Jill Tattersall

[Cherchezlafemme]

I loved her books and wish she wrote more gothics. Ah well, I shall cherish the ones she has written even greater.

[paigenumber]

I also liked Jill Tattersall, but was she American? I thought she might have been British. Isn't she still alive? If so, do you think she might get back to writing?

[Cherchezlafemme]

I also liked Jill Tattersall, but was she American? I thought she might have been British. Isn't she still alive? If so, do you think she might get back to writing?

Here's an article I found through Google: Jill Tattersall - A Painter's Eye

Before finding this article, I just knew she lived on Virgin Islands and her husband was a plastic surgeon (I think?), and she had no plans to write.

[paigenumber]

Interesting. She sounds like quite a talented woman. But since the article mentions that she is British, I'll move this thread.

[Ester]

She inherited her intellect and love of nature from both sides of the family. Jill's many watercolors depict Caribbean landscapes, revealing a hardworking but serene lifestyle. They retail internationally both as paintings and on note cards as well as illustrations to her historical booklets. Her period novels sell throughout the world and have been translated into many languages.

Jill Tattersall has very distinct talents. Few women sailed to the Caribbean in the early 1960's with a young family and a physician husband. Ralph O'Neal, the present Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands, was on hand to record this event with his camera. The photo, a favorite of Jill's and all that see it, shows a young family under a palm tree as if they had not a care in the world.

Actually, the contrary is true. Jill is a woman who cares about many of the concerns of modern life. Born in Cornwall, she grew up on an apple orchard in Essex. Her father had been Governor of Bihar and Orissa, pre World War II, and an admirer of Gandhi. He was responsible for bringing rain to arid areas in India through the implementation of forest planting. Later his English farm was used as a prototype for the School of Agriculture at Oxford University.

The home in which Jill spent her childhood was built in 1605. There was a secret room, a popular feature in houses of that day, which fostered Jill's imagination and literary talents. When not in school, Jill would spend her time writing and illustrating (she wrote her first book at eight) and is now the author of more than fourteen successful historical novels and an elected "Daughter of Mark Twain" - a prestigious award for native story tellers.

[Ever Writing]

I have been a fan of Jill Tattersall since reading Lyonesse Abbey. Although I haven't read many of her books, she's one of my inspirations. I posted a short review of Lyonesse Abbey and another of A Time at Tarragon at Amazon.co.uk and today, expended it on my own review page: http://everwriting.wordpress.com

[Fiddlette]

I just finished Lady Ingram's Room by Jill Tattersall, and am ordering Lyonesse Abbey because it was so enjoyable.
I agree! Too bad she didn't write more gothics!

[Ever Writing]

Lady Ingram's Room is not one I have heard of. I'll have to look it up. I agree with you, Jill Tattersall was/is a pleasurable read and I'd like more. The gothic romance is one of my favorities but its glory seems to have faded since the 1960s, to be replaced by the paranormal/vampire. Am I off-base with this thinking? Have I missed something?

[Penfeather]

The gothic romance is one of my favorities but its glory seems to have faded since the 1960s, to be replaced by the paranormal/vampire. Am I off-base with this thinking? Have I missed something?

You haven't missed anything. The paranormal and vampires have their place in literature but nothing can replace the Gothic Suspense/Romance genre. It is sui generis. That it has fallen out of fashion (perhaps temporarily?) is unfortunate. I don't want to insult anyone, but I think it has to do with the simple prevalence of bad taste. Vampire romances? No thank you. Since when are dead people sexy? Ick!

[MysteryMind]

The gothic romance is one of my favorities but its glory seems to have faded since the 1960s, to be replaced by the paranormal/vampire. Am I off-base with this thinking? Have I missed something?

You haven't missed anything. The paranormal and vampires have their place in literature but nothing can replace the Gothic Suspense/Romance genre. It is sui generis. That it has fallen out of fashion (perhaps temporarily?) is unfortunate. I don't want to insult anyone, but I think it has to do with the simple prevalence of bad taste. Vampire romances? No thank you. Since when are dead people sexy? Ick!

Here! Here!