Rudolph Ackermann. View of Piccadilly from Hyde Park Corner Turnpike. The Repository of arts, literature, commerce, manufactures, fashions and politics, 1809. Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
He (Henry) whistled a jolly tune as he mounted his horse and made his way toward the park. A bit of fresh air, a good breakfast, and then one call. He pulled in a deep breath. His happiness was very close; he could almost feel it now. Constance had smiled at his admission of wanting to marry her. His chances were very good if he could get her brother to agree with him.
“Crawford!”
Henry turned toward the barouche that was coming toward him. “St. James,” he greeted with a tip of his hat.
The rather portly gentleman waved Henry over.
“How can I be of service, my lord?”
“You can learn to be discreet,” the man answered, scooting to the side of the carriage closest to Henry…
On the list of all the people who were not to know about Mr. Blakesley, her sister sat at the top.
[from Her Secret Beau, Touches of Austen book 3]
Published to YouTube by Luisa Moreta Pérez on November 16, 2014
Today, I am only sharing one line from tomorrow’s story — but I think it is a good tantalizing line. 🙂 What do you think?
I’m also just plucking a song off my Music to Write By playlist because I listened to it several times this week while writing. And I did get a good bit of writing done this week.
I have reached the end of Addie’s story, but this one is going to need more work in the editing department than most of my stories do. I talk a bit more about why that is in tomorrow’s Austen Authors post. So, for the curious, you can find out there. 😉
To get to the end of Addie’s story and then figure out why it didn’t feel right meant that Addie’s was the only story I wrote on last week, so I am going to have to focus on my Tuesday and Thursday stories this week or next week there might not be anything to post. Yikes! 🙂
Chris Hammond (1860-1900) [Public domain] via Wikimedia CommonsEvery H/h needs a good wingman — a person who…
has your back (or wishes to stab you in the back),
helps you succeed (or hopes to see you fail so they can trample you once you’re down),
points out your flaws to help you improve (or illustrate your ineptness),
makes you look good (or ensures you look ridiculous).
For good or ill, all stories NEED secondary characters.
But how do we create these important, though not headlining, cast members?
In this episode of the LLS Society Papers*, we’re talking about how we created and used a few of the many secondary characters we have written into stories.
Live Stream will begin at 3 PM EST or 4 PM Atlantic. 🙂
*Longbourn Literary Society is a Facebook group founded by three friends, who share a love of writing and Jane Austen for the purpose of promoting those loves and our work.
~*~*~
You can find Rose and Zoe’s websites at these links:
“Let me put a point on it for you, my dear sister. Had I not attended that last party at your persuasion and had I gone to Norfolk as I had planned, we might both be happily married. But,” he dropped her hand and held up a finger to mark his point, “you wished for me to see Mrs. Rushworth. You thought there would be great entertainment in it. Do not cast this debacle at Fanny’s feet. She was the only one in this whole sorry tale who was without guile. She refused me because she knew I was not worthy of her, and I was not — as anyone who reads a paper or sits in a drawing room with a cup of tea knows, I was not. And with that blackness attached to my name, I shall have a difficult enough go of it trying to find a lady of substance to accept me. To throw myself back into the society I kept before…” He shrugged and shook his head. “It would be foolish. Therefore, I will gladly welcome you and your friends at soirees such as this, but I will not be accepting any invitations to private parties, save for those held by Dr. and Mrs. Grant. I will call on them next week after I am truly settled in town.” He bowed to the gaping women and hastened out into the corridor.
Published to YouTube by ForKingAndCountry on October 4, 2018.
Talk about cutting ties and burning the ship! Henry knew that he had to cut ties with his former life if he wished to make a lasting change. His sister Mary is going to have to do the same before she can be free to become her best self. Jane Austen tells us at the end of Mansfield Park:
…and Mary had had enough of her own friends, enough of vanity, ambition, love, and disappointment in the course of the last half-year, to be in need of the true kindness of her sister’s heart, and the rational tranquillity of her ways.
In the excerpt that follows my writing news, Mary has gotten to the point of having had enough of her friends, enough of vanity, ambition, love, and disappointment, and she is ready to move on with new friends toward a happier, more contented life.
That is why I have selected today’s music video. I think the song expresses the concept quite well.
But, before we get to that excerpt, let me give you a few updates about what’s happening in my writing life.
First, Assessing Mr. Darcy is available for pre-order. ARC copies will be sent out to my mailing list and Leenie’s Sweeties Facebook Group today, and my $2 patrons will receive their copy of the story. Assessing Mr. Darcy will go live on Friday, October 26, 2018 (a day later than I had expected but as early as I could schedule it with one of my distributors). Tomorrow, I will have an Austen Authors post with an excerpt and a giveaway for this book.
Second, I have started a new short story set during December and in the Willow Hall world. This story will feature original characters who are part of the community that surrounds Willow Hall and Kympton, and there will be at least one cameo appearance by a couple of Willow Hall characters. I am also hoping to give it just a touch of Persuasion flavour as there has been a rejection and a separation of lovers before the story begins. I still need to name the main characters (both the guy and gal) as well as the estate that the hero has inherited.
Third, Mary’s story has reached about the halfway point — I think. I will start posting this story on Patreon this week (hopefully today). I did a lot of research this last week for this story since Gabe is not just your standard landed gentleman but rather a fellow who is in trade, was born in India to a Company man, and now owns his own business and partners in backing privateers. And those are all new to me things to weave into the backstory and character of a hero.
And I think that is all the writing news I have for today. So, now we can get to that excerpt where Mary set a new course for her life by leaving her old friends behind.
It’s Monday — again. Time for some music, a story excerpt (but not from my current work in progress), and some writing news which includes news of a limited time price reduction on one of my books. (No, I’m not going to tell you which book here. I am going to make you scroll down. 🙂 But today’s song choice and story excerpt go with that book.)
Let’s start with some writing news. It might not be a lot of news, but, it’s kind of exciting. 🙂
First, Master of Longbourn is in the formatting stage of production. That means it will be on pre-order by the end of the week and advance reader copies will have been sent out. I’ll have all the ordering details for you next Monday.
Second, I have added an item to the menu here on the blog. There is a “Varied Thoughts on Writing” option there now. This link will take you to a journal where I am gathering together some of my Austen Authors posts that I have written about writing in general as well as specific to various books. I have only gotten last Tuesday’s post added to that journal so far. That post was about Master of Longbourn and how I developed my Mr. Collins.
Third, I have made a decision about which story is getting written next. It has no title yet, nor does it have any beginning story notes. It is, at this moment, just a decision. 🙂 Here it is:
~ I have decided that I am going to be writing Mr. Edwards’s story. ~
