My Support by Katherine Pym

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My best, and most recent support is Jude Pittman, my partner in the Canadian Bride Series. She told me how good the chapters of Pillars of Avalon were, with its in depth historical research and finished chapters that she edited. For this I will be eternally grateful, because...

Few of my friends enjoy novels of 17^thcentury London. My family says: Hey Kath/Mom, that’s great you have another book out, but I won’t read it. I can’t get past seeing you while I read or hear your voice. 

My sons would definitely hear my voice if they read Erasmus T Muddiman, whose exploits came from them. I’ve often wondered how they reached adulthood considering some of the stunts they pulled. They crawled up the side of the house and jumped off the roof or Tarzaned from the house to the garage. They swung off trees and chased avalanches while skiing. One of my critique partners said her sons weren’t anything like mine, which made me wonder. I thought most boys did crazy things when teenagers. 

My dear husband leaves me alone for hours at a time, and eventually beta-reads my chapters, 5-10 of them at a time. He lets me know if anything doesn’t make sense. 

I dedicate my stories to people but I don’t know if they read them. When I tell them of the dedication, their eyes widen and they say: “Gee, thanks.”  

In the end, I am my most ardent supporter. I constantly think how the plot should progress, have my heroine or hero jump through hoops to keep the narrative moving. I don’t allow them to fight or be too cruel. I must like them, and the story. The ending must agree with my sensibilities. 

After all, besides my critique partners who don’t always read every chapter, I’m the only one who must truly enjoy my story. 

For a short time, Erasmus T Muddiman is FREE. 

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Who would play our characters in a movie by Katherine Pym & Jude Pittman

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I’d rather Pillars of Avalon be a miniseries, shown in Canada, England & the USA. It will get a larger viewing audience, since these days, it seems fewer people go to the movies.

With that in mind, Jude and I had a lot of fun coming up with the following to play the character parts. Here is the cast:

Sir David Kirke

Lady Sara Kirke

Frances Kirke, Sara’s sister

William Hopkins, Frances’ husband

King Charles I

William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury

Samuel de Champlain

Russell Crowe as Sir David Kirke

Sir David Kirke. I wracked my brain on this one and Jude came up with Russell Crowe. While I’ve never joined his fan club, I do consider him a marvelous actor. He could play the part of David from his younger years in 1628—slathered with makeup—to his death—not so slathered—in 1654. 

Catherine Zeta-Jones as Lady Sara Kirke

 Lady Sara Kirke. Another near fatal wrack of brains but Jude thought Catherine Zeta-Jones was a good pick. She always comes across as a strong character and Sara Kirke was a strong woman. We’d probably have to have someone else in Sara’s early years, since Catherine is climbing up in age and when Pillars begins, Sara is 18. 

Oliver Chris as King Charles I

Jude Law as King Charles I

King Charles I. After much discussion between Oliver Chris or Jude Law, we decided on Jude Law as a good choice. He doesn’t look much like Charles, but they do wonders with makeup these days. Jude also has the acting skill to make a truly despicable King Charles, who was the bane to poor David for many years. I don't think I've seen Oliver Chris in anything, but Jude has, and said he can belly up to the mark, make a wonderful king.

Sir Derek Jacobi as William Laud

William Laud. A lot of historians and people of the time hated this guy. He was eventually assassinated but David Kirke admired Laud, and from Newfoundland had struck up a bounteous correspondence with him. He was an older man when we meet him, so I considered Sir Derek Jacobi would make a wonderful Laud.

Joan Fontaine as Frances Kirke

Frances Kirke, later Lady Frances Hopkins. I thought Joan Fontaine would do well here since Frances is not as dominant as Sara, the younger sister, but she had character and was loyal.

Anthony Hopkins as William Hopkins (Ha! Same last name)

William Hopkins. He was a school teacher and cerebral, thrust into Parliament then eventually became a Colonel in the Royal army. The historical texts never said why he left the army, but I had him wounded. He and his family lived in Newport, Isle of Wight until it became too dangerous after his support of King Charles I. The records don’t show him alighting in Newfoundland, so .... well, you’ll have to read the story to find out what happened. In the meantime, I thought a younger Anthony Hopkins would do. He’s a wonderful actor. 

Dougray Scott as Samuel de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain. Even though Dougray Scott is not French, and though he’s looking a bit crusty in his older age, he would fit the bill of Champlain who struggled to stay alive during the harsh winters and wet summers of early Quebec. 

My Story Arc by Katherine Pym

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David and Sarah Kirke live in a time of upheaval under the reign of King Charles I who gives David the nod of approval to privateer French Canadian shores. When Louis XIII of France shouts his outrage, King Charles reneges.

After several years, the king knights David and gives him a grant for the whole of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Soon, David is carried in chains back to England. He entreats Sara to manage the Ferryland plantation. She digs in and prospers, becoming the first entrepreneur of Newfoundland.

I write historical fiction based in London during the 17^th century and try very hard to have the history as correct as possible. Only when sources conflict with each other, do I choose one that seems the most likely. I also hope that source I choose is the most correct.  

At first, when given the honor to write about Newfoundland, I did not think I’d come up with much history in the 17^th century, but as I dug, I was amazed at the plethora of information that surfaced. Gervase Kirke and his wife had several sons and two daughters. They ran a successful wine merchant company. 

The family was litigious, with their papers and letters archived so we can read them. They argued with their peers and superiors. David Kirke (our hero) butted heads with King Charles I over the spoils he’d collected while in Quebec. He wanted to be governor of Newfoundland, and saw his opportunity when Lord Baltimore gave up his Avalon Province in lieu of a warmer climate. 

This is good-story-stuff.  With this, I could write a novel based around Newfoundland’s history. 

The Cutty Sark

I’ve had readers remark how often David and Sara travelled from London to Ferryland NL, but if you look at a map, you’ll see Newfoundland sticks into the Atlantic quite a distance. Google says it is 2345 miles from London to Ferryland, NL. The Cutty Sark once sailed 2163 nautical miles in six days. Data shows ships crossed from the Channel to Northern Canada in as short of a time as 4 weeks. Not bad. 

As merchants, the Kirkes found great opportunity in the new world. In London, they fitted their ships for sail, carrying goods from England and Europe, then traveled to the Americas, spanning that coast from Newfoundland down to Barbados and the West Indies, where they would trade goods, then sail to the Mediterranean or back to England. These trips would take a good deal longer than 4 weeks. 

17th Century Ships of Sail

So, with this historical data and my 30 years study of the 17^th century, the story arced on its own. It grabbed what I unearthed and ran with it. 

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Many thanks to Wikicommons, Public Domain