The Highborn Governess

My new novella is going along quite well.  I’ve decided to answer a novel tags and sketch my characters.  However, my characters change so much, this information might not always be acurate.

What is your current word count? About 3,000 words, but I still have lots more to write.

What would you consider is best about your novel: plot, dialog, characters, or description?  My characters are really developing in this novella, even better than the first one.  But my dialogue is really good too (In my humble opinion).

Which of the above would you consider your weakest point?  Description.  I’m pretty bad at that so I hardly ever incorporate it into my stories.  It sounds unnatural and forced.

Of all your characters who do you like the best?  Edmund Troppe, the hero, is probably my favorite character.  But I like Emma too.

What was the inspiration for your novel?  My first novella, Eleanor and Catherine: Tender Hopes and Dreams.

What other writing projects have you completed or are in the process of writing?  I don’t have anything planned right now.

What would you consider the funniest line in your novel?  They both shyly greeted her and then they all stood there, feeling uncomfortable.Go to the 11th page of your novel and paste the last paragraph here.  

“Oh, it’s just that Fan and Lydia have not been behaving as well as they ought, or that Mother thinks they should,” he said.  Then, conjecturing rightly that she was shy and did not wish to talk, at least not at the moment, he bowed and exited the schoolroom.  Emma, lingered a few more moments and then went out.

What time period is your novel set in?  The mid-1800′s, Regency England

Please paste here the paragraph you consider the best.  The maid left her alone in the schoolroom.  She walked down the room to the large, handsome oak desk that was to be hers.  She noted that Fanny and Lydia’s desks were, though not the same size, still as well crafted and of the same material.  Emma looked at the different titles of the many, handsomely-bound books that were in the room.

What are you planning to do when your novel is all written and edited? Writing wise, that is.  I want to do another story, perhaps a sequel to this one.

My story is constantly changing in little details but here is the rough synopsis.

Emma Ashby is left an orphan upon her father’s death.  Her mother died several years ago.  She becomes a governess at the Troppe household and teaches their two girls, Fanny and Lydia.  Emma develops an affection towards the Troppe’s only son, Edmund.  When her rich aunt and uncle, Eleanor and Henry Davrille find her and take her to their home, will she see Edmund again?  Does he have feelings for her?

The Characters

Emma Ashby – Emma Ashby is a bit shy, accomplished, intelligent, and kind.  She is unsure at first about being a governess, but even though she is not treated well by many of the servants and family members, she adjusts quickly.  Emma is probably my favorite female character I’ve created.

Edmund Troppe – Edmund Troppe is a handsome young man of five and twenty.  He enjoys a variety of pastimes, one of the first of which is reading.  He posesses a sense of humor and teases his sisters, Lydia and Fanny.  He is attracted to Emma’s shyness and her plight.

Eleanor Davrille – Eleanor Davrille is Emma’s aunt.  I wrote her story in Eleanor and Catherine.  She is kind and warm towards everyone she meets.

There are a lot more characters than who I’ve shown, but those are the main ones.

FINISHED!

I finished revising, polishing, and editing Eleanor and Catherine: Tender Hopes and Dreams today.  I started on a new novella called The Highborn Governess.  It’s a kind of sequel to E and C.  It’s really taking off and I can’t wait to see how it develops.

An excerpt from E and C:

Robert’s mind was made up.  He would propose to Miss Harcourt.  His reasons were simple, mercenary, and base.  He was a younger son and as such he would not inherit the estate upon his father’s death and he would only receive a small sum of money since most of it would go to his brother.  He needed an heiress to make his way in the world (or so he thought).

Eleanor was such an heiress.  She had thirty thousand pounds to her name, the Harcourt family was well-respected, and they would welcome an alliance with the illustrious Davrille line even from a younger son.  Of this he was sure.

Eleanor’s beauty, accomplishments, and intelligence of mind meant little to him.  If she had been one and thirty, had warts, and a sour disposition it would have made no difference to him.  He needed an heiress and one was as good as another.  Eleanor was an easy choice since the Davrilles and Harcourts were intimately acquainted.

She had given him no encouragement, but when she had given him only as much attention as courtesy demanded, he had thought her modest.  When her sister Catherine had openly scowled at him, he thought that she knew Eleanor was in love with him, and did not wish her sister taken away.  When Eleanor had pointed him out he was angry at first, but soon came to look at it as a sign of her admiration in wanting to show him to her friends.  Such were Robert Davrille’s vain, blind thoughts.

Eleanor knew nothing of Robert’s intentions.  She was certainly not looking for an offer from him and did not even think there was any possibility of such a thing.  Therefore it came to her as an unpleasant shock when Robert called that morning, without any of his family and almost demanded from Lady Harcourt a private audience with her eldest daughter.

Lady Harcourt had not seen as much of Robert as Eleanor and Catherine had and so had not formed an unfavourable opinion of him.  Most of what she knew of him she had heard from Lady Davrille and one of Lady Davrille’s habits was to speak highly of all her children.  Therefore, Lady Harcourt knew nothing bad of him and acquiesced to his request.  Had she seen Eleanor’s look of keen distress she probably would have changed her mind, but she quickly swept out of the room calling Catherine to follow her.

Catherine saw Eleanor’s face change and would have given anything to be able to stay with her, but Lady Harcourt was not to be disobeyed, so with an anguished look in Eleanor’s direction she quietly left the room.

Eleanor rose up as if to leave but then sat down again, resolving to sit through Robert’s talk with as much grace as she could muster.

“My dear Miss Harcourt,” Robert began grandly, “You cannot have mistaken the many attentions I have shown you over the past week or so.  I wish you to marry me and am prepared to offer you all the luxuries you are accustomed to.”  So ended his stiff speech.

Eleanor sat silent for awhile, thinking out what she should say.  She resolved to be gracious, yet polite, and unswerving in her meaning.  “Thank you for the proposal you have made to me.  I am, however, not able to return your affection and I am not able to accept you,” she said as calmly as possible.

Robert stared at her.  Then, turning swiftly, he left the room, quite angry.  Eleanor sank down on a chair.  In a few minutes she had recovered and calmed herself and went in search of Catherine.  Finding her, she spilled out all that happened.  Catherine was, of course, not shocked that he had proposed, since it was obvious he had meant to do so when he called.  She was also not amazed that he had chosen to propose to Eleanor.  She was an heiress, beautiful, charming, and accomplished.  And although Catherine was all of these, she had a smaller fortune than Eleanor.

They then went and told Lady Harcourt.  She was surprised that Eleanor had turned him down, but when they told her all that he had done to try Eleanor’s patience, she no longer was surprised but instead was thankful that Eleanor had refused him.

An excerpt from T.H.G:

Amy Ashby was alone in the world.  She had been alone in the world since night before last when her father passed on.  She had ran to her chamber, bursting into tears and it had taken the combined efforts of Mrs. Tirrod, the kindly housekeeper and Amy’s favourite maid to persuade her to eat something.

She only just managed to choke down a piece of bread and a bowl of chicken broth before bolting the door and falling on her bed, bursting into tears.  Mrs. Tirrod could only listen outside the door sorrowfully and wait for Amy to open it of her own accord. 

Next morning she calmed herself with great effort and ventured outside her room.  The undertaker had made all the arrangements of which she was thankful.  She had breakfast brought up to her room and spent the day with her needlework, sad and silent.

Now this present morning she stood in the spacious drawing room, looking sadly out the window at the lawn and gently sloping hills beyond it.

“Letter for you, Miss Ashby,” a maid said, handing it to her.  Amy broke open the seal.

I did it!

I did what I set out to do!  Reach 15,000 words in my novella.  I want to reach 20,000 now which that may be slightly beyond my scope although I do have a few more plot twists to add to the story.  You can read more about my novella here and here.

Sorry the picture is cut off a bit.  I got it from here.

A REALLY Long Book Tag

I found this tag from safirewriter.

1. What’s your word count?  For my novella, Eleanor and Catherine, about 14,000 words.

2. How long until you finish? I have no idea.  I’m still in the throes of revising, revising, and more revising.

3. If you have finished, how long did it take you? I haven’t finished.

4. Do you have an outline?  I scribbled a few notes for E and C but never really had a firm outline (except in my head).

5. Do you have a plot?  I don’t even understand that question.

6. How many words do you typically write a day? As many as possible.

7. What was your greatest word count in one day? Hmmmm…Probably around 4,000

8. What was your least impressive word count in one day?  When I didn’t write a thing.

9. What inspired you to write?  Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility

10. Does your novel have a theme song?No

11. Assign each of your major characters a theme song.  No theme song for any of them.
 
12. Which character is most like you?  Catherine most likely.

13. Which character would you most likely be friends with?  Catherine would be a lot of fun.

14. Do you have a Gary-Stu or Mary Sue character?  No.

15. Who is your favorite character in your novel?  Eleanor

16. Have your characters ever done something completely unexpected? Not really, but a whole new character pushed her way into my story once.

17. Have you based any of your novel directly on personal experiences?  Never, my life hasn’t been too interesting.

18. Do you believe in plot bunnies?  What are they?

19. Is there magic in your novel?No.

20. Are any holidays celebrated in your novel?  No.

21. Does anyone die?  Once, but the person who died wasn’t a main character.

22. How many cups of coffee/tea have you consumed during your writing experience?  I don’t drink while I’m writing.

23. What is the latest you have stayed up writing?  10:30 p.m.

24. What is the best line?  “She could scarcely believe her own heart, being young and inexperienced in such matters, but she knew enough of her happiness and enjoyment of Henry’s company.”

25. What is the worst line?  I couldn’t say…
26. Have you dreamed about your novel or its characters?  Unfortunately, no.

27. Does your novel rely heavily on allegory?  No

28. Summarize your novel in under fifteen words.  I’ll try:  ’Two girls find happily ever after.’

29. Do you love all your characters?  Not my villains, e.g., Fanny Ashby, Robert Davrille.

30. Have you done something sadistic or cruel to your characters specifically to increase your word count?  Never, never, never!

31. What was the last thing your main character ate? I don’t concentrate on those details.

32. Describe your main character in three words.  I have two: Eleanor – Calm, Intelligent, Pretty; Catherine  - Cheerful, Friendly, Pretty.

33. What would your antagonist dress up as for Halloween?  They don’t celebrate Halloween.

34. Does anyone in your story go to a place of worship?  No

35. How many romantic relationships take place in your novel?  Two couples get married.

36. Are there any explosions in your novel?  Emotional yes.

37. Is there an apocalypse in your novel?  No!

38. Does your novel take place in a post-apocalyptic world?  Definitely not

39. Are there zombies, vampires or werewolves in your novel?  NO! 

40. Are there witches, wizards or mythological creatures/figures in your novel?  NO!

41. Is anyone reincarnated?  NO!

42. Is anyone physically ailed?  Definitely.

43. Is anyone mentally ill?  No.

44. Does anyone have swine flu?  No.

45. Who has pets in your novel and what are they?  Animals aren’t in my stories.

46. Are there angels, demons, or any religious references/figures in your novel?  No.

47. How about political figures?  No.

48. Is there incessant drinking?  Never!

49. Are there board games? If so, which ones?   No.

50. Are there any dream sequences?  No.

51. Is there humor?  I’m not the type…

52. Is there tragedy?  Um…sort of…

53. Does anyone have a temper tantrum?  No.

54. How many characters end up single at the end of your novel?  Two.  They are both villains so I think they would be good for each other.

55. Is anyone in your novel adopted?  No.
 
56. Does anyone in your novel wear glasses?  No.

57. Has your novel provided insight about your life?  No.

58. Your personality?  Reclusive about my writing.

59. Has your novel inspired anyone?  Not that I know of.

60. How many people have asked to read your novel?  I can count them on the fingers of one hand.

61. Have you drawn any of your characters?  No.

62. Has anyone drawn your characters for you?  No.

63. Does anyone vomit in your novels?  No.

64. Does anyone bleed in your novel?  No.

65. Do any of your characters watch TV?  They live in Regency times.  Enough said.

66. What size shoe does your main character wear?  I don’t have a clue.

67. Do any of the characters in your novel use a computer?  Same answer as No. 65

68. How would you react if your novel was erased entirely?  Just start rewriting it.  I would hate all that hard work down the drain though.  I have the story saved on my flash drive, my word processor, and the Internet so I don’t think it’s very likely.

69. Did you cry at killing off any of your characters?  None have died so far.

70. Did you cheer when killing off one of your characters?  Same answer as No. 69.

71. What advice would you give to a fellow writer.  Read, ‘Rite, Revise.

72. Describe your ending in three words.  Satisfaction, love, happiness.

73. Are there any love triangles, squares, hexagons, etc.?  No, but there is a slight misunderstanding.

74. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the least stressful, 10 being the most) how does your stress rank?  1 – I don’t have any stress unless I can’t find the word I’m searching for.  I have experienced euphoria when my characters have a happy ending.

75. Was it worth it?  Yes, yes, yes…I could write that word over and over again.  IT WAS WORTH IT!

Two Proposals and Two Weddings

I have worked on my novel for some time now (you can read about it here and here.)  And the big news is…I finished it last night!  Since it only has about 15,000 words it would be called a novella or short story, but I’m really pleased with what I’ve accomplished and to celebrate I’m going to give you three chapters of my novella – the two proposals (since there’s two sisters) and the double wedding.  These chapters do not come one after the other in the full novella.

Eleanor

Eleanor was taking another morning walk the next day when again she met Henry.  Had he purposely sought her out? she wondered.  They talked comfortably together, although all the time Eleanor’s heart was beating fast.  They scarcely noticed where they were going, but by some chance finally found themselves in front of Eleanor’s home.  She was about to go inside when Henry spoke.

“Miss Harcourt, Eleanor…wait.”

She turned around eagerly and waited.

He faced her and awkwardly said, “Eleanor, I have observed you for these past few days, in Wollington, and in London and each time, I have been more impressed by your beauty, charm, and musical ability.  I would like to…I want to ask you something.”  He paused.

“Yes, do go on,” said Eleanor, hardly breathing.

“Will you…will you marry me?”

Eleanor stopped breathing.  “Yes, Henry,” she said, and burst into happy tears.

She ran into the house with Henry close behind her.  Luckily, her mother and Catherine were both upstairs which gave Eleanor a few moments to dry her tears.  They came down quickly upon hearing Henry’s voice and in a few joyous words, Eleanor and Henry told all.  Great were Catherine’s and Lady Celia’s joy when they heard.  To Catherine it was not such a complete surprise because of the talk she and Susan had had yesterday, but to Lady Celia it was total surprise. 

After they had given the news to the Catherine and Lady Celia, Henry and Eleanor went over to the Davrille’s house where Henry introduced his future wife to them all.  The joy was no less great there and Jane especially welcomed Eleanor warmly into the family. 

After mutual happiness on both sides, Lady Davrille discreetly left the two lovers alone and they had a long conversation.

“When did you first start to fall in love with me?” Henry asked Eleanor.

“I am not sure.  I think it was the night of the party (so long ago it seems!) in Wollington, but I cannot say for sure.  I know I was most definitely in love when you came to the party in London.”

They continued talking for some length over many different subjects and settled the wedding date to three months from that day.

Eleanor and Catherine talked about several things that evening.

“Eleanor, I’m so happy for you!” exclaimed Catherine.

“I know, Catherine.  It seems like a wonderful dream, but perfectly real,” Eleanor replied.

“If only William…but never mind.  When is your wedding taking place?” she asked with a slight sigh.

“Three months from today.  But why are you distressed?  I am sure William feels for you.  Have you heard anything in the contrary?” Eleanor asked gently.

“Just this,” said Catherine, displaying a letter.

Eleanor snatched it up and this is what she read.

Dear Catherine,

How are you finding Bath?  I write to tell you that my brother William will be arriving in Bath soon for a few days.  I hope he will pay your family a call shortly after he finishes up his business.  Please write back.

Your dearest friend,

Julia Ashby

“Why would Julia write to you just about William’s coming?  Does she know about your attachment?  I’m sure there’s some mistake and that William will be here.

“She must have discovered my feelings for him.  Oh, Eleanor, do you think my feelings were too plain?” Catherine asked.  

“No, Catherine.  You did not show your feelings that much.  Rest assured that William will be here.  If he feels for you he will be here.”

Catherine

Early the next morning Catherine awoke, finished packing and was just about to leave the room and go down to the dining room when William again entered the room.

“Excuse me, Miss Harcourt, but I wish to speak with you,” he said.

“Please sit down,” Catherine said calmly enough, but her heart was thumping.

“Thank you,” he replied, and then hurriedly went on, “I have just had a confidence from my sister that you purposely came here after reading Mama’s letter.  I would like to thank you for coming with my sisters, giving up the comforts of home just to come here and help my family.”  He paused, and then went on, “The more I see of you Catherine, the more I am impressed by your beauty, your talents, and your cheerfulness.  You have become very near and dear to my sisters as you have become to me.  In short Catherine, I am…I am in love with you.  Will you marry me?”

Catherine was overcome with joy.  “Yes, I will,” she managed, and then, like her sister, burst into tears.

Julia had been walking along the corridor, toward Catherine’s room to see if she had everything was ready.  When she heard Catherine burst into tears she quickened her pace and came into the room.  When she heard the happy story she could hardly contain her joy and the all three of them, beaming happily, went down to the breakfast table.

The news was shared among all the Ashbys and everyone was extremely happy with the news.  It was soon arranged that William and Julia would go back to Woodland Manor.  William, as a trustworthy escort, and Julia because she wished to extend her stay at Wollington.  Fanny chose not to go.

The Wedding(s)

When the Harcourts heard the news they were very, very happy.  Eleanor was so happy that her sister was to be married that she and Henry agreed to put off their wedding until arrangements could be made for a double wedding.

All the Ashbys traveled to Wollington to be present at the wedding.  By mutual consent, the families had agreed to have the double wedding in Wollington not London.  For one, both brides and one of the grooms came from there, and Lady Harcourt disliked London.  The Lord and Lady Ashby wished to see Wollington so the arrangement was very agreeably made.

“Oh, Eleanor, I’m so happy!” Catherine exclaimed.  “William and I will be living in his house in London but he is also thinking of taking a house near Wollington so we can be close to you and Henry.”

“Henry and I will be living on his estate.  It is only a few miles from Woodland Manor.”

Both couples looked forward to their wedding excitedly and at last the day arrived. The brides looked very pretty and no-one who was there, except the grooms could tell which was prettier.  Of course the grooms where partial.  The grooms were handsome, the ceremony went well, and so did the wedding breakfast after.  Both couples set off for the same honeymoon destination where they would stay for several weeks even months before coming back to their homes.  They were both as much in love when they came home as when they had left and the two couples lived together happily ever after.

**********************************************

I hope you enjoyed reading these excerpts.  I had fun writing the story and I hope you will have as good success with your stories.

Here’s the ‘cover’ I made for my novella:

 

It came!

My copy of Jane Austen Made Me Do It came in the mail today!  I am thrilled.  Here’s a summary of the stories in it from this site.

“The Riding Habit,” by Pamela Aidan

It is April 1814, almost sixteen months since the wedding of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, and the happily married couple is in London for the Season. The months have been full for Elizabeth, but since removing to Town, she has discovered that the blunt words of Lady Catherine held more truth than she knew. Negotiating Society is complicated, and it promises to become more so as she prepares for Georgiana’s coming out ball. Why, then, must her beloved Fitzwilliam insist she learn to ride a horse now before the eyes of them all?

“The Ghostwriter,” by Elizabeth Aston

Sara, obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, is jilted by Charles, who can’t compete with Mr. Darcy. His parting gift is a lock of Jane Austen’s hair. Sara wakes the next morning to find a strange woman sitting on the end of her bed. A figment of her imagination? No, it’s the astringent ghost of Jane Austen. On a mission to restore the reputation of forgotten Gothic author Clarissa Curstable, Jane Austen saves Sara’s career and brings Charles back before taking herself off into the ether, but there’s a price to pay, as the couple discover when they wake up to find another ghostly visitor at the end of the bed. It’s Jane’s friend, Clarissa – and she plans to stay.

“The Love Letter,” by Brenna Aubrey

Young doctor Mark Hinton thinks his life is perfect.  He is just about to finish his residency and has accepted the offer of a fabulous new job.  Things could not be better…  until the arrival of an anonymous letter in the mail forces him to confront the truth he’s been hiding from for seven years.

Sent on a quest by the mysterious contents of the letter, he is forced to discover the contents of his own heart thanks to Jane Austen, a canny librarian, a cantankerous patient, and a coolly observant sister.

“Jane and the Gentleman Rogue,” by Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Gentleman Rogue finds the unsettled Miss Austen in the spring of 1806, living in temporary Bath lodgings following the death of her father.  An invitation to a ball at the Dowager Duchess of Wilborough’s home in Laura Place throws her into the company of Lord Harold Trowbridge: confidant of the Government, Rake about Town, and spy.  The unmasking of a French Adventuress and her traitorous paramour leads to an unexpected meeting at dawn–when only Jane’s wit stands between England and disaster.

“The Chase,” by Carrie Bebris

An Age of Sail adventure tale featuring Jane Austen’s brother Francis William Austen (who eventually rose to the Royal Navy’s highest position, Admiral of the Fleet) as the daring 26-year-old commander of the HMS Petterel sloop. It depicts the true events of the March 1800 action off Marseilles that earned him promotion to post-captain. There just might be more of Francis Austen in Persuasion’s Captain Wentworth than you ever imagined!

“Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss,” by Jo Beverley

Elinor Carsholt is living on the charity of a connection of her late husband’s in the village of Chawton, facing a dismal future for her three young daughters, until she begins to hope that her oldest daughter Amy has caught the eye of local baronet Sir Nicholas Danvers. Amy must have been sneaking out for clandestine meetings, which disturbs her, and there is a ten-year age difference, but still, it would be the saving of them all.

When she and the girls go out on Christmas Eve to look for holly, ivy, and mistletoe, Elinor is still undecided and rejects Amy’s urging to go to Sir Nicholas’s estate in search of mistletoe, but then local resident Miss Austen drives by in her donkey cart and pauses to chat.

Elinor doesn’t really approve of Miss Jane Austen, for she’s been told she writes novels, which Elinor thinks a bad influence on young female minds, but she has to be polite. Miss Jane turns talk to love and marriage, expressing far too romantic a view, but she also assures them all that Sir Nicholas would be delighted if they searched his orchard for mistletoe, changing the course of their lives.

“Jane Austen’s Cat,” by Diana Birchall

Jane Austen’s niece Anna once wrote that her aunt used to “tell us the most delightful stories, chiefly of Fairyland, and her fairies had all characters of their own.“  A younger niece, Caroline, remembered that “Aunt Jane was the general favourite with children; her ways with them being so playful, and her long circumstantial stories so delightful. These were continued from time to time, and were begged for on all possible and impossible occasions; woven, as she proceeded, out of nothing but her own happy talent for invention. Ah! if but one of them could be recovered!”

If only they could!  This inspired me to imagine what the stories might have been like, and to portray a scene of Jane Austen’s home life at Chawton, in which she entertains her nieces.  Trying to capture her playful spirit, and remembering how her brother James amused his daughter Caroline by writing poems about her cat Tyger, I pictured Jane Austen using that same cat as a story device.  Her “cat tails” are told on one level for children, but she is also telling stories based on her novels, and on her own life.

“Faux Jane,” by F. J. Meier (Frank Delaney & Diane Meier)

A rich young American actress anxious to marry an English Lord buys a “signed first edition” ofPride and Prejudice as a gift to impress his rare book collecting mother – which, of course, is a fake. The actress’s friends are the story’s two protagonists – a fashionable New York photographer and her chic-restaurant owner husband – they’re Nicola and Charles Scott. The story mirrors many of the snob and society nuances excelled in by Jane Austen – on whom the restaurateur, Charlie (as his wife calls him: he’s “Charles” to everyone else) is encyclopedic. With the help of their butler-manservant, a former hood named Uncle Julius, Charles and Nicola crack the fraud.

“Nothing Less Than Fairy-land,” by Monica Fairview

In this gently humorous story inspired by Jane Austen’s novel Emma, the day has come for Mr. Knightley to move into Hartfield, but Mr. Woodhouse is still not reconciled to the marriage. Trouble looms on the horizon, unless Emma can quickly come up with a way to convince her papa to accept Mr. Knightley’s presence.

“Mr. Bennet Meets His Match,” by Amanda Grange

On his daughters’ wedding day, Mr. John Bennet’s mind drifts back to the events of twenty-three years before, and the events leading to his own marriage . . .  Encouraged by his parents to marry sooner rather than later and thereby provide a new generation of Bennet heirs for the estate, John laughed at their hurry. However, a meeting with his Cousin Collins, who was next in line for the entail, and an unfortunate accident, made him reconsider his position, and the proximity of the lively, pretty Miss Jane Gardiner sealed his fate.

“Jane Austen’s Nightmare,” by Syrie James

Have you ever wondered what Jane Austen dreamt about? Are you curious how she felt about her own characters? In this highly amusing glimpse into Jane Austen’s mind, we are privy to her worst nightmare. All of her heroines, and a compendium of other characters from her novels, descend on her on a foggy day in Bath to discuss or complain about the way they were portrayed, a distressing but ultimately illuminating experience which inspires her to write Persuasion.

“Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!,” by Janet Mullany

It’s 1964 at the height of Beatlemania and the girls of Cleverton High School in England are out of control. Julie Morton, the most junior staff member, finds herself supervising three of the school’s worst offenders, and the resulting conversation about Sense and Sensibility starring the Fab Four gives the girls insight into Austen’s novels and teaches Julie something about her own choice in men.

“Waiting: A story inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion,” by Jane Odiwe

Captain Wentworth and his beloved Anne Elliot have waited almost nine years to be together. At last all misunderstandings are swept aside. They have declared their love for one another, and all that remains is for their union to be blessed by Anne’s father, the irascible Sir Walter Elliot, and for the family members to be told. As Anne and Frederick ponder their futures each is reminded of the past, and all that has happened. Anne recalls the heady days of their courtship, but Frederick finds his memories overshadowed by the recollection of Sir Walter’s former hostility. Anne waits patiently for the outcome, but is disappointed by her sister Elizabeth’s reaction to the news, and further dismayed when she sees Captain Wentworth’s expression telling her all has not gone well with his interview. However, Anne is resolute. Despite being persuaded in the past against the match, she is determined to marry the Captain whatever the opposition. To her relief she discovers that Sir Walter has given his blessing, albeit grudgingly, and that at least one of her sisters is moderately pleased for her. Anne and Frederick know there are more obstacles to their happiness to come, but rejoice in the old adage that ‘good things come to those who wait.’

“When Only A Darcy Will Do,” by Beth Pattillo

Elizabeth Brown hopes her bootleg tour of Jane Austen’s London will bring in some quick extra cash, but when a real-live Mr. Darcy shows up for the tour, her day takes an unexpected turn.  Elizabeth has very real problems.  Her father’s lost everything in the economic downturn, her parents have split up, and she has no idea where she’ll get the money she needs for grad school tuition.  Her afternoon with Mr. Darcy, though, shows her that even in the midst of turmoil, happiness can arrive in the most unexpected ways.

“Me and Mr. Darcy, Again…,” by Alexandra Potter

Mr. Darcy is every woman’s fantasy. But what happens when he becomes one woman’s reality? In 2007 Emily traveled from New York to England to go on a Jane Austen-inspired literary tour. There she met and fell in love with Spike, an English journalist.

She also met Mr. Darcy… Or did she? She can never be sure if it really happened, or it was her over-active imagination. Now, four years later, she’s had a huge row with Spike and is back in London nursing a broken heart. And there’s only one person who can mend it. Mr. Darcy….

“The Mysterious Closet: A Tale,” by Myretta Robens

In the wake of her most recent failed relationship, Cathy Fullerton takes an extended vacation in a converted Abbey in Gloucestershire, England.  Ensconced in the Radcliffe Suite, a jet-lagged Cathy mistakes a walk-in closet for a Vaulted Chamber, a clothing rack for an Instrument of Torture and an accumulation of cobwebs for her True Love.

“What Would Austen Do?,” by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

Fifteen-year-old James Austen always thought Jane Austen was for people like his mom – people who read stuff, old people.  But when he mistakenly signs up for a country dancing class, James realizes that all kinds of girls actually read Jane Austen.  If he wants to figure out why, he’s going to have to actually…read the books.

“Letters to Lydia,” by Maya Slater

While visiting her newly married sister Charlotte Collins, Maria Lucas writes to her best friend Lydia Bennet of her experiences in Kent. Top on her list of tittle-tattle is the budding romance of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Present throughout the Hunsford episode, which culminates in Darcy’s first disastrous proposal of marriage to Elizabeth, we are privileged to Maria’s own account of their romance from the point of view of her naïve sixteen-year-old imaginings. Although she misinterprets everything she observes, it turns out that she is partly responsible for bringing about the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy.

“Heard of You,” by Margaret C. Sullivan

In Jane Austen’s Persuasion, we are told that Admiral and Mrs. Croft married a shockingly short time after their first meeting, but that they had heard a great deal about each other before they met. How could they have known each other so well? In the midst of war, an unlikely Cupid brings together one of Austen’s best married couples in a story inspired both by Persuasion and by Captain Frederick Marryat’s novel Peter Simple.

“Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane,” by Adriana Trigiani

Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane is a story that celebrates the art of the written letter, sent person to person, in private to impart news, feelings of love or to warn of impending doom. One of the joys of reading Jane Austen’s novels are the letters written by the characters that change the course of the action, and send the plot off in new and unexpected directions. I imagined Jane today, and with the sketchy biographical information we have of her, wrote this letter in her fictional voice. Viva Jane!

“Intolerable Stupidity,” by Laurie Viera Rigler

Well hidden from the ordinary world, in a little-known corner of jurisprudential hell known as the Court of Intolerable Stupidity, a legal drama of literary proportions unfolds. The plaintiff is none other than the most famous romantic hero of all time, Mr. Darcy. The defendants are the authors who dared write sequels, adaptations, and inspired-by’s of his Creator’s most beloved work,Pride and Prejudice. One of those works, whose author was tried and convicted in absentia, is so popular that its salacious swimming-in-the-lake scene has resulted in Darcy’s being forced to endure a perpetual state of shivering wetness in a transparent white shirt. For when Darcy’s adoring public isn’t throwing water on him, his umbrella breaks in the midst of a downpour. And now, between the zombies and the vampires, Darcy and his wife Elizabeth are at their wit’s end. So is defense attorney Fritz Williams, who not only fights a losing battle in a kangaroo court ruled by Darcy’s tyrannical aunt, the Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, but also his secret infatuation with prosecuting attorney Tawny Wolfson. Who has her own secret: a hopeless addiction to the illegal miniseries that she is supposed to abhor.

“A Night at Northanger,” by Lauren Willig

Our heroine, Cate Cartwright, is part of the cast of “Ghost Trekkers”, currently filming at one of England’s most haunted homes, Northanger Abbey.  Naturally, Cate knows there’s no such thing as ghosts.  It’s all smoke and mirrors for the credulous who watch late night TV.  At least, that’s what she thinks… until she meets the shade of one Miss Jane Austen during one fateful night at Northanger.

The Horse Diaries

I went to Chapters today and bought two books.  They are both in the same series – The Horse Diaries.  I haven’t had time to read them yet, but they promise to be an interesting read!  They are stories about different breeds of horses told from their viewpoint, first person.  Watch for a post about these two books:

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

 

The Gift of Magi is a short story written by O. Henry. The story is truly a Christmas delight that shows how charitable a person can get when love is in the mix.

It starts with the introduction of Della and Jim Dillingham, a recently married couple. It is Christmas time and both of them wish to gift their spouse something memorable. Della wants to gift Jim a chain for his pocket watch that he cherishes, while Jim wants to present Della with a set of combs made from tortoiseshell and jewels for Della’s long beautiful hair.

The climax of the story comes from the financial side. Money is scarce and the gifts are expensive. How will Della find the money to buy the chain and Will Jim buy the combs or end up buying something else for Della. Read the story to find out…