CMA Country Christmas. “Brett Eldredge Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas CMA Country Christmas 2016.” YouTube. YouTube, 28 Nov. 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016.
On Friday night, my husband and I were watching CMA Country Christmas along with about three other shows since my husband had the remote 😉 when, as chance and commercials on other stations would have it, we landed back on this program in time to hear this song. As you can probably imagine, this song has been in my mind a lot over the last couple of months as I wrote and edited A Very Mary Christmas.
Since I loved this performance of the song, and A Very Mary Christmas will be available to read this Tuesday, I decided that this song must be the one I shared today. (Even if I did share another singer’s performance of this song a couple of weeks ago. 🙂 )So, as the song plays, or after you watch the video, let me share part of what has been going on in my writing life. (And yes, there is a story snippet.)
First, A Very Mary Christmas will be live on Tuesday. If you have not yet ordered a copy, you can do that at this link –> Get A Very Mary Christmas . Making certain that everything is ready for the release of this book has taken a good amount of my time this week because I was preparing a special giveaway to celebrate the launch. This giveaway will be hosted on AustenAuthors.net on Tuesday, December 20.
Next, along with getting that blog post ready for next Tuesday, I also started the discussion for the Austen Author’s Emma Read Along this past Wednesday. We only have two more weeks of reading and that novel will be done — which means we are at the “good part” IMO. This week, we read Frank Churchill’s letter of explanation and Mr. Knightley’s reaction.
Last, I did manage to squeeze in a little writing time yesterday (finally). I am still working on the Willow Hall Book 4 story with no title. 🙂 So, that is what I will share a little snippet of today. If you are following along with the Thursday’s Three Hundred posts, this one is from way down the road, so read at the risk of spoilers. 🙂 Continue reading Music Monday: Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas, Brett Eldredge
So this week, in addition to writing (short excerpt below), I have been getting things ready for the publication of A Very Mary Christmas(info below). I figured that while working on a seasonal story, I should be listening to some lovely seasonal piano music, so this playlist has been playing repeatedly in my office. Continue reading Music Monday: A Traditional Christmas, Brian Crain
It is that time of year when I start to re-evaluate everything and decide if I wish to keep doing things as I have or make changes. I am in the process of contemplating my posts here on this website, starting with the first post of the week — Music Monday. In the past, I have often had a song that connected directly to a story because I often find inspiration in music — be it the lyrics or the emotions the melody evokes. That has not changed. I still find music very inspiring, and when I write, there is almost always some sort of music playing in the background. So, I am still planning to share music on Mondays for now, but these posts will not always have a direct connection to the story on which I am working. They will rather be pieces that I have found inspiring and have had playing as I work — which is exactly what this week’s selection is. This week, I have been listening to this particular piece of music (in a shorter version, which I purchased on bandcamp.com) along with several other tracks by this composer.
And what have I been working on as this music plays? Well, I am attempting to get a good portion of the new Thursday’s Three Hundred story sorted out. Another week of writing, and I think I should have it well underway and be able to tell if everything is working together as it should for the story. So, do I post a small excerpt from that story here on Monday as I have all the other times when doing a music/story connection post? Sure. Why not?
Remember, this story is under construction and an excerpt here may or may not show up in the version that gets posted later…although I am working very diligently to make sure that I am only writing useable material. 🙂
This small piece is from a section where Bingley has had a rough day and is drowning his sorrows. It is also the beginning of a planning session by a rather sloshed Bingley and a slightly tipsy Colonel Fitzwilliam about what might be the best tactic to use if Bingley wishes to get Jane to accept him. 🙂
A Story Excerpt from Willow Hall, Book 4 (I’m still working on choosing a title 😉 ):
“What has you looking as if you ate a piece of bad fish?” asked Richard, taking a seat in Pemberley’s game room next to Bingley.
Bingley shrugged and gulped the last of his drink. “You did not stay at Matlock?”
Richard sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “My sister is the center of a house party, and although her friends seem to enjoy my company, I do not enjoy theirs. The last of the guest should leave by week’s end. I shall visit for a longer period of time after that. As it was, yesterday and this morning was long enough for my mother to begin speaking of my marrying.”
Joshgroban. “Josh Groban – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas [Official Lyric Video].” YouTube. YouTube, 21 Nov. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.
It has been a while since I posted a Music Monday. 🙂 I have been busy. This year, I have given up my position as a traditional classroom teacher and have taken on the privileged position of teacher at home to my high school son. We have been learning together and working on figuring out how this change in life is going to work. We still do not have it down, but we’re getting there! (And we are both enjoying it….most of the time 😉 ). I have also been busy getting So Very Unexpected‘s first draft finished and then diving into writing, editing, and otherwise preparing A Very Mary Christmas for release next month (December 20 is the expected day!)
So, knowing what I have coming out next month, can you guess why I picked this song for today? Yep, it goes well not only with the title of my soon-to-be released novella, but the lyrics kind of apply as well. Friends do gather. My main characters will be together if the fates allow…and if that happens, this interesting cast of characters will be gathering together for many, many Christmases to come.
I have been busy editing for the last couple of weeks, but The Tenant’s Guest is finally off to the first reader. Yay! The story has some additions to it that were not part of the original posts here on Thursday’s Three Hundred. One of those additions can be found in this scene…which begins with a kiss.
Just a note: This has not gone to my proofreader, so there are bound to be mistakes. This stage of the editing process is working on story elements. All the mechanics come next. 🙂
EXCERPT FROM The Tenant’s Guest by Leenie Brown:
“You truly wish this? You would have me, arrogant man that I am?”
“I would.”
He tossed his hat on the ground and, taking her face in his hands, bent to kiss her.
The sensation of his lips pressed against hers took Elizabeth by surprise, and without her willing it to do so, her body leaned into him and her arms wound around his waist as if they knew exactly what to do. It was no wonder some ladies found themselves in compromising positions when their senses were so attacked as to be wholly outside their own power, Elizabeth thought as she stood some moments later, wrapped in Darcy’s arms, her head on his chest. Her mind even now knew that standing here, embracing and being embraced, was not proper, but her body was not willing to listen to anything but the beating of his heart, which matched her own rapid pulse. It was with regret that she followed his lead and slowly stepped away from the embrace when finally both hearts had returned to a more normal rhythm.
“I must go on,” said Darcy, “and you must return to Willow Hall.” His hand caressed her cheek, and his smile looked almost sad. “I will call later at a proper time if you are agreeable.”
She nodded. “I would be happy to receive your call, Mr. Darcy.”
“Fitzwilliam.” His voice was soft. “You must call me Fitzwilliam for I intend to call you Elizabeth.” There was a stubbornness to the set of his mouth and eyes as if he were prepared to defend his decision.
She raised an impertinent brow and attempted to keep from smiling but could not. “Will it not seem strange to the Abbots if we address each other so informally?”
He chuckled. “Indeed it would, but I do not intend to call you Elizabeth save when we are alone as we are now. I have referred to you as such in my thoughts for some months now.” He shook his head. “Nay, nearly a year.”
“A year?” She looked at him in question, not only because of the length of time that he had considered her, but because in contradiction to his words of needing to leave, he had tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and was walking with her back toward Willow Hall.
“I do not know exactly when I began to think of you in such familiar terms, but I am fairly certain that it was after your stay at Netherfield.” He smiled sheepishly at her. “You were charming.”
“I was not,” she disagreed. “I was disagreeable.”
He shrugged. “It was most charming.”
She laughed and held his arm more tightly as she stepped towards him as if there was something about his person that drew her to him. “So I have not only promised myself to an arrogant man but one who finds argument and debate to be charming?”
He nodded. “So it would seem.”
She heard him sigh.
“Do you regret your answer?” he asked.
Elizabeth shook her head and then lay it against his shoulder. “Not this time.” The letter in her pocket reminded her of just how fortunate she was to have been given this opportunity to correct her mistake. “I shall never regret it,” she added softly.
~*~*~
The Willow Hall Romance Series
A Pride and Prejudice Prequel ~ Willow Hall Romance, Book 1
Events from the past combined with threats in the present threaten to tear Lucy and Philip apart unless Darcy can help his friends save their blossoming love and rid Lucy of her uncle once and for all.
