Author: Leenie Brown

Leenie Brown fell in love with Jane Austen's works when she first read Sense and Sensibility followed immediately by Pride and Prejudice in her early teens. As the second of five daughters and an avid reader, she has always loved to see where her imagination takes her and to play with and write about the characters she meets along the way. In 2013, these two loves collided when she stumbled upon the world of Jane Austen Fan Fiction. A year later, in 2014, she began writing her own Austen-inspired stories and began publishing them in 2015. Leenie lives in Nova Scotia, Canada with her two teenage boys and her very own Mr. Brown (a wonderful mix of all the best of Darcy, Bingley and Edmund with healthy dose of the teasing Mr. Tillney and just a dash of the scolding Mr. Knightley).

Music Monday: The Reason, Hoobastank

Today, I have an excerpt from this week’s upcoming release, Unravelling Mr. Darcy (Dash of Darcy #4), as well as a Pride and Prejudice fan video. The lyrics of the song in today’s video fit quite nicely with the premise of my light-hearted novella.  Consider these two things…

BrokenDoll7. “Pride & Prejudice – The Reason.” YouTube, YouTube, 4 Mar. 2008.

The song ends with these lyrics:

I’ve found a reason to show
A side of me you didn’t know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you

The description of my upcoming new release says:

What’s a gentleman to do when he has laid his heart before a lady only to have it crushed beneath her dainty slipper? If you’re Fitzwilliam Darcy, there is only one thing to do ─ unravel your tightly wound pride, mend your ways, and convince the lady of your worth.

And what’s a lady to do when she has spoken harshly and knows she has done so unfairly?  If you’re  Elizabeth Bennet, you take a deep breath, swallow your dignity, give him a second chance, and perhaps along the way, discover a gentleman you didn’t know existed.

Can you see the connection?  I’m sure you can, but let me tell you a little bit more about this story anyway.

Unravelling Mr. Darcy begins immediately following the moment in Pride and Prejudice when Darcy says

Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time, and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness.

In the next paragraph, we read that he hastily left the room and the parsonage.

Available for purchase September 21, 2017

Not so in this new version of events.

In this version, he is not leaving quickly but is rather willing himself out of the room and praying for some sort of divine intervention — which he gets.  Elizabeth calls him back and apologizes for her rudeness.

Here I must pause and warn those who are looking for the utmost propriety in a story that they will be sadly disappointed in this tale, for it begins with a rather indelicate discussion about why Elizabeth is feeling ill and why her words were so harsh. 

This apology and the discussion of several topics in the parsonage’s sitting room that follows Elizabeth’s apology lead to Darcy being granted a second chance to win Elizabeth’s heart. To do so, Darcy is amending his ways in grand style. Therefore, prepare yourself to meet a Darcy who, though still noble and honorable, has made a 180-degree turnabout because

He’s found a reason to show
A side of him she didn’t know

Unravelling Mr. Darcy will be hitting the digital shelves beginning this Thursday, September 21, 2017, and a print copy will follow shortly thereafter.

One more little side note in relation to this story: Last week, I mentioned that I wanted to get the sequel to a point where I could include a small sample of it at the back of this book. That has not happened. I have begun what I think will be the sequel telling Anne’s story, but it is not to a place where I can say “Yes, this is definitely how the story will begin.” Therefore, revealing any of her story will wait until I can.  However, Anne’s story, Becoming Entangled, will be available in the late fall, around the time of American Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter as it will depend on my editors’ schedules as much as my ability to get the story written.  

AN EXCERPT FROM Unravelling Mr. Darcy: 
Continue reading Music Monday: The Reason, Hoobastank


Wordless Wednesday: Lawrencetown Beach in the Fog

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Two years ago, my dad and youngest sister came for a visit. On the day we went to the beach, the fog rolled in, but then, that’s Nova Scotia for you. 🙂

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Leenie B Books

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Music Monday: I Don’t Want to Live Without You, Foreigner

This week, I started my writing sessions by watching a video while my document opened, and I got my notebook, pen, and calendar out.  The video below was one of the videos that served as an aide in shifting from school and family things to creative work mode.

MaCarmen De Rivera. “Foreigner – I Don’t Want to Live without You (Sub Español) ~ Orgullo & Prejuicio.” YouTube, YouTube, 29 June 2012.

This is not the first time I have shared this video on a Monday, but it has been more than a year since I did.  Last time I shared this video, I was working on His Convenient Choice, which is not a Darcy and Elizabeth story; however, this time around, I was working on a story that will (should?) end with Darcy and Elizabeth together. This current story, Confounding Caroline, is not complete, but it is going to get set aside for a while.

I have gotten my last set of edits for Unravelling Mr. Darcy back from my second editor and need to attend to those as well as begin writing the sequel, Becoming Entangled, so there is an excerpt to include at the end of the book (as per my first editor’s request). I am hoping to get a lot of that done this week in spite of school lessons to teach to my son and relatives arriving on the weekend.  (Yes, I am nuts — and a bit driven. 😉 Hopefully, there will be something left of me by next Monday! 🙂 )

And now for a portion of what I wrote this past week. One small word of caution for those who wish to avoid all spoilers — this excerpt contains the beginning of how our main characters will deal with the problem of Caroline.  As always on these days, read at your own risk. 🙂

AN EXCERPT FROM Confounding Caroline:  Continue reading Music Monday: I Don’t Want to Live Without You, Foreigner


Music Monday: One Call Away, Charlie Puth

Someone shared the link to this video with me last week when I was having a particularly rough day. It was a nice reminder that I’m not alone, and don’t we all need that sort of reminder now and again? It was just what I needed to put a smile in my heart.

CharliesVlogs. “Charlie Puth – One Call Away [Official Video].” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Sept. 2015.

As I was listening to this song again today while putting this post together, I thought — this would make a great song for a period montage sort of fan video. However, I don’t have those skills.  So, I’m just putting the idea out there in case there is someone reading this who possess those skills. 🙂  If someone does make one — or finds one (I looked but didn’t see one) — leave me the link, please. 🙂

In writing news:

First, remember that the Kindle sale on the Willow Hall Romance Series bundle ends on Tuesday. The price will go up on Wednesday.

Second, if you have read Henry: To Prove Himself worthy and you wish to have your say in which character I should consider for the next story, make sure your drop by the Other Pens Facebook Group and cast your vote before September 22, 2017.  I only have two votes, both for Edwards, on the official poll, but I have a few write ins from readers on darcyandlizzy.com who would like to see Mary find redemption next.  Hopefully, there will be more who will help me make this decision. I will eventually do both Mary and Edwards, but how their story develops will depend on whose gets told first.

Third, the next book that I plan to publish, Unravelling Mr. Darcy (A Dash of Darcy Novella), has been sent to my first reader for story notes, and even though she was on vacation, she has read it. I haven’t gotten her notes of things that need attention, but I know she has read the story since I got a message “suggesting” that I should be working on the sequel — NOW.  🙂  Well, I’m not working on that sequel at this moment, but it is on the list for writing next after I finish Confounding Caroline.

Fourth (and last), Confounding Caroline is, I think, at about the halfway mark. I have reached the point where Caroline has revealed to her brother why she needs to be dealt with if he is going to have a chance at a happily ever after with Jane.  In other words, the mess is just starting to be made.

If I can write at least 1000 words per writing session, I should be done with the first draft in 3 weeks. However, school begins this week, which means my schedule is going to go through a period of transition. Transitional periods sometimes throw off productivity, and sometimes they have no major effect. I’m hoping for the no major effect option. 🙂

Now, if you are the sort that likes to read sneak peeks of stories in progress, here is…

AN EXCERPT OF Confounding Caroline: Continue reading Music Monday: One Call Away, Charlie Puth