Frequently Asked Questions
I really do get asked a lot of questions, but there are some that I never get asked and yet feel compelled to answer anyway. So if you still aren't clear on something even after reading the stories, you'll probably find what you want to know on this page.
The Volume I FAQ
(Be advised that, while all of the answers herein were true and correct at the time they were originally written, circumstances concerning a few may have changed in the process of writing the subsequent volumes. Parenthetical notes will appear as needed.)
According to canon, Allan Quatermain didn't have a daughter. You know that, right?
Yes. Believe me, I looked into it before I made my story available for public viewing. But I liked the idea too much to abandon it just because he never mentioned a daughter in the books.
Why don't we know what Elizabeth looks like?
There are two reasons, one personal and one logical. The personal reason was that I was determined Elizabeth would not become a "Mary Sue" by any stretch of the imagination, and so rather than give you any ideas that she's the most ravishing creature this side of Mina Harker, I decided it would be better to allow you to decide for yourself how she appears. The logical reason, of course, is that the entire story is comprised of Elizabeth's entries in her own diary, and I couldn't think of any circumstances which would have this proper Victorian girl sitting down and telling her diary what she sees in the mirror each day.
Is Elizabeth based on anyone real?
She has several qualities belonging to assorted people I know in real life, including myself, my best friend, and my mother. She is also partially inspired by the various female characters originated by Louisa May Alcott, mostly because they're from the correct time frame.
Is there any significance to Elizabeth's birthday?
The only reason Elizabeth's birthday got mentioned at all was to bring up a brief reminiscence of her father and their last time spent together, which was when he taught her to shoot. As to the choice of date, I decided that if she's going to hang out in my head this much, we might at least have some things in common. So I gave her my birthday; I'm not using it much just now.
Why does Skinner call her Bess? Does she really hate it that much?
Skinner calls her Bess because Skinner is completely incorrigible and loves to be as informal as possible. She's not crazy about the nickname (at first), but she recognizes that it's a sign of his fondness for her, so she tolerates it in good humor. Or humour. The pattern seems to be that she is "Bess" under ordinary circumstances, and "Bessie" when he's feeling particularly affectionate, silly, or parental. (Eventually she comes to actually enjoy the pet name, which only Skinner is allowed to use.)
What was the deal with the letter?
The letter was a forgery. Sebastian de Gaulle arranged for Elizabeth to receive the message, which she believed was from her father, with the intent of luring her to Paris and to her death. Originally, I had intended for there to have been a real letter from Allan to his daughter, intercepted by de Gaulle and replaced with the forgery, but it never made its way into the story.
So was de Gaulle her half-brother?
That would be telling! But I can tell you that the unanswered question is going to fester in her mind for a very long time. And she might never completely get over the guilt she feels for killing him. (Note: For more information on de Gaulle, visit the original character profile page.)
This business with the Porte Rouge and Elizabeth's mistake. Was there a point to that?
That was me laughing at myself. I had been entirely too pleased with the key message she received in her first diary entry. When the time came for them to start looking for the actual key, however, my ego took a nosedive because I realized I never got around to reading Hunchback. So I spent a short amount of time searching the text for 'secret' places within the cathedral. The two I mentioned, Frollo's private room and the Porte Rouge, seemed like good ideas at the time. I reasoned that Frollo's room wasn't real, but when I went online to learn more about the Porte Rouge, I found out that all it refers to is the red door. By that point, I had already written the story up to Elizabeth's conversation with the sexton; I considered going back and removing all the references to the Porte Rouge, but I decided that having my heroine screw up that way would be a nice bit of comic relief, so I kept it. If nothing else, I hope it will remind me in future stories not to be overly impressed by my own cleverness.
What's this reference to Tom solving a murder mystery?
That is the plotline of Tom Sawyer, Detective, the last of Twain's novels about his most famous character. Seventeen-year-old Tom solves a baffling murder; the story is told from the point of view of Huck Finn. Interestingly, the book takes place in 1897, two years prior to the LXG movie -- which means that the film's Agent Sawyer is approximately nineteen years old. I made him twenty in my story just for the sake of argument.
What the heck happened in the warehouse with the flashback to Africa?
I'm not too sure. Elizabeth hates guns, hates violence. Her father taught her to shoot, but she didn't really want to learn; she only went along with it to please him. In the warehouse, she recognized on some level that if she didn't kill de Gaulle, he was going to kill Tom and Skinner, if Skinner wasn't already dead. As near as I can figure it out, her subconscious took over and put her into a situation where she could fire the gun without realizing she was shooting at a person. Either that, or the ghost of Allan Quatermain came back to save his daughter. Pick the theory you like best. Elizabeth herself is not terribly clear on what happened, and she spends most of her time trying not to think about it.
Props to you on remembering to illustrate the Mina/Henry/Tom love triangle. Now please explain this possible love triangle you've established with Elizabeth/Tom/Skinner.
I'll explain this much. When I started writing this story, I was perfectly well convinced that Elizabeth would eventually fall in love with Tom and vice versa; that was how I planned to end it. What I did not count on was that Elizabeth would develop this bond she seems to share with Skinner. She is of the mind (during the first and second volumes) that the relationship between them is of the platonic, brother-sister variety of friendship; the trouble with this is that it hasn't dawned on her that maybe he doesn't agree. (Later on, this changes a lot.) Meanwhile, yes, she is attracted to Tom, and finds his continued interest in Mina to be problematic, but at this stage in the game she thinks that her only concern is that he doesn't get hurt again. In other words, she hasn't completely figured out that she's attracted to him. And nobody is entirely sure what Tom is thinking about any of this, but he seems to be a bit more tuned in to the Elizabeth/Skinner relationship than a neutral observer would be, so his interest might not be solely focused on Mina.
Are you really planning to write more stories with this character?
Sure looks that way. I completely lost control of this whole storyline during the writing. More than once, I looked at things I had written and said, "I didn't want that," and it was as if the story itself responded with "Too bad, that's what happened." As I wrote, the story just kept getting bigger and longer and I finally decided that if I was going to tell it all to my own satisfaction, it was going to have to be a series. At this point, I have every intention of writing two more "Private Diaries," possibly three. A lot of it is going to depend on when Mina makes up her mind about whether she prefers Tom or Henry, and when I find out once and for all what the relationship between Elizabeth and Skinner really is. (This, of course, has changed, and the series is expected to run for five volumes. And yes, I DO know now what the relationship between them really is...but I'm not saying anything. Yet.)
Your writing style is very period. How did you do that?
I read a lot. And I can be pretty good at faking what I don't know. Also, I set the spellchecker on my word processor to use the British spellings of words (colour, favour) instead of the American (color, favor). For the record, I am an American, though a blatant Anglophile.
Volume II FAQ
(See caveat for Volume I.)
When exactly was Tom in Egypt before this?
In the second novel in the Sawyer trilogy, Tom Sawyer Abroad. Tom, Huck, and the former slave Jim are accidentally sent on a trip around the world in a hot-air balloon. Egypt is among their final destinations.
Wasn�t Dr. Howard Carter a real person?
He was indeed. Dr. Carter (1874-1939) was one of England�s most famous Egyptologists. His greatest fame was earned in the discovery of King Tut�s tomb, in 1922. He appears quite without anyone�s consent, but seeing as he�s long gone, I didn�t think he�d mind.
What�s the story behind the Tomb of the Door of the Horse?
The Tomb of the Door of the Horse (or the Tomb of Bab el Hosan, as they call it in Egypt) was discovered in 1899, in precisely the manner described in the story. I was researching events in Egyptology which took place in that year, and when I read about that particular discovery, the whole setup was just too interesting not to use. The actual purpose of the empty coffin has never been determined; the statue, while not confirmed, is believed to represent Mentuhotep, the first pharaoh of the second dynasty. The statue�s function, like that of the coffin, remains a mystery, and it can be seen in the Cairo Museum.
Why does Elizabeth give so much bloody detail about Egyptian history?
She�s learning things, and wants to remember them. Don�t forget, too, that her father wrote books about his own exploits, and was rather meticulous in his detailing. Like father, like daughter, in this respect.
Why couldn�t they visit the Greco-Roman Museum? Is it real?
Yup, it�s real. The museum really was being enlarged in 1899. I couldn�t imagine a group of intelligent, well-educated people (especially Nemo) visiting Alexandria and not paying a visit to such a place of learning, but knowing little about the museum, I didn�t know if I could accurately describe it. When I read that it was under reconstruction in the year our group was in the vicinity, I decided that was a good reason to have them not go.
So...what�s going on in Elizabeth�s love life?
I�m not giving away any more information. The final plan has already changed no less than four times from what I originally intended. I think I know now what�s going to happen, but I�m not saying anything in case it changes again!
Speaking of love lives, what did happen with Tom and Kiya in the coffin?
That's a rather indelicate question, don't you think? Let's put it this way: What do you think happened? Well, then, that's what happened. As for Elizabeth, being the proper Victorian sort she is, she'd just as soon not know.
Are you going to tell us exactly what, or who, was being threatened when Kiya said she'd force Skinner to "witness the death of what you hold most dear"? (This question does not appear in the original FAQ.)
No, I am not. I suspect you've already guessed the answer, though!
How many more sequels can we expect?
At least two. I was going to send the League straight to America from Egypt, but it seemed much more likely that they would hang out in the Mediterranean area first. So they�re going to hop over to Greece while they�re in the neighborhood.
Volume III FAQ
What was it they ate at the end of chapter one, the rice and lamb stuffed in grape leaves?
That's a traditional Greek dish called dolmathes. I suppose Elizabeth ought to have been able to pronounce it, or at least spell it, because it's not as hard as I thought it was going to be. When I wrote the first chapter, I couldn't remember what it was called, and I was thinking of a much longer and more difficult Greek word.
I know diamonds are traditional engagement stones, but what's this about garnets being the jewel of truth and faith?
The Victorians assigned meaning to a lot of things, including gemstones. I took the meanings of diamonds and garnets from a list of the virtues associated with various jewels during the Victorian era. I really wanted to follow a different Victorian custom with Mina's engagement ring, actually; they often spelled words in gemstones, using the first letter of each stone. (For instance, if Elizabeth were getting a ring that spelled "Bess," the stones could be beryl, emerald, sapphire and sapphire -- b, e, s, s.) I thought that was just too cute...but I couldn't work out stones to spell any appropriate words. So Mina got a diamond and garnet ring instead, to symbolize Henry's faithfulness.
Why are they partying so much in this installment? There's the engagement dinner, Thanksgiving, the wedding feast, Christmas...what's the deal?
Well, although this third volume has plenty of action in the later chapters, its true overriding purpose is to illustrate the characters and how they relate to one another. You could say they're making memories in this installment -- don't we all have memories of our families on special occasions? And I wanted to show that they really are, in their odd way, a family.
Where did you get the toasts from the engagement dinner?
Various sources. The Hindustani translation is accurate, and really is a traditional Indian blessing (though usually offered at weddings, not engagement parties). Skinner's toast really is a Scottish toast, and Henry's really is Irish. Elizabeth and Tom's toasts are of uncertain origin, but were commonly offered at Victorian weddings.
What was the issue with Mina's wedding dress and the whole "married in blue" business?
Again, the Victorians assigned meaning to practically everything -- especially everything to do with a wedding! Actually, before Queen Victoria herself got married, a bride could wear very nearly any color she wanted; Victoria was the one who popularized the white gown. Second-time brides in the Victorian era were not supposed to wear white, however, and all brides took into consideration this little poem, which explained the rationale behind certain colors:
Married in white, you have chosen right.
Married in green, ashamed to be seen.
Married in grey, you'll go far away.
Married in red, you'll wish yourself dead.
Married in blue, your love will be true.
Married in yellow, you're ashamed of your fellow.
Married in black, you'll wish yourself back.
Married in pink, your spirits will sink.
Married in brown, you'll live out of town.
Married in pearl and you'll live in a whirl.
Will we ever see Skinner's niece Alexandra?
We may. I'm not completely certain yet. There is a distinct possibility we'll meet her in the fifth volume, but it's not definite. Keep in mind that she doesn't remember Uncle Rodney at all, being only a toddler when her mother threw him out.
Why the choice of Skinner's birthday?
December 13th is the birthday of Tony Curran, the hunk actor who plays Skinner in the movie. Since we know absolutely nothing about Skinner, it seemed like a reasonable way to choose.
Why was Tom pretending to be Elizabeth's husband?
This goes back to a conversation they had in the first volume, when Tom first told Elizabeth about Becky Thatcher; Elizabeth responded with her own story, about how she had to serve as a bridal attendant when her best friend married the man she would have chosen for herself. Adding insult to injury, said bridegroom was interested in Elizabeth but decided she didn't have enough money. Robert Stuart was the man in question, and Constance was the friend for whom Elizabeth had been the bridesmaid. Tom, fortunately, has a very good memory, and put on the ruse to save Elizabeth from admitting her "old maid" status. (In Victorian times, a 20-year-old girl with no evident marriage prospects was on her way to being a spinster.) Connie was particularly flustered by the news, because our boy Sawyer is better-looking and younger than Robert Stuart, plus had the novelty aspect of being obviously American.
It was cute the way the others all gave her diaries for Christmas, but what was the real meaning behind Skinner giving Elizabeth his mother's locket?
It had about the same meaning as Elizabeth giving Skinner her father's shaving set, which is approximately this: You mean a lot to me and this is the safest way for me to tell you.
Are there really pink dolphins in the Amazon?
There really are. The Boto are very shy and simply adorable. They actually come in two colors, pink and black, and the pink ones are said to be dangerous -- something Elizabeth didn't know, though she was quite safe in the submarine. You can see a picture and read a bit about them here.
You describe dysentery as a "messy condition." What is it, exactly?
Dysentery is...ooh. Nasty. It's a stomach inflammation. Common symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Less common symptoms include high fever, such as Elizabeth developed. It's spread through tainted food or water, or through contact with an infected person. Elizabeth had it as badly as she did (as compared to, say, Tom) because of caring for so many sick persons at once. She slept and ate very little during the days when she was playing nurse, so her immune system was weakened. Mina was immune to the illness because of her "nature," so she could look after the men without risk to her health; she tried to prevent Elizabeth from catching it by assigning her to the cooking and water preparation, but Elizabeth is stubborn and wanted to help.
Did Skinner really stay by her side the entire time she was ill?
He really did...much to the amusement of the other League members. Not that they said anything about it, of course. They're far too tactful.
This business with the stone guardians and the live burial...that's all nonsense, right?
Yes and no. The Incas really did routinely perform human sacrifices, and burying people alive (children, frequently) was one of their most common methods. The stone guardians, of course, are pure fabrication. The lost city of Machu Picchu was really -- or should I say, officially? -- rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an archaeologist from Yale University. (I figure by that time, the vegetation would have grown back sufficiently to make it look like the League had never been there. Which they weren't. Really.)
Volume IV FAQ
Was Skinner really sleeping in chapter one?
How did Elizabeth get back to her room when she fell asleep in the library?
Why was Skinner so nervous a few days before the ball?
Where did Skinner go the morning after the ball?
What happened when Skinner confronted Everett?
Why did Skinner avoid Elizabeth for so long after the wedding?
What finally prompted Skinner to go and talk to Elizabeth?
All of these questions, and more, are answered in the telling of "Skinner's Story," a companion volume I released shortly after the completion of volume IV. It follows the exact same sequence of events as "Only in America," but tells them from Skinner's point of view.
Is March 21st really Tom Sawyer's birthday?
I found no references to Tom observing his birthday in any of the three Sawyer novels. Since I really wanted the League to celebrate his birthday as they did Elizabeth's and Skinner's, I invented a date. The first day of spring, as Elizabeth notes, seems entirely appropriate for our optimistic American.
What's this about the Prince of Wales being shot at in Belgium?
That really happened on April 5, 1900. England's heir to the throne, Prince Albert Edward ("Bertie") was visiting Brussels and was the target of a failed assassination attempt. When I looked up events which took place that month, that jumped out at me as something that Elizabeth, being a loyal daughter of the empire, would have noted as soon as she became aware of it.
Why does Tom trace the letter V on his face when he's thinking?
Ask Mark Twain. That's something he mentions in Tom Sawyer, Detective -- in fact, it's a fairly important plot point in that story. I thought it was an endearing little trait, and as Elizabeth is so fond of Tom, it seemed like the sort of thing she would notice.
So Elizabeth starts out not liking Everett...but then she does like him? Explain this?
(Real question, actually.) Bear in mind that Elizabeth is rather young, and quite inexperienced with men. Apart from the business with Robert Stuart a couple years ago, the chief man in her life has been the invisible one, and he's really the only person from whom she's accustomed to receiving so much undivided attention. So initially, Mr. Everett unnerved her, but after she got a bit used to him, she found the attention flattering. (Which she wouldn't have, if she'd known its real purpose.)
If the League disliked Everett so much, why didn't they keep her away from him?
They did make more of an effort to do so than Elizabeth knew (as you'll see in Skinner's version). But she is an adult, and Nemo is only a father figure to her, not any kind of formally appointed guardian. Yes, the League is Elizabeth's family, but they felt awkward attempting to interfere with something that was more or less making her happy.
Why did Elizabeth give in to Everett, instead of raising the alarm with the League?
To put it succinctly, sheer terror. He was enough of an authority figure in St. Petersburg that he very possibly could have done exactly what he said he would do, and the lives he was threatening were those of the two people she loves most. It seemed safest to err on the side of caution.
Why did you split the wedding between two chapters, instead of putting it all into one?
Tension. Or, to put it another way, because I'm evil and wanted you to think the wrong thing. "Writers are liars," as Neil Gaiman says in Sandman.
Where did you get your description for Skinner after he turned visible?
Well, back when I was writing the first volume in the series, it dawned on me that I might do that at some point. As I have all the other characters in the League looking like their film counterparts, it made sense to do the same with Skinner. But I had no idea what Tony Curran looked like, so I did a websearch for pictures. After sifting through about a dozen pictures of him as Skinner, I found my first shot of the real person. (Incidentally, Elizabeth's reaction to seeing him for the first time is an exaggerated version of my own.) So that picture, which you can see here, became the basis for my description of visible!Skinner.
What can we expect from the Skinner version of this story?
I'm going to assume that this is your way of asking for teasers. Among the highlights, you'll get Skinner's thoughts during his arrest and jail stay, a lot of "sage advice" from Tom Sawyer, an attempt on Everett's life, and the heartbroken ramblings of a very, very inebriated invisible man.
Why the dedications on each chapter?
Just saying thank you to some particular individuals who have helped, inspired, or encouraged me along the way. This series wouldn't be what it is without a lot of input from others. And it saved me the trouble of putting another big, long thank-you paragraph at the end of this volume's FAQ.
Is volume V really going to be the last volume?
Volume V will be, without question, the last Private Diary of Elizabeth Quatermain. I'm going to miss her.
Why did you choose the "becoming visible from inside out" way of Skinner becoming visible? (Thanks to Cecily Marla Smith for the question.)
*ponders* That's a good question, actually. I don't really have a specific reason for having done it that way, except that I thought it was a neat mental picture, and it was something I'd never seen done elsewhere. I like to be original. :)
Miscellaneous FAQ
How old are the characters in your series?
Elizabeth, when we first meet her, is 19; she observes her twentieth birthday in the first volume. Tom is also twenty, a few months older, and turns 21 in volume IV. Skinner, whose birthday is a little over a week before Christmas, turns 32 in the third installment. Mina is, of course, ageless and immortal; I'm not really sure how old she is, to be honest. Henry is about 37. Nemo I would estimate is in his late forties or early fifties.
Will we ever see an edition of "The Private Diary of Elizabeth Skinner"?
(Yes, I've really been asked this.) I'm not making any promises. After all, can you be so certain she's going to marry Skinner? All I can say for the moment is that you'll have to wait and see!
How do I become a minion?
Er...you really want to be one? Well, if you've got nothing better to do, okay! Just leave a comment on one of the stories letting me know that you're of the minion mind, and I'll add you to the list. Thank you!
How do I submit fan art?
I loff my fan artists! Again, leave me a comment to that end, or else send me an email (there are ways to access my address from both archive sites), and let me know what you have in mind. Thanks!
Got a question? Contact me in the same way!
Return to the main diary page.