WHAT FLORA WANTS

Started to read this, as I like both ghost stories in general and Turn Of The Screw (plus other stuff by Henry James) too. I'd be interested to see more of this when it is complete - what is posted so far seems a little slow, but I suppose that is in the spirit of ToTS...

Hi Michael, A Truly intriguing story, a blind lady, some poor slum children. the makings of a real page turner. I like the book. I BACk it! Harold Alvin(ICON)Wesley

Terrific idea and vividly written. Backed with pleasure.

Donna Burgess (Darklands)

Someone on the forums recommended this book as a good ghost story, and you do not disappoint. Easy to read, easy to enjoy.

xBeccaX
The Forever Girl

Very well written. Can't wait to read more! And I love the cover.

Michael, it was the title that intrigued me at first. When I saw the cover,I knew this would be right up my street - the best cover on this site. The original ghost story frightened me so much I could never read it more than once, and you've captured the tone of it without the convolutions of James. The beautiful scenes are vividly portrayed and you present Flora as such an innocent, we doubt her capable of any wrongdoing - just like James. Brilliant. Shelved. Lynn

Ta very much,Lynn.

Michael, it was the title that intrigued me at first. When I saw the cover,I knew this would be right up my street - the best cover on this site. The original ghost story frightened me so much I could never read it more than once, and you've captured the tone of it without the convolutions of James. The beautiful scenes are vividly portrayed and you present Flora as such an innocent, we doubt her capable of any wrongdoing - just like James. Brilliant. Shelved. Lynn

Michael-- How fun! I like it when writers play like this-- the long, slow creepy build is dead on target, and you've captured the time period very well indeed. I always enjoy a ghost story and am fond of James, so this is most welcome on my shelf. Time is sadly too short for more comments, but I will try to return...

Ruth/Base Spirits

Hi Michael,

Although I have never read The Turn of the Screw, your opening sets the time, scene and main character excellently. Using a letters to tell all is a wonderful method.

As I read this I’m drawn into the mystery that surrounds Flora and need to know what happens next.

No real comment. This is excellently written and an enjoyable read.

Ron S

You Can’t Hide Forever.

Thanks, Ron. Not having read The Turn of the Screw must give Flora's tale a very different perspective!

Henry James would be turning over many screws in his ashes - or whatever- this is fab. I just came across this by chance and want to wish you oodles of intriguing luck with this. Yes, it builds up slowly, but that's the TOTS genre - and adorably chilling. Shelved.

Henry James would be turning over many screws in his ashes - or whatever- this is fab. I just came across this by chance and want to wish you oodles of intriguing luck with this. Yes, it builds up slowly, but that's the TOTS genre - and adorably chilling. Shelved.

Thanks. If you like it at the end, would you add a comment to the 'What Flora Wants' on the forum message board 'Recommend a book'? There are a few. Ta.

Good luck with your writing.

I like this. I've got as far as chapter 4 and I think it is excellently written, there is a real sense of foreboding growing. I look forward to reading more.

Thanks, David. Changes made.

Yeah, could have been a limited edition translation, which has been lost to the archives. There were truncated versions in Swedish, Danish and Polish appearing and disappearing during 1848.
Oh, and while on the subject of that year, although the February Revolution in Paris was glorious affair, it wasn't the "Paris Commune": that was in 1871!
'Phantom' , instead of 'Spectre' is fine; and suits your creepy story.

Oops! Thanks for that information, David. You should know! Still, the original Communist Manifesto in German was available in Britain that year, so maybe Gordon could have made an unofficial translation of his own, perhaps? Instead of 'A spectre is haunting Europe', his version might be ' A phantom is terrorising Europe'...

Michael, what year are we in with your latest chapter? 1848? If so the Communist Manifesto, printed in London in February of that year only existed in German. An English translation by the feminist Helen Macfarlane was serialised in the weekly 'Red Republican' in 1850. 'A spectre is haunting Europe, the spectre of communism' was the later, 1888, translation). The 1850 translation was 'A Frightful Hobgoblin stalks throughout Europe. We are haunted by a ghost. The ghost of communism'.
Hope I'm not being too nerdy but I fancy Helen would have wanted her biographer (me) to tell you that.

I'm glad you're hooked. I'll be uploading the rest shortly.

Flora loses her convent girl naivete after she learns about the death of her brother and realises her new position of power. She develops a shrewdness and command as the quest to seek out the governess and wreak revenge becomes her sole aim.

I hope you'll complete the upload soon as I'm hooked. But... there'ssomething about the style that concerns me. The blend of girlish naivete and mature shrewdness together with the authoritarian action strains credulity. The short paragraphs don't help. Sorry not to be constructive.

Thanks, James E, for your encouragement.

The book is more or less finished. I want to get the scene where the dying goveness forces Flora to remember the shocking truth about Quint and Jessel right before I publish it here.

Started to read this, as I like both ghost stories in general and Turn Of The Screw (plus other stuff by Henry James) too. I'd be interested to see more of this when it is complete - what is posted so far seems a little slow, but I suppose that is in the spirit of ToTS...

Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey

Perfection is paralysis, which is why my scripts are like Olympic sprinters

On checking this script I find that some words have lost the space between them, and joined together, which is irritating. It's not like that in the original script.