Mr. Darcy - Bitten by Mary Lydon Simonsen

It has been way too long since Mary Lydon Simonsen, today's guest, visited my blog. It was back in April, 2013, when Ms. Simonsen was here talking about the cover of her then latest release, When They Fall in Love.  Today I am thrilled to welcome Mary Lydon Simonsen back to More Agreeably Engaged. She tells us about her books with Darcy as a werewolf and shares an excerpt from her latest novella, Mr. Darcy - Bitten. I read the first book, Mr. Darcy's Bite and really enjoyed it. Ms. Simonsen's research on wolves was well done and her story was compelling. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. Now, let's learn more about this new release!

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Available on Amazon

Thank you, Janet, for inviting me to write a guest post on your blog. It’s always a pleasure.

In 2011, I wrote a novel, Mr. Darcy’s Bite, published by Sourcebooks, in which Mr. Darcy is a werewolf. I have to say that of all my books, Mr. Darcy’s Bite is my favorite because it is a story of love and acceptance. When Elizabeth consents to marry Mr. Darcy, she is also agreeing to accept everything that goes with being the wife of a man whose life is dictated by the cycles of the moon. His secret becomes her secret, and she must protect him.

The response to the story was positive, and so I published a sequel, Mr. Darcy Bites Back. In that novella, someone from Mr. Darcy past puts all the pieces of the puzzle together and realizes that the Master of Pemberley is a werewolf. Not only is Darcy threatened by the villain’s knowledge of his second nature, but everyone he holds dear is also in danger.

Because the prequel was also well received, I have published a prequel to Mr. Darcy’s Bite. In Mr. Darcy – Bitten, we go back to the beginning when fourteen-year-old Master Fitzwilliam Darcy is bitten by a werewolf in the Black Forest while on holiday with his family. By the time, Darcy has become a man, he has accepted that his life will forever be ruled by phases of the moon. But will an accidental meeting with a she wolf fourteen years earlier prevent him from being with the woman he loves? (Parts of this story were previously published on austenvariations.net, but at least one-third of the book is new, and original content has been revised.)

Here is an excerpt from Mr. Darcy – Bitten. It begins with a conversation between Anne de Bourgh and Mr. Darcy about Elizabeth Bennet at Rosings Park`:

“Marriage?” Anne said. “But you once told me that you would only marry a she wolf or someone from the family of a werewolf.” 

Although she liked Elizabeth very much, the risks must be addressed.

“I did not make allowances for falling in love.”

“Has Elizabeth given you any encouragement?”

Darcy shook his head. To the contrary, when he had last seen her at the Netherfield ball, Elizabeth had walked off the dance floor in a huff as the dance had ended on a sour note with a discussion of George Wickham and Darcy’s supposed mistreatment of the son of his father’s steward. But knowing of her situation with regard to the entail, and because of the obvious benefits of such a match, surely she would accept his offer, that is, if she could accept the fact that, for two days during each lunar month, he became a creature of the night. In his mind, he saw his altered state as the only impediment to success.

“After daybreak, I hope to be in her company as often as possible,” Darcy explained. “It is my intention to smooth away the roughness of our previous encounters.”

In order for this to work, he needed Anne’s help. With her nephews in residence, Lady Catherine would have no need to send for the Collinses and their guest to entertain her. Anne must make sure that Elizabeth was invited to dine at Rosings.

“Yes, of course. But, William,” she said, placing her hand on her cousin’s arm, “do be careful. You must not reveal that you are a werewolf until after Elizabeth has accepted your proposal.”

Darcy disagreed. “To keep that information from her would be unfair to Elizabeth. She must understand what she is getting by way of a husband.”

“I understand what you are saying, but your safety is my primary concern.”

“You think Elizabeth will refuse me?”

“William, the possibility does exist that she will act contrary to her best interests. You must be prepared for rejection.”

Even with Anne’s words of caution, Darcy was determined to do this for one simple reason: he could not imagine life without Elizabeth Bennet.

You may ask why I don’t put all three stories into one novel? The problem is that while Mr. Darcy’s Bite was published by Sourcebooks, the sequel and prequel were published independently by me! That’s the bad news. The good news is that Sourcebooks has temporarily reduced the price of the e-book of Mr. Darcy’s Bite to $2.99.

As a way of celebrating the release of Mr. Darcy – Bitten, I am giving away a set of Mr. Darcy – Bitten, the prequel, and Mr. Darcy Bites Back, the sequel just in time for Halloween. Please leave a comment and an e-mail address where I can reach you by October 23rd.

Mr. Darcy Bitten on Kindle and Mr. Darcy Bitten on Nook for .99
Mr. Darcy Bites Back on Kindle and Mr. Darcy Bites Back on Nook for .99
Mr. Darcy's Bite on Kindle for $2.99

Mary LydonSimonsen’s Author Page on Amazon

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There you have it, Dear Readers! Oh, Mary Lydon Simonsen, I am a fan of your books! This sounds like a must read and I can hardly wait for the chance to do just that! I truly love wolves and they hold a soft spot in my heart. Since I love Mr. Darcy too, this a great combination for the paranormal adventure. It is perfect timing with Halloween coming soon.

Thank you so much for stopping by today and for offering such a generous giveaway. Please do not wait so long to visit again.

Readers, do not forget to leave an email address in your comment to be entered in this giveaway. Please take note that it ends earlier, at 11:59 PM, the 23rd of October.