Joana Starnes and 'The Second Chance'

I am so excited to welcome Joana Starnes, author of the newly released, The Second Chance, to my blog again. Joana's latest book is a Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility Variation. I have been eagerly awaiting its publication since I first read about it last October. Joana was my guest and talking about her second book, The Subsequent Proposal that combined Pride & Prejudice with Persuasion. (As my review of it will attest, I absolutely loved that novel.) Anyway, back to the point, Joana responded to one of the readers by telling them about her work in progress. which was this latest release. I was thrilled to hear about it then and am now more thrilled that it has been published! Dear readers, I'm sure you will delight, as much as I did, in Joana's post today. Please welcome Joana Starnes.

Thank you, Janet, for welcoming me back again to talk about my latest book, released a few days ago.

‘The Second Chance’ has a very long history. The original idea came to me almost ten years ago, and since then it took many forms and it went several places, to finally arrive to what it is today – a ‘what-if?’ story where some canon givens are upheld while others are challenged, as we travel with our favourite couple on the rocky path that leads them to their ‘happily ever after’.

There is another fan-fiction given – which is just another way of saying ‘a truth universally acknowledged’ ;) – and that is ‘Mr. Darcy’s path to happiness never did run smooth’. In fact, most of the stories we write could be classed under ‘Ways and Means of Heartlessly Tormenting Mr. Darcy’!

This story is no exception, and there is angst aplenty – though not always from the traditional sources! Take Wickham, for instance – the man we all love to hate. I don’t know how other people feel but, while I sometimes enjoy writing Wickham (especially his comeuppance!), a deep sense of gloom comes over me when the time comes to roll out his elopement with Lydia! It’s such a drag, and [Spoiler alert? Hmmm! Perhaps…] – well, anyway, given half a chance, I avoid writing it whenever I can! I absolutely hated how, in the original story, the news of their elopement thundered down and ruined what might have been a delicious time of courtship in Derbyshire, and the thought of Wickham forever breathing down Darcy’s neck, with a hand continually in Darcy’s pocket, is just too unfair to contemplate!

One way in which ‘The Second Chance’ deviates from the original story is that Wickham-the-Viper looses his teeth fairly early in the narrative. (No, Darcy does not punch him in the face – more’s the pity! – this was just a metaphor.). His poisonous half-truths are not so readily believed, because Elizabeth is already given an inkling that there is more to Mr. Darcy than meets the eye, and he is not quite as bad as the whole of Meryton would have him!

But I’d better start from the beginning – and try not to give too much away!

The story begins the day after Elizabeth’s arrival at Netherfield to tend to her ill sister and, although the same double-edged remarks fly back and forth between her and Mr. Darcy, an opportunity arises for her to see him not just as the arrogant and disagreeable man who had slighted her at the Meryton Assembly, but also as a compassionate gentleman who can be relied upon, in a time of crisis. A gentleman who bears no resemblance to the black-hearted villain Mr. Wickham would soon be all too eager to portray. So Mr. Wickham’s lies fall on deaf ears – but angst lovers would be pleased to learn that although some of the traditional pitfalls are avoided, our favourite characters are all too apt to dig themselves into a variety of fresh new ones instead!

And then the Bennets make their way into Devonshire and become acquainted with the Dashwoods, and all manner of toil and trouble is brewed there for Darcy, with the involuntary assistance of Colonel Fitzwilliam, ‘that charming plot-device’, as he was once ever so wittily dubbed, by Jack Caldwell, I believe.

Angst haters shouldn’t worry too much, though. This is not a story that finishes on the same page as the proposal, and several chapters are devoted to Elizabeth and Darcy’s happy time of courtship, as they get to understand each other better and do away with the last remaining obstacles in their path.

I hope this is a story you would like to read!

For now, here is a little excerpt:

* * * * *

Elizabeth smoothed her attire as she emerged from one of the carriages that brought her family to Netherfield, on the night of the ball.

The house looked at its very best, adorned with exquisite garlands and glittering with an abundance of light, and strains of remarkably well-performed music mingling with the buzz of conversation filled the rooms, adding to the all-pervading air of delighted anticipation. Elizabeth’s eyes were alight with pleasure as she looked around, her enjoyment complete.

From his position against the dark panelling, Darcy could do nothing but stare.

‘If I could write the beauty of your eyes…’

This was the picture he would take with him on the morrow, when he left Netherfield, Hertfordshire and Elizabeth behind. Her beauty, her joy, the sparkling laughter in her fine eyes. He would remember her and love her for as long as he lived.

Darcy tried to turn away but knew he could not. He would have been better advised to leave for town before the ball, he had always known it, but he could not have offended Bingley in this fashion–…

He stopped. Who would believe that this was what had kept him? Certainly not himself. The only reason he had not left Netherfield before the ball was that he could not bear the thought of not seeing her for one last time. 

People milled between them, a moving sea of muslin and lace dotted with dark hues and red, and Darcy simply stood there, drinking in the sight of her and committing to memory every detail of her appearance.

~ ** ~

Elizabeth’s enjoyment of the evening could only grow as familiar faces greeted her and were cheerfully greeted in return and snippets of friendly conversation were exchanged with people she had known all her life – that is, until a brief exchange with Lieutenant Denny, a close acquaintance of Mr. Wickham’s, turned her mind to less agreeable matters.

He had been commissioned, the Lieutenant said, to convey to her Mr. Wickham’s most particular regards and let her know that much to his regret, his friend had been obliged to go to town on business that could not be delayed. Then Mr. Denny added with a knowing smile that he did not imagine this business would have called Mr. Wickham away just then, if he had not wished to avoid a certain gentleman there.

Elizabeth pursed her lips, remembering Mr. Wickham’s boast that he had no fear of seeing Mr. Darcy – that Mr. Darcy might leave the country, but he would stand his ground. And yet there he was avoiding him, only a few weeks later!

She thanked Mr. Denny for his communication and excused herself, rather pleased that she was correct in her estimation of Mr. Wickham and his tissue of lies.

A few nights earlier, Elizabeth had told her sister Jane everything that Mr. Wickham had seen fit to speak of during the encounter at their Aunt Phillips. Once everything was shared and turned on every facet, they both agreed that despite Mr. Darcy’s initial objectionable manners, his later conduct had shown nothing that betrayed him to be unprincipled or unjust. That no man of common humanity, no man who had any value for his character could possibly treat his father’s favourite in such a manner, and that the friendship between someone capable of it and an amiable man such as Mr. Bingley would have been incomprehensible.

“I believe you like Mr. Darcy more than you used to, Lizzy,” Jane teased once they had concluded, and Elizabeth returned the smile.

“I have to admit that he does improve on acquaintance.”

“And pray, how much has he improved in your estimation?”

Leaning on her elbow across her sister’s bed, Elizabeth confessed:

“I never thought I would say this of Mr. Darcy of all people, particularly given the beginning of our acquaintance, but he might live in my memory as one of the most intriguing gentlemen I have ever met. But that is all. You must be aware, dear Jane, that there is a great disparity in our stations. He will never show any real interest in me. He has made it abundantly clear that he has no wish for our society. After all, he has not joined his friend in his visits to Longbourn in over a month, and I for one have no intention to make myself unhappy over him!”

Elizabeth was roused from her reminiscences as Sir John Ashworth of Ashworth Park, who had engaged her for the first set, approached to claim her hand. He was a well-educated man of pleasing appearance, with a talent for intelligent conversation and a ready sense of humour. He was recently returned from his travels in the south of Italy and his account of the places he had visited, as well as the anecdotes he had to relate, kept Elizabeth very well entertained for the duration of the first two dances.

~ ** ~

Darcy walked along the set, grimly determined to steer himself away from the galling picture of Elizabeth dancing with her personable young man. Yet for the longest of times, he could not tear his eyes away, her beauty, her laughter and her joie de vivre drawing him like nothing ever had – and the sight of that enticing curl let loose at the back of her neck, bouncing with every move and caressing her creamy skin was driving him out of his senses.

Why was he punishing himself so?

Why did he not withdraw to his chambers – or at least leave the ballroom?

He could not stir, as a fresh wave of jealousy swept through him. Was this the gentleman she had alluded to, that morning in the Netherfield library, all but a month and a half ago?

‘What if he was?’, Darcy observed sternly.

He was a pleasant-looking man, with an air of good breeding and more than a spark of intelligence in his countenance – but of course he would be. Elizabeth would not be attracted to a pompous fool!

Was she attracted to him, then? Possibly – given her smiles and her obvious enjoyment of his conversation.

‘So much the better. She could do far worse!’, Darcy told himself, but it served no purpose. There was not a single part of him that would believe it was for the best – and so he turned and walked away, lest he gave in to the fierce compulsion to go to her and say everything that should be left unsaid…

* * * * *
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt!

 

More details about my published and upcoming books are available here:

Amazon links: Books by Joana Starnes

Website: http://www.joanastarnes.co.uk/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joana.a.starnes

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Joana_Starnes

Thanks for reading, and many thanks for having me here, Janet, it’s been an absolute delight, as always!
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It is such a pleasure to have you visit again, Joana. Your post is entertaining and fun. Thank you for putting it together so quickly for me! The excerpt has piqued my interest even more and I can hardly wait to read your book. I am happy to announce that Joana will be giving away one eBook to a lucky winner, worldwide. Thank you, Joana. To be entered leave a comment below as I always love reading your 'share in the conversation'!  Good luck to all. Be sure to include your email address in the comment. To prevent unwanted spam, put your email address with (at) instead of @. Winners will be chosen in a random drawing. Giveaway will end at midnight, May 7, 2014.