On the Fifth Day of Pink Carnation….
My author gave to me… five Mistletoe ornaments!
Today is the birthday of Jane Austen, who was conscripted for a cameo in The Mischief of the Mistletoe.
Here’s my question for you: Which historical character would you most like to see pop up in a novel?
Five winners will be chosen at random from among all those who comment. Happy birthday to Miss Austen and happy holidays to all!
Jane Austen is tops on that list but wouldn’t mind seeing Charles Dickens or Louisa May Alcott make an appearance in a good historical novel as well.
Either Elizabeth Gaskell or George Eliot.
One or all of the Bronte sisters
I think I would love a funny pop up of the Bronte sisters – can you imagine? That would be so much fun! I would love to have them do or say something funny when they write such dark things – it would be too cool! 🙂
Please don’t enter me – I already received an ornament, it’s beautiful! Thanks! 😀
Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy!
Definitely Emma Hamilton
Gertrude Bell would probably be my choice.
Though she was around later than the Pink Carnation crew, I’d love to see Mary Elizabeth Braddon pop up in a novel. I read her “Lady Audley’s Secret” for my Victorian Lit class, and since then have been fascinated by sensation novels. So much drama!
Much later than the Pink Carnation books, a nutty woman by the name of Victoria Woodhull pops up in America. She ran for president in 1876, had a brokerage on Wall Street with her sister Tennessee and also believed in the concept of free love. One of my favorite historical personalities! Her life story is just waiting for a novel, or a Hollywood screenplay.
ben franklin would probably be an interesting character.
Mary Wollstonecraft would be my pick.
Does it matter if it’s a real person or a fictional character?
Either way, I’ll go with Jane Austen.
The Bronte sisters or Dickens!
Jane Austen’s Emma would be great! Couldn’t you see her trying to make matches of our future spies?! How funny!
I would love to see Eloise encounter some member of the royal family, preferably the Queen, in London!
I also think seeing Arthur Conan Doyle would be very interesting.
I have to go with Charles Dickens or the Bronte sisters as well (one or all of them)!
If the historical figure was from the era of Pink Carnation, I would have to say Theodore Hook (an interesting flibbertigibbet).
If I could choose a person from any era – Oscar Wilde because of his endless supply of witty comments about the world.
I would have to say Louisa May Alcott or the Bronte sisters.
I would love to see Elizabeth Bennett or Amy March (since she was the one to travel abroad) in a book too!
Joséphine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napeleon. I have read little about her, but she sounded like a very strong female.
Many of the better known figures of the time already pop up on a regular basis in books, but I would like to see Abigail Adams.
Mary, Queen of Scots…I think she’s gotten the shaft in history, although her Guise relatives would be great for intrigue.
Henry James, while writing “The Turn of the Screw” I know he’s much a much later author but its a book about governesses and ghosts and if he was in the book it could be like he was gathering inspiration for something occurring around him, spies make for excellent pretend ghosts!
Charlotte Bronte!
The duke of Wellington. We are actually distantly related and so I find the Wellesley family very interesting.
Ben Franklin, John Adams, or John Quincy Adams – all of whom were on the Continent in the late 1700s- early 1800s.
For the Pink books, Harriette Wilson- for those who don’t know, she was an early 19th century ‘demi-rep” who later wrote her spectacular memoirs in order to blackmail various former lovers. I believe she started her career in about 1803.
For any time period, I’d choose Jennie Jerome Churchill (mother of Winston). She was pretty spectacular.
Sarah Emma Edmonds. She actually was a spy during the American Civil War. She disguised herself as a man to fight (if you look at pictures she kind of looks more convincing as a man than as a woman!) and ended up spying for the north. As a “male” spy she also “disguised” herself as a woman. She’s one of my heroes. What a book that would be of her exploits!
Oooh, this is a tough one. In thinking it over I found myself imagining the ghost of Elizabeth I (as portrayed by Dame Judi Dench) in a war of words and wits with Miss Gwen (who will of course be played by Janet Henfrey, aka Mrs. Bale).
So I’m going with that and hoping you will reserve judgment on the depths and twists of my imagination…
Miss Eliza Bennett of course!
What about part of a book set in Russia? Alexander I was tsar at the time, he was raised in part by his grandmother, Catherine the Great (I’ve always found her such an interesting, strong woman) and his father, Paul I. Eventually Alexander became tsar in 1801 after allegedly killing his father. He also spoke perfect english and had many plans for reforms, which he never implemented. And Napoleon thought him a “shifty Byzantine” 🙂
Another person who lived around 1800 is Beethoven, maybe he can pop up in one of your books. Hope this helps.
I think Ben Franklin would be fun. I’ve read he was quite the “rake” in his travels in Europe 😉
I would like to see Ben Franklin interact with Jane and inadvertently pass some information to her or introducing her to someone she can use.
Fictional character I’d love to see Elizabeth Bennett. Real people, maybe the Brothers Grimm. Jane’s story could be their long lost fairy tale.
Perhaps the Carnation to could venture across the pond and encounter Thomas Jefferson. He’s just as enigmatic as Jane! That could be a very cryptic conversation!
I absolutely agree with the Abigail Adams suggestion! Along the same American women lines, I would love to see an expanded role given to some of the more minor characters in our history, like Mercy Warren.
I don’t know if it has to be in the same time period, but I for one would love to see the conversations that Oscar Wilde and Lord Vaughn would have together!
Well, at the risk of sounding predictable, my first choice would be Jane Austen. There is never enough Jane. Less predictably, I’d like to see Henry Fielding make an appearance and on a more modern note, I’d pick Edward Gorey.
I really want to see the Pink Carnation get involved with the battle of Trafalgar and deal with Nelson and Cornwallis.
Maybe Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire? She was kind-of wild and crazy there for a while – she could pop up at a soiree to make a scene there by distracting all the guests so the Carnation can make a rendezvous!
Edgar Allan Poe
Gaston Leroux
Mozart! He was crazy and alive during the revolution, which is pretty much my criteria for answering this question. He was absolutely a character and I think he would have made a fantastic spy. He could have hidden messages in music, Bach put used notes to spell out messages and thoughts, but was unfortunately dead during the Carnations exploits.
“Philippe Ricord ( 1800-89), personal physician to Napoleon III and the national expert on syphilis.” Doctors know everyone’s secrets…
Okay. I’ve been thinking and thinking and thinking about this … and I have to agree whole-heartedly that Emma has serious potential. Can you just imagine her blindly trying to set up spies and scoundrels? Pinks and the bad guys? Hilarity could easily ensue! And if Pink travels to Russia, what about Anastasia? …
Although, all of the suggestions are great! I’d read each and every one of the books they appear in …
Guess you’ll be busy writing for quite some time, huh Lauren? 🙂
Definitely Darwin or M. Curie – Can you imagine sensationalist meets scientists?
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, other wise known as Lewis Carroll. It’s a little late to be in the Pink series unless the books cover most of the 19th century. He wasn’t even born until the 1830s. But he’d be interesting. But As far as the someone in Pink, I think Eloise should have a run in with someone from the royal family.
Definitely Charlotte Bronte.
ohhhh I would def. have to go with Alfred, Lord Tennyson. love him!
Arthur Conan Doyle, Alexandre Dumas, and the Brothers Grimm. I’m a big fan of all of their stories.
Isabella II of Spain, even if for a short mention!
I agree… Beethoven and Motzart would be amazing. And Russia would be interesting with Alexander the 1st and Napoleon. Jane could somehow try to use the Tsar to her advantage over boney.
I shouldn’t read other comments before making my own…it makes it impossible for me to think of anything else…
But my comment-clogged brain particularly agrees with Charlotte Bronte and the Grimm Brothers…Especially the brothers as they caused me so much frustration with my senior thesis last year…I feel like I know them by now…
Couldn’t you just see Ben Franklin giddy in anticipation of being included in a plot to thwart one of Delaroche’s plans…it could be such fun!
Why not one of the children of King George III or their spouses? I understand that he had 6 daughters to choose from, or perhaps Prince Regent George IV’s wife Caroline might be interesting. Maybe the land gentry didn’t mix much with the royals, I don’t know, but sometimes those lesser known characters have quite the stories to tell.
I would love to see Maria Agnesi. However, one of my favorite female characters in history is Madame Curie and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. I love to see women make breakthroughs in science, especially since they are often under looked.
How about Lord Byron, or Beau Brummel? I am not sure of their ages during the Pink era, but that could be fun.
I love the idea of a modern day Royal–I suggest : Kate Middleton !!
Ben Franklin is one of my favorite historical figures of all time – multi-talented with a spirited personality! He’d be an interesting match for the characters in the Pink Carnation series.
Mmmm I would love to see the Bronte sisters or perhaps Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire and her “friend”. =) There are so many though…I can barely contemplate with who.
I think Thomas Hardy would be an interesting character to see pop up in a novel. He was a very interesting man who writes novels with such dynamic main characters.
another writer would be cool – Mary Wollstencraft or Mary Shelley (or both! bickering!) or Coleridge and his drug problem (were they all still alive then?)
I would have loved John Adams, Thomas Jefferson or Ben Franklin but they were all in the states by 1801.
Catherine the Great was already dead, but we could always have Emperor Francis I of Austria show up.
How about Lady Emma Hamilton? Her life ended badly, but in the early 1800s she was still going strong as Nelson’s mistress. It would be fun to see a professional “bad girl” encounter some of the Pinks. Charlotte would be shocked; Miss Gwen would not. I wonder how Mary would react to such a successful social climber.
There are loads of women who *should* be remembered historically who have all but been forgotten. I have a special place in my heart (and my imagination) for Austria-born Ida Pfeiffer (1797-1858). After a life time of unfulfilled dreams of travel, she set out alone to explore the world. She was once even arrested under a suspicion of being a spy in Russia!
What about the female author of frenkstein. She seem so sad but soo talented.
Ben Franklin would be a fascinating character. His creativness and knowledge would make him a formidable ally. And provide a wide variety of angles for a book.
since im obsessed with sofia copolla’s marie antoinette im going to say MA’s bff the duchesse de polignac
I would just utterly adore to see John Keats in a novel. So romantic. Swoon.
I have to say Charles Dickens since Jane has already popped in and made an appearance. I would love to see a few authors pop in and a scene or two where they are debating their writing styles.
I would love to see a book in the US, like jasper or something doing some work in the Louisiana territory and run in to Doc Holiday like in Tombstone. i’m your huckleberry. Not much else in 1800 England.
Emma Hamilton again
Benjamin Franklin would be pretty intriguing, though I do love the idea of Mary Shelley too. I enjoyed Jane Austen very much in Mistletoe! Angelica Kauffman would be interesting, other women artists…Hmmm this is making me want to do some research myself! Thank-you!
Ben Franklin. He’s an interesting character in his own right, and good for the time period.
Abigail Adams is a strong female.
I think in general there already are a lot of important historical characters who show up in the books.
Not General Wellington, only ’cause then Napoleon will be defeated at Waterloo, and the series will be over. 🙁 so anyone but him.
Victoria Woodhull or Ben Franklin- both such fascinating people and so few people know that women ran for president BEFORE Sen. Clinton!
In a Pink Carnation novel, how about Lord Cochrane (later 10th Earl of Dundonald)? Otherwise, I would like to see Sir Winston Churchill before he became a politician.
A few names that come to mind that would be intersting to see pop up include The Dutchess of Devonshire, Charles Darwin, or Vincent Van Gough.
Thomas Jefferson.
I know its the wrong time period by about 300 years, but I would love to see Machiavelli or lucrezia Borghia in a novel. As far as the Pink Carnation books go, I couldn’t think of a particular person, but it would be amazing for Jane to somehow look into the French invasion of Russia!
The Duchess of Devonshire, Abigail Adams, Ben Franklin…I like the idea of the Bronte sisters that I saw at the beginning of the comments too!
Georgiana Spencer, 5th Duchess of Devonshire! I am fascinated with Devonshire, Chatsworth and the whole area and her history. My husband has family in Derbyshire, and has history at Chatsworth, where the Duchess lived for part of her life!