Influence

I am not impervious to influence.  Sometimes I try to be.  It was something that I would often identify myself with.

"As original as someone could be who didn't live in absolute isolation."
Although isolation would inevitably become the source of influence.  Art, music, writing, any form of self-expression, is nothing more than a response to what we are receiving in the world around us.  Since I have come to accept that, embrace it even, it leaves me excited, enthusiastic to interpret and share what it is that I have been enjoying recently.

I've been watching the Tudors...

And, damn... talk about a cocktail for something I would be obsessed with.  It's pretty, to downright gorgeous, sexy, complex with amazing character depth, historical, and not a single damn character involved is really "good."  So ultimately, that's the same description I would hope to receive in regards to my novel.  Damn, I even drew a picture with all my characters in a similar matter to this one above a few years ago.  I came upon this realization when I was revisiting and re-writing a section:

    "Lady Bordeaux, are you not feeling well this evening?"  As true as his words may have been taken, they were nothing further from just that. They belonged to Geoffrey Logner, the Emperor's First Advisor and long standing rival to Evelyn.  Seeing her in any amount of distress seemed to please him, irregardless of the circumstances surrounding.

    Evelyn sighed, raising her hand to meet her temple, but not diverting her attention which was placed on the massive audience that was strewn before them, "If it satisfies my Lord, no I do not."

Obviously, I didn't mean for that to be overly rhetorical or even profound (although as the author, everything is significant to me).  But what I'm really trying to emphasize is how it's influenced my dialogue, my interaction... to me that's the whole pleasure of the writing experience... it's what I'm most interested in.  In fact, that's what I try to explain my entire book being about.  Social interaction under different hypothetical scenarios... I imagine that's what nearly every book I ever write will be about... I'm sure I'll write an "adventure" novel here and there, but overall, the ones that are my "favorite" will most likely be in the spirit of what I've expressed.

At any rate, thank you to my friend Jenn, who brought this wonderful show to my attention.  I had noticed it in the past, but was weary due merely to my suspicions of the historical merit to the show... I mean... c'mon...

Although, seeing the show inevitably provoked me to do research, I did come to find that King Henry VIII was quite fit in his youth.  Sadly, or perhaps not, this made me infinitely more interested in him.

At any rate, my first love, my passion, my story... has been sparked once more, and it is in these moments, I am most happy.

I find that speaks volumes about what I should be doing with my life.