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: Beyond Me, TobyMac

TobyMacVEVO. “TobyMac – Beyond Me (Lyric Video).” YouTube. YouTube, 13 Jan. 2015. Web. 31 Dec. 2016.

It will be the second day of 2017 when this posts, but as I am writing it, it is still 2016 — it’s New Year’s Eve to be exact, and the radio is on and playing a list of their top 103 country songs of 2016.  It is that time of year when we look back on what has happened and look forward to what might be in the new year.  And so, I am taking a few minutes to look back at my year in writing.

One of the biggest changes this last year has been moving from a regular paycheck to being self-employed.  This change also came with a move from a classroom full of students to one — my son.  And it has been a challenge figuring out how to mesh his classes, my work schedule, and just regular house things together. We’re doing ok, but I would not say we are “there” yet. 🙂  But it has been a wonderful change — a definite blessing!

So besides giving up the day job, what tangible things can I point to that show what I have accomplished this year in my writing life?  Well, I have made a few changes on the front page of this website.  I have completed two Thursday’s Three Hundred stories and have another one started — and I have published several books.

  • His Inconvenient Choice
  • Her Heart’s Choice
  • And Then Love (written in 2015)
  • Finally Mrs. Darcy
  • Waking to Mr. Darcy
  • The Tenant’s Guest
  • A Very Mary Christmas

aesop_bending-reedWow — I guess that feeling of always being busy was not imagined! It has been a busy year, and not everything both professionally and personally was wonderful. There were some definitely difficult times that twisted my heart and bent me under their weight, but this little reed is still standing. 🙂 But here’s the thing, (and I am going to get a little “spiritual” here because my faith is part of who I am) I am still standing and have accomplished what I have not through my strength alone. God has been good.  He has sustained me in the rough places and granted me moments of seeing His blessing being poured out. The lyrics of the song above say

But here’s the thing, (and I am going to get a little “spiritual” here because my faith is part of who I am) I am still standing and have accomplished what I have not through my strength alone. God has been good.  He has sustained me in the rough places and granted me moments of seeing His blessing being poured out. The lyrics of the song above say

Call it a reason to retreat
I got some dreams that are bigger than me
I might be outmatched, outsized, the underdog in the fight of my life
Is it so crazy to believe

That You gave me the stars, put them out of my reach
Called me to waters a little too deep
Oh, I’ve never been so aware of my need
You keep on making me see
It’s way beyond me

I have definitely felt this way this past year, and as I begin the process of looking forward to 2017 and sketching plans, I still feel this way — the dreams are still big, the waters still feel too deep, and I am so very aware of my need of His sustenance. But, even if there is a flutter of nerves in my stomach and that little voice in my mind that questions if I can reach my goals, I will be moving forward — in His strength.

Now, in order to accomplish my goals, I must do my part and be faithful in my work, which includes writing — daily or nearly so. Life does like to mess up the schedule some days. This week, there were a few days that writing did not happen, but then there was one day when I was able to write for hours and managed to type out somewhere around 6,000 words. A few of those words are below in a short excerpt.  I will remind you again…this is the current Thursday story and we are getting to the end. Things are starting to be resolved, so if you read this, there may be spoilers.

EXCERPT FROM Willow Hall, Book 4: Continue reading Music Monday: Beyond Me, TobyMac


Music Monday: Good King Wenceslas, The Irish Rovers

AlexanderRoublev. “The Irish Rovers. Good King Wenceslas.” YouTube. YouTube, 18 Dec. 2011. Web. 25 Dec. 2016.

ABOUT THE SONG:

This was one of my favourite carols as a child. Why? Because it told a story about a kind king.  I would listen to the carol, often singing along, as lovely images of a king and his page struggling through the snow would play in my mind.

I could feel the wind blowing and would shiver as the cold seeped through the pages clothing chilling his blood.  I could see the peasant stooping and adding another twig to the pile in his arms.  I would imagine his family huddled around the hearth at his home waiting for his return. I could see the page taking large strides to match those of his master as he followed behind the king sheltered from the wind and snow. I would smile at the thought of the surprise visit and gift from the king to the peasant.  And I would be reminded that I was blessed.

I still think about these things when I hear this song, and it is still a reminder of just how blessed I am.

WRITING NEWS:

I have spent more time reading this week than writing.  In the midst of the busyness of the season, combined with the release of A Very Mary Christmas and hosting a book launch giveaway on Austen Authors, finding time to write was challenging.  Finding time to read was less challenging, so I reread parts of some books that I have read several times before.  It’s a thing I do when I find a book that I particularly enjoy and am drawn back to.  I reread these stories with a purpose — to discover the story or character development techniques the author has used to engage my interest.  I like to think of it as studying at the feet of the masters. 🙂

However, it was not all reading this week.  Below is a small portion of what I was able to write.  I am still working on Willow Hall, Book 4.  I am getting into the things are starting to come to that ultimate climax before the resolution portion of the story, so read at your own risk. 🙂  It will be many weeks before this portion shows up in a Thursday post.

STORY EXCERPT Willow Hall Romance, Book 4:

Later that evening, Bingley tapped his fingers on the table next to the letter he had written. He was uncertain if this was the best course of action.  Perhaps he should just take a trip to town to speak with Mr. ___.  Letters were tricky items.  There was no guarantee that the intended recipient would be the only recipient of the news in a missive.  He scanned the words again.  Continue reading Music Monday: Good King Wenceslas, The Irish Rovers