Charlotte's back! The Darcys have arrived at Rosings and all is well. Or not well, as it turns out. Time for Charlotte to leave the parsonage and deal with the trials and tribulations of Hunsford once more. In The Darcy Ring (available now at … [Read more...] about Introducing “The Darcy Ring”
Random musings
Everything from early-morning thoughts to late-night questions, with a small break for afternoon tea and cake.
“Austen wrote of strong women who were ahead of their day”
I became aware of Christina Boyd through the Austenesque anthologies penned by The Quill Collective. Christina is the driving force and editor behind the books, which have enjoyed remarkable success, not least due to their strong author lineup, bold … [Read more...] about “Austen wrote of strong women who were ahead of their day”
Charlotte Collins versus the World Cup
Summer is peak writing time for me, sitting outside armed with nothing more than a notebook, a pen, and an imagination. Unfortunately, some fool scheduled the World Cup for June and July, so a battle of wills is likely. Despite the attractions of … [Read more...] about Charlotte Collins versus the World Cup
“Lots of my writing happens when I’m not writing”
"I dearly love a laugh," says Elizabeth Bennet. As do I, though it takes a very good book to make me do so. One such book is Rose Servitova's The Longbourn Letters, which mirrors the warmth, inventiveness and humour of Miss Austen in an extended … [Read more...] about “Lots of my writing happens when I’m not writing”
On reviews and spiders
I've shared moments with two species of tarantula spider (those are my hands in the photo*). But neither experience can match the terror of waiting for the first reviews of a new novel. Writing always feels like exposing a little bit of the soul. … [Read more...] about On reviews and spiders
“I’ve always loved 18th century language”
Lona Manning's excellent variation on Mansfield Park (“A Contrary Wind”) popped up on my Kindle while on summer holiday last year. The word that kept crossing my mind as I read was “authenticity”...of style, wording, and structure. I'm delighted a … [Read more...] about “I’ve always loved 18th century language”