Tag: Pride and Prejudice Variation

Music Monday: All About Her, Paul Brandt

Today, I’m sharing a song that I listened to for the first time this past week. Yes, YouTube notified me that it had been uploaded the week before, but I didn’t actually take the time to listen to it until now. 🙂 Life. That wonderful thing that we get to live and struggle with each day just kept me from taking the few minutes needed to listen. And then life crowded out any mental memo to listen later. I’m sure that never happens to anyone but me, right? 🙂

I’m glad I finally just pushed a few things aside and listened. It’s a lovely song.

At first, when I decided to share this video, it was just because I liked it and not for any story connected reason. But as I listened to it over and over this week (that’s what I do for a while when I  find a song I like), I realized that this song really fits with what I try to write about in my stories — that love that turns your attention from your own wants and desires to the wants and desires of another, that makes you worry about the other person’s happiness even before your own. So, while I didn’t think this would have a story connection, it does — to all of my stories. 🙂

Now that you know all that about this song, let me update you on what I did this past week in my writing life. I finished my first round edits/read-through of Confounding Caroline and have sent that on to my first reader to have her check it over for story stuff. I am not sure at this time when I will be publishing that as Mr. Darcy’s Comfort is supposed to be published first according to my planner. I think I am closing in on the ending for that story, so soon, I will be doing first round edits/read-through of that.

[sidenote: I really appreciate all the comments you left on last week’s Monday post about length.]

So one “finished” story and one almost finished story means I must be starting some new things, right?

Right.

I have started Delighting Mrs. Bennet which will be the next Thursday’s Three Hundred story (beginning May 10), and I am beginning to brainstorm some details for the story that will follow Mr. Darcy’s Comfort. I haven’t settled on a title for that one, but I can tell you it will start a less loved character and shine some new light on him.

In the world of selling books, New Beginnings which is an anthology of Finally Mrs. Darcy, For Peace of Mind, and Through Every Storm, can still be purchased for 40% off at Kobo if you use the 40DEAL promo code at check out. However, that sale ends today.  You can read excerpts from those books in the last week’s Friday’s Feature.

There will be a Friday Feature this week as well. I have a book that will be included in a promotion on Kobo starting Thursday of this week. I am still waiting to get the promo code sent to me. I will, of course, send an email to my mailing list and post a graphic about it on social media as well as having an excerpt from the book here on the blog on Friday.

In the trying something new section of life, Zoe Burton, Rose Fairbanks, and I have been trying out doing live videos on our Longbourn Literary Society on Facebook, and I have figured out how to add those videos to my YouTube channel so I can share them with those who are not on Facebook. You can find the live video from Saturday HERE. [Zoe read a short excerpt from her upcoming release in this week’s live.]

I think that is all the writing/book news and that means it is time to share a bit of what I wrote last week. Remember, this is getting toward the end of the story, so there could be spoilers. Read at your own risk. 🙂

AN EXCERPT FROM Mr. Darcy’s Comfort:  Continue reading Music Monday: All About Her, Paul Brandt


Music Monday: The Only, High Valley

I had a different song in mind for today’s post until this one popped up on YouTube as a recommendation for me on Saturday morning. Well, I gave it a listen, and then hit repeat several times and added it to my “My Kinda Country” playlist on both YouTube and Spotify. 🙂 To say I like it is a bit of an understatement. LOL Added to the fact that I like the song (a lot) as a reason for posting it today, is the fact that it fits in tone and theme with what I have been writing this week.

You see, I typed the final word of the first draft of Enticing Miss Darcy on Friday night (or technically Saturday morning as it was after midnight)! And we all know how a romance ends, right? On a very happily ever after note, which I think this song has in spades. So, I shelved the other song to use another week, and instead, you get to listen to this one. 🙂

Frankly, between writing the ending of Enticing Miss Darcy (8000+words) and One Winter’s Eve releasing this past Thursday, not much else got done this week in my writing world. 😀 Of course, it’s not like that was a relaxed schedule of work! I sent out emails, posted about the book being available, created some graphics as well as another book excerpt video, kept an eye on how things were selling and watching for the print version to link with the ebook, and so on. It was busy. I even skipped writing more of Confounding Caroline this week because when I get to the certain point in a story, and I can see the end coming, I have to get it out in order to be able to relax. 🙂 And I just couldn’t fit adding to Confounding Caroline and concluding Enticing Miss Darcy in my available writing time.

Looking ahead to this coming week, I will be working on a short story that will be a bonus follow up sort of thing for a couple of original characters in Enticing Miss Darcy.  I will also begin my first pass edits on Enticing Miss Darcy so that by the end of this  week or the beginning of next week, I will be able to send it to my first reader and start the process of polishing for publication. The tentative publication date is March 6, 2018, with a short pre-order period before that.

Also this week, I will have to begin working on brainstorming what the next work in progress will be. I think it is going to be a Dash of Darcy story.

Since I am heading into a transition period between stories, there maybe be one or two Monday’s without a story excerpt as I want to keep this bonus short story to Enticing Miss Darcy secret, and I want to have the next work in progress well underway before I share from it. (I like to make certain I am happy with how a story is unfolding before I start sharing.) And honestly, I need a breather, which means I am going to not push too hard to get things written and planned this week. (or at least I am going to try not to push too hard LOL)

So, for the final time on a Music Monday, here is…

AN EXCERPT FROM Enticing Miss Darcy: 

[Remember, this is toward the end, so it could very likely contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.] Continue reading Music Monday: The Only, High Valley


Music Monday: Bitter Sweet Symphony, David Garrett

Has it only been a week since last Monday? That busy week felt much longer than just seven days! 🙂 But, again, I am not complaining. It was a great week! However, I am hoping for a slightly less busy week this week.

DavidGarrettVEVO. “David Garrett – Bitter Sweet Symphony (Official Video).” YouTube, YouTube, 25 Aug. 2017, youtu.be/z_UfPY8NXkM.

I only have one major thing on the agenda for this week — the release of One Winter’s Eve! I’m so excited to finally be able to share this story with everyone! One of the things (and there was a long list of them) that I did this past week to start getting ready to let everyone know about One Winter’s Eve was to create this video excerpt from the story. I hope to get another little snippet of text made into a video this week. I enjoy making them, and I think it’s a slightly more fun way to read a short excerpt. 🙂

One Winter’s Eve is currently on preorder at your favourite retailer at this link.

In other writing news, I was able to get in five days of writing time — four were spent on Enticing Miss Darcy, and one was spent on Confounding Caroline.  I managed to get two chapters of Enticing Miss Darcy posted to Patreon, and what I wrote for Confounding Caroline is awaiting a reread later this week before I schedule it on the blog and Patreon.

I think that’s all the writing news I have for now. [That seems like so few words for all the busyness of last week. :)] So that means it is time for me to share an excerpt from what I wrote during my last writing session. This portion has not yet been shared on Patreon, but it will be (probably tomorrow).  We have reached a slightly sad part of the story for Georgiana, but sometimes a lady needs a bit of a jolt to help her see what she needs to see. And, of course, this short, momentary pain will make the end result much sweeter. (And that is why I have chosen the song I chose for today — well, that and I happen to like the song. :).

AN EXCERPT FROM Enticing Miss Darcy: Continue reading Music Monday: Bitter Sweet Symphony, David Garrett


Music Monday: Rain, Simply Three

How was your week? Are you ready to begin another? At this very moment on Sunday night when I am writing this, I don’t know that I feel ready for another week to begin. 🙂 Last week was busy, and the one coming up promises to be even busier. However, it is not a horrid busyness at all. It is a good, fulfilling race to the publishing line sort of busyness. I just happen to be tired at the moment. 🙂 So, press play, and while the music (a new addition to my Music to Write By playlist) plays, let me tell you what I accomplished last week and where I am headed this week.

Simply Three. “Simply Three – Rain (Original Song).” YouTube, YouTube, 4 Oct. 2017, youtu.be/KFppTBdCse8.

 

Last week I…

wrote my Austen Authors post for this Tuesday, found or created graphics for it, and made certain it was scheduled.

wrote the book description for One Winter’s Eve, and after getting the proofreading edits back, read the entire book one more time fixing the things that had been marked.

wrote another 1251 words of Confounding Caroline and hit my new goal of writing at least 1250 words per day on three out of the four days scheduled for my current work in progress –> Enticing Miss Darcy.

posted two chapters of Enticing Miss Darcy to Patreon

did a few other odds and end sorts of jobs as required for my business — there are several things that need to be done that are not writing or editing to keep my business running. I wish I could say I got to them all and that I have a great schedule figured out for keeping up with everything and that nothing ever just got ignored because there wasn’t time or due to forgetfulness, but I can’t. 🙂 Things included in this group of duties would be keeping an eye on sales numbers at all vendors, checking on how ads are doing, listening to or reading about professional development sorts of things, finding pictures for book covers, creating book graphics, and so on.

This week, I…

will be uploading files to my vendors and getting the preorder for One Winter’s Eve running while I create the print version and wait to proof it.

will be sending out an email to my mailing list informing them of the preorder and making a limited number of advance reader copies available to them.

will take my turn at Austen Authors on Tuesday. My post is about researching for character development. There will be an excerpt from One Winter’s Eve and a giveaway included. I would be delighted to have you stop by and learn about how I approached working with Caroline Bingley in this upcoming release.

will be posting a Friday’s Feature in which I share an excerpt from a book in my backlist and offer it to you at a lovely sales price! (Kindle Sale 🙂 ) So, be looking for that!

will be posting two more chapters (hopefully) of Enticing Miss Darcy to Patreon. I say hopefully because publishing stuff might get the way of writing time this week — I hope it doesn’t, but it might.

will be doing more of those odds and ends sorts of duties. 🙂

I think that’s it. Like I said, it has been and will be busy, but it is a good, fulfilling busyness that I am so very blessed to “endure.” 🙂

Below is a bit of Enticing Miss Darcy from my writing time on Thursday. This portion has not yet been posted to Patreon, so it is new to one and all. 🙂 It is the beginning of chapter 6.

EXCERPT FROM Enticing Miss Darcy:  Continue reading Music Monday: Rain, Simply Three


Music Monday: Pride and Prejudice – When I See You Smile

Today, I thought I would share one of the videos on my Music Meets Movies playlist since the song seems to go with a particular part of the story excerpt. I am drawing close to the end of my current WIP — or at least the conclusion of the conflict I had wished to resolve — and am now considering if the story ends here or not, as in, there might be a conflict which could arise as I move past this happy for now place in which two of my main characters find themselves.

wantingyounear. “Pride and Prejudice – When I See You Smile.” YouTube, YouTube, 26 Feb. 2007, youtu.be/-B0Po7-3rdE.

That’s about as clear as stagnant pond water, isn’t it? Well, you see, I don’t want to give too much away about my current story, but as you will see in today’s excerpt below, Georgiana is planning to go to Netherfield for Christmas, and Wickham will be there.  There is this niggling in my mind prodding me to explore what might happen in Hertfordshire.  However, I don’t think that doing so in my current story would be appropriate for a couple of reasons: my main characters would almost certainly shift and the initial intent of the story I have been writing has been met so adding another conflict would lend itself to a wandering storyline (something of which I am not fond). So, it appears I will have some serious thinking/plotting/story structure analysis to do this week.

In other story news, I have received Becoming Entangled back from my final editor and have begun the last pass re-read of that story, and now I must decide if my original publication date of November 21 is best or if pushing it out and adding a short preorder might be better for getting everything accomplished without losing my mind from the stress of making sure everything meets the rather exacting standards I strive to uphold at Leenie B Books. (I find myself excessively demanding at times.)  🙂

It seems I have a few decisions to make this week as I edit and write. While I open my calendar and being to ponder these things, I will leave you with this —

AN EXCERPT FROM Two Days before Christmas: Continue reading Music Monday: Pride and Prejudice – When I See You Smile