Music Monday: Enchanted ~ Period Drama Montage

Today, along with writing news and a writing excerpt, I thought I would share this fan video that YouTube was so kind as to suggest that I needed to view. 🙂 I think it is very well done —

SpellboundStudios. “Enchanted ~ Period Drama Montage.” YouTube. YouTube, 31 July 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2017.

— and I enjoyed the song, so I added this video to my Music Meets Movies playlist. I’m up to 72 videos on that list now. It’s a great place to take a short break between writing projects. And this was a week full of projects.  Let me list a few of them for you.

  • Tuesday was the official release day for Discovering Mr. Darcy on all retailers. It was a good launch with the book ranking fairly high in some of its categories, and it already has 7 reviews the last time I looked.  Thank you to all who purchased and to those who reviewed as well.
  • The print copy of that book finally came and, after a slight tweak, it was approved and is now available for purchase.
  • Because of the way the epilogue flows from Discovering Mr. Darcy to Not An Heiress, I wanted to have Not an Heiress available for people to preorder when they finished reading Discovering Mr. Darcy.  That meant getting a file transferred into the proper format, writing a book description, filling in all the information required on all my retailers, and setting a date.  As it is booked right now, Not an Heiress will release on June 20, 2017.  This is the first time I have placed a book on preorder before it has entered the final stages of editing, so I will admit to being a bit nervous. However, I believe, I have set aside enough time to complete all the editing that needs to be done before the deadline for the final manuscript upload. In fact, I should have first round edits completed by the end of this week.
  • I mainly focused on With the Colonel’s Help during my writing hours this past week, but I did write a few words that are the beginning of what I am planning to make a short story to go with At All Costs, although I have this sneaking suspicion it could end up being a bit longer than a short story. 🙂  Oh, and At All Costs has been sent to my final editor for reading. That story will be available May 18, 2017 (hopefully 😉 ).

So, as you can see, this was a busy week of varied activities, which meant lots of opportunities to watch Music Meets Movies videos as I transitioned from one activity to another. 🙂

Now, to chose a bit of the writing that I did this last week.  While I managed to add around four thousand words to With the Colonel’s Help, I think I will give you a peek at those first 700+ words from the rough draft of the story about Caroline, which has no title as of yet. Be prepared for a surprising Mr. Hurst in this scene.

EXCERPT FROM Caroline’s Tale: 

Caroline Bingley stared at her sister’s husband. He could not be serious! Chose a husband at this house party.

“If you are unsuccessful here, your brother says you may have a season to secure a match, but after that, you will either set up your own establishment or go to live with your aunt.”  Fredrick Hurst, lowered the letter he had been reading and glared at Caroline.  “I told you we should not have gone to Pemberley.  But would you listen?”  He rose from the chair in the library at ___ which he had commandeered for this meeting with his wife’s trying younger sister.  “You have always wanted to have your way.  You thought nothing of anyone else.  How many times did Charles tell you that Darcy would not have you? But did you listen?”

Caroline cowered slightly in her chair.  Fredrick was never so vocal about his displeasure.  Normally, he would scowl and mutter, but rarely did he raise his voice. 

“Have you no words to rebuff me?” Fredrick stood above her.  “Or will you spread rumours about me as well?  Perhaps you could share with one and all that your sister has not yet had a child because…” he scratched his chin and pursed his lips as he thought, “Oh, I know, because I spend all my nights with a mistress instead of my wife. It is not less true than what you have said about others.” 

Caroline’s eyes grew wide as he leaned toward her.  “I should never –“

“No. You will not speak until I am well and truly through with you.   I have put up with your antics for your sister’s sake for these three years, but I will not do so any longer. ”  He waved the letter he held in his hand an inch from her face.  “Your brother? You would accuse your brother of such ungentlemanly behaviour as seducing and leaving Miss Bennet, who, I might add, you claimed as a friend! Not to mention what you have said about Darcy and Miss Elizabeth!”  He turned from her in disgust and shook his head.  “No, you will marry before the season begins if I have to affect a compromise to guarantee you do.”  He turned back toward her.  “I do not wish to host you for a season.” He flicked the letter with his finger.  “Charles is too good.  I would have sent you off to your aunt without a farthing of your money for what you did.”

Again Caroline cowered under his glower.  She had heard stories from his friends that he was not a man with whom to trifle, but she had never seen it until now. 

“You will go to your room and remain there until it is time to gather for dinner.  And then, you will appear and be as sweet to everyone as you are when you are pretending to care about Darcy or his sister.”  He studied her for a moment.  His anger with Caroline was only slightly cooled, and he was determined to impress upon her just how grievous her actions had been.  He shrugged.  Perhaps it might be beneficial if she were to be treated in a similar fashion to those she ridiculed.  “You are not without charms, I suppose.  Your complexion is good. Your teeth fine.  Your eyes are acceptable, though unremarkable, and your nose is perfectly straight.  Your maid is clearly adept at styling your hair to best suit your features, and the modiste, though she listens to your preference for colors — which are marginally flattering, — does know how to drape your assets to best advantage.” He bit back a smile at her horrified expression.  “And if all that is not effective, you do have twenty thousand pounds. I am certain there is at least one man here who would welcome such a sum.”  He shrugged again. “I would not be averse to throwing in a few extra quid if need be.”  He waved to the door. “To your room,” he instructed.  “And do come to dinner ready to win a man’s admiration.” 

Caroline opened her mouth to speak.

“No,” he answered before she could speak. “I have changed my mind.  Even though I am through with you for the moment, I find I do not wish to hear what you have to say. There is no way you can explain away what you have done.”

Caroline snapped her mouth shut and her eyes narrowed. 

“Do not even contemplate retaliation, dear sister.  For I assure you, I will see you on the first coach bound for ___. ”  He waved once more toward the door, and Caroline, having no other recourse, did as instructed and rose to retire to her room.

What do you think? Good start? I have some interesting plans for Caroline in this one. I do need a name for a gentleman who will be willing to take her on and teach her a thing or two along the way. Any suggestions?

~*~*~

Leenie B Books

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Leenie Brown

Leenie Brown fell in love with Jane Austen's works when she first read Sense and Sensibility followed immediately by Pride and Prejudice in her early teens. As the second of five daughters and an avid reader, she has always loved to see where her imagination takes her and to play with and write about the characters she meets along the way. In 2013, these two loves collided when she stumbled upon the world of Jane Austen Fan Fiction. A year later, in 2014, she began writing her own Austen-inspired stories and began publishing them in 2015. Leenie lives in Nova Scotia, Canada with her two teenage boys and her very own Mr. Brown (a wonderful mix of all the best of Darcy, Bingley and Edmund with healthy dose of the teasing Mr. Tillney and just a dash of the scolding Mr. Knightley).

13 thoughts on “Music Monday: Enchanted ~ Period Drama Montage”

  1. A great beginning. I assume this follows the close of the Willow Hall series. Caroline’s unexpected appearance at Pemberley and her lies to Captain Harris. Reading a book about Caroline, especially one that allows her to be happy will be hard to stomach. I wish you luck making her likable. Lydia had youth and inexperience on her side, but Caroline Bingley has neither of those. She is intentionally cruel and manipulative. I will look forward to reading more of this.

    1. Yes, this story will follow the close of Willow Hall and will be a challenge — but from my plans it should be a fun challenge. I figure if Shakespeare can tame a shrew, I might be able to tame a Caroline. 🙂

  2. Sorry to say… this video is not available in Germany. But I’m looking forward to your new books🌼💟

    1. Oh, that is sad, Beate. I know that feeling. A friend will share a video with me and then it isn’t available in Canada. Glad you enjoyed the story sample, however. 🙂

  3. I loved the video, I need to look up more of these, they are enjoyable. What an opening chapter, wow. Caroline really deserved the telling off she received. I wondered what would happen to her after our heroes go hold of Cap,t Harris. I am looking forward to both stories. I think the right name for Caroline’s beau should be Rett for the first name ( like gone with the wind) since he put Scarlet in her place as well, but I am stuck for a last name, hhhmmmmm 🙂

    Julie R

    1. I love these sorts of videos 😉 They’re just the right length for a quick break. Thanks for the name suggestion. I will keep that one in mind. I am planning for Caro to get a little taste of her own medicine, I think. 😉

  4. Loved the song and video and really loved this excerpt. It’s about time Caroline was made to suffer the consequences of her words and actions ! I really hope he and Charles stick with it and banish her if she can’t find a husband! Let’s hope there is someone who doesn’t know her character or seriously she has no chance!

    1. Oh, she is going to find a husband — well, maybe he is going to find her. It should be fun time letting Caroline learn a few lessons, I think. 🙂 [And…he knows her. 😉 And where she eventually ends up — pretty fittingly trying spot for her, if my plans go according to plan that is.]

  5. Wow I loved the excerpt from Caroline’s Tale I can’t wait to read the whole story. I love it when Hurst actually has a back bone and puts Caroline in her place.

  6. Mr. Franklin. He would have to be very aware of who he takes as a bride warts and all.

    Rhett could go with it or Christopber or Leonard?

    Great job with Hurst shutting her down.

    1. Good name options! He will know all about her before he marries her. He’s definitely a man with a spine this Mr. X or Franklin or whomever he ends up being. 🙂

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