Author: 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).

Three Books, One Download, Just $0.99

I hope you are staying safe and well. Below you will find information about what I accomplished in my writing life this week and a link to a book (which is actually three books in one) that is on sale from now until next Wednesday (April 22).

Writing News

Here’s an update on my writing I have with a short excerpt from two of them. Her Convenient Forever: I scheduled the first chapter of this story to post on May 12, 2020, and then I wrote the second chapter this week. I admit to feeling trepidation about writing a story for Felicity as she’s been horrid in the other stories, but I’m actually liking it so far. Here is a snippet from that chapter:

“Papa!” Matthias, who was in the garden with his nursemaid, ran towards him.

Papa was one of the few words that Matthias ever uttered. Boyd smiled at him and squatting down, held out his arms so that his son could run into them, but the smile was only an expression to let his son know how happy he was to see him. Inside, the weight on Boyd’s heart grew heavier as he remembered the sweet babbling boy Matthias used to be when he was three, before Anna had died.

He squeezed Matthias tight. “Did you have a good morning?”

Matthias nodded.

“And did you have any biscuits yet?”

Matthias shook his head.

“Then, I think we should find some because my stomach is beginning to rumble.”

Matthias wiggled out of his father’s embrace. Gone were the days of him wishing to be carried everywhere. Boyd knew it happened eventually with all children, but he had hoped that it might last a bit longer. He would just have to content himself with the fact that Matthias still greeted him with a hug and allowed him to hold his hand.

Dress, 1810 (Metropolitan Museum of the Arts)

American; Dress; circa 1810 (cotton, wool). Bequest of Maria P. James, 1910. This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art / CC0

Don’t these “ladies” look as if they are ready for a picnic or afternoon of strolling and having tea in the garden?

~*~*~

“You look perfectly content.” Alfred sat down beside her under the tree.

“I am. It was a lovely picnic.”

Chairs and tables were being loaded onto a waiting cart, while blankets which were not being used, were being folded and placed in a trunk that would be transported back to Ravincot in one of the Langley’s carriages when they all had had their fill of wandering the meadow and reclining under trees as they conversed.

“Are you planning to sit here and read until we leave?” Alfred asked.

“That was indeed my plan unless some other activity of greater interest caught my attention.”

“Would you like to walk with me?”

[from Protecting Miss Darcy, Marrying Elizabeth book 6]

~*~*~

Marrying Elizabeth, books 1-4

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Music Monday: Bring You Home (Ronan Keating)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY RONANKEATINGOFFICIAL ON JULY 29, 2018.

Today’s music video is not a video at all but just an audio version of this song. However, please listen to the lyrics, and if you have read So Very Unexpected, imagine Marcus singing this to Lydia. Is it not the most perfect song for them?

I think the chapter below highlights how Marcus feels about Lydia even though he has just met her and literally brought her “home” to her family. He’s not going to let her fall into a desperate situation. He will be there to help her. Of course, he (and Lydia) just think he’s being a friend, but hey, this is a romance story, so you know it’s going to develop into something more. However, that willingness to see that Lydia is well is not going to change, in fact, he will add to it a determination to see her become all that she can be, and along the way, he will become not just her friend but also her safe place and her champion.

So Very Unexpected, Chapter 4

“Lydia, do be serious,” Elizabeth chided before anyone else could say a word.

“I can replace it.” Ignoring her sister, Lydia continued with her explanation. Of course, Elizabeth would not understand. Elizabeth never did anything foolish enough to be punished by their father. In fact, he had never once called Elizabeth dull or silly. No, to their father, Elizabeth was quick and clever. “I will go without most of my pin money, and I am not without skills. I could take in some sewing.”

Lydia saw the look of disbelief on Elizabeth’s face and could not ignore the stinging of her sister’s words any longer. “Mr. Wickham is not what you think, Lizzy. If you knew what he was like, you would not wish him upon me. I was not taken in by him as you were.” She smiled inwardly at the stricken look on Elizabeth’s face. “I may look like I am not paying attention at times, but I assure you, I am listening. I have heard plenty of tales about Mr. Wickham.”

“Then why did you choose him to accompany you?” demanded Elizabeth.

Lydia sighed. “Because he knows where Derbyshire is, and he is weak enough to be led. I should think you would be able to piece that together.” She knew there was a cutting edge to her voice, but she did not care. Lizzy was Papa’s favourite. “I am not so stupid as you think.” A hand took hers.

“I do not think Lydia’s plan is completely without merit,” said Marcus, squeezing Lydia’s hand tightly. “Wickham has been bought off before. I am sure he could be once again.” He returned the small smile Lydia gave him.

The Saturday Broadsheet for April 11, 2020.

I hope you are all safe and well. Below you will find information about what I got done in my writing life this week and a link to a book that is on sale from now until next Wednesday (April 15). I have finished reducing the prices of my novels and novellas. I’ll mention that below as well.

Writing Life

Here’s an update on my writing I have with a short excerpt from two of them. Her Convenient Forever: Guess what? I started the next Touches of Austen book. Here is the very first peek at how that story starts.

Waves lapped at the sand below her. A group of gulls dipped and soared before landing just out of reach of the rolling waves. A breeze steady, but gentle, pulled at her skirts and tugged at her bonnet. The sun peeked out from behind a light grey cloud. If only her heart felt as perfectly lovely as the weather.

Felicity Love opened the small box she held but quickly closed it again. This must be done, but… she turned away from the edge of where the land dropped from where she stood to the beach far below. Perhaps tomorrow she would feel more prepared.

Turning around, she walked in the direction of the road which would take her to the small cottage her father had rented.

This place and this time away from home was her reprieve – her place to grieve and her place of solace where her heart was supposed to mend enough to face the future. But how could a heart, which had been shattered as hers was, repair itself in just two months?

Matching Mr. Darcy: I’m up to chapter 11. Here is how chapter 11 begins:

English Garden in the Csáky Castle at Hotkóc (János Rombauer)

Alfred’s aunt, Meredith Langley, loves gardens and is always having improvements made to hers. I wonder which of these garden elements she might have in the garden at Ravencot?

~*~*~

“The garden is best enjoyed from outside.”

“I was just out there,” Alfred replied. “What brings you to this room, Aunt?”

Meredith Langley crossed to stand next to her nephew. “You.”

“Me?”

His aunt nodded. “We have not yet had a good discussion about my son and his future bride.” Mrs. Langley sat down on the window seat so that she could also look out the window. “There is a pleasant breeze today, is there not?”

[from Protecting Miss Darcy, Marrying Elizabeth book 6]

~*~*~

Marrying Elizabeth, books 1-4

MAILING LIST PATREON