Today, I thought I would share one of the videos on my Music Meets Movies playlist since the song seems to go with a particular part of the story excerpt. I am drawing close to the end of my current WIP — or at least the conclusion of the conflict I had wished to resolve — and am now considering if the story ends here or not, as in, there might be a conflict which could arise as I move past this happy for now place in which two of my main characters find themselves.
wantingyounear. “Pride and Prejudice – When I See You Smile.” YouTube, YouTube, 26 Feb. 2007, youtu.be/-B0Po7-3rdE.
That’s about as clear as stagnant pond water, isn’t it? Well, you see, I don’t want to give too much away about my current story, but as you will see in today’s excerpt below, Georgiana is planning to go to Netherfield for Christmas, and Wickham will be there. There is this niggling in my mind prodding me to explore what might happen in Hertfordshire. However, I don’t think that doing so in my current story would be appropriate for a couple of reasons: my main characters would almost certainly shift and the initial intent of the story I have been writing has been met so adding another conflict would lend itself to a wandering storyline (something of which I am not fond). So, it appears I will have some serious thinking/plotting/story structure analysis to do this week.
In other story news, I have received Becoming Entangled back from my final editor and have begun the last pass re-read of that story, and now I must decide if my original publication date of November 21 is best or if pushing it out and adding a short preorder might be better for getting everything accomplished without losing my mind from the stress of making sure everything meets the rather exacting standards I strive to uphold at Leenie B Books. (I find myself excessively demanding at times.) 🙂
It seems I have a few decisions to make this week as I edit and write. While I open my calendar and being to ponder these things, I will leave you with this —
Did you know that Beethoven wrote Fur Elise in 1810 but that it was not published until 1867 — forty years after he died and definitely not in time for Georgiana Darcy to be playing it in my current work in progress? I didn’t until I read it this week while searching for some music I could mention in a conversation between Georgiana and her brother, which is in today’s excerpt, by the way.
Classical Vault 1. “Sviatoslav Richter – Bach – Keyboard Concerto No 3 in D Major, BWV 1054.” YouTube, YouTube, 5 May 2013, youtu.be/h8mMJfC99m8.
I settled on a concerto by Bach — Number 3 in D major, to be precise, although I was not that precise in the story. 🙂 If you would like, you may click the play button above and listen to what Georgiana was going to be practising while you read a few lines about what I was doing during my writing time this week and a sample from the words I have written since last Monday. 🙂
As I mentioned last week, Becoming Entangled is working its way through the editing process, so my editing slots were going to be open for extra writing of some sort. Well, I got notes back on Becoming Entangled on Tuesday from my first reader, so I did have some editing to do on a couple of days. 🙂 Becoming Entangled is now in the hands of my second reader to be scoured for all the commas, lies instead of lays, misspelled words, incorrect usages, typos, and all that good detailed stuff. This means I will have another week of extra writing slots.
I decided this past week to double up on my writing of my current work in progress currently called Two Days before Christmas (that title might be changing because of how the story has gone, but I am waiting to see how it ends first). Thanks to those extra hours of writing time, I managed a personal best word count of over 13,000 words — and I only shed a few tears during one writing session. 🙂 I even took a writing block of time this week to do some research to get past a sticking point in the story — that one evening of digging and reading articles is what opened the floodgate of words because, during it, I found the setting for an important scene. I have to say that for me as a writer when the story just starts to spill out and wake me from sleep with conversations and events; it is thrilling — tiring and cranky-making — but thrilling.
Below is a portion of the story from the beginning part of what I wrote this week. I couldn’t share anything of what I wrote later in the week because I don’t want to give that interesting plot twist away. It would be like wrapping a gift in clear cellophane — sweet to get the gift but kind of a let down since there would be little joy of anticipation. 🙂 Hopefully, you will be satisfied with this part that at least lets us know how Darcy is changing in his opinion of Elizabeth.
AN EXCERPT FROM Two Days before Christmas:
“You were out late last night,” Georgiana said as she took a place at the breakfast table next to her brother.
“I was,” he replied, filling his cup once again with tea.
After receiving his uncle’s approval to marry where he thought best, Darcy had spend another two hours with his uncle and cousin talking and playing cards. Lord Matlock had waxed eloquent a time or two on felicity in marriage and seeing that an estate had an heir. He seemed most anxious to have a grand niece or nephew whom he could bounce on his knee and tell tales ─ he had mentioned that more than once as well. The conversation had not all be about marriage or the best way to grovel ones way into the good graces of an offended lady; they had also discussed more mundane topics including the new upholstery Lady Matlock planned to order for their travelling coach once the weather turned warm enough to gad about town in the barouche.
“You were not dressed for a soiree when you left.”
Darcy chuckled at his sister’s attempt to not ask where he had been while still expressing her wish to know the answer to that very question.
“No, I was not.” His plate was empty, so he rested against the back of the chair and cradled his teacup.
Her brows furrowed, and she applied herself to cutting her toast into points before topping each with a different jam — raspberry on one, strawberry on the second, apricot on the third, and what Darcy knew to be her favourite, black currant, on the fourth. With that task completed, she filled her teacup and added just a splash of cream.
“I was at Matlock House,” Darcy finally said upon hearing her small frustrated huff as she stirred her tea. “Richard was at home, as strange as that may be.”
“Indeed? Is he well?” Georgiana asked with a laugh.
“He appeared to be, yes.”
“Did you have a good time, then?”
“We did. Uncle Henry insisted on playing Casino.” Cards of any sort were a favourite pastime for Lord Matlock. However, he was not one to frequent gaming tables for any length of time at soirees or his club since he desired for most of his money to stay in his accounts. A small wager was acceptable to lose, but one must always know his limits. Darcy had heard these words from his uncle many times over the years.
“And did he win?”
Darcy shook his head. “Once or twice. He was far more interested in talking than attending to his cards.”
Lord Matlock was not known for being subdued. Richard often said that his father could strike up a conversation with a horse and convince the animal to vote with him on the next bill that entered the house. It was a skill that Richard had inherited, and one that Darcy, at times, wished he possessed.
“Were there any stories of particular interest that might be suitable to relate to me?” she asked as she began eating her toast — strawberry first as was her usual fashion.
Darcy chuckled. “No.”
Georgiana’s brows rose. “Indeed?” she said with no small amount of curiosity.
“Indeed,” Darcy assured her. There was no way he was going to share with his sister about the duties of a husband to his wife, nor was he ready at this moment to admit to her that he was indeed looking for a wife — a very particular wife — Elizabeth.
Georgiana sighed and returned to her toast. “Are you going out today?”
“I have not decided.” He was considering calling on Elizabeth and possibly inviting her to go for a drive or perhaps an evening at the theatre or on a trip to the museum. They were all things that he suspected she would enjoy.
“Mrs. Annesley and I are planning to finish a few projects.”
He could tell by the way she was smiling that those projects included a gift for him. “Will you be working on them the whole day?”
“No,” she replied before washing down her third toast point with her tea. “Mr. Martin comes for a dance lesson this afternoon, and I have not yet mastered that Bach concerto. ”
Darcy placed his empty cup on the table and, leaning back, watched her as she finished her breakfast. She had not looked so happy as she did this morning in a very long time.
“What?” she asked when she noticed his observation. “Do I have jam on my chin?” she whispered.
“No,” he replied with a chuckle. “You have a smile on your face and an energy about you that has been absent for some time.”
“I assure you, Fitzwilliam. My heart is healing.”
“So you have said, and I am beginning to believe.”
She smiled at him. “I will be finished soon. Will you wait for me and escort me to my sitting room before you lock yourself away with your books and whatnot?”
“I would like that,” he replied.
Georgiana popped the last bit of black currant covered toast into her mouth and took up her cup. Leaning back in her chair to enjoy the last of her tea, she watched her brother for a full two minutes before he began to squirm under her scrutiny.
“Do I have jam on my cravat?” he asked in a whisper.
She shook her head, and then, swallowed the last warm drops of tea before returning her cup to its saucer and standing in preparation to leave. “No, just a smile on your face and a relaxed air that I feared was lost.”
“It would seem,” he said as Georgiana wrapped her arm around his, “that my heart has found its hope.”
I know it is Halloween tomorrow, but at my house during writing hours, it’s Christmas — or just about Christmas. My story timeline is currently in early December, but Georgiana’s plans to give her brother a wonderful Christmas gift are well underway. So, as I have been transitioning from editing Becoming Entangled (which I just sent off to my first editor yay) to writing time, I have been indulging in a few Christmas songs, such as the one below, to help me shift mental gears.
While the music that plays while I write must be only instrumental, I find songs that have great lyrics — especially ones that tell a love story — to be very useful in getting my imagination working. This song is one of those sorts of songs. It tells a sweet story, and, though it is a song by a Canadian country artist, it has a 1950s feel to it that, in my opinion, adds both to the enjoyment of listening and to the story itself. Without looking at the video, the words and music style create for me a great mental image of a couple in love and dancing in a darkened coffee shop with the chairs put up and the tables pushed back.
As I mentioned above Becoming Entangled is one step further down the publication trail. I have a sticky note marking November 21 as a tentative release day. It’s a fun story, and I am eager to share it with you all.
Of course, the fact that I have finished my first round of edits means my editing timeslot will be open for a few days. I haven’t decided yet if I will use that time to double up on my Christmas story, add to Confounding Caroline, begin another story starring Georgiana that will follow Becoming Entangled as a second sequel to Unravelling Mr. Darcy, or pick out one of my other many projects that are just waiting for attention. So many choices! 🙂 I’m thinking that I will likely put in extra time on Two Days before Christmas, but I am not making any promises. 🙂 I’ll have to let you know next week. For now, I will leave you with a sample from this week’s writing.
AN EXCERPT FROM Two Days before Christmas:
“Georgiana,” Darcy called as his sister passed the door to his study later that day.
Georgiana took four more steps before stopping and abandoning her plan to ignore his summons. There was no need to stir his ire any further; he was likely angry enough with her for her recent behaviour. She had not seen him scowl as much as he had during Caroline and Louisa’s call in a very long time.
“You wished to see me?” she asked from the doorway.
“Come in and sit down.” He leaned back in his chair and waited for her to comply. “Your behavior today was quite disturbing.”
Georgiana bit her lower lip and lowered her gaze to her hands.
“It is completely unacceptable for you to speak as you did — and in front of guests!” He rose and came to stand before her. “It was disrespectful. I expect so much more from you. Where have I erred?”
Georgiana peeked up at him. He was propped against his desk with his arms folded across his chest, looking down at her with such a sad expression that it nearly destroyed her determination to press her point. However, if she truly wished to see that heartbroken look in his eyes removed forever, she must not waiver. Therefore, looking down once again at her hands, which were nervously twisting in her lap, she answered. “Our parents, as well as you yourself, have taught me that a Darcy’s word is to be steadfast. I am to consider promises carefully before I make them because a promise should not be broken save for the noblest of reasons.”
“This is true,” Darcy muttered.
Georgiana lifted her eyes to his. “That is where you have erred. You promised Mr. Bingley that if he leased Netherfield, you would spend the autumn and most of the winter seeing that he had things well-in-hand before Easter, yet you have come home and refuse to return to Netherfield for who knows what reason.” She lifted a brow. “I truly do not believe it is to save him from a lady who is beneath him.”
“None of that explains your behaviour.”
“No, it does not,” Georgiana agreed. “But it is my answer to your question. You have not erred with me. I know my behavior was wanting and drastically so. However, it seemed the best way to capture your attention and get you to listen to me.” She stood and placed her hands on his folded arms. “You are my brother, and I love you with all my heart and hold you in the highest regard. You have cared well for me. You have even saved me from certain ruin. I wish to repay your kindness if only I knew how.”
He pulled his arms out from under her grasp and opened them wide to her in invitation. Gladly she stepped into his embrace.
“Let me love you,” she whispered. “Allow me to care for you and to point out your errors when I see them. I am not the foolish girl I once was.” She lay her head against his broad chest and listened to him pull in a deep breath and expel it in a whoosh.
“We are all fools at times,” he murmured as he squeezed her tight. “If there was a way for you to assist me with my current dilemma, I would gladly seek your help, but I fear there is not.”
“You will not keep your promise to Bingley?” she asked quietly.
He sighed. “Your point was valid. I shall consider it.”
“Are you still leaving?”
His grip on her tightened. “I do not know. I long to leave, to be far away from…” his voice trailed off and the room was silent for half a minute. “I will consider staying, but I cannot promise beyond that.”
“I am sorry,” she said.
“You are forgiven,” he replied.
She shook her head as he released her. “Not just for my behaviour.”
“Then what?” he asked as she moved toward the door.
“That I could not save your heart from breaking.” She smiled a sad, knowing smile at him as she said the words that he had repeated to her over and over again after her ordeal with Wickham. He stood quietly, looking at her as if he was uncertain if he should acknowledge that what she had said was true or false. “It is in your eyes, Fitzwilliam. Your heartache is in your eyes,” she whispered and took her leave.
Last week, I mentioned that I have begun working on a story called Two Days before Christmas. Because this is a Christmas story, I have been listening to some “inspirational” music to get me thinking Christmasy thoughts. The song below is one of those songs that makes me want to get out the decorations or bake some Christmas cake. But, I don’t want to talk about that story in this post — although I will share an excerpt. No, today, I want to ask you a question.
JohnnyReidVEVO. “Johnny Reid – Waiting For Christmas To Come.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 Dec. 2009, youtu.be/wT9mJTYq-P8.
Do you ever judge a book by its title? This is a question I have been thinking about this past week. You see, I have a book coming out this Thursday. You’re probably familiar with the story if you have been reading my blog because the book’s title is With the Colonel’s Help, the story that just finished posting on Thursday’s a few weeks ago. We’ve now begun a new story titled Confounding Caroline.
Here’s why that book coming out and the new story that has started posting has me wondering if people judge a book by its title. My first reader, who happens to be my sister and the Jane to my Lizzy, asked me during our conference call where she told me about things she thought needed some attention — “Do you think people will pass over this story because of the title? Will they think it is a story about Colonel Fitzwilliam and not Darcy?”
She knows, from what I have told her about my sales figures, that Darcy and Elizabeth stories usually sell much better than any of my other stories. Darcy’s a favourite — which is understandable. He’s Darcy, after all. So, she has a point — she usually does. (She tends to be the annoyingly correct older sister at times 🙂 )
Adding to worry her question created, I read a comment somewhere from someone who saw a post about With the Colonel’s Help that said the person doesn’t normally read stories about the colonel. Hmmm… My worry may be well-founded. 🙂
There is a trend to give stories titles with Darcy in them, or so it appears from the number of titles that show up with that name in them when you do a quick search. Again, titles with Darcy in them tend to sell better from what I have observed and been told. (He’s a favourite. 🙂 )
It’s not my practice to include Darcy in a title unless that book is one of my Dash of Darcy book. For those books, I require myself to include Mr. or Mrs. Darcy in the title because I want the connection between book and collection to be clear.
But normally, I choose a title that contains a theme of some sort or highlights something important to the story. For example, the title With the Colonel’s Help lets the reader know that Colonel Fitzwilliam is instrumental in the story. He is actually the hero — not the romantic hero, that role is filled by Darcy, but the person who brings about the happy conclusion for Darcy and Elizabeth. Likewise, the title Confounding Caroline should let the readers know that Caroline is a problem that needs solving.
It might be of interest to note that even with my Dash of Darcy titles, I still have a theme referenced in them such as unravelling a character’s uptight manner or waking up to who someone is.
It’s important to me, as a writer, that my titles have a meaning, which is why I have chosen to keep With the Colonel’s Help as a title. Hopefully, when the book comes out, I will find out that I have worried for absolutely no reason. 🙂
Those are a few of my thoughts on why I name stories as I do. What I would now like to know is what you think about titles. Just drop your opinion in the comment section.
But, before we get to that, I suppose you would like an excerpt from what I wrote this past week? In fact, I am going to share everything I wrote this week because I only managed to get in one writing session — yes, one! It was a very low writing week for me! I was editing With the Colonel’s Help and getting that ready to publish, and I had an Austen Author’s post to get ready as well. My day on Austen Authors is tomorrow! I’ve got a different sort of giveaway going on, so drop by to see what that’s about. But thankfully, I still have the excerpt below to share with you.
Today, I have an excerpt from this week’s upcoming release, Unravelling Mr. Darcy (Dash of Darcy #4), as well as a Pride and Prejudice fan video. The lyrics of the song in today’s video fit quite nicely with the premise of my light-hearted novella. Consider these two things…
BrokenDoll7. “Pride & Prejudice – The Reason.” YouTube, YouTube, 4 Mar. 2008.
The song ends with these lyrics:
I’ve found a reason to show
A side of me you didn’t know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you
The description of my upcoming new release says:
What’s a gentleman to do when he has laid his heart before a lady only to have it crushed beneath her dainty slipper? If you’re Fitzwilliam Darcy, there is only one thing to do ─ unravel your tightly wound pride, mend your ways, and convince the lady of your worth.
And what’s a lady to do when she has spoken harshly and knows she has done so unfairly? If you’re Elizabeth Bennet, you take a deep breath, swallow your dignity, give him a second chance, and perhaps along the way, discover a gentleman you didn’t know existed.
Can you see the connection? I’m sure you can, but let me tell you a little bit more about this story anyway.
Unravelling Mr. Darcy begins immediately following the moment in Pride and Prejudice when Darcy says
Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time, and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness.
In the next paragraph, we read that he hastily left the room and the parsonage.
Available for purchase September 21, 2017
Not so in this new version of events.
In this version, he is not leaving quickly but is rather willing himself out of the room and praying for some sort of divine intervention — which he gets. Elizabeth calls him back and apologizes for her rudeness.
Here I must pause and warn those who are looking for the utmost propriety in a story that they will be sadly disappointed in this tale, for it begins with a rather indelicate discussion about why Elizabeth is feeling ill and why her words were so harsh.
This apology and the discussion of several topics in the parsonage’s sitting room that follows Elizabeth’s apology lead to Darcy being granted a second chance to win Elizabeth’s heart. To do so, Darcy is amending his ways in grand style. Therefore, prepare yourself to meet a Darcy who, though still noble and honorable, has made a 180-degree turnabout because
He’s found a reason to show
A side of him she didn’t know
Unravelling Mr. Darcy will be hitting the digital shelves beginning this Thursday, September 21, 2017, and a print copy will follow shortly thereafter.
One more little side note in relation to this story: Last week, I mentioned that I wanted to get the sequel to a point where I could include a small sample of it at the back of this book. That has not happened. I have begun what I think will be the sequel telling Anne’s story, but it is not to a place where I can say “Yes, this is definitely how the story will begin.” Therefore, revealing any of her story will wait until I can. However, Anne’s story, Becoming Entangled, will be available in the late fall, around the time of American Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter as it will depend on my editors’ schedules as much as my ability to get the story written.
