Hi everyone! As you can see from the blog post title, I have decided to write a Christmas story for you. I am totally pantsing this one at this point. That means I have absolutely NO plotting of any kind completed. It really started to flow today, and most of what you are getting is hot off the presses. Please forgive any typos or other errors. I was too eager to get this one up to proofread. <3 I have no idea how long the story will be, or if I will publish it later. I rather like the idea of extending Christmas well past New Year’s Day, simply because I hate winter and it will feel to me like I’m extending the holiday. 😀 As I stated previously, Darcy Overhears will be left up until this coming Sunday, at which point it will all come down except the first post. It is currently live in all the stores I use at this link, and is available for a discount at my Gumroad store. And, did you know that for a monthly pledge of as little as $1 at Patreon, you can have early access to all my blog posts, including my Thursday ones? Patrons also get a free copy of each of my books once it is complete. For the next few weeks, they are getting a patron-only story that the rest of the world will have to wait to see until it’s nearly published. Click the link to check it out!
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Fitzwilliam Darcy looked out the window of his slowly-moving carriage at the rush of shoppers on Bond Street in London, snow swirling around them. It was cold for early November, and everyone, himself included, was wrapped up in coats and scarves. Distinguishing the features of most was difficult, but the majority of shoppers were keeping their heads down against the cold wind. Suddenly, Darcy’s attention was arrested by a young lady who stood out from the crowd. The girl looked young, perhaps nineteen or twenty, well-dressed in a fashionable gown of blue, with a matching pelisse and bonnet. Chestnut curls peeked out from under the headgear to cover her neck. What made her stand out was that, instead of tucking her head down to avoid the weather, she had her face turned up to it, smiling and laughing at the flakes that landed on her cheeks and lips. The gentleman with her said something to her, and the young lady looked at him with a grin. Darcy felt his heart lurch at the sight. Oh, to be the recipient of that smile, he thought. Though not given to impulsiveness, Darcy lifted his walking stick to rap on the roof, signaling to his driver to stop. His eyes never left the couple or the door they disappeared through. Feeling the coach come to a stop, Darcy leapt out before the footman could jump down and pull the step out. He called out to the driver to pull over and wait, and then swiftly made his way to the shop door. As his hand moved toward the knob, Darcy’s usual caution surfaced. What are you doing? She might be married. Maybe she will not appreciate a stranger imposing himself upon her. The gentleman she was with appears much older than she is, but large age gaps between spouses is not unusual. Darcy struggled with his thoughts for a long moment and almost turned to walk away, but just as he began to give in to the doubts, he saw her through the window. He felt his heart begin to pound harder and without further thought, opened the door and stepped through. Glancing around, Darcy saw that this was a bookshop, one he had visited on two or three previous occasions. The owner was known for being able to locate hard-to-find older editions, and his shop was filled with previously-owned—and loved—books. Darcy relaxed just a bit at being in the relatively familiar surroundings of the shop. He felt a tiny shot of delight run through him at the hope that the as-yet-unnamed young lady enjoyed reading. Taking a deep breath, he removed his hat and held it in the hand his walking stick hung off of. Then, he stepped forward. “Excuse me for interrupting you,” Darcy began, nervousness making his insides shake. When the lady and her friend turned around, Darcy was snared by the twinkle in her eyes and the bright smile on her face. He bowed, “I am Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire. I noticed you while you were walking outside and my spirits were lifted by your joy. I could not ride on without thanking you.”
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What do you think? Feel free to leave a comment for me! <3
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Great beginning. Love the Hook! Can’t wait to read the rest.
Thanks, Lisa! 🙂
I love the start! Do you think you will publish for this Christmas? You are trying the way I usually write. I may have several bullet points for the story, but I have never had a real outline. Sometimes it feels like the stories write themselves when I work this way. They take on a life of their own. I look forward to next week. By the way, I am still not on the mailing list since you had trouble. Fortunately, I try to check the site weekly to read more.
I got an email today that you had subscribed, so hopefully, you’re good to go now. 🙂
I don’t know that I will get this published for Christmas. I’d like to but being sick really put a crimp in all my plans. 🙁