Oxford Cottage – Page 5

The May 2024 Saturday Broadsheet

With this edition of my monthly Broadsheet, I am going to start posting the full thing here rather than just sharing a link to read it on Substack, since it’s just a matter of copy and pasting it here. I do also post this on Substack, Patreon, and Ream Stories.

May 11, 2024

Has it been a month already since the last Saturday Broadsheet?

My! Time sure seems to fly sometimes.

I’ve been busy with life and writing things, so that’s probably why it seems like only a couple of weeks ago that I was writing my previous Broadsheet.

Unfortunately, not all the busyness was pleasant. My father-in-law was suddenly moved from home care to palliative care and then, died shortly after that. So, there was a lot of dreading the sound of a phone call and then, the proceedings that accompany a funeral. And now, there are some matters that must be sorted through as happens when someone dies. But he is no longer sick or in pain, and his funeral was lovely and as hope-filled as such a thing can be since he requested that it focus on Jesus and not on him.

In my writing life, I’m starting to get settled into a schedule that allows for me to write a bit on several projects at once. I used to work on multiple stories at one time, but then, I hit some burnout and then, I got long covid, which I still am struggling with. So, I’m so very happy to be able to take even small steps towards a return to a new form of normal. (I’m trying to keep things low and slow to avoid set backs or finding myself feeling burnt out again.)

As you will see below, the new schedule has helped me reach the point of being able to share my Sweet Possibilities work in progress with my members and patrons. That means I’m at least four chapters into the writing process. You’ll also notice below that a few chapters will be available as a preview to non-paying followers.

The funeral has me one week behind on getting into the Oxford Cottage refresh. I would really like to be able to start sharing the refreshed chapters on Thursdays on my blog, Patreon, and Ream by the end of June. Just like with the new stories I write and share, I also like to be a few chapters ahead when it comes to doing refresh projects. Honestly, refreshing a book can be more challenging than writing from scratch. But it’s so nice to have the stories get another polish, and the process is a good exercise for my writing muscles.

Because I am just opening up Oxford Cottage and getting ready to refresh it, this month’s story vignette goes with that novel. So look for that at the end of this newsletter.

NOW POSTING IN THE REPOSITORY AND ON PATREON

The April 2023 Saturday Broadsheet

This month’s Saturday Broadsheet, with all my writing life updates, is now available at the link below.

In this issue of the Broadsheet you will find:

my current writing project
what has been newly added to Kindle Unlimited
which books have been put on limited time promotions (It’s two free books this time.)
an upcoming opportunity to read and review a previously published book via Booksprout
and a refreshed, inspired by Oxford Cottage, story scene I wrote several years ago, called Lawrence, the Lonely Viscount

CLICK HERE TO READ THis Month’s SATURDAY BROADSHEET

Have a great weekend!

The July 2022 Saturday Broadsheet

The Saturday Broadsheet, with all my writing life updates, is now available at the link at the bottom of this short post.

In this issue of the Broadsheet you will find:

Info about what is posting on my blog. (As if you didn’t know, right? LOL)
An excerpt from my current work in progress, His Father’s Last Gift
Info about the two books I have on sale for $0.99 this month, a couple of other books that have been reduced in price, and one boxset that is on sale for this weekend only.
A link to a multi-author promotion I am taking part in
And in the something fun section at the end of the newsletter you will find, a music video that has been paired with an excerpt from one of the books in the boxset I have on sale this weekend. (It features one of my all-time favourite troublemakers. ;))

CLICK HERE TO READ THis Month’s SATURDAY BROADSHEET

Have a great weekend!

I hope you have time to read a book.

I’ll be back on Thursday with a new chapter of His Inconvenient Choice.

Cottage Door, Amberley, Sussex

Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
*The cottages and the village life of rural England.* 1912. Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

The spitting rain had left muddy trails down Darcy’s greatcoat as it mixed with the road dirt. Keeping to the right branch of the road as the gentleman had instructed, Darcy found himself riding up a path toward a stone cottage. “I think this is the cottage,” said Darcy.

“I do not see any other,” agreed Bingley.

[from Oxford Cottage]

MAILING LIST PATREON

MM: The Approaching Night – Philip Wesley (Piano Cover)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY PIANO TIME ON MARCH 23, 2020.

I find it mesmerizing to watch the lights dropping down, showing the notes. That is why I chose this video to share today. The reason I chose the song is for the title, for today, I am sharing a chapter from my very first published book, Oxford Cottage, which is where the dark part of the tale begins.

You can find The Approaching Night by Philip Wesley on Spotify here.

Oxford Cottage, Chapter 6

July 1811

Darcy looked across the assembly hall and watched the dancers as they wound their way through the steps of a country dance. His eyes followed Elizabeth for a few moments before he pulled his attention back to the rest of the people standing around him.

Just to his left, Mrs. Bennet fidgeted and fussed with Kitty’s dress. “Stand up straight, Kitty,” she scolded. “No man wants a woman who is all bent and crumpled.”

“Yes, Mama,” said Kitty.

Darcy suppressed a chuckle as he watched Kitty roll her eyes before she pulled herself up, squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. It reminded him of Georgiana. How often had he, when watching Miss Kitty, noticed similarities between the two young ladies? Both shared an exuberance for life that was infectious, and neither appreciated the reminder to carry themselves in what society deemed a ladylike fashion. Miss Kitty was a bit silly, but she was a sweet and caring young lady. She was the sort of young lady with whom Darcy did not mind having his sister associate.

Having seen to her daughter’s lack of posture, Mrs. Bennet had moved on to discussing with several local ladies her very good fortune of having “three daughters so agreeably attached.” Mr. Bennet was attempting to calm his wife’s happy nerves in order to keep her voice at an acceptable volume. Darcy shook his head slightly and smiled. How a man as intelligent as Mr. Bennet could abide such a fluttering wife was beyond his comprehension.

But he knew it to be true that Mr. Bennet did not just abide his wife, he loved her and showed it through his solicitous attentions and patience. Although some might only see the man who teased and laughed at his wife’s silliness, Darcy had observed the soft glow of his eyes and an occasional touch that accompanied such teasing. Mrs. Bennet often responded in a huff of emotions but there was always a twinkle in her eye, a little wink, or a slight upturn of her mouth which let him know she was not truly put out by her husband’s comments. It was a dance of words and actions, a game they played, a game he was just beginning to learn to play with his beloved Elizabeth. He allowed himself the pleasure of once again watching her dance.