It's A Fact #31 & #32

 31. The actual launch of the Titanic took 62 seconds to complete.

32. The concept of the Titanic was decided over dinner in Lord Pirrie’s London home.

It's A Fact #29 & #30

29. The Titanic was a schooner rigged vessel. 

30. The launch process consumed 23 tons of tallow and soft soap.

It's A Fact #27 & #28

27. There is not a huge gash in the hull of the Titanic.

28. Some passengers did not climb onto the iceberg from the Titanic.

July Excerpt of "Violets Are Blue"

Methinks you all will like this month's excerpt. :)

“You’ll never guess what I…” I started to say as I opened the apartment door.

“Violet!” I heard Anna say in annoyance. “I just scrubbed the floor! Look where you’re going!”

“Oops! Sorry, Anna,” I apologized. 

“Where’s Mum?” Emma asked curiously, entering the room.

“She decided to stay an extra shift at the factory,” I answered. “She was hoping to make more money to bring home to Father.”

“All the better,” Emma said.

I turned towards her, confused. “Why did you say “all the better” like that?”

“We’re trying to get the fall cleaning done before Mum comes home,” she whispered. 

“It’ll be a grand surprise!” Anna said, joining in.

“I sure hope it’s grand,” Helen commented sourly, coming through the door. She was heaving a heavy mattress outside to air. “Emma’s making me do all the hard work! It’s not fair.”

“Where are the boys?” I questioned Emma.

“They went to help Father with one of his carpentry jobs. He said he might put them to work.” She winked at me.

“Ah…” I said, understanding.

“Well, I don’t see how it’s right for them to leave us with all the work!” Helen complained.

“Oh Helen,” I said. “You shouldn’t whine like that.”

“I don’t care!” she said in a contrary tone. “If I want to whine, I will!”

Anna stopped the argument midway.

“Violet,” she said. “What’s that in your hand?”

It's A Fact #26

26. The Titanic was proceeding at her normal cruising speed (approx. 21 knots).

Violets Are Blue Character Summaries

I realized that I have never posted full descriptions of the characters in Violets Are Blue! My apologies. Here they are:

MAIN CHARACTERS: 

Violet Bradshaw: Violet is the main character in the book, and the story is told from her point of view. She has large blue eyes, long curly blonde hair, and pale skin. She is 14 years old. Her personality is somewhat quiet, but with a fiery temper. She loves to write, and writes letters often to her dear friend, Lillian Prescott, who still lives in Eastbourne. She has a protective streak in her for any of her family members, and she struggles with homesickness for her hometown. Nickname: Vi.

Lillian Prescott: Lillian is Violet's best friend. She has blonde hair as well, although her hair is straight. She is 14 years old. Lillian's personality is cheerful and bubbly--nothing seems to sadden her, except for when Violet leaves Eastborne. She loved babies, and plans on having many when she is married. She often writes to Violet, although she is not quite as dedicated to it as Violet is. Nickname: Lilli.

Ethan Hartley: Violet's new friend, 16 years of age. He is the nephew of the butcher and works in his uncle's shop, often helping Violet when she comes to purchase meat. He is very gentlemanly towards Violet, although she is not always eager to except his help, choosing instead to "do it on her own." He has a good sense of humor, and often cheers Violet up when she is feeling sad. His parents died of scarlet fever after coming to America, as is revealed later in the book. He feels partially guilty for their deaths.

Mary O' Neale: The blacksmith's 16 year old daughter. A kind Irish girl, Mary is very kind, and soothes Violet when Vi is upset about Mum's possible death. She works in the factory with Violet, which is where they met. She has auburn hair and green/gray eyes.

OTHER CHARACTERS:

Mr. Bradshaw ("Father"): Violet's father. He is a kind man, with a strong sense of justice. He often likes to illustrate his lessons with humorous stories from his childhood. He loves Mrs. Bradshaw very much, and it very protective of her.

Mrs. Bradshaw ("Mum"): Violet's mother. Mum is a gentle lady, although she does have Violet's gift of a quick temper. She insists on working at the factory many hours (to pay for tickets so that the Prescotts can come to America) to the point where it nearly kills her, refusing to listen to the protests of her children and her husband. She is very industrious and productive.

Emma Bradshaw: Violet's sensible older sister. Emma is described as having waist-length, curly brunette hair, with large brown eyes. Emma is 16 years old. She is very gentle and quiet, and industrious like Mum. The children love her, and she takes very good care of them while Mum and Vi are at the factory. She is good at thinking things through and planning.

Helen and Anna Bradshaw (twins): Violet's younger sisters, 11 years of age. They have very different personalities. Anna is sweet, gentle, and quiet, and enjoys helping Emma with the housework. She has curly brunette hair, which she often wears in braids, and blue eyes. Helen is the dramatic sister, often complaining about chores and being stubborn, although she is very helpful when she chooses to be so. She has curly brunette hair, which she wears in braids, and brown eyes.

Robert Bradshaw: Violet's younger brother, 9 years of age. Robby is fascinated with all things ship-related, and often begs Father to take him down to the harbor so he can see the boats coming and going. He is obsessed with the Titanic, in awe of the fact that she is supposed to be "unsinkable." He has brown hair and brown eyes. Nickname: Robby.

Henry Bradshaw: Violet's youngest brother, 6 years of age. Henry often is found playing with Grace, and helps her build towers with blocks made by Father. He loves when Emma tells him stories. He has curly blonde hair and brown eyes.

Grace Bradshaw: Violet's youngest sister, age 4 years. Grace is an adventurous child, often testing her boundaries... and then suffering the consequences. She has a very tender heart, and often tries to comfort her siblings when they are sad. She has blonde curly hair and blue eyes. Nickname: Gracie.

Mr. O' Neale: The blacksmith who lives down the street from Violet. He is an Irish immigrant, and often sympathizes with Violet, having experienced homesickness just like her. He is a jolly man, with a large stomach, and is always happy. He takes Violet into his forge to warm up when she was out in the rain.

Mr. Peterson: Ethan's uncle, the butcher. He is a serious man, and very hardworking.

Mr. Woods: The unkind and harsh factory owner, who slaps both Violet, Mum and several of his workers at different times. He has a fiery temper, which he often takes out on his employees. 

Mrs. Woods: Mr. Woods' wife, an jolly and brisk lady. She often soothes her husband's anger, bringing him back to his senses. She disappears from the factory for a time, and it is later revealed that this was due to the fact that she was about to have a baby. She has lank brown hair and gray eyes.

I hope you will be able to better understand VAB now that you know more about the characters. :)

Commenting Problems?

Hello all! It has come to my attention that there are some problems relating to commenting here on Unsinkable. Please e-mail me and let me know if you have any issues when you are trying to leave a comment on this blog, and also include what the exact problem is. That way we can get it cleared up quickly. :)

Thank you!

July - August Giveaway

*EDIT*: I was unaware that Guinevere is not allowed to give out her address on the Internet. The new winner is #10, Trini. 

The winner of the June giveaway is commenter #3...

Congratulations, Guinevere! I know you will love your bar of Titanic soap. :) Please e-mail me for details on how to claim your prize.

I am very excited about this month's giveaway, and I think you ladies will be, too. 

 “Will you write me?” I asked. 

“Every day!” she replied eagerly. 

“Really?” I asked skeptically, taking the pillowcase off of her pillow. “Every day?”

“Well, I’ll try, anyway. Will you write me?”

“Of course I will.” I threw the pillow at Lilli. “You know that.”

“You mustn’t leave out anything,” she insisted, catching the pillow. “I want to hear just what life is like in New York.”

“And I want to hear about everything that is going on here in Eastbourne,” I replied, “even if you say the same thing a dozen times.”

~Violets Are Blue, chapter 3

As you probably know, one of Violet and Lillian's favorite pastimes is letter-writing. They both are extremely fond of books, and so they enjoy putting their minds to the test as they scribble down notes in a manner that is, in their minds, most elegant. And without the weekly epistles they send back and forth, they would have no other way of staying in contact with each other after Violet's move. So, it was also a necessity as well as a hobby. 

With that in mind, I present this next giveaway...

This month's winner will receive an antique stained stationary set, perfect for keeping up correspondence with dear friends! It was kindly donated by Suburban Stamp Girl.

Oh, the Ways You Can Win!

Please comment once for each entry (except the last one).

mandatory entry: Follow Unsinkable and leave a comment saying you do.

+1 extra entry: Follow Elizabeth's blog, Living on Literary Lane, and leave a comment saying you do.

+1 extra entry: Follow Bree's blog, He Designs My Life, and leave a comment saying you do.

+1 extra entry: Put the giveaway button (found on the sidebar) on your blog's sidebar.

+1 extra entry: Put the Unsinkable button (found on the sidebar) on your blog's sidebar.

+2 extra entries: "Like" Unsinkable's page on Facebook.

+3 extra entries: Post, tweet, or Facebook about this month's giveaway and leave a comment with the link (publish the comment 3 times so as to be entered the proper amount of times).

This giveaway ends on August 12th at 11:59 P.M. CDT. The winner and next month's giveaway will be announced on August 14th.

The Giveaway Is Closed!

The June - July giveaway is officially closed! As of now, we will be excepting no new entries. Many thank you's to all who entered! The winner (and next month's giveaway) will be announced on the 14th of July. 

June-July Giveaway Ends Today!

If you are interested in entering this month's giveaway, you must do so now. Today is your last chance to win a bar of Titanic sinking iceberg soap! Click here to enter. This giveaway ends at 11:59 P.M. CDT. Good luck!

Music in the Edwardian Era

(Note: Although 1912 was not "officially" considered in the Edwardian era, that year was still referred to as being in the Edwardian era, as were several more years afterward.)

"At the dawn of the century, Ragtime music popularized by Scott Joplin became the rage in North America. Ragtime is a style of lively, syncopated music filled with counterpoint and harmonic contrasts. Typically, the bass notes establish the beat and the the melodic notes fall unexpectedly on and off beat, creating an energetic and original sound. The musical style has its roots in African American traditions on Southern plantations, such as "Coon songs" and "Cakewalks" which were often accompanied by vibrant music reminscent of African dances. Even before the Edwardian era, ragtime had begun to sweep across the Mississippi Valley in the late 1890s, predominantly driven by African American pianists such as Theodore Northrup and W.H. Krell. Joplin, known affectionately as the "King of Ragtime", borrowed from the classic styles of composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Louis Moreau Gottschalk to create a renowned musical tradition that reached its height of popularity in the late 1910s. Joplin's most popular rags are titled The Entertainer and The Maple Leaf Rag." 

~via Eras of Elegance 

I thought it would be a treat for all of us to get a small taste of the music that was popular during the Edwardian era. And so, on that note, I give you Scott Joplin's most popular rags, "The Entertainer," and "The Maple Leaf Rag." The third video is of Miss Jo March from Scraps playing "The Maple Leaf Rag."

"The Maple Leaf Rag" - played by Jo from Jo March on Vimeo.

It's A Fact #22, #23, #24, & #25

22. The Titanic struck an iceberg at 11:40 A.M. on the 14th of April, 1912.

23. The Titanic finally sank at 2:20 A.M. on the 15th of April, 1912.

24. The President of the UK Board of Inquiry was Lord Mersey.

25. The official report was published as Parliamentary paper Cd 6352.

P.S.  Unsinkable now has an official Facebook page! Click here to see it. Please "Like" it and spread the word about this event! 

It's A Fact #19, #20, & #21

19. The White Star Line pier in New York was pier 59.

20. A third class ticket from England to New York was $36.25. 

21. The Titanic was slightly bigger than Olympic.