Jane Austen Birthday Soiree! Winner announced!

The winner of the Jane Austen mug and copy of Mr. Darcy's Secret is Danielle! Congratulations!
Thank you to all who entered - please keep a lookout for future competitions.

A Jane Austen Advent Calendar: Part Two

A Jane Austen Advent Calendar 

Part Two

There was no sound so Lizzy turned the handle feeling all the while that she really wasn’t very sure if she was doing the right thing. Entering a narrow vestibule where a fire crackled in the hearth of the fireplace another door with a glimpse of the room beyond beckoned her on. She saw a rapid movement, caught sight of a dashing figure, and heard light, running footsteps ascending on creaking wooden boards, as if rising upwards to rooms out of sight. A muffled laugh echoed above, a deliciously bright and happy noise which echoed in the silence, and Lizzy couldn’t help wondering if Jane Austen had made her escape on purpose, if indeed that was whom she’d glanced.

Cautiously stepping into the room she found it empty save for the dining table and chairs, a cupboard and a cabinet on either side of the fireplace, and a small table and writing desk placed before the window. A kettle hissed and steamed in the fireplace, the smell of toast, a pot of honey, and the scatterings of pretty china on the table were the remnants of what appeared to be a breakfast meal. Lizzy was drawn to the writing desk by the sight of several leaves of paper, a bottle of ink and a quill pen, but as she approached she saw that the even handwriting in brown ink was partially hidden by a plain sheet which had been placed on top. She tried not to stare, and though the temptation to nudge the paper slightly to reveal more was great, she knew she could not. However, she was intrigued by the words that caught her eye. Charlotte herself was tolerably composed. Lizzy couldn’t see any more than that, and in fact, it seemed this was where the author of the piece had decided to stop writing for the time being.

A movement through the window caught her eye. A figure of a girl trudged through the snow towards the house. Lizzy heard a knock at the door, the sound of welcoming noises, and the door behind her opened to admit two young ladies clearly very pleased to be in one another’s company.

“Charlotte, you came! I did not expect to see you today.” The lively girl who spoke these words took her friend’s hands in an affectionate manner and drew her towards the fire. She was a pretty girl with dark eyes that sparkled under fine arched brows.

Neither of the girls seemed to notice Lizzy who was so surprised that she plumped down on the little chair by the writing table. Even when the chair scraped they didn’t react, but then they were so wrapped up in their conversation, Lizzy assumed they had just not seen her. It was only when she coughed to alert them of her presence that she realized that they couldn’t see her, or perhaps they pretended not to, and by that time she was so intrigued she decided to stay put to watch the scene unfold.

The girl called Charlotte seemed tolerably composed. Not as outwardly attractive as her friend, she had a homely face, and a gentle expression.

“Elizabeth, I have some news to impart, my dear friend. I could not wait to tell you even though I am not certain what you shall think about any of it. No, that is not true. I have a very good idea what you will think about it, but I hope you will be able to reconcile yourself to the idea of such an attachment.”

“An attachment? Charlotte, this is news indeed!”

“And one, however uncertain of bringing happiness is more than I could ask given that I have reached the age of twenty seven, and have very little fortune. I beg you do not disapprove.”

“Charlotte, this is all so sudden. Do not leave me in suspense any longer.”

“He will be my husband however irksome you might find his company, however disagreeable you have proclaimed his society. Elizabeth, I can delay telling you no longer. I am engaged to Mr. Collins.

Lizzy saw the flush rise on Elizabeth’s face, her dark curls trembling with every expression of indignation and surprise.

“Engaged to Mr. Collins! My dear, Charlotte, impossible!”

Lizzy saw Charlotte’s face falter momentarily. She bit her lip before raising her eyes to meet those of her friend with a steadiness of purpose.

“Why should you be surprised, my dear Eliza? Do you think it incredible that Mr. Collins should be able to procure any woman’s good opinion, because he was not so happy as to succeed with you?”

Elizabeth looked as if she realized she’d been too hasty in giving her opinion so candidly. “My dear, Charlotte, I am wholly thankful to think of your relationship, to consider that we will be true cousins when you are united by this marriage. Please believe me when I wish you all imaginable happiness.”

  “I see what you are feeling,” replied Charlotte; “you must be surprised, very much surprised, so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry you. But when you have had time to think it all over, I hope you will be satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’s character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.”

“Undoubtedly.”

Lizzy sensed the awkwardness between them, and felt the change in the strained atmosphere, which settled in the room like the cloak of snow smothering the landscape outside. After an awkward pause, the two girls got up and left the room.

“Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Collins,” Lizzy mused. “I recognize most of that scene from Pride and Prejudice, and I suppose if I think about it, Charlotte must have become engaged to Mr. Collins at about this time.”

She didn’t quite know what to do next or where she should go. Lizzy had no doubt this was all part of an elaborate entertainment put on by the museum, and she was so glad she’d decided not to go home. The sound of the front door shutting once more had her looking through the window for Charlotte who she reasoned would most likely be going home now she’d imparted the news that must have been so difficult to divulge. If Pride and Prejudice were unfolding before her eyes surely that would happen next.

To her great astonishment Lizzy saw somebody else. He was tall, and broad-shouldered, what Jane Austen would have described as a good-looking gentleman. A more Darcy-like figure Lizzy could not have imagined with his greatcoat flapping around him like the great wings of a solitary bird, smooth breeches delineating a muscular physique, and his dark hair tumbling in curls to his collar. It was only when he glanced towards the window that she cried out in surprise and recognition. Looking quite unlike the man she’d met briefly before, Mr. MacGourtey looked directly into her eyes.  

A Summer scene of me sitting in Jane Austen's garden at Chawton

More coming soon! If you'd like to see a lovely article about Jane Austen's house at Christmas do visit Julie Wakefield's wonderful Austenonly site where you can read all about it, and see a short film which shows you the dining parlour that features in my story.

Winner of His Good Opinion by Nancy Kelley

Thank you to everyone who participated in the competition for a copy of Nancy Kelley's new book, His Good Opinion.
Congratulations to Laura Hartness who is the winner!

I'd also like to thank Nancy Kelley for being my lovely guest and offering such a fabulous prize!!!

Jane Austen Birthday Soiree!

It's Jane Austen's birthday! I must thank Maria Grazia and Katherine Cox for their kind invitation to join this event to celebrate the occasion. If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning my prize of a Jane Austen mug, and a signed copy of Mr. Darcy's Secret please leave a comment below by December 23rd 2011.
I was going to write a fairly straightforward letter to Jane, but somewhere along the line it turned into a story, which is what I like to do best.

            Dear Jane,

I wanted to wish you a very Happy Birthday, and because I love writing stories I've written one in celebration! I do apologise for borrowing your characters, and can only hope that you will forgive me. This is my present to you, but I hope you won't mind sharing it with a very special lady who is a very brave and beautiful person. I know she's fond of Christmas so I wrote this with her in mind. Adalgisa, I hope you enjoy it! 
This is Part One and I shall be posting the rest during the next couple of weeks.

The Jane Austen Advent Calendar


Part 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 in the 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.

Jane and Cassandra at Chawton

The entrance was through the shop housed in a barn at the side but when she reached the door it was locked and there were no lights on. It occurred to her then that despite all appearances the house might not be open. The snow was drifting ever higher and showed no signs of stopping. Looking up, dizzying spirals of feathery showers whirled through the air making her blink, and for the first time she prayed that the snow falling from grey clouds like a Christmas goose being plucked might blow over. Setting off that morning Lizzy hadn’t even considered the house might be closed or that there might be a problem getting home, and she began to think that perhaps she should head back along the lane when she heard the sound of a door opening. From the main building opposite the head of a tall man peered round the glass-paned door.

“Look, we’re really short-staffed. No one’s turned up, and to be honest, I thought no one in their right mind would come today. I assume you’re here to see the house?”

Lizzy nodded whilst simultaneously thinking she’d never met anyone so rude. He hadn’t even said hello. “I’ve come from London. It’s taken me a while to get here, but I suppose if you’re closed, there’s not much I can do.”

“Cassandra’s will give you a cup of tea, I expect.”

Lizzy thought he was talking about Jane Austen’s sister for a minute until she remembered that the café across the way shared the same name.

“No, they’re shut too,” she said.

The sign for the café had been a welcome sight on the way as she’d trudged up the road, but she’d known with a sinking heart that it was closed before she’d even reached it. As Lizzy waited for him to speak again, she heard the crunch of footsteps in the snow behind her.

“I’m here now, Mr. MacGourtey, you can get back in the warm. I’ll open up!” cried a cheerful voice.

Lizzy turned to see a lady with a pleasant face advancing gingerly towards her picking up her long skirts to avoid getting them wet. Dressed from head to foot in Regency costume she appeared to be totally at home in her clothes, and Lizzy supposed it must be a kind of uniform she wore when showing people round the house.

“Come in out of the cold, dear. I am sorry I couldn’t have been here sooner, but what with the weather and I know not what to tell you about first, I am in quite a dither this morning. My nerves are apt to plague me, but you’ll forgive me for running on so. Mr. MacGourtey would have attended you in any case, I am sure.”

The door opposite resounded with a loud bang as it shut. Mr. MacGourtey disappeared.

Lizzy didn’t like to say that the rude man had told her to go home, and decided to say nothing. She followed the lady into the barn blinking as the bright strip lights were flicked on in the shop.

“Do make yourself at home, dear. I’ll just make sure everything is in order in the main house so have a look round at your leisure. My youngest daughter was here yesterday, and though a delightful companion, she is inclined to be untidy. I daresay the dining room table will be littered with bonnets and ribbon, but that’s my Lydia – never happier than when she’s pulling apart a hat and making it her own.”

Jane Austen Mug

The lady laughed like a young girl, her curls trembling as she shook her head.

After she’d gone Lizzy looked around at the wealth of books and gifts in the shop most of which she longed to own. The shelves were lined with the books Jane Austen had written and revised in the very house she was about to see, and there were mugs and bags, bookmarks and fridge magnets to tempt the pennies out of her purse. On the counter was a pile of Advent calendars with a scene like the one she’d witnessed earlier. A painting of Jane’s house in the snow was sprinkled with twenty four windows to be opened during the festive season, some of which lay exactly over the place where the real windows were situated, and some of which made up the doors or were hidden in the snow-clad trees and sky. Lizzy was just making up her mind to treat herself to one when the lady came back.

“Oh, my dear, you’ve made an excellent choice, and one you won’t regret, I’m sure,” she said, and as Lizzy took out her purse to pay for it, the lady added, “Don’t trouble yourself about paying for it now. There’s time enough to do that later. And, as it’s December the first, you should make haste, and open number one!”

Encouraged by the lady’s enthusiasm Lizzy carefully tore round the perforated edge of the window and peeled it back. She’d never grown out of the childish excitement of having an Advent calendar, and this was extra special. Behind a beautiful gothic window the picture gave a glimpse of the room itself. There on a chaise longue lay a pink satin bonnet.

“Oh, that means you must go to the drawing room first,” said the lady. “Look for the signs and you’ll soon find it.”  

Lizzy picked up her bag, and clutching the calendar set off around the back of the house following the path until she came to a white door. The thought that this was a doorway through which Jane had passed many times was thrilling, and turning the handle she crossed the threshold with a reverent step.

“Lord, is that you, Kitty? I thought you were never coming home!”

The room Lizzy entered was strewn with ribbons and lace, yards of satin and silk flowers covering every surface and tumbling onto the floor. A young girl seated on the chaise longue looked up expectantly.

“Oh! I thought you were Kitty, but I suppose you must be here for one of my sisters, though I have to say you look as if you’ve just stepped out of my mother’s monthly magazine, and are not at all the sort of plain girl they usually keep for company.”

Apart from being completely taken aback at the sight and manner of the girl who looked just like an image from an illustrated edition of Jane Austen’s novels, Lizzy couldn’t think what she could be talking about. At least, until she noticed the scarlet coat she was wearing, which fell in voluminous folds to the floor. No, the word for it was pelisse, she thought. A glance across at herself in the looking glass over the fireplace showed a picture of someone she hardly recognized. A fur-trimmed bonnet with green satin ribbon matched her mittens, and framed her face, which at this moment looked wide-eyed with astonishment.

Mr. Darcy's Secret

“I’m so sorry,” Lizzy began, “but I was told to come here.”

“And I expect that person was a round plump lady, who talks too much, and quivers like a jelly not quite set. My mother! Lord knows she cannot help herself, but she will interfere. You’re not the first, and I daresay, you will not be the last. However, do not be alarmed. I am delighted you are here. You can help me trim this wretched bonnet. I cannot do a thing with it!”

Lizzy was feeling most peculiar. It’s not everyday that you find yourself completely decked out in Regency costume without having gone through the process of actually putting it on, and unless she’d suffered temporary memory loss, she couldn’t fathom out how she’d managed it. However, before she managed to say or do anything else, the young girl spoke again.

“Are you here for Jane or Elizabeth? I expect they’re closeted away somewhere telling their secrets to one another. I am not interested in their dull tales. Anyway, I have a secret of my own. I shall tell you if you like.”

“I don’t think…”

“Good, I knew you would want to hear it. I know Miss Austen doesn’t like it when we peep, but I cannot help wanting to know what will happen next. All I wished for is to take our dreary cousin, Mr. Collins, away, but I know there is much better in store!”

“Miss Austen is here?” asked Lizzy.

“Yes, of course, she’s in the next room where she sits scribbling on her little pieces of paper about us all. I should be vexed for it has to be said she can be very unkind about me, but she has promised to send me to Brighton. I heard her say it out loud, and I cannot wait!”

Lizzy was sure her suspicions were correct. The girl who was clearly brilliant at role-playing must be acting the part of Lydia Bennet. She’d visited houses and museums in the past where actors were employed to play the parts of historical figures, but she’d never seen anything quite so real or convincing. How they’d managed her costume change she couldn’t think, but surely it would be fun to go along with it, now she was here.

“Do you think I could see Miss Austen?”

Lydia looked doubtful. “She may see you, but then again, she may not like to be disturbed. You will soon find out if you go beyond the door.”

Lizzy followed Lydia’s pointing finger to the door ahead, which was firmly closed. “Do you think I should? I wouldn’t like to interrupt her if she’s writing.”

“Only you can decide what is best, but if you take a leaf from my book, nothing ever stops me from pursuing the wishes of my heart.”

Lizzy was most undecided, especially when she considered that it might not be wise to take advice from Lydia Bennet. But, surely this was all part of the exhibition, and she was being guided, even invited to go through the door. And if she didn’t hurry, time would run out, and she would have to go home. With a delicious mixture of fear and excitement Lizzy took her cue, and knocked on the door. 


Look out for Part Two coming soon, and don't miss out on the rest of the fun and prizes - there are lots of other people to visit - here are the links!

Participants

• Alyssa Goodnight
• Austen Authors
• Austenprose, Laurel Ann Nattress
• Brant Flakes, Marilyn Brant
• Choc Lit Authors’ Corner, Juliet Archer
• The Fiction vs. Reality Smackdown, Karen Doornebos
• First Draft, Cindy Jones
• The Heroine’s Bookshelf, Erin Blakemore
• Jane Austen Brazil, Adriana Zardini
• The Jane Austen Film ClubJenny Allworthy
• Jane Austen SequelsJane Odiwe
• Jane Started It! Laura Hile, Susan Kaye, Pamela Aidan, and Barbara Cornthwaite
• Jane Austen in Vermont, Deb
• Jennifer Becton
• Kaitlin Saunders
• Mesmered’s Blog, Prue Batten
• O! Beauty Unattempted, Emily Snyder
• One Literature Nut, Becky Rhodehouse
• Patrice Sarath
• Pemberley Variations, Abigail Reynolds
• Reading, Writing, Working, Playing, Jane Greensmith
• Regency Sketches, Farida Mestek
• Regina Jeffers
• El Salón de Té de Jane
• SemiTrue Stories, C. Allyn Pierson
• Sharon Lathan
• Stiletto Storytime, Courtney Webb
• Urban Girl Takes Vermont, Vera Nazarian
• vvb32 reads, Velvet

Nancy Kelley, author of his His Good Opinion, and a Competition!

My lovely guest today is Nancy Kelley whose book, His Good Opinion has just been released! Congratulations Nancy!!!

I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy recently when we met up at the British Museum to gaze at Jane Austen's desk together. We'd 'met' on Twitter, and when I heard Nancy was coming to London I suggested a day out-we had a lovely time discussing all things Jane and our writing dreams. Nancy's first dream has just been realised, now that her book is out. I wish you huge success, Nancy, and hope that many more of your dreams are fulfilled!

Nancy kindly agreed to be a guest on my blog, and she is offering a copy of His Good Opinion as a prize. Her question is this:

What behind-the-scenes Darcy moment would you most like to read?

Leave a comment below to have a chance to win!

I had a few questions I wanted to ask her, and she's also treated us to chapter one of her book!

1. Have you always wanted to be a writer?  What inspired you to start writing?

Earlier this week, I found a folder filled with stories I started writing in about third grade. I loved books, and the next step after reading was to write. I kept writing stories, and in middle school (age 12 or 13), my English teacher encouraged me to actively pursue it. I’ve wanted to write professionally ever since.

2. This might sound like a daft question, but why write Darcy’s story?

Not daft at all! There are several excellent Darcy stories out there—why add another one into the mix?

The answer is simple, but it might make me seem daft: Darcy told me to. I was listening to Pride and Prejudice, and he started giving his commentary on various scenes. Once I understood his point of view, I knew I had to tell his story.

3. Which is your favorite scene from His Good Opinion? Can you tell us why?

I think my favorite scene is the first proposal. He walks into the parsonage absolutely certain of her answer, and when you read the previous chapters from his point of view, you can understand why. Her rejection is not just a blow to his pride, as it seems in the novel. He is actually heartbroken.

4. Apart from Pride and Prejudice which novels of Jane Austen’s do you enjoy most?

I started to ramble about how much I love all of her works, with the exception of Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park. However, the short answer is probably Persuasion. It is short and poignant, and has the perfect happy ending.

5. Which writers inspire your own writing apart from Jane Austen? Do you read contemporary writer’s work or are you only a fan of historical novels?

My other favorite genre is fantasy. The Lord of the Rings is perhaps my favorite book ever. As an author who struggles with setting description, I am in awe of some of the passages Tolkien wrote.

I also like romance, young adult fiction, and mysteries. Currently on my TBR stack: Supernaturally by Kiersten White, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, and The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig.

6. Which characters apart from Mr. Darcy did you enjoy writing?

Colonel Fitzwilliam. In fact, I enjoyed writing him so much, I decided to devote an entire novel to him. I just finished the rough draft of that story during NaNoWriMo, and hope to release it by the end of the summer.

7. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I tend to cycle through activities—I’ll spend three or four months doing/collecting/watching one thing, and then move on to another love. My current obsession is Doctor Who. A friend started me on series 5, and then I had to go back to series 1 and watch from there.

8. If your house was on fire and you could only take three possessions, what would they be?

My laptop, my cat, and the box with letters from my dad.

9. Can you describe your perfect day?

I have a vague idea that it would involve lots of good tea and chocolate and uninterrupted time to write—with no wrist pain resulting.

10.What is next for you? Will you write another sequel?  

I have a few sequels up my sleeves. There’s the aforementioned Colonel Fitzwilliam story, and then I’ve got an idea for Frank Churchill. I’d also like to write about Captain Wentworth’s missing years, but I don’t have any solid plot ideas for that one yet.

In addition to the Jane Austen stories, I have a series I started last year. It’s a new take on the Robin Hood legend, set in the Spanish Main ca 1720. Yes, Robin Hood: Pirate. My hope is to begin working on the first novel in that trilogy this year and release it sometime in spring of 2013, but that’s really a guess at the moment.

The first chapter of His Good Opinion follows:

Chapter One

"I will never understand, Darcy, why you insist on going out in Society only to be displeased with everyone you meet."

Fitzwilliam Darcy poured two glasses of brandy and handed one to his friend before he took the chair opposite him. "I go out because it is expected of me, Bingley. You know that."

Charles Bingley pointed at him. "Ah, but that does not answer the question, does it?"

Darcy conceded the point with the barest shrug of his shoulders. Here, in the comfort of his own study, there was no need to pretend. "I admit that I find little in Society of which to approve."

"Only because you are determined to disapprove." Bingley protested. "What of the young lady you sat out with tonight? Let me hear your opinion of her."

Darcy ran his fingers down the side of his glass. "Her aunt approached me and said her niece had sprained her ankle, and would I be willing to keep her company? Good manners forbade I refuse, though you know how little I enjoy making conversation with someone I am not intimately acquainted with. I have not your ease of speaking on subjects in which I have little or no interest." His lips curled in disdain, and he took a sip of brandy to wash the sour taste from his mouth.

"That is a commentary on your own character, not the lady's."

He ignored the familiar needling. "After two minutes of idle chatter, I inquired after her injury."

Satisfaction gleamed in Bingley's eyes. "Ah, you are capable courtesy after all."

Darcy leaned forward, his forehead creased in a frown. "Perhaps you will not be so victorious, Bingley, when you hear the rest of the story. She did not understand what I spoke of. When she returned to her aunt shortly thereafter, she did not have a limp. The entire incident was manufactured so she could gain my attention. No doubt they have heard that I do not dance often —"

"Or ever."

The leather chair creaked in protest when Darcy stood. He took Bingley's glass and strode to the table, glad to have something to do, even if it was only refilling their drinks. This topic never failed to rile him, but he found a measure of calm in pouring the liquor into their glasses.

"They sought a way to get time with me, and they found it. You wish to know why I so seldom give my good opinion to those I meet; it is this dishonesty, this deception of which I cannot approve. I cannot—I will not—marry a woman I do not trust."

Bingley took his refilled glass, and Darcy noted his frown with some vexation. "You are being a bit presumptuous, Darcy. How can you be so certain she wished to marry you? It was simply a dance."

Darcy set the decanter down on the tray with a hard clang. "Surely even you will acknowledge that a single woman in possession of no brothers must be in want of a husband."

Bingley shook his head and laughed. "You can hardly claim that to be a universal truth."

Darcy ran his hands through his close-cropped dark curls. Has it truly escaped his notice that he too has received such attentions? Though it was this very ability to see nothing but the good in people that recommended Bingley to him, at times his amiable nature bordered on naiveté.

"Perhaps not universal, but a truth nonetheless." He paced the confines of the study. The paneled walls, usually calming, pressed in on him tonight. London always wore on his nerves, but this Season had been worse than most. "I need to get out of town, Bingley."

Bingley eyed Darcy over the edge of his glass. "You sound as if you had a plan in mind."

Darcy stood in front of the empty fireplace and tapped his fingers on the mantle. "I believe it is time I visited Georgiana in Ramsgate."

"Is that what has made you so tense of late? I know you take great care of her."

Bingley's insight startled Darcy. "Yes, I imagine so. I trust Mrs. Younge of course or I would not have consented to the plan. Still, I will feel better once I see for myself how she is getting on." He turned back to his friend, at ease for the first time in weeks.

"When will you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Bingley raised his eyebrows. "That is rather spontaneous, Darcy—indeed, it is the kind of precipitous decision you often tease me for."

Darcy tossed back the rest of his brandy before he answered. "In truth, I have been thinking about it some weeks," he replied. "I just did not realize it until tonight."

"Well, if you are decided, then I wish you safe travels."

Bingley rose and shook his hand in farewell, and Darcy retired for the night soon after. He slept well, content with the knowledge he would soon be free of the artifice of town.

Nancy Kelley is a Janeite, an Austenesque author, and a blogger. During the writing of His Good Opinion, a version of Mr. Darcy took up residence in her brain; she fondly refers to him as the Darcy in my Head, or DIMH.

If Nancy could possess any fictional device, it would be a Time-Turner. Then perhaps she could juggle a full-time library job, writing, and blogging; and still find time for sleep and a life. Until then, she lives on large quantities of tea, of which DIMH approves.

You can find Nancy on Twitter @Nancy_Kelley, on her blog, and on IndieJane.org.

His Good Opinion is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Amazon.uk, Amazon.de, and Amazon.fr.

Thank you so much, Nancy, for being my guest today. Don't forget to leave a comment below if you'd like to be in with a chance to read Nancy's book. The competition will be open until Sunday 18th December 2011, the winner's name to be drawn at random and announced on Monday, 19th!