Gift of Exile fanfic

[Marge_Innavera]

From here on out, I’ll be posting pictures and background material for my fanfic on this blog instead of on the Fanfiction thread.  Some of the pictures from that thread will be re-posted.


Grandma's Saloon, the setting of Chapter 26, played an important role in Duluth during the 1970s and early 1980s.




Grandma's Saloon: exterior of restored building




Outdoor eating area with the Aerial Bridge in the background



Publicity photos, interior, from the 1980s:










All these photos, other than the color exterior picture, are courtesy of Kerry Port at Grandma's.
Mr. Port’s general overview of the restaurant's role in recent Duluth history:

During a controversy about the route through Duluth for I-35 during the late 1970s, "Grandma’s had many local activists from both sides hanging out. Eric Ringsred was a very good customer, who was one of the leading opponents of the highway project. While then Mayor, John Fedo, was also a regular customer.

"Grandma's Marathon," an annual 26.2-mile race, was "started in 1977. It was started by Grandma’s Restaurant Company. We owned, organized, and financed the entire project for the first 10 years as a promotion to help the restaurant become more well known and as a way to sell more burgers on that weekend. "  For more info and photos of Grandma's Marathon, see http://www.grandmasmarathon.com/

[Marge_Innavera]

David's physical appearance is based on actor Hans Matheson, though there's a 10-year age difference:




As Nero




Mordred in Mists of Avalon




Yuri Zhivago in a TV remake of Doctor Zhivago, 2002




As an older Yuri Zhivago.  As the actor's appearance was "aged" for these scenes, this photo is closer to David's appearance (minus the beard) than the other pictures.  When he appeared in the Doctor Zhivago remake and in Mists of Avalon, Hans Matheson was about 10 years younger than David is supposed to be (36) at the beginning of GOE.

[Marge_Innavera]

A few pictures of the type of fog common in Duluth, mentioned in these current chapters:

View from Skyline Drive, at the top of the hill. David's house would be on the peninsula stretching off to the right.



The same view in heavy fog.




Shoreline view of fog moving in, with one boat clearly visible and another, a little further out, half-obscured.

[Marge_Innavera]

Two views of Rose Hill including the entrance







Two spring views.





Statue and other monuments in the older section.






This setting will look familiar to fans of the Allman Brothers Band – it was featured on the cover of their first album. It’s at the back of the cemetery by the railroad track.




Epitaph for a local doctor, who apparently enjoyed life.

The site of Nathan’s painting actually exists in Rose Hill and I have visited it several times. Unfortunately, I haven’t been yet able to locate a photograph of it.

[retropian]

David's physical appearance is based on actor Hans Matheson, though there's a 10-year age difference:




As Nero




Mordred in Mists of Avalon




Yuri Zhivago in a TV remake of Doctor Zhivago, 2002




As an older Yuri Zhivago.  As the actor's appearance was "aged" for these scenes, this photo is closer to David's appearance (minus the beard) than the other pictures.  When he appeared in the Doctor Zhivago remake and in Mists of Avalon, Hans Matheson was about 10 years younger than David is supposed to be (36) at the beginning of GOE.

I watched the DVD of "The Tudors" recently and Hans Matheson is in it. When I saw him, I immediately recognized him and exclaimed "It's David!". Fortunately I was alone!

[Marge_Innavera]

I watched the DVD of "The Tudors" recently and Hans Matheson is in it. When I saw him, I immediately recognized him and exclaimed "It's David!". Fortunately I was alone!

I have The Tudors on my Netflix queue and am looking forward to seeing it, especially "David's" role.     From what I've read it's very well done except for some irritating historical liberties.

Haven't come up with a prototype for Nathan, although he never directly appears in the story outside the earlier scene right after Jack's death. I picture him as having light brown or blonde hair, about the same height as Ennis but more big-boned and less rangy.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I have The Tudors on my Netflix queue and am looking forward to seeing it, especially "David's" role.     From what I've read it's very well done except for some irritating historical liberties.

Take it from me, Marcia, the historical liberties aren't just irritating, they're downright infuriating.

I won't tell anybody not to watch anything, but if you ever want to see good and much more accurate dramatizations of Tudor history, the gold standard remains the old BBC productions from the 1970s of The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. Both series are available on DVD.

(Cate Blanchett personally makes a very good Elizabeth I "for our times," a worthy successor to Glenda Jackson in Elizabeth R., but the historical liberties in Elizabeth made me want to puke in my popcorn. The sequel wasn't quite as bad, but it was still disappointing. Helen Mirren was ... OK ... as Elizabeth I, but the best thing about her outing as Good Queen Bess was actually Jeremy Irons as the earl of Leceister and Hugh Dancy as the earl of Essex.)

[Marge_Innavera]

Take it from me, Marcia, the historical liberties aren't just irritating, they're downright infuriating.

I won't tell anybody not to watch anything, but if you ever want to see good and much more accurate dramatizations of Tudor history, the gold standard remains the old BBC productions from the 1970s of The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. Both series are available on DVD.

Well, I've been warned so I'll focus on the performances and whatever the movie has about the period in general - it's one of my favorite historical eras.

I'm also a fan of Jesse James history and The Tudors can't possibly be any worse than that weirdity that HBO released a few years ago.

[retropian]

Take it from me, Marcia, the historical liberties aren't just irritating, they're downright infuriating.

I won't tell anybody not to watch anything, but if you ever want to see good and much more accurate dramatizations of Tudor history, the gold standard remains the old BBC productions from the 1970s of The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. Both series are available on DVD.

(Cate Blanchett personally makes a very good Elizabeth I "for our times," a worthy successor to Glenda Jackson in Elizabeth R., but the historical liberties in Elizabeth made me want to puke in my popcorn. The sequel wasn't quite as bad, but it was still disappointing. Helen Mirren was ... OK ... as Elizabeth I, but the best thing about her outing as Good Queen Bess was actually Jeremy Irons as the earl of Leceister and Hugh Dancy as the earl of Essex.)

Love love love "Elizabeth R", Glenda Jackson was too perfect in it. I need to see it again. "The Tudors" is crap, but entertaining crap none the less.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Love love love "Elizabeth R", Glenda Jackson was too perfect in it. I need to see it again. "The Tudors" is crap, but entertaining crap none the less.

Sometimes all you ask or need is entertaining crap.    And I understand that there are some guys in The Tudors who are pretty easy on the eyes. ...