Camelot

A Whole New World (Writing Backstory)

Hi, reader! We’re opening THE MAILBAG again for extra fun content related to my serialized novel DANCING AT THE ORANGE PEEL. The Mailbag holds my unexpected discoveries while writing, research and history bits, travel updates and photos, and much more.

Today’s entry relates to Episode 6: The Knight Alone. It isn’t necessary to read the episode first to enjoy this piece, but of course, I’d love it if you would.

Just getting started? Explore The Novel’s Episode Guide | THE Full MAILBAG

Serendipity happens in my life a lot. I used to dismiss it as coincidence. I now like to think of it as my intuition paying attention. It happens in my writing, too, and here's how it showed up in Episode 6 of Dancing at The Peel, entitled "The Knight Alone."

As the endearing relationship between nine-year-old Libby and her 'Uncle' Grant began to reveal itself to me, I learned that, in addition to Nancy Drew, Libby loves the King Arthur stories (much as I do), and she pretends, as young girls often will, to be a princess. Given her enthusiasm for Arthurian tales and considering the timeline of my story, it made sense to me that Libby might see the 1967 movie-musical Camelot.

Postcard replica of Camelot promotional material

As the characters were revealed to me, I learned, indeed, Libby, her mother Gwen, and Grant did go see the movie together, and for months after seeing it, Libby and Grant roleplay medieval royalty. Grant is typically acts as a generic knight, who serves Princess Libby by holding doors open for her, bringing her snacks, taking her for ice cream, and other things a nine-year-old would relish.

I named the characters in the novel very early in my ideation process: Libby, Gwen, Grant, Nate, etc. So, when I began actually writing scenes between Gwen and Grant and their waxing-and-waning attraction, I was delighted by the remembrance that the queen in Camelot is Guenevere. Although my Gwen is Gwendolyn (and Grant is no Lancelot), it was still exciting to recognize that my subconscious had pulled an element into the story that had more meaning than I originally intended.

Small treasures, such as this, that I unexpectedly uncover as I write are what keep me going!

Thanks for reading. See how this article relates to my novel DANCING AT THE ORANGE PEEL by checking out Episode 6: The Knight Alone.

More reading: The Novel’s Episode Guide | THE MAILBAG

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