The High Oxford (Myles Birket Foster)

A busy day on The High, Oxford with figures and a pony and trap near Queen’s College. Myles Birket Foster, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Don’t you just love the activity in the street in this painting? I can almost hear the sounds and smell the aromas. The painting gives us a lovely little glimpse of what the daily life in the town of Oxford might have been like years ago.

My book His Sensible Heart, which is book 6 in my Touches of Austen series, is set in the town of Oxford because our hero is attending school there. He’s not been a very diligent student before the book began, but things in his life have changed. His father is no longer pleased to just let him float along in life, doing as he pleases. In fact, his father has cast him aside — all because he chose the wrong lady to fall in love with.

That young lady (a very sensible young miss) and her father (a kindly gentleman) require Miles to prove himself. That will mean applying himself to his studies. His friend Tom, as we can see below, has offered to help Miles learn what needs to be learned to succeed in the challenge set before him.

I’m sharing this particular story excerpt today because I think, like the painting above, it gives a glimpse of who our hero is by showing us a piece of his life in action.

Continue reading The High Oxford (Myles Birket Foster)

Twenty-Two Leenie Titles are FREE on Smashwords…

…and the rest are all 50% off until January 1, 2023

A couple of weeks ago, my catalogue of books (except for the five in Kindle Unlimited) were added to the Smashwords store. I was going to let you know about this new place to find my books in my next Saturday Broadsheet. 

But then…

I was asked if I wanted to have ALL of my books and boxsets included in the Smashwords Year End Ebook Sale. 

I said, “Yes!” and selected the 50% off option. 

This means that all my books priced above $0.99 are half-price from December 15, 2022 to January 1, 2023, and all my books that are priced at $0.99 are reduced to FREE for the same time period. 

THIS LINK will take you to my Smashwords Author page that has all my books listed on it. 

THIS LINK will just take you to front page of the Year End Promotion so you can search by various genres, price points, and authors.  

Here’s one more link that I will mention simply because it is the season for giving. 

THIS LINK is all about how to gift ebooks purchased on Smashwords. Maybe you want to give some as gifts, or maybe, you want to share this link and some book titles with those who want to know what you’d like for Christmas. 😉 

Happy Reading! 

Leenie


La Maison De Musique (Pierre Carrier-Belleuse)

La Maison de Musique (The Music House) by Pierre Carrier-Belleuse, c. 1901. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

The young lady above could be Miss Mary in my book Christmas in Gracechurch Street.

(Even if, as I look at this image while typing this, the dress reminds me a bit of one that Wes did not approve of Mary wearing in Persuading Miss Mary, but I digress. LOL)

You see, the Mary in Christmas in Gracechurch Street changes when she gets to town with Elizabeth. She becomes more fashionable, and well, as you can see from this excerpt, much more proficient with music. She’s been hiding a quite a few things actually, and discovering this new Mary was fun when I was writing.

Well… it was fun for me. It might have been a little less fun and more shocking and occasionally disconcerting for her sister. But then, I suppose that made it more fun for me. 🙂 Ah, my poor characters. Forced to entertain me before they entertain you.

In this excerpt, which is set in a music room at Matlock House, we are at the darker part of the romance for Elizabeth, which is why the first line is what it is. To find out what has happened to make Elizabeth wish to cry, you’ll have to read the book. 😉

Continue reading La Maison De Musique (Pierre Carrier-Belleuse)

The December 2022 Saturday Broadsheet

This month’s Saturday Broadsheet, with all my writing life updates, is now available at the link below.

In this issue of the Broadsheet you will find:

  • writing project and publishing updates
  • a few books that are on sale or free
  • and Warm Toes, Happy Heart, a sweet Regency short story

Have a great weekend!


Music Monday: In My Veins, Andrew Belle

This week I have been writing some rather sad moments, and a song that Youtube happened to recommend to me, really captured the feeling I wished to convey in my writing.  The song is outside my regular listening genres,  but then again, writing sad, angsty moments is pushing me outside my regular writing boundaries as well.  So, let me share both the song and a small snippet of what I was writing.

“In My Veins – Period Dramas.” YouTube. Video created and posted by PiepMiau04, November 7, 2011.

Excerpt from Through Every Storm:

“Oh, yes!” she shouted. “It matters now because you know of the children and because  your business would suffer!”

Her fists were clenched at her sides, and his stomach roiled at the look of disgust on her face. Desperation clawed at his heart.  He was failing. He had failed.  That which mattered most to him was about to push him out of her life, and he had no idea how to stop her.  He could hold her─force her to remain, but she would only be there in body.  He saw her turning from him and grabbed her arm. “Lydia, please.  It is not like that.”

Continue reading Music Monday: In My Veins, Andrew Belle