Guest Post with Lona Manning Author of 'A Contrary Wind' ~ Excerpt & Giveaway!

Hey, Everyone! It's my pleasure to have Lona Manning visiting here with us with her new book A Contrary Wind: A variation on Mansfield Park! 

What if Fanny Price, the meek and docile heroine of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, ran away from home? What if Fanny could no longer endure living with the Bertrams? What if she could not bear to watch Edmund fall in love with Mary Crawford?

Ooh! Fanny runs away from Mansfield Park! That sounds exciting! I don't know about you, but Mansfield Park is not my favorite of Austen's work. I think it would be very interesting to see a different spin on it. 

Here's a little excerpt with a short set up. Enjoy! 

In this excerpt, Fanny has just been humiliated in front of her cousins and their guests – Henry and Mary Crawford, Mr. Yates and Mr. Rushworth – because her aunt, Mrs. Norris, cruelly rebuked her for refusing to join in the proposed amateur theatricals. ("I am not going to urge her," replied Mrs. Norris sharply; "but I shall think her a very obstinate, ungrateful girl, if she does not do what her aunt and cousins wish her—very ungrateful, indeed, considering who and what she is.")

And Mary Crawford is feeling hurt because the man she likes, Edmund Bertram, also refuses to participate, even though acting in the play would give them the chance to play lovers. Her brother Henry has been flirting with both of the Bertram sisters, Maria and Julia, and has chosen Maria to play the part of Agatha in the play, so Julia is also miserable tonight.

* * *

     The carriage was summoned to convey the Crawfords back to their sister’s home. Edmund handed Miss Crawford in, and briefly made as though he might climb in beside her and accompany her to her own door, but her brother and a groomsman were sufficient escort and the lady herself was not welcoming. Edmund had angered Mary earlier that evening when, in a rather sententious tone, he pronounced that it was inappropriate for a clergyman (or soon-to-be clergyman in his case,) to portray one on the stage. But he was also turning down the opportunity to play the part of her lover. His indifference had wounded Mary’s pride and she was very far from being ready to forgive him, barely acknowledging his cordial adieux.

     “Well, sister,” remarked her brother in a low voice, as the carriage pulled out of Edmund’s hearing, “Perhaps we should make our excuses and go to Bath or London, rather than stay for this play-acting scheme. I think, for a party got up for pleasure, there were more long faces than happy ones at the Park tonight. Miss Julia spiteful, Bertram vexed with everyone, Edmund Bertram at his most insufferable, Miss Price near to fainting, and as for that aunt!”

     “Maria plays the tragic part but she was looking particularly well pleased tonight, a matter I will leave for now to you and your conscience.” Mary Crawford nodded meaningfully at her brother, who smiled, rather more gratified than abashed at the contemplation of the havoc he had wreaked in more than one female breast that evening.

     “True – I would regret leaving off such a fair opportunity to play the tragic hero. To be authorized by the script to kiss Maria and press her to my bosom, in front of her future husband, is too irresistible!” Henry laughed.

     “And as for Julia’s pique, we also know where to lay the blame, do we not?”

     “We do indeed – we lay the blame on female vanity and caprice– for despite my best efforts, Julia Bertram scorned to take any part but that of Agatha. In the face of such obduracy, reasoning is in vain and flattery useless. She must be first in consequence, and if she cannot, she chooses to be nothing at all.”

     “As for that last, are you speaking now of the play, or of your affections, Henry? At any rate, the foolish girl should have more pride and resolution. Heaven knows how my vanity has been mortified tonight, though I would confess it to no-one but you.” Miss Crawford willed herself not to look out the window to see if Edmund was still standing in the sweep and watching the carriage as they drove away.

    “When you gave Bertram your consent to apply to his friend Charles Maddox to take up the part of Anhalt, were you in earnest? Or do you object to playing love scenes with a gentleman with whom you are barely acquainted?”

Meet Lona Manning

Hello. I was born in South Korea a few years after the Korean War. My father taught library science at Yonsei University. And -- being from the American South, he also taught his students how to do the Virginia Reel. My mother fostered Korean war orphan babies.

My folks returned to the United States in the early 60’s and were active in the civil rights movement. We always had the kind of house that was filled with books and magazines. Our family (with six kids by then) moved to Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, in 1967. Then we had a house filled with books, magazines, and war objectors playing guitar and singing “Where have all the flowers gone.” 

I put myself through university in Vancouver. Over the years, I've been a home care aide, legal secretary, political speech writer, office manager, and vocational instructor. Mainly I worked in non-profit administration until suddenly deciding (in my late 50’s) to get an ESL teaching certificate. So most recently I’ve been teaching English in China. My husband Ross and I raised two boys; one is now a computer programmer, and the other is finishing law school.

Although I have not written much in recent years, I have authored several lengthy non-fiction pieces about notable American crimes, such as: the murder of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the Lindbergh kidnapping, the 1920 Wall Street bombing, the satanic ritual moral panic of the 90's, and the Rubin Hurricane Carter case. These articles have been cited in over a dozen books and been used in secondary school and university courses [for example, Sam Houston University, University of Missouri-Kansas City] My article about O'Hair was used in a course on the history of atheism at the Center for American Studies at Heidelberg University. My Wall Street bombing article was referenced in a New York City Law Journal Review article.  

Last spring, after a long silence, my Muse showed up and started writing this book in my head.

Hobbies, interests, passions and peeves:  I've sung in a number of bands and choirs, most recently the Kelowna International Choir. My husband and I love to travel around Asia. I get buggy when people use possessive apostrophes when they really mean plural, as in "apple's for sale."

Connect with Lona Manning

Twitter • Facebook • Website

Book Blurb:

Fanny Price, niece to Sir Thomas Bertram of Mansfield Park, is an intelligent but timid girl from a poor family, who is grateful for the advantages of education and breeding conferred upon her as result of growing up with her wealthier cousins. But the cruelty of her Aunt Norris, together with a broken heart, compel Fanny to run away from Mansfield Park and find employment as a governess. 

Far away from everything she ever knew and the one man she loves, will Fanny grow in fortitude and independence? Will a new suitor help her to forget? Or will a reckless decision threaten to destroy her own life and the lives of those she holds most dear? 

This variation of Jane Austen’s novel includes all the familiar characters from Mansfield Park, as well as some new acquaintances. There are some mature scenes.

Buy: Amazon
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* * * GIVEAWAY * * * 

It's giveaway time!! Lona Manning is generously giving away a paperback and e-copy of her book A Contrary Wind to two lucky people! To enter, please leave a comment below!

• One paperback of A Contrary Wind (U.S.mailing addresses only).
• One e-copy of A Contrary Wind (Open to International winners).
• One prize per winner.
• To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below and include your e-mail or twitter name. If you leave your email, please put parentheses around (at) and (dot).
• Winners will be picked randomly by random.org.
• Last day to enter the giveaway is March 23rd, 2017, 11:59 PM Pacific Time. 

Good luck! 

Many thanks to Lona Manning for stopping by with a little taste of her new book! And for having a giveaway with me! 

So, what did you think of the excerpt? Where is Mansfield Park ranked in your list of favorite Jane Austen books? Do you have any questions for Lona?