Wistful Wednesday with Sharon Lathan
Wistful: An adjective meaning longing and yearning characterized by melancholy; sadly pensive. Derived from the obsolete wist of unknown origin, dating to the 1500s as a term for “intent” or “closely attentive” and later evolving to include “yearningly eager” by 1714.
Researching vocabulary and word etymology is a hobby of mine. In the case of “wistful” my prompting to open the dictionary was due to an instant feeling of applicability to my new release, Miss Darcy Falls in Love. It was undoubtedly a coincidence on Margay’s part that the date set for me to guest blog here on Moonlight, Lace, and Mayhem falls on Wistful Wednesday. Yet I detect the hand of fate. Or at least that sounds more exciting!
Wistful isn’t a word we use too often, or if we do we are probably thinking of “wishful”. The definitions are similar although wishful has a positive connotation attached that differs from the melancholy of wistful. As it relates to the main characters in Miss Darcy Falls in Love, wistful is a better choice.
Georgiana Darcy and Sebastian Butler - my heroine and hero - are not naturally melancholy people. Quite the opposite, in fact. They both have a tremendous sense of fun and joy, are lively and creative, and love to laugh. Nevertheless, like all humans they are multi-layered, and like all good stories they must overcome obstacles.
Synopsis--
Noble young ladies were expected to play an instrument, but Georgiana Darcy is an accomplished musician who hungers to pursue her talents. She embarks upon a tour of Europe, ending in Paris where two very different men will ignite her heart in entirely different ways and begin a bitter rivalry to win her. But only one holds the key to her happiness.
Set in post-Napoleonic Empire France, Miss Darcy Falls in Love is a riveting love story that enters a world of passion where gentlemen know exactly how to please and a young woman learns to direct her destiny and understand her heart.
Georgiana’s wistfulness is a result of buried yearnings. She desires to embrace her talents but lives in an era where that does not seem possible. Then when she meets the man who holds the key to unlock those yearnings, she realizes her passion and desires are greater than she imagined, and thus even further beyond her reach.
Sebastian’s wistfulness is a result of discovering that while pursuing his longing for music as a man boldly can, even with the severe cost, unexpected yearning can change his focus. His single-minded purpose is crystal clear and within his grasp, in his heart worth the troubles along the way. So he is unprepared for a new twist. Mostly he is unprepared for encountering a desire he cannot fulfill.
Wistful.
It is a great word! I think I shall use it more often! Thanks Margay, for the opportunity to be a guest on your blog and for reminding me of a cool word. Feel free to share some of your favorite words with me. This vocabulary hound is always on the lookout for a unique word!
Sharon’s Bio--
Sharon Lathan is the best-selling author of The Darcy Saga sequel series to Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Her previously published novels are: Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One, Loving Mr. Darcy, My Dearest Mr. Darcy, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, A Darcy Christmas, and The Trouble With Mr. Darcy. Miss Darcy Falls in Love is Georgiana’s tale of love and adventure while in France. Complete with a happy ending. In addition to her writing, Sharon works as a Registered Nurse in a Neonatal ICU. She resides with her family in Hanford, California in the sunny San Joaquin Valley. Visit Sharon on her website: www.sharonlathan.net and on Austen Authors, her group blog with 20 novelist of Austen literature: www.austenauthors.com
I want to thank Sharon for guesting with me today! What great fun! And be sure to check out her author blog and the absolutely fabulous home for all things Austen - Austen Authors. It is one of my favorite places to go to learn what's new in Austen World and to keep up with my favorite Austen authors - like Sharon.
(My review of Miss Darcy Falls In Love to come soon. Watch out for it!)
Wistful is a great word...and one I am all too familiar with :o) For all I love autumn and all it has to offer, it's the time of year I find myself most wistful...probably because the days are shorter, the nights darker, and I have entirely too much time on my hands to think ;o)
ReplyDelete