various goes on a picnic with sundry
Aug. 22nd, 2007 06:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lauraanne_gilmanI was given a chest of drawers -- five drawers, about 5' high, with narrow doors on either side hiding cedar-lined storage space. The gifter had picked it up somewhere along the way, and never really thought much about it except as storage. So when I said 'ooo, that looks interesting,' I was told 'take it.'
The chest is very simply designed -- squared off in a style that screams 'American" but with a nice scalloping and ribbon along the bottom. The legs are short and unadorned. I have no idea what the wood is, because at some point someone painted it an unfortunate faux-country yellow. The piece looks to be solid wood topped with veneers, and the hardware appears like it might be original. The nails are small and precise, the holes look to be drilled with hand tools, not power tools, and there is some cracking in the wood from age-related or heat-related stress. On the back is stenciled "L. Blum, New Haven CONN" and some other info I can't quite read, including the words "bed chest."
I spent all last evening, after my day's work was done, trying to trace down something about this piece. I can't even find a photo of anything that looks similar. My google-fu is failing me.
But I soldier on. The combination of research and old furniture is as catnip to me, and even screaming with frustration, I'm having a blast...
Today, alas, no distractions. There is so much to be done today all I want to do is stay in bed and enjoy the nice cool air coming in through the windows. 'Tis not to be. There is writing, and freelance editing, real-life paperwork and day-job stuff, and a postal run, and CGAG writers' group tonight.... and the gym calls. I am tempted to let that call go to voice mail.
Meanwhile, I have been given some very nice reader e-mails, talking favorably about my portrayal of Sergei as a hero without being a stud (softening midriff, not always perfect in bed, etc). One of the few things I find difficult in writing paranormals as Anna Leonard is keeping my characters true to the romantic idealization -- Sergei was never idealized for me, even when he was just a figment of what-if. I couldn't care so much about him if he didn't have flaws.
In fiction, as in life, perfection is not only boring, but annoying.
Oh, and it has been confirmed by Madame Editrix that Free Fall will be out in May 2008. ISBN 13: 978-0-373-80267-8 Just thought I'd slip that in there to see who's paying attention....
The chest is very simply designed -- squared off in a style that screams 'American" but with a nice scalloping and ribbon along the bottom. The legs are short and unadorned. I have no idea what the wood is, because at some point someone painted it an unfortunate faux-country yellow. The piece looks to be solid wood topped with veneers, and the hardware appears like it might be original. The nails are small and precise, the holes look to be drilled with hand tools, not power tools, and there is some cracking in the wood from age-related or heat-related stress. On the back is stenciled "L. Blum, New Haven CONN" and some other info I can't quite read, including the words "bed chest."
I spent all last evening, after my day's work was done, trying to trace down something about this piece. I can't even find a photo of anything that looks similar. My google-fu is failing me.
But I soldier on. The combination of research and old furniture is as catnip to me, and even screaming with frustration, I'm having a blast...
Today, alas, no distractions. There is so much to be done today all I want to do is stay in bed and enjoy the nice cool air coming in through the windows. 'Tis not to be. There is writing, and freelance editing, real-life paperwork and day-job stuff, and a postal run, and CGAG writers' group tonight.... and the gym calls. I am tempted to let that call go to voice mail.
Meanwhile, I have been given some very nice reader e-mails, talking favorably about my portrayal of Sergei as a hero without being a stud (softening midriff, not always perfect in bed, etc). One of the few things I find difficult in writing paranormals as Anna Leonard is keeping my characters true to the romantic idealization -- Sergei was never idealized for me, even when he was just a figment of what-if. I couldn't care so much about him if he didn't have flaws.
In fiction, as in life, perfection is not only boring, but annoying.
Oh, and it has been confirmed by Madame Editrix that Free Fall will be out in May 2008. ISBN 13: 978-0-373-80267-8 Just thought I'd slip that in there to see who's paying attention....
