantastic value and serves delicious home-made cakes. (providing your innards are not still living off the steak and kidney pudding!). I loved walking along that beach because it put me in mind of another scene from THE TIME OF SINGING where Roger is walking his own dogs and finds himself thinking through a momentous proposal.
This is my own husband, another Roger, pausing between romps with our dog. Note the broad grin on the dog's face. He was having a marvellous time!
Another day we returned to Thetford Priory. I wanted to pay my respects to Roger Bigod, who is buried there, as is his son Hugh, who I am writing about at the moment. I knew that Roger was buried in the choir and had a rough idea where this was, but there is no marker to show the place officially. Indeed, Thetford Priory rather saddened me. English Heritage do not seem to be much bothered with its ruins. Vandals have scribbled over or destroyed some of the information plaques and there is a generally neglected air to the place. I have no idea what this plaque would have told me. The Cluniac Priory of Our Lady at Thetford was once a great ecclesiastical powerhouse. It was one of the most important monasteries in East Anglia. The Earls of Norfolk were buried here.Some of the later ones were moved to Framlingham. Do my Roger Bigod's bones lie under the grass here, or have they long been scattered? I don't know, but I am sorry there was not a more tangible monument at which to lay my respects.
Perhaps his wife lies here too, but as far as I know the records are silent as to the whereabouts of Ida. Roger Bigod is not forgotten though. His name lives on in the local architecture. I just had to photograph this placard as we walked towards the priory. I wonder what he'd think. Of course it may be referring to his grandson Roger III, or even his great grandson, Roger IV, who was himself a renowned architect.
On our way back from one of our day trips, I happened to catch the glimpse of an interesting round-towered church from the car window and made my husband take a detour so I could photograph it. I can't remember where it was now - apart from in the middle of nowhere. St. Andrew comes to mind, but I could be wrong. It was locked up, as so many churches are today, but what did catch my eye on external inspection was that one of the stained glass windows bore a heraldic symbol called a 'manche' which was the de Tosney symbol. So I felt in a way that I was catching a glimpse of Ida - a shy hidden moment, almost like her elusiveness in history. It took genealogists many years to track her down as the mother of William Longespee, Earl of Salisbury.
If you look closely in the centre of the shield shape in the top window, there's a thing that looks like a sideways boot. It's actually a sleeve and is the de Tosney 'manche.' I've also enclosed a photograph of the church itself.









We went to West Stow Anglo Saxon Village, but that was not a good day. I left my camera card at home, so couldn't take photos and they wouldn't allow dogs on the site. Crazed children -yes. One small, well behaved dog on a lead - no. So I went in on my own, had a quick potter round and then we went for a walk in Thetford Forest and I imagined Roger & Co hunting there. It is a real shame I didn't have my camera for West Stow because in their museum exhibit they had a sword from the battle of Fornham, in which my Roger fought as a young man. I'd love to have had a photo, especially as there was an inscription running down the blade. I can't remember what it said. When I asked about it at the reception, no one seemed to know anything about it. Sigh.
Finally we went for a lovely walk along a stream round the back of Castle Acre Priory (The priory is well worth a look. Went there last year though), and then on to Castle Rising, which is a terrific little Norman Keep not far from King's Lynne and well worth a visit. I have been here as well before - in Norman kit with Regia Anglorum, but it was good to revisit. The open door at the beginning is from there. Castle Acre itself became the home of Mahelt Marshal during her second marriage when she became a de Warenne. I'm writing about her at the moment, but I probably won't get as far as her second match in this particular novel.

This is me standing inside what would have been the original entrance to the Great Hall at Castle Rising, but has since been bricked up and used as a fireplace by later generations. I just love the way my camera has made a swayed image of the reflection of the window, caught in the glass protecting the brickwork. With my use of the psychic as an additional research tool, I felt this fitted perfectly!

THE TIME OF SINGING - TRAILER

I have a couple of blog posts waiting in the wings until I've got a minute to write them up - concerned with Norfolk and knitting (!) but in the meantime, here is the trailer for The Time of Singing. It features the brand new book cover not even off the press yet. I also have to thank my younger son's girlfriend for posing as Ida in the red dress. She has done a sterling job...

Making Connections: past and present.

A few months ago, a reader called Mike Pinchen wrote to me to say he'd been enjoying the novels about William Marshal. He also told me that he worked as an usher for Black Rod's department at the House of Lords and that should I ever wish for a bespoke guided tour of the Palace of Westminster, he would be delighted to show me round. How could I refuse? What a wonderful and unique opportunity. I accepted with alacrity and delight. Thank you Mike. What gave the invitation that extra frisson is that 800 years ago, John Marshal - hero of my novel A Place Beyond Courage, was in charge of the King's ushers, and the Marshal always carried a rod of office when on official business. We also know the name of two of the ushers from John Marshal's time - Bonhomme and Ralf. What a connection down the centuries. It gives me a feeling of warmth and pride and security to know that the job still exists. I guess that's what experiencing roots and continuity does for you.
I arranged for my agent, Carole Blake, to come along too and we met up with Mike outside the Victoria Tower at the Palace of Westminster one morning towards the end of May. The Palace, incorporating the House of Commons and the House of Lords, is a strong man's stone-throw from Westminster Abbey, built on the command of Edward the Confessor who would have been able to look out from the Anglo Saxon palace to view the building of his Abbey. The Palace did exist in the mid 11th century, although in a very different form to the one standing today. The current magnificent neo Gothic buildings were constructed over a period of 30 years in the mid 19th century after the old palace burned down, taking much of a thousand years of history with it. Areas, however, remain within the newer complex, illuminating the more distant past like lantern light in a long tunnel.
We weren't allowed to take photographs in many of the areas for obvious reasons, and there was so much to absorb and observe during our tour that I would have to write another novel to report it all! However, to say that we were allowed to take photos in one or two places and that some of the highlights for me - apart from seeing the centre of government, were:
Standing in the House of Commons and seeing how small it actually is. It always seems so much bigger on the television, but it is really quite intimate. The Prime Minister's dispatch box used to contain dispatches from around the Commonwealth, that were read out during sessions, but now, it apparently contains 'a pile of mouldy bibles.' ! The gap between the speakers when they are standing at the dispatch boxes is just over two sword-lengths - for obvious reasons!
It was wonderful to see Westminster Hall, originally built by William Rufus in the late 11th Century because the existing hall was too small for his needs. The bottom section of the hall is still of that date, but the stunning hammerbeam roof dates to the time of Richard II. Mike told us that Charles II had Oliver Cromwell dug up, removed his head, and hung it on a beam (right hand side nearest the camera) until it shrivelled up to the size of a pear. It's not there any more thank goodness! What was on show on Westminster hall though, was the remains of King Henry II's 'high table' which was also used for King Richard's coronation. It is made of purbeck marble rather than a wooden trestle and the area housing its remnants can be seen on the left mid-foreground of the photo. At one time parliament used to meet in this hall. There was also a gallery above for observers. To the right of the picture out of shot and down some stairs is the wonderful, wonderful chapel of St. Mary Undercroft. It's not on the beaten track to tourists and I feel very privileged to have been allowed to see it. The colours are so rich and the carving and detail so ornate that it gave me a sense like no other I have experienced of what the interior of a medieval church would have looked like. See the end of the post for photographs.
Following on from the chapel, we were given a peek into the broom cupboard where suffragette Emily Davidson hid on the eve of the census of 1911, so that she could give her address as the House of Commons. She was to die two years later when she threw herself under the horses as the Derby was being run, in order to highlight the plight of women. After this, we were taken to the House of Lords via the Queen's robing room, where she is dressed to prepare for the State opening of Parliament. Apparently this takes place behind a screen. Prince Philip has his own dressing area in the same room but in a different part and enjoys a glass of single malt whiskey at the same time!
The House of Lords is stunning, but unfortunately photography is not permitted. Pugin's work on the throne and surround has to be seen to be believed. Everywhere is rich with gold leaf and thicker gold itself on the hands of the angel at the side of the throne. A gallery runs around the top of the house, and the base of it is covered with a red curtain. This is apparently because when the Lords were in debate and ladies' skirts began to rise in the post Edwardian era, the flash of an ankle from those in the viewing gallery was extremely distracting to chaps trying to be good orators.
Statues of the twelve barons of the most importance concerning the Magna Carta look down on the House of Lords from the gallery. William Marshal stands in a prominent position to the right of the throne if one is looking down the house towards the throne. Roger Bigod is there too, further down on the left from the same viewing point. Also William Earl of Salisbury who features in The Time of Singing and is a strong secondary character in my new work in progress. This was a stunning moment too, and almost a lump to the throat moment to know that these people are still represented in the cornerstone of government. What William thinks of it all, I don't know.
Most touching, and a little sad was the monument to employees of the Palace of Westminster who died in service. It's a rather lonely little inset in a side wall and has been overshadowed by a modern extension structure. Against all the gilding and opulence inside, it seems forlorn and perhaps even a little disrespectful. One feels that such a memorial should have more presence. It was a sobering thought and helped to keep us grounded amid all the rich surroundings.
My sense of direction is a trifle dyslexic and I can't remember now which part of the tour I saw it, but we were also vouched a glimpse of the wall paintings from Henry III's private apartments - his 'Painted chamber.' Again no photographs, but I could have stood for hours and looked at these. They were partially destroyed during the fire at Westminster, but remnants survive, and again, lead me to realise how colourful the medieval world was and it made me long to go back to the 12th or 13th century for a holiday.
I have run out of my allotted time to write this blog post and I'm away researching next week, but I wanted to share this with you all first, and to say a huge thank you to Mike Pinchen for showing myself and Carole such a unique and important slice of our country's past and its
future. The sight of the marks Black Rod's staff of office have made on the doors of Parliament, reinforced to me how our traditions live on. Those marks could as easily have been made by John or William Marshal in their day.

A Brief Update

As usual I am scrambling for time, but as I prepare a longer post on what I've been up to, I thought I'd drop in with a few snippets of news.

The next full post will be about my grand day out in London last week, which involved the Prime minister's despatch box, Oliver Cromwell's head, Richard I's dining table William Marshal, Roger Bigod, and the most beautiful church interior I have ever seen.

Also last week I went to see the Dalai Lama at Nottingham Arena. What a lovely sane and sensible man he is, with a droll sense of humour and a wonderful fruity laugh. His spiritual message of respect and tolerance was one I wholeheartedly endorse.

The above excursions explain why I haven't had much time for writing and why I'm behind with the blog and need to put on my writing pants re the day job. However, concerning the latter I am happy to report that:

1. THE TIME OF SINGING is now copy edited Agent and editor both love it - which is a relief, although even more relief will be once it has passed muster with the readers. The cover is almost sorted too and I do like it a lot.

2. I have finished re-editing THE WILD HUNT, taking 15,000 words off it in the process while losing nothing of the story. I guess I've learned to control the waffle better these days! Editor is pleased with the rewrite, so again, that's another hurdle jumped. It has been interesting revisiting Guyon and Judith after all these years. I have a soft spot for them because it was their story that finally opened a publisher's door to me after almost seventeen years of writing as a hobby. It also won me a Betty Trask award and brought me to Whitehall to have my prize presented by Prince Charles - a bit different to stacking shelves in the local supermarket which is what I'd been doing before.

3. I am 3 chapters into the new novel - the story of William Marshal's daughter, and what a girl she is proving to be. Definitely strong-willed and uppity. That she became Marshal of England towards the end of her life comes as no surprise to me as I investigate her character.

Back in a short while. In the meantime, I'll leave you with a glimpse from the Luttrell Psalter film, due out June 6th. Just beautiful!

Cartmel - William Marshal's Prior(it)y

A few months ago a reader wrote to me - a Mr. Peter Douglas. He had enjoyed my novels about William Marshal - The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion, particularly so because he is a Server and choir member at William's foundation of Cartmel Priory in Cumbria. Mr Douglas has been kind enough to send me a guide book and postcards relating to the Priory and I thought this was a good opportunity to write a blog about it in William's day and to say a public thank you to Mr Douglas for sending me information about the Priory.
Cartmel Priory stands in the Cartmel valley, not far from Grange Over Sands and just round the corner from the modern resort of Morecambe. Click here for a map of the region. http://tinyurl.com/25dtdl
William was granted the land on which Cartmel is built by Henry II in approximately 1186, and the plans for founding a priory probably got off the ground around that time. At this period, William was newly returned from the Holy Land and had been granted lands in the north of England. He was also granted the wardship of an heiress - Heloise of Kendal, and it may even be that Henry II expected William to marry her. However, William had grander prospects in mind and in 1189, following Henry's death, Richard Coeur de Lion rewarded William's service with the hand of Isabelle de Clare, one of the greatest heiresses in the land.
Her wealth gave William sufficient funds to begin work on Cartmel in earnest.
It was an Augustinian Priory and when it first started, its community was formed from monks at the Priory of Bradenstoke in Wiltshire. William's parents and other relatives were buried at Bradenstoke and his family had strong ties with the place, so it was an ideal source from which to draw the first brethren.
The foundation charter dates to 1189. We don't know where it was signed, but we do know that it was executed in a public assembly and quite likely a palace because of the presence among the witnesses of Geoffrey FitzPeter, the King's right hand man. Richard himself wasn't present, but his brother John, as lord of Lancaster was, and so were all of William's closest relatives and the senior knights of his household.
William declared that he had founded Cartmel 'for the widening of the field of the Holy Religeon' and 'for the soul of the lord King Henry II, and for the soul of the Young King Henry my lord, and for the soul of King Richard; for my soul and soul of my wife Isabel, and those of my ancestors and successors and our heirs.'
Although the monks were drawn from Bradenstoke, Cartmel was to be completely independent of the other house. It was William's alone - his personal concern. It was always to remain a priory and was never to become an abbey, because that would have meant the king would be able to interfere with the advocacy. William was the priory's patron and to him would fall the formal right of choosing the prior, in consultation with two canons sent to him by the priory's chapter.
When William wrote his foundation charter for Cartmel he was very concerned with the future security of his project. As well as insisting it remain a priory and thus keeping the advocacy secured to him and his family, he also made sure that it was protected by a curse upon anyone who messed with Cartmel or intended it harm. Professor Crouch, author of William Marshal: Knighthood, War and Chivalry, 1147-1219, is of the opinion that William was being doggedly traditional in writing this curse into the foundation charter (as he also did for his foundation at Duiske in Ireland). Apparently it was becoming a bit old fashioned by his day to do this. However, knowing William as I do, I suspect he had seen or heard about what had happened to various religeous establishments during the civil War between Stephen and Matilda (Wherwell and Wilton come immediately to mind). I also think that he himself had been involved in the robbery of churches and shrines with his own lord The Young King. (Our Lady of Rocamadour for example) and it is my own belief that the curse was born of those experiences and intended to warn off any such behaviour upon his own establishments.














In later years, although Cartmel did undergo some ravages due to the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII, it was saved from the fate of so many other establishments because it had been not only a monastery, but also a Parish church since its inception. The latter were unaffected by the Dissolution and thus Cartmel was permitted to remain in situ.
The Priory church of St Mary and St Michael at Cartmel has been a place of worship now for more than 800 years and continues today and very actively so as can be seen from the church's website. http://www.cartmelpriory.org.uk/index.htm I haven't gone into the later history of the church here, but the website has more details and I certainly hope to make my own visit there soon.

Tall, Dark and Handsome!

In the summer of 1972 I sat down to watch a children's TV programme called Desert Crusader ...and fell desperately in love. His name was Thibaud (pronounced Tee-bow). He was le Chevalier Blanche, the white knight, a half-French, half-Arab crusader knight adventuring around the Holy Land during the reign of King Fulke 1131-1143. As his name suggests, he was garbed in white robes, apart from his black sword belt, and was the epitome of the chivalrous warrior. I can remember being glued to each episode and not wanting to blink lest I miss a microsecond of my hero's performance. You have to realise that there were no video recorders or DVD's back then - nothing to record these episodes to rewatch. They had to be treasured in the memory.
Desert Crusader was a French made programme, its home-grown title being Thibaud ou les Croisades. It was dubbed for an English audience which made for interesting lip sync! Around the same time programmes of a similar format were popular in the UK. Belle, Sebastian and the Horses for example, or The Flashing Blade - which had a very catchy theme tune. See here for example http://tinyurl.com/6o9fax
Desert Crusader's theme music and opening titles can be accessed here http://tinyurl.com/62xhpe
You would not believe how much my heart used to pitter-pat at that intro once a week as I awaited my date with Thibaud! I had always told myself stories verbally but I never wrote anything down until I was 14. My first effort at a novel was a Tudor tale inspired by watching Keith Michelle in the 6 Wives of Henry VII, but I'd not got very far into it and had become bored with the storyline.
Now, a year later, in love with Thibaud (as portrayed by actor Andre Laurence) inspired by the programme as a whole, I wrote my first full length novel and actually thought that I'd love to become a writer for a career. My hero was loosely based on Thibaud - I suppose these days it would be called fan fiction but there was no name for it then. Although it started as 'fan-ficition' it quickly developed a life of its own and departed from the beaten track of the TV series, broadening out into a whole new landscape.
I wanted my writing to feel as real as possible, so I had to knuckle down and do the research. This involved hauling home from the library various tomes on the Middle East, the crusades, medieval weapons and culture, geography, horsemanship, food and drink. You name it, I set about reading far more diligently to feed my hobby/project than I would ever have dreamed of doing where my schoolwork was concerned!
My long-suffering mother despaired as instead of asking for clothes and makeup for Christmas and birthday presents as per a 'normal' teenage girl, I'd ask for books such as Runciman's History of the Crusades vols I and II, or the Oxford History of England. By the time I'd finished my first 500 page novel I was hooked. Yes, this was what I was meant to do. I wanted to write historial adventure fiction for a living. Of course in the real world it was a case of 'dream on' and those dreams in question, first given a solid framework and focus when I was fifteen, didn't materialise until I was 32 when I finally reached the slush pile of literary agent Carole Blake with my 8th novel The Wild Hunt. Carole took me on and seventeen years after first setting eyes on Thibaud, I achieved my goal. It is probably no coincidence that Guyon, the hero of The Wild Hunt, looks very much like Thibaud in my imagination!
I thought I had lost Thibaud and Desert Crusader forever. When I mentioned the programme at talks no one seemed to remember it, and dubbed programmes had fallen out of fashion. It was never likely to be repeated. But then a man called Philip McDonnell wrote to me saying that he remembered it well and it had triggered his own love of history. He had tracked it down and had discovered that all of the episodes were available from Amazon France. I am very grateful to him because it has meant, more than 30 years down the line, I have been able to obtain the full set and once again look upon the face of the character who began it all for me.
Has the programme stood the test of time? Well....yes and no. The acting has more ham than the deli counter at Waitrose's. The fight scenes are hysterical, the costumes are straight out of Men in Tights. Run it on Fast Forward and it looks like an episode from Benny Hill. However, Thibaud, I am happy to report is still absolutely gorgeous (freshly washed blow-dried hair notwithstanding). Amid all the ham and slapstick, serious themes are treated thoughtfully and actually with a touch that is far more subtle and in keeping with the period than something like Kingdom of Heaven. The interraction between Christians and Muslims is one of people rather than idealogies. There are good and bad Christians in the story lines and good and bad Muslims - and their religeon doesn't have anything to do with whether they are goodies or baddies. There are distinctions made between the different Muslim and Crusader factions. The Tuaregs and the Bedouins and the Egyptians all wear different garments and have cultural differences. Thibaud, born of a European father and Turkish mother, straddles the lines between the cultures and thus is a good observer of both sides and able to move between the two. There is a very amusing episode with a red-haired Scotsman (wearing a kilt!!) who speaks with an accent the French obviously thought of as British. I was also surprised at how brilliant the horsemanship is in this series. There is a lot of riding about in the episodes, usually at a rapid trot or full on canter. Thibaud (Andre Laurence) is absolutely at home leaping on and off his mount, performing tricks such as leaping from one to another at full gallop, and just by his very body language, showing how much at ease he is around horses. This too helps to balance the authenticity of some of the less credible material and certainly enabled me to suspend my disbelief. For certain a knight would be able to ride as if it were second nature to him. It's interesting to hear the actors speaking in rapid French. I am sure that the Norman French of the period didn't sound exactly like this, but it is a step closer to the original than full on English, so although I don't understand all that is said, it helps my imagination to soar.
I am so glad to have found Thibaud again. I feel as if a piece of my past has been restored to complete the circle. I leave you with a particular close up. No wonder I was head over heels from the start. One look into these and I never stood a chance - thank goodness!