A serious endeavor calls for a serious tea. In this case, Preferred Puerh from Imperial Tea. My cast of characters has remained the same for the most part. There were some who just couldn't make it in the pursuit of southern California perfection. But others fared better than I expected. The interesting thing is that the names are vague. I see their personalities, I "get" them, but the names...
The puerh has finished steeping now. Mmm. That's it. The gravitas of this beverage matches my mood. Earthy, raw, and (to tell the truth) a little dusty.
The cast of characters, as they stand in my mind today:
Anatoli - Minister of the Interior or some such title. Guardian of Lake Baikal and its environs -Apparatchik and Russian mafia.
Natasha - Anatoli's daughter. Studied abroad in the U.S. Unswervingly devoted to her father, but harboring desires to follow her own dreams.
Rimma Chen - Mayor of Irkutsk. She and Anatoli play the game of "keep your friends close and enemies closer," in particular regarding each other.
Vica - Anatoli's girl Friday. Has near-stalker adoration for Anatoli. Acts as interpreter for tea tour group.
Mimi - Ex-wife of studio executive. Large, gregarious, and enjoying the spoils of her late marriage.
Esther Mango - Widow of famous motion picture score composer and Mimi's BFF. The emotional opposite of her friend. Timid, mournful and fearing the worst at all times.
And then the nameless ones:
X1 - Oscar-winning actress, though most critics believe it to be a fluke. A one-hit wonder. Believes herself to be next in line to the Marilyn Monroe - Pamela Anderson sex kitten legacy. Her recent negotiations with PETA have helped stoke those fantasies.
X2 - Her brother. Also, her whipping boy. At her beck and call, and is consistently mortified by his sister's remarks.
C1 - Old money Orange County. Helped develop the infrastructure of many of the newer cities in the county. Semi-retired and now indulging in pet interests.
C2 - His devoted wife. Enthralled with tea. Enthralled with everything. Uber fan of the actress and can hardly believe her luck to be on the tea tour with her.
D1 - Hollywood plastic surgeon whose obsession with youth and fitness is near mania. Researching teas for his practice. Believes in Lake Baikal's youth restoring properties.
D2 - His high-strung wife. Desperately loves her high profile lifestyle, and fights to mask the fact she is thoroughly irritated by her husband.
Names, names. What are they? I guess I'll need to get to know them a little better.
My other dilemma - still looking for Russian Caravan tea samples. Would love suggestions.
The puerh has finished steeping now. Mmm. That's it. The gravitas of this beverage matches my mood. Earthy, raw, and (to tell the truth) a little dusty.
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| Camel caravan from Mongolia at Great Wall of China |
Anatoli - Minister of the Interior or some such title. Guardian of Lake Baikal and its environs -Apparatchik and Russian mafia.
Natasha - Anatoli's daughter. Studied abroad in the U.S. Unswervingly devoted to her father, but harboring desires to follow her own dreams.
Rimma Chen - Mayor of Irkutsk. She and Anatoli play the game of "keep your friends close and enemies closer," in particular regarding each other.
Vica - Anatoli's girl Friday. Has near-stalker adoration for Anatoli. Acts as interpreter for tea tour group.
Mimi - Ex-wife of studio executive. Large, gregarious, and enjoying the spoils of her late marriage.
Esther Mango - Widow of famous motion picture score composer and Mimi's BFF. The emotional opposite of her friend. Timid, mournful and fearing the worst at all times.
And then the nameless ones:
X1 - Oscar-winning actress, though most critics believe it to be a fluke. A one-hit wonder. Believes herself to be next in line to the Marilyn Monroe - Pamela Anderson sex kitten legacy. Her recent negotiations with PETA have helped stoke those fantasies.
X2 - Her brother. Also, her whipping boy. At her beck and call, and is consistently mortified by his sister's remarks.
C1 - Old money Orange County. Helped develop the infrastructure of many of the newer cities in the county. Semi-retired and now indulging in pet interests.
C2 - His devoted wife. Enthralled with tea. Enthralled with everything. Uber fan of the actress and can hardly believe her luck to be on the tea tour with her.
D1 - Hollywood plastic surgeon whose obsession with youth and fitness is near mania. Researching teas for his practice. Believes in Lake Baikal's youth restoring properties.
D2 - His high-strung wife. Desperately loves her high profile lifestyle, and fights to mask the fact she is thoroughly irritated by her husband.
Names, names. What are they? I guess I'll need to get to know them a little better.
My other dilemma - still looking for Russian Caravan tea samples. Would love suggestions.
Is this the first attempt for your novel?
ReplyDeleteWow!
How exciting!
Do you want some Russian Caravan blend from here?
Or some tea from The Black Sea?
I've attempted some fiction before, but have never completed anything. I figured if I made it a public process, I may do a better job of holding myself accountable.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a Russian Caravan you love, I'd love to try it. Tea from the Black Sea sounds so exotic! I'm open to anything! Thanks!