June 14, 2025
PERSONAL UPDATE
This month, I’m going to keep this personal update as short as possible because my audiobook news is going to be rather longish.
I’ve been busy just trying to keep up with work and adjusting the schedule to fit in my physiotherapy exercises and to see if I can fit in a part-time job (because royalties are low and the cost of everything keeps going up – I’m sure you know how that goes).
I actually had to take a two week break from the exercises since I ended up catching a cough and cold that lingered. I’m doing fine now and need to rebook the appointments I had to cancel because of being ill.
There have been several rainy weekends here so we haven’t gotten out to do much other than to get groceries because of that (and because of my being sick).
My youngest son just had a birthday, and my hubby and I just celebrated 33 years since we said I do.
So basically, just regular and wonderfully normal life stuff has been happening since the last Saturday Broadsheet.
In a couple of weeks, my husband’s work schedule will shift to summer clean up hours since school will finally be out. That shift comes the day after Canada Day (July 1).
And that’s about it from here. Make sure you don’t miss the book deals below and the next section of The Colonel’s Lady at the end of this newsletter.
Leenie
WRITING and AUDIOBOOK UPDATE
In writing news, I am still in the midst of writing my next Annilee Nelson novel, Don’t Tell My Best Friend I Love Her. I’m about halfway through it.
I have started working on some edits of Harriet and the Colonel (which I have retitled To Win Her Colonel’s Hand) so that I can get that novelette ready to publish. I have not started any new Leenie works other than the one for this newsletter.
In audiobook news, there’s a lot more to mention. I have just finished editing all the files for None So Accomplished as Mary, and I’ll have that books scheduled to release to my Patrons on July 15 and my YouTube subscribers on July 16 before you read this. I have not decided on the release date for it everywhere else just yet.
How to Marry an Accomplished Lady will be available to my patrons tomorrow (both my free and paid patrons) and to my YouTube subscribers on Monday, June 16. And it will be available everywhere else July 1, 2025. (Some of these places may have it on pre-order/pre-save before that time.)
So where exactly is this “everywhere else” I’ve mentioned? Well, everywhere that Findaway Voices publishes digitally narrated audiobooks, and those places are …
- Baker & Taylor
- Bibliotheca
- Overdrive
- Audiobooks.com
- Everand (Scribd)
- Kobo, Walmart (I have not found them on Walmart yet, but they are on Kobo and part of Kobo Plus)
- NOOK Audiobooks
- Spotify
- TuneIn
Currently, I have seven audiobooks that are on YouTube and Patreon, and are published through Findaway. On July 1, How to Marry an Accomplished Lady will make that eight, and I hope to have a new audiobook to add each month, barring any setback in my audiobook work schedule.
I have a page on my website dedicated to my audiobooks. You can find it here.
STILL MORE AUDIOBOOK INFO
This month, I have also started adding my catalogue of nonKU books to an digital reading app called ElevenReader. I have elected to do this for accessibility reasons and as a way to earn more income.
I will still work on getting digitally narrated audiobooks produced and distributed, but this takes time. Each produced book takes about 2 hours per chapter to produce to get it to the quality of recording that I am happy to put out for you to listen to. There are only so many hours I can work on these per day, since I have other things like writing and marketing and administrative tasks that must also be done.
It’s going to take a long time to get my catalogue of 70 or so Leenie titles produced as audiobooks.
This is where ElevenReader comes in. I can upload a book per week to their library without it taking too much time and effort to do. This means that if you need or want one of my books read to you, you should be able to find it in their library a lot faster than waiting for the produced book to be made available.
Here’s how ElevenReader works:
- I upload my book file to ElevenReader and check that it looks okay.
- Then, I fill in all the details about the book that they ask for and hit publish.
- A reader finds my book on ElevenReader and adds it to their library. They select a voice and begin listening either right away or later.
- When they have listened long enough for it to be a qualified listener (eleven minutes), I get paid $1.10 for that listen, and this is how listening via this app supports me as the author.
It should be noted that this is not a produced audiobook so there could be some changes in speed of reading, pronunciation issues at times, and other small glitches while listening. I’ve listened to a book or two using this app and these instances were few, but there were some. For the most part, it does an excellent job of reading and I know that Elevenlabs is constantly working on improvements.
I have a page on my website dedicated to listing the books that are on ElevenReader. You can find that here. (Currently as I write this, I have ten books listed there.)
If there is a book that you would like me to bump up towards the top of my schedule for listing on ElevenReader, please let me know, and I’ll see if it is possible to move it up or not.
And I think that’s the end of my audiobook info.
IN THE TEAROOM (on Substack)
In case you missed it, it was MY turn to post in the SWR Tearoom this month. I talked about anxiety and how that is playing a role in my new Annilee Nelson novel. (And there’s an excerpt) You can find my article here.
LEAVING KU
The Dash of Darcy and Companions Collection of stories will be leaving Kindle Unlimited on June 22, 2025.
The Choices Series will be leaving Kindle Unlimited on July 16, 2025.
Please make sure you’ve downloaded the stories you want to read with your KU subscription before then. For your convenience, all the stories can be added to your KU reading library in three box sets (two Dash of Darcy box sets and one Choices box set).
As far as I know, they will remain in your KU reading library until you return them – even after they are no longer in the KU program.
For the month of June, Overdrive (a library catalogue) is having a sale. All of my nonKU Leenie ebooks (except for the Willow Hall series) are included in this sale and are marked 50% off. So June is a great month to request for my books to be added to your library’s eBook selection.
The Beginning of Prudence is just $0.99 (USD, CAD, EUR, GBP, AUD, and NZD, with all other currencies also reduced) at all retailers this month.
Discovering Mr. Darcy is FREE on Amazon until Tuesday, June 17.
JUNE’S PATREON FREE READ
If you follow me for free on Patreon, there is a series starter that can be read for free each month. This month’s series starter read is From Tolerable to Lovely, which is part of my Teatime Tales Collection.
JUNE’S PATREON MEMBERSHIP PERKS
Each month, I offer an eBook or two to download and keep to my $2 or more Patrons, and every time there is a new audiobook finished, I also make a link to download that available to them. (The audiobook of How to Marry an Accomplished Lady will be available tomorrow, June 15.)
This month’s eBook offerings are The Tenant’s Guest and From Tolerable to Lovely.
SOMETHING NEW TO READ.
Our story continues this month with Richard arriving in town.
Please remember that there are sections where previous chapters from this story can be read on whichever platform you subscribe to.
- On my blog, look for Harriet and the Colonel in the menu options.
- On Substack, look for the Harriet and the Colonel section on the home page.
- On Patreon, look for The Colonel’s Lady in the collections tab.
Chapter 1, part 2
Many hours later, Richard dismounted his horse in front of Lillesley House in Leicester Square. He had both a report and petition to be made before he could retire for the night – and he was weary. Just not weary enough to wait to see Harriet until tomorrow. Therefore, he had sent word that he would give his report today.
He handed his horse to a groom and drew three deep breaths as he rolled his shoulders and shook out his legs. He looked at the time on his watch. It was only ten minutes past the time when he said he hoped to arrive. Lillesley should be waiting.
With that thought in mind, he turned toward the door, but before he could do more than begin to ascend the steps, that very door opened. A grin split his face as he saw who it was who had come to welcome him.
“Has your brother fired the butler and given you, his position? Perhaps as a punishment for not doing something he thought you should?”
Harriet Phillips laughed and shook her head. “You will be please and perhaps shocked to know that I have not provoked him since before your last visit.”
Which had been less than a week ago, but, knowing Harriet as he did, that was a noteworthy feat.
“May I take your hat?” She held out her hand in expectation of his compliance. She never expected anything less than acquiescence to her petitions – or demands, as the case might be.
And that was why it was notable that she had not provoked her brother in the short time since he had last seen her, for her brother’s temperament was just as unyielding. Though to be honest, Harriet was often the victor in any standoff with her brothers. Edmund had a soft spot in his heart for his youngest sister that was nearly as deep as Andrews had been. Not that one would know it if one were to witness one of their battle of wills.
Richard doffed his hat but hesitated in handing it to her. The rule at Lillesley House was that he was to keep all of his things with him when visiting Edmund on official business, and this was a visit of that sort – at least, in part.
“I will put it on the table in the little library,” she added, as if she knew what had caused him to pause.
And this was one reason why she tended to get her way. She was excellent at anticipating objections and providing a solution.
“In that case, you may have it,” he said, handing her his hat. “It is good to see you, Harry, but as you most assuredly know, I am here to see your brother.”
“For more than just business, I hope.” She gave him a teasing smile that shone in her eyes.
“As do I,” he agreed, as she closed the door behind him.
“A moment please, Colonel,” she said before he could begin the short trudge down the hall to the little library.
When he turned towards her, she rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Her brother would be far less than pleased to see such a demonstration in the entry to his house, but Richard was not. His right arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close as he returned her kiss.
“Harriet!”
Richard broke their kiss at Edmund’s bellow.
“I will thank you not to accost our guest in the hall.”
Harriet’s cheeks were rosy, but her eyes were filled with defiance. Goodness! She was a delicious sight to behold. At least, when that defiance was directed at her brother on his account.
“I am not accosting our guest. I am simply welcoming him and reminding you that this is the man I intend to marry.” She stepped around Richard and began walking towards the little library.
“Yes, well, that will come … in time,” Edmund replied.
Richard’s left eyebrow rose of its own accord as he followed Harriet. In time? What exactly did that mean?
“Before Christmas,” Harriet replied.
“Perhaps and then, again, perhaps not.”
Harriet placed Richard’s hat on the table inside the little library and turned towards her brother. “Before Christmas.”
“Spring might be better,” he replied in a soft and somewhat cajoling tone.
A scheme was in play – likely not one of Lillesley’s making, but a scheme none the less. Richard shook his head. This was the part of his current profession that he found both exhilarating and bothersome.
It was exhilarating because the objective was often shifting and moving forward. It was bothersome because the shifts and moves were not always predictable and rarely in his power to make of his own free will.
“Am I still able to offer for her? Or will I be led along a merry path that includes some other task that must be completed first?” Richard demanded.
“No, no. You are free to make your offer – though it does seem a bit redundant to do so since she has made it abundantly clear that she will not marry anyone else.” He gave his sister a piercing glare before turning back to Richard. “However, I do not know how long the next part of sorting out this…” He waved his hand in a small circle. “Situation will take.”
He sighed. It was as he had suspected. The next step must be made quickly. Mr. Wickham and Mrs. Younge were only the beginning of uncovering what was a foot.
“Surely, it will not take nearly half a year.” Richard could hear the annoyance in Harriet’s tone as she mounted her protest. “Indeed, it would not, if you would let me help you.”
“No!” Richard and Edmund said in unison.
She huffed and crossed her arms. “I found that watch much faster than you would have.”
“I will grant you that,” Edmund said, “but I am not entirely certain that that was in our best interest.”
Richard cocked his head. “What do you mean?”
“I will explain after I have had your report. Harriet, would you be so kind as to see that we have some refreshment?” Edmund asked.
She smiled. “It was ordered before the colonel had even dismounted his horse. Jimmy will arrive shortly with all that is needed.” She motioned to the chairs in the library. “Do you wish to meet here, or shall we go to your study?” She took a seat next to the chair Richard always sat in when he waited her for her brother in this room.
Edmund scowled. “Apparently, here is acceptable.” He sat down, and Richard followed. “Shall we begin with your report on how things stand in Hertfordshire?”
“That is one of the reasons why I am here.” The other reason was the feisty and precious lady who took his hand as soon as he was seated.
