Wistful Wednesday

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 Wednesday

Let's Talk About Love

What is love without some heartfelt declarations of the emotion? Nothing, I tell you. So let us explore some fine examples of literary declarations of love. Let us start with the letter in which Captain Wentworth declares his affections for Anne Elliot in Jane Austen's wonderful little novel, Persuasion:

I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in

F. W.

Now there was a man who knew how to declare himself, don't you agree? You pierce my soul, indeed!

And how about these little displays of affection?

I hope you enjoyed these little displays of love and affection! Until next time...

Wistful Wednesday

What Did You Do

On Your Summer Vacation?

Hello, everyone! I am off bright and early today to consult with the doctors who will be taking care of my daughter's surgery in two weeks, so I am giving you a homework assignment in lieu of an actual post. The question is: What did you do on your summer vacation? Here is some of what I did:

I re-visited the world of Pride and Prejudice (more than once) by reading the book and watching the movie and rediscovering how much I really like Matthew MacFadyen:

I made several trips to the local library with my older daughter where I discovered dvds to borrow - and Jane Eyre. But not just the movie; I also discovered another British actor to drool over - I mean, admire: Toby Stephens:

Naturally, I am now reading Jane Eyre, which is what I always do when I like a movie - read the book that inspired it.

And of course, there is my obsession - I mean, great admiration for Richard Armitage, whom I discovered by borrowing the library copy of North and South:

And check him out in Robin Hood:

Okay, by now you might be thinking that I'm something of an Anglophile - and you just might be right! But what can I say? I love the Brits!

So to recap: I toured Regency England to fall in love with Mr. Darcy, discovered Mr. Rochester in the stark Thornfield Hall, and suffered through the labor strikes of industrial England with Mr. Thornton. Not to mention the fact that I traveled, however briefly, back to medieval England to catch a glimpse of Guy of Gisbourne.

So what did you do on your summer vacation?

A Moonlighters Review of According to Jane by Marilyn Brant

When I first read the premise of According to Jane, I thought, Well, this could be interesting. A young girl inspired by the voice of Jane Austen, whose ghost has taken up residence in her head? Well, that was different. But I like Jane Austen and I've read and enjoyed several books inspired by her, so when I was given the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, I took it. And I am so happy that I did. According to Jane is everything you could wish for in a book. It's funny, it's witty, even poignant at times, and it's one of those books that grabs you from the beginning and won't let go until you're finished. It's a book that you think about in the down time between readings and stays with you after you finish it. an absolute dream of a book.

According to Jane tells the story of Ellie Barnett: Just your average high school kid until the day that Jane Austen comes to visit her mind - and stays there. the dialogue between them is sharp, witty, sometimes cutting, but always insightful. You see, for some reason, Jane has become Ellie's champion and has taken it upon herself to guide Ellie through the treacherous grounds of high school into adulthood. And Ellie, after a time, even learns to welcome it - for the most part. There are times when she decides to tune out Jane completely and she suffers the consequences for doing so. Especially when it comes to Sam Blaine, whom Jane describes as Ellie's own Willoughby. Sam is the ideal crush material - until he opens his mouth and some unflattering things come out. Sam is always giving Ellie a hard time, which sometimes leads them into trouble, both at school and beyond, when they are both adults. But he isn't just a pretty face. He can be kind and caring and even chooses to go into a noble profession. Sam is more than just a Willoughby; he is far more complicated and multi-layered than the original Willoughby. But of course Ellie doesn't realize this in the beginning. This is one of the lessons that she has to learn on her journey with Jane.

If I had to complain about one thing in this book, it's that there wasn't enough Sam! As I read it, I found myself breathlessly awaiting the time when he would reappear in Ellie's life and they would realize they were meant to be with each other. Then he would appear and I would think, Yes! only to have them part ways again, which left me unfulfilled. And whenever Ellie was with someone else, I secretly thought, No, she should be with Sam, or I like Sam better than this guy. But I suppose that this is a great testament to the storytelling; I became invested in Ellie's life and, much like Jane, I wanted her to make the right decisions. I found myself echoing Jane's sentiments and silently imploring Ellie to listen to Jane, take her advice. This, to me, is the mark of a good writer. Ellie's story became my story and I didn't want it to end, but when it did, I was satisfied with the way it turned out and already thinking of when I would read it again.

So does Ellie take Jane's advice? Does she end up with Sam - or someone else? And does she ever discover why Jane Austen's ghost took up residence in her mind? If you want to find out the answer to these questions, do yourself a favor and get a copy of According to Jane. You will be glad that you did.

Marilyn’s website: http://www.marilynbrant.com/

Marilyn’s blog: http://marilynbrant.blogspot.com/

Where to buy: http://www.amazon.com/According-Jane-Marilyn-Brant/dp/0758234619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238387155&sr=1-1

Mayhem-Making With Janet Mullany, A Most Lamentable Comedy

I am so excited to welcome as my guest today the talented Janet Mullany, author of The Rules of Gentility and the new book, A Most Lamentable Comedy. I had the extreme pleasure and honor of interviewing Ms. Mullany for Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem, and of reading her newest book. Below, I offer a review, but I promise to keep it brief so we can get right to the interview!





A Most Lamentable Comedy: My Review

Just one look at the cover to this book is enough to tell you that you are in for something different. A simple brown cover with baby blue lettering harkens back to a day when things were less flashy and stories did not rely upon shock factors to set themselves apart from the rest. But do not let the simplicity of the cover fool you; this book is anything but simple. It is a complex, intriguing tale of two people scheming to out-do the other in their desperate bid to achieve financial gain before their pasts - and creditors! - catch up with them. Throw in a cast of characters worthy of the masters and you have one rollicking tale of missteps and deliberate miscommunications on the path to Happily Ever After.

A Most Lamentable Comedy tells the tale of Lady Caroline Elmhurst, who has had her share of questionable relationsips on her quest to find financial sustenance, and who is fleeing from her ever-expanding list of creditors as fast as her scheming can take her. It also tells the story of Mr. Nicholas Congrevance, a man living off of his good charm and other assets, who finds himself in desperate need of a financial infusion and so is on the hunt for a well-endowed mark whom he can separate from her fortune with said charm. And in a twist worthy of her forefathers and foremothers of fiction, Ms. Mullany sets these two upon each other with what one can only call a devilish delight. Throw in a house party, a rendering of a Shakespearean play, and a congregation of quirky characters, all scheming for their own benefits, and you have a tale that will delight you long after the last page is read. If Shakespeare and Austen had a literary child, her nname would be Janet Mullany.

And now, without further ado, here's my interview with Janet:


1. Janet, can you give us a little background on yourself and your writing?

I was brought up in England and had a varied career as an archeologist, draftsperson, classical musical radio announcer, arts administrator and editor/proofreader for a small press. I now live in the US near Washington, DC. I’m a late bloomer. I think one of the smartest or luckiest things about my writing career was that I waited until later in life when I’d read very widely and then started to write fiction when I had few outside commitments—my daughter was old enough to handle burned dinners, for instance. I’d always written but it was generally work-related.


2. Why did you choose the genre that you write in? Do you have plans to write in any other genre? If so, what one?

I call my current genre Regency chicklit, because I think that best defines it in a few words, and it has some of the technical aspects of chicklit (first person, present tense narration). I started writing it to entertain myself and first Harper Collins (who published The Rules of Gentility in 2007) and the UK publisher Little Black Dress became interested. I'm Little Black Dress's only historical writer and I have another book coming out next year and then a third to write (I have no idea what that will be)! I’m also contracted to write two paranormals starring Jane Austen for HarperCollins (speculative historical fiction with a bit of romance thrown in) and also erotic contemporaries for Harlequin Spice under the name of Liz Diamond.


3. Can you give us a blurb about your latest book, A Most Lamentable Comedy?

The heroine is a Bad Girl—she’s on the run from creditors and meets up with the hero, who’s looking for his next victim, preferably a pretty, rich, gullible widow. They successfully persuade each other they’re rich, but are then confounded by falling in love. They do end up with each other, but their HEA is equally dependent on finding friendship and community as well as love. And it’s funny!


4. The title sounds very Shakespearean. Was that deliberate? What do you think is the significance of that title?

Yes, it’s from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, taken from the full title of the play Bottom’s troupe performs—The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe. The first half of the book revolves around an amateur performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and toward the end there is actually a scene where Caroline and Nicholas (h/h) become lost in a wood that assumes an identity of its own.


5. You chose to write A Most Lamentable Comedy in first person point of view, from the heroine and the hero's perspective. What were the challenges of getting into the mind of Nicholas and making his character ring true?

He was fun to write but I thought I’d created a sex-machine monster! I had to work at making him more likeable and giving him other attributes—he’s nice to kids, for instance, and is good with his hands (in the sense of being able to fix things!).


6. Is it fair to say that this book is a comedy of manners in the tradition of Shakespeare and Austen?

I don’t know if it’s fair but I’m certainly flattered! I’m influenced by Austen, as is everyone who writes romance, and Shakespeare seems to creep into my writing quite often.


7. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

A guilt-free good time and the urge to tell their friends about it!


8. What are you working on now?

I’m working on my first book for Immortal Jane Austen (HarperCollins) which is scheduled for release for next summer. We don’t have a title yet although my editor has already turned down my suggestion of Blood Bath--it's set in the city of Bath--and my brother’s suggestion of Austen Powers!


Thanks for having me visit, Margay, it's been fun!

Janet, it has been an absolute joy to have you with us today! I can't thank you enough for spending the time with us and giving us such a wonderful insight into your world of writing.

If you would like to learn more about Janet and her books, here are some links:

www.janetmullany.com

excerpt-- http://www.janetmullany.com/a-most-lamentable-comedy-excerpt/

where I blog (Thursday, usually) http://riskyregencies.blogspot.com/

Link to buy Comedy with free shipping worldwide (the book doesn't have US distribution)--http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/book/isbn/9780755347797

Note: There is a possibility that Janet will be giving away a copy of A Most Lamentable Comedy today to one lucky reader, so be sure and leave a comment for her. Believe me, you will be glad that you did; this is one entertaining book! I'll keep you updated.

America's Next Best Celler Contest - and Me!

Hello everyone!

This Saturday, I finally (contest started back in June) took the plunge and entered the America’s Next Best Celler Contest, sponsored by Dorchester Publishing and Textnovel.com. The purpose of the contest is to find “the next new voice in romance,” according to Dorchester’s site.

The contest will run until November 1, 2009. By then all entrants should have posted twenty chapters of their novel or a total of 6,000 words and the top 20 semifinalists will be chosen. On November 15, 2009, the top 10 finalists will be chosen. Finally, on January 31, 2010, the overall winner of the contest will be announced.

And the prize?

A guaranteed contract with Dorchester Publishing and a $2,000 prize. Not too bad a deal. And with the success of other voting-based contests, such as Gather.com’s First Chapters contests and Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel awards, it is certainly a positive step in the path toward publication for aspiring novelists. If nothing else, the contest will serve as a barometer for how viable a story is and will help the author build a following and readership.

What is my entry?

Here's the short description I wrote for the introduction on Textnovel:

Athena Willoughby is a cynical gossip columnist with a passion for Jane Austen novels. So what happens when she wakes up one morning in Regency England, in a scene that could have come straight from one of her idol's books? She learns how gossip was spread in a time without the internet, of course!

So how did I come up with that particular idea?

Like many of my ideas, it was inspired by a simple phrase I read on Twitter, “What would Perez Hilton think of Catherine?” The question was followed by a link that to the site for a new book about Catherine de Medici. Well, of course, that phrase inspired the inevitable “what if” questions in me and it wasn’t long before an idea began to formulate.

What would happen if a modern day gossip blogger found herself in a time before the Internet, or even the television and radio? How would she get her gossip and, more important, how would she report it?

Now, with idea in mind, I had to decide on a time to send her back to and since my favorite historical time period is the Regency, it was only natural that I would send her there. Why did I choose Jane Austen for the theme and Athena's inspiration? One, I've always been fascinated by Jane Austen and have seen each of her stories interpreted on film, some with more than one rendition; and Two, nobody else wrote so keenly of their world and society as did Jane. Plus, I am participating in a Jane Austen reading challenge, so it all sort of fell into place. The Jane Austen Society Pages was born. Whether or not Athena actually meets Jane...well, you're just going to have to read it to find out!

So, if you’d like to become a part of Athena’s misadventures in Austen’s world and follow me on my journey through the process, please check out my story and let me know how I’m doing. I would love to hear from you. For more on my reasons for entering the contest, you can read my post on Serializing the Novel. ~ Margay