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#1: Jean McKenzie - Who? Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 11:41 am
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I was reading Highland Twins the other day and it suddenly struck me: Who on earth is Jean McKenzie?

As far as I know, this is the only book she's mentioned in and she clearly knows Joey well (given she wishes the McDonalds onto Joey!) so does anyone have any ideas?

The one thing that's clear is she's not a married CS old girl - she mentions going to school in Paris in her letter at the start of Highland Twins.

Ray *puzzled*

#2: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:10 pm
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I think she's a very EBDism-ised Miss Stewart.

By that I mean I think EBD thought she was Miss Stewart, although she's blatantly not.

#3: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:22 pm
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That doesn't make sense, though - she specifically mentions in the letter "going to school in Paris", which would be a very odd thing for Miss Stewart to mention to Joey, considering that I'd have thought the escape from Austria would have been more relevant!

Ray *still puzzled*

#4: Author: Mary, Location: Sussex University

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:24 pm
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I always assumed that she was some passing aquaintance who was helpfully produced for Highland Twins. Very handy.

#5: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:26 pm
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I think that's what I've previously assumed - until it hit me that, for a passing acquaintance, Joey seems to know a lot about her, and she knows a lot about Joey.

For a character we never get to meet, she's really rather rounded!

Ray *still puzzled*

#6: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:31 pm
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It's always puzzled me - Joey talks about her as if she's someone she knows well, which suggests that we should know who she is, but I've never had a clue about her!

#7: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:47 pm
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There's a drabble in there somewhere

*Puts the bunny into cold storage*

#8: Author: Tiffany, Location: madthesispanicargh

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 12:56 pm
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Could she be a sister-in-law or niece or something of Con Stewart, and so know Joey through her?

#9: Author: Changnoi, Location: in transit, midwest USA

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 2:09 pm
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There are so many McKenzies; couldn't she be a relation?

Although now that I say this, the only McKenzies I can think of offhand are Jock, Con's husband, and Mollie Maynard's husband (isn't he a McKenzie?) So the question would be, judging by the letter, does she seem to know Joey through knowing Jack, or does she know Joey independently?

If she knows Joey independently, then maybe her husband is a relation of Con Stewart's then new husband whom Joey has met during the course of Con's excessively long engagement.

If she knows Joey through Jack, then maybe her husband is a relation of Mollie Maynard's husband, provided that his name is in fact McKenzie and I'm not just doing this out of not being caffeinated AGAIN, whom Joey has had chance to get to know through knowing Mollie and being married to Jack.

Thoughts!

Chang

#10: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 4:27 pm
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This is totally made up, but could she have been a friend of Joey's from the High School that Joey went to before the CS started? She could have gone to the school in Paris later on in her education.

#11: Author: Mel, Location: UP NORTH

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 5:00 pm
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Where there any Jeans in Tyrol? Could McKenzie be her married name?

#12: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 5:03 pm
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I thought she was an EBDismed Miss Stewart too Laughing

#13: Author: Liss, Location: Richmond

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 6:13 pm
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Although wasn't Miss Stewart out in the East for the war?

#14: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 6:15 pm
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she was called away to see Jock at he beginning of 'At War', and gets married and goes to Singapore almost straight away I think.

#15: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 6:33 pm
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odd, very odd! Never thought about it before. I think I would go with Chair's suggestion of it being someone Joey had known of before the Chalet School begins. Perhaps she was someone Jo knew through the High or from Taverton.

Definately a drabble lurking ther, anyone?

#16: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 7:15 pm
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It's not Miss Leslie is it?

#17: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 7:38 pm
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I think Miss Leslie's given name's Kit - rather than Jean, which I know doesn't prove a thing!

What Highland Twins says is as follows:

Quote:

But first I went to school in Paris; and then there was that trip I took with Mother and Dad to America; and then I met Ken and married him. After that, as we know all too well, the war broke out.

That doesn't sound like an ex CS member of staff (it makes her sound like one of Joey's contemporaries) and it doesn't entirely sound like an old girl either (though there's a line a little later in the letter where she talks about the CS as "the School" - which sounds odd if she never went there!).

One thought that occured to me: Could she have been one of the girls at the school that visits the CS in "Visitors"? I haven't read the book, so I've no idea if there's a character called Jean in that, but I know "Visitors" was reconstructed from notes EBD left so it's possible.

Ray *very much still puzzled*

#18: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 8:08 pm
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She could be a character from Two Chalet Girls in India?

#19: Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 8:25 pm
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Ray wrote:

That doesn't make sense, though - she specifically mentions in the letter "going to school in Paris", which would be a very odd thing for Miss Stewart to mention to Joey, considering that I'd have thought the escape from Austria would have been more relevant!

Ray *still puzzled*

In one of the Tyrol books, it mentions Mdle and I think Miss Stewart discussing Paris, "where the latter had gone to school".

#20: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 9:10 pm
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For years I thought she was someone I had missed as I hadn't read all the books but once I read them all I realised she wasn't. I decided she was someone Jo met either through the San or as a visitor to the Tiern see. I don't think it is Miss Leslie as she is Kit not Jean. I think if it had been someone with chalet connections she would have called her Jean MacKenzie - you know she used to be Jean so and so - or we would ahve been treated to a school anecdote about her.

#21: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 10:07 pm
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I think we should set this as a drabble challenge - the most feasible and most ridiculous explanations of how Jo knows Jean Mackenzie! Laughing

#22: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:51 am
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Lesley wrote:

It's not Miss Leslie is it?

Isn't Miss Leslie's married name Stephenson?

Y'know, I'd never made the McKenzie connection - with either Charlie or Maynie - until reading this thread. I think I just vaguely accepted that Jean McKenzie was some chum Jo had picked up somewhere between Exileand Highland Twins - perhaps rather in the manner that she acquired Pheobe Wychcote as a pal - and EBD had just forgotten to tell us where and when.

Having said all of that, I did write a chapter for Robin which featured Jo meeting Jean for the first time, but it was so totally not relevant for the main plot that it didn't make it into the final version. Anyone interested in reading it?!?

Caroline.

#23: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:55 am
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Yes please. I find the whole thing a bit odd - the wording does seem to me as if we should "know" Jean - and would love to read your chapter about it! I love Robin, by the way - read the transcript recently (er, when I was short of stuff to do at work and needed something good to read whilst looking as if I was working!)!

#24: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:04 am
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Caroline wrote:

Having said all of that, I did write a chapter for Robin which featured Jo meeting Jean for the first time, but it was so totally not relevant for the main plot that it didn't make it into the final version. Anyone interested in reading it?!?

I'd love to Smile

I do have to admit that when I was reading Highland Twins at the weekend, my first thought about Jean was 'Oh, her existance is explained in Robin'!

Ray *not necessarily too bright sometimes*

#25: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:07 am
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OK - I'll dig it out and post it forthwith in, erm, St Agnes, I suppose, as it's EBD-alike.

Thanks for the kind words about Robin, too - hopefully I'll have another book for everyone to read shortly....

Caroline.

#26: Author: Tan, Location: London via Newcastle Australia

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 12:07 pm
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Thanks Caroline. I have just reread Highland Twins and was trying to figure out who this mystery person was.

Can you give us a hint as to what your new book will be about? I enjoyed Robin very much!

#27: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 1:04 pm
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It's about Juliet's first term as head girl and how she copes etc. - so, set in the autumn term after Jo of but before Princess. Should be published some time this summer by GGB.

I hold out hopes it will be out before the GGB conference in Warwick, which is mid-August, but Ann and Clarissa aren't promising anything - it's with them now, as Ruth and I having finished the detailed editing. Loads of stages yet, though - A&C have their say (I make necessary changes), Ruth and I check it all again to make sure the changes haven't any knock on effects, then there's proof reading (more changes), typesetting (yet more changes), final error checking.... It goes on and on and always takes longer than you think.

Exciting though - we think we've found a picture for the dw this week....

Caroline.

#28: Author: Tan, Location: London via Newcastle Australia

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 1:11 pm
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Fantastic. I liked Juliet as a character and feel it is a shame that there was very little in the later books about her.

The process sounds a lot of work but very exciting! Good luck with all of the extra work and I look forward to putting in my order when it opens!

#29: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 2:56 pm
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*getting excited already*

Definitely looking forward to that, Caroline

#30: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 3:12 pm
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Caroline wrote:

I hold out hopes it will be out before the GGB conference in Warwick, which is mid-August, but Ann and Clarissa aren't promising anything - it's with them now, as Ruth and I having finished the detailed editing. Loads of stages yet, though - A&C have their say (I make necessary changes), Ruth and I check it all again to make sure the changes haven't any knock on effects, then there's proof reading (more changes), typesetting (yet more changes), final error checking.... It goes on and on and always takes longer than you think.

Caroline.

Tell me about it! And you still miss something after all the checking!

Really looking forward to Juliet.

Last edited by Pat on Wed May 03, 2006 3:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

#31: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 3:13 pm
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I'm so excited for Juliet! Very Happy

#32: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 3:51 pm
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Pat wrote:

Tell me about it! And you still miss something after all the checking!

Yep!

#33: Author: Tiffany, Location: madthesispanicargh

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 4:01 pm
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Mel wrote:

Where there any Jeans in Tyrol? Could McKenzie be her married name?

Now that's an idea! There's Jeanne le Cadoulec, isn't there, but she's dead. Maybe between leaving the Chalet and dying, she went to a finishing school in Paris and married a McKenzie bloke...

(sorry to interrupt the shiny-new-book discussion!)

#34: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 7:11 pm
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Oh that's so exciting that you found a DW Caroline! I wonder how many you trawl through before finding a blonde haired girl with dark eyebrows Laughing

Best of luck with it all Very Happy

#35: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 7:41 pm
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Tiffany wrote:

Mel wrote:

Where there any Jeans in Tyrol? Could McKenzie be her married name?

Nope, no Jeans in the Tyrol at all - there's Jeanne le Cadoulec in Tyrol, whose at London University at this point with plans for a post at Cambridge(she's actually mentioned in Highland Twins) and Jeanne de Marne in the early English books, but she's still in school at that point.

#36: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:35 am
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Róisín wrote:

Oh that's so exciting that you found a DW Caroline! I wonder how many you trawl through before finding a blonde haired girl with dark eyebrows Laughing

Best of luck with it all Very Happy

Hmmm. Not too many, luckily. I just stumbled across an NKB picture I liked and suggested we might be able to use it. And I didn't find that fair haired girl with the strangely dark eyes - they are going to have to be adjusted digitally. It's amazing what you can do these days.... Wink

In fact, when I suggested this picture Ruth wasn't sure it would work, because it needs some altering to make the clothes and colouring of the girls fit, but her son (who does some of the digital artwork for GGB) says it should be pretty straightforward.

It's a big relief, because normally GGB choose the pictures (they do ask if we have anything in mind, of course, but A&C have a vastly bigger book collection than most of us, so many more dws to be inspired by!) and although they try to get ones that match with some incident in the book, it isn't always possible and I might have had to write a new scene to fit it (that's what happened with Robin). I really don't want to have to add random scenes at this point if I can help it - Juliet really is quite tightly plotted....

More than you ever wanted to know.....!!!

Caroline.

#37: Author: Changnoi, Location: in transit, midwest USA

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 2:20 pm
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Book! I want a new book! I want to have money so that I may purchase this book, even with the US failing economy and high shipping rates!

will begin looking under sofa (chesterfield? do people still say chesterfield? what a neat word!) cushions for spare change,

Chang
La pauvre

#38: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:02 pm
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Thanks a mil Caroline - these little titbits of juicy information are very teasing. And not TMI at all!

Chang you can borrow my copy Wink

I could do with another snazzy calender!

#39: Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 9:44 pm
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Congratulations, Caroline! That's wonderful news! Can't wait to see it!

Personally, I always imagined Jean was a character from a book that EBD either wrote but never had published which would have connections with the CS, as the La Rochelle characters do. Perhaps Jean played a role in Two CS Girls in India?

#40: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 4:51 am
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Oh, this does sound fabulous! I'm going to have to start saving up, too. Fingers crossed that Juliet does come out before the conference - the sooner the better!

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