Kathryn Johnson’s novel shipwrecks Shakespeare in Bermuda as his inspiration to write  The Tempest  *** 3 Stars

By Gabrielle Pantera

Shakespeare lands on the beach in Bermuda

HOLLYWOOD,  CA  (Hollywood Today) 10/11/2010  -  “While touring the island of Bermuda,  I learned about the Shakespearean legend that a ship that sank off its shore in  1609  inspired Shakespeare to write  The Tempest, ”  says  The Gentleman Poet author Kathryn Johnson. “The connection was just too intriguing to pass up. ”

Johnson ’ s book is a tribute to Shakespeare and  The Tempest.  Her prose  are visual and poignant.  You feel you ’ re reading what may have really been the back  story to  The Tempest.  This novel has a shipwreck,  romance and a mystery.

The Gentleman Poet is the story of Elizabeth Person,  recently orphaned by the plague.  She   boards a ship to America as a servant to Mistress Horton,  an elderly woman who is helping to fund the Virginia Company ’ s ships going to the newly founded Jamestown Colony.  The ship gets separated from the other ships by a tempest and strands the passengers and crew near the Bermuda islands.  Once ashore they realize it ’ s a paradise.

William  Strachey is a mysterious gentleman on board the ship who encourages a romance between Elizabeth and the ship ’ s cook Thomas Powell.  When Thomas falls ill,  Elizabeth takes charge of feeding the castaways.  Her knowledge of herbs and vegetables stands her in good stead.  To amuse people,  William writes a play.  Elizabeth,  cast as Miranda,  begins to realize who William really is.

Johnson first got the idea for her book while visiting Bermuda on her honeymoon,  when she and her husband were married on a cruise ship about seven years ago.  Johnson later went back to Bermuda to spend several weeks researching the island ’ s history and viewing relics brought up from the wreck of the Sea Venture,  the ship that ran aground in the tempest.  Her research didn ’ t stop there.

‎“‏I spent a lot of time in the famous Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington,  D.C., ”  says Johnson.  “It ’ s the world ’ s largest repository of materials related to Shakespeare and his times.  Studying his play,  the true accounts of the wreck written in  1609  and 1610,  and the ship ’ s manifest were all incredibly exciting and helpful. ”

Johnson says it wasn ’ t easy to get her husband to join her to see Shakespeare ’ s plays.  “He was so intimidated by the idea of the difficult Elizabethan language that he thought he ’ d be frustrated and confused.  I finally convinced him to go and see one of the comedies,  to prove to him that experienced actors would convey the story and he ’ d enjoy himself.  He nearly fell out of his seat laughing.  He loved it. ”

“I‎’‏ve learned how many people of all ages seem fascinated with Shakespeare and his work, ”  says Johnson.  “I just didn ’ t realize the lasting appeal.  I ’ ve been asked to speak at colleges and even the Library of Congress,  but what thrills me the most is that really young adult readers from  12  and up seem drawn to the story,  perhaps because they identify with Elizabeth,  the teenage heroine. ”

Johnson ’ s literary agent is Kevan Lyon,  with Marsal Lyon Literary Agency in California. Johnson says she ’ s a great believer in attending writers ’  conferences when searching for an agent.  “At a conference you have the opportunity to actually see and talk with agents who attend.  That ’ s very important and gives you a chance to determine if this person is someone you might feel comfortable working with. ”

“I went to Sleuthfest in Florida and met Jill Marsal,‎ ‏the other half of the agency I later ended up with, ”  says Johnson.  “She told me she didn ’ t handle historical fiction,  which initially disappointed me,  because I really liked what I ’ d seen of Jill.  But she said her business partner,  Kevan,  loved historicals.  Both women are so savvy and dedicated to the business.  I lucked out in finding them. ”

Johnson ’ s editor is Tessa Woodward at Avon/Harper Collins.  “They ’ ve been totally behind it from the beginning, ”  says Johnson. “I was very fortunate that the premise of  The Gentleman Poet was one that moved Tessa and the people she works with.  Every suggestion they made just made it better. ”

Johnson ’ s dramatic rights agent is Taryn Fagerness,  who handles performance and foreign rights.  It ’ s being considered but hasn ’ t been committed for a screenplay yet.

“Any author would love to see her work turned into film,‎”‏ says Johnson.‎ ‏“Even though it‎’‏s a  17th Century period piece,  it would be a very uncomplicated project  to film.  Think about it.  Nearly all the scenes are on a deserted island.  There were no buildings except the crude structures the settlers threw together,  and their clothing must have quickly deteriorated to rags.  It ’ s  Survivor  meets Shakespeare in Love,  right ? ”

Johnson is based in Maryland,  near Washington,  D.C.  She was born in Swampscott,  Massachusetts,  north of Boston.  She ’ s currently writing another historical novel involving a famous literary figure.  When not writing,  she teaches novel writing in D.C. at the Writer ’ s Center and works individually with new writers.  Her site  www.gentlemanpoet.com features a contest related to the book.  Her mentoring site is www.writebyyou.com.

The Gentleman Poet:  A Novel of Love,  Danger,  and Shakespeare’s The Tempest

by Kathryn Johnson

Trade Paperback,  336  pages,  Publisher:  Avon A  ( September  7,  2010 ) ,  Language:  English

ISBN:  9780061965319,  $13.99