REGINA JEFFERS, ANNUITIES IN THE REGENCY ERA AS THE BASIS OF THE PLOT OF 'MR DARCY'S BARGAIN' + GIVEAWAY

Much of the action of latest release,  Mr. Darcy's Bargain, is based around a scam perpetrated by Mr. Wickham upon the citizens of Meryton, as well as Mr. Darcy's attempts to thwart him. Wickham convinces many in Hertfordshire to invest in an annuity scheme. But how exactly did annuities work during the Regency?

First, if you are like me, your eyes blur over when people in other fields start tossing around the "jargon" associated with their occupations. I do not pretend to be an expert in such matters as annuities, but I will attempt to keep my description of public funds at the time as simple as possible.

First, there were Navy five percent annuities that were produced from about fifty millions of stock, partly formed out of navy bills and converted in 1784, into a stock bearing interest at five percent, whence the name.

Four percent consolidated annuities were popular at the time. They were produced from a like stock as was the Navy five percent funds. They offered a profit of 4% as the title indicated. They originally carried a higher percentage rate.

DARCY'S HOPE ~ BEAUTY FROM ASHES, A GREAT WAR ROMANCE - AUTHOR INTERVIEW + GIVEAWAY

 Darcy’s Hope ~ Beauty from Ashes
A WW1 Pride & Prejudice Variation
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Escape to the era of Downton Abbey and experience all the drama of World War 1 alongside literature’s iconic Elizabeth Bennet & Fitzwilliam Darcy. You'll watch their tender love unfold as they learn to work together and reconcile their differences amidst the carnage of war.

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1916. World War I has turned French chateaux into bloody field hospitals, British gentlemen into lice-infested soldiers, and left Elizabeth Bennet's life in tatters.

Her father is dead and her home destroyed. Never again will Elizabeth depend on a man to secure her future!

But when an opportunity arises to advance her dreams of becoming a doctor, she is elated—until he arrives....

Heartbroken. Devastated. Captain Fitzwilliam Darcy is left rejected by the woman he loved and reeling from the slaughter of his men on the battlefield. “Enough!” Darcy vows. “No more sentimental attachments!”

But arriving at a field hospital to pursue a covert investigation, Darcy discovers his beloved Elizabeth training with a dashing American doctor and embroiled in an espionage conspiracy.

MR DARCY'S PRESENT BLOG TOUR - REGINA JEFFERS' S GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY

I admit it. I love autumn. I live in North Carolina where for the past two summers we have had a string of 90+ degrees days. This year, since May 27, we have had 82 such days. The lowest temperature we have experienced in three months is 83. So, I am thankful for the latter days of September and the early days of October when the heat and the humidity take a backseat. We will still receive a few days of 85+ degrees until November, but the heat eases, and people start thinking of the upcoming holidays.

Moreover, in my family, we have a series of birthdays between now and year’s end. I turned a sweet 69 years on September 17. [There was a time I thought being 69 meant one was ANCIENT! Not so much now.] My granddaughter Annalise turns 3 in early October. My stepson Tim will be 40 on Halloween. My grandson James will be 5 in early November, and his father (my son) Josh will be 32 in mid November. We have Thanksgiving in the States at the end of November [which included my late mother’s birthday] and Christmas in December. And the much anticipated event at the beginning of January will be a new grandchild. So you can see how my heart grows lighter once the heat of summer disappears.

On one of those recent hot summer evenings, I was speaking to my long time friend Charlotte on the phone, and is customary between us, we were reminiscing about some crazy antics from our childhood. Soon, I was telling her about the year I received four Easter baskets. This was a monumental event for my parents were separated in a time when divorce was still not “accepted.” My mother did not know whether she could scrap up enough money to purchase an Easter basket, and so she had prepared me for disappointment. Then God smiled on my 10-year-old self for my grandfather bought me a basket, our neighbors, who had no children of their own, did likewise, the woman for whom my mother worked presented me with a third one, and my mother was the bearer of the fourth. It was too much chocolate for one child, but I rationed it out to last a LONG time. What was odd about each was that somehow the little note from the presenters were mixed up, and I kept thanking the wrong people for the chocolate bunnies or the jelly beans. Soon the situation became a family source of laughter.

SPOTLIGHT ON ... HOPE FOR MR DARCY BY JEANNA ELLWORTH + GIVEAWAY

Jeanna Ellsworth Lake

Thank you for the chance to share with you my latest release! The Hope Series Trilogy is a series of love stories where each character has to endure the hopelessness of unrequited love.

But where there is love, there is always hopeI thought I would give you one of my favorite scenes in Hope for Mr. Darcy, the first in the Hope Series Trilogy. But I will have to give you a bit of background to help you understand the dynamics of the environment.  Darcy had been refused the day before. The first part of the excerpt is from Elizabeth’s perspective, while she is very ill and delusional. 

However, every word and touch between Darcy and Elizabeth are actually happening in the real world where Darcy is questionably sane himself. (LOL – I mean who has ever suffered unrequited love is truly in their right mind??). The second section is from Darcy’s perspective and what is actually happening in the Collins’ parsonage sitting room. I would apologize for the length of it . . . but I think you might thank me instead!   *wink wink

Read an excerpt  

Elizabeth had felt alone for a brief moment. But no sooner had she called out for Mr. Darcy, than he was right beside her again, his hand in hers again.

“Do not fret, Elizabeth,” he whispered. “I am here.”

Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked to her left, and sure enough, he was there. Her gaze returned to the sun. “This is such a beautiful place. I believe I could stay here forever. Do you ever stay here for long periods of time?”

“No, not usually. But I will stay if you wish.”

Elizabeth was sure she already knew that. This place seemed to effectively communicate things with accuracy; she felt privileged to partake of it. She could hear things without ears. She observed without seeing. Without speaking, she was able to say exactly what she meant. Her heart spoke for her, yet she never felt her lips move, although they might have out of habit. Her only limitation in communicating in this garden was her ability to describe it.

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY: HOW TO MEND A BROKEN HEART BY L.S. PARSONS - AUTHOR GUEST POST

 

Thank you, Maria Grazia, for having me here at My Jane Austen Book Club and allowing your readers to have a glimpse of my new book – my first and only book so far.

Years ago when I began this story, I did it in response to a story I had read that had haunted me for weeks after finishing it. The story in question is A New Leaf by Teg. In her story, Darcy marries another lady and Elizabeth is left on her own. Needless to say, Darcy and Elizabeth did not have a happy ending which left me unfulfilled and unhappy. I emailed the author and asked her if she had plans to rewrite with an alternate ending. She said she did not, and that gave me the idea for How to Mend a Broken Heart.

For my peace of mind, I set about to concoct a story to satisfy my need for a happy ending for Darcy and Elizabeth when the obstacle of an engagement to another stands between them. While there is the angst of the original story, the reader will be left with a much more satisfying ending. This current version has been reworked and has evolved from the story which I posted online years ago.

The story depicts the need of a man to rectify a mistake he made years ago by not properly courting the woman he loves which led to his broken heart. The fact that he is now engaged to be married to someone other than his one true love stands in the way of mending by his heart and winning the heart of the woman he had thought he lost. This is the story based on the characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.

MR DARCY? HE'LL JUST STAY A JERK. MR KNIGHTLEY? YES, PLEASE! TALKING JANE AUSTEN WITH ... KATIE HEANEY. WIN DEAR EMMA PAPERBACK.

Hello and thank you for joining us at My Jane Austen Book Club, Katie! It’s awesome to have you as a guest and  to celebrate the release of your Austen-inspired,  “Dear Emma”. Ready for my questions? 

First one is a “twitter game”: How would you present your book in 140 characters?

Harriet, a tender know-it-all, gets her heart broken, makes an enemy, makes an unexpected friend, and learns she doesn't know everything.

How did the idea for “Dear Emma” come to your mind?

I was inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma, but also by friendships formed between women who’ve dated the same man, or been interested in the same man, which is a situation I found myself in several times when I was younger.

How much does your heroine, Harriet, shares with Emma Woodhouse?

She would think nothing, but they are both very absolutist in their views of other people, and what’s “right,” and how people should behave. But she shares more with Harriet Smith (her namesake) in her sort of underdog-ness, and tendency to act passively, or as a sort of sidekick sometimes.

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY - UNDECEIVED, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE IN THE SPY GAME BY KAREN M. COX

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Undeceived blog tour. Thanks, Maria Grazia, for inviting me back to My Jane Austen Book Club!

It’s been over two years since my last full-length novel was released. That’s partly because my life has been very busy with some major changes and transitions: My youngest is graduating high school and heading off to college this year. My job as a pediatric speech pathologist became a full-time gig. And I’ve been busy adoring my first grandchild, who is just about to turn one.

But another big reason it’s been so long since my last book is because of what I chose to write: a spy novel variation of Pride and Prejudice set during the last few years of the Cold War. It was a project that required a lot in terms of research, writing and re-writing, but wow! What a ride it has been!

One of the first questions people ask me about this book is: “What on earth inspired you to write a Pride and Prejudice-themed spy novel?” It’s a valid question, given that my work to date has been mostly character-driven Austenesque fiction.

UNLEASHING MR DARCY - FROM BOOK TO MOVIE, TERI WILSON'S LOVELY MODERN SPIN ON P&P

The TV movie

We all need a bit of fairy dust on our grey lives from time to time and watching this lovely TV movie helped my mood like a touch of magic wand last night. So romantic!

In this modern day spin on “Pride & Prejudice,”  inspired to Teri Wilson's 2013 novel, Elizabeth Scott (Cindy Busby), is fishing for direction in her life and gets the opportunity to professionally show her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in a fancy New York dog show. Dog show judge Donovan Darcy (Ryan Paevey) comes across as aristocratic and rude and a chain of misunderstandings unfold during the competition, complicating their mutual attraction. In true Jane Austen fashion, Elizabeth and Donovan begin to see the error of their ways and it turns out Mr. Darcy is far more kind and interesting than Elizabeth ever imagined.

Then he is almost charming, despite all his flaws, and Elizabeth just can't resist him. But their mutual attraction will find obstacles to overcome: not only Darcy's Aunt Violette and wife - to -be, Felicity, but also Darcy's own pride and Elizabeth's prejudices against wealthy people. 

However, their love for puppies and dogs will help them to find a compromise ...

SPOTLIGHT ON ... DARCY'S CHRISTMAS WISH BY PENELOPE SWAN - BLOG EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY

Fitzwilliam Darcy never forgot the little girl, with the beautiful dark eyes, who saved his life fifteen years ago… though he never expected to meet her again. But when he comes to Rosings Park to spend the Advent season with his aunt, he discovers that at Christmastime, miracles - and wishes – can come true… 

DARCY'S CHRISTMAS WISH is a sweet, clean standalone Pride and Prejudice variation - a holiday romance inspired by Jane Austen's classic novel!

PRAISE FOR PENELOPE SWAN 

"Penelope Swan has captured the essence of the characters and their "voices" so well that one would think the text was written by Jane Austen, herself." ~ Ingrid Holzman

THE UNTHINKABLE TRIANGLE BLOG TOUR - GUEST POST BY AUTHOR JOANA STARNES & BOOK GIVEWAY

Glad to be hosting again Joana Starnes, this time on occasion of her promoting tour for The Unthinkable Triangle. Ready to discover more about her new intriguing variation of Pride and Prejudice?

Book Blurb - All is fair in love and war – or is it? What if Mr. Darcy’s rival for Elizabeth Bennet’s affections is not some inconsequential stranger, but his dearest, closest friend? How is he to reconcile the claims of loyalty and kinship with the urge to pursue his heart’s desire?

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Author Guest Post

Many thanks, Maria Grazia, for having me here today. It’s always wonderful to be your guest, and I greatly appreciate your warm welcome at My Jane Austen Book Club, on the blog tour for the launch of my latest book, The Unthinkable Triangle.

We are all familiar with the courtship dance of our favourite couple, in the original novel as well as in countless variations. The aloof gentleman, drawn against his better judgement to a pair of fine eyes and the playful, pert disposition of one who, instead of fawning upon him like the majority of his acquaintance, persists in challenging him at every turn. And then there is the opinionated lady, with her deep-set prejudice against him, for valid reasons as well as not so valid ones. They meet, the spar, they part. They meet again, they argue heatedly, and then they part once more. And just as they begin to understand each other, they are drawn apart again, by all manner of adverse circumstances.

VICTORIA KINCAID, WHAT IF MR DARCY'S PROPOSAL WAS TOO LATE? PRIDE & PROPOSALS: GUESTPOST, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY

Colonel Fitzwilliam is an intriguing figure in Pride and Prejudice.  He appears for a rather short time in the novel, and his main function is to inform Elizabeth of Darcy’s role in separating Jane from Bingley.  We never even learn his first name.  Austen makes it clear, however, that Elizabeth and the Colonel get along well, in part because he enjoys the “easy manners” Darcy does not possess.  Thus, the Colonel serves to emphasize Darcy’s introverted, socially awkward nature while highlighting Elizabeth’s gregariousness.  Austen hints at the potential for a romance between Elizabeth and the Colonel, but he tells her he must marry an heiress, so any attraction goes nowhere. 

In the world of Jane Austen fan fiction, Colonel Fitzwilliam has a much more varied and extensive role than in the original novel.  He acquires a first name (Richard) which is used almost universally.  He is paired with Georgiana, Anne de Bourgh, Jane Bennet, or any number of other women.  He goes to war, inherits the earldom, fights with Wickham, and becomes involved in many other plots.  Because he is the son of an earl and a soldier, his character offers a lot of potential for interesting storylines.  But, above all in JAFF, the Colonel is always Darcy’s friend and confidante.  More than Bingley, he is the person Darcy can talk to about his conflicts over Elizabeth and his obligations to his family. 

SUN-KISSED BLOG TOUR - LINDA BEUTLER ON HER DARCY TALE INCLUDED IN THE ANTHOLOGY + WIN A PAPERBACK COPY!

“So each had a private little sun for her soul to bask in…” —Thomas Hardy

If you desire a little heat, a summer flirtation, or an escape to bask in your own private sun, this whimsical collection of original short stories is inspired by all things summer. In collaboration with some of Meryton Press’s most popular and award-winning authors, this anthology debuts other promising and emerging talent.

·         In KaraLynne Mackrory’s “Shades of Pemberley,” Mr. Darcy, with some fantastic assistance, discovers Elizabeth Bennet in a most unlikely place.

·         Karen M. Cox’s “Northanger Revisited” modernizes Northanger Abbey at a fictionalized Georgia seaside.

SPOTLIGHT ON ... MARIA GRACE, MISTAKING HER CHARACTER: A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE VARIATION + WIN EBOOK!

Mistaking Her Character: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (The Queen of Rosings Park Book 1)

Lady Catherine de Bourgh is prepared to be very generous when it comes to medical care for her sickly daughter, Anne – generous enough to lure noted physician Dr. Thomas Bennet to give up his London practice and move his family to Rosings Park. But his good income comes with a price: complete dependence on his demanding patroness’s every whim.  

Now the Bennet family is trapped, reliant on Lady Catherine for their survival. Their patroness controls every aspect of the Bennet household, from the shelves in the closet to the selection of suitors for the five Bennet daughters. Now she has chosen a husband for headstrong Elizabeth Bennet– Mr. George Wickham.

But Lady Catherine’s nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is not so sure about his aunt’s choice. He is fascinated by the compassionate Elizabeth who seems to effortlessly understand everyone around her, including him. Lady Catherine has other plans for Darcy, though, and she forbids Elizabeth to even speak to him.

KARA LOUISE, A BOOK IN A BOOK - MR DARCY'S RIVAL BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

You may have heard authors say that there are times when in the middle (or beginning or even towards the end) of writing a manuscript, something happens quite unexpectedly. Some little revelation or action occurs that suddenly threatens to send the book in a whole new direction. This happened with me in my recent book, “Mr. Darcy’s Rival.”

When Mr. Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, arrive at Rosings to visit their aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, they discover another nephew is there, Matthew Rickland. Mr. Rickland is not on the same side of the family as the two men – he is the nephew of the late Sir Lewis de Bourgh, but the men are acquainted.

Mr. Darcy also discovers that Elizabeth Bennet is just across the lane at Hunsford Parsonage. This causes him to be quite unsettled, as he had tried everything to rid her from his mind and heart in the months since he had seen her. But he also begins to wonder if she has an interest in Rickland and finds that even more disconcerting.

That is the premise of the book.

But when I wrote the book, Lady Catherine’s daughter, Anne, revealed something to Elizabeth that ended up having a substantial part in the story. She confessed to her that she is an author and had two books published. No one in her family knew, except her companion, Mrs. Jenkinson.

One of those books she had written was titled, “A Peculiar Engagement,” which surprised Elizabeth when she began to read it and realized what it was about. Here are the first couple paragraphs. Can you guess what this book is about?

Annabelle Drake distinctly recollected the first time she had perceived Fitzpatrick Danbury as the attractive young man he was. It was an inexplicable, sudden sensibility of his presence, his person, and the prominence he would have in her life. It moved something within her she had never before experienced. She trembled, despite the warmth of the room.

SO FAR AWAY BY P.O. DIXON - READ AN EXCERPT AND WIN A COPY!

From the Author

I am happy for the chance to visit My Jane Austen Book Club once again to share an excerpt from my newest release, So Far Away. Thank you so much, Maria Grazia!

In Lady Elizabeth: Everything Will Change Book One, Darcy made an astonishing discovery that set him on a course destined to change Elizabeth’s life forever. So Far Away: Everything Will Change Book Two centers upon the aftermath of Darcy’s discovery.

The Book

So Far Away: Everything Will Change Book Two

Now that Elizabeth knows the truth about her past, she has returned to Longbourn. Wanting to reclaim her rightful place in the lives of her Bennet relations, she needs time before considering a life far away in Derbyshire with Mr. Darcy.

He promised he would wait for her for as long as it takes. With so much distance between the two of them the question soon became how long is too long.

NOW MR DARCY HAS A HANDSOME YOUNGER BROTHER ... THE DARCY BROTHERS - BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

Are you as curious as I am to discover more about Theo Darcy, Fitzwilliam's brother?  Theo Darcy is everything his disapproving elder brother, Fitzwilliam, is not – easy-going, charming, and full of fun. A tragic event as children severed their bond of friendship, but now they are together again. They are still at odds, though, this time over the love of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and the truth about George Wickham. Will Wickham manage to divide the brothers again? And more importantly, which Mr. Darcy will Elizabeth choose? 

Find out as the two brothers lock horns in this unique Pride & Prejudice variation collectively written by five respected authors: Maria Grace, Abigail Reynolds, Cassandra Grafton, Susan Mason-Milks and Monica Fairview.

SPOTLIGHT ON ... MR DARCY'S CHRISTMAS CALENDAR BY JANE ODIWE

A novella for the Christmas holidays - Lizzy Benson visits Jane Austen’s house in Chawton, and buys a special Advent calendar in the gift shop, but strange things start to happen when she opens up the first door and finds herself back in time with all the beloved characters from her favourite book, Pride and Prejudice. As she finds herself increasingly drawn into an alternate reality, Lizzy discovers not only is Mr Darcy missing from the plot, but Jane Austen has never heard of him. All Lizzy can hope is that she can help to get the story and her own complicated love life back on track before Christmas is over, and bring everything to a happy resolution in Jane Austen's imaginary world! 

Excerpt from Chapter One

Door Number One

It really did look like a Christmas card. The red brick house glowed with yellow light through frosted windowpanes brightening the gloom of the wintry day. Lizzy wrinkled her nose as feathers of snow tickled her face and settled like iced stars on her scarlet beret. It had been a bit of a nightmare to find it: a train, a bus ride, and a twelve-minute walk along snow-covered lanes, but now she considered it had all been worth it. Jane Austen’s house buried in the countryside village of Chawton couldn’t have been more perfect to Lizzy’s eyes. Perhaps deciding to visit the house in the middle of winter hadn’t been her brightest idea, but there was no denying her excitement. Lizzy felt a sense of anticipation, the house looked enchanted as if under a fairy spell, and she half wondered if she might bump into Jane herself at the door.

SPOTLIGHT ON ... GOODNIGHT, MR DARCY ( A BABY LIT PARODY ) - HOW TO INTRODUCE VERY YOUNG READERS TO JANE AUSTEN'S WORLD

About the Book  

The adored children’s classic Goodnight Moon gets a classic lit makeover in this charming parody of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice novel. In the opening of Goodnight Mr. Darcy ($16.99, Jacketless Hardcover, 10 x 8-1/2 in, 32 pages, 978-1-4236-3670-0), all of Austen’s much-loved characters are at the Netherfield Ball: In the great ballroom, there was a country dance, and a well-played tune, and Elizabeth Bennett; and Mr. Darcy surprised, by a pair of fine eyes . . . And don’t forget Jane with a blush and Mr. Bingley turned to mush, and a gossiping mother and father saying hush.

Parents and toddlers alike will enjoy this new take on Austen’s timeless work à la Goodnight Moon.

AUTHOR GUEST POST: BARBARA SILKSTONE, MR DARCY'S DOGS - WIN EBOOK OR SIGNED PAPERBACK!

My love affair with writing began in childhood but didn’t blossom until my midlife crisis. At the age of forty-something, I traveled the country interviewing men for what I thought would be a serious book on how men really felt about women and relationships. That adventure turned into a bittersweet dark comedy novel titled The Adventures of a Love Investigator. Emotionally spent from interviewing over five hundred men, I turned to writing a series of riffs on classic fairytales. Novels like The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters, were loosely based on some of my misadventures.

Enter Wendy Darlin: Spun from the essence of Peter Pan, Wendy became my alter-ego. She did things I would never dare, and things I did and regretted. She is a blending of Lucille Ball and Indiana Jones. After finishing five books in her screwball series I wondered: what next?

JAFF author Elizabeth Ann West suggested I bring my quirky sense of humor to Jane Austen’s timeless stories. I hesitated. It would be like wearing tennis shoes under a ball gown. My sense of screwball inserted in the ballrooms of Jane Austen? Could I do this?

I began the first in my Mister Darcy series – Mister Darcy’s Dogs – this summer. I discovered Elizabeth Bennet had much in common with Wendy Darlin and yours truly. We share an insubordinate sense of humor and a talent for mumbling under our breaths. We are attracted to and irritated by gorgeous men with chocolate-colored eyes and quirky personalities. We rarely hesitate leaping in to help a friend and occasionally regret it. 

BOOK BLITZ! FINDING MR DARCY: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION - DISCOVER MORE & WIN AMAZON GIFT CARD

Finding Mr. Darcy: High School Edition

by Erin Butler

Release Date: 09/16/14

Summary from Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Liza Johnson takes fangirl to a whole new level of crazy when she decides to take dating advice from her literary hero: Jane Austen.

With the help of her best friends, Liza sheds her ancient-speak and complete Austen wardrobe for something a bit more modern in an attempt at finding her very own Mr. Darcy.

Enter Will, the new kid and Liza's Darcy incarnate. Add her BFF's ex to mix and the sexy Brit who kisses with an accent, and Liza is in trouble.

So, what's a girl to do? Without her mom to go to relationship advice, Liza turns to the only person she can truly trust with matters of the heart via her mother's copy of COMPLETED WORKS OF JANE AUSTEN.