Settle into a comfy reading spot. This is a long one. 🙂
Summer is here in Nova Scotia, and there is no denying its arrival as the weather has let us know, without question, that a new season is upon us. (We’ve had several hot days which is a little earlier than normal for us.) I have had my first osteopath appointment since the clinic was shut down because of the pandemic, and while it was helpful, I still have a long way to go to get all the kinks worked out. However, I now have a treatment plan in place, and that feels good.
As I mentioned in the last Saturday Broadsheet, I am cutting back and taking it a bit easy this summer for health reasons. This will include some changes to what is being posted each week on my blog and the frequency of this newsletter. Starting in July, the Saturday Broadsheet will be delivered once per month.
I have added a new change to my summer business plans.
During the lockdown, I made sure to have a book sale or a free book each week both to give us something to look forward to and to help out those who, like my family, have been hit financially by the lockdown. I am going to keep doing book sales but on an every other week basis.
Also at the beginning of the lockdown, I dropped my book prices. These prices will not be changing. They will remain as they are for the summer and perhaps beyond that. Again, this is because I know that, just like our family, some of you are still struggling with the financial effects of the pandemic, and it will likely take some time before things rebound. Therefore, I want to keep access to reading materials as affordable for you as I can without putting my business any closer to the danger of nonsurvival, which many small businesses are facing, than is necessary.
That all sounds kind of heavy and somber. However, I wanted you to know some of the reasons for the changes I am making or not making, and sometimes reality is somber. 🙂 That being said, life is good for us here. Many are facing much more serious things than the few little setbacks I have. Even with all the changes and challenges in my life, I know I have been blessed.
Below, I have an update on my blog, a new release to remind you about, a free book, news about a book that is being unpublished, and a bit of something extra that I hope you will find interesting.
Writing News
Very little writing has gotten done in the past two weeks because, as you can see below, I have a new book coming out on Tuesday! There are always a lot of details that need attention before a book releases, so I gave up my writing time for all those things. The only writing I got done was the conclusion of Protecting Miss Darcy and one more chapter of Her Convenient Forever.
In Her Convenient Forever, a potential villainess has made her appearance. So far, she appears to be Lucy Steele on Red Bull* (*an energy drink). It should be fun to see what kind of trouble she might present.
Publishing News
I have not published a Darcy and Elizabeth standalone in quite some time, so this is an exciting release for that reason. It is also an exciting release because this book will begin a new series of Darcy and Elizabeth variations called Sweet Possibilities.
The ebook is currently available for preorder with a release date set for Tuesday, June 30, 2020. The print book is already available at Amazon. Here is the back of the book blurb about the story:
Some people adapt easily to new surroundings and find delight in meeting new people. Fitzwilliam Darcy is not one of them. Being put on display in a room full of strangers is enough to make him quite disagreeable. Therefore, when he attends the Meryton Assembly and his patience is pushed beyond what he can tolerate, Darcy replies harshly to his gregarious friend’s insistence that he asks Miss Elizabeth Bennet to dance.
Unfortunately for her, Elizabeth is within hearing distance of Darcy’s refusal. Insulted and more than a little vexed, she is determined to have as little to do with him as she can and to push him towards his amiable friend’s sister when being in one another’s presence cannot be avoided.
When Elizabeth calls Darcy out for his offensive words and intimates that he is ungentlemanly, he is more intrigued than provoked. He is also determined to prove the lady wrong and sets a course to do just that.
While Darcy seeks opportunities to prove to Elizabeth that he is indeed a gentleman, Elizabeth attempts to be rid of him until his company becomes more desirable than that of a long-time friend and hopeful, though very unwanted, suitor.
Jealousy is never pretty, and a spurned suitor is not always kind or wise. When secrets are revealed and explanations are wanting, it looks as if the burgeoning love between Elizabeth and Darcy is destined to be snuffed out almost before it has begun.
Unless, of course, a meddling matchmaker can pull off a well-timed miracle.
Find links to this book at Apple, Kobo, Nook, Kindle, and more at this link.
I will be sharing a chapter from Matching Mr. Darcy this upcoming week at Austen Authors on Tuesday. There will be a chance to win an ebook copy included in that post.
Unpublishing News
This collection of short stories is one of the welcome gifts offered to each person who signs up for my mailing list. I have also had it available to purchase for those people who don’t want to join a mailing list.
I have some ideas of things that I want to do with some or all of the stories in this collection. Therefore, I am going to remove it from sale while I work on those ideas. It will remain part of the welcome gifts for new email subscribers for now, and I will be setting its Pressbooks site to public viewing so it can always be read online there.
You can find it to read for free online here: teatimetales.pressbooks.com
What ideas do I have? Well, I’ll let you know soon. 🙂 (I did whisper part of my ideas to my mailing list subscribers, but I’m waiting to post about it publically.)
If you wish to pick up a copy at your favourite ebook retailer before the book is unpublished, you can find links to where it is currently available here: https://books2read.com/u/bzKlz3 I expect the book to be unpublished by July 16, 2020.
Book Promotion
If you checked the Current Book Promotions page, you already know this book is free this weekend.
You can download your free copy here.
Book Review
This is a new sort of review for me to share with you. Did you know you can leave reviews on my Facebook Author Page? You can, and that is where Debbie was able to post an early review of Matching Mr. Darcy. And it is such a lovely review, too, don’t you think?
Something Extra
Salads and summer seem to go together, so today I wanted to share a video for chicken salad from a recipe book that was published in 1808. The cookbook mentioned, A New System of Domestic Cookery, can be found for free in a digitized form on Google Books. It is in my Google Books library. I have several old cookbooks in that library so that I can look up possible dishes when writing.
The recipe can also be found here on the website that goes with the video.
I hope you enjoy this little look into the way people ate in the past.
The Tenant’s Guest begins with a group of characters enjoying a picnic. I wonder if perhaps they had chicken salad? 🙂
The sun cast its warm rays over the meadow and danced its way across the stream as a butterfly took an easy but rambling path from one flower to the next. Leaning against the base of a tree, Elizabeth filled her lungs with air and released it slowly. The summer breeze tugged at her bonnet and willingly, she complied to its suggestion by removing her hat and placing it on the ground next to herself. She closed her eyes and listened to the birds sing for a few moments before turning her attention to her purpose for stealing away from the group of picnickers — the two letters in her pocket.
The first letter was well-worn and treasured even though its contents still caused her heart to ache. It had been many months since she had received it, and yet the words, even now, rebuked her for her foolishness. Such arrogance! Such reprehensible behaviour! Surely, she would be never rid of the shame it made her feel.
Carefully, she unfolded the paper, but she did not read it. She did not need to. The words were clearly etched in her mind. She only took it out now, as she did so often, to look at the fine writing and think about the gentleman who had written it.
She allowed her eyes to skim over the writing and then rest for a few moments on the signature. She touched his name reverently, tracing each letter, before refolding the letter and tucking it back into her pocket while chiding herself, as she did each time, about her stupidity in refusing such a man.
If she could but go back… if she could choose her words again…but she could not. What had been said, had been said, and words, once spoken, could not be withdrawn.
She drew the right corner of her bottom lip between her teeth, looked across the meadow toward where she knew Pemberley to be, and sighed a small sigh of regret. Part of her wished to see it and perhaps chance upon its owner, while another part of her would like nothing better than to be much further away from any chance meeting with Mr. Darcy. For such a meeting, should it ever occur, was certain to be strained and would no doubt cause her greater pain by reminding her of exactly who it was she had so soundly refused.
It was difficult enough to hear of him, as she had many times since her arrival at Willow Hall. Each time, she felt a further prick of her conscience. He was a good friend, a well-respected landlord, and a fair and just master. She had heard it all — many times.
Slowly, reluctantly, she withdrew her hand from holding the letter in her pocket.
Lucy Dobney had said Mr. Darcy might arrive before the summer’s end. Her husband, Philip, had insisted it would be much sooner. Again, a small glimmer of hope battled with an urge to flee at the thought.
She shook her head attempting to clear her thinking. Her mind had been muddled with confusing and conflicting thoughts ever since the evening before she had received this letter — the night when he had declared himself to her.
Regret once again crept into her mind. Perhaps if she had not been startled by his addresses. Perhaps if she had not heard of his part in separating her sister from Mr. Bingley. Perhaps if she had not had a headache. Perhaps then she would have replied in a kinder, more gentle fashion. She forced away the thoughts. What had been said, had been said. What was done, had been done. It would do no good to dwell on what might have been.
She took one last look towards Pemberley and then broke the seal on the second letter. This letter held the promise of much happier thoughts. It was the first Elizabeth had received from Jane since arriving at Willow Hall. Anxiously, she read through the details of life at Longbourn — the calls that had been made, the new baby born to one of the tenants, Kitty’s sighing over the absent officers, and the delicacy of the flowers on the material her mother had chosen for a dress. Elizabeth’s eyes raced along, searching for the one thing for which she hoped. She smiled and clutched the letter to her chest when she found it. Jane would be arriving with the Gardiners in less than a fortnight! She knew, just knew, that a trip away from Hertfordshire to a land as beautiful as this was exactly what her sister needed to help heal her injured heart.
“Miss Bennet.”
Elizabeth opened her eyes to find Mr. Marcus Dobney standing above her.
“Mr. Dobney,” she greeted and made to stand.
“Please stay as you were. I shall join you for a moment if you do not mind.” He waited for her to give her consent before taking a seat on the grass near her. “I take it you have happy news?”
“Oh, very.” She made no effort to contain her excitement. “My sister Jane is to come with my aunt and uncle.”
Marcus removed his hat and placed it near Elizabeth’s. “So, our company is not enough to keep you entertained?” He affected a severe look that was somewhat ruined by the twinkle in his eye.
She cocked a brow and gave him an impertinent smile. “Indeed, I find the populace to be quite dull.”
“Is that so?” He laughed. “And here I thought you were enjoying your stay at Willow Hall. Mrs. Abbot will be disappointed to hear she has failed at being a hostess, and my sister will be greatly displeased to be thought of as anything less than engaging.”
Elizabeth could not help the giggle that escaped her as she imagined Mary Ellen Dobney’s displeasure. Miss Dobney was not reserved, and often her emotions were evident to all — even when she attempted to contain them. “I cannot keep up such a charade, sir. It is precisely because I find this place to be so lovely that I am delighted to be able to share it with Jane.”
“A fine response,” he said and then, leaning a bit closer to her, continued in a loud whisper, “I shall not inform my sister or your hostess of their supposed failings.”
She gave a quick bow of her head. “I thank you, kind sir.” She looked toward the stream where the picnic blanket was spread out on a flat stretch of grass. “You have not come to tell me it is time to depart already, have you?”
“Ah, so you do enjoy the country, do you?”
“I do.”
“Then you are in luck. Mr. Harker will not hear of leaving for another half hour at least. He insists that the air will do him and us much more good than sitting about chatting in the house, and I am inclined to agree. My sister insists that some exercise in the form of a walk be taken and has sent me to retrieve you…
Have a good weekend! Be safe and well. (And maybe read a book 🙂 ) I’ll see you on Monday for the last Music Monday post before hitting pause for the summer.
~*~
The next Saturday Broadsheet post will be on July 11, 2020.
MAILING LIST | PATREON | SOCIETY6
Wishing you well. Hope a summer break will refresh you. This situaion has been tough both mentally and physically. Be well!
Thank you. It has been tough for everyone in many different ways. Just making the decision to step back and take a break has already helped. I can feel some of the weight lifting and creative ideas are already starting to flow better. 🙂
That was a delightful video on how they made chicken salad back in the 1800s. That guy is so much fun. Blessings on your new launch and its success. That excerpt was so cute. I love that series. I hope you are well and your family also. Stay safe.
He is fun to watch. You can just tell how much he lives doing what he is doing. That series still has my favorite Bingley, although I enjoyed the Bingley in my new release. 🙂 We are well, and I hope you and yours are as well.