I have recently completed the work of updating all the files and covers for Her Father’s Choice (Choices, book 1). In the process of updating things, I decided to make a larger print version of the book. I have never had large print editions of these books. I will continue to include a new large print edition for the books in this series as I move forward with the Choices Refresh Project.
Speaking of that project, I just started re-reading/re-editing book 2. I plan to begin sharing that story here on the blog, beginning on October 7, 2021.
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Sketches and Secrets of Summer (Darcy Family Holidays, book 4) is now available at your favourite retailer.
It’s finally here! Sketches and Secrets of Summer (Mary Bennet and Stuart Alford’s HEA story) is finally available for everyone to read. This book is on my list of favourite stories I have written. One of the characters who made this story for me was sweet and timid three-year-old Rose Alford. She’s not sure she trusts her uncle at first, and he has to wait some time before she accepts him whole-heartedly. In contrast, she takes to Mary straightaway and snuggles in beside her new friend quite readily.
Here’s one scene where Rose just jumped off the page and into my heart a little further. I can just hear a little lisp on the s of her yes and see the delight sparkling in her eyes.
This is from chapter 11 so it’s a good way into the story, and Stuart, Maggie, and Rose have just arrived at Pemberley to call on Mary (and everyone else — but mostly Mary 😉 ).
The girls stopped at the foot of the stairs that led up to Pemberley’s door and waited for him to join them. Then, they followed him up the steps.
“Are you ready?” he whispered, crouching down, and looking each of his nieces in the eye.
They both nodded eagerly. Maggie was currently silent, but ever since he had returned home two days ago and told her about the upcoming visit to Pemberley, she had been an absolute chatterbox about her friend Miss Bennet and what she hoped would happen today.
“Best behaviour?” he asked as a reminder of Miss Leslie’s instructions before they had climbed into the carriage at Wellsworth. Miss Leslie was to have the day to herself. Harriet and Susan, the two nursery maids, had been sent as companions for the girls should their services be required.
Again, both heads bobbed up and down.
“You will say good day and thank you and other such things?” he asked Rose with a wink.
Her little mouth turned up into a smile that shone in her eyes. “Yes,” she replied.
“I am very happy to hear it.” Stuart stood and smoothed his jacket. He was not entirely certain why he felt as nervous as he did. But there were butterflies having quite the raucous party in his stomach. He silently told them to leave off as he lifted the brass knocker and let it fall with a thud.
Something pulled at the edge of his coat’s tails, and looking down, he saw Rose standing at his side with her hand firmly grasping the material of his coat. Maggie still stood beside her sister, holding her hand. Could it be that he was not so far from being trusted by Rose as he thought he was? That thought seemed to do a better job of quieting his nerves than the scold he had given them had.
The door in front of them opened, and soon they were all gathered inside, following Pemberley’s butler to the drawing room.
“Do you want to hold my hand?” Stuart offered Rose.
She shook her head and kept her grip on his jacket. Apparently, holding his hand was a step too far in trusting him and one that she was not yet willing to give him.
“Mr. Alford, Miss Margaret Alford, and Miss Rose Alford,” the butler announced.
When Stuart stepped into the room, his coattail followed, but not immediately, because Rose was somewhat reticent to greet everyone gathered. That is, she was reticent until she saw Miss Bennet. Then, Stuart found his coat freed so that Rose could do her duty in waving to her friend.
Isn’t she sweet? Maggie is wonderful, too. She’s five, much more talkative, and equally as enamoured with Mary as her little sister is.
Below is the book’s description.
Once betrayed, always a bachelor. At least, that was the plan.
Stuart Alford never expected to return to Derbyshire. Indeed, he never wanted to return. However, when his brother dies, leaving him both his daughters and the family estate, Stuart must do what he does not want to do.
When he arrives to claim his inheritance and take up guardianship of his two wards, he discovers they have befriended a young woman who is visiting her sister and brother-in-law at Pemberley.
Mary Bennet is not like any other lady he has ever met. She’s refreshingly candid, and he begins to understand why his nieces adore her.
Be that as it may, Stuart, whose heart is just beginning to mend, has sworn off marriage, and he’s not reticent in sharing that fact. But despite his adamant proclamations, as sketches are made and shocking secrets are revealed, he’ll discover that offering his heart to another might be the only way for it to ever be fully restored.
Sketches and Secrets of Summer is a Leenie Brown Pride and Prejudice variation novel of just under 45,500 words (spread between 16 chapters). The paperback edition of the book comes in at 280 pages, which includes all the front matter (like the table of contents) and back matter (like acknowledgments, contact info, and a sample of another one of my books).
I thought this song title was appropriate since I just wanted you to know about a major shift in my writing life.
I think it was back in 2019…
I had spent a weekend reading (and not sleeping as much as I should have due to books 🙂 )
and I was getting ready on a tired Monday morning to “go to work” (meaning walk the few feet from my bedroom to my living room “office” and start putting in my six or so hours of work time),
that I was listening to some country music and one of my favourite groups, the Hunter Brothers, popped up in the playlist. I can’t tell you what song of theirs I was listening to but I can tell you that it was one of their songs when…
I have two things to let you know about today — One Winter’s Eve is on sale for the next five days and Christmas in Gracechurch Street is now available.
Price reduced to $0.99* from December 18 until December 22, 2020.
He’s an annoyance. She’s a puzzle. Together, they make sparks fly.
Is love’s enchantment powerful enough for a gentleman bent on remaining single and a lady equally as determined to marry only a man with an estate to come to an understanding? Or will love find itself rejected and shivering under the stars of a winter’s night?
*$0.99 USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, with all other currencies also reduced.
Feeling himself drawn to the enchanting Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy plans an escape from Netherfield. It isn’t until his arrangements are all in place that he discovers Elizabeth has made an escape of her own and is now right where he doesn’t want her to be. In town. And he’s about to spend a good amount of time with her and her relations.
I have three box sets included in a 40% off promotion at Kobo until January 27, 2020. [𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 16 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘴.] You must use the 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙙𝙚 𝙅𝘼𝙉𝘽𝙊𝙓 at checkout to get 40% off. You can find these three box sets at these links:
