In March of last year, I was in Paris and Corsica, gathering inspiration at Napoleonic sites. In May, my St Helena trip rounded out my first-hand impressions of Napoleon from youth to dying exile. Now, as I near completion of a draft of my novel, I reflect on what depth those experiences have lent to my writing. In many cases, a room, a field, a color, a salt breeze may be remembered, not just imagined. I hope these subtle details add texture to the work.
Have I captured the essence of the Man? He certainly lives with me day to day, chapter to chapter, as I write. He’s an elusive character, slipping away at times until a firm-handed edit calls him back to the page. Sometimes, I find I like the young Napoleon better and the older one a little less. In the end, my future readers will judge if I’ve succeeded.
Meanwhile, thanks to my husband Bert Helfinstein, here’s a five-minute slideshow of the Napoleonic sites we visited in and around Paris. I hope you enjoy it! And thank you, Bert, for having the skill and generosity to create it.
Margaret: This is a wonderful video but I am experiencing some technical difficulties watching it, as it stops (freezes?) frequently before continuing. Could you check it out?
I think it would be a great thing to post in the NHS facebook page and other Napoleonic sites. And I can’t wait to read your novel – what is the publication timeline?
BTW, I am re-reading Vincent Cronin’s biography which I find does a good job in capturing what made our Emperor tick.
Alix: You may be dealing with a connection or processor that can’t handle the high-definition video. When you start the video, you should see a selection line along the bottom of the photo. Click on “HD” to turn that option off. The photos will not be as crisp, but the video should run more smoothly. Alternately, after the video has started running, stop it long enough for the download bar to fill with gray, indicating that your computer has received all the information from the internet, then start it up again. Hope this helps. Let me know!
I love Vincent Cronin’s biography and agree that he does an excellent job of making the person come alive.
As to the timeline on my novel’s publication, I hope to have it ready to present to agents in the next few months. Then we’ll see about publication. The publishing business is amazingly slow-paced!
Take care,
Margaret
Thanks, Margaret, I tried it and it is a lot better, though there are still a few wrinkles. No matter, it is a great video. And I love the photos of you wearing your “imperial” scarf! Could you send them to me to use in Swan Ways’ marketing?
BTW, have you seen the exhibit at the Hillwood yet? It is wonderful!
Love the slideshow. Not sure I will ever get to France so seeing the places I’ve read so much about in my research is wonderful! Thank you.