A Snood FAQ and a Pride and Prejudice Poll

I bet I'm the only YA writer who gets asked frequently, "What's the story behind your snood fixation?"
Well, dear reader, I'll tell you, and by the time I'm done telling you, you're going to wish you never asked.
It all started last August. I was preparing for a School Library Journal photo shoot in which I was to wear medieval garb and wield a sword. I picked out the perfect snood for the occasion. I was so excited about the snood. It was the B.E.S.T. thing I'd ever purchased. But when I tried everything on for my sister, secret code name: Cordelia, SHE TOLD ME THE SNOOD LOOKED STUPID!
As you can imagine, I was devastated. Naturally, I took the story straight to my publicists, Sarah and Barb, because I knew they would understand and shower me with sympathy -- which they did, and more! They embraced the entire snood moment and came up with a new battle cry: SNOOD, BE DAMNED! (Highly satisfying when bellowed.) Over the weeks, the battle cry evolved, until we were also bellowing, OUT, DAMN SNOOD! and, WHAT THE SNOOD?! (As in, "WHAT THE SNOOD IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T USE THEIR TURN SIGNALS?")
Inevitably, at some point, Barb, Sarah, and I became the Ladies of the Snood. We gave each other secret snood codenames, we embraced our snood identities, we devoted ourselves to snood worship, and since then, life has been completely snoody.
Does that answer your question?
The photos from the tragically snoodless photo shoot, btw, are here.
Switching gears here for a very important poll. Have you read much Jane Austen? Do you get the impression, as I do, that she must have had to bear the company of a lot of unbearable people in her life? I mean, I LOVE her heroes and heroines, but can we just pause a moment to applaud what a master she is at creating annoying people, too? In Persuasion, could anyone be more annoying than Anne's whiney sister Mary? In Northanger Abbey, I positively want to shove John Thorpe out of the carriage and watch the horses trample him. Ugh. Least favorite Jane Austen male ever. In Mansfield Park... well, a lot of people are annoying, including, arguably, Fanny... but Mrs. Norris really takes the cake. In Sense and Sensibility, I guess the prize goes to Lucy Steele, though, of course, Willoughby is no peach -- but at least he's not annoying. Emma. I know some people find Emma herself annoying, but I actually like Emma. The Eltons are annoying!
Finally, there's Pride and Prejudice. Oh, my goodness! The annoying people in P&P are so supremely annoying that they deserve a poll! Please vote! (If you're reading this post somewhere other than my actual site and don't see the full poll below, please click here.)
Comments
Thanks for explaining about the snood. I feel better now.
-Jen
~Jen
Love those snood-less photos of you. I think the snood was totally called for, though, in this case.
I love Mrs Bennett. Yes, she's foolish, but she's foolishly funny. As for Lady de Burgh, I'm amused by her as well. Anyone who amuses me can't be considered too annoying.
I need to reread P&P... it's been too long...
Though maybe the murderous rage Mr. Collins would incite should tilt the vote in the opposite direction: I could explain to him that he needed to shut up or, um, BE shut up. The end.
(I'm really sorry if this posts twice--the screen went blank after I hit submit; not sure what that means!)
And I have a snood fixation too. It used to keep me from my schoolwork (until someone deleted it from my computer) and now it keeps me company on my cellphone when I get terribly bored. Which is often unfortunately.
~Avery, hehh hehh hehh
But Mrs. Bennet is definitely the worst.
--Candelion
~Lola Coco
'My dear' Kristin, 'Mr. Collins is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man; you know he is, as well as I do.' :-)
As far as annoying characters go, I could write books about characters who make me throw my books.
BTW my version of throwing a book consists of getting a pillow, deciding it's not big enough and getting a bigger one and dropping my book down on it with a wee bit of force and then apologizing profusely before continueing
Aria
As for the infamous Snood.... I actually like snoods. They're very useful things. However, my hair has gotten long enough and heavy enough that it drags the snood off or gives me a headache, so sadly, no snoods for Artemis....
-billyruffian
I couldn't believe while I was reading some things of your blog that someone thinks so many things that happen to my mind!
You say so many things that happen to me when I write, that I think:
I am not the only one! There is someone like me! =)
I hope that you have good luck, you deserve yourself.
A very strong embrace
Kisses
SIDENOTE - "Lost in Austen" is now available on Netflix. The premise sounds unbelievably corny; basically a modern girl obsessed with P&P gets to swap places with Lizzie Bennett herself. Bad, right? Actually the series is fantastic. It's 4 or 5 eps long and it aired here in the UK last year. You will love the twists and turns. Acting is top-notch. Mrs Bennett is played by Alex Kingston (from ER) and Huge Bonneville plays Mr Bennett.
~Deirdre
Estefania, thanks so much for writing in from Barcelona! I hope (hope hope hope!) that I may be doing a small European tour next spring that will include Barcelona, which is the home of both of my Spanish publishers.
Con, good idea for a poll ;)
Amanda, funny typo hee hee!
And Deirdrea: that is exactly the reason I eventually decided to vote for Lady Catherine!
My sister and I will go
no doubt!
Wooow, an European Tour: a dream!
Thank you for answering, makes me very excited!
Good luck! I love to read you.
You're great. We wait for you in barcelona!!!
A kiss!
Estefania:)
In effetti Fire non lo abbiamo ancora letto neanche noi in De Agostini...
Uscirà in occasione della Fiera del Libro di Bologna, that's marzo 2010.
Kristin: il tuo italiano era quasi perfetto! :P
:o)