If you’ve read Waking to Mr. Darcy, then you know that at the end of that book we discover Mary Bennet has as secret crush. Nicholas Hammond is that crush. He’s also the Bennet’s neighbour, the eldest son of a spendthrift of a father, the older brother to a rather reckless brother, quite practical (perhaps to a fault?), and not uninterested in Mary.
Below is when we first get to meet Nicholas’s brother, Fred, and his friend, Whit. This excerpt tells of just one incident where the two of them cause trouble with a curricle and the first of four times they cause issues through racing.
Despite all that, they are two of my favourite troublemakers. 😉
I’m trying some changes. Here’s what they are and why.
Have you ever been so tired that you put the jar of protein powder in the fridge instead of in the cupboard next to the fridge? I have been. Several times lately.
The lockdown is taking its toll. Later this month, I will get to return for an appointment with my osteopath. I have not seen her or any of the health care team at her clinic for more than 6 months now. This, coupled with just the stresses we all face during our current world situation, has not done my health any favours. Much of the progress we had been making on correcting some sleep issues while still keeping me relatively free from pain (I have some disc issues) has been lost.
I know that getting in to see my healthcare team will be even trickier now as appointments per day for the clinic are being restricted due to health measures that are in place. This means it will be a while before a regular pattern of treatments will resume for me.
With this in mind, I am looking at ways to adjust, rearrange, and/or lessen my workload, thereby easing some of the stress on my body at least for the summer months and possibly longer if I find the changes work well. Rest assured that creating stories for you to read will remain my priority.
Trust me. Cutting back is not something I find easy to do (I am a bit of a workaholic), but I know it is necessary. Here are the changes I have planned at this time:
PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY PHILLIP PHILLIPS ON AUGUST 2, 2012.
This song is one I often listen to as an instrumental cover by The Piano Guys while writing, but I thought that today, I would share the vocal version, which is on my Whatever for Whenever Spotify playlist. (This song on Spotify can be found here.)
The lyrics are what has me pairing this song with Master of Longbourn today. The Mr. Collins in this book is searching for a home. He has demons that fill him with fear. However, he finds himself surrounded by those who are willing to help make Longbourn his home.
Using the candle he held in his hand, Collins lit a second one that was in the lamp on the table next to where Mr. Bennet had been sitting earlier that day. He looked around the room.
Mr. Bennet had told him he was to make this room his second refuge. His first was his bedchamber, of course. There he could lock himself away without there being much chance of being disturbed, but here, he was more accessible, and here is where Bingley had very firmly insisted he should read each evening.
Truth be told, Bingley had wished for him to sit with the others in the sitting room, but Darcy had pled his case and convinced Bingley that the study would be better for reviewing what needed to be learned.
Collins tipped his head and eyed the book on the desk. He wanted to go over it again. He was positive he could remember nearly everything Mr. Bennet had told him about the tenants listed in it. He glanced at the door. No one was with him; he could peek at it.
He crossed to the desk, placed his hand on the book, and just as he was about to lift the cover, shook his head and retreated to the chair near the lamp without the book. He did not want to have to tell Bingley or Darcy tomorrow afternoon that he had spent another evening studying, for both gentlemen had thought it best if he spent one evening consuming the novel he had promised Kitty he would read.
He sighed as he settled into his chair, and taking up his book, he placed it unopened in his lap while he pondered the lovely Miss Kitty Bennet and watched the shadows chase each other in the flickering dance of the candles’ flames. Perhaps in the new year when Bingley had his ball, he would dance two sets with her. Perhaps by then, she would even be accepting of his addresses, or at least, by then, he would have learned enough from Darcy and Bingley to be able to present them. By spring, he might even find himself in a position to make her his wife. That thought could not be made without a smile finding its way to his lips.
“May I enter?”
Evelina clattered to the floor as Collins started at the sweet voice that called to him from the door.
“Then, you might wish to stop glaring as if you want to run through the next person to step up to the piano.”
Perhaps he did not wish to gravely injure the next person to perform, but there was Carlyle. Roger would not mind seeing that gentleman properly laid out on the lawn with some sort of wound.
“Mr. Carlyle has a lovely voice.” Diana had followed Roger’s glare and found the object of his discontent. “He is singing ‘The Ash Grove’ since Victoria is so familiar with that piece of music.”
Roger’s scowl deepened. That was the song he sang with Victoria.
[from His Darling Friend, a Touches of Austen novella]
Published to YouTube by oiznas on May 17, 2012
For today’s post, I reached into Georgiana’s Music Folder (a playlist I have on YouTube) and pulled out a song that makes an appearance in tomorrow’s chapter of His Darling Friend. As you can tell, Roger is not pleased to know that the song he usually sings with Victoria is going to be sung by Mr. Carlyle. 🙂 Make sure you stop by tomorrow see if Roger’s scowl continues to deepen or not. (I’m going with it continues to deepen. 😉 )
In writing news:
This week I got one more chapter of Loving Lydia written — one where Netherfield receives another surprise guest. 🙂 And I managed to write two more chapters of His Darling Friend so that I am almost as far ahead as I want to be. If I can write two more this week, I will be exactly where I want to be — four weeks ahead of posting.
Also this week, I finished final edits on Tom: To Secure His Legacy. Yay! That means I will be sending out Patreon and advance reader copies this week. My final files are due to be uploaded by Wednesday and the preorder will be over with in a week! That’s right! Tom’s story will be available to add to your bookshelf next Monday! It seems like it has been so long in coming. [I’ll also be working on the print version this week.]
For my upcoming Kindle Unlimited bundle project that I wish to have out on or before March 18, I pulled down my two previous book bundles (Despite the Circumstances and New Beginnings) from all vendors to make way for this new arrangement of previously published stories. I also purchased a picture so I can start working on the cover image. I still need to write the book description and then remove the individual books from all vendors save Amazon. As a reminder, the books in this bundle will be Oxford Cottage, For Peace of Mind, Through Every Storm, Listen To Your Heart, and With the Colonel’s Help.
This month was a bit lower on the writing new stories front. (Only 24,712 words written compared to the 43,088 words I wrote in January) My brain was tired. I tend to push until the well runs dry and needs refilling. 🙂
So, I have been doing some relaxing (sort of). I have been reading and watching movies and discovering new recipes to try. I have discovered that I can find recipes which fit with my many sensitivities in the realm of the paleo diet. 🙂 This has been truly exciting for me. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen several pictures of food.
This has been a very beneficial time. I am starting to feel that urge to push forward building again, and this morning (I am writing this on Friday), I actually found myself awake when I should have been sleeping because of a couple of new story ideas. 🙂 I might actually know what book I am going to be starting next. 🙂
Well, that’s all for my news, so let me leave you with a scene from one of my already published books that has two schemers making plans to see Darcy and Elizabeth come to an understanding.
She shook her head. Mr. Marsh truly was the complete opposite of Mr. Edwards. She stood and looked around her room – the room in which she had been wallowing in self-pity for two days now. She had been wallowing! She did not wallow. She shook herself and pulled herself upright. Two days was enough.
“Did you need something, miss?” her maid asked as she entered.
“Yes, Sally, I need several things. First…”
[From Charles: To Discover His Purpose]
Published to YouTube by Liz Rockfiles on April 1, 2016.
Every romance has a new day at least once in the telling of the tale and often more than once. These new days might include the moment when two young lovers meet for the first time, or, as in the excerpt above, one or the other of the pair has that epiphany moment when he or she realizes what (or should I say who) will truly make them happy. In the snippet from Charles, Evelyn has dried her eyes and put away her hurt feelings and is ready to begin her new day.
In the excerpt from one of my works in progress that I will share below, we have the dawning of a new day just about to happen. The excerpt shows Bingley and Darcy just before they will meet the lovely ladies that reside at Longbourn.
But first, before I get to that, here’s just a little update on what I have been working on:
I have three projects in various stages.
First, I have a short story that is helping me practice my dictation skills and has reached about the 5,000-word mark where trouble has just literally walked through the door.
Second, I have written the first 1423 words of Mary’s story for Episode 3 of the Other Pens, Mansfield Park series. I still need to finalize her title. I had originally thought to call it Mary: To Discover Her Heart, but I used the word discover in Charles’s title. So I need a verb to go into this blank –>
Mary: To _________ Her Heart
She had really been guarding and hardening her heart for a good portion of her life, so I have considered using Unlocking, but I’m not sure if it is best or not. If you have suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments.
Third, I think I am about halfway through the first draft of Assessing Mr. Darcy. I had some great writing days this past week! I would be thrilled if this week was as good. However, there is that pesky thing called school that is starting.
This is not terribly writing related, but…
I did rearrange my office/school room/living room/dining area. 🙂 (Our house is not large and this room has many purposes.) I’m really pleased with how it turned out.
And I have all my school stuff ready to go except for the TV which needs mounting on the wall. (There will be many video lessons this year, so I wanted a good screen for watching.)
Oh, and the house has been painted! It is now a pretty blue/grey colour instead of the olive-y brown/green it was before! There are a few little details that my husband has to work on, but the big part is all done. He worked hard on it in some very warm weather. But, he wanted to get it done before his work schedule shifts with the beginning of school. And he did it!
I think that’s all the “news” from me for today, so now, how about an excerpt from chapter 4 of Assessing Mr. Darcy? (Patrons, you will have this full chapter before the end of the week. 🙂 )
