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 - INSPIRED BY GRACE BY JEANNA ELLSWORTH. DISCOVER MORE AND WIN A COPY!

Thanks so much Maria Grazia for hosting my on your blog to talk about Inspired by Grace! I have always loved being your guest.  Mostly because I get to talk about my books and writing! But today I am going to not just tell you about the book with the intrigue and excerpt, but I will introduce the main female character by using TV tropes.  What is a TV trope and what does it have to do with a book blog tour?  Tropes are a way to classify characters that seem to follow patterns and they are called TV tropes because they were first noticed in TV sitcoms and movies but since then, they are recognized universally throughout all media. 

Although Inspired by Grace is not JAFF, I have to say that Jane Austen inspired all my writing (this book happens to have a loose Persuasion correlation).  One of my favorite things about Austen is her ability to create memorable characters.  Here is a quick video link for you to watch a sketch that a comedy group called Studio C from BYU created.  The skit is called, “Teddy’s Story Joint” and the idea is author’s come and order plots like it is a fast food restaurant.  My favorite is when Jane Austen orders her “usual” which is “girl likes a guy, looks like she won’t get the guy, but then she does. With a witty social critique on the side.”  If you want to see the full sketch, click here  

I had already finished writing Inspired by Grace when I was introduced to the concept of TV tropes. I was really intrigued by this concept that there could be repeated characterizations throughout TV and literature.  So I tried to classify Grace Iverson, the heroine of Inspired by Grace.  I found that she fits two tropes; English Rose and Spirited Young Lady. The English Rose trope is a character who is virtuous and possess a certain amount of modest beauty. She is also dignified in a social setting but may not be upper class, but acts like it.  Jane Bennet is somewhat of an English Rose.  But Grace has some spunk to her too that makes English Rose not entirely fitting.  She has quite a bit of the Spirited Young Lady trope too.  I probably do not have to define this one . . . if I just say Elizabeth Bennet then you will know what I mean.  She is intelligent, often outdoorsy, witty and has a will of her own that prevents her from always conforming. 

SPOTLIGHT ON ... TO REFINE LIKE SILVER BY JEANNA ELLSWORTH: READ AN EXCERPT AND ENTER THE GIVEAWAY CONTEST

Thank you Maria Grazia for hosting me on your blog! It is always a pleasure. I thought I would share a part of my new book, To Refine Like Silver,  that I adore and always makes me giggle. In this scene, Darcy and Elizabeth both end up in the same bookshop in Lambton. Mr. Darcy and Georgiana had been loaned a book of thoughts by Elizabeth and he began to see the benefit of writing his confusing thoughts down. This is the afternoon after the ball at Pemberley where Darcy realized that he loved Elizabeth and also where he made the decision to pursue her. Up to that point, he kept trying to talk himself out of it. Here it is.

*****

“Good afternoon, Miss Elizabeth. What brings you to the Lambton bookshop today?”

            “My aunt has come to Lambton to do some shopping, and I asked her to drop me off here. I could not think of a better way to pass the time than to peruse a bookshop. What brings you here?”

            He lifted the journal. “I suppose my purpose is the same as yours.”

            She reached for the book he had in his hand and asked, “But what have you found that you do not already own?” She flipped through the blank, lined pages and looked with surprised eyes at him. “It is blank. What do you need a blank book for?”

            “I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. Some of my thoughts are circulating through my mind, confusing and elusive, while others are well-formed ideas. Either way, I find I am in need of writing them down.”

            “Well, it is about time.”

            “I do not take your meaning.”

MR DARCY'S PROMISE - BLOG HOP & GIVEAWAY

Hello and welcome to Mr Darcy's Promise Blog Hop! I hope you remember Jeanna Ellsworth and her P&P - inspired book. "Both" were my guests here at My Jane Austen Book Club not long ago (check out my interview HERE). Jeanna has now invited me to join the fun of a Valentine's Blog Hop to give you all,  dear readers, the chance to buy her novel at an extraordinarily cheap price or  to win and read her Mr Darcy's Promise. 

Here are your chances: