Music Monday: Fields of Gold, 2Cellos

While I wrote this week — and it was a busy week of writing, my Music to Write By YouTube playlist, which includes the song below, got a good work out. Besides music to keep me company while writing, I also had a couple of author friends who joined me via the internet during writing time.

Mborray07. “2CELLOS- Fields Of Gold.” YouTube. YouTube, 06 Aug. 2011. Web. 29 Apr. 2017.

Every evening this week, I met up with my friends, Rose Fairbanks and Zoe Burton, for an hour of uninterrupted/undistracted writing time.  Well, it was supposed to be uninterrupted and undistracted, but there are kids that wander through my corner of the living room and there is also the occasional “Oh, I need to know that” quick search that easily pulls one off onto some interesting tangents.  However, despite these little diversions, I did accomplish what I wished to and a bit extra.  Part of the reason for that is the fact that I didn’t stop writing at that hour limit unless I had completed a scene or had met my thousand-word minimum for that day.

But as you know, writing is not all that is on my schedule. I also have a scheduled editing slot in the evenings with specific daily minimums of work that have to be accomplished there, too.  🙂

(A little side note:  I am finding that I am rather driven by goals — I don’t like to miss those minimums at all. My husband would likely make some comment about my stubbornness here. 🙂 Also knowing I am going to write a post about what I did or didn’t do in a week is motivational. So keep reading these Monday posts, and you should get books/stories on a regular basis since I don’t want to have nothing to share. 😉 )

So, here are the particulars of what I accomplished:

• Editing:  I completed my edits for Not an Heiress and have sent that story on to my first editor. So, it is well on its way to being ready for publication in June.
• Writing:  I completed a first draft of the next Thursday Three Hundred story, With the Colonel’s Help.  I used to write these stories each week, but when I got to At All Costs,  I decided to write the full draft before beginning posting to make sure I had all the series things wrapped up as they should be.  Well, I liked having it set to post each week.  🙂  So, I decided to try it again this time around because I am kind of into the whole scheduling thing at present in an attempt to maximize my productivity. 🙂
• More Editing:  I began final edits of At All Costs.  The tentative publication date for that book is May 18.  So, after the epilogue posts this Thursday, the story will remain up until next week. Then it will have to come down as I make final preparations to publish the story.
• More Writing:  Since I managed to finish With the Colonel’s Help, I have turned my writing attention to writing Caroline’s story.  If it is going to be a short story, which I cannot tell quite yet, I am about a third of the way through it.  I should be able to tell if the plot I have in mind will be more or less than ten thousand words soon….I hope. 🙂

So, since my new work schedule seems to be work quite well, I have a new problem for which to find a solution.  Completing Caroline’s story will cross off all the stories on my “Write Me” list.  One of the things that I am considering putting on that list is an Austenesque story. Back in January, I mentioned that I wanted to try one, so I think I am going to give one, based in part on Mansfield Park, a shot…maybe…. 🙂 There are also those fairytales I had wished to attempt as well as a set of three stories (find them here if you wish, beginning with A Change of Heart) that I would like to develop into a Dash of Darcy story, and I have an idea floating around for a companion story to that one. I just need to decide where to begin and write out that list, it seems.

Now, for a short clip of something I wrote this week.  This is from With the Colonel’s Help and comes from the section of the story that is starting to wrap up the issues (the denouement), so, although I have tried to excerpt it without too many spoilers, it is, in of itself, a spoiler — read at your own risk. 🙂

EXCERPT FROM With the Colonel’s Help: 

Richard inclined his head in acceptance. He had no doubt that all of what Mr. Bennet had just said had cost the man dearly in terms of pride.

Mr. Bennet drew his handkerchief across his brow.  “I should be happy to receive either of you in the future, though I do understand that it is very unlikely in the light of my behaviour.”  He was just beginning to rise and wish them good day when Darcy halted him by asking him to remain seated. 

“I should like to know you more,” Darcy said.  “It is not every man who would admit his faults as you have.  Many would just allow time to pass and never attempt to set things right.”  He put the rock in the middle of his desk. “I have no more right to hurl that than any you do.  We are none of us perfect, and I believe the scripture says that only the man without sin may cast the first rock.”  He smiled at Mr. Bennet’s shocked expression. 

“You are too good,” mumbled Mr. Bennet. 

“No, I am not that,” Darcy said, holding his glass out to Richard for it to be refilled.  “In fact, I might this once be being somewhat calculating in offering my pardon so freely.  There is part of me that wishes to cut all ties with you out of spite, but then,” he took his glass from Richard and sipped its contents, “there is a part of me that loves your daughter and would like to see her as my wife.” 

Mr. Bennet’s eyes grew wide, and he blinked.  “My daughter?” 

“Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy clarified. 

“Lizzy?”  Mr. Bennet reached once again for his glass.  “I had noticed she seemed friendlier to you than she had been the last time you were in Hertfordshire, but” he looked from Darcy to Richard and back, “has her opinion swayed so far?” 

“I believe it has,” said Richard with a smile. 

“She has given your reason to hope she would accept such an offer?” Mr. Bennet asked Darcy. 

“Yes.” 

For the first time since arriving, Mr. Bennet leaned back in his chair.  “My Lizzy?” 

“Yes.” 

Mr. Bennet blew out a breath and then chuckled.  “Well, I would have never dreamt it, but my wife will be pleased.”

“But will you be pleased? Do I have your permission to marry your daughter if she will have me?” Darcy’s breath caught as he waited for Mr. Bennet’s reply. 

Mr. Bennet shook his head and chuckled.  “My Lizzy.”  He smiled.  “There is no gentleman of my acquaintance with a finer character and to whom I would rather give her.  You have my permission to offer.”  He held out his hand to Darcy.  “You do know you are taking us all on when you take her?” 

Darcy smiled and gave Mr. Bennet’s hand a firm shake as he acknowledged he knew exactly what he would be taking on.

“Well,” said Mr. Bennet, pushing up out of his chair, “this meeting has gone better than expected, and now, perhaps my wife will return to drawing Mr. Bingley along instead of bending my ear about you.”  He chuckled at the look of surprise on Darcy’s face.  “I have listened to her sing your praises every day for the past se’enight.”  And then with a bow and a word of parting, which included wishing to see Mr. Darcy on the morrow at Gracechurch Street, he departed.

~*~*~

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