Monday, November 30, 2020

"Fitzwilliam Darcy ~ Undone" by Sue Barr Blog Tour ~ Interview & Giveaway!

Hello, my friends! I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving or a great weekend! Today I have an interesting interview with Sue Barr as she discusses her new book, Fitzwilliam Darcy Undone



What would Pride & Prejudice be like if Darcy and Elizabeth had a touch of magic in their lives?


What first inspired you to the story, and what do you personally love about the voice, style, and legacy of Miss Austen?

 

There is a LOT of back story to this book. The genesis began in 2012 when I wrote erotica under a pen name for a publishing house. I began an epic naughty trilogy called The Miatharan Chronicles: Craven Desires / Dark Desires / Forbidden Desires. When I left the publishing house in 2014 and got all the rights of my books back, I switched genres and began self-publishing. The Desire manuscripts languished on my hard drive. Then, on A Happy Assembly (a Jane Austen Fan Fiction site), one of the playground themes was magic. Lightbulb moment. Could I adapt one of the scenes into a Pride & Prejudice variation? I did, and it was quite successful with clamours for more from those devoted, lovely readers. I added a few more scenes over the year, and finally, after much virtual pleading from a few writer friends, Melanie Rachel being one of the ring leaders, I put hands on the keyboard and began to seriously adapt the vignette into Fitzwilliam Darcy ~ Undone.

 

How does this relate to the style and legacy of Miss Austen? Well… I don’t think she’d approve of some aspects of Fitzwilliam Darcy ~ Undone, my style is my own. I love her wit and her complete understanding of human nature and how things worked in ‘her time’. For the first half of the book, I stayed as close to canon as possible in order to retain her theme. Of course, once the magic came out full-blown the story took on a totally different direction. That’s where my voice definitely became stronger than hers. 

 

What did you intuit about Darcy, his nature, that made you want to tell this particular story?

 

I’d always wondered how Darcy would behave if he met Elizabeth and circumstances allowed him to show his passion. I wanted her to get under his skin in a way he could not control because we all know he is about control and decorum. With the advent of magic and soul marks (fated destiny), it was easy to write his passionate nature. At first, lust drove his actions, then certain physical manifestations caused him to really look at Elizabeth in a different light. Of course, he fell in love with her but once again, societal expectations (this time with a magical bent) threatened to keep them apart. Maybe the tag line of this book should read, "He wanted her but couldn’t have her".

 

Did you have a favourite scene in the novel? And if so, what was it about it that drew you in as deeply as it had? 

 

I have several and all for different reasons. I had fun writing the scene where Lizzy’s magic is revealed to Darcy in a fun and unique way and the following sensual scene. However, my secret favourite is Lizzy and her mother. We see a different side to Mrs. Bennet that surprises everyone. It’s a sliding fastball through the strike zone that the batter (ie: reader) never sees coming. It gave me great joy to drop in that unexpected nugget of fun.

 

What extra research did you do to prep for this novel? How did you approach getting into the head and heart of Darcy?

 

My research was done years before and centered on the Tuath de Naan. In order to write about magic I needed to understand the reason for it. When I began to convert some of the Craven scenes into Darcy Undone, I already had an inherent knowledge of how the magic worked in my story. As for the head and heart of Darcy, well, I’ve read a LOT of JAFF and over time I’ve developed my own sense of who he is. To me, Darcy is akin to a dormant volcano. Forbidding. Strong. A ton of hot lava flowing beneath that calm surface, and when it wakes up… Whoa Mama! I adore hot alpha males, and he is one of my top three.

 

Were there any secondary characters or non-canon characters that you particularly enjoyed writing?

 

Anyone who’s read my JAFF books knows I love to redeem secondary characters, and I started with one of the most hated - Caroline Bingley. Although I do think she’s redeemable, in this story I portrayed her in an extremely vile manner. Miss Bingley spouts opinions that will, frankly, shock some readers, but I wanted her to become undone in her own twisted way.




Fitzwilliam Darcy ~ Undone
by Sue Barr

Book Blurb: 

She’s the outcast in her family…   

Elizabeth knows she’s different from the rest of her family. She has visions and strange dreams and sees things others do not. With the advent of the odious Mr. Darcy and his friends from Netherfield Park, as well as the amiable Mr. Wickham of the _____shire Militia, her powers seem to increase and her greatest fear is that she won’t be able to contain them and will be discovered.   

He has eight hundred years of tradition to uphold…   

No Darcy has married a non-magical woman since arriving on the shores of England with William the Conqueror in 1066. However, his kind – Miatharans – are dwindling in numbers. Miatharan magic only flows through aristocratic bloodlines, so his strange obsession with Miss Elizabeth Bennet is puzzling as she is not of noble blood. Just a country squire’s beautiful daughter who has him slowly becoming undone. 

Fitzwilliam Darcy ~ Undone is available in Kindle Unlimited (Amazon) until Dec 12 when it will be released to other major digital retailers.
 
Add to Goodreads

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon US. 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

‘The prairie dust is in my blood but no longer on my shoes.’
 
Although it’s been over forty-two years since Sue called Saskatchewan home, her roots to that straight-lined province and childhood friends run deep. The only thing strong enough to entice her to pack up and leave was love. When a handsome Air Force pilot met this small-town girl, he swept her off her feet and they embarked on a fantastic adventure which found them settled in beautiful Southwestern Ontario when hubby retired from the military and began his second career as an airline pilot.
 
Sue started writing in 2009 and sold her first manuscript in 2010. Always a reader of Regency romance, she discovered Jane Austen Fan Fiction in 2014 and almost immediately wanted to know – Whatever happened to Caroline Bingley after her brother and Mr. Darcy became engaged to a Bennet sister? From that question, her first JAFF book was launched.
 
In her spare time, Sue cans and preserves her own food, cooks almost everything from scratch and grows herbs to dehydrate. Her latest venture is to create her own spice seasonings, experiment with artisan breads and make her own homemade vanilla. Hubby has no complaints other than his jeans keep shrinking. At least that’s what he claims…. Her sons, their wives and all seven grandchildren don’t mind this slight obsession either.

Connect with Sue Barr




Blog Tour Schedule



* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

It's giveaway time! Sue Barr will give away an ebook of this latest novel to 3 random winners for the entire blog tour. Follow the tour and join in the comments to be entered to win. Sue will choose the random winners and announce the winners on social media on December 5.




Many thanks to Chistina Boyd and Sue Barr for having me on this blog tour! 

***

I hope you enjoyed the interview with Sue! If you have any questions for her, please feel free to comment below! And remember, those comments enter you in the giveaway! Thanks! 

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthew ~ Spotlight!

Hello, my friends! I hope you are all doing well! And for those in the US, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Today, I am showcasing a new book by Mimi Matthews - Gentleman Jim; A Tale of Romance & Revenge




Gentleman Jim
A Tale of Romance & Revenge
by Mimi Matthews

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

She Couldn't Forget...

Wealthy squire's daughter Margaret Honeywell was always meant to marry her neighbor, Frederick Burton-Smythe, but it's bastard-born Nicholas Seaton who has her heart. Raised alongside her on her father's estate, Nick is the rumored son of notorious highwayman Gentleman Jim. When Fred frames him for theft, Nick escapes into the night, vowing to find his legendary sire. But Nick never returns. A decade later, he's long been presumed dead.

He Wouldn't Forgive...

After years spent on the continent, John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare has finally come home to England. Tall, blond, and dangerous, he's on a mission to restore his family's honor. If he can mete out a bit of revenge along the way, so much the better. But he hasn't reckoned for Maggie Honeywell. She's bold and beautiful--and entirely convinced he's someone else.

As danger closes in, St. Clare is torn between love and vengeance. Will he sacrifice one to gain the other? Or, with a little daring, will he find a way to have them both?
 
Buy: Amazon (paid link) • Barnes & NobleBook DepositoryIndieboundBookbub
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! 

ADVANCE PRAISE

"Tartly elegant. . . A vigorous, sparkling, and entertaining love story with plenty of Austen-ite wit."— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Matthews ups the ante with a wildly suspenseful romance..."— Library Journal, starred review

"Equally passionate and powerful...Mimi Matthews proves once again that she is a master of historical fiction in Gentleman Jim."— Readers' Favorite

"Rollicking and romantic, passionate and intriguing...Regency romance does not get any better than Gentleman Jim."— Relz Reviewz



About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats. Her next romance, The Siren of Sussex, will be out in 2022 from Berkley/Penguin Random House.

Connect with Mimi Matthews





THE BLOG TOUR BLURB:

Join the virtual blog tour of GENTLEMAN JIM; A TALE OF ROMANCE AND REVENGE, Mimi Matthews’s highly acclaimed new historical romance novel, November 9 through December 6, 2020. Forty-five popular blogs specializing in historical fiction, historical romance, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with exclusive excerpts, interviews, spotlights, or reviews of this new Regency-era novel set in Somerset, England. 


BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:


Nov 09 Relz Reviewz (Character Spotlight)

Nov 09 Life of Literature (Review) 

Nov 09 Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (Review)

Nov 10 Savvy Verse and Wit (Interview) 

Nov 10 Greenish Bookshelf (Review) 

Nov 11 Library of Clean Reads (Review) 

Nov 11 Silver Petticoat Reviews (Excerpt) 

Nov 12 Bookworm Lisa (Review) 

Nov 12 Heidi Reads (Review) 

Nov 13 Lu's Reviews (Review) 

Nov 14 The Green Mockingbird (Review) 

Nov 15 Bookish Rantings (Review) 

Nov 15 The Lit Bitch (Review) 

Nov 16 The Historical Fiction Reader (Review) 

Nov 16 Austenesque Reviews (Review) 

Nov 17 Inkwell Inspirations (Review) 

Nov 17 Robin Loves Reading (Review) 

Nov 18 Christian Chick's Thoughts (Review) 

Nov 18 My Jane Austen Book Club (Excerpt) 

Nov 19 Laura's Reviews (Review) 

Nov 20 Jorie Loves a Story (Spotlight)

Nov 20 Foxes and Fairy Tales (Review) 

Nov 21 Gwendalyn's Books (Excerpt) 

Nov 22 Romantically Inclined Reviews (Review) 

Nov 22 Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina (Review) 

Nov 22 Vesper's Place (Spotlight)

Nov 23 Fiction Aficionado (Review) 

Nov 23 Historical Fiction with Spirit (Review) 

Nov 24 Let Them Read Books (Interview) 

Nov 25 The Caffeinated Bibliophile (Review)

Nov 25 So Little Time… (Spotlight)

Nov 27 Among the Reads (Review)

Nov 28 Chicks, Rogues and Scandals (Review)

Nov 29 Book Bustle (Review) 

Nov 30 Cup of Tea with that Book Please (Review)

Dec 01 Nurse Bookie (Review) 

Dec 02 Confessions of a Book Addict (Review) 

Dec 02 Impressions in Ink (Review) 

Dec 03 From Pemberley to Milton (Review) 

Dec 04 Relz Reviewz (Review) 

Dec 04 Rosanne E. Lortz (Review) 

Dec 05 Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen (Review) 

Dec 05 Probably at the Library (Review) 

Dec 06 The Calico Critic (Excerpt) 



Many thanks to Laurel Ann Nattress from Austenprose and Perfectly Proper Press for inviting me on this blog tour!

So, friends, what did you think? Sounds like a great read doesn't it?! I grabbed a copy, and I hope you do too!

Monday, November 9, 2020

The Gentleman and the Thief by Sarah M. Eden ~ Spotlight

Hello, my friends! I have a new book to share with you! Today, I'm spotlighting The Gentleman and the Theif by Sarah M. Eden. It sounds great to me! I'm starting to get into reading mysteries, so I'm going to have to put this one on my TBR list. 




The Gentleman and the Thief
by Sarah M. Eden

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

A standalone novel in The Dread Penny Society set in 1865 London brimming with secrets, scandal, suspense, and romance. 

From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he's smitten. Even though he's from a wealthy, established family and she isn't, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke.

Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to her father's successful business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced his fortune to nothing more than a crumbling town house. So Ana teaches music during the day, and at night she assumes the identity of the "Phantom Fox." She breaks into the homes of the wealthy to reclaim trinkets and treasures she feels were unjustly stolen from her family when they were struggling.

When Hollis's brother needs to hire a music tutor for his daughter, Hollis recommends Ana, giving him a chance to spend time with her. Ana needs the income and is eager for the opportunity to get to know the enigmatic gentleman. What neither of them expects is how difficult it will be to keep their respective secrets from each other.

When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve the crimes, discovering that working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?
 
Buy: Amazon (paid link) • Barnes & NobleBook DepositoryBookshopBookbub
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! 

ADVANCE PRAISE

"The real joy in Eden's follow-up to The Lady and the Highwayman (2019) is the furthering of the overarching crime story, and the work of the Dread Penny Society as Hollis and Ana pursue a chaste romance. Eden excels at exploring the realities of Victorian life and class differences. Once again, chapters of penny dreadfuls written by the characters are interspersed throughout, with Hollis' story about a school for ghosts offering particular delight. Fans of Eden's smart series will be thrilled and impatient for the next installment."— Booklist, starred review

“Every time I thought my racing heart just couldn’t take the suspense anymore, I'd turn the page and smile.”— Bookconfessions 

“Eden writes it well, so thoroughly researched that you’re transported and in Victoria England. Great suspense and romance.”— Leslie, Books and Socks Rock

“Undeniably clever, suspenseful, well-researched, and deftly written…”— Katie Jackson, RegencyProofreading.com

"Charming, suggestive, and featuring rich historical details, The Gentleman and the Thief has the elements of a gritty, juicy penny dreadful."— Foreword Reviews


About the Author

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today best-selling author of witty and charming historical romances, including 2019’s Foreword Reviews INDIE Awards Gold Winner for Romance, The Lady and the Highwayman, and 2020 Holt Medallion finalist, Healing Hearts. She is a two-time “Best of State” Gold Medal winner for fiction and a three-time Whitney Award winner. Combining her obsession with history and her affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting deep characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. 


Connect with Sarah M. Eden




Join the virtual online blog tour of THE GENTLEMAN AND THE THIEF, Sarah M. Eden’s highly acclaimed second novel in The Dread Penny Society Series, November 2 through November 29, 2020. Forty popular blogs specializing in historical mystery/suspense, historical romance, and inspirational fiction will join in the celebration of its release with exclusive excerpts, spotlights, or reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in London, England. 


BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Nov 02 Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (Review) 

Nov 02 The Lit Bitch (Excerpt) 

Nov 03 Getting Your Read On (Review)

Nov 03 Literary Time Out (Review)

Nov 03 Storybook Reviews (Review)

Nov 04 Heidi Reads (Review) 

Nov 04 Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen (Spotlight)

Nov 05 Library of Clean Reads (Review) 

Nov 06 Relz Reviewz (Review) 

Nov 07 Probably at the Library (Spotlight)

Nov 08 The Christian Fiction Girl (Review) 

Nov 09 So Little Time… (Spotlight)

Nov 09 Captivated Reading (Review) 

Nov 10 Among the Reads (Review) 

Nov 10 Bookworm Lisa (Review) 

Nov 11 For Where Your Treasure Is (Spotlight)

Nov 11 Christian Chick's Thoughts (Review) 

Nov 12 Books, Teacups & Reviews (Spotlight)

Nov 12 Fiction Aficionado (Review) 

Nov 13 Randi Loves 2 Read (Spotlight)

Nov 14 The Book Diva's Reads (Spotlight)

Nov 15 My Jane Austen Book Club (Excerpt)

Nov 16 Gwendalyn's Books (Review)

Nov 17 Book Bustle (Review) 

Nov 18 Jorie Loves a Story (Review)

Nov 18 An Historian About Town (Review) 

Nov 19 Lu's Reviews (Review) 

Nov 20 Reading with Emily (Review)

Nov 20 Books and Socks Rock (Review)

Nov 21 Bringing Up Books (Review)

Nov 21 Bookish Rantings (Review) 

Nov 22 The Bibliophile Files (Review)

Nov 23 Impressions in Ink (Review)

Nov 23 A Bookish Way of Life (Review) 

Nov 24 Bookfoolery (Review)

Nov 24 Wishful Endings (Excerpt)

Nov 25 Chicks, Rogues and Scandals (Review) 

Nov 25 Joy of Reading (Review) 

Nov 26 From Pemberley to Milton (Excerpt)

Nov 27 Fire and Ice (Review)

Nov 27 Austenesque Reviews (Review)

Nov 28 Impressions in Ink (Review)

Nov 28 Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina (Review)

Nov 29 Laura's Reviews (Review)


Many thanks to Laurel Ann Nattress from Austenprose and Shadow Mountain Publishing for including me in this blog tour! 

Doesn't this book look fabulous? Please, feel free to leave a comment and tell me your thoughts! :) 


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...