Friday, October 19, 2012

Mr Darcy? Yes, Please!

Happy Friday! TGIF, is all I can say. What a week!

Today, I'm delighted to host fellow Romantic Novelist Association member Victoria Connelly. I adore her novels -- if you're looking for a great romantic read, check them out -- and I can't wait to read her Christmas novella.

Take it away, Victoria!

I’ve always wanted to write a Christmas book. Whenever I see those pretty glittery book covers that start hitting the shelves in October, I tell myself, I must write one of those one day!

Last year, we were in the process of moving house and it was particularly stressful – one we liked was taken off the market, we got gazumped on another and then, when we finally found another, the paperwork took an absolute age. All this, together with two sick pet hens and a spaniel who underwent two major operations and nearly died both times, made it hard to concentrate on a long project like a novel. But I still needed to write something. I get pretty cranky when I’m not writing so I thought a shorter project would be fun and, as autumn approached, I kept thinking about Christmas and how we would be settled in our new home by Christmas. 

I’d recently finished writing my Jane Austen Addicts’ Trilogy and I’d been getting a lot of emails from readers wanting to know what happened next to the characters. Dan Harcourt – one of my heroes from A Weekend with Mr Darcy - seemed to be getting more than his fair share of fan mail too and I must admit that he’s the hero I’d be most likely to run away with if I could! 

Hmmmmm ... Jane Austen and Christmas, I thought. That sounds like a pretty irresistible partnership... 

And that’s how Christmas with Mr Darcy was born. I thought it would be fun to unite all the main characters from the trilogy and have then attend a special Jane Austen conference at Purley Hall at Christmas. Throw in a badly-behaved brother, a marriage proposal and a missing first edition of Pride and Prejudice and you have the ingredients for a fun-filled festive read! 

I can't tell you how much fun it was to write this novella. It was so lovely to see all my characters again and continue on their journey with them and it was so much fun to have a Christmas setting and really go to town decorating Purley Hall with evergreen garlands, candles and baubles. And Higgins the butler gets to wear some pretty fantastic waistcoats too! 

Victoria Connelly has had eight novels published worldwide. Her first, Flights of Angels, was made into a film in Germany. All her books are available as ebooks along with two collections of short stories. She lives in rural Suffolk with her artist husband and an ever-expanding family of animals and can frequently be found on Facebook wittering on about her hens. www.victoriaconnelly.com ; Twitter: @VictoriaDarcy 

Thanks, Victoria!

Are you a Mr Darcy fan? Have a great weekend, everyone!

33 comments:

  1. That sounds like so much fun! I love Christmas stories. O can't believe how fast it's coming up!

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  2. You did good to write a book during all of that! Congratulations, Victoria.

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  3. How exciting. Christmas and Mr Darcy. Any hens too?

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  4. Thanks, Guys!

    Laura - I've seen so many decorations for sale in the shops already!

    Alex - writing is my sanity - it gets me through the tough times and is always a joy : )

    Carol - of course! You will see that Robyn has invited some more hens into her life!

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  5. Can't wait to read it Victoria!! Your books always make me smile and I get the warm and fuzzy feeling from them. :) xxx

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  6. I think it would be wonderful to spend Christmas with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. I'd like to listen to them "bicker" for a while, and then I'd like to talk to Elizabeth about what she thinks about love and marriage.

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  7. Oh wow! Just reading your post made me suddenly all excited about Christmas and especially reading your new book, Victoria - and Talli's - of course!!

    Great post, ladies.
    Love, Janice xx

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  8. Such a great idea, and an inviting cover too!

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  9. Sounds like so much fun! And what woman wouldn't like to spend a Christmas with Mr. Darcy... am I right?

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  10. terrific post. This sounds like a fun read and Christmas is right around the corner too. Great as a gift idea. :)

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  11. I love Victoria's books too and this one is waiting for me on my kindle. I can't wait to read it.

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  12. Sounds like a great entertaining read. I would love to spend Christmas with Mr. Darcy too!

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  13. What a fun novella! I can relate to your hectic lifestyle. We moved at Christmas a few years ago. Nice to meet you.

    Hi, Talli!

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  14. That book sounds like great fun! And very timely for the christmas run up! Very best of luck to Victoria and thanks Talli for spotlighting it.

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  15. What a lovely inspiration for this novel. Sounds like a great romantic read for the Christmas holidays.

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  16. I adore Mr. Darcy so this sounds right up my street.

    Jai

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  17. I am a fan of Darcy and Elizabeth, having had read the book many a time. His trait of his "good opinion, once lost, is lost forever" tends to be something that I do.

    The story sounds good, Victoria!

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  18. That sounds lovely, Victoria. I'd like to write a Christmas story someday too...

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  19. I've only read a few Christmas stories, but writing one sounds like a lot of fun. :)

    Great post!

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  20. I love watching romantic Christmas movies. I need to check out some books.

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  21. Hi girls - I adored the Austen trilogy, so I'll definitely be after this one too :)
    Lx

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  22. Thanks so much, Laura. Hope you enjoy the novella too : )

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  23. Hi Talli - what a great guest .. Victoria well done - and good luck - sounds like a fun read ... we dream back to big fires, lots of reading and good old fashioned roasts ...

    Excellent thought to buy .. cheers Hilary

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  24. Great idea. Sounds like an excellent read.

    Yvonne.

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  25. Your novella sounds like such fun! I'm looking forward to reading it.

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  26. I love the sound of your book Victoria, a combination of Christmas and Mr Darcy sounds like a great read.

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  27. I love anything to do with Jane Austen/Darcy and this sounds perfect for the coming dark nights, Victoria!

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  28. Bring on anything remotely related to Mr Darcy and Jane Austen. This sounds adorable!

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  29. Sounds like a fun story idea! Would love to get another Mr Darcy story!

    Hi Talli!

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  30. I'm a Jane Austen fan through and through. Love this!

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  31. I absolutely agree: it does sound like a fun story.

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  32. I love revisiting characters and throwing them all together again. I used to think it was a cop-out but now I realise it is real affection and interest that pulls you back in again. Great work!

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Coffee and wine for all!