January 6, 2024 — Happy New Year!
As you know if you read the email I sent to you on Wednesday, I have changed email providers. I am now using Substack. It doesn’t have all the pretty things that my last provider had so this might be a little less pretty, but it does have some things that I’m kind of excited about. (Actually, by the time I was done formatting this, I think it looks pretty good so I’m not going to miss the pretty parts of the old program :) )
While you can keep getting this email as just a regular message in your inbox, you can also find it like a blog post on leeniebrown.substack.com or you can read it in the Substack app.
Substack also holds the potential to be a community building app since you can comment on posts, notes, and chat items.
Notes are like social media posts and are only accessible online or on the app. They do not go to your inbox.
Chat and posts, like this one, do get emailed to your inbox unless I decide to not check that email to everyone box.
Chat messages that I post are subscriber exclusive.
Posts like this one and notes are public and can be discovered and read by anyone.
One of my words for the year which applies to my business is “Community.” I hope that some of the new things I am going to try and changes I am making will help us to become more of a community of readers and not just separate individuals who rarely get to interact.
Of course, you don’t have to be part of a community if that’s not your thing. Honestly, I’m about as good at doing community as Darcy is at fitting into a new society. LOL But, I am going to do my best to help us connect with each other over shared interests — aka my books and things I find interesting.
Substack will be one of the places where I hope we can find camaraderie. There will be a couple of other options that I’ll reveal as we go on. One thing at a time seems good to me.
Now, let’s move on to other updates and don’t forget to read the story vignette at the end of the Broadsheet.
CURRENT PROJECTS
I don’t really have any. I thought I’d be done with my Annilee book by the end of 2023, but I’m not quite there. So, January is not my clean-slate, start new plans month. I’ll have to leave that for February I guess.
I did finish the Choices series ebook “box set.” I have not looked to see if I can make it into a paperback edition yet. (Amazon has an upper page count limit.) I just haven’t had time. So that part of that project is still on-going.
IN THE TEAROOM
took her turn in the this month. She has a new book coming out soon and talked about how her writing has changed.eBOOK DEALS
These are the deals you will find on my Book Promotions page HERE. « Go here to find links to stores, etc.
Master of Longbourn is FREE via the Kindle store from today until January 10.
The Choices box set is only $4.99 USD (with all other currencies reduced) for this month. That’s $4 off the regular price, which is what it will cost starting in February.
His Beautiful Bea is a first in series FREEBIE until March 31 — at least, it will be as soon as all the stores change the price. Amazon is the store that might pose some problems as they like to change free (non-KU) books to regular price randomly. They are also the only store that doesn’t allow authors to set a book to a price of free. We have to request it. I have sent in a request to have the price matched to FREE on Amazon, but as of the time I am writing this, it has not been done. It should be done soon (I hope). So just make sure the sales page says the price is free before you one-click it.
His Darling Friend is $0.99 USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, EUR, and GBP (with all other currencies also reduced) until January 31.
Want to keep the ebooks you buy, then get them on Smashwords. While books that an author moves off of other retailers may disappear from your library after a while. With Smashwords, you get the book file (epub) to keep. (I talked about this a bit in my What’s Up Wednesday video post this past week.)
Ream is a new subscription reading service that I am in the process of setting up. While there is a paid membership level that allows you to read all the books I have uploaded there, a simple FREE follow will give you access to one free read each month. From Tolerable to Lovely is this month’s free read.
Something cool about Ream: You can highlight and add comments in the book while reading. These, I believe, are viewable by all, so don’t comment something you don’t want others and me to see. :) I’m thinking of doing some notes in the free read each month to give a bit of my perspective about the story and maybe some behind the scenes info (if there is any).
CURRENT BOOKSPROUT BOOK
(Another way to score a free read - although this one will cost you a review. LOL)
I hope to have a book set up and ready to download for reviews before the end of the month. (Actually, I’d like it to be ready by January 15, but no promises on that date :) ) To make sure you get notified of any book review campaigns I have on the go, please follow me on Booksprout here.
If you’ve reviewed books for me before and would like to be part of my review team, I am moving my review team to Booksprout, and you can request to join that team here.
SOMETHING NEW TO READ
This vignette is one I wrote years ago and is based on Jane Austen’s novel, Mansfield Park, which is one of my favourites. This scene takes place between the time when Fanny is abandoned on a bench near that gate that is so enticing in the novel and answers the questions, what if Fanny did not just sit and wait for Edmund to return and what if Mr. Rushworth showed some displeasure at being left behind.
The ending part of this scene mirrors, in some ways, a scene in His Beautiful Bea near the beginning — after Bea was abandoned by her brother and others on a bench in a garden and before she’s asked to join a card game. If you’ve read it (or when you do — it’s free to download right now after all), I think you’ll know which scene I mean.
Fanny stretched out her legs and tipped her head back to look at the branches above her. She had been sitting on this bench with only the birds to keep her company for nearly three-quarter hour now. There had been a brief respite from her solitary state when Mr. Rushworth, Maria, and Mr. Crawford had joined her and again when Julia had sat for the briefest of minutes.
However, eventually, Fanny had been abandoned by them all. First, by Edmund and Miss Crawford, then by Maria and Mr. Crawford after Mr. Rushworth had gone to fetch the key for the gate, and most recently by Julia who did not wish to be left behind by her sister for any more of the day than she had already endured.
Fanny sighed and shifted her gaze to that gate — her current object of distress. She glanced quickly toward the path. At least the gate gave her reason to forget how Edmund had left her to rest for a few minutes a prodigiously large number of minutes ago.
She rose and walked the few short feet to that gate which stood locked against the entry of nobody but those who preferred to use a key. The knoll rose in the distance, but she could not see Maria, Julia, or Mr. Crawford on it. She stood for a few moments, resting against the gate and looking beyond it at the prospect of rolling hills and copses of trees here and there.
It was a beautiful piece of nature and had she had her grey mare rather than her weak legs, she might be able to survey it as it begged to her to do. She shook her head and returned to her place on the bench. A small scowl touched her lips as she looked down the path. Mare or no mare, she would be abandoned here by herself, no matter what Miss Crawford said about not monopolizing Fanny’s mount. Fanny knew how it would be. Miss Crawford would wish for the delight of the ride. Edmund would petition Fanny for the use of the horse for a short period of time. Fanny would feel obliged to comply, and then, here she would sit with only her eyes and imagination to provide her enjoyment of the view beyond the fence. She would be good Fanny, most kind Fanny, and completely forgotten Fanny as she always seemed to be when Miss Crawford asserted a wish.
She shook herself. It was completely ungrateful of her to be feeling so. She should be pleased that her cousins and the Crawfords were enjoying the fine weather, but she was not and that feeling increased her current state of distress.
“Miss Price,” Mr. Rushworth called as he hurried toward her, “are you alone?” He stopped next to the bench and drew out a handkerchief to dry his brow. His breathing was pronounced, declaring the effort he had put into returning as quickly as possible.
“I am. Miss Bertram wished for me to tell you that they have just gone on ahead and expect you to follow.”
Mr. Rushworth dropped unceremoniously onto the bench. “Follow them? To where?”
“They went right and were destined for that knoll.” Fanny pointed to a copse of oaks standing a half mile off.
Mr. Rushworth huffed. “I have had enough of walking. I know that if I were to attempt to find them, I would not, for by the time I reached where they are supposed to be, they will have moved on once again.” He shook his head and lapsed into silence.
Fanny cast a worried glance toward him. It was not right for Maria to go off and leave her betrothed – or nearly betrothed – behind. “Miss Bertram expected you to follow. They have not been gone for too very long.”
Mr. Rushworth gave her a sad but appreciative smile. “You are very kind, Miss Price, but I think we both know that my presence is not truly wanted.”
Fanny’s eyes grew wide at the comment. “I am certain I do not know anything of the sort.” That was a bit of a lie. She knew that Maria preferred Mr. Crawford to Mr. Rushworth.
He gave a short laugh. “I think you do. We – you and I – are not as unaware as they –” He waved a hand in the direction of the offensive gate. “—think. I am not eloquent nor am I particularly at ease in a large group of people. It makes me ramble and paints me both as a bore and insensible.” He shrugged as if nothing could be done about it and as if he did not care if there was something that could be done. “You are timid and quiet. I prattle too much, and you speak too little, and so we are both thought of as dull.” He gave her another small smile. “But we are not dull, are we?”
“I should hope we are not. You most certainly are not dull, sir, but I fear I might be.”
His replying look was incredulous. “Surely not! From what I have seen the few times we have been in company, you are everything pleasant, and such pleasantness cannot be thought dull.” He rose. “Come. I have changed my mind. I am not completely done with walking. It would be silly to sit here on this bench and never stir from it. We shall take our own tour of whatever you wish.”
“But what if they return?”
“Then they shall find an empty bench and eventually return to the house.” He held his hand out to her. “And if they worry that something grave has befallen you, my dear, that would be a most fitting chastisement for their negligence. How long have you been sitting here?”
“Another fifteen minutes will make it more than an hour.”
He flapped his extended hand, which she had not yet taken, in invitation to her. “Then you have done your duty. I promise to see you well and safely returned to the house. My cook does make a lovely glass of lemonade.” He smiled encouragingly at her.
Fanny took one last look down the path in the direction in which Edmund and Miss Crawford had gone. They would likely not miss her until they stumbled upon this bench. The thought stung, but it was doubtlessly true.
“Very well, Mr. Rushworth. I will accompany you back to the house.” She placed her hand in his, and he tucked it in his elbow, drawing her to his side. “I do find that I have been longing for a drink for the last several minutes.”
“Then it shall be my first duty to find you a glass of lemonade.” He patted her hand as he added, “And nothing will entice me away from that duty.” There was an unmistakable hint of bitterness in his voice.
“I did not mind sitting on the bench. The view was quite pleasant. Your grounds are lovely.”
He patted her hand again. “Thank you, Miss Price, and while it does you credit to attempt to sway me from my displeasure at our having been abandoned, it was not right for Miss Crawford and Mr. Bertram to leave you so long, nor was it proper for Miss Bertram and Crawford to have left me.”
Fanny could not refute his statement without speaking untruthfully. And so, she and Mr. Rushworth walked on silently for nearly five minutes.
“Those Crawfords are the cause of it, you know,” Mr. Rushworth said at last. “They with their pretty tongues and knowing ways.”
Again, Fanny could not dispute his claim, so she remained silent.
“I will allow that Miss Crawford is temptingly pretty and could cause a sensible man to act thoughtlessly, but her brother?” He shook his head and snorted. “He is short and plain and still a temptation. It is his words, Miss Price. He knows how to please with his words. Do you find Mr. Crawford attractive?” Mr. Rushworth looked to her expectantly.
Fanny shook her head. “I do not. He is pleasant but not handsome.”
“And I dare say your discerning mind has found fault with his behaviour.”
Fanny shook her head again. “I should not say.” But it was true. She found many things about Mr. Crawford that were not as they should be.
“Would that more ladies were of your acumen.” He blew out a breath. “But enough of that. Things are not set in stone. Sir Thomas has not yet returned.”
Fanny’s stomach lurched. Was he going to not pursue his offer to Maria? Oh, that would not be good for her cousin’s reputation. Everyone who was anyone in the area knew that Maria and Mr. Rushworth were as good as promised to each other. “Oh, I am certain it is not so dire as to think along those lines. It is so easy to think a moment a full five when waiting and to think that twenty are but one when admiring nature and conversing with friends.”
“My dear, Miss Price, I admire your concern for your cousin, but I will not have a wayward wife.” He clenched his jaw and looked toward the back of the house which they were now approaching. “It would be far better for she and I to part ways now rather than after we are married, do you not think?”
Fanny mumbled an agreement. What else could she do? It was absolutely true that parting now before vows were made and broken was the better option.
“As I said before, enough of that. It is unpleasant and unsettling and not at all conducive to an agreeable visit. I must apologize, Miss Price. I should not have aired my grievances to you. Here I am condemning those who take advantage of your good nature and find myself doing the same thing.” He shook his head. “It is utterly reprehensible.”
“I was happy to hear your concerns — not the content, of course, but to provide an ear,” Fanny assured him. “And look! You have done just as you promised. I am safely returned to the house.” They had just reached the terrace and were merely steps from the door.
He patted her hand. “You are too kind, Miss Price. Now, allow me to find you a comfortable place to recline and send for some lemonade.” He led her to a sofa. “And then, perhaps we could have a game of chess or read a few sonnets, whichever you prefer.”
And it was here, in the sitting room that adjoined the garden, tucked up together on a sofa, taking turns reading sonnets and pausing to talk about life, where the others found Fanny and Mr. Rushworth not more than an hour later.
Having been interrupted by the boisterous arrival of so many, Mr. Rushworth excused himself to retrieve a fresh glass of refreshment for Fanny as Edmund with a most puzzled look on his face, took a chair near her.
“You did not wait,” he began.
Fanny looked up from her book. “I wait for an hour, Edmund.”
“It could not have been an hour,” he retorted.
“I assure you it was.” She looked past him to where Miss Crawford was being told all about the lovely knoll and whatever other views Maria had seen. “You should return to your companions before you are missed.”
Edmund blinked. “Do you not wish for my company?”
Fanny sighed and closed her book with her finger holding her place. “I did, and I suppose I still do, but do not offer what you do not intend to give. Mr. Rushworth and I are having an enjoyable time. There is no need for you to leave your entertainment on my account. I shall be well.”
Edmund’s brows furrowed. “Are you certain?”
Fanny laughed lightly, trying desperately not to let it sound cold or bitter. “I have survived quite well these past two and a half hours without you. I think I might withstand a few more minutes.”
Edmund’s expression fell from its normal look of contentment to one of sorrow, and for a moment, Fanny thought to repent of her words.
“If that is what you wish.” He slowly rose from his place as if reluctant to do so.
“Edmund,” Fanny called to him as he turned.
“Yes.” His face was hopeful as he looked at her.
“You may wish to speak to Maria. Mr. Rushworth is rather put out with her.” She somewhat doubted that a wedding was going to happen based on how disgruntled Mr. Rushworth was. It seemed his anger, once aroused, was not easily quelled.
A deep furrow formed between Edmund’s brow. “Why is he put out with her?”
Fanny opened her book as if preparing to read. “It seems she left him behind to walk with Mr. Crawford.”
Edmund’s brows rose in surprise.
“It is a good reason for censure, is it not?” Fanny asked it softly and attempted to sound only concerned, but from the sadness that entered Edmund’s eyes, she knew she had not been successful in hiding her own pain at being abandoned.
“Fanny, I –”
Fanny shook her head and did little to try to cover her own sadness this time as she spoke. “Go, Edmund. Miss Crawford is looking for you. You must be missed.”
Edmund stood for a moment looking between Fanny and Miss Crawford as if uncertain which way he should go.
“Go,” Fanny whispered. And he did.
“Your glass of lemonade, Miss Price.” Mr. Rushworth handed her a glass before taking his seat. “Did you make your point?”
Fanny sipped her lemonade. “I believe I did.”
“Excellent,” he replied as he took the book from her. “Now, allow me to read to you so that we can put an exclamation to your point, and I can make one of my own.”
Fanny bit her lip. “Are you positive this is the best way?”
He smiled at her. “Miss Price, I am a man, and as such, I assure you that being somewhat uncertain of your standing with a lady you have always thought of as being in your sphere of influence is precisely the type of unsettling that will work best.” He ran his finger down the page. “He has always had you. Now, he must fear losing you.” He lifted his eyes to look at her. “If he can face that fear and still choose a Crawford, then he was not what you thought, nor is he worth your tears.” He held her gaze for a moment. His expression was as serious as she had ever seen it. “If I were a free man, Miss Price, I would not be across the room. I would still be right here.”
Fanny ducked her head and blushed. How many times had Mr. Rushworth reiterated over the course of the last hour how much he held her in respect as a woman worthy of being pursued in earnest by a man of good character? She had attempted to rebuff him, but he had persisted, and soon she had resigned herself to accepting his praise. It was an odd, but not unwelcome, feeling to be spoken of and to in such a fashion. Fanny silently expelled a slow breath. It was time to believe his word instead of belittling herself. And with that resolved, she lifted her head and attended to Mr. Rushworth’s reading with great pleasure.
Loved your Mansfield vignette! Would enjoy seeing how things play out!
I know this was just a vignette, but I see a longer story! Wouldn't it be wonderful to see Maria lose a more intelligent Mr Rushworth and his immense fortune to Fanny? And to have Edmund learn not to take her for granted? Which gentleman would she choose in the end?