Choosing the Setting

Now that I have  a rough story idea in my head, and have chosen a name for my Rapunzel (I think I’m going with Olive or Olivia by the way), I’m looking into the where. The setting.

Where am I going to place this story?tower

Considering I’m looking at a convict scenario, I need to choose from the penal colonies in Australia. Obviously there were convict settlements in Sydney, and others in New South Wales, and there were several places in Tasmania, plus a couple in Queensland and one in Western Australia.

Since I’ve set novels in Sydney before, I am leaning towards Tasmania. I love the idea of Port Arthur, but more likely need to use the sites where the female convicts were sent. That’s where the research comes in.

The other thing I’ve begun looking at is, because it is a Rapunzel story and Rapunzel was kept in a tower, what kind of historical towers there are in Tasmania.

The first one I found was the Guard Tower at Port Arthur. A possibility that I might be able to work with.

Then a friend suggested the Shot Tower near Hobart. When I looked into this, I discovered that it wasn’t built until 1870, too late really for the convict idea.

With some more research I found some more towers across the Tasmania:

  • New Town – The Towers – a residential property built in 1845
  • Evandale – the Water Tower – built in 1896 and full of water so unsuitable
  • Oatlands – Callington Mill – built in 1837 and rather fascinating
  • Hobart – Post Office Clock Tower – built in 1906, so too late (there is also one of these in Launceston but was also built too late for my story)
  • Richmond – St Luke’s Church – built in 1836 (one of many churches throughout the state)

And then I discovered the lighthouses, and I must admit, these draw me more than all the others, particularly the Iron Pot Lighthouse (1832) and the Cape Bruny Lighthouse (1838). These seem to have been mostly run by convicts, so might work well for my story.

What kind of tower would you like to see a Rapunzel character in?

Published in: on 4th June, 2017 at 8:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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What’s in a Name – Rapunzel

Did you know that Rapunzel was named after a plant?

rampion_at_degensRapunzel is the German name for a leafy plant called Rampion, whose leaves can be eaten like spinach and whose roots can be eaten like radish.

The character Rapunzel, was named after this herb that her mother craved and ultimately stole from Gothel’s garden. I’m thinking that her mum must have REALLY loved this veg if she named her only daughter in honour of it!

So, now I’m thinking, what will I name my Rapunzel? Is there another vegetable that sounds nice enough to be a name? I mean, let’s face it, Potato is not going to work, even though I LOVE potatoes — especially cut into little sticks and deep fried in oil, oh, or mashed with lashings of butter and cream. Yum! Now my stomach is rumbling.

But, I digress. The point is I would never name my child Potato. Imagine the nicknames — Mr Potato Head, etc. So, what is a more appropriate name for a pretty girl with fabulous long locks? Mizuna? Rocquette? Pumpkin? ;p

What do you think? And remember, it has to be something that would have been available in London in the early 1800s.

Published in: on 23rd April, 2017 at 6:41 pm  Leave a Comment  
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