Sweet Regency Romance – Page 45

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: Song from a Secret Garden, Hauser

Happy second Monday of 2018! How was your first week? Mine was “interesting.” 🙂 My son and I resumed homeschool classes — sort of. A winter storm altered our plans. The wind howled and rain (not snow for us) pelted the house. Then the rain stopped and the wind calmed, only to pick back up as the storm wrapped around, and the backside of it passed through. We were very fortunate. We sustained no damage and only lost power for a few hours. So, I am not complaining. I’m just saying it created a week I wasn’t expecting.

Hauser. “HAUSER – Song from a Secret Garden.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 Nov. 2017, youtu.be/qZSJvyBag8A.

While the wind blew and the candles flickered on Thursday, I found it difficult to focus to write until I pulled out my mp3 player and turned on some music. Music plays such an important roll in my writing process. 🙂 The above song is not one I was listening to on Thursday but is one that I recently added to my Music to Write By playlist on YouTube which I have been using during my writing sessions this week (on days when there is power).

In writing news…

I have gotten One Winter’s Eve back from my first reader, made the necessary corrections, and sent it on to my second reader. I expect to have it back sometime this week so I can start final edits and get a preorder set up for January 15. Release day is scheduled for January 25, 2018.

I have posted three chapters of Enticing Miss Darcy on Patreon and am halfway through writing chapter 4 (excerpted below). I plan to have that chapter completed and posted on Patreon by tomorrow evening. I had hoped to get a full chapter written on Friday, but I ended up spending a good bit of time doing some research for the story. The tentative release day for this book is March 6, 2018. (I did some planning this past week. 🙂 )

As part of my plan, I have switched up my writing schedule just slightly to fit in writing time for Confounding Caroline. I am now doing Work In Progress writing M, T, W, and F, and giving Th over to my Thursday Three Hundred story writing. I will say that, while the power was out on Thursday, I finally wrote the part of Confounding Caroline where we will first see Elizabeth. Those two parts will post on the blog in the second half of February.

That, I believe, is all the writing news I have for you this week. Now, to share a portion of what I wrote on Friday night.

AN EXCERPT FROM Enticing Miss Darcy: Continue reading Music Monday: Song from a Secret Garden, Hauser

Music Monday: I Want Crazy, Hunter Hayes

Sometimes you write the story simply because it presents itself as a challenge. Sometimes you do that business thing simply because you’ve been considering it for some time and don’t want to stand back and look at it anxiously anymore. Some people would call this crazy. I call it life — and growth.

JMGuitarGirl555. “I Want Crazy ~ Hunter Hayes ~ Lyrics.” YouTube, YouTube, 8 Apr. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu0vyD7vyM4.

So what craziness have I been up to recently?

A couple of weeks ago now, I set up an online store where I can create some interesting items related to my books because every bookseller needs a section where patrons can purchase a reading-related gift or novelty items, right? My reading-related items store, which is only beginning to be stocked with items, is called Bonny Lass Creatives (my husband came up with the name) and can be found on Society6 at this link >> BONNY LASS CREATIVES

I do enjoy making the graphics to go on the items. It’s a stress reliever, actually. 🙂

This week, I set up a Patreon page. I’ve had it started for some time as I pondered how best to use it. For those who are not familiar with it — according to Wikipedia,

Patreon is a membership platform that provides business tools for creators to run a subscription content service, as well as ways for artists to build relationships and provide exclusive experiences to their subscribers, or “patrons.”

This means that you pay a certain monthly fee to support an artist, and the artist in return gives you a “reward” for doing so. There are all sorts of artists such as podcasters, writers, and musicians on Patreon, and there are as many different ways of working the Patreon subscription/rewards system as there are artists.

For me, I have set up my page to have two levels of subscription:

$1/month for those who curiosity must be satisfied and just want to read along as I create stories – just a dollar will give you access to all my stories as I write them. You will also receive a link to download the Thursday’s Three Hundred story in your preferred format when it is ready for publication.

$2/month for those who not only wish to satisfy their curiosity but also fill their shelves, two dollars will do it. In addition to access to all my stories as they are written, you will receive a digital copy in your preferred format when each story is ready for publication, so you can fill your shelves – be they in a library or a lovely closet. 🙂

My intention is to post as I write, however, I am still catching up to where I am in my current WIP, so post as I go will be coming….soonish. 🙂

You can find me on Patreon here >> patreon.com/LeenieBrown

Now, to update you on Two Days Before Christmas. I am writing this post on Saturday night while my husband is at work, and so I am projecting (not promising) that by the end of the day on Monday, I will have the preorder set up and will be just waiting for the various publishers to make the links. Hopefully, I will also have the print version uploaded so that can go through the review process. I will, of course, share links on Facebook when they are ready.

Chapter 1 of Two Days Before Christmas is available to read here >> TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

And finally, we come to that challenging story that I am so enjoying writing, One Winter’s Eve. I am about halfway through chapter 10 as of last Friday night, and I have the first three chapters posted at Patreon for my subscribers. I got to deal with Wickham this week while writing, and I got to delve a bit more into understanding Caroline — and she is growing and changing for the better. (Did you doubt that she wouldn’t? I will stand for no recalcitrant main characters — they will be brought up to scratch. 😉 ) Below is a sample from what I wrote this week.

AN EXCERPT FROM One Winter’s Eve: Continue reading Music Monday: I Want Crazy, Hunter Hayes

Music Monday: Period Drama, Once Upon a December

Welcome to December — the month in Pride and Prejudice where, in volumes I and II, Netherfield sits empty, Mr. Collins returns to Longbourn for a short visit, Jane receives Caroline’s letter about Bingley not returning, and the Gardiners come for Christmas and leave with Jane. What a dreadful month! But then, what a difference a year makes! For in volume III, all is right by December, making it an exceedingly happy month. In fact, the Gardiners are expected at Pemberley for Christmas.

lilian hearts. “• Period Drama | Once Upon a December ♡.” YouTube, YouTube, 7 June 2015, youtu.be/_SLyhgk6fp4.

I’ve been stuck in the month of December for some time now, writing-wise. Two Days before Christmas (TDBC), which I began writing on October 24, takes place in December. It begins with Darcy’s arrival at home at the end of November and concludes on December 23. The sequel to TDBC, One Winter’s Eve (OWE), begins on December 23 and will conclude in January. However, I am still in December in that story, and I do not see me finishing the first draft of that story for another week and a half or two weeks — and then I will have to edit that book. By the time all is said and done for these two books, it will likely be halfway through January 2018, meaning I will have been in December for almost three months! 🙂 But I have to say, my stay in writing-land December has not been dreadful but, for the most part aside from a few misty-eyed moments, exceedingly delightful!

Starting today, I will be working feverishly on final edits to TDBC because my timeline for accomplishing tasks for that book has adjusted forward by an email I received from Draft2Digital, whom I use to publish on iBooks and Nook, informing me that to ensure books are processed before various companies shut down for the holidays, all books should be uploaded by December 11! Yikes!

Therefore, I hope to have a preorder setup with a final ebook version of the story uploaded by December 11 for Draft2Digital and by December 12 for Kindle and Kobo. Then, I will work on the print book to get it uploaded, proofed, and ready to release before December 21. Here’s hoping all goes according to plan! 🙂 (And I suppose I need to toss some finishing up school units and preparing for Christmas in there as well — I am going to be one busy girl!)

I may have to take a pause in writing OWE to get the editing done that needs doing this week, but I am hopeful that I will be able to continue rolling along in that story. It has been keeping me up at night as possible scenarios for dealing with a couple of “issues,” aka plot points like Wickham, have been attempting to work themselves out in my brain. However, I am enjoying the story. Colonel Fitzwilliam is pretty awesome — as always — and I am liking (yes, I said liking) Caroline. Getting to know the characters as I wish to portray them is one of the fun parts of a challenging couple such as this — it is also the source of the story-induced lack of sleep as the actions and decisions in the story have to be true to the characters who are revealing themselves to me as I write.

Below, is a lengthy portion from what I wrote this week. In this excerpt, Richard has also been attempting to discover Caroline’s character. He thinks he has reached a correct conclusion. Caroline insists he is mistaken. But who is right — the colonel (and Caroline needs to discover some things about herself) or Caroline (and Richard will have to form a new hypothesis)?

AN EXCERPT FROM One Winter’s Eve: Continue reading Music Monday: Period Drama, Once Upon a December