Guest Post: Featured Poem from Any Dumb Animal by AE Hines

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming AE Hines to the blog to share a poem from his new collection, Any Dumb Animal, and a little about its inspiration. Please give him a warm welcome.

My Father’s Son

If my father was ever tender, I don’t remember.
By the time I could forge memories, he’d grown
hard, cold like the hood of his Pontiac
on a January morning. Surely he must have changed
my diaper or offered me a bottle when my mother’s milk
ran dry. Held me when I cried.

Biology has blessed us with the strongest recollection
for what to avoid, so I don’t know if he ever lifted
my little body to the sky, or carried me on his shoulders.
Instead I’m left with random sensations — the burn
of the electric fence on my uncle’s farm,
how my father told me to grab hold of the naked wire,
so that I might remember, he said, so that I could learn.

I can still make out my uncle’s orchard, the sun glinting
off the silver leaves, but not the first time I crushed
a grape between my teeth or tasted the juices straight
from my fingers. Perhaps there’s simply too much good
to remember, too little space in our brains to hold
both the good and bad.

When I was sixteen, overtaken by desire, I first
understood what my father thought of me.
He said the saddest son-of-a-bitch he ever knew
lived out in the woods with a daughter who longed
to be a son, and a son who chased every boy in town.

It was the same year he left our family, the year
I discovered in his belongings a picture he had taken
of me when I was four. All cherub smile, the sun ablaze
in my hair — a photo he must have treasured
since he said he’d kill me before he let me have it.

Which is really something when you think about it —
the memory of the boy he had seen through the lens
so much better than the real thing standing
right there before him.

AE Hines

On “My Father’s Son”

Like much of the collection, this poem explores human relationships through the faulty lens of memory and one’s own personal history. “My Father’s Son,” did originate from actual incidents in childhood, just as the narrative describes. But as I explored these memories, I found myself more interested in what wasn’t there, particularly in relation to my own father. Surely, there were moments of tenderness hidden in there, even if obscured by time and the grooves that trauma and conflict etch into our brains. I wanted a true and compassionate rendering, but there were holes. Those gaps became an organizing theme for the piece. Interestingly, my own son is the same age as the speaker at the end of this poem, and I am roughly the same age as the father. I can’t help but wonder what, in thirty or forty years, my son will remember most about his childhood, particularly in relation to me. So many of our memories seem colored by what we want to see, what we wish was there, in a sort of magical thinking that people and circumstances – even in the past – will conform to our demands. The father at the end of this poem seems unable to see his own son, as he is, standing right there. Instead, he prefers the memory (symbolized by a picture) he has created in his mind of who he had hoped his son would be. I only hope I’ve done better than this as a father, myself. Time, as they say, will tell. Or, it won’t. That’s the thing, isn’t it?  This poem is an acknowledgment that none of us has the full story. Human memory is there for our evolutionary survival, not our pleasure. And every story we tell ourselves about our past is, at least partially, a lie.

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Thank you so much for being my guest today and sharing your work with my readers. Congratulations on your new release!

For more on Any Dumb Animal, and to follow the blog tour, please click the button below.

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There You Were by Michelle Ray: Excerpt + Giveaway

Hello, friends! I’m thrilled to welcome Michelle Ray to the blog today to celebrate the release of her new Pride and Prejudice variation, There You Were. Michelle is here to share an excerpt from the novel, and there’s a giveaway as well. Please give her a warm welcome!

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Hi Anna! Thank you for hosting me and There You Were. I hope that you and your readers enjoy this excerpt. After the death of Colonel Fitzwilliam, husband of Elizabeth and cousin of Mr Darcy, Mr Darcy begins to spend time with Elizabeth and her children as caretaker and friend. 

At the end of January, a knock came at the door. When I opened it, I blinked a few times, unsure of whether to throw my arms about Darcy’s neck or send him away. While my deepest desire was to kiss him long and hard (something I had imagined too many times), I knew that was a disastrous idea.

“Darcy.” My legs quaked, so I grasped the door frame to steady myself.

I could not discern the expression on his face. Was it agony? Was it hope? But before I could decide, the children attacked him with hugs and stories, hardly allowing him inside.

When at last the hubbub had died down, I invited him inside. “I am pleased to see you, sir. I did not know whether to expect you or not.”

“I did not know myself if I should come. It was Thomas’s letter which decided the matter for me.”

Our conversation proceeded in fits and starts. There was both too much and too little to be said and any time we began, the children would interrupt us. At length, he said, “I wonder, Elizabeth, if you would consent to me calling on Sundays?”

“But of course.”

We were all happy, though I wondered at the change in his habit of a daily visit.

So it began, his weekly visit on Sunday afternoons, conducted in a manner of utmost propriety. He was attired as a gentleman ought to be and he behaved as a gentleman would. The children were attended to by me or by Nora, we served him tea, and we spoke of inconsequential matters. The children begged him not to leave each time, knowing so much of the dreary week was left and they would be stuck inside without their favourite entertainment if he went.

One Sunday, Nora was attempting to train the newly hired servant, Patience, to bake a meat pie. The girl was comically slow to learn, and we endeavoured to ignore Nora’s frustration and insults whilst I served tea.

Darcy reached for a spoon and brushed my arm. My breath caught and my stomach tightened. He noticed and asked if I was all right.

“Yes,” I said, smoothing my hair. He was used to my shifts in mood, so I hoped he suspected nothing. I attempted to convince myself that I had been alone for many months and that I was reacting to being touched by a man, any man. But I knew that was not true. It was Darcy, for I was in love with him.

Nora sounded as if she was losing her forbearance with Patience, which was difficult to ignore given our close quarters. I suggested we take the children outside given the unseasonably lovely day. After wrestling the little ones into coats and hats and mittens, we walked to the stream. Upon our return to the cottage, he and I stood together in the sunshine, watching the children play.

“I wish James could see them growing and changing,” I said. I wondered if I brought him up to put distance between Darcy and myself.

“He did cherish his children,” he said, staring at Thomas spinning with Henry.

“Yes. On the days he felt well.” I remembered the day Darcy called with my sister and Bingley and spotted my bruises. “I hope his soul is more at peace now than it was on Earth.”

Darcy touched my arm, but as I turned to him, Nora came outside. She cleared her throat, making us jump and take a step away from one another, though we had not been standing too close. “Ma’am,” she said, her eyes darting between us, “Patience has quit. Shall I look for another girl?”

I nodded and excused myself, explaining to Darcy that Nora would surely need my help now that she was alone again in the kitchen.

More and more often on these little visits, I found myself staring at Darcy, hoping we would have occasion to touch. I felt ridiculous, like I was fifteen again. Each pang of desire was both thrilling, and a betrayal of my husband. I was never able to shake James from the moment, and all attempts to push thoughts of Darcy away by thinking about my life with James only led to feeling lonely again. Worse, comparisons between the men left Darcy appearing far more favourable. I considered asking Darcy to stay away again, yet his visits were something to look forward to for all of us, and in truth I did not want them to end.

When he was gone, I could not stop thinking of his warm eyes topped with those delightfully full brows, or his chin, squared off and dimpled to perfection, best seen up close. Too close. I loved when we had occasion to stand so near that I could smell him, a perfect mix of scented soaps, leather, and manliness. I adored when he absently ran his fingers through the strands of his thick brown hair. My heart raced as I considered these things.

In late February, he departed for Pemberley, prompted by a request from Georgiana that he not leave her alone for her birthday. The house—indeed, Meryton itself—seemed a colder, far lonelier place, the effect heightened by the bleakness of the season. And yet, my passion, my longing for him did not cool.

I had to push him out of my mind, but how?

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About There You Were

“I was not looking for love, but there you were. I cannot stop it, I cannot indulge it, so I must put distance between us and hope that time will heal this fever I have.”

Abandoned by her mother and ignored by her father, it is hardly any wonder young Elizabeth Bennet’s curiosity soon brings about trouble and marriage to a man she does not love. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s family—save for his cousin Mr Darcy—despises her, and life is not what she dreamed of. As she matures and grows from an impetuous girl into a woman, Elizabeth’s most reliable source of friendship and comfort becomes Mr Darcy. When tragedy strikes leaving her a widow, she is free to find out [discover?] who has been in her heart all along. 

Darcy has always been intrigued by the girl his beloved cousin married, and finds himself drawn into helping her after her husband’s death. Over time, admiration turns to love. Admitting his feelings to her – or even himself – could lead to ruin, but denying his passion could shatter him.

Buy on Amazon

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About the Author

Michelle Ray is a middle school literature teacher who also directs plays, writes stories, and sees as many Broadway shows as she can. She grew up in Los Angeles and went to the awesome Westlake School for Girls where theater had the cachet of football and the girls were in charge of everything. She lives with her husband and daughters near Washington DC, and dreams of traveling anywhere and everywhere.

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Giveaway

Quills & Quartos is generously giving away an ebook copy of There You Were as part of the blog tour. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be chosen a week after the blog tour ends (June 25, 2021). Good luck!

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Thank you, Michelle, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new book!

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Susan by Alice McVeigh: Guest Post, Excerpt + Giveaway

Hello, friends! I’m delighted to welcome Alice McVeigh to the blog today to celebrate the upcoming (June 30) release of her new novel, Susan, a prequel to Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. Alice is here today to talk about the inspiration for Susan and share an excerpt and giveaway. Please give her a warm welcome!

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“I wanted a little more connection between Susan Smithson and Lady Susan. Lady Susan is a great villainess. Here, while Susan was manipulative at 16, she wasn’t even remotely horrible.”  

(One of my own four-star reviews on Goodreads)

I was expecting this.

If you check out the thousands of sequels and prequels of Jane Austen’s novels, two facts leap out. 

First: P&P rules, completely. 

Second: Lady Susan almost never features.  

The second fact comes as no great surprise, because Austen’s Susan really was pretty ‘horrible’!

When not busying herself trying to attract her hostess’ brother, she was attempting to bully her gentle daughter into marrying a man she loathed. In fact, she was only originally obliged to visit the family mansion in order to escape from the wrath of her lover’s wife.

In short, Susan is unique in all of Austen’s books: a manipulative, untruthful, unfaithful charmer, with a knack for making the wrong men fall for her. (Yes, Mary Crawford and Maria Bertram were both willing to condone adultery. However, they were still never flirts in Susan’s class. Susan, even at age 35, casually seduces a married man. Basically, think Lydia Bennett on steroids!)

For that reason, it’s really pretty hard to find a redeeming quality in Austen’s Lady Susan. However, I still sighed when I read this comment, and this is why: I simply cannot believe in a ‘villainess’ of sixteen.

I just can’t accept that any creature, fictional or not, could do it in the time.

Austen’s Lady Susan is in her mid-thirties (a corrupted Maria Bertram, perhaps?) and I believe in her perfectly. But at sixteen? She’d have been a potential villainess at that age—and even that seems doubtful.

In my new book Susan is a youthful orphan dependent on her uncles (one being the Rev. Collins of P&P fame). She’s witty, lively and mischievous but not wicked, and most of her sly manoeuvres occur forwarding her beloved Alicia’s love-life.  She deceives, but only to assist her cousin – there’s nothing in the match to benefit her – and the reader is pulling for her all the way.

But I believe my Susan Smithson to be entirely compatible with Austen’s Lady Susan all the same. Why?

First, because people change!  The ‘you’ when you were sixteen – and perhaps some people reading this are only sixteen – will seem very dull to the ‘you’ that you’ll be at 26, or 36, or 46. Your goals are almost certain to have changed, and some of your beliefs too. You will have deepened and altered, possibly in unpredictable directions.

Secondly, Austen, though one of the greatest geniuses ever to live, was only eighteen when she wrote Lady Susan, which she never rated highly enough to submit for publication. She was still developing her astonishing talent.

Her characterisations in this book are, for an artist of her calibre, disappointingly one-sided: Susan’s worldly confidante Alicia seems almost a twin of Susan herself, while both Susan’s daughter and sister-in-law appear to be almost implausibly perfect. (There is one exception: the impulsive Reginald develops and matures as he learns to ‘read’ Lady Susan.) In particular, the light and shade of a Mary Crawford are almost entirely missing—which is why, I suspect, Austen never even tried to publish it.

So how and why do I imagine that Susan might have changed, from my own mischievously appealing heroine to Austen’s villainess?

My own theory, for what it’s worth, is summed up in this excerpt from my own book:

Susan could not endure the idea of giving up riding, at which she was becoming, after very few lessons, surprisingly accomplished. But what if this pleasant dream – and the dream of cantering by the river with Frank Churchill – might be thwarted by Lady Catherine’s daughter?

It began to rain, and the cousins trod in silence under a single umbrella.

‘Someday,’ vowed Susan rebelliously, ‘I shall not always have to walk. Instead I shall ride – my own horse, too – a shining, splendid, mane-tossing, foot-stamping horse – perhaps a black one like Frank Churchill’s, if not quite so tall. Someday I shall have my own carriage, and my own servants to attend me. And someday, surely, I shall be well-married, and wear gowns like the delicious one Miss Richardson wore yesterday, a gown that falls in tiny folds from the bodice. Someday I shall be able to do exactly what I like, and not have to collect eggs from the chickens or be obliged to listen to my uncle pontificating about the poor, when all he cares about is his newspaper and his humble abode and the next position which Lady Catherine or her connections might make possible for him… Someday I shall never have to fret about threadbare shoes or mending gowns, or any nuisances of that sort, ever again!’

In short, I think that such ambition, allied to such charms, and exposed to the corrupting habits of London—Austen always seemed to distrust the lure of London—might very well turn my delightful sixteen-year-old Susan into Austen’s worldly temptress, over the course of her next nineteen years.

Susan longed for wealth and independence; she had the weapon of her beauty and a touch of unscrupulousness in using it; she increasingly understood the influence of society; and she possessed a taste for finery and display.

In short, all the ingredients existed for my Susan to transition into Austen’s Lady Susan.

How might that happen?—That’s another story!

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About Susan

Susan is a Jane Austen Prequel (or Pride and Prejudice Variation) brilliantly capturing Austen’s own Lady Susan as a young girl.

As the BookLife review put it for Publishers Weekly: “McVeigh’s prose and plotting are pitch-perfect. Emma mingles with Pride and Prejudice in a delightful confrontation between the two books’ worlds… This Austen-inspired novel echoes the master herself.”

Familiar characters abound – Frank Churchill, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy himself – but Susan – mischievous and manipulative – is the star. This is Austen that even Austen might have loved, with a touch of Georgette Heyer in the romantic sections. Fans of Bridgerton will also relish this classic regency romance, the first in a six-book series.

Sixteen-year-old Susan Smithson – pretty but poor, clever but capricious – has just been expelled from a school for young ladies in London.

At the mansion of the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she attracts a raffish young nobleman. But, at the first hint of scandal, her guardian dispatches her to her uncle Collins’ rectory in Kent, where her sensible cousin Alicia lives and “where nothing ever happens.”

Here Susan mischievously inspires the local squire to put on a play, with consequences no one could possibly have foreseen. What with the unexpected arrival of Frank Churchill, Alicia’s falling in love and a tumultuous elopement, rural Kent will surely never seem safe again…

Buy on Amazon (release date: June 30, 2021)

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About the Author

Alice McVeigh is not sixteen, having lived in seven countries and visited 44 (mostly playing the cello in London orchestras). London-based, she writes speculative fiction as Spaulding Taylor, works as a ghost writer, and has twice been published by Orion/Hachette in contemporary fiction. Susan, a Jane Austen Prequel, recently received 10 stars out of 10 in Publishers Weekly’s current BookLife Prize.

Visit Alice’s website.

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Giveaway

Alice is generously offering a mug featuring the Susan bookcover and Romney painting to one lucky reader. This giveaway is open internationally and will close on Saturday, June 19, 2021. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!

Thank you, Alice, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new book.

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Celestial Persuasion by Mirta Ines Trupp: Guest Post, Excerpt + Giveaway

Hello, friends! I’m delighted to welcome Mirta Ines Trupp back to the blog today to celebrate the upcoming release of her new novel, Celestial Persuasion, which has some ties to Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Mirta is here to share a little about the book, along with an excerpt and giveaway. Please give her a warm welcome!

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Hello lovely readers! I am delighted to stop today and appreciate the opportunity to talk about my upcoming release: Celestial Persuasion. This is my fifth book to date; and in keeping with my penchant for combining various passions, this novel is a Jewish historical fiction—with more than a nod to Jane Austen’s work. In fact, I invite you to consider this stand-alone novel to be a prequel to Austen’s Persuasion. There is a twist, however. Shall I reveal all or just drop a few hints?

The story unfolds in Devonshire, England—in Exeter to be exact. There you will meet Abigail Isaacs, a young lady long considered past her last prayers. But Abigail is not concerned with her marital state. Indeed, her mind is occupied elsewhere. She is determined to follow in the footsteps of her heroine, Caroline Herschel, and become an astronomer in her own right. Abigail lives quietly at home with her father and long-time companion, Mrs. Frankel. Books and instruments keep Abigail fairly occupied, as do her friends and neighbors, including Mrs. Dashwood of Barton Cottage. Her brother, too, has been a dear friend and mentor in all things, but he has long been away from home.  A physician serving under Captain Wentworth’s command, Jonathan Isaacs’ presence is sorely missed, never more so than when their father dies from a brief illness. Again and again, Abigail sends out her letters, hoping soon to receive a reply. With no one to come to her aid, Abigail alone must face the unsettling matter of her present state of affairs; until, at length, a letter arrives.

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The sun took its place in the morning sky, scattering its light upon the awakening countryside but ungenerously withholding its radiant heat. Abigail brought her wrap in closely about her arms and snuggled in her father’s armchair, placed appropriately by the fire. How she missed her father! His humor and his intellect, his manner of always taking pleasure in her inquisitiveness and aspirations. Although his arms could no longer envelop her in his strong embrace, she found some warmth in his favorite chair. And yet there was a chill in the air. She made a mental note to speak to James regarding the sitting room’s fire.

Being a creature of habit, she could only get on with her life in the manner she was most accustomed. A stack of correspondence lay waiting for her to take notice, and with a sigh, Abigail abandoned her comfort and took a seat at her mother’s secretaire. A smile came to her lips as she realized the descriptions she applied to her belongings. Her father’s chair, her mother’s desk…somehow the sameness of these objects was in keeping with her own regimented routines, connecting her present circumstance to her past.

Her methodical approach to even the most commonplace task had always been a point of amusement for Mrs. Frankel; but Abigail often wondered whether it were not a sign of something more significant. As things stood now, she realized she needed to keep to her schedule. Mrs. Dashwood was expected for a visit; therefore, she had to complete the task at hand and see to the morning mail. Taking the letter opener in hand, she made quick work of the slicing through the waxed seal and proceeded to unfold the missive.

“My goodness,” she said aloud, noting it was dated three months prior. “This letter must have been on quite a journey.” Adjusting her wrap, Abigail shifted her weight until she found herself to be quite comfortable and able to read.

12th of August, 1811

Gibraltar

Madam,

I take pen in hand to inform you that I am in receipt of your letters, both the one you had so wisely addressed to my attention and the one intended for your brother. It grieves me to relate the following information. It is a task no commander ever wishes to undertake; and knowing that you have recently lost your father, this will be a harder blow than any young lady should have to bear. With all my heart and soul, I would wish to spare you this intelligence; however, Isaacs—that is to say, your brother Jonathan—always spoke so highly of his sister that I take courage in knowing your strength will allow you to rally. Your dear brother, and my good friend, will not be returning home. He has completed his service to the Crown and distinguished himself with great honor. You may hold your head high. Jonathan Isaacs is, and will always be, thought of as the best of men. These are trying times, Miss Isaacs. Wars seem to be never-ending, and a grateful nation asks much of the families that are left behind to wonder, to pray, and to grieve. I hope that you have family and friends to help you through these dark and troubled waters; but until you find yourself tranquil once more, pray allow me to guide you to a safe harbor. Your brother charged me to relay some instructions to you, and I am only too honored to fulfill my promise expeditiously and with great concern for your welfare.

It was your brother’s greatest wish that you meet Lord Fife. You may be unaware of the relationship, but your father and his lordship were friends and business partners. At your father’s bidding, Jonathan was introduced to the earl when he was at university at Edinburgh. Please make whatever arrangements are necessary to travel to London at once in order to make his acquaintance. You are expected, Miss Isaacs, and can rest assured that accommodations will be at your disposal with the earl’s compliments. His lordship is making his townhouse available to you and will, naturally, stay at his club for the duration of your visit. I cannot say this more succinctly, madam: Jonathan was most adamant in his declaration and has entrusted your well-being to Lord Fife, who will assist you with plans for your future comfort.

I can well imagine your present state of mind. Please forgive my impertinence, but having learned much of your home life from your respected brother, I feel quite part of the family. The Bible tells us to build our lives upon the stable rock that is God’s love, wisdom, and salvation. If I may speak of my own circumstances, my own brother, the Reverend Edward Wentworth, has been the rock in my life. I know what Jonathan has meant to you, as he has told me much of your childhood together. To be sure, I know you are a talented mathematician and astronomer, and that these accomplishments were brought about by hours and hours of your brother’s loving dedication to the betterment of your brilliant mind. I know, too, that you were quite put out and displayed righteous indignation when you were prohibited—at the age of nine or ten— from accompanying your brother to university. Pray, do not be vexed with Jonathan for relating these tales from your youth. Those of us thrown together on-board ship often develop an intimacy with one another’s life histories that would otherwise not be revealed if meeting in a drawing room. These stories were Jonathan’s cherished memories of his most beloved sister. He treasured this time you spent together, learning and discovering all matter of things. He also spoke of the influences many of your sex had had on your aspirations. Jonathan referred to them as giants in their fields of expertise. I myself had no knowledge of their greatness and readily admitted my ignorance of such feminine luminaries.

These intimate conversations with your brother have given me a sense of kinship and justify the license I take in speaking to you thus. These brilliant women of whom Jonathan spoke showed great resolve in forging ahead in worlds that denied their sense of identity. I am now called upon to ask you to follow their example and help you navigate the trajectory that the stars have so clearly outlined. I entreat you to make haste and communicate with Lord Fife as soon as you are able. I would be pleased to receive your reply and pray you feel at liberty to express your thoughts as freely as I have done. Your brother has wished it to be so.

Your servant,

Captain Frederick Wentworth

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About Celestial Persuasion

Abigail Isaacs fears ever again falling under the power of love and dedicates her life to studying the heavens. However, upon her father’s demise she finds herself in reduced circumstances and must write to her brother, who has long been away at sea. When instead Captain Wentworth of the HMS Laconia sends a tragic reply, Abigail is asked to set aside her own ambitions and fulfill her brother’s dreams in the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata.

In his relentless pursuit for justice, Lieutenant Raphael Gabay lends his sword to the Spanish American cause. But as he prepares to set sail with the others, he is entrusted with the care of a young woman. She is quite unlike anyone he has ever known, and Raphael wonders whether the brilliant astronomer will see beyond his frivolous façade and recognize his true nature.

Their destinies have been plotted beyond the celestial veil; their charts foretell of adventure. Can these two troubled souls be persuaded to heed the stars and find love—and their purpose—in this fledgling nation?

Buy on Amazon (release date: June 30, 2021)

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About the Author

Mirta Ines Trupp

Mirta is a second generation Argentine; she was born in Buenos Aires in 1962 and immigrated to the United States that same year. Because of the unique fringe benefits provided by her father’s employer- Pan American Airlines- she returned to her native country frequently- growing up with ‘un pie acá, y un pie allá’ (with one foot here and one foot there).

Mirta’s fascination with Jewish history and genealogy, coupled with an obsession for historical period drama, has inspired her to create these unique and enlightening novels. She has been a guest speaker for book clubs, sisterhood events, genealogy societies and philanthropic organizations. Sharing her knowledge of Jewish Argentina has become her passion.

Connect with Mirta: Website | Blog | Goodreads

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Giveaway

Mirta is generously offering 5 ebook copies of Celestial Persuasion. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway will be open through Saturday, June 19, 2021. The winners will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!

Thank you, Mirta, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new book!

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An Unexpected Harvest by Cat Andrews: Guest Post, Excerpt + Giveaway

Hello, friends! I’m excited to welcome Cat Andrews back to the blog today to celebrate the release of her latest modern Pride and Prejudice variation, An Unexpected Harvest. Cat is here to share a little about the book, plus an excerpt and giveaway. Please give her a warm welcome!

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Hi everyone! I’m thrilled to be visiting Anna here at Diary of an Eccentric once again! Thank you for having me, Anna, and for allowing me to make your wonderful blog a part of the blog tour for my new modern Pride and Prejudice variation called An Unexpected Harvest.

Family relationships and their dynamics usually play a big role in the variations I write. Of course, the primary relationship is always the one between Darcy and Elizabeth; it’s a love story, after all. But I love broadening that scope and including other relationships that may influence the thoughts and actions of our favorite couple. At a previous stop on the blog tour, I shared an excerpt that showed the underlying tension between Will Darcy and his father. Here, I’m sharing an excerpt that is taken halfway through a late night conversation between two of the Bennet sisters. This scene shows the close sisterly bond that Elizabeth has with Lydia, who is coming to the realization that although they share the same father, their interactions and experiences with him and memories of him are very different. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for coming along on the blog tour.

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“Lizzy? Why did Jane say that you have demons too? Is it because of the college thing?”

Elizabeth sighed. “Mostly, yes. Making the decision to leave Harvard wasn’t easy, and Daddy certainly didn’t make it any easier. He was brutal, honestly.” She stared at the Christmas tree, the lights blurring in front of her eyes. “And then choosing not to work for him, telling him I wanted to go into advertising… He was completely unaccepting of my decisions and wouldn’t talk to me at all, and I wondered if he’d ever forgive me. Love is supposed to be unconditional, but when I really needed his love and support, he just…withdrew it.”

Lydia shook her head. “It’s hard to hear that. I feel like you’re talking about a totally different person. That isn’t the father I remember.”

“I’m glad. And I do remember what Daddy was like before all that happened. I was thinking about it when I was listening to you play, how simple everything used to be.”

“But I don’t understand why you have demons. He chose to be unsupportive, he chose to make his love conditional. If anything, you should be angry.”

“I was, but I felt guilty, too. I’d raised his hopes. I told him I was doing one thing, and then changed my mind and did something else.”

“But that shouldn’t have mattered! I could understand him being disappointed, but not to the point of shutting you out. That’s not reasonable.”

“I know. I even knew it at the time, but it didn’t make me feel any less guilty. I always hoped we’d get past it, that we’d fix it, and I tried. I came home to visit as often as I could, hoping we’d finally have a conversation about it…but every time I brought it up, he’d say the same thing.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes, trying to fight the tears that were forming, and her voice trembled. “He’d say, ‘Elizabeth, unless you’ve come to tell me you’re going back to Harvard to study business so you can take your rightful place at Bennet Capital, we have nothing to talk about.’ But I kept coming home and reaching out, even though his rejection hurt. I always hoped he’d just give me a hug and tell me everything was okay. And now it’s too late. We won’t get the chance to make things right, and that’s where more guilt comes in. Was I being selfish, pursuing what I wanted instead of doing what was expected of me?”

Lydia shook her head. “You were living your life, however you wanted to. Look at Jane, look at this!” She gestured around her. “Very soon, this will not be the Longbourn we remember from our childhood. Can you imagine what Daddy would say if he could somehow make himself heard? He’d pitch a full-blown fit!”

Elizabeth laughed and wiped the wetness from her eyes.

“And Jane’s no fool—she knows what Daddy would say, too,” Lydia continued. “But he’s not here, and so she’s going to pursue her dream and be happy. You went after what would make you happy, and I’m doing the same thing. I want to work at Bennet Capital. It’s always been my dream, and I think I’ll be good at it.”

“You’ll be fabulous.” Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “Perhaps you’ve inherited some of Daddy’s shrewd business sense.”

“I hope so. But I don’t like the way he treated you. It wasn’t fair.”

“I know, but it can’t be changed.”

Lydia looked at her for a long moment. “You know, I think you’re brave. You took a huge chance when you left Harvard. You must have known on some level how Daddy would react, but you did it anyway. Lots of people wouldn’t have made that decision; they would’ve stayed in their safe zone. No scribbling outside the lines.”

“You think?”

“Yes. You took a risk and went after what you wanted. That takes guts, Lizzy.”

“I’ve never looked at it that way.”

Lydia nestled against Elizabeth’s shoulder and sighed heavily. “So…do you think we’re all fixed?”

Elizabeth rested her head against Lydia’s. “Nope. But you know what? I don’t think we’re as broken as we thought.”

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About An Unexpected Harvest

Elizabeth Bennet left her affluent New England home at the age of sixteen and never looked back. She’s built a fabulous life in Boston and loves everything about the city—especially her dream job as creative director at an advertising agency.

Will Darcy has never lived anywhere but in rural Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He lives the quintessential small-town life and loves everything about the country—especially his family’s farm, which he’s doing his best to modernize and return to prosperity.

When her older sister moves back to New England, Elizabeth reluctantly pays a visit to the hometown she left behind. Soon enough, the city girl meets the country boy and the insults and misunderstandings fly—but so do the sparks.

No one is more surprised than Elizabeth and Will when those sparks turn into a brilliant flame, and the 300 miles between them that once felt far too close suddenly turns into an unbearable distance.

The city girl and the country boy know a good thing when they see it—even if they don’t see it nearly enough. Can they overcome their greatest challenge and find common ground—and their happily-ever-after?

***

This novel is a modern variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but with a slight spin on the usual cast of characters. It contains adult content and is meant for mature readers.

Click here to buy An Unexpected Harvest

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About the Author

Cat Andrews has always been an avid reader, but didn’t discover Jane Austen until her love of a certain British actor led her to the BBC’s 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice, because she just had to know—why all the fuss over this Darcy guy? What followed her viewing of that glorious miniseries was an inhalation of and immediate fixation on all of Austen’s novels, though Pride and Prejudice remains her favorite.

Her discovery of Jane Austen Fan Fiction opened up a whole new world, and thus began her addiction, and months and months of sleep deprivation, as she immersed herself in JAFF. After reading a modern Pride and Prejudice variation that she fell in love with, she was inspired to begin a cautious but earnest foray into the world of writing.

In real life, Cat has spent thirty-plus years working in healthcare. She enjoys life on the shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts where she grew up, fell in love with her own Mr. Darcy, and raised a family (and a three-legged dog). More often than not, you can find her at the beach with a book in her hand and her toes in the sand.

An Unexpected Harvest is her second novel.

Connect with Cat: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

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Giveaway

Cat is generously offering an ebook copy (U.S. only) of An Unexpected Harvest to one lucky reader. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway will be open through Saturday, June 19, 2021. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!

Thank you, Cat, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new book!

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Parallels by Linda Gonschior: Guest Post, Excerpt + Giveaway

Hello, friends! I’m delighted to welcome Linda Gonschior to my blog today to celebrate the release of Parallels, the third book in the Reflections series, a modern take on Pride and Prejudice. Linda is here to share an excerpt that introduces you to the Darcy children. Please give her a warm welcome!

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It has been many years since I embarked on a blog tour to promote and share a new book, but here I am and I can scarce believe it! Things have changed….. 🙂

Thank you, Anna, for welcoming me into your library for the third stop on this tour!

Parallels introduces the rest of Will and Elizabeth’s children, and while they feature prominently in the storyline, their parents are not forgotten. This is a family, after all, and a close one. Not to mention it’s not really P&P without our dearest couple!

But let us not tarry. Please let me introduce you to the rest of the Darcy offspring.

“Dad? Dad!”

Elizabeth Darcy looked up at the sound of her son’s voice in the front hall. Her face lit up, and she threw down her work to run to the door. “Ben!” she called. “Your father is out at the moment. Come here, my boy, and give your mum a hug.”

William Bennet Darcy—Ben for short, a name he adopted upon the death of his grandfather when he was twelve years old—flashed his mother a big smile and wrapped his arms around her to lift her up until her feet no longer touched the floor. At twenty-three, he was a strapping young man with the handsome good looks of his father, Will Darcy, and his mother’s facility with people. He was definitely not shy with the ladies and had a different one hanging from his arm every week, much to his father’s amusement and his mother’s consternation. “Hi there, Mum!” he said cheerily. “Where is everyone else?”

“What—you expected a welcoming committee?” Elizabeth laughed. “That’s what you get for never letting us know when you’re coming home for a visit.”

Ben laughed. “You must be the only one who doesn’t read my texts.”

“I don’t like texting. You know that.”

He looked over his mother’s shoulder at the desk behind her. “Dad still making you work?”

Elizabeth cuffed him lightly. “He doesn’t make me work. I enjoy it. So what brings you home this time? What do you need?”

Ben laughed. “You make it sound like I only come home when I want something!”

“Don’t you?” came a voice from behind them.

“Anna!” Ben turned towards his sister.

Elizabeth watched the familiar interplay between her two eldest children with a fond smile. As much as Ben’s popularity with the ladies irked her, Anna’s quiet beauty was a source of unease for her father as young men flocked around her on a daily basis. Anna’s first year at university was more difficult for Will than it was for his daughter, Elizabeth mused.

“Come on, Ben. We were all about to go for a swim,” Anna was saying.

Elizabeth frowned at them. “I hope you mean in the pool.”

Anna laughed. “Of course not! The pond is much more fun.” She raced up the stairs to get changed.

Ben looked at his mother.

“Oh, go on!” Elizabeth said in exasperation. The fact that Will had taught every one of their children to swim in the pond—and they still preferred it to the nice clean pool she’d insisted be installed—annoyed her to no end.

Ben kissed her cheek and ran up the stairs to his own room.

Elizabeth turned her attention back to the unfinished business on her desk. Although she had given up her original job when their fourth child had come along, Elizabeth had eventually wanted to return to it but had been forced to wait when their unexpected youngest child had arrived. Eventually she had taken her husband’s place as director of the publishing company he owned. She had been successful, and Will had never regretted the decision. Now they had a solid company to turn over to one of their children some day.

The sound of many feet pounding on the stairs brought her gaze to the doorway where she could see all of her children racing by on their way out the front door. Anna and Rebecca led the way, followed by Kathleen. Ben brought up the rear on the heels of his young brother, Rich. They sounded like a herd of elephants, and Elizabeth was glad her husband wasn’t home to see them tearing out of the house. She knew he’d be right out there with them, splashing in the pond too. Suddenly realizing that the cook wasn’t aware of Ben’s arrival, Elizabeth called down to the kitchen to inform her. Ben’s appetite had never diminished over the years, only increased. If there weren’t enough on the table, Ben would not be the one going hungry.

***

As Will walked around the wall that bordered the garden, he was nearly bowled over by his children as they chased Ben across the lawn.

“Whoa there!” Ben laughed as he grabbed his father’s shoulders to steady him. “Hi, Dad!”

Will shook his head. “I should have known you were responsible for all that racket. How are you, Ben?” He caught sight of two of his other children about to trample a flower bed. “Rebecca! Rich! Watch where you’re going! Good Lord, you’d think they were five years old the way they carry on.”

Ben chuckled. “Dad, you never change.”

“I hope not.” Will smiled. “Your mother likes me this way.”

“Is tea ready? I’m starved.” Ben was eyeing the path that led back to the house.

“What was that you said about never changing?” Will grumbled.

Just your typical family, don’t you think? Well, if you joined the tour at the beginning you already know there is trouble on the horizon. Nothing our favourite couple cannot handle, though. Right?

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About Parallels

Love, heartbreak, and self-discovery are life’s greatest challenges, no matter who your parents may be.

Will and Elizabeth Darcy faced those challenges twenty years earlier, yet marriage taught them patience, understanding, and most importantly, the irreplaceable value of one another. Now their children are about to embark upon that path, hopefully to learn those lessons more gently and avoid the mistakes of their parents.

This third book in the Reflections series brings to a conclusion the story of a couple whose love drew them together in spite of themselves and continues to test them when least expected.

Buy on Amazon

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About the Author

Linda Gonschior has entertained the art of writing since elementary school but never allowed it to come to fruition until Pride and Prejudice lured her into deeper exploration of characters, relationships and ‘what ifs’.  Writing is not the breadwinner, however, as she has a day job and many other interests that compete for attention and time.  Still, she has managed to squeeze in several dozen stories – long and short – and there are many more in the ‘incomplete’ folder on the computer.  As retirement looms on the horizon, some may be dusted off to evaluate their potential to entertain those who share a fondness for Jane Austen’s characters and don’t mind straying a little off the beaten path.

Amongst her accomplishments Linda counts raising a son, stage managing live theatre productions, flower gardening, and website administration, but not netting purses or painting screens.

Connect with Linda on Facebook

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Giveaway

Meryton Press is generously giving away eight ebooks of Parallels as part of the blog tour. The giveaway is open internationally. You must enter through the Rafflecopter link. The giveaway is open through June 17, 2021.

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Thank you, Linda, for being my guest today and congratulations on your new book!

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For the Deepest Love by Mary Anne Mushatt: Excerpt + Giveaway

Hello, friends! I’m delighted to welcome Mary Anne Mushatt to the blog today to celebrate the release of her new Pride and Prejudice variation, For the Deepest Love. Mary Anne is here to share an excerpt from the novel, so please give her a warm welcome!

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Hi Anna,

Thank you so much for hosting me to day and allowing me to share a little bit of For The Deepest Love.

In this excerpt we get a glimpse of how Darcy feels—about women, society, and himself, as Elizabeth defies his prejudices and offers him a glimpse of human decency and kindness. It makes me wonder what his world is truly like, if even such a momentary exposure to a person being kind can kick start a revolution in his heart. 

It was with no little curiosity that Fitzwilliam Darcy would attend the Sackville dinner. The Gardiners and their much talked-of niece were expected, and he wished to gain an introduction to, if not share a conversation with, the lady who had caused such a stir amongst those of the highest circles. It is amazing how this country lass has, within a season, established herself in the most fashionable circles and beyond. She was beguiling at the Phelps’ salon, and I have even heard of her at the chess club. Beauty, intelligence, wit—and those eyes! He prepared to exit his coach. Passion, surely, buried perhaps, but the fire in her eyes promises great things.

Giving his coat to the footman, Darcy overheard two other guests gossiping. “Rumour has it that Blainard will offer for the bewitching Miss Bennet.”  

His ears pricked up at that, but he continued towards his hosts. Was he too late already? I must find a way to meet her, he thought whilebowing to Lord Sackville. Extending his hand to take Lady Sackville’s, he saw her. She was sitting along the wall with two other ladies. She wore a sage green gown, delicate beadwork glinting on the silk bodice. Jade pieces encircled her neck, with a triangular pendant resting on her bosom. Their eyes met as she looked up and smiled at him. Heart pounding like a schoolboy’s, he nodded in return, until Lady Sackville reclaimed his attention with a knowing smirk.

They were seated at opposite ends of the table, much to his disappointment. This is torture. She is beyond my reach, and while she entices with bon mots of wit and intelligence, I must endure the tittering drivel of Miss Bradshaw.

When the men re-joined the ladies after dinner, he headed in her direction. Damn a proper introduction! Yet as he approached, Miss Bennet’s companion snapped her fan and leaned in to speak.

“I cannot believe he came.”

He diverted his steps, making it seem he had been walking towards the window nearest them.

“I beg your pardon?” Miss Bennet replied, even as her eyes darted towards him.

“Have you not heard of the infamous Darcys? It is delicious. His young sister nearly eloped—with the son of their steward.” 

Taking a deep breath, Miss Bennet asked, “How old was she?”

“Oh, she was but fifteen, I believe.” The young lady sounded as though she had been unprepared for the question.

Miss Bennet sighed before replying. “That is my sister Lydia’s age. A difficult time in any young lady’s life.”

Darcy’s eyes widened at the sincerity in her voice. It has been a long time—a very long time—since any kindness was attached to my name or Georgiana’s.

“But that is not the most scandalous part, Elizabeth. It was his response that was most shocking.”

Ah, here it comes, thought Darcy. My character flayed at the stake of propriety.

“Mr Darcy allowed the poor girl’s infamy to be broadcast throughout society! He let it be known how that rake, Mr Wickham, attempted to elope with her.”

Darcy bit his cheek, waiting for Miss Bennet’s reaction.

“I believe,” she began, “it took a great deal of courage for Mr and Miss Darcy to allow this to be known by all.”

“Elizabeth!”—Darcy cringed at the scold in the young woman’s voice—“Courage indeed!  She is ruined amongst society, by his hand.”

Miss Bennet laughed. “I should hope people will soon forgive the indiscretion of a fifteen-year-old child. However, many unsuspecting families are now forewarned of this Mr Wickham’s character, and for that, I am grateful. If more people spoke honestly, then women would be better protected. Do you not agree?”

Darcy recoiled at her companion’s dubious response.

“Put that way, there is sense in what you say. Oh look, there is Mr Ambrose. Come, let us make haste.”

The women moved away, leaving Darcy stunned. Never has there been such an unqualified defence or understanding of my actions. A wave of sorrow shook him, and he reached out to steady himself against the nearby pillar. Nor of what this has cost my sister. Not only does she feel betrayed by that bounder, but Lady Catherine continues to harangue her at every opportunity.

His gaze sought Miss Bennet. And yet, she understands, can see the sacrifice and courage of my little sister. Thank you, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, for replenishing my faith in the decency of the human heart.

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About For the Deepest Love

“After thinking long and hard, I have come to the conclusion that—although it may not be the kind of love my sister and I once had in mind—marrying Mr Darcy would be marrying for a love of the deepest kind.”

Recovering from their parents’ deaths, Elizabeth and Jane Bennet have held their family together, leaning on the support of their uncle, Edward Gardiner, to help them survive.  Thus, when Mr Gardiner is threatened with scandal and ruin, Elizabeth vows to help him.  Hearing of her distress, the scandalous Fitzwilliam Darcy enters her life—offering his aid in exchange for her hand.  Accepting his proposal upends her life in unimaginable ways as she learns of the treachery of the peer courting her, the betrayal and violence committed by her childhood friend, and the threat to her country as it faces another war. 

As Elizabeth and Darcy face the turmoil and trials swirling around them, they risk opening their hearts to unexpected passion.  In order to survive challenges from without and fears within, they must summon unknown strengths and forge new bonds to solidify a love of the deepest kind.

Buy on Amazon

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About the Author

A lifelong writer, Mary Anne Mushatt relocated to New Orleans last century, where she earned an MFA and created a documentary of oral histories in the African-American and Native American communities along Louisiana’s River Road.  When the levees failed, exiling her family from their home, she discovered the community of Jane Austen acolytes and began writing novels placing the beloved characters of Pride & Prejudice in innovative situations. Taken is her second published novel.  As a result of one of her earlier novels, she works with a multi-disciplinary team aiding victims of human trafficking become survivors.

Mary Anne lives in New Orleans with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.

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Giveaway

Quills & Quartos is generously offering an ebook of For the Deepest Love as part of the blog tour. To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The blog tour wraps up on June 8, 2021, and the winners will be chosen on June 11, 2021. The winners’ names will be posted on the Quills & Quartos Facebook and Instagram pages. Good luck!

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Thank you, Mary Anne, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new release!

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Septuagenarian by Sherry Quan Lee: Featured Poem/Inspiration

Hello, friends! Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Sherry Quan Lee to the blog to celebrate the release of her new poetry collection, Septuagenarian. Sherry is here today to share a poem and its inspiration. Enjoy!

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The World Is Heavy

One doesn’t have to imagine good and evil amidst

all this terror.

Sadness, the bones and the blood surrender

but, we can make a difference we are all somebody

we are not on the backs on the backs on the backs

of sorrow

that preceded

head separated from body

body separated from country

family separated

love guarantees memory    

guns in white rooms the ghost

of a man an unholy ghost trying to rewrite the story

what if what if what if asking the questions is [not] enough?

sometimes madness

I feel like a boxer punching  the world

is heavy that’s when the silence is broken

not with words but with images  children

didn’t know what to make of the bickering

children got lost in the silence suffering;

the father the mother the siblings gone

a newspaper headline.

To the wicked and the wise there is a difference

between opinion and truth, a space where

freedom is clearly not where in the world  we are

divisive and our lives are at risk.

Tolerate is a difficult word. Racism, white men

with assault rifles. Death

is temporary.

History implodes on a regular irregular heartbeat

like a sorcerer reads palms this is love choking on air

ready to survive   pedestals 

collapse amidst a pandemic       

as I sip my morning coffee the heart/broken

is what saves us. The charade is over

this year. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

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How “The World is Heavy” Came to Be” and a Challenge to the Reader

January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, death—lies. A culmination of four frightful years. How, as a poet, can we respond? We could use the fast and flowing media coverage to write a found poem rearranging and reformatting what has already been written by journalists, by reporters, by politicians. Or, we can turn to our own writing.

Using only text from Septuagenarian: love is what happens when I die, I randomly chose words and phrases and strung them together. What might be hidden if we break apart the whole? Have I, unknowingly, moved beyond the personal—have I entered the world?

I discovered within my memoir of verse that I was saying more than I had said, that for me the personal continues to be political, and all things are temporary. The memory of what has preceded me implodes and love is my act of survival.

Use words and phrases from what you have previously written and find a poem. Perhaps you will discover what you didn’t know you knew. It may not, at first, make sense, yet it will.

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About Septuagenarian

Septuagenarian: love is what happens when I die is a memoir in poetic form. It is the author’s journey from being a mixed-race girl who passed for white to being a woman in her seventies who understands and accepts her complex intersectional identity; and no longer has to imagine love. It is a follow-up to the author’s previous memoir (prose), Love Imagined: a mixed-race memoir, A Minnesota Book Award finalist.

Buy on Amazon

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About the Author

Sherry Quan Lee, MFA, University of Minnesota; and Distinguished Alumna, North Hennepin Community College, is the editor of How Dare We! Write: a multicultural creative writing discourse. Her most recent book, Love Imagined: a mixed race memoir, was a 2015 Minnesota Book Award Finalist. Previous books include: Chinese Blackbird, a memoir in verse; How to Write a Suicide Note: serial essays that saved a woman’s life; and a chapbook, A Little Mixed Up.

Quan Lee was a selected participant for the Loft Literary Center Asian Inroads Program, and later was the Loft mentor for the same program. Previously, she was the Writer-to-Writer mentor for SASE: The Write Place, at Intermedia Arts. Also, she was the 2015-2016 Loft Literary Center’s Mentor Series poetry mentor. Visit her blog.

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To learn more about Septuagenarian or to follow the tour, please click the button above.

Thank you, Sherry, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new release!

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The Predisposition of Miss Elizabeth Bennet by Hunter Quinn: Guest Post, Excerpt + Giveaway

Hello, friends! I have the pleasure of introducing you to Hunter Quinn today, who is celebrating the release of her new Pride and Prejudice variation, The Predisposition of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Hunter is here to talk a little about the book and share an excerpt. Please give her a warm welcome!

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Thank you, Anna, for hosting me! I am so excited to be here. 🙂

I am at the halfway point of my blog tour, and I wanted to take this opportunity to give a little context to the how, why, when and what of my debut novel—The Predisposition of Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

You’ll currently find me in the same position I adopted and found to be the most favorable way to write: my ginger tomcat purring away on my feet, a pot of tea steeping beside me, and chocolate biscuits nearby.

As a teen I discovered the allure of Mr. Darcy. When all my friends were ‘crushing’ over pop stars and reading girly magazines, I was in love with Mr. Darcy and Colonel Brandon—always carrying around my worn copies of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility (my staunch favorites and faithful companions). It didn’t take long for me to read everything written by Jane Austen and then become obsessed with the Georgian & Regency eras with a view towards writing my own. I was forever jotting down ideas but never finding the time to commit to writing and exploring a narrative.

During Christmas of 2019, my family and I were sitting and watching the BBC 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (a family tradition). I had joked, “If it were me, I probably would not have read his letter!”

And right there I became inspired to finally start writing. There were so many possible consequences to Elizabeth’s not receiving Mr. Darcy’s letter that I lost hours tapping away at my keyboard. And what if Lydia should still run off with Wickham? Would she then blame Mr. Darcy for Wickham’s life and character turning out badly?

There were many, many versions, and I kept changing my mind on certain things; however, both the beginning and end of my book did not change from my first imaginings. I actually wrote the ending first and worked backwards.

I hadn’t thought I would ever be published, but I did want to share my work. At some point, I discovered fan-fiction sites and shared a few chapters, and the response I got was overwhelming, filling me with the confidence to actually give in to my ambitions and just go for it! And after a year’s supply of tea and biscuits were consumed, I finished my first novel!

Now on to the good stuff! I have another excerpt to share with you. 🙂 In this next passage, we learn of new contributing factors that have impelled Elizabeth to Darcy’s door at such an improper hour…

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy this next installment.

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“Is this absolutely certain?” asked Darcy after she had finished recounting the tale.

Elizabeth nodded jerkily. “Yes, sir. It has been confirmed by Colonel Forster and his wife. With your consent, I would like to return with my uncle Gardiner to discuss this more fully and, hopefully, with your guidance—”

Darcy interrupted with a frown. “Why would you accompany your uncle?”

“I do not understand.”

“Is not Mr Bennet trying to recover Miss Lydia?”

“M-my father…” Elizabeth took a deep breath before continuing. “Only a few hours ago, my father suffered a health crisis involving his heart.”

Mr Darcy released a curse under his breath and ran his fingers roughly through his hair. I have treated her abominably, he thought as he looked at her tear-rimmed eyes.

“I am so sorry, Miss Elizabeth. What is his prognosis?” He felt genuine concern for her and her family although she likely thought him incapable of such sentiments.

“I am not sure. I…the doctor prescribed rest but said his heart is in a weakened state.”

His sincerity and kindness seemed to catch her off guard. Burying her face in her hands, Elizabeth wept quietly.

Darcy felt completely helpless. All the anger he had harboured against her disappeared in an instant, and his fury now shifted to Wickham for causing her this pain. She looked so small and fragile as she swiped at her tears. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, comfort her, and offer sympathy, for he knew first-hand the pain that came with a parent’s uncertain prognosis.

He knew then that he would help her. He would make this right. He would bring that sparkle back into her eyes—the same eyes that had captured him and haunted his dreams for so many months. He suddenly felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of him. How could it be that, after the torment he had borne for so long, he still wanted her? Lord, help me.

“I shall see your uncle later today—this afternoon if that is agreeable?” Darcy leaned towards her and moved to clasp her hands within his own, but then he thought better of it and quickly pulled back before she could perceive the awkward gesture.

She looked up with tear-stained eyes and said in disbelief, “Sir, I…I…but…truly?”

“Yes. Would it be acceptable for me to see Mr Gardiner at his home? I shall be out for most of the morning, attending to some business, but I should be able to call early in the afternoon.”

“That would be most agreeable, Mr Darcy. Thank you.” She looked up at him in astonishment and—was that hope? He could see that she was valiantly trying to compose herself. Needing to be of use, he fetched her a glass of water.

“Please…I shall do what I can to help any family that has fallen victim to Mr Wickham,” he said as she took a few sips from the glass he placed in her hands. She looked at him again and bit her lower lip. That gesture was so endearing, and at that moment he knew he was in danger of taking her into his arms and never letting her go. Before he completely lost control, he stood and rang for his butler.

“Jarvis will see you out, Miss Elizabeth. Good day,” he said with a small bow.

He needed to sober up and gain some distance from Elizabeth so he could think clearly about finding Wickham. It seemed as if this disease of a man was determined to plague him for the rest of his days!

***

It took Elizabeth a moment to register his words of dismissal. Shakily rising to her feet, she placed her glass on a side table and self-consciously smoothed her skirt before walking to the door. She felt dejected and troubled by this abrupt parting. Mr Darcy had changed so suddenly, once again becoming inscrutable and emotionless, as if this were a mere business transaction. Indeed, what else was there to say? His shifting moods unsettled her, but she had achieved her goal: he had agreed to help them.

Elizabeth, who had been awake now for almost twenty-four hours, wished she could just snap her fingers and find herself ensconced in her bed. Once she had slept, she was sure to feel much better and—

“Miss Elizabeth,” Mr Darcy said, cutting through her foggy thoughts. She turned sharply, and her nose collided directly with the solid wall of his chest.

Elizabeth let out a small cry, and at the same time, Mr Darcy’s hands grasped her shoulders so she would not fall. She looked up at first in confusion, but then she saw a look of horror spread across his features.

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About The Predisposition of Miss Elizabeth Bennet

An insulting proposal without an explanatory letter…how can they possibly reconcile?

When her sister Lydia elopes without a trace, Elizabeth Bennet must put aside her predisposition against Mr. Darcy—the man whose hand she refused months earlier—and plead for his assistance in locating the wayward couple. As a result, they face daunting hurdles with help from well-loved friends and interference from old rivals. Will their struggles result in permanent estrangement or a love match?

Buy on Amazon U.S. | Amazon U.K.

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About the Author

Hunter Quinn is a British writer, residing in the southwest of England. She is an avid reader, no doubt due to the influence of her mother, an English classics’ professor and lecturer. 

Having grown up a stone’s throw from Bath and always surrounded by the words of literary greats, Hunter first discovered Jane Austen at a young age. But it was the ubiquitous scene where Mr. Darcy—portrayed by Colin Firth (a moment of silence and applause)—first emerged from the lake in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that cemented her love for Jane Austen and the regency romance genre of spirited damsels, dashing gentleman, and glittering ballrooms. Afterwards, Hunter walked through life daydreaming and writing ‘what if’ scenarios between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy but never had the courage to share them.  Once the lockdown went into effect, Hunter took the plunge and began sharing her first novel on well-known JAFF sites. The praise and interest of readers gave her the confidence to submit The Predisposition of Miss Elizabeth Bennet to Meryton Press Publishing…and the rest is history!

Connect with Hunter on Facebook

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Giveaway

Meryton Press is generously offering an ebook copy of The Predisposition of Miss Elizabeth Bennet to one lucky reader, open internationally. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway will be open through Sunday, April 25, 2021. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!

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Thank you, Hunter, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new book!

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Choice and Consequence by Christine Combe: Guest Post + Excerpt

Hello, friends! I’m delighted to welcome Christine Combe to the blog for the first time today to celebrate the upcoming release of her latest novel, Choice and Consequence, a Pride and Prejudice variation. Christine is here today to share an excerpt from the novel. Please give her a warm welcome!

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Greetings, fellow Austenians! I’m so excited to be visiting Diary of an Eccentric today to talk about my upcoming release Choice and Consequence, the second book in my What Might Have Been series.

The timeline of this book starts at near the same point as the original. But instead of meeting at the Meryton assembly, Elizabeth and Darcy first meet accidentally at Oakham Mount one morning and have a brief but pleasant conversation. And although each was intrigued by the other, they don’t meet again until the assembly—where Elizabeth overhears Darcy make that unkind remark about her. He means it only as a joke to stop Bingley teasing him about his interest in the second Bennet daughter, and is able to apologize the next day after rescuing Elizabeth during a thunderstorm. After a heart-to-heart about all the reasons they shouldn’t become attached, they choose to be friends…but neither discounts the possibility of something more.

Just when they are compelled to admit their feelings for one another have grown, Darcy is drawn from her side by the need for answers regarding Wickham. Elizabeth is relieved at his quick return, though when he is again called away to tend to his sister, she finds he has asked her father for permission to write to her…

On their return to Longbourn, Mr. Bennet called her into his book room. Elizabeth went in suspecting she knew already what—or rather, whom—he wished to discuss.

When her father had sat behind his desk, he looked up at her with a steady gaze. “Did you not tell me, when I asked you on Saturday evening, that you and Mr. Darcy were only friends?”

She drew a breath to steady her nerves, and forced herself to hold his gaze. “I own, Papa, that I was not entirely honest, and I ask your forgiveness. Given what had transpired, I was not of a mind to hear you caution me against him, as I feared you would do. He…he has asked if may court me.”

“And you like him? I cannot imagine it possible; we all know he is a rather proud and disagreeable fellow.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “Oh no, Papa! Mr. Darcy is merely anxious in large, unfamiliar company, and disguises his nerves with aloofness and cold civility,” she said. “For him it is easier to appear proud and above his company than to make an effort to converse with strangers in whose concerns he cannot feign knowledge or interest.”

Mr. Bennet chuckled. “Never did I imagine hearing such a man as he described so.”

She smiled. “When one is able to look past the façade of austere indifference for long enough to engage him in conversation, he can be very amiable.”

Her father nodded. “Having put forth the effort a time or two, I am well aware that the young man does know how to partake of a conversation.”

Mr. Bennet then drew a breath. “He has asked me if he may write to you while he is away.”

Elizabeth thought this an almost redundant request, given he hoped to visit her weekly. Still, she replied, “I should like to correspond with Mr. Darcy. It ought to make the time we must spend apart less difficult to bear.”

Mr. Bennet stared at her for a moment, then chuckled. “You really do like this young man,” said he. “There truly must be something worthy in him then, for I know you would not risk your heart for a man that did not deserve you.”

Elizabeth grinned. “No indeed, Papa.”

“Very well. Off you go now. I did tell your young man I would allow it if you agreed, so you may wish to send him some note and tell him so before the hour grows too late.”

When she had stood, Elizabeth came around the desk and bent to kiss her father’s cheek. “Thank you, Papa.”

Knowing that she had little time to spare before it would be too impolite an hour to send a note, she took her father’s advice and quickly penned one, then sent it off with a footman. She then sat up with her sisters talking for a short while, and had just finished readying for bed when the footman returned with a reply, brought to her by Mrs. Hill.

My dear Elizabeth,

I am so very pleased to have received your note. Knowing that I may write to you shall sustain me all the days I am forced to be away from your side. I would come see you in the morning before I take my leave of Hertfordshire yet again, but I know it would be unwise, for if I do I will surely not go at all.

Does this make me sound the fool? If it does, I care not. All I care for now is seeing my sister well again and returning to you as soon as I am able. Do take care, and may God bless you.

Yours,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

After reading through the short missive a second time, smiling all the while, Elizabeth tucked it away in the drawer of her nightstand, then slipped under the counterpane and drifted off to a blissful slumber.

Well, they may have to spend time apart, but at least they’ll be able to write—and maybe say things to one another a little too difficult to say face to face. I’d like to say thanks once again to Anna for hosting me today. Choice and Consequence is available for pre-order on Amazon and will release May 5^th!

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Follow Christine: Facebook | Amazon Author Page

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Thank you, Christine, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new book!

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