The Lady of Shalott: My inspiration.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.
I first discovered this poem when I was a young girl after my grandmother gave me a very old hardback copy of, The Poetical Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson. She had received it as a prize when she was at school. From that day, The Lady of Shalott, became my favourite poem, and I learnt it off by heart.
Twenty or so years later, it’s still my favourite poem, and became my inspiration for The Eternal Curse Trilogy. I love the mystique and sadness of the poem. The fact The Lady is cursed but doesn’t know by who, or why. Trapped away from society, a life lived, watching a reflection of the world in a mirror.
Some have speculated that Tennyson wrote the poem as a metaphor to explain the artistry in the world, as artists act as observers not participants, their easels and writing a mirror of the world. As with anything I believe poetry and art is for the individual —to decipher their own personal messages. And so my first book, Reflections, was written. Born from my own interpretations. Born out of various themes from the poem. A mysterious curse, a life isolated from the world, and of course, a knight in shining armour.
However, unlike the poem, readers will discover the secret of the curse. Where it comes from, who places it and what it does. As the story continues with each book, more secrets are revealed, as my main character, Jo, faces impossible challenges and grows in strength, fighting for her rightful place in the world—to become more than an observer, more than a trapped soul, looking at life in a mirror.
The last line of the poem is my favourite. But I won’t tell if the ending of the poem, mirrors the ending of the final book. That would be giving the story away. And I wouldn’t want to do that.
But Lancelot mused a little space;
He said, “She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott.”
Here are some links:
Web site: http://www.taylorstreetbooks.com/
http://eternalcursetrilogy.weebly.com/the-author.html
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eternal-Curse-series/248812455248382?success=1#!/pages/Eternal-Curse-series/248812455248382
Good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11970152-jacoba
Book Trailer for Reflections: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCvAS5HXio
Book Trailer for Shadows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMpcQdMENK0
Jacoba Dorothy
