As we approach the middle of August, my calendar is starting to look quite busy. There is so much going on over the next several weeks, I think I’ll need three of me to keep up.
For my family, the biggest news is my “baby,” heading off to Wales for university. She has been looking forward to this for so long, and now her dreamed-of adventure is finally coming to fruition. I’ll miss her dreadfully, but it’s hard to be sad when she’s so excited.
Of course, I must help her with her move.
Of course. Is there any other choice?
I’ll be spending three weeks in the UK, partly schlepping bookshelves from the closest Ikea or loading her up with piles of junk food, but also partly to tour around and visit friends. There might (ahem) even be some Austen-related fun and games afoot while I’m there, including a day in Bath and a visit with another Austen-inspired author. More on that to come!
There’s book news too, and quite a lot of it. I have stories coming out in not one, not two, but three—THREE—anthologies over the next few weeks, as well as another full-length P&P variation novel. I’ll tell you all about everything as the books come up, but today I want to talk about the first of these anthologies, a fun collection called Tea with Austen.
Tea with Austen is the latest in a series of fund-raising anthologies published by Romance Café Publishing, who also published my Austen Echoes series. These anthologies are available for only a limited time, with proceeds being directed to worthy charities, such as breast cancer research and Ukrainian relief efforts. This newest anthology follows in that path. Here’s the blurb:
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that any hot-blooded reader must be in need of a hero in a wet white shirt…
Grab your fans and parasols and join our party of Austen-inspired ladies and gentlemen for tea, scones, and the latest on-dit, in this collection with part of the proceeds going to Breast Cancer Research.
We’ve had so much fun with previous releases in this series of anthologies, and I know this will be just as engaging.
My own story, a whimsical tale of bad timing, takes its inspiration from one of Jane Austen’s own plot devices. Pride and Prejudice relies greatly on serendipitous coincidences to get the right people in the right places at the right time. Many scholars and readers have remarked upon this. How convenient that Mr Collins is under the patronage of Darcy’s aunt, and that they all happen to gather at Rosings at the same time. How convenient that the Gardiners’ planned summer trip ends up in Derbyshire rather than the Lakes. How convenient that they visit Pemberley, exactly when Darcy happens to appear (wet shirt optional). Austen conspired for all the timing to work out so well.
But… what if some of the timing wasn’t quite so fortuitious? What if, rather than everything coming together exactly as it should, the opposite occurred, and poor Darcy was plagued by incredibly bad timing, just when he needed the fates to guide him smoothly along?
In my short story, “A Mistaken Impression,” our hapless hero realises that sometimes, nothing works out as planned.
Here’s a little excerpt to tempt you.
Excerpt from “A Mistaken Impression”
At last, at long last, he was at the parsonage. Elizabeth, her friend had said, was there alone, and he had rushed thither at once. He had not had time to think, to plan his proposal. He had not expected the opportunity to present itself so quickly and unexpectedly. A maid had let him in and shown him to the small room where Elizabeth was reading quietly on the sofa, some needlework on the small table at her side. She sat up at once at the sound of the maid’s voice, announcing him. Her eyes were wide, her shoulders stiff.
She opened her mouth, ready to speak, but Darcy could not allow that. If he did not confess his feelings now and make his offer, he would lose the nerve to do so, and would slink away, as he had done only a few days before. He was not a man given to whims of the heart, to unstudied exclamations. Impulsivity was foreign to him. Furthermore, he had no prepared speech, no gift of a silver tongue. But his heart would not allow him to remain silent, and he knew he must get the words out before his stupid brain caused him even greater pain. No, he must have his say right away, with no danger of interruption.
“You must allow me,” he began, “to tell you how much—”
Something very loud crashed immediately outside the door.
He stopped at once, the next word he had thought to utter dying a rather sudden death.
Elizabeth startled and leapt to her feet.
“Forgive me. I must see…”
There came some rather alarming noises, then, the noise of shattering porcelain and a stifled oath followed by absolute silence.
Elizabeth opened the door and stood quite still for a moment. “Oh…” she breathed at last.
What on earth does Elizabeth see out there? You’ll have to buy the anthology to find out. Read some stories, fun and support a good cause! Tea with Austen releases on August 28, but you can pre-order now.
https://books2read.com/tnrc2024teawithausten.
What of the other treats? Well, you’ll hear quite a bit about this one over the next little while. If you’re a mystery lover, you’ll absolutely want to pick up a copy of Crime & Culpability. This upcoming anthology includes not only a short Mary and Alexander mystery, but also an offering by our own amazing Regina Jeffers. More details coming, but it’s already up for pre-order.
My third anthology does not yet have a release date, but it’s a lovely collection of fall-themed contemporary romances called Falling for You. And finally, after two years of writing, rewriting, tweaking, and editing, my latest P&P novel is in the hands of some trusted beta readers! Much of this story, tentatively titled Pride and Pursuit, takes place in Wales, and I hope to release it while I’m in that beautiful country. I won’t make promises, but it’s looking good!
Until then, if you’d like a taste of what happens when Mr Darcy has a bad day, you can pick up copy of “The Perils of Writing a Letter” free (did I say FREE?) at Bookfunnel. You may have read this short story before, but hey, it’s FREE!
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cdojtvk39y
Happy Reading!
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