Eternally Andrews, March 2002 Issue, Volume 22 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Eternally Andrews March 2002 Issue Volume 22 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 1. Feature Book: Dark Seed (DeBeers Spoilers) 2. Coming Attractions: March 2002 3. Obituaries: A Loss in the World of the Circus (Casteel Spoilers) 4. Society Column: Foxworth Easter Gala (Dollanganger Spoilers) 5. Excuses, Excuses: Laura Sue Cutler (Cutler Spoilers) 6. Battle of the Sexes: And You Call Yourself a Lover?! (Landry Spoilers) 7. Dear Diary: From the Diary of Catherine Carson (Wildflower Spoilers) 8. Quotable Quotes: Shooting Stars (Shooting Stars Spoilers) 9. Feature Character: Sara Logan (Logan Spoilers) 10. Heavenly Reviews: My Sweet Audrina (Adare Spoilers) 11. Observations: Hudson Observations (Hudson Spoilers) 12. Co-Editor Notes 13. Editor Note 14. Advertisers 15. Copyright and Legal ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ FEATURE BOOK By Cary Logan Dark Seed The prelude to the new DeBeers series, "Dark Seed," is available only in electronic book (eBook) format. "Dark Seed" reveals the disturbing early days of Willow De Beers, the "dark seed" of the DeBeers family Her adoptive mother revealed to Willow that she was adopted. Her nanny, Isabel, and her adoptive father sadly cannot deny. Willow kept her chin up and refused to accept her adoptive mother's cruel prediction that she would be like her mother, a mental patient who was raped at the clinic. She will meet a troubled soul in young boy's heart. This boy made himself known that he was adopted and live with beloved parents. This boy will help Willow accept whoever she is and she can conquer her fears that she'll end up like her biological mother. This prelude to "Willow," chronicling Willow and her family, the De Beers, hints at the dark shadows that can haunt forever. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ COMING ATTRACTIONS By Cary Logan March 2002 DEBEERS Fate had whisked Willow De Beers from colligate town of North Carolina to gem city of Palm Beach. But her family's past brings more treachery than happiness.... Willow wonders at the splendor of Joya del Mar, her family's Palm Beach mansion, and rejoices in the love of the mother she had never known. Willow must be careful not to cross the path of an enemy: Thatcher's mother, Bunny, who cringes and sneers at her. And Willow is attempting to befriend her brother, Linden, since his traumatic boating accident after finding out about her being her sister. Now, Willow is searching for the kind of lasting love she has always dreamed about even as she becomes an unwilling object of desire herself, stalked by a madman whose twisted fantasies threaten the fragile life she's trying to build. Coming soon in mass-market paperback, hardcover, and eBook in June 2002.The price for paperback is $7.99 and for hardcover is $25.00. Look for next three novels in the De Beers series, Twisted Roots, Into the Woods, and Hidden Leaves, October 2002, January 2003, and March 2003 respectively. This six-book series debuted with Dark Seed in e-Book format and continued with Willow. The titles, prices, and dates are tentative and subject to change without notice. SHOOTING STARS Shooting Stars is the omnibus paperback edition that consists the tale of four young women who dreamed to be stars and eventually got accepted to an elite school of performing arts in New York City. You can expect these thick copies in your bookstore in July with the price as of $7.99. The title, price, and date are tentative and subject to change without notice. BROKEN WINGS In summer of 2003, we'll meet four teenage girls with severe behavioral problems who are eventually sent to a behavior modification school that run by a sadistic headmistress in the Broken Wings Miniseries. LANDRY TV? The Landry Family Series has been optioned by CBS Television. The latest news update was that the production has dropped the project citied creativity differences. HUDSON MOVIE OF THE WEEK The Hudson Family Series has been optioned for development by Merv Griffin Productions and Vonzernick-Sertner Films to be produced by CBS Television as a movie of the week. Pocket Books author, Andrew Neiderman (The Devil's Advocate), is attached as a co-producer. RUNAWAYS SCREENPLAY Andrew Neiderman penned the screenplay for the V.C. Andrews bestseller, Runaways, which has been optioned for feature film development by Paradise Films. Craig Di Bona is attached as director. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ OBITUARIES By Fern Longchamp A Loss in the World of the Circus I am sad to report that recently the lives of Windenbarron Circus owner, Thomas Luke Casteel, and wife, Stacie Casteel, were ended in a horrible car accident outside of Atlanta. It was reported that the couple were driving home from the circus and were involved in a head-on collision with a drunk driver. Luke Casteel was a respected employer and his employees will most assuredly be affected by their sudden loss. It seemed there was standing room only at Kingsington Cathedral where attendance included not only those who worked at the circus but also family members and friends. A lovely eulogy was given by the minister of the church and later a private burial took place in the church's cemetery. Little is known of Mrs. Casteel but Mr. Casteel hailed from Winnerow, West Virginia. Surviving family includes Heaven Casteel Stonewall, of Winnerow; Fanny Casteel; Keith and Jane Rawlings, of Baltimore; and Drake Casteel, of Atlanta. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ SOCIETY COLUMN By Daphne Dumas Foxworth Easter Gala I never realized how busy my spring was before now. I have been "trotting the globe" attending one event after the other trying to bring you all the news from around the country and world. Despite all of my travels, I am pleased to tell you that once again the Foxworths' have outdone themselves with their Spring Gala. As some of you already know, the Foxworths hold an Easter Egg Hunt and Charity Ball every year. This year's event supported not only the National Organization of Women, NOW, but also the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Guests were greeted by valets under a canopy of silk and damask, which gave a hint at the color scheme that would be used throughout the grounds and inside the home. The rich colors of royal purple and grass green were complimented by their equally elegant pastel counterparts. Young ladies were awarded straw baskets decorated with ribbons of lime, lemon yellow, and lavender; and young men were given shiny metal pails in colors of royal purple, grass green, and true blue. Even the theme in color seemed to revolve around traditional Easter egg colors. Girls and boys were dressed smartly in linen outfits of various Easter colors: some in white, many in lime, lemon yellow, lavender, sky blue. The women, as well as myself, dressed for the Egg Hunt in either summer dresses or sailor outfits. The men, apparently in a conspiratorial collaboration, decided to sport a Gene Kelly look of high-waisted trousers and short-sleeved shirts. The Egg Hunt was held in the lush English garden in the rear of the house and was clearly roped off for the children to know exactly where the eggs might be. The adults were treated to a light lunch of finger sandwiches, a variety of fruit salads and creamy sorbets and lemonade and iced tea underneath a giant milky white tent. I, myself, had the pleasure of being seated at the same table as the host family. If I were not married happily to my darling Pierre, I would no doubt have been won over by the dazzling charms of Bart Foxworth, the sole heir to the Foxworth fortune and the reason that Foxworth Hall was rebuilt after a devastating fire. As the day wore on, everyone was invited to participate in lawn games such as horseshoes, sack races for the children, shuffleboard, and croquet. No child was left out, no child left the festivities without a prize of some kind. Later, the same evening, the adults were treated to a more elegant setting, although the color of dress did not seem to change. Women showed up in ball gowns of varying pastel colors and the men were dressed smartly in tuxedos. I had never seen so many famous people in one room. Many of the locals were in attendance, including family friends of mine, Eloise and Barrett Campden, Morgan Livingston-Ethan, daughter of my later friend, Penelope Livingston, and many others. I met and talked with the President of NOW, Ms. Kim Gandy, a perfectly delightful woman although a little pushy in moments. I also had a lengthy conversation about a new art school in New Orleans with Louis Wellington Cabot. Mr. Cabot assured me that "a few locations in Metairie and New Orleans proper were being considered for a school." I know a few of my friends are going to be very interested in hearing that. Also in attendance was the President of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, Ms. Patricia Meyer Spacks. Unfortunately, I was not able to talk with her. Sparkling champagnes of pink and gold flowed easily from bottles. A dinner was served early in the evening where once again I was invited to sit at the family's table along with the guest of honor. Delicious casseroles and dishes of summer vegetables surrounded platters of roast, chicken, and lamb. Fruit salads and more sorbet were served for dessert. Throughout the evening we were treated to different displays of the arts: a violin recital, a monologue about the empowerment of women, a scene from Swan Lake, a gallery of paintings of sculptures, and reading from a local author's latest book. Although the evening was a glorious and gay event and went off without a hitch, despite some supposed black sheep attendees (we won't mention a certain daughter named Cynthia), one could not help but notice the sorrowed look on Jory Marquet's face when the ballet recital took place. His high-backed wheelchair was a reminder to many of his tragic accident years ago that ended a growing and wonderful career in the dance. It was clear that his wife Ms. Antonia Winters Marquet was doing her best to keep his thoughts happy and focused on other things. In fact, the dancers were students of the ballet school that was once run by the late Mrs. Catherine Leigh Sheffield, mother of the host. I am happy to say that as a child I had the opportunity to watch Mrs. Sheffield on stage when she went by the name of Catherine Dahl. Kudos to the Foxworths for not only throwing a Gala to rival all others but for raising millions of dollars for both foundations in honor. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ EXCUSES, EXCUSES By Tom Casteel Laura Sue Cutler The lawyer spoke, his fluid voice rising to fill the courtroom. "Laura Sue, you took an oath to stay with your husband for better or for worse. Yet at the first sign of trouble you cheat on him with Bronson Alcott. The fact that you got pregnant and lied about the paternity was all your doing. Your husband paid more attention to his mother then you, as you have stated to the jury, so you turned to someone who paid more attention to you. But the fact still remains that you lied to your husband and told him that his little girl Clara Sue was his." Silence filled the courtroom as the jurors started blankly at Laura Sue on the stand. "Still after you gave birth to Clara Sue you still had affairs and one with your father-in-law. Then again you became pregnant. This time you didn't hide it, you let everyone know and you played the victim. When your mother-in-law came up with the plan of letting Sally Jean and Ormand Longchamp kidnapping her, you did nothing to stop it. You let your little girl get kidnapped and you again played the victim." A few gasps of shock could be heard from the crowd. Lillian Cutler turned to Randolph and whispered into his ear, an evil smirk on her face. "Then about twelve years later when your little girl was brought back to you, you let Ormand be put in jail. He was falsely put in jail for following your mother-in-law's plans because you are a weak, vain person who doesn't care about anyone but herself. When your little girl returned to your house, you didn't welcome her and spoil her like Clara Sue. You let your mother-in-law treat her like an employee of the hotel. Have you no love for your child? Conceivably you were too busy trying to stay young and beautiful to care what happened. Besides, it would be too late for you to start caring about your children now." Verdict: Guilty ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ BATTLE OF THE SEXES By LadyHeaven And You Call Yourself a Lover?! You've seen me dissect Arden Lowe as a weak man in one of my earlier articles but I need to add at least three more men to my list: Jack Landry, Pierre Dumas, and Beau Andreas. We've all heard the saying it takes two to tango, but these three men lead their women into a dance of disaster and heartache. First let's take a look at Jack Landry. He spells trouble with a capital T for two reasons: cards and booze. His idea of a romantic evening would be in a zydeco hall soaked in booze and gambling away the grocery money at cards. Why would a sensible woman like Catherine Landry marry such a man? According to her, he had been a good husband in the beginning of their marriage but eventually his spell on Catherine faded and his true nature emerged. After the births of Gisselle and Ruby, Catherine severed her emotional ties to him for good but he still returned to torment her. Pierre Dumas truly did love Gabrielle Landry but I feel that he was weak because he chose his social status over his love. Had he chosen Gabrielle, life in the bayou would have been difficult but not an unhappy one. And she would have been strong enough to survive Ruby and Gisselle's difficult birth with Pierre at her side. Beau Andreas is a difficult man to figure out. Just what kind of love did he have for Ruby? I feel that he rushed her into their relationship, especially the physical aspect of it. Once Pearl was born he did the common spoiled rich boy's solution; let Mom and Dad send him away for a while and Ruby raise her daughter alone. He did return but only when it suited him, not Ruby. He's no worse than the other two men I've mentioned, but he isn't any better either. The lovers in the Landry series are men that sensible women are likely to avoid but Catherine, Ruby, and Gabrielle are desperately needing to be loved, and this is why they are drawn into the silky sweet traps of these weak lovers. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ DEAR DIARY By Guest Researcher, Fern Longchamp From the Diary of Catherine Carson I can't help but smile and yet feel sad all at the same time as I sit here. The view from my bedroom window has changed from that reclusive back yard in the city to the inviting and open grounds of Doctor Marlowe's house…my house now. It seems so long since Geraldine died, my past reared its still mysterious head, and Howard was arrested. They are no longer my Mother and Father anymore, how funny. I have no past really. Yet I sit here and smile. Smile because my days are filled with laughter and love, affection, friends who call daily. It seems that my move has helped Emma, the Doctor's sister. I think we could be kindred spirits of a sort, even though she is so much older than myself. We are alike in many ways. I never thought of myself of someone significant but it seems that in just a short time, I have affected so many lives, changed so many lives. Me, I did that. Even with the group therapies it took my tragedies… oh what am I saying? I would gladly have traded places with Star, Misty, even Jade with her elated view of herself. What it must feel like to KNOW that you are beautiful, to now that people probably envy you…ah just to have that self-confidence, even if she tried to kill herself. I would love to have Misty's nonchalance about life, her vigor, that twinkle of mischief in MY eye. And Star, who wouldn't want her strength of character, her determination to be better than what her life gave her but to always keep in mind that she was no better and no less than anyone else. Oh, if they knew how much I envied them. -Cathy the Cat ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ QUOTABLE QUOTES By Guest Writer, Fern Longchamp Shooting Stars "The truly great actors of my time were those men and women who could empathize and sympathize with the tragic characters they played. If they thought themselves better or above sincere human emotions, they would never have touched so many. One can master the technique, but he or she has to have soul." (p 386) Falling Stars Our cast of characters showed that the roles they played in each book took an enormous amount of control over their lives. "You have to be a wonderful actress or actor to survive in this world, I thought. Controlling your face, your voice, your posture and most of all being able to invent reasons and excuses to answer questions are the real skills of self-defense. To me, especially lately, going out in the world with honesty on your lips was the same as going out naked." (p 2) Cinnamon Ever the actress, Cinnamon could probably have shown innocent Honey a thing or two. "She wanted me to pretend…to pretend she was someone I admired…loved," he said. "She had a fantasy and I had to be part of it for awhile…" (p 181) Cinnamon Father to daughter talks are so revealing aren't they, how innocent and put upon he makes himself seem, huh? "It just seemed to me that words flew all around me as undistinguished as flies with just a few as graceful and important as birds." (p 10) Ice Was her act more for herself or to get other to leave her alone? "And I remembered a little girl, afraid to speak, finding a voice in the music, the same music that helped the sparrow lift itself away to soar in the wind." (p 186) Ice Despite her good fortune, Ice still chose to hide in her world of silence. "Both looked so tall and impressive, larger than life, beyond reality, like two characters who had emerged from the television program we were barely watching." (p 35) Rose Why are all cops supermen on television? "I thought I had turned into pure air and a breeze would come along and simply scatter me everywhere." (p 36) Rose "Who's better off? I wondered. People who have no fantasies, no dreams, or those who can't seem to shake them off, who walk about with a hopeful smile and eagerly turn themselves to the sound of any soft voice, any jeweled promise?" (p 182) Rose ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ FEATURE CHARACTER By Stand-In Writer, Daphne Dumas Sara Logan I bring to you a glimpse into the life of the quite mysterious Sara Logan. What do we really know about her? She married into a prominent family, the Logan's of Provincetown and she gave birth to the three handsome children. But I ask again, what do we really know about her. We are introduced to Sara in the first book of the Logan Series, Melody. She and her husband take in the young Melody Logan and thrust upon her the belongings and sometimes the identity of their lost daughter, Laura Logan. Sara is a meek woman; quiet, and gentle; yet in some ways, quite strong. She would have to be to put up with the tyranny of Jacob, her husband. As soon as Melody comes into their home, she sets about, subtly making Melody into her daughter, the daughter she lost. I don't think she was really someone who loved to be lorded over and she was sometimes presented in the books. I think maybe it was just her way to let others worry and stress over life. I think she might have been truly happy, taking care of the home and hearth, raising three children even if one had hardships of her own. I admired that of Sara; she never held May's deficiencies against her. She simply went along with it. I do however believe that the existence of Melody in her home, brought about a difference in her character and her way of dealing with her family. She was not so hesitant to speak her mind when it came to Jacob's rantings. True, she usually dropped her arguments but she made herself known, nonetheless. Sara had an admiration for many for many of the other women in her life: her daughter, Melody, and even Olivia. But to her credit, she never really tried to be those people. Unlike many of the Andrews mothers, she never felt the need to be someone she was not. Truly, as I write this, I strain for something more to say about her, but through all of my research, I find nothing. She was a simple woman, much more simple than myself, she enjoyed a simple life, and she yearned to make life as simple as possible for those around her. This is Sara Logan. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ HEAVENLY REVIEW By Ruby Landry My Sweet Audrina PROS My Sweet Audrina is a mind-warping book that keeps you hanging on to the edge of your seat with anticipation of what lies ahead on the next page. With a heroine that we can't help but feel pity for and struggle along with her in the hopes of the return of her memory, Audrina Adare is a fitting subject to write a full-length novel about. Include a hero who has both a good and bad side, a femme fatale villain who crushes hearts in a single blow, and a father whose undying, needing love for his daughter transformed him into a man she could only distrust, we have our hands full with this book. It's twisting and turning storylines and plots keep the reader completely captivated and unable to put the book down. My Sweet Audrina will grab you by the neck and shake you around until you feel just as puzzled and bewildered as Audrina Adare might have been. CONS The intricate storylines in My Sweet Audrina are captivating yet at the same time it is capable of baffling readers, making it almost unfeasible to totally grasp in one reading. A very dark piece about a lovely young girl who matures physically however mentally her mind has been warped and twisted, molded by her needy father to suppress the shocking memories of her past. It tends to leave the readers feeling almost incapable of comprehending the novel thoroughly. Arden, our hero, has a sweet side to him as a youth but we watch him grow into a deceitful adult that we come to abhor. We sit back in disgust and swallow the bitter pill administered to us by Vera, the wicked villain of the story. The ending is no easier for the reader to comprehend, leaving us screaming at the book for a change or for Audrina to return nevermore. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ OBSERVATIONS By Stand-In Writer, Rain Arnold Hudson Observations Taken from T.G.O.P. http://www.freewebz.com/shayruby/ In the book "Rain," when her (Rain) mama is dying, Grandmother Hudson had her flown in an airplane to the hospital. In the book "Lighting Strikes," Jake drives her to the airport to fly to England and they discuss how she has never flown on an airplane before. In part two of Rain [Lightning Strikes], Rain says she's never been on a plane before when she was going to England. But in "Rain" she takes a plane to Texas to see her mother when she was dying. In "Rain" and "LS," Victoria is the younger sister, but in "EOTS" Rain says that Victoria is the older sister. On the cover of "End of the Rainbow," Summer had brown eyes. In the book she says that she has her father's turquoise eyes. In "End of the Rainbow," Summer says she has her father's turquoise eyes and freckles and Rain's ebony hair, but on the cover she has brown hair and eyes and not one freckle! In "Eye of the Storm," Rain called Victoria "Veronica" at one point. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ CO-EDITOR NOTES Finally, the weather is starting to warm up here in The Sunshine State. Normally, I am a huge fan of the colder climates but this winter I was just not eager to have freezing cold hands and toes. It probably doesn't help that Spring Fever hit me about the middle of January. Hmmm… seem to be at a loss for useless words this month. So, before I really bore you to death, I'll sign off. Happy readings, oh yeah, and let people know we are out there. There might be fellow VC readers, like you who would enjoy our letter each month. Yeah for Spring Break- Michelle This month I would like to make a special dedication to my cousin, Lisa Minielli Brown. Lisa had such an impact in all of our lives that her death this week is a tremendous loss for all of us. She was a woman who enjoyed life so much that she didn't waste one day of it and didn't want anyone else to either. As if she had known her time on this earth would be so short, she made every day a pleasant one for herself and those who loved her. It seems so unfair that she was taken when she finally had the husband and children she'd always wanted. Among the many influences Lisa had on me personally, she was the person who introduced me to VC Andrews books. The first book she ever gave me was a hardback copy of Heaven. Once I read it, I became addicted to the novels and many of you know that the Casteel series still remains my favorite. So thank you Lisa for the many good times you made sure we had. I wish we would have more time with you, but the many memories we have of you will last a lifetime. We miss you Lisa and we all love you. Love, Beck ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ EDITOR'S NOTE Has anyone ever felt that they were on a downward spiral, pummeling towards the ground? Ah, well that's me. January and February are my busiest work months, typically, but you add the loss of an ISP, computer troubles, plus moving my entire household to a new house, and you get a very stressed out person! It's been crazy to say the least. The thought has crossed my mind that many of you look forward to receiving EA almost as much as we love to create it and in missing a couple of months here and there, due to unavoidable issues, it starts to lag a little. If EA came out quarterly (i.e. four times a year), maybe it would be more convenient for not only myself and my staff but for you, the readers, as well. If you have any thoughts, comments, or ideas, please feel free to email me at shayruby@yahoo.com I look forward to hearing from you. We hope you enjoy the March 2002 issue. Happy Spring! Shay ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ADVERTISERS Please support our advertisers by visiting their sites: *The Garden in the Sky - http://www.vcandrews.org/ *The Complete V.C. Andrews - http://www.drooartz.com/vca/ *Through the Gates of Paradise - http://www.freewebz.com/shayruby/ *Angels of Heaven - http://www.angelsofheaven.org *V.C. Andrews - A Real Woman-http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8727 *V.C. Andrews Connection Roleplay - http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/heights/9319/entrance.html *Midnight Whispers - http://fansofvca.homestead.com *V.C. Andrews Pavillion Roleplay - http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Pavillion/2947/ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ COPYRIGHT © Eternally Andrews, Copyright 1999 - 2002 Access to and use of the name and services (newsletter) are subject to the following terms and conditions. Please direct any legal questions to: Shay Bader-Wallace at ShayRuby@yahoo.com. We are not profiting from this site in any way. All the characters and ideas from V.C. Andrews are copyright to the Virginia C. Andrews Trust. This is a free service offered by Shay and Yahoogroups.com. This newsletter was therein created solely by Shay and is not to be duplicated. Legal action will be taken upon notification of any duplication without sole permission from founder. Please follow netiquette and do not steal or copy any of the ideas from this newsletter and website. If you are caught doing so, we will have no choice but to contact our lawyers to further investigate. The sole idea of "newsletter" is not copyrighted by Shay Bader-Wallace but the copyright for owning each section name for this particular newsletter are and should be regarded as sole property of Shay Bader-Wallace. The state and federal courts of Mississippi shall be the exclusive forum and venue to resolve any and all disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions. You consent to personal jurisdiction and venue in the appropriate state court in Desoto County or the United States District Court for the District of Mississippi. If you have any questions or comments, please email Shay at ShayRuby@yahoo.com ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~