After I read an authors note of KWAK (thanks for the mention Katherine, it means a lot that it shows that I love Anne) it was something you said in that note which nudged this.

Why does Anne resist an apparently handsome man who adores her for so long, what makes her do it?

And this is where this story came to mind, in concept. It does explore outside the club, but its based obviously within Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island. I hope to explore Anne's romantic ideals, how she didn't recognise love when it was slam bang in front of her and how she missed it, and also how she starts to develop a deeper sense of love.

We need to remember the 'love' we all recognised, we all loved the 'Gilbert' kind of love, made her uncomfortable, it was a feeling she didn't associate with romance and I honestly don't believe she was resisting anything, I think it was a lack of understanding, until she was courting Roy. (Was she courting? I think it was, not in the modern day really but the proper Victorian way, which probably meant no kisses, you often only kissed after engagement!)

And shock horror for me its based IN CANON in ERA! What the actual! This very rarely happens! But ought to be lovely, I love Anne, you often see things as a third person looking in on her but 1st person narrative is rare, and was in that style and era of writing, so we see what happens but often not what is behind what is happening. It is something I like about the 'ANNE' series is, where I don't think they are always right they are trying to explore people's histories their backstories and their motivations. I think some openness which is portrayed in it is far too open for the political and social history of that time, I think there is a definite modern taint to it, I suppose in an attempt to make some of the themes more relevant. I say this to my husband often, its something quite popular to do at the moment, and its to whitewash relevantly modern history. I could write an essay on this alone let me tell you! But back to my point its in era and we get to see Anne's friendship with the other girls (Jane and Ruby for example) and of course, something which isn't really focused in on but mentioned, the developing friendship with Gilbert (and eventual romance).

Love Carrots.


"Tell me more of the haunting." Diana preyed Anne as they skimmed the edge of the haunted woods.

The early roots of spring begun to embed on the landscape of North Prince Edward Island. Patches of snow still lingered in scene, scattered amid the cold, flowering snowdrops, single small and white with their drooping bell shaped flowers the tiny six tepals in two circles, gave hope in the frost nipping at the nose that the earth in its ancient knowledge sensed something warmer beneath the surface.

Christmas, had been long forgotten by Mid February and by this day, a few days after Anne's birthday in early March, the snow was no longer the winter wonderland frost but to most, an inconvenience to be endured until the seasons changed. Most people didn't linger out longer then needed, preferring to rush point to designation in the hope that they would avoid this seasons bout of sniffles and flu, Anne and Diana slowly walked home from the school house together, preferring the good company rather then worried about the nip of red to their noses.

"The winter is the most delicious time to share it," Anne admitted, "it makes the icy fingers so much more relatable." Anne laughed.

"Must we go into the haunted woods?" Diana shook, though out of cold or fear no one could know.

"But I've found the most perfect place for our Story Club." Anne admitted as they entered therein. Diana looked up into the spindly tree branches, empty of leaves they looked like long fingers reaching towards her, so frightened was she by the imagine of the trees extending out for her she almost missed Anne's description of their new den.

"Its a shack of little interest to anyone, I wonder how it even got there, its like an old shed, there's no foundation it looks as though it might fall, but I investigated it inside and whoever built it knew it wouldn't. There's a door and four walls and has been long abandoned as there is nothing inside."

"Who would put a shed in the middle of the woods?" Diana questioned.

"It close to the old well, maybe whomever built that." Anne suggested.

"Well whoever it was they were a loner." Diana remarked. "Imagine living all the way out here in the woods on your own!"

"Maybe they never left!" Anne replied with a spook to her throat.

"Oh Anne!" Diana exclaimed "don't!" she squealed "My mother said Mrs Lynde said that making stories up are ungodly."

"Only if they are lies about a person, these characters will be kindreds of the mind. That is the only place they'll exist." Anne proclaimed. "Ah look!" Anne exclaimed "here we are!" she said.

Diana looked up and couldn't disagree with Anne's description of the place. It was indeed a shed shack. "Anne!" she exclaimed "you can't mean to go inside!"

"I do, why should I not?" she asked.

"It just..." Diana said confused "its just so... so..." she searched for the right word. "It looks like something my mother would tell me to stay away from." She decided.

"If your mother told you to jump off a cliff would you?" Anne asked rebelliously.

"I doubt my mother would." Diana sighed before she paused. "You've been inside?" she asked.

Anne nodded. "I swear to you its safe." She almost breathed as she pulled Diana towards it and before Diana could object further she was part way through the shacks door. "See its not so bad." Anne tried, going in deeper. "Marilla was going to get rid of some curtains but I asked her if I could use them, I thought we could put them up here..." she said reaching across the sole window looking out into the woods. Diana looked amazed at first that their presence didn't bring the shack down as she listened to Anne waltz around "Marilla was getting rid of some pillows and she says we're welcome to them, rather then them being thrown away, at least here they'll be used still we can read by candlelight Diana, oh can you imagine how romantic it shall be?" she asked her friend.

Diana now standing straight a little more confident of Anne's plan smiled at her friend "I'll see what mother can spare too." She nodded.

"Shall we?" Anne asked Diana, to which Diana nodded and sat on an old flipped bucket where Anne cleared a old stool found in the opposite corner, pulling it towards the old crooked table in the middle of the shack. "Here on 15th March 1878, we call the first meeting of the story club. I as co-founder bring it to order, do I hear a second?"

"I second it." Diana said her hand going up.

"Very well. Let it be noted that both Anne Shirley and Diana Barry is in attendance." Anne said with a smile, pulling out of her bag two pens and paper she started writing on the first sheet. "Marilla has given me a small allowance." She admitted to Diana, "I do so love paper over the slate there is something a bit more romantic about the writing." Anne smiled. "I spent all the money on these." She said with a smile giving Diana the other pen and putting the ink well on the half broken table. "Isn't it wonderful we can make notary." Anne squealed. "Now, as this is the first meeting there is no previous notes so lets move to it." Anne said in her best official voice. "The first thing we should do is elect the principle member, as we are both co-founders we both have claim to the title..."

"But you are so much more imaginative Anne, the title shall go to you. I would be thrilled to be secretary!"

Anne smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically "then this belongs to you." She said sliding over the paper she had started writing the minutes for the meeting on. "Second we need a purpose a goal a reason for being."

"To write stories you goose!" Diana exclaimed with a laugh "I thought that was obvious.

"But we can't write with no purpose. Are we to write a novel in a year, or a short story in a week? Do we aim to stay the same or to improve."

Diana nodded "we should have goals, otherwise we won't improve."

"I agree." Anne nodded.

"but I think a novel..." Diana gasped.

"Daunting?" Anne asked. "intimating? Unnerving?"

"All of the above." Diana smiled not sure she understood them all but knew they all amounted to the same feeling.

"I agree, a novel, although the dream, shouldn't be the primary goal." Anne said logically. "So we start small, we write one story per week." Anne nodded in satisfaction.

"I second." Diana nodded.

"Now we should have a nom de plume." Anne started.

"A what?" Diana asked.

"A pen name, like the Bronte sisters did, do you remember they of course all had male pen names but ours should be female, it seems a little anti-feministic to write under a mans name."

"Mother says the feminists are looking to subdue men, that they want to dominate society. Become men."

"I don't want to be a man!" Anne protested "I only wish to be seen as an equal. To vote, to be able to work, heaven knows I'll never marry so I need to provide for myself, why should I not be paid as a man if I work as one?"

"I didn't say I agreed." Diana reminded her . "And you know you'll marry one day."

"I'm glad you have faith I'll marry." Anne muttered.

"So a pen name?" Diana asked bringing the point back.

"Nom de plume." Anne said. "I already know mine shall be, I've had it picked out ever since I was twelve. My Nom de plume is Rosamond Montmorency."

"Mine is Currer Bell." Diana started

"You can't just copy the Bronte sisters, no matter how brilliant it is." Anne reminded her. "It doesn't matter you don't have one right now, but just make sure you have it ready for our next meeting so you can sign your work." Anne ordered. "Now our genre's are going to help us identify ourselves as authors. Romantics or gothic, tragical or comic, its important to identify ourselves early on so we can fashion our works like the greats."

"Oh it would be delicious to be gothic!" Diana exclaimed. "Can I do that?" she asked Anne.

"I was never in any doubt." Anne smiled. "What a good choice, you have some good writers to draw inspiration from."

"And you Anne?" Diana asked.

"Romance of course, the gallant knight in shining armour." She replied sighing in content before she looked up and smiled at Diana "Shall we begin?"


Valentino caressed her furrowed brow.

"Oh my Isobella, I shall love thee all my numbered days." He breathed

"Oh Valentino my heart belongs to thee!" Isobella cried her tears falling silently down her beautiful face.

"And I mine own heart to thee." Anne read to Diana on their lunch break.

She looked up her eyes merry and she asked her friend "So what do you think?"

Diana almost gasped "I can't believe you wrote that in one night!"

"I just got inspired!" Anne exclaimed louder then she intended that a close by Jane and Ruby overheard her "I knew our little story club would be wonderful!" she exclaimed.

"Story Club?" A squeaking Ruby asked. "What's that?"

"Anne and I have created a club to improve our writing skills." Diana told them, Anne is just sharing her first piece with me."

"Oh that sounds exciting!" Ruby smiled.

"And beneficial." Jane said practically. "It will cultivate our minds."

Anne was surprised but no less delighted "Would you like to join our club?" she asked them.

"Oh I'd love that!" Ruby exclaimed.

"I'd think so." Jane admitted.

"Thats wonderful!" Anne exclaimed. "We meet on a Tuesday Evening, if you come by Green Gables I'll walk you there. 4pm?" she asked them, to which they nodded delighted.


"...To write one story per week under a nom de plume and share them with the other members in order to improve story-writing skills." Anne explained as they sat round the little shack.

Anne had worked hard on making it a nicer place to sit, old blankets and curtains hung with care. The Barry's even spared some old garden furniture which the girls now used to sit on.

"My nom de plume is Rosamond Montmorency." Anne informed them.

"And mine is Cassandra Mayweather." Diana revealed.

"Oh, I like that!" Anne grinned.

"Oh thank you!" Diana smiled.

"Do we have to choose one now?" Jane asked dubiously.

"Well, not right away, though it should be soon for consistency in your stories." Anne replied.

"Can we invite the boys?" Ruby bounced on the chair.

"No!" The other three girls replied with different levels of enthusiasm for the answer.

"I couldn't possibly be as creative knowing I would have to read it out to boys!" Diana exclaimed.

"I must admit I would feel silly." Jane concurred.

"And anyway..." Anne said to Ruby seeing the disappointed look on her face, "I doubt any of the boys would have the imagination to appreciate our stories..." she trailed before Ruby tried to object and cut across again "...no matter how smart and handsome they might be."

"So you admit he's handsome?" Ruby teased.

"And smart?" Jane wondered.

"There's no denying that Gil- I mean that person is not ugly, and he's already caught up with his school meaning he's smart, but a handsome face and a clever head doesn't make a good or kind person."

"No just everything he's done ever since." Diana muttered under her breath.

"Sorry?" Anne asked her.

"No, boys could confuse things and mess up what we've done since..."

"We started the club." Anne nodded. "I agree. We'll take a vote. I propose a strict no boys rule in the club."

"I second it." Diana agreed.

"I third." Jane said sensibly.

A huff sound came from Ruby before Anne looked to her, struggled and apologised a "Sorry."

"Fine!" Ruby exclaimed "but you can't stop me writing about him."