Today, I’m sharing my (Leenie’s) Nature’s Fury and Delights collection of novelettes with you. Or should I say rambling on about my Nature’s Fury collection since I was struggling with some brain fog issues when I recorded this yesterday. 🙂
I’m also trying out a new mic set up. One of these days I’ll get all the tech stuff figured out. (I hope LOL) Probably about the time I start to feel a bit more comfortable being on camera? Maybe?
Enjoy!
Today, I’m pairing a beautiful piece of music that is aptly named with the first few paragraphs of my novelette Apple Blossoms and Whispering Hearts. This is what we call the meet-cute in romance writing. AKA when the hero and heroine meet.
Thomas is a bachelor who struggles with social interactions – especially when they are with ladies. He’s a bit unsure of himself and sees himself as not very much of a “prize.”
Clara is a widow with an energetic young daughter. She thinks she’s had her one chance at happily ever after.
Enjoy!
P.S. Apple Blossoms and Whispering Hearts is the Patreon free read this month. You only have to be signed up as a member to read it. No subscription required. It’s also one of the stories in First Blooms and Second Chances, the second collection of Nature’s Fury and Delights that is on sale all this month for $2.99 USD (with all other currencies also reduced). Regular price is $5.99 USD.
Continue reading Orchard Skies (Thad Fiscella)February 8, 2025
Happy February to you all!
I hope you’re surviving the winter if that’s the season you’re in or enjoying the summer if that is your current season. We are expecting a snow event this weekend. We had a rather dry January with bare ground for most, if not all, of it. It was also warmer than expected at times, but then we also got some seriously frigid temps, too. It hasn’t been too horrible a winter for me, but that doesn’t mean I’m not eagerly looking forward to spring. 🙂
I got snagged by a nasty cold last month and lost a few days of work to that. However, I actually recovered from it far faster than expected, so that was encouraging. My hubby is still fighting the lingering cough and my youngest son is now sniffling and coughing, so it’s making the rounds at our house.
I am still working on writing Sweet Extra #5, None So Accomplished as Mary. I hope to have that finished in a couple of weeks. (I’m currently sharing chapters of that novelette on Patreon with my paid patrons as I write.)
Remember that my Sweet Extras are always gifted to my subscribers. In the past it has been just my email (Substack) subscribers and patrons on Patreon, but I can now email to just subscribers on my blog, too.
So this time, if you subscribe to my Substack, Patreon, or Blog (leeniebrown.com) via email, I’ll be able to share a freebie with you, too.
Continue reading The February 2025 Saturday BroadsheetHarriet poured a cup of tea for her sister, before filling her own cup and taking a seat at the small table in her private sitting room. The knocker had been removed from the door earlier that morning – at approximately the same time that her brother had discovered her secret mission the day before. He thought he was punishing her, but truly, she was happy for it. This way, she did not have to pretend to be interested in any of the gentlemen who might come to call.
She smiled as she took a sip of her tea. “Edmund has agreed to allow the colonel to offer for me.”
“He has what?” Samantha’s features were the very personification of the word astonishment.
“He has finally seen reason.” That was how she chose to view the events of the past few days – they were merely a lesson in reasonableness for her dear brother. “And he has been restored to the position of my favourite brother.” She placed her teacup gently on its saucer. “Although, I do believe, you might be his favourite sister at present.” She chuckled softly. Edmund would eventually forgive her for her antagonism.
“Please, do tell, dear sister. In what adventures have you engaged since I last saw you?” Samantha asked eagerly. “I find that since I married, I must do all my adventuring from the safety of a sitting room through tales that the less restricted get to live.” She laughed right along with Harriet at such a melodramatic comment.
Samantha may be married, but she still found time to join Harriet in a few fun pursuits now and then. That would likely change once her child was born, but Harriet did not wish to think about that at the moment.
Continue reading Harriet and The Colonel, Chapter 4 (part 1)If you would like to listen to this post, you can do so on YouTube at this link.
I’ve used this image before for a story connection (or two), but I have several scenes in various books that happen in a billiard room and this room is such a pretty one.
The story scene this time is the first scene in With the Colonel’s Help which takes place directly after he returns from a walk at Rosings during which he had come upon Elizabeth and attempted to show his cousin in a good light by telling her how Darcy helped his friend avoid a poor match.
As we all know, he failed to make Darcy look good, and in this scene, he’s just starting to realize the mess he has made of things in his attempt to help.
Enjoy!
The sun shone bright and warm on Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam as he stood before Rosings. He turned and looked back in the direction from whence he had come. The slow but persistent twisting of his stomach continued its work in making him feel very uneasy. There was something not right in how Miss Elizabeth Bennet had responded to his information regarding his cousin Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.
He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. The story he had told had been told with an intent to promote his cousin — for it was a viable example of the caring sort of friend Darcy was. However, Richard had the distinct impression that his comments had, in fact, done just the opposite.
Continue reading Interior of the billiard room at Lupton House, Devonshire.
