And Then Love – Page 3

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

Wow — 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: Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas, Brett Eldredge

CMA Country Christmas. “Brett Eldredge Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas CMA Country Christmas 2016.” YouTube. YouTube, 28 Nov. 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016.

On Friday night, my husband and I were watching CMA Country Christmas along with about three other shows since my husband had the remote 😉 when, as chance and commercials on other stations would have it, we landed back on this program in time to hear this song. As you can probably imagine, this song has been in my mind a lot over the last couple of months as I wrote and edited A Very Mary Christmas.

Since I loved this performance of the song, and A Very Mary Christmas will be available to read this Tuesday, I decided that this song must be the one I shared today. (Even if I did share another singer’s performance of this song a couple of weeks ago. 🙂 )So, as the song plays, or after you watch the video, let me share part of what has been going on in my writing life. (And yes, there is a story snippet.)

First, A Very Mary Christmas will be live on Tuesday. If you have not yet ordered a copy, you can do that at this link –> Get A Very Mary Christmas . Making certain that everything is ready for the release of this book has taken a good amount of my time this week because I was preparing a special giveaway to celebrate the launch. This giveaway will be hosted on AustenAuthors.net on Tuesday, December 20.

Next, along with getting that blog post ready for next Tuesday, I also started the discussion for the Austen Author’s Emma Read Along this past Wednesday. We only have two more weeks of reading and that novel will be done — which means we are at the “good part” IMO. This week, we read Frank Churchill’s letter of explanation and Mr. Knightley’s reaction.

Last, I did manage to squeeze in a little writing time yesterday (finally). I am still working on the Willow Hall Book 4 story with no title. 🙂 So, that is what I will share a little snippet of today. If you are following along with the Thursday’s Three Hundred posts, this one is from way down the road, so read at the risk of spoilers. 🙂 Continue reading Music Monday: Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas, Brett Eldredge

Music Monday: A Traditional Christmas, Brian Crain

So this week, in addition to writing (short excerpt below), I have been getting things ready for the publication of A Very Mary Christmas (info below). I figured that while working on a seasonal story, I should be listening to some lovely seasonal piano music, so this playlist has been playing repeatedly in my office. Continue reading Music Monday: A Traditional Christmas, Brian Crain

Music Monday: Kiss Me – Period Dramas

CONNECTION BETWEEN STORY AND SONG:

I have been busy editing for the last couple of weeks, but The Tenant’s Guest is finally off to the first reader. Yay! The story has some additions to it that were not part of the original posts here on Thursday’s Three Hundred. One of those additions can be found in this scene…which begins with a kiss.

Just a note: This has not gone to my proofreader, so there are bound to be mistakes. This stage of the editing process is working on story elements. All the mechanics come next. 🙂

EXCERPT FROM The Tenant’s Guest by Leenie Brown:

“You truly wish this? You would have me, arrogant man that I am?”

“I would.”

He tossed his hat on the ground and, taking her face in his hands, bent to kiss her.

The sensation of his lips pressed against hers took Elizabeth by surprise, and without her willing it to do so, her body leaned into him and her arms wound around his waist as if they knew exactly what to do. It was no wonder some ladies found themselves in compromising positions when their senses were so attacked as to be wholly outside their own power, Elizabeth thought as she stood some moments later, wrapped in Darcy’s arms, her head on his chest. Her mind even now knew that standing here, embracing and being embraced, was not proper, but her body was not willing to listen to anything but the beating of his heart, which matched her own rapid pulse. It was with regret that she followed his lead and slowly stepped away from the embrace when finally both hearts had returned to a more normal rhythm.

“I must go on,” said Darcy, “and you must return to Willow Hall.” His hand caressed her cheek, and his smile looked almost sad. “I will call later at a proper time if you are agreeable.”

She nodded. “I would be happy to receive your call, Mr. Darcy.”

“Fitzwilliam.” His voice was soft. “You must call me Fitzwilliam for I intend to call you Elizabeth.” There was a stubbornness to the set of his mouth and eyes as if he were prepared to defend his decision.

She raised an impertinent brow and attempted to keep from smiling but could not. “Will it not seem strange to the Abbots if we address each other so informally?”

He chuckled. “Indeed it would, but I do not intend to call you Elizabeth save when we are alone as we are now. I have referred to you as such in my thoughts for some months now.” He shook his head. “Nay, nearly a year.”

“A year?” She looked at him in question, not only because of the length of time that he had considered her, but because in contradiction to his words of needing to leave, he had tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and was walking with her back toward Willow Hall.

“I do not know exactly when I began to think of you in such familiar terms, but I am fairly certain that it was after your stay at Netherfield.” He smiled sheepishly at her. “You were charming.”

“I was not,” she disagreed. “I was disagreeable.”

He shrugged. “It was most charming.”

She laughed and held his arm more tightly as she stepped towards him as if there was something about his person that drew her to him. “So I have not only promised myself to an arrogant man but one who finds argument and debate to be charming?”

He nodded. “So it would seem.”

She heard him sigh.

“Do you regret your answer?” he asked.

Elizabeth shook her head and then lay it against his shoulder. “Not this time.” The letter in her pocket reminded her of just how fortunate she was to have been given this opportunity to correct her mistake. “I shall never regret it,” she added softly.

~*~*~

The Willow Hall Romance Series

A Pride and Prejudice Prequel ~ Willow Hall Romance, Book 1

Events from the past combined with threats in the present threaten to tear Lucy and Philip apart unless Darcy can help his friends save their blossoming love and rid Lucy of her uncle once and for all.

PREVIEW

KOBO AMAZON NOOK IBOOKS 24SYMBOLS INKTERA

Available to be read in its rough draft, Thursday’s Three Hundred, form here:

PART ONE, PART TWO, PART THREE, PART FOUR, PART FIVE, PART SIX, PART SEVEN, PART EIGHT, PART NINE,PART TEN, PART ELEVEN, PART TWELVE,PART THIRTEEN, PART FOURTEEN, PART FIFTEEN, PART SIXTEEN, PART SEVENTEEN, PART EIGHTEEN, PART NINETEEN, PART TWENTY, PART TWENTY-ONE

Publication Fall 2016

Now posting in Thursday’s Three Hundred

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6,

PART 7, PART 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12,

Part 13…

Publication Winter 2017

Music Monday: Finding You, Gareth J. Rubery + 3 Excerpts

“Gareth J. Rubery ✪ Finding You ✪ Piano, String Quartet, Brass and Choir ✪ Garethjrubery.com.” YouTube. YouTube, 31 Dec. 2015.

CONNECTION BETWEEN STORY AND SONG:

On this Music Monday, I am replaying a song that I have used previously on a Music Monday. Why? Because the title is just so perfect for the books I am highlighting this week in my sale and the one that is now posting at darcyandlizzy.com. All three books have to do with people who are known to each other but who do not find each other until circumstances force each of them to view the other person differently.

Let’s take a look at an excerpt from each book that shows a small bit of that moment of realization.

EXCERPT FROM Her Father’s Choice:

~ Available for a reduced price beginning tomorrow ~

[This is the part where Elizabeth finally realizes that she not only finds Mr. Darcy to be a different man than she imagined him to be…she realized that several pages ago…but he is also the man that she loves.]

“Who are your fine feathered friends?” Mary asked Elizabeth.

A small burst of laughter escaped Lady Sophia. “They do rather look like a couple of preening parrots, do they not?” Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Miss Ivison is in the green, and Miss Pearce is in the blue. They are two of the ton’s best gossips.”

“And apparently friends of Miss Bingley,” said Elizabeth. “They have had news from her.”

Mary rolled her eyes.

“You do not like Miss Bingley?” asked Georgiana.

“I do not like her behaviour,” Mary said very primly. “She is always trying to elevate herself by lowering others. It is not right. ”

“No,” agreed Lady Sophia, “putting another down to raise yourself up is not right and often ends in embarrassment and disappointment. But, it is, unfortunately, a common trait within the ton, and a disappointed lady with such a fault in character can be very cunning and cruel.”

Georgiana smiled at Elizabeth. “I imagine Miss Bingley is very disappointed since she can no longer claim my brother for herself.” Continue reading Music Monday: Finding You, Gareth J. Rubery + 3 Excerpts