Those interested in Torchwood and those who are related to one of the panellists (and the small minority who like me are in both categories) may be interested in this podcast from Cult TV Insider featuring Brian Minchin, Torchwood’s script editor, and Cath Treganna, who wrote two of the better episodes (the one with the timeslip aeroplane, and the second last one with the other Captain Jack); with a contribution also from Lindsay Alford who is the script editor for the most recently shown episodes of Doctor Who and for the Sarah Jane Adventures. 45 mins, listened to it on the way to work this morning. Some interesting hints also for those of you who may want to break into writing for the Beeb.
From the Heart of Europe
Books, politics, languages and life
One to avoid for me, so; wrong names are one of the things which grate the most in Irish-set books. Somewhere on Usenet are my grumblings about Juliet Marillier (names not so much wrong as centuries too early).
Even Guy Gavriel Kay is something of an offender in this regard in the Fionavar books – “Liadán” is pretty much invariably a woman’s name (the famous one was one of a pair of star-crossed lovers, sort of the Abélard and Heloise of their day).
I will let him off for “Éanna” which can sometimes be female. “Flidais” though usually a woman’s name can apparently be sometimes be a man’s name.
All these people could do with a copy of Ó Corráin and Maguire. Or they could look up the research that various SCA people have put online which is absolutely scrupulous about sourcing, avoiding anachronisms etc.