Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre, would never need to steal another author’s work. Right?
I’m no longer quite so sure.
A couple weeks ago, I had elbow surgery. The other night, I took a hydrocodone and read myself to sleep with a biography of Miss Bronte. The passage discussed how an author name Mrs. Gaskell, author of the Victorian classic, North and South, was such a fan of Charlotte’s that she wrote a biography .
I dozed …
… then awoke …
… aware that Charlotte envied the acerbic social commentary of North and South
and was going to claim the novel as her own.
If that isn’t bad enough, I semi-awoke to the knowledge that only I could save Mrs. Gaskell’s reputation — if I watched the movie made of her book on Netflix.
So I did. At 3:00 AM. I hope Mrs. Gaskell’s ghost appreciates what I did for her.
Okay, you can laugh at me now.
It isn’t Jane Eyre or even North and South, but my own Newborn is reduced to a mere $0.99 during April’s Sci Fi cross promotion. Next time you’re awake at 3:00 AM, give it a try.
p. s. — No more hydrocodone for me!
Did you see the movie about the 3 Bronte sisters on PBS, Ed? Very interesting. My husband fell asleep during it, but I enjoyed it. I didn’t realize how young they were when they died. Better lay off that hydrocodone.
No, I missed that show; I heard about it after it was over.
Fortunately, you do have a way with words, Ed.
Even when I’m (tongue in cheek) accusing a literary goddess of plagiarism?