Colonel Brandon in His Own Words by Shannon Winslow - Guest Post

Well hello to you my dears and happy Friday! I have something nice for you today. Shannon Winslow has brought out a new book, which is exciting, BUT it’s also a Sense & Sensibility book, which is double exciting. Colonel Brandon, in His Own Words is a book looking at Austen’s Sense & Sensibility from the perspective of its most honourable hero. Shannon has also written a similar book looking at Pride & Prejudice from the perspective of Mr Darcy.

Now I am not one for covers but oh my goodness, the cover of this book is something else. Isn’t it wonderful?! And it’s a beautiful companion to the cover for the Mr Darcy story.

Now, let’s look at the blurb, and then I will pass you over to Shannon Winslow for a guest post, which I am sure you will enjoy.

Book Description

Colonel Brandon is the consummate gentleman: honorable, kind almost to a fault, ever loyal and chivalrous. He’s also silent and grave, though. So, what events in his troubled past left him downcast, and how does he finally find the path to a brighter future? In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen gives us glimpses, but not the complete picture. 

Now Colonel Brandon tells us his full story in His Own Words. He relates the truth about his early family life and his dear Eliza – his devotion to her and the devastating way she was lost to him forever. He shares with us a poignant tale from his military days in India – about a woman named Rashmi and how she likewise left a permanent mark on his soul. And of course Marianne. What did Brandon think and feel when he first saw her? How did his hopes for her subsequently rise, plummet, and then eventually climb upwards again. After Willoughby’s desertion, what finally caused Marianne to see Colonel Brandon in a different light?

This is not a variation but a supplement to the original story, chronicled in Brandon’s point of view. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the things Jane Austen didn’t tell us about a true hero – the very best of men.

Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation by Alice McVeigh - Guest Post

Today I’m really pleased to be welcoming author Alice McVeigh back to the blog with her new book, Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation. Now who is Harriet? Well, it’s Harriet Smith from Austen’s Emma! It’s lovely to be able to feature something based on Emma as there is so little out there. Alice has visited here before with an Austen-inspired book, Susan (which is a book about Lady Susan, from Austen’s juvenilia).

This book has an interesting premise, which Alice has written us a guest post about. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Alice for her guest post and giveaway!

Book Description

Emma, a privileged young heiress, decides to mentor Harriet Smith, a pretty boarding-school pupil, and to matchmake her as eligibly as she can… But how is she to guess that Harriet has a secret?

Meanwhile, the brilliant, penniless Jane Fairfax consents to a clandestine engagement with Frank Churchill – though not daring to confess, even to him, that she is being relentlessly pursued by her best friend’s husband.

Harriet sidelines Emma herself in favour of the ingenious Harriet and the fascinating Jane Fairfax. It is Emma – but an Emma with a surprisingly believable twist in its tail.

Much Ado in Meryton by Riana Everly - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m very happy to be welcoming Riana Everly back to the blog with the blog tour for her new book, Much Ado in Meryton. From the title, you will have guessed there is a Shakespeare influence mixed with a bit of Pride & Prejudice, as the title also mentions Meryton. Although I try and keep my blog mostly focussed on Austen, I actually read Much Ado About Nothing in my early blogging days, so you can learn a bit more about the play here if you're not familiar with it..

Riana has joined us with a guest post about home theatricals, which feature in her book, and also featured in Austen’s life and in Mansfield Park. She’s also treating us to an excerpt from the book. There is also an ebook giveaway to accompany the blog tour. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Riana for her guest post.

Book Description 

A tale of friends, enemies, and the power of love.

"Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably." – Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing, 5.2

Mr. Darcy's arrival in Meryton raises many people's disdain, and Elizabeth Bennet's ire. An insult at a dance is returned in full measure, and soon the two find themselves in a merry war of words, trading barbs at every encounter. Matters go from bad to worse when Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves living under the same roof for a time, and their constant bickering frays everybody's nerves.

Will a clever scheme by their family and friends bring some peace to Netherfield's halls? And what of Mr. Wickham, whose charming presence is not quite so welcome by some members of the party? When the games get out of hand and nastier elements come into play, will everybody's chances for happiness be ruined forever?

This clever mash-up of Pride and Prejudice and Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing casts our beloved characters in fresh light, uniting Jane Austen's keen insight into love and character, and Shakespeare's biting wit.

As a Proper Lady Would by Bronwen Chisholm - Blog Tour, Guest Post and Giveaway

Well hello everybody! I am posting again after a longer than expected summer hiatus, in which I started a new job and like everybody else in the UK tried to do some home improvements! Now the autumn is coming and the nights are drawing in it’s time to make time for some reading.

Today I’m welcoming author Bronwen Chisholm back to the blog. Bronwen has a new book coming out on 1 October. The story is a Pride & Prejudice variation called As a Proper Lady Would and it’s the first in a series. Bronwen is joining us with a guest post, and she’s kindly brought a giveaway with her! Without further ado, I will hand over to her.

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Hi, Ceri! I am tickled to visit with your readers here at Babblings of a Bookworm again. The first novel in my Defying Propriety Series, As a Proper Lady Would, will be available October 1^st on Kindle and in paperback. Though I did a cover reveal last week at Austen Authors, it has changed slightly. Here it is along with the blurbs for both the series and this first book. 

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We are formed by experiences of our childhood. Family and friends influence our character. Decisions, wise and foolish, direct our path. Through chance encounters and early introductions, our beloved Pride and Prejudice characters come together on a slightly different path which may, to some, defy propriety.

All the books in this series are sweet, clean romances.

In this first book of the Defying Propriety Series, we watch as Elizabeth and Darcy learn what society expects of them, while attempting to achieve what they truly desire in life. The well-known characters, as well as a few new ones, grow from childhood to a marriageable age; some reveal different facets of their personalities, while others are doomed to follow the same paths.

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 Ceri asked me to talk about how I got the idea for this series and what inspired it. At first, I thought I had already covered this at my monthly blog on AustenAuthors.net, but then I realized I only covered the initial idea. So, quick summary: I wrote a scene that I never intended to complete, which I posted on Austen Authors where the readers’ comments inspired me to write the first scene in this book, and then I couldn’t stop.

So, let’s back that up a bit. I have a tendency to get scene ideas lying in bed either before I fall asleep or just after waking up. If it’s the “before sleep”, I usually forget the really good stuff by the time I wake up (yes, I should jot it down, but they usually come the very moment my eyes are drifting shut, and I just can’t force myself to wake up to do it). If they are in the morning, my mind runs with it until I am able to get it on paper. Luckily, in this instance, it was a morning idea.

The idea was a scene with nine year old Fitzwilliam Darcy and his ten year old cousin, Phillip Fitzwilliam (the colonel in this series is named Phillip, click here for that explanation), playing war while their uncle, Lt. Anthony Fitzwilliam, watches them. The comments got me thinking about what Darcy, Elizabeth, and the other characters would be like as children. The opening scene came to me, and then I just couldn’t stop.

As the series blurb says, so much of who we are comes from our childhood experiences and the people in our lives. It was a blast thinking about what made Wickham such a rake, why Lizzy and Jane were more ladylike than Lydia and Kitty, and how Caroline became such a social climber. And the best part, I got to add new characters here and there.

That leads us to the series. Up until now, I have written stand alone stories (Mistress Mary and the General is technically a spin off of Behind the Mask, but it can be read alone). When I got to what should have been the end of this story, there were just too many lose threads. The only couple who had married was Darcy and Elizabeth. Yes, Jane appeared to be engaged, but there were at least two other couples making eyes at each other, and then there was Darcy’s eldest cousin, the viscount. I quickly realized I could not say it all in one book. So that is how the book and the series began.

 

Now, a GIVEAWAY! Just make a comment on this blog and Ceri will pick 1 lucky winner to receive an ebook copy of As a Proper Lady Would. Good luck! I can’t wait to read your comments.

 

Bronwen Chisholm has released seven Pride and Prejudice variations since 2014. She takes great pleasure in searching for potential “plot twists” and finding the way back to a happy ending.

Her love of writing has led her to several writing groups, and she is currently serving as the vice president of the Riverside Writers and organizes the Riverside Young Writers.

For more information, visit her at www.bronwenchisholm.com.

 

Buy Links 

Usually I’d add a buy link but I couldn’t find one! I’ll link instead to Bronwen’s works on various Amazon sites. Remember, As a Proper Lady Would will be released on Friday 1 October in paperback and kindle.

• Amazon US • Amazon UK • Amazon CA • Add to Goodreads shelf

Giveaway Time!

 As Bronwen said, she is offering a giveaway for one of you. To enter, please leave a comment on this blog post by the end of the day worldwide on Tuesday 5 October. If you have any problems adding your comment please contact me and I will add your comment for you :)

Blog Tour Schedule

Please check out the other stops on the blog tour. Details are below:

Twists of Fate by Joana Starnes - Guest Post and Giveaway

I’m happy to be welcoming back an author who I have featured many times, Joana Starnes. Joana has written a new book, Twists of Fate, which is a Pride & Prejudice variation coming out later this month, and it looks like it will be an excellent read! 

Joana has been so kind as to come here with a guest post and ebook giveaway. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Joana.

Book Description 

What if Mr Collins shocked Elizabeth with his base conduct at the time of his proposal, thus sending her dashing out of her house, and into the arms of Mr Darcy? What if that accidental encounter was witnessed, and impropriety was assumed? What if Mr Darcy was glad of the excuse to marry his heart’s desire – only to have his best hopes blasted within hours of his wedding? What if he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time more than once?

Evil rumours, an early marriage, a dreadful misunderstanding, an old secret and good intentions gone awry. What if ‘I do’ is not the end, but the beginning of the adventure? 

Fitzwilliam Darcy, In His Own Words by Shannon Winslow - Guest Post and Excerpt

Today I’m happy to be welcoming Shannon Winslow back to Babblings of a Bookworm with her new book, Fitzwilliam Darcy, In His Own Words, which as the name suggests is a book from Darcy’s point of view. Read on for the blurb, followed by a guest post from Shannon and an excerpt of the story. 

Book Description

What was Mr. Darcy’s life like before he met Elizabeth Bennet? – before he stepped onto the Pride and Prejudice stage at the Meryton assembly? More importantly, where is he and what is he doing all the time he’s absent from the page thereafter? And what is his relationship to a woman named Amelia?

With Fitzwilliam Darcy, in His Own Words, the iconic literary hero finally tells his own story, from the traumas of his early life to the consummation of his love for Elizabeth and everything in between.

This is not a variation but a supplement to the original story, chronicled in Darcy’s point of view – a behind-the-scenes look at the things Jane Austen didn’t tell us. As it happens, Darcy’s journey was more tortuous than she let on, his happy ending with Elizabeth in jeopardy at every turn in his struggle between duty and his heart’s desire, between the suitable lady he has promised to marry and the woman he can’t stop thinking about.

Plots, Ploys, and the Art of Matchmaking by Sarah Courtney - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m happy to be welcoming Sarah Courtney back to the blog with a post about her new book, a Pride & Prejudice variation called Plots, Ploys, and the Art of Matchmaking. Sarah has brought us a guest post, excerpt and giveaway. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Sarah.

Book Description

When Darcy’s eccentric uncle Lord Matlock arrives in Meryton for a visit with his old friend Mr. Bennet, nobody can escape their mischief. From locked doors to misdirected carriages, Matlock and Bennet wreak havoc on inhabitants of Longbourn and Netherfield alike.

Darcy and Elizabeth fall prey to their relations' schemes more than once, but they firmly resist any matchmaking efforts. Darcy knows his value in the marriage market and has no intention of marrying beneath him. Elizabeth could never marry such a pompous bore. But their pride and prejudice become a lot harder to maintain when they find themselves trapped alone together.

Will Matlock and Bennet succeed in making matches for all of Meryton—except the two stubborn fools they know belong together?

This sweet comedic variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is 73,000 words of mischief and matchmaking.

The Longbourn Quarantine by Don Jacobson - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

I’m happy to be bringing you a post from Don Jacobson today. Don has visited Babblings of a Bookworm many times and his posts are always popular. Many of his visits have been to do with his Bennet Wardrobe series, but this one is a stand-alone novella, The Longbourn Quarantine. Don has brought us a guest post and an excerpt of the novella, and Meryton Press are offering an ebook giveaway of The Longbourn Quarantine on this blog post. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Don.

Book Description 

“Papa handed Mama a brace of pistols. Her tears, Mr. Darcy, her tears: yet, all she did was nod when Papa looked at us and said, ‘You know what to do if they enter the icehouse.’”

Refugees flood the roads. A feared specter has escaped London’s grimy docklands and now threatens the wealthy districts. Amongst that ragged steam is a single carriage jostling its way toward Meryton. Inside are the Darcy siblings along with Charles and Caroline Bingley. They desperately seek the safety of Netherfield Park.

For all their riches, they could not evade the epidemic’s dark hand. Bingley’s leasehold had been reduced to rubble as roving bands raped, pillaged, and burned. The only sanctuary was Longbourn where, once installed, the Darcys and Bingleys were barred from leaving by a fortnight’s quarantine.

Events converge with disease in The Longbourn Quarantine. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy abandon old prejudices to face grief and mourning. Pride is set aside as Death hovers nearby. The couple forges ahead knowing that love unexplored is love lost: that words must be said lest they remain unspoken in the time of smallpox.

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Two More Days at Netherfield by Heather Moll - Guest Post and Giveaway

I'm very happy to be welcoming author Heather Moll back to the blog, as the blog tour for her new book Two More Days at Netherfield stops here for a guest post. I love posts where I learn something, and this is what Heather has treated us to today, with a post about parlour games in the Regency period. There's also the chance to win an ebook of Two More Days at Netherfield for yourself! Let's look at the blurb and then I'll hand over to Heather :)

Book Description

While her sister Jane is ill at Netherfield, Elizabeth Bennet overhears Miss Bingley and the proud Mr Darcy discussing his admiration of Elizabeth and her fine eyes. Not sure what to think of his praise after all of their previous disagreements, and more flattered than she wants to admit, Elizabeth teases him for the disparaging remark he made about her at the Meryton Assembly. Darcy is then forced to reconsider his opinion of a woman who has truly bewitched him more than any other. 

The result of this unintended eavesdropping leads to confrontations and apologies on both sides and, eventually, the beginnings of a friendship between Darcy and Elizabeth. Their warming acquaintance impacts the courtship of Darcy’s friend and Elizabeth’s sister, the jealous temper of Miss Bingley, and even the behavior of Mr. Wickham after he arrives in Meryton. 

How are the events of the winter drastically affected by the Bennet sisters choosing to spend two more days at Netherfield?

Jane Austen's Ghost by Jennifer Kloester - Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming a new visitor to Babblings of a Bookworm, Jennifer Kloester.  I've read Jennifer's work previously - she  has written books relating to my second favourite writer, Georgette Heyer, one of which I read in my pre-blogging days. Obviously, a person who admires Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer is a person of good taste, so I was very pleased to take part in the blog tour for her new book, Jane Austen's Ghost. Jennifer joins us today with a guest post and giveaway. So let's start with the blurb and then I'll hand over to Jennifer.

Book Description

A masterpiece of wit, ingenuity and impeccable style, Regency maven Jennifer Kloester brings the great Jane Austen into the modern world in this enchanting, exhilarating adventure of love, literature and life everlasting...

With her life a mess, Cassandra Austin seeks refuge in Winchester with her eccentric great-aunt – but Aunty B has problems of her own. Ghost problems.

Cassie doesn’t believe in ghosts but she’ll do anything to help the only person who’s ever loved her. Besides, a simple spell in the cathedral crypt couldn’t do any harm, could it? Well, except for the two-hundred-year-old curse on Jane Austen, that is.

Overnight, life is suddenly a whole lot weirder and it’s up to Cassie to save the day with the help of a dour Bishop, two literary geniuses, a couple of wise-cracking geriatrics and the enigmatic Oliver Carling.

Magic and mystery abound in this genre-bending contemporary-historical paranormal romance with a Regency twist.

ADVANCE REVIEWS,

“Jane Austen's Ghost is a fabulous, fun read full of fantastical twists - mind-candy for anyone who has heard of Jane Austen. Meticulously researched, this work is nevertheless a tour de force of the imagination. Although steeped in all things Austen, due to its imaginative presentation, this work will appeal to readers everywhere – from Austen scholars to the man in the street. This is a work that transcends genres, incorporating a contemporary-historical paranormal adventure, a sweet romance, and a female protagonist in a coming-of-age arc. A truly not-to-be-missed read destined to become a classic.”
-- STEPHANIE LAURENS

“Jennifer Kloester’s meticulous research frameworks an intriguing, complex fantasy, as well as a gorgeously intimate insight into a concept of the Jane Austen we’d love to have at our dinner table. The characters are marvelous, the friendships warm and deep, and the plot holds us spellbound until the end. A truly fabulous read.”
-- MARION LENNOX

“Jane Austen meets Bridget Jones meets Harry Potter in this fast-paced romp from Georgette Heyer expert Jennifer Kloester. There are laugh out loud moments but genuinely scary moments, too, in this diverting tale. Supernatural elements mix with Regency manners as Jane Austen finds herself grappling with the twenty-first century in Jane Austen’s Ghost.”
-- AMANDA GRANGE

Letters from the Heart by Kay Bea - Blog Tour, Guest Post and Giveaway

The blog tour for debut author Kay Bea's Letters from the Heart stops by at Babblings of a Bookworm today. I'm really pleased to welcome Kay here for a guest post. There's a giveaway opportunity too! Let's take a look at the blurb and then hand over to Kay.

Book Description

The Bennet sisters of Longbourn lack both decorum and connections and do not possess a decent dowry between them. Even the best of the them is in every way unsuitable for a man whose income is as a good as a lord. But love is not so easily set aside and in January 1812, Mr Darcy persuades Mr Bingley to reopen Netherfield Park, the country estate from which they both fled only two months before. On returning to Hertfordshire, they discover a near tragedy took place three days after the Netherfield Ball and has changed the lives of the Bennet family forever. Mrs Bennet’s relentless fear of losing her place in society has led her to condemn her least favourite daughter to a life of isolation and pain that will greatly complicate Darcy and Elizabeth’s journey to happiness. Old bonds are strengthened, family ties are severed, and unlikely allies emerge as each of them struggles to make sense of the changes they face.

A Matter of Honor by Abigail Reynolds - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

As long time visitors to the blog may know, I am a huge fan of Abigail Reynold's books and she's visited the blog many times. Therefore I am thrilled, and consider it a matter of honour ;)  to be hosting her on launch day for her newest book, A Matter of Honor. It looks fantastic and I can't wait to read it! Abigail joins us today with a guest post, excerpt and giveaway. Let's look at the blurb first.

Book Description for A Matter of Honor

Pride & Prejudice goes to Scotland!

When Fitzwilliam Darcy, still smarting from Elizabeth Bennet’s rejection, discovers she was forced to flee her home in disgrace owing to his actions, his course is clear. He must marry her. It is a matter of honor. All he has to do is find her and propose. Surely that will be simple enough.

But Elizabeth does not want to be found, especially not by Darcy. From the moment he entered her life, he has caused disaster after disaster. Now he has followed her all the way to Scotland, foolishly certain it’s within his power to fix all her problems. But far more is at stake than Darcy knows.

Darcy’s quest takes him from backstage at Edinburgh’s Theatre Royal to the wilds of the Scottish Highlands, where mysterious Highlanders prove both friend and enemy. And now his search risks exposing long-hidden secrets that threaten his happiness and her future.

On the run and in danger, Elizabeth is forced to make impossible choices to protect those whom she loves – including Darcy. Her growing attraction to him is at war with her need for caution, and the stakes are impossibly high. Can she trust him to continue to fight for her protection when he knows the whole truth? And if he does, will it be for love… or will it be merely a matter of honor?

Guest Post from Abigail Reynolds

I’m so excited to be launching A Matter of Honor! Giving Darcy and Elizabeth to a new country to explore has been challenge and a delight. After all, what could be more fun than digging into Scottish history and being forced – forced! – to spend hours staring at pictures of the Highlands. It’s a sacrifice, I tell you. 😉 It’s been particularly interesting because of the amazing online records, especially the digital collections of the National Library of Scotland. I found everything from records of the weather for any given day to the original playbills for the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh. Period maps, gazetteers, and travel guides gave me an amazing virtual tour of Scotland in 1812.

All but the first two chapters of A Matter of Honor takes place in Scotland, starting with several chapters in Edinburgh. Those playbills came in very handy as the Edinburgh Theatre Royal became a focus of activity for many of the characters. As an old theatre techie, I’ve always wanted to write backstage scenes, but English Regency theatres attracted pretty disreputable characters, and the people likely to show up backstage wouldn’t be the sort I could put in my books. Imagine my delight when I discovered the theatre in Scotland was forced into a sort of respectability lest the Church of Scotland force them to close!

But as Darcy becomes a little too close to Elizabeth’s secrets, she flees from Edinburgh into the Highlands. I’m embarrassed by how much time I spent choosing the perfect Highland hide-out for Elizabeth. There were so many wonderful possibilities! In the end, I put her in the midst of the Trossachs, on the shores of Loch Ard, not far from Loch Lomond. I didn’t want her too far from Edinburgh in the days when travel on Highland roads was painfully slow, and it put our dear couple right in Sir Walter Scott country, just as his The Lady of the Lake was taking society by storm. And that turned into a plot twist by itself!

I hope you’ll enjoy visiting Scotland with Lizzy and Darcy in A Matter of Honor. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Excerpt from A Matter of Honor

Mrs. Graham excused herself for a few moments after an informal dinner in the drawing room, leaving Darcy alone with Elizabeth for the first time that day. Elizabeth had been particularly attentive to him at dinner, perhaps trying to distract him from the pain in his leg, which was nothing to the ache in his heart. But the laudanum-laced wine had relaxed him enough that he could drink in the lively expressions that crossed Elizabeth’s face and the way her hair shone in the candlelight without too much thought of the future, as if intimate dinners with her were something that could be a natural part of his life.

Now Elizabeth walked past him toward the bookcase, the slight sway of her hips almost hidden by her woolen dress, the curve of her neck outlined by the moonlight from the window. A surge of desire nearly overset Darcy, the longing to run his hand along that silver-lit skin so strong that he had to fight to keep himself on his chaise longue, broken leg be damned. In that moment, being lame forever seemed a small price to pay for being able to touch Elizabeth, to feel the silk of her skin, the little shiver she would give at his touch.

Then she turned and met his gaze, and he knew he was not alone in his desire. She wanted him, too. There was hunger and yearning in her fine eyes, and, as they stared at one another in silence, a hint of despair.

She bit her lip and shook herself, as if waking from a reverie, and looked away. She picked a book from the shelf at random, clutched it tightly, and hurried back to her seat by the fire, never looking his way.

The ache in his chest was like a burning coal he could not ignore. “Elizabeth,” he said softly.

She hesitated before raising her head. “Yes?” Her voice was weighted with resignation.

“You cannot deny what is between us. Surely there must be some way we can work together to overcome whatever stands in our way.” He did not know why she might answer differently this time, but he could not remain silent.

Her hands tightened into fists. “Do you think I have not tried to find a way? But there is no answer. And trying to pretend otherwise only makes it worse.” Her voice caught. “Perhaps you have never before been denied something you wanted desperately, but there are very few in this world who have that privilege.”

His face burned at her reproof. “I have been fortunate, but I have faced adversity. It is not stubbornness but the strength of my sentiments which will not be denied.” Even as the words left his mouth, he knew it was the wrong approach.

As she looked at him, her pain evident in the lines of her face, she opened her mouth to say something, but apparently changed her mind. Instead, she rose to her feet and hurried from the room, her skirts swishing around her.

“Elizabeth!” he called after her, but there was no response, just the sound of her feet on the steps.

Devil take it! He could not follow her, could not do anything but wait for her to return. If she did return. He pounded his fist on the arm of the chaise longue, wincing at the pain as the movement jostled his leg. Damn it! Why could she not have stayed and talked to him?

He heard someone outside the door, but it was Mrs. Graham’s quick footsteps, not the soft sound of Elizabeth’s slippers. The older woman hesitated in the doorway, looking back in the direction Elizabeth had gone, and then turned to Darcy with an exasperated expression. “I canna leave the two of ye alone for even a few minutes!”

“It is nothing,” he said automatically. Another reproof was the last thing he needed.

“From what I saw of Lizzy’s face, it did not look like nothing,” she said tartly. “I will give ye one piece of advice, whether ye like it or not. When a lass says nae, ye must take her at her word. Show her that much respect.”

“I have the greatest of respect for her,” he said stiffly. But he had not shown it. She had begged him not to press her, and he had not listened. What a fool he had been!

Author Bio

Abigail Reynolds may be a nationally bestselling author and a physician, but she can't follow a straight line with a ruler. Originally from upstate New York, she studied Russian and theater at Bryn Mawr College and marine biology at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole. After a stint in performing arts administration, she decided to attend medical school, and took up writing as a way to retain her sanity during her years as a physician in private practice.

A life-long lover of Jane Austen's novels, Abigail began writing variations on Pride & Prejudice in 2001, then expanded her repertoire to include a series of novels set on her beloved Cape Cod. Her most recent releases are Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment, Conceit & Concealment, Mr. Darcy’s Journey, and Alone with Mr. Darcy. Her books have been translated into six languages. A lifetime member of JASNA, she lives on Cape Cod with her husband, her son and a menagerie of animals. Her hobbies do not include sleeping or cleaning her house.

• Website • Facebook • Facebook Author Page • Twitter • Goodreads • 

Buy Links

A Matter of Honor is available to buy now - in paperback, kindle and Kindle Unlimited Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / Goodreads

Giveaway Time!

Abigail Reynolds is kindly offering a giveaway. Two lucky commenters on this blog post will be selected to win an ebook of A Matter of Honor. To enter, just leave a comment on this blogpost by the end of the day worldwide on Thursday 12 September. Please ensure that you leave your name. You can gain an extra entry to the giveaway by tweeting about this post, but please make sure you tag me @Frawli1978 to make sure I see it.

Note about comments: I love to read your comments, but a few blog visitors have reported difficulties in commenting while using the Safari browser. If you are unable to comment, please try using another web browser, such as Google Chrome, or please contact me and I will add your comment for you :)

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Inspiration by Maria Grace - Guest Post and Excerpt

I'm delighted to be welcoming Maria Grace back to Babblings of a Bookworm to celebrate her latest book. Inspiration is a Pride & Prejudice variation featuring an artist Darcy. I have a lovely long excerpt to share with you, so grab a beverage of your choice and settle in! Let's have the blurb first and then I'll hand over to Maria Grace for the excerpt.

Book Description

His muse desires her; she detests him. How will his soul survive?

Gentleman artist Fitzwilliam Darcy had never been able to express himself in words, but with his brushes and paints, he expressed what few men ever could. When his flighty muse abandons him, though, he finds himself staring at blank canvases in a world that has turned bland and cold and grey.

Worried for his friend, Charles Bingley invites Darcy to join him in Hertfordshire, in hopes the picturesque countryside might tempt Darcy's muse to return. The scheme works only too well. His muse returns, with a vengeance, fixated upon the one young woman in the county who utterly detests him.

Will his selfish disdain for the feelings of others drive her and his muse away or can he find a way to please this woman with the power to bring color and feeling back into his world?

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A Season Lost by Sophie Turner - Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I'm joined by Sophie Turner with a guest post about the third book in the Constant Love series. The first book, A Constant Love, is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, following Elizabeth as she juggles the beginning of her married life with the social demands of launching sisters into society. The second, A Change of Legacies, continues the story. Let's share the blurb of this third book, A Season Lost, and then hand over to Sophie for a guest post and giveaway.

Book Description

As the “Year Without a Summer” threatens estates across Britain, Elizabeth and Georgiana both go on journeys that take unexpected turns – journeys that will threaten the lives of those they hold dear.

Three of Elizabeth’s sisters find their lives changed by childbirth, while on Pemberley’s grounds, a surprising romance emerges.

A story of love and family, and the third instalment of the Constant Love series.

To Conquer Pride by Jennifer Altman - Blog Tour - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming a new visitor to Babblings of a Bookworm, Jennifer Altman. Jennifer has written a Pride & Prejudice variation, To Conquer Pride, and is visiting as part of the blog tour. Let's have a nosey at the blurb so we know what the book's about and then I'll hand over to Jennifer for a guest post, including excerpt. There's also a giveaway! Read on to find out more...

 Book Description

The course of true love never did run smooth…

When Fitzwilliam Darcy departs Hunsford after his disastrous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, he does not expect their paths to cross again. Indeed, knowing the lady’s true feelings for him, he makes every effort to see that they do not. But when a chance encounter leaves him stranded in an abandoned cottage with the one woman he can never have, Darcy quickly realizes there is more at risk than just Elizabeth’s reputation.

Elizabeth Bennet knows Mr. Darcy is the last man in the world whom she could ever be prevailed on to marry. Until the morning he hands her a letter, his countenance as dark and forbidding as the windswept sky. Now, trapped in a snowstorm with the one person she was certain she despised, Elizabeth is startled to discover that her feelings are not at all what she expected.

But is one night alone together enough to alter the course of their future?

Can any man as proud as Mr. Darcy be expected to offer for the same woman a second time?

In this tale of serendipity and second chances, the world’s unlikeliest couple must conquer pride, prejudice, and faulty first impressions in the elusive quest for their own happily ever after.

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Rational Creatures Anthology from The Quill Ink Collective - Blog Tour and Giveaway

Today the blog tour for the anthology Rational Creatures stops by. This is the the third anthology brought to you by The Quill Collective, brought together by editor Christina Boyd (see also The Darcy Monologues and Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen's Rakes and Gentlemen Rogues). Some of my favourite Austenesque authors have contributed short stories to this collection, which focuses on the ladies in Austen's works.

I'm happy to be welcoming author Elizabeth Adams here to chat with me about rational creatures in general, and in particular Persuasion's Anne Elliot, the character in Elizabeth's story. There's a fantastic giveaway accompanying the blog tour too. Let's read the blurb, and then we'll move on to my interview with Elizabeth Adams.

Emma and the City by Amy Hilliges - Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming an author to the blog for the first time. Amy Hilliges has written an Emma update, moving Miss Woodhouse to modern day New York. Think a cross between Emma and Sex and the City. Amy has visited here today with a guest post and giveaway. of Emma and the City I'll share the blurb with you and then hand over to Amy for her guest post, excerpt and giveaway!

Book Description

When arrows fly, Cupid better get out of the way . . . or risk being shot

It-girl and blogger Emma Worth appears to have it all: beauty, brains, connections and a fabulous Manhattan apartment. Emma makes it her business to tell others what to wear and who to date because she knows best. Obviously.

Despite her designer outfits and glitzy New York lifestyle, something's missing . . . If she only knew what it was. That is, until a hot A-lister swoops into her life and sends Emma's pulse racing and fills her head with red-carpet fantasies.

Emma's neighbor Adam Knightley is disapproving, telling her she needs to fix her priorities and stop chasing celebrity pipe dreams. The man would look hot on a red carpet himself, if only he’d stop frowning for more than five seconds.

When Emma’s matchmaking backfires and her meddling causes mischief, what's a girl to do? Try to lie her way out of it, of course.  Anyway, who cares, right? Because Emma's finally getting the kind of attention she deserves. Except in her fantasies, things looked a lot different. And it didn’t feel this heartrendingly painful . . .

Love her or hate her, Emma is back––with a sexy makeover, 21st-century problems, and another chance to redeem herself in this grippingly entertaining, thoroughly original retelling of the Jane Austen classic.

Guest Post from Elaine Jeremiah, Author of Love Without Time

Today I'm welcoming a new JAFF author, Elaine Jeremiah, for a guest post about what drew her to writing in this genre, and an excerpt of her book, Love Without Time.

I'll start by giving you the blurb, as usual, and then hand over to Elaine for her guest post:

Book Description

When Cassie Taylor meets an ordinary-looking man in a bookshop, the last thing she imagines is the encounter will lead to her time travelling to Regency England.

Jane Austen-obsessed Cassie would love a romantic hero of her own to sweep her off her feet, but meeting Ted is seriously underwhelming. Then everything is turned upside down when Ted saves her life – and she nearly ends his.

Guilt-ridden and panicked into saying she’s Ted’s girlfriend at the hospital, Cassie takes a walk outside at night, loses her way and finds herself in the past. She meets a young Regency woman, Isabella, who takes pity on her, allowing her to stay at the majestic Westerleigh Hall. But not everyone there trusts her and Cassie will find there are many pitfalls to be avoided if she’s to survive in this world.

Can this be real? Is she dreaming? Will she ever get home?

Guest Post from Elaine Jeremiah

I’ve been writing pretty much for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I wrote and told loads of stories. I wrote short stories at school, which people seemed to like – I won a competition – and told tall tales of warring cats and dogs to my younger siblings on long car journeys.

As I got older, I experimented with various genres. The first novel I ever wrote was called Fresher Girl, about a girl going away to university for the first time. It wasn’t great, but I kept persevering.

Five years ago, I self-published my first novel. But it wasn’t a Jane Austen fan fiction novel. It was more of a family saga, called The Inheritance, about two sisters – one who is sensible and works hard and the other who demands her inheritance from her father early, then loses it all in the space of a year.

It didn’t exactly set the world alight! I kept writing though and wrote two contemporary romances. Nothing that I’d written really felt right for me though, until my husband suggested I try writing Jane Austen fan fiction. I’ve been a huge Jane Austen fan all my life. I was lucky enough to grow up in the same county – Hampshire – that she did.

I’ve walked past the house in Winchester where she died many times and I ended up going to university in Winchester too. I have visited her cottage at Chawton a number of times, as well as Chawton House, where her brother lived. So I feel a real affinity with Jane Austen and when I started writing my first Jane Austen fan fiction novel, Love Without Time, I felt like I’d finally found my niche.

Love Without Time isn’t your typical Jane Austen fan fiction novel, as it’s not based around any of her novels. But it is about a girl who’s a huge fan of Jane Austen, who time travels back to Regency England, and all of the things that happen and problems she encounters there.

I thought it would be a fun idea to imagine what would happen if someone from the twenty-first century time travelled back to Regency England. What would it be like? What would they see/smell/touch? How would they react to their experiences?

I enjoyed writing the story so much, I decided to turn it into a trilogy and right now I’m hard at work on By Time Divided, the second book in the trilogy. I hope you enjoy Love Without Time if you get to read it. Big thank you to Ceri for featuring me on her blog.

Exerpt from Love Without Time

Just then I felt a wave of fatigue wash over me. And I had never been so thirsty in my life. I felt myself begin to sway, but a small hand which was surprisingly strong caught hold of me and set me upright. I looked to see who my rescuer was. It was the other young woman I’d seen, who’d been standing next to the woman who had questioned me. Her dark eyes regarded me with sympathy and I was comforted.

‘Miss Taylor, let me help you to a seat. And I shall get you something to drink. You must be so tired and thirsty after such an ordeal.’

‘Thank you,’ I said gratefully as she led me to a wooden chair at the side of the marquee. I sank down onto it; it felt like bliss to finally be seated and I also felt as though I really had been in an accident whilst on a long journey. I could sense everyone’s eyes on me again, but I ignored them as I closed my eyes. As I did so, my thoughts returned to my own time.

There was a sharp pain in my chest as I remembered Ted, as if someone had struck me. How could I have forgotten him, even for a moment? All my feelings of guilt for what had happened were renewed in my mind. I opened my eyes. I didn’t have much time to ponder this, as the young woman had returned with what looked like a glass of wine.

She stood in front of me with Isabella and the petite woman, who were watching me with concerned expressions. It was then that I noticed an older woman standing behind them, eyeing me as a hawk would a mouse.

‘Here you are,’ the petite young woman said with an anxious look, handing me the glass. I frowned for a moment – why were they not just giving me water – and then I remembered from my history books that very few people in Georgian times would drink water. It wasn’t safe.

I caught her eye; her expression had changed and she was giving me an odd look as if she’d seen my puzzled expression. But she didn’t comment on it. I took a sip of the wine and was glad I had, as I felt its warm tang soothing me from the inside out.

‘I’ve been very remiss,’ I said to her after a few sips of wine. ‘You know my name, but I have not enquired as to yours.’

‘Oh no, the fault is all mine,’ Isabella put in hurriedly, her face a little pink. ‘These are my childhood friends Eleanor Thorpe,’ she indicated the dark-eyed young woman, ‘and Mary Price. They are staying with me here at Westerleigh for a few months. And the two gentlemen you see here are my guardians’ son William Montague and his good friend Charles Radcliffe who is staying with us for a few days.’

Charles gave me a curt nod; he was the dark-featured gentleman I’d already spoken with. William looked friendlier, giving me a curious glance, which rather than making me feel scrutinised made me want to get to know him.  

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About the Author

Elaine Jeremiah lives in England with her husband and their golden retriever. When she was young she wanted to be a famous actress and win an Oscar. Sadly for her that never happened.

Instead writing took over. She has written stories from a young age, winning writing competitions at school and praise from her teachers. Growing up she continued to write, inspired by events in her life and even dreams she'd had. In recent years, especially since graduating from university with a degree in English, she has had more time to devote to writing.

She has now written and self-published four novels. Her latest, 'Love Without Time', is her first Jane Austen-inspired story, a time travel romance, and the first in a trilogy.

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Buy Links

Amazon UK / Amazon US - this title is available for Amazon Prime Readers