Tag: Music Monday

Music Monday: Period Drama, Breathe Again

KatSw3. “Period Drama – Breathe Again.” YouTube. YouTube, 12 Dec. 2010. Web.

THE LINK BETWEEN MUSIC AND STORY:

This time of year is a very busy one for me.  Exams are coming!  Material needs to be completed, lessons need review, and exams need creating. Needless to say, not as much writing as I would like is getting done.  However, I am managing to squeeze in some writing time and thought I would let you know what story I am working on at the moment.  I posted a small part of this story a while ago here.  At that time, I did not have a title for the story. I do now. It will be a short novella of about 20,000 words, and I am about halfway through it.  It’s premise is not a happy one, but I assure you the story will still be a sweet story even if it does have a little bit of a shadow of the past hanging over it.  It is that shadow that led me to choose this beautiful song and video today.

EXCERPT FROM FINALLY MRS. DARCY: 

She shook her head in disbelief.  “Why? Why would you think so highly of me, and yet not…” She turned away.  “Why did you not return?”  She closed her eyes and attempted to prepare herself for whatever excuse he might give.  She had long thought that it was Lydia’s very clear demonstration of her families shortcoming coupled with the unwillingness to be tied to Wickham in any way that had kept him from returning.  She did not have a wish to hear her thoughts confirmed. It was something far more demanding.  She needed to know the truth for good or for ill.

Darcy watched her wrap her arms around herself and take one step away from him.  “I spoke to Bingley shortly after that.” He closed the distance between them.  “I confessed all that I had done to separate him from your sister.”  He dug his toe into the dirt of the path.  “He has had no contact with me since, other than to return my letters unopened and request that I not contact him or any of his family.  You were included in that group by that time, since he and your sister were married.  So, I stayed away hoping that by doing as he requested, he might at some point forgive me. I continue to wait.” 

“He speaks of you.”  Elizabeth gave a quick glance over her shoulder.  “Since Papa died. You may not have much longer to wait.”

“I have waited an eternity, Elizabeth, and it has cost me dearly.”  The depth of the pain in his words pierced her heart.

“When you did not return with Bingley, I thought it was because you did not wish to be associated with a family tied to  Mr. Wickham or such foolish girls as Lydia — and who could blame you?” She turned to face him.  “It broke my heart. I refused to attend assemblies for nearly a year.  Mama thought it was because I missed Jane, but it was you I missed.” She took one of his hands. “Eventually, I could no longer refuse to attend, and I met Jack.  He was a pleasant man.  He smiled much and spoke well of all he met.  I believe he was constitutionally incapable of being disagreeable.  He respected me, and I was happy, but he was not you.” She squeezed his hand.  “I loved him, but not as I love you.”

 


Music Monday and a Giveaway

JaimeR90. “Under The Greenwood Tree/It Is You (I Have Loved).” YouTube. YouTube, 23 Apr. 2009.

THE LINK BETWEEN MUSIC AND STORY:

There’s no more mystery
It is finally clear to me
You’re the home
My heart searched for so long
And it is you I have loved all along
~*~
It is you I have loved all along

On Friday of this week, Her Heart’s Choice, book 4 in the Choices series, will be available for purchase.  This story completes the Choices series, and, I believe, the hero and heroine of each story could sing this song.  However, when you read Anne’s story in this final book, I think you will agree that, more than the others, this song is hers, for her story is one of searching and discovery.  She is searching for what she thinks she needs for safety and security in marriage only to discover that what (or who) she needs has been there all along.

THE GIVEAWAY:

To mark the completion of this series and the release of this book, I am having

A Book Birthday Giveaway

(click the link to go to the giveaway)

on my Facebook page.  Up for grabs are a Kindle copy of Her Heart’s Choice and a $15 Amazon gift card (so you can buy the other books in the series if you need to or something else if you don’t).  The giveaway runs until Wednesday turns to Thursday (midnight) eastern time.  I will announce the winner of the contest during an Author Chat Event on Austen Authors.  This event will be held on Thursday, May 26, 2016 from 6 pm – 10 pm.  I have not yet been assigned my time slot, so I can’t be any more specific than that. I will post the exact time on Twitter and Facebook once I have it.

Her Heart's Choice
See Books Page for links to e-tailers.  Click the picture to be taken to the book page.


Music Monday: Home – Period Drama Montage

Koschnitzgirl. “Home – Period Drama Montage.” YouTube. YouTube, 11 Mar. 2010.

I have no excerpt from a story this week.  I would dearly love to share part of what I just wrote, but it is too close to the end and would contain too many spoilers.  So, I must refrain.  However, I do have a progress report.

However, I do have a progress report. Her Heart’s Choice is complete.  I just finished the epilogue and am getting ready to send the manuscript on to my proofreaders for copy and story edits.  So, while I wait for this story to come home to get final edits, I guess it is time to start on a new project. I am thinking of working on Five Long Years (which really needs a new title) next.  Hopefully, I will have some new story excerpts to share in a couple of weeks.  Until then, I hope you enjoy these “Music Meets Movie” videos.


Music Monday: Alone, Ioannis Pane

IoannisPane. “Ioannis Pane – Alone (Instrumental Piano Music).” YouTube. YouTube, 09 Feb. 2016.

THE LINK BETWEEN MUSIC AND STORY: 

I have the first draft of Her Heart’s Choice completed (except for an epilogue) and that means I am about to embark on some editing and will be taking a bit of a break from story/song connections for at least a couple of weeks until I can get into the next story.  I will, however, still post a song on Monday’s.  I have a few marked that are fan videos that I like and think you might as well.

Now, the excerpt below comes from very near the end of the book — so if you do not like “spoilers,” do not read.

The connection between the excerpt and the song is one of mood.  Anne has found herself feeling quite like the song — alone, sad, longing for things to change, but unsure they will.  Of course, you and I know that I always give my hero and heroine a happily ever after, but Anne does not know that right now, but she is about to learn that fact…right after this little chat with her aunt in the garden at Netherfield after Kitty and Richard’s wedding breakfast.

EXCERPT FROM Her Heart’s Choice: 

Anne had smiled when she was supposed to and attempted to say all the right things but her heart, though happy for her cousin and Kitty, was anything but joyous.  It had been two days since she had placed that advert in the paper, and she could not help wondering if he had seen it and if the joy she had seen on Kitty’s face today would ever be hers.

“You look tired,” said Lady Sophia coming to stand near her niece in Netherfield’s drawing room.

Anne gave a small shrug.  “I am. I suppose.”

“A bit of air might be just the thing.”  Lady Sophia sent a footman scurrying with the request for both her wrap and Anne’s. “It was a lovely wedding breakfast, was it not?”

Anne nodded.

“I have only two nieces left to see happy.”  The look she gave Anne was gentle.  “I will see them both happy, will I not?”

Anne shook her head.  “I cannot say,” she whispered.  She pulled her lips into a smile that she did not feel.  “I shall attempt to be happy.  If I can spend time with you and my cousins and their wives, I think I can be at least content.”  She shook her head again. “If I have to spend all my time with my mother, I will be neither content nor happy — although perhaps I will learn to enjoy her company.”

“You will not marry another?”  It was the third time since entering the carriage yesterday that her aunt had asked the question.

“I will not.” She took the wrap from her maid and putting it on, followed her aunt into the garden.  It was a bright and cool day.  The freshness of the air felt good as she drew a deep breath.

“Not for security or position?”  Lady Sophia wound her arm around Anne’s and pulled her close as they walked to a bench surrounded by some early blooms and protected by a hedge.

“If I found myself destitute, I might,” replied Anne, “but I do not see that happening.  I have you, Uncle Reginald, and my cousins, who I know would come to my aid.”

Lady Sophia patted Anne’s hand.  “That we would.  But, I must say this is a great change for you, is it not — to be dependent on another and under their power?”

“None of you would ever harm me.”  Anne took a seat on the bench.  “You love me far too much to allow it.”

Lady Sophia smiled but did not sit next to Anne.   “We do, and I am glad you have come to realize it.”  She turned to look down the path.  “Your father loved your mother, you know,” she said softly glancing back at Anne.  “He applied to my father three times before his offer was accepted.”  Her shoulders rose and fell with a great breath.  “I believe my sister cared for him, but there were stipulations placed on the agreement.  My brother, Lord Matlock, was not the best at balancing wants with income.  He has since improved, but I would not trust him with my money.”  She took a seat next to Anne.  “It is not his strength.  My father knew this and used the love your father had for my sister to coerce an agreement of support should support become necessary — an inevitable event.  You know, of course, how appearance is important to your mother. I can only image the begging and threatening that might have taken place if you father had not wished to give my brother what he requested.”  She took Anne’s hand.  “I would guess that my imagination was not wrong in this?”

Anne shook her head.  “There were many loud discussions.”  Her reply was soft, and Lady Sophia bent closer to hear it.

“I am sorry to hear that.”

Anne looked at her aunt.  “Did my mother ever love my father?”

Lady Sophia shook her head.  “I do not know, my dear.  I certainly never saw it. There was an admiration and concern, but nothing of the giving of one’s very soul to the other as I had with my husband.”  She sighed.  “That is where the issue lay — not with rank or fortune.  Do you understand?”

Anne nodded.

~~~*~

Her Heart’s Choice is book 4 in the Choices series.