Please note: The giveaway mentioned in this post is closed.
This past Autumn, I accomplished two major-to-me things: I “won” NaNoWriMo, and I completed a sweet Christmas story. <3
My NaNo story is now being edited, so talking about that must wait. 😉 
Last year, I had a rough Christmas. I have had many of them since 2008, when my mom passed away, but last year was one of the worst. I wrote a story for another blog, but it was not the happy, cheerful thing I wanted it to be. This year, I determined in September or October that 2017’s holiday season would be better. As of the writing of this post, it’s four days from The Day (the anniversary of Mom’s death,) and it’s gotten harder, but I’ve set Pandora to Christmas music and turned purposefully away from negative and depressing thoughts. 
As I said earlier, I wanted to write a sweet Christmas story, and I did. It’s a short story, just 12,361 words and 75 finished/formatted pages. Being a short story, I had to be strict with information, including only that which would move the story forward. If you’re one who prefers long books full of details, you will not like this one. I only show four people: Jane, Bingley, Darcy, and Elizabeth. I mention a few others, but we never see them. Of course, as is true to historical record (and, quite frankly, good servers today,) no mention is made of the house staff. We don’t see Mrs. Nichols or the footmen. They are doing what they were hired to do, where they were hired to do it: in the background. I guess they like their jobs and want to keep them. 😉 I also do not mention what Elizabeth’s illness was, just that it almost killed her. Darcy was really pushing the bounds of propriety in asking the question to begin with, and I made the decision not to tell what it was, because she’d have not told him, it was none of his business at that point, and it was not necessary to move the story forward. 
For all that I was sparse with details, the story moves along rather nicely, or so I’ve been told. It certainly seems to have met its purpose, and that was to entertain readers—most of whom do not have extra hours at this time of year for reading long tomes—with a short and lighthearted story. I know I’m proud of it, because it symbolizes a turning point in my journey through grief, and because I was able to write such a sweet story in so few words.
I’ll leave you now with the blurb to the story. Don’t forget to check out the details of the giveaway!
All he wanted at Christmas was peace … until he found her.
When Fitzwilliam Darcy arrives in Hertfordshire, he yearns to spend a quiet holiday with friends. However, meeting the charming and witty Elizabeth Bennet changes all his desires. No longer content to while away his time in solitude, he spends much of it with the lovely young woman. Seeing her happy replaces all his previous intentions as claiming her heart becomes his greatest Christmas wish.
If you like sweet romance, earnest heroes, and flirty heroines, this short Pride & Prejudice variation from Zoe Burton is for you. So, buy Darcy’s Perfect Present, curl up in your favorite chair with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, and lose yourself in the delight of the Christmas season.
~~~***~~~
Please note: The giveaway mentioned in this post is closed.
Giveaway details: I’m giving away one e-book copy of Darcy’s Perfect Present and one print copy. **PLEASE NOTE: It will take a couple weeks for the print copies to arrive at my house—they are due here on December 27th—and a few days more to get to you. You won’t have your book before Christmas.**
The giveaway is international. To enter, simply comment on this post by 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, December 14, 2017 and specify which you prefer, ebook or print. Winners will be announced on Saturday, December 16, 2017.
Please note: The giveaway mentioned in this post is closed.
Buy direct at my Gumroad Store
Find me at Austen Authors Support me at Patreon