J Dawn King...Forgotten

Available on Amazon

Thank you so much for letting me drop by at the last minute, Janet. You are always so gracious. I brought some goodies for you: a basket of assorted pastries, two different brands of tea, and a lovely Brown Betty teapot. I hope you have time for a visit…and a short story I’ve resurrected from last year’s archives. If you will turn on the kettle, I’ll sort the pastries into your favorites and mine. Why don’t I read my story aloud so you do not have to interrupt your tasks? Would you mind?

It is my pleasure to have you drop by anytime and ohh, the goodies look delicious! Thank you so much for bringing them. What an adorable teapot! I will be very happy for you to sort the pastries for us while I rinse the teapot and get the tea on. Then I would absolutely be delighted for you to read your story aloud. What fun!

~~~~~~~~~~

FORGOTTEN!

Darcy was uncertain what it was that woke him from a sound slumber. His mind was filled with impressions as he opened his eyes. It was the master’s bed chamber at Pemberley. The sun had risen. And, there was a woman snuggled next to him. A woman!

He pulled his head back to see who had infiltrated his private sanctuary and found dark curls that his left hand had somehow entangled themselves in. His right arm was positioned underneath the woman’s head and his hand was… well, his hand was where it ought not to be. His body stiffened in panic; his movement waking the woman. What should he do now?

“William?” the woman muttered.

He knew that voice. He was sharing his bed with Miss Elizabeth Bennet!  His mind raced as it screamed for answers. How had she gotten from Hunsford to Pemberley? She had, only the night before, refused his offer of marriage. Why is she now here? How is she here now?

He could feel panic rising in his chest and it threatened to squeeze the breath out of him.

Elizabeth must have sensed his discomfort because she turned in his arms and faced him.

“Fitzwilliam, are you well?” She reached her hand up and soothed his brow. “My love, how can I help you?” She had never seen her husband in this condition. All that life had thrown at him since their marriage, he had handled with ease. Yesterday’s accident resulting in a small bump to his head surely had not caused him this amount of distress. The doctor had said that there might be some memory loss, but it would most likely be a quick recovery.

“We are married?”

“Yes, dear, we are. We have been married these nine years.”

“You share my bed?”

“Every night of those nine years, William.”

“Have we children?”

“We have two sons. Richard is seven years and Henry is five.”

“I named my heir after my cousin?” He was incredulous; even more so than waking to find he had married Elizabeth Bennet.

“You did, William.”

“Why?” Darcy was completely confused. Certainly, he had deep regard for his cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. However it was the custom of the Darcy’s to name the first born after the family name of the mother of the child. His firstborn should have been named Bennet Darcy.

Darcy was unaware that his hand continued to stroke his wife’s hair. Apparently his body remembered what his mind had forgotten.

Lizzy chuckled. “My love, I have never been told all of the details of your agreement with the colonel, but he is Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam no more and our son is named for him. Richard retired his commission and is married to a lovely woman with a strong hand that only just prevented their first son from becoming Fitzwilliam George Fitzwilliam.”

Darcy shook his head, completely perplexed by the events of the morning.

“You have several times called me “my love”. You love me?”

“More than my life, dear man.”

“And, we have two sons?”

“Yes, the same two boys as when you asked me but a moment ago.”

“And, what of Georgiana?” His mind easily pictured the shy, reticent fifteen-year-old whose heart was crushed after Wickham tried to elope with her. He wondered if she ever recovered.

“She is here at Pemberley and is an excellent aunt to our sons.”

His mind added the years of his marriage to the last he remembered of his sister. When he realized she had long passed her majority, he wondered that she was still in residence in his home.

“She is not married?”

“No, she is not yet married. Though, your frantic ride on that ridiculous stallion after her heart’s desire asked you for her hand yesterday might have resulted in your fall.”

“I fell of a horse? Impossible!” He reached up and soon found the lump on the back of his head; evidence that he might be wrong.

Elizabeth did not answer, but her right brow lifted. Darcy imagined it was a look that was often required for their boys.

“I fail to understand this, Elizabeth.” He thought for a moment. “I… I am pleased that we are wed and we have been blessed with children. I am also content that Georgiana has found someone to love and that she does not still suffer over Wickham. Why, though, would I not be pleased over her choice of a husband?”

“Because, my husband, it was George Wickham who asked for her hand in marriage.”

Two things happened at once. Darcy sat straight up in the bed while exclaiming, “WHAT!”, and he felt the immediate impact of the blow he had sustained during his ride the day before. He quickly laid back down. His mind was in turmoil. As the moments passed, vestiges of memory returned and started piecing themselves together.

George Wickham running off with Miss Lydia Bennet.

Hunting them down and forcing them to wed.

Returning to Longbourn to ask for Elizabeth’s hand.

Their wedding day.

The birth of their sons.

The purchase of that infernal colt.

Receiving the express from Longbourn that Lydia had run off with another officer and the two had perished in a coaching accident not far from Newcastle.

Wickham returned from battle, scarred and weary.

George Wickham courting Georgiana.

Yesterday.

“How could she, Elizabeth? How could a woman as sensible as Georgiana accept a man like him?

Elizabeth smiled at the expression on Darcy’s face. She clearly remembered the day George Wickham presented himself at Pemberley. Six years of marriage to Lydia Bennet and serving under the firm hands of superior officers had wrought a change in the man that was extraordinary. He was everything a gentleman should be and had spent the past few years proving it to himself and to others. It had taken those years to change Darcy’s attitude towards him. Eventually, he had been pleased to welcome back the friend from his youth. However, to welcome him as husband to Georgiana? That had been altogether different.

“She loves him, Will.”

“Truly?”

“She does.”

He sighed. “Then there is nothing left but to give her permission, is there?”

“No, my dear, there is nothing left. It is a testimony to her love and his respect of you that your approval was asked. She is plenty old enough to make her own choice and act on it.” She wrapped her arms around her husband and held him tight.

“Then I shall say yes.” It was quietly muttered. He felt Elizabeth’s smile on his neck, then he felt her quick kiss.

“You are a good man, Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

“I try to be.”

“Then, tell me about the bet you made with Richard.”

Yes, he lived his life each day trying to be the man his father wanted him to become. However, as memories came rushing in, he chuckled at the memory of why he had a son named Richard. It was a story worth telling, but one he would never share.

“And, what have you found such delight in, my husband?”

“Only you, my beloved. Only you.”

The End

My question to you, Janet, is what sort of wager between Darcy and Richard Fitzwilliam would have resulted in having their firstborn named for each other. Do you suspect it may have to do with the recalcitrant colt? It has been exactly 14 ½ months since I wrote this and I still cannot figure it out. Do you believe you or your friends might be able to assist me? I’m sure they know both Darcy and the colonel as well as I do.

BTW, I’m coming bearing gifts for a few who offer comments below within the next few days. The giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Stunning gifts I would love to have myself. There are two autographed print copies of The Abominable Mr. Darcy, two eBook copies of the same book, and one copy of Colours of Jane Austen, the most extraordinary coloring book I have ever seen that is only available from Indigo in Canada. Along with Colours will be a box of 72 colored pencils. It is so lovely that even the inside dust jackets have pictures to decorate. Swoon!!!

Oh, dear. Janet, I believe I am needed back in Hertfordshire. Mr. Darcy has gone and gotten himself in a bit of trouble with the locals and Miss Elizabeth Bennet is after his head. I’d best see if I can restore peace. Goodbye!

Joy, you must hurry along to Hertfordshire. I do hope you can sort things out for Mr. Darcy. That man! He does have his troubles, doesn't he? Bless his heart, they are usually of his own making, too. And Miss Elizabeth...goodness, I do wish she would not go after that handsome head of is. Please, please, restore the peace. 

Thank you J. Dawn King for stopping by and visiting today. The pleasure has been all mine and you are welcome to pop in anytime. Do consider bringing more of that delicious tea and those scrumptious pastries when you do too! :)

1 Colouring Book

2 Signed Paperbacks

2 eBooks

            

Colored Pencils go with Colouring Book

Now Dear Readers, it is time for you to have your treat! Ms. King has a special surprise for one lucky person as she has already mentioned. Just take a look above at these lovely things in the giveaway. There are five giveaways...two autographed print copies of The Abominable Mr. Darcy, two Ebook copies of it and one copy of a lovely Colours of Jane Austen colouring book with 72 colored pencils. I know I am just repeating what J. Dawn King already told you but, my goodness, don't you think such a generous giveaway is worth repeating? As you see, I definitely do. Thank you, Ms. King, for your generosity. I must tell you, I do love the cover of your book, The Abominable Mr. Darcy! :)

Tell us what you think may have been the wager between Darcy and Fitzwilliam. I must say, I am a bit stumped. I must continue to think on this one! As always, somewhere in your comment, please leave me your contact info so that you may be entered to win. If I cannot reach you, sadly, you cannot win. The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM on the 18th of July, 2016. Good luck to all!

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen...Cass Grafton & Ada Bright

 It has been such a long time since Cass Grafton visited my blog, too long, in fact. I'm so happy to have her back again, and this time with her friend and co-writer, Ada Bright. These two long time friends have written the soon to be released, The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen. It sounds like it will be such a fascinating read and I am all anticipation waiting for the chance to indulge in the pleasure of its company. I know that Cass Grafton is a very talented writer so I have no doubt this latest will be excellent, especially with the addition of another talented author. 

Cass and Ada agreed to answer some questions but have a few things they would like to say first. I'll turn the floor over to them before we begin the interview. L

Hello! We are Ada Bright and Cass Grafton. We’re friends who love to write together and, after years of talking about it, we’ve finally written a novel together, The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen.

Ada and Cass at Hogwarts

Firstly, we’d like to say how grateful we are to Janet for inviting us to More Agreeably Engaged. We had a lot of fun answering the questions below, which we hope will tell you a little more about the story and about us too.

Secondly, happy belated Fourth of July! For those of you who don’t know us, Ada is American and Cass is a Brit. We met many years ago on a small Harry Potter forum and instantly connected. In fact, the first stories we co-authored were Harry Potter fanfiction, though we soon found out we had shared obsessions in several genres, including the works of Tolkien and Jane Austen.

So, where do we start? This was a common question from Ada during the writing process

How about the most logical place? This was a frequent direction from Cass during the writing process.

Perhaps we should hand over to Janet to ask her questions!

Okay, ladies. Let us begin. What was the inspiration for your story, The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen?

Ada: *points to Cass*

Cass: Jane Austen’s main residence in the city of Bath (at No 4 Sydney Place) has been made over into four holiday apartments in recent years, giving fans the opportunity to stay in a house she once lived in.

Back in 2014, I had the chance to stay in the ground floor garden apartment. I went to bed the first night feeling a heightened sense of where I was - this was a building Jane Austen had lived in, and I was going to sleep here!

I wondered idly as I drifted off to sleep whether I would wake up in the middle of the night and find her ghostly figure wandering around (which in reality would have scared me witless!), but needless to say, nothing untoward happened. Until I got up, that is.

The door between the bedroom and the drawing room, which I had closed the night before, wouldn’t open! It had no visible lock, but though I tried everything, it simply would not budge! In the end, I had to resort to emailing someone from Bath Boutique Stays (the company which manages the holiday apartments) to ask for help!

They said it had never happened before, but my over-active imagination immediately wondered if it was because Jane Austen had been on the other side of the door! Then, later, I had the chance to sit down with Marcus Whittington, Director of Bath Boutique Stays, to talk about the building, and he informed me that the iron safe built into the back wall of the bedroom was sealed when they first came across it. Nothing they tried would open the heavy door, not even the expertise of a locksmith!

Off went my imagination again: was there something mysterious afoot? Some sort of protection on the safe so it would only yield to a certain hand?

From there, it was a quick step to a time-hopping Jane visiting Bath in the present day and staying at 4 Sydney Place, quickly followed by the thought: what if she became trapped here?!

So there it was! The early seeds of a story… I waffle, by the way. Ada will sum this up in about two sentences!

Ada: Yes, pretty much. Basically she had a great idea, and we knew we wanted to write something together. As far as I was concerned, the plot was secondary. As long as we were writing together, I had complete faith we’d figure something out.

Oh, I love how you came up with the idea! Your experience sounds terribly excitin, Cass. So,how far did you stray from that original outline:

Cass: Quite a lot!

Ada: Hardly at all!

Cass: The story took over in the end. We tried to steer it as best we could, but every now and then it would get away from us, and one of us would have to put the brakes on so we could work out where we were going!

Ada: Speaking of roles in our writing process, Cass has a great ability to see the big picture, and that includes when we needed to change something from the outline. One of my pluses is that I keep us moving - but without Cass, we’d be so far off on a tangent our story would be a mess.

Cass: And without Ada, the story would only be half written by now! 

Sounds like you are a great team. You did make me chuckle a bit there! J Would you give us some idea what the book is about?

Ada: The short answer is friendship, especially online friendships. And a mystery, with hints of romance. But friendship is the key.

Cass: That’s true. Our lead character, Rose, has long been an avid Jane Austen fan, so much so some decisions in her life have been influenced by her love of the author. Not only did she choose to rent the basement apartment below No 4 Sydney Place as her home, she also applied for her job - one she has grown to adore - because the office just happens to be located inside No 13 Queen Square (where Jane Austen is known to have stayed during a six-week holiday in her younger days).  

Rose has a rich social life on the Internet, based mainly around Austen-related forums, something she has been able to hide pretty effectively from her friends and colleagues in her day to day life, but this year, that is due to change. Rose has invited her best friend, Morgan, whom she has never met in real life, to the annual Jane Austen Festival. Despite some trepidation over mixing these two worlds, Rose is convinced it’s going to be the best week of her life.

That is, however, until she begins to get distracted by the visitor staying in the flat above hers, the ground floor holiday apartment of No 4 Sydney Place. The young lady is clearly a dedicated Jane Austen fan, from her very authentic Regency clothing to her attempts to speak in a Regency style, but she seems both fascinated and amused by this Festival honouring the famous author.

Rose’s continued interactions with the lady begin to cause her some disquiet, but things soon take a dramatic turn, and Rose and her new friend find themselves in an alternate reality with no clear idea of how to set things right.

Now you have my interest. I need to read the ‘rest of the story’. Did you have some characters which surprised you during the writing process and if so, which ones surprised you most?

Cass: Funnily enough, Jane Austen herself! She was supposed to be a background figure, never really interacting with our characters, and she certainly didn’t have lines!
Ada: I remember very clearly Cass setting up this rule at the beginning - that she did not want us to have the burden of trying to write believable dialogue for Jane Austen.

Cass: But she simply wouldn’t stay away, infiltrating our original plot, and the more we developed it, the more she insisted on participating! I love her, but she did give us some difficult moments!

Ada: The character that surprised me most is Rose’s best friend from America (I was in charge of developing her character - do you think I was typecast??). I thought I had a clear vision of her being not at all like me. I was picturing all the confident and spontaneous women I know in the real world when setting up the character, but as we went further, and especially when we started having to figure out how her life would have changed if Jane Austen had never published her books, I found her to be more vulnerable than I thought she’d be.  

I also did not realize I would fall quite so in love with James (Rose’s boss)… but… I might have a bit of a crush that is fairly obvious if you read the pages and pages that we had to cut that were from James’ point of view!

James must be quite the character for you to have a bit of a crush. Speaking of those cuts, what were the hardest cuts you had to make?

Ada: Small cuts are bliss with a co-writer, because as you read or edit you naturally cut the things that don’t work or the other person does, so it’s like magic editing. My biggest “darling” that had to be cut was as mentioned above - an entire POV!

Originally, we gave James his own POV so Rose and James’ scenes would intercut in a neat way, but as the story progressed, we realised there was simply no place for James’ journey as a character. We tried, believe me! I still mourn the scenes that never were (though a good amount of James’ Act 1 scenes were already written, and we plan to share some of these on our Blog once the book is out).

Cass: The hardest cut for me - after losing James’ POV, but that did happen quite early on - was a scene set in Chawton nearer the end of the book.

I love Chawton; I can feel Jane Austen all around me when I’m there, but especially inside Chawton Cottage, so I found writing a scene with Rose and Jane there really touched and inspired me. (note from Ada: It is a BEAUTIFUL piece of writing). However, as we were editing, it became clear the emotion from that scene was in the wrong place for where the ending of the story was going. We also found ourselves facing a dilemma, where we had too many different endings on our hands. In fact, not even counting this Chawton cut, we had three endings going until the last possible moment we had to choose.

I do hope you will share some of those cut scenes and especially the ones you just mentioned. Moving on to your Leading men: are any of them inspired by an Austen hero; Mr Darcy, perhaps?

Ada: No, but *sigh* I just like thinking about them.  

Cass: Not intentionally, but Jane Austen gave us some lovely heroes, so it’s hard not to be influenced by them!

So although neither of our two male leads are meant to invoke a particular Austen hero in your mind, we can’t deny they may have Darcy-like qualities, or a hint of Wentworth somewhere about them!

Ada: Aiden (an archaeologist who comes to speak at the Jane Austen Festival) is somewhat aloof, dark and dreamy, with intense eyes and a deep voice. He’s the man everyone is staring at but who doesn’t himself realize it. He’s completely wrapped up in his work. And James (Rose’s boss) is motivated, constant and implacable, and a little surprised by who catches his eye!  

That’s great! So - anything else you’d like to say in summary about the book?

Cass: If you’ve lots of friends you’ve made through online communities, whether you’ve met in person or not, we think you’ll enjoy the read! If you’ve ever been to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, it’s a chance to re-live it, and if you’ve never been but would love to, come and live vicariously through the characters!

Of course, it’s also a mystery with hints of romance, so hopefully something for everyone!

Ada: Yes - can you tell we had trouble deciding on its genre?! And we really take you on a mini-tour of Bath, which is a great place to visit no matter how obsessive you run on the Jane Austen meter. We love our characters and hope you do too!

~~~~~~~~~~

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen is due to be released in paperback and eBook (all formats) on 7th July, and is already available for pre-order at all the usual online stores (links below).

You can find us hanging out on our Blog, Tabby Cow: https://tabbycow.com

Cass and Ada at The Royal Crescent

Alternatively, we can be found on:

Facebook

Ada Bright: https://www.facebook.com/missyadabright

Cass Grafton: https://www.facebook.com/cassie.grafton

Twitter

Ada: https://twitter.com/missyadabright  @missyadabright

Cass: https://twitter.com/CassGrafton @CassGrafton

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 Pre Order Links

Amazon

Smashwords (for all eBook formats including Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, PDF etc)

  

Barnes &Noble Nook

Kobo

iBooks

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Blurb

It’s September, and the city of Bath is playing host to the annual Jane Austen Festival, a celebration of the famous author and her works.

Rose Wallace, Bath resident and avid Jane Austen fan, can’t wait for her friends to arrive and the Festival to start, unaware one of the recently arrived guests will turn her life upside down by sharing with her a secret that ultimately puts Jane Austen’s entire literary legacy at risk.

With the support of a displaced two hundred year old author and a charmed necklace, can Rose help to bring back some of the most beloved stories of all time and turn her own life around in the process?

~~~~~~~~~~

Ms. Grafton & Ms. Bright, it has been great having you visit More Agreeably Engaged. Cass, please don't wait so long to come back next time. Ada, I hope you will visit again soon. I so enjoyed your interview answers. You made me smile and you aroused my curiosity. From the blurb and your comments during the interview, I think this is a book that anyone who loves JAFF should enjoy reading. I wish you much success with its release on the 7th.

Did I mention that I love your cover? No? Well, I absolutely do. It is a beautiful cover. Well done!

Now readers, to the part where you get a chance to win this awesome book and some other fabulous prizes! Wait until you see what these two have in store for a lucky winner. First of all, an eBook OR Paperback copy of The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen, winner's choice, is available internationally. In addition to the book of your choice, there is much more to this giveaway. Are you ready? I am excited to tell you, there is a lovely necklace with a quote from Captain Wentworth's letter, the screenplay of the 1995 Persuasion, a Jane Austen silhouette pin and a miniature copy of Persuasion from the Jane Austen House Museum. Isn't that a great gift for ONE lucky winner? Remember, it is international! Thank you, Cass Grafton and Ada Bright for such a generous giveaway! 

                         close up view of necklace                                       screenplay              

Readers, please leave a comment to be entered. Include your contact info because you do not want a lack of contact info to keep you from having a chance at this fab prize! The giveaway will close at 11:59 PM on the 11th of July. Good luck to all. 

Miss Darcy's Companion...Joana Starnes

Available on Amazon

I am always excited when I know Joana Starnes is coming for a visit. She has become one of my favorite writers and I know her posts will live up to her reputation as a fabulous writer. Well, she did not disappoint this time! This excerpt is one that will bring a smile and a chuckle. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It is from Ms. Starnes latest release, Miss Darcy's Companion. The book is getting fabulous reviews. Congratulations, Joana Starnes. I can hardly wait to read it myself. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Many thanks, Janet, for welcoming me here today on the blog tour for ‘Miss Darcy’s Companion’. Everyone who has kindly followed the blog tour so far knows – and those who haven’t surely imagine – that Miss Darcy’s companion is none other than Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who comes to Pemberley after her father’s passing to bring Georgiana out of her shell and also bring cheerfulness and laughter into Mr Darcy’s life, before she goes ahead and turns it upside down. And why is that? Because he is drawn like a moth to a flame. Of course he is, even though he barely knows it. And the family is no help at all, quite the opposite. Especially a very vexing cousin.

This is hardly the time to talk of Christmas boughs, when it’s hot and humid and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for sunny days at the beach and barbecue weather. But I’m hoping that for the sake of a rather flustered Mr Darcy you might be willing to forget it’s summer for a few minutes, as the excerpt takes you to Pemberley to see the household getting ready for Christmas, from the youngest maid to their master, with plenty of good cheer to go round.

* * * *

Nothing like their usual quiet and unobtrusive selves, and uncensored for it at this time of year, the maids were now scurrying hither and thither with basketfuls of greenery to decorate the mantelpieces and the picture frames, while in the parlour Georgiana and Miss Bennet were putting the finishing touches to the Christmas Bough. In time-honoured fashion, ivy and holly were entwined around its hoops and, as a result of the young ladies’ efforts, it now stood resplendent, ornamented with red ribbons, gilded nuts, fire-red apples and the customary sprig of mistletoe.

When Peter was summoned to take it to the entrance hall and suspend it in the designated spot from a hook never used for another purpose, Hetty and Margaret skipped after him, clapping and chanting “The Kissing Bough! The Kissing Bough!”, while the other three followed at a more leisurely pace, exchanging warm glances at their childish glee.

Once they gained the hall the girls stood aside to let Peter go about his task, but as soon as it was done and the ladder removed, they rushed to be the first to embrace under the bough and follow a custom they both loved, little as they understood it. They were too young to know that for hundreds of years the bough had reigned supreme over Christmas celebrations as a sign of goodwill and new beginnings. With an embrace beneath it, all the ills and wrongs of the previous year were set aside and instantly forgotten, as relations, neighbours, friends or mere acquaintances silently undertook to go forth with gratitude, benevolence and a light heart.

Margaret and Hetty might have lacked this insight, but did not lack lightness of heart as they resumed their chanting and linked arms to dance under the bough. They only stopped when a voice called from the foot of the stairs:

“I have never heard such a racket on this side of the Channel. What strange and fearsome tribe has come to invade?”

Supremely undaunted, the girls ran to their uncle.

“The Kissing Bough is up, Uncle Richard,” Hetty piped up and both girls reached to clasp his hands and tug him forward, until he was standing underneath it.

He willingly obliged, the corner of his mouth curled into a mock grimace:

“Oh, is it now? Well, if needs must,” he said, and bent down to kiss Margaret’s upturned cheek, then Hetty’s.

He scooped the youngest up, while she squirmed and declared that his whiskers were awfully ticklish and, with his giggling niece in his arms, he turned to drop a kiss on Georgiana’s cheek – and likewise Miss Bennet’s. The latter blushed becomingly, yet took it in good cheer. It was Darcy who frowned and, as soon as Fitzwilliam had straightened from setting down his wriggling burden, he stepped closer and lowered his voice to sternly deliver:

“Was that really necessary, Cousin?”

But the other grinned in the most provoking manner.

“Oh, quite. ‘Tis a time-honoured tradition. In fact, seeing as you are so mindful of old customs, I wonder at your scorning this one,” he added, to Darcy’s growing irritation.

Miss Bennet’s heightened colour showed she overheard the flippant comment, and Darcy silently cursed his cousin for it – only to curse himself a fraction of a second later, when he discovered to his acute mortification that, of their own volition, his eyes were fixed on her full, perfect lips. His neckcloth suddenly too tight, he swiftly glanced away, while she turned to the girls to ask if they wished to help decorate the music room. They eagerly agreed and the trio hastened on their way, followed by Georgiana, thus leaving Darcy with his cousin – and his roiling vexation. He could not stop from scathingly observing:

“Since you are such an authority on ancient customs, are you not forgetting something?”

“What is that?”

“Such licence is permitted only if you can pluck a berry from the mistletoe.”

Fitzwilliam glanced up with a grin.

“Either by accident or by design, you had it hung up too high. Besides, you know as well as I do that pecks on the cheek were not what they had in mind with that proviso. But fear not, when the time comes I will find a way to reach those berries,” he laughed, the aggravating show of confidence making Darcy wish he had instructed Peter to hang the troublesome thing a great deal higher. There was still time to do so. And he would, by Jove, if Fitzwilliam persisted in this infuriating manner!

“You will excuse me,” he abruptly took his leave.

* * * *

I hope you enjoyed the excerpt and that you’ll like the full story. Please leave a comment for the chance to win a Kindle copy of ‘Miss Darcy’s Companion’, available internationally. Thanks for stopping by and many thanks again, Janet, for the wonderful welcome, you’re always so very kind and it’s such a delight to be your guest!

Available on Amazon, UK

About the author:

Joana Starnes lives in the South of England with her family. She has published six Austen-related novels:

v  From This Day Forward ~ The Darcys of Pemberley ~ A Pride & Prejudice sequel

v  The Subsequent Proposal ~ A Tale of Pride, Prejudice and Persuasion

v  The Second Chance ~ A Pride & Prejudice – Sense & Sensibility Variation

v  The Falmouth Connection ~ A Pride & Prejudice Variation set in Poldark territory

v  The Unthinkable Triangle ~ A Pride & Prejudice Variation, where loyalty comes at loggerheads with love

v  Miss Darcy’s Companion ~ A Pride & Prejudice Variation

They are available on all Amazon sites.

Books by Joana Starnes at Amazon.com

Books by Joana Starnes at Amazon.co.uk

You can connect with Joana Starnes on:

Facebook

Website

Twitter

Or visit ‘All Roads Lead to Pemberley’ on Facebook, for places, events and titbits that have inspired her novels.

Thank you, Joana Starnes, for sharing such a 'delicious' excerpt from Miss Darcy's Companion with me and my readers. It was delightful and especially nice to read about Christmas during the hot summer weather. It made me forget the heat for a few minutes! Besides, who wouldn't love thinking about Mr. Darcy under a kissing bough at Christmas? ~sigh~  (and that vexing cousin, the Colonel too!)  I'm so glad you visited at More Agreeably Engaged and I hope you know you are welcome anytime.

Dear Readers, leave a comment telling us what you think and you will be entered in the giveaway for one eBook of Miss Darcy's Companion. This giveaway is international. Also be sure to leave me your contact info. The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM on the 4th of July, 2016. Good luck to all! 

My share in the conversation...The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet

Available on Amzaon

The Blog Tour for Caitlin Williams's The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet, makes a stop here today. I am reviewing the book and must say, I enjoyed the read very much! Thank you, Caitlin Williams, for sharing your talent with us.

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Book Review: The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet by Caitlin Williams

This is the first book that I have read by Caitlin Williams. I have Ardently, and hope to read it soon, especially now that I have read this release. The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet begins after the death of Mr. Bennet. It is much earlier in time than canon as Elizabeth is only fifteen years of age. Her father has arranged for her to go live with his long-time friend, Mr. George Darcy of Pemberley and be raised with Georgiana. When Mr. Darcy, his son, Fitzwilliam Darcy and the governess, Miss Temple, arrive to meet Elizabeth and take her home, Lizzy is nowhere to be found. Confused and angry, not understanding why her father would want her to live so far away from Jane and her sisters, she has donned a disguise and run away from Longbourn. When it is time for all to leave, Fitzwilliam Darcy stays behind to find the young Miss Bennet and deliver her to Pemberley. This begins a journey, part good, part misunderstanding, that will forever change the lives of Darcy and Elizabeth.

The twenty-three-year-old Fitzwilliam has been disappointed in a relationship and is a touch bitter. That bad boy, George Wickham, is at it again! The woman of interest, Lady Emma Balcombe, could rival Caroline Bingley in manner and behavior. She will continue to make problems for the young Mr. Darcy and his charge. Miss Williams wrote Lady Emma well. She created in me a strong dislike for this ‘lady’ but also a soft spot for her sister, Lady Constance, who was a gentle and kind soul. Their portrayal and the incidents involving them, add greatly to the plot.

Among the many things that I liked about this book were members of the Darcy family. Mr. Darcy, the father, was a nice man and his relationship with Elizabeth became one much like a father and daughter would have. It was a touching bond that I enjoyed seeing grow. I loved Colonel Fitzwilliam. He played a very significant role as did Georgiana. The governess, Miss Temple, had a subtler guidance but one that was just as important. These were people in Elizabeth’s life that helped her become the Elizabeth Bennet of canon and it was neat to see their influence and shaping of her.

One of the things that I was not as fond of was the length of time that Fitzwilliam Darcy stayed away from home. I felt he was a little out of character with some of his behavior. I do not believe he would have left Georgiana and Elizabeth for such long periods. I think I understand the purpose of these absences to the storyline but I could not feel quite comfortable with them.

Overall, I very much enjoyed The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet. It was a book that I had trouble putting down! I found the tone of Ms. Williams’s writing to be excellent and her story-telling delightful. Her plot was different and her Regency language good. This is a book I highly recommend to anyone who loves Jane Austen Fan-fiction!

Well done, Caitlin Williams. I look forward to more from you.

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Book Description

The very worst has happened. Mr Bennet has died, leaving his wife and five young daughters bereft. The family estate, Longbourn, is now lost, entailed away and fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Bennet is to go two hundred miles away to live with strangers. George Darcy, repaying a debt of gratitude, has offered to take her to Pemberley, to live under the mantle of his care and be raised alongside his own daughter, Georgiana.

But on the day she is to leave Longbourn forever, young Elizabeth, grieving and confused, runs off into the Hertfordshire countryside. Fitzwilliam Darcy gives chase, telling his father he will have her back in an hour or two. Luck and fate, however, are not on his side and capturing Elizabeth Bennet turns out not only to be more difficult than he could ever have imagined, but events conspire to turn her little adventure into his worst nightmare.

The prideful man and the girl prejudiced against him, meet much earlier in this rethinking of Jane Austen’s masterpiece. Elizabeth grows up under the ever-watchful eye of Mr Darcy, from fifteen to twenty-one.  She errs and falters, there are stumbles and trips, but could this ‘disobedient little hellion’ one day become mistress of Pemberley and the keeper of his heart?

Author Links:

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Facebook: Caitlin Williams

Goodreads Author Page: Caitlin Williams

Goodreads Blog Page: Caitlin Williams

Author Biography

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Caitlin Williams lives in Kent, England, with her family. She fell in love with all things Regency as a teenager, but particularly admires the work of Jane Austen and the way she masterfully combines humour and romance, while weaving them through such wonderful stories and characters.

Pride and Prejudice is Caitlin’s favourite novel and she finds Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet so deliciously entertaining that she likes to borrow them from Ms Austen and enjoys the challenge of putting them in different places and situations.

Her debut novel, Ardently, was written as a hobby, usually with her laptop balanced on the kitchen worktop, typing with one hand, a glass of wine in the other, while she also attempted to cook dinner and keep her children from killing each other. The success of Ardently was as much a surprise to her, as it was to anyone else, and she has been thrilled and genuinely thankful for the positive responses and reviews it generated.

Her second novel, The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet, is a portrait of a much younger Elizabeth, who is thrown into an extraordinary set of circumstances due to the premature death of Mr Bennet, and she hopes you all enjoy it very much.

The Coming Of Age Of Elizabeth Bennet Blog Tour Description

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A coming-of-age story told in four volumes between Austen’s infamous couple; savor the story of the prideful man and the girl prejudiced against him, as they meet much earlier in this rethinking of Jane Austen’s masterpiece, Pride & Prejudice. Could this ‘disobedient little hellion’ one day become mistress of Pemberley and the keeper of his heart?

Caitlin Williams, author of the highly-praised book, Ardently, tours the blogosphere from June 13- June 26, 2016 to share her newest release, The Coming Of Age Of Elizabeth Bennet. Fourteen book bloggers, specializing in Austenesque fiction and romance stories, will share excerpts, guest posts, an exclusive interview with the author and book reviews from this highly awaited Austen-inspired novel. Eight ebooks are also being included in our giveaways and entry is available to anyone who participates in this blog tour. 

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Blog Tour Schedule

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June 13/ My Jane Austen Book Club/Launch Post/“Happy Birthday Fanny Burney & The Coming Of Age Of Elizabeth Bennet” & Giveaway

June 14/ So Little Time... / Book Excerpt & Giveaway

June 15/ Just Jane 1813/An Exclusive Interview with Caitlin Williams

June 16/ Pemberley to Milton/Book Review & Giveaway

June 17/ Margie's Must Reads/ Book Excerpt & Giveaway

June 18/ The Calico Critic/Book Review & Giveaway

June 19/ Babblings of a Bookworm/“The Education of a Young Lady” Guest Post & Giveaway

June 20/ Half Agony, Half Hope/Book Review

June 21/ More Agreeably Engaged/ Book Review & Giveaway

June 22/ My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice /Book Excerpt & Giveaway

June 23/ Liz's Reading Life / “A Nod and A Wink to Austen” Guest Post & Giveaway

June 24/ Diary of an Eccentric/Book Review

June 25/ Laughing With Lizzie/ “The Young Master” Guest Post & Giveaway

June 26/ A Covent Garden Gilflurt's Guide to Life/ "A Most Scandalous" Guest Post

Thank you for stopping by and please be sure to visit the other blogs for a chance to win one of the eight eBooks that are up for grabs. I would love to hear your thoughts so leave a comment if you feel inclined.