Monica Fairview's Blog, page 71

Great (Christmas) Expectations

It starts when we’re kids: all the build-up to Christmas (or what ever holiday you celebrate this time of year): the decorations, the wish lists, the family traditions, the idea that magic can happen!  But the higher our unreasonable expectations, the more likely they are to be disappointed. On the other hand, sometimes what happens instead is just as good or better.

I have a Christmas story for you today – an excerpt from one of my novels, actually. And your very natural expectation is that we ...

Let It Snow

(Image and graphics from Pixabay)

 

Good morning!

Have you had the first snow of the season? Mr Darcy did

There is snow at Pemberley in this excerpt from one of the few books where I wrote about the Christmas season.

I hope you’ll enjoy it.

 

 

 

Excerpt from MISS DARCY’S COMPANION

The morning before Christmas dawned bright and jolly over a fresh layer of snow. It must have fallen heavily overnight, clothing the land in pristine white, covering old tracks and smoothing every surface, but now th...

Excerpt from His Perfect Gift

We’re getting closer and closer to Christmas day, so I thought I’d share the Christmas chapter from His Perfect Gift today. It’s one of my favorite chapters and I hope you enjoy it! If you haven’t read His Perfect Gift, make sure you check it out on Kindle, KU, Paperback, and audiobook.

Chapter 11

The morning dawned frigid in comparison to the days leading up to Christmas, the chill evident in the frost clinging to the window as well as the biting cold that penetrated the glass when Elizabeth st...

Jane Austen’s Birthday: Did She Enjoy it? by Diana Birchall

Today, Jane Austen’s birthday (her 246th to be exact), it is tempting to reflect on how she spent her birthdays and what she thought of them. This simple question is surprisingly difficult to answer, first because she made little mention of birthdays in either the surviving letters or in her novels; and also because birthdays were not as elaborately celebrated during her lifetime as they are today, certainly not in the family of a clergyman with a modest income and numerous children, of whom Ja...

Your Own Holiday Adventure

It’s the holiday season, dear readers, and what a wonderful time it is. Everyone seems to be a little kinder, a little more patient and more willing to forgive and forget. The lights are brighter, the music is jollier and the books…are more apt to feature a cabin in the woods with snow.

How I love to read holiday stories, especially with our dear couple trapped together with no way to escape— forced to confront their feelings.

 

Those books give us what we all wanted when we were reading Pride a...

Dangerous Magic Book 2: Threads of Magic Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to share the cover of my latest book, Threads of Magic. This is Book 2 of Dangerous Magic: A Pride and Prejudice Variation.  It’s been a long time coming, but I can now finally reveal that it will available for pre-order on December 25th! That should be an easy date to remember

For those of you who have not yet read Dangerous Magic, I am giving away two free e-book copies to celebrate the new cover. Just leave a comment below stating that you’re interested in a copy.

And now:...

“Comfort and Joy” Excerpt

With only one week until the release of my holiday novella, “Comfort and Joy,” I wanted to share an excerpt with you to ‘make [your] spirits bright!’

This scene takes place instantly after the last I shared on October 25th. Elizabeth, her young cousins and their friend have finally found shelter in stables they came upon in the Derbyshire countryside. A ‘highwayman’ has just ridden into the stables and been bunched in the nose by eight year old Emily Gardiner.

You and I both KNOW it is not a rea...

A little bit more magic, please!

Here’s another sneak peek at my upcoming magical variation on Pride & Prejudice. This scene also takes place while Elizabeth is at Netherfield, and comes just after the last excerpt I posted, but I think you can read it on its own, too. I hope you enjoy it!

~~~

Elizabeth tiptoed out of Jane’s sickroom and headed for the grand staircase. She had only just reached the bottom when a voice reached her.

“Good morning, Miss Elizabeth. I was hoping to see you.” Mr. Darcy rose from one of the straight-...

A little bit of Austenesque Fun!

How about a bit of fun? If you’re like me, this is a crazy time of year, fun but hectic! And being that I like a good crossword puzzle now and then, I thought it might be fun to create one about our dear Jane. Hope you enjoy!

With good luck I have done this such that you can fill it in online. What you see can only be seen by you, using your browser and your computer, so fill it in with impunity! But if you like a good old fashioned paper and pencil, go to the bottom right hand side of the puzzl...

A Pinch of Salt Christmas Excerpt 2

Hi everyone!

I’m back with Part 2 of the Pinch of Salt Christmas-themed excerpt. You can read Part 1 here. I decided to make this a double post. After the judging, we skip ahead to the group relaxing after completing the next (elimination) challenge. They are in the contestants’ lounge and spend some time talking about holidays—including Hanukkah (Hanukkah Sameach to everyone celebrating!), and a certain someone really notices a certain someone else. It does make today’s offering long, but I’m n...