Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-02
Recipe for Novels
While You Wait
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

LONDON, November "a, 1906.
<<T AXE a girl and two men. Choose
~ locality Slowly add other
characters. Dictate about 1000
words day. In fortnight You have a
complete novel;
Something like the above is the avowed
recipe of L. T Meade, the immensely popu-
lar English authoress. Mrs. Meade laughs
when one talks of the thinking out of a
plot II seldom have one she said to me
yesterday, land when 1 have one, 1 never
stick to it. The inspiration that comes
moment by moment is far better"
Lisbeth Meade ought to know. for her
novels are certainly thrilling and their
plots are uncommonly complex Recently
she n11blished her 2O9th romance, which she
called The Blue Diamond and she is now
hard at work on her 201st. although l could
not get so much as an mixing IRON her as
to what it is about. Perhaps, however, see
ing that 1t was begun so recently, Mrs.
Meade herself doesn't definitely know.
She is Irish, this versatile story-teller.
and one of q select band OF successful
authors who began writing at an early
age She wrote her first book-a story for
children-when she was seventeen. She Is
one of a numerous and distinguished fam
lily. Her father, an Irish clergyman, named
her Lisbeth Thomasina. Her uncle is
btshop Of Cork; her cousin is Admiral, the
Earl of Clanwilliam, who twenty years ago
commanded the North American fleet OF
the British navy.
Soon after her first book was published
Miss Meade secured a government post at
the British Museum. Her distinguished rel
atiyes offered to get her a government billet
and she deliberately chose one that brought
her in the midst of books ana musty docu,
ments and historic manuscripts. She lived
by choice in one of the centuries-old struc-
lures in the heart Of the ancient city
Rishopsgate Without-and studied the East
End of London and Its peoples.
* X
In her spare time she scrubbed away for
dear life and attracted the attention of
editors and publishers by her magazine and
newspaper stories. Then came an offer of
the editorship Of ATLANTA, the girls maya
zine For six years Miss Meade held this
post and at the same time turned out sew
eral dozen books for girls. They were
mostly of school life and proved intensely
popular.
Then came her collaboration on a novel.
its immediate success and the romance of
her life. She married DR.. Toulmin Smith.
market She was able to spend all the time
she wanted ON the writing of her beloved
books. Novel after novel appeared and
them when her son and two daughters be-
her books for boys and girls. with here
and there novel, always an intensely
dramatic work One could scarce believe
these were written by the same author of
the many simple and charming girls story
books.
.0The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings" is
perhaps accounted her best novel, AS to
her books for girls, they are all popular.
There is scarcely a house in Britain boast
ing of bookshelves and girls where the
name of L. T. Meade is not to be seen.
To the girls of the British empire, she is
the queen of authors.
* :.
She travels a good deal, having cycled
all over Europe. The Woodlands. her
beautiful home, is situated on the edge of
breezy Dulwich Common. on the outskirts
of southeast London. She goes in great
deal for society and is a noted bridge
player.
Despite this she is one of the hardest
working of English novelists.
When interviewed she was looking over
the last proofs of a new edition of THE
Blue Diamond" in her comfortable library.
The walls were covered to the ceiling with
shelves of books, while several comfortable
leather arm chairs and large fiat-top
desk completed the room.
SThis is my study, my workshop said
Mrs Meade yet / do not sit down here