Sandra drops by for a spot of tea

‘ello, loves. I am 'aving some Black tea as I write this to yous. What are yous drinking? 

Jess asked me to stop by today and talk to yous.  I was only too ‘appy to do it. Yous see she and Meri are off trying to get Book 2 out for the lot of yous. For those of yous who don’t know me, I work for the Drakes.

I’m from a little city just outside of Liverpool, which is part of England. Yous may ‘ave ‘eard of that city if yous are a fan of the Beatles. They came from me parts. Me father was a Draco Protector and a friend of Mr. Emery Drake. When ‘e died, ‘e left a lot of debt for me mum. We struggled to get by until Mr. Drake offered me to come look after ‘is two young tykes.

England is such a brilliant country and ‘as many different dialects, just as the United States ‘as a Southern accent, Brooklyn accent, Boston accent, etc. Me accent is known as Scouse, which make me a Scouser. Please do not mistake me as a Scot or Irish, just as you wouldn’t call either of them English. Obviously, I’ve been living in the States for over twenty years now and ‘ave adapted some things, but clearly I don’t speak like most Americans.

I tend to talk fast, high-pitched, and too much. Hohoho! The way I really sound to an American, such as Meridienne, would look more like this: 'ow is de weather, lah? Yous said dat it seems a blind bit 'ot and 'umid over thuz? This translates to American English as: How is the weather, friend? You said that it seem a bit hot and humid over there?  Jess felt this would be too jarring for readers, so she settled on two distinguishable yet still easy to read traits of this particular region. Dropping just the ‘aitch’s alone would have been too much like the Cockney dialect (Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady). Adding the yous, she and I felt would help to identify it as Northern England. Of course, she also threw in some key British words.

In Book 2, yous will get to know Henry Stevenson. ‘e is British also, but ‘e speaks the Queen’s English, which is more of what yous are probably used to ‘earing. Yous see, Draco Protectors began in Britain during medieval times. Nowadays, protectors are all over the world, but many of the oldest bloodlines still live over there.

Jess ‘as always been fascinated with English history. She loves the culture and rich history of the land. She ‘opes any British persons do not get offended by my character, as she ‘as told me that I am ‘er favorite. (Don’t tell Meri.) Hohoho! Any road, I suppose I better go chivvy along Meri and Jess with that second book.

Oh, if you’d like to see more of ‘ow I really say things, yous can check out this site. Try a few of my lines from the book. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions for me or Jess below, and yous can always email me by clicking on the envelope at www.MeridienneDrake.com. Cheerio!