Leenie B Books – Page 25

Summer (Brian Crain)

I think I need a sign that says “Gone Editing” for this month. I have come to the end of the manuscript for Sketches and Secrets of Summer, and that means it is time to start editing and getting all the things done for publishing. I expect the release day for this book to be in early August. (Stay tuned for the exact date and preorder info.)

Since I will be editing and getting Sketches ready for publication this month, July’s Music Monday story excerpts will all be from that book! And since this book is set in the summer (and it is currently summer in my part of the world), the theme for our music selections this month is “Summertime.” We’re starting July’s theme this week with a song that often plays while I am writing or editing and has the perfect title to get us started on our summery theme. 🙂

Now, here is your first peek at Sketches and Secrets of Summer (Darcy Family Holidays, book 4):

And here’s a little info about the story:

Stuart Alford is the romantic hero of this story. He is a second-born son who has unexpectedly inherited his family’s estate and his older brother’s children. Aaron is Stuart’s younger brother and holds the living at Kympton, which means this story is set in Derbyshire.

While you are waiting for *Sketches* to publish, why not give the first three books in this series a read (or reread 😉 )? If you don’t already have these titles, they are on sale in this bundle for the month of July. Just click the image above to find all the stores where this book is available.

Titles in this compilation are *Two Days Before Christmas, One Winter’s Eve,* and *A Scandal in Springtime*.

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The July 2021 Saturday Broadsheet

The Saturday Broadsheet, with all my writing life updates, is now available at the link at the bottom of this short post. In this issue of the Broadsheet you will find:

Info about what is posting on my blog — which you probably already know except for new Monday and Wednesday themes for this month.
My progress on my writing and publishing projects. (I finished a manuscript!) There is a sneak peek at Sketches and Secrets of Summer included.
Two books that I have on sale for the month of June, plus a link to a multi-author promotion that one of the books is in, and a link to a fellow JAFF author’s current countdown deal.
A video that I find inspires my imagination and makes walking on my treadmill enjoyable (and turns it into an imagination workout and not just a walking workout. 🙂 )

Click here to read the July 2021 Saturday Broadsheet

Have a great weekend!

I’ll be back on Monday with a story and song pairing. (July’s theme is Summertime << in case you didn’t read that in the newsletter or forgot.)

Man Going Down – Period Dramas (P&P, N&S, S&S)

Although this video is not new to YouTube, it is new to me. I just came across it when doing a search for something to share today, and it made me think of an Austen character that I have written as a romantic hero who was no such thing in the original story. 😉

I’m talking of course of Wickham in my story Through Every Storm. He and Lydia had fun falling in love and flying too high (as the lyrics say) when they were young. However, eight years have passed between when they were forced to marry and when the storm that will either shatter or cement their marriage begins. And what Lydia needs in this story is a “man going down” — someone who can find the strength to not only weather the storm himself but help her through it as well.

*Through Every Storm* is available as a standalone title for just $0.99 or as part of the Darcy And… five book bundle that is on sale for just a couple more days.

Le mariage (Julie Delance-Feurgard)

Le mariage (1884) Julie Delance-Feurgard, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

I could not pass up pairing this image with the excerpt below because there is some confusion involved and likely lots of whispering amongst those in the church waiting for a wedding to begin. 🙂 Although this excerpt is from near the end of A Very Mary Christmas, I don’t think it contains too many spoilers. In fact, it will likely raise more questions than it will answer. 😉

“Mr. Bennet,” said Whit just as everyone took their places at the front of the church. Mary watched, curiosity suffusing her, as her father nodded and, after whispering something to Mr. Darcy that made Mr. Darcy smile broadly, left his place and went to have a whispered conversation first with Mr. Whittemore and then Mr. Hammond, who could not contain his shock, no matter how he attempted to school his features. Then at the conclusion of the discussion, Nicholas rose, and with Whit and Fred trailing behind, slowly made his way to a side room at the front of the sanctuary.

“Mary,” her father stood before her. “Come.” He took her hand and led her toward the same room where Mr. Hammond had gone. “All will be well,” he assured her.

Mary glanced over her shoulder as she walked. “Why is Mr. Darcy coming with us?”

“Mr. Whittemore might need his assistance,” replied her father with a chuckle.

“I am very confused.” Surely, they were not to discuss Mr. Hammond’s decision now when her sisters stood at the front of the church and the few family and friends who had gathered awaited the ceremony.

She glanced at Jane and Elizabeth. Jane was dabbing at her eyes again as she had been all morning. Tears of happiness she had said. Elizabeth was smiling as if she understood what was happening, and she probably did since Mr. Darcy was somehow involved.

[from A Very Mary Christmas]

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360 Degrees of You (SHeDAISY)

I came across this song used with some clips of period drama men on YouTube, but that video would not let me share it on my blog other than as a link >> this link. So, I searched for another video with this song that would let me share. (That’s obviously the video below. ;))

I could just see the lovely Miss Grace Love, from Her Secret Beau, singing this song to her romantic hero. It seems to be the style of song she would like. (Not that she would sing it in company, of course, but definitely in private. She’s sneaky like that. LOL)

Her romantic hero is Walter Blakesley, and he’s the sort of gentleman who would enjoy having this song sang to him in private. (Because he enjoys Grace’s mysterious side. He did call her his mysterious angel in the chapter from which the excerpt below is extracted.)

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