I am keeping to the same format as I did last week and sharing an excerpt from something I was working on this past week, and then sharing a longer excerpt from a published book at the end of the post. Both excerpts take place at balls just as the video does.
This first excerpt is from near the end of Tom: To Secure His Legacy:
“I am glad to hear it,” she replied.
He tipped his head slightly to one side, his brow furrowed.
“Truly,” she assured him.
That returned his smile to his face just as the music began. For the duration of the set, they spoke in snatches about things of little significance – flowers, the weather, the crush of people, and so on. It was perhaps the longest and best conversation about the mundane things of the world in which Faith had ever taken part.
“I fear I will not be able to offer another set to you,” Mr. Bertram said as they made their way from the floor. “Unless, of course, you do not mind strolling in the garden rather than dancing during the set.”
He was limping more than usual. His leg must be hurting him most grievously. He had performed admirably while dancing, even if his hopping and skipping had been a trifle awkward at times when he began favouring one leg over the other.
“I am not a walking stick,” Faith whispered, “but you may lean on me if you wish.”
“I am certain I can make it to where I left my cane,” he assured her with a smile.
“Do you even think it wise to walk in the garden? Would your leg not do better if you were to rest it?”
“You sounded very much like Mrs. Durward just now,” he replied with a laugh.
“I promise not to instruct you to sit by the fire.”
“Very well, then, shall we adjourn to the card room?”
She shook her head. “My brother has made me promise to dance as often as I am asked. I fear he might not think I was doing as he requested if I disappear from the ballroom. However, I would not be opposed to a short stroll of the garden and perhaps a small rest on a bench during some other dance tonight.” It was almost as close as she dared come to declaring her feelings for him, there was one more thing she could say in that regard. “I was sorry to have missed your call yesterday.”
They had reached the edge of the room, near the door to the corridor, and with a look over his shoulder, he led her into the hall.
“My brother…” she protested.
“Might be out here. I did not see him in the ballroom just now,” Mr. Bertram replied with a grin.
Published to YouTube by Lily C on March 18, 2018.
I have begun the final read-through of Tom’s story and have set a tentative release date for March 11, 2019. I say it is a tentative date, but I firmly believe that date will hold fast. I just like to leave a little wiggle room at this stage of things.
I have not started any new stories, nor do I actually plan to start one for at least another week. I have decided that some of the projects I have been putting off really should not be put off any longer and deserve attention.
One of those projects is the rearranging of some book bundle content. I am, for various reasons, going to be unpublishing two anthologies: New Beginnings and Despite the Circumstances, and creating a new anthology (title and cover to be revealed later).
This new anthology will include Oxford Cottage, For Peace of Mind, Through Every Storm, Listen To Your Heart, and With the Colonel’s Help. I plan to put this anthology in Kindle Unlimited for at least three months. While that is great news for Kindle Unlimited readers, it is not so great for readers who do not read through Amazon as I will be required to remove those books from all my other vendors. Kindle Unlimited demands exclusivity.
I am uncertain at this point if this collection will come out of Kindle Unlimited after the 90-day term is over or not. As I have mentioned in other Monday posts, I am shifting to work on things that are not Pride and Prejudice related more often this year. To do that, I have to try new tactics that might help keep royalties up where they need to be for me to draw my salary from my writing/publishing business, Leenie B Books.
Once again, I will say that removing books from other vendors and making them exclusive to Amazon has not been an easy decision, but I will not truly know if Kindle Unlimited can help keep royalties up unless I try it.
I have the Other Pens, Mansfield Park series and His Beautiful Bea in K.U. but they are not Pride and Prejudice based books and so have a smaller number of readers willing to give them a try. They are not doing poorly compared to how they did when non-exclusive, but the numbers are still on the lower end of things. So, I need to “experiment” with stories which have a larger reader base willing to read them.
If they do well, I might put other collections of books in Kindle Unlimited. This might be for an extended period of time or it might be on a rotating basis so that the books can be made available to readers on other platforms as well. I’m really uncertain how it is all going to work out, and there might be some bumps and missteps along the way.
To help me as I make some of my decisions, would you be willing to take a quick two-question survey? If so, you can find the survey at the link below. The questions are simple. Question one gives several options for ways you prefer to buy and read books. You can select as many options as apply to you. Question two gives you a blank to share anything you would like me to know about how you read that is not included in the survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BCJ3D3W
I will leave the survey open until Friday. Thank you to those who take the time to participate.
And, I think, that is all the news I have for you this week other than I am still working on His Darling Friend and Loving Lydia.
Oh, no! There is one more thing. I will have a Friday Feature worth checking out this Friday. 🙂
And now it is time for the second excerpt I promised at the top of this post.
Below is an excerpt from the epilogue to Willow Hall, which can be found at the end of At All Costs. I thought it went well with the mood set by the video above. However, it is from the end of a book, so read at your own risk. 🙂
“She is quite remarkable.” Darcy nodded his head in Lydia’s direction as he stood next to Marcus and Philip.
Marcus smiled and added his agreement as his wife stopped to talk to two elderly ladies. She ran a finger over the hem of a sleeve and delighted them with a compliment on the fine workmanship. She was indeed remarkable, and he was fortunate enough to claim her as his own.
“I admit I did not see her potential,” Darcy continued.
“Having now met her mother, I can see why you did not,” said Marcus.
Mrs. Bennet had arrived in Derbyshire three days ago and was to stay at Willow Hall for another fortnight before returning to Longbourn. Lydia had been insistent that her mother would be able to attend the wedding. After all, she had reasoned, Mama had missed both Jane and Lizzy’s wedding and, with Lydia being her favourite, missing such an occasion would be far too grievous an injury to bear. She had said it with eyes wide and serious, and although it sounded as if it could be a dramatic ploy, she had been serious. She could not leave Mr. Dobney and forget about his soiree, but neither could she justify her mother being left out of such a happy event as seeing her youngest daughter married.
Bingley chuckled. “Mrs. Bennet is an exuberant lady.”
“I am glad Lydia inherited some of her father’s intelligence along with that exuberance.” Marcus could not keep his eyes off his new wife as she was now seeing to her mother’s comfort. He smiled and nodded as she gave him a small wave. “Aldwood Abbey will do well under her care,” he added.
“I believe all of Derbyshire, save Harris, will do well under her care,” agreed Philip. “She has scowled at him more than once this evening, and he has not done anything wrong to my knowledge.”
Bingley again chuckled. It had been as he has suspected, having Harris stay here, where he could be reminded of his folly, had proven to be a most fitting punishment. “It seems she has appointed herself the defender of all of us.”
“Us, the Ross children, Aunt Tess, Mrs. Bell, and half of my parish, I believe,” said Philip.
“I have locked up my pistols,” Marcus said with a laugh. “All the rapscallions in the area are safe for the moment.”
Marcus had taken Lydia out shooting shortly after he had learned she knew how to shoot. He wished to know if she was correct in her assessment of her skills, and as always, she was. She neither overstated nor hid her accomplishments. She was indeed a fair shot.
The musicians were just returning to their places after a short break, and Lydia turned delighted eyes toward him. It was a waltz that would be next, and the dance she had promised him. He excused himself from the gentlemen standing beside him and made his way towards her.
“Mrs. Dobney, I believe this is our dance,” he said, holding out a hand to her. He led her out onto the dance floor and took her in his arms. “You have done very well. There is not a sour looking face amongst the crowd this evening.”
Her eyes sparkled with impertinence as she looked up at him. “I must have done well indeed, for even Mr. Darcy is smiling and dancing.”
Marcus chuckled. “Must we stay for the full evening?” He had asked several times. He was most anxious to get his wife alone, but she had shaken her head at each inquiry, just as she was doing now.
“A hostess does not desert her guests.” She stepped a little further into his embrace. “Even if the incentive to do so is as wonderful as her husband.” The word sent a shiver through her from her head down to her toes. Her husband — a man of wealth with a grand estate, just as Mama had wished, but beyond that, he was a man who loved her, not for her beauty, but simply for herself and treated her with the respect she had always craved. She tipped her head as she smiled up at him. Tears hung on her lashes. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?” he asked.
“For loving me.” She blinked rapidly to keep the tears in their place.
“How could I not,” he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. “Are you certain you cannot desert our guests even for a few moments? I should very much like to kiss my wife.”
She giggled. “I think we might be able to slip into the garden for a few moments.” She arched a brow. “I know which paths are not well lit.”
“Have I told you how brilliant you are, Mrs. Dobney?” he asked as he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her onto the terrace.
“No, I do not believe you have,” she replied. “Down this path.” She pulled him off to the right and around a corner behind a bush.
He pulled her into his embrace. “You, Mrs. Dobney, are brilliant.”
She smiled. “Not many have ever called me that.”
“I suppose not everyone can be as wise as I,” he tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes. “If they saw what I see, they would agree.”
“Are you going to kiss me?”
“Are you eager to return?” he teased, caressing her cheek with his thumb.
She shook her head. “No, just to be kissed.”
~*~*~
Lovely music video. I enjoyed watching them dance and their reactions to each other. The excerpt from Willow Hall was delightful. I loved that story. I look forward to reading Tom’s story. I’m surprised at my excitement and the anticipation for that story. More so, I think, than the others. We don’t have many stories involving Tom and now I wonder why. There is so much potential for him. I am excited to read of the woman that has captured his heart and what happened when his character was off the page in Mansfield Park. Thank you for all your hard work. I look forward to seeing whatever you plan next. I even own ‘Bea’ your non-JAFF story. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet but it is in my TBR [to-be-read] pile. Blessings….
I could watch this video clip over and over again. (I probably have 😉 ) Going back to read the epilogue of Willow Hall was so enjoyable. I absolutely loved the characters in that story.
I’m happy to hear you have Bea and that you are anticipating reading Tom’s story.