Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines
A brief meditation on Midsummer folklore and the newly completed MISTRESS
Happy Midsummer’s Eve!
I’m celebrating this week not only because of the arrival of summer—which some celebrated on the solstice and others celebrate on Midsummer tomorrow—but also because I finally turned in my first draft of Mistress to my editor! Yes, it’s official. The Dark Lady novel I’ve been dreaming of since grad school is actually happening! Stay tuned for the official publication date and other news…
The final scene in the novel takes place at a Midsummer celebration, so this week seems a fitting time to finish the book. In many cultures, this time of year is seen as a lucky time to find a lover, a celebration of love and romance, a generative time of wild energy. The veil between worlds is thinner, they say, around solstice. Intuition is stronger. Bonfires are burned to boost the sun’s energy for the coming year’s harvest. People leap over the flames, seeking happiness or luck in love. And Mistress is at heart a love story. A story about the fires that burn inside us—creative and romantic—our passions and our hidden desires.
I’ve been getting questions about Mistress from readers lately, so I thought I’d share a bit here. The novel is a mirror of Shakespeare’s sonnets from the perspective of Rose Rushe, his Dark Lady. It’s a tangled love story—as you might expect if you know the story of the sonnets—but it also follows Rose’s inner journey to know and accept herself. Her intuitive powers, her forbidden longings, the hidden softness beneath her prickly exterior. Part of that journey comes from her relationship with Shakespeare, but it also comes from her mother’s witchcraft and unhinged attempts at marrying her off, her relationship with her friend Cecely, her astrology practice, a scandal at court…
Here are four classic paintings depicting the main characters as I imagine them so you can get the vibe. There’s musician and astrologer, Rose Rushe, Shakespeare’s Dark Lady. The young poet, Will. Cecely Weaver, Rose’s best friend, a dancer. And, last but not least, Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, Shakespeare’s Fair Youth.
I don’t usually feel very confident about first drafts—mine are usually quite messy—but the self-doubt I experienced while writing this one caused me to be so critical that my first draft came out surprisingly close to my vision for it. Which is a feat, as you know, if you’re a creator. To not just call your first attempt “done for now” but have it turn out basically as you meant it to be.
I hope the wild summer energy of this week brings you similar success in your creative endeavors, and luck—if you want it—in love. While I wait for my developmental edits on Mistress, I’m going to put that energy into working on my next book!
Warmly,
Mary