MADNESS IN MERYTON BLOG TOUR: EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY

Hello, readers! It’s a treat to be back at My Jane Austen Book Club to kick off my blog tour for my upcoming release, Madness in Meryton. This is my sixth Austenesque novel, and I have to say, I think it is my favorite one yet!

Like Elizabeth Bennet, I enjoy human folly, and there is plenty of it to be had in Madness, which is a mischievous twist on the Groundhog Day trope. The day being relived takes us through Elizabeth’s meeting with Mr. Wickham in Meryton, and his accusations about Mr. Darcy that evening, but as the day continues repeating, it begins to vary widely and with shocking results.

I will be sharing an excerpt with every post on my blog tour, and today’s except features an idea of my own invention, that the Bennet sisters’ first encounter with Mr. Wickham in set during Meryton’s monthly market day. This scene is set at the market about a week into Elizabeth’s redundant loop, at a time when she is chiefly fixated on promoting the attachment between Jane and Mr. Bingley, though the seemingly endless repetition has made her reckless and rash….

MARIA GRACE: TWO NEW BOOKS IN THE JANE AUSTEN'S DRAGONS SAGA!

Thank so much for inviting me to visit, Maria Grazia! I’m excited to share my newest books with your readers!

Who hasn’t said Jane Austen books could really used a lot more dragons? Ok, maybe you need to be the mother of sons in order to heard that. So, I suppose you can blame my three sons for this adventure. We were having lunch at the local pizza buffet one day and started kicking around ideas and we hit on ‘what if dragons lived during the Regency…’ Well before I knew it, we’d hammered out an entire dragon culture and the story potentials went WILD. So much fun!

MURDER AT NORTHANGER ABBEY BLOG TOUR - SHANNON WINSLOW: MR TILNEY'S LETTER

I especially enjoy writing the many letters included in my novels, trying to make each one a little work of art, as Jane Austen did.  Who can forget Darcy’s 8-pager to Elizabeth after his failed first proposal or Captain Wentworth’s iconic love letter to Anne? You pierce my soul…

But I bet you didn’t know that Henry Tilney can be just as passionate.

Today I’m sharing an excerpt from Murder at Northanger Abbey, (my new Northanger Abbey sequel) that illustrates what I mean. It’s a letter – a slightly steamy love letter, actually – that Henry wrote to Catherine during the time they were separated and waiting to marry. Since the action in this novel takes place after the wedding, this letter is included as something Catherine is remembering to help her through another difficult separation from Henry.

WHEN MARY MET THE COLONEL BY VICTORIA KINCAID. THE AUDIOBOOK IS OUT!

Hi Maria Grazia and thank you for welcoming me back to your blog!  Today I’m pleased to announce the release of the audiobook of my Pride and Prejudice novella, When Mary Met the Colonel.  This was the first of my secondary-character P&P variations and has a special place in my heart.  

I wasn’t sure, when I started writing it, if I could make a secondary-character story compelling and if readers would believe a love story between Mary and Colonel Fitzwilliam was believable.  Fortunately—based on the book’s reception—the answer to both questions appears to be yes!  I feel fortunate that I was able to secure the wonderful Stevie Zimmerman to narrate the audiobook of When Mary Met the Colonel.  She always does a great job!

Below is an excerpt from the beginning of the book.  I hope you enjoy it!

Fitz cleared his throat. “You must be Miss Mary Bennet.”

The young lady dabbed at her eyes with a corner of the handkerchief, which was still fairly clean despite its tumble to the stones. “Yes. The two elder Miss Bennets are the pretty ones, and the two younger Miss Bennets are the lively ones. I am the one in the middle—neither pretty nor lively.” Her hand immediately flew to her mouth. “Oh, dear me! That sounded terribly bitter, did it not? I apologize, Colonel.”

Ah, he suspected that he had now uncovered the reason for her tears; such sentiments might be particularly acute on the day one of her sisters married. Fitz took the liberty of seating himself next to Miss Bennet. “Do you fear to offend my delicate sensibilities?” He batted his eyelashes absurdly, provoking laughter. “Only apologize if you are speaking an untruth.”