How would you answer this question?
Today, I’m going to share what is at the top of my list of important elements of good writing as I continue to to answer some of the questions on that list of interview questions that I mentioned in the last video.
Enjoy!
(The video is just under 7 minutes long)
Her Secret Beau is the first of two stories in my Touches of Austen series that are set in Bath. So, I thought it’d be fun to gather a bunch of images from Deposit Photos (since I’ve never been to Bath, sadly) and make a setting collage.
I like having a few images in my mind when I am writing or reading a story, and these do relate to different scenes in the story as there are a few in gardens, one at the hero’s town home, and of course, the Assembly Rooms. There’s also a scene where the Abbey is mentioned. So, these all seemed to fit the theme.
I’ve selected to share chapter 10 in which you will find the scene where the Abbey is mentioned. We are about halfway through the story by this chapter, and the scheme that Grace is perpetrating is full swing. Here are the basics just so you’re not confused when you read the excerpt below.
Grace Love is secretly courting Mr. Blakesley (Walter). She is pretending to love Mr. Norman (of whom her mother does not really approve, though he’s a lovely fellow). the Claytons (Graeme and Bea) and the Sheltons (Roger and Victoria) know all about Grace’s scheme and why she deems it necessary. The reason behind the subterfuge: Felicity Love, Grace’s sister. I think that’s probably enough details to set you up to read what follows.
Enjoy!
Continue reading Story Setting Collage: Bath, EnglandIn this What’s Up Wednesday video, I’ve started on my list of random interview questions for authors that I found on the internet. I’ve also included a few news-y items at the start, but then I do answer the question in the title of this post.
You might notice that my voice sounds a little different in this video. That’s because I’ve got a bit of a scratchy throat and a cough thing I’ve been trying to fight off and not get. When I woke up this morning, I was very glad I recorded this yesterday, because today, I think whatever this is has finally caught me fully and my voice is quite low, right along with my energy. Because of the lack of energy, I’ve also spent the morning in bed, sleeping mostly, which is why this is getting uploaded and sent out later than intended. (And then, I might go back to bed. 🙂 )
I hope you’re week is going well.
Enjoy!
(The video is about 8 1/2 minutes long.)
As I mentioned in the Saturday Broadsheet, Mr. Bingley Plans a Ball is the May free read for Followers on Ream and Patreon. So, today, for this Story Connections post, I am sharing the first chapter of that novelette with the image above. If Bingley has his way, Mr. Darcy will be with him at Netherfield. However, as you can see below, Bingley has currently returned to Hertfordshire alone to do some scheming on his friends behalf — right after he secures his own happiness, that is.
Enjoy!
Continue reading Mr. Darcy with Him (Hugh Thomson)With this edition of my monthly Broadsheet, I am going to start posting the full thing here rather than just sharing a link to read it on Substack, since it’s just a matter of copy and pasting it here. I do also post this on Substack, Patreon, and Ream Stories.
Has it been a month already since the last Saturday Broadsheet?
My! Time sure seems to fly sometimes.
I’ve been busy with life and writing things, so that’s probably why it seems like only a couple of weeks ago that I was writing my previous Broadsheet.
Unfortunately, not all the busyness was pleasant. My father-in-law was suddenly moved from home care to palliative care and then, died shortly after that. So, there was a lot of dreading the sound of a phone call and then, the proceedings that accompany a funeral. And now, there are some matters that must be sorted through as happens when someone dies. But he is no longer sick or in pain, and his funeral was lovely and as hope-filled as such a thing can be since he requested that it focus on Jesus and not on him.
In my writing life, I’m starting to get settled into a schedule that allows for me to write a bit on several projects at once. I used to work on multiple stories at one time, but then, I hit some burnout and then, I got long covid, which I still am struggling with. So, I’m so very happy to be able to take even small steps towards a return to a new form of normal. (I’m trying to keep things low and slow to avoid set backs or finding myself feeling burnt out again.)
As you will see below, the new schedule has helped me reach the point of being able to share my Sweet Possibilities work in progress with my members and patrons. That means I’m at least four chapters into the writing process. You’ll also notice below that a few chapters will be available as a preview to non-paying followers.
The funeral has me one week behind on getting into the Oxford Cottage refresh. I would really like to be able to start sharing the refreshed chapters on Thursdays on my blog, Patreon, and Ream by the end of June. Just like with the new stories I write and share, I also like to be a few chapters ahead when it comes to doing refresh projects. Honestly, refreshing a book can be more challenging than writing from scratch. But it’s so nice to have the stories get another polish, and the process is a good exercise for my writing muscles.
Because I am just opening up Oxford Cottage and getting ready to refresh it, this month’s story vignette goes with that novel. So look for that at the end of this newsletter.
