Monday, January 28, 2019

Though a Different Lens by Riana Everly ~ Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Hello, my friends! I exceptionally happy to have Riana Everly visiting here today! Riana's book, Through a Different Lens, has definitely piqued my interest. The thought of Mr. Darcy being on the spectrum is very interesting to me, indeed! I hope you enjoy Riana's thoughts on the subject and the excerpt she provided! 




I’m so pleased to be here at So Little Time… today as part of my blog tour for Through a Different Lens, my new release. Thanks, Candy, for hosting me on your lovely blog.

In Through a Different Lens, I’ve explored what might happen if Mr. Darcy has Asperger’s Syndrome, and if Lizzy has some insight into how he thinks. 

People with Asperger’s often have obsessive interests, difficulties with social interactions and non-verbal communication, sensory issues, adherence to routine and “the rules,” and a tendency to retreat into their own world.

But from my research, as well as from personal knowledge, I have learned that this form of “high-functioning” autism can also come with gifts. Not everyone with the condition is unusually talented, of course; no set of characteristics is universal. But the different neurological processes that make an autistic person’s brain work differently than a neurotypical person’s can lead them to see the world in a different and wonderful way that can be of benefit to everyone.

Because of the recent recognition of autism spectrum conditions, dating back only as far as the late 1930s, there are no definitive diagnoses available for people who lived in earlier times. However, based on descriptions by friends and associates, we can identify some famous people who might have had Asperger’s Syndrome.



Thomas Jefferson – he was shy, struggled to relate to others, and was sensitive to loud noises. These are hardly conclusive pieces of evidence, but they do raise the question!




Albert Einstein – he didn’t speak until he was four years old and until age seven, he compulsively repeated sentences. He also had no friends as a child. His highly theoretical theories of physics reflect a mind that works on completely different lines than most people’s.



Lewis Carroll – he was painfully shy and had trouble making friends and relating to people of his own age. He struggled with manners and social conventions and saw the world in very rigid terms. 






Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – his possible symptoms of Asperger’s included repeated facial expressions, rapid mood swings, extreme sensitivity to loud noises, meaningless repetition of other people’s words, and inappropriate comments. Much of this is also compatible with Tourette’s syndrome, however.



Nikola Tesla – Asperger’s Syndrome is often called “the engineer’s disorder,” and Tesla embodied this aspect of it. He struggled to interact with others and worked in solitude. He was very sensitive to certain sounds and physical sensations and had the gift of visualizing complex machinery and “testing” it in his mind.

 

Michelangelo – In common with people with Asperger’s, Michelangelo had few friends and found conversation difficult. He was described as “strange” and “isolated.” He may have had trouble expressing emotion, and obsessively followed his routines. He also had a phenomenal memory, which allowed him to create hundreds of sketches in a very short time


Politicians, statesmen, scientists, musicians, artists, writers and more… It seems that Mr. Darcy might have been in good company. Here is an excerpt from Through a Different Lens, where Lizzy begins to tease out this enigmatic man’s symptoms.


***



“Mr. Darcy.” Lizzy gave a proper curtsey and then continued, “I did not expect to find anybody here. If I have interrupted your solitude, please accept my apologies. I will leave you if you wish.”

“No!” The vehemence of his exclamation caught her somewhat by surprise. She had imagined he would be too much of a gentleman to ask her to leave, but now she stopped. Did he actually wish her to stay?

Before her revelation, she would have made another curtsey and found some excuse to depart. She had never sought out the gentleman’s company, and had, rather, been pleased to avoid it, certain of their mutual dislike. If he had been in her company more than she believed he wished, she ascribed it to his carefully-taught manners and a societal expectation not to be too uncivil to one’s company. At no point had she imagined he might have desired her presence. And yet, the strength of his assertion had surprised her, and in the new light in which she saw him, she found herself softening towards his stern demeanour.

He continued, “I would be happy for your company, although you know that I am not adept at small talk.”

“Whereas I,” she smiled, ‘excel at it. But never fear, sir, I shall not torment you with mindless chatter about the weather and the lovely flower arrangement on the dining table.”

“Should you wish to discuss flower arrangements, Miss Bennet? I had not supposed you to be interested in the art, but I must confess my ignorance as to your diversions.”

“Mr. Darcy,” she countered, “I believe the boot is on the other leg, for I know nought of your interests, so as to discuss them with you.”

“Your boots, madam? Are you mis-shod? I shall turn my back should you wish to replace your footwear.” The expression clearly had him confused.

She assured him with a gentle smile, “‘Tis a common idiom, sir, to indicate the reversal of affairs from what was first stated.” He nodded sagely, but Elizabeth suspected he only partly took her meaning.

“If you wish to tell me of your particular interests, sir, I should be happy to hear of them.”

To this he made no reply, but stared at her, forcing himself at intervals to meet her eyes. Ah, she thought, he does not wish to discuss his amusements, and understood my reply merely to be an offer to listen and not a request to speak. I am more and more convinced of my supposition.

She paused for a moment, uncertain quite how to continue. If she were indeed correct, however, this man would better appreciate a direct approach, rather than some more subtle approach to the topic she wished to discuss. Taking a deep breath, she plunged into her speech like a soldier into battle.

“Indeed, Mr. Darcy,” she said as calmly as she might, “I had wished to speak with you about exactly this subject.”

Mr. Darcy’s eyebrows rose. “About the flower arrangement? Why should you wish to discuss that?”

Elizabeth smiled. This was, she quickly ascertained, the best way into her inquiries. “Do you always take things so literally, Mr. Darcy?”

His quizzical expression answered her question before his words did. “I very often fail to find any other way of understanding them. In retrospect, when I have time to consider the words and context, I have a much deeper understanding of what had been said, but at the moment, these ambiguities of speech confound me.” He frowned at the thought, and added, “I now understand your allusion to the boot being on the other leg. It is a metaphorical expression, one which really rather delights upon contemplation. However, at the moment of hearing it, as so often happens, I quite missed the meaning.” He paused, and stared once more at Elizabeth’s face, not quite meeting her eyes. She realised that her sympathetic expression would be unnoticed by her companion, and she invited him to continue, which he did shortly. “I find this is one of the many impediments I seem to have in catching the tone of conversations. People so often say what they do not, exactly, mean, or otherwise influence how they are understood by gestures or some subtle means which I cannot grasp, and I find I am left quite confused by how the discussions progress. I often find that it is to my advantage to remain silent. I would rather be thought aloof than a fool.”







Through a Different Lens
by Riana Everly

A tale of second glances and second chances



Elizabeth Bennet has disliked the aloof and arrogant Mr. Darcy since he insulted her at a village dance several months before. But an unexpected conversation with a startling turn of phrase suddenly causes her to reassess everything she thought she knew about the infuriating and humourless gentleman. 



Elizabeth knows something of people who think differently. Her young cousin in London has always been different from his siblings and peers, and Lizzy sees something of this boy’s unusual traits in the stern gentleman from Derbyshire whose presence has plagued her for so long. She approaches him in friendship and the two begin a tentative association. But is Lizzy's new understanding of Mr. Darcy accurate? Or was she right the first time? And will the unwelcome appearance of a nemesis from the past destroy any hopes they might have of happiness?



Warning: This variation of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice depicts our hero as having a neurological difference. If you need your hero to be perfect, this might not be the book for you. But if you like adorable children, annoying birds, and wonderful dogs, and are open to a character who struggles to make his way in a world he does not quite comprehend, with a heroine who can see the man behind his challenges, and who celebrates his strengths while supporting his weaknesses, then read on! You, too, can learn what wonders can be found when we see the familiar through a different lens.



This is a full-length novel of about 100,000 words.

Buy: AmazonMore buying links can be found here.
Add to Goodreads.

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!


About the Author

Riana Everly was born in South Africa, but has called Canada home since she was eight years old. She has a Master’s degree in Medieval Studies and is trained as a classical musician, specialising in Baroque and early Classical music. She first encountered Jane Austen when her father handed her a copy of Emma at age 11, and has never looked back. 



Riana now lives in Toronto with her family. When she is not writing, she can often be found playing string quartets with friends, biking around the beautiful province of Ontario with her husband, trying to improve her photography, thinking about what to make for dinner, and, of course, reading!



Riana's second novel, The Assistant, was awarded the Jane Austen Award by Jane Austen Readers' Awards, and her debut novel, Teaching Eliza, was listed on a list of 2017 Favourite Books on the blog Savvy Verse & Wit. For both of these honours, she is delighted and very proud!



You can follow Riana's blog at https://rianaeverly.com/blog/, and join her on Facebook and Twitter. She loves meeting readers!


Connect with Riana




Blog Tour Schedule

Jan 21 ~ Diary of an Eccentric

Jan 22 ~ Author takeover at Historical Reads and Research with Leila Snow
 - a Facebook Group
Jan 23 ~ Rose Fairbanks
Jan 24 ~ Interests of a Jane Austen Girl
Jan 25 ~ Babblings of a Bookworm
Jan 28 ~ So Little Time…So Much to Read
 - you're here!
Jan 29 ~ My Love for Jane Austen
Jan 31 ~ Half Agony, Half Hope

Feb 5  ~ From Pemberley to Milton

Feb 6  ~ More Agreeably Engaged
Feb 8  ~ Austenesque Reviews


* * * GIVEAWAY * * *


It's giveaway time! As part of the blog tour, Riana Everly is giving away five e-copies of Through a Different Lens to readers world-wide! To enter, sign up through the Rafflecopter link below! 

Good luck!



Thank you. Riana, for stopping by today! I found this post very fascinating! Congratulation on release of Through a Different Lens! I look forward to reading it! 


So, friends, what did you think? How do you feel about reading a story where Darcy maybe on the spectrum?

Friday, January 25, 2019

Spotlight: The Outlaw's Mail Order Bride by Linda Broday ~ Excerpt & Giveaway!

Hello, friends! Today I'm spotlighting a book that will be released in a few days, The Outlaw's Mail Order Bride by Linda Broday! I love mail order bride stories, and I was excited about the two in this story having an extra obstacle to overcome as they are both wanted! I've already read the story and loved it! I hope to post a review within the next couple of weeks. 

Sourcebooks Casablanca is also giving away five copies of the book! Details are at the bottom of the page! 





The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride 
by Linda Broday 

Series: Outlaw Mail Order Brides, #1 
Pub Date: January 29, 2019 
ISBN: 9781492651048  

When the West was wild And man’s law favored the few These extraordinary women could be found… …in the heart of an outlaw.  
Former outlaw Clay Colby is abuzz with his mail order bride’s expected arrival. He’s fought long and hard to drag Devil’s Crossing out of lawlessness…so when his homestead is set ablaze by a bitter rival, he’s heartbroken. There’s no woman in the world who’d stand by him now. 

But Tally Shannon is no ordinary woman. 

After escaping the psychiatric hospital in which she was wrongfully detained, Tally only wants someone to protect her and the little girl under her care. She doesn’t mind that Clay’s home is dang near burned to the ground—not when he makes her feel so safe. So cherished. But it’s only a matter of time before the ghosts of her past come calling…and her loving cowboy must defend his new bride—and the family they built together—to his very last breath.

Buy: AmazonBarnes & NobleiBooks Indiebound Walmart
Add to Goodreads.

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

Excerpt

     Tally followed Clay into his dugout. She liked the strong set of his jaw and broad shoulders. He gave the impression that wouldn’t give under a heavy load. The two-inch scar down his face and the revolver swinging from his lean hip suggested he’d seen trouble too many times to count. His dark hair sported a few silver stands at the temples and curled possessively over his collarless shirt like a gunslinger’s hand around his gun. 

     She scanned the dim interior of the dugout, not caring that it was part of the hillside. She loved the scent of the earth and the safety Devil’s Crossing represented. A stack of uncut leather laid in a corner, and pink and yellow flowers on the table added an unexpected homey feel. 

     This outlaw was already surprising her in a lot of ways. Tally motioned to the leather. “What do you make?”

     “Saddles, harnesses, boots, you name it.” Clay flicked her a nervous smile. “I know this doesn’t look like much, but it’s only temporary. As soon as I can, you’ll have a real house.”

     Her mouth tried to turn up in a return smile but her nerves wouldn’t let it. She sat at the table in the chair Clay pulled out for her. “Don’t say anything you don’t mean. I’ve been lied to enough.”

     Sunlight cast his shadow across the plank floor. “Look, Tally Shannon, I never waste words and what I say you can count on. I want something better for you, and already have the land picked out.”

     Tally Shannon cleared her throat. “I have some things to ask of you, Clay. Refusal of any will be a deal-breaker.”

     “Sounds fair enough. I’m sure you won’t need anything too difficult.”

     “I’ll help build your town, share your bed, and raise your children.” She hardened her gaze. “In return, you promise never to put me back in the asylum and you’ll fight anyone who tries. Also extend that promise to Violet and if anything should happen to me, you’ll raise the child. You’ll never collect the reward that’s offered for me and I’ll never collect yours.” She paused before adding. “One last thing—you’ll release me next spring if this marriage doesn’t work.”

     Clay brushed his fingers across her cheek that carried the mark. “You have my word on every stipulation.” His gaze shifted to the gun on her hip and she thought she saw admiration and some intimidation. “I only have one simple request. You have to promise never to shoot me, no matter how mad you get.”

     “That depends on what you what do.” She leaned close, putting her lips next to his ear. “Hurt Violet and I’ll kill you in a heartbeat.”

     He chuckled softly. “Trust me, I’d never be fool enough to cross you. Nor will I ever cause that little girl grief. That’s a vow I’ll never break.”

     “Then we’re clear.” She straightened in her chair.

     Clay leaned forward and lifted a tendril of hair, rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger. “Are you crazy, Tally?”

     She allowed a smile. “Some would say that and at times I wonder. Back in Deliverance Canyon, I’d often wake in the dead of night and stand in the moonlight, letting the breeze brush my face. I needed the reassurance that I wasn’t back in that hellhole.”

     “Do you mind if I ask why you were put there?”

     “My stepmother put me there to get rid of me so she could steal what was mine. She told them that I was a sexual deviant and preyed on children.” She hated her strained voice.

     “I can tell you’re not. I assume she had a ruthless plan.”

Tally’s voice turned cold and hardened. “When my father died, he had quite a large estate that included land, money, and other possessions. He left everything to me which angered my stepmother. She put something in my food that made me deathly ill and unable to fight her or speak. Some men loaded me into a wagon and Lucinda drove me to the Creedmore Lunatic Asylum.”

     “I’ve heard of the place. Most never escape—except in a coffin. You were lucky, Tally.”

     “A fierce determination helps. I was there a year and suffered—” her voice broke. She forced calm and continued. “Crimes you couldn’t imagine. But it only strengthened my resolve. I watched and waited for the right opportunity and when it came, I took it. Five of us broke out that moonless night. I’ve been back several times, once recently, for others like me.”

     “Why do they want to imprison perfectly healthy women? What do they gain?”

     “Money. Families pay a good deal to get rid of who they want. Men are getting rich off them and it’s become a big rotten business.” She watched his eyes darken, his anger build.

     He let her strand of hair fall from his fingers. “Why was Violet there?” he asked, his voice tight.

     “Her parents thought raising a blind child too much trouble.”

     “Dear God! Such fools.” Clay rose to stand at the thick window.

     She didn’t know what the tall, broad-shouldered outlaw was staring at, but the muscles of his jaw clenched tight, speaking of deep anger. He might convince himself that he was through dispensing justice but she could see that it continued to burn.

     Could such a man love her?

     An ache filled Tally. Could he make a little room in his heart for her?

     She bit back a sob that tried to escape. Would she ever find someone who loved her fully and completely? Or would she have to settle for less as she’d always done? She was weary of settling. She wanted to be all of someone’s world, not just a part. She yearned to fill a man’s heart so full that his love for her spilled out all over the place.

About the Author

At a young age, Linda Broday discovered a love for storytelling, history, and anything pertaining to the Old West. After years of writing romance, it’s still tall rugged cowboys that spark her imagination. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda has won many awards, including the prestigious National Readers’ Choice Award and the Texas Gold. She resides in the Texas Panhandle where she’s inspired every day.

Connect with Linda





* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

It's giveaway time! Sourcebooks Casablanca is giving away 5 copies of The Outlaw's Mail Order Bride! To enter, click on the Rafflecopter link below!


Good luck! 



Congratulations to Linda Broday on the release of The Outlaw's Mail Order Bride!

And many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for including me in this tour!



Follow Sourcebooks Casablanca



So, what did you think about that excerpt? Do you love mail order bride stories as much as I do?

Friday, January 18, 2019

Darcy and Deception by Victoria Kincaid ~ Excerpt and Giveaway!

Hello, my friends! I'm delighted to have Victoria Kincaid on the blog today with an excerpt from her new book, Darcy and Deception! Yay! I'm so looking forward to reading this one! 

Victoria is also giving an eBook to one of my lucky readers! Details are at the bottom of the page.




Hi Candy!  Happy New Year and thank you for having me as a visitor.  I have to confess a deep dark secret, although some of my readers may already have guessed it: I like to make Mr. Darcy suffer emotionally.  Of course, it’s all in the service of a happy ending with Elizabeth.  But I think the ending is more poignant if he has suffered for it, enduring doubts and worries.  Perhaps it’s because I like to see him prove his love for Elizabeth.  Perhaps because he’s such a proud man, I like to see him sacrifice some of his pride for the sake of love.  I don’t know for sure.  I do know that the JAFF I like the best has a fair amount of Darcy angst.  The scene below has some of the most intense Darcy suffering in Darcy and Deception.  But, rest assured, there’s a happy ending! 




Darcy and Deception
by Victoria Kincaid


Returning home from Kent, Elizabeth Bennet is still distressed over Mr. Darcy’s insulting marriage proposal. However, her attention is diverted by the local militia commander who asks her to observe Wickham, now suspected of being a French spy. Pretending to be besotted with Wickham, Elizabeth accompanies the regiment when they relocate to Brighton. 

Darcy arrives at Longbourn with the intention of making amends to Elizabeth, only to discover that she is now at Brighton with Wickham. Desperate to save her from the scoundrel, Darcy follows her to the seaside, where he hopes to woo her away from the other man. 

Deception piles on top of deception as Elizabeth attempts to carry out her mission without betraying confidences—or breaking Darcy’s heart. However, the French plot runs deeper than she knows; soon she and Darcy are plunged into the confusing and dangerous world of international espionage. Can Darcy and Elizabeth escape with their lives and their love intact?

Excerpt

     Colonel Forster’s lodgings were on the corner of two streets not far from the beach.  It was not the most fashionable neighborhood but eminently suitable for a militia officer. As Darcy strode up a side street toward the front entrance, he happened to get a glimpse into the garden, where someone had carelessly left the rear gate open.  This provided Darcy with an unobstructed view of…Elizabeth sitting with Wickham on a garden bench.  

     The sight had struck fear in Darcy’s heart, and he had stifled an impulse to remove Wickham bodily from Elizabeth’s vicinity.  Instead, he reminded himself it was an opportunity to gather more information about Wickham’s intentions.  Even while berating himself that such devious activities were beneath him, Darcy had stolen closer, peering through a hole in the fence.   

     What he saw nearly made him toss up his accounts on the dirt of the back alley.  Elizabeth and Wickham sat side by side on a wrought iron bench before a low rose bush, facing a weeping willow tree.  However, neither appeared to be appreciating the garden’s beauty.  Wickham spoke with great animation, although Darcy could not discern the words.  Elizabeth regarded him with rapt attention, a soft smile on her lips.  Worse, she clung to one of Wickham’s hands with both of hers while he gesticulated vigorously with the other. 

     The sight sickened Darcy, and yet he could not tear his eyes away.  In the weeks since he had seen Elizabeth, he had done his best to convince himself that his memories exaggerated her beauty.  But in truth, memory had not done Elizabeth justice.  Soft, dark curls fell around her face, and the faintest tinge of pink colored her cheeks.  Her deep emerald gown echoed the sea green color in her eyes.  Darcy would gladly have admired her all day. 

     However, he did not like the besotted expression on her face.  Darcy would have given his entire fortune if she would direct such an expression of adoration at him.  Seeing it bestowed upon such an unworthy recipient was…provoking another bout of nausea.  

     The low murmur of feminine voices alleviated Darcy’s anxiety that the pair was alone.  Solitude would give opportunities for many kinds of mischief, but the colonel’s wife and a few women were nearby.  However, Wickham behaved as if they were unchaperoned, taking Elizabeth’s hand and brushing it with his lips.  

     Pressing his eye to the hole in the fence, Darcy clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.  More than anything he wanted to race into the garden and wipe Wickham’s cocky smile from his face with a well-placed right hook.  But a violent reaction would only provoke sympathy for Wickham and confirm Elizabeth’s worst opinion about Darcy. 

     Even as Darcy observed, Elizabeth laughed—a high shrill sound he had never heard her make.  Nor had he ever glimpsed such adoration on her face.  She always spoke to Darcy with an arch and teasing manner, with glances full of cleverness and understanding.  

     Why was her manner so different with Wickham?  How was it possible?  Was Wickham the one she wanted?  Had she rejected Darcy because of her infatuation with the militia officer?  Perhaps she was so besotted with the man that she simply had not believed a word of Darcy’s letter. 

     Darcy’s stomach threatened rebellion once more, and he focused his thoughts on not disgracing himself—the better to avoid a sense of grief that threatened to engulf him and drag him to the bottom of the ocean.  If Wickham were the one she wanted, if she were infatuated with the man, then it was possible she was not the person Darcy believed her to be.  His heart contracted painfully.  He had not thought it possible to feel worse after her rejection in Hunsford, but this sight was proving him wrong.  

     Additional activity in the garden drew Darcy from his musings.  Wickham whispered in Elizabeth’s ear while she simpered and edged closer to him on the bench.  His smile held a hint of a smirk.  She was completely fooled, and he knew it; he was enjoying the charade.  

     I have been a fool.  Well, that was not news—not since Hunsford.  But now he was recognizing new depths to his foolishness.  Not only had Darcy deceived himself about Elizabeth’s feelings, but he had also mistaken her character—and even her judgment.  

     Why was she so blind to Wickham’s lies?  Surely she had burned Darcy’s letter.  Damnation! 



Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 


About the Author

Victoria Kincaid is the author of several popular Jane Austen variations, including The Secrets of Darcy and Elizabeth, Pride & ProposalsMr. Darcy to the Rescue, When Mary Met the Colonel, and Darcy vs. Bennet. All of her books have been listed in Amazon’s Top 20 Bestselling Regency Romances.  The Secrets of Darcy and Elizabeth was nominated for a Rone award and Pride and Proposals was recognized as a top Austenesque novel for 2015 by Austenesque Reviews.

Victoria has a Ph.D. in English literature and has taught composition to unwilling college students. Today she teaches business writing to willing office professionals and tries to give voice to the demanding cast of characters in her head.

She lives in Virginia with an overly affectionate cat, an excessively energetic dog, two children who love to read, and a husband who fortunately is not jealous of Mr. Darcy.  A lifelong Austen fan, Victoria has read more Jane Austen variations and sequels than she can count – and confesses to an extreme partiality for the Colin Firth miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice.


Connect with Victoria



* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

It's giveaway time! Victoria is graciously giving away one e-copy of Darcy and Deception to one of my lucky readers! 

Thank you so much, Victoria!




  • One person will win an e-copy of Darcy and Deception.
  • To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below.
  • Rafflecopter will randomly select the winner.
  • Open Internationally!
  • Last day to enter the giveaway is Jan. 25th, 2019 at 11:59 PM Pacific time. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Many thanks to Victoria for visiting with us today! It is always a pleasure to have her here! And a big THANK YOU for having a giveaway with me! 

So, friends, do you like to see Darcy squirm a little before he has his happy ending with Elizabeth? Lol! Let us know what you think! 

Thursday, January 17, 2019

I Could Write a Book Audio Release!

Hello, my friends! Woohoo! Exciting news! I Could Write a Book is now available in audio!



 


I Could Write A Book
by Karen M Cox

“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich…” 

Thus began Jane Austen’s classic tale set in an English village two hundred years ago. Yet every era has its Emmas: young women trying to find themselves in their own corners of the world. 

I Could Write a Book is the story of a self-proclaimed modern woman: Emma Katherine Woodhouse, a 1970s co-ed whose life is pleasant, ordered, and predictable, if a bit confining. Her good friend George Knightley—handsome, sharp, and sophisticated—has come home to fulfill his destiny: run his father’s thriving law practice and oversee the sprawling Donwell Farms, his family legacy in Central Kentucky horse country. George and Emma have a friendship that has endured since childhood, but now they’re adults with grown-up challenges and obligations. As Emma tries to orchestrate life in quaint Highbury, George becomes less amused with her antics and struggles with an increasing and sometimes unwelcome fascination with the young woman she’s become. 

Rich with humor, poignancy, and the camaraderie of life in a small, Southern town, I Could Write a Book is a charming romance with side helpings of self-discovery, friendship, and finding true love in the most unlikely places. 

I Could Write a Book is narrated by Emily Rahm, a New York City actress who hails from the South, giving Emma a delightfully understated and authentic flair, and rounding out the cast of Highbury characters with wit and charm.

Available now on Amazon, Apple Books, and Audible.

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 

About the Author

Karen M Cox is an award-winning author of five novels accented with history and romance: 1932, Find Wonder in All Things, Undeceived, I Could Write a Book, and Son of a Preacher Man, and a novella, The Journey Home, a companion piece to 1932.  She also loves writing short stories and has contributed to four Austen-inspired anthologies: “Northanger Revisited 2015” appears in Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer, “I, Darcy” in The Darcy Monologues, “An Honest Man” in Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes and Gentleman Rogues, and “A Nominal Mistress” in Rational Creatures.

I Could Write a Book is her first audiobook.

Karen was born in Everett WA, which was the result of coming into the world as the daughter of a United States Air Force Officer. She had a nomadic childhood, with stints in North Dakota, Tennessee, and New York State before settling in her family’s home state of Kentucky at the age of eleven. She lives in a quiet little Central Kentucky town with her husband, where she works as a pediatric speech pathologist, encourages her children, and spoils her granddaughter. 


Channeling Jane Austen’s Emma, Karen has let a plethora of interests lead her to begin many hobbies and projects she doesn’t quite finish, but she aspires to be a great reader and an excellent walker—like Elizabeth Bennet.


Connect with Karen


If you would like bits of authorly goodness in your inbox each month (updates, sales, book recommendations, etc.) sign up for her News & Muse Letter. She loves to hear from readers, so don’t be shy. Contact her through social media, her website, or on-line stores.

Emily's Bio:

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Emily Rahm is an actress residing in New York City with her husband, Kendall, and her dog, Monroe. She loves to read, so narrating was a natural extension of her literary affinities and her acting skills. Her favorite movie is The Princess Bride, and her favorite ice cream flavor is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. You can find her at her website: www.emilyrahm.com , and on Twitter, and Instagram



Congratulations to both Karen Cox and Emily Rahm on the release of this audiobook! Very cool! :) 


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