Available on Amazon |
*****
Hello. I was born in South Korea a few years after the
Korean War. My father taught library science at Yonsei University. And -- being
from the American South, he also taught his students how to do the Virginia
Reel. My mother fostered Korean war orphan babies.
My folks returned to the United States in the early 60’s and
were active in the civil rights movement. We always had the kind of house that
was filled with books and magazines. Our family (with six kids by then) moved
to Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, in 1967. Then we had a house filled
with books, magazines, and war objectors playing guitar and singing “Where have
all the flowers gone.”
I put myself through university in Vancouver. Over the
years, I've been a home care aide, legal secretary, political speech writer,
office manager, and vocational instructor. Mainly I worked in non-profit
administration until suddenly deciding (in my late 50’s) to get an ESL teaching
certificate. So most recently I’ve been teaching English in China. My husband
Ross and I raised two boys; one is now a computer programmer and the other is
finishing law school.
Although I have not written much in recent years, I have
authored several lengthy non-fiction pieces about notable American crimes, such
as: the murder of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the Lindbergh kidnapping, the 1920
Wall Street bombing, the satanic ritual moral panic of the 90's, and the Rubin
Hurricane Carter case. These articles have been cited in over a dozen books and
been used in secondary school and university courses [for example, Sam Houston University, University
of Missouri-Kansas City] My article about O'Hair was used in a course on the
history of atheism at the Center for American Studies at Heidelberg University.
My Wall Street bombing article was referenced in a New York City Law Journal
Review article.
Last spring, after a long silence, my Muse showed up and
started writing this book in my head.
Hobbies, interests, passions and peeves: I've sung in a number of bands and choirs,
most recently the Kelowna International Choir. My husband and I love to travel
around Asia. I get buggy when people use possessive apostrophes when they
really mean plural, as in "apple's for sale."
*****
In
this excerpt from “A Contrary Wind,” Tom and Julia Bertram have caught their
sister Maria in a compromising situation with Henry Crawford, and therefore,
her engagement to the wealthy but dim-witted Mr. Rushworth must be called off.
*****
Tom Bertram could not long endure being the
only soul, apart from Julia, who knew what evil the day must bring. He woke his
brother Edmund before six o’clock and gave him enough information to comprehend
that Maria and Henry Crawford had secretly formed an understanding while Maria
was still pledged to Mr. Rushworth.
“What would I give not to have to perform
this interview with Rushworth, Edmund. I would almost condition for my father
to be here, rather than have this fall to my portion!” Tom exclaimed.
“But our father is expected every day, and
I grieve to think of how imperfectly we have discharged the trust he placed in
us, to superintend his daughters – “
“Stop! Stop, don’t preach to me now, for
pity’s sake, Edmund!” cried Thomas. “We have enough to do. We must break the
news to our mother, we must manage Julia somehow. Can she reconcile herself a marriage between Maria and Mr. Crawford?
What think you?”
“Perhaps, if given enough time. I can
hardly take it in myself and I never fancied myself in love with Crawford, as I
fear Julia has. But as awkward as this situation is, matters may yet tend for
the best. You know what misgivings I was harboring about Maria’s union with
Rushworth. Crawford is inferior to Rushworth in point of fortune, but his
superior in understanding, education, address, wit –
“Surpassing Rushworth in wit would be about
as challenging as surpassing our dear mother in enterprise.”
“Yes, yes, and perhaps this augurs well for
Maria’s happiness, once the scandal attached to the sudden dissolution of her
engagement to Rushworth passes over. However, can an understanding formed under
such circumstances be expected to prosper? Whatever intimations Crawford has
given to Maria of his attachment to her –
(May
you never know about the intimations Crawford gave to our Maria, old boy, Tom thought to himself.)
“– he knew she was promised to Rushworth.
What’s more, considering matters in this new light, I think Crawford’s manner
was a little too warm with Julia. I
was disposed to like Crawford, but, taken all in all, I doubt that Maria will
find lasting happiness with him. How can she rely upon his constancy,
faithfulness, honour? I will always regret how this came about, as should they.
Even though – “ Edmund could not but consider the effect upon her who was
always foremost in his thoughts – “even though I have reasons of my own for
desiring closer ties to this family. But happily for us, Tom, we may defer any
decision regarding a union with Crawford until our father’s return, which will
accord with our inclinations and his principles. He asked that Maria not
marry until he returned, and this condition should abide even if the bridegroom
changes.”
Tom suddenly had a happy inspiration. “You
are to become a clergyman soon, Edmund. Bearing sad tidings will be no small
part of your future duties. Who better than you to separate Maria from
Rushworth?”
Fortunately for Tom Bertram, nothing so
reconciled his brother to the performance of an unpleasant task than the hint
that it was a moral duty. Edmund charitably disregarded the motive that
prompted it, and saw matters as Tom could have wished – if he shrank from
addressing the follies and sorrows of others, he was perhaps unsuited for
ordination. With a heavy sigh, Edmund arose and dressed and sought out Mr.
Rushworth for the first of many unpleasant interviews that must be held before
the morning was over. He had never before had such cause to be thankful that
his mother was not in the habit of early rising, and that his Aunt Norris
preferred to take a dish of hot chocolate in her room before joining the family
at breakfast.
He cared not a jot for the loss of the
connection to Mr. Rushworth’s grand estates and fortune, and he hoped, rather
than believed, Maria would feel more regret for the pain she would be causing Mr. Rushworth, than for the loss of
Sotherton and all the consequence and distinction attached to it. But above all
Edmund wondered, how would Mary – for
so he thought of her – bear this news? Would she be chagrined, as he was, that
their near relations had engaged in secret intrigues – Maria, breaking her
pledge to another, and Henry, requiting the hospitality of the Bertrams in such
a fashion? Or would Mary welcome the joining of the two families as a precursor
to another, more intimate tie?
Edmund found Maria’s fiancĂ© – or so poor
Mr. Rushworth still fancied himself – pacing up and down in the little theatre,
attempting to memorize one of his two-and-forty speeches, beating time with one
hand as he furled and unfurled his copy of the script.
…..:In
a gay, lively, flimsy…..hang it all!
In a gay, lively, inconsiderate,
flimsy……. gay, lively, inconsiderate, flimsy, frivolous coxcomb…… such as…… such myself, it is… excusable. No, it
is inexcusable: In a gay, lively,
inconsiderate, flimsy, frivolous coxcomb such as myself, it is inexcusable.
For me to keep my word to a woman, would
be deceit: 'tis not expected of me. It is in my character to break oaths in
love.
A quiet shuffling, an ahem! brought Mr. Rushworth to order. He brightened at the sight of
Edmund. “Is everyone awake? Is breakfast ready?”
Although Edmund had never congratulated
himself on the prospect of having Mr. Rushworth as a brother-in-law, it was
with genuine shame that he explained the connexion between the families was not
to be, – if Mr. Rushworth wished to hear confirmation from Maria’s own lips he
should have it, but circumstances had arisen which compelled the Bertram
brothers, acting in loco parentis, to
state that they could not, in honour, countenance the proposed union. Maria had
transferred her affections to another – Mr. Rushworth could not be in doubt as
to whom Edmund referred – Mr. Rushworth was held in too high esteem by them
all, not excluding, of course, Maria, for any of them to be a party to the
marriage going forward under the present circumstances. Edmund observed Mr.
Rushworth’s countenance change slowly from perplexity, to surprise, to
indignation, before Edmund’s concluding ‘greatest esteem and very great
regret.’
Rushworth cleared his throat, and asked for
his carriage. “I think I shall go away. I believe I shall, Mr. Bertram. I
believe I shall go home to Sotherton.”
“Without,” he added, after some additional
thought, “Without seeing Miss Bertram. Or having breakfast.”
Edmund stayed with the disappointed lover
until his manservant was summoned, his valises were swiftly packed and his
carriage was brought round, and Mr. Rushworth left Mansfield Park, never to
return. Although Maria’s rejected suitor does not appear in this story again,
the reader may kindly wish to know that by the time he reached the outskirts of
Mansfield village, he was as angry as he had ever been in his life; by the time
he crested Sandcroft Hill, he was wanting his breakfast very much indeed, and
by the time he reached the long avenues leading to Sotherton, he was reflecting
that, all things considered, he was tolerably relieved that he would not marry
Miss Bertram, as for many months past she had been cold and careless in her
manner, rejecting even the touch of his hand, and causing him to doubt whether
she was of a truly amiable disposition.
*****
Digital on Smashwords |
A CONTRARY WIND: A VARIATION ON MANSFIELD PARK
What if Fanny Price, the meek and docile heroine of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, ran away from home? What if Fanny could no longer endure living with the Bertrams? What if she could not bear to watch Edmund fall in love with Mary Crawford?
In Lona Manning’s debut novel, Fanny Price is given an opportunity to change and grow, to learn and to make mistakes; while Edmund Bertram’s fascination with Mary Crawford, and Henry Crawford’s efforts to avoid matrimony, lead to completely different outcomes than in Jane Austen’s masterpiece.
All of the familiar characters from Mansfield Park are included, and many – such as Mrs. Norris and little Betsey Price – help drive the plot. New characters, such as the brusque but kindly widow, Mrs. Butters, and the impecunious but charming writer, William Gibson, are involved with the movement to abolish slavery. Real characters from history – politicians, writers, and sea captains, join the story and there are even some cameo appearances from characters in other Austen novels.
The text employs many of the techniques which made Jane Austen so popular – dialogue in which each character speaks in their own unique voice, free indirect style of narration, Johnsonian cadences, and some snark.
A Contrary Wind differs from Mansfield Park in that not all the scenes involving sex occur off-stage and instead of having “[t]hree or four families in a country village,” the action moves from Mansfield Park, to Bristol, London, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and the coast of Africa, where young Lieutenant William Price fights the slave trade as part of the West Africa Squadron.
“Like many Jane Austen fans, I’ve wished that Austen had written more than six novels,” says Manning. “’A Contrary Wind’ is my homage to Austen, and a bit of a “what if” scenario. I really loved working with the unforgettable characters Jane Austen created, such as Henry and Mary Crawford and Mrs. Norris, while adding a few new characters of my own.”
High resolution photos are available from http://www.lonamanning.ca/a-contrary-wind.html
A paperback version is available on Amazon.com and a digital version is also available on Smashwords.
Lona Manning is the author of “The Hurricane Hoax,” “The Murder of Madalyn Murray O’Hair,” and other true-crime articles available at True Crime Magazine online. She is currently teaching English in China. She and her husband make their home in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. This is her first novel.
For more information: lonaleemanning@gmail.com or www.lonamanning.ca
*****
Thank you for visiting More Agreeably Engaged and letting us get to know you a little and learn more about your new release. I'm so happy to have you visit. I believe this is my first time to have a Mansfield Park variation here. How neat that it is yours! I wish you much success!
Well, dear Readers, what do you think? Does not this sound like a good read to you? I know I want to read it! There is a giveaway so two of you will get the chance! Yes, that's right. Two digital books of A Contrary Wind are being given away and the giveaway is international. Leave us a comment and make sure I have your contact info, if you want to be entered in the giveaway. It will end on the 6th of March at 11:59 PM. (can't believe it is nearly March!) Good luck to all
Henry Crawford and Maria, I doubt it willlast
ReplyDeleteInteresting to learn the author's background and I do love a variation on Mansfield Park.
ReplyDeleteOho, Maria and Henry and the engagement called off. This will take it an interesting direction.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
sophiarose1816 at gmail dot com
Interesting premise, look forward to reading. Thanks for the giveaway. jadseah4 (at) yahoo
ReplyDeleteLooks like an interesting book, thanks for the giveaway. :)
ReplyDeleteI will confess that Mansfield Park has never been a favorite of mine. I like how the characters have changed in this variation and look forward to reading it. Thank you for the excerpt (I curious how Maria and Henry Crawford work out). Fanny runs away? The book sounds great! Thank you for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteMansfield Park is the only one of the six novels that I've really struggled with and hadn't read it for years. However, last year I got the audio version, wonderfully narrated by Juliet Stevenson, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't read a Mansfield variation yet, though I think I've got a couple squirrelled away on my Kindle somewhere. This new one sounds most intriguing and I'm now wondering how it all works out and who ends up with whom.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
angmardee (at) hotmail (dot) com