Book Extra

When I look back at my favourite books (and TV series and movies for that matter), I realise the (things) that stayed with me were the characters. There’s Samwise Gamgee’s loyalty, Poirot’s punctuality, precise eccentricity and his patent leather shoes and Ariadne Oliver’s fondness for apples. And Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden in his long duster coat—always in trouble—and his beat up blue VW with the patchwork paintjob and unfortunate tendency to short circuit when Harry is around. Blue Moon Rising has Prince Rupert, second son and inconvenient heir sent to slay a dragon—and not expected to return.

I can’t always remember the intricacies of plot, or even the clues by which a mystery was solved. But what I do remember are little things about specific characters and the way they made me feel.

Perhaps that is why many of my stories start with a character—not necessarily the physical likeness, but a feeling, a totem item or a quirk that makes them speak to me. This can be triggered by a phrase, a picture, sometimes a song.

The Lead:

I was dealing with some serious, life-changing decisions when Viola first came to me. I didn’t know it at the time, but she would embody my struggle. She soon bore the scars of my struggle—literally (figuratively, actually and in literature—ha!). I felt I was drowning, fighting to survive everyone’s expectations of me. This feeling seems to have surfaced in Viola’s defiance of the Victorian restrictions on women.

I wanted to hint at the contradictions of the Victorian era—the sexism, the underlying menace of the streets and the wonder of the scientific discoveries of the time. Viola has that wonder and excitement. She has imagination and curiosity. She also notices things others do not (or that others try to ignore).

I now had a hook on Viola’s personality. As I wrote, she was unveiled. She’s in her early thirties, more experienced, self-confident, but not necessarily happy with her lot. She’s a woman out of time; she studied medicine in Edinburgh—one of the universities which allowed women students. (Though women weren’t allowed to register to work as doctors at the time). She married, and was widowed ten years later, allowing her more freedom than an unmarried woman. She currently works as an optician and occasionally assists her good friend and fellow Edinburgh student, Doctor Henry Collins (the local police surgeon).

Viola is independent, an avid reader and loves a good mystery—something that usually leads her into trouble. Her penchant for detectiving was fuelled by Doctor Arthur Conan Doyle (currently an ophthalmologist and studied with Viola and Henry in Edinburgh). Doctor Doyle supplies her with a continuous supply of detective books, which encourages her imagination and search for adventure even more.

I found myself choosing a contemporary books for Viola to read; a new one for each adventure. After Eye of the Beholder I realised each choice of book had been inspired by the actual story in progress, but also shaped the story—often skewing Viola’s thinking, or setting her off on a new direction. For example, in Eye of the Beholder, Viola is reading a copy of The Mummy!—an 1823 novel by Jane C Loudon, who also wrote garden books (and yes that little titbit was also used as part of the plot).

The Supporting Cast:

Viola has three main partners against crime: Doctor Henry Collins, his friend, Sir Archibald Huntington-Smythe. Even Viola’s maid, Polly, joins in on the fun.

Doctor Henry Collins is unwillingly drawn into Viola’s detectiving adventures. He provides a light-hearted background story arc threading through the entire series. He’s always been attracted to Viola’s spirit and independence. He wants her to be happy. However, he is a product of the nineteenth century; this leads to personal conflict and causes tension between him and Viola. (Well, that’s what stories are all about aren’t they?) Henry must adapt, or lose Viola.

Sir Archibald Huntington-Smythe is a biomechanical surgeon and a physician to Queen Victoria. He is the eccentric-cheeky-uncle type, unhampered by society because of his rank and connections. He has money and easy access to permits to own and use mechanicals in a world where technology is restricted to those with permission, position and wealth. Sir Archibald provides Viola with a glimpse into the world of privilege, and of the potential benefits such scientific advances could afford those who are not so privileged. He respects Viola’s intelligence and treats her as an equal, thus providing both a catalyst and source of conflict throughout the stories.

Polly is the loyal maid, but is more than just a servant. She is a confidant and loyal companion to Viola since they were children. She was the daughter of Viola’s governess, and given a place in the household after Polly’s mother died. Yet Polly is on the other side of the Victorian class divide, in that strange English-limbo: not quite a servant, not quite a friend, and not of equal social standing, but holds Viola’s complete trust and is one of her protectors.

Polly even has her own adventure in the short story, Point of View (in Eye of the Beholder & Other Tales: Journal #2).

The Villains and Antagonists:

My villains evolve in a similar way. Doctor Jack was born a few years ago, when I heard the song “Behind Blue Eyes” (by The Who) on the car radio. The song was perfect for him; he’s surrounded by sadness, and a feeling that the whole world is against him. Yet he is the hero of his own story. Maybe, just maybe, you might feel sorry him? … just for a second?

But not all villains are so obvious in their malice. The Men in Grey are a secret society hell bent on disrupting and, if possible, controlling the Empire. We meet various members of the organisation as they skulk through Viola’s adventures. They are (mostly) the faceless fear, dressed in grey suits, bowlers and gloves, and inspired by the Men in Black, popular in conspiracy theories. Their genesis was in a feeling of uneasiness, conspiracy and subterfuge.
And, not all antagonists are villains either. In ‘From the Depths’, we meet an ambiguous operative, Mr Wood, and discover there is another secret society hiding amongst us (The Victorians loved their secret societies), The Department of Curiosities. Viola never quite knows whose side he is actually on, or what secrets he conceals.

So, these are a few of the main players in The Adventures of Viola Stewart series. The one thing they have in common is something I read years ago and try to instill into every character I now write: each—villain and hero alike—consider themselves the hero in their own story. I’ll leave it up to the reader to judge.

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Karen J Carlisle is an imagineer and writer of steampunk, Victorian mysteries and fantasy. She was short-listed in Australian Literature Review’s 2013 Murder/Mystery Short Story Competition and published her first novella, Doctor Jack & Other Tales, in 2015. Her short story, “Hunted”, featured in the Adelaide Fringe exhibition, ‘A Trail of Tales’.

Karen lives in Adelaide with her family and the ghost of her ancient Devon Rex cat. She’s always loved dark chocolate and rarely refuses a cup of tea.

Where to find Karen:
Web: www.karenjcarlisle.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kjcarlisle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenJCarlisle/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KarenJCarlisle
And you can find hints of current research threads on her Pinterest page: https://au.pinterest.com/riverkat42/