Tag: Jane Austen books

Music Monday: Shape of My Heart, 2Cellos

2Cellos. “2CELLOS – Shape Of My Heart [OFFICIAL VIDEO].” YouTube. 09 Dec. 2014. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.

Happy Monday! Isn’t this a beautiful piece of music to start the week? It is one of my favourites to listen to while writing. (Yes, I know I have a lot of favourites, but they are all so good. 🙂 )

I chose to feature this video today for a couple of reasons that are related to what I was working on this week.  First, the plucking of the strings makes me think of traveling by horse or carriage and the constant clip-clop of hooves as you roll or ride along for hours. There was a good deal of travel in what I was writing this week because Bingley had some business to take care of.

Second, the visuals of floating and burning papers made me think of things happening in the plot.  The business our hero left to complete was not of a pleasant nature, and it was the sort of which you do not really wish to have documentation.  (Yes, I am talking about Bingley as the hero here. There is something surprising hidden behind that pleasant exterior.)

I finished the story except for an epilogue, and, thanks to the help of a reader and friend on Facebook, I have a title for this fourth book in the Willow Hall Romance series. Yay!  The title is At All Costs, and I think it fits perfectly since the story, both for the hero and one of the “villains” (yes, one of them — there are several that cause trouble), is a story of fighting for and protecting your love at all costs.

I plan to write the epilogue in a few weeks after I have edited So Very Unexpected. That book is slated to be published on February 14, 2017, so I am busy doing the first round of edits so that I can send it to my first reader, fix what she tells me, and then send it on to my proofreaders/copy editors. This means the story has disappeared from the blog, but I have left a link to a two chapter preview on my Leenie B Books page. I am enjoying going back to this story after being away from it for about two months.  I still love Lydia!

I believe that is all the writing news I have for you today.  This week, I will be editing and working on my Austen Author’s blog post for next Tuesday (which will feature a giveaway).  Enjoy your week! Hopefully, you will get to stop by the blog on Wednesday and Thursday for a lovely painting and a full chapter of At All Costs. 

EXCERPT FROM At All Costs:  *Contains spoilers and a cliffhanger. 🙂 *

The sun was setting as Bingley and Richard wound their way through the streets of London.  They had paused long enough upon arrival to leave their bags at Bingley’s townhouse and for Bingley to stop at his solicitor’s office to check on the progress of marriage papers and a special license.  Now, however, he and Richard had left the favourable portion of town and were slowly making their way down toward the river. 

Bingley waved to some chap who was seated on a crate marking things off in his notebook. 

“She sails at dawn,” the man called. 

“Where to?” Bingley called back.  Continue reading Music Monday: Shape of My Heart, 2Cellos


Music Monday: Good King Wenceslas, The Irish Rovers

AlexanderRoublev. “The Irish Rovers. Good King Wenceslas.” YouTube. YouTube, 18 Dec. 2011. Web. 25 Dec. 2016.

ABOUT THE SONG:

This was one of my favourite carols as a child. Why? Because it told a story about a kind king.  I would listen to the carol, often singing along, as lovely images of a king and his page struggling through the snow would play in my mind.

I could feel the wind blowing and would shiver as the cold seeped through the pages clothing chilling his blood.  I could see the peasant stooping and adding another twig to the pile in his arms.  I would imagine his family huddled around the hearth at his home waiting for his return. I could see the page taking large strides to match those of his master as he followed behind the king sheltered from the wind and snow. I would smile at the thought of the surprise visit and gift from the king to the peasant.  And I would be reminded that I was blessed.

I still think about these things when I hear this song, and it is still a reminder of just how blessed I am.

WRITING NEWS:

I have spent more time reading this week than writing.  In the midst of the busyness of the season, combined with the release of A Very Mary Christmas and hosting a book launch giveaway on Austen Authors, finding time to write was challenging.  Finding time to read was less challenging, so I reread parts of some books that I have read several times before.  It’s a thing I do when I find a book that I particularly enjoy and am drawn back to.  I reread these stories with a purpose — to discover the story or character development techniques the author has used to engage my interest.  I like to think of it as studying at the feet of the masters. 🙂

However, it was not all reading this week.  Below is a small portion of what I was able to write.  I am still working on Willow Hall, Book 4.  I am getting into the things are starting to come to that ultimate climax before the resolution portion of the story, so read at your own risk. 🙂  It will be many weeks before this portion shows up in a Thursday post.

STORY EXCERPT Willow Hall Romance, Book 4:

Later that evening, Bingley tapped his fingers on the table next to the letter he had written. He was uncertain if this was the best course of action.  Perhaps he should just take a trip to town to speak with Mr. ___.  Letters were tricky items.  There was no guarantee that the intended recipient would be the only recipient of the news in a missive.  He scanned the words again.  Continue reading Music Monday: Good King Wenceslas, The Irish Rovers


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: Beautiful Romantic Music (101), Peder B. Helland

Soothing Relaxation. “Beautiful Romantic Music: Relaxing Music, Piano Music, Violin Music, Guitar Music, Cello Music ★101.” YouTube. YouTube, 07 Nov. 2016. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.

It is that time of year when I start to re-evaluate everything and decide if I wish to keep doing things as I have or make changes.  I am in the process of contemplating my posts here on this website, starting with the first post of the week — Music Monday.  In the past, I have often had a song that connected directly to a story because I often find inspiration in music — be it the lyrics or the emotions the melody evokes.  That has  not changed. I still find music very inspiring, and when I write, there is almost always some sort of music playing in the background.  So, I am still planning to share music on Mondays for now, but these posts will not always have a direct connection to the story on which I am working. They will rather be pieces that I have found inspiring and have had playing as I work — which is exactly what this week’s selection is. This week, I have been listening to this particular piece of music (in a shorter version, which I purchased on bandcamp.com) along with several other tracks by this composer.

And what have I been working on as this music plays?  Well, I am attempting to get a good portion of the new Thursday’s Three Hundred story sorted out. Another week of writing, and I think I should have it well underway and be able to tell if everything is working together as it should for the story.  So, do I post a small excerpt from that story here on Monday as I have all the other times when doing a music/story connection post?  Sure. Why not?

Remember, this story is under construction and an excerpt here may or may not show up in the version that gets posted later…although I am working very diligently to make sure that I am only writing useable material. 🙂

This small piece is from a section where Bingley has had a rough day and is drowning his sorrows. It is also the beginning of a planning session by a rather sloshed Bingley and a slightly tipsy Colonel Fitzwilliam about what might be the best tactic to use if Bingley wishes to get Jane to accept him. 🙂

A Story Excerpt from Willow Hall, Book 4 (I’m still working on choosing a title 😉 ):

“What has you looking as if you ate a piece of bad fish?” asked Richard, taking a seat in Pemberley’s game room next to Bingley. 

Bingley shrugged and gulped the last of his drink.  “You did not stay at Matlock?”

Richard sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands.  “My sister is the center of a house party, and although her friends seem to enjoy my company, I do not enjoy theirs.  The last of the guest should leave by week’s end. I shall visit for a longer period of time after that.  As it was, yesterday and this morning was long enough for my mother to begin speaking of my marrying.” 

“It is a sad lot for us men,” muttered Bingley.

“Marriage?” Richard unbuttoned his waistcoat.  Continue reading Music Monday: Beautiful Romantic Music (101), Peder B. Helland